pathetically declared and complained of the wilful wickednesse of Israel Isa 1.2 3 4. notwithstanding his tender dealing with them he being still unwilling of their ruine saith to them ver 18. Come now and let us reason together So let me say unto thee on the behalf of God and thy own soul Come and let us reason together before we part and see whether it be not possible to prevail with thee to be willing to the salvation of thy own soule And here let me put a few Queries to thee 1. Hast thou not lived all thy dayes in the light of the Gospel and under the meanes of Grace the Lord yet still offering unto thee his saving help wooing intreating beseeching thee to accept of him that thou maist be saved And will not all these meanes and mercies thou now injoyest rise up in judgement against thee in the great day of thy account Mat. 10.14 15. And whosoever shall not receive you nor heare your words when ye depart out of that house or city shake off the dust off your feet Verily I say unto you it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgement than for that city Chap. 11.21 2â— 23 24. Woe unto thee Corazin wo unto thee Bethsaida for if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon they would have repented long agoe in sackcloth and ashes But I say unto you it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgement than for you And thou Capernaum which art exalted unto heaven shalt be thrown down to hell for if the mighty works which have been done in thee had been done in Sodom it would have remained untill this day But I say unto you it shall be more tolerable c. Hence let me propose to thee a second Querie 2. Dost not thou account Heathens Infidels persons in a most forlorne and miserable condition and wouldst thou not account it a reproach to be called Heathen or Infidel and is not thy condition farre worse than theirs they have but the light of Nature the book of the Creature to read God in and know not what a Bible meanes thou hast the light of Scripture wherein the will of God is fully revealed The light of Nature may discover much of mans misery but Scripture revealeth it more fully and sheweth the effectual remedy and that plainly and clearly Now consider this that as thou enjoyest greater light thy condemnation will be the more heavy if thou continue to sin against it for thou wilt have no cloak for thy sin Joh. 15.22 3. When thou readest or hearest the History of the rebellious Israelites how they sinned against God after he had wrought for them great deliverances and they had seen his wonders and been instructed out of his Law Art thou not ready to condemn them for their great wickednesse and is not thy sinne greater than theirs If thou believest Scripture to be the word of God thou hast the same miracles to convince thee and all that were wrought by Christ and his Apostles too but that which is of greater consequence is that all the Types Prophesies and Promises of the Law wherein they could see but darkly through a veile of grace that was to be revealed t Praesens autem in carne ipse Mediator beati ejus Apostoli jam Testamenti novi gratiam revelames apertius indicarunt quae aliquanto â—e ultius superioribus sunt significata tempopo ibus Aug. de Civ Dei l. 10. c 32. are now fulfilled and in fulfilling and we are called under the Gospel to behold as it were with open face the glory of the Lord and the cleare light that now shines discovers more fully by many degrees the way of life than all the doctrine and miracles of Moses And now wherein thou judgest them dost thou not more deeply condemn thy selfe If he that despised Moses law died without mercy under two or three witnesses of how much sorer punishment shalt thou be thought worthy who hast trodden under the foot the Son of God and despised his Gospel of grace Consider also the words of the Apostle Heb. 1.1 2. with ch 2. 1 2 3. God who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers hath in these last dayes spoken unto us by his Son therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard lest at any time we should let them slip For if the word spoken by Angels was stedfast and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence and reward how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation which began at first to be spoken by the Lord and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him 4. When thou readest of the Jewes that refused Christ when he came among them preaching unto them and instead of accepting him persecuted him and when it was put to their vote whether Christ or Barabbas should be released they saved Barabbas and delivered Jesus to be crucified Doth not thy heart even rise against them Yea is not the name of a Jew therefore become odious among us And art not thou worse than they Most of them although they sinned greatly herein yet they did it ignorantly they did not believe that Jesus was the Christ but looked for another and therefore did not persecute him as Christ but as a Deceiver for said the chief Priests and Phariâ—ees unto Pilate Sir We remember that that deceiver said while he was yet alive After three dayes I will rise again Mat. 27.62 63. For if they had knowne it they would not have crucified the Lord of glory 1 Cor. 2.8 But thou believest that Jesus is the Christ and knowest that salvation is not to be had in any other yet thou receivest him not but daily sinnest against him and provokest him with hardnesse of heart And how oft hath the Lord put it to thy vote whether thou wouldst have Christ or sin to live and rule over thee and thou hast still given a reall voice for the life of thy base corruptions far more mischievous than Barabbas and choosest to live under the power of sinne and Sathan and crucifiest Christ afresh by thy daily transgressions offering despight unto the spirit of grace Thou art therefore inexcusable O man whosever thou art that judgest those Christ-murdering Jewes for wherein thou judgest them thou condemnest thy self for thou that judgest dost the same or worse things And thinkest thou this Ro. 2.1 3. that thou shalt escape the judgement of God 5. Art thou content as thy security seemes to maintain to die in a state of sin and perish as one that wilfully refuseth grace offered and to receive the saddest condemnation If thou dost indeed believe that there is a heaven of unspeakable joyes and a hell of intolerable torments methinks thou shouldst not be willing to lose heaven and fall
the washing of regeneration and renuing of the holy Ghost which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour In which he shews first what was our misery to wit a state of foolishnesse disobedience c. ver 3. Secondly he declares the moving cause of our salvation to wit not our works but his mercy according to his mercy he saved us to wit from the forementioned misery and that is done by the washing of Regeneration and renuing of the holy Ghost c. ver 5 6. And herein the kindnesse and love of God our Saviour towards man appeareth ver 4. Justifying grace is afterwards mentioned v. 7. In the third fourth and fifth chapters of the Epistle to the Romans and the third to the Galatians the Apostle speaks chiefly and almost wholly of justifying grace But the reason of that is because he there disputed the question of justification with those that sought it by a legal righteousness of their own therefore in this case it was necessary for him first to keep to the question in hand yet in the following chapters he shews the vertues of Christs death for the killing of sinne and of his resurrection for our arising to newnesse of life Rom. 6. And that they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts Gal. 5.24 But where no controversie lies in his way but the doctrine of salvation is intirely to be handled he states salvation mainly in the sanctification of the soul as appeares in the foregoing instances And when Paul accounts all but losse and dung that he might win Christ Phil 3.8 it was not meerly that he might be found in the righteousness which is through faith in Christ but also that he might know Christ and the power of his resurrestion and the fellowship of his suffering being made conformable to his death And towards the full attainment of this it is that he presseth forwards ver 12.13 Not as though I had already attained either were already perfect but I follow after c. When Paul wrote to Timothy to direct him what to teach as the most necessary doctrine and what he should see others teach also he directs him to teach the practice of godlinesse 1 Tim. 4.7 8. But refuse profane and old wives fables and exercise thy self rather unto godlinesse For bodily exercise profiteth little but godlinesse is profitable unto all things having promise of the life that now is and that which is to come He addes ver 9. This is a faithfull saying worthy of all acceptation And backing it with a further argument ver 10. he addes again ver 11. These things command and teach And in the fifth chap. with the former part of the sixt having directed him how to teach the duties of persons in their severall relations he addes These things teach and exhort ver 2. And if any man teach otherwise and consent not to wholsome words even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ and to the doctrine which is according to godlinesse he is proud knowing nothing but doting about questions c. The Doctrines that are now vented against the power of godlinesse are but the fruit of the proud dotage of the times wherein we live for the mysterie of the Gospel is called the mysterie of godlinesse 1 Tim. 3.16 And without controversie great is the mysterie of godlinesse God manifest in the flesh c. Let it be further considered that when Paul professedly handleth the doctrine of Gods speciall distinguishing grace he opposeth saving grace as I formerly observed to hardning in sin rather than perishing for sin Ro. 9.18 He will have mercy upon whom he will have mercy and whom he will he hardneth I might give you divers other Scriptures but these may suffice being thus opened to help you in the better understanding of the doctrine of Saving grace Consider well of these and see wherein thy salvation lies and labour in the use of all the meanes that God affords thee for the saving of thy soul from sin Hear diligently pray earnestly watch narrowly work out thy salvation with fear and trembling and strive in good earnest if thou meanst to be crowned Obj. But methink I heare some already whispering what must we be saved by our graces and duties What kinde of Popish doctrine is this To which I answer Answ This is the great Objection whereby Sathan that grand Deceiver hath hardned many against the most pressing arguments of the most serious Ambassadors of Christ to holinesse of life Upon this one slender cavil many for fear of Popery are become Antinomians I may better say professed Libertines And for