CHAP. I.

WHen I first seriously con­sidered that saying of the Apostle concerning Christ, Heb. 2.16. Supere­minet enim omni scicu­tiae tua ine­stimabilis charitas, quam osten­distri in nobis pro sola pictate, & bonitate tua. F [...]lius namque tuus, rex noster, nusquam angelos▪ sed semen Abrabae apprehendit, assimila­tus nobis per omnia absque peccato. Humanam itaque non angeli­cam suscip [...]ens naturam, & eam munere sanctae resurrectionis, & immortalitatis glorificans vexit super omnes coelos, & super omnes choros angelorum, super Cherubin & Seraphin collocans ad dex­tram tuam. Hanc laudant angeli, adorant dominationes, tremunt potestates coeli, coelorumque virtutes, ac beata Seraphin socia ex­ultatione concelebrant. Aug. Theol. conf. par. 2. c. 11. Ve­rily he took not on him the nature of Angels, but he took on him the [Page] [Page 1] [...] [Page 2] seed of Abraham, I could not but much admire the work of God, in leaving Angels (the best of his creatures) to perish eternally for their Sinne: and sending his onely begotten Son to be­come a Saviour for fallen man. 'Tis true, I have long since learned, that the An­gels fell without a Tempter, and there­fore justly perished without a Saviour. But were it not as just with God too, that Man should perish without remedy for making so much Willet on Gen. 3.23, gives ten argu­ments to prove, that Man fell in the day of his cre­ation, and quoteth many an­tient Au­thors to that pur­pose. Mr. Walker in his treatise on the Sab­bath, ar­gues much for it. And it is generally concluded, that Man fell soon after his creation. hast to obey the Tempter against so reasonable, easie, and expresse a Command of God his Maker? If it be said, that only some of the Angels fell from God, and all man­kinde was lost in Adam, and God there­fore saves a remnant of Adams posteri­ty, that he might have of both sorts, to wit, Angels and Men, eternally to serve and praise him; It may be answered, that God did so is true, but, that therefore he did so is not manifest. To which may be further added, that Angels being more excellent, capable, able, agile creatures, the fallen Angels, being le­gions of them, would have been able [Page 3] to doe God more service, had they been restored, than all the generation of mankinde. Yea, if God would needs have men to serve him, he might have created more I may say) at an easier rate Magis clucebit haec mise­ricordia di­vina, si quanti Deo constiterit haec secunda hominis re­paratio co­gitemus: creavit bo­minem pri­mò ad ima­ginem suam voce, & verbo suo; sed repara­vit secunaò morte, & senguine suo, Dav. in Col. c. 3. ver. 10., than he redeemed these: But God, whose infinite perfection receives no augmentation from Men, or Angels; but is above all their service, useth the meere good pleasure of his will in his dispensations, both of justice and mercy. He will have mercy, on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will, he hardeneth: and in so doing, how un­searchable are his judgements, and his wayes past finding out! God deales with Angels, and men, as he did with Esau, and Jacob; he leaves the elder (by nature, and praerogative the more excellent) and chooseth the younger, that it may appeare, that the work de­pends upon the meere good pleasure of his will. And all, that we can say in this, is what Christ himselfe spake in ano­ther case, Mat. 11.26. Even so Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight.

Taking this then for the onely satis­factory answer, Behold the goodnesse, and severity of God: on the Angels, that fell severity, but towards fallen man [Page 4] goodnesse, in that he sent his Son, made of a Woman, that so being bone of our bone, and flesh of our flesh, he might become unto us a meet Saviour. And the verity & mysterie of his Incarnation is plainly recorded in this Chapter:

Which divides it self into two gene­rall parts,

• 1. A Genealogy of Christ, from the beginning of the Chapter, to ver. 18.
• 2. The History of his Nativity, from thence to the end of the Chapter.

In which, that I may clear the way to the Text, consider with me these few particulars:

1. Mary's Conception, [ She was found to be with child, v. 18.]

2. Josephs false-Conception, or misap­prehension concerning it, which made him afraid to take his espoused wife, and this caused

3. His Resolution [ to put her away pri­vily, ver. 19.] but before the Execu­tion of his purpose, behold

4. Gods timely prevention [ feare not to take unto thee Mary thy Wife, &c. ver. 20.] In which yet more particu­larly consider how God teacheth Jo­seph:

• [Page 5]1. By whom Mary had conceived, viz. By the Holy Ghost.
• 2. What she should bring forth, [ She shall bring forth a Son, v. 21.]
• 3. What he should name him, [thou shalt call his name Jesus.]
• 4. The reason of the name, [For he shall save his people from their sins.]

In this worke of Salvation, according to the words in the Text: consider

• 1. The Efficient Cause, or person saving [Jesus.]
• 2. The Subject, or person saved, [his people.]
• 3. The evill, from which, [from their sins.]

1. The person saving is called [...], from the Hebrew word [...], a Saviour, from the Hebrew root, [...], which sig­nifies, to save. The reason of the name then, is from the nature of the worke he takes in hand.

2. By his people, which are the per­sons saved, we understand not the nation of the Jews adaequately, as if they all, and onely they were his people here spoken of. They were indeed his people, 1. by nati­on and his naturall relation, as man, [Page 6] unto them, himselfe being of the seed of Abraham, as appeares in his Genealo­gy.

2. They were his people by outward profession, for they professed faith in, and waited for the promised Messias; yea, and to them onely was he at first sent, for saith Christ, Mat. 15.24. I am not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. But the generality of them did not imbrace him; for, when he came to his owne, his owne received him not. Joh. 1.11 Therefore by his people, the nation of the Jewes is not here understood.

2. Neither by his people Apostolus ait, Conclu­sit enim De­us omnes in infidelitate, ut omnium misereatur. Quos om­nes, nifi de quibus lo quebatu [...] tanquam di­cens. & vos, & il­los? Deus ergo & Gentiles & Judaeos, quos praescivit, & praedestinavit conforme, fieri imagini fi [...]i sui, omnes in infidelitate conclusit: ut de amartiudine infidelitatis suae paeuitendo confusi; & ad dul­cedinem misericordiae Dei credendo conversi, clamarent illud in Psal Quam multa multitudo dulcedinis tuae, Domine, quem ab­scondisti timentibus te, perfecisti autem sperantibus non inse, sed in te. Omnium itaque miseretur vasorum misericordiae Quid est omnium? Et eorum scilicet, quos ex Gentibus, & [...]um, quos ex Judaeis praedestinavit, vo [...]avit, juscificavit, glorificavit, non omnium hominum, sed istorum omnium nominem darenaturus. Aug. de Civ. Dei, lib. 20 cap. 24. [...], id est, sibi datum à Patre; ut ipse loquitur, John 17. Periphrasis e­lectorum. Piscat. in loc. doe we un­derstand all Mankinde, as some would have it. A [...]l of all nations are not his people, but some out of every nation, ac­cording to that new song. Rev. 5.9. Thou wast slaine, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people and Nation. Yea, the words themselves, [his people] are re­strictive, and intimate (not an extension to all men) but a limitation to some onely.

[Page 7]3. By his people (therefore) we un­derstand those that are his by donation, those that were given him by the Fa­ther, Joh. 6.37. All that the Father gi­veth me shall come unto me. Thus saith the Lord also to Paul concerning Co­rinth, Act. 18.10. I have much people in this City.

The evill from which they are saved is III their sins, and doubtlesse from their suf­ferings too, but as their sins onely are (expressely) mentioned, as that, from which they should be saved; and this the reason, why Christ should be named Jesus, so doubtlesse this is that, that Christ primarily and chiefly intended to save his people from their sins, even from sin it selfe, at which I mainely aim in this Discourse. Whence observe,

That the great work of Christ our Saviour is the saving of his people from their sins. Even from sin it selfe.

For our more cleer proceeding, I shall lay down these following positions;

1. Man is fallen from God, and by na­ture lyes under two great evills, 1. Sin. 2. Wrath for sin.

2. It is the work of Christ, to save his people from both these.

3. Our Salvation by Christ from the wrath of God due for sin, is a mercy, so farre beyond our ability to deserve, or requite, that if we had the tongue of men and Angels, we could never suffi­ciently praise God, and Christ our Re­deemer for this unspeakable mercy.

4. Yet the work of our Salvation from Sin it selfe is a greater mercy to us, and this is the Master-piece of what Christ our Saviour hath undertaken for us.

5. By Salvation from sin I doe not understand a bare removall of corrupt qualities, but a procuring, and bestowing of good instead thereof: for we are re­deemed, as we are called, from uncleanness to holinesse. And the privation of morall good in man is a sin, as well as the posi­tion of morall evill, and in this latitude the Apostle defines sin in that one word [...], the transgression of the Law, 1 Job. 3.4. Which consisteth both in Af­firmative and Negative precepts, and [Page 9] the not being, and doing, what is com­manded is a transgression, as well, as being, and doing, what is forbidden.

The Doctrine being thus stated, I proceed to the proof of it, 1. by Scrip­ture, 2. by Argument.

There are divers Scriptures that speak to our purpose, amongst many take these few. First, heare what Christs harbinger speakes, yea, see how he points him out, Joh. 1.29. Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the World. And Iohn saith, that he was manifested to take away our sins, 1. Joh. 3.5. And the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin, 1 Joh. 1.7. that he loved and washed us from our sins in his owne blood. Rev. 1.5. In all these texts we see, that sin onely is expressed, and I believe that, which is specially intended, although I know, that the guilt and fruit of sin is also inclu­ded.

Thus Paul tells us, that Christ loved his Church and gave himselfe for it, that he might sanctifie, and cleanse it, Eph. 5.25.26. thus likewise in his Epistle to Titus c. 2. pressing the duties of severall ages, sexes and orders of people to ver. 11 useth this with other weighty argu­ments, that Christ gave himselfe for us, [Page 10] that he might redeem us from all Iniquity, and purify unto himselfe, a peculiar people zealous of good works, ver. 14.

Thus also Peter, exhorting the elect to be active in the wayes of holinesse, not fashioning themselves to their for­mer lusts, 1. Pet 1. from ver. 10. to v. 18. useth this, as a most forcible argu­ment (among others) ye know, that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as Silver, and Gold, from your vaine con­versation, received by tradition from your Fathers: but with the precious blood of Christ.

Arg. 1 The First Argument is drawn from Gods honour, that is the chief work of Christ our Saviour, wherein God is most honoured; but God is most honoured in the saving his people from their sins, therefore is this the chief work of Christ, &c. That, that is the great, or chief work of Christ, wherein God is most glorified, will need little proof, for that must needs be the greatest work, that most effectually atteineth the highest end: And what end higher, than the glory of God, which was the supreme end of all Christs undertakings? Joh. 17.4.

That God is most glorified in the sa­ving [Page 11] his people from their sins is mani­fest by its contrary, God is most (yea onely) dishonoured by the sinnes, and not all by the sufferings As a cause, or occasion given of his dishonour: although the wicked take occa­sion to blaspheme God when his people are brought low, Psal. 79.10, 12. of his people. Gods people by their holinesse glorifie him, and he is much honoured in the midst of their sufferings, whereas Sin dishonours him in the midst of ease and abundance of mercies: Gods honour Will well agree with the sufferings of his people; but Sin is directly injurious to his glory (though by accident he gets himselfe glory by it, as he at first pro­duc'd light out of darkness.) Thus God is much honoured by the great sufferings of Job, while he sinneth not. Job 1.20, 21. yea, God is so much honoured, that he makes his boast against Satan of his Ser­vant Job, cap. 2, 3. And the Lord said unto Satan, hast thou considered my Ser­vant Job, that there is none like him in the Earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evill; and still he holdeth fast his integrity, al­though thou movedst me against him to de­stroy him without cause? And on the contrary, how much is God dishonou­red by our sinfull ease, and prosperity; yea, most dishonoured by it in those that are redeemed from the guilt, and [Page 12] punishment of sinne. The grosse mis­carriages of Gods people, give occasion to the Enemies of God to blaspheme his name, and wayes. Thus when David had foulely offended, saith the Lord by his Prophet, Thou hast given great occasion to the Enemies of the Lord to blaspheme. 2 Sam. 12.14. The crimes of Professors are ever the most scandalous; yea, the sins of Gods dearest children, are most offensive to God himselfe, because they are also committed against the greatest mercy, and loving kindness. The Lord in this case is ready to say with the Psalmist, Psal. 55.12. It was not mine Enemy that reproached me, then I could have born it. But when a Sinner is saved from his sins, God is much honoured both before An­gels and Men.

Arg. 2 The second Argument is drawn from the greatnesse of the evill of sin above suffering. That must needs be the grea­test work in our Salvation, whereby we are saved from the greatest evill, but sin It is bet­ter for a man to be cast into the torments of Hell among the Damned, than to be overcome with any Sin. Hookers Souls Prepar. pag. 16. See Master Burroughs his Treatise of the Evill of Evills. is the greatest evill, and therefore our Salvation from it must needs be answe­rable. [Page 13] That sin is the greatest evill is e­vident, for many reasons. 1. It is the procuring cause of all other evills, and therefore must needs it self be the worst of evills. The cause is ever more emi­nent than its effect, whether for good, or evill, a good cause is better than its effect, and an evill cause is worse. That sin is the onely procuring cause of all e­vills, is without controversie; for as sin entred in the world, death entred by sin, and death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned, Rom. 5 12. And the wages of sin is death, saith Paul, Rom. 6.23. Death temporall, with all the evills of life, as sicknesse, wounds sorrowes, and whatsoever else tendeth to Death; and Death eternall. All the horrour of hell is the fruit of sin; the foundations of Hell are laid upon sinne: Hell the (worst of torments) was built meerly for sinners, therefore sin must be the worst of evills. And, because that sin is the Souls greatest evill and unhappinesse, it is, that when God comes to deliver a Soul (out of meer pity, and bowels of compassion) his Eye chiefly pities them, and his Bo­wells yerne over them, because of their misery in sinne it selfe, as you may read at large, Ezek. 16. the former part of the [Page 14] Chapter. And the saving mercy that he sheweth his love in, is opposed to hard­ning in sinne, rather than damning for sinne, Rom. 9.18. He will have mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardneth. And the punishment of sinne with sin, we account the greatest judgement.

2. Sinne is Mans greatest evill, be­cause it hinders him from the enjoy­ment of the greatest good, which is God himselfe. It is sinne onely, that sepa­rates between God and the Soule, this is the onely partition wall. Isa. 59.2. Your iniquities have separated between you, and your God, and your sinnes have hid his face from you.

3. Sinne is the greatest evill, because of all things it is most displeasing to God (the chiefest good) yea, there is nothing displeasing to God but sinne, (primarily) and this is an abomination to him, and therefore, Sinnes are called in Scripture abominations. Ezek. 9.4. And the Lord said unto him, goe through the midst of the City, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a marke upon the foreheads of the men, that sigh, and that cry for all the Abominations that be done in the midst thereof. Prov. 15.9. The [Page 15] way of ths wicked is an Abomination unto the Lord. And God doth so loath sin­ners for their sinne, that he will not a­bide them in his sight. The foolish shall not stand in thy sight, thou hatest all wor­kers of iniquity, saith David, Psal. 5.5. But the evill of suffering is not at all (in it selfe) displeasing unto God. Yea, he himselfe who is infinitely good, is the Author of it; and there is no evill of suffering, but what comes from him, as the principall efficient. Can there be evill in the City, and the Lord hath not done it? Amos 3.6.

As by being saved from sinne, Arg. 3 Man is delivered from the greatest evill; so, thereby he is restored to the chiefest, and choicest good See Ma­ster Bax­ters Saints Rest, part. 1. cap. 4. sect. 4. By Reason man excel­leth beasts, by Holinesse, he excel­leth him­self, inferiour onely to the Angels in Degree, and made like unto the Lord, as far as a Creature may be to his Creator, Ball of Faith, pag. 285., the image of God, and the enjoyment of him, is Mans greatest good; yea, what greater good is any creature capable of, than to be brought into conformity to God, and the fruition of him to all eternity? Now, righteousnesse and holinesse are Gods Image, and therefore the new man is said to be created, [...], after God, that is, after the Image of God, in righte­ousness [Page 16] & true holiness, Eph. 4.2. And the new man is expresly said to be renewed in knowledge (which we must under­stand of sanctified knowledge) after the Image of him that created him, Col. 3.10. And by this we are made capable of the eternal inheritance of the Saints in life. Col. 1.12. Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet Haec au­tem aptitu­do, vel novae dig­nitatis con­ditto, ut in nobis inve­niatur, duo prae [...]upponit ex parte Dei; poten­tem opera­tionem, mi­sericordem acceptatio­nem. Ope­ratione e­n [...]m. & ac­ceptatione divina [...]oonei constituimur ad participandam sortem sanctorum. O­ [...] divina necessaria est, quia mutari nos oporre [...], & navas [...] efficip [...]ius quam participes esse p [...]ssumus coelestium bene­fi [...]um Nam in nobis nihil est aliud, quam summa in [...]ptitudo [...]num spirituale sive intelligendum, sive faciendum, sive denique [...]um. Dav. in loc. to be partakers of the inheritance with the Saints in light. This meetnesse requires a two-fold work of God, 1. His gracious accep­tation of us. 2. His powerfull opera­tion of a work of grace in us, for we must be changed and made new Crea­tures, before we can be partakers of the heavenly blessings. Blessed are the pure in heart (saith our Saviour Christ, Mat. 5.8.) for they shall see God; Nega [...] quenquam posse, Deum videre fine sanctimonia; quoniam non aliis oculis videbimus Deum, quam qui reformati fuerint ad ejus imaginem. Calv. in loc. And with­out holinesse no man shall see God, Ro. 12.14. Sanctification makes us capable of the vision of God, not as a meer condi­tion, [Page 17] or passive qualification, but as the necessary disposition of the Agent, to­wards its Object, as the seeing faculty is required to the act of seeing, as well as a visible object.

Joseph said unto his Brethren, Ye shall not see my face, except your younger Bro­ther be with you. Benjamines being with them, was nothing to their naturall fa­culty of seeing, they had eyes sufficient to look Ioseph in the face, if they might have been admitted into his presence without Benjamines being there, and therefore his company was a meere con­dition. But when the Psalmist saith, Psal. 119.18. Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy Law, we take this to be his meaning, that, unlesse the blind eye of our under­standing be illuminated, we can discern no more in spirituall, than the man born blinde could of naturall things, till Christ had opened his eyes: For the naturall man receives not the things of the Spirit of God, neither can he know them, because they are spiritually dis­cerned. Thus without holinesse no man shall, because without it no man can see Ita Deus nobis erit notus, & conspi [...]uus, ut videatur spiritu à singulis no­bis, in sin­gulis no­bis. Aug. de Civ. Dei. l. 22. c. 29. God. For by the Sanctification of the understanding, the Soule is enabled to [Page 18] behold him, and the sanctified will, and affections onely are able to enjoy him: and were an unsanctified soule in Hea­ven, it could enjoy nothing at all of the glory of the Lord.

Yea, if you will but acknowledge, that the great worke of Christ in the Salva­tion of his people consisteth in his bringing them to glory (which none that is a Christian can deny) our argu­ment will be strong enough. For what is grace but the beginning of glory? and what is glory but the perfection of grace, wherein sin is removed, and compleat holinesse bestowed upon the Soule? Our growth from one degree of grace to another, is called our being changed, or transformed from glory to glory. 2 Cor. 3.18. But we all with o­pen face beholding, as in a glasse, the glo­ry of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. Here then grace is called glory. For grace and glory differ not specifically Magis & minus non variant spe­ [...]iem., but gradually; and there­fore are the same essentially. Davenant calls Grace, aetas infantilis gloriae, the infant age of glory. A man is the same person, when he is grown to full stature, as he was, when he was an infant; con­sisting [Page 19] both of the same essentiall, and integrall parts. But the difference is in growth: so the glorified in Heaven are the same, that were the sanctified on Earth; onely in this they differ, what was begun here, is absolutely perfect there: here they were regenerated, John 3.3. 1 Pet. 2.2. Isa. 66.11. Eph. 4.13. and born againe, and as new-born babes fed upon the sincere milke of the word, sucking and being satisfied with the breasts of consolations: but there they are grown to a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ, and sit down at the marriage supper of the Lamb, continually feasting themselves in the presence of God.

Because this argument may probably be the most taking with those, that wait, and rejoyce in the hope of glory, I shall insist the more largely upon it, and more particularly consider, wherein Heavens glory consisteth. Paul tells us, Rom. 14.17. The Kingdome of God is righteousnesse, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. He speaks indeed of the Kingdome of grace, but glory being the same in kinde, we may take a view of it, (as we are able) according to these par­ticulars.

1. Righteousnesse, which is the first [Page 20] part of glory mentioned, hath different acceptions, and therefore we must give you a distinction by the way, 1. Righ­teousnesse is sometimes taken in a strict, and narrow sence, and is distinguished from holinesse: holinesse being a confor­mity to the first table of the Law, and righteousnesse to the second; holinesse ha­ving respect to God, and righteousnesse to man (immediately) and in this sense we take it in such texts of Scripture, where holinesse and righteousnesse are both expressed, as Luk. 1.75.

2. Righteousnesse is sometimes taken more largely, and promiscuously, or con­vertibly with holinesse. And so where we read of righteousnesse, or holinesse severally in Scripture, one, and the same thing is usually intended. And in this latitude, righteousnesse, or holinesse is our conformity to the whole will of God, here sincerely, hereafter perfectly. That grace and glory in this agree, I know will be easily granted; but how heavenly peace and joy should depend upon perfect sanctification (as I con­ceive it doth) may be more doubted. For the clearing of this (therefore) I shall speak of these two later the more large­ly. Peace, which is the second part of [Page 21] glory, is three-fold; 1. with God, 2. with our own Consciences, 3. with Saints and Angels. 1. Peace with God is two-fold, 1. Procured, 2. Continued. 1. Peace with God procured is (I confesse) from a work wrought without us, to wit, the satisfaction of Christ on our behalfe according to what the Law required, and depends upon Gods gracious acceptation of us in Christ, yet is holinesse a necessary condition, or qualifi­cation of the person, that shall enter into peace, as the Prophet phraseth it, Isa. 57.2. The righteous is taken away from the evil to come, he shall enter into peace; 1 Cor. 6.9. Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdome of God?

2. Peace with God continued depends up­on a work of Christ within us, to wit, the work of Sanctification: for (being per­fectly Sanctified) in Heaven, we do the will of God perfectly, and displease him no more; so that the peace formerly made is no more broken.

2. Peace of Conscience must needs be per­fect, when a man comes to be perfectly holy, and to enjoy perfect peace with God: yea, it were a contradiction to think other­wise For to have Conscience, accusing for doing well, were a sinfull error of Con­science, and contrary to perfect holinesse. Conscience is a Judge, and to clear the guil­ty, and condemn the innocent, is an abo­mination [Page 22] to the Lord, Prov. 17.15. and how can holinesse be perfect, unlesse Con­science be perfect also. Doth not Consci­ence belong to the practicall understan­ding? and if this be perfected, is not the perfection of Conscience included in it? Or if you will make Conscience to be a distinct faculty of the Soul, it matters not (in this case) so that we make it any thing belonging to the Soul; for if the Soul in Heaven be perfectly good; every power and faculty of it must be perfectly sanctifi­ed; amongst which, Conscience will finde a place Con­scientia humana est judi­ciū ho­minis de se­metipso, prout subjici­tur ju­dicio Dei. Ames. de Cons. p. 1.. Conscience (as Doctor Ames defines it) is Mans judgement concerning himselfe, as it is subject to the judgement of God. Therefore when God speaks peace, perfected Conscience (as it is in Heaven) must needs speak so too; and that Consci­ence cannot be perfectly good, which is not quietly good.

Some distinguish of foure sorts of Con­sciences:

1. A Conscience good, but not quiet. Such is the Conscience of a child of Light walking in Darknesse. Such was the Con­science sometime of David, and other of Gods Children.

Secondly, A Conscience quiet, but not good. Such a Conscience, as cryes peace, peace, to the sinner, while he goes [Page 23] on in the stubbornesse of his own heart.

3. A Conscience quiet, and good. Such is the Conscience of a Child of God, when he walkes in Gods wayes, and in the light of his Countenance.

4. A Conscience neither good nor quiet. Such is the accusing, gnawing Conscience of a wicked Man: such was the Conscience of Iudas, after he had betrayed Christ.

But after this life, the two first of these will be taken away:

1. For when a man is perfectly san­ctified (as he shall be in Heaven) there will be no room for Conscience to be unquiet, because it will have no matter, for which to accuse, but will be perfectly quiet, as the state of the Soule is per­fectly good.

2. The Conscience of the damned in Hell, as it is perfectly evill, so it is as restlesse and unquiet: the worm as it never dyeth, so it alwayes worketh.

3. Perfect peace with Saints and An­gels, is but the perfection of the grace of love mutually exercised.

The third part of Heavens happinesse is perfect joy: now joy is an affection of the Soule, and the Soule being perfectly sanctified in glory, this affection must [Page 24] be perfected, as well as Love, and the rest of the Affections; which must all be taken in to make up the perfect sanctification of the Soule. Perfect joy requires two things to its morall, as well, as its natu­rall perfection.

1. That it be fixed upon God the chiefest good, which is the onely satis­factory object. And our joy here is therefore sinfully imperfect, because we fixe it upon creature-comforts, which are not perfect: But God, who is per­fectly good, is to be the onely object of our joy, and other things are to be re­joyced in, onely in subordination to him.

2. Perfect joy requires a perfect re­joycing in this perfect object, and in this life the joy of the Saints, is therefore imperfect, because (though it be fixed upon God, yet) it is but imperfectly exercised. Thus in both these respects our joy here is sinfully, as well as natu­rally defective. But in Heaven we shall perfectly rejoyce in God, our perfect good; and I hope none will deny, but it is our duty to rejoyce in God for­ever, with the most intense degree of joy, and it were our sinne to doe any lesse. What is this part of our happi­nesse [Page 25] (then) but a most necessary part of our perfect holinesse? And in all these we see, that perfect Holinesse is Heavens happinesse.

Another argument proving the great work of Christ our Saviour to be the saving of his people from their sins, Arg. 4 may be drawn from the main scope and cur­rent of Scripture. That must needs be the great work of Christ our Saviour, which Scripture (that is the word of sal­vation) chiefly points out unto us. But it is our salvation from sin, or sanctifica­tion, that Scripture chiefly points out unto us. Eph. 1.13. Col. 3.16. Therefore this is the great work of Christ, &c. The Gospel is called the Gospel of our salvation, because it shews us the way of salvation. And it is called the Word of Christ, not onely because it was endited by the Spirit of Christ; but also because Christ is the subject, where­of Scripture chiefly treats. Joh. 5.39. Search the Scriptures, for in them ye think to have eternall life, and they are they that testifie of me, saith Christ. Christ is the subject of Moses writings, and of all the Prophesies of the holy Prophets, and the New Testament is called the Gospel, or joyfull message of Jesus Christ, because therein is brought unto [Page 26] us news of our salvation by Christ; yea the will of Christ revealed in his Word, being the instrument, or means of our salvation must needs concur with Christ the principall Efficient of our Salva­tion.

Now Scripture mainly insists upon the doctrine of Sanctification, which is our salvation from sin, which will easily ap­peare, if we take a generall view of Scri­ture, thus:

• Scripture contains
  • 1. Precepts, or Commands.
  • 2. Threatnings.
  • 3. Promises.
  • 4. Examples.

First, The Precepts of Scripture com­mand Holinesse, and teach us how to eschew evill, and doe good.

Secondly, the threats are to deter us from disobedience.

Thirdly, the Promises (most of them) are of the rewards of grace (i. e.) Gracious rewards; or rewards, not for grace in us, but from grace in God., for our encouragement to all holy obedience.

Fourthly, the Examples are,

1. Of wicked men in the wayes of wickednesse, and the judgement of God upon them for it, that we may beware of partaking in their sins, lest we be al­so partakers of their plagues.

[Page 27]2. Examples of godly men in the wayes of holinesse, and of the blessing of God upon them in their wayes, that we may be excited to tread in their steps. And thus we see, that the Scripture, which is the Word of life, and salvation by Christ, is the doctrine of holinesse, lead­ing us all along in the wayes of Sanctifi­cation. Yea, Christs owne Sermons (if we doe but observe them) are most up­on this subject.

But doth not Paul say, Object. that Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law, being made a curse for us? Gal. 3.13. And are we not said to be saved and delivered by Christ out of the hand of our enemies? Luk. 1.71, 74. How then is the great work of Christ the saving of his people from sin it selfe?

That Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law is true, Answ. and 'tis a great work, yet it doth not follow, that this is his main work: but the contrary hath been proved already, viz. our re­demption from sin is the greater.

Is not our own corrupt flesh the worst 2 enemy we have? Is not that one Enemy within us worse than all our Enemies without us? What hurt could all the rest doe, were it not for our own in-bred [Page 28] corruption? Satan and the world were as great, yea greater enemies to Christ, but could not prevail upon him, because they found no evil in him. Sinne is the very chains Nam vinctos nos tenebat [...] Oecum. apud Dav. in Col. c. 2. v. 15. and fetters, wherein Satan binds the soule, and leads it away ca­ptive. Thou art in the gall of bitternesse, and bond of iniquity, said Peter to Simon Magus, Act. 8.23. The Devils snares are baited with alluring temptations to sin, and those that resist the temptation, escape the snare. And although by rea­son of our corruption we are lyable to be tormented by Satan; and Satan, as Gods Executioner, hath committed un­to him the power of death, Heb. 2.14. yet that power, whereby he leads us ca­ptive into sin, at his will, is far worse.

3. It is said in the fore-mentioned Text, Luk. 1.74, 75. that we are delive­red out of the hands of our enemies, that we might serve the Lord in holiness and righteousness. In which words it ap­pears that our being rescued out of the hands of our enemies, refers, as a means to our serving God in holinesse, and righteousnesse, as the end. If a Servant should be imprisoned for some wrong done, and his Master, desirous of his service, ransometh, and enlargeth him: [Page 29] the servants enlargement is first procu­red, but his Masters service is chiefly in­tended.

Having thus by Scripture and Argu­ment proved, That the great work of Christ is the saving his people from their sins, I shall in the next place shew you, how it is, that he accomplisheth for his people this great salvation.

CHAP. II.

CHRIST saves his people from their sins, 1. As the meritorious cause, purchasing Sanctification for them. 2. As the Efficient cause, working sanctifying grace in them.

1. I. Christ the meritori­ous cause of our san­ctification. As the meritorious ^p cause by his death, and resurrection, purchasing for them the mortification of sin, and spiri­tuall resurrection to newnesse of life. [Page 30] This he doth by vertue of his Priestly office. Thus saith the Prophet Isa. 53. 10, 11. When thou shalt make his soule an offering for Sinne, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his dayes, he shall see the travails of his soule, [...] he shall see seed: so 'tis in the Hebrew; and whether we read it indefinitely, a seed, or his seed, it matters not. But a plen­tifull increase of spirituall seed is here understood, to which that of our Savi­our Christ may allude, Io. 12.24. Except Corn, or Wheat, fall and dye, it abideth alone; but if it dye, it bringeth forth much fruit. As the sown seed by dying bring­eth forth a plentifull increase: So Christ by his death bringeth many sons to glo­ry; which is begun in the work of grace, wherein those, that were dead in trespasses and sins, are raised up to spiri­tuall life, which is eternall. Or as from Abraham, and Sarah, as a dead stock, & from Isaac, destinated to the slaugh­ter, and received from the dead in a fi­gure, there arose a seed, as the stars of heaven for multitude: So from Christ, the Anti-type, sacrificed, and dead, there springs a numerous off-spring, who de­rive life from him, as may be intimated in the next words [...] he [Page 31] shall prolong dayes, the word his is not in the Hebrew, our translation supplyes it, and so some understand it of Christ him­selfe, being raised again to dye no more. Others read it, he shall prolong [their] dayes, understanding it of his seed, be­ing to continue here successively to the end of the world, and then to live with him for evermore. I conceive, it will be no inconvenience to understand it of Christ mysticall, and to include both the former interpretations: for Christ rai­sed up himselfe to life, and his seed have life in, and through him. As saith Christ himselfe, Iohn 14.19.— Because I live, ye shall live also. And saith Paul, Col. 3 3. Our life is hid with Christ, as the fountain, or root. And Gal. 2.20. I am crucified with Christ, neverthelesse I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me. [He shall see the travel of his soul,] (i. e.) the fruit of his travell, and be satisfied. Though his pangs were as a woman tra­velling with child, and farre more sharp, yet he shall not be as those, that tra­velled in paine, and brought forth winde. Isa. 26.8. Nor as those that brought children to the birth, and had no strength to bring forth. Isa. 37.3. Nor as those, that bring forth abortives or untimely [Page 32] fruit. But as a woman in travaile, that hath sorrow, because her houre is come, but as soon as she is delivered of the Child, she remembreth no more the anguish, for joy, that a man is born into the world. So Christ was in exceeding sorrow, and heavinesse (at the approach, as I may say, of a hard bargain) when his houre drew nigh, Mat. 26.38. But how a­bundantly was he satisfied, when he saw that he had purchased a gratious, and a numerous seed (as the fruit of his body) by those intolerable throwes, that tormented his soul?

Thus likewise Paul having enumera­ted many grosse sorts of sinners, 1 Cor. 6.9, 10. addes ver. 11. Such were some of you, but ye are washed, but ye are san­ctified—in the name of the Lord Jesus Nam sanguis Christi purgationis nostrae ma­teria est: ex ejus morte, et resurre­rectione ju­stitia et sanctificatio nobis contigit, Calv. in loc. Hoc adjecit ut Mediatorem, etre­demptorem in memoriam redigat, per quem nobis tot, bona prove­nerunt. Pet. Mart. in loc., and by the Spirit of our God. What is here wrought by the Spirit, was purchased by Christ, and is wrought upon his ac­count, or in his name: for there is no other name given under Heaven, where­by we should be saved from our sins. This is the fountaine mentioned, Zach. 13.1. that is opened to the house of David, and [Page 33] to the Inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin, and for uncleannesse that they may be purifi­ed therein. This is signified in baptism under the Gospell, Titus. 3.5. Which is called the laver of regeneration: For as the washing of water puts away the fil­thinesse of the flesh, so the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin, 1 Joh. 1.7.

This also was typisied by the ceremo­niall washings under the Law, if we look back unto them, which in them­selves were ineffectuall, as is plainly ex­pressed at large, Heb. 9. take more spe­ciall notice of, ver. 12.13.14. Neither by the blood of Goats, and calves, but by his own blood he entred into the holy place, having obtained eternall redemption for us, For if the blood of Bulls and of Goats, and the ashes of an Heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh; How much more shall the blood of Christ (who through the eternall spirit, offered himselfe without spot to God) purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God. As likewise Heb. 10. The Apostle shews the insuffici­ency of the legall rites in the beginning of the Chapter, and therefore the Sa­crifice of Christ must take place, accor­ding to Scripture, which saith, Lo I [Page 34] come to doe thy will O God,—by which will we are sanctified through the of­fering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And ver. 14. by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified, according to the tenour of the new Co­venant, wherein, saith the Lord, I will put my Lawes into their hearts, and in their mindes will I write them; as you may read, ver. 16. see more in the fol­lowing verses. Multitudes of texts to this purpose might be quoted, as those, that are produced to confirme the Doctrine, which I will not stand to repeate, and many others.

I shall summe up all in a word. What­soever is promised in Scripture concer­ning our Sanctification, is purchased, and ratified by Christ Jesus. For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him amen, unto the glory of God by us, 2 Cor. 1.20.

