A Golden Mine Opened, Sermon 36
HEB. II. 3. How ſhall we eſcape if we neglect ſo great Salvation?
Sermon XV.I Shewed you the laſt Time, wherefore the Goſpel is clothed with ſuch fearful Threatnings againſt Sinners that neglect the great Salvation that is offered unto them therein. Alſo what ſort of Sinners are like for ever to fall under the Wrath of God. Moreover, you may remember I mentioned an Objection which poſſibly ſome may raiſe, viz.
Object. Is not this Doctrine a Legal Doctrine, or a legal way of preaching, to inſist ſo much upon the Threatnings of Wrath and Divine Vengeance?
I anſwered, No, it is not. I therefore now ſhall endeavour, God aſſiſting, to do two things.
Firſt, Shew you what is not a Legal Doctrine, or a Legal Way of Preaching.
Secondly, Shew you what is a Legal Doctrine, or not Evangelical Preaching.
1. To preach God a Juſt and Holy God, is no Legal Doctrine, though the Law, it is true, holds him forth ſo to be, that diſcovers that God is Juſt; but his Mercy was vailed under dark Shadows, Types and Legal Sacrifices. But now the Goſpel ſets forth the infinite Juſtice of God beyond the Law; for in a Ceremonial Way, the Blood of Beaſts ſeemed to pacify God's Wrath. Though we deny not but the Blood of Jeſus Chriſt, the great Sacrifice (which alone in a proper ſenſe can ſatisfy for Sin) was held forth thereby. But in the Goſpel, the Juſtice and Holineſs of God ſo clearly ſhines forth in Jeſus Chriſt, that it is with open Face manifeſted unto all; all may behold therein the Juſt actually ſlain, and made a Sacrifice for the Vnjuſt. Never did God's Juſtice appear ſo fully, as it doth in the Suffering and Death of Chriſt for Sin. Therefore to preach the Severity and Juſtice of God againſt Sin and Sinners, can be no Legal Doctrine.
2. To preach Repentance, the Neceſſity of Repentance, Regeneration and Holineſs, is no Legal Doctrine; but it is pure Goſpel. The Law allowed of no Repentance: For thoſe that ſinned againſt Moſes's Law, died without Mercy, under two or three Witneſſes. Do Heb. 19. 28.not miſtake me, I do not ſay that there was no Repentance for ſuch who lived under the Diſpenſation of the Law; for tho the Law, or firſt Covenant, allowed of no Repentance, yet the Goſpel was preached to Adam, to Abraham, to Moſes, David, &c. But pray remember, and conſider it well, that Repentance came in, not through the Law, but through the Goſpel, upon the account of Chriſt's Satisfaction; and therefore it is only a Goſpel-Bleſſing: which being duly conſidered, Men have little reaſon to think Repentance a harſh Doctrine; no, no, it is ſweet and bleſſed Tidings to hear that there is Repentance vouchſafed to poor Sinners, yea, for the worſt of Sinners. Beſides, was not Repentance the very firſt Doctrine Jeſus Chriſt preached when he entered upon his Miniſtry? He calls upon Men to repent, and believe the Goſpel; he declares there is a Way found out for Pardon and Remiſſion of Sin. And what can ſo kindly and ſweetly excite, or ſtir up Sinners to Repentance, as the ſight of the infinite Mercy and pardoning Grace of God through the Sacrifice of Jeſus Chriſt? His Mercy only melts and breaks the hard Heart of guilty Criminals.
3. To preach the Combinations and Threatnings of God's Wrath and Vengeance againſt all ungodly and impenitent Sinners, who ſlight and neglect the Salvation of the Goſpel, can be no Legal Doctrine.
(1.) Becauſe the Goſpel abounds with them, yea, and more fearful Threatnings than thoſe were under the Law; for the one were Threats of Temporal Puniſhment, but the other are Eternal, even the Denunciation of God's Wrath in Hell for ever.
(2.) Becauſe of the greatneſs of that Mercy and Divine Grace and Goodneſs, which ſuch who ſin under the Goſpel do abuſe and tread under their Feet.