fear of being their own Saviours have refused to be saved by the purifying blood and spirit of Jesus Christ But to speak more particularly and satisfactorily to this point consider with me these few propositions following Prop. 1. Mans Misery consists of two parts 1. Sin 2. Condemnation for Sin 2. Mans Salvation consists of two parts opposite to those two evils 1. Sanctification which is his Salvation fron Sin 2. Pardon of Sin and Justification whereby he is delivered from Guilt and Condemnation And both these are essentially necessary to mans Salvation 3. Justification and Sanctification are both concomitant and inseparable twins of unspeakable Mercy and Free-grace proceeding from the tender bowels of Jesus Christ 4. As no mans Justification is the cause of his Sanctification so no mans Sanctification is the cause of his Justification but both are alike the proper fruits of the forementioned grace of Jesus Christ 5. As no man is saved from wrath and condemnation but by being pardoned and justified so no man is saved from sin but by being sanctified And thus salvation depends upon sanctification And what danger is in this Doctrine I am sure the ruine of the soule depends upon the contrary 6. Justification is a relative change wrought without us Sanctification is a reall work wrought upon us Christ is the Author but Man is the Subject of Sanctification Or to speak to the meanest capacity it is Christ that sanctifeth it is Man that is sanctified 7. By this sanctifying grace of Christ those that were dead in trespasses and sins have a principle of spiritual life put within them and maintained whereby they are enabl'd to live the life of grace to the glory and honour of God Now must we be afraid of setting forth in the strength of grace communicated lest we dishonour the work of Christ Is Christ dishonoured by our walking running striving pressing forward in the waies of his Commandements When Christ raised Lazarus from the Grave he wrought a reall miracle in causing his soule to return into his body whereby he received life again Here Christ was the Author of this Miracle and Lazarus was the Subject upon whom it was wrought It was Christ that gave life by causing the soul to return into the body it was Lazarus that received life and his soul that
forth abortives or untimely fruit But as a woman in travaile that hath sorrow because her houre is come but as soon as she is delivered of the Child she remembreth no more the anguish for joy that a man is born into the world So Christ was in exceeding sorrow and heavinesse at the approach as I may say of a hard bargain when his houre drew nigh Mat. 26.38 But how abundantly was he satisfied when he saw that he had purchased a gratious and a numerous seed as the fruit of his body by those intolerable throwes that tormented his soul Thus likewise Paul having enumerated many grosse sorts of sinners 1 Cor. 6.9 10. addes ver 11. Such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are sanctified in the name of the Lord Jesus q Nam sanguis Christi purgationis nostrae materia est ex ejus morte et resurrerectione justitia et sanctificatio nobis contigit Calv. in loc Hoc adjecit ut Mediatorem etredemptorem in memoriam redigat per quem nobis tot bona provenerunt Pet. Mart. in loc and by the Spirit of our God What is here wrought by the Spirit was purchased by Christ and is wrought upon his account or in his name for there is no other name given under Heaven whereby we should be saved from our sins This is the fountaine mentioned Zach. 13.1 that is opened to the house of David and to the Inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleannesse that they may be purified therein This is signified in baptism under the Gospell Titus 3.5 Which is called the laver of regeneration For as the washing of water puts away the filthinesse of the flesh so the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin 1 Joh. 1.7 This also was typisied by the ceremoniall washings under the Law if we look back unto them which in themselves were ineffectuall as is plainly expressed at large Heb. 9. take more speciall notice of ver 12.13.14 Neither by the blood of Goats and calves but by his own blood he entred into the holy place having obtained eternall redemption for us For if the blood of Bulls and of Goats and the ashes of an Heifer sprinkling the unclean sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh How much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternall spirit offered himselfe without spot to God purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God As likewise Heb. 10. The Apostle shews the insufficiency of the legall rites in the beginning of the Chapter and therefore the Sacrifice of Christ must take place according to Scripture which saith Lo I come to doe thy will O God by which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all And ver 14. by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified according to the tenour of the new Covenant wherein saith the Lord I will put my Lawes into their hearts and in their mindes will I write them as you may read ver 16. see more in the following verses Multitudes of texts to this purpose might be quoted as those that are produced to confirme the Doctrine which I will not stand to repeate and many others I shall summe up all in a word Whatsoever is promised in Scripture concerning our Sanctification is purchased and ratified by Christ Jesus For all the promises of God in him are yea and in him amen unto the glory of God by us 2 Cor. 1.20 Christ the Efficient cause of sanctifying grace Christ the procreating cause of sanctification Christ saves his people as the Efficient cause working Sanctifying grace in them And he is 1. The Procreating 2. The Conserving 3. The Perfecting cause of it For in and by him Grace is begun continued increased and perfected Christ is the procreting or principall efficient cause of Sanctification He is therefore said to be made unto us of God-Sanctification 1 Cor. 2.30 Heb. 2.11 For both he that Sanctifieth and they who are sanctified c. And him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour for to give repentance to Israel Act. 5.31 And he is called Jesus the Author and finisher of our Faith Heb. 12.2 And what is said of Repentance and Faith may be said of every Grace for he is the fountaine of Grace and doth willingly communicate and readily distribute to the necessities of his people It pleased the Father that in him should all fulnesse dwell Col. 1.19 And in him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge Col. 2.3 Hid not from but for his people for saith John c. 1.16 of his fulnesse we all receive and grace for grace Christs sanctifying work consists of two parts 1. r Not that these are two really distinct parts or works but one worke in distinct respects or considerations The rooting out of sinne 2. The implanting of Grace Sinne is called the old man the flesh the body of sinne and our old man is said to be crucified with Christ that the body of sinne might be destroyed that henceforth we should not serve sinne Rom. 6.6 And they that are Christs are said to have crucified the Flesh with the Affections and Lusts Gal. 5.24 Grace is called the new man Eph. 4.24 the new creature Gal. 6.15 the first resurrection Rev. 20.6 and the faithfull are risen with Christ Col. 3.1 And we are said to be dead unto sin and alive unto God through Jesus Christ Rom. 6.11 In all which we see that the two parts of the worke referre to the death and resurrection of Christ not meerly because Christs death and resurrection purchased it for us but also because by the same power that he raised up himselfe from the dead he actually mortifies our sins and raiseth us againe to newnesse of life The Faithfull have an interest in Christs Death and Resurrection by way of communion with him he communicates unto them the vertue of his Death and Resurrection makes them therein conformable to himselfe Thus saith Paul Phil. 3.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That I may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship or communion of his sufferings being made conformable unto his death Obj. Is not the holy Ghost our Sanctifier as Christ is our Redeemer and the Father our Creator in a speciall manner Why then doe you attribute that to Christ as the speciall Efficient which belongs to the Holy Ghost Answ 1. It is true that these works are in some speciall manner attributed to the three persons severally and the holy Ghost is specially called by Divines our Sanctifier as may also be proved from severall texts of Scripture Yet withall we must remember that the workes of the Trinity that are termed workes ad extra are undivided thus God the Father created Eph. 3.9 The Son created John 1.3 All things were made by him and without him was not any thing made that was
inquit scimus ex parte prophetamus cum dutem venerit id quod perfectum est quod ex parte est evacuabitur Deinde ut quomodo possee aliqua similitudine ostendere quantum ab illa quae fatura est distet haec vita non qualiumcunque hominum verum etiam qui praecipua hîc sanctitate suut praediti Cum essem inquit parvus quasi parvulus sapiebam c. Aug. de Civ Dei lib. 22. cap. 29. and upon the whole man at the great resurrection then shall the whole man be wholly perfect perfect Soul and perfect Body united together and when they are brought to the heavenly Canaan the Canaanites shall be no more in the land as thornes in their eyes and goads in their sides no more arising of sinne in the Soule no more imperfections cleaving to their Seraphicall Hallelujahs nothing wanting that may be further desired to the compleating of their happinesse Thus Christ is not like a foolish builder that laid a foundation and was not able to finish it but he layes the foundation and carrieth on the building of grace here which he compleatly perfects and beautifully adornes in glory hereafter In this great work of saving his people from their sins Christ is all and in all He is all Meritoriously purchasing grace for them He is all Efficiently working grace in them He infuseth grace preserveth grace increaseth grace and perfecteth grace He is not like unto Moses that brought the children of Issrael out of Egypt and died when he came neere to the borders of Canaan Nor like unto Joshua that brought them into Canaan but began the work where Moses left But both of them together will more fitly typifie the work of Christ our Saviour a Ipse Christus is propriè est qui nos vocat fide vesipiscentia donat ac credentes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 justificat regenerat vivificet servitque in vitam aeternam Zâ—nch de dispens salutis per Christum Thes 17. who brings his people out of bondage from under their hard taskmasters leads them safe through the wildernesse of this world and peaceably setleth them in their everlasting