Christ the Efficient cause of sanctify­ing grace. Christ the procrea­ting cause of sancti­fication.Christ saves his people as the Efficient cause, working Sanctifying grace in them. And he is 1. The Pro­creating. 2. The Conserving. 3. The Perfecting cause of it. For in, and by him, Grace is begun, continued, increa­sed, and perfected. Christ is the procre­ting, or principall efficient cause of San­ctification. [Page 35] He is therefore said to be made unto us of God-Sanctification. 1 Cor. 2.30. Heb. 2.11. For both he that San­ctifieth, and they who are sanctified, &c. And him hath God exalted with his right hand, to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel. Act. 5.31. And he is called, Jesus the Author, and finisher of our Faith, Heb. 12.2. And what is said of Repentance and Faith, may be said of every Grace: for he is the fountaine of Grace, and doth wil­lingly communicate, and readily distri­bute to the necessities of his people. It pleased the Father, that in him should all fulnesse dwell, Col. 1.19. And in him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and know­ledge, Col. 2.3. Hid, not from, but for his people, for saith John, c. 1.16. of his ful­nesse we all receive, and grace for grace. Christs sanctifying work consists of two parts. 1. Not that these are two really distinct parts, or works; but one worke in distinct respects, or conside­rations. The rooting out of sinne. 2. The implanting of Grace, Sinne is called the old man, the flesh, the body of sinne, and our old man is said to be cru­cified with Christ, that the body of sinne might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sinne, Rom. 6.6. And they that are Christs are said to have cru­cified the Flesh with the Affections, and [Page 36] Lusts, Gal. 5.24. Grace is called the new man, Eph. 4.24. the new creature, Gal. 6.15. the first resurrection, Rev. 20.6. and the faithfull are risen with Christ, Col. 3.1. And we are said to be dead unto sin, and alive unto God through Jesus Christ, Rom. 6.11. In all which we see, that the two parts of the worke re­ferre to the death, and resurrection of Christ, not meerly because Christs death, and resurrection purchased it for us; but also, because by the same power, that he raised up himselfe from the dead, he actually mortifies our sins, and raiseth us againe to newnesse of life. The Faithfull have an interest in Christs Death and Resurrection by way of communion with him, he communicates unto them the vertue of his Death, and Resurrection, makes them therein con­formable to himselfe. Thus saith Paul, Phil. 3.10. [...]. That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship (or communion) of his suffe­rings, being made conformable unto his death.

Obj. Is not the holy Ghost our Sanctifier, as Christ is our Redeemer, and the Fa­ther our Creator in a speciall manner? Why then doe you attribute that to Christ, [Page 37] as the speciall Efficient, which belongs to the Holy Ghost?

Answ. 1. It is true, that these works are in some speciall manner attributed to the three persons severally: and the holy Ghost is specially called by Divines, our Sanctifier, as may also be proved from severall texts of Scripture. Yet withall we must remember, that the workes of the Trinity, that are termed workes ad extra are undivided: thus God the Father created, Eph. 3.9. The Son created, John 1.3. All things were made by him, and without him was not any thing made, that was made. And the Holy Ghost created, Gen. 1.2. So in this new creation the Father sanctifies, therefore Christ prayes, Joh. 17.17. San­ctifie them with thy truth. The Son san­ctifies, as hath been already proved at large. And the Holy Ghost sanctifies, Rom. 1.4. Divines joyne them all toge­gether thus, God the Father sanctifies us in Christ, by the Holy Ghost. In the forming of the new man, the whole Tri­nity is imployed, as at the framing of the first Man, when God said, Let us make man after our owne image, Gen. 1.26. Where note by the way, that in this work, though the three persons are [Page 38] all imployed, they are not subordinate causes, nor three co-ordinate causes, concurring to the same effect; but one cause. For although there be a mysteri­ous distinction of the persons, yet by reason of the Unity of the Essence Ubi cae­dem sunt o­perationes, ibi eadem essentia Et vice versâ., there is a Unity of the Divine attributes, and operations. And thus according to the confession of Athanasius, we say, The Father is God, the Son is God, the Holy Ghost is God; and yet there are not three Gods, but one God; The Fa­ther Almighty, the Son Almighty, the Holy Ghost Almighty; and yet, there are not three Amighties, but one Al­mighty. So we must say, The Father Created, the Son Created, the Holy Ghost Created; and yet, there are not three Creators, but one Creator. So also, the Father Sanctifies, the Son Sanctifies, the Holy Ghost Sanctifies; and yet, there are not three Sanctifiers, but one Sanctifier. Thus they are all but one cause, because they all have but one and the same causality, viz. one, and the same Divine power, by which they worke. This mysterie may be in­timated in that Hebrew Idiotism, Gen. 1.1. [...], where a verb singu­lar is joyned with a noune plurall, sig­nifying [Page 39] the unity of causality, & action, as well as of Essence and Nature in the three persons.

Though the Holy Ghost is speci­ally called our Sanctifier, Answ. 2 because he doth immediately sanctifie, yet may the worke be eminently attributed to Christ, 1. Because the Holy Ghost (the san­ctifying spirit) is given by Christ to his people, Mat. 3.11. He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire, which is of a purifying nature, John 15.26. When the Comforter is come, whom I will send you from the Father, even the spirit of truth, &c. Ch. 16, 17. If I goe not away, John 1. 16, 17. Col. 1 19. ver. 18. John 15. 1 Part. the Comforter will not come unto you, but if I depart, I will send him unto you.

2. Because in Christ is the fulnesse of all Grace, and the faithfull derive it from him, as the Members from the head Caput di­stat, & distinguitur à suis membris tripliciter— 3. Ratione cau­salitatis & influentiae. Caput enim motum & sensum omnibus membris impertit, & communicat: membra omni motu, & sensu destituuntur, fi à capite sejungantur. Sic Christus vitam spiritua­lem & motum gratiae infundit membris suis, altoqui stupidis, mor­tuis, & ab omni motu spirituali destitutis. Sin [...] me nil pote­testis facere: at contra, [...]. Dav. in Col. cap. 1. ver. 18., as the branches from the stock; [Page 40] as the streame from the fountaine. He received the spirit without measure, and conveieth it in measure to his peo­ple.

As Christ is the Procreating cause of sanctifying grace, so is he the conser­ving cause of it. It is he that gives, and maintaines the life of grace. As God at first by his power made all things of nothing, and since maintaines them in their being by his providence, having their continued being from him, who gave them their first being; so that the Apostle saith, Act. 17.28. In him we live, move, and have our being. So is it in the new Creature, the continuance of Grace is from Christ Neque ipsum recte vivere no­bis ex nobis est, nifi cre­dentei ad­juvet, & orantes, qui et ipsam fidem de­dit, quia nos ab illo adjuvandos esse creda­nius Aug. de Civ. Dei, lib. 19 cap. 4., who created the first Grace in the Soule, and we are no more able to live the life of Grace, or performe any gracious worke without his conserving, co-operating, and assist­ing grace, than we are able to live, walk, and worke without the preservation and assistance of Divine Providence. Christ is to the Soule, as the Soule is to the Body, when Saint Paul saith, Gal. 2.20. I am crucified with Christ, yet never­thelesse I live, (he doth with an Epanor­thosis correct himselfe thus) yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: As if he should [Page 41] say, this spirituall life of Grace, which I now live, is not from my selfe, but from Christ, who liveth in me, (to wit, by his Grace) and gives life, and moti­on to me. As the Soule gives life to the Body, and the Body lives no longer than the Soule is united to it; but becomes a dead carcase, whensoever it is separa­ted from it: So if Christ, (who is the life of the Soule) should be severed from it, it would immediately become dead againe in Trespasses, and Sinnes, and able to doe no more in Grace, than a dead Corps in Nature. This our Sa­viour Christ himself excellently proves, and illustrates in another comparison, John 15.5, 6. As the branch cannot beare fruit of it selfe, except it abide in the vine, no more can ye, except ye abide in me: I am the vine, and ye are the branches: he that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit, for without me ye can doe nothing. As the branches, that sprout out of the vine, receive sap from it, whereby they are preserved, and become fruitfull, but be­ing once broken off, become dead and fruitlesse, having no more sap or life in themselves. So saith Christ, [...] severed from me [...], ye [Page 42] can doe nothing. There are in the Greek two negatives, which deny the more ve­hemently, as if he should say, ye can­not possibly doe any thing, for if a man abide not in me, he is cast forth, as a branch, and is withered. Philosophers are of opinion, that if the Heavens should stand still but a minute of an houre, and withhold their influence from this lower world, man could not move so much as a little finger. Much more, if Christ should but withhold the influence of his grace from us, should we be unable to move one haires breadth towards any good.

Christ is likewise called the head, and the faithfull the members Caput & membra in eo con­veniunt, quod babe­ant inter se continuita­tem, & quod omnia actum suum, & informationem habeant ab eadem anima. Sic ca­put hoc mysticum & omnia ejusdem membra, habent continuitatem quandam inter se, & informationem suam, spiritualem, & vivi­ficationem ab codem principio. Est enim inter Christum, & omnia Christi membra continuitas quaedam ratione Spiritus Sancti, qui plen [...]ssime residens in Christo capite, imus, & idem numero ad om­nia etiam ejus membra diffunditur, vivificans ca singula, & uni­ens universa. Dav. in Col. c. 1. v. 18. of the body, Col. 1.18. He is the head of the body the Church. As then, in the naturall body, the members have their life preserved by being united to the head, being com­pact together by certain bonds and li­gaments: and if any be cut off, and se­vered, it becomes void of all life, and [Page 43] motion: So is it in the mysticall body, if a soul should be dismembred from Christ, it would (as a hand cut off) im­mediately become livelesse and uselesse. If man, at his first Creation, so soon lost the life of perfect grace, having the cu­stody thereof committed to himselfe; much more would he lose it now, the degree thereof being so imperfect as it is, were not this life originally in Christ. Were it in us alone, it would be but as water in a broken cisterne, that would presently leake all out: But Christ is an ever-over-flowing fountain, continu­ally streaming forth into the souls of his people; yea, as a spring arising within them, as his words to the woman of Sa­maria import, John. 4.10.14. Jesus an­swered and said unto her, if thou hadst known the gift of God, and who it is, that saith unto thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water. Whosoever drinketh of the water, that I shall give him, shall never thirst: but the water, that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water, springing up into everlasting life. Undoubtedly Christ himself is this Fountaine of grace; and well doth Paul call it the grace which is in Christ Jesus. 2. Tim. 2.1.

God hath not then given unto his Saints (as Abraham gave to Hagar) wa­ter in a bottle, to be soon exhausted, that they should hopelessely bewaile the childe of grace, as in a starving, and perishing condition: But hath sent the Angell of his Covenant, who hath chee­red their hearts, by opening their eyes, and shewing them a well of water, whereby they may have assured hope, that the babe shall be preserved, and nourished, till it come to perfect stature. And this directs me to the next head.

III As Christ is the Conserving; so he is also the Perfecting cause of sanctify­ing grace in his people. Christ the perfecting cause of sanctify­ing grace. He is the Alpha, and Omega in the work of grace: He layes both the foundation, and the top­stone in the spirituall building: He is the Finisher, as well as the Authour, of our Faith, Hebrews Chap. 12. ver. 22. and we are said to be compleat in him, Col. 2.10. In the work of Sanctifi­cation; as well, as Justification: Ph. 2.12. Not as though we were already perfect, or could attain it in this life, as the per­fectists fondly argue from thence. Quae ita­que in san­ctis reperi­tur, est im­perfecta quaedam perfectio, tum sci­entiae, tum obedientiae. — De bac Aug Cont. duas. Ep. Pelag. l 3 c. 5 Secundum istius vitae modum est quaedam perfectio, cique, per fectioni hoc deputaetur, ut se quisque noverit nondum esse perfectum. Dav. in Col. cap. 4. v. 13. In [Page 45] this life, this work of Christ is but opus in fieri, not in facto esse: A work in do­ing, not done. Yet is grace perfect in its kinde from the first instant of it in the soul. There is a twofold perfection, 1. Of parts, 2. Of degrees. Or there is a Perfection 1. Of truth, 2 Of Growth.

1. That is perfect in Parts, to which no parts are wanting; and is opposed to maimed. Thus a child is said to be per­fect in the day of his birth, that hath all parts that a child should have. That is perfect with a perfection of Truth, which is not Adulterate, or counterfeit; thus that is said to be perfect gold, which is true, and not counterfeit. In this sense the work of Sanctification is Perfect at the first: the soul is Sanctified through­out, and in every part, though it be but partly Sanctified. The new man, at first forming, hath all its parts, and mem­bers; and the child of grace hath no part wanting in the day of his birth. Anima­lia nascun­tur, [...]. Arist. Hist. anim. l. 7 c. 8. 1 Tim. 1.5 2 Tim. 1.5 2 Cor. 6.6. Ro. 12.9. Then also is it perfect in respect of Truth: there is Faith unfained, Love without dissimulation, and every other grace in sincerity: It will abide the touch-stone, although it be not full weight.

2. There is a Perfection of Degrees, [Page 46] and of Grouth; & this is twofold, 1. Com­parative, compared with that, w ^ch is very weak, little, and much beneath it. 2. Abso­lute, as having nothing to be superadded. Thus, in a Comparative sense, he is said to be Perfect, that is a strong man in Christ, an able Christian in Comparison of those, that are as babes, and but weak in the faith. Thus saith Paul. Phil. 3.15. Let us therefore, as many as be Per­fect, be thus minded. And Heb. 5.14. Strong meat belongs to them, that are of full age, [...]. Heb. 5.14. [...] Phil. 3.15. the Greek word here used, [...] signifies Perfect, and is the same, that is used in the foregoing proof. This perfection also doth Christ give unto the soule that is his: he brings it in, and leads it on in the wayes of grace. He, who is called the Everlasting Father, (who hath begotten us againe) is not contented meerely to preserve the chil­dren of Grace, that they die not; but doth tenderly nurse, and cherish them, and cause them to grow to greater strength and stature. Eph. 4.15, 16. But speaking the truth in love, may grow up in­to him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: from whom the whole body fitly joyned together, and compacted by that which every joynt supplyeth, according to [Page 47] the effectuall working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of it selfe in love.

But alas! how imperfect is the grea­test perfection that is attainable in this life! how many are the sinfull weaknes­ses of the best of Gods servants! and what little dwarfs are they here, in com­parison of their heavenly stature! Christ doth not (therefore) set up Hercules Pillars, with a Nil ultra to what he doth for his people here; but he writes a Plus ultra: there is something more, that he doth for them; yea, that he works in them, which exceeds this, as far, as heaven is higher than the earth.

There is (therefore) in the last place, Perfection of d [...]gree [...] absolute. an absolute perfection of Degrees. which he bestows upon the Souls of his people at the houre of death, Tunc e­nim erit perfectum illud de quo loquens Apostolus: Ex parte, inquit, scimus, & ex parte pro­phetamus, cum dutem venerit id quod perfectum est, quod ex parte est evacuabitur. Deinde ut quomodo possee aliqua simi­litudine ostendere quantum ab illa quae fatura est, distet haec vita, non qualiumcunque hominum, verum etiam qui praecipua hîc sanctitate suut praediti: Cum essem, inquit, parvus, quasi parvulus sapiebam, &c. Aug. de Civ. Dei, lib. 22. cap. 29. and upon the whole man, at the great resurrection: then shall the whole man be wholly per­fect, [Page 48] perfect Soul, and perfect Body, u­nited together; and, when they are brought to the heavenly Canaan, the Canaanites shall be no more in the land, as thornes in their eyes, and goads in their sides, no more arising of sinne in the Soule: no more imperfections cleaving to their Seraphicall Hallelu­jahs: nothing wanting that may be fur­ther desired to the compleating of their happinesse.

Thus Christ is not like a foolish builder, that laid a foundation, and was not able to finish it: but he layes the foundation, and carrieth on the building of grace here, which he compleatly perfects, and beautifully adornes in glory hereafter. In this great work of saving his people from their sins, Christ is all, and in all. He is all Meritoriously, purchasing grace, for them; He is all Efficiently, working grace in them: He infuseth grace, pre­serveth grace, increaseth grace, and perfecteth grace. He is not like unto Moses, that brought the children of Is­srael out of Egypt, and died when he came neere to the borders of Canaan: Nor like unto Joshua that brought them into Canaan, but began the work where Moses left: But both of them together [Page 49] will more fitly typifie the work of Christ our Saviour; Ipse Christus —is pro­priè est, qui nos vocat, fide & vesipis­centia do­nat, ac cre­dentes, [...] justificat, regenerat, vivificet, servitque in vitam aeternam, Z [...]nch de dispens. salutis per Christum, Thes. 17. who brings his people out of bondage from under their hard taskmasters, leads them safe through the wildernesse of this world, and peace­ably setleth them in their everlasting rest, having subdued all their enemies un­der their feet.

Quest. But why, are we not perfectly saved from sin, by being wholy Sanctified at once, even at our first conversion?

Answ. 1. Some say this is done for the greater exaltation of Gods free Grace, to make us the more sensible of what he hath done for us; that we may have no cause of glorying in our selves, but may give all the glory unto God. But this Answer seemes to me to be of no great force. For had we bin Sanctified wholly at once, the work would have been no lesse of grace, then now it is, there would have bin nothing of our merit in it. If a Physitian should un­dertake freely, and upon his own care, and charge to heal a poor sick person, who is not able to give him a Fee, is it [Page 50] not as free (if he thought it fit) to cure him perfectly in a day, as if he take seaven yeares to perfect the cure? Nei­ther should we have bin lesse sensible of what the Lord had done, or have glo­ried the more in our selves, or the less in God. Yea, had we bin perfectly San­ctified all at once, should we not have bin the more sensible of so weighty, and suddaine a change; and have gloried less in our selves, and more in God in that state of perfect Sanctification, then now we are able to doe in a state of im­perfection? We set up our own, and di­minish the due praises of God our Sa­viour, till we come to a state of perfect holinesse.

2. Neither dare I adventure to say with some, that this is done to keep us humble, and low in our owne eyes. 'Tis true (I know) that our daily imperfe­ctions are matters of humiliation, and the consideration of them should make us the more humble: But were we perfectly sanctified, we should be per­fectly humble, and there would be no room for pride.

Neither doe I apprehend any great weight, in what other particular reasons I have seen given for it: For I doe not [Page 51] remember any speciall reason given in Scripture, It is sufficient that God hath revealed it his will to have it so, and we are abundantly bound to be thank­full for our deliverance, whether it be sooner or later compleated. We lost our stock of grace sodainly, and are long in recovering our losse. We were wounded in a moment, but are not so soon healed: Our Chirurgion was able to have wrought the cure in as little time, as we made the wound. But let us waite the Lords leisure, for the hea­ling of our Souls in his own order with­out too curiously prying into the rea­son of his method.

Though the work of Salvation from sin, be wholly the work of Christ, Instru­mentall causes of Sanctifi­cation. both in Purchase and application (as hath been already shewed) yet he is pleased to fit, and make use of instruments for bringing in, and leading on his people in the waies of holinesse.

The instrument that Christ makes use of in the first Sanctification of grown persons, (for infants (such in whom Grace is wrought) are sanctified with­out meanes) is his Word or Gospel. Rom. 10.17. Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. And [Page 52] the Gospel is called the power of God un­to Salvation, Rom. 1.16. Our Savi­our Jesus Christ hath abolished death, and brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel, 2 Tim. 1.10. which is termed the word of reconciliation, 2 Cor. 5.18, 19. And the word which is able to save our Soules, James 1.21. And saith Paul to the Thessalonians, 2 Ep. 2.13, 14. God hath from the beginning cho­sen you to Salvation, through sanctifica­tion of the Spirit, and beliefe of the truth, whereunto he called you by our Gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Je­sus Christ. The word discovers our sin, and misery, Rom. 7. James 2.9. Rev. 3.17. And directs us to the Fountaine of Grace for healing, and help. Isa. 55.1, 2, 3. Zach. 13.1. Mat. 11.28, 29. Ioh. 17.37, 38.

The Word being but an Instrument workes not without the spirit of Christ, which is the Principall Efficient Instru­mentum non movet nisi movea­tur., as we say, The instrument moves not, unlesse it be moved. As a Sword cuts not without some hand to weild it, so the Word, (though it be sharper then a two-edged sword) slayeth not corruption, nor con­verteth the Soule, but as it is set home by the power of the Spirit, and this may [Page 53] be one reason why the Word of God is called the word of the Spirit, Eph. 6.17. Dr. Gouge upon the place gives two reasons why the Word of God is called the Sword of the Spirit. ‘1. In regard of the Author of it, 2 Pet. 1.21. 2. In regard of the nature, or kind of it; for it is spirituall, and so opposed to a materi­all sword, made of mettall, which may be called the sword of flesh.’ To this purpose the Apostle saith the wea­pons of our warfare are not carnall, 2 Cor. 10.4. And this may be a sufficient reason also to call it the sword of the Spi­rit; because it is the Spirits weapon, wherewith it slaies those fleshly lusts, that warre against Gods glory, and the Souls happiness: As that was said to be the sword of Joab, Abner, Jonathan, or David, wherewith they fought against their enemies.

Men, more especially Ministers of the Gospel (who are Christs own Ambas­sadours) are Instruments in saving his people from their sins, as they bring the word, or message of life and salva­tion unto them. They are called [...] co-workers, or labourers together with God, 1 Cor. 3.9. and Ministers, by whom the Church believeth, ver. 5. To this [Page 54] purpose saith Paul to Timothy, 1 Tim. 4.16. Take heed unto thy self, and unto the doctrine; continue in them; for, in do­ing this, thou shalt both save thy self, and them that heare thee: And Rom. 10.14, 15. How shall they believe on him, of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a Preacher? and how shall he preach except he be sent? as it is written: How beautifull are the feet of them that preach the Gospel of peace, and bring the glad tydings of good things! Therefore Christ hath given Ministers to his Church for this pur­pose, Ephes. 4.11, 12. And he therefore sent forth his Disciples to teach all nati­tions. Mat. ult. 19.

Private persons, within their sphere, may be instrumentall in the converting of Souls. 1 Cor. 7.16. What knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thy Hu­sband? or how knowest thou, O man, whether thou shalt save thy Wife? Doubtlesse the husband is many times an happy instrument of converting the wife, and the wife likewise of converting the husband; and Parents, and Masters have been often blessed instruments of much good in this kind, to their chil­dren, and servants: so likewise one [Page 55] friend and neighbour to another. Brethren, saith James, chap. 5.19, [...]0. If any of you doe erre from the truth, and one convert him, let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the er­ror of his way, shall save a soule from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins. And the reading of the Word may (through Gods grace) become effectu­all, where the preaching of it is not de­spised.

In Christs work of preserving, and increasing grace, the same means, and other also, are instrumentall The Word is Milk for Babes, and Meat for Strong men, both to preserve and increase their strength and stature. 1 Pet 2.2. As new born babes desire the sincere milk of the Word, that ye may grow thereby. See Heb. 5.12, 13, 14. chap. 6.1, 2. The Sa­craments also, are means (being added, as seals, to the Covenant) to confirm faith, and all saving graces: Yea, in this work, after the receiving of the first speciall grace, Christians are instrumen­tall in the saving of their own C [...]riè t [...]men illi sunt, qui nos in con­versione ad Deum truncos esse volunt & lapides. Cum enim quisque sen­tiat reipsa dum à spi­ritu Sancto illumina­tur, renova­tur, trahi­tur, se quod ignorabat cognoscere, quod nolebat velle, quod aversabatur amare, a quo fu­giebat, ad eum libenter, & sponte currere, & quod vitae genus oderat, illud ex animo amplecti, quomodo lapides, ac stipites sumus? Zanch Ep. ad Marcum Meningum, de nostra ad Deum con­versione. souls. Thus saith Paul to Timothy, 1 Epist. 4.16. Take heed unto thy selfe, and unto the doctrine; continue in them, for in doing this, thou shalt both save thy selfe [Page 56] and them that heare thee. Thus saith Peter, 1 Ep. 1.22. Seeing that ye have pu­rified your soules, in obeying the truth, through the spirit.— and 1 John 3.3. Every man that hath this hope in him, purifieth himselfe, even as he is pure. Prayer is a speciall means, whereby the faithfull obtain both a continuance, and increase in grace. 2 Cor. 12.7, 8, 9. Luke 17.5. Mat. 6.13. Psal. 51.10, 11.

Crosses, afflictions, wonderfull and remarkable providences, tend many times (through Gods direction) both to the working, and increase of grace, Psal. 119.67. Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now have I kept thy word. Ver. 71. It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I might learn thy statutes, 2 Chron. 33.11, 12. Acts 16. 26. to 32.

The compleat perfection of the soul, wherein it is saved from all the reliques of corruption, is the immediate work of Christ our Saviour; for while his peo­ple are here in the flesh, they bear about [Page 57] them the body of sin; and immediately upon the separation of the soule from the body, is the soul perfectly freed from sin: The earthly Tabernacle, and the body of sin are laid down both to­gether, so that the Word, and other Ordinances, and all endeavours towards perfection, that were usefull in time of life, can have no place here, when the spirits of just men are made perfect in a moment.

The subject of this Salvation, The sub­ject of Salvation. or per­sons saved are his people, those that were given to Christ by the Father (as was expressed in the opening of the Text) viz. the Elect of God, these, and onely these, Rom. 8.30. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called. — Those that were predestinate before time, are the called in time, and they are called with an holy calling, 2 Tim. 1.9. they are called from uncleannesse to holi­nesse, 1 Thes. 4.7. They are his work­manship created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained, that they should walk in them, Eph. 2.10. For these onely Christ laid down his life, with an absolute purpose to save. John 10.15. I laid down my life for the sheep: For these he prayed as Media­tour, [Page 58] John 17.9. I pray for them, I pray not for the world, but for them which thou gavest me, for they are thine. To these he manifests the name of God, ver, 6. I have manifested thy name to the men which thou gavest me out of the world, thine they were, & thou hast given them me. And for their sakes (saith Christ, v. 19) I sanctifie my self, that they also might be sanctified through the truth. These, onely, heare his voice, & follow him, and to these, onely, he gives eternall life, Joh. 10.27, 28.

The people that are thus given to, and saved by Christ, are by nature Hoc u­num è S [...]li­teris didi­scimus, ho­minem in hic, quae ad pictatem pertinent, sua natura, eó que antequam fi [...] nova creatura, hoc est, ante conver­sionem esse animalem, & ideo quae sunt Dei, nihil eorum intellige­re posse; habere cor lapideum, & ob eam causam, nisi prius à Deo carneum accipiat cor, quod flecti in ipsius obsequium possit, non posse velle, quae suae naturae ingrata sunt, essed denique mortuum, ac promden fi preventus a gratia Christi per Christum vivificetur, nullum verae &. coelestis vitae opus praestare posse. Zach. Ep. ad m. Men. de nostra ad Deum conversione. the children of wrath, even as others, Eph. 2.3. dead in trespasses and sins, ver. 1. they are indeed Christs Sheep, but lost sheep, Ovis animal est stolidum ac iners & omnium quadrupedum stupid ss [...]ū quod in devia et loca deserta diseurrit, et oberrat, eti­amsi pascita aomi habeat, et pabusū copiosū— Eisi à tempestatibus et invibus obruatur non discedit ex loco, nisi a pastore abigatur, &c. Aristot. de nat. animal l. 9. in a straying condition without the fold of Christ, John 10.16. The [Page 59] terme then, from which they are brought in this great Salvation, is Sin, Sathan, and the World. The term to which, is God in holinesse. To this purpose speak many Scriptures; two I shall mention, which speak fully to the matter: Paul saith that Christ sent him to the Gen­tiles to open their eyes, and to turn them from darknesse to light, and from the power of Sathan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified, Acts 26.18. And again, saith Paul to Titus, c. 2.3, 4, 5, 6. We, our selves also, were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hatefull and hating one another: But after that the kindeness and love of God our Saviour toward man, appeared, not by works of righteousnesse, which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of Re­generation, and renning of the holy Ghost, which he shed on us abundantly, through Jesus Christ our Saviour. The Cure must be according to the nature of the Disease, and the Remedy suitable to the Misery; which was a departing from God to the Creature, which is called two great evils. Jer. 2.13. My people [Page 60] have committed two great evils, they have forsaken me the fountaine of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisternes, that can hold no wa­ter.

The power likewise, by which this salvation is wrought, must needs be an­swerable to the greatnesse of the misery. It must be a strong arm that rescues a Lamb out of the paw of a Lion: It must be no lesse than a Divine Tu es Deus omni­potens, qui justificas impios, et vivificas mortuos, et mutas pec­catores, et non sunt. Tibi soli possibile est suscitare si­lios Abrabae de duris la­pidibus. Aug. Theo. conf. par. 2. cap. 10. power, that raiseth a Soule from death to life, and makes it partaker of the Divine nature. It is the Divine power that gives all things pertainig to life and godlinesse, 2 Pet. 1.3. And it is the same mighty power by which Christ himself was raised from the dead, that worketh effectually in them that believe, Eph. 1.19, 20. The want of Grace in the soul is not a Phy­sicall privation, before the habit, where the subject is apt, and disposed to receive the form: but a Logicall pri­vation, where the form is excluded, and past a naturall power of recovery. The generation of a living child is natu­rall to man, and according to nature it is said, Abraham begat Isaac, &c. but the raising of the dead to life, is a work above nature, and therefore a reall mi­racle, [Page 61] requiring an Almighty power to effect it. Our new creation in Christ is a greater worke then our first creation in Adam, and our resurrection from sin to newnesse of life, is more than the resur­rection of our bodies from the grave. Christ therefore puts forth his Almighty power, to save his people from their sins, & when he thus workes, none can let, he workes irresistably, the greatest ineptitude and depravity of nature shall be overcome. He opens the eyes of them that were borne spiritually blinde, and the unction of his Spirit is an eye-salve, whereby they are enabled to see, and know all things necessary to Salvation. Though the will be refractory, and the carnall minde not an Enemy only, but enmity it selfe against God, Rom. 8.7. [...]. Ezek. 36.26. Gen. 6.5. he bowes and inclines it, and of unwilling makes it willing, Psal. 110.3. They shall be a willing peo­ple, in the day of thy power. His blood dissolves the adamantine spirit. He takes away the hard and stony heart, and gives a heart of flesh. Though the thoughts and imaginations of the heart be evill, onely evill, and that continually he reformes them, and makes them delight in medita­ting on his word. Though carnal affecti­ons be strong, and unbridled, carrying [Page 62] the minde to earthly objects, he cruci­fies the flesh, with the Affections and Lusts. Though the holds and fortifica­tions of sinne be strong in the Soule, and the strong man armed (Satan) possesse them, and the Elect, by nature them­selves, Psal. 68.18. be rebellious also, joyning with Satan, and warring against their Savi­our, Christ who is infinitely stronger, batters these fortifications, spoiles him of his goods, delivers poor captivated soules and brings them into a blessed captivity, to the obedience of Christ himselfe.

In a word, where Christ undertakes the worke, the roughest and hardest stone in the corrupted, and confused Masse shall be hewen, polished, and fitted to the spirituall building, and the most knotty piece shall be curiously wrought, to a most beautifull statue, after the image of God.

I shall both summe up, and further cleer this discourse, in these short Pro­positions following;

1. Man by nature Britan. Theol. Sententia in Synodo Dord. Thes. 1. Voluntas hominis lapsi nudata est donis spiritualibus, & salutaribus, quibus in innocentiae statu donata fuit: ac proinde ad actus spirituales nil jam valet absque viribus gratiae. Thes. 2. Lapsae voluntati inest non tantum peccandi possibilitat, sed etiam praeceps ad peccandum inclinatio. De libero Arbitrio, & Gratiâ brevis est Ecclesiae nost [...]ae de­finitio, Art. 10. proposita in haec verba. Ea est hominis post lap­sum Adae conditio, ut sese naturalibus suis viribus & bonis operibus ad fidem, & invocationem Dei convertere ac praeparare non possit. Quare absque gratia Dei, quae per Christum est, nos preveniente ut velimus, & co-operante dum volumus, ad pietatis opera facienda, quae Deo grata sunt & accepta nil valemus. In quibus verbis homini in statu lapsus, sive peccati, tam vires, quam merita negantur, ad bonum spirituale. Daven. De lib. Arb. & Gratiae cooperatione. is dead in tre­spasses [Page 63] and sins, and hath neither power, nor wil to help himself, yea, he is an ene­my to the work of Grace upon his own Soul, and therefore stands in need of the effectually working grace of Christ.

2. Brit. Theol. sent. in Syn Dord. De con­versione, Thes. 1. Deus animos electorum suorum praedictis gratiae su [...] actibus excetatos, & praeparatos intima quadam & mirabu [...] operatione regenerat, & quafi de novo ereat, infundendo spiri­tum vivificantem, & omnes animae facultates novis qualicati­bus imbuendo. Christ in saving of a Soule from sinne workes powerfully, and irresistibly, overcoming all opposition whatsoever, whether within or without us.

3. Thes. 2. Ad hoc ip­sum opus regenerationis habet se homo passivè, neque est in potestate volun­tatis humana impedire Deum sic immediatè, regenerantem. In Christs first worke of Grace upon the Soule, the Soule is passive.

[Page 64]4. De Con­versione qua dene­tat actionem bominis, &c. Pradictam conversionem sequitur haec nostra conversio actualis, Deo proliciente ipsum actum credendi, & convertendi ex mutata voluntate, quae acta à Deo agit et ipsa, convertendo se ad Deum, et credendo, hoc est, actum suum vitalem eliciendo. Man by his fall into a State of sin, hath wholly lost all ability of will to any spirituall good accompanying Salva­tion: So as a naturall man being altogether averse from that good, and dead in sin, is not able by his own strength to con­vert himself, or prepare himselfe thereunto. When God converts a sinner, and translates him into a state of grace, he freeth him from his naturall bondage under sin; and by his grace alone, enables him freely to will, and to doe that which is spiritually good. Conf. of Faith by the late Assemb. at Westminster, cap. 9. Yet no man is converted or san­ctified against his will, but Christ work­eth upon the soul, by inclining the will, of unwilling making it willing, Ps. 110.3.

5. When Christ drawes effectually, the Soule comes presently, and infalli­bly, yet not by compulsion, but willing­ly, Cant. 1.4. Draw me, we will run after thee.

6. Drawing is Christs word, coming is the Soules act, done in the power of Christ effectually moving.

Obj. If man be meerly passive in the work of conversion, and no man be able in the use of any meanes to convert himselfe, but Grace is of the Lords immediate in­fusing; to what purpose is it, to heare the [Page 65] Word, or use any other meanes to attaine Grace, more than to sit still and doe nothing at all. And to what purpose doe Mini­sters preach the Word?

Answ. 1. The preaching of the Word is Gods ordinary meanes for the con­verting of Soules, Psal 19.7. The Law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul. Rom. 10.17. Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. And God, who hath ordained the meanes, hath bound us to the use of them: for as the Word, and Mans indeavours can availe nothing without the Spirit, so the Spirit will not worke, where the Means is rejected. It is God onely, that gives the increase; but his Pauls and Apol­lo's must be planting and watering. Con­cerning the sowing the seed of the Word, we may say as Solomon in ano­ther case, Eccles. 11.6. In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thy hand, for thou knowest not, whe­ther shall prosper, either this, or that, or whether they both shall be alike good. Ministers are Gods Husbandmen, and People are Gods Husbandry, or as the field, in which this seed is sown: 1 Cor. 3.9. it is the Ministers worke to sow, and Gods to make the ground fruitfull.

Ans. 2. The lesse able we are to work grace in our own souls, the more careful we should be to wait upon the Lord of grace, in the use of the meanes of grace. The blind, and deaf, and dumb in the Gospell waited the more diligently up­on Christ for help, because they could not have help any otherwise, than by his speciall divine power; they waited in the way, that Christ came, and so must the soul, that would have spirituall help, wait upon Christ in the way that he comes; which is the way of his Ordi­nances.

