Spiritual Bondage and Freedom, Chapter 3
CHAP. III.
Wherein is handled the third Branch of the Doctrine, viz. That it is every ones duty to look after a ſhare in this Freedom.
THe third Branch of the Doctrine (which I now come to) is, That it is every ones duty to look after a ſhare in this Freedom, by getting a particular and perſonal Intereſt in it; that ſo we may be of the Corporation or Society of thoſe whom the Son hath made free. And before I go any further, I would ſhew a little, that this is our duty, though we be never ſo great ſinners. The greatneſs of your ſins muſt not hinder or diſcourage any of you from looking after it: you muſt not ſay, It is in vain for me to think or hope that ever I ſhall have it, who am ſuch a grievous ſinner. The Lord humble thee that art ſuch a grievous ſinner, and make thee as ſenſible of it as thou haſt need to be. My work is not to go about to perſwade thee to the contrary, but rather to aſſure thee that it is ſo indeed. And if thou ſpeakeſt ſo from thy heart, and from an inward ſenſe and feeling of the burden of ſin, 'tis well. There be many grievous ſinners, that are not grieved with their ſins: great ſinfulneſs and great inſenſibleneſs, is the general condition of the World; but as great a ſinner as thou art, thou muſt look after this Freedom. The greater ones Sickneſs is, the more need to ſend for the Phyſician. Do not thou conclude thou ſhalt never be free, becauſe thou art ſo much in bondage; whatever comes of it, look out for Deliverance. Pray mark; There be two things that we are greatly to take heed of, about the grace of God by Chriſt.
1. That we don't deſpiſe it. Oh! how many be there, that make no more of Chriſt and Salvation by him, than they do of a ſtraw? 'Tis wonderful to ſee, how the moſt do caſt all the things of God behind their backs: and the reaſon why they do ſo, is not becauſe there is no worth in the things, but becauſe they do not ſee the worth of them. But I do but name this.
2. That we don't deſpair of it, whatever our ſins have been. The truth is, amongſt thoſe whom we preach to, there be nothing near ſo many of this latter ſort, … there be of the firſt. Oh! there's a multitude of deſpiſers and ſlighters of Chriſt and his Freedom: theſe may go where they will, for any thing that many care for them. But becauſe ſometimes we may meet with one here and there, that will be ready to ſpeak in a very diſcouraged way, as if it were to no purpoſe at all for them to look out for this Freedom, by reaſon of the greatneſs of their ſins: therefore I would ſay a little, to take away this hopeleſsneſs that ſome may have in them. As,
1. That this Freedom was intended for ſinners, and grievous ſinners, Rom. 5. 6. In due time Chriſt died for the ungodly. Ver. 8.—While we were yet ſinners, Chriſt died for us. 1 Tim. 1. 15. Christ Jeſus came into the world to ſave ſinners. Luk. 19. 10. The Son of man is come to ſeek and to ſave that which was lost. You ſee 'twas intended for them that were ungodly, for ſinners, for them that were lost. God ſent Chriſt to be Saviour to ſuch; and Chriſt meant ſuch in what he did in the work of Redemption. If we had been without ſin, we ſhould not have needed that Chriſt ſhould have died for us: why then ſhould our ſins hinder us from looking out for this Freedom, ſince the aim, and thoughts, and heart of Chriſt was towards us to do us good, upon this very conſideration, that we were thoſe that lay in a ſinful and loſt eſtate; and that there were divers of us, to whom God did bear an everlaſting love, and ſo ſuch of us were given by the Father to Chriſt, to be redeemed out of that miſerable condition. Obj. But you'll ſay, Chriſt intended all this for Believers; and they are none but Believers that ſhall have the good of what Chriſt hath done. Anſ. That's very ſure, He that believes ſhall be ſaved, and he that believeth not ſhall be damned, in reſpect of what they were to be afterwards: So 'tis none but Believers that ſhall reap the ſaving benefit of his Redemption; but at firſt, and in reſpect of Chriſts dying for them, they were Sinners before they were Believers; and ſo Chriſt dyed for them, not as Believers, but as they were Sinners; tho 'tis true, 'twas as they were choſen Sinners, and ſo to be made Believers. [I know, that what I am now hinting, would give me a very fair opportunity to ſhew you, that therefore Chriſt did not intentionally die for all Sinners; and that the Doctrine of univerſal Grace or Redemption is to be taken heed of. But if any deſire it, I had rather give them ſatisfaction in private, if they pleaſe to bring their Objections, than needleſsly to ſpend time about it now, ſince I do not know whether any of you that hear me, are of that Perſwaſion.] That which I now drive at is, that your ſins muſt not diſcourage you from labouring after a ſhare in this Freedom, ſince Chriſt was intended for Sinners, tho not for all Sinners. Thou that art a great Sinner, art in the very caſe for which Chriſt was ſent to give Salvation to; and thy Miſery ſhould not make thee deſpair of a Remedy, but ſtir thee up to look out for it.
