or Everlasting Life is a free Gift or by Grace only 4. Shew why Christ doth and will give Eternal Life unto his Sheep 5. And lastly I shall briefly apply it 1. Quest What is meant by Eternal Life Answ There is a three-fold Life of Man 1. The Life of the Body which is a natural Life or the Life of Nature In him we live move and have our Being Neither count I my Life dear to me so that I might finish my Course with Joy He giveth to all Life c. All have this Life Sinners as well as Saints have a natural Life 2. There is a Spiritual Life which is the Life of the Soul the Life of a Saint or of the New Creature this is the Life of Grace I am crucified with Christ Nevertheless I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me and the Life which I now live in the Flesh I live by the Faith of the Son of God c. The Dead shall hear the Voice of the Son of God and they that hear shall live that is their Souls shall live or be quickned and raised to a State of spiritual Life 3. Eternal Life that is properly the Life of Glory or the Life of the other World that Life which the glorified Saints possess above The Wages of Sin is Death but the Gift of God is Eternal Life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Object But Christ says I give them Eternal Life He speaks in the Present Tense Answ 1. I answer you heard before that true and saving Grace is the Seed of Eternal Life or the Seed of Glory to come as Glory is the Harvest of Grace 2. Spiritual Life is the earnest of Eternal Life Now every Believer hath received the Spirit which is the Earnest of their Eternal Inheritance And thus they have it as a Man that purchases an Inheritance he gives Earnest for it and no sooner that is done but he cries such a House or such Land is mine 't is his by virtue of the Earnest given though he hath not yet the actual possession of it so it is here 3. Christ gives his Saints Eternal Life Now because he gives them a sure Title to it he makes them a Deed of Gift of it or seals unto them a Right and legal Conveyance of it as firm as the Law and Ordinance of Heaven Now when a Person hath a true Right and Title or Deed of Gift made and sealed to him of such or such an Estate he may say he has the Estate 't is his own And thus Believers have Everlasting Life or the Eternal Inheritance i. e. they have a true Right and Title of it sealed to them here by the Holy Spirit After that ye believed you were sealed with the Spirit of Promise which is the Earnest of the Saints Inheritance c. Faith is the Evidence of things not seen 4. The Spirit of God who is that Principle of Divine Life in the Soul of Believers is Eternal Christ is in us every Believer hath Christ in possession and Christ is Eternal Life and therefore he that hath the Son hath Everlasting Life These things have I written unto you that believe on the Name of the Son of God that ye may know you have Eternal Life c. Jesus Christ being in us here is more to us than the Hope of Glory for he is Eternal Life and the Soul of a Child of God shall never lose nor be dispossessed of Christ no not by Death it self therefore may be said to have Eternal Life They have Eternal Life abiding in them because they have the Spirit abiding in them But the Water that I shall give him shall be in him a Well of living Water springing up unto Everlasting Life Query Methinks I hear some doubting Soul say O that I could but experience this Spiritual Life to be in me How may I know I am made alive and have Eternal Life given to me 1. In answer to such it is necessary to consider that all Adam's Posterity by Nature are spiritually dead in Sin or under a Privation of the Life of God until spiritually quickned and made alive by Jesus Christ 2. Now as natural Death is made use of by the Spirit of God to shew what spiritual Death is so also natural Life is tropically made use of to demonstrate and discover spiritual Life A Man naturally dead 1. Is cold all Heat is gone if long dead So all unregenerate Persons are spiritually Cold or without any Divine Heat or Warmth in their Spirits that Principle of internal Life Man had before he fell being lost and gone he is cold as a Stone God ward or in a spiritual Sense 2. A Man naturally dead cannot move all power of Motion and Activity or all vital Actings are gone also So in Men spiritually dead there is a Disability or Impotency unto all spiritual things to be performed in a spiritual manner they can perform or act spiritually no Act of Life or do any thing that is absolutely accepted of him The carnal Mind is Enmity against God it is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be So then they that are in the Flesh cannot please God 3. A Man naturally dead cannot breath nor speak no more can carnal Men Men spiritually dead breath forth their Desires in Prayer to God they have no Tongue to speak for God or to pray to God acceptably all they do is dead Service all their Prayers and Works are dead Prayers dead Works because performed from Persons spiritually dead and not from a Principle of Divine Life 4. A dead Man can't feel see nor hear No more can such who are dead in Sin they cannot feel spiritually they have a heavy Burden a mighty Weight of Sin Guilt and Wrath lying upon them but feel it not They are grievously wounded but feel no pain do not cry out think they are well and all nothing They cannot see spiritual Objects nor spiritual Things These Dead see not Jesus Christ see not his Beauty his Glory neither the Want of him nor the Worth of him the Eye of their Understanding is darkned they have no Faith which is the Eye of the new Creature Nor can they hear in a spiritual Sense until like dead Lazarus they hear Christ's voice by his Spirit and are made alive 5. The Beauty of the Dead is gone Death is gastly so is the spiritual Beauty of the Soul gone of those who lie dead in Sin and Trespasses 6. The Bodies of those who are naturally dead are fit for nothing they soon stink and therefore must be buried and put under the Ground being loathsom c. So ungodly Persons who are spiritually dead are loathsom in God's sight as filthy Carion or a stinking Sepulchre is in ours and are fit for nothing but to cast into Hell as abominable and hateful to the Holy Jehovah 1. By these things therefore you may know
me I am against it Grace hath the upper Hand in my Soul I am for the Law of God I give my Voice for Christ I that is my renewed part that 's the I he speaks of 6. He cannot sin unto Death sin so as to fall finally fall and perish for ever 'T is evident that this is intended here though there may be a Truth in the other respects If any Man see his Brother sin a Sin which is not unto Death he shall ask and he shall give him Life for them that sin not unto Death There is a Sin unto Death I do not say he shall pray for it The Elect sin but not unto Death there is Pardon for all their Sins if they ask their Sins shall be forgiven them but there is a Sin unto Death a falling into Heresy or Debauchery or such an Apostacy that shall never be forgiven but thus they cannot commit Sin that are born of God so as to perish Which indeed the Apostle in the same Chapter shews to be his meaning All Vnrighteousness is Sin and there is a Sin not unto Death Mind his next words We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not He clearly shews us what he intendeth by sinning not namely he sinneth not unto Death but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself that the Wicked one toucheth him not This is the great Happiness and Advantage of the Children of God who partake of his Holy Nature they are furnished with a self-preserving Principle the Seed remains they shall never lose their New Nature therefore cannot sin unto Death For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the World the World in all its Snares Sins Allurements and Temptations whatsoever that is they shall at last overcome Because he that is in them is stronger than he that is in the World 6 thly The very Relation of Children secures them and fully shews they cannot shall not sin fall and perish for ever for what Father a dear and tender Father will suffer any one of his Children to be torn into Pieces and cruelly devoured before his Face if he be able to preserve and deliver it Or should he suffer it would not all say that he was a cruel and unmerciful Father one that had no Love no natural Affections to his poor Child If therefore any one Child of God falls into the Enemy's Hand I mean into Sin 's Hand or Satan's Hand and is torn into pieces or is destroyed and ruined for ever it must be 1. Either for want of Love in God to that poor Child of his 2. Or else for want of Power and Ability in God he being not strong or able enough to save his distressed Child out of the Hands of those cruel Enemies Or 3. For want of Care and Watchfulness in God from whence the Enemy took an Advantage and destroyed his Child that was begotten and born of him Now it cannot be that God wants Love to all or any one of his Children we have shewed you that he loves them with an everlasting infinite and inconceivable Love such a Love as nothing can separate his Children from it and to say he either wants Power to save them or Care and Faithfulness is Blasphemy O what is the Love the Care and Faithfulness of God Besides he has committed them into Christ's Hand to keep and preserve them as my Text holds forth And can any think that Christ has not received a Charge to keep them from the Danger of Sin that they be not finally lost thereby as well as from any other Enemy Or do you think Christ will fail in his Care and Faithfulness who is their great Shepherd Sponsor Surety or Trustee Moreover if he should as I shall hereafter shew you lose one Child he loses one of the Members of his own Mystical Body Now from the whole let me draw this general Argument and so conclude with this 1. If every true Believer is begotten and born of God 2. If they partake of his Holy and Divine Nature 3. If Children cannot cease being Children or that Relation continues as long as Life continues however disobedient the Child may be and if it be thus with the Children of God who are begot and born of him or by his Spirit that they cannot cease being his Children nor lose that Divine Nature they derived from him in Regeneration 4. If God hath provided so well for his own Children in the Covenant that they shall not depart from him 5. If no Child that was born of God did ever perish that we read of 6. If they are the Children of God or Heirs of God and joint Heirs with Christ 7. If they cannot sin unto Death Then no true Believer can so sin and fall away as eternally to perish But all these things affirmed are true certainly true therefore no true Believer can so sin and fall away as eternally to perish Brethren I shall apply this and pass to the sixth Argument APPLICATION Infer 1. From hence we infer that those Men who affirm that such who are the Children of God begotten and born of the Spirit may perish are strangely beclouded for they must suppose that a Child may utterly lose the Nature and Relation of a Child and degenerate so far as to become a Dog a Swine c. which is impossible in Nature and much more in Grace for as none but the Almighty Power of the Infinite God could change the Soul so it is impossible for any Diabolical Power to turn or change that Holy Nature again and that not only because the Divine Nature and Image of God is such in self but also by reason of the Design and Purpose of God in and by Jesus Christ in our Restauration that being such that it cannot be lost any more without the highest dishonour to God and a frustration of his Eternal Purpose and Counsel which was to destroy the Works of the Devil If any should object that Adam had the Image of God in him before he fell and lost it I answer He was the Son of God by Creation only not by Grace he was not begotten by the Holy Spirit nor did he stand as we do in Christ Infer 2. This may also therefore inform all Believers that they are in a most happy and safe Condition because they are born of God and brought by Grace and Regeneration into an unchangeble State Exhort O see that you are the Children of God begotten of God for if so though you are but Babes yet you are out of Eternal Danger Let me give you Brethren here a few Marks or Characters of Babes in Christ or of a Child of God 1. Babes have all the Parts and Lineaments of a Man if it be a perfect Birth So a Babe in Christ hath all the Essentials of a true Christian he hath all the Parts and Lineaments of the New Creature There is a Formation of God's Image or a gracious Work of
