Spiritual Refining, Religious treatise · Section 8 · Sermon 59
SERMON LIX.
To undeceive Men that think, Though they live Wickedly, yet they ſhall dye Happily. And how it comes to paſs that men are ſo prone to Deceive themſelves.
1 COR. 6. 11.
And ſuch were ſome of you; but ye are Waſhed, but yee are Sanctified, but ye are juſtified in the Name of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and by the Spirit of our God.
THE firſt words of the Text cauſe us to look back to the Verſes before it. The Apoſtle in the beginning of the Chapter, reproveth a ſinfull and unwarrantable practice among the Corinthians of going to Law one with another. Not that it is abſolutely a ſinne to demand our right before a Magiſtrate; as the Anabaptiſts would inſet from hence; for then the Apoſtle would not have permitted them to uſe ſuch judicial deciſions among themſelvs, to which he directs them; but the grounds of this prohibition are, partly becauſe they impleaded one another before Heathen Magiſtrates; and ſo Chriſtianity was made a reproach; partly they wanted a preparation of mind to ſuffer wrong, rather than ſinfully conteſt in inferior matters; partly becauſe they did wrong, and were full of injurious carriages, and that to their brethren: from which wickedneſſe he deterreth them by that thireatning; Know ye not that the unrighteous ſhall not inherit the Kingdome of heaven? and to confirm this the more, he layeth down a more generall propoſition, enumerating ſeverall kinds of ſinnes; and leaſt they ſhould think their Chriſtian faith would ſave them, though they had wicked lives, he adviſeth them, not to erre, or, be not deceived, either by falſe Teachers, broaching ſuch Doctrines, or by their own corrupt hearts, ſuggeſting ſuch falſe deluſions: He doth alſo dehort them from ſuch wickedneſſe, becauſe that was their courſe of life formerly, while unconverted, but now they are waſhed and ſanctified. Before I come to the main ſcope I intend out of theſe words, (which is to explain the nature of converting grace, under the notion of Waſhing and Sanctifying,) let me conſider that Phraſe, verſe 9. Be not deceived, and the beginning of this verſe 11. And ſuch were ſome of you. For the former, although it was as plain as the Sun-ſhine at Noon-day, that all who live in groſſe ſins ſhould be damned, yet there were Corinthians who deceived their own ſouls, thinking they might be ſaved, although they lived in all prophaneneſſe. Therefore to prevent this the Apoſtle ſaith, Be not deceived. C… uſeth ſuch a Preface, Luke 21. 8. and Paul, Gal. 6. 7. James alſo 1. 16. when they are to ſpeak that thing, which unknown, or unobſerved, would bring a man much evill; and truely there cannot be a greater cauſe to prefix ſuch an Antidote than in this matter of the Text: For how notoriouſly univerſall is this contagious and infectious Principle, that the profeſſion of the truth of Chriſt, and a generall formall invocation upon his Name will bring a man to heaven, though his life be nothing but a preparation for hell. Learned men ſay, that Simon Magus taught this Doctrine, That a bare profeſſion of faith, without a reformation of mens lives, is enough to ſalvation: whether this be mens Doctrine, or opinion, I know not; to be ſure, its too much their practice; and it may juſtly be thought, as Austin did, that one main reaſon, why James doth ſo much prefer good works, and a godly life, informing that faith alone without theſe did not juſtifie was, becauſe ſome corrupted and perverted theſe places in Pauls Epiſtles, where he ſets up faith as the onelyonly inſtrument of juſtification.
Obſ. That men are very prone generally to deceive themſelves in this, that though Obſerv.they live wickedly, yet they ſhall dye happily, and be ſaved gloriouſly. Though they have lived enemies and adverſaries to God, yet they think to have the Kingdome of glory, as children and heirs of God. O monſtrous folly and madneſſe to imagine ſuch things! But what is more frequently acted in the whole world than this? Is not prophaneneſſe and impiety as common among us as dirt in the high-way, or weeds in Summer; yet which one of theſe men, that live in ſuch wayes, doth not promiſe himſelf heaven? So that if we could remove this pillar, that ſo many lean upon, I ſee no obſtruction, or impediment in their way to ſalvation. If our hearers were driven out of this refuge, and were convinced; this is but a deluſion, and it will doe them no good, how many would come to us as they did to John Baptiſt, What ſhall we doe to be ſaved?