2. If thou art a great ſinner already, then thou ſhouldſt not make thy ſelf a greater ſinner, which hopeleſsneſs will do. It is the fruit of deſpair, that it makes him that is very ſinful, to be always growing worſe: There is leſs and leſs hope of one that caſts away hope; and many would ſooner be recovered, if they did not conclude they ſhould never be recovered. A deſpairing ſoul is going on to further wickedneſs: I will give you two notable Scriptures for it, Jer. 2. 25. Thou ſaidſt there is no hope. No, for I have loved ſtrangers, and after them will I go. And chap. 18. 20. And they ſaid there is no hope, but we will walk after our own devices, and we will every one do the imagination of his evil heart. What was their ſtrong reſolution to go on in their ſins grounded upon? What made them, that as bad as they were, they would ſtill be worſe? Why, they ſaid, there is no hope. Oh! however thou haſt ſinned, don't ſhut up the door of Mercy againſt thy ſelf; for then thou openeſt the door wide to more ſin ſtill. There's nothing doth more harden the heart, than deſpair doth; the more this is is increaſed, the more ſin is ſtrengthned. A deſpairing ſinner will grow a deſperate ſinner; he will not care how much he ſins. They that think they have ſinned themſelves paſt mercy, will fill up their ſins apace. 'Tis the hope of finding mercy, that muſt bring us back to the fear of God; without that, a man will caſt off all at once, and think that he cannot ſin too much. And no doubt, this is that which makes ſome in the world to be ſo exceedingly prophane as they are, and to be the wonders of the Age they live in, for monſtrous iniquity, that they carry themſelves as if they were turned into devils, and would even dare God to damn them. Why, 'tis like, if one could ſee how 'tis within them, that they have, through God's juſt Judgment upon them, a ſecret miſ-giving of heart that they ſhall never be ſaved, they have taken up that deſperate Concluſion, and thereupon they harden themſelves to exceſſive ungodlineſs, and live as tho they had bid defiance to all ſober Converſation. That perſon blocks up his own way to repentance for ſin, that caſts off the hope of being forgiven. See Pſal. 130. 4. There is forgiveneſs with thee that thou mayeſt be feared. That which brings us to the fear of God, is the hope of finding forgiveneſs with him. And therefore 'tis a very ſad thing, and much to be prayed againſt, to be delivered up to a hopeleſs heart; and they that have provoked God by ſinning much already, do provoke him more by deſpairing of mercy.
3. 'Tis all one to Free Grace, whether thou art a great ſinner or a little one. God can pardon abundantly, tho thou haſt ſined abundantly: do but forſake thy ſins, and then, need as much pardon as thou wilt, thou ſhalt have it, Iſa. 55. 7. The infinite mercy of God knows well enough what to do with a great ſinner: that's a notable place, Rom. 5. 20. Where ſin abounded, grace did much more abound. Mark what words are here; he doth not ſay barely, where there was ſin committed, but where ſin abounded; nor only, there grace was manifeſted, but there it abounded, yea, and abounded more than ſin abounded, yea and much more. 'Tis much that a ſinner can ſin, but 'tis more that God can pardon; Iſa. 1. 18. Though your ſins be as ſcarlet, they ſhall be as white as ſnow: though they be red like crimſon, they ſhall be as wool. He makes but a though of ſcarlet and crimſon ſins: he brings it in twice with that word though, and though; as if he ſhould ſay, My mercy is not poſed for all this. Whatever Mercy will do, it doth it without difficulty. You know, there be ſome things that you can do with eaſe; ſmall matters you make nothing of them: but then there be ſome other things, that though you can do them, yet 'tis difficulty; you muſt put out all that is in you, all your skill and all your ſtrength: but ſo needs not God to pardon the greateſt ſinner; that is, he can do it with eaſe. In ſome ſenſe, it is harder to God to puniſh, than it is to pardon. When he comes to puniſh, he ſpeaks as if 'twere hard to him, Hoſ. 11. 8. How ſhall I give thee up, O Ephraim, &c. But when he comes to pardon, 'tis ſpoken of him as if that were eaſie, Mic. 7. 18. who delighteth in mercy: and what we delight in, we do with eaſe.
4. Tho thou art a great ſinner, yet thou art not a ſinner in hell; thou art a ſinner upon earth ſtill. And there is this difference betwixt ſinners upon earth, and ſinners in hell; that the firſt are yet under hope, while the others are paſt it. It is thy great miſery, that thou art yet among the unconverted; but 'tis great mercy, that thou art not among the damned. The place in which thou yet art, is the place of repentance, and not of puniſhment. We muſt look upon no ſinners as paſt hope, that are not paſt this life: Why, thou liveſt yet; Chriſt hath not denounced the final ſentence againſt thee; thou haſt not yet ſtood before his Judgment-ſeat, and heard him ſay to thee, Depart thou curſed into everlaſting fire. What is the patience and long-ſuffering of God towards thee for, but to ſhew thee that thy condition is yet recoverable? 2 Pet. 3. 9. It is enough to anſwer thy deſpairing thoughts, to tell thee, that yet the Lord waits to be gracious. Doſt thou not ſee how God doth lengthen out the thread of thy life day after day? He could ſnatch thee away in an inſtant, but yet he continues thee where thou haſt Calls, and Means, and Opportunities for the good of thy Soul. Why, 'tis not thus with thoſe that are in Hell; they are beyond all help, and beyond all hope; but thou art not, through the riches of the goodneſs of God. The great thing that thou wanteſt, is but a heart to know the things of thy Peace, in the day of thy Viſitation.
5. The cloſing with this Freedom which Chriſt offers thee, may make thee as great a Saint, as now thou art a great Sinner: As it did Paul; what a Sinner was he before he cloſed with Chriſt; and what a Saint did he become afterwards? This Freedom will make a ſtrange alteration in thee, if thou getteſt but a ſhare in that. Such is the power and excellency of God's Grace, that where that comes in truth, it turns things upſide down; it makes an enemy to God, a friend of God; a hater of Goodneſs, to be a lover of Goodneſs, 2 Cor. 5. 17. Art thou a great Sinner now? ay, but don't be out of hope for all that; for if thou once come in to Jeſus Chriſt, thou wilt be a new man. If now thou haſt an hard heart, this Freedom will break it; if now thou haſt a ſtubborn will againſt God, this Freedom will make thee obedient; there is help in Chriſt againſt all this. It is very obſervable, that many times thoſe who have been the moſt forward for ſin, when the Lord hath wrought ſavingly in them, they have proved to be the moſt forward, and the moſt famous for Goodneſs: and God hath had no greater Inſtruments of his Glory in all the World, than ſome, who before they were converted, brought him moſt Diſhonour.
