Works Volume 4, Sermon 11
SERMON XI.
MATTH. X.15.
It ſhall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that City.
THE whole new Covenant conſiſts of theſe two words, Chriſt and Faith; Chriſt beſtowed on Gods part, Faith required on ours; Chriſt the matter, Faith the condition of the Covenant. Now to bring or preſent this Faith before you, as an object for your underſtandings to gaze at; or to go farther to diſſect (and with the diligence of Anatomy inſtruct) in every limb, or joynt, or excellency of it; were but to recal you to your Catechiſm, and to take pains to inform you in that which you are preſum'd to know. The greater danger of us is, that we are behind in our practice, that we know what Faith is, but do not labour for it; and therefore the ſeaſonableſt work will be on our affections to produce, if it were poſſible, this pretious vertue in our ſouls, and to ſink and preſs down that floating knowledge which is in moſt of our brains, into a ſolid weighty effectual Faith, that it may begin to be foreign, a work of faith, which was formerly but a phanſie, dream and apparition. To this purpoſe to work on your wills, no Rhetorick ſo likely, as that which is moſt ſharp and terrible, no ſuch Phyſick for dead affections as Corroſives, the conſideration of the diſmal, hideous, deſperate eſtate of infidels here in my Text; and that, both in reſpect of the guilt of the ſin, and degree of the puniſhment, proportioned to it, and that above all other ſinners in the World, It ſhall be more, &c. Where you may briefly obſerve, 1. the ſin of infidelity, ſet down by its ſubject, that City which would not receive Chriſt being preach't unto it, v. 14. 2. the greatneſs of this ſin, expreſt by the puniſhment attending it; and that, either poſitively, it ſhall go very ſore with it, and therefore it is to be eſteemed a very great ſin, implyed in the whole Text; or elſe comparatively, being weighed with Sodom and Gomorrha in judgment, it ſhall be more tolerable for them than it: and therefore 'tis not only a great ſin, but the greateſt, the moſt damning ſin in the world. And of theſe in order plainly, and to your hearts rather than your brains, preſuming that you are now come with ſolemn ſerious thoughts to be edified not inſtructed, much leſs pleaſed or humor'd. And firſt of the firſt: The ſin of infidelity, noted in the laſt words, that City.
To paſs by thoſe, which we cannot chooſe but meet with, 1. a multitude of ignorant Infidels, Pagans and Heathens; 2. of knowing, but not acknowledging Infidels, as Turks and Jews; We ſhall meet with another order of as great a latitude, which will more nearly concern us; a world of believing Infidels, which know and acknowledge Chriſt, the Goſpel and the promiſes, are as fairly mounted in the underſtanding part as you would wiſh, but yet refuſe and deny him in their hearts, apply not a Command to themſelves, ſubmit not to him, nor deſire to make themſelves capable of thoſe mercies, which they ſee offered by Chriſt *f. to.in the World; and theſe are diſtinctly ſet down in the verſe next before my Text, Whoſoever ſhall not receive you, i. e. entertain the acceptable truth of Chriſt, and the Goſpel preached by you, as 'tis interpreted by the 40. verſe, He that receiveth you, receiveth me, i. e. believes on me, as the word is moſt plainly uſed, Mat. xi.14.Mat. xi.14. If you will receive it, i. e. if you will believe it, this is Elias which was for to come. And John i.12. To as many as received him, even to them that believe in his name. For you are to know, that Faith truly juſtifying, is nothing in the World, but the receiving of Chriſt. Chriſt and his ſufferings and full ſatisfaction was once on the Croſs tender'd, and is ever ſince by the Goſpel and its Miniſters offered to the world: and nothing required of us, but an hand and an heart to apprehend and receive: and to as many as received him, he gives power to become the ſons of God, John i.12. So that Faith and Infidelity are not acts properly determined to the underſtanding, but indeed to the whole Soul, and moſt diſtinctly to the Will, whole part it is to receive or repel, to entertain or reſiſt Chriſt and his promiſes, the Author and Finiſher of our ſalvation. Now this receiving of Chriſt, is the taking or accepting of the righteouſneſs of Chriſt, and ſo making it our own, as Rom. i.17. being rightly weighed, will enforce. Read and mark, foreign, thus, foreign, in it, or by it, the Goſpel mentioned in the former verſe foreign the righteouſneſs of God by Faith, as Rom. iii.22.Rom. iii.2…. Phil. iii.9. i. e. the not legal but Evangelical righteouſneſs, which only God accepts, directly ſet down Phil. iii.9. That righteouſneſs which is through Faith of Chriſt, the righteouſneſs which is of God by Faith; foreign, is revealed to Faith, is declared that we might believe; that finding no life or righteouſneſs in our ſelves, we may go out of our ſelves, and lay hold on that which is offered us by Chriſt: and this you will find to be the cleareſt meaning of theſe words, though ſomewhat obſcured in our Engliſh reading of them. Now the accepting of this righteouſneſs, is an act of ours, following a propoſal or offer of Chriſt's, and conſummating the match or bargain between Chriſt and us. Chriſt is offered to us as an Husband in the Goſpel, we enquire of him, obſerve our own needs, and his excellencies and riches to ſupply them, our ſins and his righteouſneſs; and if upon advice we will take him, the