Beggars to live upon God's Free Gift and with holy Self-denial to return that Answer to Christ Lord when saw we thee an hungry and fed thee The remanants of Spiritual Pride in every one of us makes this very hard the greatest in Christ's Kingdom should be the least in their own Eyes but 't is not very easie for them so to be SERMON XIV September 22. 1696. MARK X. xxvi xxvii And they were astonished out of measure saying among themselves Who then can be saved And Jesus looking upon them saith With Men it is impossible but not with God For with God all Things are possible II. HOW must the overcoming of all these Difficulties be resolv'd into the Power of the Grace of God This may be open'd under two distinct Heads 1. There is a gracious supernatural Power communicated to Believers and inherent in them Two Things here should be a little clear'd that Believers have such a Power inherent in them and that 't is communicated to them 1. That Believers have such a Power inherent in them This is evident and beyond all Dispute For 1. Hence they are denominated strong 1 John 2.14 To be strong and yet utterly destitute and void of Power is a perfect contradiction Abraham was particularly commended for Strength of Faith Rom. 4.20 And who knows not that Faith is a Work fulfilled in us 2. If the Children of God have no inhaerent Power then the New-birth makes no Difference between them and others or between them and themselves before they were Born again An unregenerate State is describ'd by being without Strength Rom. 5.6 And is a regenerate State so too Is a Man as weak when he is made alive to God as when he was dead in Sin 5. If Believers have no Power then they are not chargeable with the Sin of spiritual Sloth which they are so often incident to and in Scripture accused of Isa 64.7 There is none that stirreth up himself c. Wherein does slothfulness consist but in not exerting and employing the Abilities given us And yet how can this be if we have none to use or to put forth 4. What is any Grace indeed but a Power gain'd over the contrary Corruption The Spirit lusting against the Flesh and the Law of the Mind warring at least and for the most Part prevailing also against the Law of the Members Rom. 6.14 is verified in Believers Sin shall not have Dominion over you Now where Sin loses the Dominion Grace assumes it and all Dominion supposes Power 2. That this Power is communicated to Believers though inhaerent in them They cannot vaunt themselves upon this account because the Spring and Original of it is not in themselves They could have no more Power against Sin and Satan except it were given them from above then Pilate had against Christ The God of Israel is he that giveth Strength and Power unto his People Psalm 68.35 He is the Fountain that dispenses it they are but as the Cisterns that receive it 'T is ingratitude not to acknowledge the Gift 't is abominable Pride to deny the Giver Believers have such a Principle within them but 't is infused not acquired their Strength is in Part recovered not by their own Means or Praevious endeavours but by a Divine Vertue and Influence let out upon their Souls The Spirit that dwelleth in us as Men is a Spirit of Infirmity the New Spirit which is given us as Believers is a Spirit of Power This we are neither to disown nor to arrogate the Holy Ghost lays down this Truth with Caution against both Extreams 2 Cor. 3.5 Not that we arer sufficient of our selves as of our selves but all our sufficiency is of God He does not say we have no sufficiency absolutely but we have none of our selves God is the Author of it 2. There is an unexhausted Power to which Believers may and must have recourse for further Assistance This is that which besides the Grace already given the Scripture calls Grace to help in Time of Need upon every particular Emergent Occasions Heb. 4.16 There is no Time wherein we do not need more Grace from God to draw out the Grace we have into Exercise and to maintain it in Exercise also 2 Tim. 2.1 Be strong in the Grace which is in Christ Jesus The fulness of Grace which is treasur'd up in our Blessed Lord must Relieve and Supply the defects of that Grace which is in us Therefore Paul ascribes his more abundant Labours Not to the Grace in him but to the Grace of God which was with him 1 Cor. 15.10 As we have necessity enough for all the Strength receiv'd so our Case and Condition in this World requires a greater Strength to accompany and concur with us This the Apostle stiles in another Place The Power of Christ resting upon him 2 Cor. 12.9 The Word signifies Dwelling as in a Tent over him as David speaks of God's hiding him in his Pavilion Psalm 27.5 Such a Screen and Defence was the Power of Christ to Paul Christ was the Subject of this Power Paul the Object Christ possest it Paul had the benefit of it And in a sober Sence that which is for our Advantage may be called ours because it is enjoyed by us though not lodg'd in us As when God had assured Gideon of his Presence The Lord is with thee Judg. 6.12 He is bidden to go in this his might ver 14. Gideon's main Strength lay not in his being a mighty Man but in his being assisted by the mighty God Quest To what End should they that are actually furnisht with an Holy Gracious Power for spiritual Services have recourse notwithstanding to this Infinite Power of God Answ There is a Threefold End to be regarded herein 1. To secure the being