Several Discourses Considering the Providence of God, Discourse · Part 3 · Sermon 50
SERMON L.
Hoſea XIII. 9.
O Iſrael, thou haſt deſtroyed thy ſelf, but in me is thy help.
I Am now come to the ſecond general Propoſition, which I promiſed you to diſcourſe upon a little. In my laſt exerciſe, I diſcourſed to you of the Fountain of Life and Grace, which we found to be the free-will of God: There is no other account to be given of Gods ſhewing mercy, but becauſe he will ſhew mercy, which is moſt certainly true, as of Gods eternal acts of Grace, ſo of his Acts of Providence, as to the diſpenſation of his firſt Grace. The next Propoſition I mentioned was this,
2. Prop. That God in his providential Diſpenſations of puniſhment never acteth by meer Prerogative, but according to the demerit of his Creatures. In his Diſpenſations of Grace, and the means of it, he acteth meerly from his own Will: he will have mercy upon whom he will have mercy; and there is no other account to be given of thoſe Diſpenſations, he ſendeth the Goſpel to this place, rather than another, becauſe he will ſend it; he changeth this Man or Womans heart, and turneth it to himſelf, becauſe he will ſhew mercy: But the caſe is otherwiſe in his penal Diſpenſations; there God acteth not upon Prerogative. God there hath a Prerogative; for may not the Potter do what he will with his Clay? But it is one thing to have Jus abſolutum, an abſolute right, and power which we muſt claim for God, ſo long as we know him to have an abſolute right, and Soveraignty over the works of his hands; 'tis another thing for God agere ſecundum jus abſolutum, to act according to his Soveraignty, and abſolute power: this we ſay God doth not. I pray obſerve: I reſtrain my Diſcourſe, to Gods Diſpenſations of actual Providence: I ſhall not meddle with the eternal Councils of God in this caſe, that is quite beyond my Subject propounded. It is unqueſtionable, that the puniſhments of Sinners, both in this Life, and that which is to come, as well as the other great iſſues of his Providence, concerning the rewards of righteous men, were ſet in order by an Eternal deliberation; but whether by a meer negative, or poſitive Decree; whether upon conſideration of ſin, or no, are points I am not at all concerned to intereſt my ſelf in; having all along reſtrained my diſcourſe to the motions of Actual Providence: and certain it is, that God in thoſe Diſpenſations, doth puniſh none either here, or hereafter, meerly becauſe he will, but upon conſideration of Sinners demerits. Shewing mercy, is an Act of Grace; puniſhments, are Acts of Juſtice. The gift of God, foreign, is Eternal Life, that is a guift; and what is freer than gift? But the Wages of Sin, is Death; foreign, a Man muſt earn Death, before he hath it from the hand of a merciful God: but Eternal Life muſt be given him, if ever it be his Portion; ſo ſaith my Text. O Iſrael thou haſt deſtroyed thy ſelf: I will open this in two or three concluſions.
1. I underſtand it of all kind of deſtructions: poſſibly, the Text may chiefly relate to temporal deſtructions, 'tis Ephraim to whom the Prophet is ſpeaking; and it is about a bodily deſtruction: but the Concluſion is general, and the Text is well enough applyed by Divines, to Eternal deſtruction; all deſtructions, whether of Body, or Soul, are of our ſelves; yea, I take the Aphonimy of the Text, to be more eminently true, of the deſtruction of the Soul, than of the deſtruction of the Body. A Child may dye for the ſins of the Parents, Subjects may dye for the ſin of their Prince; as in the caſe of Saul's Children, that were hanged in David's time, and in the caſe of thoſe many thouſands, which in David's time were cut off for his ſin in numbring of the People. The Children of God may be involved in a common deſtruction, and ſuffer as they are a part of a ſinful Nation; God may take them off, to deliver them from an evil to come, as in the caſe of Abijam the Son of Jeroboam. God may puniſh his people with afflictions of this Life, for the trial, and exerciſe of their graces; but in Eternal deſtructions, God can have no other end, than the puniſhment of the perſon, and all ſuch deſtruction, is for a mans ſin; his perſonal ſin.