Well; all this now is ſpoken, to take away your hopeleſsneſs, that I may not have this ſtumbling-block in my way, while I would be calling upon you to look out for a ſhare in this Freedom, that any of you ſhould be under deſpairing thoughts about the getting of it, and ſo lye ſtill, and let all be as 'tis. You know, that man will hardly be brought to do much in a thing, concerning which, he deſpairs that it will never come to paſs. I would have you think, that the buſineſs of your Salvation (as great Sinners as any of you are.) is a thing that through Grace may be effected. Why, Sirs, why may you not be converted? why may you not be pardoned? why may you not yet be waſhed, and juſtified, and ſanctified in the name of the Lord Jeſus, and by the ſpirit of our God? Why may not as great Sinners be brought in yet, as have been brought in already? Methinks that Scripture would come in very ſeaſonably here, Ezr. 10. 2. We have treſpaſſed againſt our God, and have taken ſtrange wives of the people of the land: yet now there is hope in Iſrael concerning this thing. 1. d. 'Tis very true, our provocations againſt God have been very great, and particularly in this, that we have taken ſtrange wives of the people of the land, (which was the ſin that they were now mourning for) yet, let us not ſit down hopeleſs now, and do nothing, and give up all for loſt: there's ſome hope left ſtill; and therefore (ver. 3) Let's make a covenant—to put away all the wives, &c. So now in your caſe, that are yet under the guilt of ſo many and ſo great iniquities, yet there is hope; and therefore, ſeek out for this Freedom by Chriſt. See Zech. 9. 12. Turn ye to the ſtrong hold, ye priſoners of hope. Tho thou art a priſoner, yet thou art a priſoner of hope; and therefore, turn to the ſtrong hold, turn to Chriſt. So that you ſee, I have made way to go on upon this now, to ſhew you, that 'tis every ones duty to look out after a ſhare in this Freedom. And there are two things among others, that make this to be your duty.
1. The Command of God. He hath commanded you to look out after Chriſt and your Souls: Friends, it is the will of him that made you, revealed in his bleſſed Word, that you ſhould come to Chriſt, and cloſe with Chriſt, and not refuſe the great and good things which he offers to you, Matth. 17. 5.—Hear ye him. Mark 1. 15.—Repent and believe the Goſpel. Act. 17. 30. God commandeth all men every where to repent. Heb. 12. 25. See that ye refuſe not him that ſpeaketh, &c. And as all the other Commands of God are backed with Promiſes to them that obey them, and with Threatnings to thoſe that do them not: So 'tis to be obſerved, in a ſpecial manner, concerning this Command of looking after Chriſt, and believing in him, with what precious Promiſes it is accompanied to thoſe that cloſe with Chriſt, and with what heavy Threatnings to thoſe that reject him. The Command it ſelf, you may take one place more for, which ſpeaketh the fulleſt of any yet; 1 Joh. 3. 23. This is his commandment, that we ſhould believe in the name of his Son Jeſus Chriſt. Now for the Promiſes, they are ſo many that do belong to this, that I cannot name them all: See Act. 10. 43. and 13. 39, 40. for a taſte: And for Threatnings, Act. 3. 22. Prov. 1. 24. to the end: but only that the laſt verſe is a Promiſe of everlaſting ſafety to them that receive him. We ſhould therefore much awe our hearts with the ſtrict Commands that are about looking out for Chriſt, and hearkning to his Calls, and know, that the not accepting of Chriſt is the moſt damning ſin, Joh. 3. 18, 19. This is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men love darkneſs rather than light, becauſe their deeds were evil. The condemnation, as if there were none but this: And this ſin of not believing in Chriſt, is ſuch a great ſin, that when the Holy Ghoſt comes to work upon the heart, he doth, as it were, ſingle out this in a principal manner, to charge that upon the Conſcience, and to reprove and to convince for that to be ſure, Joh. 16. 8, 9. And this is a ſin which we muſt, and ſhall be moſt humbled for, if ever God intend mercy to us: and whatever other ſins we are ſmitten for, till the heart comes to be ſmitten for this, we fall ſhort of thoſe Convictions which the Spirit uſeth to give in, in order to a true Converſion. Tho I don't ſay, that this is always the firſt ſin that the Spirit of God ſets before the Soul, and wounds it for (many times a man's inward trouble begins from ſome other ſins); yet ſooner or later, the guilt of this Unbelief is diſcovered to ſuch a ſoul, and from the ſight of that, it is brought to the deepeſt and the trueſt ſorrow, Zech. 12. 18.
2. The obligation that lies upon you, even by the very light of Nature, to look after ſelf-preſervation. Indeed there is a ſelf that we muſt not look after the preſervation of, but do all that we can to bring it to deſtruction; our ſinful-ſelf, or our Sins and Luſts, which are as dear to us, by corrupt nature, as our ſelves; this we muſt be ſworn enemies to, Col. 3. 5. Mortifie your members which are upon the earth, &c. And the reaſon is, becauſe this is not the right ſelf: our ſins are the Devils Bratts, and therefore they muſt be daſh'd againſt the walls; there muſt be no ſparing of them, no pleading for their life; for if you give ſin its life, you'll loſe your own: as the Prophet told Ahab from the Lord, concerning the King of Syria, that great enemy of the children of Iſrael, when the Lord had delivered him into Ahab's hand, and he out of favour to him had let him eſcape, when he ſhould have deſtroyed him, 1 Kin. 20. 42. Becauſe thou haſt let go out of thy hand a man whom I appointed to utter deſtruction; therefore thy life ſhall go for his life, &c. So thus it will be to all you that ſpare your ſins, and ſtroak them, inſtead of ſtriking them; and becauſe they bring you a little pleaſure to the fleſh for the preſent, therefore they muſt be let alone. God hath put many opportunities into your hand for the deſtroying of them; every time you come to hear, you have, as it were, an advantage given you again: but it may be, that you ſo love this painted ſtrumpet, and are ſo overcome by the flatteries of it, that it is as Death to you to part with it. Well Soul, if thou wilt not have ſin to die, thou muſt die; if thou wilt not be the death of that, that will be the death of thee. But there is another ſelf, the true ſelf, or your ſelves as you are God's creatures, that you are bound to look after the preſervation of; that is, to ſpeak plainly, you muſt take care that you don't go the way to be eternally loſt, and to have Soul and Body caſt into hell. And if you are ſo careful, as you know you uſe to be, to preſerve your ſelves from the evils of this World, you do all that you can to keep your ſelves from Pains, and Priſons, and Poverty; why, will it not follow, that you ſhould be as careful, yea and much more (becauſe the Soul is more precious) to keep your ſelves from the everlaſting pains, and the everlaſting priſon, and the everlaſting undoing? Well then, you muſt look out for this Freedom by Chriſt, for otherwiſe theſe things will certainly come upon you, Joh. 3. 36. He that believeth not the Son, ſhall not ſee life, but the wrath of God abideth on him. And therefore, that man or woman that refuſes Chriſt, is not only no friend to Chriſt, but ſuch are no friends to themſelves, they have not the ttue ſelf-love in them, they don't love their own Souls. 'Tis ſaid of the Prodigal when he began to repent, he came to himſelf, Luk. 15. 17. He was gone from himſelf, the true ſelf before: but when he returned, then indeed he came to look out after ſelf-preſervation.