match is ſtruck, we are our beloved's, and our beloved is ours; we are man and wife, we have taken him for our husband, and with him are entituled to all his riches: we have right to all his righteouſneſs, and enjoy by his Patent all the priviledges, all the promiſes, all the mercies of the Goſpel. But if, the offer being thus made by God, to give us his Son freely, we ſtand upon terms, we are too rich, too learned, too worldly-minded, too much in love with the praiſe of men, John xii.43,John xii.43. i. e. fixt upon any worldly vanity, and reſolve never to foregoe all theſe, to diſclaim our worldly liberty, our own righteouſneſs, and to accept of ſo poor an offer as a Chriſt; then are we the Infidels here ſpoken of, We will not come to him, that we might have life, John v.40. When he is held out to us, we will not lay hold on him, we have ſome conceit of our ſelves, and therefore will not ſtep a foot abroad to fetch his righteouſneſs home to us. And indeed if any worldly thing pleaſe you; if you can ſet a value upon any thing elſe, if you can entertain a Paramour, a Rival, a Competitor in your hearts, if you can receive the praiſe of men, how can you believe? John v.44.John v.44. So that in brief, Infidelity conſiſts in the not receiving of Chriſt, with a reciprocal giving up of our ſelves to him, in the not anſwering affirmatively to Chriſts offer of himſelf, in the not taking home and applying Chriſt to our ſouls. And this is done, either by denying to take him at all, or by taking him under a falſe perſon, or by not performing the conditions required or preſumed in the making of the match. They that deny to take him at all, are the prophane, negligent, preſumptuous Chriſtians, who either never hearken after him, or elſe are ſo familiar with the news, as to underprize him: have either never cheapned Heaven, or elſe will not come to Gods price; like Ananias and Sapphira, perhaps offer pretty fair, bring two parts of their eſtate, and lay them at the Apoſtles feet, but will give no more; fall off at laſt for a trifle, and peremptorily deny Chriſt, if they may not have him on their own Conditions. Some ſuperfluities, ſome vanities, ſome chargeable or troubleſome ſins perhaps they can ſpare, and thoſe they will be inclinable to part withal; but if this will not ſerve, Chriſt muſt ſeek for a better Chapman, they ſtand not much upon it, they can return as contentedly without it as they came. And this ariſes from a neglect and ſecurity, a not heeding or weighing of Gods juſtice, and conſequently undervaluing of his mercies. They have never felt God as an angry Judge, and therefore they now ſcorn him as a Saviour: they have liv'd at ſuch eaſe of heart, that no legal terrour, no affrightments, or ghaſtly repreſentations of ſin, can work upon them: and if the reading of the law, that killing letter, have been ſent by God to inſtruct them in the deſperateneſs of their eſtate, to humble theſe libertine ſouls to the ſpirit of bondage, and ſo ſchool them to Chriſt, they have eyes, but ſee not, ears, but hear it not, they are come to this foreign, Rom. i.28. a reprobate ſenſe, or as it may be rendred, an undiſcerning mind, not able to judge of that which is thus read and propoſed to it: or again, a ſenſe, without ſenſe, not apprehenſive of that, which no man that hath eyes can be ignorant of: nay in Theod. phraſe foreign, an heart that will reverberate any judgement or terrour, receiving no more impreſſion from it than the Anvil from the Hammer, violently returns it again, ſmooth'd ſomewhat over perhaps by often-beating, but nothing ſoftned. Nay if the law cry too loud, and by an inward voice preach damnation in their bowels, and reſolve to be heard before it ceaſe; then do they ſeek out ſome worldly employment to buſie themſelves withal, that they may not be at home at ſo much unquietneſs: they will charm it with pleaſures, or overwhelm it with buſineſs, as Cain, when his Conſcience was too rough, and rigid for him, Gen. iv.Gen. iv.16. went out from the preſence of the Lord, ver. 16. and as 'tis obſerved, built Cities, v. 17. got ſome of his progeny to invent Muſick, v. 21. perhaps to ſtill his tumultuous raving Conſcience, that the noiſe of the hammers and melody of the Inſtruments, might outſound the din within him, as in the ſacrifices of Moloch, where their children, which they offered in an hollow brazen veſſel, co…ld not chooſe but howl hideouſly, they had tymbrels and tabrets perpetually beating, (whereupon Tophet, 2 King. xxiii.10. Seld. de diis Syr. l. 1. c. 6.where theſe ſacrifices were kept, is by Grammarians deduced from foreign tympanum) to drown the noiſe of the childrens cry; Theſe I ſay, which will not be inſtructed in their miſery, or better'd by the preaching of the law, which labour only to make their inward terrors inſenſible, to skin not cure the wound; are Infidels in the firſt or higheſt rank, which deny to take him at all, will not ſuffer themſelves to be perſwaded that they have any need of him; and therefore let him be offered for ever, let him be proclaimed in their ears every minute of their lives, they ſee nothing in him worth hearkning after; and the reaſon is, they are ſtill at home, they have not gone a foot abroad out of themſelves, and therefore cannot lay hold on Chriſt. He that never went to ſchool to the law, he that was never ſenſible of his own damned eſtate, he that never hated himſelf, foreign, will never receive, never accept of Chriſt.
