The Sinners Hope, Sermon · Chapter 6
CAP. VI.
Further tending to enform ſeverall ſorts of Sinners, especially of the dangerouſneſs of their preſent ſtation; how little Hopes, and upon what terms only, there are any hopes, of ſundry ſorts of Men.
2. THis may inform you of the truth about your Eſtate and Condition; we may tell you,
1. Of ſome Conditions that are very and much more dangerous then others.
2. Of ſome that are very hopeleſs above others.
3. What our hopes are of any of you.
1. Of ſome Conditions that are very dangerous, and leſs hopefull. Oh! there is little hopes, and therefore beware of theſe Sinners eſtates, fly from the Tents of theſe men.Num. 16.26.
1. Of an old Sinner, ſuch are rarely converted, ſin rivetted, and twice natured to them: ſuch as theſe are many times very ignorant, and deeply conceited of their wiſdome, and their parts decayed, and ſo out of a capacity of attaining ſaving knowledge; old men are hardly turned, rarely born again: to take Nicodemus his doubt literally, Can a man be born again when he is old? Jo 3.4.God knows it ſeldome comes to paſs, Oh, therefore look to it in your young time, this is the ſowing time, this is the beſt ſeaſon:Prov. 10.5 little hopes of an old Sinner.
2. Of a worldly Profeſſor. Oh, much danger of ſuch a one, the world holds their heart from Chriſt, and their Profeſſion keeps convictions of their hearts, the World ſteals the Soul for Hell, and Profeſſion keeps the Watch, that the Theft is un-diſcovered till all be loſt, the World is enough to damn thee, and thy Profeſſion enough to ſecure thee in the way of damnation; the World ſatisfies thy Luſt, and Profeſſion thy Conſcience, and ſo thou art moſt certainly bound for deſtruction, if God do not by ſtrong hand fetch thee out. Our Saviour ſaies,Mat. 19.23. How hard is it for a rich man to enter into Heaven? Eaſie for a rich man to profeſs Religion, but hard for him ſavingly to be religious; eaſie for him to do nothing ſo well, as to poſt to Hell and deſtruction. Oh, look to it all of you, this, by this hath many faln, ſecretly and ſurely ſtoln their ruine: it is the moſt quiet, ſecure, ſweet, triumphing ſure way to Hell that a man can go. As Mr. Bradford ſaid of Martyrdome for Heaven, ſo I may ſay of Worldlineſs under Profeſſion, if there be a way to Hell on Horſe-back, this is it: If thou have taken up Profeſſion, and yet in heart loveſt the World, thy Condition is very dangerous; when the Word and Miniſtry would come to heal thee, thou ſalveſt thy ſelf by thy Profeſſion, and wilt not be the carnall man, when ſuch a one is ſpoken to, and yet loveſt the World carnally and damnably, and wilt ruine thy ſelf this way. And thus covertly keepeſt thy heart wicked, to go to Hell with them when thou dieſt.
3. Of an Apoſtate Heretick. Oh, ſuch as theſe are hardly ſaved, if ſaved at all,1 Cor. 3.15. yet ſo as by fire; a ſtick that is in the fire may eſcape with ſcortching, if catched before kindled. They are many of them given up to ſtrong deluſions, 2 Theſ. 2.11, 12.to the efficacy of Deluſions, that they may believe Lyes, and all this in the end to be damned. Theſe poor Wretches if ſaved at all, we ſave them with fear, as plucking them out of the fire, Hell-fire being ready to kindle on them, by the light of which they ſeem to walk, while they are here. O! fly the Tents of theſe wicked men, whoſe ſtate is ſo dangerous.
4. Of a Death-bed Penitent. Oh! this ſtate is very hazardous, men then to have all their work to do, and undo, when they are unfit to do any thing, and can have ſo little certainty of their own reality in any thing they profeſs, then to deſire to do. A man may in fear of Death ſeem to caſt away his ſin,Inſtructions to afflicted Conſciences. and think verily himſelf he doth do it, and yet if he recover, be as ready to take it up as ever, which evidences the little hold a man can have of his own heart at ſuch a time. Mr. Bolton tels of a Thief that was condemned, and ſeemed ſo penitent while under the Sentence of Death, that ſome, out of hopes of his reall Converſion, beg'd his life: and this man was within two years after Executed for ſtealing again. Theſe Experiences make us very little ſatisfied in any profeſſions of Repentance at Death, after a groſly wicked Life; God may honour himſelf by your acknowledgment of him, and chooſing to die in his way, and our Charity is bound up, and we leave you, not determining of your caſe, but our Charity will not certifie for you, to make good your entrance into life, you may be judged for all this according to your life, and be eternally undone: It is good repenting therefore, when a man knows what he doth, what he himſelf means, which on a ſick Bed one cannot do. It is poor going for any man into another World, with that preparation only, that a ſick Bed can furniſh him with.