nothing it is not such eating as the Idolatrous Papists dream of it is by the Holy Spirit by the indwelling of the quickning Spirit whereby we have a real participation of Christ He is in us by his Spirit as a Vital Principle changing our Hearts and working in us his own Holy Image infusing Gracious Dispositions and Sacred Habits in the Soul and we are in him by Faith in a gracious hidden and mystical manner and this Union cannot be dissolved Secondly This Union must needs be most intimate near and strong if we consider by what Metaphors it is set forth in God's Word 1. It is a Marriage-Union like as a Man and his Wife are said to be one Flesh so he that is joined to the Lord is one Spirit No Man ever hated his own Flesh but nourished and cherished it as the Lord the Church He that loveth his Wife loveth himself a Man and his Wife is but one Mystical Self and what is in Nature as to the Perfection of it is much more eminently in Christ Now since God hath fitted to our Nature a Care of our Body this Care be sure is much more in Christ when the Apostle shews what the Love of the Husband should be unto the Wife and that a Man leaves both Father and Mother and cleaveth to his Wife and they two shall be one Flesh Saith he This is a great Mystery but I speak concerning Christ and his Church or of Christ and every believing Soul The Union between Husband and Wife is near ay but Death dissolves this Union because they can be united or be one no longer than both live But Christ lives for ever and the Soul of a Believer lives for ever Nay Believers have Eternal Life in them and they shall never die therefore it follows this Union abides for ever He hath betrothed his Saints his Spouse unto himself for ever And can any then dissolve this Marriage-Contract and Conjugal Union Is Christ able to preserve his Souse or the Soul that is united unto him Is it in the Power of his Hands Pray Brethren consider it well Will any of you that have a Spouse a Wife that you dearly love suffer her to be torn into pieces and basely murdered before your Eyes if you could prevent it And do any think that Christ who hath all Power in Heaven and Earth Power over Sin the World the Devil yea over Hell and Death will he I say ever suffer his Spouse to be destroyed and murdered by Sin World or Devil Strange did he die for her and has he married her and made her one Spirit with himself and will he leave her to conflict to fight and war with an Enemy that he knows is too strong and mighty for her and not come in rush in to her assistance to save and rescue her from such bloody cruel and barbarous Enemies No doubt but he will rise up with Indignation and Jealousy to save every Soul that is so related and united to him Thirdly This Spiritual Union between Christ and every believing Soul is set forth by that near and intimate Union which there is between the Natural Body and every Member thereof The Head and Members make but one Body even so Christ is the Head of his Saints and they being many are all Members of that one Body Christ and all Believers make but one Mystical Christ Even as the Body is one and hath many Members and all the Members of that one Body being many are one Body so is Christ that is Christ Mystical Now this Relation of Head and Members I say holds forth this Spiritual Union between Christ and every Believer We are Members of his Body of his Flesh and of his Bone And it is from their Head Jesus Christ that every Member receives Divine and Saving Influences of Life Strength Government and Guidance as the Apostle shews From whom the whole Body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every Joint supplieth according to the effectual working in the measure of every part maketh encrease of the Body unto the edifying of it self in Love Our Union with Christ brings us into a fixed Settlement and secures us from all Fears or danger of miscarrying let all Enemies do what they can Can the Members be lost that have such a Head Our Union with Christ cannot consist in the communication of any thing unto us as Members from him the Head But it must be in that which constitutes him and us in this Relation saith a Reverend Minister he is our Head antecedently in order of Nature to any communication of Grace from him as a Head yet not antecedent to our Union it self Herein then consists the Union of Head and Members that tho they are many and have many Offices Places and Dependencies yet there is but one living quickning Soul in Head and Members The same Life that is in the Head is in the Body and in every Member thereof in particular and he that offers Violence to one Member offers Violence to the Body and the Head also And as one living Soul makes the natural Head and Members to be but one Man one Body so one quickning Spirit dwelling in Christ and in his Members gives them their Mystical Union and makes them but one Body As the first Man Adam was made a living Soul so the last Man Adam was made a quickning Spirit It is he that quickens by his Spirit or conveys a vital Principle to all his by which they live spiritually as from Adam all his live naturally Because I live ye shall live also So long as there is Life in Christ the Head there shall be Life in the Members because that Life that is communicated to the Head without measure as Mediator was to this very End that it might be communicated to every believing Soul that is united to him Now then if it be thus if this be the Nature of the Soul's Union with Jesus Christ that it is set out and opened to us by the Union that there is between the Body natural and its Members then I infer 1. That by the Life that is in the Head the Members live and because of that Life that is in him they cannot die it was by that Spirit that is in him that we were first quickned and Life is in us and shall be continued to us 2. I also infer That if Christ be able or can do it he will prevent his losing of any one of his Members And for any one to say it is not in his Power is Blasphemy and to say he can and will not is a like Evil to assert because it renders Christ less tender and careful of his Spiritual Members than we are of the Members of our Natural Body Which of us would suffer his Hand or Foot to be torn from us nay a Toe or Finger if we could prevent it 3. Furthermore I infer That all the Members of Christ's Mystical Body
a Part and may be not the 20 th Part of all the People of Judea and Jerusalem neither Also how have some pleaded for eating of Blood from hence which is the Life of the Creature which was forbid to the whole World in Shem Hani and Japhet after the Flood and before any Ceremonial Law was given forth yea and as soon as the Flesh of any Creature was given to Man to eat or he was allowed to eat the Flesh thereof as also Blood is positively forbidden as Fornication and Pollution of Idols in the New Testament Acts 15. 20 29. Alas how easy are Men led to abuse the Sacred Scriptures to favour an Opinion they have received for want of farther light And as to the word World 't is evident that does not sometimes extend to all universally but to a part Moreover all that are in Unbelief or that believe not though some of them may be given to Christ yet they are as I hinted before as much the World as other ungodly Ones until called out of it I have chosen you out of the World From hence it appears they were in and of the World before else they could not be said to be chosen and called out of the World Now it was for this World Christ died even all the ungodly World that were given to him and for all and every one of them and no more upon a Spiritual Account viz. to save them or die in their stead Yet 3. Christ is said to take away the Sin of the World What World is that which Christ takes away the Sin of I affirm there is not one Sin taken away from the World nor one in the World but only of such that Believe of the Adult all Unbelievers are under the Guilt and Punishment of Original Sin and Death is to such a Fruit of the Curse still which God denounced against Adam c. 4 In one sense he may be said to buy or save the whole World i. e. externally for it was by Christ's Mediation and Death this World was saved and all in it from perishing immediately upon the Sin and Fall of Man all live move and have their being in him as God and through him as Mediator he is in this respect the Saviour of all Men but especially or with an especial and eternal Salvation he saves none but them that do believe So much shall serve as to this Objection and at this Time JOHN X. 28. And I give unto them Eternal Life and they shall never perish neither shall any pluck them out of my Hand BELOVED the last Day I was upon that Grand Argument to prove That none of Christ's Sheep can fall away so as eternally to perish viz. taken from the Death of Christ I shewed you that Christ died in their stead he bore all that Vindictive Wrath that was due to them for their Sins so that they might never bear it or suffer in Hell I shall now proceed Eighthly My next Argument shall be taken from the Effects of Christ's Death and Resurrection Though I have spoken something already touching the Effects of the Death of Christ yet I shall before I pass it add something further to it First We have shewed you that the appeasing of God's Wrath was the Effects of the Death of Christ he put an end to all Vindictive Wrath and Vengeance that was due to all Believers or Elect Ones The Pangs of Hell due to us seized upon him and he bore it in our stead upon the Cross He was delivered for our Offence and rose again for our Justification Now when Christ was discharged all his Elect were virtually discharged also because he suffered and rose again as a publick Person representing all that were given to him by the Father those things which he did in his own Person in this respect we are said to do together with him Brethren the benefit of his Performances doth redound unto us we are said to die with him and to be quickned together with him and entred into the Holy Place with him the whole Victory over Sin and Death being obtained and the Quarrel removed the condemning Power of Sin being destroyed all things about making an end of Sin are done and passed through Now what saith the Apostle He that is dead hath ceased from Sin Well what of this Likewise saith he Reckon ye also your selves to be dead indeed unto Sin but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Knowing that Christ being raised from the Dead dieth no more Death hath no more Power over him Now this being done by us and for us in our Head can we henceforth die any more Shall Eternal Death have Dominion over us No no we are to reckon our selves to be as absolutely freed and discharged from Sin and Eternal Death as Christ is discharged and freed from Death and dieth no more And this comes to us as the Effects of his Death by his suffering for us and in our room If one died for all then were all dead that is all those for whom he died they were dead and died likewise with him their Sponsor and are delivered from the Curse due for Sin so that we now might and shall live to him that died for us and rose again This was the End of his Death and is or will be the Effect thereof on all for whom he died Secondly Reconciliation from hence it doth appear is also another Effect of Christ's Death The Design of God was to bring us to Happiness and this he doth as the Effects of the Death of his own Son the Lord Jesus who hath made our Peace by the Blood of his Cross He hath reconciled both Jews and Gentiles to God in one Body having slain the Enmity thereby Divine Justice you heard the last Day has nothing to charge upon God's Elect because it is Christ that died 1. Observe Christ's Death hath reconciled God to us When we were Enemies we were reconciled to God by the Death of his Son 2. And then also as an Effect and Fruit of his Death he having obtained the Spirit for us we are actually reconciled to God And thus our Days-man lays his Hands upon both he brings God to us and us to God he is not the Mediator of one but God is one There is one Mediator between God and Man the Man Christ Jesus 3. Therefore as the Effects of Christ's Death and Resurrection Reconciliation is made with God for us and that for ever it is not a Peace made for such a time or for so long but for ever so that there shall never be any destructive Breach any more no more War between God and Believers let Sin and Satan do what they can they cannot break this League of Peace and Amity 'T is not a Peace upon Condition that we are to keep and may break it No no the Peace was made by Christ and he that
Surety yet he hath not let go his own hold of them he will see not one of them be lost for whom I lay down my Life If any would get them out of my Father's Hand it must be against his Will his Purpose his Decree and they must do it by Force by Violence they must pluck them or rend them out of my Father's Hand Mind the word pluck twice mentioned Neither shall any pluck them out of my Hand and none is able to pluck them out of my Father's Hand Not that any are able to pluck them out of the Hand of Christ as Mediator But our Saviour adds that in this 29 th Verse as a farther Confirmation and as an assurance of their safe standing Who is too strong for Omnipotence it self Can any bring his Counsel to nought or destroy such that he holds in the Hand of his Eternal Decree in the Hand of his Everlasting Love and Affection and also in the Hand of his amazing inconceivable and irresistable Power That Enemy that will destroy one Saint must be a Match for the Infinite God and overcome him and rob him of his chiefest Treasure or of his precious Jewels O who dares to say this can be done Well then assure your selves that not one Sheep of Christ can perish Sin must be stronger than God if it destroys one of the Elect and Satan more mighty greater in Power than God which to think is Blasphemy Why should our Saviour here add My Father is greater than all were it not to signify the impossibility of their perishing or to shew how impossible it is that any Enemy should destroy them Thirdly By their being in the Father's Hand may be meant Jesus Christ who is called the Power of God and the Wisdom of God because by and through him God exerts his Power or his Strength to save or the Glory of his Power is manifested as well as of all his other Attributes Sin seem'd to eclipse the Power of God in saving his People because Divine Power could not save in a way of Omnipotence to the Impeachment of his Justice and Holiness but in Christ Justice and Holiness is as much magnified as Mercy and Goodness and thereby so too that the Power of God might shine forth in its full Glory Father glorify thy Name saith Christ Then came a Voice from Heaven saying I have both glorified it and will glorify it Thy Name that is however thou art made known or glorify all thy Glorious Attributes Almighty Power was seen in creating the World and also as it wrought in conjuction with Divine Justice it shone forth in casting the Angels out of Heaven and Adam out of Paradise as also in the Flames of Sodom And as Divine Power joined with Divine Mercy and Goodness it shone forth in saving the Israelites at the Red Sea But the Strength and Glory of every Attribute never shone forth in their equal brightness and splendour as all are united and in conjunction together and meet in sweet Harmony as they do in the saving of Man by Jesus Christ so that Jesus Christ may be well called the Wisdom of God and the Power of God Christ is the first-born of every Creature And as the First born is the Strength of the Parent so is Christ the Strength of God The transcendent Excellencies and Glories of the Divine Being that were scattered as it were in the Creation are all united and gathered in Christ that like as when a bundle of Rods united and bound up together cannot be broke or as so united are very strong so God in Christ shines forth as having all his Glorious Perfections united in one and in this sense Believers may be said to be in the Father's Hand and so that none can pluck them out God hereby appearing