Secondly, Some are come thus far, to a ſenſe of their eſtate, and are twing'd extremely, and therefore fly preſently to the Goſpel; hearing of Chriſt, they faſten, are not patient of ſo much deliberation, as to obſerve whether their hands be empty, they are in diſtreſs, and Chriſt muſt needs ſave them ſuddenly; they lay hold as ſoon as ever they hear a promiſe, and are reſolved to be ſaved by Chriſt, becauſe they ſee otherwiſe they are damned. And theſe take Chriſt indeed, but under a falſe perſon: either they take the promiſes only, and let Chriſt alone; or take Chriſt the Saviour, but not Chriſt the Lord: Are willing to be ſaved by him, but never think of ſerving him: are praying for ever for Heaven and glory, but never care how little they hear of grace: the end they faſten on, the Covenant they hug and gripe with their embraces, but never take the condition of repentance and obedience: this is not for their turn; they abſtract the cheap and profitable attributes of Chriſt, his Prieſtly office of ſatisfaction and propitiation; but never conſider him as a King; and ſo in a word, lay hold of the eſtate, before they have married the husband, which they have yet no more right to, than a meer ſtranger: for the communicating the riches of a husband, being but a conſequence of marriage is therefore not yet made over, till the marriage (which is the taking of the husbands perſon) be conſummate. And this I ſay, is a ſecond degree of infidelity, ſomewhat more ſecret and leſs diſcernable, when by an errour of the perſon, by taking Chriſt the Saviour for Chriſt the Lord, or his promiſes abſtracted from his perſon, we believe we ſhall be ſaved by him, but deny to be ruled; deſire to enjoy all the priviledges, but ſubſtract all the obedience of a Subject.
In the third place, they which have accepted and received the true perſon of Chriſt, as a Maſter, as well as a Jeſus, they which have taken him on a reſolved vow of performing this condition of homage and obedience, are not in event as good as their engagements: when they think the match is faſt, and paſt danger of recalling, when they ſeem to have gotten a firm title to the promiſes, and are in a manner entred upon the goods and eſtate of their Husband, they do begin to break Covenant, and either wholly ſubſtract, or elſe divide their love; they married him for his wealth, and now they have that, they are ſoon weary of his perſon: they came with the Soul of an Harlot, looking only what they ſhould get by him, and now, they have many other old acquaintances they muſt needs keep League with; their ſelf denial, their humility, their vows of obedience, were but arts and ſtratagems that want and neceſſity put them upon, and now they have got their ends, all thoſe are ſoon out-dated; they have Faith, and ſo are juſtified, and ſure of their eſtate, and ſo now they may ſin ſecurely, there is no condemnation to them, they are in Chriſt, and all the ſins, nay, all the Devils in the World, ſhall never ſeparate them. And this is a ſanctified religious piece of infidelity in men, which think they have made ſure of the main, and ſo never think of the Conſectaries; they have Faith, and ſo 'tis no matter for good works; the Leaſe is ſealed, the Wedding ſolemniz'd, and then never dream or care for Covenants. And theſe mens fate is like to be the ſame ſpiritually, which we read of Samſon's bodily ſtrength: he vowed the Vow of a Nazarite, and as long as he kept unſhaven, no oppoſition could prevail againſt him; but as ſoon as he broke his Vow, when he had let his Miſtreſs cut his Locks, his ſtrength departed from him. All the promiſes and priviledges of our being in Chriſt, are upon condition of our obedience; and our Vow being broken, the Devil and the Philiſtins within us, will ſoon deprive us of our eyes and life. Whatſoever livelihood we preſume we have in Chriſt, we are deceived, we are ſtill dead in treſpaſſes and ſins. Thus do you ſee the three degrees of infidelity frequent amongſt Chriſtians, 1. a not taking him at all; 2. a miſtaking of his perſon; 3. a breaking off the Covenants: now that you may abhor and fly from, and get out of each of them by a lively Faith, my next particular ſhall warn you, the greatneſs of this ſin, and that firſt poſitively in its ſelf, it ſhall be very *intolerable.tolerable for that City.
Faith may be conceived in a threefold relation, either to men, the ſubjects of it, and thoſe Sinners; or 2. to Chriſt and his ſufferings, the objects of it, with all the effects, remiſſion of ſins, and Salvation attending it: or 3. to God the Father, the Author and Commander of it, as the only condition annext to all his promiſes. And conſequently infidelity, foreign, ſhall be aggravated by theſe three depths or degrees, each adding to its exceeding ſinfulneſs.
