The Gospel Mystery of Sanctification, Direction 5
DIRECT. V.
We cannot attain to the Practice of true Holineſs by any of our Endeavours while we continue in our natural State, and are not Partakers of a new State by Ʋnion and Fellowſhip with Christ through Faith.
EXPLICATION.
IT it evident all have not that precious Faith, whereby Chriſt dwelleth in our Hearts, yea, the number of thoſe that have it is ſmall, comparatively to the whole World that lieth in Wickedneſs, 1 Joh. 5.19, 20. and many of thoſe that at length attain unto it, do continue without it for ſome conſiderable time. Epheſ. 2.12. And though ſome may have the Spirit of Faith given to them from their Mothers Womb, (as John the Baptiſt, Luke, 1.15.44.) yet even in them there is a natural Being by Generation before there can be a Spiritual Being by Regeneration, 1 Cor. 15.46. Hence ariſeth the Conſideration of two States or Conditions of the Children of Men, in Matters that appertain to God and Godlineſs, the one of which is vaſtly different from the other. Thoſe that have the Happineſs of a New-birth and Creation in Chriſt by Faith are thereby placed in a very excellent State, conſiſting in the Enjoyment of the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt, for their Juſtification, and of the Spirit of Chriſt to live by, in Holineſs here, and Glory for ever, as hath already appeared. Thoſe that are not in Chriſt by Faith, cannot be in a better State than that which they received together with their Nature from the firſt Adam, by being once born and created in him, or than they can attain to by the Power of that Nature, with any ſuch help as God is pleaſed to afford to it. This latter I call a Natural State, becauſe it conſiſteth in ſuch things as we have either received by natural Generation, or can attain to by natural Power through Divine Aſſiſtance; as the Scripture calleth Man in this State the natural Man. 1. Cor. 2.14. The former I call a new State, becauſe we enter into it by a new Birth in Chriſt, and I may call it a Spiritual State, according to the Scripture, becauſe it received from Chriſt the quickening Spirit, and the Natural and Spiritual Man are oppoſed, 1 Cor. 2.14, 15. though ſome call both theſe States Spiritual, becauſe the everlaſting Weal or Woe of the Soul or Spirit of Man, is chiefly concerned in them. It is a common Error of thoſe that are in a corrupt natural State that they ſeek to reform their Lives according to the Law, without any thoughts that their State muſt be changed before their Lives can be changed from Sin to Righteouſneſs. The Heathen that knew nothing of a new State in Chriſt, were urged by their own Conſciences to practice ſeveral Duties of the Law according to the Knowledge they had by the Light of Nature, Rom. 2.14, 15. Iſrael according to the Fleſh, had a Zeal of God and Godlineſs, and endeavoured to practice the written Law, at leaſt in external Performances, while they were Enemies to the Faith of Chriſt, and Paul attainted ſo far, that he was blameleſs in theſe external Performances of the Righteouſneſs of the Law, while he perſecuted the Church of Chriſt, Phil. 3.6. Some are ſo near the Kingdom of God, while they continue in a Natural State, that they are convinced of the Spirituality of the Law, that it bindeth us principally to love God with all our Heart, Soul, Mind and Strength, and to love our Neighbour as our ſelves, and to perform univerſal Obedience to God, in all our inward Thoughts and Affections, as well as in all our outward Actions, and to do all the Duties that we owe to our Neighbour, out of this hearty Love, Mark 12, 33, 34 And they ſtruggle and labour with great earneſtneſs to ſubdue their inward Thoughts and Affections, to the Law of God, and to abſtain not only from ſome Sins, but from all known Sins, and to perform every known Duty of the Law, with their whole Heart and Soul as they think, and are ſo active and intent in their devout Practice, that they overwork their natural Strength, and ſo ſervent in their Zeal, that they are ready even to kill their Bodies with Faſtings and other Macerations, that they may kill their ſinful Luſts. They are ſtrongly convinced, that Holineſs is abſolutely neceſſary to Salvation, and deeply affected with the Terrours of Damnation, and yet they were never ſo much enlightened in the Myſtery of the Goſpel, as to know that a new State in Chriſt is neceſſary to a new Life, therefore they labour in vain to reform their natural State inſtead of getting above it in Chriſt. And ſome of theſe, when they have miſpent many Years in ſtriving againſt the Stream of their Luſts without any Succeſs, do at laſt fall miſerably into Deſpair of ever attaining to Holineſs, and turn to wallowing in the mire of their Luſts, or are fearfully ſwallowed up with horrour of Conſcience. There are ſeveral falſe Opinions whereby ſuch ignorant Zealots encourage themſelves in their fruitleſs Endeavours. Some of them judge that they are able to practice Holineſs, becauſe they are not compelled to ſin, and may abſtain from it if they will. To this they add, That Chriſt by the Merit of his Death, hath reſtored that Freedom of Will to good, which was loſt by the Fall, and hath ſet Nature upon its Legs again, and that if they endeavour to do what lieth in them, Chriſt will do the reſt, by aſſiſting them with the Supplies of his ſaving Grace; ſo they truſt upon the Grace of Chriſt to help them in their Endeavours. They plead further, That it would not conſiſt with the Juſtice of God to puniſh them for Sin, if they could not avoid it, and that it would be in vain for the Miniſters of the Goſpel to preach to them, and exhort them to any ſaving Duty, if they cannot perform it. They produce Examples of I leathens, and of ſuch as had the name of Chriſtians without any acquaintance with the Faith that I have deſcribed, who have attained to a great Excellency in religious Words and Works.
