Of the Day of Grace, Sermons on Psalm 81 · Sermon 4
The Fourth Sermon.
Pſalm LXXXI. 12.
So I gave them up to their own Hearts lufts: and they walked in their own Counſels.
I Come now, in the laſt place, to conſider the Caſe of ſuch, who make dangerous Approaches towards ſuch a Judgment; Who have provoked God to that degree, that it would be no wonder if he ſhould give them up; yea, concerning whom, there is Reaſon to fear it, if ſpeedy Repentance do not prevent.
HAVING therefore, ſpoken 1. To the Nature of this Judgment, And Secondly, conſidered the ſteps and Methods, whereby God does ordinarily inflict it, And Thirdly, the dreadful Severity of it, in Compariſon of any other Judgment in this World; I proceeded to the Caſe of thoſe who Fear they are thus left and given up by God: Several Things I named which they alledg as the ground of their Fear, which yet will not prove that God hath forſaken 'em: At the ſame time there are many other Things that will evidence the Contrary.
It remains therefore, that I may faithfully give every one his portion, Comfort to whom Comfort, and Terrour to whom Terrour is due; That I alſo ſpeak to the Caſe of Such whoſe Guilt may quickly infer this Terrible Judgment, or concerning whom we may fear, whether they be not already under it, or left of God. There are ſeveral things with relation to this Caſe, which ought to be Conſidered.
I. THE Firſt dangerous Symptom is Security, or a Falſe, ungrounded Peace of Conſcience. This is frequently the Prologue, and Forerunner of Judicial hardning. It is often a part of it, and an Evidence of it Their Caſe therefore is exceeding dangerous, with whom Conſcience is a Aſleep, or Feared. When that ſin which formerly thy Conſcience would reprove thee for, thou canſt now commit without Remorſe, or Difficulty: When ſuch, or ſuch a Luſt can be freely indulged, and thy Heart not reproach thee, thy Conſcience not fly in thy Face, or ſpeak with any ſmartneſs, and Authority againſt it, as formerly it was wont to do: When the Neglect of ſuch or ſuch Duties, was a daily Trouble to thee heretofore, but now thou canſt let Them alone, and thy Conſcience will let Thee alone, without rebuking thee, or calling thee to Repentance, as it was wont to do. Or if Conſcience do ſpeak, it is with much Faintneſs, without any ſuch Impreſſions of Fear, and ſhame, and ſorrow, as were wont to be produced by it. This ſpeaks as if God had already given thee up in ſome degree, or thou art very near what is worſe, in very great danger of this dreadful Judgment.
This Security and Quiet, notwithſtanding the neglect of known Duty, and the Commiſſion of ſin, I grant has it's Degrees. There are ſome Degrees of it, into which a good Man, through the Prevalency of ſin and Temptation, for a time may fall. Particularly as to the Duty of Prayer, and the ſpiritual Performance of it. But then ſuch Perſons, ſuppoſing them Upright in the main, who are under ſuch Backſlidings are far from approving themſelves in this Caſe, or from having any ſetled Peace. They have many an unpleaſing Thought about their own Caſe, many Reſolutions of Repentance, that they may be Recovered. They often ſay within themſelves, We will go and return to our firſt Husband, for then it was better with us than now; And every Providence of God, whether of Mercy or Affliction, they regard, as a Call from Heaven to awaken them. And if the Word preached come home to their particular Caſe, they receive the Warning, and do not reject it, or oppoſe it.
But the Perſons I ſpeak of, as in danger of this Judgment, are ſuch, eſpecially who are Secure, and Quiet under the Guilt of great Tranſgreſſions unrepented of, and under the continued Omiſſion of plain Duties. They are loſt as to any ſenſe of Sin, and they approve themſelves ſo far in their wretched Courſe, as to ſpeak Peace to themſelves notwithſtanding the repeated and loud Calls, and Warnings of God to repentance.
Conſcience did formerly ſpeak, but they have ſo long checked, and ſtifled, and diſcouraged, and ſilenced the Voice of Conſcience, as to have loſt one of the greateſt Bleſſings in the World, viz. Tenderneſs of Conſcience. They have either ſilenc'd their Conſcience by main Force, or they have diſheartened it by a ſlighting, diſobedient Carriage; or bribed it by a Form of Godlineſs, an empty barren Profeſſion: And ſo it gives way to a deluſive deſtructive Peace, either to flatter them in the way to Hell, or not truly to inform them of their danger of it.
Such perſons little Apprehend the danger they are in. For it is much better to have an Awakened Conſcience, that roats againſt thee, than a Sleepy, ſilent Conſcience, that doth not reprove thee. It is better thy Conſcience ſhould not ſpeak a good word to thee; than, how great cauſe ſoever there be, that it ſhould ſpeak nothing but good. That Conſcience ſhould ſpeak Peace, when God by his Word ſpeaks Terrour, is dreadful in it ſelf, and more ſo, as to what it ſignifies, and has a tendency to.