As Faith reſpects its ſubject, and that a ſinful miſerable one, engaged and fixt in an unremediable neceſſity of ſinning and ſuffering for ever; ſo is it the only means upon Earth, nay in the very counſel of God, able to do us any help; all the arts and ſpiritual Engins even in Heaven beſides this, are unprofitable. Nay, the ſecond Covenant now being ſeal'd, and God for ever having eſtabliſht the rule and method of it; I ſay, things thus ſtanding, God himſelf cannot be preſum'd to have mercy upon any one, but who is thus qualified; it being the only foundation on which our Heaven is built, the only ground we have to hope for any thing, as is manifeſt by that place, Heb. xi.1.Heb. xi.1. being rightly weighed, Now Faith is the ſubſtance of things hoped for, where the Greek phraſe, foreign, ſignifies the ground or foundation of every of thoſe things which can be the object of a Chriſtians hope. So that where no ground-work, no building; if no Faith, no hope, no poſſibility of Heaven. If the Devil could have but ſtoln this Jewel out of the World, he had ſhut up Heaven Gates eternally, and had left it as empty of Saints, as it is full of glory, not capable of any fleſh but what Chriſt's Hypoſtatical union brought thither. And this is no more than I conceive the learned mean by neceſſitas med…i, that Faith is neceſſary as a means, i. e. there is no means beſides of power, either abſolutely or ex hypotheſi, of it ſelf, or on ſuppoſition of Gods Covenant, to bring us to Heaven. Nothing is of force beſides in reaſon to prepare, or morally accommodate; and God hath not promiſed to accept in mercy of any thing elſe. For whereas the promiſes are ſometimes made to repentance, ſometimes to obedience, as whoſoever repenteth ſhall be ſaved, and the like; you are to know, that it is on this ground, of the neceſſary union of theſe graces, that where one of them is truly and ſincerely, there the reſt are always in ſome degree, there being no example of penitence or obedience in any ſubject which had not faith alſo. For he that comes to God, muſt believe that he is, &c. Heb. xi.6.Heb. xi.6. And he that heartily believes he is, and is a rewarder of them that ſeek him, will not fail to ſearch, purſue, and follow after him. So that though the promiſes are made promiſcuouſly to any one which hath either of theſe graces, yet 'tis upon ſuppoſal of the reſt; if it be made of Faith, 'tis in confidence that faith works by love, Gal. v.6.Gal. v.6. James ii.22. and as S. James enforces it, is made perfect by works, James ii.22. So that in the firſt place, infidelity is ſufficiently aggravated in reſpect of the ſubject; it being a Catholick deſtroyer, an intervenient that deſpoils him of all means, all hope, all poſſibility of Salvation: finding him in the ſtate of damnation, it ſets him going, ſuffers him not to lay hold on any thing that may ſtay him in his Precipice; and in the midſt of his Shipwrack, when there be planks and refuges enough about him, hath numm'd his hands, depriv'd him of any power of taking hold of them.
In the ſecond place, in reſpect of Chriſt and his ſufferings, the objects of our Faith, ſo Faith is in a manner the Soul of them, giving them life and efficacy, making things which are excellent in themſelves, prove ſo in effect to others. Thus the whole ſplendor and beauty of the World, the moſt accurate proportions and images of nature, are beholding to the Eye, though not for their abſolute excellency, yet for both the account and uſe that is made of them; for if all men were blind, the proudeſt workmanſhip of nature would not be worth the valuing. Thus is a learned piece caſt away upon the ignorant, and the underſtanding of the Auditor, is the beſt commendation of a Speech or Sermon. In like manner, thoſe infinite unvaluable ſufferings of Chriſt, if they be not believed in, are but, as Ariſtotle ſaith of divine knowledge, a moſt honourable thing, but of no manner of uſe; if they be not apprehended, they are loſt. Chriſt's Blood if not caught up in our hearts by Faith, but ſuffered to be poured out upon the Earth, will prove no better than that of Abel, Gen. iv▪ 10.Gen. iv.10. crying for judgment from the ground; that which is ſpilt, is clamorous, and its Voice is toward Heaven for Vengeance; only that which is gathered up, as it falls from his ſide, by Faith, will prove a medicine to heal the Nations. So that infidelity makes the death of Chriſt no more than the death of an ordinary man, in which there is no remedy, Wiſd. ii.1. foreign, there is no cure, no phyſick in it; or as the ſame word is rendred, Eccleſ. xxviii.3. no pardon, no remiſſion wrought by it, a bare going down into the Grave, that no man is better for. It doth even fruſtrate the ſufferings of Chriſt, and make him have paid a ranſom to no purpoſe, and purchaſed an Inheritance at an infinite rate, and no man the better for it. Again, Chriſt is not only contemn'd, but injur'd, not only ſlighted, but robb'd, he loſes not only his price and his thanks, but his ſervant, which he hath bought and purchaſed with his blood. For redemption is not an abſolute ſetting free, but the buying out of an Uſurpers hands, that he may return to his proper Lord; changing him from the condition of a Captive to a Subject. He which is ranſomed from the Gallies, is not preſently a King, but only recovered to a free and tolerable ſervice: nay generally, if he be redeemed he is eo nomine, a ſervant, by right and equity his Creature that redeemed him, according to the expreſs words, Luke i.74.Luke i.74. That we being delivered, might ſerve him. Now a Servant is a Poſſeſſion, part of ones Eſtate, as truly to be reckoned his, as any part of his Inheritance. So that every Ʋnbeliever is a Thief, robs Chriſt not only of the honour of ſaving him, but of one of the Members of his Family, of part of his goods, his Servant; nay, 'tis not a bare theft, but of the higheſt ſize, a Sacriledge, ſtealing an holy inſtrument, a Veſſel out of Gods Temple, which he bought and delivered out of the common calamity, to ſerve him in holineſs, Luke i.74.Luke i.74. to be put to holy, ſpecial ſervices.
