Captives Bound in Chains Made Free by Christ, Chapter 6
CHAP. VI.
The Fourth Chain is Preſumption.
4. ANother Chain with which theſe Captives are bound is preſumption, vain and falſe hopes of Heaven: This is the ruin of moſt that do miſcarry for ever, a groundleſs hope that they ſhall be ſaved for ever; how few are there, be they never ſo ignorant of the way to Heaven, but yet do hope they ſhall come thither? that walk in the broad way and common road and beaten path to Hell, and yet do hope they ſhall get to Heaven; as if a man were daily travelling towards the Weſt, and yet were confident he ſhould come unto the East. The Drunkard doth hope he ſhall be ſaved; the Swearer and profane, the hypocrite and unbeliever, nay, who is there but doth hope for happineſs? this is ſo ſtrong in the worſt of men, that when they would ſet forth the certainty of a thing, they do it by this expreſſion, as I hope to be ſaved; as if they ſhould ſay, it is as true, it is as ſure as it is true that I hope to be ſaved; and though their hope be not a true hope, yet that they hope is true. And the ſtrength of this cord appears in that theſe hopes are the laſt thing that wicked men will part withal; when they are ſo ſick, that they perceive they muſt part with riches, yet they will not part with their hope of Heaven, when they are ſo ſick, that they perceive the hour is drawing on wherein they muſt part with their deareſt friends, yet their hope they will not part withal; and when they ſee they muſt part with life, yet they will not part with hope, till ſoul and body be parted, the ſoul and hope will not be parted; and then poor captives loſe their ſouls and hopes together; and thus with hopes of Heaven they do go down to Hell, and then and there they can hope no longer. Its one of the hardeſt things that Miniſters have to do, to beat down theſe falſe hopes of Heaven in our hearers; if this were done, a great part of our work were done; if we tell you of your miſery and danger, of the wrath of God againſt ſinners, of the torments that are prepared by a provoked God for you, yet you hope you ſhall eſcape, and ward of all the threatnings of the Word with theſe vain and groundleſs hopes; if we could but get theſe falſe hopes from you, then we ſhould begin to hope that you might be delivered from your bondage, and eſcape from this captivity, in which you are ſo ſtrongly held thereby; no man is faster bound in fetters, than he that is ungodly, and yet ſtrongly confidently hopes that he ſhall be ſaved. If you could ſpeak with damned Souls thouſands of them would tell you, this was their ruin and their bane; ſhould you ask them were not you told, that ſin would bring you to this place of torment? were you not told by Miniſters, and by God himſelf, that you were in the way to miſery and damnation? what would they reply? Yes, yes, we were often told, and we were plainly told, but this was it that did undo us, we hoped it would be better with us. Shall I then attempt to break this bond aſunder? but becauſe man can but ſhew unto you the vanity of your hopes, Oh that God himſelf would come and powerfully convince you by his Word and Spirit, that your hopes are vain and groundleſs hopes, that you may be no longer kept in thraldom by the Devil by theſe fetters of falſe hopes of Heaven. I know that this is a manifold twiſted cord; many things there are that you do bottom theſe hopes upon; but if I ſhall ſhew you from the Word of God, that they are no better grounds and reaſons of hope, than graceleſs perſons might alledg, and many now in hell once had to ſay, and did, as well as you, that then you will no longer ſuffer Satan to delude and to deceive you, and keep you as his captives in a ſtate of bondage. Only let me ask you firſt, whether you will believe that that is true, that God ſpeaketh in his Word, or will you dare to ſay, that what is contained in the Scripture is forgery and a lie; if you ſay the latter, God ſhall ſhortly convince you of the truth thereof; the flames of Hell ſhall ſhortly convince you, and the pains and torments you ſhall ſhortly feel ſhall powerfully convince you, that all theſe ſayings of God are true: If you ſay the former, that Gods word is true, I do not doubt to make it appear, that your hope is falſe, if you do agree to try your hopes by the word of God, by which you and I and all muſt be ſhortly tried, and acquitted or condemned according to this Word, I do not doubt to ſhew that Satan hath befooled you all this while; God hath as plainly told you, that in an unconverted ſtate, without faith in Chriſt, without repentance and reformation you cannot be ſaved, this is as plain as can be ſpoken, and yet contrary to Gods revealed will, will you hope you ſhall be ſaved? which do you think ſhall be proved falſe, Gods word or your hope, that is contrary to his word? both cannot be true. Will a Drunkard ſay, Gods word is falſe; no, he will not, then thy hope is falſe. See 1 Cor. 6. 9, 10. Where God doth plainly ſay, and poſitively lay down for a certain truth, and which within a few years, or months, or weeks, all the Drunkards, Whoremongers, and graceleſs perſons in the world without exception of any one (dying ſo) ſhall find to be ſo, that they ſhall not inherit the Kingdom of God. Come then, you that ſay, you hope to be ſaved, as well as the preciſeſt of you all come and produce your reaſons, and in the fear of God ſeriouſly weigh the anſwers that ſhall be given to them.
1. One Link in this Chain of falſe hopes by which theſe Captives are bound, is miſapprehenſion and miſapplication of the mercy of God; thou ſayeſt, God is a merciful God, and is ready to ſhew mercy to his creature; it is true in me, there is no merit, but in God there is mercy, and God did not make his creatures to damn them, God did make me, and therefore I hope that he will ſave me. Is this all thou haſt to ſay, in ſuch a weighty matter? why thou thinkeſt thou art redeemed from thy bondage, and ſhall be free for ever from the torments of the Damned? that thou maiſt be no longer bound with this Chain. Conſider,
1. The Devils themſelves and the damned ſouls in Hell themſelves can ſay as much as this: Poor damned Devils do know that God is a merciful God, and that he is willing to ſhew mercy to the penitent and the humble ſinner. Devils and damned ſouls can ſay, that they are Gods creatures, and yet notwithſtanding they are miſerable, and muſt be ſo for ever; and this is the aggravation of their miſery, that though God is merciful, yet they are for ever damned; this cuts them to the heart, that a merciful God hath condemned them, and ſentenced them down to eternal torments; what is that to them, that God is merciful in himſelf, and ſhews mercy unto others; if he is not merciful unto them? and what is it unto thee, that God is ſo, if thou by reaſon of thy continuance in a ſtate of unregeneracy, ſhalt never be benefited by his mercy? I know there is a difference betwixt the damned in Hell, and wicked men on Earth: the damned in Hell are paſt a poſſibility of mercy, but ſo are not you; they ſhall have no more tenders of mercy, which you yet have, but then you muſt repent and be converted, which they were not, or elſe you ſhall have no ſaving benefit by Gods mercy, as they had not.
