Gospel Revelation, Treatise 3 · Sermon 6
The Sixth SERMON ON The Excellency of the Soul.
Matthew 16.26. For what is a man profited if hee ſhall gain the whole world, and loſe his own ſoul?
8. MAny do loſe their ſouls by ſtarving of them, that is, ſuch as neglect the Word, that is the food of the ſoul, the Word of God, upon which the ſoul ſhould feed, as the body doth upon any food, that neglect Gods Ordinances, that care not to come to the Word, either to feed upon it privately or publickly, that think that there is no need of the Word: but if they can procure food for their bodies, and make ſhift to get up a living, and that that may ſatisfie the fleſh, there is all that they look after; but for the feeding of their ſouls by the Word, it is that that is little minded or regarded by thouſands: Oh how many that belong to this Congregation periſh eternally, even that way, by ſtarving! Wee pitty people that wee ſee ready to die that are ſtarved; if wee hear but of a priſoner ſtarved, even the pooreſt body, wee account it an in humane thing in thoſe that knew it, and did not relieve them; to ſee a beaſt to die by ſtarving, wee account it a cruel thing; and it can ſcarſe conſiſt with the heart of a man to ſee, I ſay, ſo much as a dogg to periſh by way of ſtarving: Now to ſee immortal ſouls, thouſands of them to die and periſh, and drop down to Hell as thick as may bee, and that for want of the food of their ſouls, meerly for ſtarving, it ſhould bee an object of pitty and commiſeration. Now becauſe wee are ſenſual, wee are onelyonly affected with ſuch things as concern the body immediately; but for the ſoul, how many care not what kind of Miniſtry they live under? Oh the curſe of God is upon them! as wee read of in Pſal. 106.15. Hee gave them their requeſts, and ſent leanneſs into their ſouls; hee gave them their requeſts, that is, hee gave them Quails; They luſted in the wilde…neſs, and tempted God in the deſert; and hee gave them Quails to feed upon, but ſent leanneſs into their ſouls; wee may apply it thus, unto thoſe that ſeek after nothing elſe but Quails, but that that may feed the fleſh: Oh the curſe of God is upon their ſouls! there is leanneſs there, and they are ſtarved there even unto death; whereas thoſe that do but know what the ſweetneſs of the Word is to their ſouls, and have fed upon the Word, they had rather feed upon brown bread and water all their daies, ſo bee it they may have the Word, than have the greateſt delicacies in the world without the Word. I put this to your conſciences, anſwer it as in the preſence of God; if this ſhould bee put to you, can you ſay as in Gods preſence that ſees and ſearches the hearts of men, that upon the real ſweetneſs and good your ſouls have found in the Word, that if God ſhould put it to your choice, either to live with bread and water, and have the Word, or to live with all the delicacies in the world without the Word, you would a thouſand thouſand times ſooner chuſe to live with the Word with bread and water, rather than without the Word with all delicacies. Luther I remember hee hath an expreſſion, That hee had rather bee in Hell with the Word, than in Paradiſe without the Word.
Ninthly, In the ninth place there is another ſort that loſe their ſouls by ſurfeiting of them; their ſouls do ſurfeit with the cares and pleaſures of this life, they glut their hearts with the delights, and pleaſures, and cares of this world, until their ſouls get a ſurfeit and die of them; giving liberty unto their hearts to delight themſelves in all outward contentments, eſpecially if they bee lawful: Now a man or woman may ſurfeit their ſouls,Licitis perimus omnes. and undo themſelves by lawful things; as a man may not onelyonly deſtroy his life by eating poiſon, but by a ſurfeit of good meat, though the meat bee good, yet hee may ſurfeit upon it: ſo, though the things of this world, the cares, and the pleaſures may bee (as ſome things are) in themſelves lawful, yet by an inordinate and immoderate letting out thy heart to lawful things, thou mayeſt ſurfeit thy ſoul, and it may die of that ſurfeit: Many men think themſelves out of danger, if the things that their hearts are upon, bee in themſelves lawful, they are not ſwearers, and whoremaſters, and drunkards, and theeves, as others are, and therefore they think their ſouls may bee ſaved: I ſay, thou mayeſt buſie thy heart onelyonly about that which is in its ſelf lawful, and yet thy ſoul may take a ſurfeit and periſh eternally.