In the third place, Faith may be conſidered in reference to God the Father, and that, 1. as the Author or Fountain of this Theological grace; 2. as the commander of this duty of believing; and either of theſe will aggravate the Unbelievers guilt, and adde more Articles to his indictment. As God is the Author of Faith, ſo the Infidel reſiſts, and abandons, and flies from all thoſe methods, all thoſe means, by which God ordinarily produces Faith; all the power of his Scriptures, all the bleſſings of a Chriſtian Education, all the benefits of ſacred knowledge; in ſumm, the Prayers, the ſweat, the Lungs, the Bowels of his Miniſters, in Chriſts ſtead beſeeching you to be reconciled, 1 Cor. v.20.1 Cor. v.20. ſpending their deareſt ſpirits, and even praying and preaching out their Souls for you, that you would be Friends with God through Chriſt. All theſe, I ſay, the Infidel takes no notice of; and by his contempt of theſe inferiour graces, ſhews how he would carry himſelf even towards Gods very ſpirit, if it ſhould come in power to convert him, he would hold out and bid defiance, and repel the Omnipotent God with his omnipotent charms of mercy: he that contemns Gods ordinary means, would be likely to reſiſt his extraordinary, were there not more force in the means, than forwardneſs in the man: and thanks be to that controuling, convincing, conſtraining ſpirit, if ever he be brought to be content to be ſaved. He that will not now believe in Chriſt when he is preached, would have gone very near, if he had lived then, to have given his conſent, and join'd his ſuffrage in Crucifying him. A man may gueſs of his inclination by his preſent practices, and if he will not now be his Diſciple, 'twas not his innocence, but his good fortune, that he did not then betray him. 'Twas well he was born amongſt Chriſtians, or elſe he might have been as ſowre a profeſt Enemy of Chriſt, as Pilate or the Phariſees: an Unbelieving Chriſtian is, for all his livery and profeſſion, but a Jew or Heathen, and the Lord make him ſenſible of his condition.
Laſtly, Conſider this duty of Faith in reſpect of God the Father commanding it, and then you ſhall find it the main precept of the Bible. 'Twere long to ſhew you the ground of it in the law of nature, the obſcure, yet diſcernable mention of it in the moral law, both tranſcendently, in the main end of all, and diſtinctly, though not clearly, in the firſt Commandment; he that hath a mind to ſee may find it in Pet. Baro. de praest. & dignit. div. legis. 'Twere as toilſom to muſter up all the commands of the Old Teſtament, which exactly and determinately drive at belief in Chriſt, as generally in thoſe places where the Chaldee Paraphraſe reads inſtead of God, Gods Word, as, Fear not Abraham, for I am thy ſhield, ſay they, my word is thy ſhield, which ſpeaks a plain command of Faith; for not to fear, is to truſt; not to fear on that ground, becauſe Gods Word, foreign, the Word, Joh. i.1.John i.1. i. e. Chriſt, is ones ſhield, is nothing in the World but to believe, and rely, and faſten, and depend on Chriſt. Many the like commands of Faith in Chriſt, will the Old Teſtament afford; and the new is nothing elſe but a perpetual inculcating of it upon us, a driving and calling, entreating and enforcing, wooing and haſtning us to believe. In which reſpect the Schools call it alſo neceſſary neceſſitate praecepti, a thing which though we ſhould be never the better for, we are bound to perform. So that though Faith were not able to ſave us, yet infidelity would damn us, it being amongſt others a direct breach of a natural, a moral, nay, an Evangelical Commandment. And ſo much for the danger of infidelity conſidered poſitively, in relation to the Subject, whom it deprives of Heaven; the Object, Chriſt and his offers in the Goſpel, which it fruſtrates; and laſtly, the Author and Commander of it, God the Father, whom it reſiſts, diſobeys, and ſcorns. You will perhaps more feelingly be affected to the loathing of it, if we proceed to the odious and dangerous condition of it, above all other ſins and breaches in the World, which is my third part, its comparative ſinfulneſs, It ſhall be more tolerable, &c.