2. God might be infinite in mercy, though thou (and thouſands ſuch as thou art) do periſh in thy bondage, and be for ever damned. What a proud blaſphemous thought is this that God ſhould not be merciful, except he take thee reaking in thy ſins, except he take thee off thy Ale-houſe-bench, and put thee into Heaven. The greatneſs of Gods mercy is not manifeſted ſo much by the number of the perſons that ſhall be ſaved, as by the way and method which he ſaveth them by. If God had ſaved but one man out of all the many millions of mankind, without his own deſert, and contrary to it, by the death of his own Son, it would have been a plain demonſtration of the mercy of God. Muſt thou meaſure the mercy of God by thy being ſaved, or not ſaved, while thou walkeſt contrary to his Laws, and to his revealed Will? This is, as if a Malefactor that for murder hath deſerved death, and is to be tried for his Life, yet hopes he ſhall eſcape, becauſe the Judg is a merciful man, when notwithſtanding the Judg proceedeth to paſs a ſentence of death upon him, you will all acknowledg he might be a very merciful man; and that the Priſoner was a fool, from the mercy of the Judg to be confident he ſhould eſcape the execution due unto him for the violation of the Law. So it is in this caſe, which is eaſie to apply.
3. God is juſt and true, as well as merciful and gracious, and why maiſt thou not fear that God will damn thee, becauſe he is a juſt God, as well as hope that he will ſave thee becauſe he is a merciful God? You do not conceive of God aright, when you conſider him to be merciful without juſtice, and to be gracious without truth, there are both in God. This merciful God hath ſaid, Except you repent and turn from ſin, you ſhall find no mercy from him; and what ſhall become of Gods Truth, if contrary to his Word he ſhould ſave thee without repentance, and while thou goeſt on in thy ſinful ways? muſt God falſifie his word to ſave thy Soul, never hope for it, for he will never do it. Where God proclaims his mercy to the penitent, he doth alſo declare his juſtice, and his jealouſie, and his fixed reſolution that the guilty ſhall not go free, Exod. 34. 6, 7. and that he is full of fury to the wicked, as of mercy to the godly; and that as he reſerveth a Crown for the one, ſo alſo wrath for the other, Nahum 1. 2, 3.
4. Though God be merciful, yet he propoundeth conditions in the Goſpel, which you muſt com… up unto, if you will be partakers of his mercy: and God is reſolved that if thou wilt not have mercy upon the terms of mercy thou ſhalt never have it. When thou ſhalt come to put in thy claim for mercy, Lord have mercy on me, for thou art a gracious God; yes may God ſay, and ſo I am, and thoſe that have repented and believed ſhall find me to be ſo, but did I not alſo tell thee what manner of perſon thou ſhouldſt have been, holy, humble and repenting, if thou wouldſt be ſaved by my mercy, but that thou wouldſt not be: therefore now I have no mercy for thee. God may ſay unto thee, did I ever promiſe thee or any other, that I would ſave thee, or them without repentance and faith in Chriſt my Son? did I ever promiſe that I would pardon the Impenitent? that I would ſave the unbelieving that finally perſevere therein? If I have, produce my words, alledge my promiſe, when, and where, and by whom did I ever make thee ſuch a promiſe? and and if I have not, as indeed I have not promiſed any ſuch thing, why waſt thou ſo vainly confident of my mercy? therefore take thy anſwer and be gone? for I tell thee I will have no mercy on thee. Luke 13. 25, 26, 27. Mercy it ſelf will not ſave thee, but in the way of mercy propounded in the Goſpel.
5. Whereas thou ſayſt, God did make thee, therefore he will ſave thee; conſider, the vileſt …nner in the world upon this account ſhould go to Heaven, yea, every one of them. The whoremonger whom thou thy ſelf wilt condemn might plead this as well as thou; and ſo thou wilt make the way to Heaven broader than ever God did make it. Moreover, if thou hadſt continued ſuch a one as God did make, he would then have made thee happy indeed for ever. God made thee holy and upright, but thou haſt rebelled againſt him: God did make thee a Creature, but he did not make thee a Drunkard; he did not make thee a Worldling, nor a Lyar, therefore let Gods creature be holy, and God will not damn his creature; but if thou be a drunkard, or an hypocrite, and God ſhall damn the drunkard or the hypocrite, what will become of Gods creature. God doth peremptorily anſwer this, and I will give it thee in his own words. Iſa. 27. 11.—It is a people of no underſtanding; therefore he that made them, will not have mercy on them, and he that formed them, will ſhew them no favour. Is not this directly contrary to the reaſon of thy hope? wilt thou then plead this no more, while thou continueſt in thy ſin, and let not Satan keep thee bound with this cord any longer? if thou doſt, remember it hath been told thee, that this is but a ſandy foundation of thy hope, that thou ſhalt have the everlaſting mercy that ſhall be ſhown to Gods redeemed ones, that are indeed delivered from their bondage and captivity.
2. Another Link in this Chain of falſe hopes whereby Captives are bound is a ſtrong (though falſe) perſwaſion of ſalvation by the death of Chriſt the Redeemer. If you ask many carnal, ignorant and ungodly perſons, why they perſwade themſelves that they ſhall be ſaved, they will tell you, becauſe Chriſt died for ſinners, and I am a ſinner (ſaith one) God help me, as all men are, yea I am the chief of ſinners, and therefore I hope it ſhall go well with me; and ſo will a ſecond ſay, and a third, and multitudes will give no better account, without care or knowledg of applying the death of Chriſt unto them and the virtue and power of it, for the killing of their ſins; and thus the very means for the redeeming of captives is abuſed to make their bonds the ſtronger, and keep them faſter bound in their Captivity.