My Work at preſent is, to deliver thoſe ignorant Zealots from their fruitleſs tormenting Labours, by bringing them to deſpair of the Attainment of Holineſs in a natural State, that they may ſeek it only in a new State by Faith in Chriſt, where they may certainly find it without ſuch tormenting Labour and Anxiety of Spirit. For this end I ſhall confirm the Truth aſſerted in the Direction, and fortifie it againſt the forementioned falſe Opinions by the enſuing Conſiderations.
First, The Foundation of this Aſſertion is firmly laid in the Directions already explained, and confirmed by many Places of Scripture: For if all Endowments neceſſary to enable us for an holy Practice, be to be had only in a State of Union and Fellowſhip with Chriſt by Faith, and Faith it ſelf not by the natural Power of Free-will, but by the Power of Chriſt, coming into the Soul by his Spirit, to unite us with himſelf, who ſeeeth not that the Attainment of true Holineſs by any of our moſt vigorous Endeavours, while we continue in our natural Condition, is altogether hopeleſs? I need add no more were it not to ſhew more ſully what abundance of Light the Scripture affordeth to guide us aright in this part of our way, that thoſe that wander out of it, by following any falſe light of their own, or others corrupted Judgments, may find themſelves the more inexcuſable.
Secondly, It is evident that we cannot practice true Holineſs, while we continue in a natural State, becauſe we muſt be born again of water and of the Spirit, or elſe we cannot enter into the kingdom of God, Joh. 3.3, 5. And we are created in Chriſt Jeſus unto good Works, which God hath before ordained that we ſhould walk in them. If we could love God and our Neighbour as the Law requireth, without a New-birth and Creation, we might live without them; for Chriſt hath ſaid, This do and thou ſhalt live, Luke 10.28. Now a New-birth and Creation, is more than a meer reforming and repairing our Natural State. If we were put into a certain State and Condition by the firſt Birth and Greation, much more by the ſecond: For the firſt produceth the Subſtance of a Man as well as a State, the ſecond hath nothing to produce, but a new State of the ſame Perſon. And note that we were firſt created and born in Adam the Natural Man, but our New-birth and Creation is in Chriſt the Spiritual Man; and if any man be in Christ, he is in a new-ſtate, far different from the State of Adam before the Fall, he is wholly a new creature, as it is written, old things are past away, behold all things are become new, 2. Cor. 5.17.
Thirdly, It is poſitively aſſerted by the Apoſtle Paul, that thoſe that are in the fleſh cannot pleaſe God, Rom. 8.8. Many are too overly and negligent in conſidering the Senſe of this Goſpel-phraſe what it is to be in the fleſh. They underſtand no more by it than to be ſinful, or to be addicted inordinately to pleaſe the ſenſitive Appetite. They ſhould conſider that the Apoſtle ſpeaketh here of being in the fleſh, as the cauſe of Sinfulneſs, as in the next verſe, he ſpeaketh of being in the Spirit, as the cauſe of Holineſs, and whatever cauſe it be, it muſt needs be diſtinct from its Effect. Sin is a Property of the Fleſh, or ſomething that dwelleth in the Fleſh, Rom. 7.18. and therefore it is not the Fleſh it ſelf. The Fleſh is that which luſteth against the Spirit, Gal. 5.17. and therefore it is not meerly ſinful Luſt. The true Interpretation, is, That by fleſh is meant the Nature of Man, as it is corrupted by the Fall of Adam, and propagated from him to us, in that corrupt State by natural Generation, and to be in the fleſh, is to be in a Natural State, as to be in the Spirit, is to be in a new State, by the Spirit of Christ dwelling in us, Rom. 8.9. The corrupt Nature is called Fleſh, becauſe it is received by carnal Generation, and the new Nature is called Spirit, becauſe it is received by Spiritual Regeneration. That which is born of the fleſh is fleſh, and that which is born of the ſpirit is ſpirit, John 3.6. So the Apoſtle, if he be rightly underſtood, hath ſaid enough to make us deſpair utterly of attaining to true Holineſs, while we continue in a Natural Sate.
