The Door of Salvation Opened by the Key of Regeneration, Treatise · Application · Explication 1
FIrſt, By way of Information: If without Regeneration men and women can never attain Salvation; then it informeth us in the firſt place, how groſs and how great is the deluſion of graceleſs and irreligious perſons. How exceedingly do moſt ſinners cheat and cozen their own ſouls! Reader, it may be thou art a Drunkard, a Swearer, a Scoffer at godlineſs, an Atheiſt in thy heart, in thy ſoul, and yet thou hopeſt to get to heaven. O deſperate deluſion! I tell thee, either this Text which I write of, and which is the word of the true and living God, muſt be falſe (which the Devil himſelf is not ſo great a Blaſphemer as to think) or thou art a brand for the unquenchable fire. Do but look into the black liſt of thoſe that are for utter darkneſs, and thou mayſt read thy very name written there in broad letters, 1 Cor. 6.9, 10. Know ye not that the unrightous ſhall not inherit the Kingdom of God? Be not deceived (O ſoul-cheater) neither Forn cators, nor Idolaters, nor Adulterers, nor Effeminate nor abuſers of themſelves with mankind, nor Thieves, nor Covetous, nor Drunkards, nor Revilers, no… Extortioners ſhall inherit the kingdom …f God. See Gal. 5.19, 20, 21. Gal. 6.7, 8. Epheſ. 5.5, 6. Friend, I could name forty texts of Scripture which paſs ſentence of everlaſting condemnation on thy ſoul, and yet thou thinkeſt in deſpight of God and his word to be ſaved. I aſſure thee, prophane wretch, thou comeſt ſhort of hundreds which ſhall come ſhort of heaven. Many bid fair (to the eyes of men) by civility, morality and common grace, but come not up to the price, to Regeneration, and ſo miſs of that place; thou art every day adding ſin to ſin, drunkenneſs to thirſt, poſting in the road to hell, and yet ſayſt, that thou ſhalt arrive at heaven! well, within a few days it ſhall be tried whoſe words are trueſt, God's or thine.
But if thou mayſt be convinced of thy ſoul-flattery, before it bring thee into endleſs miſery; I ſhall ſhew thee the utter impoſſibility of thy ſalvation while thou remaineſt in this condition. There are four gates through which all muſt go that get into the new Jeruſalem, every one of which is ſhut, lockt, bar'd, and bolted againſt thee.
1. They that get to heaven muſt go through the gate of Election. As all that were not reckoned by Genealogy, were put by the Prieſthood, as being polluted, Ezra 2.62. ſo all are excluded eternal life, whoſe names are not written in the Lambs book of life, Rev. 20. ult. Whoſoever was not found written in the book of life, was caſt into the lake of fire. Now this gate of Election is ſhut againſt prophaneſs; thou haſt not the leaſt ground to imagine that thou art elected whilſt thou art unconverted, becauſe God decreed all them to be ſanctified, whom he decreed to be ſaved; Mark that, 2 Theſſ. 2.13, 14. Who hath choſen us to ſalvation through ſanctification of the Spirit, and belief of the truth. The end and the way were both in Gods thoughts together. Thoſe whoſe names are regiſtred in heaven, their natures are regenerated on earth. Whom he did predeſtinate, them he alſo called, Rom. 8.30. The firſt riſe (ſaith one) and ſpring of mercy is Election, which breaketh out by effectual Calling, and ſo floweth down in the channels of Faith and Holineſs, till it loſe it ſelf in the ocean of glory. Vocation is the outward expreſſion of God's inward intention to ſave a ſinner, or the firſt impreſſion of the ſeal upon the wax; therefore Election and Vocation are both conjoyned, Rev. 17.14. nay, the one is put for the other, 1 Cor. 1.26, 27. becauſe they are inſeparable companions; ſo that if thy name be written in the book of life, thy nature would be renewed to live a ſpiritual life, 2 Tim. 1.9. 1 Pet. 1.2. Therefore (Reader) if ever thou reacheſt heaven in this eſtate of unholineſs, thou muſt make a blot not onelyonly in the Bible, but in the very Book of Life.
