Sermons Volume 2, Matthew 25 · Sermon 25
SERMON XXV.
MATTH. XXV. v. 41.
Then shall he say to them on the Left Hand, Depart, ye Cursed, into Everlasting Fire, prepared for the Devil and his Angels.
I Come now to the Second Doctrine:
II. Doct. That these Torments shall be full at the Day of Iudgment.
Then shall he say, &c.
First, There is something Presupposed, that they begin presently after Death: They are in Hell as soon as the Soul departeth out of the Body; that is, as to the Soul, as to the better half: Luk. 16.22, 23. And it came to pass, that the Begger dyed, and was carried by Angels into Abraham's bosom: The rich Man also dyed, and was buried; and in Hell he lift up his eyes, being in Torments. 'Tis a Parable, but sure Christ spake intelligibly, and according to the received Doctrine of the Church in those times. Mark how quick it followeth; Here he had his Pleasures: foreign, The Rich Man also died, (rich Men die as well as others,) and was buried; it may be, had a pompous and stately Funeral, when the Soul is in Hell: The Body is left in the hands of Death, but the Soul is in a living and suffering Condition. The Souls of good Men are in Heaven, Heb. 12.24. Spirits of Just Men made perfect. 'Twould be uncomfortable for the Saints to tarry out of the Arms of Christ so long as the last Judgment; to be in a drowsie Estate, wherein they neither enjoy God, nor glorifie him: And so the Spirits of wicked Men, they are in Hell, foreign, 1 Pet. 3.19. Who were sometimes disobedient, now in Prison. It would be some kind of comfort to the Wicked to be so long delayed. The time is long till the last Judgment, and we are not moved with things at a distance, what shall be thousands of years hence: It begetteth a greater awe when the danger is nigh. Oh, let this startle wicked Men! before night they may be in Hell, before the Body be committed to the Grave: the Soul slitteth hence as soon as it departeth out of the Body, to God that gave it, to receive Woe, or Weal. The hour of Death is sudden; many are surprized, and taken unawares: Your carnal Companions, (if God would use that Dispensation) that sometimes bowzed and caroused with you, and wallowed in filthy Excess, by this time know what 'tis to be in Torments; they would fain come and tell you, that you are as rotten Fruit, ready to tumble into the Pit of Darkness. Every wicked Man groweth upon the Banks of Eternity, and hangeth but by a slender String and Root; one touch of Gods Providence, and they drop into Hell.
Secondly, There is something Expressed: To wit,
That these Torments shall receive their full and final Accomplishment at the last Day.
That their Torments shall be increased, appeareth,
(1.) By Comparison,
(2.) By Scripture; And,
(3.) By Reason.
(1.) By Comparing them, 1. With the Devils: Jude 6. And the Angels which kept not their first Estate, but left their own Habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting Chains, under Darkness, unto the Judgment of the great day. As good men are foreign, so wicked men are foreign. The Devils for the present are under the powerful Wrath of God, and horrible Despair. Though they have a Ministry and Service in the World, yet they carry their own Hell about with them; full of Fears and Tremblings under the Wrath of God, but not in that extremity, discontented with their present Condition: Such a Fall is much to a proud Creature, and there is a despair of a better; Mat. 8.29. What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come to torment us before the time? There is a bitter expectation of Judgment to come: Now they have some delight in mischief, but at the last day their power shall be restrained, which is another Infelicity of their Nature. Their Ignominy shall be manifested before all the World; they shall be dragged before Christ's Tribunal, and judged by the Saints whom they hate, 1 Cor. 6.3. The good Angels shall come as Christ's Companions, the evil as his Prisoners. There are Sights that will work on their Envy, and thwart their Pride; to see the Glory of the Saints and Angels. Dolet Diabolus, quod ipsum & Angelos ejus Christi Servus, ille Peccator judicaturus est, saith Tertullian. Then they are confined to Hell, there to keep their residence, where they shall have a more active sense of their own Condition, and of the Wrath of God that is upon them. So 'tis with wicked Men; they have their Hell now, but at the last day they shall be brought forth as trembling Malefactors before the Bar of Christ, all their privy Wickedness shall be manifested before all the World, 2 Cor. 4.1, 2. However they may be honoured and esteemed now, either for their Power or Holiness, they shall then be put to publick shame, driven out of his presence with Ignominy and Contempt, cast into Hell to keep company with the Devils, where their Torments shall be most exquisite and painful.