Obj. But is not the outward teaching to be layd aside? Is it not said, Jer. 31.33, 34. This is the Covenant, that I will make with the house of Israel: after those dayes, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward paths,—And they shall teach no more— And doth not the Author to the Hebrewes interpret it of the dayes of the Gospel, and say, expressely, they shall not teach, Heb. 8.10, 11. Must we not then wait only for the inward, and im­mediate teaching of the Spirit of God?

Answ. 1. The Lord intended not the laying aside of outward teaching; for Christ himselfe went up and downe preaching the Gospel before his passi­on; [Page 67] he taught his Disciples also after his resurrection, as appears Ma. 28.18. Mar. 16.14. ad 19. Luk. 24.36, to 51. He gave a new Commission to his Disciples, to goe teach all Nations, Mat. 28.19, 20. and promiseth to be with them, and with those, that should succeed them in the work of the Ministery to the end of the world. And he, who is the chiefe Sheep­herd, committed the feeding of his flock to them. John 21.15, 16, 17. The fruit of his Ascention was the giving of Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors, Eph. 4.11, 12. and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints, for the work of the Ministry: And we must not be so absurd, as to thinke that Christ by his owne practise, and commssion to others contradicted the Prophesies; I came not to destroy the Law, or the Prophets, but to fulfill, saith Christ, Mat 5.17.

Answ. 2. The teaching of this Do­ctrine, is a self confutation to the Tea­chers: for if no man must teach ano­ther, then they that are of this opinion must not teach it others, but must leave God to teach them that, as well as other things.

Answ. 3. But to inquire more strict­ly into the sense, and meaning of the [Page 68] place, we must note, that the Author of this Epistle, comparing Moses and Christ together, preferres Christ in all things above him, and comparing the internall efficacy of Christ, with the ex­ternal administrations of the Law, shews, that Christ was the substance of those shadowes in the Ceremoniall Law, and that from Christ onely was Grace de­rived to obey sincerely the Moral Law, according to those words, Ioh. 1.16, 17. Of his fulnesse have all we received, and Grace for Grace. For the Law was given by Moses, but Grace & Truth came by Iesus Christ: Which being well understood would be a good Commentary upon a great part of the Epistle to the Hebrews. The great error of the Jews, was their resting in themselves, and the Letter of the Law. They had the Ceremonial Law, and resting in those types, and shadows, looked not with an eye of Faith to Christ the Antitipe, who was the end and scope of the Law, and alone able to take away sinne, as pertaining to the Conscience. They had also the Morall Law, written in tables of stone, and rested in their own strength, according to the Letter of the Law and thought to expiate their defects, by those carnall [Page 69] offerings, as Paul plainly and largely declares, if we compare Rom. 9.31, 32, 33. with the former part of the tenth Chapter. Now in the Epistle to the Hebrews, the Apostle clearly shews, that Christ was the substance of those things, whereof the Ceremonies were shadows: and that as Moses taught outwardly onely, so Christ alone teacheth inward­ly, powerfully, and effectually; wri­ting his Lawes in the hearts of his peo­ple. So that all (as I conceive) that can be truly gathered out of these words, is, that the inward, effectuall teaching, or writing of the Law upon the heart, is the proper, and peculiar work of Christ; and he was therefore to be pre­ferred farre above Moses, (so highly magnified by the Jewes) who being but a Minister, could onely teach out­wardly.

CHAP. III.

1 IF the great work of Christ our Sa­viour be the saving of his people from their sins, then this may informe us, how to answer an argument of the Papists against two points of Doctrine, where­in we, with the Reformed Churches dif­fer from them. The first is the Doctrine of Iustification. The second is the Do­ctrine of assurance of Salvation. In the Doctrine of Iustification (say they) that, which maketh us righteous before God, and causeth us to be accepted to life e­verlasting, is remission of sinnes, and the habits of inward righteousnesse, or Charity with the fruits thereof.

We deny the habits of righteousnesse, or Sanctification to be the thing, by which, in whole, or in part, we are to be justified in the sight of God, either as satisfactory to Justice, or Meritori­ous of Reward, and affirme, that we are justified by Faith in Christ alone, without the deeds of the Law.

They object among many, other Ar­guments, that our way of Justification by Faith alone, is the way to banish good workes out of the world, and to open a gate for carnall liberty.

To which our Divines usually answer, that we are justified by Faith alone, but not by such a Faith as is alone: that it is such a Faith, as worketh by love, and brings forth the fruits of righteousnesse. And although we do not doe good works to be justified by them, as any part of our legall righteousnesse, yet the practice of good workes we hold most necessary, for many other good reasons. But not in­tending to give any account of those many reasons we assigne, let us consider what answer this Doctrine in hand will afford. Saving Faith is to accept of, and embrace Christ for Salvation, to wit, that we may have that Salvation applyed to us, which he hath purchased for us, and what that is, hath been already shewed, to wit, Salvation from sinne, and not meerely from wrath for sinne. This is Salvation both in Scripture-sense, and language, as you have heard at large. Christ did not purchase our Salvation piece-meale, neither doth he bestow it piece-meale, neither can we receive it [Page 72] piece-meale, he will be a whole Saviour, or no Saviour. He that believes that he may be saved, believes that he may be saved from the whole misery of his Soul; which is both sin and wrath: and he that doth not thus believe, doth not save­ingly believe, and he that doth thus be­lieve in Christ, or embrace him, leaves no room for carnall liberty.

If we phansie to our selves such a sal­vation, as Scripture speakes not of, and then draw absurdities from the Do­ctrine of Salvation by Faith alone, the absurdity will returne upon the misap­prehension of the Objectors. If a Man should say, he believes in Christ, to be saved from sinne, and not from wrath, our Adversaries (I suppose) would not call that saving Faith, and we have lesse cause to call that saving Faith, that pro­fesseth to believe in Christ to be saved from wrath, and not from sinne, (as appeares by the arguments confirming the Doctrine) Christ, as our whole Sa­viour, to wit, from both those evils, is the adaequate object of saving Faith, which is therefore both Justifying, and Sanctifying Faith, and not a Carnall, or Licentious Faith, or rather phantasie as they make it.

Were there no evill, that we should be saved from by believing, but onely that of suffering the wrath of God for sinne, their argument might seem to have the greater strength, although it would then be found too weak. But when the Soule looks upon sin it selfe, as the great enemy, from which Christ came to save his people; and flies to Christ, that it may obtaine deliverance, how can it at the same time give wel­come entertainment to sinne? Is it pos­sible for a Man to have fellowship and communion with pleasure, and delight, and without feare, with a man, that he is flying from, as his most mortall ad­versary, hasting to a place of refuge to be secured from him?

2. They object likewise against the Doctrine of assurance of Salvation. We affirming, that there may be a certainty, and infallibility by Faith Faith, to­gether with expe­rience of speciall Grace, wrought in the heart, gives us assu­rance of Salvation.: they assert­ing that we can only have a probability by hope; arguing, that the Doctrine of certainty of Salvation tends to car­nall security, to which we may likewise answer out of this Doctrine: That if Christ came to save his people from their sinnes, it would be a contradiction to assert, that a Man may be assured of [Page 74] his Salvation at the same time, while he allowes himself in carnall security, which is reall bondage. He that deliberately allowes himselfe in a course of carnall liberty, may thereby assure himselfe, that he is not in a state of Salvation, for 'tis evident, that he lies under the great e­vil, that Christ came to save his people from: and it may be truly said to such a Man, as Peter said to Simon Magus, Thou hast neither part, nor lot in this Matter [of Salvation] for thy heart is not right in the sight of God—thou art in the gall of bitternesse, Act. 8.21. and bond of ini­quity.

In this objection of theirs, there would be likewise the more appearance of strength, although not strength e­nough to their purpose, did Salvation consist onely in being justified, and so delivered from Gods avenging wrath. But if the Master-piece of our Salvation be to be saved from sin it selfe, as hath been proved, how can it be supposed, that assurance of Salvation should give liberty to sin?

II 2. Hence it is no wonder, that a child of God after falling into grosse sinnes. or more then ordinary remissenesse in the service of God, should upon the [Page 75] triall of his Estate, want assurance of Salvation. If Christ came to save his people from their sins, can his people be assured of Salvation, while they goe on carelesly in sinning? It is true, a misguided, or sleepy conscience may forbeare to molest, or trouble a man, that hath let loose the reines to carnall liberty: but a cleer, awakened consci­ence, will not speak peace in such a case as this. When David had fallen into those foule sinnes of Adultery and Mur­der, no sooner was his Conscience a­wakened, but he was at a losse for the comfortable assurance of his Salvation: his inward joy and peace, were drowned in his Lusts, which caused him sadly to bewaile his sinne, and pray earnestly, Restore unto me the joy of thy Salvation, Psal. 51.12. Were we but as sensible of spirituall, as we are of bodily injury; our sinnes we fall into, would be unto our Soules, as so many wounds, and bruises are to our bodies, causing pain and griefe: But the remainder of cor­ruption in the best of Gods Servants, doth much dull their spirituall senses, whereby they are not so clearly exer­cised to discerne between good and e­vill: yet the faithfull Servants of God [Page 76] have so much spirituall sense of the evill of sinne (at leastwise after some time of recollection) that they feel their foule miscarriages paining them to the pur­pose. They are unto them like so many putrified wounds, broken bones, or bones out of joynt, as David complains, Psal. 38.3, 5. There is no soundnesse in my flesh, because of thine anger, neither is there any rest in my bones because of my sinne. My wounds stink and are corrupt, because of my foolishnesse. Blessed are the pure in heart, saith Christ, for they shall see God, Mat. 5.8. to wit, comfor­tably here, as well as joyfully hereafter: if purity qualifies the Soule, so as that it may the more cleerly see God, then im­purity of Heart, and Life, must be as a thick cloud interposing betwixt the Soule, and the light of Gods counte­nance, so that it cannot be refreshed with the beames of his favour, as for­merly, till by serious repentance the cloud be removed.

III 3. This will likewise informe us, whe­ther we may in the avoiding of evill, and doing of good, propose the escaping of Hell, and obtaining salvation, as the end of so doing. Our sins dishonour God, by our sanctification we glorifie [Page 77] him: and he commands us to read, hear, pray, &c. for the subduing of sin, and increase of grace; and must we not presse on still forwards, towards perfe­ction, continually growing in grace, till we come to glory, which is the high­est degree of grace? This is our salvation to be saved from sinne, and towards this all the means of grace, and duties of piety tend: the Word, that we hear, is the sword of the Spirit, for the slay­ing of sinne, we pray against sinne, watch against sinne, strive against sinne, and may we not doe it to be saved from sinne? nay, can we rightly or ratio­nally use the meanes, without minding this end? Doth not Heavens happinesse consist in the enjoyment of God in holi­nesse, and is not God most glorified by us, when his glorious Image is com­pleated in us? And may we not make this state the end of our endeavours?

May we not make the escaping of Hell also the end of our duties, (if we doe but in any measure understand what Hell is) without being Legallists? That Hell is a place of intollerable torment, I doubt not, for it is set forth by fire & brimstone, and unquenchable fire in Scripture, and 'tis called outer darknesse, where the worm [Page 76] [...] [Page 77] [...] [Page 78] never dies, & the fire never goes out. And Rev. 14.10, 11. 'Tis said of those, who worship the Beast, and his Image, and whosoever receive the marke of his name (which shall be the condition of all the damned) The same shall drinke of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture, into the cup of his indignation, & they shall be tormen­ted with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy Angels, and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoake of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever, and they have no rest day nor night.

But certainly as the torment is there the greatest, so sinne there is at the highest, where the damned never cease to blaspheme God. Can Gods honour be deare unto us, and we not fear to blaspheme him? can we make Gods glory our end, without solicitous care to avoid that state, wherein we should never cease, with the Devil and his An­gels to blaspheme the most High?

When men have framed a Heaven and Hell, according to the modell of their owne braine, no mervaile if they deduce strange consequences from it.

IV 4. This likewise informes us, that [Page 79] Christ died not alike for all men See Ball of the Co­venant of Grace, from pag. 203. to pag. 264. under this head. Christ the Mediatour of the New Testament, for whom he died, and rose again., For he came to save his people from their sins: all are not his people, as I have shewed you before, neither are all saved, or to be saved from their sinnes. The Doctors of the Doctrine of equall Universall Redemption tell us, that Christ dyed, and dyed alike for all men, as much for Cain, Esau, Judas, &c. as for Abel, Jacob, Peter, or any of the glorified Saints. And this they boast of, as the onely way to exalt the riches of Grace: One of them publickly excepted against a godly Minister (now with the Lord) because he onely invited sinners to repent, and believe, that they might be saved; and did not tell them, that Christ dyed intentionally to save all. This Objector called it clipt truth, as if if it had been a detracting from the truth of Christ.

Egregiam verò landem! A rare com­mendation indeed of the grace of Christ, that teacheth, that Christ hath no more for the glorified in Heaven, than for the damned in Hell: that Abel, Jacob, Peter, are no more beholding to Christ, than Cain, Esau, Judas, which must needs follow, if he did no more for the one than the other. And that [Page 80] when the Apostle asketh, 1 Cor. 4.7. who made thee to differ from another, and what hast thou, that thou hast not received? The Believer must answer, [I have made my self to differ, Christ hath done no more for me, than for the vi­lest reprobate, he died, and did alike for all men, and put all mankinde in a like capacity for salvation, and wherein I differ from the worst of sinners, it is onely from my self.] This is plainly the sense of their doctrine.

This they boast of also, as the onely way to comfort afflicted consciences, and call the contrary uncomfortable do­ctrine. Do but well consider it, and it will prove about as comfortable to a troubled Soule, as it is honourable to the riches of Christs grace. The per­plexed soule cries out [I have sinned grievously against the Almighty, and just God, & he hath set my sins in order before me, my conscience is more than a thousand witnesses against me, I see my self to be a damned wretch, divine ven­geance hangs over my head.] This Com­forter answers, Be of good cheer, Christ died as much for thee as for any. How doth that appear? He died for every man alike, therefore as much for thee as [Page 81] for any. To whom the troubled soule may easily reply, [If he died for all men alike, then no more for me than for Cain, Esau, Judas, and the rest of the damned in hell: And how shall I be assured that I shall be priviledged above them, for I cannot believe?] What this miserable Comforter can an­swer more, but what may be retorted again in like manner, I know not. If he shall say as some do, Christ hath repen­ted, believed, and done all for thee; It may be answered, [so you say he did for Cain and Judas, if he did as much for every man, as for any man, and yet they are damned.] If he shall say, Christ will give thee a believing peni­tent heart, and will take away thy hard and stony heart: this destroyes their own tenet; for then there is some spe­ciall grace purchased for, and bestowed upon one, which another hath no share in.

But I will not now trouble you with the controversie at large; onely for your help, to satisfie your selves, and silence gainsayers, consider what hath been already laid down in the forego­ing discourse. Christ hath by his own blood obtained eternall redemption for us, [Page 82] Heb. 9.12. And this redemption is from dead works, to serve the living God, as you may see ver. 14. How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternall Spirit, offered himselfe without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? See likewise cap. 10.9, 10.14. Then said I, Loe I come to doe thy will (O God) By which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all: For by one offering he hath for ever perfected them that are sanctified. Thus we see he hath redeemed his people from all iniquity, as the Apostles ex­pression is, Tit. 2.14. He hath purcha­sed for them perfect eternall Sanctifica­tion: Faith and Repentance, which the Gospel requires, Christ gives unto his people as a part of what he hath pur­chased for them. He gives repentance unto Israel, Acts 5.31. He is Jesus the author and finisher of our faith, Heb. 12.2. of his fulnesse we all receive, and grace for grace, Joh. 1.16. It is from the fulnesse of his Purchase, as well as of the fulness of the Grace that dwells in him, that his people do receive. Christ hath pur­chased the beginning, increase, and per­fection of all sanctifying and saving [Page 83] grace for his people: And herein hath he done more for his people than for others: herein hath he done much more for Abel, Jacob, Peter, than for Cain, Esau, Judas. Here is enough to make a partition wall between the Elect and Reprobate.

V 5. This will likewise inform us where­in the multitude of carnal people among us deceive themselves, in their accepting of Christ for their Savior. They look upō Christ as coming to save them from the wrath of God onely, that is due unto them for sin, and they are willing to be saved by him: We doubt not but the vilest sinner, that delighteth in his abomina­tions, who saith, he is willing that Christ should save him from the wrath of the Almighty, speake truth: We need not question but any man would be willing to be saved from the flames of Hel; yea, the Devils themselves would not refuse to be delivered from them; for nature it self abhorres sufferings; Who would be willing to go to a place of everlast [...]ng torment? But true faith accepts of Christ, as a perfect Saviour, to save the soule from all its misery, both of sin and suffering: And this is the main difference between the faith of [Page 84] a child of God; and the Faith of the ignorant, and carnall multitude. There is not the prophanest wretch, but would be willing, that God should be reconciled unto him, blotting out his sins: but how hard a matter is it to perswade a sinner to be reconciled unto God, wil­lingly parting with his sins! All the wooing, intreating, beseeching, and the best Rhetorick we can use is too little to prevaile. 2 Cor. 5.20. Now then we are Ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us; we pray you in Christs stead be ye reconciled to God. So saith Peter, Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which warre against the soul. This is indeed the great and main work of the Ministers of the Gospel, to per­swade sinners to accept of Christ for salvation from Sinne: sinne is the mire that carnall persons stick in, and are unwilling to be drawn out of.

VI 6. This will also informe us, who they are, that are the best Gospel preachers, that most exalt the riches and grace of Christ: undoubtedly those, that preach Christ a Saviour from sinne, as well as from the fruit and effects of sinne. Ma­ny thinke there is no Gospel-preaching, [Page 85] but onely the preaching of pardon, and remission of all sin to the worst of sin­ners: If we preach the doctrine of Sanctification, that is accounted Legall doctrine: but if we perswade swearers, drunkards, and the worst of sinners, that they have nothing to do, but believe their sins are pardoned already; and that the legal work of repenting, wat­ching, striving against sin, and care to please God must not be regarded; then we shall be extolled for preachers of free-grace. Alas, poor mistaken souls! are Christ and Grace onely exalted in the pardon of sin, and must we take no heed to the sanctification of sinners? Is it a Gospel-work to preach Christ, as having taken away suffering, the fruit of sin, and is it a legall Doctrine to preach Christ for the destruction of sin, that is the cause of suffering, and the worst of evils? You have pretended to be admirers of Free-grace: if you are so indeed, you may here stand, and wonder with your selves at your gross mistake, and that you have admired the grace of Christ no more. You have a­mired, that murder, persecution, witch­craft, blasphemy, and the like; should be forgiven; that Manasseh, Paul, and [Page 86] many of the Jews, that crucified Christ, should be freely pardoned you have been ready to cry, Grace, grace, riches of grace, grace abounding and super-abounding, to such a work as this. 'Tis true, there is cause enough to magn [...]fie this wonderfull work of Christ, and we may well say, This is the Lords doing, and it is mervailous in our eyes. I would not willingly, in the least, dimmish this pardoning grace of Christ. Yet come and behold and admire Grace once more, to wit, the sanctifying Grace of Christ. Is it not a wonder to see the Wolf dwell with the Lamb, and the Leo­pard lie down with the Kid, and the Calf, and the young Lion, and the falling to­gether, and a little Child to lead them? To see the Cow and the beare feed, and their young ones lie down together, and the Lion eat straw like an Ox? To see a sucking Child play upon the hole of the Aspe, and the weaned child put his hand upon the Cockatrice den? Isa. 11.6, 7, 8. To see a Sinner become a Saint? 2 Chr. 33. Gal. 1.23. 1 Cor. 10.20. 2 Pet. 1.4. 1 Joh. 1.3. to see a Sorcerer become a sincere Worshipper of the Living God? To see a furious Perse­cutor become a painfull Preacher of that Faith, which once he destroyed? To see those that had formerly communion with [Page 87] Devils, to be made partakers of the Di­vine nature, and to be called into fellow ship with God the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ? Here is matter of admi­ration indeed. Stand here and pause a little, & see whether you have not more cause, than before, to cry out, O the breadth, & length, and depth and height of the grace of Christ! The soule, that is be­trothed to Christ in holinesse, may much more say in this case, what David said when he was advanced from a mean family to great dignity: Lord, Who am I, and what is my house, that thou hast brought me hitherto? Here may we like­wise say with the Psalmist, Psal. 8.4. What is man (Lord) that thou art mind­full of him, and the Son of man, that thou (so) visitest him! And are not they to be esteemed the most faithfull preachers of the Gospel, who shun not to reveale unto the people both parts of the Coun­sell, and Grace of Christ; but shew forth the glory of his sanctifying, as well as of his justifying work?

Beware then I beseech you of the dangerous way of admiring grace a­gainst grace; which is (indeed) to destroy grace. Take heed of hearkning to them, that so much contemne the doctrine of [Page 88] Sanctification by Christ, under pretence of exalting Chr [...]st: The Doctrine of the grace of God which bringeth salvati­on, teacheth us, that denying ungodlinesse and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, justly, and godly in this present world, Tit. 2.11, 12. Paul teacheth us, that it is a faithfull saying, and worthy of all acce­ptation, that Christ came into the world to save sinners, but not to save them in their sins (that were a contradiction) but to save them from their sins. There is in him plenteous redemption, and he shall redeem Israel from all his iniqui­ties, Psal. 130. ult. and he saves them to the uttermost, that come unto God by him. Hebr. 7.25. [...], to the perfection of all. And were it so, that Christ should save us from wrath, and not from sin, he would be but an imper­fect Saviour: for it would be but a halfe salvation, nor so much neither. But Christ doth not leave his work im­perfect, those that are his redeemed ones are compleat in him, Col. 2.10. he justifies them, he sanctifies them, and so saves them: And he that will be a faithful Minister of Christ, must preach justificatiō & sanctification, which are inseparable.

It is no marvell if Antinomian tea­chers [Page 89] carry the multitude after them. When they shall teach them that there needs no sorrow for sin, no repentance, no such care to please God, that God takes no notice of their sins, nor is dis­pleased with them for sin; it is no strange thing, if those, that are in love with their lusts, do folow, applaud, & ap­prove them, when they cannot bear the plain dealings of a faithfull Minister of Christ, who tells them, they cannot have Christ, and their lusts too: That the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodlinesse and unrighteousnesse of men. That the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdome of God. That if they will be saved by Christ, they must be content to have their iniquities destroyed, they must be saved from their sins, for they, and their sins cannot be saved together. It is no marvaile (I say) to see those loose sort of Teachers gain a multitude of imaginary Converts. How easie a mat­ter is it to make a Proselite of a world­ling, if he may have Christ and his Mammon too; or a voluptuous man, if he may have Christ, and his carnall pleasuers too. And who would not have Christ, when he shall be taught to deny, or part with nothing, not so much [Page 90] as a beloved lust for Christ. Such claw­ing teachers are fit to please men of itching ears: and such rotten doctrine hath undoubtedly made so many un­sound Professors, as we see of late. How many Antinomian pretenders to more than ordinary Christians have attained to, do we see, that give way to intem­perate drinking, lascivious jesting, de­frauding, and many other evils.

If Solomon when the two women pleaded their cause before him, conclu­ded that she was indeed the Mother of the Child, whose yerning bowels pleaded against the dividing of it, knowing that was the ready way to destroy it: Let the wise discern betwixt us, and our Antinomian Adversaries, which of the two is upright in his cause; and whe­ther a divided Christ be like to prove a living, and quickning Saviour.

We may here with the Apostles of Christ lift up our voice to God with one accord, Acts 4.24. to 29. and say, Lord, thou art God, which hast made heaven and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is, who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things? The Kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathe­red [Page 91] together against the Lord, and against his Christ. For of a truth against thy holy child Iesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles, and people of Israel were gathe­red together, for to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel had determined before to be done: But this thou in mercy hast ordered to the saving of thy people. But now behold a combination of Anti­nomians, Familists, and licentious Liber­tines, with evil hearts, and wicked hands have (what in them lies) divided, and separated the saving work of thy Son Jesus Christ, contrary to the revea­led will, to the ruine and destruction of many thousand soules. And grant unto thy servants, that they may with all boldnesse speak thy word not dawbing with untempered mortar, but plainly tel­ling Iudah of her sins, and Ierusalem of her transgressions, that so they may (through thine effectual grace) be instruments of recovering many from this snare of the Devil, who are now led captive by him at his will.

VII 7. If the great work of Christ be the saving of his people from their sins, this wil further inform us who they are, that are the best Christians, that have most [Page 92] interest in Christ; even those that are the most saved from their sins, that have their corruptions most mortified, that are the most meek, humble, self deny­ing, obedient Christians; and not they that are most in shew, and outward appearance. This I speak, because I see most judge by a wrong rule, both of themselves and others, in point of Christianity. I have heard some highly applauding such as talk, and seem to know much, while they complaine of their own ignorance, want of expressi­on, inability in comparison of them, calling the other able Christians. And we see in this talkative age, those, that talk much, to be renowned among many, while the modest, humble hearted are little set by. I have sometime seen a Gallant in gold and silver lace, strut­ting in great state, and perhaps not so much worth in all the world beside, as the clothes upon his back. To this man many do reverence, ignorantly appre­hending him to be some honourable person; when they regardlesly pass by another man in plain habit, that may be worth some thousand pounds. So is the esteem of most concerning the worth of Christians: he that talks most, [Page 93] and wordeth it best in all company, is the onely man, when a weighty, serious Christian, of fewer words, and meaner outside, is of no account. But the worth of a Christian lies not in a few good words, nor in plausible performance of duties; but in true and real sanctifi­cation from sinne A sincere humble-hearted Christian is worth his weight in gold, and I doubt not but one such Christian will weigh down a hundred vainglorious talkers in the balance of the Sanctuary. Think not the highest Mountaines are the most fruitfull Land, because they overlook the lower Val­leys: the mountains (indeed) are most in shew, especially at a distance, but the lowest valleyes bring forth fruit most abundantly. Gifts and Grace compared. There is a great deale of difference between Gifts and Graces, as I shall instance in three particulars: There is the gift of knowledge, and the grace of knowledge the gift of faith, and the grace of faith, the gift of prayer, and the grace of prayer. There may be, & oft times is, a large gift of all these, where the true grace of them is wholly wan­ting. No doubt but Iudas, and divers others, lawfully set apart to the work of the Ministrie, were indued with a [Page 94] large measure of the gifts of knowledge, faith and utterance, both for preaching and prayer: But how farre were they from the grace of either! Our Saviour Christ himself gives us an account of many, Mat. 7.22. that will say at the last day, Lord, Lord, have we not pro­phesied in thy name, and in thy name cast out Devils, and in thy name done many wonderfull works? and then will he professe unto them, I never know you, depart from me, ye that work iniquity. But true sanctifying Grace is precious in his esteem: the grace of knowledge is more precious than any thing in all the world, Prov. 3.13. Happy is the man that findeth wisdome, and the man that getteth understanding. For the merchan­dise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, & the gain thereof than of fine gold, she is more precious than rubies, and all the things thou canst desire, are not to be compared unto her. Happy indeed are they that have the grace of knowledge, when many that are endued with great gifts, are, and shal be eternally miseable. Hel it self is full of large gifts, yea, the Devils there have greater knowledge than all the Saints on earth. The gift of know­ledge (through the corruption of man) [Page 95] puffs up, as we see by woful and abun­dant experience, when the grace of knowledge makes a man more humble. The mere gift makes a man wise in his own eyes, and while he takes himself to be a knowing man, he knowes nothing as he ought, 1 Cor. 8.7. Seest thou a man that is wise in his own eyes? there is more hope of a foole than of him, saith Solomon, Prov. 26.12. A foole in Solomons usuall sense, is one that is wicked, and verily there is more hope of a profane person than of him that is well conceited of himself: The Gospel took better effect among Publicans and Harlots, than with the Scribes and Pharisees, for to them, saith Christ, the Publicans and Harlots enter into the kingdome of God before you, Mat. 21.31. And the reason is evident, for a profane person is more easily convinced of his sin, which is a good step toward conversion, and a ne­cessary antecedent to it. A self-concei­ted proud person resisteth God in his message and motions; and God resisteth him, so that there is, as it were, an an­tipathy between them. The Pharisees and Lawyers rejected the counsell of God, Luke 7.30. and God resisteth the proud, James 4.6. but he giveth grace to the [Page 96] humble. And the grace of knowledge makes a man humble, little in his owne eyes, and low in his own esteem, shew­ing him his ignorance, wants, weakness; and the more a man truly knowes, the more he sees what he knows not, and dare not rashly adventure upon things above his reach, Ps. 131.1. Lord my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty, neither do I exercise my self in great matters, or in things too high for me.

There was likewise the gift of Faith, even to the working of Miracles, which was nothing in the Lords esteem, with­out sanctifying Grace. 1 Cor. 13.2. Thogh I have faith, so that I could remove mountaines, and have no charity, I am no­thing. But the grace of faith in all that are indued with it, is precious. 2 Pet. 1.1. And the triall of this grace is said to be much more precious than of gold, 1 Pet. 1.7.

There is also the gift of Prayer; and this furnisheth a man with words and apt composure, as to the outward form, but the grace of Prayer furnisheth the heart with the sense of its wants, and apprehension of the worth of grace, and fills the soul with sighs and groans, when it wants words to speak its minde. [Page 97] There was more of the grace of prayer in that short Petition of the self denying Publican [God be mercifull to me a sin­ner] than in many of the Pharisees long prayers, and their fastings to boot. The Pharisees prayed by measure, and the Papists pray by number, but a gracious spirit prayes by weight, and such pray­ers are most prevalent. Jam. 5.16. The effectuall fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. Regard not then so much, how long thou prayest, or what are thy expressions, in prayer as what are thy sighs and groans, and what the serious sense of thy heart, in prayer and supplication. The speciall help of the spirit lies in framing the heart with the affections, not the tongue with words for prayer, as is evident, Rom. 8.26. Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our in­firmities; for we know not what we should pray for as we ought; but the spi­rit it self maketh intercession for us with groanings, which cannot be uttered.

Measure not then the quantity of thy gifts to know what thou art in point of Christianity, but try the quality, the sincerity and growth of thy grace. A little grace, with little gifts, is of farre greater value, than the greatest gifts [Page 98] without grace. A small vessel, laden with Gold from the Indies, is of more value than the greatest ship laden with Coales, Salt, or such like Commodi­ties.

Grace lies not meerely in the head, but chiefly in the heart, and in the feet also of a Christian, to wit, the habit of grace in the inward affection, and the exercise in the outward conversation, or course of life, together with the actings of the inward faculties.

1. In the heart, or inward affections. Thus, according to the tenour of the new Covenant, the true grace of know­ledge rectifies the heart. Jer. 31.33. But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel, after those daies, saith the Lord, I will put my Law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts.— And 'tis the heart that God especially calls for. Prov. 23.26. My Son give me thy heart. With the head man assenteth to the truth of God, but with the heart man [consenting] belie­veth unto righteousnesse, Rom. 10.10. that is, justifying faith is seated chiefly in the heart, I doe not exclude the under­standing.

The head inventeth words, but the [Page 99] heart inditeth matter for prayer, and praise, My heart is inditing a good matter, saith David, Psal. 45.1. The head may dictate to the tongue, but grace frameth and fixeth the heart for duty. Psal. 57.7. My heart is fixed, O God my heart is fixed. Here the heart leadeth the way to the outward service, calling upon, & awakening the tongue, Psaltery and Harp, ver. 8. Awake my glory, that is my tongue, which is there­fore called our glory, because it is the instrument wherewith man glorifies God: compare Psal. 16.9. with Acts 2.26. and you shall finde, that that which the Psalmist calleth the glory, the Apostle translateth the tongue in quo­ting that text, Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad.

2. True Grace is also much in the feet of a Christian, I mean the exercise of grace is in the course of life and conver­sation (not excluding the inward exer­cise) which is called our way, wherein we are to walk according to the Word of God. Thus also in the new Cove­nant, God promiseth (as to write his lawes in the hearts of his people, so) to cause them to walk in his statutes, Ezek. 36.27. Psal. 119.59. I thought on my [Page 100] waies, and turned my feet unto thy testi­monies, ver. 101. I have refrained my feet from every evil way. ver. 105. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. Walking is an act of continu­ance, and imports the constant course of life in such Scripture-phrases as these. Thus saith David, Psal. 119.1. Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord; yea, Grace causeth not onely to walk, but also to run in the waies of God: Thus likewise saith David, Psal. 119.32. I will run the way of thy commandements. Thus Paul, I therefore so run, not as uncertainly, 1 Cor 9.26. and he exhorteth us, v. 24. So run, that ye may obtain.

Gifts have been, and are still much abused, but Grace cannot be misimplied. The strivings, hot contendings, fearfull schismes and factions in the Church of Corinth, were made through the pride and vainglory of the gifted men among them. There were so many tongues and so many speakers, puffed up with self-conceit, that those gifts, which were given them for edification, were abused to ostentation, and confusion in their so­lemn meetings: which Paul corrects, as we read at large, 1 Cor. 14.

What is the cause of our sad divisions, and the great disorder that we are grown into, but this, that men play the wantons with the gifts that God hath given them? Scripture tells us know­ledge puffs up, 1 Cor 8.2. And when men are swoln with pride, 'tis no mer­vaile if they break out into contention, for, saith Solomon, Onely by pride cometh contention, Prov. 13.10.

Let then the most humble, peace­able, selfe-denying, serious Christian, be accounted the best, and let grace be ever preferred before gifts.

VIII Lastly, if Christs great work be the saving of his people from their sins, this informes us, that a soule given up to a state of sin, is in a most sad condition. No judgement like that of being given up to a reprobate sense, and vile affecti­ons: Had we stood with Abraham, and seen Sodom flaming, and smoking with fire and brimstone, and so terrible wrath from Heaven consuming her inhabi­tants, would not our hearts have aked within us, at so dreadfull a sight? But that which righteous Lot saw, while he lived among them, which vexed his soul from day to day, even their filthy and unlawfull deeds, was, in itself a sight far [Page 102] more grievous to behold. Men are apt to judge, that God is highly displeased with those that fall under some remark­able, temporall judgement, but little regard his wrath, in giving up soules to sinne; yea, a seeming judgement some­times begets an hasty and rash censure: When the Viper fastned upon Pauls hand, no doubt, said the Barbarians this man is a murtherer, whom, though he hath escaped the Sea, yet vengeance suf­fereth not to live, Acts 28.4. And had Job lived in our daies, we should have had many ready to charge him in the depth of his misery with wickedness, and hypocrisie, as his friends did. But be­loved, there is a sort of vengeance from heaven, that lies upon the greatest part of the world, and upon many among us, which is little regarded, and that is, Gods leaving men up to their own hearts lusts. Rom. 1.24, 26. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleannesse, through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their bodies betweene themselves; and ver. 26. For this cause God gave them up to vile affections. To the like purpose speaketh Solomon, Prov. 22.14. The mouth of strange women is a deep pit, he that is abhorred of the Lord shall fall [Page 103] therein. And 'tis well reckoned by the Psalmist, among the heavy judgements upon Israel in the Wilderness, that when they lusted exceedingly, & tempted God, he gave them their request, but sent lean­nesse into their souls, Ps. 106.14, 16. Ps. 81.11, 12. But my people would not hearken unto my voice, & I rael would none of me; so I gave them up unto their owne hearts lusts, & they walked in their own counsels: & the judgement upon evil men & sedu­ce is, that they shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived, 2 Tim. 3.13. And were it well considered, we might observe the remarkable judge­ment of God upon many in these times. How many of those that waxed wan­ton, and despised the precious Truths and Ordinances of God, are now given up to swearing, drunkennesse, whore­dome, and such like abominable wic­kednesse! Had these men been smitten with lightning, and thunderbolts from heaven, for their departure from the waies of righteousnesse, we should have been ready to say, this is the finger of God. Certainely God hath already pointed them out more sadly by the heaviest plagues, in that they have been given up to hellish blasphemies, and to [Page 104] work wickednesse with greedinesse; and his hand in this is more heavy up­on them, than if we had seen them fall dead in our streets. As it is the Saints happinesse that their little grace shall be improved; so is it the misery of a multitude of seared Sinners, that their filthy and vile affections shall be still increased, as it is written, Revel. 22.11. He that is unjust, let him be unjust still, and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still; and he that is righte­ous, let him be righteous still, and he that is holy, let him be holy still.