Neither is ſuch a Spirit of Slum ber and Security only dangerous, as to the Perſons themſelves, in regard of the State or their own Souls; But theſe ſpiritual Judgments, where they prevail as to great numbers of Profeſſing Chriſtians, (as it is obſerved by many,) are uſually followed with ſome terrible ſtrokes of Temporal Judgment too. For as the firſt and greateſt part of the Deliverance of the Church is Spiritual, by the pouring out of the Divine ſpirit; and the Recovery of the Life and Power of ſerious Religion, and the more plentiful ſucceſs of the Goſpel Miniſtrations; and this makes way for publick National Bleſſings, even thoſe of another kind, and is uſually attended with them: So the firſt Entrance into publick National Judgments, as to Temporals, is by ſpiritual Judgments, on the Body of the People. The abounding of ſuch ſpiritual Judgments, as we are now ſpeaking of, opens the Door to temporal Calamities, and is the uſual Forerunner of the moſt terrible ones, even of that kind.
So it was with the old World, ſo with the Jewiſh Nation before their Deſtruction by the Romans; And ſo, ſays Salvian, was it with the African Churches before the Inundation of the Goths and Vandals; And the like in later Inſtances, I believe; among our Neighbours. I wiſh there be no moral Prognoſtications of a Day of Evil on this Nation upon the ſame Account. We ought to apprehend the danger of ſuch a thing, We may on theſe moral grounds very well fear it.
But it is the Caſe of Particular Perſons I have now before me: And the more Security and falſe Peace of Conſcience any have under great Guilt unrepented of, or known Duty continually neglected, the nearer do any ſuch approach to the danger of being given up of God to their own Hearts Luſts: If they are not already entered into that diſmal State. And yet how many ſuch bleſs themſelves in their Hearts, and pleaſe themſelves, that they are now free from the Fears of Hell. They do not trouble themſelves about the State of their Souls, as others do, and as they formerly did: They have few or no ſad, and ſerious Thoughts, what ſhall become of them in the Everlaſting World. Of all Others, theſe are neareſt to ſuch a Judgment as that in the Text: For when they ſay Peace and Safety, ſudden Deſtruction ſhall overtake them as Travel on a Woman with Child, 1. Theſſ. 5.3. They now ſpeak Peace to themſelves, but the next Day or Hour, they may know and feel the Truth of the divine Threatening. That there is no Peace to the wicked. There are an hundred threatnings in the Book of God againſt ſuch, and not one Promiſe of ſafety for one Hour. And yet they can lye down, and riſe, and go up and down Securely. They are not afraid when they lye down to ſleep, that they ſhall awake in Hell before the next Morning. They are not afraid when they ariſe and go abroad in the Morning, leſt the Wrath of God ſhould overtake them before Night. Read the deſcription of their ſin and Danger in that terrible paſſage, Deut. 29.18, 20.
II. ANOTHER Symptom of this Judgment, or dangerous Approach unto it, is when the Miniſtry of the Word, and Goſpel of Chriſt becomes a taſtleſs, inſipid, ineffectual thing; not attended with any ſuch ſpiritual Impreſſions as formerly. Heretofore you hardly heard a Sermon without ſome Convictions of ſin, and Reſolutions againſt it; the Word was quick and powerful, to give an humbling ſenſe of ſin, and to excite your Reſolutions to ſet upon neglected Duties; but now there is no ſuch thing. Yea, further, it may be the very external Worſhip of the Goſpel, the Ordinances and Inſtitutions of it, the Diſpencers of them, and they that value and Mind theſe things, are now ſcorned and reviled by you; For this is the Caſe of ſome Backſliders, after great Pretences, and an high Profeſſion.
In ſuch a Caſe you will find your ſpiritual Appetite to the Food of your Souls, (which conſiſts in Deſires after the ſincere Milk of the word that you may grow thereby,) to be much abated and loſt; and that Spiritual Savour and Reliſh in the Food of your Souls, which followed thoſe Deſires, is loſt too. Your Preparations, Deſires, and Deſigns in coming to ſuch Inſtitutions, are otherwiſe than formerly. Though upon ſome Conſiderations you have not thought fit to abandon the publick Worſhip, yet you have no ſuch Appetite or Taſt, no ſuch Deſires, and no ſuch Reliſh, as to theſe things, as formerly you had. Neither do you of late experience any of thoſe excellent Effects, which the Diſpenſation of the Goſpel is deſigned to produce upon the Minds, and Conſciences, and Lives of Men. Though there is difference in the degree of theſe Declenſions, yet this is the high Road to Obduration, Hardneſs of Heart and final Impenitence. And therefore, to uſe the Words of a learned Perſon concerning ſuch Apoſtates, *Dr. Owen, Dominion of ſin and Grace, p. 89.The Calls of God unto ſuch Backſliders in heart, for a return by Repentance, are multiplied, and the Reaſons of it are innumerable; and without it, it is certain, that they ſhall periſh Eternally, and they know not how ſoon they may be overtaken with that Deſtruction, Prov. 29.1. He that being often reproved, hardens his Heart, ſhall ſuddenly be destroyed, and that without Remedy.
If Men once come to this, that, under the moſt ſearching, lively Sermons, they can continue ſecure, and wilful in known ſins; they may fear leſt they be left to go further; even to the hating of Godlineſs, and good Men; Or at leaſt to be ſo far ſtupified, as not to feel any thing of the force of Gods Terrors, or the ſweetneſs of his Promiſes; but to make a Jeſt of ſin, and think a Life of Godlineſs a needleſs thing. Such Perſons, when it comes to this, eſpecially if they grow old in this Courſe, have Cauſe to fear leſt they be forſaken of God, and given over to their own Hearts Luſts, ſealed up under Judicial Blindneſs, and Hardneſs of Heart.