Tenthly and laſtly; Many loſe their ſouls by forfeiting them, and that by theſe two waies.
Firſt, A man forfeits his ſoul, as men do their Coppyholds, by not tendering that homage to their Lord that is due, by which they hold their Lands, and ſo their Lands come to bee forfeit; ſo doſt thou; God hath given thee thy precious ſoul, more worth than all the world, and thou holdeſt it of God, but ſo as thou muſt tender up to this Lord that homage that is due to him, that is, thou muſt worſhip God: When wee come to worſhip God, this is that wee do, wee come to tender up that homage that wee acknowledge to bee due to God for theſe ſouls of ours that hee hath given unto us, that is our worſhip; that is the nature of worſhip, The tendering up ſomething by way of homage, to acknowledge that due reſpect wee owe unto God, as that Lord that hath the abſolute diſpoſe of us; now by neglect of worſhipping of God, of tendering up his homage, thou forfeiteſt thy ſoul, and indangereſt thy ſelf to periſh eternally; and oh how few people regard any ſuch worſhip of God! and though they do the thing that God requires, as praying, and coming to hear the Word, yet do they not do it as in a way of tendering up homage to that God, upon whom they do onelyonly depend; but now this is that which God requires of us, or otherwiſe our ſouls are forfeited.
Secondly, Men forfeit their ſouls by breaking covenant with God; however there may bee ſome that God will not take the forfeiture of, yet certainly upon thy breach of covenant with God thy ſoul is forfeited: Thou doſt ingage thy ſoul to God every time thou doſt enter into covenant with him; It may bee ſaid of any man or woman that enters into covenant with God, who is this that hath ingaged his ſoul to God? now thou ingaging and binding thy ſoul to God in thy covenant, upon thy breach of it, dealing falſely, thou doſt forfeit thy ſoul: And by theſe ſeveral waies ſouls are loſt; and oh how many thouſand ſouls periſh with ſuch waies and manners as theſe are! and therefore ſeeing there are ſuch ſeveral waies of the loſs of ſouls, let not people think themſelves ſafe, though they do not go in ſome waies whereby they may come to loſe their ſouls; for there are very many waies whereby thou mayeſt loſe thy ſoul, and ſo miſcarry to eternity.
Uſe. The other Uſe that remains, is this, If the loſs of our ſouls bee ſo dreadful a thing, and there bee ſo many waies for the loſing of them, then it concerns us neerly to examine whether wee bee not in ſuch a condition for the preſent, that if our ſouls ſhould depart out of our bodies, they would certainly bee loſt; this is a needful ſcrutiny, and a moſt neceſſary inquiry: Many men have theſe thoughts, what if I ſhould now die? I have not made my Will, and my eſtate would go ſuch and ſuch waies, as I would not have it, it would bee ſquandered away, it would bee ſpent in Sutes of Law; I, but rather let thy thoughts run out thus, what if I ſhould now die, would not my ſoul bee loſt and periſh for ever? Now, though I have ſaid wee cannot ſet forth ſuch a man or woman, and conclude that their ſouls ſhall certainly bee loſt, becauſe wee know not what God may do hereafter, but wee may ſay this, that ſuch a man or womans ſoul in the condition it is, If God do no more for it than hee hath yet done, that then it will certainly bee loſt: Indeed a man or woman may come to know, and certainly to conclude that they are elected, but none can come to ſuch a concluſion, to know certainly that they are Reprobates: the vileſt wretch that is upon the face of the earth, hee hath not ground ſufficient to conclude againſt himſelf that hee is a Reprobate, and that his ſoul ſhall for ever bee loſt; and therefore ſurely wee cannot conclude againſt another, if not againſt our ſelves. — Well, but who are they, that if God ſhould work no otherwiſe upon them than hee hath done, that then their ſouls would bee loſt?