And this will appear, if we conſider it, 1. in it ſelf; 2. in its conſequences. In it ſelf, it is fuller of guilt, in its conſequences fuller of danger, than any ordinary breach of the moral Law. In it ſelf, ſo it is 1. the greateſt averſion from God, (in which averſion the School-men place the formalis ratio, the very Eſſence of ſin) it is the perverſeſt remotion and turning away of the Soul from God, and getting as far as we can out of his ſight, or ken, the forbidding of all manner of Commerce or ſpiritual Traffick, or correſpondence with God, as may appear by that admirable place, Heb. x.38.Heb. x.38. The juſt ſhall live by faith, but if any man draw back, my ſoul hath no pleaſure in him: and verſe 39. We are not of them which draw back unto perdition, but of them that do believe to the ſaving of the Soul. Where the phraſe of drawing back oppos'd here to Faith and Believing, is in the original foreign, a cowardly, puſillanimous ſubducing of ones ſelf, a getting out of the way, a not daring to meet, or approach, or accept of Chriſt when he is offered them; the ſame with foreign among the Phyſicians, a contraction of the Soul, a ſhriveling of it up, a ſudden correption and depreſſion of the mind, ſuch as the ſight of ſome hideous danger is wont to produce, ſo 2 Mac. vi.12 foreign,2 Mac. vi.12. Gal. ii.12. &c. to be diſcouraged, and to forſake the Jewiſh Religion, becauſe of the calamities. So is the word uſed of Peter, Gal. ii.12. foreign, &c. He withdrew and ſeparated himſelf, fearing thoſe that were of the Circumciſion. The Infidel, I ſay, draws back, withdraws and ſneaks out of the way, as if he were afraid of the mercies of his Saviour, as if it were death to him to be ſo near ſalvation; as if Chriſt coming to him with the mercies of the Goſpel, were the mortal'ſt enemy under Heaven, and there were no ſuch miſchief to be done him, as his converſion. This indeed is an averſion in the higheſt degree, when we fly and draw back from God when he comes to ſave us, when the ſight of a Saviour makes us take our heels. Adam might well hide himſelf, when God came to challenge him about his diſobedience; the guilty conſcience being afraid of revenge, may well ſlink out of his preſence with Cain, Gen. iv.16.Gen. iv.16. Hoſ. xi.4. But to tremble and quake at a proclamation of mercy, when God draws with cords of a man, Hoſ. xi.4. a powerful phraſe expreſt in the next words with the bands of love; when he loveth us, and calls his Son out for us, v. 1. then to be bent to backſliding, in the 7. ver. to draw back when he comes to embrace, this is a ſtubbornneſs and contraction of the ſoul, a crouching of it in, a foreign or foreign, that neither nature nor reaſon would be guilty of: an averſion from God, which no other ſin can parallel, and therefore of all other, moſt intolerable, in the firſt place.
2. Infidelity gives God the lye, and denies whatever God proclaims in the Goſpel. The reaſon or ground of any ones belief, the objectum formale quo, that by aſſenting to which, I come to believe, is Gods Veracity, the Confidence that God ſpeaks true, the relying on his word, is that which brings me to lay hold on Chriſt; and therefore the Infidel is down right with God; he will not take his word, he'll never be perſwaded that theſe benefits of Chriſts death that are offered to all men, can ever do him any good. Let God call him to accept them, he'll never come; his ſurly, reſolute carriage, is in effect a contradicting of whatever God hath affirmed, a direct thwarting, a giving the lye to God and his Evangeliſts: and this is an aggravation not to be mentioned without reverence or horror, the moſt odious affront in the World: the Lord be merciful to us in this matter.
Next, this ſin is a ſin of the moſt dangerous conſequences of any.
1. It produces all other ſins, and that poſitively, by doubting of his juſtice, and ſo falling into adulteries, blaſphemies, and the like, in ſecurity and hope of impunity; by diſtruſting of his providence and mercy, and ſo flying to covetouſneſs, murmuring, tempting, ſubtlety, all arts and ſtratagems of getting for our temporal eſtate, and ordinary deſpair in our ſpiritual: then privatively, depriving us of that which is the mother and ſoul of our obedience and good Works, I mean faith, ſo that every thing for want of it, is turned into ſin, and thereby depopulating the whole man, making him nothing in the World but ruins and noyſomneſs, a confluence of all manner of ſins, without any concomitant degree of duty or obedience.
2. It fruſtrates all good Exhortations, and forbids all manner of ſuperſtructions, which the Miniſters are wont to labour for, in moving us to charity and obedience, and joy, and hope, and prayer, by not having laid any foundation whereon theſe muſt be built; any of theſe ſet or planted in any Infidel heart, will ſoon wither: they muſt have a ſtock of faith whereon to be grafted, or elſe they are never likely to thrive. As Galba's Wit was a good one, but 'twas unluckily placed, ill-ſeated, there was no good to be wrought by it. The proudeſt of our works or merits, the perfecteſt morality, will ſtand but very weakly, unleſs it be founded on that foundation, whoſe corner ſtone is Chriſt Jeſus.
