The Sinners Hope, Sermon · Chapter 5
CAP. V.
The Uſe of the Obſervation to the un-converted, tending to the ſtartling of Sinners out of their ſecurity.
WE ſhall endeavour to apply this Obſervation;
1. To thoſe that are un-converted, and this under a threefold deſign.
1. To rouſe them from their ſecurity.
2. To inform them of the truth of their eſtate.
3. To perſwade them from Impenitency.
1. To rouſe Sinners from their ſecurity. Sinners ſhould take notice of their hopes: now carnall men are not yet come into a capacity of hoping, they leaſt queſtion their eſtate of any; they conclude their condition good at firſt, do not queſtion but it muſt go well with them: to tell them there are hopes about them, is to make them worſe then they were, to put a doubt in that, wherein hitherto they have made none at all: to tell you, it is not impoſſible, but you may go to Heaven, there may be hopes, &c. it is uncouth to you; you wonder we do not peremptorily conclude on the buſineſs: like a man that is not ſenſible of his ſickneſs, and the Phyſitian tels him, that he may happen recover: you doubt your ſalvation leaſt of all, but let me tell you, if there be hopes of you, that is all: we would by this Doctrine raiſe up ſome mens hopes, ſo we muſt take down others confidence: I would all that are above it were brought down to good hopes; ſo be it, all that are below it, were but brought up ſo far. And therefore to ſtartle ſuch as you are; take notice that for that great and dreadfull caſe of your eternall Salvation, hopes are all: but there is a world of danger.
1. If you knew but what is in you, you would ſee that hope was fair for one in your condition. Alas, there is enough done, if you never do more, to make thee miſerable at this very preſent, if God do but open thine eyes: poor Creature! thou art buſie healing thy ſelf out to fin, but God looks on thee all the while; but if God let thee but ſee, that he hath looked on, how would thy preſent condition affright thee? This witneſs would make thee, Job 24.7.as in the terrour of the ſhadow of death: If God did but take up thy lying, ſwearing, Sabbath-breaking, the neglect of the laſt Duty, and one of theſe ſins ſet on by the Spirit of God, would put thee into fear ſufficient, and it would be well, if the fin that at preſent is too little to repent of, be not preſently too great in thy eyes to be forgiven, when ever God ſets thy ſin in order, Pſ. 50.21.there will fearfull matter enough be found againſt thee, to make thee ſtoop, and be beholden dearly to a little hope. Alas, take carnall hearts in the wholes, and there is nothing between them and the greateſt terrour imaginable but a little blindneſs and ignorance of their miſerable condition. If you did but ſee your ſelves juſt as you are, it is well if you could hope; aſſure your ſelves the root of terrour and anguiſh is in you, and that ſome are troubled, it is not becauſe their conditions are not ſo good as yours, but their Conſciences are more tender, and they cannot ſwallow a bad and fearfull ſtate as you can: the matter of all terrour is ready with thee, thou artready charged, it is but Gods priming, and putting fire to, and thou needs not ſtir a foot to fetch in miſery unutterable; all thy mirth may be at an end, there is enough done, nothing but the dropping of a Scale from thine eye and thy Flames are ready about thee.
2. Thou mayſt be glad of the news of hope, for at preſent I may blank thee, thou art not in the way that thou canſt poſſibly be ſaved in: things are ſo far out with thee, that there is not yet any ſhew of a foundation layd in thee for any hopes of thee, thou doſt not doubt at all of being ſaved, and I ſay thou mayſt be ſaved; but let this ſtartle thee towards a change, this way thou art in will never do it, men never went to Heaven this way, it is a Road that will never lead thither, there is nothing done yet that will ſecure thee from eternall ruine:1 Cor. 6.9. be not deceived, what ever ſuch as you may be ſo mad to think, be it known to you, you cannot inherit the Kingdome of God. If you indulge your ſelves in known ſin, this way will put you beſides all hopes.Jo. 3.36. He that believeth not; that is, is not converted to believe, he needs do no more for falling into wrath, he is born to it already, the wrath of God never removes from over that perſon, his eſtate is of wrath: The wrath of God abideth on him; Rom. 1.18the wrath of God is revealed from Heaven againſt all unrighteouſneſs of men. It is not confidence of your condition that will make it good; ſure that man hath no reaſon to ſit ſtill, or to think he hath nothing to do, when he hath yet nothing done towards his ſalvation, and the way wherein he is will be his ruine; thou hopeſt fairly for Heaven, when thou art in the way that never any went to Heaven in.
3. Thou mayſt ſoon be at thy Journeys end, and at thy reckoning, to make uſe of all the hope thou haſt; there may be but a ſtep (for ought thou knoweſt) between thee, and death. Alas,1 Sa. 20.3. it is but getting a Cold, and falling ſick, and dying, and then thou comſt to tryall, for all the things done in the fleſh. It may take thee with a diddering and ſhaking, and thou mayſt (for any thing any body can tell) begin to ſhake for Hell. Oh! thou that art at peace, and dwelleſt at eaſe, how ſoon may thy miſery come armed upon thee? Thou deſpiſeſt ſo low a rate as hope: why? Alas! if God ſet but Death before thee, thou wilt ſee thy ſelf be-ſet as the Benjamites; Thou knoweſt not that evill was neer thee, Jud. 20.34and behold, thou art be-ſet on all ſides; an ill life behind thee, and Hell before thee. Oh! what will become of thee? For the wicked man God hath whet his Sword, he hath bent his Bow, made all ready. Pſal. 111.Thou mayſt not yet be ſtrucken: The Bird yet alive, but fire ready to ſtrike. Alas, it is but Gods putting in any of the Creatures into the Writ, to be his Officer, to Arreſt thee and to caſt thee into priſon, and verily thou ſhalt not come out thence, till thou haſt payd the utmoſt Farthing; and that will never be, if you ever be ſo miſerable, as to make the Experiment of it: therefore thou haſt cauſe to ſtartle, thy death may be neer, and thy Death may prove thy Hell.
4. There is but one way in all the world for thee to come off upon, and that a very narrow one; you do not think your condition ſo dangerous, that you are within one, by many pleas, for your ſalvation: but ſo it is, that if Converſion help not, you are ſure for eſcaping, you are undone for ever, thou art upon a narrow point, if thou couldſt ſee it. It is Gods Record, that he giveth eternall life, 1 Jo. 5.11, 12.and this life is in his Son. No other way but by Chriſt to have eternall life: Sure you muſt many of you, either find many waies to Heaven and Happineſs, or elſe you muſt tremble to think your ſelves out of this way, when there is none but this one.
Weigh theſe things well, and ſee whether here be not cauſe for you to tremble, and if that a meſſage of hope would not do well.