3. When we ſay, that Mens deſtruction is of themſelves, you muſt underſtand, of themſelves as the meritorious cauſe; not of themſelves, as the principal efficient cauſe. God is rightly enough entituled, to all the Evil of puniſhment in the City. It is no diſhonour to his Majeſty, to be the Author of his own Judgments; which is all, that Mr. Calvin, or any of the ſame mind with him, have ſaid; which hath made ſome ſo clamour againſt them, as having aſſerted God to be the Author of Sin. For God to be the Author of puniſhments, is no ſtain to his Glory; but a Declaration of his Juſtice, and of his Righteouſneſs. Chriſt himſelf ſhall come (as the Apoſtle telleth us) in flaming fire, to take Vengeance upon them who know not God; and obey not his glorious Goſpel. God ſhall ſay to thoſe on his left hand, depart from me you curſed, into everlaſting fire, prepared for the Devil and his Angels. But our deſtruction is from our ſelves, as the proximate, and meritorious cauſe; though from God as the efficient cauſe. It is not from the Soveraign will of God meerly, but from the ſtubborn and rebellious will of Man, that any Soul periſheth. Divines do ſay, that though God cannot will the doing of any Sin, yet he may will that it ſhould be done. The Holy Ghoſt telleth us, that Herod, and Pilate, and the Jews, employed in accuſing, condemning, crucifying of Chriſt; did no more, than what the Council of God had determined ſhould be done. But I ſay, notwithſtanding this, the proximate cauſe of mans Damnation is not, becauſe God hath willed their Damnation; it is the guilt of their own Sins, the demerit of their own Tranſgreſſions, which bringeth them to the Pit of Deſtruction. The Gracious God ſheweth mercy, and ſaveth all who are ſaved by Prerogative; by Grace you are ſaved, ſaith the Apoſtle: he hath the ſame Prerogative in matters of Death, that he hath in matters of Life; but he uſeth it not, but there acteth according to his Statute-Law, The Soul that ſinneth ſhall dye. He who ſaveth men without themſelves, damneth none without themſelves. Men are ſaved by Grace, but they are damned by Sin. The wages of Sin is Death. Omne peccatum eſt voluntarium, all Sin is of ourſelves, it muſt have ſomething of our own will, and conſent to, and in it.
3. Thirdly. Although this be certain, that all deſtruction, all puniſhment is for Sin, yet the particular proximate cauſe of ſome puniſhments is unknown to us. I will inſtance in one particular, a puniſhment, undoubtedly, a moſt ſevere puniſhment; The withholding the Goſpel, and ſo the ordinary means of Grace and Salvation, from the far greateſt part of the world. They hear nothing of the Lord Jeſus; they have not the Oracles of God, the ordinary means of Grace are hidden from them; There is no doubt, but their own wilful ſinning is the cauſe of it. But whether the Sin of their Progenitors who had the Goſpel, and ſinned it away, which to me ſeemeth a little hard; (for I can hardly be brought to agree, that God for the ſins of Relations puniſheth their Correlates in Spiritual things.) Or that prodigious ſinning, which they are guilty of; not living up to what may by them, by their natural Light be ſeen of God; (for the Apoſtle, Rom. 1. gives you a true Copy of the lives of all Heathens) is not ſo eaſie to determine. I ſhould incline much to fix the cauſe here, they have (though not the Book of Scripture) yet the Book of Gods Works, and Nature; (though not Men Miniſters of the Goſpel to them) yet the Heavens declaring the Glory of God, and the Earth ſhewing his handywork; thoſe ſtanding Preachers, of the Power, Glory, and Greatneſs of God; whoſe ſound is gone out, and going dayly out, over all the world: they have the Sun, and Moon; they ſee much of God, in and by them, and may learn much of God from them: but knowing God, and not glorifying him as God, but becoming vain in their imaginations; they worſhip Devils, and Stocks, and Stones, the work of their own hands; and ſhutting their eyes againſt the Light of thoſe common notions, which are engraven in all reaſonable Natures; they give up themſelves to commit all filthineſs, and unrighteouſneſs. So not uſing the Light of Nature and Reaſon, which God hath given them, God juſtly with-holdeth from them the Talent of the Goſpel. If God doth grant it to others, which yet it may be are guilty of the ſame ſottiſh abuſe of their natural Light, and Reaſon, therein he is good and gracious; but if he denieth it unto them, therein he is not unjuſt or unrighteous. But I ſay, there may be ſome particular inſtances, as to which it may be hard for us to aſſign what particular ſins God ſo ſecurely proceedeth againſt the Nations, Families, or Perſons for: but this is certain, Sin is certainly the next cauſe of all ſevere diſpenſations of puniſhment. Now this will appear to us. 1. From the evidence of Scripture. 2. From the evidence of Reaſon, concluding from Scripture-Principles.
