Spiritual Refining, Religious treatise · Section 3 · Sermon 33
SERMON XXXIII.
The Difficulty, and in ſome ſenſe impoſsibility of Salvation notwithſtanding the eaſineſs which men fancy to themſelves thereof.
MAT. 19. 2…
When the Diſciples heard this, they were aſtoniſhed, ſaying, Who then can be ſaved?
HAving in ſeveral inſtances diſcovered the weakneſſe of thoſe props, which moſt lean upon in reference to Salvation, I ſhall conclude this matter with a diſcourſe upon the Diſciples pathetical exclamation in the Text, Who then can be ſaved?
In the verſe precedent, we have mention made of one, who had good wiſhes and deſires for heaven, but being put by our Saviour upon an exploratory duty, it proved like jealouſie water to him, diſcovering his rottenneſſe; he was a ſpurious brood of the Eagle, for he was not able to endure theſe pure Sun-beams, He went away ſorrowfull, for he had many poſſeſſions. It doth not ſay, for he loved them, but he had them, it being very difficult to have theſe things, and not immoderately love them: they were foreign indeed, becauſe they poſſeſſed him, rather then he poſſeſſed them. He had much wealth, as we ſay, a man hath a feavor, when that hath him, deſtroying and waſting his health. Upon this we have our Saviour uttering a ſtrange and paradoxal ſpeech to fleſh and bloud, Chriſts words were miracles as well as his works, It is hard for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven: compare this with Mark 10. and there are ſeveral aggravations; firſt, our Saviour ſaith, its hard; Mark ſaith, he ſpake it with admiration, How hard is it? Then this he affirmeth with a vehement aſſeveration, verily, yea Mark ſaith, He looked about him, to ſignifie he had ſome extraordinary thing to ſay, and therefore would have them attentive, yea the Evangeliſt ſaith, he ſighed alſo, when he ſpake this further he ſpake this to his Diſciples, though not rich, as appeareth by that compellation in Mark, Sonne, how hard is it, &c? as a tender father he bids them beware.
In the next place Chriſt doth not only ſhew the difficulty, but at laſt the impoſſibility by a proverbial ſpeech, It is as impoſſible for a rich man to be ſaved, as a Camel to go thorow the eye of a needle, a Proverb in the Eaſtern parts to expreſſe an impoſſibility. Thoſe that would underſtand it of a Cable-rope, as they miſtake about the Greek word, ſo they conſider not the greater impoſſibility is implied in the phraſe the more ſignificant it is. Now this ſpeech of our Saviours is an hard ſpeech, but thou art not to expoſtulate or contend with Gods Miniſters about it, for truth it ſelf hath ſaid it: only by rich men, Mark expounds thoſe who truſt in them, but Matthew ſpeaks it abſolutely, becauſe of the difficulty not to truſt in them, when we have them. Upon this ſpeech of our Saviours, we ſee a notable operation on the Diſciples, expreſſed firſt in their outward diſpoſition, and then in their ſpeech. In their diſpoſition foreign, they were ſtricken with amazement, it was with them, as if they had had ſome aſtoniſhing blow given them; & then you have their admiration, who then can be ſaved? This implieth that they thought before they heard this a very poſſible, if not an eaſie thing to be ſaved, but now they deſpair of it: But why do they ſay, who then can be ſaved in the general, and not rather what rich man? for of them our Saviour ſpake, ſuch poor men as the Diſciples might be ſaved for all this. it is anſwered thus, though all men are not rich, yet all men have a deſire and appetite after riches, and ſo they are thereby ſtopped in their courſe to heaven. Or thus, Though all men are not rich, yet as rich men have their wealth which they immoderately relie on: So there is no man but he hath ſome creature or other, he doth inordinatly affect, and that makes him a Camel with too big a bunch to go in the ſtrait way to Heaven.
That howſoever men may ſuggeſt to themſelves many probable and eaſie grounds for Obſ. Salvation difficult, and in ſome ſenſe impoſſible.their ſalvation, yet upon Scripture-conſideration it will appear a great difficulty, yea in ſome ſenſe an impoſſibility.