III. WHEN The Spirit of Grace gives over ſtriving with the Souls of Men. This is a moſt dangerous Caſe: For except He return, they are irrecoverably loſt. There is an abſolute neceſſity of the Influence of the Divine Spirit to the Begining, Progreſs, and Continuance of the Spiritual Life; and there is no Oppoſition in the Soul, but this Spirit of Life and Power can overcome. But when he gives over ſtriving with men how deplorable muſt their Caſe be! And this he doth with many, after they have reſiſted the Spirit, and rebelled againſt the Spirit, and vexed the Holy Spirit of God, as we read of ſome that did, Acts 7.51. Now if this bleſſed Spirit move not upon the Soul of a Backſlider, he can never be recovered. And when he hath often been repulſed and grieved, and quenched, he may withdraw in Anger; and God may juſtly reſolve, as concerning the old World, that his Spirit ſhall ſtrive no more, no longer with them.
Eſpecially when after a great Profeſſion of Chriſtianity, men turn Apoſtates, and deſpiſe Preaching, and the other Inſtitutions of the Goſpel; having done deſpite to the Spirit of Grace, Heb. 10.29. Which, though ſpoken of open, final Apoſtates, ſhould make Others that approach thereto to tremble. And of how much ſoever Puniſhment ſhall ſuch be thought guilty, that do thus Deſpight to the Spirit of Chriſt, who bears Witneſs to his Perſon and Doctrine! Who can tell the Dreadfulneſs and Horrour of their Puniſhment? The Conſtitution of the Law of Moſes reached but to a temporal Death without mercy: But beſides temporal. Judgments, ſuch a Guilt will expoſe them to Eternal Wrath; For the greateſt ſin will have the greateſt Puniſhment.
No wonder then if the Holy Spirit ſtrive no more with Perſons that come under this tremendous Guilt; that ſin againſt the Holy Spirit, even as a Spirit of Grace; doing Deſpight to the Spirit of Grace, who did invite, and wooe, and draw them unto Chriſt, to bring them under the Bond of the Covenant. My Spirit ſhall not alway ſtrive with men, Gen. 6.3. Heb. 3.13. Luke 13 7. When the Spirit of Grace, and Love, and Benignity, hath ſhone in upon their Minds, and often touched their Conſciences; and ſecretly whiſpered, Sinner, Wilt thou not yet turn? What, haſt thou no Inclinations to return to me? O do not go on and periſh, &c. Now to deſpight this very Spirit of Grace, muſt needs be attended with great Aggravations of Guilt, becauſe it is after ſome Experience of his Influence and Power. This muſt be one of the moſt dangerous Symptoms of a periſhing loſt Condition: The Goſpel muſt needs be hid unto ſuch, becauſe, without the Light and Influence of the Holy Spirit, it can have no ſaving Effect. If our Goſpel be hid, ſays our Apoſtle, it is hid to them that are lost, 2 Cor. 4.3. Whoſe Minds are blinded by Satan, leſt the Light of the glorious Goſpel of Chriſt ſhould ſhine into their Hearts.
Though I muſt here add, that no Man, I believe, can determine, what Degree of this Guilt as to particular Perſons, doth diſtinguiſh thoſe who are Irrecoverably lost, from ſuch as are Recoverable, and may be called to Repentance.
IV. THOUGH The Spirit have not done ſtriving; yet when the preaching of the Word, though you cannot reſiſt the Light of divine Truth, but ſomewhat of it ſhines into the Mind and Conſcience; if yet your Hearts ſtand out, and will not yield, this is a dangerous Caſe. For men may be convinced by the Word, of the ſinfulneſs and Danger of their Condition; they may come to determine and to pronounce Judgment upon themſelves, that what God requires of them is but Juſt and equal, and that hitherto they have not complied with his Call. One thing or other, from day to day, hath hindered them from coming up to the terms of the Goſpel, from a covenant Cloſure with the Son of God upon the Goſpel Call: They may ſay, and own it before God and Men, That they are deeply convinced ſuch a thing ought to be done; But I have not yet found the time, or the Leiſure, or the Heart, to retire into a Cloſet, and conſider it, and ſet about it in good earneſt, and give up my Soul to him; I am convinced I muſt do it, or I cannot enter into Heaven; I am convinced I muſt turn, or I ſhall dye; I am ſatisfied this my preſent Courſe muſt iſſue in my Ruine, my Eternal Ruine; that if I go on and dye in this Caſe, I am loſt for ever. But yet, notwithſtanding ſuch Convictions, with many, ſtill the Heart holds out againſt all that can be ſaid.
The higheſt and the moſt important matters that can be named, though propounded with the cleareſt Evidence, and repreſented as of the neareſt Concern to them, yet do not effectually prevail with them. Though we propoſe, in the Name of God, the Incouragment of that Bleſſedneſs, and Priviledge, which no man, that underſtands and believes, but muſt deſire; Though we flaſh the Fire of Hell before them, and endeavour by the Terrors of the Lord to perſwade them; yet they have heard of theſe things ſo often, that they are not moved by them to yield themſelves to the Lord. All that we ſpeak in the Name of Chriſt is as a Tale that is told, they have heard it ſo often it makes little Impreſſion: Things are come to that ſad paſs with them, and they are Scrmon-proof to that Degree, that (to uſe the words of a Great man,) unleſs we could ſpeak of greater things than Heaven and Hell, we cannot move them. And though their Minds are inlightened, and ſome Convictions begun; yet their Luſts carry the Day againſt their Convictions: Conſcience is baffled, or kept under by the Power of vicious Inclinations.