Well now, to proceed upon this Third Branch more throughly, That it is every ones duty to look after a part in this Freedom: I will, 1. give you an obſervable thing about it. 2. Shew you the reaſons and grounds why every one is to do this. 3. Make application.
To the 1. There is one thing that is very obſervable about this in the Scripture, which I would commend unto you; and that is, That Chriſt, in the offers of his Grace, doth not only ſpeak in a general way to all in common, as if he ſhould ſay, Here 'tis amongſt you: but in many places he comes to offer it in a particular kind of Language, as if he had to deal with perſons ſeverally and apart one from another, and were ſingling of them out one by one: to teach us, that every particular perſon muſt own it as his great duty, to look after Chriſt, and the Benefits that come by Chriſt for himſelf. See Joh. 4. 10. Mark how particularly Chriſt ſpeaks here: Jeſus anſwered and ſaid unto her, [i. e. the woman of Samaria] If thou kneweſt the gift of God, and who it is that ſaith to thee, Give me to drink, thou wouldst have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water. So Rev. 3. 18. I counſel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the ſhame of thy nakedneſs do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eye-ſalve, that thou mayest ſee. So verſ. 20. If any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will ſup with him, and he with me. q. d. There muſt not be one of you, but muſt each for himſelf be labouring for a ſhare in theſe things.
Now for the reaſons of this, I deſire that you would ſeriouſly mind theſe four following.
1. Every one ſhould labour to have a ſhare in the Freedom, becauſe every one hath had ſhare in the Bondage; as the Apoſtle ſaith, in Rom. 5. 12. Death paſſed upon all men, in that all have ſinned. There's none of us can ſay concerning this Freedom, as Paul did concerning his being a partaker of the Roman Freedom, Act. 22. 28. But I, ſaith he, was free-born. They that have this Freedom, are ſaid in Scripture to be made free; they are not born free, but made ſo, Rom. 6. 18. So in the Text, If the Son ſhall make you free. Now ſuppoſe, Beloved, that there were a company of People in the World, that had been all of them in great diſtreſs, or that they had been all taken by the Turks, and put to miſerable ſlavery, that never any poor Creatures had a harder condition than they; and ſuppoſe that it had been one of you that were of this number, that had a fellowſhip with them in their bitter Bondage: And that ſome merciful Prince, that knew of the lamentable caſe that theſe wretches were in, ſhould be willing, by the paying of a great Ranſom, to redeem them; and he layes down that which is demanded by him that held them in ſlavery, and ſo ſets this Company at liberty: at which, Oh, how their hearts rejoice! Only there is one amongſt them that won't accept of this favour, though his Captivity was as great as others, and he was as fair for deliverance as the reſt; he that ſet the other free, would have done it for him too, if he would not have been willful; but for his part, he would not have his liberty, he would lye and periſh in his thraldom. Why, what a fool and mad-man would he be counted, that would have his part in all the affliction which that Company hath indured, but would have none of their Redeemers kindneſs? Now, Sirs, you may go travel over all the World, and not find ſuch an inſtance as this for the Bondage of the Body: but we need not go far to find many ſuch inſtances for this Bondage of the Soul. Oh, how many be there that have been partakers of the Curſe, that don't look after the Bleſſing! that have been Satans ſlaves, but won't be the Lords free-men! that had rather be ſtrangers and foreigners ſtill, than to be fellow-citizens with the Saints, and of the houſhold of God?
Reaſ. 2. Becauſe no man muſt reſt in the general offers of Grace, without a particular application of all to himſelf. The general offers of Grace are like the hearing of ſome excellent Medicine, that is good for them that are under ſome dangerous Diſeaſe: now, 'tis not the hearing of this that will cure; but he that would have good by it, muſt get it for himſelf, and take it, and make uſe of it. You know, tbo there be never ſo good a Plaiſter upon the Table for the healing of a Wound, it may be the Salve of which 'tis made, is the beſt in the World for ſuch a purpoſe; yet that won't help at all, if it be not applyed and laid on. So now, if you do not look after a particular ſhare in this Freedom, to bring it home to your own Souls, you do but reſt in the general notions of Grace. This is but the Plaiſter upon the Table, as it were; 'tis too far off to do you any good; thou haſt nothing for thy ſelf all this while. You know, there's a great deal of difference betwixt a mans ſaying, This is a brave Houſe, and, This Houſe is mine. So there is a precious Chriſt, and precious Freedom, and precious Promiſes; yea, but are they thine? Art thou one of them that can ſay, they are given to us? 2 Pet. 1. 4. Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promiſes. Mark, he doth not ſay barely, theſe exceeding great and precious Promiſes are given, but given to us.
So that you don't come nigh enough to Chriſt, and the Benefits by Chriſt, if you don't get them for your ſelves. 'Tis the great ſin of Men and Women, that they ſit down in things at large about Chriſt: they know, and ſay, and read, that Chriſt came into the World to ſave ſinners, and to ſeek and to ſave that which was loſt. Ay, 'tis moſt true; yet what are you the better for all this, unleſs this Salvation be yours? And how can it be yours, without your labouring to make it yours?