2. Yet there be ſome Conditions, not only leſs hopefull then others, but quite in a manner hopeleſs.
1. Of a Profeſſor that turns Perſecuter. Oh, this is very high, when men leave God and revolt to the other ſide; it is no mean wickedneſs will ſerve their turn, as the Philiſtims ſaid of David, 1 Sa. 29.4.How ſhall he reconcile himſelf to his Maſter, but by the heads of theſe men? So how ſhall this man be taken to heart in Satans Army, unleſs he recover his Credit by more open Hoſtility, then ever he did act in before. No Turk ſo bad as the Renegado Chriſtian, and ſurely this is ſuch an high Indignity to Chriſt, and the Spirit of Grace: this is ſuch a deſpight, ſuch a trampling under foot the precious blood of the Covenant, that ſuch a one ſeldome or never recovers. A Back-ſlider may return, but then he ſtops there: but a Back-ſliding Perſecutor he goes ſo far the other way, that there is ſcarce any room for him to turn on. Mr. Latimer tells of one in his time that deſpaired, that had once been a Profeſſor; and after mocked at the Truth, judging that he had ſin'd againſt the Holy-ghoſt, and how he bad him go home to his Prayers, and he would to his Study; and another day tell him what he thought: For (ſaies he) I underſtood it well enough, but could not well declare it, but I will bungle at it as well as I can: and ſo he anſwered, and after aſſerted in the caſe: that Privilegium paucorum non deſtruit regulam univerſalem; This man (ſaies he) I knew that repented, and many to have done as he did; and yet never a one returned but he. We would endeavour to find a Door open for ſuch to get out at, if they got repentance; but uſually ſuch engage ſo far, that they come hardly to repent. A Perſecuter at firſt hand may be converted, but one of theſe God ſeldome gives repentance to, that he may turn again: and this is but too common a thing, which I mention, to make men tremble that are ſecure and careleſs, as too many are; that at firſt, when (it may be) they were low in the World, they profeſſed Religion, but when gotten a little great and rich, they begin to ſlight their Profeſſion, and ſtick not to mock and ſcoff at the beſt people, though (it may be) under the notion of ſuch a Party, diſſenting from the worſer ſort in ſome Diſciplinary Controverſle, but this will not excuſe their hatred and affront to Religion it ſelf, and men may ſoon engage further, then they can eaſily come off in ſuch a deſperate courſe: and therefore let them that have profeſſed, beware what they do, they bring an evill report upon Religion, they advance the Devils Kingdome, they harden many to their ruine, and fearfully bar out their own repentance: If you do go off, beware to take heed how far you go: of all kind of Sinners beware of being a Perſecuter, and of all Perſecuters, let the Apoſtate Perſecuter look about him.
2. A man that forſakes the publick Ordinances, prophanely, or otherwiſe, there is little or no hopes of: the Ordinances are the Means, which God doth ordinarily uſe to make men better by; and therefore this is a ſin of an high nature, becauſe it is againſt the Means of being changed. This made Mr. Latimer ſay, Come to Church if it be but to ſleep there, for God may take thee napping; the Miniſter may awake thee, if there, and God may together with it awaken thy Soul: if you lye in Chriſts way, there is hopes; if you be about the Pool, though you cannot get in, yet you may be healed: but when men go quite out of all high waies, their Conditions are heavily markt out for dangerous. Alas! it is ſome more then ordinary ſervice and ſecurity the Devill deſigns from you, if he prevail upon you this way, to get you careleſs of Ordinances, and to get a trick of idling at home on the Sabbath day. If men be wicked, yet if they go to the publick Ordinances, the Devill is not ſo ſure of any of them: a word ſet on by Preaching, may drive him out of poſſeſſion of the very worſt of you; and therefore when he deſigns to have ſome more then ordinary ſecurity of you, that you ſhall be true to his ſervice, and be his for ever, never to over-run his Colours, he would break you off from Ordinances, and then he needs look no more after you, unleſs it be to ſet you on ſome eminent Piece of Work for him, which only ſuch a one is fit for. He may have hopes of many that go to Church; that he ſhall light of a good ſhare of them, but this puts him to pains, and he is oft made to be-ſtir himſelf, ſince the Ordinances of God make Batteries on his Holds, and he is lyable to be turned at every Sermon, out of ſome heart, and Sinners by long Sieges may be forced to yield: but when he knows he hath a ſtrong Garriſon within, and hath removed them from all Leagures, he may leave that Soul, and find it at any time ſafe enough to him.
We in Chriſts behalf, what Promiſes ſoever any make to us, can have no ſecurity of you, if you keep ſtill in looſe and bad Company: No more can he have hold of any for Hell, as long as ſtill they are frequenting Publick Ordinances.