(3.) To ſhew the Juſtice, Headſhip and Authority of Jeſus Chriſt, who is God as well as Man, that ſo all Men may ſtand in awe of him, and dread and fear him, becauſe of his great Love and Goodneſs extended through his ſuffering for Sin, and enduring the heavy Wrath of God for us; and for many other Reaſons which you have heard.
(4.) Becauſe the Threatnings of the Goſpel do not only render God as a juſt Revenger, but alſo as a merciful Redeemer; not only as a Judg to paſs Sentence, but as a gracious Soveraign, ready to give forth Pardon to all convicted, broken and ſelf-condemned Rebels. The Law threatens Death, but affords no Offers of Life on any Terms that can be attained to, therefore no Encouragement given by it to Sinners to humble themſelves: it commands perfect Obedience, but affords no Strength to perform it; pronounces the Sentence againſt us, but produces no Pardon for us; it commands us to truſt in God, but reveals not a Mediator, who is the immediate Object of Faith and Truſt.
(5.) The Threatnings of the Goſpel are a Manifeſtation of God's Goodneſs: As a Father threatens his Child from that Love and Bowels he hath to it, that ſo it might not feel the Laſhes of his Rod and Anger. And O how are Goſpel-Threatnings mixt with alluring Motives and endearing Arguments and Perſwaſions, intimating how ready God is to paſs by our Offences, if we ſubmit our ſelves to him, and accept of the Offers of his Grace and Favour. If ſuch preaching of Wrath therefore be Legal, I muſt acknowledg my great Ignorance of the Goſpel of Jeſus Chriſt. Beſides, how long are the Threatnings of the Goſpel deferred before executed? The Contemners of the Law died preſently, as well as it diſcovered no Remedy: But ſo it is not here, God ſeems to be ready to forgive, and ſlow to Wrath; he waits long before he ſtrikes, and brings Wrath and Judgment upon Offenders, as well as he directs them to a way to eſcape.
Secondly, I ſhall ſhew you what is a Legal Doctrine, or Legal Preaching.
1. The Doctrine or Preaching of ſuch Perſons is legal that ſay, that all who will be eternally ſaved, muſt arrive to a perfect and ſinleſs Righteouſneſs in themſelves, i. e. keep the Law perfectly and ſin not in their own Perſons, or they cannot be juſtified. William Penn, ſpeaking of that Text, Rom. 2. 13. Not the Hearers of the Law are juſt before God, but the Doers of the Law ſhall be juſtified, ſaith,Pen's Sandy Foundation ſhaken, p. 26. "From whence, how unanſwerably may I obſerve, that unleſs we become Doers of that Law, which Chriſt came not to deſtroy, but, as our Example, to fulfil, we can never be juſtified before God; nor let any fancy, that Chriſt hath ſo fulfilled it for them as to exclude their Obedience from being requiſite to their Acceptance, but only as their Pattern." Now this is a Legal Doctrine with a witneſs, theſe Men would be look'd upon as true Preachers of the Goſpel, but let all Men be aware of them. Is any Man able perfectly to keep the Law? if ſo, why doth the Apoſtle ſay,Rom. 8. 2, 3. What the Law could not do, in that it was weak through the Fleſh, God ſending his Son? &c. Beſides, if there had been a Law that could have given Life, verily, ſaith Paul, Righteouſneſs ſhould have been by the Law. And again, he ſaith, By the Works of the Law, no Man is Gal. 2. 16, 21.juſtified: and if Righteouſneſs come by the Law, then is Chriſt dead in vain. Chriſt it ſeems, by what this Man ſaith, came only to fulfil the Law, as our Example, that we might conform to him therein, and ſo be juſtified by it. But he forgot that we and all Mankind have broke the Law, and ſtand charged and condemned thereby unto eternal Condemnation; and who ſhall make Atonement for that Breach, and deliver us from the Curſe thereby incurred? No Doctrine can caſt higher Contempt upon Chriſt, and invalidate his Suffering, and Juſtification by Faith alone in him, than this Doctrine doth.
2. Such preach a Legal Doctrine, who preach up Obedience by us to the Law or Goſpel, either as the procuring or moving Cauſe and Condition of our Juſtification and Eternal Life.