By way of Conceſſion it is granted, (1) that the death of Christ, and the ſatisfaction made to the justice of God thereby is the only meritorious cauſe of mans Redemption from his bondage and of Salvation, and whoſoever is ſaved, is ſaved by Chriſts death, for there is no other Saviour nor Redeemer beſides him▪ Act. 4. 12. and if Chriſt had not died, we had certainly been for ever captives without redemption. (2) It is true that this Redeemer is offred unto all where the Goſpel is preached, none are excluded from the offers of grace and pardon, and benefits of Redemption, and his death ſhall be ſufficient and effectual for deliverance from bondage, and making of them free that do obey his call, and accept of him for Lord Redeemer, as offered in the Goſpel, Act. 10. 43. Joh. 3. 16. But yet that you might not through your own miſtake be the more enthralled by the means of Redemption, and be the faſter bound by the miſunderſtanding of the way of Salvation by the death of Chriſt. Conſider,
1. If this were enough to prove your Redemption and Salvation, becauſe Chriſt died for Sinners, and you acknowledg your ſelves to be ſuch, then the damned ſouls in Hell might have hope of being delivered and ſaved; for they know that Chriſt died for Sinners, and they are now ſenſible that they are Sinners and miſerable; the pains they feel do convince them that they are ſinners I know (as I have already ſaid) that there is a difference betwixt the ſtate of Devils and damned Souls, and of ſinners upon earth, Chriſt is preached to the one, and not to the other, freedom from bondage is poſſible to one but not to the other, mercy doth entreat, and the Spirit doth ſtrive, and patience doth wait upon the one, but not upon the other; mercy and patience hath done with them for ever; no more asking them, what? will you have Chriſt now? and will you be pardoned now? which yet through mercy is not your condition; but yet as to the ground of your plea for Redemption and Salvation by Chriſt, (before alledged) [Chriſt died for ſinners and you are ſinners] what is the difference? all men upon earth, and the damned in hell, that ever heard of Chriſt might ſay as much; and is it not matter of great aſtoniſhment to ſober ſerious men, to ſee poor ſinners bound ſo faſt in a captive-ſtate with this vain confidence of being ſet free by Chriſt, and yet can ſay no more than damned Souls might ſay, [That they are ſinners, and Chriſt died for ſinners.]
2. Conſider that all ſhall not be ſaved by the death of Chriſt that are ſinners. Chriſt hath died, yet thouſands ſhall for ever be tormented, Mat. 7. 13, 14. and the damnation of many ſhall be the greater than it would have been if Chriſt had never ſuffered.
3. Know and understand that the benefits of Redemption, and the compleating of all in ſalvation at the laſt is propounded by God in the Goſpel conditionally, and why then ſhould you be ſo confident, when you have not come up unto the condition? there is pardon to be had by the blood of Chriſt, but there is a condition, without which you ſhall never be pardoned, Act. 10. 43. there is Salvation by Chriſt, but there is a condition, without which you ſhall never be ſaved, Joh. 3. 16, 36 Mar. 16. 16. Act. 16. 31. there is juſtification to be had by the blood of Chriſt, but remember ſtill there is a condition without which you ſhall never be juſtified, Rom. 5. 1. all along in the Word of God, offers and grants of pardon, deliverance from Hell, and the curſe of the Law, offers and grants of Salvation and Eternal life are made conditionally, if you do believe, and if you do repent, and if you are converted and born again, but not elſe▪ Chriſt did not die, that ſinners meerly as ſinners ſhould be ſaved▪ for then all ſinners ſhould be ſaved, and that which is the reaſon of mens condemnation ſhould be a qualification of mens ſalvation; bu… Chriſt did die that believing ſinners might be ſaved, and repenting and returning ſinners might be ſaved; Chriſt did die, that unholy ones might be made holy, and ſo be ſaved; that unbelievers might believe, and ſo be ſaved; and not that unholy and impenitent, and unbelieving perſons living and dying ſo ſhould have Salvation by his death. Know therefore, O vain man, that if thou hadſt a thouſand ſouls, they ſhould all be damned, though Chriſt hath died, except thou doſt believe, repent, and be converted unto God; for the effuſion or ſhedding of the blood of Chriſt upon the Croſs ſaveth no mans ſoul, without the application of it to the Conſcience; and Faith in Chriſt, and Regeneration, and Holineſs, and repairing of the Image of God in the Soul are neceſſary to Salvation in their place, as the death of Chriſt is neceſſary in its place, and for its end. As when m…ny perſons be in bondage, and are taken cap…ives, that cannot give a ranſome for themſelves, the Kings ſon pays it down for them, but the King and his Son do propound certain conditions to the Captives, that if they will acknowledg him to be their Redeemer, and will become his ſervants and his ſubjects, and be obedient to his Laws, they ſhall have the benefit of the ranſome, but not elſe; now ſo many as ſhall refuſe theſe conditions, muſt remain, and die, and periſh in their fetters, though a ſufficient ranſome were given for Redemption; ſo it is in this caſe, which is eaſie to apply.
I beſeech you therefore, Sirs, do not any longer flatter and deceive your ſelves with ſuch groundleſs hopes of being delivered by the death of Chriſt from your ſlavery and bondage, …ithout faith in him, and repentance for your ſ…n. Theſe things that I am now a preaching, and you are hearing are of everlaſting concernment to your Souls. And I deſire to preach as one that doth believe, I muſt give an account to God, what doctrine I deliver, and that you would hear with that ſeriouſneſs and diligent attention, as thoſe ſhould do, that do believe you muſt give an account to God at the Great day, for what you hear, and how you do obey it; I charge you therefore in the name of the great eternal God, whoſe Truths I do declare unto you, that you do not hence-forward hope for deliverance from Hell and wrath to come, though Chriſt hath died, except you do believe …n him, become new creatures, forſake your ſ…n, be ſanctified and made holy; and love him above all, and count all things but droſs in compariſon of the excellency of Jeſus Chriſt; that you do not continue drunkards, and yet hope you ſhall be ſaved, that you do not continue to love your ſins, and the world more than Chriſt, or remain unholy and unconverted, and yet think or hope that Chriſts death ſhall ſave your Souls. If you do, and if you will ſtill ſo do, let God be witneſs for me, and let all thoſe that fear God in the Congregation be witneſſes for me, and let the conſciences of theſe Captives themſelves be witneſſes for me, that I have plainly from the Word of God given warning to you, that you do not periſh by this deceit▪ bear witneſs that I do declare, that thoſe tha… have been Drunkards, Swearers, Profane, Lyars, Hypocrites, if they do repent and turn, become holy and believing perſons, they may, they ſhall be ſaved by the death of Chriſt, but if they ſhall continue ſtill in ſin, and live and die ſuch, a crucified Chriſt will not ſave you; let be…ieving Parents bear me witneſs againſt their wicked and ungodly children, and believing children againſt their ungodly parents. Let believing Husbands bear me witneſs againſt their unbelieving Wives, and believing Wives againſt their unbelieving Husbands. Let believing Masters bear me witneſs againſt their unbelieving Servants, and believing Servants againſt their unbelieving Maſters, that all without exception▪ and reſpect of perſons, having not repentanc… for ſin, nor faith in Chriſt, that are not holy, nor converted before they die, ſhall be eternally damned, and periſh in their bonds and fetters, though Chriſt hath died to redeem and ſave holy, humble, repenting and believing ſinners.