2. Compare them with the Saints: Heavens Joyes shall then be full, so Hells Torments: The full Recompense of the Righteous, and the full Vengeance of the Wicked keep time and pace. Christ cometh to fetch the Saints to Heaven in Sate, foreign; Rom. 8.19. The earnest Expectation of the Creature waiteth for the Manifestation of the Sons of God. Then it shall be seen what God will do for his Children: They are clad in their best Robes to set off Christ's Triumph: So suitably the Wicked's Judgment is not yet full, upon the last day it shall be increased. Christ sets himself a-work, to shew the power of his Wrath, to cloath them with Shame and Contempt.
(2.) Scripture. 2 Thess. 1.6, 7, 8, 9, 10. When the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven, with his mighty Angels, in flaming Fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting Destruction from the Presence of the Lord, and from the Glory of his Power. Heb. 10.27. There remaineth nothing but a certain fearful looking for of Judgment, and fiery Indignation, which shall devour the Adversary. And in many other places.
(3.) Reason. The Body, which hath so long Respite, then hath its share of Misery; upon the Re-union of the Body and Soul they shall drink the Dreggs of God's Wrath: The Soul worketh on the Body, and the Body on the Soul. As an heavy sad Spirit weakens the Body, and dryeth up the Marrow of the Bones, and a sickly Body maketh the Soul sad and mopish; so, when the Soul is filled with Anguish, and the Body with Pains, their Torment must needs be greater, because they have had a great sense of the Joyes of the glorified Saints; as that Nobleman, Thine Eyes shall see it, but thou shalt not taste of it. It worketh upon their Envy to see them glorified, whom they have maligned and used despightfully; and it worketh upon their Conscience; this they have lost by their own folly: As a Prodigal that cometh by the Houses and Fields which he hath sold, and thinks, This was mine; 'tis a grating thought to think, This might have been mine. Partly, because of Judgment and Sentence: Then the Books are opened, and all their wayes are discussed: They are ashamed, but God is cleared and vindicated. There is a Worm as well as a Fire. The Fire signifieth God's Wrath, the Worm the gnawing of their own Conscience: 'Tis hard to say which tormenteth them most, the Terribleness, or the Righteousness. To consider that God is righteous in all that we feel, and we our selves have been the Causes of our own Ruine; this is a cutting thought to the Damned: It maketh them gnash their Teeth, and though they hate God, they can discharge the anger upon none but themselves. Besides, their Companions are gathered together, those that sinned by their Inticement or Example; which are as Fuel to kindle the Flames, bind them in Bundles, and set Fire on one another. Objects reviving Guilt are very displeasing here, when Conscience flieth in the face, as when Amn…n hated Tamar: They cannot look upon the Devils, but they think of Temptations; upon the Damned, but either they read their own Guilt by Reflection, (they are the same) or else it bringeth to mind their former Example, they brought them to this place. Again, Christ's final Sentence is past; and therefore Wrath, foreign, such Wrath as they cannot have more; for he will no more deal with them.
1. VSE. Observe how a Sinner hasteneth to his own Misery by steps and degrees. In this life we are adding Sin to Sin, and in the next God will be adding Torment to Torment: Here God beginneth with us, Joh. 3.18. He that believeth not, is condemned already. Do not say, 'tis a long time till the last Judgment; the Halter is about thy Neck, and there needeth nothing but turning over the Ladder. Men are not sensible of it till they come to die, then there is an Hell in the Conscience, a Sip of the Cup of Wrath. The Honours of the dying Wicked are the Suburbs of Hell; then Yellings and Howlings begin. At Death the Bond of the old Covenant is put in Suit, and at the Separation the Gaol…r carryeth us away to Prison; there the Soul is detained in Chains of Da…kness, in a fearful Expectation of more Judgment; I am horribly tormented in this Flame: But after Christ's coming to Judgment we are plunged into the depth of Hell, the whole Man is overwhelmed with Misery. Well then, if you add Drunkenness to Thirst, God will add to your Plagues, till Wrath come upon you to the uttermost.
II. Observe the Patience of God; he doth not take a full Revenge of his Creatures till the last day: The most miserable Creatures are suffered to enjoy some degree of Happiness, or rather, do not feel the whole Misery at the first. In the most dreadful Executions of God's Justice you may read Patience: God is patient to the fal'n Angels, though presently, upon their Sin, they were cast down into Hell, 2 Pet. 2.5. but much more to sinning Man: In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt …, was the Sentence; yet the Sentence is prorogued till the day of Judgment.