1. Firſt, from the plain evidence of Scripture. In the caſe of the Heathen, amongſt whom the Devil hath the greateſt harveſt of periſhing Souls: of theſe the Apoſtle ſpeaketh, Rom. 1.18. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven againſt all ungodlineſs and unrighteouſneſs of men: Obſerve the words, God doth not reveal his wrath againſt the Heathen, meerly upon the account of his Soveraign Power, becauſe he will do it; but againſt the ungodlineſs and unrighteruſneſs of men: he goeth on declaring their ungodlineſs, and their unrighteouſneſs. Verſ. 21. Becauſe when they knew God, they glorified him not as God. They had light enough from the Works of God in Nature, to ſhew them other kind of Ideas of the Divine Being, than it was poſſible for them to find amongſt created beings; but they turned the Incorruptible God into the image of a corruptible man, yea, of creeping things, and four-footed beaſts. The Apoſtle telleth them alſo of their unrighteouſneſs, Verſ. 29. Fornication, wickedneſs, covetouſneſs, malitiouſneſs; they were full of envy, murders, debates, deceits, &c. Now for theſe things the wrath of God was revealed againſt them. The Apoſtle telleth us, Rom. 2.14, That when the Gentiles, which have not the Law, do by nature the things which are contained in the Law, they are a Law to themſelves. And Verſ. 26. If the uncircumciſion keep the Law, their uncircumciſion ſhall be accounted to them for circumciſion. I am not of their mind, who think that the Heathen have light enough to ſhew them the way to Heaven. I know not, Iſa. 9.2. Mat. 4.16. Luk. 1.7, 9.if that were true, why the Scripture ſhould ſet them out under the notion of perſons, or people that ſit in darkneſs, and in the ſhadow of death; until Chriſt, as the day-ſpring from on high, hath viſited them: But I am ſure they have ſin enough to juſtifie God in damning them; and permitting them to walk in their own ways, until they have filled up the meaſure of their iniquities, and brought judgment upon themſelves. I alſo believe, that if there be found a Job in the Land of Ʋz; If there be one found amongſt the Heathen, who feareth God, and eſcheweth evil; who walketh up to his natural light; God hath his ſecret way to reveal, and apply Chriſt to them, ſo as he ſhall not periſh. But yet I cannot believe that his natural light ſhall ſave him, becauſe the Scripture telleth us, That there is no other name under heaven, than the name of Jeſus Chriſt, by which any can be ſaved; neither is there Salvation in any other. There are ſeveral things in nature that we know are ſo, but we do not know the way of them. In the matters of grace there are ſeveral things alſo which we underſtand not the way of God in: Three come into my mind at preſent. The way of God with an infant, we are not ſure that all infants, no, not that all Baptized infants ſhall be ſaved; but we doubt not, but of many ſuch is the Kingdom of God: but for the way of God with the Soul of one that liveth not up to the exerciſes of reaſon, and the intelligentneſs of the ordinary means of Faith, and Regeneration; this we do not underſtand. 2. The way of God with a thief upon the Croſs, I mean with a ſinner forgetting, or neglecting to turn unto God until his laſt hour; we do believe that God hath mercy upon ſome ſuch Souls, but how God worketh in them theſe habits of grace, which are neceſſary according to the ordinary rule; how they are born again of the Spirit, and Baptized, not with water only, but with the Holy Ghoſt, and with fire: this we do not underſtand. And ſo Thirdly, The way of God with an Heathen, that never cometh to the light of the Goſpel, nor hath any external Revelation of Chriſt: I ſay, how the Spirit of God moveth, and which way it cometh into ſuch a Soul; this we do not underſtand, but leave it amongſt the unſearchable things of Divine Providence, which we believe and revere: If there be (as I ſaid before) a Job in the Land of Ʋz, he ſhall know that his Redeemer lives, and that he ſhall ſtand at the laſt day upon the earth, and he ſhall ſee him with his eyes: But which way God revealeth this to him, we underſtand not. In the mean time theſe hidden things being left to God, revealed things belong to us and to our children; and this is revealed: That the wrath of God, as to the Heathen, is revealed againſt the ungodlineſs and unrighteouſneſs of men.