Alas poor captive Sinners! what will you do, and whither will you go, when this Redeemer ſhall come to judgment? when all ſhall be raiſed out of their graves, and ſtand before the bar of God? to whom will you appeal? and from whom will you expect mercy and ſalvation? methinks I hear theſe priſoners at the bar, crying, begging, pleading, Lord Jeſus ſave us! Lord Jeſus open unto us! Lord Jeſus now glorifie us with thy ſelf, ſave us, Oh ſave us now from yonder place of torment, from yonder flaming fire, from yonder Lake of burning brimſtone I Oh ſend us not down to yonder dreadful place, for we truſted in thy merits, and hoped to be ſaved becauſe thou hadſt died! Methinks I hear Jeſus the Judg reply to the priſoners at the bar, No, oh no, there is no room for you in Heaven; there is no entrance for ungodly men into the holy place; there is no manſion for any ſuch in the Kingdom of my Father; who bid you truſt to me for mercy, without believing on me? who bid you hope for Heaven becauſe that I was crucified, without holineſs and repentance? Had you any warrant from me in my word ſo to do? or did my Miniſters whom I did ſend unto you tell you from me, that you may be ſaved by my death, though you did not repent, believe, nor were converted? did they? which is he? what is his name? Lo, here they ſtand, point him unto me, that did preach ſuch Doctrine to you. My Miniſters come forth, what do you ſay againſt the priſoners at the bar? Lord we told them in thy name that there was a ranſome paid for captives by thy bleſſed ſelf, and that thou waſt willing they ſhould have the everlaſting benefit thereof; and we did ſtudy for them, pray for them, and preach unto them thy ſufferings and thy death for ſinners, and did beg and intreat them to come unto thee; and when we did not prevail one day, we did prepare and preach the next, and ſo we did continue to do, as long as they lived▪ and till thou didſt call us from that work by death. But did you ever tell them that they ſhould be ſaved by my death, though they continued in their ſins; though they had no faith in me, though they were not ſanctified, nor converted. Oh no, our bleſſed Lord, we never did, we never did, there they ſtand before thee, they cannot ſay we ever did preach ſuch Doctrine to them; but on the contrary we told them from thy word which we made the rule and matter of our Sermons, and turned them to the places, where thou haſt ſaid, without holineſs they ſhould not ſee thy face with comfort, Heb. 12. 14. We bid them turn to Mar. 16. 16. where thou toldſt them thy ſelf, that he that believed not ſhould be damned, and to many more ſuch declarations of thy mind to ſinners. Lord there ſtands one that did uſe to hear me, and he can not deny it; and there ſtands another that was uſed to hear me, and turned to the Chapter and the Verſe, and turned it down, as if he would have obſerved what thou haſt declared, Lord there he ſtands, he cannot deny it, yea Lord, here is a whole cluſter of them ſtand together, that were wont to hear me, and there is not one amongſt them all that can deny but they were told of what now they find; and here are thoſe that did believe on thee through our preaching of thy Word, that can ſay and witneſs for us that we told them of the neceſſity of converting grace, and faith in thee: In the ſame Sermon that we preached that thou didſt die for ſinners; we alſo told them that they muſt take thee for their Lord, and obey thy Laws, and reſign their hearts and wills, and love, and all to thee, but they would not do it; but they never did it; this is the evidence that we give againſt the priſoners at the bar. Come then ye captives, is this true, or is it not? Yes, Lord, our conſciences do compel us, to acknowledg that thy Miniſters did declare ſuch things unto us. Did they ſo? why then did you not believe them? go, get you gone, go, get you down to your deſerved torments. Come hither, ye my glorious Angels take the Priſoners at the bar, that in their life-time were fettered and bound with chains of ſin. Now come ye hither, and take them, bind them hand and foot, and caſt them into utter darkneſs; drive them from my preſence; away with them, away with them; come ye damned Devils, you took them captive, and kept them in their ſinful bondage, I would have redeemed them, and knockt off their fetters from them, but they would not hearken unto me, and now I will not hearken unto them; come take them then, and drag them down to the place of puniſhment, where you and they ſhall be for ever.
Oh woful Souls! poor wretched Sinners! ah poor condemned Priſoners! how do they tremble? how do they hang down their heads? How are their countenances changed? what hideous out-crys? what doleful lamentations will there be at that day, and eſpecially by thoſe that hoped for Heaven, but their hopes are diſappointed? Methinks I hear them ſay, Is all our hopes come to this? Is this the end of all our confidence? Priſoners we were to the Devil and our luſts, we might have been made free, Wo unto us that ever we were born, that we did befool our ſelves, and that theſe then tempting, and now tormenting Devils ſhould ſo much befool us, contrary to the plain declarations of the Will of Chriſt, we ſhould ſo confidently hope for life and for ſalvation by him, while we did refuſe him for our Lord, and to yield obedience to him. Oh now we are aſhamed of our hope, of our vain and fooliſh hope, yet thus it is, we were deceived, and we are now diſappointed. Now farewell Chriſt for ever, now farewell Heaven for ever, and now farewell hope for ever. Hope we did, but now can hope no longer, but now can hope no more for ever. Farewell all ye holy, bleſſed Angels, ye ſhall be rejoycing for ever, while we ſhall be ſorrowing for ever. Farewell all ye Saints of God, ye that are the Lords redeemed, that once were captives as well as we, but ye were redeemed by the blood of Chriſt, and were ſanctified and now are ſaved for ever, ye ſhall rejoyce, but we muſt mourn, ye are bleſſed, but we are curſed, ye ſhall be with God and Chriſt your Redeemer for ever, while we ſhall be with the Devil and his Angels for ever. Farewell, farewell, adieu, adieu, to all eternity.