To those whom he hath a mind to destroy he is patient. The old World he bore with, first an hundred and twenty Years, and then the Rain was forty dayes in coming; and Reprobates, foreign: Rom. 9.22. He endureth them with much long-suffering; Intermission of Wrath in this life, and Respite to the Body till the great Day. How doth God bear with a company of Hell-hounds? he suffereth them to stand by, as a Dog, while the Bread of Life is distributed to the Children▪ To bear with his Children is much, but to bear with his Enemies, who seek not his favour, and are the worse because forborn, and do provoke him daily, and do not relent, and acknowledge their Offence, is much more; yet all this while God holdeth his hands: Admire his Patience, but do not abuse it: We are apt so to do, Eccles. 8.11. Because Sentence against an evil Do…r is not speedily executed, therefore the Hearts of the Sons of Men are fully set in them to do evil. Reprobates fare well for a time, live in plenty and ease; and therefore think Hell but a Dream, and vain Scare-crow: But take heed, that which is kept off is not taken away: And when you see wicked men endured, and not presently …ut off, be not offended, their day is coming, 1 Pet. 2.9. they are but reserved; Justice shall break forth, though the Cloud of Mercy long overshadow it: Their Doom was long since past, God might strike them dead in an instant.
III. One Judgment maketh way for another. Our Anger is rash, and therefore cooleth by degrees; 'tis at the heighth at first: but it is not so with God; his heateth by degrees, and is worst at last. There is first, Snares, then Chains o… Darkness, then a most active sense of the wrath and displeasure of God: Let no man please himself in that he suffers affliction in this world; these may be the beginnings of sorrow, miserable here, and miserable hereafter: There are wicked Poor, and wicked Rich; some have a double Hell, here and hereafter too. Do not think Death will be an ease; Son in thy life-time thou receivedst thy good things. There are Lazarus's in Hell as well as in Abrahams bosom.
IV. Origen's Charity was too large: Origen, and after him Gregory Nyssen and others, dreamed of foreign, a flaming River through which the wicked pass, and so be happy, and that so all are saved, even the Devils themselves; abusing Rom. 5.18. and 1 Cor. 15.2. There is an increase of Torments, but no decay; then 'twill be said, Go ye Cursed into everlasting fire.
Secondly, Let us now speak of the Persons Sentenced: Here is a double Description of them.
1. From their Posture, On the left hand.
2. Their Quality, in that Title and terrible Compellation, Ye Cursed.
(1.) Their Posture, On the left hand: It noteth not only the more ignominious place, but hath respect to their Choice; the Right hand is more honourable among all Nations. The Innocent were to plead their cause on the right hand, the Guilty at the left: but it hath respect to their own Choice, they seek after left-hand Mercies, Psal. 16.11. At thy right hand are Pleasures for evermore: Eternity, that is at Gods right hand: So Prov. 3.16. Length of dayes is in her right hand, and in her left hand riches and honour: At the last day wicked men have but their own choice: As Darius distinguished between his Followers; Some love foreign, some foreign; so in the World there is a distinction, some love the Gift better than the Giver; make a sinister … choose greatness, honour, worldly pleasures: A man may know his future …, by his present choice: Wisdom standeth inviting with both her hands … In her right hand is length of dayes, here is Eternity of pleasure; all the world runneth to the left hand, Riches and Honour look more lovely than length of dayes in a carnal eye; Which will you have? here in the Church you will say, Eternity by all means, but the course of your Lives saith, Riches and Honour, these take up your time, care and thoughts.