And while men go on at this rate, who can tell but God may ſay, Let them alone? but that he may give them up to thoſe Luſts they have choſen, and ſo their Condition be deſperate: Though they themſelves do not apprehend it to be ſo? And as to individual Perſons we cannot diſtinctly tell when it is ſo; but ſo it may be, and God be clear in his Righteouſneſs herein: becauſe it is penal, and after great Provocations, and it was lately otherwiſe with them: But they ſinned away their Mercy, and outſtood their Day. There was a time when he would have been found of them, but now he will not. O that thou hadſt known in this thy day the things that belong unto thy Peace! Now they are hid from thine Eyes: A little while ago they were not.
But to prevent miſtake, Remember, that though the Spirit retiring from ſuch, does infer their Day of Grace to be paſt, if he return not; and for ought you can tell, he never may; yet he doth not Darken their Minds by putting any ill thoughts into them, or any ill Diſpoſition of Mind. God retires, and the Spirit leaves you, after you have provoked him, and ſo you are loſt. He only ſays, This wretched Creature will not be prevailed with, he perſiſts in a careleſs Neglect of me, and my Son and Spirit; we will leave him, and let him alone to his own Luſts, to walk in his own Counſels. O dreadful Doom! how ſhould the Danger of it ſtartle us!
V. THERE are Others, whoſe Caſe is exceeding dangerous, who, after ſome trial in the ways of God, for want of that ſenſible Joy and Comfort which they expected, grow weary of them, and leave them off. They were formerly diligent, and conſtant in the outward performance of ſuch and ſuch Duties of Worſhip, in publick and private; but now have laid them aſide. Some of theſe, I believe, have now and then a ſentence of Condemnation within themſelves, but Others are hardened paſt feeling. They tried a while, and began hopefully, and made a little Progreſs; But their Convictions did not preſently end in peace of Conſcience, they did not preſently meet with that comfortable ſettlement, and Eſtabliſhment which they hoped for; either through their own Ignorance, or want of Advice, and Counſel concerning the ſtate of their Souls, or from the Power of Temptation, &c. But not finding ſuch Peace and Joy as they expected, or ſo ſoon, they give over, and go back to their wonted Courſe of ſin, and Neglect of God.
This is the Caſe of many convinced in their Youth. They follow the Tendency of that for ſome time, they hope for a good Iſſue, and that their Trouble of Soul will be quickly over: They pray and read, and confeſs ſin, and mourn for it, &c. But find not preſently the Peace they expected, they find their Luſts to ſtrive and ſtir ſtill, and ſin and Satan not to be overcome, and it may be ſome Corruptions are more ſtrong than formerly, or they are more ſenſible of their ſtrength, and Acting: Hereupon the Devil ſuggeſts to them matter of Diſcouragment, and their own Hearts are ready to make them ſay, in a timorous Deſpondency of Spirit, I ſee I am entered into a melancholy courſe of Life; I ſee no end of theſe Troubles, I fear I ſhall never attain to Peace as long as I hearken to my Conſcience: If I thus let every ſin trouble me, I ſhall never have a days Quiet: If I am thus nice, and ſcrupulous, and tender about ſin and Duty, I ſhall never while I live get out of theſe Perplexities. Therefore I will even caſt all off, I will give my ſelf more Liberty, and hearken to my Conſcience no longer; I will take my Pleaſure as I ſee others do, and not wait any longer for thoſe Pleaſures of another kind, which I was told of, but deſpair of attaining. I give up all for loſt, as to any of theſe things, I ſhall never reach them; therefore I will do as well as I can for the preſent; I will drive away my melancholy Thoughts by Company, and Wine, and Mirth, &c.
Hereupon ſuch Perſons come in a little while to diſlike all ſuch Books, and Preaching as would revive their Convictions, and to avoid the very Company of thoſe who knew any thing of the ſtate of their Souls, while under Conviction, and are like to ſpeak to them about it. That Miniſtry that will not let them alone, and ſuffer them to be quiet in the Enjoyment of their Luſts, they cannot reliſh; and in a little while they care for none at all; unleſs their Credit, and Reputation, or Temporal Intereſt, or ſome ſuch Motive, ingage them to attend it. Or elſe they cure themſelves by ſome falſe Doctrines, that put an end to their Convictions, and make them eaſily perſwade themſelves that they are Elected, and that Christ is theirs, and their Sins are pardoned, or were ſo from all Eternity, &c. But this is a hazardous and dreadful Caſe, when Perſons arrive to this pitch, they had need look about them, and Return quickly, leſt God ſhould give them over.
VI. WHEN men continue in ſin, and put off their Repentance and Turning to God, with this Thought and Intention, that they will ſome time or other Repent, and turn to God, but not yet. One can hardly tell, whether the provoking Guilt, and Danger of ſuch a Caſe, be greater than the horrid Abſurdity of it. And yet this is a Deluſion that has ruined Thouſands, and made ample Harveſts for the Devil. They have ſome Tremblings under the Word, as Felix when the Apoſtle diſcourſed of Righteouſneſs, and Temperance, and Judgment to come; But the convenient time for their complying with their Convictions, and performing their good Reſolutions, is not come, but they intend it, they reſolve it.