2. But this is much more evident concerning ſuch as live under the means of grace, and offers of ſalvation: Oh Jeruſalem, Jeruſalem! (ſaith our Saviour) how often would I have gathered thee as an Hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, but thou wouldeſt not? I would, what hindered then? thou wouldeſt not. Thus God of old ſpake to the Jews, Jer. 23.24. This thing I commanded you, ſaying, obey my voice, and I will be your God, and you ſhall be my people, and walk you in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well with you: But they hearkned not, nor inclined their ear, but walked in the counſels and imaginations of their evil heart, and went backward, and not forward. So Jer. 16.13. and in a multitude of places in Scripture: Indeed this is the Language of God quite throughout Scripture. So in the New Teſtament, You would not come to me that you might have life, Joh. 5.40. I hear ſome bold Diſputer againſt God, ſaying, How is this poſſible, if it lyeth not in the power of a man to believe, and to turn unto God? I have fully anſwered this before. All mankind in Adam certainly had a power to do ſo much as God required of man in order to his Salvation; but certain it is, that every man hath a power to do ſomething; to do much more than he doth in order to his repenting, and believing: God will find at the day of Judgment, matter enough to condemn ſinners for what was their duty to have done, and in their power to have done; and an inſtance will be wanting at that great day of one Soul, who did what was in his power; both as to the doing of Good, and the avoiding of ſin; to whom God denied his ſpecial, and effectual grace: Chriſt Mat. 21.32. Layeth this to the Jews charge, That when they had heard John, they repented not afterward, that they might believe: But this is a theam I have before inlarged upon, and ſhall now add nothing to that Diſcourſe. Having thus far opened the Propoſition, I ſhall only give you Two Reaſons of it.
1. Firſt, That no imputation might be laid upon an holy, a moſt holy God: Though the Scripture doth juſtly aſſert a Soveraignty to God concerning the work of his hands, and the ſame power over his creature, which the Potter hath over the clay; yet it everywhere avoideth all imputations of rigour, injuſtice, cruelty; God will not be accounted an hard Maſter: what if this man hath but one Talent, another hath five, and a third hath ten; yet I hope he that hath but one, may trade proportionably to that one, as far as that will go; and if he doth not, and he be puniſhed, his Maſter is not to be condemned for an hard Maſter, in taking that one Talent from him; or otherwiſe puniſhing him for the non-improvement of the ſtock betruſted to him: Suppoſe men to have but the one Talent, of the light of Nature, which is the caſe of the poor Heathens; another to have five Talents, the advantage of Goſpel-light, and the ordinary means of grace; a third to have ten Talents, effectual grace ſuperadded to both theſe: If he who hath but one Talent, or that hath had the five Talents, have not done with them what he might have done; and God condemn him for ſuch omiſſions, or actions contrary to his duty; here can be no imputation upon God, he cannot be ſaid to have done cruelly, ſeverely, or injuſtly. God was under no obligation to truſt him with five Talents, that abuſed, or would make no good uſe of one; nor to truſt him with ten Talents, who would not uſe, or did abuſe his ſive; but now ſhould God have puniſhed, or condemned any without their ſins as the meritorious cauſe, there might have been ſome imputation upon God.
2. Secondly, God hath ſo ordered it, That the ſinner ſhall be inexcuſable: It is but reaſonable, that the holy God ſhould ſo diſpenſe out his puniſhments by the hand of Providence, that a ſinner ſhould be without excuſe; this the Scripture lets us know once and again. In the Parable it is ſaid, That he who was turned out from the Wedding-feaſt for want of the Wedding-garment, was ſpeechleſs; he was without an Apology, he had nothing to ſay for himſelf. So Rom. 1.20. Then they are without excuſe. So Rom. 2.1. Therefore thou art inexcuſable, O man: This is one deſign that God drives, ſo to manage and govern by the motions of his Providence. Now ſuppoſing this, that all deſtruction is of a mans ſelf: That God doth not condemn any out of meer Prerogative, or becauſe he will, (whatever he might do, vi abſoluti juris) every ſinner muſt ſtop his mouth, and be ſpeechleſs in that day, when God ſhall ſay, Take them, bind them hand and foot, and caſt them into utter darkneſs, where is weeping and wailing, and guaſhing of teeth. What hath any ſinner to ſay for himſelf, if his deſtruction be of himſelf? I have done with the doctrinal part of this Diſcourſe, I come to apply it.