of Grace for Grace is the Workmanship of God and not God and therefore cannot support it self nor stand without leaning upon him The innate Strength of the New Creature is not the Foundation of a Saints Perseverance for if he were not kept by the Power of God he would be lost at last 1 Pet. 1.5 He is kept by it from his Conversion to his Salvation from the first beginning of his Confidence till he hath receiv'd the End of his Faith or else the strongest Grace in the World would fail 2. To carry on the Improvement of Grace A Believers Diligence will never add to his Stature if God do not lift up his Head Instead of getting more Strength which he should daily do he will rather lessen what he hath and grow weaker than he was But when God comes in with his Auxiliary Force they that were ready to halt and go back make the greatest Progress Isa 40.49 He giveth Power to the faint and to them that have no might he increaseth Strength 3. In order to the vigorous Employment of Grace As Christ said of the Damsel She is not dead but sleepeth so it may be said of many Christians they are
One while David is got up so much above carnal fear that nothing can shake him he encourages himself in God and concludes that he shall not be greatly moved Psalm 62.2 Yea not moved at all ver 6. At another Time he is so overwhelm'd with horror so sunk and dispirited as if there were no Providence to shield him and therefore cries out for the Wings of a Dove that he might fly away from the reach of his Enemies Psalm 55.5 6. The same Soul follows hard after God when his right Hand upholds it Psalm 63.8 Which afterwards flags and is almost ready to give over following when that right Hand is withdrawn 4. This lays open the ground of the Devils Enmity against Christ which hath been always most extream and implacable He knows that he should easily compass his Ends upon Belivers if Jesus Christ did not stand in the Way All the Powers of Darkness were furiously bent against the Person of Christ because the great Strength of all that belong to him lies in him If they could have conquer'd him no Member of his could ever have stood against them The Destruction of the Head would have been the Destruction of the whole Body as when the Philistines saw that their Champion was dead they all fled immediately 1 Sam. 17.15 All God's Jewels and peculiar Treasure are laid up and kept in the Hands of Christ so that the subduing of him if it had been possible would have been the seizing of all at once What an Exedrcise hath Christ undergone for our sakes in bearing both the Wrath of God and the Rage of Hell when he might have avoided both if he had not design'd to be a Refuge and Covert from both to us 5. The State of those that are in Christ is greatly amended and improved since the Fall beyond what it was before Never was better Tidings brought to the World than that behold I make all Things new Men are given to change and often change for the worse but God's Alterations are always to Advantage The New Testament Dispensation mightily excels the Old the latter Days will out-shine and out-do the former Times Isa 60.17 For Brass I will bring Gold and for Iron I will bring Silver and for Wood Brass and for Stones Iron That which comes in the room of what is done away is still of a more valuable Kind The second Covenant is better than the first the second Adam more glorious than the first Sinful Man restor'd is in a better Condition than innocent Man as he was Created A poor Believer is stronger in Christ than the holiest Angels without Christ for without Christ no Promises of Perseverance but in him there are and such as cannot be broken He will not turn away from us we shall not depart from him Jer. 32.40 6. 'T is inexcusable Folly for any one in the World to lean to his own Arm. As the Holy Ghost says that Vain Man would be wise i.e. 't is an instance of his Vanity that he will not be persuaded to cease from his own Wisdom so the Pride of our Hearts makes us very unwilling to suspect our own Strength or to cast away all Confidence in it This Pride does not only go before Destruction but is the Cause of it Man would be a God to himself his own Saviour and Defender and in thinking himself so he is his own Destroyer Nothing does more effectually Ruine us than the Conceit that we can recover or preserve our selves from Ruine It is such kind of Presumption which slaies its Ten Thousands if Men were more sensible of their own Infirmities and distrustful of their own Abilities the Devils Kingdom would be empty in Comparison of what it is To imagine that we can do any Thing without Christ is the way to undo the Work of God already done If Adams perfect Holiness was not permanent while he was left alone how should ours be so which is imperfect 7. Everlasting Strength must fail before any true Believers can Everlastingly Miscarry I say before any can for if any one may perish all may because it is the same Strength which secures all Unless the Lord's Hand be shortened no Soul can ever be pluckt out of it The Honour of Christ is concern'd and indeed engag'd to see every Child of God brought safe to Heaven and therefore they may do well to consider what Reproach they cast upon Christ who by their Doctrines of Apostacy make believers walk with him as one said like sorry Dancers on a Rope that are every Moment in danger of breaking their Necks Is Jesus Christ such a strong Helper and