3. Such alſo preach a Legal Doctrine, who preach up Wrath and Divine Vengeance, to ſcare or frighten Men out of their Sins; and as if by the bare leaving and forſaking of Sin, Men might eſcape Death and Wrath. Such a Doctrine, as Reverend Dr. Owen notes, may fill an unregenerate Man with Horror and ſervile Fear; whereby, as Bond-Servants, or Slaves, by the Whip of this Doctrine, they may be forced to break off from ſome groſs Acts of Sin, and perform ſome outward Duties of Religion, which otherwiſe they are unwilling to do: for, as it is not from Love to God, nor from Faith in Chriſt, ſo they find no Delight nor Sweetneſs in it; but being often remiſs, and ſeeing cauſe to doubt of the Sincerity of their Obedience, they fall under Terror and ſlaviſh Fear, they only acting from an enlightned Conſcience, and not from Faith, or renewing Grace. Theſe Men neither love the Law nor Goſpel, tho they are forced to keep up in ſome degree of Obedience to it.
4. Such preach a Legal Doctrine, that affirm Man's own Faith and inherent Righteouſneſs for the ſake of Chriſt's Merits, is part of our Righteouſneſs to Juſtification in the ſight of God; and that Chriſt hath procured or merited a mild Law of Grace, of Faith and ſincere Obedience, in the room of the Law of perfect Obedience: Which Law of ſinleſs Obedience Chriſt having given to God a full Recompence for our Breach of, he hath taken that Law-away; and that ſo far as we faithfully live up to this new Law of Grace, we are juſtified in God's ſight, and accepted for the ſake of Chriſt's Merits: Not that Chriſt's Righteouſneſs alone is the matter of our Juſtification excluſive of all our inherent Righteouſneſs and Obedience; no, no, but rather it is our Righteouſneſs which doth juſtify us. The Goſpel, according to theſe Men, is propounded as a Law, and God as a Rector, or juſt Governour, commanding Obedience thereunto, as the procuring Cauſe of our Juſtification: So that our Faith and Obedience is a Cauſe and Condition of Life, as Unbelief and Diſobedience is the Cauſe of Eternal Death. But having formerly detected this dangerous Error, I ſhall not further inſiſt upon the Confutation of it here.
5. Such preach a Legal Doctrine, that render Man a Co-worker with Chriſt in the Salvation of their own Souls, by which means there is room left for him to boaſt and glory. Such a Doctrine they preach, who magnify the Will of Man, or the Power of the Creature; which I hope I have, by the Aſſiſtance of God, ſufficiently detected and refuted in this Treatiſe: All boaſting being excluded by the Grace of God in the Goſpel, Man being abaſed, and God alone exalted.
APPLICATION.
I ſhall now come to make the general Application of what I have ſaid unto you from this great Text, and ſo conclude with all I ſhall ſay from it.
Firſt Inform. Firſt by way of Information; the Doctrine which hath in theſe Sermons been inſiſted on may inform us, That Goſpel-Sins are the greateſt Sins, and that the blind Heathens are not, cannot be ſo guilty and culpable before God, nor in ſuch a dangerous Condition as thoſe are who live under the preaching of the Goſpel, and yet ſlight, and neglect the Salvation of it. O what will they do in the Day of Judgment, that live in England, in London, in a Land and City of ſo great Light, and periſh through their Sin, and Contempt or Neglect of Goſpel-Grace!
Secondly, This may alſo inform us, how ſtrangely Mankind are blinded and deceived by the God of this World; in that ſmall things are accounted great, and that which is of the greateſt Concernment, is little, or not at all regarded, but eſteemed as a trivial matter. O, ſays ſome, we muſt mind the main Chance! they mean the main Buſineſs in reſpect of their Earthly Subſiſtence, which is to get Bread, and to provide for the Body, for their Wives and Children. Now the Doctrine which you have heard, ſhews you how you are deluded, that look upon Earthly Things to be the main Buſineſs you ſhould look after. What is of ſuch Importance as the Salvation of your precious and immortal Souls, and to be providing for an endleſs Eternity?