Beloved, there be many that are, and will be undone for ever, becauſe they went no further than the hearing of a Chriſt at a diſtance. Now thoſe that ſhall be ſaved by him, he and their ſouls have been brought nigh together, and they make ſuch an application of him to themſelves, that the relation they have to him, is like that of the Members to the Head, or of the Wife to the Husband; they are ſo joined to him by Faith, that they become one with him: now the general offers of Grace never make us one with Chriſt; till he is my Chriſt, I am never united to him. Now this is the great thing that you ſhould look after, to have Union with Chriſt, and 'tis application that makes the Union; and you have nothing of him in a ſaving manner, till you are in him, and he in you, Col. 1. 27.—Chriſt in you the hope of glory Obj. It may be ſome will ſay, that have but ſmall cauſe for it, Oh, if it be Faith that makes Chriſt mine, why then, I have a part in him; for I do believe (I thank God) in my Saviour Jeſus Chriſt; I put my whole truſt in him with all my heart. Anſ. Thoſe that have the true Faith, have been made to ſee that there is a falſe Faith, a counterfeit Faith; yea and to fear, and queſtion, and examine whether their Faith were not a counterfeit Faith. Beloved, there is a counterfeit of every Grace; and certainly, there be many that think they believe, and don't. As I would have no child of God to think he doth not believe, when he doth; ſo I would have no Chriſtleſs perſon to think he doth believe, when he doth not. The way to find out the truth of our Faith, is to put our Faith to the proof: have you not taken it for granted that you have Faith, without trying it? I'll give you but two Notes of the true Faith, and I am ſure they'll be enough to prove divers to be Unbelievers, that think themſelves to be Believers.
The true Faith is always accompanied with love to Chriſt, with a high prizing love to him; they that believe with their hearts, they ſet their hearts upon Chriſt; he hath their deareſt and choiceſt affections placed upon himſelf; they have diſcerned ſuch a Beauty in Chriſt, that they cannot but love him beſt, 1 Pet. 2. 7. Ʋnto you that believe, he is precious. Now there be many of you that think you have Faith, and yet let one liſten never ſo much to you, one cannot hear you talk of Chriſt, nor utter any longings or breathings of Soul after him; and when the beauty, and ſweetneſs, and fulneſs, and freeneſs of Grace that is in Chriſt is ſpoken of, you have no delight to be upon ſuch a Diſcourſe. And pray now, what do your thoughts and deſires run out moſt upon? Are not your minds and affections taken up with the preſent and periſhing things of this World, more than with Chriſt? Is there not ſomething that ſits nearer to your hearts, than he doth? Surely here's a diſcovery of a falſe Faith, to ſay one believes in him, and yet not love him. Ask thy ſoul, Haſt not gone many a day, many a week, many a year, nay all the days of thy life, and had never one raiſed deſire towards him? Thou doſt not know what 'tis to be unſatisfied without his preſence, and without communion with him: thou doſt not know what 'tis to be ſick of love for him: he may ſtay never ſo long from thy Soul, and thou never grieve nor groan: thou canſt do well enough with the Creature, though thou haſt not Chriſt. I tell thee, if it be ſo, thou haſt thy Faith to ſeek: thou never madeſt any particular application of him yet to thy ſelf; for if thou hadſt, application of him would beget affection to him. A true Believer is greatly in love with the Lord Jeſus; he had rather be without any thing than him, he accounts all loſs in compariſon of him, Phil. 3. 8.
2. The true Faith is always accompanied with likeneſs to Chriſt. A Believer in him, is a Conformer to him, and a Follower of him; he bears about Chriſt's Image in the World, he lives according to Chriſt's Life, and according to Chriſt's Law, and according to Chriſt's Example; he partakes with him in his crucified and in his quickned State: As Paul, in Gal. 2. 20. when he ſpeaks that the life of faith was in him; in the beginning of the verſe, ſaith he, I am crucified with Chriſt; he died to ſin, and walked in newneſs of life. But now, how many be there of you, that think you have Faith, and yet are as much for ſin as ever you were, and as contrary to goodneſs as ever you were? you can be as vain, and as vile, and as carnal, and as covetous, and as proud, and paſſionate, and lukewarm, as ever you were. If it be thus with thee, I tell thee, if there were no better Believers than thou art, there would not be one true Believer in the World. A Faith that doth not change thee into a new Creature, is a falſe Faith; 2 Pet. 1. 1.—To them that have obtained like precious faith with us. How doth he make out, that they had this precious faith? why, verſ. 4. they had eſcaped the corruption that is in the world through luſt. True Faith is of a ſanctifying, purifying nature; It is at peace with no ſin, nor at war with any duty.
Reaſ. 3. We ſhould every one look after this Freedom, becauſe a diligent looking out for it, is the way to obtain it. You know how much diligence hath done ſometimes in other caſes; how it hath, by the bleſſing of God upon his Labours, raiſed a man to great Riches, that before had nothing; yea, it may be, was worſe than nothing. So if you would be diligent, how can you tell but that you may be rich, tho you are now ſo very poor? and that you may be made free, tho for the preſent you are in Bondage? Why may not a man get a ſpiritual Eſtate by taking pains, as well as many have gotten an earthly one?