in his united Strength And thus Christ may be said to be that Branch that God hath made strong for himself And again The Man of thy right Hand the Son of Man whom thou hast made strong for thy self in whom thou shewest the greatness of thy Power to save or to manifest his Almighty Power by O what a Hand is the Hand of God in Christ Who can pull one Soul out of the Father's Hand or out of Christ who is the Father's Hand of Power to save all his Elect Believers are in Christ's Hand and Christ is the Father's Hand yea the Father 's Right Hand the Power and Glory of all the Divine Attributes are united together in Christ herein they shew the Perfection of their Strength and are all exerted in the Salvation of every Believer therefore it is impossible one of them should perish In the uniting of all the Attributes of God together doth the strength of God appear to save And in this respect Believers are in God's Hand God is concerned to see the Salvation of his People perfected by Christ as Mediator who is as so considered his Right Hand or the Greatness of his Power or the Perfection of his Power and Strength Secondly To proceed as they are in the Father's Hand so he hath you heard put them into Christ's Hand as their great Sponsor Mediator and Surety and that before the World began in that Covenant and Blessed Compact the Father and Son entered into in order to the Eternal Salvation of all his Saints And the Holy God hath fixed on such Ways and Means and in such manner that the Thing designed cannot miscarry Men indeed may miss of their Ends they aim at but what is directly in the Hand of God and is put by him into the Hand of his Son to effect and finally to accomplish shall never miscarry it being as I have told you done according to his Eternal Counsel God's Absolute Purpose shall stand let it be what it will much more that Grand Purpose and Design of his of saving all true Believers by Jesus Christ First There is a proof of it already as to Matter of Fact Many thousands of the Souls of his Elect are gone to Heaven in spight of Sin Hell Death World and Devils Secondly In the Salvation of Believers by Christ all Interests concerned are secured 1. God is Just and herein he declares his Justice with a Witness And 2. Yet the Sinner is justified 3. Vengeance hath to the full took hold of Sin And yet 4. Mercy is magnified to the highest Degree in saving the Sinner Justice is satisfied and yet the Sinner is forgiven 5. The Law of God hath its full and just Sanction and the Violence offered to it is retrieved 6. And Jesus Christ who did all this in beholding his Seed and Fruit of his Soul and their Eternal Blessedness secured for ever is well pleased and fully satisfied Thirdly The way of accomplishing this Design is such as will certainly compass the End Divine Power being ingaged in it which resteth not in the least on the Concourse or Compliance of any frustrable Instruments nay every Attribute being
Loins were loosed and his Knees smote one against the other When they cry peace and safety then sudden destruction cometh as travail upon a woman with child and they shall not escape 3. A fire sometimes breaks forth in the Night when men are asleep So God comes upon men many times in the night of ignorance and unbelief while they lye on their Beds of Ease and carnal Security by amazing Judgments or by sudden Death How secure was the old World and the rich man in the Gospel to whom God said this night thy soul shall be required of thee 4. A consuming Fire destroys wasts and devours exceedingly as Sodom found and London also by woful experience So God when he breaks forth in his Wrath and Fury he makes most lamentable desolation The Lord shall swallow them up in his wrath and the fire shall devour them The Wrath of God is compared to a consuming fire For our God is a consuming Fire 5. A Consuming and raging fire spares none the Palace of the Prince no more than the Cottage of the Peasant the mighty Oaks as well as the lowest Shrubs are devoured by it so the wrath of God seizeth and will seize on all wicked men on the mighty and honourable of the Earth as well as the poor and contemptible ones the King on his Throne as well as the Beggar on the Dunghill His wrath shall be on every one that is lofty and upon every one that is proud and lifted up and he shall be brought down upon all the Cedars of Lebanon and upon all the Oaks of Bashan He will come upon Princes as upon morter the whole earth shall be devoured by the fire of his Jealousy neither their Gold nor Silver shall be able to deliver them in the day of the Lords wrath 6. Wood Hay and Stubble are fit fuel for the fire to seize upon and such things that are combustible make it to burn the more vehemently And if high strong Towers cannot stand before a consuming fire how is it possible for Briars and Thorns Some Sinners are like stubble fully dry They are fit Fuel for the Wrath of God like fire to take hold of O what horrid Guilt lies upon some mens Consciences just like a great heap or pile of wood well dried or Cart loads of straw or dry stubble What if God will to shew his wrath and to make his power known endured with much long suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction A long Course in sin Custom in sin resisting the Grace of God slighting Convictions hardening the Heart against Reproof stisling the Accusations of Conscience and abusing the Patience and long Suffering of God fits men for the fire of his Wrath Whilst they are folden together as Thorns and whilst they are drunken as Drunkards they shall be devoured as stubble fully dry Such that are drunk with Pride drunk with Pleasures or whose Souls are surfited with the Riches and Cares of the World the fire of Gods Wrath as fit matter or combustable stuff will seize upon 7. A dreadful fire when it breaks out turns all joy into sorrow and makes a day of mirth a day of Mourning So the consuming wrath of God whether it seizes on the consciences of Men only whilst alive in the body or on Body and Soul both here or on the Soul at Death it turns all joy into sorrow O what extremity of misery do such feel ask Judas or Spira they could tell you 8. Fire is a most cruel and dreadful tormentor if a man be cast into a fire what intollerable pain and anguish doth it put him to but alas alas that 's nothing to the Wrath of God when God kindles it in the Consciences of men nor to Hell fire You will say O 't is a fearful thing to fall into a furious fire into a burning Furnace but O Sirs how much more dreadful is it to fall under the Wrath of God! It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God For our God is a consuming fire If it be terrible to have a finger a foot or a hand to be burned off or to have the whole body cast into a Furnace of boyling Oil as some of the holy Martyrs were how then can sinners who are as chaff bear the Thoughts of Gods wrath and vindictive Vengance which is far more intollerable than any fire into which any Mortal was ever cast For 1. Other fire burns only the external part or temporal or corporal matter but the fire of Gods wrath burns and torments the Spirit the Soul the invisible part 2. Elementary fire is seen but internal Wrath is only felt inwardly it cannot be seen 3. The fiercest fire that ever was kindled hath been overcome and by Engines or Instruments put out but the fire of Gods Wrath when kindled and the Soul thrown into Hell cannot be put out nor be extinguished 't is unquenchable fire Tho' the burning of Mount Aetna and other burning Mountains are impossible for man to extinguish yet doubless they shall not burn always they will be put out but wrath shall burn for ever So much as to the Explanation of our Text. From hence we may observe divers Propositions or Points of Doctrine 1. Doct. The old floor is gone 't is removed viz. The old Jewish Church or national Church of Israel the wheat that was in it being taken into Christs Gospel-Garner and the chaff or all graceless persons or unbelievers are fann'd away Now Christ hath removed the partition-wall that was between Jew and Gentile and hath reconciled both unto God in one body Now there is no knowing men after the flesh fleshly Priviledges i. e. being the Seed of Abraham or being the Seed of Believers as such gives no right to Spiritual saving and eternal Blessings Both those two People Jews and Gentiles that believe of twain are made one i. e. one new man or one Christian or Gospel-Church And this is done by Jesus Christ who by his Fan or Dispensation of the New Testament hath abolished the old Covenant-right of Church-Membership not the fleshly Seed but the spiritual Seed of Abraham are to be received into Christs Gospel Garner Ye as lively stones are built up a spiritual House c. But this I shall not prosecute 2 Doct. Jesus Christ would have none but pure Wheat be gathered into his Garner not the fleshly and spiritual Seed not the Believer and the Vnbeliever not godly ones and ungodly ones not the Chaff and the Wheat as it was under the Law in the National Church of the Jews Not whole Parishes or whole Nations no no none but true Christians or holy persons sanctified and sincere and truly gracious Souls 3 Doct. Christs great Work and Office is to purge his People to cleanse them and make them holy and to sever the Wheat from the Chaff the pure from the impure or to separate Hypocrites from his
our Duty to love God with all our Heart and Soul What Advantage brings Christ's Death to abrogate one perfect Law and establish another here is little Gospel A second Difficulty is we must either say Christ has purchased to us Pardon for Sins against the Gospel-Law or none at all but that one Sin of Adam's if the Moral Law be abrogated after the Fall we never sinned against any Law but the Gospel for we were under no other Law according to him c. The Sum of that I drive at is this viz. There is a necessity we must be justified and saved by Grace only because we cannot be saved by a Law of Obedience but by Christ and Grace alone If we sly not to Christ by trusting believing and depending on him and the Grace of God in him who hath satisfied the Justice and Law of God for us and brought in Everlasting Righteousness the Law of God will cut us down and throw us into Hell for ever 2. It is by Grace alone that we are saved because all boasting is excluded and cause of boasting And this is the Design of God in the Gospel viz. That Man might not have whereof to glory but in the Lord alone Nor could this be done any other way but by his contriving our Salvation to be wholly by his own free Grace Where is boasting then it is excluded by what Law of Works nay but by the Law of Faith not of Works lest any Man should boast 3. It is only by Grace that we are saved or Eternal Life is the free Gift of God and Gift of Christ because he will have all the Glory of it God will not give the Glory of our Salvation unto others Having predestinated us to the Adoption of Children by Jesus Christ according to the good Pleasure of his Will to the Praise of the Glory of his Grace wherein he hath made us accepted in the Beloved 4. It is by Grace only because God would magnify his Son by whose Righteousness and Obedience imputed to us we are justified and saved and it is to this end I say that God might exalt Jesus Christ his Design was to magnify Christ in our Salvation and to abase Man Thou hast given him Power over all Flesh that he should give Eternal Life to as many as thou hast given him 5. And lastly It is by Grace because God would have Salvation sure to all Believers Therefore it is of Faith that it might be by Grace to the end the Promise might be sure to all the Seed c. If Salvation were by our Works and Obedience it might be very uncertain or if the whole of our Happiness and Eternal Life be not in Christ's Hand but that it dependeth on the Will of Man or on the condition of our Faith and Holiness or in the improvement of our Abilities and it is possible that we may or may not answer the Condition thereof it might so fall out that not one Soul might be saved Besides should it be so those that are saved would then have something to glory in or boast of in the Great Day They in effect may thank themselves and admire their own Wisdom Care and Industry that brought them to Heaven Fourthly Why doth and will Christ give Eternal Life to all his Sheep to all his Saints Answ 1. Because Eternal Life was purchased for them by his Death But by his own Blood he entred once into the Holy Place having obtained Eternal Redemption for us 2. Because all that are given unto Christ are ordained unto Everlasting Life 3. Because Christ was sent into the World to this End to give Life unto them I am come that ye might have Life and that ye might have it much more abundantly It was that he might give his People the Knowledg of Salvation and save them from their Sins 4. Because Life is given to Christ to this End viz. to communicate it to all his Elect he is made a quickning Spirit that he might quicken all his As in Adam all die so all that are in Christ shall live Spiritually here and Eternally hereafter Because I live ye shall live also 5. Because all his Elect were quickned together with him virtually when he rose from the Dead yea and also virtually they entred into Heaven with him for he ascended as their Head and blessed Representative 6. Because Eternal Life was promised to them in Christ before the World began and they have many firm and sure Promises made of it to them since also 7. Because they are united to him and Christ hath prayed That they may all be made perfect in one and he hath prayed that they may have Eternal Life Now Union with Christ gives right to Glory a whole Christ shall be glorified and not a part only Quest What doth Eternal Life import Answ I answer It doth import a Deliverance from all Evil present and to come and a full and perfect possession and injoyment of all true spiritual and everlasting Good and Glory above Quest But doth not this seem to diminish or lessen the Glory of God the Father to assert That it is Christ that gives Eternal Life c. Answ No not in the least for all things are of God and through Jesus Christ All things are of God who hath reconciled us unto himself by Jesus Christ It is God that hath reconciled us unto himself 't is by Christ we are reconciled his Blood being the Price of our Reconciliation God the Father gave Christ for us and also gives him to us And this is the Will of him that sent me that every one that seeth the Son and believeth on him may have Everlasting Life and I will raise him up at the last Day And thou hast given him Power over all Flesh that he should give Eternal Life to as many as thou hast given him It is the Father that gave Christ the Power as Mediator to give Eternal Life unto his Sheep APPLICATION First This may serve to reprehend those that would not have Salvation to be wholly of Grace it clearly condemns Free-Will for if it be only by God's Grace it is not at all of Man's Will They 't is true do acknowledg the Contrivance of our Salvation to be of God's Grace alone or the Effects of his great Love and his sending of Christ into the World to be an Act of Infinite Grace but withal deny Regeneration and effectual Vocation to be wholly the Effects of God's special and distinguishing Love but do affirm that Grace which those Men have who perish at last would have been sufficient to have renewed them had they improved it They assert that all Men have Power to believe and that that Grace which God affords to Men to save them 't is in the preaching of the Word or consisteth in no more than Moral Swasions Arguments or Excitements in a rational way But
