of Sinners Act. 4.12 Neither is there Salvation in any other And hereby the poor lost sinful Sinner sees his need of Christ to justifie him and pardon all his sins also to sanctifie him and save him from his sins and the wrath of God due unto him for his sins and to save him with an everlasting salvation God having thorowly convinced and savingly inlightned the Sinner the third and next part of God's workmanship upon his Soul is the work of Conversion Sinners are often called upon to turn unto God and to turn from their sins Ezek. 14.6 18 30 32.33.11 that they may know it is their duty so to do and that finding by experience it is not in their power being faln in Adam they should pray to God to turn them from their sins unto himself by his Spirit and Grace Jer. 31.18 19. Turn thou me and I shall be turned c. Conversion is that part of God's workmanship upon a Sinner's Soul wherein God doth first change the whole Man from the sinful similitude of Adam into the Image of Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 3.18 We are changed into his Image c. I say in the work of true Conversion the whole Man is changed the heart is made a new heart Ezek. 36.26 A new heart also will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you And I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes The Man is made a New-man Eph. 4.23 24. And that ye put on the New-man which after God is created in Righteousness and true Holiness And his Life a new-New-Life Rom. 6.4 Even so we also should walk ill newness of Life Secondly God doth in the work of Conversion sanctifie the converted person wholly and throughout in Spirit Soul and Body 1 Thes 5.23 The very God of Peace sanctifie you wholly c. Upon or at the time of the Sinner's Conversion God imparts unto him and implants in him of every Grace that is in Christ a measure Joh. 1.14.16 And from his fulness have all we received and grace for grace Also Eph. 4.7 To every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ which grace is called the incorruptible seed of the New-birth 1 Pet. 1.23 which seed abideth in sanctified Believers 1 Joh. 3.9 It is implanted and it is inherent grace which grows like the grain of Mustard-seed Matth. 13.31 32. unto which Spiritual Growth every sanctified Believer is exhorted 2 Pet. 3.18 But grow in grace c. Thirdly God doth in the work of Conversion actually and really turn the converted person from darkness to light from the power of Satan and Sin unto God Act. 26.18 Before Conversion the Sinner was under the Vassalage of Satan who had dominion over him and ruled and worked in him Eph. 2.2 And he was then the servant of sin which had also dominion over him and reigned in him Rom. 5.21 And though the Sinner was convinced of his sins and troubled in his mind for his sins yea and saw the danger that his Soul was in by reason of his sins whereupon the Sinner resolved to forsake his sinful courses and to commit his sins no more yet until he was truly converted he had no power nor strength to overcome them nor could he pray and perform holy duties with delight and comfort but as a task and work that was hard and burdensom Isa 43.22 24 25. Thou hast not called upon me O Jacob and thou hast been weary of me O Israel But thou hast made me to serve with thy sins thou hast wearied me with thine iniquities I even I am he that blotteth out thy Transgressions for mine own sake and I will not remember thy sins Now that the Sinner is converted he is by the Spirit and Grace of God called to Repent and to Turn from his sins to God with his whole heart Jer. 31.18 19 20. Surely after that I was turned I repented I was ashamed c. Thus we may see what work God doth upon sinful sinners in respect whereof they are God's workmanship created in Christ Jesus Let us in the next place consider what Work God doth upon sanctified Believers in respect whereof they also are God's workmanship God having called and converted sinful Sinners unto himself by his holy Spirit and Word formed Christ in them and changed them into the Image of Christ given them his holy Spirit and imparted grace unto them and implanted it in them and having of his free Grace adopted and justified them through Faith in Christ Gal. 3.26 Gal. 2.16 God is pleased out of the exceeding Riches of his free Grace to go on with his workmanship gradually until he have made them compleat in Christ Col. 2.10 whom he hath created in Christ Jesus And in order thereunto there are divers other works of God which he doth by his holy Spirit and Word in and upon the Souls of those Converts in respect whereof they are his workmanship And the first is the work of Faith with Power 2 Thes 1.11 called the Faith of the Operation of God Col. 2.12 wherein God demonstrates what is the exceeding greatness of his Power toward us who believe according to the working of his mighty Power which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead Eph. 1.19 20. And this God doth in raising Souls from the death of sin to the life of Righteousness by Jesus Christ Eph. 2.5 6. This Faith Jesus Christ is the Author of and will be the finisher of it Heb. 12.2 and therefore called the Faith of the Son of God Gal. 2.20 by which Faith the