For the further preſſing of this point, it is worth the conſideration What are thoſe cauſes that make men of great impieties thus fooliſhly perſwaded; and firſt, Non-attendance to the Scripture; not obſerving the threatnings and curſes ſo peremptorily delivered there againſt all ungodlineſs. Men judge of their ſalvation, Why men of great impiety have ſtrong perſwaſions of their happy Condition. 1.and have hopes according to the principles of the world, and humane perſwaſions: They think God like themſelves, as the Pſalmiſt ſaith, Pſal. 50. They do not go to be informed out of the Word, how it will be with them at the latter end. Oh know then, though thy own heart, and though all the men in the world ſhould acquit thee, yet that is nothing, as long as the Word bindeth thee faſt in thoſe chains of condemnation. Thou therefore that liveſt in all groſſe prophaneneſſe, promiſing thy ſelf heaven and happineſſe, look into the Scripture and tremble, take the Bible and read, ſee if that doe not make it as impoſſible for thee a prophane man, abiding ſo without Repentance and Reformation, to be ſaved, as it is for fire to be without heat, or the Sun without light: Who would think, that thou who readeſt and heareſt ſo much every day, ſhould be thus deceived? Know ye not, ſaith the Apoſtle, that the unrighteous ſhall not inherit the Kingdome of heaven? Know ye not! Is there any ſuch a Babe, or an Infant in Chriſtianity that is not acquainted with this? Come then and hear the Concluſion of all, let the Scripture at laſt put the period to thy vain hopes: unleſſe thou haſt a new Bible, or new Scriptures, there can be no incouragement; for this which we read to you, & out of which we preach to you every day, makes it one main buſines thereof to perſwade the wicked it ſhall goe ill with him. Oh then ſay, Here is no hope for me ſuch a ſinner, here is no incouragement till I become another man. They are the bewitchings, and deceitfulneſſe of my own ignorant corrupt heart, that telleth me of other things.
Secondly, Therefore are many deceived in this plain point; becauſe though they 2.acknowledge damnation in the general to ſinners, yet they never make particular application to themſelves; they doe not ſay, This threatning, this curſe belongs to me. God gave the Commandements in the ſingular number, Thou ſhalt do no Murther, Thou ſhalt not commit Adultery; to teach every man to reflect upon himſelf, and ſay, Thou doſt thus; and thou doſt thus. The Prophet complaineth, No wicked Pſal. 4. Lam. 3 40.man ſaid, What have I done? Jer. 8. 6. Hence are thoſe commands, To commune with our own hearts, and be ſtill, To ſearch and try our wayes. It would make a man wonder, and ſay, How can this be? A man will acknowledge a Drunkard cannot inherit the Kingdome of heaven, and yet that man will be drunk; and ſo of all other ſins. Now how came the general and the particular to be thus oppoſites? meerly becauſe men came not to particular conviction; they doe not make home-application; they ſay not, Is not this I Lord? Even godly men have been ſenſeleſſe of grievous ſinnes, as David of Murder and Adultery, till Nathan ſaith, Thou art the man. Oh let thy Conſcience take Nathans language, and ſay, Thou art the man. The Scripture ſpeaks to me, the Miniſter preacheth to me, as if there were no other ſinne in the world: But this undoeth you, you goe on in foul and ungodly ways, not ſo much as thinking what you are, not minding you are ſuch and ſuch a ſinner. To reflect upon your own ſelvs is a peculiar effect of reaſon, beaſts cannot do it; and the more thou art ſenſible this way, the more reaſon thou haſt in thee. Be not then as the Swine that never reflects upon her ſelf; thinking I am a Swine, I love to wallow in the Mire, I am no Sheep. As that Beaſt can never have ſuch thoughts, ſo be not thou as brutiſh, never to conſider, How plain is my wickedneſſe? it cannot be hid from my eyes, I love not, or delight not in that which is good.