1. Ʋſe. In the firſt place, obſerve the great difference between Gods proceedings in the methods of his grace, and of his paenal diſpenſations; diſpenſations of mercy and judgment, are both Gods work: But the one is his Natural work, the other is his ſtrange work, Iſa. 28.21. Gods workings in the methods of his grace, are, ex mero ſuo motu & beneplacito, they meerly flow from the nature of God, without any meritorious cauſe in the creature; he ſheweth mercy becauſe he will ſhew mercy, and extendeth compaſſion to whom he will, and becauſe he will extend compaſſion; he giveth grace becauſe he will give grace: here God acteth from meer Soveraignty and Prerogative; but he never dealeth out puniſhments, but there is ſome cauſe in the creature, ſomething which moveth him to proceed and deal in ſuch a manner, and meriteth ſuch a puniſhment: He ſaveth Souls becauſe he is gracious, he condemneth ſinners becauſe he is righteous, cum largitur gratiam per miſericordiam hoc fit, cum negat, per judicium, ſaith Nieremberg, wrath is not declared, ſaith he, unleſs when it is due, leſt there ſhould be unrighteouſneſs with God; mercy is ſhewed, when and where it is not due; this maketh no unrighteouſneſs with him: So that I ſay, there is a vaſt difference to be obſerved betwixt Gods diſpenſations of mercy and goodneſs, and his diſpenſations of wrath and ſeverity.
2. Ʋſe. In the ſecond place, you may from hence conclude; How little reaſon there is for that clamour, which ſome make againſt ſuch as are called Calviniſts; under which nick-name, they indeed wound, not only Auguſtine and Proſper, and others of the ancients; but many Divines in England, eſpecially that lived three, or fourſcore years a go. Two great Accuſations they bring:
1. That they affirm God to be the Author of ſin; yet neither Mr. Calvin, nor any of his Followers ever ſaid ſo, nor dare any now ſay ſo: What's the matter then? becauſe they ſay, That God hath willed, that ſin ſhould be committed, though he hath neither commanded, nor approved the action, nor any way influenced it by the way of efficiency: Therefore God muſt be the Author, or theſe Divines make him the Author: Or becauſe God is the Author of his own judgments, and paenal diſpenſations; and God ſometimes puniſheth ſin with ſin; therefore God muſt be the Author of ſin: taken properly as it is an oblique action, contrary to his Law. This is (forſooth) their proof of that crimination; when-as there are no Divines in the world, but think it, not only blaſphemy, but nonſenſe, to talk of God as the Author of ſin; which muſt be an action contrary to the will, liking, and approbation of God, as the very nature of ſin doth import.
2. Their ſecond Crimination, is, That God hath damn'd his creatures, out of his meer Prerogative and Soveraignty. We do indeed think, and muſt ſo think, till our Adverſaries can poſſeſs us with other Idea's and notions of God, than either Scripture, or reaſon will help us with; That there is nothing which either hath, or ſhall come to paſs in the world, but God did know from all eternity; neither can we conceive how God ſhould know any thing, but becauſe he willed it; either in a way of efficiency, or to permit it. We do ſay, that God had a jus abſolutum, from eternity; an abſolute right over his creatures, to determine how he pleaſed concerning them: But we alſo ſay, That in his paenal diſpenſations he acteth not according to his Soveraignty and abſolute right; and that every mans deſtruction is of himſelf; and the proximate, and meritorious cauſe of the puniſhment, and eternal ruin of any Soul, is his own ſin: God doth not condemn any Soul, but for ſin, recompenſing their own iniquities upon their heads; and whatſoever is abſolute and Soveraign right, his Law, from which he never varieth, in the motions of his Providence, is, The ſoul that ſinneth ſhall die. Where is the difference then? What maketh this great clamour, and odious repreſentation of eminent Divines, as to the method of Gods proceedings in his actual Providence? Papiſts, Arminians, Calviniſts, all are agreed, That the wages of ſin is death, The ſoul that ſinneth ſhall die: God will condemn none but for ſin. Only it ſeems they are not agreed, as to the Nature, and Attributes, and Prerogatives of God. Thoſe Divines whom they call Calviniſts, muſt aſſert God to have the ſame Power over his creatures, which a Potter hath over the clay: This the other will not underſtand, though God expreſsly told it the Prophet Jeremy; and the Apoſtle from him hath expreſsly told it us: and this is all the difference that I can underſtand.