Firſt, In the firſt place, That ſoul to whom God hath not made known, and convinc'd it of the dangerous natural condition in which it is, if ſuch a ſoul ſhould depart from the body, it would bee loſt. — OnelyOnly let mee premiſe theſe two cautions; I do not ſpeak of Infants, but of thoſe that are come to years, and that live under means: — And I ſpeak of Gods ordinary way; wee will not limit God, what hee may do in extraordinary waies, but in an ordinary courſe and way of Gods dealings with the children of men, that hee lets live to come to years, and bee under means, theſe following rules will diſcover who they are that at the preſent are in a loſt condition; I ſay, ſuch to whom God hath never revealed and convinced them of the evil of their natural condition, in which they were born, in which they are, if God ſhould let them ſo die, and make known no more to them than hee hath, ſuch a ſoul would bee loſt, and that upon this ground, becauſe that without Faith it muſt bee loſt, that is acknowledged by all; hee that beleeves not ſhall bee damned, is condemned already. Now, there cannot bee Faith in a Saviour to ſave the ſoul, but it muſt needs imply that I know what a dangerous condition I am in by ſin. For there is even a contradiction implied in my beleeving in Chriſt, as a Saviour, and yet I not convinced of the damnable condition that I am in without this Chriſt.
Secondly, That ſoul that yet hath not made it to bee its great care, above all outward things in this world, to ſave its ſelf, that ſoul, if it ſhould now depart from the body, would bee loſt: I ſay, if God hath not firſt convinc'd thee, and made thee ſenſible of that damnable condition in which thou art in thy ſelf, and ſecondly, if hee hath not taken off thy heart from the creature, from the things that are here below, and made it to bee the great care of thy ſoul, for to get it to bee ſaved, hath not made thee to bee ſolicitous about the work of ſaving of thy ſoul; ſuch a ſoul as this is, I ſay, if it ſhould now depart, would bee loſt, for God doth not ſave ſouls, but by manifeſting himſelf to them;Phil. 2.12. hee would have all to work out their ſalvation with fear and trembling. Certainly, though the principle of our ſalvation bee without us, yet the Lord that made us without our ſelves, will never ſave us without our ſelves; whoſoever God doth ſave, hee doth make them ſolicitous and careful about the work of the ſalvation of their ſouls: Now, if thy conſcience tells thee that to this day thy care hath been about many vanities, but as for having thy heart taken up with the ſaving thy ſoul, thou knoweſt not what belongs to this; I ſay, if God ſhould work no more in thee, than hee hath done, if thou ſhouldeſt now die, thou wouldeſt bee loſt.
Thirdly, That ſoul to whom the Lord hath not revealed the glory of the myſteries of the Goſpel, that yet hath the Goſpel kept hidden from it, that doth not ſee into the glorious work of God in the covenant of Grace, in thoſe great counſels of God, and great things that God hath done for the ſalvation of mankind in Jeſus Chriſt, that ſoul would bee loſt, if it ſhould now go from the body, and no further work of God upon it: That Scripture that divers times you have heard named, is proof ſufficient for it; If our Goſpel bee hidden, it is hidden to thoſe that are loſt, 2 Cor. 4.3. Now certainly, my brethren, if God hath revealed to your ſouls the glorious things of the Goſpel, they cannot but bee taking things to you, they cannot but cauſe much ſtirring, much activeneſs, mighty workings in your ſouls: when once the glorious light of the Goſpel comes into a ſoul, I ſay, it cannot but cauſe mighty ſtirrings and workings in ſuch a ſoul. When I ſee people ſit deadly and dully under the means of Grace, under the preaching of the glorious things of the Goſpel, I cannot but think with my ſelf, Lord, do theſe people know what Jeſus Chriſt is? and underſtand what the great things are that God hath done for the ſalvation of man-kind? certainly did they but know the wonderful and ſtrange works of God about the ſalvation of the ſouls of the children of men, their hearts could not but ſtir within them, and work in another manner than yet they have done.