the Nature and Tenour of this great and glorious Covenant The Father we say enters into a Covenant with his Son and promises Eternal Life unto him and to all his Elect Seed upon the consideration of what he I mean our Blessed Saviour was to perform in respect of those federal Conditions proposed to him which he did then undertake on Man's behalf or such of Mankind that God did intend to save And the Father that accepted of him and sent him into the World and gave him his Sheep doth look to him as to the final and compleat Accomplishment of all things that were either to be done for them or wrought and done in them in order to the Everlasting Salvation of their Souls And this Christ engaged to do and took them into his Hands in this Covenant to effect which is clearly signified in my Text together with a full Assurance unto us that he will do it in spite of Sin Devil World and all Enemies Neither shall any pluck them out of my Hand Our Blessed Saviour further saith All that the Father hath given me shall come unto me and him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out For I came down from Heaven not to do mine own Will but the Will of him that sent me And this is the Father's Will that sent me that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing but should raise it up again at the last Day This was the Covenant between them both this is his Father's Will that none no not one no nothing of them that were given to him neither their Souls nor Bodies should be lost but all must be saved he having engaged and promised to fulfil and accomplish the Father's Will herein O happy Believers you are not left to your own Covenanting with God to the Power of your own Wills nor do you stand upon your own Legs but you are in God's Covenant in Christ's Covenant you are committed into Christ's Hand to keep you stand upon your Surety's Engagements his Undertakings God looks to him and expects that he gives a good Account of all his Sheep at the last Day and Christ is able and faithful He says Them I must bring I have struck Hands with my Father I have covenanted and promised to die for them and to call renew and eternally to save them and they shall never perish This being all true what is become of the Doctrine or rather of the gross Error of a final falling from a State of true Grace Secondly To proceed a little further Jesus Christ by virtue of this Covenant and in pursuance of that great Work he undertook did not only die to satisfy for the Sins of his People but also purchased or procured thereby a gracious conveyance of the Holy Spirit and the saving Graces and Influences thereof to change their Hearts bend and subject their Wills and graciously to renew and convert their Souls unto God which God foresaw otherwise could never be done and also to carry on that good Work in them until they come to Glory And this indeed he was obliged to perform according to the Tenour of this Covenant And hence it is that Paul saith Being confident of this very thing that he which hath begun a good Work in you will perform it until the Day of Christ or until the Day of your Death he will perform it which denotes his Covenant-undertaking he having obliged or bound himself as our Surety to do it It is not said he will perfect or finish it but he will perform it Had not the Apostle referred to that Obligation in the Covenant of Grace which he laid himself under the other Expression had been as proper i. e. to say he will perform it He is faithful and cannot fail in doing and performing what he hath made a Bargain or covenanted to do As we say when a faithful and responsible Person hath covenanted to do this or that though the Work be great and difficult and much Opposition lies in his way yet he will do it he will perform what he hath undertaken Hence David saith I will cry unto God most High unto God that performeth all things for me To God most high that is able to do it let Sin Men and Devils do what they can to hinder him This is further confirmed by the Prophet Lord thou wilt ordain Peace for us for thou also hast wrought all our Works in us All is the Effects of thy Grace according to thy glorious Covenant Hence also the Apostle saith For it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of his own good Pleasure No Man can chuse that which is savingly Good much less perform it until his Will is graciously renewed My People shall be willing in the Day of my Power This being so how contrary is this Doctrine to that which some Men maintain concerning the Power of the Creature or Power of Man's depraved Will the purport of which leaves the Salvation of every Soul at the greatest Uncertainty imaginable They tell you Christ died for all Men that is for their Good and satisfied for their Sins against the first Covenant for all Men and that all are put into a Capacity to be saved if they will believe repent and continue in believing and in well-doing to the End they clearly intimate that whatsoever the Decree or Purpose of God is and whatsoever the Nature of the Covenant of Grace is yet all is at the determination of Man 's own Will whether any one will be saved or not God affording him only strong moral Perswasions Reasons Motives and Subjective Considerations thereunto which may or may not incline excite or prevail with him to believe and obey the Gospel and perform the procuring Conditions of Life and Salvation or they may not incline excite or prevail with any one Soul they do not will not say that Christ is under an Obligation by virtue of the Covenant made with the Father to afford effectual Grace special Aid internal Strength to any in order to bring them over unto God but that it is left to the Creature and that he needs no such supernatural or irresistible Grace to work upon him Which doth 1. Evidently tend to ascribe the whole Glory of our Regeneration and Perseverance in Grace unto Man and not to the Grace of God for that Act of our Wills on this Supposition whereby we convert unto God is meerly an Act of our own and not of the special Grace of God This is clear for if the Act it self were of effectual Grace then would it not be in the Power of the Will to hinder it as a late Reverend Minister notes Also 2. it would and must follow that this would leave Regeneration and Salvation absolutely uncertain notwithstanding the Purpose of God the Covenant of Grace the Undertaking and Death of Christ whether ever any one in all the World should
past Christ's Death hath glorious Effects as the Apostle shews For if the Blood of Bulls and Goats and 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 Eternal Spirit offered himself to God purge your Consciences from dead Works to serve the living God To talk of Christ's Death and see no Effects of it alas what 's that All that Christ died for shall see and feel too its Glorious Effects and Operations upon their Souls and Consciences though the Sacrifice be over the Virtue and excellent Causality of it abides for ever Ninthly Christ by his Death redeemeth his People from all Iniquity and this was his End in dying What signifies such a Redemption that leaves a poor Slave in his Chains and Irons without procuring a Release for him In this lies the Glory of our Redemption by Christ 't is not only from the Curse of the Law and Wrath of God but from a vain Conversation also See the Apostle's Words Who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all Iniquity and purify unto himself a peculiar People zealous of good Works If this was his End and Design in his Death do any think he will see himself frustrated in it Shall any Enemy of the Soul bring Christ under a Disappointment Compare this with 1 Pes. 1. 17 18 19. Tenthly and Lastly Jesus Christ hath by his Death purchased Eternal Redemption or Everlasting Life for all his Sheep and by his Spirit hath also given to them the Earnest of it therefore his Death preserves them to Salvation In whom ye also trusted after ye heard the Word of Truth the Gospel of your Salvation in whom also after ye believed ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit of Promise which is the Earnest of our Inheritance until the Redemption of the purchased Possession unto the Praise of his Glory Now I should come to speak more particularly to the Effects of the Death of Christ and inlarge upon some things that I have but a little touched upon but that I must leave until the next Time and shall only speak something by way of Improvement of this Argument APPLICATION First To you that are Believers O praise and bless God for a Crucified Saviour What in Heaven and Earth is cause of greater Wonder and Admiration Christ's Death is the meritorious Cause of all Spiritual and Eternal Joy and Comfort all Grace flows out of the Wounds the Spear and Nailâ— made in his Blessed Body and from the Death and Pangs his Soul underwent Nothing is a greater Evidence of Christ's Love to us than the Death of his Cross 2. Apply his Blood draw Virtue from his Blood fly to his Death see how that stands to save thee from the Justice and Wrath of God in his Death is thy Hope and Succour when pursued by Satan and under all Temptations 3. Triumph in the Cross of Christ thou O Child of God wast crucified with Christ thy Sins were punished in him and thou art acquitted in him and raised in him O labour to know Christ and him crucified Labour to know him and the Power of his Death and the Fellowship of his Sufferings c. 4. And as to you Sinners is not here Ground of Hope for you Christ died for the chiefest of Sinners And whosoever believeth in him shall not perish but have everlasting Life But wo to such who slight this bleeding Saviour that sin because Grace hath abounded or that make the Death of Christ an Incouragement to them to continue in Sin Tush say some trouble not your self with me Christ died for Sinners O Souls will you crucify Christ again I tell you if you do not feel the Effects of his Death in vain is all your present Hope 5. This may serve also to detect such and severely to reprehend them that say Christ died to save all or for all and every Man and Woman in the World Brethren if he died for all that is in the Stead and Room of all then all shall be saved God will not condemn such whom Christ laid down his Life for or in the place or stead of as I have proved from God's Word But further to detect this Error of General Redemption 1. Consider that Redemption is a Word easy to understand it is the saving of a Person that is in Slavery or Captivity commonly procured or obtained by a Price paid or a Ransom but if the Person is indeed redeemed he is set at Liberty To say a Man is redeemed and yet left in Chains and strong Bonds out of which he cannot come unless the Redeemer break those Chains and Bonds to pieces is to speak untruly or in plain English a Lie Now are all Men redeemed Redemption cannot be more universal than it is in Matter of Fact If ten Men were in Slavery in Argiers and a Sum of Money was paid to redeem them and yet after all care is not taken to make that Ransom to be effectual for their Redemption but six or seven of them are left in Captivity can any Man say all the ten were redeemed out of that Slavery and Thraldom wherein they are held Even so it is here for Men to say that the Redemption by Christ is for all the World and yet the greatest part of Mankind lie in Bonds under the Power of Sin and Satan and have not the Death of Christ made effectual to them is a great Mistake and indeed not true as to Matter of Fact 2. Are we redeemed only from the Curse of the Law and from the Wrath of God and are we not also redeemed from Sin and from being under the Power of Satan That Redemption that is by Christ is you hear from all Iniquity and are all so redeemed The Apostle Peter saith Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things as Silver and Gold from a vain Conversation but with the precious Blood of Jesus Christ c. So many as are and shall be redeemed from all Iniquity from a vain Conversation or whom Christ hath redeemed from the Power of Satan he setting them at Liberty who naturally are bound and bringing them out of the Prison-House so many and no more did he die for and no further doth Redemption by Christ extend 3. If there are many left in the Enemies Hand and under their Power and eternally perish then there is no general or universal Redemption but there are Multitudes so left and perish 4. That Grace Love and blessed Price that doth not procure Universal Salvation is not cannot be an Universal Redemption But God never shewed such Grace and Love by the Price of Christ's Blood that doth procure Universal Salvation therefore there is no Universal Redemption for that Price or Paiment which doth not actually pass or terminate in Salvation is no Redemption at all an Attempt to redeem unless it be
