Christ Crucified, Sermon 54
SERMON LIV.
ISAIAH LIII. XI.
Verſ. 11. —By his knowledge ſhall my righteous ſervant juſtifie many;
THis bleſſed Death, and Soul-travel of Our Lord Jeſus, hath been good news to many: and it is the ground of all the hope of Life that ariſeth from the Word to a Sinner; It ſhould never be taſtleſſe, nor diſ-reliſhing to us, in mentioning reading, or thinking of it, but it ſhould in reaſon make Sinners glad, that ever there was ſuch a ſubject to be ſpoken of and to be conſidered; It behoved certainly to be a great buſineſſe, that brought the Son of God to die; The Salvation of Sinners is a great Work, though many of us think but very little of it.
The Sum and Scop of Chriſts Sufferings and Death, are briefly holden forth in theſe Words, By his knowledge ſhall my righteous ſervant juſtifie many, Where we have, 1. The great benefit that comes by His Death; which is Juſtification, or the Abſolving of Sinners from the Guilt of Sin, and from the Curſe of God, due to them for Sin; by Chriſt's interpoſing Himſelf to become a Sin-ſuffering, there is a way laid down, how Sinners may be relieved. 2. The parties made partakers of this benefit, and they are called many. 3. The way how it is derived to theſe m…ny, it is by his knowledge; That is by, or through Faith in Him.
We have ſpoken ſomewhat of the benefit it ſelf, Justification; which is the thing aimed at, for the moſt part in preaching, and in all other Ordinances, That God may by the Righteouſneſſe of His Son in the Goſpel, carry on the Juſtification of S nners, through their knowledge of Him, or by cauſing them to reſt upon His Righteouſneſſe by Faith, in order to their Salvation; It's ſad, that in this point, which is of ſo great concernment, ſo many ſhould go ſo far wrong, and miſtake ſo groſly; that it is no great matter in ſome reſpect, whether they be called Christians, or not; This being the advantage of a Chriſtian; that He hath a way to Juſtification, and Abſolution from Sin, and Wrath before God, revealed to Him, which others have not; who, if he come ſhort of this, or fall in groſſe Errors about it, he hath little or no advantage beyond Heathens; who may have more of the Fat of the E…rth, and of the things of the World, than theſe who are within the viſible Church have; But in this, in a ſpecial manner, the Chriſtian excells, and goes beyond the Pagan, or Heathen; That he hath a way laid down to him, how he may come to be reconciled to God, and freed from Wrath, and from His Curſe due for Sin; which we have ſhewed to be by fleeing to Chriſt, and by Faith reſting on His Righteouſneſſe, and Satisfaction; For Chriſt the Cautioner having payed the Debt, by laying down a Price fully ſatisfactory to Divine Juſtice; And this Satisfaction being offered in the Goſpel, upon the condition of receiving him; a Sinner giving his conſent to Gods offer, and cloſing therewith, may confidently expect, according to that offer to be Juſtified; and no other wayes.