1. It leaves no place in the world for remedy: he that is an Idolater, a Sabbath-breaker, or the like; he that is arraigned at the law, and found guilty at that Tribunal, hath yet an Advocate in the Goſpel, a higher power to whom he may appeal to mitigate his ſentence: but he that hath ſinned againſt the Goſpel, hath no farther to go, he hath ſinned againſt that, which ſhould have remitted all other ſins; and now he is come to an unremediable eſtate, to a kind of hell, or the grave of ſin, from whence there is no recovery. There's not a mercy to be fetch'd in the world, but out of the Goſpel, and he that hath refus'd them, is paſt any farther treaty: He that believeth not, is condemned already, John iii.18.John iii.18. his damnation is ſealed to him; and the entail paſt cutting off, 'tis his purchace, and now wants nothing but livery and ſeizin; nay 'tis his patrimony, foreign, Ecclus. xx.25.Eccl. xx.25. he is as ſure of it, as of any peny worth of his inheritance. And the reaſon is implyed, 1 Cor. xv.17. If Chriſt be not riſen, you are yet in your ſins: there is no way to get out of our ſins, but Chriſts reſurrection; and he that believeth not, Chriſt is not riſen to him; 'twere all one to him, if there had never been a Saviour; and therefore he remains in his old thraldom; he was taken captive in Adam, and hath never ſince had any other means to reſtore him: the ranſom that was offered all, he would none of, and ſo he ſticks unredeemed, he is yet in his ſins, and ſo for ever like to continue. And now he is come to this ſtate, 'twere ſuperfluous farther to aggravate the ſin againſt him; his caſe is too wretched to be upbraided him, the reſt of our time ſhall be imployed in providing a remedy for him, if it be poſſible, and that muſt be from conſideration of the diſeaſe, in a word and cloſe of application.
The ſin being thus diſplayed to you with its conſequences, O what a ſpirit ſhould it raiſe in us! O what a reſolution and expreſſion of our manhood, to reſiſt and baniſh out of us this evil heart of unbelief! Heb. iii.12.Heb. iii.12. what an hatred ſhould it work in our bowels, what a reluctancy, what an indignation, what a revenge againſt the fruit of our boſom, which hath ſo long grown and thrived within us, only to our deſtruction! which is provided as it were to eat our ſouls, as an harbinger to prepare a place within us for the worm in Hell, where it may ly and bite and gnaw at eaſe eternally! 'Tis an Examination that will deſerve the moſt precious minute of our lives, the ſolemneſt work of our ſouls, the carefulleſt muſter of our faculties, to ſhrift and winnow, and even ſet our hearts upon the rack, to ſee whether any fruit or ſeed of infidelity lurk in it; and in a matter of this danger, to prevent God inqueſt by our own, to diſplay every thing to our ſelves, juſt as it ſhall be laid open before God in judgment, foreign, Heb. iv.13.Heb. iv.13. naked and diſcernible as the entrals of a Creature cut down the back, where the very method of nature in its ſecrecies is betrayed to the eye. I ſay, to cut our ſelves up, and to ſearch into every crany of our ſouls, every winding of either our underſtanding or affections; and obſerve whether any infidel thought, any infidel luſt, be lodged there: and when we have found this execrable thing, which hath brought all our plagues on us, then muſt we purge, and cleanſe, and luſtrate the whole City for its ſake; and with more Ceremony than ever the heathen uſed, even with a ſuperſtition of daily, hourly prayers, and ſacrificing our ſelves to God, ſtrive and ſtruggle, and offer violence to remove this unclean thing out of our Coaſts; uſe theſe unbelieving hearts of ours, as Joſiah did the Altars of Ahaz, 2 King. xxiii.12.2 Ki. xxiii.12. break them down, beat them to powder, and caſt the duſt of them into the brook Kidron; that Cedron which Chriſt paſſed over when he went to ſuffer, John xviii.1.John xviii.1. Pſ. cx.7. even that brook which Chriſt drank of by the way, Pſa. cx.7. And there indeed is there a remedy for infidelity, if the Infidel will throw it in. If he will put it off, be it never ſo dyed in the contempt of Chriſts blood, that very blood ſhall cleanſe it: and therefore
In the next place, let us labour for Faith; let not his hands be ſtretched out any longer upon the croſs, to a faithleſs and ſtubborn generation. 'Twere a piece of ignorance that a Scholar would abhor to be guilty of, not to be able to underſtand that inſcription written by Pilate in either of 3. languages, Jeſus of Nazareth, King, John xix.19.John xix.19. Nay for all the Goſpels and Comments written on it, both by his Diſciples and his works, ſtill to be non-proficients, this would prove an accuſation written in Marble, nay an Exprobration above a foreign. In a word, Chriſt is ſtill offered, and the proclamation not yet outdated, his ſufferings in the Scripture propoſed to every one of you to lay hold on, and his Miniſters ſent as Embaſſadors beſeeching you to be reconciled, 2 Cor. v.20.2 Cor. v.20. and more than that, in the Sacrament of the Euchariſt, his body and blood ſet before our eyes to be felt and gazed on, and then even a Didymus would believe; nay, to be divided amongſt us, and put in our mouths, and then who would be ſo ſluggiſh as to refuſe to feed on him in his heart?