Thirdly, Therefore are men deceived, becauſe they repreſent Gods mercy and grace in ſuch an univerſal and unlimited way, that they bound it not to faith and repentance, 3.and a godly life. God indeed is an Ocean of mercy, an inexhauſted Fountain of all grace and goodneſſe. When we have thought the higheſt we can, yet ſtil there is more mercy in him than we can comprehend: but to whom is all this? who may plead this, and claim this in prayer? Even the humble, the broken and contrite heart. David may well cry out, Have mercy according to the multitude of mercies, Pſal. 51. 1. becauſe his heart is wounded, and bones are broken through Gods diſpleaſure at ſinne. If therefore thou wilt comfort thy ſelf with Gods mercy, and with his grace, be ſuch a qualified Subject as that requireth, lye like that man of Jericho, not onelyonly half dead, but half damned in thy own ſenſe, and then the good Samaritane will poure Oyl into thy wounds. Doth God any where proclaim pardon and forgiveneſs to the unhumbled ſinner? Doth Chriſt ſay, Come to me ye jolly and merry ſinners, who never felt ſinne a burden. No, but all the mercy he ſpeaks, it is to thoſe, who being burdened with ſinne, deſire nothing more than to throw away that load. Do not then as the Bee is ſometimes drowned in Honey, ſo thou drown thy ſelf in the ſweet apprehenſions of Gods mercies, without Gods wayes. As a Beaſt might not touch the Mountain, ſo neither may a foul wretched ſinner come near the promiſe to lay hold on it. Why might not the Divels and damned in hell comfort themſelves with this, That God is merciful, he is full of pity, and therefore will not let us lye alwayes roaring in theſe eternall flames? Oh you would ſay, this would be a vain mad thing, becauſe God hath decreed otherwiſe, And is it not thus alſo in our caſe? God is mercifull, but he hath decreed otherwiſe, then that thou who loveſt and liveſt in ſinnes, ſhouldſt ever be refreſhed with this mercy. The damned in hell may have it as ſoon as thou wilfully abiding in thy wickedneſſe; onelyonly God may give thee Repentance, and ſo fit thee for mercy, which he will not doe for Divels.
Fourthly, That wherein they wilfully deceive themſelves, is alſo about Chriſt, the Mediator and Saviour. This they build upon; Chriſt came to ſave ſinners, he is a 4.Mediator to make up our peace. Now they make no queſtion, but this being true, they are ſure to be ſaved: Thus they build upon a good foundation, hay and ſtubble; for Chriſt is not a Saviour to any, but thoſe who receive him alſo as a Lord and a King, and ſo proffer ſubjection to all his lawes: He is not onelyonly a Jeſus, a Saviour, but he is alſo a Lord and a King, and he never communicates his benefits, where he doth not beſtow his graces. It's true he came to ſave ſinners, he dyed for this end, but he alſo dyed to ranſome us from our luſts, and to make us a people zealous of good works, Tit. 2. 14. The grace of God (which is that of the Goſpel in Chriſt) hath appeared, teaching us to deny all ungodlineſſe: So then as Chriſts body was not laid any where but in a new Sepulcher, whereno man elſe lay; ſo Chriſt the Mediator is not received into every mans heart, but where no luſt, or other groſſe ſinne is ſuffered to abide: If Chriſt be a Saviour to thee from hell hereafter, he is alſo a Saviour from preſent luſts and tranſgreſſions; and indeed this is the greateſt ſalvation of all, by how much the evill of ſinne is above the evill of the greateſt puniſhment. Therefore the truly godly, and ſuch as indeed have propriety in Chriſt, they look upon this as the principall and chief end of our redemption by Chriſt, to have our active evils ſubdued, rather than our paſſive. They thank God for ſending Chriſt into the world, to take away proud hearts, earthly hearts, diſobedient lives. In this they rejoyce, that there is vertue and efficacy in Chriſts death, to kill thoſe burdenſome luſts and ſinnes which they lye under. Know therefore, that if Chriſt purpoſe to doe you any good hereafter, he will do ſome to thee in this life. It's as great a mercy, and thou needeſt it as much, that he ſhould deliver thee from thoſe preſent evill wayes thou walkeſt in, as if thou wert in hell flames to be ſaved from them: And never did Dives more importunately deſire a drop of Water in Hell to cool his ſcorched Tongue, than thou oughteſt for the preſent to deſire the bloud of Chriſt, and the Spirit of God, which is like Water, to extinguiſh that immoderate thirſt and deſire after ſinne.