We ſhew you one particular great and groſſe Error, wherewith theſe who are under the darkneſs of Popery, are wofully carried away, which we did the rather touch upon, becauſe, though it be a Doctrinal Error in reſpect of them, and diſputed for, by them; Yet in reſpect of the practice of many Protestant Chriſtians, it's very riſe, and ordinary; that is, to Miſtake, Error, and go wrong in the way of making of their peace with God: And there are Three Sorts eſpecially, who do exceedingly Miſtake, Err, and go wrong here; Theſe of whom I mean, and am now ſpeaking, are not ſuch as are maintaining Diſputing, or Writing for ſuch Errors; but ſuch as commit themſelves to be ſound Proteſtant Chriſtians, and haters of the groſſe Popiſh Error; That we ſpake ſomewhat to the laſt day: The 1. Sort are th…ſe, who, to this hour never laid down any ſolid Reckoning, how to make their Peace with God, or what way to come at Abſolution before Him; theſe Perſons do in practice deny, what ever may be their Profeſſions, that there is any ſuch thing as a Reckoning to be made betwixt God and them; or that there is a neceſſity of Juſtification, for preventing of their eternal ruine and deſtruction; They live from their birth, with a hope of coming to Heaven, without looking how they may paſſe this great ſtep of Juſtification before God; they never ſaw, nor laid to heart their need of it; are their not many hearing me to day, that are of this number? who will needs keep up confidently their fancied hope of Heaven; and yet never knew what it was to anſwer a challenge for Sin, or a threatning of the Curſe, for the breach of Gods Law, from Chriſts Righteouſneſs, nor did they ever fiſt, and arraigne themſelves before Gods Tribunal, as guilty, nor did they ever think ſeriouſly of their charge, nor of their Summonds, nor of the way of making their Peace with God, by taking hold of Chriſts Righteouſneſs: A 2d Sort are the generality of Legal Profeſſours; I do not ſay, that they are Legal in their Practices; that is, that they make it their buſineſs to keep the Law, for they are as little concerned, or careful in that as any; but they are Legal in this reſpect, that when it comes to the making of their peace with God, they know nothing but the Law to deal with, as that man ſpoken of, Math. 25. That got the one Talent, and was utterly careleſs to improve it; yet when it comes to a Reckoning, he ſtands and ſticks to a rigor of the Law, Maſter, ſaith he, Lo here thou haſt that which is thine, juſt ſo, ſuch will be ready to ſay, we have no more Grace then God hath given us, we have a good heart to God; we are doing what we dow or can: Here come in Prophane Men, meer Civil Men, and Hypocrites, and more eſpecally the meer Civil Men; who do much in the duties of the Second Table of the Law, and they will profeſs that they do mind Judgement, and a Reckoning, but as if they had been bred and brought up in a Popiſh School, they foiſt in a Legal Righteouſneſſe in ſtead of Chriſt's, as the ground of their Juſtification before the Tribunal of God: ye may take in theſe inſtances of this ſort of Perſons, which are very common; and who, in their Practice almoſt in every thing agree with the Popiſh Doctrine. The 1. Inſtance is, of ſuch Perſons that know nothing of the imputation of Chriſt's Righteouſneſſe, yet if we ſpeak of it, they will fall out in ſuch expreſſions as theſe; we can do nothing of our ſelves, there is no goodneſs in us, It's God's grace that muſt do our turn; yet in the mean time it is not Chriſts Righteouſneſs, they lay down to themſelves as the ground of their Juſtification, but the good which they have done, as they ſuppoſe in Chriſts ſtrength, and the Grace which is given them to work, and do that good by; which is the ſame thing with the Popiſh way of Juſtification; as if Chriſt had procured an ability to us to keep the Law our ſelves, in order to our being Juſtified thereby; hence they will Beli…ve, Pray, Hear the Word, Praiſe, and go about other Duties, and will profeſſe that they acknowledge Chriſt in theſe; and that they have the Grace from Him to preform them; He furniſhes the Stock, and they Trade with it, and ſo for the attaining of Life, they are obliged to their own Trading; which is in Words to pretended Grace, but really to put our own Works and Righteouſneſſe in the Room of Chriſt's Righteouſneſſe, as the ground, or meritorious cauſe of Juſtification; for the Grace given to us, enabling us to Work, is not Chriſt's Righteouſneſs but our own, becauſe given to us, and working in us; and ſo it is alwayes our ſelves, and our own Righteouſneſſe, not Chriſt, and His Righteouſneſſe that we reſt upon. A 2d. Inſtance of ſome Folk, that ſpeak of Chriſt, and of attaining Life through Him; yet it is not in reſpect of His Merit, but in reſpect of His Strength; for ſuch