(2.) Let us see the Title or terrible Compellation, [Ye Cursed,] not by Men, but by God: Many are Blessed of God, that are Cursed of men, Matth. 5.12. Blessed are ye when men shall Curse you for righteousness sake: 'Tis no boot to have the worlds Blessings; yet observe the difference, vers. 34. he saith, Come ye blessed of my Father; but he doth not say, Cursed of my Father: Partly, because Cursing is al…num opus, his strange work, it doth not come so freely and kindly as Mercy: The Blessing cometh of its own accord; without, and before the Merit of the Creature; but not the Curse, till we force it, and wrest it out of Gods hands. Partly, because Christ would pass his Sentence in a convincing way; and therefore he doth not pitch Damnation upon the Decree and Council of God, as he doth Election: 'Tis Blessed of my Father, his Love is the only cause; but, Ye Cursed: 'Tis good to observe the tenderness of the Scripture, when it speaketh of the execution of the Decree of Reprobation, that they may not cast the blame upon God: Their Damnation is not cast upon his Decree, but their own deservings. You may see the like difference, Rom. 9.22. Endured with much long suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to Destruction: But then, vers. 23. The vessels of mercy which he hath aforehand prepared unto glory: He endureth the one, but he fitteth and prepareth the other; he created them, and permitted them to fall in Adam, justly hardeneth them for refusing his will, but themselves prepare their own Hell, by their natural corruption and voluntary depravation, following their Lusts with greediness: Speaking of the Elect, 'tis said, He hath prepared, but of the Reprobate, 'tis said he is fitted; the Reprobates bring something of their own to further their Destruction, pravity and naughtiness of their own; every man is the cause of the Curse and Eternal Misery to himself, but God is the cause and Author of the Blessing; Thy Destruction is of thy self, but in me is thy help found: The Elect have all from God, he prepareth them for Heaven, and Heaven for them, without any M…rit of theirs: The Reprobate is not Damned simply on Gods Pleasure, …ut their own desert: before he would execute his Decrees, there is an Interposition of … a…d Folly.
Object. But 'tis said, Rom. 9.11. Before the Children had done either Good or Evil, 'twas said, Esau have I hated: So that, it seemeth, that they are cursed, and hated of God, before any Merit and Desert of theirs.
I Answer;
There is a twofold Hatred; (1.) Negative; Or, (2.) Positive.
1. Negative Hatred is, Noluntas miserendi; a Purpose not to give Grace, a nilling to give Grace. And then,
2. There is a Positive Hatred; which is, Voluntas puniendi, & condemnandi. In other terms, there is, Praeterition, and Predamnation. For the former, God hateth them, as he will not give Grace; for he is not engaged: And 'tis a great Mercy, that when all are worthy of Punishment; yet that he will choose some to Life. And for the latter, Punish and Damn them, he doth not, till they deserve it by their own Sins: Therefore, it stoppeth the Mouths of them that blaspheme the Holy One of Israel, as if he did create Men for Death, and the Pains of Hell. Hosea 13.9. O Israel, thou hast destroyed thy self. They are compassed with a Fire of their own kindling, Isa. 50.11. But 'tis time to return. Wicked Men are cursed of God; and God's Curse is wont to take place: 'Tis no easie matter to get rid of it; the Curse of the Law sticketh to them at the last Day, and shall eternally. He doth not say, Be ye Cursed; but, Go ye Cursed. They were Cursed before they came to the Tribunal of Christ. Those that are condemned to Hell, are such as remain under the Curse of the Law: And who are they? Final Unbelievers.
First, Every Man by Nature is under the Curse: For till we are in Christ, we are under Adam's Covenant; and Adam's Covenant can yield no Blessing to the fallen Creatures. Gal. 3.10. As many as are under the Works of the Law, are under the Curse; for 'tis written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things that are written in the Book of the Law, to do them. The Law requireth perfect, perpetual, and personal Obedience. God did disannull the Covenant made with Adam, presently upon the Fall; but the Curses stand in full force against those that have not changed State, but are only Children of Adam: And wicked Men will find it so at the Day of Judgment; for they shall have Judgment without Mercy; whereas others are judged by the Law of Liberty, Jam. 2.12, 13. 'Tis clear every where, there are but two States; either we are under the Law, or under Grace. Hear what the Law saith: An innocent Nature, that's pre-supposed; and the Person must continue in this perfect Obedience: But we have continued in the Violation of all things contained in the Law. No Action without a Stain: If God should call us to a punctual Account for the most inoffensive Day that ever we spent, who could stand before him? Better we had never been born, than to stand liable to that Judgment, as all natural Men do.
