the act of Gods electing love For election designeth men not only to Eternal Glory but to holiness of Life a means thereto And the manner of this connexion of truth is the more to be noted by us because the Apostle seems to conjoyn them in an holy heat of Spirit Saying The foundation of God standeth sure having this seal the Lord knoweth them that are his And and let every one that shall but so much as name the name of Christ depart from iniquity Or as who should say God will be revenged upon them for all or notwithstanding they appropriate unto themselves the benefits of election In the Text we have 1. An Exhortation 2 The Extension of that Exhortation 1. The Exhortation is That men depart from iniquity 2. The Extension of it is to them all of them every one of them that name the name of Christ. And let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity In the Exhortation there are several things to be taken notice of because insinuated by the Apostle The first is That iniquity is a very dangerous and hurtful thing as to the Souls of sinners in general so to them that name the name of Christ. It is very a dangerous and hurtfull thing to men in general For 't is that which did captivate the world at the beginning and that made it a bondslave to the Devil It has also done great hurt to mankind ever since to instance a few things 1. 'T is that which hath stupefied and besotted the powers of mens Souls and made them even next to a Beast and Brute in all matters supernatural and heavenly For as the Beast minds nothing but his lusts and his belly by nature So man minds nothing but things earthly sensual and devilish by reason of iniquity 2. It has blinded and darkned the powers of the Soul so that it can neither see where it is nor which is the way out of this besotted condition 3. It has hardened the heart against God and against all admonition and counsel in the things of the Gospel of Christ. 4. It has alienated the will the mind and affections from the choice of the things that should save it and wrought them over to an hearty delight in those things that naturally tend to drown it in perdition and destruction 5. It has made man odious in Gods eyes it has provoked the Justice of God against him and made him obnoxious to Hell fire 6. Yea It so holds him so binds him so reserves him to this that not he himself nor yet all the Angels of Heaven can deliver him from this deplorable condition 7. To say nothing of the pleasure and delight that it makes him take in that way to Hell in which he walketh Never went fat Oxe so gamesomely to the shambles nor fool so merrily to the correction of the stocks nor silly bird so wantonly to the hidden net as iniquity makes men go down her steps to the pit of hell and damnation O 't is amazing 't is astonishing to consider what hurt sin has done to man and into how many dangers it has brought him but let these few hints at this time suffice as to this I will now speak a word to the other particular namely that as iniquity is dangerous and hurtful to the Souls of Men in general so it is to them that name the name of Christ. As to the so and so naming of him to that I shall speak by and by but at this time take it thus That religiously name his name And I say iniquity is hurtful to them 1. It plucks many a one of them from Christ and the religious profession of him I have even seen that men who have devoutly and religiously professed Jesus Christ have been prevailed withall by iniquity to cast him and the profession of his name quite off and to turn their backs upon him Israel saith the Prophet has cast off the thing that is good But why Of their Silver and their gold they have made Idols The sin of Idolatry drew their hearts from God their love to that iniquity made them turn their backs upon him Wherefore God complains that of forwardness to their iniquity and through the prevalence thereof they had cast him behind their back 2. As it plucks many a professor from Christ so it keeps many a one from an effectual closing with him How many are there that religiously profess and make mention of the name of Chriâ—t that yet of love to and by the interest that iniquity hath in their affections never close with him unto salvation but are like to them of whom you read in Paul to Timothy that they are ever learning and never come to the knowledg of the truth 3. And concerning those that have indeed come to him and that have effectually closed with him and that name his name to good purpose yet how hath iniquity hurt and abused many of them 1. It has prevailed with God to hide his face from them a thing more bitter than death 2. It has prevailed with God to chastize and to afflict them sorely a thing in which he taketh no pleasure 3. It has provoked God to give them over to the hand of the Enemy and to deliver them to the tormentors 4. It hath brought them to question their interest in Christ and whether they ever had grace in their Souls 5. And for those that have yet believed they were in his favour this iniquity has driven them to fear that God would cast them away and take all his good things from them Yea he that would know the hurt that iniquity hath done to them that name the name of Christ let him consider the cries the sighs the tears the bemoanings the bewailings the lamentations the sorrows the confessions the repentings and griefs