Fourthly, The Apoſtle teſtifieth that thoſe that have been taught as the truth is in Jeſus, have learned to avoid the former ſinful Converſation, by putting off the old-man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful luſts, and by putting on the new-man, which after God is created in righteouſneſs and true holineſs, Epheſ. 4.21.22, 24. Putting on the Old-man, and putting on the New-man is the ſame thing with not being in the Fleſh, but in the Spirit, in the foregoing Teſtimony, that is putting off our natural State, and putting on a new State, by Union and Fellowſhip with Chriſt. The Apoſtle himſelf ſheweth that by the new Man, is meant that excellent State where Christ is all and in all, Col. 3.11. Therefore by the old Man, muſt needs be meant the natural State of Man, wherein he is without the ſaving Enjoyment of Chriſt, which is called Old, becauſe of the new State to which Believers are brought by their Regeneration in Chriſt. This is a manner of Expreſſion peculiar to the Goſpel as well as the former, and as ſlightly conſidered by thoſe that think that the Apoſtles Meaning is only that they ſhould put off Sinfulneſs, and put on Holineſs in their Converſation, and ſo they think to become new Men, by turning a new Leaf in their Practice, and leading a new Life. Let them learn here, that the old and new Man, are two contrary States containing in them, not only Sin and Holineſs, but all other things that diſpoſe and incline us to the Practice of them; and that the old Man muſt be put off, as orucified with Chriſt, before we can be freed from the Practice of Sin, Rom. 6.6, 7. And therefore we cannot lead a new Life, until we have firſt gotten a new State by Faith in Chriſt. Let me add here, that the meaning of the Apoſtle is the ſame, Rom. 13.12, 13, 14. where he directeth us to put on the Lord Jeſus Christ, as the means whereby we may cast off the deeds of darkneſs, and walk honestly as in the day time, not fulfilling the luſts of the fleſh.
Fifthly, Our natural State hath ſeveral Properties that wholly diſable us for the Practice of Holineſs, and inſlaves us to the Practice of Sin, while we continue in it. Here I ſhall ſhew, that the old Man, the Fleſh, or natural State, is not only Sin as ſome would have it, but it containeth in it ſeveral things which I ſhall name, that make it to be ſinful, beſides ſeveral other things that make it miſerable. I have ſhewed that in Chriſt we have all Endowments neceſſary to frame us for Godlineſs; ſo in our fleſhly State we have all things contrary to that holy Frame. One thing belonging to our natural State, is the Guilt of Sin, even of Adam's firſt Sin, and of the ſinful Depravation of our Nature, and of all our own actual Tranſgreſſions, and therefore we are by nature the children of wrath, Epheſ. 2.3. Under the Curſe of God, the Benefit of Remiſſion of our Sins and Freedom from Condemnation, is not given to us in the Fleſh, or in a natural State, but only in Chriſt, Rom. 8.1. Epheſ. 1.7. And can we imagine that a Man ſhould be able to prevail againſt Sin, while God is againſt him and curſeth him? Another Property inſeparable from the former, is an evil Conſcience, which denounceth the Wrath of God againſt us for Sin, and inclineth us to abhor him as our Enemy, rather than to love him, as hath been ſhewed; or if it be a blind Conſcience, it hardeneth us the more in our Sins. A third Property is an evil Inclination tending only to Sin, which therefore is called Sin that dwelleth in us, and the law of ſin in our members that powerfully ſubdueth and captivateth us to the ſervice of ſin, Rom, 7.20, 23. It hath a fixed Propenſity to luſt againſt the Law without any