will ſay, we hope through Chriſts Strength to come to Heaven; their meaning wherein is, that He will help them ſo to repent and believe, ſo to be holy, and reſiſt tentations, as they ſhall come to Heaven thereby, as the deſerving cauſe of their coming thither; It's true, there is ſomething right here, when in it's own place, if whole Chriſt were reſted upon, Juſtification being put in the firſt place, and His Merit reſted upon for that; it were good that His ſtrength were leaned to, and made uſe of, for performing the duties of Sanctification; but when His Strength is reſted upon, as the alone thing; and when we look not to Chriſts Purchaſe and Merit, as the ground of our acceptation; but to Chriſt as enabling us to do Duties to the end that we may give God a recompence thereby; at the beſt it is but He and we together, this certainly is wrong; for nothing is propoſed as a Satisfaction to Gods Juſtice here, but what is immediately our own. A 3d. Sort are ſomewhat wiſer, who, it may be, think that any thing that is in themſelves, is not worth the naming; but partly through Chriſts Merit, and partly through what they have, and can do themſelves; or by theſe joyned together, they hope to be ſaved. This was the Doctrinal Error of the Galatians, who attributed Juſtification to Chriſt, and to the Works of the Law joyntly: This way aſcribs to Chriſts Righteouſneſſe this much, that it makes our own Righteouſneſſe to be accepted, as the ground of our Juſtification before God; which in ſome reſpect is worſe then the Covenant of Works; for the Covenant of Works ſought a perfect Righteouſneſſe, but this way offers an imperfect Righteouſneſſe, and to mend, and to eke out our imperfect Righteouſneſs, it takes in the Righteouſneſſe of Chriſt; but there is no ſuch Covenant, or way of Juſtification in Scripture: for God made but two Covenants for men to attain Life by, one of Works, which is now impoſſible; The other of Grace, by which only it is poſſible to attain Juſtification and Life: This makes a third Covenant, or Contrivance by a mixture party of ſome Works in us, and partly of ſome Grace in Chriſt, to make up what is inlaking in our Works; and yet this way is very pleaſing to our nature, and that to which we are much inclined for Juſtification; for men are naturally diſpoſed to think that they give Chriſt enough, when they allow His Righteouſneſs, to make up what is defective in their own; It's true indeed, that Chriſts Merits do waſh our Duties, but our Duties come never up to be the ground of our Juſtification in whole, o… in part; which is evident from this, that ere Chriſt make our Duties, or Performances acceptable, He makes our Perſons firſt to be accepted; and that once being, then any thing performed by us, in Chriſt's ſtrength according to the will of God, is acceptable alſo.
But now we proceed further in the Words of the Text; and before we come to the cauſes of our Juſtification, we ſhall briefly Obſerve two or three things, that lye obviouſly in our way; The 1. whereof is this, That the Abſolving of a Sinner, through the imputation of Chriſts Righteouſneſſe, is the proper, and native reſult of Chriſts Purchaſe; and the great intendment of it; His Sufferings, and Soul-travel were undergone, to procure Juſtification to many; So that if we would know what is the Fruit of Chriſts Soul-travel? here it is; By his knowledge ſhall many be justified; Therefore, Rom. 5.9. It's attributed to his Blood, Being juſtified by his blood, we ſhall be ſaved from wrath, and 2 Cor. 5. ult. He was made ſin for us, who knew no ſin, that we might be made the righteouſneſs of God through him; That which I mean is this, That Chriſts intendment in His dying, was to redeem, and, really, and actually to procure Abſolution, and Juſtification before the Throne of God to ſo many as ſhould believe on Him: Or we may take the Doctrine theſe two wayes, which yet come both to the ſame account, 1. Thus, that the things which Chriſt intended in H…s Death, was not a meer posſibility, that Sinners might be Juſtified; nor to lay down a conditional way of their Juſtification, whereby …h…y might come, or not come to it, and ſo to make it poſſible; bu… that which He intended was that their Ju…ification might follow abſolutly; I do not mean inſtantly, and without the interveening of a condition; For here His knowledge comes in, as the condition, but that which I mean is, that He di…d, that their Juſtification might actually, and certainly follow as a fruit of His Purchaſe; In a word, His Death and Sufferings were, not to make Ju…ification poſſible to all, but that ſo many as He bargained for might be abſolutely Juſtified; or that many that is, all the Elect might be actually Juſtified; becauſe He ſha…l bear their iniquities, therefore by His knowledge they ſhall be Juſtified.