2. All that get to heaven muſt go through the gate of Chriſts Paſſion; There is no name under heaven given among men by which we may be ſaved, but the name of Jeſus Chriſt, Acts 4.12. And it is the death of Chriſt which purchaſeth eternal life for Chriſtians; as the ſown ſeed by dying bringeth forth a plentiful increaſe, ſo Chriſt by dying bringeth many Sons to glory, Joh. 12.24. Heb. 2.10. but this gate is ſhut againſt thee; for thoſe for whom Chriſt purchaſed glory, for them he purchaſed grace. The Son of God laid down the ſame price for both; ſo that if ever he deliver thee from the condemning power of ſin, he will deliver thee from the commanding power of ſin, Tit. 2.14. He gave himſelf for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purifie unto himſelf a peculiar people zealous of good works; ſo Luk. 1.71, 72, 74, 75. Epheſ. 5.25, 26. He gave himſelf for his Church (obſerve the end) that he might ſanctifie and cleanſe it. He died for ſin, that all his might dye to ſin, Joh. 17.19. he poured out his heart blood, that God might power down his holy Spirit. His name is called Jeſus becauſe he ſaveth his people from their ſins, Matth. 1.21. not only from the puniſhment, but alſo from the power of their ſins. Now canſt thou think (O Atheiſt!) to make Chriſt an half Saviour, as the Papiſts do, a Purchaſer of pardon, but not of purity! then queſtionleſs thou canſt be but half ſaved, and have the greateſt part of thy miſery ſtill upon thee, to wit, thy ſlavery to ſin. But ſurely thou canſt not think, that when Juſtification and Sanctification are joyn'd together in the purpoſe of the Father, and the purchaſe of the Son, it ſhall be in thy power to part them aſunder.
A third gate through which all muſt go that get to heaven is the gate of Scripture. The Promiſes are the gracious deeds and evidences which Saints have to ſhew for their right to that glorious inheritance: And it is curſed preſumption to expect heaven without a promiſe. Now God hath in (many places excluded thee, but in) no place promiſed heaven to thee. Look from the beginning to the end of the Bible, and thou ſhalt not finde one good word ſpoken to thee; there are woes and curſes, threatnings and judgements, which thou mayſt challenge as thy part and portion, but no promiſe or ſaving bleſſing.
All the promiſes of ſalvation are conditional, Matth. 5.8. & 11.28. John 3.16. yea including and expreſſing this very condition of converſion. He that believeth ſhall be ſaved, ſaith God, Mark 16.16. And repent that your ſins may be blotted out, Act. 3.19. the body and ſoul do ſpecifically conſtitute the whole new man, and upon thoſe two hinges of Faith and Repentance do all the ſaving promiſes in the Bible hang; therefore thy expectance of the benefit of the promiſe without the performance of the condition is ſoul-damning deluſion; Thou mayeſt like a dog ſnatch at the children bread, the Promiſes, but aſſure thy ſelf thou haſt no part nor lot in theſe matters.
This, Reader, is the difference betwixt preſuming and believing; he that believeth, finding in his own ſoul the conditions mentioned in the promiſes of eternal life, (as namely, that he walks after the ſpirit, mortifieth the deeds of the fleſh, hath his converſation in Heaven, Rom. 8.1. Phil. 3.19. and the like) relieth on Chriſt for pardon and life, upon the warrant and ſecurity of his word and promiſe, Pſal. 119.114.145. He that preſumeth, looketh that God ſhould perform his part of the promiſe in giving ſalvation, but never mindeth whether he perform his part of the promiſe, in obſerving the condition. Let thy conſcience be judge whether thou art not ſuch a preſumtuous perſon, and therefore doeſt in vain look for the fruit of the promiſe.