Thus the Diſciples while they happily attended only to Chriſt his gracious invitations and manifold promiſes of his love, they thought it a very eaſie matter to get to heaven; They found nothing but honey come out of his mouth. Now when they hear our Saviour ſpeak of the exact qualification of him that ſhall be ſaved, they are affected with fear as the Iſraelites were, who thought it impoſſible to poſſeſſe Canaan, becauſe of the tall Anakims that muſt firſt be conquered.
For the clearing of the Doctrine, let theſe three things be premiſed;Three things premiſed for clearing the Doctrine. 1.
Firſt, That when we ſay it is ſuch a difficult and impoſſible thing to be ſaved, we do not relate to that natural impoſſibility which is in every man; for ſo not only rich men, but even infants new-born, it's as impoſſible for them to be ſaved, as a Camel to go thorow the eye of a needle; for ſeeing all are by nature dead in ſinne; we can no more put ſpiritual life in our ſelves, then Adam could at firſt have made himſelf of a lump of earth, a living ſoul. We do not then fetch this impoſſibility of Salvation ſo much from the weakneſſe of nature, as from the exactneſſe of the way of grace, for our Saviour in the Text laieth not this impoſſibility upon the impotency and inability of a man in reſpect of original defilement, though this ſtream will by long windings at laſt empty it ſelf into that fountain, but upon the curious bounds that grace preſcribes our affections even to lawful things; ſo that although we may love and deſire, and uſe theſe creature-comforts, yet if we go but one ſtep beyond thoſe limits, we have preſently tranſgreſſed; and ſo when our Saviour ſaith upon this to comfort the Diſciples with ſome hopes, with God all things are poſſible. Though it be univerſally true, yet it is more peculiarly to be limited to the matter in hand, God can level this Camels bunch, he can command the waters of our affections to ſtand ſtill, and not to overflow.
Secondly, This therefore may be extended not only to a natural man in his unregenerate eſtate, but even to a regenerated perſon, ſo that we may cry out, 2.What godly man can be ſaved? The work of grace is ſo exact, temptations are ſo great, corruptions are ſo ſtrong, that we may ſay, Who of the godly can be ſaved? for though Gods grace will give them to perſevere, as Chriſts preſence in the ſhip did or might aſſure them they could not periſh, yet when they ſaw their danger, and were in tempeſts and ſtorms, they cried out, Maſter ſave us, we periſh; ſo even a godly man, though while he look to the Covenant of grace he may anchor his ſoul ſecurely; yet at the ſame time beholding his temptations and infirmities, he may frequently cry out, O Lord, ſupport me, I am falling into hell; we will therefore ſuppoſe a man in the ſtate of grace, yet, were it not that with God all things are poſſible, this godly man would make ſhipwrack of his ſoul a thouſand times over ere he could get into that glorious haven. Thus Peter 1 Pet. 4. 18. The righteous is ſcarcely ſaved, which although it be principally meant of temporal deliverance, yet ſpiritual ſalvation is by neceſſary conſequence included.
Thirdly, Although this be true, yet it muſt be acknowledged, that if we do 3.reſpect the grace of Chriſt, and his fulneſſe, it is a very eaſie thing to be ſaved; for let ſin abound in the guilt and power of it, yet grace in the juſtifying and ſanctifying effects of it, doth much more abound. Hence Gods mercy in pardoning is compared to the heavens, and our ſins are but like the earth a punctum in compariſon, Iſa. 55. 9. or as a drop of the water to the Sun-beams, which is quickly dried up. In the fift of the Romans you have an excellent oppoſition between the ſecond and firſt Adam, ſhewing how much more potent Chriſt is to ſave, and grace to give life, then Adam was to deſtroy, or ſinne to curſe and condemn; in which reſpect Chriſt is ſaid to give life, and that more abundantly; now this is to be marked by the dejected, tempted heart, which ſeldom looks up to grace, but to all the difficulties that are in heavens way. They cry out, O never godly, never believing, never coming up to Scripture-principles; but they do not joyn Gods power and their infirmity, Gods grace, and their guilt together; They do not ſay, O Lord, becauſe this is impoſſible to me, Is it alſo to thee? Becauſe I have ſinned away my own grace, Have I alſo ſinned away Chriſts fulneſſe?