wherewith they have been attended while they have complained that they have been put in the stocks laid in the dungeon had their bones broken suffered the terours of God been distressed almost to distraction and have been fed with Gravel Gall Wormwood and with the Water of astonishment for days yea years together By all which and many more which might be mentioned it appears that iniquity is a dangerous and hurtfull thing But I proceed and come in the next place to the Extension of the exhortation namely that it reacheth to all those that name the name of Christ. And let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity To handle this a little and First to shew you what the Apostle here means by naming of the name of Christ he meaneth not an irreligious naming of that worthy name nor those that name it irreligiously This is evident because he passeth by their manner of naming of it without the least reproof the which he would not have done had the fault been in their manner of naming of the
their profession of faith in him a holy and blessed conversation Having thus briefly shewed you these things I shall come in the next place to shew you Why some that as to words rightly name the name of Christ do not depart from iniquity That it is incident to men to name the name of Christ religiously and not to depart from iniquity I have proved already and now I must shew you why it is so and the reasons are of three sorts First Some profess him yet have not saving faith in him nor yet received grace from him That some profess him that have not saith in him nor received grace from him I will make appear first And then that they do not depart from iniquity shall be shewn afterwards That the first is true consider Christ saies to his Disciples there are some of you that believe not And again For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not and who should betray him Now if they believe not they have none of his grace in them for faith is the first and head grace the beginning and leading grace he therefore that is destitute of that is empty of all the rest Besides other Scriptures also confirm this truth James calls some of the professors of Christ that were in his day vain or empty men that is men void of grace And the Apostle suggesteth in the very words below the Text that as in Gods house there are Golden and Silver Saints so their are also earthy and Wooden ones For in a great house as Gods is are not only Vessels of Gold and Silver but also of wood and of earth and some to honour and some to dishonour that is some for Heaven and some for Hell Now they are these Wooden and Earthy professors that he aimeth at in the Text to wit that they should depart from iniquity or else their profession would do them no good and these also that he despaireth of in the next words saying But but in this great house of God there will not only be Golden and Silver Christians but Wooden and Earthly ones And if any man purge himself from these from these mens companies and from these mens vices he shall be a vessel to honour sanctified and meet for the Masters use and prepared to every good work From all which it is gathered that there are some that name the name of Christ in a way of profession that have neither faith nor grace in them and so consequently that do not depart from iniquity For First These want that principle that holy and blessed principle that should induce them thereunto to wit the great and principal graces of the spirit and they are four First As I have said They want faith that heart purifying grace for the heart is purified by faith I have shewed you already that departing from iniquity must be with the mind and affections or with the heart but how can that be where the heart is not sanctified and made holy For an unsanctified mind cannot depart from iniquity no more than the Ethiopian can change his Skin but nothing can purifie the heart but faith Therefore nothing can make a professor depart from iniquity where faith is wanting So then when men professedly name the name of Christ without having holy faith in him they still abide by their iniquity they depart not from their iniquity but rather make of their profession a cloak for their iniquity for their malice and for their covetousness and the like It is not profession but faith that bringeth God and the Soul together and as long as God and the soul are at distance what ever profession is made there is not a departing not an heart departing from iniquity Wherefore to these professors James writeth thus Draw nigh to God and he will draw nigh to you cleanse your hands ye sinners and purifie your hearts ye double minded Men far from God cannot think reverently of him nor so speak and profess him as standeth with the nature of Gospel Religion wherefore God saith draw near hither that is by faith and again let them come near then let them speak then let them profess Without faith a man cannot please God because he cannot without it stand before him in the spotless righteousness of Christ nor yet depart from iniquity and live a holy life There are three things in Faith that directly tend to make a man depart from iniquity 1. It apprehendeth the truth of the Being and greatness of God and so it aweth the spirit of a man 2. It apprehendeth the love of this God in Christ and so it conquereth and overcometh the