Obj. Oh, but you'll ſay, there are ſome diſcouraging places that I meet with in the Scripture. Anſ. Well, What are they? let us hear. And before thou goeſt any further, let me tell thee, it is a great miſtake to think, that there is any place of Scripture rightly underſtood, that doth diſcourage any Soul from taking pains to look after his own Salvation. Doth not God every where almoſt, call upon People to do it? Is not the Word full of Precepts to that purpoſe, and full of Promiſes to that purpoſe? Take but one place among many, Matth. 7. 7, 8. Ask, and it ſhall be given you; ſeek, and ye ſhall find; knock, and it ſhall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh, receiveth; and he that ſeeketh, findeth; and to him that knocketh, it ſhall be opened. Well, I pray thee, let's hear thy diſcouraging Scriptures. Obj. Why, there are eſpecially two places that ſeem to put me quite out of heart. What be they? Why, Rom. 9. 16. So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that ſheweth mercy. Anſ. This is not to take a man off from Endeavours, or to diſcourage him in them; but only to ſhew, that a man muſt not put his Salvation upon his Endeavours, as the chief Cauſe of it. What would all his Endeavours be, if God had not Mercy on him? When we have done all, 'tis the Mercy and free Grace of God that any of us are ſaved. Well, what's the other Scripture? Oh, a ſad one! Luk. 13. 24. Strive to enter in at the ſtrait gate: for many, I ſay unto you, will ſeek to enter in, and ſhall not be able. Why then, I were even as good not ſeek it; Many ſhall ſeek to enter, and ſhall not be able. Anſ. Why ſure, this is no diſcouragement againſt Endeavours now; but this is to ſhew us, how it will be hereafter, at the laſt day, with them that do not now endeavour, and now ſtrive: why, time will come, that they will ſeek to enter in, and then they ſhall not be able. This is plain from the Context; ſee verſ. 25. Well therefore, here's no diſcouragement, but a call to diligence. Now this ſame diligent looking out for this Freedom doth conſiſt, 1. In uſing the means: You muſt be inquiring: Would I come to ſuch or ſuch an end, why, what's the way to it? And then when you know what the Means are, you muſt uſe them. 2. In uſing all the Means, you muſt try every way to be ſaved. 3. In doing all in obedience to God: why this is my duty, here I am bid and bound to wait. 4. You muſt put forth all your ſtrength and care in the uſing of the Means: you muſt not do it by halves, neither in regard of the means, nor in regard of the pains. 5. You muſt do it with perſeverance and continuance; give not over. 6. You muſt look to God for a bleſſing upon the Means.
Reaſ. 4. We ſhould every one look after a ſhare in it, becauſe, nothing will ſtand in ſtead, but the having an intereſt in this Freedom: 'tis ſuch a one thing needful, that no man can have help or ſuccor any other where. Now he may think, that this and that will ſerve his turn, and that he ſhall not periſh, becauſe he truſts in a company of lying vanities; but he will at laſt find all his carnal refuges to fail him, and he will be left deſtitute of any thing to fly to, that will be ſufficient to ſave him from the wrath to come. Oh, Beloved, there is a dreadful day of God's fiery indignation drawing near; in which, all the wrath that ever was poured out upon the World, from the beginning of it to this hour, is but a drop, in compariſon to that Ocean of vengeance that then ſhall ſwallow up the children of diſobedience: and he that would then have his houſe to ſtand, had need have it well built, and laid upon a ſure foundation, for 'twill be tryed to the purpoſe, 1 Cor. 3. 13. Well now, I would a little aſſure you before-hand (that you may be wiſe in time) that nothing will ſtand you in ſtead but an intereſt in Chriſt and his Freedom.
1. Not all your worldly Enjoyments. If a man hath been never ſo great, and rich, and honourable in the World, if he hath had his Table ſpread every day with the fineſt Food, and his Body covered with the fineſt Cloath; if he hath laid up Treaſures of Gold, and Silver, and Jewels; if he had as many Pearls of his own as there be piles of graſs upon the ground, this would be nothing: the whole World, if you had it, cannot keep you from periſhing, if you have not a part in this Freedom, Prov. 10. 4.
2. Again; No pleas or excuſes that Chriſtleſs perſons make. Now they have many vain excuſes, why they do not look after Chriſt and their Souls, Luk. 14. 18, 19. One's excuſe is, that he wants time, he is ſo full of buſineſs: another he pleads, that he is not book-learn'd: another, why Lord help him, he is poor; rich Folks, and thoſe that need take no care for the things of this World, they may mind good things: and another, that he hath ſuffered ſo much in this World, that he hopes he ſhall not ſuffer hereafter: and another, he hopes that he that made him will ſave him, &c. and another, tho he ſwears an Oath now and then, or tells a Lye, yet he is ſorry for it, God forgive him. Oh, but theſe fig-leaves which thou haſt ſewed together, will not cover thy nakedneſs when the Lord appears, Iſa. 28. 17.
3. Again; No Gifts which God hath endowed you with. Tho you have the gift of Knowledge, and the gift of Prayer, or a Miniſter the gift of Preaching, as Mat. 7. 22. God may make a great deal of uſe of you, while you are here; and yet, if you have not an intereſt in Chriſt, he will damn you at laſt.
4. Again; No particular Opinion that you have taken up. It may be one may think, that becauſe he is for the Epiſcopal way, which he judges to be right, therefore now he ſhall be ſaved: Another, becauſe he is for the Presbyterians, or Independents, or Anabaptiſts way, which he judges to be right, therefore he ſhall be ſaved. No, be of what Opinion thou wilt, or of what Way thou wilt, if thou haſt not an Intereſt in this Freedom by Chriſt, thou art a condemn'd man, thy Opinion won't ſave thee. The Phariſees they thought that they could not but be ſaved, becauſe they were of that Sect: but when God came to work upon Paul, he made him ſee, that 'twas not his being a Phariſee would do his buſineſs, tho he was one of the ſtricteſt ſort among them; but he muſt have the righteouſneſs of Chriſt, or he was undone.
5. Again; No near relation to thoſe who have been, or are the people of God. It may be, thou haſt been the Child, or the Brother, or Siſter of them that feared God, of the ſame Blood with them after the Fleſh: but for all this, thou muſt go to hell, if thou haſt not a part in this Freedom. Mary, that was the Mother of Chriſt, you know, was very nearly related to him, he lay in her Womb; but that would not have been enough that he was born of her Body, if he had not been born in her heart. It would not ſerve the turn of the Jews that they were Abraham's Seed, and the Children of his Fleſh; but they muſt be partakers of his Faith in Chriſt too, or elſe they could not be bleſſed. David did not count it enough, that he could tell God that he was the Son of his Hand maid, unleſs he could tell him that he was his Servant too: and he puts this firſt, to ſhew, that the other would have done him no good, unleſs he had been intereſted in Chriſt himſelf, Pſal. 116. 16.