3. Ʋſe. Thirdly, you may from hence learn, How the Righteouſneſs of God ſhall be cleared in the laſt day, in the condemnation of ſinners, although it hath not pleaſed him to give to all a power to that which is truly, and Spiritually good. This is a point which very many in this Generation alſo will not underſtand, but the fault is in themſelves. If God (ſay they) hath not given to all men a power to repent, and to believe, how ſhall he be righteous in the condemning of Sinners? There is no conſequence at all in this, but upon this Hypotheſis: That except men have a power to do that which is Spiritually good, they are in no capacity to do that which is morally evil. Whether they have a power to repent, or to believe, without the effectual Grace of God, yea, or no; Certainly, they have a power in a thouſand things, to break the Law of God; yea, and to do alſo many things which are contained in the Law of God: and although the doing of theſe things would not ſave them, yet certainly, the omiting of them, or doing contrary to them, may give God a righteous cauſe to condemn them. Suppoſe one of you who are Fathers, to have two Sons, both of them wild, and fond of their play, and eager at it; you call them both to come to you, and tell them, that if they will come, you will give them both mony to go and buy ſuch things; but if by ſuch a time, they have not thoſe things, and appear to you in, and with them, you will certainly whip them. One of theſe Children hearkens to you, leaves his play, comes running to you, and begs the money you promiſed him; then procures the things, and appeareth to you in the habit you deſired, and you are well pleaſed with him. The other Child, is mad of his play (which if he would he might leave) he could not have the things without mony out of his Fathers Purſe; but he will not leave his play, nor ſtir a foot towards his Father, nor ſo much as ask his Father for mony; his Father indeed, ſends him no mony, but ſhuts him out of his ſight; and ordereth him to be ſeverely whipt, becauſe that he would not leave his idle game, and come to him, and ask the mony of him which he promiſed; and becauſe he had not bought the things, and appeared before him, in that habit, and dreſs, which he had commanded: will not one ſay, this fooliſh Child, is right ſerved? ſhall his Father be judged unrighteous or ſevere, becauſe he gave the Child no mony (as he did the other) and the Child could come by the things without mony, and if it had them not, could not appear in, or with them, before his Father? The caſe is much the ſame, betwixt God and us. God ſeeth two Men, or Women, both his Creatures, alike in Adam, both born in Treſpaſſes and Sins; wildly playing over the hole of the Asp, and the den of the Cockatrice; ſporting themſelves in Sin, and in an hourly danger of Hell-fire: God calleth them by his Miniſters, to leave their Sins, and to turn unto him; he ſaith, let him that hath been drunk, be drunk no more; let him that hath been unclean, be unclean no more; let him that hath told a lye, that hath broke my Sabbaths, lye, and break my Sabbaths no more; let him read my Word, and hear my Word; and let him come, and pray unto me, and beg of me, an heart to believe and to repent, and I will give it him; and he that believeth ſhall be ſaved; but in the great day, it ſhall be found, That he who hath not repented, and hath not believed, ſhall be damned. One of theſe ſinners, leaveth off his leud courſes, falls to an external Diſcipline, readeth the Word, heareth the Word of God, applyeth himſelf to God by Prayer, beggeth of God an heart to repent, and to believe his Goſpel: God hears him, gives him a power, gives him repentance unto Life, and a ſaving Faith in Chriſt; and he obtaineth everlaſting Salvation. The other is mad of his Luſts, and after them he will go, let what will be the iſſue of it; he will not read the Word, not hear that his Soul may live; nor ſo much as ask ſpecial Grace of God, not to plead with God for Faith, or Repentance; God giveth them not to him, he dieth in his impenitency and unbelief: God throweth him into Hell, for his not repenting, not believing, according to his Word. Is there any unrighteouſneſs with God in this caſe, more than in the Fathers dealing with the Child, upon the former Suppoſition? What pretence is there for it? The Sinner, you will ſay, could not repent, could not believe, without the ſpecial Grace of God, which was never given him. No more could the Child buy thoſe things the Father willed it to have, and come before him with, unleſs the Father firſt gave it mony; the Child had no mony of its own: But the Child might have left its play, it might have read, and heard the Word, he might have come to God by Prayer; and begg'd of him a ſoft, and contrite heart, and a believing heart, he had power to do all this; and had he done this, God had not been wanting to him in his further Grace. To him that hath ſhall be given ((ſaith our Saviour) that is, to him that hath, and uſeth, and proveth what Gifts and Graces he hath as he ought to do, ſhall be given more Grace. But this the poor wretch hath not done, but dieth an hard-hearted, an impenitent and unbelieving wretch; what unrighteouſneſs is there with God in his condemnation? he periſheth in his own iniquity; his blood is upon his own head, his damnation lieth at his own door, his deſtruction is of himſelf, his help might have been from God, if he had not been wanting to himſelf. O ſinful men, are not the Lords ways equal? Yes, yes, they are our own ways that are unequal; the ſtraight ways of the Lord, are only made crooked, by our idle fancies, our proud hearts, and corrupt reaſons, and fooliſh miſpriſions.