Therefore minde the ſtrict qualifications to make thee walk humbly in fear and trembling, minde the gracious fulneſſe of Gods love and power to make thee full What makes ſalvation ſo eaſie to a mans natural thoughts. 1.of hope and comfort. Put the Camels bunch and Gods power together.
Theſe things premiſed, let us conſider what are thoſe conſiderations that make ſalvation ſo eaſie to a mans natural thoughts.
And the firſt is, A repreſentation of God altogether pitifull and mercifull, without taking any notice of his purity and his juſtice, that he is a God Who will not acquit the guilty. This half repreſentation of God unto a mans heart, makes him thus confident. Men argue, How can we think God, who ſaith, He would not the death of a ſinner, who ſaith, Why will ye die, O houſe of Iſrael; Who hath put pity into mens hearts, ſhall not much more be a fountain when ſtreams are ſo plentiful? This hath been aggravated ſo much, that it hath been an opinion of ſome, that at laſt all men, yea and devils alſo ſhall be ſaved: but the Scripture ſpeaks of Gods ſting as well as his honey, of his fury as well as his pity; The Scripture ſpeaketh of his rejoycing in the deſtruction of the wicked, as well as pitying them; Do not thou therefore deceive thy own ſoul, by minding Gods mercy meerly. Gods juſtice is to finde out thoſe, who have abuſed mercy, and he is a fire to conſume as well as to give light.
A ſecond ground which makes ſalvation ſo eaſie, is the general offer and tender 2.of Gods grace by his Word, whereby none ſeem to be exempted: Now if to this be added, a doctrinal opinion alſo, which doth abound in theſe daies, viz. univerſal Grace, and univerſal Redemption, they now quickly perſwade themſelves the way to heaven is a broad way; but this Doctrine doth quite overthrow the Doctrine of a particular Election of ſome only to ſalvation, which yet the Scripture manifeſtly declareth, and it puts the whole diſcriminating event of a mans ſelf from others, into the hands of free-will: for if Judas have as much of the grace of God, and as much by the death of Chriſt, as Peter; the onelyonly reaſon why Peter doth repent and Judas not, is meerly, becauſe the one improveth his power well, and the other doth not. Therefore although general tenders of grace are enough to encourage thoſe that are hungry and thirſty after it, and ſuch as are burdened by ſinne; yet they lay no foundation at all for ſuch an univerſality of grace as they pretend to; neither do we lay a foundation of deſpair in this, for we ſay, this grace doth truly belong to every one that believeth and repenteth; And the Arminian cannot go further, he dare not ſay, This grace belongs to you whether you believe or not, repent or not: ſo that we are as univerſal in pouring of oil into wounded ſouls, as they are.
Thirdly, Salvation is thought eaſie, Becauſe of a miſtake about faith: Oh ſay they, 3.if a man do but believe, then heaven is his, Chriſt is his: as to him that believeth not condemnation belongeth. Now all naturall men think it a very eaſie thing to believe, What, to truſt in Chriſt with all thy heart? how ready is every unregenerate man to ſay, he doth it? And upon this it is, that the Papiſts charge us as making it ſuch an eaſie pleaſing way to go to Heaven; It's but believing (ſay they) and then all is well. But all this is a miſtake about faith; he that ſaith, Faith is eaſie, never knew what it is to believe: To preſume is eaſie, to be ſecure and ſelf-flattering is eaſie; but out of the true ſenſe of ſinne and deep humiliation for it to relie on Gods grace; this the godly heart findes not to be done without many conflicts and ſpiritual agonies; faith therefore is made the work of Gods Spirit, and it is that which the devil doth moſt oppoſe, becauſe that doth moſt withſtand him.