Soul in its Conversion is united unto Christ and kept through it by the Power of God unto salvation Compare Eph. 4.13 with 1 Pet. 1.3 4 5. it 's called the precious Faith of God's Elect 3 Pet. 1.1 even the same Spirit of Faith that Abraham had and that all the Sons and Daughters of Ahraham have and do receive 2 Cor. 4.13 This Faith is the Substance of things hoped for and the Evidence of things not seen Heb. 11.1 This Faith God worketh in us ordinarily by his holy Spirit and Word in the Ministry and administrations of the Gospel of his Grace Rom. 10.8 That is the Word of Faith which we preach And verse 17. So then Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God By which Faith we receive Jesus Christ our Lord John 1.12 Adhere and cleave to him with purpose of heart never to forsake him or deny him Act. 11.23 but to own him for our Head Lord and Lawgiver our King Priest and Prophet And trust and rest upon him alone and on him only for Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption Isa 26.3 with Isa 50.10 And by this precious Faith Believers are justified Rom. 3.28 adopted Gal. 3.26 and sanctified Act. 26.18 through our Lord Jesus Christ But the converted Believer is not yet fully assured that Christ will save
him he is fully persuaded that there is not Salvation in any other and believing that Christ is able to save to the utmost all that come to God through him And being drawn to Christ by God the Father he doth by a lively Act of Faith go to him and adventure his Soul upon him resolving If I perish I will perish here This Faith is God's workmanship Eph. 28. By grace are ye saved through Faith and that not of your selves it is the Gift of God Faith is not of our selves for when the poor lost Soul sees a necessity of believing and is willing to believe he experienceth that it is not in his own power to believe he cannot believe Faith is the gift of God and the Convert lies under doubting until God give him to believe Though to believe be our duty yet it is God's Grace Gift and Work 1 Thes 1.11 Called the Work of Faith with power and the Faith of the operation of God Col. 2.12 As before Another part of God's Workmanship upon Converted Believers is Mortification of Sin Rom. 6.6 Our Old-man is Crucified with him that the Body of Sin might be destroyed this is also our duty Rom. 8.13 But if ye through the Spirit do mortify the Deeds of the Body to wit of sin ye shall live And it is the Effect of true Faith in Christ Acts 15.9 Having purified or purged their hearts by Faith The Spirit of God by Faith works out sin and corruption both out of the heart and out of the life gradually killing and crucifying our Old Man Gal. 5.24 that the body of sin might be destroyed That henceforth we should not serve sin Rom. 6.6 nor fulfil the lusts of our flesh and of our carnal mind for to be carnally minded is death This part of God's Workmanship called Mortification is begun in Evangelical Repentance and godly sorrow for sin whereby a sanctified Believer is made to loath abhor and hate his sins 2 Cor. 7.9 10. and by the Grace of God to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts And to live soberly righteously and godly in this evil world Tit. 2.11 12. Now his heart being out of love with sin the Young Convert doth by the Assistance of the holy Spirit and Grace of God labour and endeavour the mortification of every corruption and the power of the indwelling Spirit in every sanctified Believer opposeth and subdueth the power of indwelling sin that remains in him after Regeneration Gal. 5.17 And the Spirit and Grace of God in him gets the Victory whereby Grace Reigns Rom. 5.20 21. And the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus makes him free from the Law of sin and death Rom. 8.2 Free first from the Reigning power of sin Rom. 6.11 14. Sin hath not dominion over a sanctified Believer nor will Christ suffer sin to reign in him nor suffer him to obey it in the lusts thereof Secondly From the captivating power of sin which Paul so sadly complained of Rom. 7.23 24 25. and was freed from by the power of the indwelling Spirit of Christ Rom. 8.2 Thirdly From the Motions of sin in the flesh Rom. 7.5 6. So that no lust shall conceive and bring forth sin Jam. 1.14 15. And at last Christ will free sanctified Believers from the indwelling presence of sin Death will make a total and final separation between their sins and their souls for Eternity Another part of God's Workmanship upon converted Believers in order to their Salvation is sanctification of heart and life God hath chosen you to Salvation through sanctification of the Spirit 2 Thes 2.13 And Jesus Christ sanctifieth his People Heb. 2.11 As the End of our Faith is the salvation of our souls 1 Pet. 1.9 so the way to Salvation is Sanctification and Holiness Isa 35.8 And without Holiness no Man shall see the LORD to his comfort and salvation Heb. 12.14 Sanctification consists in the Truth of Grace in the Growth of Grace and in the Perfection of Grace The Truth of Grace produceth the Spiritual Fruit of the Gospel Col. 1.5 6. The Word of the Truth of the Gospel bringeth forth fruit since the day ye heard it and knew the Grace of God in Truth The Growth of Grace hath a threefold gradation some sanctified Believers grow like little Children in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 2.2 3. As new-born Babes desire the sincere Milk of the Word that ye may grow thereby Those St. John calls little Children whose sins are forgiven 1 Joh. 2.12 13. And St. Paul calls them Babes in Christ 1 Cor. 3.1 Heb. 5.13 For he is a Babe one that is weak in Faith Rom. 14.1 15.1 Though such have but a little grace yet it is true grace and doth grow Grace is of a growing nature like a grain of Mustard-seed Matth. 