Thirdly, I may infer from hence, That the greateſt part of Mankind are Unbelievers; for all that neglect this Salvation, and look not upon this matter as their chief Buſineſs, are doubtleſs in a State of Unbelief: They do not credit this holy Doctrine, they believe not God's Word. If one ſhould tell you that are going a Journy, that if you go ſuch a Way, you will certainly be deſtroyed by Thieves, or wild Beaſts, yet you will go on; Would it not follow clearly that you believe not what was told you? Why thus it is here, Sinners are told and aſſured from the Word of God, as certain as God is true, and his Word true, that if they leave not their Swearing, their Pride, their Drunkenneſs, their Lying, their Luſts and Uncleanneſs, their Worldly-mindedneſs, and their preferring Earth, and the things of the World above the things of God; or if they do not believe, repent, and be born again, they ſhall certainly periſh for ever; yet they go on and live in thoſe ways of Sin, and believe not, repent not: this is an evident ſign that they do not give Credit to what is told them, and ſo are Unbelievers; and if they ſtill perſiſt in their way, they will be certainly damned.
1. Our Saviour ſaith, Except ye repent, ye ſhall all likewiſe periſh; Luk. 13. 3.ye ſhall not eſcape eternal Wrath, be ye great Sinners, or not Sinners of the firſt Rank. The Wicked ſhall be turned into Hell, and all the Nations that forget God.
2. Chriſt ſaith, He that believeth not, the Wrath of God abideth on him: and they that do not believe, are told there is no other Joh. 3. 36.way to eſcape this Wrath, and that this Wrath will be poured forth upon them like Fire, unleſs they believe in Chriſt, receive Chriſt, obtain an Intereſt in Jeſus Chriſt; nay, that they are condemned already; but they believe not.
3. Moreover, ſuch who live a ſober moral Life, are told, that notwithſtanding that, yet unleſs they are born again, unleſs they get Faith in Jeſus Chriſt, and their Righteouſneſs exceed the Righteouſneſs of the Scribes and Phariſees, and they obtain the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt, they cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. Now they will not believe this, but conclude their State is good, and that Morality is ſufficient to ſave their Souls: which ſhews that theſe are Unbelievers alſo.
4. Others are told, that their good Deeds, their good Duties, their Prayers, their hearing of Sermons, or their being Baptized, and having Communion with God's People, will not do, unleſs they are ſavingly renewed and ſanctified, having the true Grace of God in their Hearts, and lead a Godly, Holy and Spiritual Life, finding the powerful Operations of the Spirit changing them into the Likeneſs of Jeſus Chriſt: but they believe it not, but reſt upon their Duties and outward Privileges, tho they are told the Kingdom of God is not in Meat and Drink, but in Righteouſneſs, and Truth, and Joy in the Holy Ghoſt; or that the Kingdom of God is not inward only, but in Power alſo, and that Lamps of Profeſſion will not ſave them, except they have Oil in their Veſſels: many of theſe are like the fooliſh Virgins, and believe it not, but reſt on a bare Name of Chriſtians, on a Form of Godlineſs, and may be fall ſhort too as to an outward Profeſſion of Godlineſs; for ſo do they who pray not in the Cloſet, nor in their Families, neither read God's Word, nor make it their Buſineſs to hear the Word preached, in Seaſon and out of Seaſon, but every ſmall Matter takes them off of thoſe Duties. Be ſure, all prayerleſs Souls are graceleſs Souls; it is to be feared many of this ſort make Religion but little of their Buſineſs, who neither read, pray nor meditate, nor perhaps call upon their Children and Servants ſo to do, but let their Children have their Carnal Luſts, their Pride, ambitious and wanton Inclinations indulged and nouriſhed in them. O how little is the outward Part of God's Worſhip kept up in the Families of ſome Profeſſors!
Fourthly, This may ſerve alſo for a Uſe of Terror to ſecure Sinners.Terror.
1. May not Cry out, Fire, Fire? Such a Cry hath often ſtartled and amazed many of you that live in and about this City. Sirs, a Fire is juſt a breaking out, which you cannot eſcape, unleſs you look about you the ſooner. When People hear the Cry of Fire in the Night, how do they cry out, Where, Where? Alas, this Fire ſeizes not on your Houſes, nor Goods, no nor on your Bodies only, but on your Souls; it has already kindled even the Wrath of God, which no Sinner can eſcape that neglects this Salvation. God's Wrath is compared to Fire, and it has perhaps already taken hold of ſome of your Conſciences; but if it be not kindled there, yet it is kindled in God's Anger: For a Fire is kindled in my Anger, and ſhall burn unto the loweſt Hell. O that they were wiſe, that they underſtood Deut. 32. 22, 29.this, that they would conſider their latter End.