spirit of a man 3. It apprehendeth the sweetness and blessedness of the nature of the Godhead and thence perswadeth the soul to desire here communion with him that it may be holy and the injoyment of him when this world is ended that it may be happy in and by him for ever But without Faith these things cannot be apprehended and therefore those that want it whatever their profession is they will not depart from iniquity Secondly Repentance is another of the great and principal graces which the Holy Ghost worketh in the heart Wherefore without this also there can be no departing from iniquity It is in vain to expect it of any man let his profession be never so stately and great if he is a stranger to found repentance How many are there in our day since the Gospel is grown so common that catch up a notion of good things and from that notion make a profession of the name of Christ get into Churches and obtain the title of a Brother a Saint a member of a Gospel congregation that have clean escaped repentance I say they have catcht up a notion of good things and have through that adventured to name the name of Christ quite forgetting to take repentance with them Repentance should be and is one of the first steps into true Gospel profession but some know nothing of it untill they come to the end of all and their repentance will do them no good Repentance is not but where the true fear of God is yea the fear of God is one ground of repentance Repentance is the scouring grace 't is that which purges Repentance is as I may call it that bitter pill without the taking and sound working of which base and sinful humours will rest unstirred unpurged undriven out of the soul. Can repentance be where godly sorrow is not or can repentance be where the fruits of repentance are not O the fruits of repentance thick sown by preachers but it comes up but thinly Where shall the fruits of repentance be found Confession of sin is one fruit of repentance shame for sin is another fruit of repentance amendment of life is another fruit of repentâ—nce restitution for cousening cheating defrauding beguiling thy neighbour is another
fruit of repentance yea if you would see the fruits of repentance as described by the Holy Ghost and put together for the further conviction and shame of the impenitent professor look into the Second Epistle to the Corinthians Chapter 7. vers 9 10 11. But this is a day that was never read of a day wherein conversion is frequent without repentance such a conversion as 't is and therefore doth the Church of God now swarm with them that religiously name the name of Christ yet depart not from iniquity Alas all Houses all Tables all Shops have hanging up in them the sign of the want of repentance To say nothing of the talk of the beds and the backs of most that profess by which of these is it that one of a thousand for Men and for Women one of ten thousand do shew that they have repentance No marvel then that the name of Christ is so frequently mentioned there where iniquity dwells yea reigns and that with the consent of the mind I would not be austere but were wearing of Gold putting on of apparel dressing up houses decking of children learning of complements boldness in women letchery in men wanton behaviours lascivious words and tempting carriages signs of repentance then I must say the fruits of repentance swarm in our Land but if these be none of the fruits of repentance then O the multitude of professors that religiously name the name of Christ and do not depart from iniquity But Thirdly Love is another of those great and principal graces which the Hâ—ly Ghost worketh in the heart wherefore let profession be never so high yet if Love be wanting there to be sure such professors depart not from iniquity Hence all profession and subjecting to profession are counted nothing where love is not Love is counted a most infallible sign that a man is in a state of Salvation He that loveth dwells in God is born of God and knoweth him Love divideth it self to God and to my Neighbour Love to God is that we keep his savings his commandments his Laws If a man love me saith Christ he will keep my words and he that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings For this is the love of God that we keep his commandments and his commandments are not grievous So then that professor that hath not love cannot depart from iniquity 1. Where no love is men cannot be tender of the name of God they are not afflicted because men keep not Gods Law 2. Where no love is men cannot deny themselves of that which otherwise they might lawfully do lest the weak should fall and the world be destroyed 3. Where love to God is there is hatred against iniquity ye that love the Lord hate evil A man cannot love God that loves not holiness he loves not holiness that loves not Gods word he loves not Gods word that doth not do it It is a common thing to find men partial in Gods Law setting much by small things and neglectâ—ng the weightier matters paying Tythe of Mint and Anise and Cummin and neglecting the weightier matters These turn the Tables of Gods book up-side-down making little Laws of great ones and great ones of little ones counting half an hours bodily service better than a moral life Love Love is gone out of the Conutry Love to â—he doctrine of the first Table Love to the doctrine of the second