Deliberation, and therefore its Luſtings are not to be prevented by any Diligence or Watchfulneſs. The Mind of the Fleſh is enmity againſt the Law of God, or it is not ſubject to the Law of God, neither indeed can it be. How vain then is it to plead that they can do good if they will, when their Minds and Will it ſelf is enſlaved to Sin. A fourth Property is Subjection to the power of the Devil, who is the God of this world, that hath blinded the minds of all that believe not, 2. Cor. 4.4. And will certainly conquer all that he ſighteth with upon his own Dunghill, that is in a natural State. And from all theſe Properties we may well conclude that it hath the Property never to be good, to be ſtark dead in Sin, Epheſ. 2.1. according to the Sentence denounced againſt the firſt Sin of Mankind in Adam, in the day that thou eateſt thereof thou ſhalt ſurely die, Gen. 2.17. For you can no more bring it to Holineſs by any the moſt vehement Motives and Endeavours, then you can bring a dead Carcaſe to Life, by chafing and rubbing it. You can ſtir up no ſtrength or fortifying Grace in the natural Man by ſuch Motives and Endeavours, becauſe there is no Strength in him to be ſtirred up, Rom. 5.6. Tho' you do all that lieth in you to the utmoſt, while you are in this Fleſh you can do nothing but ſin; for there is no good lying in you, as the Apoſtle Paul ſheweth by his own Experience, I know that in me, (that is in my fleſh) dwelleth no good thing, Rom. 7.18.
Sixthly, We have no good ground to truſt on Chriſt, to help us to will or to do that which is acceptable to him, while we continue in our natural State, or to imagine that Freedom of Will to Holineſs, is reſtored to us by the Merit of his Death. For as it hath been already ſhewed, Chriſt aimed at an higher end in his Incarnation, Death and Reſurrection, than the reſtoring the Decay and Ruins of our natural State: He aimed to advance us to a new State more excellent than the State of Nature ever was, by Union and Fellowſhip with himſelf, that we might live to God, not by the Power of a natural Free-will, but by the Power of his Spirit living and acting in us. So we may conclude, that our natural State is irrecoverable and deſperate, becauſe Chriſt the only Saviour did not aim at the Recovery of it. It is neither holy nor happy, but ſubject to Sin, and to all Miſeries as long as it remaineth. Even thoſe that are in a new State in Chriſt, and do ſerve the Law of God with their Mind, do yet with their Fleſh ſerve the Law of Sin, Rom. 7.25. As far as it remaineth in them it luſteth against the ſpirit, Gal. 5.17. And it remaineth dead becauſe of ſin, even when the ſpirit is life to them becauſe of righteouſneſs, Rom. 8.10. And muſt be wholly aboliſhed by Death, before we can be perfected in that Holineſs and Happineſs that is by Faith in Chriſt. After God had promiſed Salvation by Chriſt, the Seed of the Woman, he placed Cherubims and a flaming Sword to keep Man out of Paradice, thereby teaching. him that his firſt State was loſt without Hope, and that the Happineſs intended for him was wholly new. Our old natural Man was not revived and reformed by the Death of Chriſt, but crucified together with him, and therefore to be aboliſhed and deſtroyed out of us by virtue of his Death, Rom. 6.6. It is like the part of a Garment infected with the Plague of Leproſie, which was to be rent off as incurable, that the Garment might be clean, Levit. 13.56. If Chriſt be not in us we are reprobates, 2 Cor. 13.5. i. e. we are in a State which God hath rejected from partaking of his Salvation, ſo that we are not to expect any Aſſiſtance from God to make us holy in it, but rather to deliver us from it.