a Sum 12. That Purchase of Remission of Sin and Salvation that leaves Men under a Certainty of Damnation is not esteemed Redemption at all but a Purchase of Remission and Salvation upon the Condition these Men talk of leaves most under a Certainty of Damnation because it is an impossible Condition in respect of Man he being dead in Sins and Trespasses therefore can't perform it and also in respect of Christ because he never purchased Grace for them to enable them to perform that Condition 13. If the Death and Resurrection of Christ shall have its proper Effect to the Eternal Salvation of all them for whom he died as a Corn of Wheat that falleth into the Ground or is sown in the Earth in that respect hath its Effect then all for whom he died shall be saved But his Death c. shall have like Effect see his own Words And Jesus answered them saying The Hour is come that the Son of Man should be glorified Verily verily I say unto you Except a Corn of Wheat fall into the Ground and die it abideth alone but if it die it bringeth forth much Fruit. See here all that are and shall be saved our Lord ascribeth unto his Death as the absolute Effect thereof all his Elect being virtually in him as all the Increase virtually is in that one Corn of Wheat that is sown into the Earth that is produced by it See Reverend Dr. Chauncy If saith he there be the same Eternal and Unchangeable Cause of Redemption as of Application as to the same Persons then whosoever is redeemed shall have Redemption applied and be saved eternally But there is the same Eternal and Unchangeable Cause of both Ergo. 3. All that are redeemed must be saved or if they be not saved the Reason is from the Insufficiency of his Redemption and whatsoever is not efficient is not sufficient to attain the End either from want of Virtue in the Thing or Will in the Efficient Now if Christ's Intention were to redeem all he intended that which he could not do if he intended not to redeem all whatever the simple Virtue of his Obedience might have done had it had an Intention of the Agent annex'd to it yet having it not it is limited by it and becomes insufficient 4. If the Death of Christ be sufficient to redeem all and all are not actually redeemed so as to be saved it is Nonsense to talk of Universal Redemption for an Universal Redemption without Universal Salvation is an Absurdity of the first Rate 5. If Christ's Death be universally sufficient then it is irresistable in attaining its End and if so Man's Will cannot hinder it But these Men that hold Universal Redemption will say That notwithstanding this Redemption some Men will not be saved therefore this Redemption is not sufficient to save all for it seems it doth not conquer every Man's Will so as to make him willing to be saved and it seems by them Christ is such a Redeemer as cannot save whom he will and therefore not being an Alsufficient Redeemer cannot be a sufficient Redeemer to save all 6. He that died to redeem all died instead of all But Christ did not die in the room or stead of all The Major wants no Proof and all Opposition to Christ dying in our stead is but a meer Wrangle And that Point is yielded of late by our soberest and most Learned Vniversalists I proceed to the Minor Christ did not die in the stead or room of all for if so in what Christ suffered in their stead that are not saved he was injured To pay this or that Man's Money and be accepted and taken Debtor and Paymaster in his stead and yet for all this if the Man is not discharged nor one Farthing of his Debt both Christ and the Sinner must needs be fallaciously and injuriously dealt with 7. It is not fit Christ should die for all seeing his Father elected not all and gave not all to him for Christ to redeem more were to disobey his Father's Will and not to do it If any say God elected all it 's most absurd to talk of chusing some from among many others When a Man takes the whole Number this is no Election or if any say that Election is Conditional provided a Man will this also is no Election for if Election be upon the Condition of Man's free Will one Man is not chosen and not another but all have equal previous Designation to the End and so there is no Election at all 8. All that Christ shed his Blood for he loved with a Conjugal Love and therefore must be married to them in Application and they must necessarily be saved 9. The Works peculiarly ascribed to each Person according to their Divine Order and Manner of working are of equal Extent whom the Father elects the Son redeems and the Holy Ghost sanctifies Thus far the Reverend Dr. Isaac Chauncy I might add divers other Arguments against this pretended Universal Redemption but because what I have already said under this Argument taken from the Death of Christ doth so fully overthrow such a pretended conditional Universal Redemption I shall say no more unto it Object But doth not the Scripture say that Christ died for all and for the whole World and for every Man Answ 1. It cannot be taken for every Individual Man and Woman in the World for the Reasons we have given 2. It is evident by All that the word World doth in many places only intend some of all sorts by a Synecdoche a part being put for the whole As it is said All Judea and Jerusalem and all the Regions round about Jordan went out to be baptized of John Behold the same baptizeth speaking of Christ and all Men come to him Again Christ saith When I am lifted up I will draw all Men to me Also Paul saith That the Manifestation of the Spirit is given to every Man to profit withal Hath every Man and Woman in the World the Holy Ghost in them and the eminent Gifts thereof The Apostle says That every Creature of God is good and nothing to be refused that is to say every Creature of God is good for Food Now pray are not these words to be taken with restriction Are not Toads and Snakes and a multitude of other Creatures and Things the Creatures of God and are they therefore good for Food or intended here I even wonder to see how Men run into Mistakes through ignorance of some Texts of Scripture As Mr. Joshua Exel lately and very confidently and boldly hath asserted in print That John the Baptist did certainly baptize all universally even both Men Women and Children because the Text says That all Judea Jerusalem and all the Regions round about Jordan went out and were baptized of him which I have answered and shewed his weakness in asserting any such thing from thence All there no doubt intends but
a godly Life therefore is in Christ Jesus and shall be saved 12. It is also by the Holy Spirit that Believers are sealed unto the Day of Redemption Also after that ye believed ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of Promise Strange Can these fall away Can such perish that have received the Earnest of Heaven and have the Witness of the Spirit and have it sealed to them No no God hath put his Seal or Mark upon them he by his Seal hath secured them to and for himself and all this is the Effects of Christ's Death and Resurrection 13. The Spirit also thus purchased by Christ's Death and given as the Fruits and Effects thereof to Believers the Promise of the Father is that it shall abide with them for ever it is the great Promise made to Christ in the Covenant My Spirit which is upon thee shall not depart from thee nor from thy Seed henceforth and for ever See the Words Isa 59. 21. there is the Promise of the Father it is an absolute Promise and it runs thus it shall be in Christ and in his Seed henceforth and for ever The Spirit is called the Promise of the Father Also we have a Promise of the constant abiding of the Spirit in all Believers made by Christ the second Person in the Trinity he told his Disciples The Spirit of Truth the Comforter should abide with them and be in them forever Unto these add the Testimony of the Holy Ghost himself for it is he that doth in the Word assure us of his own abiding with us he hath chosen our Souls to be his own Temple and Habitation for ever and also assures us That all the Promises are in Christ yea and amen to the Glory of God So that we have this great Truth sealed and confirmed to us by the Three that bear witness in Heaven Fourthly Pardon of Sin is another Effect and Fruit of the Death of Christ In whom we have Redemption through his Blood that is as the Effects of his Blood even the Forgiveness of Sin True Jesus Christ satisfied God's Justice for our Sins he paid our Debts it is not Remission without a Satisfaction but yet we are freely forgiven we have it of God's Free Grace but it is through the Blood of Christ Remission of our Sins follows Redemption as the necessary Effects thereof Christ hath procured this Favour and Blessing for us and Gospel-Remission or Pardon of Sin is for ever I will remember their Sins no more they are blotted out for ever he hath cast our Sins into the Depth of the Sea put them behind his Back yea he hath put them far away from him as the East is from the West Fifthly Adoption is the Fruit and Effect of Christ's Death He hath redeemed us from the Curse of the Law that we might receive the Adoption of Sons God takes us through Christ or by virtue of Christ's Death into the Relation of Sons which Privilege we have for ever we shall never cease being Sons and Daughters of God Sixthly Free Access to the Throne of Grace or unto the Father is the Effect of Christ's Death Having therefore Brethren boldness to enter into the Holiest by the Blood of Jesus by a new and living Way which he hath consecrated for us through the Vail that is to say his Flesh Christ's Blood His Death opened this Way it is by him we have access to the Throne of Grace Seventhly Another Fruit and Effect of the Death of Christ is Redemption from all Iniquity He gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all Iniquity c. Tit. 2. 14. Therefore this Glorious Effect his Death shall have upon all Redeemed Ones it was not to redeem only from the Curse of the Law as some talk but from the Guilt Pollution Power and Punishment of Sin therefore Believers shall never perish Eighthly Justification is also another Effect of the Death and Resurrection of Christ which is to acquit absolve and to pronounce us Righteous in God's Sight God accepting us Righteous by the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness which is ever the same Now Christ's Death being the Meritorious Cause thereof we are said to be justified by his Blood Rom. 5. 9. And pray see the Apostle's Argument from hence Much more then being now justified by his Blood we shall be saved from Wrath through him It is more to be reconciled and justified than it is to be saved such are justified and Christ's Blood having done the former will much more effect the latter those that Christ justifies he will glorify nay and his Death and Resurrection cannot be without this Effect And by him all that believe are justified from all things c. The Word Justified is opposed to Condemnation those that are justified are justified for ever Justification is not a gradual Act as Sanctification is it results not as the Fruits of our Repentance or inherent Holiness but as the Fruits of Christ's Death and Merits it is never less nor more as our Holiness cannot add any thing to it so the Sins and Infirmities of true Believers cannot diminish any thing from it there may be additions to our inherent Sanctification but not to our Justification Christ rose again for our Justification I may also challenge all the Men in the World to prove that any Man that was justified in the sight of God did ever fall away and come under Condemnation Ninthly Sanctification is another Effect of the Death of Christ You may again read that Text Heb. 9. 13 14. Christ died not only to justify Believers but to sanctify them also Object But some may say A Man may be sanctified and yet be defiled again We read of some that escaped the Pollution of the World through the Knowledg of Christ yet were again entangled and overcome Answ 1. If any sincere Christian be defiled again through any Sin or Corruption they shall be washed and cleansed again 2. Those that Peter speaks of were such that only had escaped gross Pollution through the common Operations of the Spirit it appears their swinish Nature was never changed he therefore saith It is happened to them according to the true Proverb The Dog it turned to his Vomit again and the Sow that was washed to her wallowing in the Mire Such therefore never were sanctified in Heart they never experienced the Effects of Christ's Blood not that Soul-purifying Virtue that is in it they were cleansed from gross Idolatry through the Knowledg of Christ and also from some gross Acts of Prophaneness they had obtained a reformed but no renewed Life of Grace and Holiness therefore such fall into Sin again and are so overcome that the latter End is worse with them than the Beginning As to true Believers see what the Apostle says For by one Offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified By this one Offering our Lord Jesus hath procured our Sanctification