Secondly, There is no way of Escape, but in closing with Christ by Faith. The Apostle supposeth the Objection, Gal. 3.13. The Curse of the Law cleaveth to all Adam's Posterity; therefore, we must have Interest in another, who keepeth up the Curse of the Law: Joh. 3.36. He that believeth not, the Wrath of God abideth on him. The Curse is not taken off; nay, when Christ is tendred, and finally refused, 'tis set on the closer: Then we are condemned by the Law, and condemned by the Gospel too. Joh. 3.18. Condmened already. Cast in Law: But what hath he done to the Remedy? Vers. 19. This is the Condemnation, that Light is come into the World, and Men love Darkness rather than Light. Not accepting Christ offered, is the great condemning Sin. There remaineth no more Sacrifice; we cannot expect another way for refusing that. Heb. 10.26. For if we sin wilfully after we have received the Knowledge of the Truth, there remaineth no more Sacrifice for Sins. The Condemnation of the Gospel can never be remitted. The Curses of the Law are ratified for our Abuse of Mercy: So that, in some sense, better we never had heard of Christ.
1. VSE, Is for Examination: How is it with you?
(1.) Every Man by Nature is in a cursed condition, Ephes. 2.3. liable to Adam's Forfeiture and Breach. Were you ever changed? 'Till we change Copies, we are still miserable. And,
(2.) There is no way to avoid this Curse, but in closing with Christ. In the Sense of it, slie to Christ for Refuge. There is the Law driving, and the Gospel drawing. Christ is the only Remedy the Gospel sheweth▪ and so pulleth in the Heart to God; and we are undone without that. The Law sheweth it; and so we are driven out of our selves. Heb. 6.18. Who have fled for Refuge, to lay hold upon the hope set before us. Fly, as if the Avenger of Blood were at your Heels: Phil. 3.9. Do you labour to be found in Christ. When the Flood was upon Earth, none were saved but they that got into the Ark. So Cant. 2.3. I sate under his Shadow with great delight: It supposeth the Scorching of the Sun in those hot Countries. Canst thou find thy Heart driven? Thou art afraid thou shalt not get soon enough; that God will leave his Suit, or thou shalt be called out of the World, before the Match be made up. Dost thou find thine Heart fastening upon Christ? I will pitch here, as Joab took hold of the Horns of the Altar.
(3.) Besides the Sense of the Benefit that we have by Christ, there must be an unfeigned Love to him, or else the Curse doth still remain: 1 Cor. 16.22. If any Man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha, accursed till the Lord come: And that's for ever and ever. Can a Man think he shall be the better for Christ, when he esteemeth him as Dung and Trash? hath no delight in him, no value for him? We esteem Men either as they are excellent in themselves, or as they are profitable to us: There is both in Christ. Therefore, if you love him not, 'tis a sign you have had no Benefit by him. Gospel-Love, 'tis a Love of Gratitude; it ariseth from Faith, Gal. 5.6.
(4.) This Love must be expressed by a sincere Obedince: 1 Joh. 5.3. His Commandments are not grievous. 'Tis not grievous for Christ's sake. The Devil, though he be a proud Spirit, careth not for Dispraises; not Christ for empty Profession. Can any Man esteem Christ, that cannot forbear one Pleasure for God, one Vanity for his sake? By this you shall know, whether you shall do well or ill, yea, or no. Is it a pleasure to you to renounce your Interests, to deny Lusts, to perform Duties for Christ's sake?
2. VSE, Is to press us to come out of the Curse of Nature.
First, Be sensible of it. Consider,
(1.) God's Curse is very dreadful: Dei benedicere est benefacere. The Curse causeless shall not come; but God's Curse is sure to take place. Micah was afraid of his Mother's Curse, that he dareth not keep the Money; yet we will keep our Sins, Judg. 17.2. 'Twas Money, dedicated to make a Graven Image: A sensless Curse, that was pronounced at random: But he thought it a dreadful thing to lie under a Mother's Curse; and therefore, is not quiet till she had recalled it. Elisha cursed when he was mocked, and it took effect: 2 King. 2.24. And he turned back, and looked on them, and cursed them in the Name of the Lord; and there came two She-Bears out of the Wood, and tare forty two Children of them in pieces. A Prophet's Curse is a dreadful thing. And will God put up all the Affronts we put upon him, when we do despight to his Spirit, and scorn his Grace? This was but a Man, these but Children; yet when they scorned his Ministry, and Function, as being bred up in Idolatry, God will tare in pieces, and none to deliver. Take notice of God's Curse on Cain; Gen. 3.11. Now thou art cursed from the Earth. He was the First-Fruits of the Reprobate, the Patriarch of Unbelievers, as Tertullian calleth him; the first cursed Man in the World: And his Curse was, to be cast out of God's Presence, Vers. 14. a Figure of what shall be done at the last Day. It stuck close to him all his Life: Yea, cursed Cain was sensible of it: My Punishment is greater than I can bear. We are cursed again and again; Deut. 27. To every Curse of the Law, they were to say, Amen; to shew the sure Accomplishment of it. So certainly it will be; 'tis just as certain: 'Tis a Subscription to the Justice of it, and a Profession of their Faith. Am I a cursed Creature by Nature? Are all his Curses Yea, an Amen, as well as his Promises? Oh! what will become of me, if I do not take hold of Christ? So the Curse on the Builder of Jericho, is remarkable: Josh. 10.6. Cursed be the Man before the Lord, that raiseth up, and buildeth this City; for he shall lay the Foundation of it in his First-Born, and in his younger Son he shall build it up. And you shall see, 1 King. 16.34. some hundred of Years afterwards was this Curse executed; Cursed is every one! Yet the Sinner blesseth himself, and smileth in his Heart, and thinketh none of this shall come upon him; but after many Years it breaketh out.