rest having subdued all their enemies under their feet Quest But why are we not perfectly saved from sin by being wholy Sanctified at once even at our first conversion Answ 1. Some say this is done for the greater exaltation of Gods free Grace to make us the more sensible of what he hath done for us that we may have no cause of glorying in our selves but may give all the glory unto God But this Answer seemes to me to be of no great force For had we bin Sanctified wholly at once the work would have been no lesse of grace then now it is there would have bin nothing of our merit in it If a Physitian should undertake freely and upon his own care and charge to heal a poor sick person who is not able to give him a Fee is it not as free if he thought it fit to cure him perfectly in a day as if he take seaven yeares to perfect the cure Neither should we have bin lesse sensible of what the Lord had done or have gloried the more in our selves or the less in God Yea had we bin perfectly Sanctified all at once should we not have bin the more sensible of so weighty and suddaine a change and have gloried less in our selves and more in God in that state of perfect Sanctification then now we are able to doe in a state of imperfection We set up our own and diminish the due praises of God our Saviour till we come to a state of perfect holinesse 2. Neither dare I adventure to say with some that this is done to keep us humble and low in our owne eyes 'T is true I know that our daily imperfections are matters of humiliation and the consideration of them should make us the more humble But were we perfectly sanctified we should be perfectly humble and there would be no room for pride Neither doe I apprehend any great weight in what other particular reasons I have seen given for it For I doe not remember any speciall reason given in Scripture It is sufficient that God hath revealed it his will to have it so and we are abundantly bound to be thankfull for our deliverance whether it be sooner or later compleated We lost our stock of grace sodainly and are long in recovering our losse We were wounded in a moment but are not so soon healed Our Chirurgion was able to have wrought the cure in as little time as we made the wound But let us waite the Lords leisure for the healing of our Souls in his own order without too curiously prying into the reason of his method Though the work of Salvation from sin be wholly the work of Christ Instrumentall causes of Sanctification both in Purchase and application as hath been already shewed yet he is pleased to fit and make use of instruments for bringing in and leading on his people in the waies of holinesse The instrument that Christ makes use of in the first Sanctification of grown persons for infants such in whom Grace is wrought are sanctified without meanes is his Word or Gospel Rom. 10.17 Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God And the Gospel is called the power of God unto Salvation Rom. 1.16 Our Saviour Jesus Christ hath abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel 2 Tim. 1.10 which is termed the word of reconciliation 2 Cor. 5.18 19. And the word which is able to save our Soules James 1.21 And saith Paul to the Thessalonians 2 Ep. 2.13 14. God hath from the beginning chosen you to Salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and beliefe of the truth whereunto he called you by our Gospel to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ The word discovers our sin and misery Rom. 7. James 2.9 Rev. 3.17 And directs us to the Fountaine of Grace for healing and help Isa 55.1 2 3. Zach. 13.1 Mat. 11.28 29. Ioh. 17.37 38. The Word being but an Instrument workes not without the spirit of Christ which is the Principall Efficient b Instrumentum non movet nisi moveatur as we say The instrument moves not unlesse it be moved As a Sword cuts not without some hand to weild it so the Word though it be sharper then a two-edged sword slayeth not corruption nor converteth the Soule but as it is set home by the power of the Spirit and this may be one reason why the Word of God is called the word of the Spirit Eph. 6.17 Dr. Gouge upon the place gives two reasons why the Word of God is called the Sword of the Spirit 1. In regard of the Author of it 2 Pet. 1.21 2. In regard of the nature or kind of it for it is spirituall and so opposed to a materiall sword made of mettall which may be
called the sword of flesh To this purpose the Apostle saith the weapons of our warfare are not carnall 2 Cor. 10.4 And this may be a sufficient reason also to call it the sword of the Spirit because it is the Spirits weapon wherewith it slaies those fleshly lusts that warre against Gods glory and the Souls happiness As that was said to be the sword of Joab Abner Jonathan or David wherewith they fought against their enemies Men more especially Ministers of the Gospel who are Christs own Ambassadours are Instruments in saving his people from their sins as they bring the word or message of life and salvation unto them They are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 co-workers or labourers together with God 1 Cor. 3.9 and Ministers by whom the Church believeth ver 5. To this purpose saith Paul to Timothy 1 Tim. 4.16 Take heed unto thy self and unto the doctrine continue in them for in doing this thou shalt both save thy self and them that heare thee And Rom. 10.14 15. How shall they believe on him of whom they have not heard and how shall they hear without a Preacher and how shall he preach except he be sent as it is written How beautifull are the feet of them that preach the Gospel of peace and bring the glad tydings of good things Therefore Christ hath given Ministers to his Church for this purpose Ephes 4.11 12. And he therefore sent forth his Disciples to teach all natitions Mat. ult 19. Private persons within their sphere may be instrumentall in the converting of Souls 1 Cor. 7.16 What knowest thou O wife whether thou shalt save thy Husband or how knowest thou O man whether thou shalt save thy Wife Doubtlesse the husband is many times an happy instrument of converting the wife and the wife likewise of converting the husband and Parents and Masters have been often blessed instruments of much good in this kind to their children and servants so likewise one friend and neighbour to another Brethren saith James chap. 5.19 â—0 If any of you doe erre from the truth and one convert him let him know that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soule from death and shall hide a multitude of sins And the reading of the Word may through Gods grace become effectuall where the preaching of it is not despised In Christs work of preserving and increasing grace the same means and other also are instrumentall The Word is Milk for Babes and Meat for Strong men both to preserve and increase their strength and stature 1 Pet 2.2 As new born babes desire the sincere milk of the Word that ye may grow thereby See Heb. 5.12 13 14. chap. 6.1 2. The Sacraments also are means being added as seals to the Covenant to confirm faith and all saving graces Yea in this work after the receiving of the first speciall grace Christians are instrumentall in the saving of their own c Câ—riè tâ—men illi sunt qui nos in conversione ad Deum truncos esse volunt lapides Cum enim quisque sentiat reipsa dum à spiritu Sancto illuminatur renovatur trahitur se quod ignorabat cognoscere quod nolebat velle quod aversabatur amare a quo fugiebat ad eum libenter sponte currere quod vitae genus oderat illud ex animo amplecti quomodo lapides ac stipites sumus Zanch Ep. ad Marcum Meningum de nostra ad Deum conversione souls Thus saith Paul to Timothy 1 Epist 4.16 Take heed unto thy selfe and unto the doctrine continue in them for in doing this thou shalt both save thy selfe and them that heare thee Thus saith Peter 1 Ep. 1.22 Seeing that ye have purified your soules in obeying the truth through the spirit and 1 John 3.3 Every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himselfe even as he is pure Prayer is a speciall means whereby the faithfull obtain both a continuance and increase in grace 2 Cor. 12.7 8 9. Luke 17.5 Mat. 6.13 Psal 51.10 11. Crosses afflictions wonderfull and remarkable providences tend many times through Gods direction both to the working and increase of grace Psal 119.67 Before I was afflicted I went astray but now have I kept thy word Ver. 71. It is good for me that I have been afflicted that I might learn thy statutes 2 Chron. 33.11 12. Acts 16. 26. to 32. The compleat perfection of the soul wherein it is saved from all the reliques of corruption is the immediate work of Christ our Saviour for while his people are here in the flesh they bear about them the body of sin and immediately upon the separation of the soule from the body is the soul perfectly freed from sin The earthly Tabernacle and the body of sin are laid down both together so that the Word and other Ordinances and all endeavours towards perfection that were usefull in time of life can have no place here when the spirits of just men are made perfect in a moment The subject of this Salvation The subject of Salvation or persons saved are his people those that were given to Christ by the Father as was expressed in the opening of the Text viz. the Elect of God these and onely these Rom. 8.30 Moreover whom he did predestinate them he also called Those that were predestinate before time are the called in time and they are called with an holy calling 2 Tim. 1.9 they are called from uncleannesse to holinesse 1 Thes 4.7 They are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works which God hath before ordained that they should walk in them Eph. 2.10 For these onely Christ laid down his life with an absolute purpose to save John 10.15 I laid down my life for the sheep For these he prayed as Mediatour John 17.9 I pray for them I pray not for the world but for them which thou gavest me for they are thine To these he manifests the name of God ver 6. I have manifested thy name to the men which thou gavest me out of the world thine they were thou hast given them me And for their sakes saith Christ v. 19 I sanctifie my self that they also might be sanctified through the truth These onely heare his voice follow him and to these onely he gives eternall life Joh. 10.27 28. The people that are thus given to and saved by Christ are by nature d Hoc unum è Sâ—literis didiscimus hominem in hic quae ad pictatem pertinent sua natura eó que antequam fiâ— nova creatura hoc est ante conversionem esse animalem ideo quae sunt Dei nihil eorum intelligere posse habere cor lapideum ob eam causam nisi prius à Deo carneum accipiat cor quod flecti in ipsius obsequium possit non posse velle quae suae naturae ingrata sunt essed denique mortuum ac promden fi preventus a gratia Christi per