I would fain ask ſuch Perſons, that now continue in known ſin, unreconciled to God, who yet intend to Repent; whether they indeed think that God will Accept, and forgive them when they do Repent, or that he will not? If they ſay, as doubtleſs they will, We think and hope he will forgive us, and whenever we truly Repent, he has promiſed to receive us. Yet,
1. IS it not then the baſeſt, and the moſt horrid Ingratitude that can be, to continue longer to abuſe the Grace of God, to aſſront him, and rebel againſt him, and delay your Return to him, with this Thought? Dare you ſay to the God of all Grace, who has born with you ſo long, Lord, I have diſhonoured thy Name for ſo many years, I have ſlighted thy Authority, I have diſobeyed thy Calls, I have refuſed thy Grace, I have expoſed my ſelf to thy righteous Anger all my Life hitherto; O let me alone to do ſo thus much longer, and then I will Repent, then I will ask thee forgiveneſs. How ungrateful, how abſurd is ſuch a Speech!
2. WILL Not the ſame Argument that keeps thee from Repenting now, be as ſtrong hereafter? For after all the little objections againſt Repenting, and Reforming at preſent; the only one at the bottom is, becauſe it is Preſent; and that will ſtill hold: So that your Turning to God will be as improbable at any time hereafter, as now.
It ought to be very well conſidered in this Caſe, That whoever continues in ſin with this Thought, and Deſign of Repenting hereafter; the Devil is ſure to proſper in any Attempt againſt that Man. For when that time comes to be preſent, unto which he has adjourned his intended Repentance, the Argument will be as ſtrong againſt repenting then, as it is for delaying now. He will then adjourn it to ſome diſtance ſeaſon.
3. DO You know what Repentance is, that you will venture upon ſin with a Deſign to Repent? That is, that you will continue to do that, which you… reſolve and intend, to wiſh you had never done; to be heartily ſorry that you were ſuch Fools as to do it. You reſolve to do that, which you reſolve to be aſhamed of, and to loath your ſelves for, and would give all the World, if it were in your Power that you had not done it: For this is implied in Repentance. Now is it becoming the Wiſdom, and Reaſon of a Man, thus to act?
4. ART Thou ſure to live to that time, unto which thou delayeſt thy Repentance, and Turning to God? With how many every week is that the Caſe, who intend to Repent, ſome time or other, but dye before the time comes?
VI. WHAT If God ſhould give thee over to thine own Hearts Luſts? May he not juſtly leave thee to the hardneſs of thine impenitent Heart? Doth not ſuch a Carriage of thine deſerve it? If thou wilt go on from Month to Month, from year to year, in the neglect of known Duties, under the Convictions of Conſcience, that thou art not yet turned to God, or recon…iled to him; thou wilt, I ſay, yet go on, and continue as thou art, though thy Heart tell thee, if thou dye in this Condition thou muſt periſh; and thou haſt nothing to relieve thee in this ſad Caſe, but only an Intention to Repent ſome time hereafter: O how Juſtly may God deny that Grace to Thee, which thou haſt ſo long abuſed, and forfeited, and wilt not now Accept! How righteouſly mayſt thou be ſealed up to Deſtruction, by Gods forſaking of thee!
VII. THERE is another ſort, whoſe Caſe is exceeding dangerous, viz. Who often fall into the ſame ſins, which they Repent of, and are ſorry for. After they have ſinned, they Repent of thoſe ſins again; and after ſome Repentance, they commit the ſame ſins again; and ſo have the Aggravations of ſinning againſt Knowledge. Now to him that knoweth to do good, and doth it not; that knoweth what is evil, and forbears it not, to him it is ſin with a Witneſs, Jam. 4.7. He that knew his Maſters Will, and did it not, ſhall be beaten with many ſtripes, Luk. 12.49.
It is a dreadful paſſage, though ſpoken of Apoſtates from the Profeſſion of Chriſtianity unto Judaiſm or Heatheniſm, Heb. 10 26, 27, 28, 29. That ſuch as ſin after the Knowledg of the Truth, there remains no more ſacrifice for ſuch ſins. For what further Guilt may not ſuch ſins againſt Knowledge bring them to, and iſſue in? Doubtleſs the more you know, and have conſidered the Iſſue and Conſequence of ſuch ſins, (as by renewing your Repentance is implied, that ſomething of this kind has been done;) the more aggravated is your Sin afterward, and the more dangerous your Caſe. And the more ſtruggle and ſtriving there has been of Conſcience againſt Corruption; and yet thy Luſts have carried the day and got the victory over Conſcience; The more Vows and Promiſes of Amendment that you have made, and broken, and ſinned againſt; repenting of your Repentance, as Pharoah did; the greater is your ſin and Danger: The more Warnings you have had of God by his Providence, and the more awakening Calls of his Word, …nd yet you continue this Courſe of …ning, and repenting, of repenting, and ſinning ſtill; the more dangerous is your Caſe. Eſpecially under a profeſſon of Religion. For in a little time Conſcience thus affronted is like enough to be hardened, and to be ſeared as with an hot Iron, 2 Theſſ. 2.12. And God may give you up to an impenitent Heart, leaving you to commit the groſſeſt Abominations, without ſhame or Remorſe, as he did the Gentiles, Rom 1.21, 24, 26, 28.