We Obſerve it for theſe Ends, or Uſes, 1. To give an anſwer to that queſtion, What is the native reſult of Chriſts Death to His People? we ſay, it is their abſolute, and actual Juſtification: Theſe that would extend the Grace of God, and the Death of Chriſt ſo broad and wide, as to leave out none, ſay in effect, that the deſign thereof was to lay down ſuch a way, as makes it poſſible to all to be Juſtified; and yet ſuch a way as makes it poſſible that none at all ſhall be juſtified; for it hirgs juſtification on the free will of the creature; & ſo in ſtriving to make Grace broader then God allows, they come to make it none at all, by leaving it on mans freewill, whether it ſhall be effectual or not, But bleſſed be God, the Covenant of God was not on theſe terms, for it is ſaid here, That by his knowledge he ſhall juſtifie many. 2. It gives us theſe two practical Uſes. 1. It ſhews, what ſhould be our intendment, in our Uſe-making of Chriſts Death, and that is, that we may be Juſtified, and Abſolved by it, even to make uſe of it, for attaining to Pardon of Sin, and Peace with God; If this be over-looked, and neglected, all other Fruits of it were uſeleſſe; it will avail but little to be a Member of the viſible Church, to be Baptized, and to be admitted to the Lords Supper, to have Litural knowledge, of the principles of Religion, to have a Gift of Preaching, or of Prayer, &c. theſe will not Juſtifie; The peculiar thing aimed at in Chriſts Death, and that which His People aim at, and have to rejoyce in, is Justification through his knowledge, which is alwayes to be underſtood without prejudice to the ſtudy of Holineſſe.
2. It gives us this Uſe, whoever would have Abſolution before God, would know that this was the very thing ingaged for to Chriſt, and His intendment in His Death; That Sinners believing on Him, might be Abſolutely, and Actually Juſtified by Him; it was not ſimply to propoſe Juſtification to them; but that Abſolutely they might be Abſolved from the Curſe of God due to them for Sin: And now may I not aſk, whether this is more encouraging to Sinners, to have Chriſt procuring Juſtification only conditionally to them; or to have the thing abſolutely conferred upon them? This is a ground whereupon believing Sinners lift up their heads confidently, and expect Juſtification through His Righteouſneſſe: It is this that was promiſed to Chriſt, and it is this that is the native fruit of His Death, without which it will be fruitleſſe; And this may remove the great obſtruction that readily a Sinner, when he is ſerious, ſeeth lying in his way, to wit, the want of Righteouſneſſe, and the fear of not being Abſolved, the want of inherent Righteouſneſſe in himſelf, which makes him lyable to the Curſe of the Law; when he ſeeth upon what terms Chriſt died, Firſt, To procure a Righteouſneſſe to them that wanted Righteouſneſſe. And 2. Upon theſe terms, that Sinners through faith in Him might he Juſtified, and fred from the Guilt of Sin, as if they never had Sin themſelves; Conſidering this to be his intendment, according to the terms of the Covenant of Grace, what have they, or what can they have to ſkar or fright them from expecting the fulfilling of this Promiſe? Becauſe the contryvance of the Covenant of Redemption, is to buy Juſtification abſolutely, and not the poſſibility of it only, nor to buy Grace to us, whereby to Juſtifie our ſelves, but Ju…ification it ſelf, ſo as we may be beholden to Him alone for it.
Again. 2dly. When we ſay that the Juſtification of a Sinner, is the proper reſult of Chriſt's Death, it may be thus underſtood; That the Righteouſneſſe whereby a Sinner is Juſtified, is immediatly Chriſt's Death and Purchaſe, as to the meritorious cauſe thereof; to that if we look to what Juſtifies a Sinner, as to the meritorious cauſe of it; the knitting of theſe two together, He ſhall ſee of the travel of his ſoul, and ſhall be ſatisfied; and By his knowledge ſhall my righteous ſervant juſtifie many, doth hold it forth, to be Chriſt's Death and Purchaſe; The travel of His Soul is, and muſt be the ground on which a loſt Sinner is Juſtified before the Throne of God; This both confirms what we formerly propoſed concerning this Doctrine; and alſo ſhews that the Juſtification of a Sinner is not by inherent Holineſſe; whence comes it, I pray that makes a Sinner acceptable before God? It is not from habitual, nor actual inherent Grace, but from Chriſts Righteouſneſs, laid hold on by Faith, that grippeth and adhereth to it; But from the latter part of the Words, we will have more particular occaſion to ſpeak to this, where theſe two are knit together; By his knowledge ſhall my righteous ſervant juſtifie many, for he ſhall bear their iniquity; therefore we do now paſſe it.