2. Is the Wrath of God ſo terrible, and can no Unbeliever or impenitent Sinner eſcape it; what cauſe is here for them all to tremble? Suppoſe you ſhould be told, that this Night you ſhall certainly not eſcape Death, neither you, nor your Wife, nor Children, but that your Houſe ſhall be burned down, your Goods, Self, Wife and Children ſhall all be burned to Aſhes, and that this Judgment you ſhall not eſcape; would it not be ſtartling and terrifying Tidings if you ſhould believe it? But alas, what would that be to this doleful Tidings, viz. that your precious Soul and Body, as well as your Wife and Children, and all belonging to you, if you and they do neglect the Means of this Salvation, and not believe in Chriſt, and become new Creatures, ſhall in a ſhort time be in everlaſting Flames, and undergo intolerable Pain and Puniſhment from the Preſence of the Lord, and from the Glory of his Power, which you ſhall not eſcape, for the Mouth of the Lord of Hoſts hath ſpoken it? Nay, and it ſhall be more tolerable for Sodom Mat. 10. 15. Mat. 11. 22, 23. Mar. 6. 11.and Gomorrah in the Day of Judgment, than for you, or for that Soul who refuſes the Offers of Chriſt, Pardon of Sin, and Salvation through him.
Lamentat.Fifthly, It may be for a Lamentation, to ſee how few underſtand the Nature of this Salvation, and ſtudy the Myſteries of it, or deſire an Intereſt in it; and alſo to ſee how many make light of it, whilſt others by dangerous Errors ſeek ways to eclipſe the Glory of God's Free Grace therein. Remember thoſe Demonſtrations you have heard, to open the Greatneſs of the Salvation the Goſpel.
Sixthly, This reprehends ſuch who are more affected with Temporal Salvation, than with the Spiritual and Eternal Salvation of Reproof.the Soul; and alſo all ſuch that defer looking after, and ſtriving to get an Intereſt in it.
Seventhly, By way of Exhortation.
1. Exhortat.Let me exhort you to praiſe God for Jeſus Chriſt, who is the Author and Finiſher of this Salvation: Chriſt is all, and in all, in our Salvation: God hath ſent us an Almighty Saviour. O how miſerable ſhould we have been for ever, had not God ſent us Jeſus Chriſt.
2. Let me exhort you to admire the Love of Chriſt in coming to work out this Salvation: What hath he born and undergon to ſave our Souls? O love and exalt this Saviour, and eclipſe none of his Glory.
3. Be exhorted to praiſe God for affording you the Knowledg of Goſpel-Salvation. O how few are they who have heard of this joyful Tidings! But few Nations of the World have this News ſounding in their Ears, viz. the Goſpel preached to them, they have no declaration of it. God ſhews his Soveraignty herein; he reveals himſelf, and the Knowledg of Salvation to whom he pleaſes. And indeed many dark Parts of this Nation have but little of the Myſteries of the Goſpel made known to them. What People in the World have greater cauſe to admire God's diſtinguiſhing Grace and Favour, than we that live in and about this City. London is exalted to Heaven in reſpect of the Means of Grace: O that it may never be brought down to Hell, as our Saviour threatned Capernaum.
4. From hence alſo I might exhort you to bleſs God for faithful Miniſters, who publiſh the Salvation of the Goſpel to you. How beautiful upon the Mountains are the Feet of him that bringeth good Tidings, that publiſheth Peace, that bringeth good Tidings of Good, that publiſheth Salvation! Iſa. 52. 7.Let it appear you highly value and honour your faithful Miniſters, by your diligent attention on the Word and Doctrine they preach. For Motives, conſider,
(1.) God has ordained Preaching as the ordinary Way and Means to work Faith; Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God: And to increaſe and ſtrengthen Faith alſo.Rom. 10. 17.