If ſuch be ever awakened to Repentance in this World, this very Conſideration will pierce them to the Heart; this will make them ready to deſpair; That, as the Apoſtle ſaid of himſelf, I did it ignorantly, therefore I obtained Mercy; They will be ready to cry out againſt themſelves, I did ſo and ſo, but it was againſt Knowledge, therefore there is no Mercy for me. There remains for ſuch, without Repentance a moſt fearful Puniſhment, And a fearful looking for, and Expectation of ſuch Puniſhment, in the Conſciences of thoſe who have ſinned at this rate. And there be very Few of thoſe who have lived long under the preaching of the Word, and continued to ſin thus againſt Knowledge, and Conſcience till they were old; very few ſuch are recovered to Repentance. Certainly the greater the Knowledge is you ſin againſt the more you provoke God to give you up to a reprobate Mind, and to leave you to hardneſs of Heart.
VIII. WHEN, Notwithſtanding the Profeſſion of Religion, and outward Attendance on the Duties of it, yet ſin has the Dominion and Maſtery in the Soul; and ſenſual Inclinations are indulged without reſtraint, even as to groſs and notorious ſins. There are ſome Backſliders, who would formerly have ſtarted back at ſuch or ſuch a Temptation, who can now boldly enter into it, readily yield, and are eaſily overcome, without Concern or ſtruggle. Sin has the Maſtery and Dominion in the Soul, they go on to commit it without Check or Fear. They conſent to its Rule, they are willing ſubjects: For to whom you yield your Servants to obey, his Servants ye are, Rom. 6.6. And that victory which Sin hath got by your own Conſent, may juſtly, as it commonly doth in the ſwent, bring that Bondage and Slavery under ſin, which is Judicial, and Penal. That ſlavery to ſin which at firſt was voluntary, afterwards becomes unavoidable. You are held in the Chains of your own ſins, you are captivated and ovrecome by your own luſts. While they promiſe themſelves Liberty, ſays the Apoſtle, they are the Servants of Corruption: for of whom a Man is overcome, of the ſame is he brought into Bondage, 2. Pet. 2.19.
There is leſs hope of ſuch Men that are grown looſe and ſenſual, after they have been forward Profeſſors: And they are harder to be recovered than any others. For they are more likely to be left of God. Some have unwarily ſaid, that an open profligate debauched Perſon is nearer the Grace of God and ſalvation by Chriſt, than a moral honeſt Man, that is kept from the groſſer Pollutions of the World. But ſuch Expreſſions ſhould not make us think, that God will invite and wooe us the more earneſtly, the further our ſins have divorced us from him. *Dr. Hammonds Sermons, p. 275.It is true, the Holy Ghoſt can cleanſe and adorn, and prepare himſelf a room in any Heart, and ſoften it, and not be repulſed by the moſt habituate ſin, or Devil. And ſome have been thus ſnatched like fire-brands out of the Fire, and changed from incarnate Devils to incarnate Saints. Yet thoſe extraordinary and rare Examples muſt not be thought a Rule. Therefore in ordinary charitable Reaſon, we ought to Judge more hopefully of thoſe Men, who have not run into the groſſeſt ſenſualities, and Corruptions of the World; of ſuch eſpecially, who by any common Influence of the Spirit, with the Word, have been kept back from great Tranſgreſſions; ſo that by the Knowledge of Chriſt, they have eſcaped the Pollutions of the World; and by the Advantage of their Education, and common Grace, and Providence, have been reſtrained from foul Miſcarriages. If ſuch as theſe do afterwards become profane, and looſe, and ſenſual, and groſly carnal; it is ſaid of them, their latter End is like to be worſe than their Begining. And it had been better for them not to have known the Way of Righteouſneſs, than, after having known it, to turn from the holy Commandments.
That ſome Men may ſin themſelves into a ſtate of Incurable Impenitence, is very plain from Scripture. Your neglect and Provocations may put Chriſt to his Irreverſible Oath, and make him ſwear as he once did, that you ſhall not enter into his Reſt, Heb. 3.11. And that this is of force in the times of the Goſpel, is more than intimated, v. 12. Exhorting profeſſing Chriſtians at that time, to beware of an Evil heart of Ʋnbelief, from the Example of the Iſraelites. That Terrible place. Iſa. 6.9. Is quoted no leſs than ſix times in the New Taſtament, as if it belonged to them, who ſit under Goſpel Light.
As to that difficult paſſage, Heb. 6.4, 5. Concerning thoſe who had been made Partakers of the Holy Ghoſt, and taſted of the good Word of God, and of the Powers of the World to come, and yet did fall away; it is ſaid, it is impoſſible to renew them again. In the ordinary way it is not to be expected. Though that Paſſage do eſpecially reſpect ſuch Apoſtates as openly renounced Chriſtianity, crucifying the Son of God afreſh: Yet ſuch as, after a plauſible Profeſſion, turn to a looſe and notoriouſly wicked Life, whether they keep that Profeſſion ſtill, or abandon it, they are greatly in danger of the like Judgment. For the Earth that drinks in the Rain that often comes upon it, and yet brings forth nothing but Briars, is rejected, and is nigh unto Curſing, whoſe end is to be burned, as it there follows, 7, 8. V. Their Caſe is next to hopeleſs and deſperate. And what reaſon have all Backſliders to fear, leſt they ſin themſelves into ſuch a diſmal ſtate.