Beloved hearers, if this ſhall be the doleful end of vain and groundleſs hopes of unwarrantable and unſcriptural confidence in the death of Chriſt, without faith and ſanctifying grace, be no longer kept as captives bound by this chain of falſe hopes of Heaven.
3. Another Link in this Chain of falſe hopes wherewith theſe captives are bound, is, that they have oftentimes great trouble of Conſcience and inward terrours of mind after they have committed ſin. I have ſaith one, been troubled for my Oaths, and cried God forgive me, and if I have been drunk ſaith another, I have been troubled for it, ſometimes it breaks my ſleep, and ſometimes I cannot eat in peace, nor think of my ſin but my heart is filled with horror at the remembrance of it; and therefore I hope that I am redeemed by Chriſt, and got looſe from my bondage ſtate, and that God will have mercy on me, and will ſave my Soul. I anſwer,
1. Falſe repentance is a ſtrengthning of falſe hopes, and many times the more the ſinner is troubled for his ſin, the faſter he is bound in his ſinful captive ſtate; the more tears do fall from thine eyes, the faſter are thy fetters lockt upon thy Soul, becauſe as true repentance maketh way for a well-grounded peace of conſcience, and for ſolid comfort, ſo a falſe and counterfeit repentance afterwards makes the ſinner more ſecure, and doth ſtrengthen his miſtake concerning his ſpiritual condition, he hath ſinned▪ and he hath ſorrowed, and now he thinketh all is well; and the Devil hath him faſter in his hold than he had before.
2. Terrours of Conſcience for ſin, though great and grievous, in ſo much that thou art reſtleſs and weary of thy life, are no argument that of a captive thou art made free. Haſt thou ever been ſo much troubled as was Cain? or haſt thou ever been ſo filled with amazing horrors as was Judas? and yet theſe were captives to the Devil ſtill, and are bound in chains of ſin, and guilt, and puniſhment, to this day, and ſo ſhall be for ever; and who have greater terrors, reprovings and reproaches from their own conſciences, than the damned in Hell? and theſe terrors in thy ſoul and conſcience, might be the fore-runners and beginning of thoſe helliſh horrors thou ſhalt be filled with in another world.
3. But what are thy terrors and thy tears, the agonies and anguiſh of thy heart, without an inward change? What are all theſe legal fits of ſorrow, while thou art the ſame man in ſinning ſtill, and thy love the ſame unto thy ſin; and when the temptation comes, thy courſe and practice is the ſame? If thou ſhouldſt wear the skin from off thy knees by going often to confeſs thy ſin, and weep thy ſelf blind, and pine away with ſorrow; yet if thy heart do ſecretly like thy ſin, and thou ſtill art not inwardly renewed, nor accepteſt of, nor cloſeſt with Chriſt by faith; whatever thy apprehenſions are of thy good condition, thou art ſtill a captive to the Devil, eſpecially when one while thou ſeemeſt with ſorrow to lament thy ſin, and another while doſt with pleaſure and delight commit the ſin lamented; doſt commit the ſin, and then confeſs it; confeſs it, and go on again to commit; and ſo like a ſlave indeed, runneſt round in the Devils Mill betwixt confeſſion and commiſſion of thy ſins, whereas in a true penitent there is the renovation of the heart, and the reformation of the life; a loathing and a leaving of the ſin lamented, Ezek. 36. 31. & 18. 30, 31. Iſa. 57. 7. Joel 2. 12, 13.
4. Another Link in this Chain of falſe hopes, wherewith theſe Captives are bound, is, in that they have good meanings, and good wiſhes and deſires; and though they cannot diſcourſe as others can, nor have thoſe gifts that others have; yet they thank God their hearts are good, and ever were even from their childhood, and though they cannot utter themſelves, yet they have it in their hearts. Thus the Devil keepeth ſome in this fetter and this bond; but towards the breaking of it conſider,
1. Many have gone to hell with ſuch good meanings in their hearts, and with ſuch good wiſhes in their mouths; as Balaam for one, Numb. 23. 10, Let me dye the death of the righteous, and let my laſt end be like his. Who would not wiſh to be for ever happy? and who would not wiſh to be freed from eternal miſery, pain, and torment? But theſe things are not got with ſuch lazy wiſhes; neither do you approve of them in your idle ſervants, that ſit ſtill and wiſh their work were done.
2. But can your meanings be good, in many of your wicked acts, and in your ſinful neglects? What good meaning is it in thee, to keep Chriſt out of thy heart? to prophane Gods Sabbaths? What good meaning haſt thou, in neglecting to make thy peace with God? in not ſeeking after grace and fitneſs for Heaven?
3. If thy meanings were good, this doth not make thy action good, nor thy life good; and can it then prove thy condition to be good?
4. If thy heart were good, thy life would be ſo too. The life indeed might be good before men, where the heart is bad before God; but if the heart be good before God, the life will be good before men; for a good tree bringeth forth good fruit, Mat. 7. 17, 18. and your not-ſeeing the badneſs of your hearts, is an evidence that yet they are not good; and the more you juſtifie the goodneſs of your hearts, in the neglect of your duty, it is the clearer demonſtration that yet they are not good; and that thy heart, which thou vainly thinkeſt is the beſt part in thee, is indeed the worſt of all, Jer. 17. 9, 10. Thou a good heart ever ſince thou waſt born! then there hath been a good Devil ever ſince he ſinned, and when he ceaſed to be good.
5. Whereas thou ſayeſt, Thou haſt good things in thy heart, though thou canſt not expreſs them with thy tongue. What is thy heart ſo full of good? and is it ſo locked up there, that there is no vent for it? What! neither by works nor words? neither by lip nor life? A likely matter! If thou art pinched with hunger, thou haſt words enough to expreſs the ſenſe of thy wants, and if thou art ſick, thou haſt words enough to expreſs the ſenſe of thy pain: When the Phyſician comes and asketh after the ſtate of thy body, thou canſt quickly reply, O ſick, ſick, Sir, I am …eeding ſick; I am in pain, in pain; Where? … …ere in this part, and in this; my book, my bowels, my head, my heart, is full of pain. But if a Miniſter come and enquire into your ſpiritual ſtate, you reply, Truly Sir, I have good things in my mind and in my heart, but I cannot expreſs them to you. What! not at all? What! nothing of this good boaſted of? no, not in broken language? But if we follow you to your ſhops, there you want no words, there your tongues go glib; Who have words at command more than you? You can talk roundly of the World, of your Goods, and your Eſtates, of your Furniture and Apparel; but in the things of God you are mute. This is plain, it is not for want of words in theſe, but for want of a work of God upon their hearts. Therefore let not the Devil keep thee any longer bound with this chain, a vain conceit of the goodneſs of thy heart, thy wiſhings, and thy meanings.