yet may the Gates of Hell prevail against those that are joyned to him Hath he pawn'd his unchangeable Word that the good Part shall not be taken away from those that have once chosen it Luke 10.42 And shall Men that turn the Gospel upside down represent it as a doubtful uncertain Portion Is Grace no better than common Gifts and outward Blessings That we may be totally disposlest of the one as well as the other Nothing can more derogate from our Blessed Lord or expose him worse than this scandalous Opinion does as a feeble incompetent Undertaker II. Exhortation 1. Beware of falling from your own stedfastness 2 Pet. 3.17 This is proper and pertinent Advice to those whose Strength is in Christ Gospel-Principles breed an Holy not a Carnal Security Watchfulness and Diligence Circumspection and Caution are necessary in our daily Walk for they that lay these Things aside do thereby Declare that they have nothing to do with Christ nor any Interest in the Priviledge I have been speaking of They are wofully mistaken who think that infallible Promises render all Exhortations fruitles The Spirit of God teaches otherwise 1 John 2.27 28. Ye shall abide in him and now little Children abide in him How absurd is it to suppose that certainty of Perseverance in Grace should make Men do such Acts as are contrary to Grace and destructive of it Or that we should therefore live in the neglect of Means because we are sure to persevere in the use of them This is such kind of Divinity as the Devil 's was Mat. 4.6 He shall keep thee therefore hazard thy his Angels shall bear thee up therefore cast thy self down 2. Be not utterly dismayed when Satan hath gotten any Advantage of you through your sinful Weakness Be duely affected with and suitably abased for the least Departure from God but do not let go your hold of Christ as if you were irrecoverable Say not as the Church in Captivity did Lam. 3.18 My Strength and my Hope is perished from the Lerd This is a very false and unjust Conclusion not warranted by the Word of Grace but a meer Artifice of the Devil When he tempted you to Revolt he would also urge you to despair of a return but though you have complyed with him in the one stand it out against him in the other Psalm
whereas there is but one Lord Jesus Christ they make up one Mystical Body but not one natural Person therefore his Grace and theirs must numerically differ 3. The Grace given to Christ was to serve some special Purposes and Ends which the Grace given to us is not adapted for He was not only made under the Ceremonial Law and under the Moral as others were but under a peculiar Law which concern'd himself only Gal. 4.4 There is a vast Difference between the Work of Christ as Mediator and the Work of an ordinary Christian and therefore besides the stock of habitual Grace of which his Manhood was possest he had the Godhead also to support him and there was absolute need of it There was more Service and Duty incumbent upon Jesus Christ than ever was upon any meer Creature before or since The Active and Passive Obedience of Christ exceeds all that any Man was ever called to do or suffer Our work under the Influence of his Grace hath a subordinate Respect to our own Salvation he was to work out the Salvation of all his Elect in a way of proper Merit and Satisfaction 4. The Grace in him and in us are not equally perfect they are not like Parallel Lines which run the same length No Believer can pretend to be so full of Grace as he was our receivings are far from coming up to the same measure with his Christ had an extraordinary anointing in a larger Quantity we have it drop't in Comparison upon us He as the Sun of Righteousness Mal. 4.2 We as twinkling Stars He as the King of Righteousness Heb. 7.2 We as Inferiour Subjects Grace is Christ was like Water in a wide Sea which hath no visible Bounds Grace in us is like Water in a little Brook or a narrow River Grace in him was in sinless Perfection at the first in us it is never so while we are in this World there are mixtures of sinful Infirmity with all the Grace which we have or Exercise He had abundance of Grace clouded with no Corruption we compar'd with him have a great deal of Corruption besetting a little Grace 2. To State the Truth it self as it is in this Case 1. The Grace which is in Believers bears some Proportion and Similitude to the Grace which is in Christ as it proceeds from one and the same Spirit The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him and make him of quick Vnderstanding in the Fear of the Lord Isa 11.2 3. All Holy Communications to Christ and us are the immediate Effects of this Blessed Spirit the Third Person in the Godhead He was sanctified by the Holy Ghost when he was sent into the World so are we when called out of the World and translated into his invisible Kingdom As Christ gives us the same Glory Which the Father gave to him John 17.22 So he fills us with the same Divine Spirit which he had himself 2. Christ's Grace and ours have one general Scope and Aim viz. The glorifying of God No Grace can be of the right Seed but what is levell'd at the Honour of the Giver As it is God's Design in giving it so it will be our Design in acting it if it be acted with Integrity Christ who had so rich a Furniture of Grace sought not his own Glory nor the exalting of himself But he glorified God on the Earth John 17.4 This is what he had an Eye to in all he did so