The Object of this benefit is many, many, ordinarily in Scripture implyes theſe two things. 1. A great number, and ſo it ſhews the extent of the Object; that is, that Chriſt ſhall purchaſe and redeem many; or by His Death procure Juſtification to many. 2. A reſtriction, and thus many is oppoſed to all, and ſo the meaning is; There ſhall many be Juſtified by Chriſt's Death, but not all; and therefore, as none can from theſe Words plead for an univerſality in Juſtification; So neither can they in Redemption, for he only bare their iniquities, whom by His knowledge He Juſtifies.
Looking on theſe many, in theſe twofold conſiderations; we may take theſe Obſervations from it. 1. Taking it extenſively, Obſerve. 1. That the Righteouſneſſe of Chriſt is of it ſelf able to Juſtifie many; It's a Righteouſneſſe that can Satisfie for the Sins of many; or thus, That in the Covenant of Redemption, there is an intended Application of Chriſt's Righteouſneſs, and Purchaſe to many. 2. That there are many, who ſhall indeed partake of Chriſt's Righteouſneſſe, and be Juſtified by it; It's not one, or two, or a thouſand; but as it was intended to Juſtifie many, ſo it ſhall be actually applyed to many, for their Juſtification. 3. Comparing, the former Words, He ſhall ſee of the travel of his ſoul, and ſhall be ſatisfied; with theſe Words, By his knowledge ſhall my righteous ſervant juſtifie many, Obſerve, That Chriſt is not ſatisfied for the Travel of His Soul, except many be Juſtified; Or thus, It is Chriſt's Satisfaction, how many there be that make uſe of Him, and that by making uſe of Him, come to be juſtified by Him; as afterward we will ſee; Theſe many, are all theſe that believe, all theſe that have this true and ſaving knowledge of Him, and do rightly acknowledge Him.
The making out of one of theſe Doctrines will make them all out; That Chriſt's Righteouſneſſe is able to Juſtifie many, that many ſhall be Juſtified by it; and that it is His S…tisfaction, and Delight that many be Juſtified, and get this good of it; It's ſaid, Matth. 20.28. That he came to lay down his life a ranſome for many, And Rom. 5.15. That the gift of grace which is by one man Jeſus Christ hath abounded unto many. and v. 19. As by one mans diſobedience many were made ſinners, ſo by the obedience of one ſhal… many be made righteous; Let but theſe Four things be put together, and conſidered, and it will be found, that there is no juſt ground to quarrel theſe Doctrines. 1. The native worth, and intrinſick value that is in the Satisfaction of Chriſt, It's the blood of God, of the Perſon that is God; It's an Offering that flows from a willing and cheerful Giver; which makes it the more acceptable; He was content with delight to pay the Price, there cannot be a limiting, or bounding of this Worth and Value; becauſe there cannot be any bounding, or limiting of the Perſon that gives the Value to it, if it be conſidered in it ſelf. 2. Conſider the freeneſs of the Offer, which takes in many, Our Lord communicats very freely, what He hath bought very dear: and it's done with reſpect to His taking in of many, to take away all exceptions from the poor and needy, and from them that want money. 3. As the terms are free, ſo the Offer is very broad; and comprehenſive, as we ſee, Iſaiah 55.1. Ho every one that thirsts come to the waters; and Revel. 22. Whoſoever will let him come, and take of the water of life freely; And we find theſe expreſſions, all that believe, and, whoſoever believes, to be frequently uſed in the Scriptures; which takes in all that will yeeld themſelves to Him on the terms of the Covenant, to cloſe the bargain with Him. 4. Conſider God's end in the Juſtification of Sinners; which is to make His Grace to ſhine, and to triumph, and to make it's victory over mans Sin Conſpicuous, and Glorious, by being beyond it; not in reſpect of the number of Perſons, but in this reſpect; that as Adams one Sin brought Death on many; ſo the Death of Chriſt hath brough Juſtification to many; as it is, Rom. 5. The judgement was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto juſtification; Whereas Adams one Offence brought Death on many; here the relieving of one Sinner is the procuring of freedom to many, becauſe, in that reſpect Chriſt is a Satisfaction for many Offences: But it may be Objected here; is it not ſaid, that the way to Heaven is strait, and few their be that enter in thereat: They are thin ſown, to ſay ſo, that are Heirs of this Inher…tance; I anſwer, by a diſtinction; Though they be comparatively few, yet conſidered in themſelves abſolutely they are m…ny; or they are ſimply many, though comparatively but few; Conſider, and Compare them with the multitude of reprobats that are even in the viſible Church, they are few, yet if ye will conſider them in themſelves, they are many; and it's moſt true that is ſpoken, Revel. 