Sweet and Soul-Persuading Inducements Leading Unto Christ, Chapter 13
CHAP. XIII. Diſcourſing of the unhappy condition, and impoſſibility of their ſalvation who are ſtrangers to the true Church.
THis diſcovers the unhappy condition of all carnall and unholy people,Vnhappy condition of ſtrangers to the true Church. though they live within the pale of the Church, yet they are all aliens to the Church; though they be in the Church, yet they are not of the Church, as naſty humours are in the body, yet no member, no part nor parcell of the body; though they be within the Schoole of Chriſt, yet they are no true Diſciples of Chriſt, they are like them of whom Saint Paul ſpeakes, who are alwayes learning, and never come to the knowleege of the truth: Though they are within the pale of Chriſts Orchard, yet they are but falſe ſlips, no Trees of Righteouſneſſe of Chriſts planting: Though they be in Chriſt Sacramentally, yet they are but as dead members, or woodden legs in a body, or withered branches in a vine; wanting the Spirit of Chriſt, they have no ſpirituall life, ſence, or motion in them: Though they take upon them the name of Chriſt, yet they doe not partake of the nature of Chriſt, as blazing Starres have the name, but not the nature of Starres: Though they verbally profeſſe Chriſt, yet they actually deny Chriſt, in works (ſaith the Apoſtle) they deny him; they are ſeeming, but no true Chriſtians; they doe but with Jeroboams wife, diſguiſe, and faine themſelves to be others then they are: As they in the Church of Smyrna ſaid, they were Iewes, and yet were not ſo, but a Synagogue of Satan. Thus many ſay they are Chriſtians, who indeed are not in Chriſt Jeſus, but are the Synagogue of Satan, a cage of uncleane birds; and though they be eccleſiaſtically holy, by vertue of their naturall generation of Chriſtian parents, yet they are not spiritually and truly holy, becauſe they want that regeneration, which is the worke of Gods Spirit; and though they enjoy ſome outward priviledges by their being within the Church, yet they enjoy not Chriſt and his benefits, becauſe they are not truly living members of the Church: And this is a great miſery, to be an alien to the true Church of Chriſt; he that is an alien to this Church of Chriſt, is an alien to Chriſt, Chriſt doth not enliven nor enlighten him, Chriſt doth not profit him. A member ſeparated from the body is ſeparated from the head, hath no influence from the head; hee that is a ſtranger to the Church, is a ſtranger to the promiſe, for the promiſe is to them whom God aAct. 2.39.cals outwardly by his Word, and inwardly by his Spirit; he is a ſtranger to the love of Chriſt, Chriſts Church is the object of Chriſts love, Chriſt bEph. 5.25.loved the Church, ſaith Saint Paul, and gave himſelfe for it; he is a ſtranger to the bleſſed and gracious preſence of Chriſt, Chriſts preſence is with his Church, he delights to walke among the cRev. 1.13.candleſtickes, ſanctified ſoules are his Temple, his dwelling, his dIſa. 11.10.glorious reſt; he is a ſtranger to the comfortable communications of Chriſt, Chriſt reveales and opens himſelfe to his Church and children, as a glorious Sun, as a loving Bridegroome; to them he communicates himſelfe, as the ePſal. 72.6.dew upon the ground, and as the raine upon the graſſe; he gives them his fCant. 7.12.love, and all the comforts of his Spirit; but to prophane men, Chriſt is as a ſealed fountaine of whom they drinke not, a hidden Manna of whom they taſte not; he that is an alien to the Church is without the protection and ſalvation of Chriſt; they that were without the Arke, had no ſafety from the waters, and ſurely they that are without the Church, I meane, without that faith, holineſſe, love, and gracious communion, which is proper to Gods children, are without ſalvation. And this is the miſery of carnall men living in the Church, and not living the life of them that are the true Church of Chriſt indeed, and ſuch men indeed are a great diſhonour to the Church, as ſpots in the face, ſpots and blemiſhes, as Saint Peter termes them; a burthen to the Church, as dead members to the body; a trouble to the Church, as Ionah to the ſhip, raiſing the ſtormy tempeſt of Gods wrath againſt it; and therefore ſhould be wiped away, cut off, and caſt out, by the cenſures of the Church; not for everlaſting condemnation, but for their humiliation and reformation; for the g1 Cor. 5.5.deſtruction of the fleſh, that their spirit may be ſaved in the day of the Lord Jeſus, according to the Apoſtles rule.
This opens the impoſſibility of the ſalvation of corrupt and carnall men, as ſuch, and as long as they continue ſuch,Salvation of carnall man how impoſſible. for being ſuch, they are aliens to the Church of Chriſt, to the ſpirituall common-wealth of Chriſts Iſrael. As all that were out of the Arke periſhed in the deluge of waters: ſo all that are out of the Church, not living members of this common-wealth, doe periſh in the deluge of Gods wrath. Such as are by the power of their prophaneneſſe alienated from the Church of Chriſt, the company of them that are effectually called and ſanctified, they are,
1. Without God.1. Without God. He that hath not the Church for his Mother, hath not God for his Father; he that is not of the new Jeruſalem, whom the Apoſtle termes the hGal. 4.26.Mother of us all, for her bringing forth children ſpiritually unto God; he that is not of her, is not of God; he that is not a childe in this ſpirituall and heavenly family, is not borne of God; therefore the Apoſtle ſaith of them that are the true members of this Church.iEpheſ. 2.19. Ye are no more ſtrangers and forrainers, but fellow-Citizens with the Saints, and of the houſhold of God.
2.2. Without Chriſt. He that is by his prophaneneſſe an alien to the Church of Chriſt, is an alien to Chriſt; he that is an alien to the common-wealth, is an alien to the King; he that is not one of Chriſts flocke, cannot have Chriſt for his Shepheard, and without Chriſt there is kActs 4.12.no ſalvation.
3 Without Regeneration.3. He that is an alien to the Church of Chriſt, is eſtranged from regeneration, renovation, illumination, ſanctification, remiſſion, donation of the Spirit, and the promiſe of the eternall inheritance. Effects and fruits of the Word and Spirit in them that are effectually called, properties and prerogatives belonging onelyonly to Chriſts holy and gracious people, and without theſe there is no ſalvation: Theſe (ſaith Chemnitius) God, 1ſt a, Deus, verbum, fides, Eccleſiae ſalus, vita aeterna, &c. Eph. 4 3, 4.the Word, Faith, the Church, ſalvation and life eternall are very intimouſly knit and ioyned together; and accordingly the Apoſtle, there is one Body, and one Spirit, one Calling, one Lord, one Faith, one Baptiſme, one God and Father of all who is above all, and through all, and in you all. To him therefore that is not of this ſacred company and Church of Chriſt, the Spirit is no Sanctifier, Chriſt no Redeemer, God no Father, Baptiſme no Seale, and Faith no Inſtrument of Juſtification; and therefore unleſſe man be of this ſacred company, there is no ſalvation; they that leap out of the ſhip into the Sea periſh; they that forſake the ſhip of Chriſts Church, and hold not communion by faith and love with Gods Saints, periſh in the Sea of this world; all the Citizens of Iericho who were out of Rahabs houſe, periſhed with fire and the ſword. All that are out of Gods houſe, or to ſpeake in the Apoſtles words, who are not built up a ſpirituall houſe to God, are liable to the fire and ſword of Gods wrath.