CHAP. IV.

IF the great work of Christ our Savi­our be the saving of his people from their sins, Use of Reproof. then this reproves those that do what in them lies, to hinder this sa­ving work of Jesus Christ. And they are

1. Such as hinder the salvation of their own soules.

2. Such as hinder the salvation of others.

1. Such as hinder the salvation of I their own soules by resisting the grace of Christ, tendred in the Word, and the friendly motions of the Spirit. How doth the Lord, by his Messengers, in­vite, intreat, perswade, and woo sinners for their good, and they refuse and hate instruction, despise his messengers, and harden their hearts against him! How do some neglect hearing, and but sel­dome frequent the ordinances of God; others are grown carelesse in hearing, or Sermon-proof, so that the Word takes little or no impression upon them, [Page 106] to the grief of our hearts, and sadding of our spirits, who behold their sottish­nesse! And how many waies have sin­ners, that are convinced of their evill estate, to play the Sophisters with their consciences, and delude their own souls, that they may retain their beloved sins, though to their utter ruine! when Isra­el and Iudah sinned against the Lord, he testified against them by his Prophets, and Seers, saying, Turne ye from your evil waies, and keep my commandements and my statutes;— notwithstanding they would not hear, but hardned their necks— and they rejected his Statutes, and his Covenant that he made with their Fa­thers, and his testimonies which he testifi­ed against them, and they followed vanity, and became vaine; therefore the Lord was angry with them, and rejected all the seed of Israel, and delivered them into the hand of spoylers, till he had cast them out of his sight, 2 Kings 17.13, 14, 15, 18, 19, [...]0. And is not God still the same? may you not expect the Lord to deale with you likewise? you have sinned against the Lord, and he hath testified against you by his Ministers: Not­withstanding you refuse to heare, but harden your hearts against the Lord, [Page 107] therefore is the Lord very angry, and that justly with you; yea, as sure as you live the Lord will deliver you into the hands of Sathan, and your own corru­ption (the worst of spoylers) and eter­nally cast you out of his sight, unlesse you embrace his counsell, and seek him in due time. What the Lord said of Iudah, because they refused the good way, may you take, as spoken of your selves, for refusing the message of Christ, Heare, O Earth, behold I will bring evill upon this people, even the fruit of their own thoughts, because they have not hearkned unto my words, nor to my law, but rejected it, Jerem. 16 19. and you may shortly be called with Je­rusalem to take up a lamentation, because the Lord hath rejected and forsaken you, as the generation of his wrath, Jerem. 7.29. Yea know, that whereas the Lord is now importunate with you for your good, and you set at naught his counsel, the time may shortly come, when you shall call upon him in the bitternesse of your soul, from the depth of your di­stresse, and he slight your cry, yea, laugh at your calamity, as you have made but a mock at his Word. O Sinners, hear, and tremble at what the Lord hath spo­ken [Page 108] against you, Prov. 1.24. to 32. Be­cause I have called and ye refused, I have stretched out my hand and no man re­garded, but ye have set at naught all my counsel, and would none of my reproof; I also will laugh at your calamity, I will mock when your fear cometh: when your feare cometh, as desolation, and your de­struction cometh, as a whirlewind, when distresse and anguish cometh upon you; then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not finde me: For they hated know­ledge, and did not choose the feare of the Lord: They would none of my counsel, they despised all my reproof: Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their owne way, and be filled with their own devices.

You think it a small matter to reject the Lords Messengers, and despise their counsell, but herein you reject the Lord Christ himself, Luke 10.16 He that despiseth you despiseth me. In this, as the Lord said to Samuel, 1 Sam. 8.7. They have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reigne ever them: So may I truly say, you have not rejected us, who are Ministers, but you have rejected the Lord Christ our Saviour, that he should not reigne over [Page 109] you: Yea, what do you lesse, than re­sist the salvation of your owne soules, when with the Pharisees and Lawyers ye reject the counsell of God, Luke 7.30. May not I here take up the words of Steph: Act. 7.51. & say, Ye stiff-necked, & uncircumcised in heart, and eares, ye doe alwaies resist the holy Ghost. If they that resist the lawfull authority of the civill Magistrate, shall receive to themselves damnation, Rom. 13.2 how just will the condemnati­on of those be, who resist the saving counsell and authority of Jesus Christ! Who ever hardned himselfe against God, and prospered? Job 9.4.

Sinner, the great work of Christ our Saviour is to save his people from their sinnes; and how is it, that thou wilt not be saved by him? that thou wilt ha­zard thy soule to save thy sinne? thy sinne dishonours God, and God will either destroy thy sinne, or thee, Wilt thou lose thy soule to save thy base lusts? hast thou the like passionate affection to thy sinne, as David had to his Son Absalom, when he cryed out [Would God I had died for thee?] yea, though, as Absalom, it seeks to berave thee both of thy Life and Crown? Is filthy abomi­nable corruption so beautifull in thine [Page 110] eyes? Surely thy Dalilah hath betrayed thee into the hands of thine enemies, who have put out both thine eyes, or else thou couldst not be so blindly sot­tish; for thou hardnest thy heart against thy own soule.

II Secondly, this reproves those, that hinder the salvation of others, and they are of divers sorts.

1. Such as teach corrupt doctrine. If truth be the Lords instrument for the sanctification of the soule (as it is said John 17.17. Sanctifie them with thy truth, thy word is truth) then error is a great meanes whereby soules come to be corrupted, and held under Sathans slavery. Are not many seduced soules, that formerly seemed to be in love with the waies of God, now turned to swea­ring, cursing, blaspheming, and other like abominations; yea, and to commit these sinnes with greedinesse? And are not the duties of Piety, as hearing, pray­ing, singing, sanctifying the Sabbath, and the like, accounted exercises unbe­seeming Saints? Yea, what wickedness is there but some of our late errors will lead a man to in commission of it? and what course more effectuall to bring sinners to perpetuall destruction, than [Page 111] when men make it their work to turne them from the truth, which is the way of salvation? The Apostle calls the do­ctrine of the teachers, [...] heresies of destruction, or as our Transla­tion renders it, damnable Heresies, 2 Pet. 2.1.

Some errors there are, that more evidently tend to hinder this work of Christ, I shall instance in one or two of them. First, that Pelagian Heresie, that denies the propagation of Origi­nall sinne. They say [we derive sinne from our parents onely by imitation.] How shall that enemy be destroyed, that is concealed and denied? How shall a man labour to mortifie this body of sin, when he denies that we beare any such body about us? Surely Rahabs hiding the Spies, was not more effectual to their preservation, and the ruine of the city Jericho, than this Pelagian do­ctrine is to the saving of sin, and the utter ruin of the soul. Whoso covereth his sins shall not prosper, but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them, shall have mercy, Prov. 28.13.

2. The Antinomians teach, that no man ought to doubt of Gods love, but im­mediatly believe that his sins were eter­nally [Page 112] pardoned, and himself justified, and that whatever he doth, he need not be in care or doubt: God sees his sin no more, the Lord takes no notice of the sins of his servants, say they, abusing that Scripture to that end; Numb. 23.21. He hath not beheld ini­quity in Jacob, neither hath he seen per­versenesse in Israel. And repentance they affirm to be the voice of the Law, not of the Gospel.

Is not this the very way of the carnal multitude, to sin without godly sorrow, and yet perswade themselves of an interest in Gods saving mercy? What is this but to turn Faith into a meere phantasie? And whither doth this tend, but to make sinners secure in the midst of the greatest misery? O how many soules are this day poysoned in England with this damnable doctrine! and how sad will the account be of those that have so grosly deluded them! to deny the doctrine of repentance to be Gospel-doctrine, is no lesse dangerous, and de­structive to soules, than that Popish doctrine, that denies Justification by Faith in the alone merits of Jesus Christ.

I will not now stand to confute this [Page 113] presumptuous doctrine, it being impro­per in a use of reproof, and it hath been well done already by other By Mr. Gataker, Mr. Anth: Burgess & others. hands. But I shall leave a few texts of Scri­pture to your consideration, which you may peruse at your leisure for a suffici­ent confutation, Exod. 4.14. 2. Sam. 11.27. ch. 12. to v. 13. Psal. 51.2 Sam. 24. 1 Kings 11.29. 2 Chron. 32.25, 26. Luke 13.3.5. Romans 2.4, 5. Acts 17.30.

And here I cannot but take notice by the way of a tenent, much applauded by some in these parts, which carries all other errors in the belly of it, and it is this, [That it is better that a hundred errors should be preached, than one truth be lost.] To which I shall give answer,

First, this supposeth, that those, who ordinarily preach Errors, have some speciall truth to reveale, that others are ignorant of. But that is strange, that a truth of God should be hid from all godly, able, and Orthodox Ministers of the Gospel, and revealed to such as ordinarily maintain a multitude of er­rors. When the Apostle (1 John 4.1.) bids Try the spirits, whether they are of God, because many false Prophets are gone out into the world; he intimates, [Page 114] that seducing spirits are not of God, & that those that preach gross Errors are of the false Prophets that are gone forth. Now that God should reveale his ex­traordinary secrets to such as these, and hide them from his servants the Pro­phets, is a secret indeed, such (I believe) as was never heard of.

Secondly, If this position be true, the Jesuite may come in and plead for a childs part in this toleration: for he will preach some truths with lesse than a hundred errors.

Thirdly, This is a very strange way to preserve one Truth from being lost, for if a hundred Errors be preached with one Truth, it is most like that the hearers receive many of the Errors, and lose the Truth, that can scarcely be di­scerned in so great a crowd of falshood, especially considering how ignorant the multitude is, and how prone we are by nature to erre. And a stranger way this is to nourish souls: Truth is as wholsome food, & Error of a poysoning na­ture; and if you cut, and set before a child a hundred bits of poyson, and but one bit of wholsome food, and bid him eat, tis a hundred to one but he poysons himself.

Fourthly, When a Preacher preacheth [Page 115] Truth and Error mixed together, he presseth all upon the hearers for truth. Suppose then a hundred Errors and one Truth should be received by the peo­ple, they lose a hundred truths for the gaining of one; for in every error recei­ved, there is a truth lost to him that re­ceiveth the error, because every error is contradictory to some truth. Verily he that should lose five pounds to gain a shilling, would at last be forced to cry, Fie on the winning.

Lastly, A hundred errors, such as are in our daies, were enough to make ano­ther Gospel, or rather to pervert the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and then tell me what meanes that saying, Galat. 1.8. There be some that trouble you, and would pervert the Gospel of Christ; But though we, or an Angel from heaven, preach any other Gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be ac­cursed. Consider also that saying, Rom. 16.17. Now I beseech you brethren, mark them which cause divisions, and of­fences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned, and avoid them.

I might instance in divers other cor­rupt tenents tending to root out the power of godlinesse, and that which [Page 116] makes the temptation the more strong and dangerous, is, that all manner of corrupt and rotten tenents, go under the name of higher attainments: True piety is accounted but old formality, and the most wanton Opinionists are reputed for precious Saints. But when Sathan transformes himself into an Angel of light, and his Ministers into Ministers of the Gospel, no marvail if a vizour of holinesse be put upon many strange fa­ces, even Familists, and Ranters will be re-baptized by the name of Saints, and Arius, Pelagius, Socinus, &c. must be canonized. Doubtlesse, his Holinesse, the Pope, hath much hopes of a great harvest amongst us, for by this time he may be perswaded, that many of those that were so hot against a few Ceremo­nies, calling them the rags and remnants of Popery, were offended with the rags, because they were but rags, and reje­cted the remnants of Popery, because they had a minde to receive it by the whole piece. What are the Doctrines of Arminius, but pieces of Popery a little more finely dressed, that they may be the more handsomely worne? or a Popish dish more finely cooked to please the palate, and so go the more [Page 117] easily down. 'Tis not long since this assertion [that God did choose his E­lect for some excellency that he foresaw to be in them] was presented to some of you, at a private meeting, in a Lordly dish. By an Officer of the Army, who quar­tered in town. Surely Papists are glad to see us relish so many of their dainties, and hope we will make no bones of the rest; for after we have thus feasted with them a while, they may expect us willing to fast with them too, seeing Ignorance is become the mother of our Devotion. But through the mercy of God, though many have surfeited, yet it is not be­come an epidemicall disease. Yea, bles­sed be his name, he hath reserved to himself, for the good of his Church, a considerable party of faithful Ministers, whom he hath furnished with ability, and courage earnestly to contend for that faith that was once delivered to them, that were Saints indeed. Yea, England is at this day furnished with a greater number of godly, able and faith­full Ministers of the Gospel, than any of the generations of our Ancestors be­fore us, or than is found in any other nation throughout the world.

A second sort of those, that hinder the salvation of others, are such as are [Page 118] enemies to the Churches Reformation. No doubt but the keyes of Doctrine and Discipline are both Christs ordinary meanes for the saving of soules, yea, the severe censure of excommunication, called a delivering up to Sathan, is but for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus, 1 Cor. 5.5. And the sharpnesse of Discipline, as Paul likewise tells us is a power that the Lord hath given us to edification, and not to destruction. 2 Cor. 13.10. And if so, then the resisting of this work of Christ, tends to the saving of the flesh, and destroying of the spirit; directly to destruction and not to edifi­cation. Bitter Pills, and purging Poti­ons, are for the health of the body, though harsh to the taste; and as those that hinder the sick from the means of recovery, are plainly accessary to their death, so is it in the case of our present Church-distempers. How doe some plead the disadvantage of these times, as those that cried out The time is not come that the Lords house should be built. Hag. 1.2. others are ready to scorne and de­ride the work, as Sanballat and Tobias, because of the weaknesse and paucity of the builders. But if the work be the [Page 119] Lords (as I doubt not but it is) he will surely declare, that his strength is made perfect in weaknesse. Others, by rea­son of their wilfull exorbitances, are bent to reject the yoke of Christ, as too heavy for them (though easie in it self) and to say in their hearts, Who is Lord over us? Oh that such would seriously consider that saying of Christ, Luke 19.27. But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither and slay them before me. Remem­ber likewise what I lately told you, that those that would be free from the reach of Christs Discipline, are fitter to be ranked amongst Heathens and Infidells, than to be retained and priviledged as members of the Church of Christ, 1 Cor. 5.12. What have we to doe to judge them that are without? do we not judge them that are within? Those that are without, indeed are free from the rod of Church-discipline, but those that are within ought to be ruled by it.

3. A third sort of those that hinder the work of Christ, in the saving of his people from their sins, are Church-dividers such as cause divisions, and contentions in the Church of God. The Church is called Gods building, and Ministers are [Page 120] called builders in Scripture, and the work of edification, or building, consists in mortizing, pinning, and firmly joyn­ting the parts together: to which the Apostle alludes, Col. 2.2.— being knit together in love — [...]. The word [...] is metaphoricall, and signifies to frame and fix together, as Carpenters firmely joyne beames, and other timber, for the strengthening of their building. And if so, then unmor­tizing, unpinning, and pulling downe, (for such is the work of division) doth not raise, but raze the building, & is the ready way to the ruine and destruction of it. The materiall Temple was built by Solomon in a peaceable reigne, and by the peaceable and united endeavours of them that laboured in the Building: and when Iosiah repaired the decaies of the Temple, he gave money to buy tim­ber for couplings, 2 Chron. 34.11. But when axes and hammers were lifted up to hew down, and knock in pieces, how fast was the beauty and strength thereof destroyed! And how like is the voice of dividers to the voice of the Sons of Edom, who at the sacking of Jerusalem, cried, Raze it, raze it, even to the founda­tions thereof, Psal. 137.7.

The Church also being here in a mi­litant condition, is fitly compared to an Army, an Army terrible with banners, Cant. 6.4, 10. An Army in the field, though the particular parts of it be committed to the oversight and conduct of severall Captains, and other Officers, yet are they all one Army, under one Generall, who gives them all one word, and one field-mark, whereby his Soul­diers may know and owne each other in the Battel; and their beauty, strength, safety, and terriblenesse to the Enemy, lies in their order, unity, and cordiall cleaving each to other under their Ge­nerall, who is Commander of all. So is the Church of Christ one body, under Christ one Lord Generall, knowne by one Word, or profession of Faith, signed by one Baptisme, and animated by one Spirit, engaging in one Cause, and encouraged with one Hope, and by intire adhering each to other, all joyntly following the conduct of Christ the faithfull Captaine Generall of their Salvation, they become beau­tifull, strong, safe, and the more formidable to their spiritall Enemies. And aptly to our purpose the Apo­stle exhorteth, that we stand fast in one [Page 122] Spirit, Sat ho­stiū exter­norum ha­bemus: Sa­tis digladia­tum & pu­gnatum est à nostris, nonne gra­vissimo vulnere Ecclesiarum nostrarum, & caetera­rum Chri­sti. Tempus esse ut illud Pauli recte perpendere­mus: Quid si invicem mordetis, videte ne invicem consumamini Joan. Pistorii Ep. ad Joan: Sturm. Zanch. Ep l. 1. Phil. 1.27. Those that under­stand any thing belonging to military Policy, know that it is much better to fall upon an enemy in severall Parties, than to let them draw up together in one Body; much more to take the op­portunity when they are full of mutinies among themselves. When the Moa­bites thought, that the Kings that came against them with their Armies, had fallen one upon another, they cryed, Ʋp Moab to the Spoile. Had it been true according to their thoughts, they could not have had a greater advan­tage; But doubtlesse Sathan doth not mistake his opportunity of making a prey, and spoyling thousands of soules by the advantage of our late and pre­sent distracting divisions.

Jerusalem was a type of the true Church under the Gospel. When Da­vid had conquered the Jebusites, taken the castle of Sion, and the whole city was united under his government, and in one way of worship (he himselfe being a type of Christ, the King of his Church) then was that Psal. 122. com­posed, wherein we have an Encomium [Page 123] of their happy condition. If it was Je­rusalems happinesse then to be so united, is it not her misery to be so divided? If it were a lovely sight then, to see the tribes of the Lord going up together, to give thanks to the Lord, how sad a sight is it now to see the Tribes going some one way, some another, building Temple against Temple, and rearing Altar against Al­tar?

The Souldiers that parted the Gar­ment of Christ, would rather cast lots, than divide his seamlesse Coat, but those that cause division and contention in the Church, spare not to rend, not the coat, but the mysticall body of Christ. The Jews that crucified, pierced Christ his hands and his feet; but those that cause divisions in the Church, set him upon the rack, to rend limb from limb, and member from member, as is intima­ted in the words of Paul to the Church of Corinth, when they were full of facti­ons and schismes, 1 Cor. 1.13. Is Christ divided? If Christ cried out, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? when he per­secuted his Church, and made havock of it, and accounted it as an intole­rable injury done unto himself, not onely because he hath a sympathising [Page 124] affection with his Church, but also be­cause his Church is his Body, and is called Christ, to wit, Christ mysticall, 1 Cor. 12.12. Verily Christ might take up a greater complaint against those, who by their divisions & subdivisions, would teare him limb-meale; and if Paul were smitten down unto the earth, when he heard the voice of Christ from heaven, methinks those that are Dividers in the Church should be pierced to the heart, if they did but consider, and minde the many affectionate calls of Christ in his Word for unity and peace: and the sad complaints by reason of divisions and contentions, and his judgements threat­ned against the authors and promoters of them. Consider but that one threat­ning, Rom. 2.8, 9, But to them that are contentious— indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish.

We live in times wherein we have great expectation of the fulfilling of glorious Gospell-prophecies, and promises; and (I doubt not, but) those that concerne the unity and peace of the Church, are to be numbred amongst them. Zeph. 3.9. For then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may call upon the name of the Lord to [Page 125] serve him with one consent. Jer 32.39. And I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may feare me for ever. Neither will these be esteeemed the meanest Gospel-mercies, for it is said in the latter end of that verse, For the good of them, and their children after them. But how farre are we from the accom­plishment of these things? yea, what probability is there of it in our daies? O mise­ram Chri­sti Ecclesi­am, quae subinde ve­teribus, & optimis pa­tribus ac doctoribus orbatur: ae novis verō imperitis ac furiosis hominibus invaditur, dilaniatur. Zanch. ep. ad Bul­ling. If one heart and one way be for the good of a people and their children after them (as that fore-mentioned text tells us) then our heart-divisions, and diffe­rent waies are to be looked upon as a sore evil, both to us, and our children after us. And 'tis much to be feared, that the children that are yet unborne, will fare the worse for our present breaches.

Think not that the dislike of any one party alone, or sinister respects lead me to speak thus much against dividing practises. Judge not my reproof and complaint to be superfluous, neither plead for this, as Lot did for Zoar, say not 'tis a little one; but heare a little (besides what is already spoken) what [Page 126] further aggravations of this evill, are found in Scripture.

I 1. Consider, how plain are the words of Paul, Rom 16.17, 18. Now I beseech you brethren, mark them which cause di­visions, and offences contrary to the do­ctrine which ye have learned, and avoid them: For they that are such, serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their owne belly, and by good words and faire speeches, deceive the hearts of the simple. When the Apostle bids us mark, and avoid them, doth he not rank them with pro­fane and grosse sinners? we are com­manded to withdraw from every brother that walks disorderly, 2 Thes. 3.6. And saith Paul, 1 Cor. 5 11. If any man that is called a brother, be a fornicator, or co­vetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner, with such an one eate not. If the command of with­drawing from such, and the prohibition of eating with such, is because they are scandalous, the argument is of force to prove Church dividers to be scandalous also: for the Apostle enjoyns us to avoid them, as he commands us to avoid fornicators, &c. therefore are Church-dividers equall (yea, I might adde, and justly too) more dangerous sinners. For­nicators, [Page 127] Swearers, Drunkards, and such like, are accounted grosse Sinners, and so they are, and unfit for Christian communion, because their abiding with­in unreformed, tends to the ruine of the Church: but how is it, that they that are of rending and dividing principles and practises are not esteemed scandalous also, when Scripture speaks so much against them, and their practises tend more immediately to the Churches over­throw? Breaches in the roof and walls of an house, by which raine beats in, and rots the timber-work, will cause a decay, and ruine of the whole in time, if not repaired: But pulling beam from beam, post from post, and rafter from rafter, is the most speedy way to ruine the house. Godly persons are, or ought to be, carefull to avoid communion with grosse sinners; and some judge it necessarily infectious, if they communi­cate at the Lords table with a scanda­lous person. Whosoever is of that minde and judgement, should be as fearfull to receive the Sacrament with a wilfull Church-divider, as with a common Drunkard.

But when the Apostle saith, Obj. marke them that cause divisions, and offences, [Page 182] contrary to the doctrine ye have learned, and avoid them; we must understand it of those that divide by some hereticall and false doctrine onely, and not of those that dissent in some smaller matters about Discipline, or the like.

Answ. 1. Whatever the Apostle particu­larly intended, I am sure the doctrine of Unity, Peace, and Love, is none of the least of what our Saviour Christ and his Apostles taught; and those, then, that cause divisions and offences, teach and act expresly contrary to so great a truth, and a most necessary duty.

2. If there be an unity in the truth with those from whom they divide, how will they justifie their practice, when they make a causelesse breach? Nay, will it not aggravate their sinne? Impium enim, & sacrilegum est divorti­um, quo in Christi veritate consentiunt distrahere, For it is a wicked and sa­crilegious divorce, to pull those asun­der, who consent in the truth of Christ. Scisma­ticos facit non diversa fides, sed communio­nis disrupta societas. Aug. If there be one Body, one Spirit, one Lord, one Faith, one Baptisme, one God and Father of all, can those that break all these bonds asunder, and cast these cords away from them, be easily excu­sed?

[Page 129]2. Consider how expresly contrary to II the command of Christ this practice is, John 13.34. A new commandement give I unto you, that ye love one another, as I loved you, that ye also love one ano­ther.

3. How expresly contrary it is to that III mark, whereby the Disciples of Christ are to be known unto all men. John 13.35. Hereby shall all men know, that ye are my Disciples, if ye love one ano­ther.

4. How expresly it is contrary to that IV Gospel-frame of Spirit, promised in that great Gospel-promise, called the New covenant. Ezek. 11.19. I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you— where onenesse of heart, and newnesse of spirit, are joyned toge­ther.

5. Doe not selfe-will'd dividers as V plainly reject and slight the most affe­ctionate beseechings & wooings of the spirit of Christ, as other grosse hard-hearted sinners, who stop their eares against the invitations of the Gospel. See 1 Corinth. 1.10. Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same things, & that there be no divisions among you, but [Page 130] that ye be perfectly joyned together in the same minde, and in the same judgement. Phil. 2.1, 2. If there be any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of Love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, fulfill ye my joy, that ye be like minded, having the same love, being of one accord, and of one minde. May we not out of these words have divers pa­theticall arguments? but, for brevity sake, I shall take that [if any bowels and mercies] as another argument for our consideration.

VI 6. Consider then whether these words doe not imply, that those have cast off bowels and mercies, who by rending and dividing, spare not to pull out the very bowels of the Church? And when Peter saith, 1 Pet. 3.8. Finally be ye all of one minde, having compassion one of ano­ther, love as brethren, be pitifull and courteous: Doth not he so joyne, being of one minde, and having compassion one of another, so together, and loving as brethren, and being pitifull, that we may conclude, that true pitty and compassion are banished away, where division and contention possess the heart.

VII 7. Those that rend and divide in, or [Page 131] from the Church, pretend usually that they would have all things reduced to the primitive pattern; and most neces­sary, indeed, it is, that we write after that copy: But how unlike is a Church divided, rent and torne, to that Church that continued with one accord in the Temple, praising God, being of one heart, and of one soule?

8. As the Primitive church was the VIII best pattern for a Church, so is the ex­ample of Christ the best president for our imitation. Christ came to recon­cile God and man, and brake down the partition wall between Jew & Gentile, making both one, and (being the chief sheepherd) seeks the reducing of all his sheep into one sheepfold. But how unlike unto his example is the pra­ctise of those that build up walls of parti­tion and separation between Christian and Christian, sow discord among bre­thren, and spare not to smite the Lords sheepherds, that the sheep may be scat­tered? Will the Lord account this an acceptable piece of service? nay, is it not an abomination to him? See Prov. 6.16, 17, 18, 19. These six things doth the Lord hate, yea, seven are an abomination unto him, a proud look, a lying tongue [Page 132] and hands that shed innocent blood, an heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischiefe, a false witnesse that speaketh lies, and him that soweth discord among brethren. The last is not the least of these evils, and he that is guilty of the seventh, can­not well be free from most of the six forementioned abominations.

Obj. But it is hard charging so much evil upon this one miscarriage; for it is to be feared, that many godly men, espe­cially in these times, are guilty of it.

Answ. The sinne is never the lesse in its own nature, because godly men (be they of one party or other) are guilty of it: Murther and Adultery are not a whit the lesse evil, because David, so eminent a Saint, was guilty of them; nor Idolatry the more to be pleaded for, because Solomon fell to the commis­sion of it; nor is Polygamie to be ac­counted a small sin, because many of the godly Fathers under the Law, lived in it: Yea, 'tis a greater sin, for such as are godly to commit, than such as have no feare of God before their eyes. The worth of the person will but adde to the weight of the sin; and the Lord [Page 133] aggravates the crimes of David, Solo­mon, and other of his servants, because they were committed against greater mercies, grace, and light.

Upon these considerations, as I can­not but judge this a necessary reproof, so I am bound highly to prize (and say, blessed be) the labours, studies, and endeavours of those, who seriously minde and trace out the way of peace, so little known. And the Church shall reap more benefit, and they themselves more comfort by such endeavours, than ever any shall receive by all their ran­glings, and perverse disputings for things that are of sevenfold lesse conse­quence than the Church's unity and peace. And I doubt not (my brethren in the work of the Gospel) but your late and continued prayers, and endea­vours for unity and concord, in the Chur­ches of Christ, will yeild you more comfort and peace in the day of your account, than all that ever you read, or shall read of our novel controversies. Let us go on then I beseech you, and be as zealous for unity and peace, as others are for strife and contention; and if there be no remedy but we must strive, let us strive and pray for the peace of [Page 134] Jerusalem, yea, let us strive with God in prayer, that her walls may be built up, and that peace may be within her walls, and prosperity within her palaces, for they shall prosper that love her.

4 A fourth fort of those that hinder the salvation of others from their sinnes, are such as are men of evil practises, who by their bad examples, doe mischief to many. Man is of an imitating nature, especially in things that are evil; spiri­tuall diseases are infectious, and this is one maine reason, why admonition is required, in case of disorderly walking, and excommunication enjoyned in case of obstinate scandall, because sinfull ex­amples are of a leavening, and infectious nature. A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump, examples of evil are more effectuall for mischief, than all the ar­guments we can use for good upon the soules of men; for one that is saved by good instruction from the Word of God, a hundred perish by evil example.

As evil examples are dangerous in all, so more especially in these four sorts of persons following: 1. Ministers. 2. Ma­gistrates, and other persons of note. 3. Superiors of neer relation. 4. Emi­nent Professors.

[Page 135]1. Ministers, who are of scandalous conversation. The example of a Minister in evill, is very pernicious, because he is sent to teach the way of Salvation; and people will thinke, that if those, whose calling it is to study, and teach the way of Salvation, doe these things, they may much more doe the same. Is it not found by sad experience, that where people have lived under prophane, and superstitious Ministers, they are gene­rally so wickedly, and superstitiously bent, that it is a hard matter for a godly Minister, succeeding in such a place, to win a little upon them in much time with the most serious and sedulous en­deavours. Such evill Ministers may preach, as long as they live, and doe but little good, unlesse they amend their manners. Let their Sermons be never so finely spun, they will be but like Pe­nelope's thred, no sooner done, but un­done againe. To preach holinesse, and practice wickednesse, is but to doe, and undoe: a good Sermon is soon ravelled by the bad life of the preacher. Ministers are Gods builders, and Gods building re­quires both hands to the worke: but ill-living Ministers, pull down more with the one hand, then they build with the [Page 136] other. They spend an houre or two in teaching people the way to salvation, and the whole week besides in leading them the way to utter destruction. If that saying be true, Longum iter ad do­ctrinam per praecepta, per exempla vero breve, It is a long way to learn by pre­cept, but short by example; Then such Ministers teach their people the farthest way to heaven, but the neerest way to hell: It is said of Plato, an ancient Phi­losopher, that he was crook-back'd, and his Schollers strove to imitate him in that deformity. So doe people readily imitate the crooked and defor­med practises of their teachers.

Such Ministers are they, that harden the wicked in their wickednesse, grieve the godly, open the mouths of those that vilifie and reproach our Ministry, and turn the weak and infirm out of the way, like the Sons of Eli, who by their wretched wickednesse, caused the people to abhorre the offering of the Lord. O that the judgement of God upon the house of Eli, were well considered by such scandalous wretches! yea, the judgement in part is already executed upon some of them, who are sequestred from their livings, outed from their [Page 137] service, and reduced to a needy craving condition for some small employment. To such may be applyed the woe de­nounced against the wicked Scribes and Pharisees. Mat. 23.13. Woe unto you Scribes and Pharisees, Hypocrites, for ye shut up the kingdome of heaven against men; for ye neither goe in your selves, neither suffer ye them that are entring to go in. O how sad and dreadfull will that saying be unto them one day! Their blood will I require at thy hand.

2. Magistrates, who are of bad con­versation, do much hurt. Magistrates are set to be a terrour to evil doers; but when they give bad example, they are teachers of evil doers. A Magistrate's practise is taken for an authentick exam­ple: If a Magistrate go to the Alehouse, no marvell if the profane rabble run: if a Magistrate sit idly there an houre, in­feriour drunkards will take leave to sit by it all night: if a Magistrate sweare now and then, the common swearer will think himself secure. And no wonder, that some Magistrates are so slow to punish wickednesse in others, when they themselves stand guilty of the same crimes. The evil examples, as well as the remissnesse of many of the Magi­stracy [Page 138] in England, have been a great cause of swarming wickednesse in all parts of the Land: and the more emi­nent the person in rule and authority is, the more pernicious is his evil exam­ple; the open sins of great persons (there­fore) are not small: the higher the moun­tain is, the farther it is seen: the bad examples of wicked Kings in Israel pro­ved infectious to all Israel generally; they are said to sin & to make Israel to sin. Yea, so great was the contagion of this disease, that following generations were infected by it: 'Tis no new thing for men to imitate the vices of their ance­stors, long after they are dead and gone. How was Jeroboams Idolatry imitated by divers succeeding Kings? 1 Kings 15.26. Nadab, the son of Jeroboam did evil in the sight of the Lord, and walked in the way of his father, and in his sinne, wherewith he made Israel to sin. Verse 33.34. And Baasha did evil in the sight of the Lord, and walked in the way of Jeroboam, and in his sin wherewith he made Israel to sinne. Thus we see how great and dangerous the influence of evil example is in great persons: The Lord grant that succeeding generations may not imitate the horrible sins, that [Page 139] have been committed in our daies. The outing of scandalous Ministers was judged necessary as a mean of refor­mation; I wonder how the outing of sacandlous Magistrates came to be neg­lected.

3. The evil example of superiours of neer relation, is very hurtfull, as of Pa­rents and Masters. If Masters be wic­ked, their Servants will sooner learne their wickednesse, than their trades: Seven years are accounted little enough to learn a trade; but the trade of sin is soon learned with little teaching, for there is an aptitude in nature to it. If Parents be ungodly, what more to be expected, than that their Children tread in their steps? how sad is it little children babble out oaths and curses, before they are able to speak plain; but what is lesse to be looked for? Is it any won­der that children of Welch parents speak Welch, that children of Irish parents speak Irish, and that every child speaks the language of his parents, that educate him? Is not our native language there­fore called our mother tongue, because we learnt it in the very lap? When we therefore heare children swearing, and cursing in the streets, it is easie to guess [Page 140] what language their parents speak. Children naturally grow like their pa­rents in person and feature; but most of all do they resemble them in their ill-favoured conditions and practises: and when we see and hear the profanenesse of children, we may soon know of what breed they are of. Alas, how sad is the account of such parents, who have re­ceived command from God to traine up their children in the nurture and admoni­tion of the Lord, Eph. 6.4. but lead them on in waies of ungodlinesse. If so heavy a judgement befell Eli, and his house, because his sons were vile, and he restrain­ed them not, what a curse abides upon the persons and families of such parents, who daily teach their children to sinne against God, their own wicked lives being the copies their children write after. I doubt not but Eli gave his sons good example; and when he heard of their miscarriages, he rebuked them plainly, as you may read 1 Sam. 2.23, 24.25. And yet if notwithstanding this, the Lord brought so heavy a judgement upon Eli and his house, because he did no more to restrain them; What judgement (then) do such parents bring upon themselves & their families, who are lea­ders [Page 141] of their children by example to sin.

4. Evill example in those that are eminent professors, is very injurious to many soules. Their bad examples are of two sorts: 1. In matters of Practise. 2. In matters of Opinion. First, in matters of practice, which is also of two sorts: First more grosse, and seldome miscar­riages. Secondly, more light and fre­quent. First, their more gross (though seldome) miscarriages, do much evill to divers. 1. Wicked men are hardned in their wickenesse, and more prejudiced against the waies of God, whereby their salvation from sin is the more difficult. 2. They are emboldned the more to reproach and vilifie the waies and ser­vants of God. 2 Sam. 12.14. By this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, said the Lord by Nathan to David, when he had fallen into those sins of Adultery and Murther.