Ʋſe 4. In the laſt place, let me apply this diſcourſe, by way of Exhortation, it will afford matter of Exhortation. 1. To the people of God. 2. To the men of the World, thoſe I mean that are not yet converted unto God. 1. To Gods People.
1. To you it ſpeaketh, to make you more afraid of ſin for the time to come. Sin in Scripture is ordinarily reſembled by ſickneſs, and a diſeaſe. Now what is true of ſickneſs is true of Sin, every ſickneſs is not unto death; but every ſickneſs hath ſomething of death in it; it leadeth to the Grave: it is not the laſt ſtroke, at the giving of which, the Tree falleth; but it is a blow, in order to the fall of it. Every ſin doth not bring forth death; yea as to you, No ſin ſhall bring forth death; becauſe Rom. 8.1. There is no condemnation to them that are in Jeſus Chriſt; but every ſin hath ſomething of the nature of a ſelf-ruining, and deſtruction in it. The wages of every ſin is death; the natural tendency of every ſin is unto death. It is the Gift and Free-Grace of God that as to you prevents it; and although your ſins do not bring forth an Eternal ruine and deſtruction to you, becauſe the Blood of Chriſt, and the Interceſſion of Chriſt hath prevented, and will prevent that; yet your ſins may bring forth many leſſer deaths to you: for them, you may be in deaths often; for them there may be a death of your peace, and comforts: as there are no temporal Evils, which ſin may not bring upon the people of God; ſo there are few ſpiritual Evils on this ſide of Hell, to which it doth not ſubject them: So that although you be not under the danger of an Eternal ruine, yet you are under the danger of ſo many deaths, ſo many deſtructions, as may juſtly lay a Law upon you, and make you afraid of ſinning againſt God.
2. But Secondly, This calleth to all of you, to admire the Divine Grace by which you are ſaved. I hope it is the portion of many of you to whom I am ſpeaking, you are not yet got up to the new Hieruſalem, but you are in the right way that leadeth thereunto. O cry, Grace, Grace, unto the hand which ſet you upon that Shore. It is true of you, you alſo by ſin had deſtroyed your ſelves, by Grace you are ſaved; you were once Fire-brands, as well as any others; are you now brands pluckt out of the Fire? It was the hand of Grace, that pluck'd you out. You hath he quickned (ſaith the Apoſtle, Epheſ. 2.1.) who were dead in Treſpaſſes and ſins. Amongſt whom alſo we had our converſation of old according to the Luſts of the Fleſh; you alſo were once acted by the Prince of the Air, who yet worketh in the Children of Diſobedience; and were by Nature, the Children of Wrath, as much as others. It is a ſweet, though in ſome ſence, a bitter meditation to caſt a thought back, and think, Lord! How had I alſo deſtroyed my ſelf? How near was I going to the Pit of Eternal ruine and deſtruction? Nay, how often yet is our Salvation from God? We are every day deſtroying our ſelves, we lye down with ſin enough to juſtify God in deſtroying us before the Morning; and riſe up every day with ſin enough to juſtify God in deſtroying us before the Evening. By Grace we are ſaved.