5. Another Link in this Chain of falſe hopes wherewith theſe Captives are bound, is on the contrary, in that they have ſtrong parts, great knowledg in the things of God, are very full of good diſcourſe; for the Devil hath ſeveral Fetters for his ſeveral Priſoners; and ſeveral Chains for ſeveral Captives, various ways and wiles to keep them in Captivity; and this is not the meaneſt nor the weakeſt, when men take gifts for grace, and common grace for ſ…al. But towards the cutting of this chain, …ider:
There might be notional kn…dg of the things of God, where a man nev… …ad any experimental taste and relliſh of them. A man that never yet repented, might be able to tell you what Repentance is; and a man that is not converted, might tell you much of the method of the Spirit in converting of a ſinner. Many can talk of God, that never taſted any ſweetneſs in him; and many can diſcourſe of Heaven, that ſhall never enter into Heaven. The head might be f…l of knowledg, when the heart is empty of Grace; might talk of faith, of the nature of it, of the actings of it, of the excellency of it, of the neceſſity and effects of it, and yet have no Faith; and ſo of Love, and other graces, and yet have no Love, nor any other grace. The greater is your knowledg, the greater is your ſin, and the greater will be your miſery if it be ſeparated from practice and obedience. Luk. 12. 47, 48.
Thus you have heard what a ſtrong bon falſe hope of Heaven is, and on what grounds … is built, and by what reaſons it is ſtrengthened and how they are removed: What ſay you now will you continue ſtill bound with this cord, and ſtill be kept thereby in your Captivity? I doubt yet many of you will. Drunkards, for all this that hath been ſaid, will hope for heaven and ſalvation ſtill; and Swearers and Prophane perſons will go on in their ſinful courſe, and yet hope ſtill for Heaven and Eternal life. Therefore becauſe this Fetter is ſo ſtrong, if poſſible to knock it off from theſe captive ſinners, anſwer me to theſe few following queſtions.
1. What if Christ himſelf in perſon were now amongſt you, and preaching to you, and telling you with his own mouth, That theſe alledged grounds of thy hopes of heaven, and redemption by his blood, were not ſound nor warrantable, wouldſt thou after this hope thou art redeemed, and ſhalt be ſaved? If Chriſt were viſibly preſent, and you ſhould hear him with your own ears telling you, That the Drunkard is a captive to the Devil, and ſhall not be ſaved; would you ſay, No, we are not in bondage to the Devil, or our ſins, and therefore will hope we are redeemed and ſhall be ſaved? Wouldſt thou believe Chriſt himſelf? or wouldſt thou not? If thou wouldſt not, how ſhall I hope thou wilt hearken to my words? If thou ſayeſt thou wouldſt believe him, why then wilt thou not believe what Chriſt hath indeed already ſpoken, and left recorded in his Word? The ſame Doctrine that Chriſt preached in perſon in the world, is faithfully recorded in the Goſpel. In his Sermon that he preached on the Mount, he tells you, that Except your righteouſneſs exceed the righteouſneſs of the Scribes and Phariſees, you ſhall in no wiſe enter into the kingdom of heaven, Mat. 5. 20. And doth the righteouſneſs of groſs ſinners, yea or cloſe hypocrites, either exceed the righteouſneſs of the Phariſees and the Scribes, who walked ſo ſtrictly, that many would have judged, if but two men ſhould be ſaved, the Scribe ſhould be one, and the Phariſee another? What Chriſts Doctrine was, ſee again, Luk. 13. 3. 5. Mar. 16. 16. Mat. 18. 3. And yet when Chriſt tells you, Except ye repent, ye ſhall periſh; and except ye believe, ye ſhall be damned; and except ye be converted, ye ſhall not enter into the kingdom of God; you do remain captives ſtill; and do you not repent, nor believe, nor are converted, and yet will you hope you are freemen, and ſhall be ſaved? The truth is, if you do not believe Chriſts miniſters preaching Chriſts own words, neither would you believe Chriſt himſelf, Luk. 10. 16, He that heareth you, heareth me; and he that deſpiſeth you, deſpiſeth me; and he that deſpiſeth me, deſpiſeth him that ſent me; not to hear is to deſpiſe, and whom do you deſpiſe when you do not hear and obey the doctrine preached according to the Scripture? is it poor mortal men? No, but you deſpiſe Chriſt, and God himſelf. Believe me then, or believe rather Chriſt himſelf, that tells thee, without converting-grace thou ſhalt be damned, and except thou art converted do not hope thou art delivered out of thy Captivity, or that thou ſhalt be ſaved, and ſo be befooled by the Devil, and thereby be kept ſtill in bondage by him.
2. What if God ſhould ſend an Angel from heaven to thee, and tell thee while thou art a drunkard ſwearer, profane, a lyar, an hypocrite, a worldling, art unſanctified, Thou art a captive to the Devil, and abiding ſo, ſhalt not be ſaved? Wouldſt thou after ſuch a meſſage from God by a glorious Angel, ſtill hope thou art made free, and ſhalt be ſaved? Or would you then leave your ſins, and look after Grace, and make it your buſineſs to get out of bondage? Why, if an Angel ſhould come from Heaven, he would preach this Doctrine to you, the very ſame that is contained in the Word of God, or elſe a bleſſed Angel would be a curſed Creature, Gal. 1. 8. But behold, you have a ſurer and more certain way of knowing the mind of God, and that is the Scripture, 2 Pet. 1. 17, 18, 19. For if an Angel came from Heaven, you would be doubting whether he came from God or no; but that the Scripture is from God, we have plain, full, and undeniable reaſons to believe; and the truth is, if you will not believe the Scripture, neither would you believe an Angel that ſhould come from Heaven.