4. All that get to heaven muſt go through the gate of mediate communion; heaven muſt be nigh thee before thou canſt be in heaven; it is fellowſhip with God in this world which fitteth for fellowſhip with God in the other world; without holineſs none ſhall ſee God, Heb. 12.14. becauſe without holineſs none can ſee God, an unholy mind cannot behold him, an unholy will cannot enjoy him, unholy affections cannot delight in him, an unholy man in heaven could not finde it a place of happineſs, for 'tis not a Turkiſh Paradice, but a place of holy pleaſures; 'tis mediate communion which doth capacitate the ſoul for immediate communion; and as the weaker eyes may behold the Sun in its beams, then in its glorious body at the higheſt in a clear day; ſo a ſmaller degree of holineſs will enable the ſoul to ſee God in the glaſs of his ordinances, then to ſee him face to face. Now thou canſt not enjoy him in this imperfect degree, much leſs in a ſtate of perfection, If thou ſayeſt that thou haſt fellowſhip with him and walkeſt in darkneſs thou lieſt, 1 Joh. 1.6. Mark, If thou ſayeſt that thou enjoyeſt fellowſhip with God, and leadeſt a ſinfull life, thou telleſt a broad lye; all that enjoy the Ordinances of God, do not enjoy the God of Ordinances; all that go to Church, do not meet with Chriſt: What cummunion hath light with darkneſs, or Chriſt with Belial? truly no more hath God with thy ſoul. Princes are not ſo prodigal of their intimate friendſhip and favour, as to throw them away upon their foes. Thy carnal minde is emnity againſt God; God is a profeſt enemy to thee, and therefore can they ever walk together till they be agreed? now there is a neceſſity of walking with him before thou canſt be tranſlated to him, Gen. 5.21. or elſe thou haſt found out a nearer way to heaven then the children of God went in.
Beſides, the Scripture ſpeaketh plainly, that he who hath a true hope of heaven doth purifie himſelf as God is pure, 1 John 3.3. True hope begetteth and increaſeth holineſs; now doth thy hope cauſe thee to purifie thy ſelf, when like an infant thou polluteſt thy ſelf, lieſt contentedly in thy filth and never mindeſt cleanſing?
Now tell me, Reader, whether thou doeſt not ſadly cozen thy ſelf, in dreaming of ſalvation without regeneration, when God predeſtinated all to be conformable to the image of his Son in purity, whom he predeſtinated to be conformable to the image of his Son in glory, Rom. 8.29. when Jeſus Chriſt ſuffered not onelyonly to procure pardon, but for all his, freedom from the power of ſin; when the promiſes of the Goſpel do expreſs regeneration as the indiſpenſable qualification of all that ſhall be ſaved, Acts 3.19 and when thou art ſo far from being capable of immediate communion hereafter, that it is impoſſible that thou ſhouldeſt in thy carnal eſtate have mediate communion with him here; canſt thou continue in thy thoughts that heaven ſhall be open to thee, when the hand of Almighty God hath ſhut it againſt thee, and blocked up every way which leads to it to keep the out? and how deceitfull and deſperately wicked is thy heart to promiſe thee (if thou wilt ſerve ſin and the world) the beautifull Rachel of heaven, when after all thy ſlavery to thy luſts, thou ſhalt be put off with the blear-eyed Leah of Hell. Believe not, O Reader, The wicked one, if thou loveſt the life of thy ſoul; he may by his lying ſpirit in thy heart, as ſometimes in the mouth of Ahabs falſe prophets, perſwade thee to go on in thy ſinfull courſes, and promiſe thee as he did Ahab that thou ſhalt proſper; but if thou doeſt not periſh if thou followeſt ſuch counſel, the Lord hath not ſpoken in his Word. I tell thee man, God hath no birthrights for ſuch prophane Eſaus, nor inheritances for ſuch ſcoffing Iſhmaels; Depart from me, will be the doom of all that are workers of iniquity, Matth. 7.23. into heaven can in no wiſe enter any thing that is unclean, Rev. 21.27. The earth may bear ſuch wicked ones a while, though not without groans to be eaſed of ſuch burdens, Rom. 8.22. but heaven will never be peſtred with them.
If thou didſt travel towards the Weſt, thy reaſon would tell thee, there was no poſſibility of arriving at the Eaſt, without turning about; yet thou goeſt in the broad way to deſtruction, and thy religion bids thee to expect heaven without converſion. Well! ſee what God ſaith to thee, and be confident that what he ſpeaketh he will do, Deut. 29.19, 20. And it come to paſs when he heareth the word of this curſe, that he bleſs himſelf in his heart, ſaying, I ſhall have peace though I walk in the imaginations of my heart, to add drunkenneſs to thirſt, the Lord will not ſpare him, but the anger of the Lord and his jealouſie ſhall ſmoak againſt that man, and all the curſes that are written in this book ſhall lye upon him, and the Lord ſhall blot out his name from under heaven O look to it, Friend, before it be too late; otherwiſe this work of preſumption will ſplit thee eternally; for Chriſt himſelf hath ſaid, that Except thou art born again, thou ſhall never ſee the kingdom of God.