2. In miscarriages lesse, and more frequent. Herein the examples of emi­nent Christians are a snare to many; as for example, Some that have been long, and some noted in the profession of Religion, allow themselves much liber­ty of vain talking, unseemly jesting, [Page 142] and sometimes too far complying in evill company: Now how doth this 1. tend to confirm carnal Persons in the like vanity? They will be ready to say such and such, that are good men, and know more than we, do thus and thus; why may not we do so too? 2. Weak Christians are brought to allow them­selves more liberty than formerly they did, when they see professors, far more eminent than themselves, not to be so strict, I doubt not but divers Christians can, by experience say, the examples of good men in evil practises, have done them much wrong; and their lighter miscarriages, in this respect, do more injury than their soule falls. There was little danger of godly mens being incli­nable to imitate David in his Adultery and Murther: it would be matter of caution and lamentation, rather, because the offences were foul and notorious, and conscience would much resist such temptations at the first thought of them; but vain talking, idle jesting, and the like, are looked on as small, and no evils, and many are inclinable to think they may possibly be allowed, yet have some scruple and hesitancy, and will forbear such vanity for feare of offen­ding: [Page 143] But when they heare an eminent Christian taking liberty in the way they formerly feared, flesh and blood will be ready to say, How needlesse were such feares and doubts? taking such a mans example to be a resolution of the doubt.

Eminent and ancient professors had great need to look to their wayes, and set a narrow watch before the dore of their lips.

2. In matters of Opinion, examples of eminent Professors do much mischief in these times. When a Cedar falls, it beats down many shrubs under it: when a noted person for parts and piety receiveth an opinion, how many are swayed by his example? And the tem­ptation in this is more dangerous, than in most practicall miscarriages; for weak Christians ordinarily know what is good or evill, in things of common con­versation and importance; but they want judgement to weigh controver­ted doctrines; and therefore follow the example of such as they best esteem. The proof of this is too full by the sad experience of these times.

A fift way of hindring the salva­tion of people from their sins, is by evill enticements, counsels and perswasions. [Page 144] Sinners, who are Satans agents, have their crafty allurements; hence Solomon gives warning, Prov. 1.10. If sinners entice thee, consent thou not. Solomon describes the manner how Harlots entice young men to commit folly; you may read it at your leisure, Prov. 7.6. to 24. Drun­kards have likewise their enticements to gain their companions, and when they are intangled, they have their various artifices to draw them in to excesse. Ale-sellers also have their fetches to bring in customers to throw away their money, and precious time in swinish swilling. 'Tis a sad complaint that I have heard of some of the wives of poor labourers, that their husbands can hard­ly passe with a penny in their pockets, but they are drawne into one Alehouse or another to spend it, while their wives and children want bread at home. (This the Magistrate may do well to look to.) But it is farre more sad to consider the wickednesse and mischief of such inti­cers, to the soules of those that are intangled by them: they plead they cannot live and thrive, unlesse they use such means to draw their beer. But alas, what a living is it to live by the sins of men, to destroy souls for a little gain! [Page 145] The Jewes refused to put Judas his thirty pieces of Silver into the Treasury, because it was the price of blood; but these inticers make a treasury by the blood of souls, mean while treasuring up to themselves wrath against the d [...]y of wrath I doubt not but the calling in it self is both lawfull and necessary; but there are few that use it lawfully.

Well, whosoever thou art, that art an inticing sinner, that hast made it thy practise to draw others to sin; consider how many soules have perished, and are like to perish eternally by thy intice­ments. Thou that art an inticing drunkard, are not some, whom thou madest thy roaring companions now roa­ring in hell for the sins that were of thy procurement? When Cain had killed his brother Abel, said God, Where is thy brother Abel— the voice of thy bro­thers blood crieth unto me from the ground: And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brothers blood from thy hand. So may the Lord say to thee, where are thy companions thy brethren? the voice of the blood of their ruined soules, crieth to me from hell: And how art thou cursed from hell, which hath opened her [Page 146] mouth to receive thy companions souls at thy hand! What if thou hadst wil­fully murthered thy Neighbour, by stabbing, or cutting his throa, would not thy conscience terrifie thee, and all men cry out of thee, as a most de­sperate and wicked wretch, unfit to live upon the earth? O the blood of souls is most precious blood; the destroying of one soule is more than the killing of a hun­dred innocent persons, and this is the sin, even soule murther, that thou art guilty of; and if the judgement of Cain be sevenfold, surely thy judgement must be seventy times sevenfold.

The Danger is greater, when the In­ticement is from a special Omnis inimica amicitia, seductio mentis in­vestigabi­lis, &c. Aug Con. l. 1. c. 9. friend, or one of neere relation. The enticement of a wife is strong with a husband, and the enticement of a husband is strong with a wife: Sathan can do more by such instruments, than by his immediate tem­ptations, or by the threats of an enemy: therefore when Sathan had overcome Eve, he makes use of her to tempt her husband, as being a more likely way to prevaile, than to treat with him himself. Thus he made use of Solomons wives to draw him to Idolatry. For this cause the Lord forbad the Israelits to make marri­ages [Page 147] with Idolaters. Deut. 7.3, 4. Nei­ther shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son: For they will turne away thy son from following me, that they may serve other Gods. And Paul giveth the like admonition to the Corinthians, 2 Cor. 6.14. Be not unequally yoked together with unbelievers. And, as the Lord warned the Israelites of the danger that would insue upon the making of such Marriages; so accordingly it befell them, when they transgressed this com­mand, Their strange wives became a snare to them. Judges 3.5, 6. And the children of Israel dwelt among the Cana­anites, Hittites, Amorites, Perisites, Hivites, and Jebusites; And they tooke their daughters to be their wives, and they gave their daughters to their sons, & ser­ved their gods. It was Sampsons De­lilah that betrayed him into the hands of the Philistims. And how is it found by sad experience, that such as yoke themselves unequally for carnall advan­tages, are much insnared in their spiri­tuall condition. When Marriages are made, the infidelity or prophanenesse of the one party is not sufficient to make [Page 148] a necessary divorce; but the believing and spirituall are to do what they can to win the unbelieving and carnall: yet when persons are free, they had best take heed how they intangle them­selves. And wo to that person that be­comes a snare.

Thou that art an inticing husband, canst thou not be content to perish alone, but thou must needs draw thy wife to the same eternall ruine with thee? Thou that art an inticing wife, canst thou not be satisfied to perish alone, but thou must draw thy husband to the same everlasting torment with thee? must you needs go to hell by couples? As those that have been hap­py instruments in saving their yoke-fellows, shall reap the everlasting com­fort of it: So, on the contrary, it will be an everlasting torment to those hus­bands and wives, who have been Sathans instruments in destroying each others soules. O consider this and lay it to heart before it be too late.

The last way I shall mention, of hin­dring the saving of people from their sins, is by persecution. Although now there is not (blessed be God) such open persecution with violence, as in the [Page 149] dayes of Popish Kings and Rulers with fire and faggot, and other waies of tor­ture: Yet, the scornes, decisions, and abuses, that have been offered to the waies and servants of God, have been a great means to hinder some, by discou­raging them in the way & to turn others out of the good way, wherein they were going. In these times (I confess) a slight forme of godlinesse, and some smooth words, About matters of Religi­on especially the arguing of controver­sies in divers opinions, is in great credit, and much in fashion, and the upper garment of Saint ship, is the very li­very of the times we live in. But the power of godlinesse is but here and there found, and serious Christian pra­ctice hath little savour and acceptance. He that will be a Christian indeed, shall be reviled by the profane party on the one hand for his precisenesse and scorned and vilified by our Novelists on the other hand, as a Legallist and Forma­list, as one that trusts to, and hopes to be saved by his duties. Is not ancient serious christian practice every where spoken against by the wantons of our age, who account old stedfast professors no better than Pharisees, and Selfe-justitiaries? [Page 150] It was a cruell practice of Paul, before his conversion, that he persecuted the Saints, shutting many of them up in prison, and gave his voyce against them when they were to be put to death, and that he punished them oft in every Synagogue, and being excee­dingly mad against them, persecuted them even to strong cities; but the most mischievous of all was that he compel­led them to blaspheme, Acts 26 10, 11. The other were but temporal sufferings, this a spirituall mischief. So now may we say, it was a murtherous practice in Bonner, and others, that burned the Saints in the daies of Queen Mary: but of far more evil consequence is the sin of those, that by scoffs, and scornes at the power of godlinesse, under specious pretences, have deluded many simple soules, causing them to blaspheme the ancient, tried, and approved wayes of God, and rejoice in it, as if they had done God good service. O how doth this confirm the ungodly in the midst of their wickednesse! and cause many, that began to minde Religion, to take up with a slight Antinomian profession, and go no further! And how sad is it to heare many talk of Gospel liberty, and [Page 151] Saints priviledges applying all to them­selves, while they are in the gall of bit­ternesse, and bond of iniquity; their lives & conversations plainly declaring, that they are as great strangers to the worth of Regeneration, as ever Nichodemus was; And while they promise liberty, they bring themselves into real bondage. 2 Pet. 2.18, 19.

Whosoever thou art, that hast had a hand in managing this will of the De­vil, to secure poor Soules in the midst of their sins, as it were bidding them sleep on, and take their rest, crying peace, peace, where there is no peace; know, that a fearfull woe belongs to thee, the blood of those soules which thou hast de­stroyed, will be required at thy hands. Suppose thou hadst seen the vision of John, in the opening of the fifth Seal, Rev. 6.9, 10. and hadst beheld under the Altar, the Soules of them that were slain for the Word of God, and for the Testimony which they held: and hadst heard them crying with a loud voyce, saying, How long (O Lord) holy, and true, dost thou not judge, and avenge our blood on them that dwel on the Earth; wouldst thou not have blessed thy selfe from being of the number of them, that [Page 152] should have a hand in their blood? But there will a louder, and more direfull cry from poor damned soules in hell be lifted up for vengeance against thee, even those, whom thou hast destroyed, by tea­ching them to spurn at the power of godlinesse. The Martyrs, that were slain, died but temporally to live eternally; but those poor Soules, whom thou hast taught to score at holinesse indeed, must die eternally and without recovery.

O that all these sorts of hinderers of the work of Christ in saving people from their sinnes, had but this reproof set home upon their hearts! O that sedu­cing Teachers, mischievous Dividers, scandalous Ministers, and others exem­plary for wickednesse, that enticing Sinners, and self-admiring Scorners at Godlinesse, had but the loud cry of dying souls, that by their means perish in their wickedness, continually ringing in their eares, that it might be a means to recover them out of their sin before they be also condemned to the same pit of hellish howling.

CHAP. V.

FIrst let me exhort you in generall to get your hearts deeply possessed with the consideration of this truth, 1. Use of Exhortati­on. That the great work of Christ our Savi­our, is the saving of his people from their sinnes. This will be of great concern­ment to the glory of God, and the good of your own and others soules, as will more fully appeare in the following discourse. The not understanding, and want of consideration of this, is the cause of great contentednesse in sinne among profane and earnall persons. They look onely upon judgement, as the great evill they are liable unto, as for their sinnes, they love, and delight in them, as if there were no evil in them. So little do most consider of the evill of sinne, that were it not for fear of the judgement annexed to the Law, and de­nounced against sinners, they would have no thoughts of ever-leaving their sins: the Language of many poore car­nall [Page 154] soules declares as much. Tell a profane person of his evill courses, so as to convince him of his sinne, he will an­swer, he hopes he may repent hereafter, and God may have mercy on him at the last: The example of the Thief on the Crosse much takes with him; but for present reformation he hath no minde to it. Tell me plainly, thou that livest in known sinnes, being convinced in conscience of the evill of them, and that yet there is no saving work wrought upon thy heart: Tell me, I say, and let Conscience answer, when thou hast had good motions upon thy heart from the Spirit of God in thy soli­tary seasons, or when thou hast been plainly shewed by some powerfull Ser­mon, what thy state is, how sinfull and damnable: Hath not thy deceitfull heart wedded to corruption, silenced the voice, and quieted the workings of conscience, by telling it [this work of turning to God, and seeking his grace is indeed necessary to salvation, but this is a work that may be done hereaf­ter; and so it be done any time, tis well enough, though in sickness, or old age.] And doth not this plainly shew, that thine ey is only upon the evil of suffring [Page 155] for sin, & not upon sin it self? for were sin accounted a greter, or as great an evil as suffering, yea, were it accounted an evil of any moment at all, there would be no pleading for a little more slumber, a litle more folding of the hands to sleep in sin. Were sinners as sensible of the evill of sin, as of the pain of scorching flames, oh how would they awake, and rouze up themselves & plead no longer for the flesh to delight it self in sensual pleasures!

Is it not ignorance in this point, that is the cause why so many, in these times, will not account a Sermon of repentance or holinesse, worth the hearing, and that the Preacher, that spends much time upon such subjects, is esteemed no bet­ter than ignorant of the mysteries of the Gospel? Is not ignorance of this do­ctrine the cause why so many self-con­ceited, self-sending teachers, meddle so little with the propheticall, and kingly office of Christ, and insist almost wholly upon his Priestly office, and handle that but by the halves too? They are much upon the satisfaction, which Christ hath made to God for sinne by his fulfilling the Law, and suffering for us: but the purchase of sanctifying grace is little ta­ken notice of. Verily every office of [Page 156] Christ is very necessary to the saving of his people: His Propheticall office is necessary to their teaching and enlight­ning in the waies of holinesse his King­ly office is necessary for the subduing of rebellious lusts and affections, for the conducting of them; and leading them on in the paths of righteousnesse, and his purchase (as he is our Priest) of sanctifying grace is as necessary as his obtaining pardoning grace for us.

The not laying of this to heart, is surely the cause of so much slightnesse and remissnesse, even in many of the children of God themselves in their whole spirituall course. Tell me truly, thou that fearest God, and dissemble no longer to thy own injury, and Gods dishonour, Hast thou not many times said thus in thy heart [I am verily per­swaded my estate is good before God, that I have true grace, and an interest in the precious merits of Jesus Christ, and though I be not so carefull, watchfull, and spirituall, as I might be, though I give way to such and such lesser evils, and neglect such and such smaller du­ties, yet having an interest in Christ, who is able to save me to the uttermost, all these will be pardoned, and done [Page 157] away in the day of account, and being not under a covenant of works, but of free-grace for the remission of sinnes, I need not be so very scrupulous.] Whence now comes such evill and car­nall reasonings in thy heart, but from hence, that thou little considerest that the great work and care of Christ is to save thee from thy sinnes? Thou loo­kest upon suffering as the greatest evil, and upon sinne as little in comparison of it; thou thinkest free-grace is chiefly, yea, almost wholly, if not onely, to be admired in the remission of sinnes, and magnified in the justification of Gods Elect diminishing his grace in their san­ctification. O how exceedingly is God dishonoured, not onely by wicked men, but even by his own children also, for want of rightly considering wherein their salvation lies! O learn now, if thou hast not hitherto considered it, that it is the great work of Christ to save his people from their sinnes: And to that end weigh well the arguments confir­ming the Doctrine.

And to the end thou maist be further helped in thy understanding of this truth, of so great importance, study againe, and consider better very many [Page 158] Scriptures, that speak of the work of salvation by Christ, and see whether thou hast not exceedingly straitned the sense and meaning of them, by con­ceiving them to speak of salvation from the fruits of sin onely, when they speci­ally intend salvation from sinne onely. Did not these words in the text, He shall save his people from their sinnes, and these words, Behold the lambe of God, which taketh away the sinnes of the world, seem to thee to be meant onely of the guilt and punishment of sinne? O learn now more clearly and fully to under­stand the sense of Scripture concerning Gospel-grace, and know, that Christs saving his people, by sanctifying them, as well as justifying them, is the very stream both of the old and new Testa­ment.

And here, that I may help your un­derstanding a little, I shall instance 1. In the Sacraments and Types. 2. In the Promises. 3. In the Prophesies of the old Testament. 4. In the Sacraments of the new Testament. 5. In the Go­spel-invitations, together with some other texts of Scripture. Sacra­ments or­dinary.

1. For the Sacraments, which were ordinary in the old Testament, Circum­cision [Page 159] of the flesh signified circumci­sing, that is, the sanctifying of the heart. Circumci­sion. Deut. 30.6. And the Lord thy God will circumcise thy heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soule, that thou maist live. Rom. 2.29. He is a Jew which is one inwardly, and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter, whose praise is not of men, but of God: Consider the foregoing verses. On the contrary, evil and un­sactified hearts are called uncircumcised in Scripture. Lev. 26.41.— If then their uncircumcised hearts be humbled.— Jer. 9.25, 26. Behold the daies come, saith the Lord, that I will punish them which are circumcised with the uncircumcised, Egypt, and Iudah, and Edom, and the children of Ammon, and Moab, and all that are in the utmost corners, that dwell in the wildernesse; for all these nations are uncircumcised, and all the house of Israel are uncircumcised in the heart. Acts 7.51. Ye stiff-necked, and uncir­cumcised in heart, and eares, ye doe al­waies resist the holy Ghost; as your fa­thers did, so doe ye. Circumcision then (as you see) was not onely a seale of the righteousnesse of faith.

The Pass­over.The Passeover, or Paschall Lamb, Exod. 12. was a Type of Christ, the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sins of the world, as it hath been explained before. The sprinkling of the blood upon the doore-posts signified the sprinkling of the blood of Christ upon the heart and soule, for removing of the filth, as well as the guilt of sin, which was also signified by other sprinklings and washings of the Law, as I shall shew you anon.

Sacra­ments ex­traordina­ry.The Baptism in the cloud, and in the red Sea, figured the same which is now signified by our Baptism under the Gospel, of which I shall speak in its due place.

The Manna in the wildernesse was a type of Christ, who is the bread of Life, upon whom whosoever feedeth by faith, hath a spirituall life in Christ; he dwelling in Christ, and Christ in him, to wit, by the graces of his spirit. Christ himself thus expounded what the Manna signified, as you may read at large. Ioh. 6.48. to 59.

Types.The Brazen serpent, Numb. 21.9. with Iohn 3.14, 15. was a type of Christ, restoring spirituall life, as well as deli­vering from the death of condemnati­on. [Page 161] As Moses lifted up the Serpent in the wildernesse, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whosoever belie­veth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. And this is life eter­nall, that they might know thee the onely true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent, John 17.3.

The Laver, Exod. 30.17. typified our sanctification by the Blood of Jesus Christ. Eph. 5 25, 26. Even as Christ also loved the Church, and gave himselfe for it, that he might sanctifie and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word. We read of the Laver of regeneration, Tit. 3.5. [...]. Ac­cording to his mercy he saved us by the washing of regeneration, and renuing of the holy Ghost.

The blood of the Sacrifices sprinkled, signified the blood of Christ in its san­ctifying vertue. Heb. 9.1 [...], 14. For if the blood of Bulls and of Goats, and the ashes of an Heighfer sprinkling the uncleane, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh, How much more shall the blood of Christ, who, through the eternall spirit, offered himselfe without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead workes, to serve the living God! chap. 10.22. Let us draw [Page 162] neer with a true heart, in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.

The Pro­mises.2. Let us consider the Promises, even of the covenant of promise. Jer. 31.33. But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel: after those daies, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts, and will be their God, and they shall be my people. Ezek. 36.26, 27. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you, and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judge­ments, and do them. Here you see how large a part of this Covenant consi­steth in the promises of sanctifying grace.

Prophe­cies.3. Let us consider the Prophesies. Zach. 13.1. In that day there shall be a fountaine opened to the house of David, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin, and for uncleannesse. It is the un­cleannesse of sin that is washed away by this Fountain of Grace. Isa. 61.1, 2, 3. The spirit of the Lord God is upon me, [Page 163] because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek, he hath sent me to binde up the broken hear­ted, to proclaime liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound, &c. This freedom here spoken of, is from a state of thraldome in sin, from the bondage of corruption, as well as from the obligation to punishment; for it is said, ver. 3. the latter part, That they might be called trees of righteousnes, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified. The like we have chap. 42. 6, 7. I the Lord have called thee in righ­teousnesse, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a cove­nant of the people, for a light of the Gen­tiles; to open the blind eyes, and bring out the prisoners from the prison, & them that sit in darknes out of the prison-house. Here we see that the opening of blinde eyes is spoken of; and what is that, but the grace of saving knowledge? and what the prison is, you may gather out of my foregoing words upon the former text. Mal. 3.2, 3. He (to wit, Christ) is like refiners fire, and like fullers sope: And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of sil­ver, and he shall purifie the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that [Page 164] they may offer to the Lord an offering in righteousnesse.

Sacra­ments of the N.T.4. The Sacraments of the New Testa­ment signifie the same sanctifying grace. Rom. 6.4. We are buried with him by baptisme into death, that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the father, even so also we should walk in newnesse of life. 1 Cor. 6.11. But ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified. Here you see the washing of Baptism signifies the sanctifying, as well as the justifying vertue of the blood of Christ. John 1.35. He that sent me to baptise with water, the same said unto me, Ʋpon whom thou shalt see the Spirit de­scending, and remain on him, the same is he which baptiseth with the holy Ghost. See also chap. 5.3. Except a man be born of water, and of the spirit, &c. Here the water of Baptism signifies Regene­ration by the spirit of Christ, Tit. 3.5. 1 Pet. 3.21.

The Lords Supper is for the streng­thening of Faith, and the several graces of the spirit in the Soule, and Food is for the maintaining and increasing of naturall strength. John 6.55. My flesh is meat indeed, my blood is drinke in­deed.

[Page 165]5. Let us take a view of some of the principal Gospel inviations: Isa. 55.1. Ho, Gospel-in­vitations. every one that thirsteth, come ye to the wa­ters, &c. Joh. 7.37. In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood, and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink, Rev. 22.17. And the spirit and the bride say, Come, and let him that heareth say, Come, and let him that is athirst come, and whosoever will, let him take of the water of life freely. In these texts we see free and gracious of­fers made to the thirsty, and according­ly our Saviour Christ pronounceth them blessed, which do hunger and thirst after righteousnesse, Mat. 5.6. Hungring and thirsting are metaphoricall expres­sions, and signifie the earnest and im­portunate desire of the soule; for as the hungring and thirsting appetite is not satisfied, but with meat and drink, which it earnestly craveth; so the soul that is truly sensible of its wants, is restlesse, unlesse it obtain a supply. Now let it be considered, whether the offers, before mentioned, be onely of pardoning grace, and the blessednesse, Christ spea­keth of, be to such as hunger and thrist after his justifying righteousnesse onely; or whether sanctifying grace is not here [Page 166] principally (I do not say, only) intended. Should we understand these of pardo­ning and justifying grace alone, who would not desire such grace, that ever heard of it? Should the blessedness here spoken of belong to all that earnestly de­sire Christs justifying righteousnesse who among us, would fall short of the bles­sing, that ever heard the Gospel prea­ched? The most wicked among us de­sire to be pardoned for the sake of Christ, and justified by his righteousnesse; and if in their health and prosperity they little regard it, yet when sicknesse arre­steth them, and death looks them in the face, they unfeignedly desire it, which is, to hunger and thirst after it: and so the multitude of wicked and ungodly men, that live and die in their sinnes, would be pronounced blessed by Christ himself, it here were no more intended. When a wicked impenitent sinner lies upon his death-bed, and expresseth his desire, that God would pardon his sin for the sake of Christ, and justifie him through his righteousness, we have no reason to think that he dissembles, not meaning what he speaks, for who would be willing to be condemned? But those gracious offers hold forth to us both [Page 167] pardoning and sanctifying grace; and sanctifying grace more especially: Hear John explaining the invitation of Christ forementioned, John 7.37, 38, 39. But this he spake of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive. And what Spirit is this, but the holy Ghost, which is our Sanctifier?

Here let me ask the sound Believer, What hast thou hungred and thirsted after? what hath been thy desire? didst thou never earnestly desire sancti­fying grace? dost thou not still finde it to be thy greatest want? dost thou not daily beg it at the hand of God? would the assurance of a pardon content thy soule, if it were possible to obtain it without sanctifying grace? I know it cannot be.

Thus likewise saith Christ, Mat. 11.28. Come unto me all that labour, and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. These expressions are also metaphori­call, and (reteining the Metaphor) what is the burden here spoken of? If it were onely the burden of wrath, due for sin, Cain and Judas groaned under the bur­den, and would have been glad of ease, and so would the most desperate sinner [...] in the world. If you say, they did not [Page 168] come to Christ for ease, I answer, that coming is also a metaphorical expressi­on, and we cannot understand it of a locall motion. To come to Christ for ease, is but to be willing to be eased by him, and to accept of his help: And what reason have we to think, that Cain or Judas were unwilling that Christ should ease them of that horrour and judgement their souls lay under? Yea, let me adde, I doubt not but all the De­vils in Hell would be willingly eased of the intolerable burden of Gods eternal vengeance. If you say, But there is no promise made to Devils, but to Men; I answer, it is true, but sure the men, to whom this rest belongs, have other kind of desires than what the Devils have. And in this, as James compares the faith that is not saving with the faith of De­vils, Jam. 2.19 so may I compare the desire that is not saving, with the desire of Devils. The burden then here spoken of, is the burden of sin it selfe, with the wrath of God, as the fruit of it, and those that have found, or shall find, ease by Christ, are such as groan under the intolerable burden of sin it self, and not meerly under the burden of wrath. And here I might also appeal to the sincere [Page 169] Christian, Wouldst thou think thy self sufficiently eased of thy burden, if Christ should onely deliver thee from eternall torments? would the body of sin be no burden to thee? would it be a pleasure to bear it about thee? It was Paul's greatest burden, it made him (groaning and panting after ease) cry out [...], O wret­ched man that I am, who shall deliver me from this body of death. His com­plaint in this expression, is the voice of one tired out with a wearisom burden, and neere spent with sorrow.

We shall now consider some other texts of Scripture: When Paul states the doctrine of salvation by free grace, he magnifies free grace mainly in the sanctification, and not meerely in the justification of the sinner. Ephes. 2.8. By grace ye are saved through faith, and not of your selves, it is the gift of God. What this salvation here spoken of is, let the Apostle himselfe declare in the foregoing verses. Ver. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. And you hath he quickned, who were dead in trespasses and sins, wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world— but God, who is rich in mercy, for his great mercy, wherewith he loved [Page 170] us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickned us together with Christ (by grace ye are saved.) In which verses you plainly see, that Grace is magnified up in the quickning from death in trespasses and sins, to live the life of grace.

So likewise saith Paul to Tit. c. 33. to 7. For we our selves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving di­vers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hatefull, and hating one ano­ther. But after that the kindnesse, and love of God our Saviour towards man ap­peared, not by works of righteousnesse, which we have done; but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renuing of the holy Ghost, which he shed on us abundantly, through Jesus Christ our Saviour. In which he shews, first, what was our misery, to wit, a state of foolishnesse, disobedience, &c. ver. 3. Secondly, he declares the moving cause of our salva­tion, to wit, not our works, but his mercy, according to his mercy he saved us, to wit, from the forementioned misery, and that is done by the washing of Regeneration, and renuing of the holy Ghost, &c. ver. 5, 6. And herein the kindnesse and love of God our Saviour to­wards [Page 171] man appeareth, ver. 4. Justifying grace is afterwards mentioned, v. 7.

In the third, fourth, and fifth chapters of the Epistle to the Romans, and the third to the Galatians, the Apostle speaks chiefly, and almost wholly of justifying grace. But the rea­son of that is, because he there disputed the question of justification with those, that sought it by a legal righteousness of their own; & therefore in this case it was necessary for him (first) to keep to the question in hand: yet, in the following chapters he shews the vertues of Christs death, for the killing of sinne, and of his resurrection for our arising to newnesse of life. Rom. 6. And that they that are Christ's, have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts, Gal. 5.24.

But where no controversie lies in his way, but the doctrine of salvation is intirely to be handled, he states salvati­on mainly in the sanctification of the soul, as appeares in the foregoing in­stances: And when Paul accounts all but losse, and dung, that he might win Christ, Phil 3.8. it was not meerly that he might be found in the righteousness which is through faith in Christ, but also that he might know Christ, and the [Page 172] power of his resurrestion, and the fellow­ship of his suffering, being made confor­mable to his death. And towards the full attainment of this, it is that he presseth forwards, ver. 12.13. Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect; but I follow af­ter, &c.

When Paul wrote to Timothy, to direct him what to teach, as the most necessary doctrine, and what he should see others teach also, he directs him to teach the practice of godlinesse. 1 Tim. 4.7, 8. But refuse profane and old wives fables, and exercise thy self rather unto godlinesse. For bodily exercise profiteth little, but godlinesse is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and that which is to come: He addes, ver. 9. This is a faithfull saying, & worthy of all acceptation. And backing it with a further argument, ver. 10. he addes again, ver. 11. These things com­mand and teach. And in the fifth chap. with the former part of the sixt, having directed him how to teach the duties of persons in their severall relations, he addes, These things teach and exhort, ver. 2. And if any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholsome words, even [Page 173] the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine, which is according to god­linesse, he is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions, &c. The Do­ctrines that are now vented against the power of godlinesse, are but the fruit of the proud dotage of the times where­in we live; for the mysterie of the Go­spel is called the mysterie of godlinesse. 1 Tim. 3.16. And without controversie great is the mysterie of godlinesse, God manifest in the flesh, &c. Let it be further considered, that when Paul professedly handleth the doctrine of Gods speciall distinguishing grace, he opposeth saving grace (as I formerly observed) to hard­ning in sin, rather than perishing for sin. Ro. 9.18. He will have mercy upon whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardneth. I might give you divers other Scriptures, but these may suffice, being thus opened, to help you in the better understanding of the doctrine of Saving grace.

Consider well of these, and see where­in thy salvation lies, and labour in the use of all the meanes that God affords thee for the saving of thy soul from sin: Hear diligently, pray earnestly, watch narrowly, work out thy salvation with [Page 174] fear and trembling, and strive in good earnest, if thou meanst to be crow­ned.

Obj. But methink I heare some alrea­dy whispering, what, must we be saved by our graces, and duties? What kinde of Popish doctrine is this?

To which I answer,

Answ. This is the great Objection whereby Sathan, that grand Deceiver, hath hardned many against the most pressing arguments of the most serious Ambassadors of Christ, to holinesse of life. Upon this one slender cavil, many, for fear of Popery, are become Antino­mians, I may better say, professed Li­bertines: And for fear of being their own Saviours, have refused to be saved by the purifying blood and spirit of Jesus Christ. But to speak more particular­ly and satisfactorily to this point, con­sider with me these few propositions following:

Prop.1. Mans Misery consists of two parts, 1. Sin. 2. Condemnation for Sin.

2. Mans Salvation consists of two parts (opposite to those two evils) 1. Sanctification, which is his Salvation fron Sin. 2. Pardon of Sin and Justifi­cation, whereby he is delivered from [Page 175] Guilt and Condemnation: And both these are essentially necessary to mans Salvation.

3. Justification and Sanctification are both concomitant, and inseparable twins of unspeakable Mercy and Free-grace, proceeding from the tender bo­wels of Jesus Christ.

4. As no mans Justification is the cause of his Sanctification, so no mans Sancti­fication is the cause of his Justification; but both are alike, the proper fruits of the forementioned grace of Jesus Christ.

5. As no man is saved from wrath and condemnation, but by being pardoned and justified, so no man is saved from sin, but by being sanctified. And thus salvation depends upon sanctification▪ And what danger is in this Doctrine? I am sure the ruine of the soule depends upon the contrary.

6. Justification is a relative change wrought without us, Sanctification is a reall work wrought upon us. Christ is the Author, but Man is the Subject of Sanctification: Or (to speak to the meanest capacity) it is Christ that san­ctifeth, it is Man that is sanctified.

7. By this sanctifying grace of Christ, [Page 176] those that were dead in trespasses and sins, have a principle of spiritual life put within them, and maintained, whereby they are enabl'd to live the life of grace, to the glory and honour of God.

Now must we be afraid of setting forth in the strength of grace communi­cated, lest we dishonour the work of Christ? Is Christ dishonoured by our walking, running, striving, pressing forward in the waies of his Commande­ments? When Christ raised Lazarus from the Grave, he wrought a reall miracle in causing his soule to return into his body, whereby he received life again. Here Christ was the Author of this Miracle, and Lazarus was the Sub­ject, upon whom it was wrought. It was Christ that gave life, by causing the soul to return into the body; it was Lazarus that received life, and his soul that returned, was the immediate prin­ciple of life. Now when Christ had given life unto him, and called Lazarus come forth, would Lazarus have done well to answer [Lord if I come forth, and walk upon my own legs, thy power will not be manifested in my resurrecti­on, the work will not appeare to be a reall miracle.] Would it not have [Page 177] been a dishonour to Christ for Lazarus to have laine still in the grave, when Christ had thus called him forth to ma­nifest his gracious power? Certainly, the more readily he came forth, and the more he walked, worked, or performed any actions of life, the more fully was the miracle, and therein the glory of Christ manifest to the world. And thus it is in our spirituall resurrection from death in sin.

To return again to the exhortation, consider, I beseech you, what is the great work you have to mind, as long as you live; that which is the great work of Christ, must be your great work also, wherein you must diligently labour in subordination to him, to wit, in the saving of your souls from sin. But I will not detain you in the generall ex­hortation, but descend to particulars, where I shall speak

1. To such as are in the state of na­ture: Art thou yet, poor soul, in thy naturall condition, under the power of Sin and Satan? O consider, thou art in a sad condition, thou art lying under the greatest misery, and thy great work is all yet to do; wait upon God dili­gently in the use of his means, for the sa­ving of thy soul.

Obj. But thou wilt presently say, Is it in the power of a naturall man to convert himself? Am I able to deliver my owne soul?

Answ. If thou art willing to be sa­ved from the bondage of corruption, know, that the Lord is willing to afford thee help; but if thou art not willing to leave thy sin, why dost thou complaine for want of power? Doubtless, the same that Christ charged upon the Jewes, Iohn 5.40. Ye will not come to me, that ye might have life, may be charged upon thee, and the multitude of carnall per­sons, that live under the meanes of grace: When Christ bewailed Ierusa­lem's sad condition, being ready to be destroyed, he complaines, How often would I have gathered thy children toge­ther, and ye would not? Mat. 23.37. So may I say, how often hath the Lord tendred unto thee saving grace, and thou wouldst not accept it? Were thy defect a meere simple impotency, thy condition were the more excusable; but thy defect is mainly in thy will, thou art in love with the sensuall pleasures of sin, thou delightest in them, and art not willing to exchange them for the preci­ous graces that Christ offers thee: [Page 179] Christ invites thee, and thy excuse is, I cannot, when the truth is, thou wilt not accept of grace offered: Say not, I cannot save my selfe, when thou art not willing that Christ should save thee. And to the end thou maist be left without excuse, Consider,

1. God is willing to save thee, yea, he would delight in thy salvation, more than in thy destruction; yea, he hath bound it with an oath. Ezek 33.11. As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turne from his way and live: Turne ye, turne ye from your evill waies, for why will ye die, O ye house of Israel? Hath not God also abundantly declared his willingnesse in the giving of his Son? Iohn 3.16. God so loved the world, that he gave his onely begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

2. Christ is willing, & had he not been so, he would never have laid down his life, to open a way for thy salvation. Were he unwilling, he would not send his Ambassadours to pray and beseech thee to accept of his help. Had he been willing of Ierusalem's destruction, he would not have wept over it, for [Page 180] refusing the message of Salvation.

Hath God declared his willingness by his word and oath, and the death of his Son? And hath Christ declared his wil­lingnesse, by giving himself a ransome sufficient for thy soul? Doth he offer to cleanse, and purify thee with his dea­rest bloud? Doe the Gospell-invitati­ons, Come, come, come, often sound in thine eares? Doth he stretch forth his hand all the day long for thy help, and blame thee for thy backwardnesse to thy own good? Where is now the fault but onely in thy selfe? How doth the Lord still exercise patience and long-suffering, wooing & waiting for thy ac­cepting of his gracious offers; but yet thou turnest the deaf eare, and hardnest thy heart against the salvation of thy own soul.