Fourthly, That ſoul that hath no other righteouſneſs to tender …p unto God but its own righteouſneſs, if now it ſhould depart, would bee loſt eternally: Whatever man or woman it bee that have lived the moſt unblameable in his life and converſation, that hath been the moſt righteous, that no man could bee able to blame him for any thing, yet I ſay, if this man or woman hath no other righteouſneſs to tender up unto God but his own, certainly this ſoul would bee a loſt ſoul for ever; the truth is, even the ſoul of Abraham, Iſaac, and Jacob, the ſouls of all the Patriarchs, Prophets, Apoſtles, Martyrs, all of them would bee loſt eternally, had they no other righteouſneſs to tender up to God but their own, much more thoſe who have only a Civil righteouſneſs, and a meer natural righteouſneſs, ſuch righteouſneſs as is attainable by the very light of nature, ſuch a righteouſneſs as St. Paul ſpeaks on, in the 3. of the Philippians, that hee lived unblameably, how hee was a Phariſee, and hee accounted that righteouſneſs of his converſation, to bee gain, yet afterwards, when Chriſt was revealed to him, hee accounted it but loſs, for hee ſaw that it would endanger the loſs of his ſoul eternally, the reſting upon that.
Queſt. You will ſay, the ſoul that hath no other righteouſneſs but his own to tender up to God, is that ſoul loſt? why, what other righteouſneſs is there beſides that which is a mans own?
Anſw. To that I anſwer, There is a ſupernatural righteouſneſs, the righteouſneſs of a Mediatour, God-Man, that is come into the world to ſtand between loſt ſouls, and an infinite provoked God; and that is made over to the ſoul by Faith, and that ſoul that is ſaved, by the hand of Faith, doth tender up the righteouſneſs of that Mediatour, God-Man, for the ſatisfaction of infinite divine Juſtice, and the appeaſing of infinite wrath, and that is the ſoul that is ſaved: but that ſoul that is not acquainted with ſuch a righteouſneſs, that hath not ſuch a righteouſneſs made over to it by Faith, the righteouſneſs of the Son of God, the righteouſneſs that is by Faith in Chriſt, that ſoul, if it ſhould now depart from the body, and the Lord work no otherwiſe upon it, than hee hath yet done, certainly hee would bee a loſt ſoul; and that is the fourth evidence of a ſoul that would preſently bee loſt, if it ſhould now depart from the body.
Fifthly, A fifth evidence is this, That ſoul that God hath not made (in ſome meaſure at leaſt) to feel the weight and burden of ſin, diſcovered ſin unto it as a greater burden than all burdens whatſoever, if ſuch a ſoul ſhould depart, it would prove to bee loſt, and that upon this Reaſon.
Becauſe without repentance a ſoul muſt needs bee loſt, Except yee repent, Luk 13.3.yee ſhall all likewiſe periſh, ſaith Chriſt. Now repentance cannot ſtand with feeling ſin light, much leſs with joy in ſin: Repentance, whether before Faith or after, wee will not now ſpeak of, whether a Legal repentance, or an Evangelical repentance, yet it muſt bee ſuch a repentance as muſt bee apprehenſive and ſenſible of ſin, as a greater evil than all the evils that it is liable to here in the world; It muſt feel ſin, as it is againſt God, feel ſin, as ſin, ſo as to bee a burden to it (the meaſure of it, how far, and how weighty ſin ſhould bee, wee do not now ſtand upon) but that ſin ſhould bee found a great burden, yea an intollerable burden, ſo that were it not for an infinite Mediatour, the ſoul could not ſtand under the burden, that is neceſſary in the work of repentance, and ſo the ſoul to come to ſorrow for ſin, as ſin; and this is the repentance which is unto life, which cannot bee except the ſoul doth feel in ſome meaſure the weight and burden of ſin.