7.9. I ſaw a number which no man could number; if we look ſince the beginning: of the World, how ſome are taken in this Age, and ſome in that, ſome of this Nation, and ſome of another; they will be found to be but few, when all of all Nations are put together, yet in themſelves they are many: There are theſe three Uſes of it, which may be Reaſons why it is put in here. The 1. is, to let us ſee the largeneſs of the extent of the worth of Chriſt, and of the allowance of Grace, in reference to the Juſtification of Sinners through Him; which ſhould make us ſtand, pauſe, and wonder: It had been much, if Grace had ſaved but one, more if it had ſaved a thouſand, or twenty thouſand: But O! what ground of admiration is it, when many are ſaved by it; This is the native end, why it is put in here; even to ſhew, that it is not for nought that Chriſt died, It ſhall be a bleſſing to many, I marke it, becauſe, though the preſumptuous thoughts of many lead them to extend the Merits of Chriſt to all in the viſible Church; yet it may be that in others there are too narrow, and limiting thoughts of the extent of His Merits, and of the allowance of Grace, as to the number of the Elect, that ſhall be ſaved: It being certain, that as we are in hazard and ready to abuſe any thing ſo this, if it be ſaid that they are many that are Juſtified: we are ready to exclude none, and if it be ſaid that they are few, we are ready to make Grace as it were an a nigard, and Churle, and to contract, and narrow too much the application of it.
The 2d. Uſe of it (Which is a Second Reaſon why this Word many, is put in here) may ſerve for encouragement to Sinners: and to hearten them to aſſay to get this benefit of Juſtification made their own: many trow (and in ſome reſpect it is a truth) that it's a ſingular and odd thing to come by Juſtification; and hence they conclude, that they will never get it; and indeed if the thought of it's Singularity and Rareneſs made them careful to win at the thing, it were an profitable uſe of it; but when it makes them heartleſſe, to attain the thing; it's a wrong, and prejudicial uſe of it; But Sinners, there is here ground of Encouragement, Provocation, and upſtirring to you, to ſeek after Juſtification through Jeſus Chriſt; becauſe there are many, that are the Objects of it; The Righteouſneſſe of Chriſt, is a Righteouſneſs that will ſave many; It's an Article of the Covenant of Redemption, that Chriſt ſhall get many; the Promiſe will give Title and Right to many, He will not be content, if He get not many; now putting theſe together, it cannot but be very great encouragement to ſeek, and a ſtrong ground to expect Juſtification on this account, becauſe, 1. That which a believing Sinner gets, is Juſtification, Pardon of Sin both Original and Actual; and it's compleat actual Juſtification, not only the procuring the Offer of it, but the Application of it, Justification from all things, from which we could not be justified by the law of Moſes; and Juſtification never to be reverſed. 2. This Juſtification is deſigned for, and allowed to many, the ſtepping in of ſome before others doth not wrong them; and there needs not be diſputs about Election; for the Text ſayes, that the allowance of Grace is to many. 3. It is Chriſt's Satisfaction that He get many to be Juſtified; and the moe that ſtep to, to lay hold on this benefit; He hath as it were the more Satisfaction: And if the Sinner ſhould ſay, I know not if I be included in that number; the terms of the Covenant run to all that believe; if there be a fleeing to Chriſt, by Faith for refuge, there needs not be anxious diſputing whether the Sinner will come ſpeed; but there ſhould be a ſteping forward, many have gotten good, and many will get good, and there is room ſufficient for as many as will yeeld themſelves up to Chriſt, and reſt upon His Righteouſneſſe, It's a large mantle that covers thouſands; and the Lord will have thouſands to be hidden under it, and Juſtifyed by it.