Sin Thrust a Sword into a dead Man's Bowels and he will not stir nor cry out Sin is in wicked Men like a Sword in the Sides of such as are dead but as soon as Life is infused there will be Sense and a crying out Now when they heard this they were pricked in the Heart and said unto Peter and to the rest of the Apostles What shall we do Some of these had been the Murderers of the Lord of Life and Glory yet they found Mercy 2 dly Another Effect is this viz. You will perceive a mighty Famine in your Soul as it was with the Prodigal Son all your old Hopes of Heaven will be gone Poverty of Spirit will overtake you An awakned wounded Sinner despairs of all Supplies or Help in himself he is distressed with pinching Hunger and so flies home to his Father 1. Yet may not get Power over Sin presently 2. But O he trembles at the Thoughts of God's Justice by beholding the Spear in Christ's Side 3. He throws down his Weapons as being conquered and overcome and resolves to do as the four Lepers did 2 Kings 7. 3 4 8 9. 4. He sees nothing but Death if he abides where he is and believes not And if he returns to his old Course he sees he must die and therefore ventures to throw his Soul upon Christ or ventures himself on Christ and lies at the Feet of Christ and says If I perish I perish I can but die and if he will pardon me heal me and have compassion on me I shall live O Sinners that you could but do thus Secondly We may infer from hence that it is in vain for any Person to talk of Christ's Death or to say Christ died for Sinners nay for the whole World and therefore for me unless they come to feel the Virtue and blessed Effects of his Death on their own Souls O see you rest not without finding the Power of the Death of Christ Sirs though the Sacrifice is over yet the Virtue and excellent Causality of it remains and not only to justify and absolve a believing Sinner but also to quicken regenerate and to sanctify and make him Holy also Therefore labour to know and experience the Power of Christ's Death Thirdly From hence also we may infer that this is the only Way to know Christ died for us namely when we find the Effects of his Death that we die to Sin that the Body of Sin is crucified in us with him Hath the Life of your Sins been let out O see to this you that prosess the Gospel Fourthly This shews us also what a dangerous thing it is for any to build their Faith upon the general Love of God to Mankind What say some I believe Christ died for me because he died for all and because for all therefore for me Brethren I am afraid this is the ruin of many Souls because it may be but a false Faith that those poor Creatures have they may not experience the Effects of Christ's Death may be it is not prest upon their Consciences but this of Christ dying for all they think is enough Now pray consider and O that all such mistaken Persons would consider it also 1. That a general Faith viz. to believe that Christ died for all gives no Man any particular saving Interest in Christ's Death for if it did then every Man that so believeth hath a saving Interest in his Death But thousands perhaps so believe and yet are as vile and ungodly People as any in the World Therefore to build on that general Faith without a particular Application of the Promise or Promises of God and experiencing the Effects of Christ's Death is a false Faith and deceives the Soul 2. That that Faith which a Man may have that may leave such that have it and trust in it under the Power of Sin is a false Faith and will deceive the Soul but Men may have that Faith namely believe Christ died for all and therefore for them and yet be under the Power of Sin therefore that may be a false Faith 3. That Faith that doth not change the Heart purify the Heart is a false Faith But many that believe Christ died for all and therefore for them have that Faith and yet it doth not change their Hearts purify their Hearts therefore it is a false Faith 4. From hence I argue that it follows undeniably that all those People that believe Christ died for all must come to a particular Application of Christ's Blood and not trust to that general Application they must feel the Effects of Christ's Death upon their own Souls or else they are undone nor do I doubt in the least but many of them of that Judgment do so divers of them being as gracious Christians as any others and have Experiences that clearly contradict their own Principles Fifthly and Lastly Here is Comfort for Believers O see what the Death of Christ hath and will effect for you and in you 1. God's Wrath is appeased in him towards you 2. Justice is satisfied in him towards you 3. The Law is silenced 4. Peace and Pardon procured 5. Life is infused 6. The Guilt Power Pollution and Punishment of Sin removed and gone for ever 7. You are justified 8. Satan is conquered 9. The World is overcome you are and shall be sanctified and Heaven is opened you are in Christ's Hand and shall not perish but have Everlasting Life JOHN X. 28. And I give unto them Eternal Life and they shall never perish neither shall any pluck them out of my Hand BRETHREN there are but two Arguments more that I intend to insist upon for the farther Proof and Demonstration of the Saints final Perseverance or to prove That none of the Saints or Sheep of Christ can so sin and fall away as eternally to perish I spoke the last Day to the Effects of the Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ I might proceed to speak to the Intercession of Christ also but I shall take that in the Arguments I shall next enter upon Ninthly The Saints are in the Hand of the Father and in the Hand of the Son considered as Mediator And from hence I shall prove That it is impossible they should so fall away as eternally to perish First I shall shew you in what respect they may be said to be in the Hand of the Father and what is meant by his Hand and how that doth secure them Secondly Shew you what is meant by their being in the Hand of the Son and shew you how that may be said also to secure their firm standing and tends to their final Perseverance Thirdly Shew you in what respect they may be said to be in Christ's Hand First By the Hand of the Father doth intend his Power Behold the Lord's Hand is not shortned that he cannot save As if God should say I am not grown weaker than formerly I am God Almighty still and as Omnipotent
purchases and the Spirit applies the Blessings purchased Salvation is called a Garment He hath clothed me with the Garments of Salvation he hath covered me with the Robe of Righteousness The Father may be said to prepare the Matter which this Robe is made of the Son wrought it he made the Garment and the Holy Spirit puts it on the Soul the Garment of Salvation is Christ's Righteousness Again the Father sought out or chose the Bride the Son espouses and marries her but it is the Holy Ghost that inclines her Heart and stirs up nay that causes the Soul to like and to love this Blessed Lover and brings it to yield and consent to accept heartily and willingly of Jesus Christ We were sick of a fearful and incurable Disease and the Father found out the Medicine the Blood of Christ is that Medicine and the Holy Spirit applies it to the Soul We were in Debt in Prison and bound in Fetters and cruel Chains and the Father procured a Friend to pay all our Debts The Son was this our Friend who laid down the infinite Sum and the Holy Spirit knocks off our Irons our Fetters and Chains and brings us out of the Prison-house The Father loved us and sent his Son to merit Grace for us the Son loved us and died and thereby purchased that Grace to be imparted to us and the Holy Spirit works that Grace in us O what is the Nature of this Salvation how Great how Glorious That the whole Trinity both the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost are thus imployed in and about it that we might have it made fure to us for ever APPLICATION 1. Reproof Wo to such that esteem their own filthy Rags above this Garment of Salvation or that seem to set light by it Hath God the Father Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost held a Counsel before the World began about the Salvation of our Souls and hath each Person of the Blessed Trinity such a Part in order to the making of it to be effectual to us And shall any dare to say there is no need of this Garment We may work a Robe out of our own Bowels by the Operations of the Spirit that will serve to hide our Nakedness trouble not us with your old Divinity We are for rational Religion He that is Righteous and obeys Christ and leads a Goldly Life need not doubt of his Salvation For in every Nation he that feareth God and worketh Righteousness is accepted of him O how ready are Men to abuse the Scripture Can any Man think that his own personal inherent Righteousness can either justify or save him or that the Apostle Peter means any such thing God may so far accept of a Man in his Obedience in which he acts in all Sincerity and Faithfulness to him as to hear his Prayers so as to reveal himself to him in Christ as he did to Cornelius But was Cornelius a Believer and justfied before he heard of Jesus Christ and had Faith wrought in his Soul See how Peter preached Christ for Life and Salvation to this Man Notwithstanding all his own Righteousness Peter was commanded of God to tell him what he should do that he might be saved plainly intimating he did not know the Way or how to be saved before Peter preached Christ to him He saith the Lord shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do And in verse 43. Peter said To him that is to Jesus Christ gave all the Prophets witness that through his Name whosoever believeth in him should receive remission of Sins Will any say Cornelius had remission of Sins before he heard this Sermon and believed in Jesus Christ Was not Peter sent to him and to those other Gentiles with him that they might be converted O take heed you stumble not at this Stone lest it fall on you and grind you to Pouder 2. Dare any of you think that this Salvation is but a small Matter and that you need not trouble your selves about it O tremble you who never had one serious Thought about it to this Day You have other things to mind are full of Business but O Sirs what is of such Moment as this Salvation Yet nevertheless some will not spare time to hear it or to attend upon the Word of this Salvation Others will not part with the Love of this World to have a Part in it they value their earthly Riches Pleasures and Honours above it nay too many esteem their filthy Lusts more than an Interest in this great Salvation But what contempt do such Persons cast upon the great God who hath manifested such Depths of Divine Wisdom Grace and Goodness in bringing of it in and working of it out for our precious Souls Did they know what God is Christ is Salvation is certainly they would change their Opinion and not a little blame themselves for their great Folly Brethren a true and spiritual Knowledg of the Great Salvation of the Gospel makes all the Things of the World seem little nay nothing in comparison thereof All things that Carnal Men have their Hearts set upon are poor thin and beggarly Things when compared to Grace here and Glory hereafter No sooner had Paul a true sight of this Great Salvation but immediately he consulted not with Flesh and Blood When the sweetness of Christ and Salvation is tasted and a Soul knows how good and satisfying it is every thing that hath a Tincture of Flesh and Blood all carnal Interests and fleshly Counsels expire A full sight of this Salvation seems to make Life uneasy and Death desirable Lord now lettest thou thy Servant depart in Peace for mine Eyes have seen thy Salvation Nothing in this World could be worth a Thought of his Heart since his Eyes had seen God's Salvation Why what did he see It was Jesus Christ the Author of Salvation in whom he knew was Salvation and in no other He that lives so long as to see Christ by an Eye of Faith to be his Saviour and his Salvation will be willing to leave this World be willing to die because he then shall die in peace None can die happily that have not a sight of this Great Salvation nor can any have a true sight of this Salvation but they only who have by Faith a true sight of the Blessed Saviour Paul when he came to the Knowledg of Christ and of Salvation by Christ esteems every thing in the World to be no better than Dung and longs to be dissolv'd and to be in Christ's Arms and taste how good Salvation is in the full possession of it in Heaven 3. This reproves such who delay seeking after the Knowledg of this Salvation If it be so great it must and ought first of all be regarded Seek first the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness May be ' ere long you will wish you had sought after Christ and Salvation by him before all things when you come to
Law perfectly is cursed but no Man can keep the Law perfectly therefore all Man naturally are cursed and impossible then to be blessed until delivered from that Curse and this therefore Christ came to do him hath God sent to bless us which Blessing we could not have 〈…〉 Christ puts himself in our place and bears the Curse away from us Christ hath redeemed us from the Curse of the Law by being 〈◊〉 a Curse for us for it is written Cursed is every one that 〈◊〉 on a Tree He that was hanged on a Tree under the Law was hanged for transgressing of it and was cursed of God and when 〈◊〉 is said Christ was made a Curse for us it signifies his bearing that Wrath and indignation of God which was due to us for our Sin and his he must do if ever we are justified and eternally â—â—ved from that Eternal Wrath and Vengeance Sin had brought upon every Soul of us 5. As our Lord Jesus if he procure Salvation for us must die and become a Curse for us so he must also raise up himself from the Dead or be discharged of the Bonds of Death he must destroy Death and be freed out of Prison He therefore rose again from the Dead for our Justification His Discharge was virtually a Discharge for us or for all he died for our Lord Jesus must subdue all our Enemies and bring not Death only but the Devil also and all the Powers of Darkness under his Feet or there could be no Salvation for our poor Souls Forasmuch then as the Children are partakers of Flesh and Blood he also himself likewise took part of the same that through Death he might destroy him that had the Power of Death that is the Devil And deliver them who through fear of Death were all their Life-time subject to Bondage Christ and Believers are of one and the same Nature they are as it were but one Man or are so united as to be considered as one Mystical Body This was held forth in his Incarnation in his assuming our Nature He took not only an Humane Soul but our Humane Flesh into Union with his Divine Nature that both our Souls and Bodies might be brought into Union with him and that our Bodies might also be raised from Death to a State of Life and Glory at the last Day and be fashioned like unto his Glorious Body Who hath abolished Death and hath brought Life and Immortality to light through the Gospel Had not Christ conquered Death and the Devil who had the Power of Death we had been lost for ever He hath not only taken away Sin the Sting of Death but he hath and will be the Death of Death The last Enemy that shall be destroyed is Death The Body as well as the Soul is brought into Union with Christ he is the Head of the whole Believer the Body as well as the Soul Shall I then take the Members of Christ and make them the Members of an Harlot Both Body and Spirit are the Lord's our Body is the Temple of the Holy Ghost Brethren what a Conquest hath Christ made how hath he subdued all our Enemies that so he might work out a full and perfect Victory for us in every respect For this Corruptible must put on Incorruption and this Mortal must put on Immortality 1 Cor. 15. 