Laſtly, Therefore men make it eaſie to goe to Heaven, They may ſeek that in 4.the laſt place, Live in all jollity, and then to cry, Lord have mercy on me at the laſt gaſp is enough, becauſe they wholly miſtake what true Godlineſſe and Repentance is. What godlineſſe is they underſtand not, they think not of being borne again, of the pangs and travail the ſoul commonly is in, before it is thus formed; They conſider not the way to Heaven is a ſtrait way, and few that enter therein; if they did, could they be ſo ſilly, as to think ſuch vicious lives as they live, ſuch formality and morality they continue in, were the way to Heaven? Certainly if this be ſo, then the Scripture ſpeaks falſly, Strait is the way, Mat. 7. 13, 14. No, broad is the way, large are the paths, and few miſſe them; You therefore think it eaſie to be ſaved, becauſe you take copper for gold, counterfeits for pearls; and thus a man may think himſelf very rich, when he is indeed very poor. Again, they miſtake about repentance, for they think all kinde of ſorrow for ſinne, every Lord have mercy upon them, eſpecially if this be with tears, a true Repentance; but if this be ſo we may cry out contrary to the Diſciples, Who will not be ſaved? Then bleſſed Ahab, godly Pharaoh, holy Judas, for all theſe more or leſſe acknowledged their ſinne, and begged for pardon; But if thou examine Scripture, and ſee how much goeth to godly ſorrow, what principle it muſt come from, what motives muſt produce it, what effects flow from it; Thou wilt be amazed, and ſay, O Lord, I doubt I never truly repented, my tears are too ſalt to come from a contrite heart in a gracious manner. Now doe but obſerve all thoſe men who are ſecure and confident about their ſalvation, you may as ſoon perſwade them a Blackmore is white, as they beginne to have the leaſt doubt and ſuſpition about themſelves; and you ſhall ſee its one of theſe pillars they lean upon, if this their foundation were razed all their hopes were gone. Could you drive them out of this refuge then they would cry out, Men and brethren. What ſhall we do to be ſaved?
Let us therefore in the next place conſider, why upon Scripture-grounds, Why it is impoſſible without Gods wonderful grace for any man to be ſaved. 1.it will appear ſuch an impoſſibility without Gods wonderfull grace; for a man, yea a godly man to be ſaved; ſo that of all miracles, it will be the greateſt, to ſee a godly man paſſing all the Rocks here, and ſafely lodged in Heaven.
And firſt it appeareth a wonder, If you conſider that grace in a mans heart is not in its natural ſoyl. It's like an Herb tranſplanted and put into ſome ground it doth not agree with. Now it's a wonder this herb of Grace doth not wither, alas the ſoil helps nothing to it. God gave command at firſt to the earth to bring forth graſſe; but alas our hearts cannot do ſo: Grace in our hearts is like a ſtranger in a ſtrange Land, like a ſpark of fire in the deep ocean, like a candle in a boiſterous windy night, it's a wonder if it do not go out. And certainly if Adam ſo quickly loſt his grace, when yet it was connatural to him, his heart was a fit ſoil; were it not for the Covenant of Grace, which fails not, a godly man would fall ſeven times a day wholly from God, as well as the Scripture ſaith he doth ſo often in temporal calamities. Oh then wonder how any grace comes to be alive in thy heart, that thoſe coals are not ſmothered up, that every night thou doſt not as that mother lie upon thy childe, and thorow ſecurity and negligence kill this poor infant of grace.