And thoſe that do thus, he doth not only deſign to be ſure of them, but he intends ſome more then ordinary Service from them; theſe men are like to ſerve him in any thing he puts upon them, they keep out of the way of having any thing to hinder them. What is there to hinder the vileſt thought of taking place? of Corruption riſing to an height in the heart? go to the Church and ſome word may meet it, and give check to it, that if men be wicked, yet they cannot afford to be ſo very wicked: but when he hath you out of the noiſe, of the word, no Voyce behind you, to tell you of another way, you know not what wickedneſs you ſhall ſtop at. Thus have I heard of, and known ſome, that have ended their daies on the Gallows, that have confeſſed, that the firſt ſtep towards that Ignominious Death, hath been their Sabbath-breaking. When men dare turn their backs on Gods Ordinances, and ſit at home, it is hard to think what Meditations they may have at home; nay, what for vileneſs and wretchedneſs may they not have? Sure Satan hath a deſign to take you from Gods teaching, that he may have you in ſecret, and on Gods own Day, to teach you wholly at home. If idling at home be thy Sabbathdaies work, no marvail, if Thieving, Whoredome, and what not be thy Sabbath-daies Meditations? Alas! it is not a matter of Cloaths.
1.Ja. 2.1.2, 3 4, 5. God hath enjoyned us not to be partiall in our ſelves, and to judge after evill Thoughts; a poor man in vile Rayment, in caſe of Conteſt, is not to be under-valued, but to be equally adminiſtred to in a way of Juſtice, as the rich man in coſtly Apparell, with his Gold Ring on his Finger, and if you come into theſe Aſſemblies, much more, we ſhall be as glad to ſee you as greater men, and as much deſire the Salvation of your Souls.
2. Sure it is a greater ſhame to ſtay at home needleſly, then to appear at Church in the pooreſt Rayment.
3. The Divell will venture to teach you in Rags.
4. And beſides, ſee what a Deſign the Divell hath carried on againſt you: it may be, you have been of better faſhion among your Neighbours, and you have drunk your ſelves out of your Cloaths, your former going to Church hath not hindred your looſe living, and now he hath brought you to beggery, and ſo aſhamed to go to Church at all, and now he may do what he will with you.
5. But when you come to die, and find the want of what you ſhould die with, and this upon your Conſciences, that you neglected the means of getting it, what a rage will this leave you in?
6. And beſides all this, the Damned in Hell, if they might have leave to come to the Ordinances, would make it no matter of Cloaths; they would be glad to hear a Sermon for the good of their Soules, though in the pooreſt Cloaths that ever man wore.
But men that do thus, there is the leaſt hopes poſſibly of them of any again. And thoſe that leave the publick Ordinances out of Conſcience, their Condition is no better, they are to lead the Divels Van, they are gone through Profeſſion to the Divels Camp on the other ſide. They frame miſchief by a Law: They forſake Aſſemblies, and juſtifie it, and doubly affront the Ordinance of Chriſt; and theſe are more unlike to return to the Aſſemblies again, and as ſure as any, to feel the damning effects of their neglect of them. This for thoſe that are very hopeleſs.
But thirdly, We may ſhew, what our hopes are of any of you, that are yet vile and live in ſin: Why, truly we may, to affect your hearts with it, open our very hearts to you about your Eſtate; As indeed it were but reaſonable, that you ſhould ask your Miniſters advice about your Condition; you are not apt to truſt your Aſſurance for your Eſtates, without the advice of your Lawyer: For your bodily Health, you are willing to ask the Phyſitian, and and very earneſtly ſometimes deſire him to tell you, what he thinks of you, both becauſe you judge the matter is Important and that their skill in the buſineſs is rather to be truſted then yours, ſince better verſt in it: and how comes it, that the Miniſter is ſo ſeldome Conſulted with in the caſe of the immortall Soul? is it becauſe the matter is of leſs Concernment, or you have skill enough to judge your ſelves? Or that Miniſters are to no manner of purpoſe? As for the uſe that a great many make of them, they were the needleſſeſt Officers that ever were ſet on foot) or intruth, is it becauſe you leaſt matter this buſineſs of any? But we may in faithfulneſs tell you, what our thoughts are of you Gratis: Sure we may ſay of the very vileleſt that hear us, there is hopes; and we tell you in our God, we have hopes of you, of the vileſt Drunkard, unclean, prophane perſon in the Congregation; thus far it may be it pleaſeth you, and we ſhall endeavour your profit, as much in what we ſhall ſay further. We have ſome kind of hopes about you, whilſt we conſider.
1. That it is out of ignorance, that any of you do as you do, if you knew what you did, you would cloſe with Chriſt preſently. The God of this World blinds your eyes, 2 Cor. 4.4that the glorious light of the Goſpell breaks not in prevailingly upon you.