For your Election from the beginning to this gift of Faith, let that never raiſe any doubt or ſcruple in you, and foreſlow that coming to him; this is a jealouſie that hath undone many, in a reſolvedneſs that if they are not elected, all their Faith ſhall prove unprofitable. Chriſt that bids thee repent, believe, and come unto him, is not ſo frivolous to command impoſſibilities, nor ſo cruel to mock our impotence. Thou mayeſt believe, becauſe he bids: Believe, and then thou mayeſt be ſure thou wert predeſtinated to believe; and then all the decrees in the World, cannot deny thee Chriſt, if thou art thus reſolved to have him. If thou wilt not believe, thou haſt reprobated thy ſelf, and who is to be accuſed that thou art not ſaved? But if thou wilt come in, there is ſure entertainment for thee. He that begins in Gods Counſels, and never thinks fit to go about any Evangelical duty, till he can ſee his name writ in the book of life, muſt not begin to believe, till he be in Heaven; for there only is that to be read radio recto. The ſurer courſe is to follow the Scripture; to hope comfortably every one of our ſelves, to uſe the means, apprehend the mercies, and then to be confident of the benefis of Chriſts ſuffering: and this is the way to make our Election ſure, to read it in our ſelves radio reflexo, by knowing that we believe, to reſolve that we are elected; thereby we know that we are paſt from death to life, if we love the brethren, 1 John iii.14.1 John iii.14. And ſo is it alſo of Faith; for theſe are inſeparable graces. So Pſal. xxv.14. Prov. iii.32. Gods ſecret and his Covenant, being taken for his decree, is ſaid to be with them that fear him, and to be ſhewed to them, i. e. their very fearing of God, is an evidence to them that they are his elect, with whom he hath entred Covenant. Our Faith is the beſt argument, or foreign, by which to make a judgment of Gods decree concerning us. I ſay, if we will believe, God hath elected us; 'tis impoſſible any true Faith ſhould be refuſed, upon pretence the perſon was predeſtined to deſtruſtion; and if it were poſſible, yet would I hope that Gods decrees (were they as abſolute as ſome would have them) ſhould ſooner be ſoftned into mercy, than that mercy purchaſed by his Son, ſhould ever fail to any that believes. The bargain was made, the Covenant ſtruck, and the immutability of the Perſian Laws are nothing to it, that whoſoever believeth in him, ſhould not periſh, but have everlaſting life, Joh. iii.15.John iii. 15. Wherefore in brief, let us attend the means, and let what will or can come of the End; Chriſt is offered to every ſoul here preſent, to be a Jeſus, only do thou accept of him, and thou art paſt from death to life; there is no more required of thee, but only to take him; if thou art truly poſſeſſor of him, he will juſtify, he will humble, he will ſanctifie thee; he will work all reformation in thee; and in time ſe…l thee up to the day of redemption: Only be careful that thou miſtakeſt not his Perſon; thou muſt receive him, as well as his promiſes; thou muſt take him as a Lord and King, as well as a Saviour, and be content to be a ſubject, as well as a Saint. He is now proclaimed in your ears, and you muſt not foreſlow the audience, or procraſtinate; To day if you will hear his voice, harden not your hearts. He holds himſelf out on purpoſe to you, and by the Miniſter wooes you to embrace him: and then it nearly concerns you, not to provoke ſo true,Pſal. ii.12. ſo hearty, nay even ſo paſſionate a friend: if he be not kiſſed, he will be angry. Laſtly, if in this buſineſs of believing, ſo vulgarly expoſed, there yet appear ſome difficulties in the practice, to be overcome before it prove a poſſible duty: If ſelf-denial be incompetible with fleſh and blood; if delights and worldly contentments, if an hardned heart in ſin, and a world of high Imaginations, refuſe to ſubmit or humble themſelves to the poverty of Chriſt; if we cannot empty our hands to lay hold, or unbottom our ſelves to lean wholly on Chriſt, then muſt we fly, and pray to that ſpirit of power, to ſubdue, and conquer, and lead us captive to it ſelf, to inſtruct us in the baſeneſs, the nothingneſs, nay the diſmal, hideous wretchedneſs of our own eſtate, that ſo being ſpiritually ſhaken and terrified out of our carnal pride and ſecurity, we may come trembling and quaking to that Throne of Grace, and with the hands of Faith though feeble ones, with the eye of Faith, though dimly, with a hearty ſincere reſigning up of our ſelves, we may ſee and apprehend, and faſten, and be united to our Saviour: that we may live in Chriſt, and Chriſt in us, and having begun in the life of Grace here, we may hope and attain to be accompliſhed with that of Glory hereafter.
Now to him which hath elected us, &c.