(2.) God is gradiouſly pleaſed to aſſord Men a Day, or a Time of Viſitation, in which he offers Terms of Peace unto them: Take heed you do not like Jeruſalem, loſe your Day, and neglect the Means God affords you
(3.) You know not how ſhort your Day may be; and if you loſe your Day, you will loſe your Souls alſo: The Harveſt will end with ſome, and they not ſaved. And that you may not loſe the Day of your Viſitation, take a few Directions.
1. Seriouſly think on the ſad and woful Condition which naturally you are in, being dead in Sin, and Children of Wrath; and Eph. 2. 1.if you die in that Eſtate, you are loſt for ever.
2. Let your Thoughts now be let out on your latter End; for when the Night comes, no Man can work. This is great Wiſdom, and every Man's Duty; we none of us know how ſoon our great Change may come: And what will you do, if you live in the neglect of the Means of Salvatio even until God cuts you off?
3. Pray that the Wind of the Spirit would blow upon your Souls: The Wind bloweth where it liſteth; it bloweth at God's Command, Joh. 3. 8.when, on whom, and how he pleaſeth. The Spirit is that great and only Agent that muſt work Faith in you, quicken you, and regenerate your Souls.
4. Therefore ſee that you do not quench the Spirit, but improve all the Convictions thereof.
5. If you would have an Intereſt in this great Salvation, you muſt have an Intereſt in Jeſus Chriſt the great Saviour: If you do not receive Chriſt by Faith, but refuſe him, ſad will your Condition be; for no Chriſt, no Salvation.
Queſt. How may I know that I have Chriſt, or an Intereſt in him?
Anſw. 1. If thou haſt Chriſt, thou haſt Life, thou art ſpiritually How Perſons may know they have an Intereſt in Chriſt.quickned: And as thou haſt Spiritual Life, ſo alſo thou haſt Light; thy Eyes are opened, I mean, the Eyes of thy Underſtanding.
2. Thou canſt remember the time when thou hadſt no God, no Chriſt, or waſt without Chriſt; and it is much if thou art not able to tell how, when, or after what manner thou didſt meet with him, whether it was by the Word preached, or by reading, or by ſome Affliction, &c.
3. If Chriſt be thine, he is very precious to thee: Canſt 1 Pet. 2. 7. Pſ. 73. 25.thou ſay with David, Whom have I in Heaven but thee? neither is there any on Earth that I deſire beſide thee? And with the Spouſe, My Beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefeſt among ten thouſand? Paul accounted Cant. 5. 10 Phil. 3. 9, 10.all things as loſs, or as nothing, for the Excellency of Jeſus Chriſt his Lord.
4. Doth Jeſus Chriſt rule and reign in thee by his Spirit? He that hath Chriſt in him, may feel his ruling Power, and that he by his Spirit hath ſpoiled the ruling and predominating Power of Sin, every evil Habit in the Heart and Life of ſuch being broke.
5. Moreover, if Chriſt is in thee, and thou by Faith art in him, then thou art a new Creature: This the Apoſtle poſitively doth aſſert; Therefore if any Man be in Chriſt, he is a new Creature: old 2 Cor. 5. 17.things are paſſed away, behold all things are become new. Such have new Underſtandings, or are renewed in their Underſtandings, Wills and Affections: they have alſo new Thoughts, new Love, new Fears, new Joy, new Deſires, new Companions, and new Converſations; all things with ſuch are become new.
Laſtly, And to conclude with all I ſhall ſay from this Text, here is alſo Matter and Cauſe of Comfort and great Conſolation to all Believers, to all who have a part in this Salvation. I need not ſhew you which way this appears, for every one that hath heard what a kind of Salvation it is, may eaſily infer from thence, that all that have a part in it are happy for ever; 'tis a great and glorious Salvation: Remember what you are delivered from by it, and what you are raiſed up unto by it, and alſo that it is a ſure and certain Salvation; no Enemy, no Sin, no Devil can diſpoſſeſs you of it if you are Believers, and have received the Earneſt thereof, which is the Holy Spirit, by which alſo you are ſealed to the Day of Redemption. Therefore it remains, that you endeavour to ſhew forth the Praiſes of him who hath called you out of Darkneſs into his marvelous Light, and hath given you a true ſight of, and intereſt in this great Salvation wrought by Jeſus Chriſt; To whom with the Father and the Holy Spirit, be Glory, Honour and Praiſe, now and for ever. Amen.
FINIS.