13.31 Other sanctified Believers grow like young men they are strong in Faith and overcome the wicked One 1 Joh. 2.13 14. Their Faith is great their Love is fervent and their Patience hath its perfect work that they may be entire lacking nothing 1 Thes 1.3 And some sanctified Believers are compared to Fathers that is to say gracious grave grown and experienced Christians 1 Joh. 2.13 14. Such were some of the Saints in the Church at Thessalonica 2 Thes 1.3 4. Your faith grows exceedingly and the love of every one of you all to each other aboundeth The Perfection of Grace is the state of sanctified Believers in Heaven there are the spirits that is the souls of just men made perfect Heb. 12.23 Sanctified Believers ought to go on to perfection Heb. 6.1 And they that have received the Promises ought to cleanse themselves from all filthiness of flesh and filthiness of spirit perfecting Holiness in the fear of God 2 Cor. 7.1 2. And God hath ordained the Ministry of the Gospel for the perfecting of the Saints Eph. 4.11 12 13. Until we all come in the unity of Faith unto a perfect man And though the Apostle was not perfect as he confessed yet he pressed toward the mark for the prize of the High Calling of God in Christ Jesus Phil. 3.12 14. So ought all the Saints to do until they be translated from Earth to Heaven and from Grace to Glory and shall be set down in the Father's house among the Spirits of just men made perfect Thus Jesus Christ who came into the WORLD to save sinners brings them to salvation The next particular in our general Position to be explained is that Jesus Christ came into this WORLD to build up his own House the Church of God As Moses was faithful in the House of God as a servant who did all things about the Tabernacle according to the Pattern shewed unto him by God in the Mount Exod. 25.40 Acts 7.44 Heb. 8.5 So Jesus Christ was faithful unto God that appointed him as a Son over his own House the true Tabernacle which the Lord pitched and not Man Heb. 3.2 3 5 6.
fashioned like unto Christ's glorious Body The Saints raised Bodies will be perfect no defect no deformity but spiritual and glorious 1 Cor. 15.42 43 44. So is the Resurrection of the Dead It is sown a natural Body it is raised a spiritual Body It is sown in dishonour it is raised in glory After the Saints deceased are raised and have lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years shall be the general Resurrection Rev. 20.12 13. And I saw the Dead small and great stand before God The last particular in our general Position to be explained is the Eternal Judgment So it is called Heb. 6.2 There are several dayes of Judgment as that of the Old World and that of Sodom and Gomorrah c. but the Eternal Judgment is that last Sentence which our LORD Jesus Christ shall pronounce upon and unto the Righteous and the Wicked Matth. 25.34 and 41. Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world And vers 41. Depart from me ye Cursed into everlasting Fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels And ver 46. These shall go away into everlasting punishment but the Righteous into eternal Life which is the Execution of God's Eternal Judgment CHAP. II. OUR general Position being proved and explained it ought to be improved and fitly applied to the Inhabitants of this World and more especially unto the Men and Women of this Generation whether they be unconverted Sinners or sanctified Believers The unconverted Sinners of this World and of this Generation are either Sinners in Zion Isa 33.14 that is to say sinful Professors who seem to be Religious whose Religion will prove in vain Jam. 1.26 and who have a form of godliness but deny the power thereof 2 Tim. 3 1-5 Those are foolish Virgins that having gotten their Lamps lighted wait a while for the Coming of the Bridegroom but while the Bridegroom tarries they slumber and sleep till their Lamp-light go out Matth. 