in his Lusts which caused him sadly to bewaile his sinne and pray earnestly Restore unto me the joy of thy Salvation Psal 51.12 Were we but as sensible of spirituall as we are of bodily injury our sinnes we fall into would be unto our Soules as so many wounds and bruises are to our bodies causing pain and griefe But the remainder of corruption in the best of Gods Servants doth much dull their spirituall senses whereby they are not so clearly exercised to discerne between good and evill yet the faithfull Servants of God have so much spirituall sense of the evill of sinne at leastwise after some time of recollection that they feel their foule miscarriages paining them to the purpose They are unto them like so many putrified wounds broken bones or bones out of joynt as David complains Psal 38.3 5. There is no soundnesse in my flesh because of thine anger neither is there any rest in my bones because of my sinne My wounds stink and are corrupt because of my foolishnesse Blessed are the pure in heart saith Christ for they shall see God Mat. 5.8 to wit comfortably here as well as joyfully hereafter if purity qualifies the Soule so as that it may the more cleerly see God then impurity of Heart and Life must be as a thick cloud interposing betwixt the Soule and the light of Gods countenance so that it cannot be refreshed with the beames of his favour as formerly till by serious repentance the cloud be removed 3. This will likewise informe us whether we may in the avoiding of evill and doing of good propose the escaping of Hell and obtaining salvation as the end of so doing Our sins dishonour God by our sanctification we glorifie him and he commands us to read hear pray c. for the subduing of sin and increase of grace and must we not presse on still forwards towards perfection continually growing in grace till we come to glory which is the highest degree of grace This is our salvation to be saved from sinne and towards this all the means of grace and duties of piety tend the Word that we hear is the sword of the Spirit for the slaying of sinne we pray against sinne watch against sinne strive against sinne and may we not doe it to be saved from sinne nay can we rightly or rationally use the meanes without minding this end Doth not Heavens happinesse consist in the enjoyment of God in holinesse and is not God most glorified by us when his glorious Image is compleated in us And may we not make this state the end of our endeavours May we not make the escaping of Hell also the end of our duties if we doe but in any measure understand what Hell is without being Legallists That Hell is a place of intollerable torment I doubt not for it is set forth by fire brimstone and unquenchable fire in Scripture and 't is called outer darknesse where the worm never dies the fire never goes out And Rev. 14.10 11. 'T is said of those who worship the Beast and his Image and whosoever receive the marke of his name which shall be the condition of all the damned The same shall drinke of the wine of the wrath of God which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation they shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy Angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoake of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever and they have no rest day nor night But certainly as the torment is there the greatest so sinne there is at the highest where the damned never cease to blaspheme God Can Gods honour be deare unto us and we not fear to blaspheme him can we make Gods glory our end without solicitous care to avoid that state wherein we should never cease with the Devil and his Angels to blaspheme the most High When men have framed a Heaven and Hell according to the modell of their owne braine no mervaile if they deduce strange consequences from it 4. This likewise informes us that Christ died not alike for all men m See Ball of the Covenant of Grace from pag. 203. to pag. 264. under this head Christ the Mediatour of the New Testament for whom he died and rose again For he came to save his people from their sins all are not his people as I have shewed you before neither are all saved or to be saved from their sinnes The Doctors of the Doctrine of equall Universall Redemption tell us that Christ dyed and dyed alike for all men as much for Cain Esau Judas c. as for Abel Jacob Peter or any of the glorified Saints And this they boast of as the onely way to exalt the riches of Grace One of them publickly excepted against a godly Minister now with the Lord because he onely invited sinners to repent and believe that they might be saved and did not tell them that Christ dyed intentionally to save all This Objector called it clipt truth as if if it had been a detracting from the truth of Christ Egregiam verò landem A rare commendation indeed of the grace of Christ that teacheth that Christ hath no more for the glorified in Heaven than for the damned in Hell that Abel Jacob Peter are no more beholding to Christ than Cain Esau Judas which must needs follow if he did no more for the one than the other And that when the Apostle asketh 1 Cor. 4.7 who made thee to differ from another and what hast thou that thou hast not received The Believer must answer I have made my self to differ Christ hath done no more for me than for the vilest reprobate he died and did alike for all men and put all mankinde in a like capacity for salvation and wherein I differ from the worst of sinners it is onely from my self This is plainly the sense of their doctrine This they boast of also as the onely way to comfort afflicted consciences and call the contrary uncomfortable doctrine Do but well consider it and it will prove about as comfortable to a troubled Soule as it is honourable to the riches of Christs grace The perplexed soule cries out I have sinned grievously against the Almighty and just God he hath set my sins in order before me my conscience is more than a thousand witnesses against me I see my self to be a damned wretch divine vengeance hangs over my head This Comforter answers Be of good cheer Christ died as much for thee as for any How doth that appear He died for every man alike therefore as much for thee as for any To whom the troubled soule may easily reply If he died for all men alike then no more for me than for Cain Esau Judas and the rest of the damned in hell And how shall I be assured that I shall be priviledged above them for I cannot believe What this miserable Comforter can answer
saving work of Jesus Christ And they are 1. Such as hinder the salvation of their own soules 2. Such as hinder the salvation of others 1. Such as hinder the salvation of their own soules by resisting the grace of Christ tendred in the Word and the friendly motions of the Spirit How doth the Lord by his Messengers invite intreat perswade and woo sinners for their good and they refuse and hate instruction despise his messengers and harden their hearts against him How do some neglect hearing and but seldome frequent the ordinances of God others are grown carelesse in hearing or Sermon-proof so that the Word takes little or no impression upon them to the grief of our hearts and sadding of our spirits who behold their sottishnesse And how many waies have sinners that are convinced of their evill estate to play the Sophisters with their consciences and delude their own souls that they may retain their beloved sins though to their utter ruine when Israel and Iudah sinned against the Lord he testified against them by his Prophets and Seers saying Turne ye from your evil waies and keep my commandements and my statutes notwithstanding they would not hear but hardned their necks and they rejected his Statutes and his Covenant that he made with their Fathers and his testimonies which he testified against them and they followed vanity and became vaine therefore the Lord was angry with them and rejected all the seed of Israel and delivered them into the hand of spoylers till he had cast them out of his sight 2 Kings 17.13 14 15 18 19 â—0 And is not God still the same may you not expect the Lord to deale with you likewise you have sinned against the Lord and he hath testified against you by his Ministers Notwithstanding you refuse to heare but harden your hearts against the Lord therefore is the Lord very angry and that justly with you yea as sure as you live the Lord will deliver you into the hands of Sathan and your own corruption the worst of spoylers and eternally cast you out of his sight unlesse you embrace his counsell and seek him in due time What the Lord said of Iudah because they refused the good way may you take as spoken of your selves for refusing the message of Christ Heare O Earth behold I will bring evill upon this people even the fruit of their own thoughts because they have not hearkned unto my words nor to my law but rejected it Jerem. 16 19. and you may shortly be called with Jerusalem to take up a lamentation because the Lord hath rejected and forsaken you as the generation of his wrath Jerem. 7.29 Yea know that whereas the Lord is now importunate with you for your good and you set at naught his counsel the time may shortly come when you shall call upon him in the bitternesse of your soul from the depth of your distresse and he slight your cry yea laugh at your calamity as you have made but a mock at his Word O Sinners hear and tremble at what the Lord hath spoken against you Prov. 1.24 to 32. Because I have called and ye refused I have stretched out my hand and no man regarded but ye have set at naught all my counsel and would none of my reproof I also will laugh at your calamity I will mock when your fear cometh when your feare cometh as desolation and your destruction cometh as a whirlewind when distresse and anguish cometh upon you then shall they call upon me but I will not answer they shall seek me early but they shall not finde me For they hated knowledge and did not choose the feare of the Lord They would none of my counsel they despised all my reproof Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their owne way and be filled with their own devices You think it a small matter to reject the Lords Messengers and despise their counsell but herein you reject the Lord Christ himself Luke 10.16 He that despiseth you despiseth me In this as the Lord said to Samuel 1 Sam. 8.7 They have not rejected thee but they have rejected me that I should not reigne ever them So may I truly say you have not rejected us who are Ministers but you have rejected the Lord Christ our Saviour that he should not reigne over you Yea what do you lesse than resist the salvation of your owne soules when with the Pharisees and Lawyers ye reject the counsell of God Luke 7.30 May not I here take up the words of Steph Act. 7.51 say Ye stiff-necked uncircumcised in heart and eares ye doe alwaies resist the holy Ghost If they that resist the lawfull authority of the civill Magistrate shall receive to themselves damnation Rom. 