(2.) We know not how soon God may take the Advantage of this Curse, and cut us off from the Possibility of his Grace. Christ cometh as a Thief, and stealeth upon Men e're they are aware. We are indebted to God's Justice, and we know not how soon God may put the Bond in Suit. Other Debts have a Day set for Payment: God may demand it before to Morrow: Gen. 4.17. Sin lieth at the Door, like a Serjeant, to surprize us every Hour; and then we go to Prison, and remain there till we have paid every Farthing, Luk. 12. Solomon wisheth a Man to hasten out of Debt, as a Bird out of the Hand of the Fowler, Prov. 6.5. A condemned Malefactor, that is only reprieved during the Pleasure of the Prince, is in danger of Execution every hour. Wrath breaketh out of a sudden; what Provision have you made? How stand Matters between God and you? If a Man were informed, that his Servants had a Plot to take away his Life, to carry away his Treasure, which is speedily to be put in execution; he would not be quiet till he had rid his Hands of them: So is Sin.
(3.) At the last Day this Curse is ratified by Christ's Sentence; Go ye Cursed; Depart ye cursed Creatures. When others are acquitted by Proclamation, as at the Day of Judgment we receive our solemn Discharge, Act. 3.19. then your curse is revived before all the World: And as cursed Creatures, you lose all Pity from God, Men and Angels: As Adam was driven out of Paradise, with a bitter Taunt, Gen. 3.22. so with a terrible Bann and Proscription, that shall never be reversed.
(4.) It shall be presently executed: Esther 7.8. As soon as the Word went out of the King's Month, they covered Haman's Face. These are Considerations to beget a Feeling of Wrath.
II. Flee from it to Christ. Poor Sinners, they stand in continual Fear of Execution: Oh, Fly to Christ, to get the Sentence reversed!
For Motives to perswade us to come to Christ for Help:
1. Consider how willing Mercy is to receive those that fly from the Curse. This was God's Design in shutting us up under the Curse, that there might be no other way of Escape: Rom. 3.19. That every Mouth might be stopped, and all the World may become guilty before God: That we may become obnoxious, that we may acknowledge our selves to be quite undone. So Gal. 3.23. The Scripture hath concluded all under Sin; and Rom. 11.32. For God hath concluded them all in Vnbelief. The Law, in the Name of God, arrests us, accuses us, convinceth us, leaving us dead, (all Preparations to Damnation,) that through the Prison-doors we may beg for Mercy: He alloweth an Appeal from Court to Court.
2. With what Honour to himself God may shew us Mercy. Tis no wrong to appeal from the Law to the Gospel: Gal. 3.13. Christ hath redeemed us from the Curse of the Law, being made a Curse for us. Christ hath taken the Curse into his own Person; Psal. 69.4. I restored that which I took not away: That Honour to God, which he took not away.
3. The great Offence in refusing Christ, Heb. 12.15. Esau was called a prophane Person, because he sold his Birth-right for a Mess of Pottage. He was no Drunkard, no Swearer. To refuse the Father's Riches of Wisdom and Grace, the Son's Self-denyal and Sufferings, is the greatest Ingratitude that can be. When all the Labours and Wooings of the Spirit are in vain, 'tis the greatest Spight we can do to God; 'tis the greatest Prophaneness to set light by holy things, especially this great Mystery, when we do not think it worthy our Care and Thoughts, Matth. 22.5.