25 1-13 See my Exposition on that Parable Printed Anno 1674 Or else those that that are sinfully prophane which make no Profession of Godliness called ungodly Sinners Jude v. 15. unrighteous 1 Cor. 6.9 and wicked persons Psal 9.17 O ye unconverted Professors Consider I beseech you there is a world to come and Christ will come and then every one shall give account of himself to God Rom. 14.10 11. What account will you give to God for your formality lukewarmness hypocrisie and unprofitableness under the Means of Grace you sinful Professors that have refused the offer of Christ and despised the goodness of God which should lead you to Repentance you that have sinned against Gospel-light and knowledge quenched the Spirit resisted the Spirit and grieved the holy Spirit it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Zidon than for you in the Day of Judgment except you repent and believe in Christ And you unconverted ungodly wicked sinners what account will you give to Christ in the World to come for all your unrighteousness and all the wickedness that you have done and still do in this World Read Jude verse 15. It will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the Day of Judgment than for you Jude verse 7. which Cities are set forth for an Example suffering the vengeance of eternal fire O ye unconverted Sinners both Professors and Prophane will you now accept of and receive a word in season of spiritual Counsel then I will instruct you how you that are miserable may become happy and you that are in a damnable state may get into the state of salvation before Christ come from Heaven to judge the quick and the dead and before you dye That you may obtain eternal Life and Glory my counsel to you is as followeth 1. Consider you are dead in sins and trespasses and you are without Christ Ephes 2.1.5 12. you have no saving sanctifying Grace you are not holy and if you dye in this your sinful state and condition you will be damned to eternity Psal 9.17 The wicked shall be turned into Hell 2. Consider your need of Jesus Christ There is not salvation in any other Act. 4.12 no Christ no Salvation He is that One thing necessary without him you can do nothing Joh. 15.5 to please God or to glorifie God Heb. 11.6 Without Faith in Christ it is impossible to please God Without being and abiding in Christ you cannot bring forth fruit nor do any thing whereby God is glorified Joh. 15 5-8 You stand in need of Christ to justifie you to sanctifie you and to save you from Sin and from Hell 3. Consider God offers Jesus Christ to poor lost miserable sinners Rev. 3.17 18. yea to the chief of sinners 1 Tim. 1 12-15 upon Gospel-terms of Free Grace Isa 55 1-7 without exception of person and without respect of price Revel 22.17 The Spirit and the Bride saith come and let him that heareth say come and let him that is athirst come and whosoever will let him take the water of life freely that is to say Any one every one that is willing may come to Christ and receive Christ and have Christ freely for HE is the free Gift of God to Sinners who are without Christ in the World Joh. 3.16 Be but willing to take Christ and the work is done Christ complained of them that would not come to him that they might have life Joh. 5.39 40. When you have seriously considered those three particulars then I counsel you poor lost perishing Sinners first suffer the LORD Jesus Christ to come by his Spirit and Word into your hearts and set up the Kingdom of his Grace in your souls that where Sin hath abounded Grace may much more abound and where Sin hath Reigned unto Death there Grace might Reign through Righteousness unto eternal Life by Jesus Christ our LORD Rom. 5.20 21. Do not resist the Holy Spirit as they did Zech. 7.7 8 9 11 12 13. and their Children after them Act. 7.51 Secondly Open your hearts to Christ when he knocks at the Door of your Souls and calls you to come to him to receive him and let him come into your hearts and dwell in your hearts by his holy Spirit and sanctifying Grace Rev. 3.20 Behold I stand at the Door and knock if any man hear my voice and will open the Door 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will come in to him and will sup with him and he with me If the Sinner be willing to open the door of his heart Christ will come in by his holy Spirit and HE will communicate of his Grace to his Soul Thirdly Let the LORD Jesus Christ have the Throne and be exalted above ALL in your Souls Isa 2.17 And the LORD alone shall be exalted in that Day Let your own Imaginations be cast down and every high thing that exalteth it Self against the knowledge of God that every Thought may be brought into Captivity to the Obedience of Christ Be
and they have power in themselves to believe Ask now the sinner that hath been convinced of sin by the holy Spirit and Word of God because he believes not and is commanded to believe 1 Joh 3.23 I say ask that convinced sinner if it hath power of himself to believe or if Faith in Christ be of our selves or of our good works or of holy duties and he will tell you No Nay Nay Faith in Christ is not of our selves Jesus Christ himself is the Author and Finisher of Faith Heb. 12.2 It is not of our works but it is the Faith of the Operation of God Col. 2.12 It is the exceeding greatness of God's mighty Power that doth make the soul of a sinful sinner convinced of sin because he believes not willing and able to believe in Christ Eph. 1.19 20. Now saith this convinced Sinner I know and am persuaded that whosoever believes in Christ shall be saved and I know and am convinced that I ought to believe in Christ and it is my sin that I do not believe in him Yea I am also persuaded upon Scripture grounds that if I did believe in Christ I should not perish but have everlasting Life But this is my impotency and here is my misery I cannot believe in Christ of my self I know not which way to begin to believe I could do something materially