3. What if thou couldſt with ſafety draw near to the gates of Hell, and take a view of thoſe thouſands there in reſtleſs torments, that lived once as now thou doſt, and were perſwaded that they were redeemed and made free, and that they ſhould be ſaved, as confidently as now thou art; Wouldſt thou ſtill continue in thy ſinful ſtate and courſe of life, and yet hope, after ſuch a ſight as this? That though thou ſaweſt ſo many thouſands damned before thee for the ſame ſins as thou liveſt in, wouldſt yet be confident, that thou ſhalt be delivered? Poor ſinner! what ſhall I do for thee? What ſhall I ſay unto thee? Will nothing convince thee, nor awaken thee on this ſide the flames of Hell? Wilt thou believe none of theſe truths, till thou ſhalt feel them all made good upon thee? Wilt thou be more brutiſh than thy very Beaſt, which thou canſt not force nor drive into a burning fire? And yet when thou art told, there is a fire that is kindled, into which the ſlaves of ſin and Satan ſhall be caſt, will voluntarily walk in that way that leads thee to it? What if God ſhould take thee to ſome place, and bid thee ſtand and ſee ſo many millions rolling in a lake of Brimſtone, and bid thee ſtand, and hearken, and hear their groans and hideous howlings, their doleful out-cries, and dolorous complaints; one confeſſing, God hath juſtly damned me for my Drunkenneſs and my Oaths; and another, I am here tormented for my Sabbath-breaking, and pleaſing of my fleſh; and another, I am ſuffering in theſe flames for my Hypocriſie and Unbelief; and a thouſand thouſand making of the ſame complaints: After thou hadſt heard ſuch things as theſe, wouldſt thou remain a Drunkard, a Swearer, a Sabbath-breaker, an Hypocrite, and an Unbeliever; a Captive in thy bonds of ſin, and yet perſwade thy ſelf that thou art free, and that thou ſhalt never be one of the number of this curſed Crew? Methinks ſuch ſights and hearings of ſuch things, ſhould awaken and alarm thee: Why, tell me then, Why ſhouldſt thou not believe the True Eternal God, as well as thy own eyes and ears? Such are there that died without Repentance and Faith, that died in their bondage-ſtate; and the ſame God that hath already damned them, doth alſo threaten thee for the ſame ſins with the ſame damnation; and yet ſhall Satan ſtill keep thee bound with this falſe hope of a better place? Oh! let him not do it, as thou loveſt thy ſoul, and as thou wouldſt eſcape this place, let him no longer do it.
4. What if God ſhould ſend one of thy Acquaintants and Companions that hath been in Hell a year or two, a month or two, one that thou waſt wont to ſwear and ſwagger with, to drink with and carouſe, whoſe Corps not long ſince thou followedſt to the grave; whoſe ſoul when ſeparated from the body, went down to Hell; ſhould come to thee and ſay, I was wont to be merry and jovial in thy company; with thee I was wont to game and ſport, and waſte and ſpend my precious time, and I hoped I ſhould be ſaved when I died, as now thou doſt: but wo is me, I find I was miſtaken to my everlaſting ſhame and ſorrow; I find I was deceived; I find, I find I did but flatter and delude my ſelf; I would not believe it, but now I find it; I would not believe it, but now I feel it. Ministers did warn me of this place, and told me I was going thither, but I would not be convinced till I came to Hell: I hoped ſtill I ſhould go to Heaven, but now I am convinced, alas, when it is too late to be converted; I am at laſt convinced. Believe me, though a damned ſoul, believe me, The Word of God is true, the threatnings of God are true, and what your Miniſters preach out of Gods Word concerning ſin, and miſery by ſin, it is all true; believe me now, that have been in Hell ever ſince the day I died, that the bondſlaves of the Devil, that dye in their captivity, do all go down to this dark and dreadful Dungeon. If one of thy Neighbours not long ſince departed and damned, ſhould thus appear unto thee in thy Chamber in the ſilent night, and bring thee ſuch tidings as theſe, wouldſt thou believe him and repent, and refuſe thence-forwards to be a ſervant and ſlave unto the Devil? It may be thou thinkeſt thou ſhouldſt believe this Doctrine then, and take warning and reform and mend thy ways: Tell me then, Should not the True Eternal God of Heaven be believed ſooner, rather, more than a damned ſoul in Hell? But certain it is, if thou wilt not believe the Scriptures, nor the Miniſters of God that preach the Truths of God unto thee, nor repent and turn from the drudgery of the Devil to the ſervice of the Lord, neither wouldſt thou do it if one came to thee from …e dead, Luk. 16. 27, to the end.
5. What if thou hadſt been in hell thy ſelf a month or two, and felt the pains and torments there, and God ſhould let thee out again, and put thee in the ſame capacity as now thou art in, and place thee again under the ſame means and miniſtry as now thou doſt enjoy, and the ſame Doctrine ſhould be preached unto thee, and the ſame offers of Chriſt and pardon, of heaven and eternal life as now thou heareſt; Wouldſt thou then hearken to our Doctrine, and renounce the Devils ſervice, and beg and pray that God would knock off thy fetters and thy chains, and of a ſlave of Satan, make thee a willing ſervant of the bleſſed and the living God? Or, wouldſt t…ou ſtill live as now thou doſt, and hope again upon the ſame grounds as now, that thou ſhouldſt not the ſecond time be caſt into that place of torments? Oh then why then wilt thou not believe that God that cannot lye, as well as thy own experience?
Though this God will never do; he will never try thee again, nor ſet thee in this life again; for once in hell, and for ever there; God will not give thee a ſecond life, to mend what was amiſs in thy living upon earth. If thou thinkeſt thou ſhouldſt be more careful, if God ſhould try thee after he had damned thee, that thou mayeſt not be damned again; why ſhouldſt thou not be as careful now that thou mayeſt not be damned at all?