Sixthly, Again, that man or woman that walks after the fleſh, in a courſe of ſin, to give ſatisfaction and contentment unto the fleſh, that makes it to bee the great care and indeavour of it for to ſatisfie the fleſh, ſuch of you, whoſe conſciences tell you, that the contentment of your hearts is ſome fleſhly thing, and that in the courſe of your lives you walk after the fleſh, certainly if you ſhould now die, your ſouls would bee loſt; and that is clear out of Rom. 8.1. There is no condemnation to them that are in Chriſt Jeſus, that walk not after the fleſh, but after the ſpirit. Therefore thoſe that do not walk after the ſpirit, but after the fleſh, there is condemnation unto them at the preſent; O! if men had but enlightened and ſtirring conſciences, how eaſie would it bee for men and women to ſee themſelves in a reſtleſs condition, and to conclude, that if theſe things be the truths of God, then I am in ſuch a condition, and though I do not know what God may work for time to come, yet if I ſhould now die, my ſoul would bee loſt eternally; and ſo that other place, in Rom. 8. They that live after the fleſh ſhall die; that is, periſh eternally; if your hearts bee after the fleſh, after fleſhly things, and they are the things that you minde, and if you would ſpeak as in the preſence of God, you cannot but acknowledge that the things of the fleſh, are the things that do take up your hearts, that are the adequate objects of your ſpirits, and you think your great good and contentment lies in them; ſo that if ſo bee you might but live alwaies in this world, and have thoſe contentments to the fleſh, as you deſire, you would care for nothing elſe, but your hearts would bee fully ſatisfied; this is living after the fleſh; now the Scripture tells us clearly, that thoſe that live after the fleſh thus, ſhall die. It is your great care that the fleſh bee ſatisfied, and it is Gods threat, that when you make it thus your great care to ſatisfie the fleſh, that you ſhall die, ſo that this is a periſhing condition unto you.
Seventhly, Yea further, what ſoul ſoever is but under the dominion of any one luſt, that ſoul, if it ſhould now depart, would certainly bee loſt: Not onelyonly ſuch as live in all kind of ſins, that the conſtant courſe of their lives is in every kind of ſin; but if there bee but any one reigning, ruling ſin, if there bee but any one ſinful way that God hath convinc'd thy conſcience of to bee a ſin, and yet becauſe of gain, or delight, or pleaſure, or honours, or reſpects, thou doſt go on in a conſtant courſe, and way, and practice of that ſin, though it bee but one ſin, ſo that thou art a ſlave to any one luſt, certainly this ſoul of thine, if God works no ootherwiſe upon it, than yet hee hath done, will certainly be loſt; and that is clear out of Rom. 6.14. For ſin ſhall not have dominion over you, for you are not under the Law, but under grace. I would reaſon from this Scripture, thus, what ſoul ſoever is not under grace, under the covenant of grace, and under the mercy that there is in that covenant, that ſoul, if now it ſhould depart, muſt periſh eternally; but whoſoever is under the dominion of any one ſin, is not under grace; for the Scripture plainly ſaith, That ſin ſhall not have dominion over us, if wee bee under grace: If our ſouls bee in ſuch an eſtate, as they bee under the grace of the Goſpel, then there muſt not any one ſin have dominion over them; there may ſome ſin dwell there, but not reign there: there is a great deal of difference between ſins being in the ſoul, and ruling over the ſoul.
Queſt. You will ſay then, What is it for ſin to have dominion?