Fifthly, Men doe ſo eaſily deceive themſelves, becauſe they put too much worth and efficacy in the Sacraments, and externall profeſſion of the true Religion. In being a 5.Proteſtant, in participation of the Sacraments, they think there is ſo much piety and Religion, that though their lives be foul and noyſome, yet they hope for ſalvation. This was a great deluſion of old in the Jewes; what controverſies had the Prophets, and expoſtulations with them in this matter! The Jewes they pretended their new Moons, their Sabbaths, their Sacrifices, and would not be driven from this refuge: But ſay the Prophets, W…ſh ye, make ye clean, Iſaiah 1. execute judgement and juſtice, let every wicked man forſake his evill way. Otherwiſe the Prophet declareth, that God hatteh their ſolemn Aſſemblies. The Apoſtle James would not have uſed ſo many Arguments to prove that faith without the godly effects of it could not juſtifie, if ſo be men had not been too prone to ſuck in this Principle; and as I told you not long ſince, This Opinion was ſo generally and univerſally received (viz. That if a man did believe Orthodoxly, though he lived wickedly) in Auſtins time, That he did with fear and modeſty oppoſe it. But obſerve our Saviours ground of his refuſall of all thoſe who enjoy many priviledges, yet live ungodly; Depart from me ye workers of iniquity, Mat. 7. Becauſe they were workers of iniquity, therefore God rejects them. Hence the Scripture complains of thoſe, who have the form and profeſſions of the faith of Chriſt, but in works they deny him, Tit. 1. 16. Thou abhorreſt the Socinian and other Hereticks, becauſe by their opinions they deny Chriſt to be God; but thou by thy ungodly actions doſt alſo deny his God-head. Thou abhorreſt the Atheiſt, who ſaith, There is no God: yet all the wickedneſſe thou committeſt doth really ſay, There is no God: Therefore what doe we regard thy words, and thy Sacraments, or thy profeſſion, when we ſee thy deeds? Make thy life clean, waſh thy foul converſation, and then make thy religious approaches to God. If I regard iniquity in my heart (ſaith David) the Lord will not hear my prayer. The cry of thy ſinnes will be above the cry of thy prayers; know then, as every tree is tryed by its fruit, ſo thy actions diſcern what thou art. Make never ſo many zealous prayers, come never ſo frequently to Church, yet if in the week day God findes Oathes, Drunkenneſſe, Prophaneneſſe in thy life; this is a reall denying of him.
Sixtly, Therefore they delude themſelves in this weighty buſineſſe, becauſe they underſtand 6.not the nature of faith and trusting in God. Come unto the vileſt of men, when deaths ſtroak is upon them, when the fear of that ſurrounds them, even then though full of their ſinnes, yet will ſay, They truſt in Chriſt Jeſus, they believe in him. But oh thou ignorant man; what is it to believe, and to truſt in him? Is it not out of the ſenſe of the bitterneſs of ſin, and a deliberate forſaking of it, obedientially reſigning up our ſelves to Chriſts commands, and therewith relying on Chriſt the Mediator, is not this to believe? Doth not the ſame faith, which with one hand receiveth Chriſt, with another purifie the ſoul, and carry it out to all the fruits of righteouſneſs: preſumption indeed that is eaſie; to lay hold upon Chriſt for pardon, with an hand ful of wickedneſs this is ordinary: but to truſt in him according to Scripture direction, and that order which God hath inviolably preſcribed men, that is rare. Faith therefore is the gift of God, and it is wrought by his Spirit in us; we can no more cloſe with Chriſt, in a true Scripture-manner, as a Saviour, or the Promiſes revealed by God, than we can joyn with him as a Law-giver, or obey his Precepts. If therefore thou underſtoodſt the Nature of truſting in God, and what it is to believe, thou wouldſt not ſo eaſily perſwade thy ſelf thou doſt truſt in him, when thy Conſcience tells thee of thy manifold ſinnes. Hence the godly have found it ſo difficult to believe: they have been almoſt over-whelmed with doubts and fears; though Chriſt hath held out the Scepter of grace to them, yet they have even fainted through fear and ſhame, when they came into his preſence. How frequently doth David call upon his ſoul, to truſt in God, and w…it on him? Pſal. 42. 5. Whereas this carnal preſumption findes no oppoſition at all. Conſider of all theſe grounds which doe ſo often delude thee, and they may doe thee infinite good.
Uſe of Admonition, To call your ſelves to a ſtrict account; conſider how your Uſe 1.Chriſtian faith and unchristian practiſes can ſtand together, how your Religion and your converſation can accord: The one is Honey, the other is Gall, the one is Light, the other is Darkneſſe. How is it poſſible you ſhould fall into ſuch palpable and abſurd contradictions. O deceive not your ſelves any longer, think not it will be well as long as thoſe ſins are unrepented, and unreformed. Be not deceived, ſaith the Apoſtle to all ſuch, when you have to doe with men; if they profeſſe much kindneſſe and obſervance of you, yet in all their actions they work you all the deſpight and miſchief they can. Doe ye not call them Hypocrites, and ſay, Quid verba? What are words; when I ſee your deeds to the contrary? Doth not God from heaven ſay the ſame things to you; To what purpoſe is your hearing, and praying, your profeſſion of love to me, when all your deeds ſavor of hatred and rebellion againſt me? Now to quicken thee againſt this ſelf deluſion and ſelf deſtruction, conſider;
Firſt, That God will not be mocked; for ſo ſaith the Apoſtle, Be not deceived, God will not be mocked, Gal. 6. 7. All thy Religion, all thy holy duties, without a ſanctification of thy life, is but a meer mockery of God; for what can be a greater mockery than this, to cry out of thy ſinnes here, and to commit them when thou comeſt home? To ſay here, Lord ſet thy will be done, even as Angels in heaven do it, and then at home to obey it no more than Devils in Hell, Oh conſider, this is mocking of God, and of this ſinne thou haſt been guilty many years. Was not that plain mockery of Chriſt, when they called him King in ſcorn, and yet at the ſame time crucified him. No leſſe is it here, when thou draweſt nigh to God, as if thou worſhippedſt him, as if thou wouldſt love and obey him, and afterwards live to his great diſhonour.