Suppose a man sick of some desperate disease, and an eminent Physitian sends to him, telling him, [Thy disease is very dangerous, and there is no hope of thy life, unlesse thou accept of my help; if thou art but willing, I will come and heale thee; I have healed thousands of the same disease, and can as easily heal thee, if thou art but willing I should do it.] But he answers, [If God hath [Page 181] appointed I shall recover, I shall; and if not, there is no help for me;] and so refuseth the Physitians offer, slights the Messenger, and dieth of the Disease. Is not this man guilty of his own death? and will not all that hear it, say, [He might have been a living man, would he but have taken the Physitians coun­sell] Is not this the very condition of thy soule (poore carnal wretch?) Thy disease is mortal; and how often hath the Lord (the spiritual Physitian) sent his Messengers, declaring to thee the pernicious danger of thy sinne, that it will be thy eternal ruine, unlesse thou accept of his help! and how many hun­dred messages hath he sent unto thee, telling thee, if thou art but willing he will come down and heale thee! And the more to convince thee of his skill, he hath given thee examples of many that he hath cured, that were as desperately sinful as thy self. But thou sayest, [If it be Gods will I shall be saved, I shall, or else all meanes and endeavours are in vaine,] and slightest the offers of Christ by his Messengers. Is not the fault now plainly in thy self? and is it not manifest wilfulnesse, if thou perish without help? Say not, as many doe in [Page 182] their hearts) I know Christ can save me, if he will. Let me tell thee againe, Christ is willing as well as able to save thee, if thou art but truly willing of his help; and if thou art not willing, thy perdition will be of thy self, the blood of thy soule will be upon thy owne head; And let this be engraven for thy Epi­taph, that all may read it when thou art dead and gone: [Lo here he lies who perished in his sinnes, because he would not be saved.]

But yet my heart is very unwilling to part with thee thus; yea, methinks the Lord himselfe is unwilling thus to let thee go, notwithstanding thy former wilfulnesse. When the Lord had pa­thetically declared and complained of the wilful wickednesse of Israel, Isa. 1.2, 3, 4. notwithstanding his tender dea­ling with them, he being still unwilling of their ruine, saith to them, ver. 18. Come now, and let us reason together: So let me say unto thee on the behalf of God, and thy own soul, Come, and let us reason together before we part, and see whether it be not possible to prevail with thee to be willing to the salvation of thy own soule. And here let me put a few Queries to thee:

[Page 183]1. Hast thou not lived all thy dayes in the light of the Gospel, and under the meanes of Grace; the Lord yet still offering unto thee his saving help, woo­ing, intreating, beseeching thee to ac­cept of him, that thou maist be saved? And will not all these meanes and mer­cies, thou now injoyest, rise up in judge­ment against thee in the great day of thy account? Mat. 10.14, 15. And who­soever shall not receive you, nor heare your words; when ye depart out of that house, or city, shake off the dust off your feet. Verily I say unto you, it shall be more to­lerable for the land of Sodom and Go­morrah, in the day of judgement, than for that city. Chap. 11.21, 2 [...], 23, 24. Woe unto thee Corazin, wo unto thee Bethsai­da; for if the mighty works which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long agoe in sackcloth and ashes. But I say unto you, it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgement, than for you. And thou Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be thrown down to hell: for if the mighty works which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom it would have remained untill this day: But I say unto you, it [Page 184] shall be more tolerable, &c. Hence let me propose to thee a second Querie:

2. Dost not thou account Heathens & Infidels persons in a most forlorne and miserable condition? and wouldst thou not account it a reproach to be called Heathen, or Infidel? and is not thy condition farre worse than theirs? they have but the light of Nature, the book of the Creature to read God in, and know not what a Bible meanes: thou hast the light of Scripture, wherein the will of God is fully revealed. The light of Nature may discover much of mans misery; but Scripture revealeth it more fully, and sheweth the effectual reme­dy, and that plainly and clearly. Now consider this, that as thou enjoyest greater light, thy condemnation will be the more heavy, if thou continue to sin against it; for thou wilt have no cloak for thy sin, Joh. 15.22.

3. When thou readest, or hearest the History of the rebellious Israelites, how they sinned against God, after he had wrought for them great deliverances, and they had seen his wonders, and been instructed out of his Law: Art thou not ready to condemn them for their great wickednesse? and is not thy sinne [Page 185] greater than theirs? If thou believest Scripture to be the word of God, thou hast the same miracles to convince thee, and all that were wrought by Christ and his Apostles too: but that which is of greater consequence, is, that all the Types, Prophesies, and Promises of the Law, wherein they could see but darkly through a veile of grace, that was to be revealed, Praesens autem in carne ipse Mediator & beati ejus Apo­stoli. jam Testamen­ti novi gra­tiam reve­lames aper­tius indica­runt, quae aliquanto [...]e. ultius su­perioribus sunt signifi­cata tempo­po ibus. Aug. de Civ. Dei l. 10. c 32. are now fulfilled, and in fulfilling, and we are called under the Gospel, to behold, as it were, with open face, the glory of the Lord, and the cleare light, that now shines, discovers more fully, by many degrees, the way of life, than all the doctrine and miracles of Moses. And now, wherein thou judgest them, dost thou not more deeply con­demn thy selfe? If he that despised Moses law died without mercy, under two or three witnesses, of how much sorer punishment shalt thou be thought worthy, who hast trodden under the foot the Son of God, and despised his Go­spel of grace? Consider also the words of the Apostle, Heb. 1.1, 2. with ch. 2. 1, 2, 3. God, who at sundry times, and in divers manners, spake in time past unto the fathers, hath in these last dayes spo­ken unto us by his Son, therefore we ought [Page 186] to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip. For if the word spo­ken by Angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence and reward; how shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation, which began at first to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him!

4. When thou readest of the Jewes, that refused Christ, when he came a­mong them preaching unto them, and instead of accepting him, persecuted him; and when it was put to their vote, whether Christ or Barabbas should be released, they saved Barabbas and deli­vered Jesus to be crucified; Doth not thy heart even rise against them? Yea, is not the name of a Jew therefore be­come odious among us? And art not thou worse than they? Most of them (al­though they sinned greatly herein) yet they did it ignorantly, they did not be­lieve that Jesus was the Christ, but looked for another, and therefore did not persecute him as Christ, but as a Deceiver; for, said the chief Priests and Phari [...]ees unto Pilate, Sir, We remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet [Page 187] alive, After three dayes I will rise again, Mat. 27.62, 63. For if they had knowne it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory, 1 Cor. 2.8. But thou believest that Jesus is the Christ, and knowest that salvation is not to be had in any other, yet thou receivest him not, but daily sinnest against him, and provokest him with hardnesse of heart. And how oft hath the Lord put it to thy vote, whether thou wouldst have Christ or sin to live and rule over thee, and thou hast still given a reall voice for the life of thy base corruptions (far more mis­chievous than Barabbas) and choosest to live under the power of sinne and Sa­than, and crucifiest Christ afresh by thy daily transgressions, offering despight unto the spirit of grace: Thou art there­fore inexcusable, O man, whosever thou art that judgest, those Christ-murdering Jewes, for wherein thou judgest them, thou condemnest thy self; for thou that judgest dost the same, or worse things. And thinkest thou this, Ro. 2.1, 3. that thou shalt escape the judgement of God?

5. Art thou content (as thy security seemes to maintain to die in a state of sin, and perish as one that wilfully re­fuseth grace offered, and to receive the [Page 188] saddest condemnation? If thou dost in­deed believe that there is a heaven of unspeakable joyes, and a hell of intolera­ble torments, methinks thou shouldst not be willing to lose heaven, and fall into hell, under the eternall wrath of God. Sure thou sayest in thy heart, [I will hereafter return to God sometime or other, before I die, I intend to repent, and lay fast hold upon Christ at the last, and I hope I may be saved then, as well as if I do it now.] Hast thou not some such reasonings in thy heart as these? To which I answer, thou art ready to plead thy own inability now, and say, [I cannot repent, believe, and turn to God, it is not in the power of a naturall man to do it.] Why then dost thou promise what thou wilt do at the last? will it be any more in thy power then than now? is it out of the power of a strong and healthy man to repent, and lay hold upon mercy offered, and is an aged, sick or crasie person able to per­form it? Consider well of it, and give me a reason why thou shouldst be bet­ter able to doe this great work, when thy body is decaying, and thy memory and understanding declining, and thou unable to frequent the publick Ordi­nances, [Page 189] than now, while strength of body, and mind, and means of grace do all concurre together.

Obj. But thou wilt say, I hope God will give me grace then, and enable me to do it.

Answ. 1. God offers thee his help now, yea, his saving grace, why wilt thou not accept of it? 2. What reason hast thou to think that Christ will bestow upon thee that grace at the point of death, that thou hast wilfully refused all the dayes of thy life? Nay, hast thou not reason to expect, that before that time thou shalt be judicially sealed up to blindnesse of minde, and hardnesse of heart, for refusing so many of the Lords gracious offers of mercy. Thus it be­fell the Jewes in the like case: Isa. 6.9, 10. And the Lord said, go and tell this people, hear ye indeed, but understand not, and see indeed, but perceive not. Make the heart of this people fat, and make their eares heavy; and shut their eyes, lest they see with their eyes, and heare with their eares, and understand with their heart, and convert and be healed. When the terrours of hell and death take hold on thee, and thou criest to God, maist thou not justly expect, that the Lord [Page 191] will be as peremptory in refusing to hear thy cries and complaints, as thou hast been in refusing to obey his voice in the daies of thy prosperity. Read and consider well, Prov. 1.20. to 31. Zech. 7.13. Therefore it is come to passe, that as he cried, and they would not heare, so they cried, and I would not hear, saith the Lord of hosts. Read the foregoing ver­ses. 3. Let me ask thee how many thou hast seen converted to Christ in their old age, that lived constantly under the means of grace in their younger yeares? The work of grace is wrought most commonly upon those that are in the prime of their age: gray-headed sin­ners seldome repent; Why wilt thou then promise thy selfe so much in old age? 4. Tell me plainly, and deceive not thy own soule, while thou shiftest thus: Is not pardon of sin, and justifica­tion, that thou maist be delivered from a place of torment, the great mercy thou hopest for? and is not this the end thou proposest, while thou promisest thy self future repentance? If so, thou dost but deceive thy own soule. Christ came to save thee from thy sinnes, and not meerly from the tormenting wrath of God: Christ will be a whole Saviour, or no [Page 190] Saviour, he will deliver thee from the power of thy sin here, or he will never deliver thee from hell hereafter: Think not that a little counterfeit sorrow, at the last, will prevaile with the Lord to pardon thy sin: O study well the offers, promises, and threatnings of the Go­spel now, for I feare, thou art, as yet, ignorant of the nature of saving grace; I believe thou dost much cheer up thy selfe with the consideration of Gods goodnesse, riches of grace, mercy, and long-suffering, and think thy selfe, by these, sufficiently secured. 'Tis true indeed, the consideration of these may comfort the humble, selfe-denying, con­verting sinner, and are well made use of to lead us to repentance: But thou that continuest in sinne upon this score, after thy hardnesse and impenitent heart trea­surest up unto thy selfe wrath, against the day of wrath, and revelation of the righ­teous judgement of God, Rom. 2.4, 5.

Obj. But what kinde of legal preaching is this? Is this to preach salvation by Christ? This is more like the voice of the Law than of the Gospel, more like the thundring and lightning from mount Sinai, than the voice of Christ from mount Sion.

Ans. 1. I well remember, ever since I knew what a Sermon meant (till these late years) that the most thundring, rou­zing, sin discovering, heart-searching Preachers, were most highly prized, and followed by all that were esteemed god­ly, and the wicked and profane were wont to call them damnation preachers, and desired to heare such as would preach them a Sermon of mercy. I wonder now, how it comes to passe that so many professors, in these times, are fallen in with the profane multitude, to revile such messengers of Christ: Sure there is a harmony between the theory (at least) of the one, and practice of the other. The Antinomian Profes­sors plead grace is free, and God hath so revealed himself, that we need not doubt of his love; it doth not become a Gospel-spirit to repent of sin, or grieve for any miscarriages, their sins were all long since done away in Christ; neither ought they so much as once question their spiritual state; neither should Ministers preach any thing but Free-grace and mercy in Jesus Christ.

And the wicked and profane say, [God is mercifull, and Christ died to save sinners, and hereupon take liberty [Page 193] to go on in sin, impenitently, never questioning their spiritual condition, but hope to be saved by Christ, as well as the best.] And the Antinomian sort of teachers will fit them for preaching, according to their own hearts desire. Either all our old Professors, or these new ones, are much mistaken. But you will say, These are times of greater light, and many of our young Profes­sors now see that, that our ancient Pro­fessours understood not in former times. Answ. These are times wherein Professors are more light than former­ly, but whether they have more light, I much question. Some men have (or at leastwise think they have) much light in their heads, but little in their hearts, and their Religion is much in controver­sies, but little in the life, and power of god­linesse. 2. Light is of two sorts, First, the light of bare knowledge, and if this be the light so much boasted of, the De­vils, and damned in hell, may boast more, for they know more than all the Saints upon earth. Secondly, there is the light of grace, seated chiefly in the heart, and shining forth in the life and conversation; and this (if I mistake not, yea, if Christ mistake not) is the [Page 194] true light of the Gospel, that shines to the honour of God. Mat. 5.16. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorifie your father which is in heaven. And of this sort of light our late professors are farre more barren, than those of former yeares. If there be now more light in the head, there is lesse in the heart and life; and light in the head will be but an aggrava­tion of darknesse in the heart. The Servant that knew his Masters will and did it not, was to be beaten with many stripes: Yet I much question, whether this light so much gazed after, be light from the Sun of righteousnesse, or not. There is a sort of wandring light in the night season, which ignorant people call by divers names, but Philosophers call it ignis fatuus, fooles fire, because ignorant and foolish people when they see it, wonder, and are amazed at it, and are led by it out of their way into pits and ditches, and lose themselves, and afterward usually say, they were led by a Spirit, not understanding that it is but, a vapour arising out of the earth. So there is a sort of light, which ignorant professors admiring, wander after, out of the way of truth, into many pits of Sa­thans [Page 195] digging, yet they take themselves to be led by the Spirit, while they under­stand not, that this light is not from above, but is earthly, sensuall, devillish. But I return to answer more fully to the Objection.

2. If by the voice of the Law you mean preaching justification by the law, as a covenant of works, so as by our own works, to be justified either in whole, or in part; I blesse God I never heard any such preaching in all my life, nor (I believe) any of you.

2. I suppose by the Law, you mean II not the law of ceremonies, for no man preacheth such doctrine among us.

3. If you conceive that those that li­ved under the Law, till the coming of Christ, were under a Covenant substan­tially, and essentially different from the covenant of grace, under the Gospel, you do but grosly mistake: For the covenant of God with Abraham, and his seed, and the covenant now made with the faith­full and their seed, is one and the same. Hence, saith Paul, Gal. 3.9. They which be of faith, are blessed with faithfull A­braham Hence likewise, Rom. 4. he proves justification by faith, by the ex­ample of Abraham's justification. And [Page 194] [...] [Page 195] [...] [Page 196] the blessings of Abraham are said to come upon the Gentiles through Jesus Christ, Gal. 3.14.

4. If you think that those that lived under the Law, did not so clearly un­derstand the promises of Grace, but were more plentifully threatned with judgements. It is true: 1. There is a graduall difference of light, or of the manifestation of the grace of Christ now, from what was then. 2. Judge­ments were more plentifully threatned in the Old Testament then in the New. 3. Yet as the Law threatned more plen­tifully, so the threats were more of tem­porall Judgements. Deut. 28.16. &c. And as the Gospel threatens more spa­ringly, so it threatens more heavily, and dreadfully with spirituall, and eternall vengeance. As one milstone will weigh down many pibbles: So one Gospell-threat will overpoise many of the curses threatned in the Law. There is in Deut. 28. a Catalogue of curses containing no lesse then fifty two verses: And that one Gospell threatning, 2 Thes. 1.7, 8, 9. is farre more dreadfull then all of them: doe but weigh, and consider it. The Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty Angels, in flaming fire, [Page 197] taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the pre­sence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power. What are all temporall Judg­ments in comparison of this everlasting destruction here denounced against all those that obey not the Gospell? The voice of the Law-threatnings is but as the rushing of winds, lesse terrible, but more frequent: But the voice of the Gospel threatnings is like the loudest thunder-claps from heaven, more asto­nishing, though more seldom.

5. As the morall Law it self is not yet abolished; so all the threatnings of the Law for morall disobedience, are still in force also. I doubt not but warre, sick­nesse, poverty, and the like are now Judgments from God upon the disobe­dient: for as godlinesse hath promise of the life that now is, and that which is to come; so ungodlinesse is threatned both with the judgments of this life, and that which is to come. And if the threatnings of the Old Testament are still in force; and more terrible ones are denounced in the Gospel against impeni­tent sinners, must a Preacher passe them [Page 198] all by, and take no more notice of them, than so many cyphers, and preach no­thing but grace and peace to all sorts of sinners?

Whereas the Gospel is a message of glad tidings, or good newes, and such thundrings as these seem somewhat he­terogeneous, and unsuitable to it; you must understand, that as there is a two­f [...]ld coming of Christ, to wit, his first coming to redeem sinners, and to seek and save that which was lost: and his second coming to take vengeance on them that have neglected so great salva­tion. So there is a two-fold intention of the Gospel, 1. To offer life and salvati­on, and to conferre it upon all those that believe and obey it. 2. To denounce and pour out vengeance upon all that are unbelieving, and disobedient. As in the Law of our Land; the first in­tention of the Law of our land, is the good of the Subject, that men may be obedient to it, & protected by it: but the second intention of the Law, is to punish the disorderly; and the penalties are annexed to the Law, and published with it, that Obedience may be the more readily yeilded, and the transgressors of the Law may know what to trust to. So [Page 199] the primary and direct intention of the Gospel, is the salvation of the sinner: yet the judgement of God upon the disobedient, is written and published in the Gospel, that Obedience may be the more readily given to Christ, and that his enemies that will not be subject to him, may know what to look for at his hands.

3. I hope Christ and his Apostles were III not legall preachers: let us see how they preached, 1. Christ preached repen­tance, and destruction to the impeni­tent. Luke 13.3, 5. Except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish. He preached most terrible woes to them, that they rejected the Gospel-message, Mat. 11.20, 21, 22, 23, 24. He preacheth no less than eight woes in one Chapter. See Mat. 23.13, 14, 15, 16, 23, 25, 27, 29. He threatneth with the damnation of hell; ver. 23. Ye Serpents, ye generation of Vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell? And the worm that never dieth, and the fire that never goeth out? Mark 9.44, 46, 48. And this is the condemnati­on, &c. Joh. 3.19. See also Luke 11.42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 52. if preaching sharp­ly to obstinate sinners be legall prea­ching, you will be constrained to call [Page 200] Christ a very legall Preacher, if you do but read and consider his Sermons.

Consider likewise the preaching of the Apostles. Peter preached a Sermon ( Acts 2.) that pierced the Jewes to the heart, ver. 37. Paul preached a rouzing Sermon of righteousnesse, temperance, and judgement to come, that made Felix tremble to hear it, Act. 24.25. And John, the beloved Disciple, that lay in Jesus his bosome, and knew much of his heart, tells us, Rev. 21.8. The fearfull, and un­believing, and abominable, and murde­rers, and whoremongers, and Sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake, which burneth with fire and brimstone, which is the se­cond death. Read also Rom. 1.18. ch. 2. to ver. 10.1 Corin 6.9 ch. 10. & 11. 2 Thes. 1.7, 8, 9. Hebr. 1.2. 1, 2, 3. c. 12. 29 Iam 5.1, 2, 3.

As Christs ordinary practice was a pattern for all Christians (Learn of me, for I am meek and lowly, saith Christ, Mat. 11.29.) So his preaching is a pat­tern for those that are Ministers of the Gospel. We must learn of Christ what, and how to preach. And as Paul saith, Be ye followers of me, as I am also of Christ, to wit, in ordinary conversation: So [Page 201] may it be said of his preaching also, to those that are Ministers; we must imi­tate him, as he imitated Christ in the Do­ctrine he preached: And if to preach as Christ, and his Apostles did, be legall preaching, I desire to live and die a le­gall preacher. And however many esteeme of it, I had rather (as I have formely told you) that my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth, than ever I should, with a pleasing voice, flatter you in your sinnes, and sing you asleep in the midst of carnall security. O how dreadfull is that saying, Ezek 3.17, 18. Son of man I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore heare the word from my mouth, and give them warning from me, when I say unto the wicked, thou shalt surely die, and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life, the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity: but his blood will I require at thy hand.

4. Let it be further considered, That when there was more sharp and home preaching, which was the manner of the Lords Prophets, not many yeares since, there was farre lesse pride, censorious­nesse, contention, hypocrisie, and other [Page 202] evils among professors, and farre more true zeale for God, humility, meekness, tender-heartednesse one towards ano­ther, and sincerity, than can be now found among them. O how unlike are we now to those Saints, that lived twenty yeares since! we have indeed the name of Saints more frequent in our mouths than they; but they had farre more of the grace of Saints in their hearts and lives than we: 'Twere well if we had lesse of the name, and more of the nature of Saints indeed.

And to close up the Answer, let us consider what may be the reason why it is not now meet that the judgements of God upon sinners, should be preached among us; it is not because men have more tender consciences than ordinary, (although tender consciences are much talked of) that nothing should be ap­plied to them but lenitives and cordials from the promises of God: But because men are grown more tender of their sins, and are loath to have their Deli­lahs disturbed that lodg in their bosoms. But let every faithfull Minister of Christ remember that saying of Paul to Titus, chap. 1.13. Rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith. And let [Page 203] me tell thee, whosoever thou art, that wouldst have thy corruptions so tenderly dealt with, the Lord will either break thy heart for sin here, and bring thee to himself as a sincere convert, or else he will grind thee to pouder hereafter; thou shalt not long sleep thus in a whole skin; thou hadst best therefore look about thee quickly.

Possible some one may now say in his heart, Quest. I am convinced by what you have pressed upon me: What would you have me to do? What course might I take for my salvation out of this state of sin I am in?

I shall give thee a few directions, Answ. ob­serve them carefully, and practice them conscionable, and I doubt not (through Gods help) but they may be effectuall for thy good.

1. Meditate seriously of the sad con­dition of poor damned soules. How ex­quisite are their paines, how intolerable are their torments, and how restlesse are their helplesse soules! Didst thou ever feele the vehement pain of the Gout, Stone, broken Bones, bones out of Joynt, or any other wracking Misery? and dost thou remember how grievous it was to endure it for a little time? Sup­pose [Page 204] thou hadst bin to indure it all the dayes of thy life, without intermission; what wouldest thou doe? nay, what wouldst thou not doe to be freed from it? What if all the parts of thy body were as grievously tormented, as ever thou hast felt any one part, how heavy would it be to beare! But alas, What are all these to what the body must in­dure in hell, they are but as a flea-biting to it, and yet the torment of the soul will be more grievous. All the torments that the wit of man can invent are but as nothing to what those poor souls suf­fer, upon whom the full vialls of the Lords wrath are poured out. The same drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into cup of his indignation, and are tormented with fire & brimstone in the presence of the holy Angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever, and they have no rest day nor night, Rev. 14.10, 11. Consider this as thy own portion, if thou go on in sin.

2 Meditate seriously of the unspea­kable joyes of the Saints in Heaven. If all the delightful objects in the world were united in one, and bestowed upon [Page 205] thee, and thou wert to live here all thy daies in the enjoyment of it, it would not be worth one day in heaven. Psal. 84. Illa ci­vitas sem­piterna est: ubi est vera & plena foelicitas, non dea, sed donum Dei. Aug. de civ. Dei l. 5. c 16. Rom. 8.18 If David esteemed one day in Gods house on earth, better than a thousand in carnall delights, we may much more speak so of a day in Gods heavenly presence. In thy presence is fulnesse of joy, at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore, saith David, Psal. 16.11. As Paul rec­koned that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with future glory (though he himselfe was a­bundant in sufferings) so may it be as truly said, that the greatest wordly glo­ry is not in the least degree worthy to be compared to those soule-ravishing joyes of the glorified Saints. And if Moses esteemed the reproach of Christ, greater riches than the treasures of Egypt, what may we esteem the glory of Christ to be, which he hath prepared for his people▪ There is in the heavenly Mansions a removall of all evils and grievances whatsoever, and a complication of all good things that may make a soul com­pleatly blessed.

3. Meditate seriously of the nature of eternity, which is an endlesse duration, whether it be of happinesse, or misery. If [Page 206] the damned in Hell should be released after as many years as there are hairs on their head, starres in the firmament, and sands on the Sea shore, it would be a large ab [...]ment of their misery: And if the blessed in Heaven should, after so many years, be deprived of their glory, it would exceedingly diminish their hap­pinesse. But such is the nature of eter­nity, that when so many yeares are ex­pired, the torments of the damned, and the joyes of the blessed are no nearer en­ded than at the first beginning. And if thou die in thy sins, thou wilt fall into those endlesse, easeless pains of Hell, and lose those eternal unspeakable delights of Heaven.

4. Consider how vain, uncertain, and unsatisfactory all things are, that are here below Vanity of vanities (saith So­lomon) all is vanity, Eccles. 1.2. Solomon, who had the greatest wisdome, to invent what might be delightfull, and the grea­test riches, to purchase his hearts desire in all carnall pleasures, and being King of Israel, had power to command what might be further added by his Subjects; upon experience of all, tells us of one thing, this is vanity; and of another, this is also vanity: And when he had [Page 207] tried all he could devise, he cries out, Vanity of vanities, vanity of vanities, all is vanity. The eye is not satisfied with see­ing, nor the eare with hearing, nor any sence, with its Object. And what didst thou ever meet w [...]th in the world, that fully contented thy heart? What sweet without the mixture of some bitter? And what assured possession hast thou of any thing? O let this weane thy heart from seeking rest in thy present condition.

5. Consider how short, and uncertain thy present life is. It is but a little while but thou must bid adieu to all thy friends here, and wordly injoyments: and then must thou enter upon thy eternall estate, either of joy, or sorrow. When Jacob was presented before Pharaoh, and he asked him, How old art thou? He answered, The dayes of the yeares of my pilgrimage are an hundred and thirty yeares: few and evil have the dayes of the yeares of my life been. When he had multiplied his years into dayes, he esteemed them but few. So saith Job, chap. 14.1. Man that is born of a woman is of few daies: he doth not say of few years. A day is somewhat lesse than the three hundred sixty fifth part of a yeare, yet man lives [Page 208] but a few dayes. And how uncertaine are thy dayes! Hast thou not common­ly seen some well, and dead within the space of a week, or fortnight, & some die suddenly? and are not many younger than thy selfe gone down to the grave before thee? And what assurance hast thou that thou shalt live another week, day, or houre? And should thy life be taken from thee in the condition thou art now in, what would become of thy immortall soul?

6. Having considered these things as arguments to quicken thee in min­ding thy salvation, break off from thy sinfull companions, who are the Devils instruments to hold thee in thy sin and misery. If thou art given to drinking, gaming, uncleanesse, or the like vice, thou hast thy companions to help thee on, and keep thee in thy sinfull course: or if thou art no open sinner, thou hast some, that, probably, help to hold and quiet thee in thy gracelesse, sensuall condition: as ever thou desirest to escape the snare of the Devil, beware of his Instruments, fly from them. The blessed man is described, partly by his departing from the society of sinners. Psal. 1.1. Blessed is the man that walketh [Page 209] not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornfull. And, saith Solomon, Prov. 4.14, 15. Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men. Avoid it, passe not by it, turn from it, and passe away. When Scripture repeats the same thing, ei­ther in words or sense, it intimates ei­ther certainty, vehemency, or earnestnes of speech: But here we have no lesse than six expressions in these two short verses, forbidding us the way and socie­ty of the wicked. Here doth the wise man, as it were, cry aloud to us, away, away, away, for your lives.

7. Seek acquaintance with those that are godly, such have experience of the evil of sin, the beauty of holinesse, and the comfort of a gracious life, and can inform thee in these things, and tell thee how they came to be delivered from their spirituall enemies. They that have travailed in the same path can best di­rect thee in the way thou art to goe.

8. Hearken diligently to the preaching of the Word. Faith comes by hearing, Rom 10.17. and the Gospel is called the power of God unto salvation, Rom. 1.16. [Page 210] and saith Jam. 1.21. Receive with meek­nesse the engrafted word, which is able to save your soules. Be constant then in attending to the word, hear the word of God in season, out of season, take all opportunities to hear: this is the most ordinary means of conversion; consi­der how many were converted by the preaching of the Gospel! three thousand in one day, Act. 2.41. and very many of them sincere converts.

And when thou hearest, consider se­riously whose word thou hearest; not the word of Man, but of God, and weigh well the great concernment of what thou hearest, it is the Word, by which thou must be justified or condem­ned in the great day of account.

9. Give serious regard to the many friendly convictions and motions of the Spirit of God. I know by experience, that carnall persons have many such convictions and good motions, which they do not cherish, but rather quench: I believe very many (if not most) that attend upon the powerfull preaching of the Word, have, at some time or other, some close workings and stirrings upon their hearts, however they come to get loose from them again: Some have [Page 211] confessed their sins with tears, and some have been under some continuance of trouble of mind, and yet have returned again to their former folly. O take heed of so doing, left thy last estate be farre worse than thy first. Set in rather with such movings of the Spirirt, thou maist probably obtain the saving grace which thy soul needeth.

10. Pray earnestly to God for saving grace, humbly confessing and bewailing thy sin before him. When Peter had told Simon Magus, that he was in the gall of bitternesse, and bond of iniquity, he said to him, Repent, and pray God, if perhaps the thoughts of thy heart may be forgiven thee. This Ob­jection is very satis­factorily answered by Mr. Baxter in his me­thod for peace of consci­ence. Dir. 9. Prov. 21. [...] Let not the Devil delude thee with that vain objection [The sa­crifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord, therefore thou must not pray.] If thou art obstinately resolved to go on in thy wickednesse, then hear­ken to his voice, and forbear to pray; but if thou seest a necessity of salvation, and thy heart be by all these, or other arguments inclined to seek after it, for­bear not to cry mightily to thy God for help. Suppose I should say unto thee, thou must not plough, for Solomon saith, the ploughing of the wicked is sin; thou [Page 212] must not sow, or labour in thy calling, for being an unbeliever, it is impossible for thee to please God in it: Thou must not eat or drink, because thou dost not do it to the glory of God. Wouldst thou not answer, I must follow my cal­ling, or else I must be a beggar, and ut­terly undone: I must eat and drink, or else I shall soon be famished: no man, but he, that desperately careth not for his life, would refuse his necessary food. Is not the case alike, as to thy spirituall condition? No man, but he, that is desperately set to lose his soule (me­thinks) can be perswaded from praying to the Lord for help. When Jonah had preached the destruction of Nine­veh, if another had come and told them, they might save their labour for fa­sting and praying, their prayers would be but an abomination to the Lord, and do them no good; Would they have hearkned to such counsel? Nay, did not the Lord give a gracious returne to their prayer? Suppose the Lord should smite thee with some violent incurable disease, and death should stare thee in the face, & one of our Novelists should come and tell thee, thou hast been hi­therto a wicked creature, and it is but in [Page 213] vain to pray, thy prayer will be but an abomination to the Lord, wouldst thou not loath to look upon him, that should speak thus to thee, and account it devil­lish counsell? wouldst thou hot say, I must pray, or perish? And if a man that hath been wicked, may, yea, concludes he must pray, and cannot be at peace unlesse he pray, when the judgements of God are upon him, or hang over his head, why may he not set himself to seek God, while he hath health, liberty, and a free injoyment of the meanes of grace for his help? Was it not to the wicked that the Lord said, Isa. 55.6. Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is neere? See ver. 7. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him. And is it not charged upon the workers of iniquity, as their greater sin, that they call not upon the Lord, Ps. 14.4. How oft did the Lord call upon the wicked Israe­lites to humble their soules and seek his face! and how oft did he heare and deliver them from their distresse! Hast thou not read of Ahabs Humiliation, and what successe he had? Make not [Page 214] thy self worse than a wicked Ahab, lest he rise up in judgement against thee, and lest the men of Nineveh rise up in judge­ment against thee, for they fasted and prayed, and humbled their soules at the preaching of Jonah, and behold a greater message than that of Jonah, is sent unto thee.

It is easie to prove by many texts of Scripture, and arguments from Scri­pture, that it is a wicked mans duty to pray, and unlesse any man will under­take to prove, that it is his duty to conti­nue in his wickednesse, he will speak but little to the purpose against it. Some can say by experience, that the first spe­ciall work of God that ever they percei­ved on their hearts, was while they were praying unto him; and though they be­gan to pray formally, yet they were brought to pray seriously before they ended the same prayer. And if by blind guides thou wilt be perswaded to for­beare praying, let the character of a wicked sot remain upon thee. Psal. 14.4. Have all the workers of iniquity no know­ledge?— who call not upon the Lord. And let the portion of the wicked be reserved for thee. Psal. 9.17. The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.

The second branch of the use of ex­hortation, II I shall direct to such of you, as are spirituall. Labour in the use of such means, as God affords you, to save your souls from sin. This is the great work of Christ, and this must be your great work also, in subordination to him. Whosoever thou art, that effectually cal­led, thou art called to holiness. God hath given thee a principle of grace to this end, that thou mayst warre against cor­ruption, and walk in a holy conformity to his will. O remember, that sin is thy greatest misery, and holinesse thy reall happinesse. The godly mans happinesse consisteth in the remission of sins and sanctification of the soul. Thus the bles­sed man is described in Scripture by both these parts of his blessedness, 1. Remis­sion of sins. Psal. 32.1, 2. Blessed is the man, whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniqui­ty, 2. By sanctification. Psal. 1.1, 2. Blessed is the man, that walketh not in the counsell of the ungodly, &c. Ps. 119.1, 2. Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord. Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart. These are [Page 216] not meere qualifications of the persons, to whom blessednesse doth belong, but are reall and most considerable parts of blessednesse it self. Sin, as I have shewed you, is your great misery, therefore holi­nesse is your great happinesse. O how happy is a holy life! Well might Solomon say, Prov. 12.26. The righteous is more excellent than his neighbour, even as much as spiritual liberty is more excellent than Satans slavery. O then labour in the feare of God to walk uprightly before him, in all holy obedience, as thou desirest to be blessed. Jam. 1.25. Whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. Signifi [...]cat in ipsa actione si­tam esse bea [...]tiud nē, non in audi­tione frigi­da. Calv. in loc. I do not say, blessed for his deed meritoriously, but blessed in his deed really. It is contrary to the glory of Gods grace to make our holinesse and works meritorious of our future happi­nesse: and it is a diminishing of Gods mercy to us, and our own happinesse here, to make our graces and sincere obedience meere signes and evidences of our good estate here, and our title to heaven hereafter. They are indeed signes, but (I say) not meere signes; for they are the chief part of our happinesse [Page 217] here, and a part of the happiness we shall enjoy hereafter: the spirit of sanctifi­cation is therefore called the earnest of our inheritance, Ephes. 1.14. Now the earnest is not a meere signe of a bargain, but a part of the summe, and what a man receives in earnest, so much he hath toward the summe he is to receive. So much then as thou hast of sanctifying grace, so much thou hast of thy heaven upon earth. Thus when Peter exhorts us to adde grace unto grace, and one degree of grace unto another, he useth this among many other motives. 2 Pet. 1.11. For so an entrance shall be mini­stred unto you abundantly into the ever­lasting kingdome of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. The more holinesse we obtaine, the further we get into hea­vens happinesse, while we are here upon earth Thus, I conceive, we may under­stand the exhortation of Paul, Phil. 2.12.— Work out your salvation with feare and trembling: Consider the fore­going words, As ye have alwaies obey­ed, not as in my presence onely, but now much more in my absence, Work out your salvation, &c. As if he should say, as he hath begun in the assistance of his grace, who worketh in you both to will [Page 218] and to do, so go on to work out your sal­vation (to wit) in obeying to the end. O consider what motives here are to holinesse! 1. It is your salvation. By the habits of grace you are delivered from the state of sin, and by every act of obe­dience you are saved from the contrary evil of disobedience. I beseech you con­sider it well, there is something of sal­vation in every act of obedience to God. Mistake me not, I do not say, that any, or all our obedience deserves ought from God, but in every duty the Lord inables you to perform, you are saved from the contrary neglect: In every temptation you resist, you are sa­ved from that evil of sin you were tem­pted to, and sin is the worst of evils. Thus Joseph, by withstanding the temptations of his Mistress, was saved from the sin of uncleannesse; and this was a farre greater deliverance than his enlargement from the dungeon he was afterward cast into. And in this sense well sayes Solomon, Prov. 19.16. He that keepeth the com­mandement keepeth his own soule. And Christ is called ( Heb. 5.9.) the author of eternall salvation unto all them that obey him: For he saves his people by ruling them, and making them obedient to his will.