Anſw. When ſin ſhall ſet up a kind of Throne in the ſoul, and give Laws as a King, and thou ſhalt obey: It is one thing for an enemy to come with violence and take poſſeſſion, and hurry one on to do that one would not do, and another thing to bee ſubject, and to yeeld to the laws and commandements of ſin. Now ſin hath dominion when it is as a King upon his Throne, that thou ye…ldeſt ſubjection unto it, and for the ſatisfying of thine own luſts, thou art willing that this ſin ſhould rule over thee: Now that you may know a little further for the meaning of this; ſin and Jeſus Chriſt cannot have dominion both together: Then thus far wee may go ſafely, that except Jeſus Chriſt hath dominion over you, then ſin hath: But how ſhall I know whether Chriſt hath dominion? I will but appeal to you in this plain and familiar kinde of expreſſing of my ſelf; canſt thou ſay as in the preſence of God that ſeeth and ſearcheſt thy heart, O Lord, thou knoweſt that I have given up my heart to the Rule of Jeſus Chriſt? I would put this to every ſoul here preſent, and I beſeech you weigh it, for wee are ſpeaking of matters of life and death, of ſalvation and damnation; now therefore I put this unto you, and think of it, canſt thou appeal to God in the ſincerity of thy heart, and ſay, Lord, thou art the ſeer and ſearcher of all hearts, and thou knoweſt, that though I have many weakneſſes and infirmities, and am often overcome by temptation, yet thou knoweſt that I have given up my heart to the obedience of Jeſus Chriſt, and I do give it up, and it is that that my ſoul deſires above all things, that Jeſus Chriſt may rule in it, that Chriſt may have dominion, that his Laws may bee ſet up, and if I knew any more of the mind of Jeſus Chriſt, whatſoever it coſt mee, thou that knoweſt all things, knoweſt I would ſubmit unto it, and if there bee any thing that is againſt the mind of Jeſus Chriſt, if it bee but known to mee, thou knoweſt that my heart is againſt it, and I would rather than a world that I were delivered from the power of it; canſt thou ſpeak thus as in the preſence of God? and certainly a Chriſtian, though a weak Chriſtian, can appeal to God in the ſincerity of it, and is able to venture its ſelf upon ſuch an appeal to God. And if there bee not this dominion of Jeſus Chriſt, then there is the dominion of ſin, and then thou art not under grace; therefore if God doth not more in thy ſoul than hee hath done, thou ſhalt periſh for ever; and that man or woman that can ſleep quietly ſo, hath a ſtrange pillow to ſleep upon. It is reported of Auguſtus Caeſar, that hearing of a Gentleman that was much in debt, hee ſent to buy his pillow, ſaying, Surely there is a great deal of virtue in that pillow, that ſuch a man could ſleep on, who was ſo much in debt: Truly I may ſay ſo, it is a ſtrange kinde of pillow that men can ſleep upon, who are in ſuch a condition, that if God do no more for, than hee hath done, would certainly periſh.
Eighthly, But further, That man or woman that hath not yet had ſuch a change wrought by the power of the Spirit of God, as is a new birth, a reſurrection from death, a new creation, that ſoul, if it now depart, would certainly periſh. Certainly every one of you, as you come into the world, as you are by nature, your ſouls are in a loſt eſtate, and in ſuch a loſt eſtate, as except the Lord make ſuch a change in your heart, as is a new birth, by which you come to bee born again; as is a new reſurrection, by which you come to bee raiſed from the dead; as is a new creation, by which you come to bee a new Creature; certainly you periſh; till this bee wrought in your hearts by the power of the Spirit, you are in a periſhing condition; there is nothing more plain than this in Scripture: You know what Chriſt ſaith to Nicodemus, Verily, verily, I ſay unto you, except a man bee born again, John 3.3.hee cannot ſee the Kingdome of God; Therefore it is not enough that it may bee thou liveſt ſomewhat better than heretofore thou haſt done; It may bee when thou wert a young man, thou wert wanton, or unclean, and prophane, and abroad in the fields, and in wicked houſes on the Lords day, I but now thou haſt more wiſdome and underſtanding, and now thou doſt not ſo, this is well, and good, and this is to bee encouraged; I but what is this to ſuch a mighty change as to bee born again? If ſo bee that your bodies had no other kind of ſoul than that that is of ſence, and afterwards a rational ſoul ſhould bee put into it, what a mighty change would there bee in that body? before they could onelyonly ſee, and hear, and feel, but now having a rational ſoul, they can underſtand, underſtand reaſon, underſtand the waies of men; this is a mighty change; and truly, there is as mighty a change when God puts a new life into the ſoul, and doth regenerate it, making it partaker of the divine Nature, and even to come to live the life of God, according as the Scripture phraſe is: Now this muſt bee in every ſoul that muſt bee ſaved, and if the time bee not come, that this regeneration is wrought, then certainly thy ſoul is yet in a periſhing condition, God knows onelyonly what hee doth intend to do hereafter, but for the preſent, thy ſoul, I ſay, is in a periſhing condition: The firſt work that God made (that is, the work of Creation) by ſin was quite ſpoiled; Now Jeſus Chriſt the Son of God, that is his honour and his work to rear up a new world, and that is a better world a great deal than the former world was; and the ſpecial creatures of this world they are his Saints, and the new Creation in their hearts; now this is the condition of a converted ſoul, it is made a new Creature, All old things are done away. 2 Cor. 5.17.Thou that liveſt in thine old waies, and art altogether for thine old cuſtomes, and what ſhalt thou do contrary now to what thy Fore-fathers did, and thou thy ſelf haſt done all thy life time? and the like; oh this is a dangerous kind of reaſoning! why, thou muſt bee a new Creature, and all things are to become new in thy ſoul; thou muſt know; that the Old Man is dead in thee, and that the New Creature is reared up in thee, or elſe thou canſt not know, that if thy ſoul ſhould this night depart, but that thou ſhouldeſt bee an undone Creature for ever.