every Believer intends and pursues the same Thing 'T is as much his business to glorifie God as it is his Pleasure to enjoy him Grace consecrates even his natural Actions to serve and promote this noble End the Actions of Eating and Drinking which in others are only perform'd for Necessity or else for Lust 1 Cor. 10.31 3. As Christ had every Grace so hath the Believer though none in the highst Degree Our Lord Jesus was a compleat Copy of universal Righteousness none could say to him as he said to the Young Man One Thing thou lackest So as to the kinds of Grace they that belong to Christ are likewise perfect and entire wanting nothing James 1.4 And they stand compleat in all the Will of God Col. 4.12 they are not endued with some Graces and destitute of others but where one is there is all If a a Liar c. 1 John 4.20 These Things are not separable any more than you can divide Christ from himself Wheresoever Faith is there is Repentance and new Obedience that 's a Counterfeit Faith which is alone 't is Dead and therefore cannot be true James 2.17 Saving Graces are always in Connection They make up the one Chain on the Spouses Neck which ravishes the Heart of Christ Song 4.9 4. The Matter of his Grace and ours is the same The new Creature is therefore set forth by Christ formed in us Gal. 4.19 Because of the Agreement and Conformity betwixt the stamp of God's Holiness upon the Humane Soul of Christ and the Souls of them that believe Hence the same Mind is said to be in us as was in him Phil. 2.5 The same humble meek self-denying self-resigning Temper So he that doth Righteousness is Righteous even as he is Righteous 1 John 3.7 'T is the same Rule of Righteousness observ'd by both and so the same specifical Work of Righteousness perform'd by both That Law which was perfectly obey'd by Christ is sincerely obey'd by all that are Christ's A new Commandment write I unto you which Thing is true in him and in you 1 John 2.8 That Law which was in his Heart is in ours if we be Partakers of Christ and that which govern'd his exemplary Life will govern ours also Vse Many Things follow from hence both for our Learning and Practise 1. For our Learning As 1. If Grace it self be given then nothing done by the help of Grace can be meritorious of Glory If our first stock and all our Improvements are from God and vouchsafed freely What Reward can we challenge for any thing we do God is so much before-hand with us that he can never be oblig'd or indebted to us if we were capable of first giving to him we might expect a recompence and requital but says God Who hath prevented me that I should repay him Job 41.11 We do not prevent God with Duty but he prevents us with Grace and therefore we owe all that we can do to God and a great deal more we can never answer the Engagements which we are under nor discharge the thousandth part of what he might require from us so that 't is impossible for the least or lowest Degree of Favour to be due from him All our returns of Service and Obedience to God are built upon the Foundation of Grace receiv'd we do but give him of his own as David said 1 Chron. 29.14 And therefore the Gift of Eternal Life cannot flow from distributive Justice but must be a further Act of undeserved Bounty 2. If Grace
done Can we think that our Services would be so well recompenc'd by a perpetual stay here 't is impossible to think so When the Master is come and calleth for us as John 11.28 we cannot but know it is in order to our unspeakable Promotion and Advancement The Arrows which Death shoots though they kill yet they are directed and design'd in greater Love than Jonathan's to David which were to prevent him from being killed Death may seem formidable at a distance as one says like Esau to Jacob but is very friendly when it comes nigher to us and does us the kindest Office which to have undone would be our greatest loss Though it did no more than case us of the grievous weight of indwelling Sin that 's a matchless Benefit for if we had not mortal Bodies we must have immortal Corruptions 6. This is the concluding and crowning Act of our Obedience to God in this World 'T is the compleat finishing of our whole Work here when we have done this we have no more to do on Earth Now how incongruous and unseemly how reproachful and dishonourable would it be for a Man to live many Years in a course of Duty and then spoil all by Disobedience in the last Act Undoubtedly the Man whose Heart is perfect and upright with God shall never be left to do so If we have been truly Faithful to the Death we shall not be Rebellious in it But however Exhortations and Arguments are of use to the best through the efficacious Concurrence of the Spirit with them He that lives to the Will of God cannot be said to persevere finally unless he dies according to that Will also We do not follow God fully if we start and fly back just at the end of our Race when we should lay hold upon the Prize I know thy works and the last to be more than the first was Thyatiras's Commendation Rev. 2.19 God expects that at the last we should outdo all which we have done before If we have run well 't is pity that the last step should be the slowest 7. This being the last Act of our Obedience here in this World will have the greatest Influence on those whom we leave behind us As the last words of dying Persons are apt to make the deepest Impression upon surviving Friends so their last