2. But Secondly, let me ſpeak to thoſe which can have no ſuch good hope through Grace. They yet are in their natural State and condition, in the Gall of bitterneſs, and in the very bands of iniquity. Sirs, it is that which I have often told you, and I wiſh the ſound of it may never be out of your Ears; you are Creatures ordained to Eternity, when you dye, you dye not like brute-Beaſts; Death will not determine your beings, you ſhall be either Eternally happy, or Eternally miſerable: All that I have to ſay to you, is to plead with you, that you would not ruine your ſelves; and let me tell you, that if ever you periſh, it muſt be becauſe you have deſtroyed your ſelves. Do not fright your ſelves with thoughts of Gods eternal decrees: ſecret things belong to God, revealed things to us. Whatever Gods ſecret counſels and purpoſes be, this is his revealed will; The Soul that ſinneth, and that alone ſhall dye. Trouble not your ſelves with any ſuch thoughts as theſe, If I be not elected, do what I will, I ſhall be damned; If God hath caſt me off, I ſhall labour in vain; It is the Sluggard (ſaith Solomon) which ſaith, There is a Lion in the way. We cannot aſcend up into Heaven, to ſearch Gods Books, there is no need of it. The Word is near us, even in our mouths; that telleth us, that God never deſtroyeth any Soul, but the meritorious cauſe of it is in himſelf: and this we know, that all ſin is voluntary; O then, take heed of deſtroying your ſelves, by wilful, and preſumptuous ſinning againſt God. Nature teacheth every Man, to look to himſelf, as to his Life, Health, Eſtate; and ſhall not our reaſonable Nature, inſtructed by the Word of God, prompt us to take care of our ſelves, as to our Eternal Intereſt? You will ſay unto me, what ſhall we do, that we may not de deſtroyed; for who liveth, and ſinneth not againſt God? I have before told you, that in Scripture I find three Anſwers to this Queſtion. The one is that of St. Peters, Acts 2.31. Repent and be Baptized; another is that of St. Paul, Acts 16.31. Believe in the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and thou ſhalt be ſaved. The other, is that of our Saviour, to the young Man, asking him, What good thing he ſhould do, that he might inherit Everlaſting Life. Saith our Saviour, Keep the Commandments. Thoſe three Texts will give you compleat directions.
1. Keep the Commandments. You will reply, but you tell us, that no Man is able to keep the Commandments; but becauſe you cannot do all which God doth require, can you do nothing? Well, but you will ſay, Shall we be ſaved if we do all that we can to keep the Moral Law? I Anſwer, No, What then?
2. St. Peter tells you, Acts 2.38. Repent, and be Baptized: you will reply, but it is God who muſt give repentance unto life. True, we ſay, God muſt change the heart; the Blackamore cannot change his skin, nor the Leopard his ſpots: But cannot you conſider your ſins? Cannot you turn from open ſins? Do what in you lieth in order to your Repentance: Well, but you will ſay, If we do this, Is this enough? I Anſwer, No, What then?
3. St. Paul telleth you, Act. 16. Believe in the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and you ſhall be ſaved: Still, you will ſay, But is not Faith the gift of God? Have we a power to believe? We Anſwer, No, It muſt be given to men on the behalf of Chriſt to believe; But cannot you read the Word of God? Cannot you come and hear the Word preached? When you have heard it, Cannot you meditate therein? Cannot you apply your ſouls to the Word, though it be Gods work to apply the Word to your ſouls, and make it to dwell in you? Cannot you beg of God a power to believe? God will not be wanting to that ſoul, that is not firſt wanting to it ſelf. The difference betwixt us, and the bold Patrons of free-will, lies here: They hold, that a man hath a natural power and ability to actions formally, and ſpiritually good: This we deny, but yet ſay, That man hath a power to actions that are morally, and materially good: and if he would go about as far as his Natural power would help him, though indeed he could merit nothing at the hand of God; We do not believe, that God would be wanting to him, as to habits of ſpiritual and effectual grace. Now this is that which I am pleading with you for, that you might not deſtroy you ſelves.
1. That you would not give your ſelf a liberty, and let your ſelves looſe to do things contrary to the Law of God, wherein you might reſtrain your ſelves.
2. That you would not neglect to do thoſe things which God requireth of you, and which are in your power to do. I ſhall conclude this, but with Two very weighty conſiderations.
1. No puniſhment is more juſtly and ſmartly inflicted, than that which a man hath choſen, and wilfully brought upon himſelf; when a man hath choſen death rather than life, and judged himſelf unworthy of everlaſting life, and deſpiſed his own mercy; certainly every man muſt ſay, he is juſtly puniſhed, and adjudged to that portion which he hath choſen to himſelf.
2. Secondly, As no puniſhment is ſo juſtly and ſmartly inflicted, ſo none is more intolerable to be born. There will be in Hell another fire which ſhall never go out; but this will be the worm that ſhall never die: I have done, and ſhall ſhut up my Diſcourſe with the words of Moſes: I have this day ſet before you life and death, bleſſing and curſing. I have told you which way you muſt go down into the pit of deſtruction, if ever you come there; you muſt of your ſelves go into it: O let not your deſtruction be of your ſelves, eſpecially conſidering what God hath done, and what he is daily doing; to evidence that in him is your help, if you will apply your ſelves unto him.