Yea, Shall I yet ſay further, becauſe it is a point of a wonderful conſequence for men and vvomen to put themſelves to it; I fear that there is many men and vvomen here, that yet all their lives time have not put this queſtion to themſelves, What are the tearms betvveen God and mee? vvhy, I hope that God vvill vvork grace in mee; I but vvhat hath God done? is it ſo vvrought at this preſent, that if I were this moment to die, I were in a ſafe condition, and the hazard of my miſcarrying to all eternity were over? A man may joyfully go thorow all conditions in this world, if hee were able to ſay, well, vvhatever befall mee in this world, yet my condition is ſuch, that I know the hazard of my miſcarrying for ever, bleſſed bee God that is over: Oh that people would but put this queſtion to themſelves, In what eſtate am I now it, if I were to die this inſtant?
Ninthly, Wherefore then another thing is this, That ſoul that yet hath not gone beyond thoſe that the Scripture doth brand and note for Hypocrites, or Reprobates, if thou haſt yet no more wrought in thee than the Scripture ſhews that they had, then certainly if thou ſhouldeſt now die, thou muſt needs periſh. — As now, the Scripture holds forth theſe examples.
Pharaoh confeſſing his ſins, The Lord is Righteous, ſaith Pharaoh, and I have ſinned.
Saul, I have ſinned againſt the Lord.
Ahab, Hee humbled himſelf in ſackcloath, and went ſoftly, when the Prophet threatned Gods anger againſt him.
The Scripture tells you of the ſtony-ground, which received the Word with joy.
Of Herod, That hee heard John Baptiſt gladly, and reformed many things.
Of Judas, Hee came and acknowledged his ſin, and brought again the thirty peeces that hee had gotten by it, and caſt it down: yet theſe of which the Scripture thus ſpeaks, all of their ſouls were loſt for ever, and yet I ſay, they went thus far; Now it concerns us very nearly to look to our ſelves, and not to think wee are ſafe upon every ſleight apprehenſion; if the Scripture holds forth ſuch examples that went thus far, and yet vvere loſt, vvee had need bee careful to examine our ſtate. — To vvhat end do you think doth God ſet dovvn theſe examples of vvicked men, vvhoſe ſouls vvere loſt, and ſhevv you hovv much good they did? certainly this vvas Gods end, that men and vvomen might not flatter themſelves vvith every little good thing that they do, but that they ſhould bee ferious and very ſolicitous in the examination of the eſtate of their ſouls, hovv the terms are betvveen God and them; this vvas Gods end in it, and this being Gods end, vvee are to make the uſe of it that God did aim at in holding forth theſe things in his Word unto us: Oh therefore do not ſatisfie your ſelves vvith a little, do not ſay, if I ſhould novv die this night, and no further vvork vvrought, yet I hope the vvork is ſo far wrought, that my ſoul will not bee loſt.