Seventhly, This doth not at all diſcharge thoſe that are in a natural State from Obligation to Holineſs of Life, nor render them excuſable for their Sins, at the Tribunal of God's Juſtice. For God hath made man upright, but they ſought many inventions, Eccleſ. 7.29. Obſerve well the Words of this Text, and you will find that all they who have ſought out many Inventions rather than upright walking, are comprehended in Man that was at firſt made upright. And Man in the Text ſignifieth all Mankind, the firſt Adam was all Mankind, as Jacob and Eſau were two nations in the womb of Rebecca, Gen. 25.23. God made us all in our firſt Parents according to his own Image, able and inclined to do his Law, and in that pure Nature our Obligation to Obedience was firſt laid upon us, and the firſt wilful Tranſgreſſion, whereby our firſt Parents bereaved themſelves of the Image of God, and brought upon themſelves the Sentence of Death, was our Sin as well as theirs, For in one man Adam, all have ſinned, and ſo death is paſſed upon all, Rom. 5.12. Becauſe all Mankind were in Adam's Loins, when the firſt Sin was committed, even as Levi may be ſaid to have paid Tithes in Abraham before he was born, becauſe when his Father Abraham paid Tithes to Melchizedeck, he was yet in his Loins, Heb. 7.9, 10. That Promiſe of God that he will not charge the Iniquities of Parents upon their Children, is a Promiſe belonging to the New Covenant confirmed in the Blood of Chriſt, and it is Yea and Amen to us only in Chriſt, in whom we have another Nature than that which our Parents conveyed to us, ſo that we cannot juſtly claim the Benefit of it in our old natural State, Jer. 31.29, 30, 31. & 2 Cor. 1.20. Thoſe that account their Impotency a ſufficient Plea to excuſe them or others, ſhew that they were never truly humbled for that great wilful Tranſgreſſion of all Mankind in the Loins of Adam. Inability to pay Debts excuſeth not a Debtor that hath laviſhed away his Eſtate; neither doth Drunkenneſs excuſe the mad Actings of a Drunkard, but rather aggravates his Sin. And our Impotency conſiſteth not in a meer want of an executive Power, but in the want of a willing Mind to practice true Holineſs and Righteouſneſs. Naturally we love it not, we like it not, but luſt againſt it, Gal. 5.17. and hate the light, John 3.20. If Men in a natural State had an hearty Love and Likeing to true Holineſs, and a deſire and ſerious endeavour to practice it out of hearty Love, and yet failed in the event, then they might under ſome pretence plead for their Excuſe (as ſome do for them) that they were compelled to ſin by an inevitable Fate. But none have juſt cauſe to plead any ſuch thing for their excuſe, becauſe none endeavour to practice true Holineſs out of hearty Love to it, until the good Work be begun in their Souls, and when God hath begun he will perfect it, Phil. 1.6. And will in the mean time accept their ready Mind, though they fall ſhort in Performance, 2 Cor. 8.12. How abominable then and filthy is man that drinketh up iniquity us water, Job. 15.16. That cannot practiſe Holineſs, becauſe he will not. This is their juſt Condemnation, that they love darkneſs rather light. They deſerve to be Partakers with the Divels in Torments, as they partake with them in evil Luſts, and their Inability to do Good will no more excuſe them, than it excuſeth the Divils.
Eighthly, Neither will this Aſſertion make it a vain thing to preach the Goſpel to natural People, and to exhort them to true Repentance and Faith in Chriſt, for their Converſion and Salvation. For the Deſign of our Preaching is not to bring them to Holineſs in their natural State, but to raiſe them above it, and to preſent them perfect in Christ, in the Performance of thoſe Duties, Col. 1.28. And though they cannot perform thoſe Duties by their natural Strength, yet the Goſpel is made effectual for their Converſion and Salvation, by the Power of the Holy Ghoſt, which accompanieth the Preaching of it, to quicken thoſe that are dead in Sin, and to create them a new in Chriſt, by giving to them Repentance unto Life, and a lively Faith in Chriſt. The Goſpel cometh to the Elect of God, not only in word, but alſo in power and in the Holy Ghost, and in ſuch Aſſurance, that they receive it with joy of the Holy Ghoſt, 1 Theſſ. 5.6. The Goſpel is the miniſtration of the Spirit that giveth life, 2. Cor. 3.6, 8. It is mighty through God, 2 Cor. 10.4. It dependeth not at all upon the Power of our Free-will to make it ſucceſsful for our Converſion; but it conveyeth into the Soul that Life and Power, whereby they receive and obey it, Chriſt can make thoſe that are dead in Sin to hear his voice and live, John 5.25. Therefore he can ſpeak to them by his Goſpel, and Command them to repent and believe with good Succeſs, as well as he could ſay to dead Carcaſes, Tabitha cumi, Mark 5.41. Lazarus come forth, John 11, 43, 44. And to the Sick of the Palſie, Ariſe, take up thy bed and go unto thine houſe, Matth. 9.6.