Acts are most likely to encourage Imitation When we forget most of the Passages of their Lives we remember their Deaths and are ready to take our measures from thence And indeed the Holy Ghost calls upon us especially to mark the End of the perfect and upright Man Psalm 37.37 and to consider the End of their Conversation whose Faith we are to follow Hebr. 13.7 The End here signifies the close the issue of their Conversation Now where this is unimitable it will obstruct our following of all that went before how good soever it were This will still stick most upon their Minds that should take Pattern from our Faith and Obedience and tend to dishearten them from walking with God if after a Life of service we should flinch and faulter in the last Extremity it may tempt some to believe that God is an hard Master and that we too late begin to think him so Whereas an holy submissive Death will have all the contrary Effects 8. This is an Act of Obedience from which God 's chiefest Favourites on Earth are not exempted If this were a Cup which passed from every one else and were only filled out to us it might be more bitter to drink of it and sinful Flesh might have the more to say against it but God lays no other Burden upon us herein than what all his Saints excepting two have born from the beginning of the World yea even those two underwent a Change in their Translation in some respects we are sure equivolent to Death Are we so much better than our Fathers than the many Thousands which have gone to Heaven the same way that we should expect any peculiar Privilege Are we greater than Abraham who is dead and the Prophets who are dead whom do we make our selves as the Jews said to Christ John 8.53 Does God deal worse with us or require more from us than from all the Excellent of the Earth Why must not we give place to others when God thinks meet as others have made way for us that successive Generations may still go and come That Life which we are prone to complain of as too short 't is probable hath been longer than many and the shortest is certainly longer than we deserve that it should be 9. 'T is an Act wherein God's Saints on Earth out-do the Obedience of Angels in Heaven This is a mighty Honour to us that we are capable of honouring God by dying according to his will which is out of their Power for they die not 'T is their bright and glorious Character that they do his Commandments Psalm 103.20 but this is a command which they cannot do and which they were never tried with They have no such Bodies as we have to be separated from and by the Settlement which God hath made meer spiritual Beings cannot taste of Death Now this is a thing worthy of our Ambition to bring more Glory to God than the highest Angel can for a Saint of God would seek to excel all Creatures 'T is no Tryal to Angels to execute the orders which they receive in comparison of what Moses did here in the Text and yet 't is astonishing to read how familiarly he hears of his own Departure there was no noise no striving no trouble in the case God only says to him Go up and die and he does it as when the Prophet Elijah had Food set before him and was invited to arise and eat to which an hungry Man in a barren Wilderness would need very little perswasion To which of the Angels did God say thus at any time Our Mortality gives us an opportunity of obeying which they want 10. All the Obedience which we have to yield after this to God in Heaven will be like that of the Angels most easie and delightful Glorified Saints are doing endless Service but there is nothing of Labour or Difficulty in it nor can there be the least degree of aversion or unwillingness to perform it When we have once poured out our Souls into the Bosom of God we shall launch into the pleasant Enjoyment of Eternal Praise and so far as we understand the Worship of the Church above this will be the whole business that we shall be exercised in A business which will contribute greatly to our Blessedness There is a great deal of weight and force in this Argument if we think seriously upon it how hard and painful soever the work of dying be all our work afterwards will be entire and perfect like crowding through a strait Gate into a spacious Mansion where we are to walk at Liberty for ever How desirous soever the Flesh
under the Notion of our High-Priest 2. There is a given delegated Power which belongs to Christ as he is Mediator a Power received and entrusted with him from the Father God's laying of help upon him for us implies the furnishing and qualifying of him to afford and dispense that help to us So we read Psalm 89.21 With whom my hand shall be established mine arm also shall strengthen him Again Isa 42.1 Behold my Servant whom I uphold c. There was such a mighty Presence and Influence of God with and upon his Son Jesus Christ in the Execution of his Mediatory Office as enabled and empower'd him to all that this Office required Therefore he attributes the Work which he did to the Father and calls them the Works of the Father John 10.37 and argues from them as plain convincing Testimonies that the Father had sent him chap. 5.36 The Power which he had from God to do such things was a demonstration of his Commission The Son of himself consider'd in this Capacity as the Father's Servant and Messenger dispatched from Heaven about the great Business of our Salvation could do nothing ver 19. but his God