13.2 how just will the condemnation of those be who resist the saving counsell and authority of Jesus Christ Who ever hardned himselfe against God and prospered Job 9.4 Sinner the great work of Christ our Saviour is to save his people from their sinnes and how is it that thou wilt not be saved by him that thou wilt hazard thy soule to save thy sinne thy sinne dishonours God and God will either destroy thy sinne or thee Wilt thou lose thy soule to save thy base lusts hast thou the like passionate affection to thy sinne as David had to his Son Absalom when he cryed out Would God I had died for thee yea though as Absalom it seeks to berave thee both of thy Life and Crown Is filthy abominable corruption so beautifull in thine eyes Surely thy Dalilah hath betrayed thee into the hands of thine enemies who have put out both thine eyes or else thou couldst not be so blindly sottish for thou hardnest thy heart against thy own soule Secondly this reproves those that hinder the salvation of others and they are of divers sorts 1. Such as teach corrupt doctrine If truth be the Lords instrument for the sanctification of the soule as it is said John 17.17 Sanctifie them with thy truth thy word is truth then error is a great meanes whereby soules come to be corrupted and held under Sathans slavery Are not many seduced soules that formerly seemed to be in love with the waies of God now turned to swearing cursing blaspheming and other like abominations yea and to commit these sinnes with greedinesse And are not the duties of Piety as hearing praying singing sanctifying the Sabbath and the like accounted exercises unbeseeming Saints Yea what wickedness is there but some of our late errors will lead a man to in commission of it and what course more effectuall to bring sinners to perpetuall destruction than when men make it their work to turne them from the truth which is the way of salvation The Apostle calls the doctrine of the teachers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 heresies of destruction or as our Translation renders it damnable Heresies 2 Pet. 2.1 Some errors there are that more evidently tend to hinder this work of Christ I shall
is the sanctifying of the heart Circumcision Deut. 30.6 And the Lord thy God will circumcise thy heart and the heart of thy seed to love the Lord thy God with all thine heart and with all thy soule that thou maist live Rom. 2.29 He is a Jew which is one inwardly and circumcision is that of the heart in the spirit and not in the letter whose praise is not of men but of God Consider the foregoing verses On the contrary evil and unsactified hearts are called uncircumcised in Scripture Lev. 26.41 If then their uncircumcised hearts be humbled Jer. 9.25 26. Behold the daies come saith the Lord that I will punish them which are circumcised with the uncircumcised Egypt and Iudah and Edom and the children of Ammon and Moab and all that are in the utmost corners that dwell in the wildernesse for all these nations are uncircumcised and all the house of Israel are uncircumcised in the heart Acts 7.51 Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and eares ye doe alwaies resist the holy Ghost as your fathers did so doe ye Circumcision then as you see was not onely a seale of the righteousnesse of faith The Passover The Passeover or Paschall Lamb Exod. 12. was a Type of Christ the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world as it hath been explained before The sprinkling of the blood upon the doore-posts signified the sprinkling of the blood of Christ upon the heart and soule for removing of the filth as well as the guilt of sin which was also signified by other sprinklings and washings of the Law as I shall shew you anon Sacraments extraordinary The Baptism in the cloud and in the red Sea figured the same which is now signified by our Baptism under the Gospel of which I shall speak in its due place The Manna in the wildernesse was a type of Christ who is the bread of Life upon whom whosoever feedeth by faith hath a spirituall life in Christ he dwelling in Christ and Christ in him to wit by the graces of his spirit Christ himself thus expounded what the Manna signified as you may read at large Ioh. 6.48 to 59. Types The Brazen serpent Numb 21.9 with Iohn 3.14 15. was a type of Christ restoring spirituall life as well as delivering from the death of condemnation As Moses lifted up the Serpent in the wildernesse even so must the Son of Man be lifted up that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life And this is life eternall that they might know thee the onely true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent John 17.3 The Laver Exod. 30.17 typified our sanctification by the Blood of Jesus Christ Eph. 5 25 26. Even as Christ also loved the Church and gave himselfe for it that he might sanctifie and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word We read of the Laver of regeneration Tit. 3.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 According to his mercy he saved us by the washing of regeneration and renuing of the holy Ghost The blood of the Sacrifices sprinkled signified the blood of Christ in its sanctifying vertue Heb. 9 1◠14. For if the blood of Bulls and of Goats and the ashes of an Heighfer sprinkling the uncleane sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh How much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternall spirit offered himselfe without spot to God purge your conscience from dead workes to serve the living God! chap. 10.22 Let us draw neer with a true heart in full assurance of faith having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water The Promises 2. Let us consider the Promises even of the covenant of promise Jer. 31.33 But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those daies saith the Lord I will put my law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts and will be their God and they shall be my people Ezek. 36.26 27. A new heart also will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh and I will give you an heart of flesh And will put my spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes and ye shall keep my judgements and do them Here you see how large a part of this Covenant consisteth in the promises of sanctifying grace Prophecies 3. Let us consider the Prophesies Zach. 13.1 In that day there shall be a fountaine opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleannesse It is the uncleannesse of sin that is washed away by this Fountain of Grace Isa 61.1 2 3. The spirit of the Lord God is upon me because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek he hath sent me to binde up the broken hearted to proclaime liberty to the captives and the opening of the prison to them that are bound c. This freedom here spoken of is from a state of thraldome in sin from the bondage of corruption as well as from the obligation to punishment for it is said ver 3. the latter part That they might be called trees of righteousnes the planting of the Lord that he might be glorified The like we have chap. 42. 6 7. I the Lord have called thee in righteousnesse and will hold thine hand and will keep thee and give thee for a covenant of the people for a light of the Gentiles to open the blind eyes and bring out the prisoners from the prison them that sit in darknes out of the prison-house Here we see that the opening of blinde eyes is spoken of and what is that but the grace of saving knowledge and what the prison is you may gather out of my foregoing words upon the former text Mal. 3.2 3. He to wit Christ is like refiners fire and like fullers sope And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver and he shall purifie the sons of Levi and purge them as gold and silver that they may offer to the Lord an offering in righteousnesse Sacraments of the N.T. 4. The Sacraments of the New Testament signifie the same sanctifying grace Rom. 6.4 We are buried with him by baptisme into death that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the father even so also we should walk in newnesse of life 1 Cor. 6.11 But ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified Here you see the washing of Baptism signifies the sanctifying as well as the justifying vertue of the blood of Christ John 1.35 He that sent me to baptise with water the same said unto me Vpon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending and remain on him the same is he which baptiseth with the holy Ghost See also chap. 5.3 Except a man be born of water and of the
into hell under the eternall wrath of God Sure thou sayest in thy heart I will hereafter return to God sometime or other before I die I intend to repent and lay fast hold upon Christ at the last and I hope I may be saved then as well as if I do it now Hast thou not some such reasonings in thy heart as these To which I answer thou art ready to plead thy own inability now and say I cannot repent believe and turn to God it is not in the power of a naturall man to do it Why then dost thou promise what thou wilt do at the last will it be any more in thy power then than now is it out of the power of a strong and healthy man to repent and lay hold upon mercy offered and is an aged sick or crasie person able to perform it Consider well of it and give me a reason why thou shouldst be better able to doe this great work when thy body is decaying and thy memory and understanding declining and thou unable to frequent the publick Ordinances than now while strength of body and mind and means of grace do all concurre together Obj. But thou wilt say I hope God will give me grace then and enable me to do it Answ 1. God offers thee his help now yea his saving grace why wilt thou not accept of it 2. What reason hast thou to think that Christ will bestow upon thee that grace at the point of death that thou hast wilfully refused all the dayes of thy life Nay hast thou not reason to expect that before that time thou shalt be judicially sealed up to blindnesse of minde and hardnesse of heart for refusing so many of the Lords gracious offers of mercy Thus it befell the Jewes in the like case Isa 6.9 10. And the Lord said go and tell this people hear ye indeed but understand not and see indeed but perceive not Make the heart of this people fat and make their eares heavy and shut their eyes lest they see with their eyes and heare with their eares and understand with their heart and convert and be healed When the terrours of hell and death take hold on thee and thou criest to God maist thou not justly expect that the Lord will be as peremptory in refusing to hear thy cries and complaints as thou hast been in refusing to obey his voice in the daies of thy prosperity Read and consider well Prov. 1.20 to 31. Zech. 7.13 Therefore it is come to passe that as he cried and they would not heare so they cried and I would not hear saith