Table O how many professors in Gods eyes are accounted of no more than sounding brass for want of this ornament love To speak nothing of the first Table where is he that hath his love manifested by the second where are they that feed the hungry and cloath the naked and send portions to them for whom nothing is prepared Where is Paul that would not eat meat while the world standeth lest he made his brother offend Where is Dorcas with her garments she used to make for the Widow and for the Fatherless Yea where is that rich man that to his power durst say as Job does as is recorded in those Chapters quoted in the Margent Love love is gone and now coveting pinching griping and such things are in fashion now iniquity abounds instead of grace in many that name the name of Christ. They want love and therefore cannot depart from iniquity Fourthly Hope is another of those great and principal graces which the Holy Ghost worketh in the heart and without which let a man be never so high in profession and so open in naming the name of Christ he cannot depart from iniquity As was said before of faith so we say now of hope And every one that hath this hope in him purifieth himself as he is pure Here is that excellent office or rather effect of hope made manifest it purifieth it cleanseth a man it makes him make the Lord Jesus his example as well as his Saviour He purifieth himself even as he is pure to wit in soul in body in spirit in life and conversation Hope of life eternal by Christ makes a man purifie himself in obeying the truth through the spirit Hope to be with Christ hereafter will make me strive to believe him here Hope of being with Angels then will make a man strive to live like an Angel here Alas alas there is a company of half-priests in the world and they cannot they dare not teach the people the whole counsel of God because in so doing they will condemn themselves and their manner of living in the world where is that Minister now to be found that dare say to his people look on me and walk as you have me for an example or that dare say what you see and hear to be in me do and the God of peace shall be with you These men had hope and hope purified them to an example till they became patterns to others Is not this now far off from some professors in the world are they purified are they clean that name the name of Christ are they weaned from that milk and drawn from the breasts No nor their profession is not attended with grace they name the name of Christ well but they do not depart from iniquity Let a man believe a lie and according to the reality of his belief such will his obedience be let a man hope for that for which he hath no ground to hope yet his hope will work with him according to the power thereof And yet we have a generation of men that profest the blessed Gospel which yieldeth the most substantial ground for faith and hope yea we have a company of men that will be naming the name Christ which is the sweetest the most taking and desirable name that is named among the sons of men and for all that this Gospel this worthy name nor yet their naming of it doth make them depart from iniquity But what 's the reason why they have taken up a profession but want the
thy self First Those that religiously name the name of Christ should must depart from iniquity because else our profession of him is but a lie If we say we have fellowship with him and walk in darkness we lie And walk in darkness that is and walk in iniquity and depart from a life that is according to the course of this World He that saith I know him and keepeth not his commandments is a lyer and the truth is not in him The truth that he professes to know and that he saith he hath experience of is not in him Every man that nameth the name of Christ is not therefore a man of God nor is the word in every mans mouth truth though he makes profession of that worthy name It is then truth in him and to others with reference to him when his mouth and his life shall agree Men may say they are Apostles and be lyers they may say they are Jews that is Christians and lie and be lyers and lie in so saying Now this is the highest kind of lying and certainly must therefore work the saddest sort of effects Thus mans best things are lies His very saying I know him I have fellowship with him I am a Jew a Christian is a lie His life giveth his mouth the lie and all knowing men are sure he lies 1. He lies unto God he speaks lies in the presence and to the very face of God Now this is a daring thing I know their lies saith he and shall he noâ— recompence for this See these Scriptures in the Margent and take heed I speak to you that religiously name the name of Christ and yet do not depart from iniquity 2. He lies unto men every knowing man every man that is able to judge of the tree by the fruit knows that that man is a lier and that his whole profession as to himself is a lie if he doth not depart from iniquity Thus Paul called the slow bellies the unsound professors among the Cretians liers They were so in his eyes for that their profession of the name of Christ was not seconded with such a life as became a people professing godliness They did not depart from iniquity But again 3. Such a man is a lier to his own soul. What ever such an one promiseth to himself his soul will find it a lie There be many in the world that profess