53. So when this Corruptible shall have put on Incorruption and this Mortal shall have put on Immortality then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written Death is swallowed up in Victory Ver. 54. O Death where is thy Sting O Grave where is thy Victory Ver. 55. 6. And lastly And as Christ must conquer the Devil the World Sin Death and the Grave for us and in our Nature so he must by his mighty Power destroy the Devil and Sin 's great Power in us and vanquish that natural Enmity that is in our Hearts against God and his Ways and thereby restore the Image of God in us which we had lost HEB. II. 3. How shall we escape if we neglect so great Salvation Ninthly GOSPEL-Salvation is great if we consider the Subject thereof or what is delivered and saved for ever namely the Souls and Bodies of his People First The Soul that is it Jesus Christ came to save which is very precious as I shall shew you in a deduction of several Particulars Certainly the Salvation of the Soul must needs be a great Salvation What is it to save our Estates our Liberties our Healths the Members of our Bodies our Eyes Arms Legs or our natural Lives to the saving of our precious and immortal Souls The Soul is more worth than all the World What shall it profit a Man to gain the whole World and lose his own Soul 1 st To demonstrate the great Worth Excellency and Preciousness of the Soul consider that it was first formed in the Image of God in Righteousness and true Holiness Our Souls had a glorious Impression of God's Image stamp'd upon them in the first Creation which we lost by Sin and Transgression But this Blessed Image is restored again as you have heard by the Grace of God in this Salvation 1. Pray Brethren remember that the Soul of Man is capable of a Divine Impression of God's glorious Image it is made I mean of such a Nature that it is capable of this great Blessing therefore to be deemed a very precious thing God will not stamp his Image upon low and base Metal if I may so speak with reverence 2. There are three things I find which the great God glories in as being peculiar to himself or his own glorious Prerogative alone The Burden of the Word of the Lord for Israel saith the Lord which stretcheth out the Heavens and layeth the Foundations of the Earth and formeth the Spirit of Man within him The first is his stretching out of the Heavens O what a great and glorious Work was that The second is his laying the Foundation of the Earth the hanging it upon nothing what a wonderful thing is that considering its great Weight and wonderful Body The third is his forming of our Souls Certainly the Spirit or Soul of Man is a glorious thing that God should account the Creation of it amongst those chiefest Parts of his admirable Handy-work Why is not the forming the Blessed Angels who are glorious Spirits rather mentioned it is worthy of serious Contemplation Our Bodies are fearfully and wonderfully made they are no small part of God's Wisdom and curious Workmanship if the Nature and Order of every Part was considered as some Artists who study Man's Humane Body will shew you But what is the Formation and Excellency of our Bodies to our Souls 3. The Soul is capable of Divine Union with Jesus Christ through a Communication of the Holy Spirit and by Faith of the Operation of God and thereby the whole Man partakes of the like Union also
nor Sorrow after Death 3. Besides if the Soul was mortal then the same Food that feeds the Body â—eeds or might feed the Soul and the same Balsam that will heal the Sores of the Body 〈…〉 Sores and Wounds of the Soul I seeâ— reason who I should not from their foolish Notion affirm this Therefore when the 〈◊〉 sick they should send to a Physcian to 〈…〉 case of bodily Sickness and not sâ—nd 〈…〉 of 〈◊〉 to apply a spiritual Cordial What signifies a Spiritual Medicine to a Corporal Thing Will preaching the Word seed and relieve a Man that is ready to perish with external Hunger Moreover 4. If the Soul be mortal then that Sword that kills the Body also kills the Soul Man may as well still one as the other But how contrary is this to that which our Saviour sâ—ith to his Disciples And fear not them which kill the Body and are not able to kill the Soul but rather fear him which is able to destroy both Soul and Body in Hell 'T is not a Sword a Spear nor a Furnace of boiling Oil that can kill the Soul Man that way cannot hurt the Soul 't is Sin that destroys that Note this well if Man cannot kill the Soul it is immortal but Man cannot kill the Soul therefore it is immortal Is there any Creature or Thing that is Mortal which Man cannot kill or deprive it of Life Certainly these Men are strangely misled 5. Besides did not our Saviour say to the Penitent Thief on the Cross I say to thee this Day thou shalt be with me in Paradise Was the Body of Christ and the Body of that gracious Person that Day together in Paradise Their base abuse of this Text in reading it falsly by misplacing the Stops will not relieve them I say to thee this Day I make thee a Promise this Day that thou shalt sometime or another be with me in Paradise thus they to favour their grand Error misplace the common Point in reading which should we allow of what abominable Abuse might be put upon the Scripture in other places even quite to destroy the true Sense nay and make the Scripture speak untruly 6. Moreover doth not Paul say For me to live is Christ and to die is Gain How could Death be Gain to him if his Soul was mortal and slept with his Body in the Grave Is Communion with Christ on Earth worth nothing Is it Gain to lose that They know he would no sooner rise from the Dead if he died presently than if he lived twenty or thirty Years longer in the Body How then could Death be Gain to him Certainly it would be great Loss to him for he would lose all those Years of sweet Joy and Comfort in Communion with Christ if he died presently which he might have should he live twenty or thirty Years longer in this World 7. To this let me add what Paul affirms in another place For we know that if our earthly House of this Tabernacle be dissolved we have a Building of God an House not made with Hands eternal in the Heavens He doth not say when this earthly House is raised up again but when it is dissolved that is when the Body lies in its dusty Crumbs the Soul hath a House in Heaven Therefore saith he we are always confident knowing that whilst we are at home in the Body we are absent from the Lord. Pray what is that which is absent from the Lord whilst it is at home in the Body is it not the Soul And what is that which is present with the Lord when it is absent from the Body Doth not this Place as fully prove the Immortality of the Soul as if the Apostle should in plain words say at Death the Soul which dwells now in our Body goes to Heaven to dwell in Heaven it goes to Christ Heaven is its Home As soon as Lazarus died his Soul was carried into Heaven signified by Abraham's Bosom and as soon as the rich Man died his Soul was in Hell though it is a Parable yet it clearly teaches us thus much though Parables do not always go on all four as we use to say 8. To which let me add what Paul further says For I am in a Strait betwixt two having a desire to depart and to be with Christ which is far better Our Souls at Death depart and they go to Christ What is Joy and Peace in Christ to Joy Peace and Consolation with Christ In the Resurrection-Day Christ comes to us we shall meet him in the Air but at Death we go to him the Spirits of all Men go upward to God that gave them to be sent to the Place appointed for them either to Heaven or to the Prison of Hell or Place of Darkness in which Prison the Spirits of those Men are now who were once disobedient and sinned against God in the Days of Noah 9. In the last place to prove the Soul to be immortal consider well what Paul saith I knew a Man in Christ above fourteen Years ago whether in the Body I cannot tell or whether out of the Body I cannot tell God knoweth such an one caught up to the third Heaven How he was in Paradise and heard unspeakable Words which it is not lawful for a Man to utter In the third Heaven or in Paradise for certain he was but whether caught up Body and Soul together or in the Soul only out of the Body he could not tell From whence I argue that Paul knew that the Soul was capable of being separated from the Body and in that separated state capable of the Divine Ravishments of Heaven or of the Vision of God if he had not been of this Judgment since he was in the third Heaven he might be sure he was taken up in the Body Besides do we not read of the Spirits of just Men that are already made perfect Object But is it not said that David is not yet ascended into Heaven Answ I answer Peter there only refers to the Body of David that is not ascended for his Sepulchre is with us to this Day saith he and therefore he argues David means Jesus Christ whose Soul was not left in Hell that is his Body was not left in the Grave for the Body is often in the Scripture called by the Name of the Soul But when we read of the Soul as distinguished from the Body and as that which Man cannot kill it intends the superiour Part of Man or that which in our common acceptation is called the Soul or Spirit of Man in which the Image of God was chiefly created and which is fed with Spiritual Food and capable of sweet Communion with Jesus Christ as you have heard Now then if the Soul be Immortal and goes to Hell or Heaven at Death I mean to Joy or Sorrow or to a Prison of Pain and Darkness or to a Palace of Joy
and Pleasure O what a great Salvation is Gospel-Salvation How soon doth eternal Misery or Torment seize upon the Ungodly even no sooner do they die but their Souls are in Hell and no sooner do Believers die but their Souls are in Paradise and had not Christ came and wrought out our Salvation our Souls must have lain under Wrath and Misery for ever in an eternal separation from God and all true Joy and Happiness O what a fearful and an amazing Loss is the loss of the Soul Sirs pray remember this Salvation is the Salvation of your precious Souls thy Soul O Sinner is dearly concerned in it Our Soul is our All what have we more A Man is never utterly undone till his Soul is utterly lost if the Soul is saved all is saved but if the Soul is lost for ever lost all is lost But 2 dly The loss or losing of the Soul is the loss of the Body too that must have perished for ever with the Body of Beasts whilst our Souls must have lain in Torments had not Christ came to redeem us Moreover The Salvation of the Soul is the Salvation of the Body Christ came to save both the Soul and Body too And hence the Apostle saith Even we our selves groan within our selves waiting for the Adoption to wit the Redemption of our Body that is for the farther Effects of our Adoption Now are we the Sons of God but it doth not appear what we shall be that is it doth not appear what we shall be when our Bodies shall be raised He shall change our vile Body that it may be fashioned like unto his own glorious Body This Salvation saves not our Souls only from Wrath but our Bodies also they shall rise to Life and Immortality the Bodies of the Wicked as well as their Souls shall be cast into Hell but the Bodies and the Souls of the Godly shall be glorified in Heaven for ever O what a grievous thing it is to think of the loss of the Body to have the Soul taken away from the Body But how sweet is it to think of that Day when those two old Friends shall meet together again and when both shall be delivered from all Evil from all Deformity and Pollution and be glorified and also shall never part more or be separated from each other to the Days of Eternity APPLICATION 1. Reproof to such who despise their own precious Souls What Fools are they who to save their Hutts lose their Heads or who to save their Goods in a fearful Fire lose their dear Child in the Cradle As I once told you of a Woman that did thus her House was on Fire and she bestirred her self to get out her best Goods and at last when she could go in no more she rejoiced that she had saved her Goods but said one to her Woman where is your Child O my Child my Child then she cried her Child when it was too late for that was burned to Death in the Cradle Just thus some to get and save their Goods to get the World lose their Souls We read of some who to save their Lives or their Bodies from being burned to Ashes for Christ denied Christ they could not burn for him What saith our Saviour He that seeks to save his Life shall lose it What Fools are they then who think that way to save their Bodies for as they lose their Souls so they lose their Bodies also And it is not worse to have the Body to â—e in Hell-Fire for ever than to be burned in Martyrdom and be consumed to Ashes in Corporal Fire 2. Consider that all such who neglect this great Salvation slight and neglect their own precious and immortal Souls What is the Hope of the Hypocrite though he hath gained when God taketh away his Soul He makes a bad Market that puts off his Soul at any Price What shall a Man give in exchange of his Soul Jesus Christ who knew the great worth of it laid down a Price of infinite Value to redeem and purchase it Witches they say sell their Souls to the Devil out of Malice to be revenged on some that have offended them What a dismal thing is that how fearful is their State But pray Brethren what do they lose who sell their Souls to the Devil as it were for the sake of their brutish Lusts or out of love to Sin Thus the Whoremongers and unclean Persons sell their Souls and Drunkards who will have their merry Bouts their Cups and Pots and silthy Companions and may be their Whores too let what will become of their immortal Souls others will have their Pride and haughty Hearts gay Clothes and their detestable Dresses though their Souls are clothed with Rags and a crawling Worm knaws on them and to Hell must be thrown at last where the Worm dieth not and the Fire is not quenched Moreover the carnal Worldling will be rich he will lay up Gold and Silver he will gain the World though he lose thereby his own Soul But remember Sinners Christ died for the Soul this Salvation is the Salvation of the Soul and does any wretched Sinner despise his Soul or is it think you not worth his Pains to part with his Cups with his sinful Companions with his or her Pride unlawful Gain or the love of this World to save it for ever 3. How does this tend to reprove such who do expose their precious Souls to eternal Wrath for the unjust Gain of Six-pence or a Shilling Are there not too many such in the World who will cheat lie and defraud their Neighbours for a small matter of profit O how dear will they one Day pay for that Gain 4. How does this reprove likewise such Parents that think they can never do enough for to enrich their Children or get them great Portions and care not what they eat drink wear or how richly their Bodies are deck'd and adorned but take no care of their immortal Souls but rather indulge them in their Sins and vain and wicked Practices and set also Soul damning Examples continually before their Eyes 5. We may also infer from hence what a mighty Charge an amazing Charge Parents have committed to them as also the Ministers of the Gospel who are to take care and watch over the Souls of such who are committed to them as such that must one Day give an Account of them 6. Moreover wo be to such who deceive and blindly lead the Souls of Men to destruction that are so exceeding precious If the Blind lead the Blind they will both fall into the Ditch 7. Shall I exhort you Sinners to look to Christ for the Salvation of your Souls 1. He bids you look to him Look unto me and be ye saved all ye Ends of the Earth 2. Consider that there is no other way to save your Souls there is but one Saviour and one way of Salvation There is no other Name given under