the Lord of hosts Read the foregoing verses 3. Let me ask thee how many thou hast seen converted to Christ in their old age that lived constantly under the means of grace in their younger yeares The work of grace is wrought most commonly upon those that are in the prime of their age gray-headed sinners seldome repent Why wilt thou then promise thy selfe so much in old age 4. Tell me plainly and deceive not thy own soule while thou shiftest thus Is not pardon of sin and justification that thou maist be delivered from a place of torment the great mercy thou hopest for and is not this the end thou proposest while thou promisest thy self future repentance If so thou dost but deceive thy own soule Christ came to save thee from thy sinnes and not meerly from the tormenting wrath of God Christ will be a whole Saviour or no Saviour he will deliver thee from the power of thy sin here or he will never deliver thee from hell hereafter Think not that a little counterfeit sorrow at the last will prevaile with the Lord to pardon thy sin O study well the offers promises and threatnings of the Gospel now for I feare thou art as yet ignorant of the nature of saving grace I believe thou dost much cheer up thy selfe with the consideration of Gods goodnesse riches of grace mercy and long-suffering and think thy selfe by these sufficiently secured 'T is true indeed the consideration of these may comfort the humble selfe-denying converting sinner and are well made use of to lead us to repentance But thou that continuest in sinne upon this score after thy hardnesse and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thy selfe wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgement of God Rom. 2.4 5. Obj. But what kinde of legal preaching is this Is this to preach salvation by Christ This is more like the voice of the Law than of the Gospel more like the thundring and lightning from mount Sinai than the voice of Christ from mount Sion Ans 1. I well remember ever since I knew what a Sermon meant till these late years that the most thundring rouzing sin discovering heart-searching Preachers were most highly prized and followed by all that were esteemed godly and the wicked and profane were wont to call them damnation preachers and desired to heare such as would preach them a Sermon of mercy I wonder now how it comes to passe that so many professors in these times are fallen in with the profane multitude to revile such messengers of Christ Sure there is a harmony between the theory at least of the one and practice of the other The Antinomian Professors plead grace is free and God hath so revealed himself that we need not doubt of his love it doth not become a gospel-Gospel-spirit to repent of sin or grieve for any miscarriages their sins were all long since done away in Christ neither ought they so much as once question their spiritual state neither should Ministers preach any thing but Free-grace and mercy in Jesus Christ And the wicked and profane say God is mercifull and Christ died to save sinners and hereupon take liberty to go on in sin impenitently never questioning their spiritual condition but hope to be saved by Christ as well as the best And the Antinomian sort of teachers will fit them for preaching according to their own hearts desire Either all our old Professors or these new ones are much mistaken But you will say These are times of greater light and many of our young Professors now see that that our ancient Professours understood not in former times Answ These are times wherein Professors are more light than formerly but whether they have more light I much question Some men have or at leastwise think they have much light in their heads but little in their hearts and their Religion is much in controversies but little in the life and power of godlinesse 2. Light is of two sorts First the light of bare knowledge and if this be the light so much boasted of the Devils and damned in hell may boast more for they know more than all the Saints upon earth Secondly there is the light of grace seated chiefly in the heart and shining forth in the life and conversation and this if I mistake not yea if Christ mistake not is the true light of
man hates feares and carefully shuns as evil he is sorrowfull for if it fall upon him and it is contrary to the nature of the rationall soule to doe otherwise A man that loves riches desires them seeks after them and rejoyceth in the midst of abundance Luke 12.16 17 18 19. but if he be undone by crosse Providences and poverty befalleth him he is grieved and troubled as we see by experience When the evill that a man feared is fallen upon him it maketh him sad Thus it is with those that are godly in the spirituall estate A godly man rejoyceth in all the good the Lord worketh in him and by him Thus Paul 2. Cor. 1.12 This is our rejoycing the testimony of our conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity not with fleshly wisedome but by the grace of God we have had our conversation in the world and more abundantly to you-wards A godly man is truely grieved for all the evill he doth commit so farre as he cometh to the knowledge of it Thus David makes a sad confession of his sin Psal 51.3 4 5 6. Thus it is said 2 Sam. 24.10 Davids heart smote him after he had numbred the people and Davâ—d said unto the Lord I have sinned greatly in that I have done Thus Peter went forth and wept bitterly after he had denied Christ Luke 22.62 And this sorrow is not meerly for grosse sinnes but for lesser also such as the world never sees A godly man as he hateth so he grieveth for vain thoughts It must be either a carnall or bruitish frame of spirit for a man not to be grieved for sin Let the Antinomian stop his mouth and say no more that a child of God ought not to be troubled for any sinne whatever he commits b Tunc 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ista erit quando peccatum in homine nullum erit Borro si 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 illa dicendâ— est quum animum contingere omnino non potest ullus affectus quis hunc sluporem non omnibus vitiis judicet esse pejorem Potest ergo non absurde dici perfectam beatitudinem sine stimulo timoris sine ullae tristitiae futuram Si autem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 illa est ubi nec metus ullus exterret nec angit dolor aversanda est in hac vita si recte hoc est secundum Deum vivere volumus Aug. de civ Dei l. 14. c. 9. Apud nos autem juxta Scripturas Sacras Sacramque doctrinam Cives Sanctae civitatis Dei in hujus vitae peregrinatione secundum Deum viventes metuunt cupiuntque dolent gaudentque Et quia rectus est amor eorum istas omnes affectiones rectas habent Metuunt peccare cupiunt perseverare dolent in peccatis gaudent in operibus bonis c. Aug. ibid. those that are removed to heaven being wholly free from sin have no more cause to grieve for sin But whosoever it is that lives upon earth that being subject to daily offences and sometimes to great miscarriages yet is not grieved for them I will be bold to say that he is no child of God although he may conceit himself that his sins were all pardoned long since There is no medium between grieving for sin and rejoycing in sin in some degree while sin remains in us And whether he that rejoiceth in iniquity without any remorse or sorrow at all for it be in a good condition let any man judge who understandeth any thing of the Word of God See 2 Thes 2.11 12. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusions that they should believe a lie that they all might be damned who believe not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousnesse Jerem. 8.5 6. Luke 13.3 5. Well whatever vain mindes may fancy to themselves the old Divinity will prove the soundest whosoever he is that is in a state of salvation doth truly and sincerely grieve for sin and delight in that which is good more than in all worldly prosperity I do not say more passionately but more solidly that if it were put to his choice he would not change grace for all the gold in the Indies Psal 119.14 I have rejoyced in the way of thy testimonies as much as in all riches Psal 19.8 10. The statutes of the Lord are right rejoycing the heart the commandement of the Lord is pure enlightening the eyes more to be desired are they than gold yea than much fine gold sweeter also than the honey and the honey comb Exh. 4. Whosoever thou art that fearest God and upon examination findest thy self to be delivered from a state of sin rouze up thy heart and take unto thee words of praise and thanksgiving to God thy Saviour And to the end thy heart may be raised 1. Consider what thou wast 2 Tim. 2.26 Tit. 3.3 Col. 1.21 Joh. 8.44 c. 3.18.36 Tit. 3.4 Isa 61.1 2 3. Luc. 4.18 Col. 1.13 Rom. 8.16 17 18. 1 Pet. 2.9 and what thou art How sad was thy condition when thou wast a wretched bond-slave of Satan led captive by him at his will serving divers lusts running with the wicked of the world to the same excesse of riot with them an enemy to God through evil works a child of the Devil and heir apparent of Gods eternall vengeance prepared for the Devil and his Angels But now since the love of God thy Saviour towards thee appeared thou art delivered from the bondage wherein thou wast held the Lord hath opened the prison doores knocked off thy chaines and fetters led thee forth and translated thee into the glorious liberty of the Sons of God and made thee heire apparent of everlasting heavenly glory And all this is done that thou shouldst shew forth the praises of him who hath called thee out of such horrid darknesse into his mervailous light 2. Consider how many thousands there are in the world that live in the midst of carnal security contentedly abiding in the bondage of sin vassallage of Satan how very few there are that shall be saved in comparison of the multitude that shall be eternally destroyed Now that God should call thee to be one of that little flock and that when there is but as it were one of a family and two of a tribe thou shouldst be singled out from the rest and chosen when they are left what meer grace and astonishing distinguishing mercy is this Who maketh thee to differ from another and what hast thou that thou hast not received 3. How many more rich more honourable more wise than thy self and many lesse sinners and of better natural dispositions and inclinations are left in a state of sin to perish eternally yet God hath reformed thy crooked perverse spirit and continually pardons thy daily miscarriages and leads thee and guides thee by his gracious spirit in the way to perfect glory Hast thou not cause to say This is a faithfull saying and worthy of all acceptation that