6. No religious or godly Education that you have had. It may be, you have been brought up in the Families where there hath been much of God and Goodneſs ſet up; yea, perhaps you have ſpent all your days in the company and communion of the Saints: and yet at laſt you muſt have your eternal abode and portion with Sinners, if you have not a part in this Freedom. Iſhmael was brought up in a good Family, in the Family of Abraham, of whom God ſaid, I know him, that he will command his children and his houſhold after him, Gen. 18. 19. And yet, for want of this Freedom, he was rejected, and ſo was Eſau.
7. No moral Virtues that you have lived in. It may be, thou haſt been a civil Perſon, an honeſt Perſon, a chaſt Perſon, a ſober Perſon; perhaps never wronged any Body by unjuſt Dealing, never told a Lie, never ſwore an Oath, never diſguiſedſt thy ſelf by Drunkenneſs, never defiledſt thy Body with Uncleanneſs: it won't do thee a jot of good for the ſaving of thee from Hell, if thou haſt no part in this Freedom, Matth. 5. 20. Thou muſt have a righteouſneſs that exceeds this, even the righteouſneſs of Chriſt by Faith, or elſe Heavens door will be ſhut againſt thee.
8. No profeſſion that you have made of the Goſpel of Chriſt, tho to a very high degree. Tho thou haſt outwardly ſeemed to be a very zealous and forward Diſciple of his, haſt worn his Livery, and haſt been baptized in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghoſt; tho thou haſt often in the Sacrament, eaten of that Bread that ſignifies his Body, and drank of that Wine that ſignifies his Blood▪ yet if thou haſt not this Freedom, 'tis nothing; 1 Joh. 5. 12. He that hath not the Son of God, hath not life, let him profeſs what he will of him.
9. No good thoughts that the People of God have had of you. It may be thou haſt been taken for a true Child of God; no body ſuſpects thee of Hypocriſie; thou art current Gold by their Weights: yea, but if thou haſt not a part in this Freedom, when thou comeſt to be weighed in Gods Ballance, thou wilt be found wanting.
10. No ſufferings that you have met with for Conſcience-ſake. Tho thou haſt thus ſuffered, yet thou muſt ſuffer again, and that for ever, if thy Conſcience be not purged from dead works by the Blood of Chriſt; as Paul ſaith, 1 Cor. 13. 1. that tho he gave his body to be burned, if he had not charity, it profited him nothing. No more would it thee, if thou haſt not Chriſt.
11. Again; No bitter cries or earneſt intreaties that you ſhall at laſt make to God, for the eſcaping of his wrath. Oh! when Chriſt is juſt ready to pronounce the Sentence againſt thee, what a lamentable ado wilt thou make that it might not be paſt? but if thou haſt not a part in this Freedom, all thy wringing of hands, and falling upon thy knees, will be in vain.
12. Once again; Not all the mercy that is in God. Tho God hath an infinite Ocean of mercy, yet it won't be for thee, if thou doſt not look after this Freedom, Luk. 19. 27. As there is no miſery to the Saints, ſo there is no mercy to the wicked beyond this life.
Ʋſe 1. This then ſharply reproves the great ſlothfulneſs of the World, in the matters of their Souls. 'Tis every ones duty to look after a ſhare in this Freedom, and yet almoſt every body is idle: the whole earth is quiet and at reſt; Oh, how little ſtirring is there for an Intereſt in Chriſt! What Pharaoh ſaid of the Iſraelites in their Bondage, I am ſure may be ſaid of Sinners in this Bondage; Exod. 4. 17. Ye are idle, ye are idle. Oh! what cauſe is there now that I ſhould preach with tears, to bewail the lamentable careleſsneſs of people about their everlaſting Concernments! The good Lord of his infinite mercy be in the midſt of us at this time, by the power of his Spirit, to convince you that are out of Chriſt, of this great ſin, and to humble you for it. I offer my ſelf now, in Gods Name, to plead with you about your woful negligence in not looking after this Freedom, which you have heard is every ones duty to look after, and therefore 'tis yours. There is Freedom to be had by Chriſt; but pray now, you that are in your ſins, what have you done to get it? Oh! what would many of you do to get the World? How would you ride and run, and riſe early, and go late to bed for a gainful Bargain, or great Eſtate? You are ſo forward and eager, ſome of you, for the things of this World, that you are like a high-metall'd Horſe, you can hardly be held in; Chriſt is fain, as it were, to call from Heaven to bid you ſtop, Iſa. 55. 2. Wherefore do ye ſpend your money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which ſatisfieth not? You'll try all ways, and turn every ſtone to ſee what may be done for a part in theſe uncertain Riches, though it may be you ſhall never get them, when you have done your utmoſt; and if you do, you may leave them as ſoon as you have them. Why, but Sirs, is there not another life? and are there not better things? and have you not precious Souls to look after? and is it not high time for ſome of you, by courſe of nature, to think of removing to Eternity, and of being in a fitneſs for Death and Judgment? And yet, ah, Lord! you live, as to ſpiritual things, as if you had nothing to do. Upon theſe accounts, the Scripture ſets you forth as perſons that are ſtanding ſtill; Why ſtand you here all the day idle? Matth. 20. 6. and as perſons that have their hands in their boſoms, Prov. 19. 24. and as perſons that are aſleep upon their beds, Prov. 6. 9. The children of God, if there be any of them that live about you, or among you, they are, as 'twere, all of a trembling, for fear they ſhould fall ſhort of Heaven, and fail of the Grace of GOD, tho they are not like you, to let all run at random; Phil. 2. 12. But you, tho your Sins be unpardoned, and your Souls unconverted, and nothing is ſet at rights between God and you; yet you ſet neither your Hand nor your Heart to any good thing. Why now, is this the way to do well? Dare you think that you are going to happineſs under all this remiſsneſs? Do you believe, that ſtrait is the gate, and narrow is the way that leadeth to life, and few there be that find it? What, have you no talent to trade with for the glory of God, and the good of your own Souls? If you have not five, nay if you have not two, have you not one? Sure thou haſt one Talent at leaſt: God gives every one ſomething to be doing withall; why, but what doſt thou with it? What doſt thou do with thy Time, with thy Strength, with thy Underſtanding, Reaſon and Judgment? What doſt thou do with thy Body? and what doſt thou do with thy Soul? What, haſt thou received all theſe, to put them to no good uſe? Is there ſo great a work to do as thou art told of in every Sermon thou heareſt, and thou falleſt to nothing of it? Well then, here's thy ſin, but where's thy ſhame? Art not aſhamed of this ſlothfulneſs now? No wonder indeed that thou art yet in ſuch a woful condition, and thou letteſt all alone: Well may the fire burn the houſe to the ground, when he that dwells in it doth nothing to quench it. Oh, Sin and the Devil will play Rex in thy Soul, that meet with no reſiſtance. Three things I would briefly leave with you, to go a little further upon this Uſe.