was his strength he that appointed him this Service gave him Ability to perform it 3. This Power of Christ is determined by the Father's Pleasure It pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell Col. 1.19 All Fulness therefore a Fulness of Power as well as Merit but we must suppose it to be all exerted and put forth as is pleasing to the Father also The Power given unto Christ can never be thought to be employed by Christ against the Mind and Will of him that gave it God and Christ go hand in hand as it were in all their mighty Acts of Grace with one consenting Will. John 5.21 As the Father raiseth up the dead and quickeneth them even so the Son quickeneth whom he will not in opposition to the Father's Will but in conjunction with it He came not to do his own will but his that sent him chap. 6.38 It was his delight to do this and impossible that he should do any thing contrary to it This does not import any insufficiency or weakness in Christ but the regularity and exactness of his Obedience 4. Christ's saving Power with respect to us takes in his Sovereignty and Dominion over all Creatures which is for our Advantage We have the benefit of his universal governing Power in order to our Salvation He that is exalted to be our Saviour is a mighty Prince whose Kingdom reaches ever where to every thing that he hath made He that carries his Lambs in his Bosom hath all the things in the world put under his Feet he hath all the Wolves that would tear and destroy them in a Chain and they cannot touch so much as the Fleece of any of his Sheep without his permission All power is given unto him in Heaven and in Earth yea and in Hell too Matth. 28.18 He hath power over all flesh John 17.2 whether Devils and wicked malignant Spirits over all that seek our burt or that give us any cause of Terror He hath a Command over all Creatures that disposal of all Events and he can make every one of these not only not to hinder and obstruct but positively to promote and further our Salvation The whole Administration of the Affairs of Providence which is committed to Christ serves to this very purpose 5. The saving power of Christ to all that have experience of it does necessarily include a great and extraordinary mixture of Compassion We must conclude his Pity equal to his Power and united with it or else no Soul would ever be saved by it His infinite Ability to relieve us would be of small Comfort to us if he were not touched with a feeling of our Infirmities We have an hint of this chap. 2.18 He is able to succour them that are tempted the same Greek word both there and in the Text. Now 't is manifest from the Context there that Christ's being able to succour implies not barely a Power but a fitness and readiness to do it a compassionate Inclination by reason of his being tempted Now though Christ be no longer so tempted for he sits on the right hand of the power of God Luke 22.69 yet his Bowels are the same If he wanted those Bowels his Power would be dreadful we could only look upon him as our Destroyer able to cast us Soul and Body into Hell able to inflict Wrath upon us to the uttermost but we could have no thoughts of Peace or hopes of Mercy 6. There is a destructive Power of Christ which always does and must accompany this saving Power In magnifying his saving Power to us there is a necessity of letting out his destructive Power against our Enemies If he saves our Lives and ransoms them what follows O Death I will be thy Plague O Grave I will be thy Destruction Hos 13.14 We cannot be delivered from Death but Death must be unstung and consequently destroy'd This is the last Enemy but all the rest are dealt with in like manner Hebr. 2.14 That through death he might destroy him who had the power of death i. e. the Devil The chosen and called of God cannot escape if the Devil do if they obtain Salvation in Christ he must be destroy'd not as to his Being but his Power And the Works of the Devil must be destroyed also 1 John 3.8 There must not remain so much as one of them as is said of that total overthrow of the Egyptians in the Red Sea when the Israel of God were saved out of their hands Exod. 14.28 Secondly With reference to the extent of this Power How far is Christ able to save The Text makes the Answer even to the uttermost 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There are two things intimated by this Phrase The Perfection of that Salvation which Christ is able to work and the duration of it 1. His being able to save to the uttermost notes Perfection He is able to save fully absolutely and compleatly so that nothing more needs or can be done Christ without us and Christ in us does all that belongs to this work of our Salvation He gives a right to Salvation and a meetness for Salvation He justifies perfectly he Sanctifies wholly what the Law could not do that he as the End of the Law not a destroying but a perfecting End hath done Particularly 1. He saves from all Sin or else that indefinite expression could hardly be sav'd from an Equivocation which the Spirit of Truth abhors Matth. 1.21 He shall save his People from their Sins i. e. from all their Sins not one excepted for as to the unpardonable Sin he saves his People from that preventively because none of them shall ever be suffer'd to commit it He is able to save from the greatest Sins as from the least from Sins of the blackest Aggravation and the deepest die He