Day To Day if you will hear his Voice but they will not regard it Because I have called saith the Lord and you refused I have stretched out my Hand and no Man regarded But ye have set at nought all my Counsel and would have none of my Reproof I also will laugh at your Calamity and mock when your Fear cometh 9. Such who prefer their sinful and earthly Pleasures Profits and Honours above this Salvation do also neglect it 'T is said of some of the Pharisees that they believed on him but did not profess him lest they should be put out of the Synagogue for they loved the Praise of Men more than the Praise of God I once told you of a Man who living a loose and ungodly Life and was by that means in danger of losing his Eye-sight insomuch that his Physician told him He must leave that excess of Prophaneness or he would be blind Ah said he is it so Then farewel my sweet Eye-sight or to that Effect Just thus do many poor Sinners they will not part with their Sins their sinful Ways and sinful Companions for when they hear what they must do if ever they are saved namely believe in Jesus Christ repent and turn from all their sinful Courses they say in their Hearts Farewel then Great Salvation if these things must be done they will have none of it I remember I heard in our Countrey when I was young of a prophane Person that said in plain words That he would have his Lusts his Pleasures his merry Bouts or to that purpose for it was all the Heaven he look'd for O how just will it be in God to sentence such to eternal Flames 10. Such neglect this Salvation who say in their Hearts to God Depart from us we desire not the Knowledg of thy Ways They like not approve not of God nor of the Ways of God therefore desire him to depart they would not have God come so near them as to disturb their Thoughts nor disquiet their Spirits about their eternal State therefore they strive to divert themselves The Wicked saith the Psalmist through the Pride of his Countenance will not seek after God God is not in all his thoughts he will not trouble himself with God and the things of God and so neglects this Salvation 11. Moreover all such who believe not give not credit to the Revelation of the Gospel they do not believe the Report of it Lord saith the Prophet Who hath believed our Report Though the Report of the Gospel is given out upon the highest Evidence imaginable yet Brethren there is an humane Faith that a Man may attain to and exercise without Divine and Supernatural Grace which Men do not exert which if they did it would were it improved deter them and put a stop to many of their abominable Practices but as some in other cases say I will not believe such or such a thing though it is confirmed sufficiently so it is here Men will not believe they will not give Credit to the Report of the Gospel it is not agreeable to their carnal Reason What! believe there is no Salvation but by the Righteousness of another How can this be Can his Righteousness justify me be made mine I believe that if I do live an Honest Life and do good to my Neighbours I shall be saved Says another I can't believe that all shall be damned unless they are born again and experience such a Change as some Ministers talk of for if it be so Lord have Mercy upon us what will become of the greatest part of the World Says a third sort God is above the Devil and I cannot believe he will ever suffer Satan to get away the greatest Number of Mankind Ay says a fourth sort we can't believe that Sin is so great an Evil or so great a Matter or that God will be so severe as to cast us into Hell for it What 's Drunkenness 'T is for our Health to be drunk now and then and what is simple Fornication Tush will God think you ever cast us into Hell for such small things as these or throw us into a Furnace of Fire It cannot consist with his Mercy and infinite Goodness Now Brethren as all these Persons neglect this Salvation so they make God a Liar God hath said There is no other Name given under Heaven whereby we must be saved no other way but through Christ's Blood by his Merits and Righteousness but they say there is He also hath said That the Wicked shall be turned into Hell and all the Nations that forget God even whole Nations if they do so and that no Drunkard Fornicator Proud Person Unbeliever or Covetous Man or Woman c. shall inherit the Kingdom of Heaven but contrariwise shall have their Portion in the Lake that burns with Fire and Brimstone but they will not believe it And God says Except a Man be born again he shall not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven but they will not believe it O what is the Condition of these Men Unbelief is the damning Sin in this respect as well as it is in respect that it leads Men out to refuse and contemn the Remedy God hath appointed I mean the Application of the Blood of Jesus Christ These perish as the Man did who was told of his Danger but would not believe it till it fell upon him to his Ruin 12. Such neglect this great Salvation who delay the looking after it until old Age or till Sickness or Death comes upon them How many are there of this sort They mind not their Souls nor Soul-concernments but think it is time enough when they have spent their best Days in the Service of the World nay in the Devil's Service to look after Religion or an Interest in Jesus Christ these I say also are neglecters of this Salvation 13. All such who make not Religion or the Salvation of their precious Souls their chief Business or Matter of the highest Importance in the World these must be set down as neglecters of Gospel-Salvation Brethren this is that one Thing needful namely to provide for the Soul in reference to Eternity This was that good part Mary chose that should not be taken from her she took more care about the good of her Soul in attending on Christ's Word than on any thing else whatsoever This should be our general Calling to which Work we ought to give up our selves continually in improving all Seasons and Opportunities and in the discharge of all spiritual Duties O how busy are some Men and how wise nay to get this World no Time no Care no Opportunity shall be omitted But they have no regard of this great Concernment it is not weighed nor thought upon by them yet what can be of like Importance and what Fools are they whose chiefest Care is to live well for one Day and regard not what will become of them
also the Nature and Quality or Degree of it Of how much sorer Punishment suppose ye shall he be thought worthy c. God at the last Day will so justly and righteously proceed against wicked Men that their Reward shall be judged reasonable in their own Judgment and by their own Consciences 7. They shall not escape because Mercy and Grace is sinned against principally by all that neglect this Salvation Mercy will as you have heard plead against them And if Mercy be their Enemy if Goodness it self rise up against them where will they find a Friend to appear for them 8. They shall not escape because God hath absolutely and unavoidably decreed the Destruction and eternal Damnation of all those that believe not but neglect this Salvation His Decree his Counsel and Purpose shall stand He that believeth not shall be damned 9. It is because the Sinner is not able to deliver himself out of God's Hand If he escape it must be from one of these two Considerations 1. That either God must change his Purpose his absolute Decree and Counsel 2. Or else the Sinner must get out of God's Hand and so deliver himself Now it is impossible God's Mind should change or his absolute Decree be made void his Decree shall stand and he will do all his Pleasure God will be true and not make himself a Liar to save the guilty Sinner And that it is impossible for the Sinner to get out of God's Hands is evident because God is Omnipotency it self whither can he fly from his Presence Who can stand before or escape his Indignation Therefore there is no way for such to escape God's Wrath who neglect this Salvation APPLICATION 1. O bless God for this Salvation and value it according to the Nature Worth and Greatness of it 2. Bewail all ungodly Persons who are found slighters and neglecters of it and mourn over them O how sad is their Condition May be you have some in your Families that are Neglecters of it may be a Wife a Husband or Children that do not regard it but are ungodly and neglect the Means of Grace how should what you have heard move you to pity them to weep over them to pray for them and strive with them 3. Examine your selves whether you have not or do not neglect this Salvation Do you make it your chief Business to get an Interest in Christ Do you prefer the Means of Salvation above all things in the World What time do you take to seek God to pray to him to hear his Word And with what Zeal Love Faith and Diligence do you do all these things Do you not defer Soul-Concernments to another time O see to it and examine your selves Do you not rest upon something or another short of Christ Doth the Power of Grace appear in your Hearts and Lives 4. This may teach Believers to bear up under all Trials and Fears Let what will come they are safe who have an Interest in this great Salvation other Salvations are nothing to this and if we should not be saved from the Wrath of Man but must lose our Liberty and be exposed to Death and Dangers here in this World yet it will go well with us if this Salvation is ours Let what Judgments can come upon the Land thou hast got a sure Sanctuary God is thy Help and thy Salvation Brethren there are many sad Effects that do attend those that neglect continually neglect this Salvation whilst they are in this World as Manifestations of God's Displeasure As 1. God withdraws the Influences of his Spirit from them after they have for a long time resisted it in the common Motions thereof even to such a Degree that it shall strive with them no more thus God dealt with the old World 2. God gives such up at last to blindness of Mind so that they in seeing see not and in hearing hear not neither do they understand And in them is fulfilled the Prophecy of Esaias By hearing ye shall hear and shall not understand and seeing ye shall see and not perceive The Word of God if neglected and not received that it may become a Savour of Life unto Life will become a Savour of Death unto Death it either softens or hardens Mens Hearts 3. God gives them up to their own Hearts Lusts as God by the Psalmist says My People would not hearken to my Voice and Israel would none of me So I gave them up unto their own Hearts Lusts and they walked in their own Counsels 4. Nay sometimes God takes away the Gospel from them as he did from the Jews that rejected Christ refused the chief corner-Stone Therefore I say unto you The Kingdom of God shall be taken from you and given to a Nation bringing forth the Fruits thereof What can be a worse Judgment this befel that People and it hath not been restored to them ever since When God removes the Gospel it may be long before he lets a People have it again nay perhaps never 5. Moreover for neglecting the great Salvation God sometimes brings upon a People or Nation fearful temporal Judgments and puts them it may be into the Hands of cruel Enemies For thus he dealt with the unbelieving Jews he brought the Romans in upon them that burned their City and Temple so that it is said Wrath came upon them to the uttermost 6. God sometimes will not save Persons with Temporal Salvation because they neglect Spiritual Salvation so that they may read their Sin if the Lord opens their Eyes in their Punishment But it is not God's usual way under this Dispensation to inflict Temporal Punishment on such that neglect the Salvation of the Gospel but he reserves his Wrath to another World and therefore let none think though they escape his Judgments here that they shall escape his Judgments and Wrath hereafter that they shall not be able to do as you heard But no more at this Time HEB. II. 3. How shall we escape if we neglect so great Salvation I AM upon the third and last Point of Doctrine which I observed from our Text viz. That there is no possibility for such or any one Soul of them to escape that neglect the great Salvation of the Gospel The last Day I shewed you First What those things are which they shall not escape Secondly Why they cannot shall not escape who are guilty of this Neglect Thirdly I am now to shew you When or at what Times they that neglect Gospel-Salvation shall not escape 1. In the Day of common Calamities and desolating Judgments that will come upon the Earth there is Beloved a dismal Hour spoken of in God's Word that is not yet come yet no doubt it is very near in which but a few shall escape I am afraid many good Men who have been remiss and negligent in and about the great Concerns of Christ and of their own Souls shall not escape I mean