2. The impoſſibility of it appeareth in the ſeveral manifold works of Gods grace, 2.which are abſolutely neceſſary after we are regenerated: So that ſuppoſe a man be converted, yet if grace do not afterwards help, and that ſeveral waies, this man would die in the wilderneſs and never get to Canaan; now Gods grace is various, There is preventing grace, whereby a man is kept from thoſe many ſins and temptations, which if plunged into would utterly undo him. Thus David was kept from murdering Nabal; and as Paul ſaid, 1 Cor. 15. 10. By the grace of God I am what I am; So he might have ſaid (ſaith Auſtin) By the grace of God I am not what I am not. Yea Divines ſay, Plures ſunt gratiae privativae quam poſitivae, Gods preventing mercies are more then his poſitive mercies. Oh therefore think, If the grace of God did not keep off this ſinne, this luſt, this temptation, how had it ſwallowed thee up, as the Whale did Jonah! Again, There is protecting grace, and that is, when thou art in the midſt of all temptations, yet grace defends thee, and thou ſinneſt not; we wonder at Gods miraculous deliverance to Daniel, who was kept alive in the midſt of roaring Lions. Alas God doth no leſſe for thee every day. There are devils like ſo many roaring Lions, ſeeking to devour thy ſoul, and its grace hath a covering over thee. Its a remarkable expreſſion of the Pſalmiſt, mercy d…th compaſſe the godly, Pſ. 32. 10. its a Court of guard againſt all thoſe aſſaults that our ſpiritual enemies would make upon us. There is alſo quickning grace, whereby the principles of holineſſe are daily blown up and enlivened; now if this bellows were not alwaies blowing, if this were not alwaies filling our ſails, we ſhould lie like ſo many dry bones; This winde muſt ariſe ere they can come together. David found the neceſſity of this, when he ſo often praied, That God would quicken him. Thy very graces would lie & ruſt away, were there not this exciting grace; Do not the people of God fal into divers lethargies and hurtful ſleeps, becauſe of the want of this. Again, there is cooperating grace, which goeth along with us to do, as well as to purpoſe in our heart: Its Gods grace that worketh in us not only to will but to do, Phil. 2. 13. when we have deſires and affections to duties, how many times are we diverted, and through lazineſſe or diſtractions interrupted, but grace carrieth us out to the work it ſelf. There is alſo corroborating grace, whereby the principles of holineſſe, being weak and unſteady, are confirmed and ſtrengthned more and more; for grace though it keeps us from ſin, yet carrieth us on to holineſſe weakly and faintly. Thus he praied, I believe, help my unbelief, Mar. 9. 24. Thus the fleſh luſteth againſt the Spirit, and the Spirit againſt the fleſh, that many times they do the things they would not, Gal. 5. 17. Paul cals this to be ſtrong in the might of the Lord; and I can do all things through Chriſt that ſtrengthens me. Paul hath a kinde of omnipotency, and to him all things are poſſible, becauſe poſſible to grace which inableth him. Laſtly, There is perſevering Grace; for let a man be furniſhed with all the former fruits of grace, yet if this of perſeverance be not added, their works are not crowned; when we do things foreign, then they are foreign, as they are often put one for another. Its not of the eſſence of grace to continue alwaies in the ſubject where it is, for then Adam and the Angels could not have fallen. It is therefore a diſtinct work of grace to give perſeverance from the firſt infuſion of it.
3. The impoſſibility of it is ſeen in thoſe ſlie inſinuating motions of luſt that do ſtill 3.abide in the heart of the moſt holy men. Inſomuch that it is a wonder all the ſweet fruit of thy ſoul is not quite eaten up with theſe worms that breed in them, all godly men conſumed by thoſe motions and ſparks of ſin, that are not yet extinct. James doth excellently deſcribe the ſubtil working of original corruption, Jam. 1. 14: it doth foreign entice a man away, with a ſweet or profitable bait hiding the hook, and it doth foreign draw the heart aſide from conſidering all thoſe arguments and motives that would make him forbear ſinne; now that this ſpawn of ſinne which would quickly prove Serpents and Cockatrices, is not deſtroyed, appeareth by Paul Rom. 7. How ſtrong and unruly doth he finde thoſe remainders of ſin in him, that were it not for Gods grace ready at hand to heal him, Pauls ſoul would quickly become as noiſome through ſpiritual ſores, as Jobs body through bodily ulcers. Its a wonder then that every man is not a Cain, a Judas, conſidering what fuel there is in every mans heart.
4. The impoſſibility of ſalvation without grace, appeareth in the temptations that 4.are in lawfull things; Inſomuch that when outward groſſe ſins could not damn, the immoderate love of lawful things hath been like a milſtone about the neck to drown in perdition; when the Philiſtims could not undo Samſon, a Dalilah in his boſom can. Thy wife, thy children, thy houſes, thy trade, theſe kill thee by ſecret poiſon, whereas groſſe ſins deſtroy by open ſword. One of the Ancients in a viſion ſaw the world full of ſnares, and ſo it is; a ſhop is a ſnare, wife, children are ſnares. Our Saviour on purpoſe ſheweth this in that Parable, where thoſe invited to the feaſt, ſay not, I am a drunkard, a ſwearer, and cannot or will not come, but I have bought, and I have married, and therefore cannot come, Luk. 14. 20. Seeing then every thing we touch is like pitch, every thing we meddle in is ready to entangle us, who can be godly, and ſo who can be ſaved? This wrought to an extremity upon ſome, that thought unleſſe they gave over all worldly imploiments, and ſpent their daies in cels and caves with continual devotion they could not be ſaved: but this was too much.