Ninthly, There is no reaſon that the Examples of Heathen Philoſophers or any Jews or Chriſtians by outward Profeſſion, that have lived without the ſaving Knowledge of God in Chriſt, ſhould move us by their wiſe Sayings and renouned Attainments in the Practice of Devotion and Morality, to recede from this Truth that hath been ſo fully confirmed out of the holy Scriptures. Have we not cauſe to judge that the Apoſtle Paul, while he was a zealous Phariſee, and at leaſt ſome few of the great. Multitude of the Jews in his time, that were zealous of the Law, and had the Inſtruction of the holy Scriptures, attained as near to that true Holineſs, as the Heathen Philoſophers, or any others in their natural State. Yet Paul, after he was enlightned with the ſaving Knowledge of Chriſt, judged himſelf the chief of ſinners, in his higheſt former Attainments, though in the Judgment of others he was blameleſs touching the Righteouſneſs which is in the Law, and he found it neceſſary to begin to live to God in a new way by Faith in Chriſt, and to ſuffer the loſs of all his former Attainments, and to count them but dung that he might win Chriſt, 1 Tim. 1.15. Phil. 3.6, 7, 8.
And none of the great Multitude of Jews that followed after the Law of Righteouſneſs did ever attain unto it, while they ſought it not by faith in Chriſt, Rom. 9.31, 32. What Performances are greater in outward Appearance than for a Man to give all his goods to the poor, and to give his body to be burnt, and yet the Scripture alloweth us to ſuppoſe that this may be done without true Charity, and therefore without any true holineſs of the heart and life, 1 Cor. 13.3. Men in a natural State may have ſtrong Convictions of the infinite Power, Wiſdom, Juſtice and Goodneſs of God, and of the Judgment to come, and the everlaſting Happineſs of the Godly, and Torments of the Wicked; and theſe Convictions may ſtir them up, not only to make an high Profeſſion, and to utter rare Sayings concerning God and Godlineſs, but alſo to labour with great earneſtneſs to avoid all known Sin, to ſubdue their Luſts, to perform univerſal Obedience to God in all known Duties, and to ſerve him with their Lives and Eſtates to the utmoſt, and to extort out of their Hearts ſome kind of Love to God and Godlineſs, that if poſſible they may eſcape the terrible Torments of Hell, and procure everlaſting Happineſs by their Endeavours. Yet all their Love to God is but forced and feigned, they have no hearty liking to God or his Service, they account him an hard Maſter, and his Commandments grievous, and they repine and fret inwardly at the burden of them, and were it not for fear of everlaſting Fire, they would little regard the Enjoyment of God in Heaven, and they would be glad if they might have the Liberty to enjoy their Luſts without danger of Damnation. The higheſt Preferment of thoſe that are born only after the Fleſh in Abraham's Family, is but to be children of the bond-woman, Gal. 4.23. And though they do more in God's Service than many of his dear Children, yet God accepteth not their Service, becauſe their beſt Performances are ſlaviſh without any Child-like Affections towards God, and no better than gliſtering Sins, and yet theſe natural Men are not at all beholden to the goodneſs of their Natures for theſe counterfeit Shews of Holineſs, or for the leaſt abſtaining from the groſſeſt Sin. If God ſhould leave Men fully to their own natural Corruptions and to the Power of Satan (as they deſerve) all Shew of Religion and Morality would be quickly baniſhed out of the World, and we ſhould grow paſt feeling in Wickedneſs, and like to the Canibals, who are as good by Nature as our ſelves. But God that can reſtrain the Burning of the ſiery Furnace without quenching it, and the flowing of Water without changing its nature, doth alſo reſtrain the working of natural Corruption without mortifying it, and through the greatneſs of his Wiſdom and Power, he maketh his enemies to yield feigned obedience to him, Pſal. 66.3. And to do many things good for the matter of them, though they can do nothing in a right holy manner. He hath appointed ſeveral means to reſtrain our Corruptions as the Law, Terrors of Conſcience, terrible Judgments, and Rewards in this Life, Magiſtrates, humane Laws, Labour for Neceſſaries, Food and Raiment, and thoſe Goſpel means, that are effectual for Sanctification, ſerve alſo for Reſtraint of Sin. God hath gracious ends in this Reſtraint of Sin, that his Church may be preſerved, and his Goſpel preached in the World, and that theſe Natural Men may be in a better Capacity to receive the Inſtruction of the Goſpel, and that ſuch of them that are choſen, may in due time be converted, and that thoſe of them that are not truly converted may enjoy more of the Goodneſs of God here, and ſuffer the leſs Torments hereafter. As vile and wicked as the World is, we have cauſe to praiſe and to magnifie the Free Goodneſs of God that it is no worſe.