The second motive here used by the Apostle, ver. 13. is this, For it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do, of his good pleasure. Ye have the assu­rance of Gods special grace, which is sufficient for you, strive therefore in the strength of grace.

I might here use divers arguments to presse you on to holy obedience; but I shall onely desire, at this time, that this one may be well considered, and you will finde it weighty, to wit, that sanctificati­on is salvation. Consider the reasons of the Doctrine, and let thy soule be con­vinced of this, that sin is the worst of evils, that God is most honoured, and thy self most happy in thy being saved from sin; & according to the Doctrine, That the great work of Christ our Savi­our is the saving of his people from their sins. And then, methinks, I need say no more to perswade you to hate sinne, and fall in love with the wayes of holi­nesse.

And here, before I passe, let it be considered, that properly and immedi­ately we cannot, either principally or instrumentally pardon our sins, or justifie our soules: that belongs wholly to God. It is God that pardoneth and justifieth, [Page 220] it is Man that is pardoned and justified, (yet is it our duty to beg and sue for pardon) but in the sanctification of our soules, 1 Pet. 1.22 1 Joh. 3.3. we (after the first grace recei­ved) are immediately instrumentall in our own salvation (as you have already heard) we are never commanded to pardon or justifie our selves, Jam. 4 8. 1 Pet. 1.15 Tit. 3.8. Heb. 12.4. Col. 3.5. Phil. 2 12. but to purge our hearts, and cleanse our hands, to walk in holinesse, to maintain good works, to strive against sin, to mortifie our earthly members, and therein to work out our salvation. And what have we else to do while we are here, but to glo­rifie God in seeking the salvation of our souls from sin?

And here let me tell you also, there is something of destruction Omnes [...]im, quoti­es peccamus tot [...]es pe [...]i­mus, quan­tum ad nos attine [...]: Deus forsitan meliora, & salubriora no­bis providet; at quoties peccamus per nos non fiat quin perea­mus. Quod à pe [...]ditione vindicamur, ex me a est Dei miseri­cordia; peccata etiam multo graviora prepter Ch [...]istum condonan­tis, nos (que) ad resipiscentiam perducentis▪ Interea p [...]r [...]n [...]s non fiat, quin pereamus, quoties peccamus. Twis. vind. gra. l. 2. crim. 4. Sect. 2. in every sin you do commit: every sinne is as a wound to the soul. And although the Lord will perfectly cure it in those that [Page 221] are his, yet, methinks, a sober man should carefully keep himselfe from wounds, notwithstanding he hath a skilfull Chirurgeon at hand that is able to heale him. When the Apostle saith, Rom. 14.15. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died; He did not mean that it was in the power of any man finally to destroy him whom Christ hath effectually redeemed: but destroy not (that is) mischief not him, by cau­sing him to commit sin, which is in its own nature destructive to the soul. That saying of Philosophers, vehemens sensi­bile destruit sensum, A violent object de­stroyeth the sense, is true, although every loud sound doth not make a man stark deaf, nor every dazling light quite put out a mans eys: the senses are impaired by violent objects, though not immedi­ately destroyed by one such object. As Solo­mon saith of one sin­ner, so we may truly say one sin destroyeth much good, Eccles 9.18. Thus the soul (though not utterly destroied) is very much damnified by sinful practises; yea, every sin is in its own nature a mortall wound; and although the Lord doth not suffer his people to die, yet, when they have sinned greatly, he hath caused them to feel so much tormenting pain of such wounds, that they have roared out, and groaned long sometimes [Page 222] in the bitternesse of their soules, before they have felt the cure wrought. Psal. 32.3, 4, 5. When I kept silence my bones waxed old, through my roaring all the day long: For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me, my moisture is turned into the drought of summer. I aknowledged my sin unto thee, and my iniquity have I not hid: I said I will confesse my transgressi­ons unto the Lord, and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Consider therefore how much thou art concerned to look to thy heart, and waies, to mortifie sin, and perfect holinesse in the feare of God. I shall now proceed to give some directi­ons for the saving of your soules from sinne, and I will not be tedious in them.

Directi­ons.1. Study well the sleights of Satan, who prevails very far upon the children of God, because they are so ignorant of his devises. Satan hath his [...], his wiles and stratagems, whereby he mis­chiefs poor soules. The efficacy of a stratagem depends upon the secrecy of it, being discovered, it becomes weak, and is more easily prevented. Satans fallacies and subtilties are very many; and, because of his subtilty, he is called the old Serpent, which deceiveth the whole [Page 223] world, Rev. 12.9. And saith Paul, 2 Cor. 11.3. I feare, lest by any meanes, as the Serpent beguiled Eve, through his subtilty, so your mindes should be corru­pted from the simplicity that is in Christ. But I shall not now inlarge my selfe up­pon this particular, having not long since preached to you at large upon this subject, from Mat. 4. the former part of the chapter.

2. Study well the deceitfulness of thy own heart; thy greatest enemy Although Satan were asleep, al­though the world were at one with us, although wicked counsell were utter­ly put to silence, al­though no evil example were given us, although no outward stumbling block were cast in our way: yet have we one thing in our selves, and of our selves (even originall sin, concupi­scence, or lust) which never ceaseth to egg us and allure us from God, and to stain us with all kind of unclennesse, accor­ding as S. James saith, Every man is tempted of his own lust. Golding's ep [...]ded▪ before his translation of Calv. on the Bsal. lodgeth in thy own bosome. As a bosom-friend is the best, so a bosom-enemy is the worst. The heart is deceitful above all things— who can know it? Jer. 17.9. How innume­rable are the self-delusions, not onely of carnal persons, but even of the children of God themselves! O what shifts and excuses will they find out to defend ma­ny vain and sinfull practises!

[Page 224]3. Be watchfull, see that ye walk cir­cumspectly, not as fools, but as wise saith Paul, Eph. 5.15. Be sober, be vigilant, saith Peter, Epist. 5.8. security is very dangerous, when the Danites went to Laish, they found the people quiet and secure, and so easily smote them with the edge of the Sword. Judg. 18.27. If there be no guards kept, a Garrison may be easily surprised, and taken by the E­nemy. It hath been found by experience in warre, that much injury hath been received through the sluggishness of them, that should have been watching. So is it with Christians in their spiritu­rall condition. How often doth Satan prevaile upon them through their head­lesse security, how often are they meerly surprised by him, before they are aware! O take heed (Christians) Satan is al­wayes waiting his opportunity to fall upon you: it is therefore most neces­sary that you be alwayes watch­ing. No Commander would draw off his guards, when the Enemy lies before him, but rather double them, and rowse them, if they are sluggish. This is our condition. Our Adversary without is e­ver attending upon us, and (which is worse) we have a malignant party lur­king [Page 225] within us, waiting an opportunity also, to betray us to Satan. Let me say with Paul, Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober, 1 Thes. 5.6.

4. I shall, in a word, Ephes. 6. commend unto you the whole armour of God, of which I cannot now stand to speak par­ticularly.

5 Consider where thy greatest weak­nesse lies, and draw up thy greatest force, and exercise thy greatest care and watchfulnesse there. In a Garrison the watch is usually strongest, and the force drawn up greatest, where the walls or works are weakest: Consider then, I say, where thy greatest weaknesse lies: Hast thou a worldly heart? draw up all the force of arguments thou canst, to strengthen thee against that infirmity; watch carefully, & pray earnestly against it. Hast thou a passionate, rash spirit? this is thy great infirmity, do all thou canst to strengthen thy soule; watch and pray also against this infirmity. Hast thou a proud, self-exalting heart? this is also thy great infirmity; and whatever thy weaknesses are besides be sure this is one. What I have obser­ved in my little experience, makes me [Page 226] almost of the opinion of a godly Mini­ster, Mr. Capel in his Treatise of Tenta­tions. yet living, that Pride is every mans beloved sin. What sin more naturall in all the world, than this? I feare most of you have forgotten what I have prea­ched in divers Sermons, a few yeares since, from Jam. 4.6. God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble, and it is not now seasonable to make re­petition of it. But consider thy weak­nesse in these mentioned, or any other particulars, and know that Satan will assault soonest, where he finds the wea­kest, and will prevaile more easily, un­lesse thou art watchfull.

6. Go not forth in thy own strength, lest thou fall through thy own weakness, but be strong in the Lord, and in the might of his power, as saith the Apostle, Ephes. 6.10. We must have the Lords arm of strength, as well as the Lords armour for our spirituall safety. When Peter was confident of his own strength, the Lord gave him wofull experience of his own weaknesse. Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will not I be offended, Mat. 26.33. And I am ready to go with thee both into prison, and to death, said Peter, Luke 22.33. Who but Peter? who so bold and resolute as [Page 227] he? But see what a Coward he proved, when he came but to be charged with a maid, (though he took himself for a man) he denied Christ no lesse than thrice, yea, he cursed, and swore, saying, I know not the man, Matth. 26.73. But Paul took a safer course, of whom I shall spake in the next direction. And Peter himself, after he had smarted for his self-confidence, obtained much strength from Christ, as is evident by his doings and sufferings for the sake of Christ, recorded in the Acts of the Apostles.

7. Pray earnestly for strengthening and assisting grace, for the withstanding of temptations: Prayer is to be joyned with all other endeavours. This is to be used with all the pieces of our spiri­tuall armour, Ephes. 6.18. Praying al­waies with all prayer and supplication— Gird up your loyns and pray, believe and pray, hope and pray. Fly to Christ for strength in prayer and supplication. Thus did Paul, when the messenger of Satan buffetted him, 2 Cor. 12 8, 9. The power of prayer is very great.

8. In all temptations to sin, remember what I have told you, over and over, that sin is the worst of evils, and use this as an argument against them: let a [Page 228] temptation to sin, be as if a man should perswade you to cast your selves into the fire. The least sin is worse than the most scorching flames, yea, sin is worse than the torments of hell. This, if well considered, would much imbitter the sweet morsells of sin. This will be a great meanes to keep thee close to the rule of Gods Word, when temptations are strong, and cause thee highly to prize the Word, as David did, and take counsell from it. Thus when Davids straits were great, he fearing sin, consults not with flesh and blood, but with the word of God. Psal. 119.23, 24. Princes also did sit and speak against me, but thy Servant did me­ditate in thy statutes. Thy testimonies are my delight, and my Counsellours. And he had much comfort from it in his di­stresse: This is my comfort in my afflicti­on (saith he) for thy word hath quickned me, ver. 50. not Gods word of promise onely, (which was comfortable) but his word of precept also. See ver. 51. The proud have had me greatly in derision, yet have I not declined from the law. This was his comfort, that he had the pre­cept of God to direct him in his duty, that being kept from the evill of sinne, his spirituall adversaries might not get [Page 229] advantage against him. Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee, ver. 11. For, had he esca­ped his enemies by a sinfull shift, it would have been a remedy worse than the disease. To be kept close to God, and to have communion with him in a time of affliction, and distresse, is a very great, and most desirable mercy: Therefore David, in deep distresse of persecution and affliction, prayes, Psal. 143.10. Teach me to do the will, or thou art my God, &c. Yea, this is a far greater mercy, than to be delivered from the affliction it selfe.

9. Prize, and frequent the Commu­nion, and society of the Saints and ser­vants of God, and thou shalt find thy hands much strengthened by them. Embrace all their counsels, admoniti­ons, exhortations, and whatsoever o­ther helps they afford thee, with much thankfulnesse. Learn to accept of a friendly reproof, as a great kindnesse. Psal. 141.5. Let the righteous smite, it shall be a kindnesse; and let him reprove me, it shall be an excellent oyl.— (This I the rather mention, because reproofs are hardly born by most.) Suppose a friend should save thee from perishing by [Page 230] fire, or water, wouldst thou not take it kindly, though he catch thee out hasti­ly, and handle thee roughly? Know that the danger of sin is greater; and a sharp reproof, for the safety of the soul, must be kindly taken, although it seem harsh.

10. Lastly, Be constant in the use of all meanes for thy Salvation, Satan is still watching, and thy corruption is daily, and hourly working: and thou canst not be negligent any time, without su­staining some injury by them.

III Having spoken to such as are Carnall, and to such as are spirituall; I shall now direct my speech to such as are at great uncertainties what their condition is, whether Carnall or Spirituall. And such I would Exhort diligently to inquire whether they have any actual interest in this great saving work of Christ or not. You cannot discerne what your interest is in the other part of Christs saving work, but by this. Pardon of sin, Justi­fication, Adoption, which are Relative changes, cannot be discerned, but by the Reall change, which alwayes ac­companies them.

Would you know then whether you are in a state of Salvation? inquire [Page 231] whether you are in a state of Sanctifi­cation or not: Herein lies the greater part of your Salvation (as you have heard) and the other parts are discove­red by this. It is a Devilish subtilty of Satan (tending to keep men in pre­sumptuous carnall security) to perswade them not to try themselves by marks, and Signes of what God hath wrought in them, to know what God hath fur­ther wrought for them, I know not how a Child of God shall discerne himself from a Child of the Devil, if the diffe­rence be only Relative, and not Reall. Neither can a Christian have more grounded hope, or comfort of his Salva­tion than a Jew, Turk, or Heathen; if the work of grace upon his heart will not evidence his good estate. I will not now stand upon this question: but will lay downe some few marks, whereby you may try, and discerne whether your estate be good, or not, and they shall be onely such, as fall directly from the point in hand, and may be deduced from what hath beene already spoken upon it.

First, If you are in a state of Salvation, you will look upon Sin as the greatest evil: or, if for want of due consideration, [Page 232] you have esteemed Wrath a greater evil, yet you will esteem Sin so great, even in it self, as that you will groan un­der it, and long to be delivered from it, though there were no other evill fol­lowing it. Let me put this question to thee, and consider well what answer thy conscience will make. Suppose it were possible for thee to go on freely in sin, without danger of punishment; that there were no penalty to be executed upon the impenitent transgressors of the Law; that there were no such thing as everlasting condemnation, or temporal judgement; couldst thou then be con­tented to go on, and take thy course in sin, without serious seeking to be deli­vered from it? If thou couldst, thy heart is not yet right in the sight of God, thou art in the gall of bitternesse, and bond of ini­quity, and not in a state of salvation. For to fear sin meerly, for fear of punish­ment, is not properly to feare sin at all, but wrath onely; and this is but a servile, or slavish fear. I doubt not but the judg­ment threatned on the one hand, and the reward promised on the other hand, are motives needfull for our help; but the very evill that is in sin it selfe, is esteem­ed so great, that the consideration of [Page 233] that alone worketh strongly in all that truly believe. He that could think him­self well enough with profits, pleasures, honours, if he might have a continued enjoyment of them, without ever being called to an account before Gods tribu­nal, is, as yet, but an unhappy man; for as yet he doth not hate sin, as sin, or for it self; nor out of any true love to the wayes of holinesse. The Scholler that would be willingly playing all the day long; but leaves his sport a while, and learneth a little, for feare of his Masters rod onely, is no enemy to Idlenesse, or true lover of Learning. Inquire then diligently what thy affections are to­wards sin, considering it as abstracted from punishment.

2. Secondly, and consequently, he that is saved from a state of sin, and hates sin, as sin, A quate­nus ad de omni valet argumen­tum Neque vi [...] bonus meri­to dicitur; qui scit quod bonū est, sed qui diligit. Aug. de civ. Dei l. 11. c. 28. a hates every sinne. Thus saith David, Psal. 119.104. I hate every false way. ver. 101. I have refrained my self from every evil way. And he that loves grace, as grace, loves every grace, and every gracious action, having respect to every part of his duty, Psal. 119. ver. 5, 6. O that my wayes were directed to keep thy statutes! Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect to all thy [Page 234] commandements. I do not say, that ha­tred of sin, or love of holinesse, is gra­dually perfect in all, or any of the Saints in this life; but it is prevalent in all of them. Inquire then what is the prevalent, or overpoising frame of thy heart: Is it against every sin, and for the whole service of God? I say the pre­valent, or overpoising frame; for a car­nall person may, and usually hath, many grudgings of conscience, against sin, and some approbation of the wayes of holi­nesse. When the rich young man in the Gospel came to Christ, inquiring what he should do to inherit Eternall Life; and at his second question, asked Christ, What lack I yet? Christ plainly disco­vered by his answer, that he wanted more love to his spiritual, than to his temporall happinesse. And in this exam­ple is confirmed, what Christ told his Disciples, to wit, that he that loved any thing more than him, is unworthy of him, and cannot be his Disciple, Luke 14.26. Mat. 10.37. Doubtlesse Judas had some kinde of love to his Master, upon whom he had waited so long: But the thirty pieces of silver weighed Christ down in the ballance of his affection.

I say also, it is the frame of thy heart, [Page 235] that thou must inquire after: for it is hard judging by some particular incli­nations onely. A bad man may sometimes be in a good minde; as at the hearing of some rouzing Sermon, or under some great Affliction, or the like; but this goodnesse is but as the morning cloud, Hosea 6.4. and as the early dew, that soon vanisheth away. The young man forementioned was in a good minde, while he was coming to Christ; but it was but of small continuance. A good man also may sometimes be in a bad minde, as when he is under a prevalent temptati­on: So was David, when he fell into the sins of Adultery and Murder; and Solomon when he declined to Idolatry. Now if a wicked man should judge of himselfe by what his inclination was, while he was in a good minde, for a little season, he may judge himselfe to be godly, (as, I doubt, many do) and so deceive his own soule. Or, if a godly man should judge of himselfe by what he hath observed in himselfe, while he was under the power of some great temptation, he may take himself for a very reprobate.

I adde, against every sin, and for the whole service of God. Because a wicked [Page 236] man may have a prevalent, constant hatred of some sinnes, and a constant predominant love to some vertues: even very Heathens have been constant haters of injustice, intemperance, &c. and have been great lovers of temperance, justice, and such like vertues. And we see by experience, that many meer civil per­sons are stedfast haters of swearing, drun­kennesse, whoredome, and such like open profanesse; and lovers of truth, honesty, and sobriety. Inquire then what is the prevalent frame of thy heart against every sin, so far as thou knowest. And this requires a serious, and frequent ob­servation of thy heart and wayes, if thou wilt make a clear discovery.

Let me ask thee then, Hast thou well observed the frame of thy heart? and dost thou find it to be against every sin, so as not to be contented with secret sins, heart-sins, most pleasing sins, com­mon infirmities, even such as may, and doe ordinarily consist with a state of grace? Canst thou say with David, Psal. 119.113. I hate vain thoughts. Psal. 18.22, 23. All his judgements were be­fore me, and I did dot put away his sta­tutes from me; I was also upright before him, and I have kept my selfe from mine [Page 237] iniquity. For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, (to wit) habitually, willingly, and out of indulgence, he remaineth guilty, as a transgressour of the whole law. James 2.10.

3. As a further consequent, He that is saved from a state of sin, feareth sin, and followeth after holinesse. What a man looks upon as evil, he hateth; and what he hateth he feareth, if he be in danger of it; and the greater he ap­prehendeth the evil to be, the greater is his fe [...]re of it. And what a man ac­counteth good, and so loveth, he hopeful­ly seeketh the injoyment of, if it may be attained; and the better he esteemeth it, the more diligently he seeketh after it. Thus to our purpose speaketh So­lomon, Pro. 28.14. Happy is the man that feareth alway; but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischiefe. To feare judgement with a love to sin, is a servile feare; but to feare sin, as a most sad evill in it selfe, is from a true filiall fear of God, who hath forbidden sin; and in the words we see, it is such a feare, as is opposed to hardning of the heart. And we have Paul's example for ear­nest pressing after the good he loved, [Page 238] and hoped for. Phil. 3.12, 13, 14. I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Jesus Christ. Brethren, I count not my self to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are be­hinde, and reaching forth to those things which are before. I presse towards the mark for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. My soul followeth hard after thee (saith David) Psal. 63.8.

Ask thy soul then, Art thou bold, and adventurous in thy waies without feare of falling into sin? or art thou fearfull and carefull in all thy undertakings, lest thou transgresse? Dost thou say, as Jo­seph did, when a temptation ariseth, How can I do this wickednesse and sinne against God? Gen 39.9. And dost thou in doubtful cases consider and inquire what the will of the Lord is, that thou maist keep his way?

4. Hence followes care to avoid the evil, & obtain the good in the use of such means as tend to the accomplishment of it. Let me ask thee then, What care and diligence dost thou use in hearing, rea­ding, meditating, praying, conferring, and watching over thy heart? A meere [Page 239] Hypocrite may do most of these, as to the outward act, with some kinde of diligence: But dost thou doe all these carefully, setting this as the end thou proposest, that hereby thou maist the more prevaile against eve­ry evil, and make a progresse in all good, and thereby glorifie God thy Saviour But alas, what is it that the most do? they sit out a Sermon, kneel out a Prayer in publick, say over their prayers in pri­vate, some perhaps doe this, and more meerly to get knowledge, to obtaine a good esteeme with men, or to satisfie the voice of an enlightned naturall Conscience, or for some other by-end. But if all endeavours do not chiefly refer to this end, to wit, to glorifie God in eschewing every evill and doing good, it is but lost labour.

5. Lastly, hence also followes a mans joy, and delight in that which is good; and sorrow, when the contrary evil over­takes him. What a man loves, desires, and seeketh after, as good, he delights in the enjoyment of. What a man hates, feares, and carefully shuns, as evil, he is sorrowfull for, if it fall upon him, and it is contrary to the nature of the rationall soule to doe otherwise. A man that [Page 240] loves riches, desires them, seeks after them, and rejoyceth in the midst of abundance. Luke 12.16, 17, 18, 19. but if he be undone by crosse Providences, and poverty befalleth him, he is grie­ved and troubled, as we see by experi­ence. When the evill, that a man feared is fallen upon him, it maketh him sad. Thus it is with those, that are godly in the spirituall estate. A godly man rejoy­ceth in all the good the Lord worketh in him, and by him, Thus Paul. 2. Cor. 1.12. This is our rejoycing, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity, and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisedome, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more a­bundantly to you-wards. A godly man is truely grieved for all the evill he doth commit, so farre as he cometh to the knowledge of it. Thus David makes a sad confession of his sin. Psal. 51.3, 4, 5, 6. Thus it is said, 2 Sam. 24.10. Davids heart smote him after he had numbred the people, and Dav [...]d said unto the Lord, I have sinned greatly in that I have done. Thus Peter went forth and wept bitterly, after he had denied Christ, Luke 22.62. And this sorrow is not meerly for grosse sinnes, but for lesser also: such as the [Page 241] world never sees. A godly man, as he hateth, so he grieveth for vain thoughts, It must be either a carnall, or bruitish frame of spirit for a man not to be grie­ved for sin.

Let the Antinomian stop his mouth, and say no more, that a child of God ought not to be troubled for any sinne, whatever he commits; Tunc [...] ista erit, quando pec­catum in homine nul­lum erit. Borro si [...] illa dicend [...] est quum animum contingere omnino non potest ullus affectus, quis hunc sluporem non omni­bus vitiis judicet esse pejorem? Potest ergo non absurde dici perfectam beatitudinem sine stimulo timoris, & sine ullae tristitiae futuram.— Si autem [...] illa est ubi nec metus ullus exterret, nec angit dolor, aversanda est in hac vita, si recte, hoc est, secundum Deum vivere volumus. Aug. de civ. Dei l. 14. c. 9. Apud nos autem juxta Scripturas Sacras, Sacramque do­ctrinam, Cives Sanctae civitatis Dei, in hujus vitae peregrinatione secundum Deum viventes, metuunt, cupiuntque, dolent, gaudent­que. Et quia rectus est amor eorum, istas omnes affectiones rectas habent.— Metuunt peccare, cupiunt perseverare, dolent in peccatis, gaudent in operibus bonis, &c. Aug. ibid. those that are removed to heaven, being wholly free from sin, have no more cause to grieve for sin. But whosoever it is that lives upon earth, that being subject to daily offences, and sometimes to great miscarriages, yet is not grieved for them: I will be bold to say, that he is no child of God, although he may conceit himself that his sins were all pardoned long since. There is no medium between [Page 242] grieving for sin, and rejoycing in sin, in some degree, while sin remains in us. And whether he that rejoiceth in ini­quity, without any remorse, or sorrow at all for it, be in a good condition, let any man judge, who understandeth any thing of the Word of God. See 2 Thes. 2.11, 12. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusions, that they should believe a lie, that they all might be damned, who believe not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousnesse. Jerem. 8.5, 6. Luke 13.3, 5.

Well, whatever vain mindes may fan­cy to themselves, the old Divinity will prove the soundest: whosoever he is that is in a state of salvation, doth truly and sincerely grieve for sin, and delight in that which is good, more than in all worldly prosperity: I do not say more passionately, but more solidly, that if it were put to his choice, he would not change grace for all the gold in the In­dies. Psal. 119.14. I have rejoyced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches. Psal. 19.8, 10. The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoycing the heart; the commandement of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes; more to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine [Page 243] gold, sweeter also than the honey and the honey comb.

Exh. 4. Whosoever thou art that IV fearest God, and upon examination, findest thy self to be delivered from a state of sin, rouze up thy heart, and take unto thee words of praise and thanksgi­ving to God thy Saviour. And to the end thy heart may be raised,

1. Consider what thou wast, 2 Tim. 2.26. Tit. 3.3. Col. 1.21. Joh. 8.44. c. 3.18.36. Tit. 3.4. Isa. 61.1, 2, 3. Luc. 4.18. Col. 1.13. Rom. 8.16, 17, 18. 1 Pet. 2.9. and what thou art. How sad was thy condi­tion, when thou wast a wretched bond-slave of Satan, led captive by him at his will, serving divers lusts, & running with the wicked of the world, to the same excesse of riot with them, an enemy to God through evil works, a child of the Devil, and heir apparent of Gods eternall vengeance, prepared for the Devil and his Angels. But now, since the love of God thy Saviour towards thee appeared, thou art delive­red from the bondage wherein thou wast held; the Lord hath opened the prison doores, knocked off thy chaines and fet­ters, led thee forth, and translated thee into the glorious liberty of the Sons of God, and made thee heire apparent of everlasting heavenly glory. And all this is done, that thou shouldst shew forth the praises of him who hath called thee out [Page 244] of such horrid darknesse into his mervai­lous light.

2. Consider how many thousands there are in the world that live in the midst of carnal security, contentedly abiding in the bondage of sin, & vassallage of Satan! & how very few there are that shall be saved, in comparison of the multitude that shall be eternally destroyed! Now, that God should call thee to be one of that little flock, and that when there is but as it were one of a family, and two of a tribe, thou shouldst be singled out from the rest, and chosen, when they are left; what meer grace, and astonishing distin­guishing mercy is this! Who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou, that thou hast not received?

3. How many, more rich, more ho­nourable, more wise than thy self, and many lesse sinners, and of better natural dispositions and inclinations, are left in a state of sin to perish eternally! yet God hath reformed thy crooked perverse spi­rit, and continually pardons thy daily miscarriages, and leads thee, and guides thee by his gracious spirit in the way to perfect glory. Hast thou not cause to say, This is a faithfull saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus [Page 245] came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief? howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all long suffering for a pattern to them which shall believe on him to life everlasting, 1 Tim. 1.15, 16.

4. Consider how averse thou wast to the work of grace upon thy owne-soul, Rom. 8.7. The carnall mind is enmity against God; not an enemy, but enmity it selfe. The saving mercy then thou sharest in, was neither deserved, nor so much as desired by thee; yet the Lord pitied thee when thou wast in thy blood, and hadst not an heart to pity thy selfe, and said unto thee live; he hath pre­vented thee with his goodnesse, and was found of thee when thou soughtest him not.

O let thy heart and mouth be filled with the high praises of God, and —Tamen quod nos oneratos, obrutosque peccatis, & à contem­platione suae lucis aversos, ac tenebrarum, id est, iniquitatis dile­ctione caecatos, non omnino deseruit. Misitque nobis verbum suum qui est unicus ejus filius, quo pro nobis in assumptae carne nato at (que) p [...]sso, quanti Deus hominem penderet nosceremus, atque illo sacri­ficio singulari à peccatis omnibus mundaremur, ejusque spiritu in cordibus nostris dilectione diffusa, omnibus difficultatibus superatis in aeternam requiem, & contemplationis ejus ineffabilem dulcedi­nem veniremus. Quae corda, quae linguae ad ag [...]ndas ei gratias sa­tis esse contenderint? Aug. de civ. Dei l. 7. c 31. Quantum tibi sumus debitores Domine Deus noste tanti redem­pti pretio, tanto salvati mysterio, tanto gratis adjuti benificio? Quantum à nobis miseris es timendus, & amandus, hono [...]andus, & reverendus, laudandus, & benedicendus, qui sic nos amasti, & salvasti, sanct ficasti, & sublimasti? Quis di [...]ere, quis cogitare sufficiat? Aug conf. Theo. par. 2. c. 14. say, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he hath visited and redeemed my soule, and hath raised me up a horn of salvation. My [Page 246] soule doth magnifie the Lord, and my spi­rit hath rejoyced in God my Saviour. For he hath regarded the low estate of my for­lorn soule. He that is mighty hath done great things for me, and holy is his name; and his mercy is on them that feare him, from generation to generation. Blesse the Lord, O my soule, and all that is with­in me blesse his holy name. Blesse the Lord, O my soule, and forget not all his be­nefits. Who forgiveth all thine iniquities, and healeth all thy spirituall diseases. Who redeemeth thy life from destruction, who crowneth thee with his loving kindnesse, and tender mercies. I will blesse the Lord while I have a day to live, yea, the terme of this life is too short to praise thy name, O Lord. O let my soule for ever live, that, being filled with the fulnesse of God, and love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, I may admire and praise the breadth, and length, and depth, and height of thy richest grace, and may with the heavenly quire of [Page 247] Angels sing, blessing, and glory, and ho­nour to God in the highest, and to the lamb of God, that taketh away my sin, who sit­teth upon the throne to all eternity. Amen. Hallelujah.

Exh. 5. Blesse God for every act of sin V the Lord hath delivered thee from, so far as thou canst observe it. Hath Satan at any time assaulted thee with his temptations, or hast thou been sorely endangered by thy own corrupt inclina­nation to commit sin, and hath the Lord prevented thee by any meanes whatsoever? Thou hast cause to blesse his name. If we have gotten a remarka­ble victory in warre, we take it for our duty to set apart a day of thanksgiving for it. If we are recovered from sickness, or delivered from any eminent temporall danger, we think we are bound to re­turne praise to God, and so we are. And should we not be as thankfull, yea more thankfull for Gods manifold gracious preservations of us from spirituall dan­gers? Suppose thou wert travailing on a journey with a great charge of money about thee, and a company of robbers set upon thee, and when their hands were in thy pockets, and their Swords, and pistols at thy brest; God should by [Page 248] a speciall providence bring passengers that way, who come in, in the very nick of time to save thee both from woun­ding, and robbing. Wouldst thou not looke upon it as a speciall favour, and be thankfull to God for so great a delive­rance, and be thankfull and loving to those that came in for thy help? Thus is it in thy spirituall condition. Thou art as a wayfaring man travailing towards home, and thou carriest a pre­cious treasure about thee, and how oft hath Satan and his instruments set upon thee to rob thee of what they can, and wound thy soule? And how oft hath the Lord delivered thee by sending in seaso­nable checks of conscience, motions of his spirit, reproofs, counsels and advice of Christian friends, and instructions by his messengers, whereby thou hast been delivered? And hast thou not cause to blesse the Lord for thy preservation, and for the meanes whereby thou wast pre­served? Are not spirituall dangers grea­ter then temporall, and is not the conse­quence of them more dangerous, if they prevaile? And is not the mercy of such a deliverance the more highly to be pri­zed, 1 Sam. 25. and God more highly to be praised? David hath herein given us a very [Page 249] pertinent example. When he sent his servants to Nabal for provision, and Nabal returned them back empty with a churlish answer; David, partly by the instigation of Satan, and partly by the heat of his own provoked passion, rash­ly resolved to destroy Nabal, & all that pertained to him before the morning light, and was marching up with four hundred men at his heeles, for the exe­cution of his purpose. But the Lord sent in Abigail, by his gracious provi­dence, with seasonable and spiritual counsel, whereby David was preven­ted of the execution of the evil he had intended. Now David was presently apprehensive of so great a mercy. See how heartily he blesseth God, for keeping him from the sin of self-revenge, and blesseth the instrument also, whereby he was preserved. 1 Sam. 25.32, 33. And David said to Abigail, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, which hath sent thee this day to meet me: And blessed be thy advice, and blessed be thou which hast kept me this day from coming to shed blood, and from avenging my self with mine own hand. And again, ver. 39. When David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, bles­sed be the Lord, that hath pleaded the [Page 250] cause of my reproach from the hand of Nabal, and hath kept his servant from evil.

Thus consider with thy self, Hath the Lord at any time delivered thee from the attempts of thy spiritual enemies, whe­ther by violent onsets, or by more subtill contrivances? Call upon thy heart to affectionate praise and thanksgiving for so great a mercy, and say, Satan, with the world, and my own corrupt flesh, have handed themselves together, and assaul­ted my soul with greatest violence. They came upon me furiously to swallow me up quick, and I was unable to withstand them for they were stronger than I. Then cried I unto the Lord in my distresse; I said, thou art my refuge, I fly to thee for help Save me, O my God, and deliver my soule from the hand of mine enemies, I have no power or might against them, but mine eyes are upon thee. In the day that I cried the Lord answered me, and strengthned me with strength in my soule. He saved me from my cruel enemies, he set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. He hath put a new song into my mouth, even praise unto our God. I will love thee, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortresse, and my [Page 251] deliverer, my God, my strength, in whom I will trust, my buckler, the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised. As for God, his way is perfect, the word of the Lord is tried, he is a buckler to all them that trust in him. Who is God save the Lord? and who is a Rock save our God.