the name of Christ and consequently promise their soul the injoyment of that good that indeed is wrapt up in him but they will certainly be mistaken hereabout and with the greatest terror will find it so when they shall hear that direful sentence Depart from me all ye workers of iniquity Christ is resolved that the loose-lived prâ—fessor shall not stand in the judgment nor any such sinners in the congregation of the righteous They have lied to God to men and to themselves but Jâ—sus then will not lie unto them He will plainly tell them that he hath not known them and that they shall not abide in his presence But Secondly Those that religiously name the name of Christ should depart from iniquity else as they are liers in their profession so they are self-deceivers I told you but now such lie to themselves and so consequently they deceive themselves But be ye doers of the word not hearers only deceiving your own selves 'T is a sad thing for a man in and about eternal things to prove a deceiver of others but for a man to deceive himself his own self of eternal life this is saddest of all Yet there is in man a propenseness so to do Hence the Apostle says be not deceived and let no man deceive himself And again If any man among you seem to be religious and bridleth not his tongue but deceiveth his own heart this mans Religion is vain These words But deceiveth his own heart I have much mused about for they seem to me to be spoken to shew how bold and prodigiously desperate some men are who yet religiously name the name of Christ desperate I say at self deceiving He deceiveth his own heart he otherwayes perswadeth it than of its own self it would go Ordinarily men are said to be deceived by their hearts but here 's a man that is said to deceive his own heart flattering it off from the scent and dread of those convictions that by the word sometimes it hath been under perswading of it that there needs no such strictness of life be added to a profession of Faith in Christ as by the Gospel is called for or that since Christ has died for us and rose again and since salvation is alone in him we need not be so concerned or be so strict to matter how we live This man is a self deceiver he deceives his own heart Self deceiving and that about spiritual and eternal things specially when men do it willingly is one of the most unnatural unreasonable and unaccountable action in the world 1. It is one of the most unnatural actions For here a man seeks his own ruin and privily lurks for his own life We all cry out against him that murthers his Children his Wife or his own body and condemn him to be one of those that has forgot the rules and love of nature But behold the man under consideration is ingaged in such designs as will terminate in his own destruction he deceiveth his own soul. 2. This is also the most unreasonable act there can no cause nor crum of cause that has the least spark or dram of reason or of any thing that looks like reason be shewen why a man should deceive himself and bereave his soul of eternal life Therefore 3. Such men are usually passed over with astonishment and silence Be astonished O Heavens at this and be ye horribly afraid for my people have committed two evils they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters and hewed them out Cisterns broken Cisterns that can hold no water But above all This as to this head is the most amazing place where 't is said that the self deceiver makes his self deceiving his sport Sporting themselves with their own deceivings These are a people far gone to be sure that are arrived to such an height of negligence carelesness wantonness and desparateness of spirit as to take pleasure in and make a sport of that which will assuredly deceive them forever But this is the fruit of professing of Christ and of not departing from iniquity The wisdom and judgment of God is such as to give such over to the sporting of themselves in their own deceivings Thirdly Those that religiously name the name of Christ should depart from iniquity because of the scandal that will else assuredly come upon Religion and the things of Religion through them Upon this head I may begin to write with a sigh For never more of this kind than now There is no place where
attends the Closet which I may call by the name of vacancy When men have a Closet to talk of not to pray in a Closet to look upon not to bow before God in a Closet to lay up Gold in but not to mourn in for the sins of my life A Closet that could it speak would say my owner is seldom here upon his knees before the God of Heaven seldom here humbling himself for the iniquity of his heart or or to thank God for the mercies of his life Thirdly Then also a man is guilty of Closet-iniquity when though he doth not utterly live in the neglect of duty he formally carnally and without reverence and godly fear performs it Also when he asketh God for that which he cannot abide should be given him or when he prayeth for that in his Closet that he cannot abide in his house nor his life Fourthly Then also a man is guilty of Closet-iniquity when he desireth that the sound of the devotion he doth there may be heard by them without in the house the street or of those that dwell by For a Closet is only for the man and God to do things in secretly These things let the professor beware of lest he add to his