5. This will further be clear if you conſider all the enmity, ſubtilty and power of the 5.devil againſt a man, eſpecially if godly, Epheſ. 6. it is with principalities and dignities in high places, and Satan hath deſired to winnow you. He chooſeth out the godly in a more ſpecial way to undo them, Luk. 22. 31. There is two things in ſitting or winnowing, the one is concuſſion and tumbling of the corn and chaff, or refuſe together; the other is the ſeparation of the good from the bad; now the devil he deſired the firſt only, to mingle grace and corruption, to bring them all into a confuſion, and ſo overcome them. Now did not Chriſt powerfully intercede, our faith would quickly fail in ſuch extremities. That ſame Parable of a man going to Jericho and meeting with thieves, was miſerably wounded, being left half dead, if it may be applied to a mans ſpiritual eſtate, is not meant of him before converſion, or in his natural eſtate, for he is wholly dead, but after his converſion many times foiled by Satan, and therefore needs oil and balm continually.
6. The impoſſibility of it appeareth in the manifold duties and ordinances which God 6.hath appointed us to he frequent in; All which ſuppoſe the fire would quickly go out; he hath appointed frequent preaching, adminiſtration of Sacraments, daily prayer, and why is all this? that theſe warm cloaths, and continual rubbing of thee may keep life in thee. God knew how fading our graces were; hence he hath commanded this continual dropping and watering, elſe thy ſoul of a Paradiſe would quickly become a barren wilderneſſe: and to this head may we bring thoſe continual afflictions and chaſtiſements which God doth moſt exerciſe his children with; and why are theſe, but as ſo much ſope to refine us, ſo much fire to get out droſſe? They are like the beating of the garment to get out the duſt and moths; now then if there ſhould not be ſuch a continual praying, preaching, purifying, who could be ſaved? What godly man would not become like a ſtanding pool full of mud and filth? ſo that ſalvation is a prize hardly obtained.
7. The impoſſibility appeareth, in that there is requiſite a preſence of all graces, and 7.a proportionable cooperation of them. Now without God how impoſſible is this, Adde to your faith temperance, &c. 2 Pet. 1. 6. If any one of theſe be lacking, it is a monſter, not the image of God. Hence ſo many have come near godlineſſe, been very like it, but have proved apes only, not really good; as there muſt be a preſence, ſo a cooperation alſo. The Scripture commands the putting forth of ſuch graces that to meer nature are inconſiſtent, they never act one but they prejudice the other. Thus we are to come with bold aſſurance to the throne of grace, and yet we muſt be in holy fear and trembling; ſo we muſt have repentance and faith, godly ſorrow and godly joy together, we muſt have prudence and zeal accompanying one another; now who is godly if theſe things be ſo?
8. This will appear in the miſcarriages of ſo many, who have put fair for heaven, 8.and yet fell ſhort. Oh if grace and ſalvation had been an eaſie haven, men could eaſily have got into it! why have ſo many ſuffered ſhipwrack in the havens mouth? What was Judas, what was Jehu, what the fooliſh Virgins, what the ſecond and third kinde of hearers? Did they not do much and ſuffer much, and yet at laſt proved blazing comets ending in ſlime, not fixed ſtars? Oh me thinks you ſhould all ſtand and tremble to ſee them wallowing in their ſouls bloud, as they did at Aſahel in his bodies bloud.
9. The ſtrict and accurate indeavours of the godly, argue they concluded on this principle, 9.that it was difficult to get to heaven. I made a Covenant with my eyes, ſaith Job, Job 31. 1. I ſet a watch before my tongue, ſaid. David, Pſal. 141. 3. I keep down my body, ſaith Paul, leſt I become a reprobate, 1 Cor. 9. 27. Think of this and tremble, whoſe affections and thoughts on good things are by the by only. Its hard for the poor man to get wealth, for a languiſhing ſick man to get health, but above all for a man to get grace, and when he hath it to keep it.