3dly. It ſerves to be a moſt terrible ground of inexcuſableneſs to theſe, to whom Chriſt's Righteouſneſſe is ſpoken of, and offered in the Goſpel; who yet neglect to make uſe of it; that He was content to lay down His Life, and that as a ranſome for many; none needs to ſay, I knew not if I will be welcome, He ſaid, it was for many, and though He ſaid not it was for all, yet it's for all that will believe in Him; And therefore it is not, nor ſhall not, becauſe He hath confined the benefit to few, that ye are, or ſhall be excluded; but becauſe, though He extended the benefit to many, yet ye excluded your ſelves; and none of you, who hear this Goſpel, ſhall have it to ſay, I betook my ſelf to Chriſt by Faith, but He refuſed to admit of me, and He would have no moe then He had; there are many who pleaſe themſelves with ſuch a Word as this, when they hear that many will be ſaved; But it will be the deareſt bought Doctrine that ever ye heard; it had been in ſome reſpect better, that ye had heard that it was but two or three that will come to Heaven; becauſe the hearing of many's coming thither will greatly aggravat your guilt, who neglect ſo great a Salvation.
Therefore take two or three Caveats of this Doctrine, And 1. Beware of being ſecure, becauſe there are many that ſhall be Juſtified; There are many moe that will periſh; compare theſe that periſh with theſe that will be ſaved; and it will be found that they are but an handful that will be ſaved, and that Swarms and Multitudes will go to Hell; Therefore, when ye hear that the door is opened to many, let it encourage you to enter in; but remember this, that moe will be excluded, and periſh, then will enter in and be ſaved: The Scripture ſayes, Many are called, but few are choſen; even in reſpect of the called within the viſible Church. 2. Conſider that Graces inlarging of this benefit, to take in many, will be your greateſt challenge and aggravation that ſhall miſs, and come ſhort of it, Therefore, let us (as it is, H…b. 4.) fear, leaſt having a promiſe left unto us of entring into his rest, any of as ſhould ſeem to come ſhort of it; When this door is opened to us, we would by all means fear coming ſhort, or not entring through unbelief; for it will be worſe with us then if the door had never been opened; Folk ordinarily think not ſo much to miſs, or come ſhort of a Priviledge which but one or two have acceſſe to, but when it is ſuch a priviledge as is made attainable by many, the miſſing of it galleth and tormenteth the more; and when many ſhall come from the Eaſt, Weſt, South and North, and ſhall ſit down with Abraham, Iſaac, and Jacob in the Kingdom of Heaven, what weeping and gnaſhing of teeth will it cauſe to them, who ſhall be ſecluded? And therefore, 3ly. Beware of thinking that there is the leſs diligence, or fear required, becauſe we ſay, that many will be Juſtified; for though there be many that are Redeemed, and many that ſhall be Juſtified, yet all theſe come to be Juſtified through Chriſt's knowledge: And therefore ſuch as are ignorant and prophane can but take little, or no comfort hence, while they continue to be ſuch; Though there be many that are Juſtified, yet none but Believers are Juſtified; and none can warrantably look on themſelves to be Believers, but ſuch as are ſincere ſtudents of Holineſſe; I would not, therefore have you laying weight, either on many, or few's being Juſtified, except by way of Motive; but on the way that ye take to come by the end: Though a great many moe were ſaved then will be; if ye take not the way of Faith, and Holineſſe to come to Salvation, ye will not get your ſelves ſhrouded in the croud, but though there were never ſo few damned, ye ſhall make up the number; In a word, it's ground of encouragement to a poor Sinner, that would fain be Juſtified in God's own way; it is alſo ground of ſhame, and confuſion of Face to the unbeliever, that reſtrains the benefit of Chriſt's Purchaſe, and ſhuts himſelf out; when Grace doth make uſe of ſuch expreſſions to bring him in; and it will be ground of conviction to all that have ſo wide a door opened to them, and do not ſtrive to enter in: It may be many of you think little of this now, but in that day, when many ſhal be taken into the Kingdom of Heaven, and others ſhut out, it will be known to be a matter of greateſt concerment, if once we could be induced to be in earneſt in this one thing, there were a great point gained on the hearers of the Goſpel, and till it be ſeriouſly minded, there is nothing that we can do in Religion, that will be to any purpoſe.