iniquity sin untill he and it comes to be loathsom The Closet is by God appointed for men to wait upon him in and to do it without hypocrisie To wait there for his mind and his will and also for grace to perform it And how can a man that went last time out of his Closet to be nought have the face to come thither again If I regard iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear my prayer and if so then he will not meet me in my Closet and if so then I shall quickly be weary thereof being left to my self and the vanity of my mind It is a great thing to be a Closet-Christian and to hold it he must be a Close-Christian that will be a Closet-Christian When I say a Close-Christian I mean one that is so in the hidden part and that also walks with God Many there be that profess Christ who doe oftener in London frequent the Coffee-house than their Closet and that sooner in a morning run to make bargains than to pray unto God and begin the day with him But for thee who professest the name of Christ do thou depart from all these things do thou make conscience of reading and practising do thou follow after righteousness do thou make conscience of beginning the day with God for he that begins it not with him will hardly end it with him He that runs from God in the morning will hardly find him at the close of the day Nor will he that beginâ— with the world and the vanities thereof in the first place be very capable of walking with God all the day after 'T is he that finds God in his Closet that will carry the savour of him into his house his shop and his more open conversation when Moses had been with God in the Mount his face shone he brought of that glory into the Camp Sixthly I add again let those that name the name of Christ depart from the iniquity that cleavâ—th to opinions This is a sad age â—or that let opinions in themâ—elves be never so good never â—o necessary never so innocent â—et there are spirits in the world â—hat will entail iniquity to them â—nd will make the vanity so inseparable with the opinion that 't is almost impossible with some to take in the opinion and leave out the iniquity that by craft and subtilty of Satan is joyned thereto Nor is this a thing new and of yesterday It has been thus almost in all ages of the Church of God and that not only in things small and indifferent but in things fundamental and most substantial I need instance in none other for proof hereof but the doctrine of faith and holiness If faith be preached as that which is absolutely necessary to Justification then faith-fantastical and loosness and remisness in life with some are joyned therewith If holiness of life be preached as necessary to salvation then faith is undervalued and set below its place and works as to justification with God set up and made co-partners with Christâ— merits in the remission of sins Thuâ— iniquity joyneth it self with the great and most substantials of thâ— Gospel and 't is hard to receive anâ— good opinion what ever but iniquity will joyn it self thereto Wicked spirits do not only tempt men to transgress the moral law but do present themselves in heavenly things working there and labouring in them to wrest the judgment and turn the understanding and conscience awry in those high and most important things Wherefore I say we must be the more watchful and careful lest we be abused in our notions and best principles by the iniquities that joyn themselves thereto 'T is strange to see at this day how notwithstanding all the threatnings of God men are wedded to their own opinions beyond what the law of grace and love will admit Here 's a Presbyter here 's an Independent an Anabaptist so joyned each man to his own opinion that they cannot have that communion one with another as by the testament of the Lord Jesus they are commanded and injoyned What is the cause Is the Truth No! God is â—he author of no confusion in the Church of God It is then because every man makes too much of his own opinion abounds too much in his own sence and takes not care to separate his opinion from the iniquity that cleaveth thereto That this confusion is in the Church of Christ I am of Paul I of Apollo I of Cephas I of Christ is too manifest But what unbecoming language is this for the Children of the same Father members of the same body and heirs of the same glory to be accustomed to whether it is Pride or Hypocrisie or Ignorance or Self or the Devil or the Jesuite or all these joyntly working with the Church that makes and maintains these names of distinction This distance and want of love this contempt of one another these base and undervaluing thoughts of brethren will be better seen to the shame and confusion of some in the Judgment In the mean time I advise thee with whom I am at this time concerned to take heed of this mixture this sinful mixture of trutâ— and iniquity together And to help thee in this thing keep thine eye much upon thine own base self labour also to be sensible of the imperfâ—ctions that cleave to thy best performances be clothed with humility and prefer thy brother before thy self and know that Christianity lieth not in small matters neither before God nor understanding men And it would be well if those that so stickle by their private and unscriptural notions which only is iniquity cleaving to truth I say it would be well if such were more sound