2. That yet we may ſee a day of the worſt of you, God may turn you; There is none of you, that moſt grieve us at preſent, but God can make you to ſeek our Beloved with us: Caut. 6.1. Gal. 1. ult.God can make us glorifie God in you, that you ſhould profeſs the way, that ſometimes you have perſecuted: we are thinking ſometimes at ſome of you, that are ſo zealouſly ſet for ſin, mad againſt the people of God, that endeavour ſo earneſtly to ſerve ſin, that you are but cutting out an example, what manner of ſerious Chriſtians you muſt be, when God turns you. Oh! this will be a rare Motive to put you on, when you come in, to labour more abundantly then all, becauſe you ſtand out ſo long, and have done ſo much the other way. We delight our ſelves in our God, to think what men you will be, when God works this Change upon you: And all this wickedneſs is but to cut you out a Copy of high Endeavours in the right way when you return. God can ſend home Oneſimus, Ro. 6.20.that he may depart for a ſeaſon, to return home for ever into Chriſts poſſeſſion. This is the worſt we wiſh you, and this we hope in, and it is that which God can by his mighty power work at the turning of his hand; This deſpiſed way, God can make any of you a Profeſſor of it, when he pleaſeth: And this might by a ſide-blow in the mean time ſtrike upon your Conſciences, if God be pleaſed to ſet in with it, what hopes you can have in the way you are in, when our hopes of you is to ſee you out of it: Miniſters, thou maiſt ſay, have hopes of me, but not in the way I am in, how dare I then hope in this way? or why ſhould I dare to go on in it, if it be a way I muſt leave, If I deſign Salvation? The Lord help you and your thoughts herein, for this will verily prove juſt as we ſay.
3. This we know of you, that if you repent not, God will own his own way, and you muſt never do well, if you repent not: We know thus far of the worſt of You, that if You knew what You did, You would never ſtand out, and that if God ſet for it, it is not You that can ſtand out: and this we have further for our own encouragement in reſpect of the event concerning You, whether You will come in, or no, we know not, but this we know, if ever you do well, you muſt come in: If ever You be ſaved, You muſt turn to Chriſt, we may have Your companie yet in Gods way, as averſe as You are; and it muſt be ſo, or Your Souls to all eternity muſt pay for it; and therefore we reſolve to ſtick where we are, knowing that all that will do well, muſt take the ſame courſe, and ſeek Chriſt as we do: but for the courſe You are in, if You intend to perevere in it, there is no hopes for You, if You will not repent and turn to Chriſt, we will never ask the Lord to ſhew mercy to You; we will beg repentance for You, or we dare not beg mercy, for he will only ſhew mercy to the Penitent.Pſal. 58.5. Be not mercifull to any wicked Tranſgreſſor: Prayers made by ſuch a one as David, are Prophetick Determinations, God will not be mercifull to any wicked Tranſgreſſors; Sinners that go on in ſin, that will not repent, to give God the Glory, they are ſure to reap the fruit of their doings, God will not ſhew mercy on them. For You in this way to be faved. Conſider,
1. It is against Gods truth, God hath declared the contrary, and think whether You have not caſt Your matters on a narrow miſerable Point, that you muſt either be damned, or the moſt holy One of Iſrael make himſelf a Lyar.
2. It is againſt his admirable contrivance, in this way he hath appointed, wherein only Mercy and Juſtice is reconciled: and is it likely, that he will go out of this Glorious way, to ſave thee in a way of thine own?
3. It is againſt all reaſon that men ſhould be ſaved in a way of their own, that will not be ſaved in Gods way: Is it reaſon, that God, or You ſhould appoint a way of Reconcilement? Or doth God ſo gain by Your Salvation? Or is he ſure to loſe ſo by Your ruine? That if he cannot have You up to his terme, he muſt needs come down to Yours. Oh! my Brethren do not You believe this, venture not Your precious Souls on ſuch deſperate ſenſleſs Preſumptions. And therefore now You ſee what You are like to truſt to, if You would know what hopes there is of You. Why, what do You intend to do? it is at Your own ſelves:Pſa. 58.5. If you will frame your waies and your doings, to turn to the Lord: There is riches of MercieMercy to receive You; and great hopes of You; but if You intend to perſiſt in the courſe you are in, ſpeak no more of the buſineſs, it is impoſſible. If God can ceaſe to be true, wiſe, and juſt, then thou in Impenitencie maiſt be ſaved. What! a man be ſaved in his Impenitencie? do not, Lord do not do it, ſaies the holie man.
But this ſhall ſuffice in the ſecond part of this Uſe, for the Information of wicked men of their ſeverall dangerous Eſtates.