What then poor captive ſinner! wilt thou after all this that hath been ſaid go on in ſin, and yet hope thou ſhalt do well? Or ſhall the Devil ſtill keep thee in captivity, and hold thee faſt in this bond and chain of a falſe perſwaſion, that thy ſtate is good, and groundleſs hopes that thou ſhalt be ſaved? I am afraid he will, oh I do greatly fear he will. Poor priſoner! what doſt thou think of? what ailes thee? why art thou no more concerned at the hearing of theſe things? wilt thou ſtill remain in the fools paradiſe? why do I preach, and why doſt thou come and hear, if thou wilt not regard what is ſpoken to thee from the word of God, in the name of God? Oh how hard a thing is it, to ſtand and view ſo many Souls, and think after all the ſtudy, pains, prayer, and preaching, for you and to you, ſo many ſhould ſtill be in the Devils fetters, and are going in chains to the priſon of hell, and bound faſt in ſin to a place of everlaſting torments? Oh how ſhall I do to bear the thoughts of your damnation? O it is a burden, it is a burden, it is indeed a heavy burden to my Soul to think that any of you ſhould be damned; that you ſhould go from hence to hell; from a place of ſolemn worſhip to a place of torment and of blaſphemy. Do you think it is not enough to break a poor Miniſters heart, to preach and labour that your bonds may be broken, and your ſouls eſcape and ſet at liberty, and after all you are in fetters ſtill? Were it not that ſome do hearken and obey, were it not that ſome give great grounds of hope that they are leaving off the Devils ſervice, and that their Chains are broke, it would be a ſore temptation, to preach no more; but alas! though ſome are ſet at liberty, what ſhall we do for the reſt that ſtill remain in bonds? eſpecially in this, that is ſo ſtrong, a falſe perſwaſion that you are already free, and falſe hopes that you ſhall be for ever ſaved. Sirs, the ſtronger is your falſe hopes, the greater is poor Miniſters true and real ſorrow; and the more you hope for heaven upon ſuch ſlender grounds, the more we do deſpair of being inſtruments to help you out; the more confident we ſee you to be that you are not in bondage, the more diſcouragement it is unto us; for if we ſet forth the miſery of theſe Captives, we loſe our labour as to you, becauſe you think you are not the perſons; if we exhort and direct you to look after liberty, as to you we loſe our labour, becauſe you are perſwaded (ſtrongly though falſly) that you are free already; whereas if you did ſee your ſelves in chains, and were ſenſible of your bonds, there were more hopes that we might prevail with you to accept of a Redeemer. Oh that God would break this bond! Oh that God would open your eyes, that you may ſee that you are Captives, and not be ſo vainly confident that you are made free! Oh that my head were waters, and mine eyes fountains of tears, that I might night and day lament the woful ſtate of theſe Captives that are on their way to hell, and yet think they are in the way to heaven. But let me leave this particular, by leaving this with ſuch preſuming Captives, that if you will hope, while your eyes are open▪ yet when death ſhall cloſe your eyes, you ſhall hope no more; let me commend unto you the ſerious ſtudy of three places of Scripture, and I will procede unto the next: The firſt is Job 8. 13. The hypocrites hope ſhall periſh. 14. Whoſe hope ſhall be cut off, and whoſe truſt ſhall be a ſpiders web. If your hope periſh, ſhall not your ſouls periſh too? If your hope be cut off, will not your ſouls be cut ſhort of heaven hoped for? if your hope be as a Spiders web, can it be a ſure hope? can the Spiders web ſtand before the broome? God at furtheſt with the beſom of death ſhall ſweep your hope away.
The ſecond is Job 11. 20. But the eyes of the wicked ſhall fail, and they ſhall not eſcape, and and their hope ſhall be as the giving up of the Ghost. Thou poor Captive, lookeſt for heaven, but thy eyes ſhall fail before thou haſt it; thou lookeſt for happineſs, but thou ſhall look thy eyes out, before (without being made free by Chriſt) thou ſhalt enjoy it; thou hopeſt thou ſhalt eſcape wrath and hell, but thou ſhalt not eſcape; it is the true, infallible God that ſaith, thou ſhalt not eſcape, and thy hope ſhall be as the giving up of the Ghoſt, in theſe reſpects:
1. A man is loth to give up the Ghoſt; it is the laſt thing he doth. Thou art loth to give up thy falſe hopes of heaven; except God prevent it, it will be the laſt thing thou wilt do.
2. A man muſt give up the Ghoſt, though he be never ſo loth to do it; he would not dye, but he muſt; thou muſt at laſt give over hoping; though thou keep this hope till thou dyeſt, yet then thou ſhalt hope no more; it is as impoſſible for you to keep theſe hopes for ever, as it is for you to live upon earth for ever.
3. A man that gives up the Ghoſt, by all the power on earth cannot be called to life again. When thy ſoul and body part, then thy ſoul and hope ſhall part, and thou ſhalt loſe both hope and ſoul together. The parting of the ſoul and body is a ſad parting, but the parting of the ſoul and hope is a ſadder parting; and when thy ſoul hath parted with its hopes at death, hope ſhall never return again; thy ſoul parted from thy body ſhall return to it again, but not thy hope unto thy ſoul; thy body falls and ſhall riſe again, but there ſhall never be a reſurrection of thy hope.
Some tranſlate theſe words thus, and their hopes ſhall periſh at the expiration of the ſoul. The ſinner ſhall breath out his ſoul and hope at once. Theſe words [The giving up of the Ghoſt] are but two words in the Hebrew Text; and the one ſignifies not only the ſoul, but alſo the breath, or a puffe of wind, and the other, ſignifyeth to blow, which Imports, that the hope of wicked men, the Devils captives, ſhall be but as puffe of wind, or as the blaſt of a mans mouth: and one of the words doth ſignifie ſometimes to grieve and to be ſad; ſo the hope of theſe captives ſhall end in ſorrow and ſadneſs; it ſhall make him ſad, to puff and blow, that he truſted for ſuch great and weighty things as Heaven and Salvation upon ſuch ſleight and ſlender grounds. Again, the Hebrew Word hath another ſignification, to deſpiſe, and loath, and nauſeate … thing: this may teach us, that though theſe captives do now think well of their hope, yet at laſt they ſhall loath it, and abhor it, as a man will do ſome rotten and unſavoury thing. Now you will not loath your ſins, but hereafter you ſhall loath your very hope: now you will not loath your ſelves for your iniquity, but hereafter you ſhall, for your folly.
The third Text is, Job 27. 28. For what is the hope of the hypocrite, though he hath gained, when God taketh away his ſoul? yea, what is it indeed? thou haſt gained riches, and thou haſt gained in a way of hypocriſie (which men could not judg of) credit and eſteem a name of a good, and holy, zealous man! but what is this gain, or what is thy hope, though thou haſt gained the name of being Religious, when God taketh away thy ſoul? from whence? from thy body; whither? to eternal torments; what will be your hope then? and will you ſtill be bound by this chain? this hath had a greater proportion of time, than can be allowed to the reſt, becauſe I judg it to be one of the ſtrongeſt bonds in which multitudes are carried captive to the helliſh priſon.