Secondly, Conſider, that what a man doth in his actions, is in ſome ſenſe a more reall demonſtration of a man then any words or profeſſions. He is the greateſt and moſt reall enemy to God, whoſe life is ſo, let his outward profeſſion be what it can be. Therefore God at the great day of judgement will proceed according to the works of men. The Lord heretofore complained of thoſe that drawed nigh to him with their lips, Iſa. 29. 13. but their hearts were far from him; and that did appear by their lives. Doſt thou think the words of prayer will help thee, when the actions of ſinne are ready to damn thee? Wherein can you more really ſhew what you are, than by your conſtant life and converſation? O more blind than Moles or Bats, that ſee not themſelves for the preſent the fire-brands of Hell. What can hide this from thy Conſcience? Is it not too plain, that thy life is the fruit, thy duties are but leaves and bloſſoms. Doth not the Husbandman cut down that tree for burning which beareth not fruit, though many leaves.
Thirdly, As it is mockery of God, ſo its plain, groſſe, and palpable hypocriſie. Prophane men are apt to cenſure thoſe who live more ſtrictly, and accurately than themſelves as Hypocrites, not conſidering in the mean while, that heaven and earth cannot but take notice of their Hypocriſie: for what is more palpable than this, in thy words and Chriſtian Religion to acknowledge Chriſt a Lord and King, but in all thy actions to rebell againſt him: On the Sabbath day to come and outwardly to be wail thy ſins; and the very next day, or hour, to commit thoſe very ſinnes again. How can you ſo ſoon forget what you were about? How is it that you ſo quickly croſſe your prayers and holy duties? May not Heathens and Pagans deride you, when they ſee your ungodly lives? May not they ſay, Loe, there is a Chriſtian who worſhippeth Chriſt, that commands him not to ſwear, but he will doe it all the day long? loe, there is a Chriſtian, whom Chriſt commands, that their hearts ſhould not be over-charged with Drunkenneſſe and the cares of this world, but they will do the clean contrary: What do you think God hath forgotten your Religious approaches and ingagements, becauſe you have forgotten them?
Fourthly, Remember thou canſt not alwayes live in this fools paradiſe. Thou canſt not alwayes be in this fond dream of happineſſe and felicity; but God at laſt will bring thee to the touch-ſtone, and thy reward ſhall be according as thou art. Thus he that doth wickedly may for a while account himſelf happy; yet this will quickly melt, when death comes, when the day of judgement comes, then it will be fully diſcovered, that thoſe ſinnes and heaven can no more ſtand together, than light and darkneſſe. Then God will tell you, Depart you workers of iniquity; there is a great gulf between mercy and you. Oh then reflect upon thy ſelf and ſay, Why doe I all this? I live thus againſt Gods Law, and yet pleaſe my ſelf with thoughts of peace and happineſſe, how can it be? you muſt have another way to heaven, then ever the Bible hath yet diſcovered.
Uſe a.dUſe 2. of Inſtruction, That nothing in all the Chriſtian Religion, if duely conſidered, doth at all incourage to any ſinne. If any thing might imbolden a man, it might be thought the mercy and goodneſſe of God, the freeneſſe and fulneſſe of Grace: but as for the former, There is forgiveneſſe with thee, that thou maiſt be feared, ſaith the Pſalmiſt, Pſal. 130. 4. and as for the latter, with what holy indignation doth the Apoſtle argue againſt thoſe that from the freeneſſe of grace, would argue a liberty to ſinne, as if the plenty of the one would incourage to multiply the other, Rom. 6. 1. If then every thing in the Bible, if every thing in the true Chriſtian Religion, be thus an antidote againſt ſinne, a preſervative from it, How incurably wicked muſt they needs be, that by thoſe holy motives are yet not made holy: From which principle in Religion, art thou emboldened to thy luſts and ſins? from what duty or Ordinance doeſt thou gather comfort in thy wickedneſs? If all theſe things are hand-writings againſt thy ſins, why doeſt thou not tremble to commit them?