mercy and say Satan with the world and my own corrupt flesh have handed themselves together and assaulted my soul with greatest violence They came upon me furiously to swallow me up quick and I was unable to withstand them for they were stronger than I. Then cried I unto the Lord in my distresse I said thou art my refuge I fly to thee for help Save me O my God and deliver my soule from the hand of mine enemies I have no power or might against them but mine eyes are upon thee In the day that I cried the Lord answered me and strengthned me with strength in my soule He saved me from my cruel enemies he set my feet upon a rock and established my goings He hath put a new song into my mouth even praise unto our God I will love thee O Lord my strength The Lord is my rock my fortresse and my deliverer my God my strength in whom I will trust my buckler the horn of my salvation and my high tower I will call upon the Lord who is worthy to be praised As for God his way is perfect the word of the Lord is tried he is a buckler to all them that trust in him Who is God save the Lord and who is a Rock save our God My spirituall enemies conspired against me with one consent they communed of laying snares privily for my soule saying Who shall see them They took crafty counsel against me to take me unawares and my feet were almost gone my steps had well nigh slipt I was almost taken in their net But the Lord was my helper he preserved my soule Blessed be the Lord who hath not given me up as a prey to their teeth d Gratias tibt ago piissime Deus qui me de multis angustiis triâ—ulatienibus calamitatibus usiseriis infirmâ—tatibus de multis foveis laqueis peccatis da multis infidiis visib lâ—um invâ—sibilium mimicorum de multis malis opprobriis adversitatibus corporis animae bactenus liberare dignatus es dirigens miscricorditer marabiliter vitam meam inter adversa prospera ita ut nec adversa me valde dejicerent nec prospera elevarent Posuisti enim propietate bonitate froenum tuum in maxillis meis non me dercliquisti penitus in manuarbitrii mei habens curam mei paterna pictate non permittens me amplius tentari supra id quod potuerim sustinere Ubi erat locus peceandi non crat voluntas quando voluntas erat non fuit locus Sit itaque tibi laus benedictio sit gratiarum actio c. Aug. Cons Theo. par 2. c. 17. but hath delivered my soule from death mine eyes from teares my feet from falling My soule is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowler the snare is broken and I am escaped Blesse the Lord O my soule for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee Thus consider I say what particular deliverances of this kinde thou hast received Hast thou been set upon by violent temptations to Atheisme Blasphemy or the like and hath the Lord preserved thee Hast thou been allured by pleasing baits to Lust Pride Covetousness or such like Evils hath the Lord withheld thee from them O consider what abundant cause thou hast to be thankful spiritual deliverances are not to be slighted And know that the more thankfull thou art for such mercies already received the better shalt thou be able to resist future temptations Exh. 6. Use this as an argument with thy self to make thee willing to leave this unhappy inticing world and thy sinful condition here for so it is in great measure at the best for that happy condition wherein sin shall be no more but thou shalt be perfectly saved from it O check thy self for being so busie in building tabernacles on earth and saying in thy heart It is good to be here Was it not thy sin alone that made thee miserable was it not this that defaced the Image of God in thy soule and cast thee from the Paradise of God to the very Brink of Hell Did not Christ come into the world live a wearisome life and die a miserable death to save thee from thy death in sin was not sin the burden of thy soule and the sorrow of thy heart under which thou groanedst when the Lord first awakned and rouzed thee out of thy carnal security Did not thy sin cause thee to cry mightily to God for salvation and deliverance when thou sensibly perceivedst thy lost condition And was not this the work that Christ took in hand when he called thee effectually to himself Hast thou complained of sin and professed to hate it thus long How comest thou now to plead a forbearance for thy mortall enemy Sure thou canst not dream with the dreamers of this age of a state of perfection here in the body Doth not experience tell thee that corruptions arise daily and hourly in thy heart which is a continual spring of sin Thou canst not walk work or go about any worldly businesse but sinful vanities are still flowing from that fountaine within thee Thou canst not hear pray or perform any part of Gods worship but this cursed carnal inmate calls away thy heart to other objects Check thy heart for gadding recall thy thoughts from wandring and how soon will they be gone again though thou make it thy daily work to watch pray and strive against sin thou canst prevent it but in part though thou daily weedest out the rambling tares and choaking thistles that hinder the growth of the good seed yet thou canst not rid thy field of them but they spring up afresh every morning If thou art negligent for a while what head do they get and how hard is it to bring them under again Is not this thy sad condition and art thou unwilling to be delivered from it Is sin so delightful a companion If it be so to thy flesh it cannot be to thy spirit or else thou art not spirituall Didst thou rejoyce when thy Redeemer brought thee out of thy worse than Egyptian bondage and art thou unwilling to enter into the heavenly Canaan of rest Is it better to be alwaies wandring e Cui peregrinatio dulcis est non amat patriam Si dulcis est patria amara est peregrinatio Aug. in Ps 86.7 in the wildernesse of sin wa st thou glad to see the foundation of thy happinesse laid and art thou loath to see the superstructure reared and completed Did it revive thy spirit when Christ first drew thee out of thy sinfull state and art thou afraid at last lest he should perfect thy deliverance Death is indeed in it self an enemy to nature and a part of the curse due for sin and therefore cannot be desirable for it self But learn to look beyond it unto Christ thy Saviour whose presence is most desirable as Paul did having a desire to depart and
to be with Christ which is far better than thy present life willing rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. Nay doth he not speak ver 4. in the person of the Saints as groaning f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 5.2 under the present burden and art thou still willing to bear it The Spouse in the Canticles c. 8. 14. cries Make hast my beloved and be thou like to a Roe or to a young Hart upon the mountaines of spices running swiftly And why dost thou desire delayes that he should creep as a Snail and be long in coming Did Christ teach thee to say Thy Kingdome come and canst thou heartily pray for it if thou art not yet willing of it Dost thou not profess to live and rejoice in the hope of glory and canst thou hope for and rejoyce in the hope of what thou dost not unfeignedly desire Bethink thy self and blame thy soul for thy foolish mistakes Is not heaven the place where holinesse must be perfect Is it not there alone that the perfectly pure in heart shall behold the face of God Doth not Abraham wait there to lodge thee in his bosome Do not the spirits of just men there made perfect and the Angels of God joyfully wait to give thee entertainment Did not Christ thy Redeemer goe before to prepare a mansion for thee and will he not there shew thee his full salvation O doe but seriously meditate and that frequently of the misery of sin and of the perfect happinesse of a sinlesse condition and thou wilt be so farre from making or desiring delayes that thou wilt rather cry out How long Lord holy and true before thou destroy my cursed corruption How long must I beare about me this body of death O wretched man that I am when shall I be delivered Thou Lord hast purchased and begun my salvation from sin when wilt thou come to perfect the work Thou that hast done thus much already for me hast said surely I come quickly Amen even so come Lord Jesus Exh. 7. Lastly Is it the great work of Christ to save his people from their sins and hast thou had experience of this saving work upon thy own heart Labour what in thee lies to be helpfull as an instrument of Christ towards the salvation of others Though thou art but a private Christian thou maist be very serviceable to the soule of thy brother Be free in giving seasonable exhortations perswasions intreaties admonitions in love and tendernesse as being truly solicitous for his spirituall safety The Lord doth expresly require it as a duty at thy hands Lev. 19.17 Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour and not suffer sin upon him Gal. 6 1. Brethren if any man be overtaken in a fault ye which are spiritual restore such a one in the spirit of meeknesse considering thy self lest thou also be tempted Heb. 3.13 Exhort one another daily while it is called to day lest any of you be hardned through the deceitfulnesse of sin And our Saviour Christ gives directions how to proceed gradually in the work Mat. 18.15 16 17. It is a very wicked course that some take when they know any to offend grosly they make themselves and others merry by jesting and scorning at it especially at those soul sins of uncleannesse and drunkennesse which should not be so much as once named among Christians unless with detestation For these and the like sins the land mourneth it is then a very evil practice to make sport with them Solomon saith Fooles make a mock at sin Prov. 14 9. And it was a great aggravation of the Corinthians sin when they had the incestuous person among them That they were puffed up and had not rather mourned 1 Cor. 5.2 It is also an unchristian course in those that when they hear or see their brothers miscarriage they blaze it abroad in all companies among others to their infamy and disgrace but never go about this necessary and brotherly work of faithfull admonition O how do some delight to relate other mens infirmities And it is a sinfull neglect in those that perform not the duty what ever the cause may be But it is a most desperate and preposterous course of those who rather than they will be at the pains of faithfully admonishing offenders will separate from them I doubt not but a scandalous offender should be excommunicated but not before he is proved obstinate much lesse before we have heard him speak or spent one faithfull and serious admonition upon him for his recovery The dreadfull sentence of excommunication is onely to be pronounced against an offender when all other means fail g Cuncta prius tentanda sed immedicabile vulnus enâ—e rescindendum ne pars sincerae trabitur for his reclaiming Much less may we cast off our lapsed Churches as no Churches of Christ the members thereof by the hundreds or in the whole lump as no Christians before we have tried the utmost we can do for their healing recovery We