Ʋſe. 1. And let that be the firſt Improvement I would make of this Diſcourſe, To awaken Apostates, and Backſliders to Conſider their Danger. It may be you have gratified your Luſts, notwithſtanding the Light of Conſcience, and the Motions of the Spirit; Now, it may be, you can ſin with leſs Regret, and don't feel the Wounds you give your ſelves by your Tranſgreſſions? Can you ſay but that the Bleſſed Spirit is retired in great meaſure already? And is it any Wonder, after ſo many ſtruggles and Conflicts, if he ſhould for ever Retire, and leave you to the full uncontroulable Dominion of your own Luſts? If he ſhould ſay, he that is filthy, let him be …thy ſtill; becauſe you would not bepurged, you ſhall not be purged, till I make my Fury to reſt upon you.
Awake therefore, and conſider your Danger. You that find any of theſe things agree to your own Caſe beware leſt you be in the Number of thoſe that draw back unto Perdition, in whom God ſays his Soul can take no Pleaſure, Heb. 10.38. Take no Pleaſure, that is, whom he loaths, and deteſts. Were we not under ſome great Declenſion, ſome ſad degree of Hardneſs of Heart our ſelves; how ſhould we pity the Caſe of all ſuch Perſons who are near this Judgment? With what hearty Concern for them, ſhould we endeavour their Recovery, did we know better, and believingly conſider more, what it is to be left of God, and given over! With what hearty Grief ſhould I mourn over ſuch Perſons! With what Groans, and Tears of Compaſſion ſhould I warn them, and try to awaken them, if my own Heart were not under ſomwhat of this Hardneſs, which they are like to be totally given up unto!
I confeſs, at firſt, I was loth to preach, or publiſh theſe things, leſt I ſhould drive ſome to Deſpair. But upon more ſerious Conſideration, I do not think that the Generality of People are ſo very apt to Deſpair. They have ten thouſand ways to flatter themſelves, and they will hope for the moſt part, in deſpight of all Arguments to the Contrary. In all the Scripture there is but one Example of a deſpairing Man, and that was Judas; Who did not deſpair by reaſon of any terrible Doctrine which was preached to him, but becauſe of the Load of his own foul ſin and the Weakneſs and Puſillanimity of his own Spirit. But for one who deſpairs, O what Multitudes are there who live in ſin, and yet Sibi ſuaviter benedicunt, think themſelves in a good Condition, and that all is well; Though the Scriptures ſay, that the Righteous ſhall ſcarcely be ſaved, and that the Gate is ſtraight that leads to Life; yet every Body almoſt hopes to be ſaved, in the Courſe they are in, though it be the broad way.
YOU that are under any of theſe dangerous Symptoms that approach to ſuch a Judgment, take heed of Encouraging your ſelves in a falſe Hope of …vation. Bethink your ſelves, ap…nd your Da…ger, and awake to prevent the diſmal Iſſue. Make haſte, and eſcape for your Life, if yet there be Hope of your Recovery. It muſt be ſpeedy Repentance, now, while it is called to day, before the Maſter of the Houſe be gone, and the Door ſhut: For then many ſhall ſeek to enter, and ſhall not be able. For ſo we read, Luk. 13.24, 25, Verſes connected, without a full ſtop between them, as in our Tranſlation.
If you are not yet ſealed up, and given over, (as the Motions of the Spirit yet ſtriving with you, and ſome Concernedneſs about your own Caſe, is a good Argument that you are not) O awake, and call upon God! Remembering whence you are fallen, and repent preſently: For if you reſiſt, and refuſe this Call of God, you may never have Another, or never have Grace to hearken to another, and then the Iſſue will be the ſame.
I would hope, that none of thoſe to whom I now ſpeak are ſo Loſt but they may be Recovered (And I cannot think that any who reads this, is in ſo hopeleſs a Caſe, but he may find Me… cy, if yet he will ſeek it.) He has … ſinned the ſin unto Death, who is afraid left he be guilty of it You are not abſolutely given over and forſaken of God, or ſure that you ſhall finally be ſo, that this Spirit will no more return, though in ſome Degree you are forſaken; If you are brought to conſider your Danger, and to reſolve to uſe Means to prevent the fatal Iſſue: You are not finally left of God, whatever dangerous Approaches you have made to ſuch a Judgment. In the Conſideration therefore of your Danger, awake to uſe Gods appointed Means. And here,
1. I might adviſe, that you Watch carefully leſt you enter into Temptation. 2. That you take heed of ſlight Thoughts of ſin. 3. That you labour to have right Apprehenſions concerning the Attributes of God, and the tenor of the New Covenant by Chriſt Jeſus. 4. That you attend the Miniſtry of the Word, with a Deſire and Deſign of ſome ſpiritual Advantage, ſuitable to your own Caſe. Take heed of being ſlight and careleſs in the uſe of thoſe Means, that muſt cure a hard Heart, if ever it be cured. 5. In the … of all Means, look up to God for … Influence of the divine Spirit. Apprehend the Neceſſity of it, for the Cure of a hard or backſliding Heart. 6. Call your ſelves often to an Account how matters ſtand between God and you. 7. Ingage more heartily, ſeriouſly, and conſtantly in the uſe of ſecret Prayer. 8. Improve the ſickneſs and Death of others, as Warnings to awaken the Thoughts of your own. 9. In any Doubt and Difficulty of Conſcience, (eſpecially under Temptations to Deſpair,) do not ſcruple to open your Caſe to ſome faithful Miniſter of Chriſt, that may enlighten and and guide you. 10. Labour to underſtand diſtinctly what that Repentance towards God is, and that Faith in our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, which are the ſtated Terms of Life, and the Condition of the new Covenant. And never give over the uſe of Means, till you are brought to Repent of all your ſins againſt God, and truly to believe in Jeſus Chriſt with all your Heart; evidencing your unfeigned Faith by new Obedience. Therefore take heed by what Marks and Signs you Judge your ſelves, leſt all your Soul Trouble ſhould end in a falſe Peace.