1. 'Tis true, you cannot do all that you ſhould. You ſhould be new Creatures; and you ſhould repent and believe: but this is God's Workmanſhip, and God's Gift and Grace, Eph. 2. 7, 8, 9. No man goes thus far by any power of his own, Joh. 6. 44. No man can come to me, except the Father which hath ſent me draw him. The truth is, you think you can do theſe things, but you are deceived: you promiſe ſometimes to do theſe things in your own ſtrength; if you did not think ſo, you would look to God in your promiſes, and go to God for power to perform it; but you mind not that. And what makes you put off this work to hereafter? you are not for repenting preſently, nor for coming to Chriſt preſently, but you ſay, you will do it tho: Why, this ſhews, that thou thinkeſt thou canſt do it. When a man puts off a buſineſs, I'll do it at ſuch a time, ſaith he; he thinks he can do it when he will, elſe he would not put it off, but go in hand with it now. But you are deceived, you cannot do it of your ſelves; for the work of Grace is above the power of Nature: 'tis too high for Nature to reach it; nay, corrupt Nature is contrary to Grace: Yet,
2. You can do, what you do not: you can forbear many ſins that you commit, as to ſuch a paricular Action and Time. I have known ſome that would ſwear hard among their Companions, yet in the preſence of one that they knew would reprove them, they could bite in their Oaths; and you can outwardly perform many Duties that you neglect: and therefore, you muſt look that God will judge you for neglecting them. You can put your ſelves under the Means, and you can come to hear the Word, and lend attention to it; and if you will, you can remember ſomething that is preached, and think and ſpeak of it when you go home: You can ſet up reading the Scripture, and praying morning and evening in your Families; you can get acquainted with thoſe that fear God, and need not be ſuch ſtrangers to them, unleſs you would your ſelves. You can ſend for a good Miniſter, if you will, to your Houſe, and appoint him a convenient hour to come, wherein your ſelves and family may be free to attend to thoſe Inſtructions, which you, if you will, can deſire him to give you. You can reprove one another for ſwearing, or lying, or taking the Name of God in vain. You can ask your ſelves ſome ſerious queſtions in private, about your Souls condition; Do I hate ſin? Do I love God? Have I a part in Chriſt? Am I fitted for Death and Judgment? And you can beg of God (in words) to make you better; and many more things you can do. And therefore,
3. You ſhould do what you can. There is a deal muſt go to your Salvation, that no leſs than an Almighty Arm can bring to paſs; and very like, if thou wer't ſtirring, God would put forth his power, and come in with ſupernatural Grace and Aſſiſtance: I would have you to hope he would. But why do not you do what you can? Here's your ſin; and how can you expect that he ſhould help you to do what you cannot, if you do not what you can? You do in ſome meaſure put your ſelves into the way of Gods enabling you, when you do ſet that natural power a work which you have, as reaſonable Creatures: as the man, that though he could not put himſelf into the Waters, where there was Cure for thoſe that were diſeaſed; yet he lay at the Pool. Yea, tho thou ſhouldſt not get Salvation at laſt (which thou haſt no juſt ground to be hopeleſs of) yet, thou ſhouldſt do what thou canſt, if it were but to leſſen thy Condemnation, and that thou mighteſt not ſink ſo deep into the Torments of Hell, as otherwiſe thou wilt: for he that hath received a Talent, and wraps it up in a Napkin, and puts it to no good uſe, will thereby greaten his everlaſting miſery; Matth. 25. 30. Caſt ye the unprofitable ſervant into outer darkneſs: there ſhall be weeping and gnaſhing of teeth. Who is this unprofitable ſervant? Why, verſ. 25. the wicked and ſlothful one, that did not do what he could; he is caſt into outer darkneſs, the worſt place of all.
Ʋſe 2. Then if every one ſhould look after a ſhare in this Freedom, to get it for himſelf, this ſhews us, the fulneſs that is in Chriſt. If every one would come to him, he hath enough for them: he keeps ſuch a good houſe, that he can ſatisfie all that are hungry; in this houſe there is room enough to hold you, though you come never ſo many, Luk. 14. 22. and bread enough to feed you, tho you come never ſo empty, Luk. 15. 17. The reaſon why any Soul periſheth, is not becauſe Chriſt is attended with any wants, but becauſe they that were bidden would not come. As for himſelf, he hath enough to ſave as many Worlds, as are Souls that ſhall be ſaved. And therefore, you that are come to Chriſt, make no ſpare of him; feed upon him, and fear no lack; he hath a Fountain that can never be drawn dry, an Eſtate that can never be ſpent. All the fear is, whether you'll feed enough upon Chriſt; not whether Chriſt hath enough to feed you. But I ſhall not inlarge upon this. And ſo I have done with the third Branch of the Doctrine.