know that God is a God of patience and long-suffering admonishing reproving exhorting wooing and beseeching poor back-sliding sinners and Churches waiting long for their reformation before he utterly casteth them off O let us not be so unlike our heavenly Father as hastily to conclude their condition to be desperate and past recovery Doth not Paul teach That the servant of the Lord must bâ— gentle unto all men apt to teach patient in meeknesse instructing those that oppose themselves if peradventure God will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth 2 Tim. 2.24 25. It is an easie matter to call Christians Dogs and Swine and cast them off from the priviledge of brotherly admonition Mr. Gerce in his Vind Eccl. Angl. because it is accounted an unthankful office But this way as a godly Minister now with the Lord spake is too easie to be holy He is but a desperate Chirurgion who when a wounded person is brought to him cutteth off the member because he would not be troubled with the cure and so leaveth the Patient to shift for himself O be not hasty to conclude men incurable and snarlers at reproof before you have made some serious trial whether they will beare it Some that have gone in good earnest to some of the worst of sinners and dealt faithfully with them touching their miscarriages have found them free in confessing their faults with teares in their eyes begging prayers to God for them Methinks my brethren you should remember how many admonitions and how much time the Lord spent in waiting upon your owne soules before you savingly imbraced his counsel O consider it wel And let me further tel you you will finde more comfort in winning one soul by Christian importunity than in casting off a thousand by uncharitable censoriousnesse Mistake me not I speak not as if I would have all
to be received and evill to be removed Leigh on the Promises p. 5. Promissio Dei est denunoratio futurorum bonorum nobis dandorum c. Polan Syntag. l. 6. c. 31. not of such as had an eternall Being A Promise of what is already done or past is a contradiction in termes Prop. 2. When Christ undertook the work of the Salvation of his people he did at once undertake both their Justification and Sanctification Heb. 10. to v. 19. Prop. 3. I take Sanctification here in the sense as our Divines usually do to wit for the whole work of grace upon the soul after its first closing with Christ Christ did make one intire purchase of his peoples Salvation meriting both Sanctifying and pardoning grace for sinfull and guilty men who upon the purchase made had as much right to the one as to the other and no more Isa 53.5 Gal. 3.10 Tit. 2.14 1 Pet. 1.18 19. Hebr. 10. to v. 19. Therefore we can no more conclude Corol. that we were actually pardoned and justified immediately upon the price that Christ paid then that we were actually Sanctified Christ in his Gospell-offer tendereth himself both for our Justification and Sanctification Prop. 4. and commandeth us so to accept of him requiring Faith repentance and sincere obedience of all those that will be his And he that will not imbrace him for Sanctification shall not have him for Justification he that is not willing to have his sins mortified shall not have them pardoned Christ will be a whole Saviour or no Saviour Acts. 3.19 Repent and be converted that your sins may be blotted out c. Luke 13.3 5.19.27 Hence that offer Acts 3.19 of Remission of sins upon condition of repentance and conversion to God and all others in Scripture of the like nature are not the lesse but the more free because conditionall For the condition that is required is our priviledge Our turning from God by sin is our greatest misery and our conversion or turning to God in holinesse is our greatest happinesse as you have formerly heard 2. what the Lord requireth of his people he communicateth to them his grace for the performance of according to the tenour of the New-Covenant as in the next proposition So that the condition required doth but injoyne us to accept of a double blessing and oblige us to minde our whole Salvation to wit from sin as well as suffering that God may be the more glorified in the riches of his grace They are therefore utterly mistaken yea they much eclipse and lessen Gospell grace and turne most part of the Gospell into Law who call all conditionall promises the voice of the Law and not of the Gospell Suppose a King should offer to a poor unworthy subject two most precious Jewels joyned together in a golden link tendring them to him freely tels him withall Thou shalt not have the one without the other but take them both together as they are tendred Would it be wel for this poor man to say The gift would be more free of greater bounty if I might break that golden link and take one of the jewels without the other it is a diminishing of the freenesse of the gift that you injoyne me to take them both This is plainely the case The Lord hath in the Gospell individually linked together both his pardoning and Sanctifying grace but flesh and blood would fain break this golden link We are naturally willing to have our sins pardoned that we may be freed from suffering but nature is an enemy to Sanctifying grace Christ as the efficient cause 5. Prop. pardons the sins that are past and Sanctifies the sinner when he doth actually convert or bring him home from Satan to God so that those that come unto Christ or believe in him are then made actuall partakers both of Iustifying and Sanctifying grace of Iustifying grace by the imputation of Christs righteousnesse of Sanctifying grace by the reall communication of his grace unto them That as all the children of the first Adam are subject to sin and misery in the day of their generation and birth so all the children of the second Adam Jesus Christ are delivered from a state both of sin and condemnation in the day of their regeneration and new-birth Thus Paul as Christs instrument was sent to the Gentiles To open their eyes to turn them from darknesse to light and from the power of Satan to God that they might receive forgivenesse of sins and inheritance among them which are sanctified Acts 26.18 See also 1 Cor. 6.11 And such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Here the Apostle maketh a plain Antithesis between what they then were what they had been formerly Ye are washed that is cleansed by the blood of Christ which was signified by the water of your Baptisme both from the guilt and state of sin ye are sanctified ye are justified Now make up the other part of the Antithesis and it must be this Ye were unsanctified ye were unjustified And when was that before they were converted when they lived in such sins as are mentioned ver 9. and 10. they were committers of them and guilty before God excluded from an actuall title to the Kingdome of God Such were some of you but ye are washed c. Eph. 2. to ver 10. Rom. 4.28 ch 5.1 Act. 15.9 Those then Corol. 1. that say Faith doth but manifest our Justification may as well say it doth but manifest our Sanctification for they were both proposed purchased and wrought together Hence Sanctifying grace is the necessary qualification of a justified person because Christ doth not bestow these saving mercies severally but jointly and individually where his sanctifying grace is not communicated his righteousnesse is not imputed and hereby even by sanctifying grace wrought in us we are to try our actuall interest in Jesus Christ Hence those that are perplexed with the sense of Gods displeasure pinched with the want of grace are to come to Christ for help in both kinds Those that say they dare not believe nor lay hold upon the Promises for the remission of sins because they are of unhumbled and impenitent hearts must learn to come to Christ that their hearts may be broken and humbled It is he that gives repentance unto Israel as well as remission of sins The believing sinner Prop. 6. being justified from all the sins that are past and sanctified inchoately The pardon continueth good in Law and the sanctifying grace bestowed is conserved by the same Jesus Corol. Hence the Elect of God though they many times fall to their sore wounding from the lively actings of grace and under Gods just paternal displeasure yet they never fall from a state of grace and their heavenly Fathers affectionate love Psal 89 28. to 34. with Isa 55.3 Prop. 7. Those that are regenerate being but partly renewed although in every part are subject to many infirmities and many back-slidings n Novis peccatis quantum in nobis est abdicamus no à gratia Dei Ita fit ut quotidiana peccatorum remissione upus habeant Sancti omne quia baec sola in Dei familia nos retiret Bulling in 1 Joh. 1.7 and the same Jesus who was the giver and preserver of the forementioned favours multiplieth pardons with renewing grace Hos 14.4 I will heale their back slidings I will love them freely for mine anger is turned away from him Thus in the salutation of both Peters Epistles he prayeth grace and peace be multiplied 1 Pet. 1.2 2 Pet. 1.2 And this renewing grace maketh the soul importunate for pardon of sin and power against sin Thus David when he was restored from his great fall prayed Psal 51.9 10 11. Hide thy face from my sins and blot out all mine iniquities Create in me a clean heart O God and renew a right spirit within me Cast me not away from thy presence and take not thy holy spirit from me Hence the godly are to pray daily for pardon of sin and power against it Corol. Thus Christ taught his Disciples to pray Forgive us our trespasses and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil And here note that as in the fourth Petition he teacheth them and us daily to pray for our daily sustenance so in these Petitions which are adjoyned with a conjunction copulative he teacheth daily to pray for daily forgiveness and for daily preservation against tentations And it were far better for us to be a day without our daily Bread than without our daily Pardoning supporting and renewing grace It is true the Lord hath promised both and will perform what he hath promised yet thus saith the Lord I will for this be inquired of by the house of Israel to do it for them Ezek. 36.37 And because the Lord hath thus promised his people have the more incouragement and ground to pray Forgive us c. At the hour of death Prop. 8 the souls of the Saints are perfectly freed both from sin and guilt and so translated to heaven Heb. 12.23 Rev. 21.27 Prop. 9. Gloria ista inchâ—atur in hâc vita post mortem corporis fit auctior tandem à resurrectione perficitur Alst Qu. Theo. c. 41. At the general Resurrection and great day of Judgement the redeemed of the Lord shall be sententially justified before Angels and Men and perfectly sanctified in the whole man consisting of soul and body united to become meet instruments for the everlasting praises of God their Saviour To whom be glory for ever AMEN FINIS