about the works of the Law though but weakly and insufficiently but I can do nothing about obedience of Faith according to the Gospel It is such a Mystery as I am very ignorant of Faith is the Gift of God and unless he give it me I perish Now is the sinner convinced of his sin of unbelief This is God's workmanship upon a sinful sinner's conscience but this is not the whole work of Conviction therefore God proceeds in this work and convinceth the sinner by his Spirit and Word of Righteousness Joh. 16.10 shewing the sinner whilst he goes about to establish his own Righteousness by the works of the Law and by performing those duties that the Law requireth he maketh void as much as in him lyes the Righteousness of God by Faith in the Gospel Rom. 10.3.4 5 6. and thereby convinceth the sinner 1. That all his own Righteousnesses are as menstruous Raggs Isa 64.6 our most holy duties and performances are polluted and defiled with sin and God might abhor to accept an Offering at our hand did not Christ offer up his Incense with our Sacrifices they could not come up to God Rev. 8.3 4 both our prayers and our persons are accepted only and alone in and thorow Jesus Christ 2. That Sinners must be covered with the Robe of Christ's Righteousness and the Garments of his Salvation Isa 61.10 He is the LORD our Righteousness Jer. 23.6 And Christ is made of God unto us Wisdom Righteousness c. 1 Cor. 1.30 This Righteousness of Christ is that skirt which God casteth over the Sinners Soul when he lyes in his Blood to cover his nakedness Ezek. 16.6 8. 3. That Christ's Righteousness is the Righteousness of God by Faith Rom. 3.21 22. which Righteousness the Apostle Paul did so much prize and desire to be found in Phil. 3.8 9. And now the convinced Sinner will say with holy Job chap. 9. v. 21. If I justifie my self mine own mouth shall condemn me though I were perfect yet would I not know my Soul This is also God's workmanship upon a sinful Sinners Conscience But yet this is not the whole work of Conviction for when God hath by his holy Spirit and Word convinced the Sinner of his state of unbelief and reproved him for sin because he believes not And when God hath also convinced him that his own Righteousness is as filthy Raggs and that he must submit to the Righteousness of God and take Christ's Righteousness by Faith unto Justification of life Then God proceeds on in the work of Conviction and reproves or convinceth the Sinner of Judgment Joh. 16.11 And this God doth by causing the Sinner to know 1. That there is a Day of Judgment called the Eternal Judgment Heb. 6.2 and the Judgment of the great DAY of God Jude vers 6. 2. That All shall appear and stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ Rom. 14.10 1 Cor. 5.10 And every one shall then give accompt of himself unto God and shall receive a just Reward of all that he hath done in the Flesh Rom. 2 5-13 and Rev. 22.12 and Matth. 16.27 3. That the Prince of this world is judged and therefore none of the Children of Disobedience in whom the God of this World now worketh shall escape the Righteous Judgment of God Rom. 2.3 5 6. for the Lord Jesus Christ who shall judge both the quick and the dead at his Appearing and his Kingdom 2 Tim. 4.1 shall come from Heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospel who shall be punished with everlasting destruction c. 2 Thes 1.7 8 9. And the Spirit and Word of God doth witness and testifie to the Sinner's Conscience that he must come to Judgment as Solomon told the young man Eccles 11.9 Know thou that for all these things or sins God will bring thee to Judgment And now the sinful Sinner is throughly convinced and this is the first part of God's workmanship upon him in order unto his Conversion and everlasting Salvation And I desire the Reader to take notice that the want of a thorow work of Conviction is the cause of the want of a sound and saving work of Conversion One Reason why there are so few true Converts in this our Day and Generation is because the Ministers of the Gospel do not labour in the Word and Doctrine of a thorow Gospel-Conviction The Reason why so few Hearers do believe in Christ is because they were never thorowly convinced of the sin of unbelief How many Herod-like Hearers are there in and about London Mark 6.20 How many stony-hearted Hearers follow and flock after the Preachers of the Gospel who hear the Word with Joy believe for a time Luk. 8.13 But when the time of the Tryal of their Faith comes by sufferings and persecutions then they fall away Matth. 13.20 21. And you have the Reason of their falling away expressed by both the Evangelists They had no Root in themselves that is to say They had not Christ in their Souls to be the Root of their Faith Col. 2.6 7. As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord so walk ye in him rooted and built up in him and stablished in the Faith Faith rooted in Christ will stand out all Storms of Temptation and Persecution it will indure all fiery Tryals but Faith without Christ will fall away And the Spirit tells us expresly that some who made a great and glorious profession of Faith will depart from the Faith in the latter daies 1 Tim. 4.1 because they have not