I connot conclude without repeating the Admonition againſt that falſe Peace, which one great Work of our Miniſtry is to deſtroy. For there are Multitdes of People who pretend to love God, and to love good Men, and to truſt in Chriſt that he dyed for them, and to rely on Chriſt, and to caſt themſelves on Chriſt, and think they believe on him, and that they ſhall be ſaved. Who will tell you that as for Obedience, they mind it as they can, though they be not as good as others; their Hearts are good, and they mean well, and they know their own Hearts better than Miniſters do: they are ſure they believe in Chriſt; and they will conclude that all is well, &c. Tho 'tis notorious of Many ſuch, that they are Ignorant of God, and ſtrangers to Chriſt, and live in the common allowed practice of great ſins. Yet they will thus Hope well of themſelves, and ſpeak Peace to themſelves.
NO Wonder if they do ſo now, when even at the Day of Judgment ſome are brought in diſputing with Chriſt, till the Heart of their Hopes … broken by his condemning Sen…ce. Not as if thoſe that now dye … …enitence and Unbelief, ſhould not know, or believe that they ſhall periſh for ever, till after the general Judgment. But matters ſeem there to be repreſented, as applied to the Perſons of thoſe who ſhall be found alive at the End of this World, or whoſe Eternal State in the next World is concluded, by what their Caſe is when they leave this ſtate of ſalvation.
SEE Therefore that your Hopes be of a right Kind, grounded on Scripture Evidence, pur…fying the Heart, conquering the World, exciting thy Deſires after Chriſt and Heaven, making thee to ſin leſs, and to pleaſe and glorifie God more. Such an Hope you may hold faſt, it will not make you aſhamed. But of all things fear a falſe Hope. Dread it as you would the ſin of Deſpair; yea as the moſt dangerous of the two, becauſe more common. I mean not a Deſpair of the ſufficiency and Willingneſs of Chriſt to pardon and ſave thee, if thou repent, and believe, and obey him; Nor a Deſpair of finding Mercy, if thou heartily ſeek it. But deſpair thou muſt of ever ſeeing God without Holineſs. Deſpair that Chriſt will ever be the Author of eternal Salvation to any, but ſuch as believe and obey him: Deſpair of eſcaping Eternal Death if thou live after the Fleſh: Deſpair of entering into Heaven if thou wilt not ſeek it in the firſt place: Deſpair of eſcaping the Doom of periſhing with the Ungodly, except you ſoundly Repent, except you turn to God, and Holineſs, from ſin and the World; except you penitently and thankfully accept of Chriſt, obey and follow him as your Lord and Saviour. Deſpair therefore of ever being ſaved in the ſtate thou art in, with whom it is not thus.
GOD will ere long deal plainly with thee, and let thee know the Truth. And what will it avail thy periſhing Soul, for Miniſters to deceive, and flatter thee with vain Hopes; when, without Repentance and turning to God in Chriſt, there is none? Nay if any thing keep thee out of Heaven, (I ſpeak of the Caſe of moſt ordinary Hearers, and Profeſſors,) If any …hing keep thee out of Heaven, it is a …ſe and groundleſs Hope of coming thi…er.
CHRISTIANS, We muſt … ſpeak plain. Would you have us be unfaithful to God and you: We muſt be accountable to God ere long, as well as you: We muſt ſtand before his Judgment ſeat as well as you. Why ſhould we give you Hopes, if God do give you none? I therefore ſay it again, that, without ſpeedy and ſincere Repentance towards God, and Faith in Jeſus Chriſt, evidenced by cordial faithful Obedience to him, there is no Hope, for any one of you. And they that hear often of theſe things, and will yet go on in ſin; it is Juſt with God to leave them, and give them up to their own Hearts Luſt. Therefore … away your Tranſgreſſions, return to the Lord with all your Hearts, and yield your ſelves to the Claim, and Call of Chriſt without Delay, while Mercy invites you, and Grace may be had, for why will you Dye, O Houſe of Iſrael?
FINIS.
Books Printed for Abraham Chandler.
THe Mourners Companion, or Funeral Diſcourſes from ſeveral Texts, 8… price bound 1s. 6d.
Death a Deliverance, in a Funeral Diſcourſe from 2 Cor. 5.4. fit to bind with the Mourners Companion.
Sacramental Diſcourſes on ſeveral Texts before and after the Lords Supper, together with a Para… …n the Lords Prayer, 12o, 1s.
Practical Relfection … are Earthquakes in Jamaica … Malta, &c. With a Particular … Account of thoſe, and Divers other Earthquakes, 8o, price bound 1s. 6d.
Serious Reflections on Time and Eternity, with ſome other Subjects Moral and Divine, to which is Annexed an Appendix concerning the firſt Day of the year, how obſerved by the Jews, and may beſt be employed by a ſerious Chriſtian.
All five by Mr. John Shower.
End of the text · John Shower, Of the Day of Grace (1694)