My spirituall enemies conspired against me with one consent, they communed of laying snares privily for my soule, saying, Who shall see them? They took crafty counsel against me to take me unawares, and my feet were almost gone, my steps had well nigh slipt, I was almost taken in their net: But the Lord was my helper, he preserved my soule. Blessed be the Lord who hath not given me up, as a prey to their teeth, Gratias tibt ago pi­issime Deus qui me de multis an­gustiis, tri­ [...]ulatieni­bus, calami­tatibus, usiseriis, & infirm [...]tatibus, de multis foveis, laqueis & peccatis, da multis infidiis visib l [...]um & inv [...]sibilium mimicorum, de multis malis opprobriis, & adversitatibus corporis, & animae bactenus liberare dignatus es, dirigens miscricorditer, & marabiliter vitam meam inter adversa & prospera; ita ut nec adversa me valde dejicerent, nec prospera elevarent. Posuisti enim propietate, & bo­nitate froenum tuum in maxillis meis, & non me dercliquisti pe­nitus in manuarbitrii mei, habens curam mei paterna pictate, & non permittens me amplius tentari, & supra id quod potuerim susti­nere. Ubi erat locus peceandi non crat voluntas: & quando vo­luntas erat, non fuit locus. Sit itaque tibi laus & benedictio, sit gratiarum actio, &c. Aug. Cons. Theo. par. 2. c. 17. but hath delivered my soule from death, mine eyes from teares, my feet from falling. My soule is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowler; the snare is broken, and I am escaped. Blesse the Lord, O my soule, for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee.

Thus consider, I say, what particular deliverances of this kinde thou hast re­ceived. Hast thou been set upon by vi­olent temptations to Atheisme, Blasphe­my, or the like, and hath the Lord pre­served thee? Hast thou been allured by pleasing baits to Lust, Pride, Covetous­ness, or such like Evils, & hath the Lord withheld thee from them? O consider what abundant cause thou hast to be thankful! spiritual deliverances are not to be slighted. And know that the more thankfull thou art for such mercies, al­ready received, the better shalt thou be able to resist future temptations.

VI Exh. 6. Use this as an argument with thy self, to make thee willing to leave this unhappy inticing world, and thy sinful condition here (for so it is, in great measure, at the best) for that happy condition, wherein sin shall be no more, but thou shalt be perfectly saved from it. O check thy self for being so [Page 253] busie in building tabernacles on earth, and saying in thy heart, It is good to be here. Was it not thy sin alone that made thee miserable? was it not this that defaced the Image of God in thy soule, and cast thee from the Paradise of God to the very Brink of Hell? Did not Christ come into the world, live a wearisome life, and die a miserable death, to save thee from thy death in sin? was not sin the burden of thy soule, and the sorrow of thy heart, under which thou groanedst, when the Lord first awakned, and rouzed thee out of thy carnal secu­rity? Did not thy sin cause thee to cry mightily to God for salvation and deli­verance, when thou sensibly, per­ceivedst thy lost condition? And was not this the work that Christ took in hand, when he called thee effectually to him­self?

Hast thou complained of sin, and pro­fessed to hate it thus long? How co­mest thou now to plead a forbearance for thy mortall enemy? Sure thou canst not dream (with the dreamers of this age) of a state of perfection here in the body. Doth not experience tell thee, that corrupti­ons arise daily and hourly in thy heart, which is a continual spring of sin? Thou [Page 254] canst not walk, work, or go about any worldly businesse, but sinful vanities are still flowing from that fountaine within thee. Thou canst not hear, pray, or perform any part of Gods worship, but this cursed, carnal inmate calls away thy heart to other objects. Check thy heart for gadding, recall thy thoughts from wandring, and how soon will they be gone again! though thou make it thy daily work to watch, pray, and strive against sin, thou canst prevent it but in part, though thou daily weedest out the rambling tares, and choaking thistles, that hinder the growth of the good seed, yet thou canst not rid thy field of them, but they spring up afresh every morning. If thou art negligent for a while, what head do they get? and how hard is it to bring them under again! Is not this thy sad condition, and art thou unwilling to be delivered from it? Is sin so delightful a companion? If it be so to thy flesh, it cannot be to thy spirit, or else thou art not spirituall. Didst thou rejoyce, when thy Redeemer brought thee out of thy worse than Egyptian bondage? and art thou un­willing to enter into the heavenly Ca­naan of rest? Is it better to be alwaies [Page 255] wandring Cui pere­grinatio dulcis est, non amat patriam: Si dulcis est patria, amara est peregrina­tio. Aug. in Ps. 86.7. in the wildernesse of sin? wast thou glad to see the foundation of thy happinesse laid? and art thou loath to see the superstructure reared, and completed? Did it revive thy spirit when Christ first drew thee out of thy sinfull state, and art thou afraid, at last, lest he should perfect thy deliverance? Death is indeed, in it self, an enemy to nature, and a part of the curse due for sin, and therefore cannot be desirable for it self. But learn to look beyond it unto Christ thy Saviour (whose pre­sence is most desirable) as Paul did, ha­ving a desire to depart, and to be with Christ, which is far better than thy pre­sent life; willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. Nay, doth he not speak (ver. 4.) in the person of the Saints, as groaning [...]. 2 Cor. 5.2. under the present burden, and art thou still willing to bear it? The Spouse in the Canticles, c. 8. 14. cries, Make hast my beloved, and be thou like to a Roe, or to a young Hart upon the mountaines of spices, running swiftly. And why dost thou desire delayes, that he should creep as a Snail. and be long in coming? Did Christ teach thee to say, Thy King­dome come, and canst thou heartily pray [Page 256] for it, if thou art not yet willing of it? Dost thou not profess to live, and rejoice in the hope of glory, and canst thou hope for, and rejoyce in the hope of what thou dost not unfeignedly desire? Bethink thy self, and blame thy soul for thy foo­lish mistakes. Is not heaven the place where holinesse must be perfect? Is it not there alone, that the perfectly pure in heart shall behold the face of God? Doth not Abraham wait there to lodge thee in his bosome? Do not the spirits of just men there made perfect, and the Angels of God joyfully wait to give thee enter­tainment? Did not Christ thy Redeemer goe before to prepare a mansion for thee, and will he not there shew thee his full salvation? O doe but seriously medi­tate, and that frequently, of the misery of sin, and of the perfect happinesse of a sinlesse condition, and thou wilt be so farre from making, or desiring delayes, that thou wilt rather cry out, How long Lord, holy, and true, before thou destroy my cursed corruption. How long must I beare about me this body of death? O wretched man that I am, when shall I be delivered. Thou Lord hast purchased, and begun my salvation from sin, when wilt thou come to perfect the work? Thou that [Page 257] hast done thus much already for me, hast said, surely, I come quickly, Amen, even so come Lord Jesus.

Exh. 7. Lastly, Is it the great work of VII Christ to save his people from their sins? and hast thou had experience of this saving work upon thy own heart? La­bour, what in thee lies, to be helpfull, as an instrument of Christ, towards the salvation of others. Though thou art but a private Christian, thou maist be very serviceable to the soule of thy brother. Be free in giving seasonable exhortati­ons, perswasions, intreaties, admoniti­ons in love, and tendernesse, as being truly solicitous for his spirituall safety. The Lord doth expresly require it as a duty at thy hands. Lev. 19.17. Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart, thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him. Gal. 6 1. Brethren, if any man be over­taken in a fault, ye which are spiritual restore such a one in the spirit of meek­nesse, considering thy self lest thou also be tempted. Heb. 3.13. Exhort one ano­ther daily, while it is called to day, lest any of you be hardned through the deceit­fulnesse of sin. And our Saviour Christ gives directions how to proceed gra­dually [Page 258] in the work, Mat. 18.15, 16, 17.

It is a very wicked course, that some take when they know any to offend grosly, they make themselves, and others, merry, by jesting, and scorning at it, especially at those soul sins of un­cleannesse, and drunkennesse, which should not be so much as once named a­mong Christians, unless with detestation. For these, and the like sins, the land mourneth; it is then a very evil practice to make sport with them. Solomon saith, Fooles make a mock at sin, Prov. 14 9. And it was a great aggravation of the Corinthians sin, when they had the in­cestuous person among them: That they were puffed up, and had not rather mour­ned; 1 Cor. 5.2.

It is also an unchristian course in those, that when they hear, or see their bro­thers miscarriage, they blaze it abroad in all companies among others, to their in­famy and disgrace; but never go about this necessary, and brotherly work of faithfull admonition. O how do some delight to relate other mens infirmi­ties!

And it is a sinfull neglect in those, that perform not the duty, what ever the cause may be. But it is a most despe­rate, [Page 259] and preposterous course of those, who rather than they will be at the pains of faithfully admonishing offenders, will separate from them; I doubt not but a scandalous offender should be excommu­nicated; but not before he is proved obstinate, much lesse before we have heard him speak, or spent one faithfull and serious admonition upon him for his recovery. The dreadfull sentence of ex­communication is onely to be pronoun­ced against an offender, when all other means fail Cuncta prius ten­tanda, sed immedica­bile vulnus en [...]e rescin­dendum ne pars sincerae trabitur. for his reclaiming. Much less may we cast off our lapsed Churches as no Churches of Christ, & the members there­of by the hundreds, or in the whole lump, as no Christians, before we have tried the utmost we can do for their healing & re­covery. We know, that God is a God of patience, and long-suffering, admoni­shing, reproving, exhorting, wooing, and beseeching poor back-sliding sin­ners, and Churches, waiting long for their reformation before he utterly casteth them off. O let us not be so un­like our heavenly Father, as hastily to conclude their condition to be despe­rate, and past recovery. Doth not Paul teach, That the servant of the Lord must b [...] gentle unto all men, apt to teach, pati­ent; [Page 260] in meeknesse instructing those that oppose themselves, if, peradventure God will give them repentance to the acknow­ledging of the truth, 2 Tim. 2.24, 25.

It is an easie matter to call Christians Dogs, and Swine, and cast them off from the priviledge of brotherly admoni­tion, Mr. Gerce in his Vind Eccl. Angl. because it is accounted an unthank­ful office. But this way (as a godly Mini­ster, now with the Lord, spake) is too easie to be holy. He is but a desperate Chirur­gion, who, when a wounded person is brought to him, cutteth off the member, because he would not be troubled with the cure, and so leaveth the Patient to shift for himself. O be not hasty to con­clude men incurable, and snarlers at re­proof, before you have made some serious trial whether they will beare it. Some that have gone in good earnest, to some of the worst of sinners, and dealt faith­fully with them touching their miscarri­ages, have found them free in confessing their faults, with teares in their eyes, begging prayers to God for them. Me­thinks (my brethren) you should re­member how many admonitions, and how much time the Lord spent in waiting upon your owne soules, before you savingly imbraced his counsel; O con­sider [Page 261] it wel. And let me further tel you, you will finde more comfort in winning one soul by Christian importunity, than in casting off a thousand by uncharitable censoriousnesse. Mistake me not, I speak not, as if I would have all sorts of per­sons among us admitted to all Church-priviledges: but I would not have the common sort so lightly cast off, as they are by some, as if it were no part of our duty to seek their spirituall good.

And what shall we say of those, who censure their Minister for not suspending from the Lords table, some that have offended, though he know nothing of the offence, when they themselves that know it, will not so much as once admo­nish them, which is their manifest du­ty. Men are very ready to complaine of others, for that wherein themselves are chiefly in fault. And it is too usuall (sad experience tells us) for people to com­plain both of the Minister and Congre­gation, to which they belong, when themselves never once set about the duty of private members. I know, that in so great a place as this, there is far more ministeriall work, than we two, and twice two more are able to perform; yet will some find fault, because we cannot [Page 262] do our own work and theirs too, that so they may be quit from the troublesome duty of admonishing an offending brother. But is not this to binde heavy burdens, and grievous to be born, and lay them on other mens shoulders, when they them­selves will not touch them with the least of their fingers? I doubt not (Brethren) but both you and we shalloperform our duties defectively (at the best) as long as we live here; yet let us faithfully and cheerfully set about each man his part, and do it, as we are able, without ca­sting it off from one to another.

This duty (Brethren) you owe, as you have fit opportunity, both to the godly and ungodly.

Doe you see carnall persons in the height of wickednesse? and think you therefore they are not to be medled with? Is not their case the more to be pitied, and their cure (if it may be) the more seriously minded? God doth often reclaim the worst of sinners, and he doth it in the use of his own meanes, whereof private admonition is one. When Je­rusalem suffered the saddest desolation, & heedless passengers were grown hard-hearted towards her, she affectionately cries out, Lam. 1.12. Is it nothing to you, [Page 263] all ye that passe by? Behold and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow. So may we say on the behalf of poore sinners: Is there any misery like unto the misery of those that lie in the ruines and desolation of sin? Is there any evil like unto this? and is it nothing to you, all ye that regardlesly passe by? If the deepest misery be the meetest object of pity, and the greatest poverty the fittest object of charity, then here may you bestow your spirituall almes very cheer­fully, here are objects enow amongst us fit for your exercise.

Though you may take such a sinner for one that is without, and judge him unfit to be called by the name of bro­ther, yet vouchsafe him the priviledge of a neighbour. Lev. 19 17. Thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him. Give me leave to make use of the parable of our Saviour Christ, of the wayfaring man travelling from Jerusalem to Jer [...]co, that fell among thieves. Satan, and inbred corruption, have conspired together, and wounded a poore soul, leaving him in a dying and perishing condition. O be not as the Priest and Levite, that seeing, passed by on the other side, but put on rather [Page 264] bowels of compassion with the good Sa­maritan, bind up his wounds and pour in oyle: A seasonable reproof from a sympathising heart, may be as a precious oyle, as saith David, Psal. 141.5. and by thus shewing mercy on him, you shall truly deserve to be called his neigh­bour.

This duty you must exercise towards those that are godly also, as need and opportunity requires. The faithfull have much need of each others help in this, as well as other wayes, and they are the more bound to it, as being fellow-members of the same body, called to that unity for mutual help. How much might Christians advantage each other, were they but faithful in the perfor­mance of this necessary duty! But alas, how little is done in it! Remember, I beseech you, what I have formerly taught you in divers Sermons from Mat. 18.15, 16, 17. wherein I handled the graduall proceedings of this duty. Remember also what you have lately heard from my Fellow-labourer, from Gal. 6.1. and let not this duty remain, as it doth, almost wholly undone. Observe the rule of Christ, and in private offences begin with private admonition; for if [Page 265] the offence may be put away privily, it is not the mind of Christ, that the offender should be put to open shame.

This use is excel­lently and largely pressed by M. Baxter in his Saints rest, part 3. ch. 12, 13. wherein he gives dire­ctions for the right perform­ance of this duty, sets down the com­mon hin­derances, answereth objections against the perform­ance of it, and giveth motives to all Christi­ans to set about it: and particularly presseth it at large upon Ministers, and pa­tents, with directions to them. I might here descend in this exhor­tation to speak more particularly, and to stir up persons, according to their relative obligations to be subservient to Christ in this great saving work: But I will not now branch forth into so ma­ny particulars, being desirous to hasten towards a conclusion of this Subject. I shall therefore, in generall, desire all, & especially such as are godly Husbands, Wives, Parents, Masters, and other friends of intimate acquaintance, to improve their interest in such, as they are so related to, for the promoting of this saving work of Christ. If your chil­dren (through Gods blessing upon your faithful endeavors) become the children of God; and your servants the servants of God: If you, that are husbands and wives, be instrumentall for the espousing of one the other to Christ, that so you may walk hand in hand in Heavens way, and meet in Heaven to abide to­gether with the Lord for ever, after a little time of separation by death; how [Page 266] beneficial and comfortable will such in­deavours be both to you and them, & God be honoured in both?

The Lord hath given great encou­ragement in his Word to the faithfull performance of this duty. Jam. 5.19, 20. Brethren, if any of you do erre from the truth, and one convert him, let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the errour of his way, shall save a soule from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins. Dan. 12.3. And they that be wise, (or teachers) shall shine as the brightnesse of the firmament: and they that turne many to righteousnesse, as starres for ever and ever.

CHAP. VI.

LAstly, If this Salvation from Sin be the Work of Christ, then this is mat­ter of consolation to all such as are in a state of Salvation, in divers respects, especially in these two, which I shall particularly mention. 1. Here is com­fort against the fear of falling away. 2. In assurance of full freedome at last from all their sins.

1. Against the fear of falling away. Psal. 34.19 Many indeed are the troubles and tem­ptations of the righteous; but the Lord will deliver them out of them all. Satan & his Instruments are very powerfull, they do, and shall, deceive many, especially in such times as these: But the Elect of God (and such onely are effectually called) shall not be deceived: For, saith our Saviour Christ, Mat. 24.24. There shall arise false Christs, and false Pro­phets, and shall shew great signes and wonders, insomuch that (if it were possi­ble) they shall deceive the very Elect. The Elect may be long deceived before their conversion, they may after their conversion also be brought off, for a time, from some of the sound principles [Page 268] they have professed; and from much of the practice of Christianity, wherein they were forward (as I am perswaded, many are in these dayes, whom God will cause in his good time to remember, from whence they are fallen, and repent, and do their first Works.) And the most faithfull of Gods Elect are deceived all their dayes in lesser matters, both in judgment and practise. But the Elect of God shall not be utterly deceived in those things, that are essentially necessa­ry to be known and done.

Whosoever then thou art, that sin­cerely fearest God, rejoyce in thy firme, and setled condition. The Love, where­with the Lord hath loved thee, is ever­lasting love. Jer. 33.3. his mercy he will keep for thee for evermore, Psal. 89.28. the kindnesse of thy Redeemer is everla­sting kindnesse, Isa. 54.8. The Covenant that God hath entred with thee, is an everlasting Covenant, Isa. 55.3. Heb. 8. 8, 9. c 13.20. The spirit Scriptura non uno loco inculcat Spiritū S. electis datum, inhabitare corundem corda. Si autem inbabitat, igitur domicilium, fixamque sedem ibi deligit; neq zimaginabimur cum excurrere, vagari, redire, quod malum spiritum facere consuc­visse Christus, Mat. 12. testatur. Zanch. Epist. l. 1. Datur electis Spiritus S. ut arrbabo haereditatis coelestis, Eph. 1. Nemo autem, qui promissis pactisve vult stare, arrba­bonem reposcit, quin potius in hoc totus est, ut promissa sive pacta praestet, ne tum quidem ubi illa praestiterit, arrhabonem repetitu­rus. Consequitur ergo & Spiritum S. apud cum, cui semel da­tus est, relinqui. Quod eo quoque comprobatur, quod Eph. 4. di­cuntur credentes per Sp. Sanctum in diem redemptionis obsignari. Zanch. ibid. of Sanctification, already given thee, is the earnest of thy Inheritance, Eph. 1.14. Thou art sealed [Page 269] by it to the day of redemption. Eph. 4.30. It is sent unto thee, not as a wayfaring man to tarry but for a night, but to abide with thee for ever. Joh. 14.16. The seed of grace is an incorruptible seed. 1. Pet. 1.23. The life of grace is everlasting life: For he that truely believeth, hath ever­lasting life, Joh, 3.36. Ch. 5.24. Thou believest the record, that God hath given of his Son; and this is the record, that God hath given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life. 1 Joh 5.11, 12, Everlasting life is alrea­dy begun in thy soule, and the Lord is faithfull, who will establish thee to the end. 2. Thes. 3.3. Satan indeed desireth to have thee, that he may sist thee as wheat: but Christ hath prayed for thee, that thy faith may not faile, Luke 22. 31, 32. The powers that are against thee are great, but the power that is for thee is Nemo fallit re­demptorem tuum, nemo circumve­nit, nemo premit. Aug. in Psal. 103. v. 3. greater. Thou shalt be kept by the power of God, through faith unto salvati­on, [Page 270] 1 Pet. 1.5. The Lord, that hath al­ready rescued thee out of the jawes of Satan, that was ready to devour thee (as David rescued the Lamb out of the mouth of the Lion) will carefully watch over thee, that thou maist no more be­come a prey. He that keepeth thee, will not slumber. Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep The Lord is thy keeper, the Lord is thy shade upon the right hand. The Lord shall pre­serve thee from all evil, he shall preserve thy soule; the Lord shall preserve thy go­ing out, and coming in, from this time forth, and for evermore. Hear how Christ, the great Sheepherd of thy Soul, speaks for thy comfort, John 10.27, 28, 29, 30. My sheep hear my voice, I know them, and they follow me, and I give unto them eternall life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all, and no man is able to pluck them out of my fathers hand. I and my Father are one. And how confi­dently doth Paul triumph against all op­position, Rom. 8.35, 37, 38, 39. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distresse, or persecution, or famine, or nakednesse, or perill, or sword? [Page 271] Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerours, through him, that loved us. For I am perswaded, that neither death, nor life, nor Angels, nor principa­lities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Thou hast cause indeed to feare Satans, and the Worlds temptations, and thine own inbred corruption, with a feare, beget­ting care for the prevention of the evil; but let not thy feare cause thee to cast away thy confidence in Christ thy Savi­our; but in assurance of his help and protection, fly unto him at all seasons, and say as David did in another case. Psal. 66.3. What time I am afraid I will trust in thee. Forsake not him, and he will not forsake thee. In this case I may say, as Azariah said to Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin. The Lord is with you, while ye be with him: yea, the Lord hath said, I will not faile thee, nor for­sake thee. A repetition of the same thing in Scripture, is like Pharaoh's doubled dream, which sheweth that the thing shall certainly come to passe, which is foretold or promised. Now [Page 272] we have here the Lord doubling his promise, I will not faile thee nor forsake thee. Note also, that, whereas two ne­gatives in the Greek Language, deny the more strongly, we have here no lesse than five negatives, two in the former, and three in the latter clause of this promise, [...]. If we should translate the words literally, it would be thus, I will not not faile thee, neither will I not not forsake thee. Enemies indeed thou hast, and the worst are in thine own house, I meane, (which is worse) in thine own heart; Feare with a cautious, but not with an incredulous feare. Remember, thou art here a member of the Church-militant among many Enemies, warre thou must, and adventure hazards, and difficulties, yet be not dismayed: Eisi dia­bolus, pecca­tum caeteri­que hostes nostri vi­dentur nos premere, vincere tamen non potuerunt, quia coercentur imperio Christi dutis nostri sub cujus pedibus protriti jacent, & concul­cati. Daven. in Col. c 2. v. 15. Permittuntur tentare fideles, & oppugnare, sed nunquam ex­puguare, ibid. Troubled thou shalt be on every side, yet not distressed; perplexed, but not with cause of despaire; persecuted, but not for­saken; cast downe, but not destroyed. Thine Enemies, like Pharaoh, and his [Page 273] host, may pursue after thee, and bring thee to a strait, that the power of Christ thy Saviour may appeare; but they shall not bring thee back again to thy former bondage. Onely be strong, and very couragious, and fight the Lords bat­tels: Be strong, I say, in the Lord and in the might of his power, and he shall preserve thee by his grace, that thou maist not be of them that draw back unto per­dition, but of them that believe to the sa­ving of the soule. Set the Lord then al­waies before thee: because he is at thy right hand thou shalt not be moved. Therefore let thy heart be glad, and thy tongue rejoyce, and feare not thy state, while thou truly fearest sin, as the worst of evils. Feare nothing so much as a fearelesse and carelesse condition.

2. Here is comfort to such, as are in a state of Salvation in assurance of their full deliverance from sin at the last. Whosoever thou art that findest thy self to be delivered from a state of sin, learne to rejoyce in Christ thy Saviour: Rejoyce in the Lord alway, and againe I say rejoyce, Phil. 4.4. Thou many times bewailest the blots, blemishes, and de­formities, that are upon thee, and dost therefore (and not without cause) ab­horre [Page 274] thy self in dust and ashes. O rejoyce in this, that it is but a little while, ere all these shall be wholly taken away, and thou shalt be absolutely without spot, or blemish. Are not the reliques of thy sin, which now abide within thee, the re­mainder of Satans image? and will the Lord suffer it to remain upon any of his ransomed ones? Is not the work of grace a draught (although imperfect) of the Divine nature upon thy soule? hath not the Lord, as it were, begun to draw his own image, or picture, upon the table of thine heart? are not the linea­ments, and proportion of what it shall be, already traced out? and will the Lord leave it so? No, no, he will cer­tainly come over it again, and again, he will shadow, and beautifie it, till he hath made it a most glorious and beautifull piece.

Thou wast formerly in bondage to Sa­tan, and thy own corruption, but, through the mercifull power of thy precious Re­deemer, thou art rescued from the bon­dage, wherein thou wast held. Be confi­dent of this very thing, that he that hath begun a good work in thy soule, will com­pleat and finish it unto the day of Jesus Christ, Phil. 1.6. And in that day shalt [Page 275] thou see thy corruptions, as the Israelites did their Egyptian enemies, dead upon the shore. Look back upon them now, are not their chariot wheeles already taken off, which maketh them drive more hea­vily than heretofore? and is not this a forerunner of their utter overthrow? Satan (indeed) many times furiously rageth, and thy corruption strongly work­eth, because their time is but short; and what provoketh them, should rejoyce thee. The God of peace shall bruise Satan under thy feet shortly, Rom. 16.20. And thy (now) corrupt heart shall then cease from all sinful motions and conceptions. Thou shalt then have not so much as a lin­gring desire, or inclination after evil. That unruly corruption that now vexeth thee, intruding into all thy actions, and in­termixing it self with all the best of thy services, shall then be removed as far from thee, as hell is from heaven, and thou shalt be able to serve God perfect­ly, without difficulty or distraction. That heavenly service will be so pleasing and delightful to thee; that thou wilt never be weary of it, nor find a more pleasing object than God to set thy heart upon: Then thou shalt have no need to watch, pray, or fight against thy corruption [Page 276] any more. When there is no open ene­my against a nation, nor malignant party within it, there is no need of Cen­tinels, or Guards, nor use of Arms; So in Heaven thy spiritual enemies shall be so perfectly destroyed from within, and so far removed from without, as that thy praying and fighting shall be turned into triumphing and praising; and thy watchfulnesse into perfect spirituall se­curity, and the whole armour of God (as armour) shall wholly become uselesse. Thou shalt there need neither offen­sive, nor defensive arms; and the time of the accomplishment hereof, is nigh at hand. Lift up thy head then with joy, knowing that thy redemption draweth nigh. In the midst of thy feares lift up an eye of faith, and behold Christ sitting at the right hand of God, who shall there abide, till he hath made all thine enemies thy footstoole. And when thou groanest (with Paul under the burden of thy re­maining corruptions, and criest out, O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from this body of death? Learn (with him also) to rejoyce in Christ thy perfect Saviour, and say, I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

CHAP. VII.

HAving thus farre spoken of Salva­tion from sin it self, to wit, in work of Sanctification, I might here proceed also to handle the doctrine of Remission of sins, and Justification of the sinner by Jesus Christ, which are also included in the words of the Text. For as Christ saves his people from their sins; so also from the eternal wrath of God, which was due unto them for sin. But of that I have heretofore spoken from another Text: And what I have already spoken upon this, was that, which I especially inten­ded when I first entred upon it. Yet it will not be amisse, for the better under­standing of the whole work of mans Sal­vation, and for your better help against some mistakes of these times, if I shew you in a few Propositions by way of Parallel, how the Lord carrieth on the whole work of mans Salvation in both parts joyntly from the first to the last. To which I shall annexe a few Corolla­ries.

God did at once, & that from eternity, Prop. 1. decree the whole, and perfect Salvation of all his Elect, both from sin, and wrath [Page 278] by his Son Jesus Christ. Rom. 8.29, 30. Ephes. 1.4, 5, 6, 7.

Corol.Therefore we can no more argue our eternal Justifacation (because it was eter­nally decreed) then our eternall sancti­fication or glorification. And if there be any such thing, as the actual Justification of the elect from eternity, how doth the Scripture (that every mouth may be stopped) make all the world to become guilty before God? Rom. 3.19. And to what end should God give us promises of the pardon, and remission of sins? Promises are of good things to come, The Promises are out­ward De­clarations of Gods will, concerning good to be received, and evill to be remo­ved. Leigh on the Promises, p. 5. Promissio Dei est denunora­tio futurorum bonorum nobis dandorum, &c. Polan. Syntag. l. 6. c. 31. not of such as had an eternall Being. A Promise of what is already done or past is a contradiction in termes.

Prop. 2.When Christ undertook the work of the Salvation of his people, he did at once undertake both their Justification, and Sanctification, Heb. 10. to v. 19.

Prop. 3. I take San­ctification here in the sense as our Divines usually do, to wit, for the whole work of grace upon the soul after its first closing with Christ.Christ did make one intire purchase of his peoples Salvation, meriting both Sanctifying, and pardoning grace for sin­full, [Page 279] and guilty men, who upon the pur­chase made had as much right to the one as to the other, and no more. Isa. 53.5. Gal. 3.10. Tit. 2.14. 1 Pet. 1.18, 19. Hebr. 10. to v. 19.

Therefore we can no more conclude, Corol. that we were actually pardoned, and justi­fied immediately upon the price that Christ paid, then that we were actually Sanctified.

Christ in his Gospell-offer tendereth himself both for our Justification and Sanctification; Prop. 4. and commandeth us so to accept of him, requiring Faith, re­pentance, and sincere obedience of all those, that will be his: And he that will not imbrace him for Sanctification, shall not have him for Justification; he that is not willing to have his sins mor­tified, shall not have them pardoned: Christ will be a whole Saviour, or no Sa­viour. Acts. 3.19. Repent, and be con­verted, that your sins may be blotted out, &c. Luke 13.3, 5.19.27.

Hence that offer Acts 3.19. of Re­mission of sins upon condition of repen­tance, and conversion to God, and all others in Scripture of the like nature, are not the lesse, but the more free, be­cause conditionall. For the condition [Page 280] that is required is our priviledge. Our turning from God by sin is our greatest misery; and our conversion, or turning to God in holinesse, is our greatest hap­pinesse, (as you have formerly heard) 2. what the Lord requireth of his peo­ple, he communicateth to them his grace for the performance of, accor­ding to the tenour of the New-Cove­nant, as in the next proposition. So that the condition required doth but injoyne us to accept of a double bles­sing, and oblige us to minde our whole Salvation, to wit from sin, as well as suffering; that God may be the more glorified in the riches of his grace.

They are therefore utterly mistaken, yea they much eclipse, and lessen Gos­pell grace, and turne most part of the Gospell into Law, who call all conditio­nall promises the voice of the Law, and not of the Gospell.

Suppose a King should offer to a poor unworthy subject two most precious Jewels joyned together in a golden link, & tendring them to him freely, tels him withall, [Thou shalt not have the one without the other, but take them both together, as they are tendred.] Would it be wel for this poor man to say [The gift [Page 281] would be more free, & of greater boun­ty, if I might break that golden link, and take one of the jewels without the other? it is a diminishing of the freenesse of the gift, that you injoyne me to take them both.] This is plainely the case. The Lord hath in the Gospell individually linked together both his pardoning, and Sanctifying grace; but flesh and blood would fain break this golden link. We are naturally willing to have our sins pardoned, that we may be freed from suffering: but nature is an enemy to Sanctifying grace.

Christ, as the efficient cause, 5. Prop. par­dons the sins that are past, and Sancti­fies the sinner, when he doth actually convert, or bring him home from Sa­tan to God; so that those that come unto Christ, or believe in him, are then made actuall partakers, both of Iustify­ing▪ and Sanctifying grace: of Iustify­ing grace by the imputation of Christs righteousnesse; of Sanctifying grace by the reall communication of his grace unto them: That as all the children of the first Adam are subject to sin, and misery, in the day of their generation, and birth; so all the children of the se­cond Adam (Jesus Christ,) are delivered [Page 282] from a state both of sin, and condem­nation, in the day of their regeneration, and new-birth.

Thus Paul, as Christs instrument, was sent to the Gentiles, To open their eyes, to turn them from darknesse to light, and from the power of Satan to God; that they might receive forgivenesse of sins, and inheritance among them which are sancti­fied, Acts 26.18. See also 1 Cor. 6.11. And such were some of you; but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus. Here the Apostle maketh a plain Antithesis between what they then were, & what they had been formerly. Ye are washed, that is, cleansed by the blood of Christ (which was signified by the water of your Baptisme) both from the guilt, and state of sin, ye are sanctified, ye are justified. Now make up the other part of the Antithesis, and it must be this, Ye were unsanctified, ye were un­justified. And when was that? before they were converted, when they lived in such sins as are mentioned, ver. 9. and 10. they were committers of them, and guilty before God, excluded from an actuall title to the Kingdome of God. Such were some of you; but ye are [Page 283] washed, &c. Eph. 2. to ver. 10. Rom. 4.28. ch. 5.1. Act. 15.9.

Those then, Corol. 1. that say Faith doth but manifest our Justification, may as well say it doth but manifest our Sanctifica­tion: for they were both proposed, purchased, and wrought together.

Hence Sanctifying grace is the ne­cessary 2 qualification of a justified per­son, because Christ doth not bestow these saving mercies severally, but joint­ly and individually; where his sanctify­ing grace is not communicated, his righteousnesse is not imputed, and here­by (even by sanctifying grace wrought in us) we are to try our actuall interest in Jesus Christ.

Hence those that are perplexed with 3 the sense of Gods displeasure, & pinched with the want of grace, are to come to Christ for help in both kinds. Those that say they dare not believe, nor lay hold upon the Promises, for the remission of sins, because they are of unhumbled, and impenitent hearts, must learn to come to Christ, that their hearts may be bro­ken, and humbled: It is he that gives repentance unto Israel, as well as remis­sion of sins.

The believing sinner, Prop. 6. being justified [Page 284] from all the sins that are past, and san­ctified inchoately: The pardon conti­nueth good in Law, and the sanctifying grace bestowed, is conserved by the same Jesus.

Corol.Hence the Elect of God, though they many times fall to their sore wounding, from the lively actings of grace, and under Gods just paternal displeasure; yet they never fall from a state of grace, and their heavenly Fathers affectionate love. Psal 89 28. to 34. with Isa. 55.3.

Prop. 7.Those that are regenerate, being but partly renewed (although in every part) are subject to many infirmities, and many back-slidings Novis peccatis, quantum in nobis est, abdicamus no à gra­tia Dei Ita fit ut quoti­diana pecca­torum re­missione upus habe­ant Sancti omne; quia baec sola in Dei familia nos retiret. Bulling. in 1 Joh. 1.7.: and the same Jesus, who was the giver, and preser­ver of the forementioned favours, mul­tiplieth pardons, with renewing grace. Hos. 14.4. I will heale their back slidings, I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him. Thus in the salu­tation of both Peters Epistles, he pray­eth, grace and peace be multiplied, 1 Pet. 1.2. 2 Pet. 1.2. And this renewing grace maketh the soul importunate for par­don of sin, and power against sin. Thus David, when he was restored from his great fall, prayed, Psal. 51.9, 10, 11. Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out [Page 285] all mine iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence, and take not thy holy spirit from me.

Hence the godly are to pray daily for pardon of sin, and power against it. Corol. Thus Christ taught his Disciples to pray, Forgive us our trespasses— and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. And here note, that as in the fourth Petition he teacheth them, and us daily to pray for our daily sustenance, so in these Petitions (which are adjoyned with a conjunction copulative) he tea­cheth daily to pray for daily forgive­ness, and for daily preservation against tentations. And it were far better for us to be a day without our daily Bread, than without our daily Pardoning, sup­porting and renewing grace. It is true, the Lord hath promised both, and will perform what he hath promised: yet thus saith the Lord, I will for this be in­quired of by the house of Israel, to do it for them, Ezek. 36.37. And, because the Lord hath thus promised, his people have the more incouragement, and ground to pray, Forgive us, &c.

At the hour of death, Prop. 8 the souls of the [Page 286] Saints are perfectly freed both from sin and guilt, and so translated to heaven. Heb. 12.23. Rev. 21.27.

Prop. 9. Gloria ista inch [...]atur in hâc vita, post mortem corporis fit auctior, & tandem à resurrectio­ne perfici­tur. Alst. Qu. Theo. c. 41.At the general Resurrection, and great day of Judgement, the redeemed of the Lord shall be sententially justified be­fore Angels and Men, and perfectly sanctified in the whole man, consisting of soul and body united, to become meet instruments for the everlasting praises of God their Saviour. To whom be glory for ever. AMEN.