The Mystery of the Gospel in Salvation, Sermon 4
SERMON IV
ACTS XVI.30.
And said, Sirs, What must I do to be saved?
IN the Morning, I shewed that the Salvation of the Gospel consisteth in a Deliverance from all that Punishment which Sinners are subject to, as included in the Sentence of Death, both upon the Bodies, and Souls of Men. And so having shewed our Salvation containeth a Deliverance from all Evil, Moral, and Penal, I proceed now to the second Head, viz.
II. For the Sinner to be saved is, for him to be brought to the full Possession of all that positive Good, which he is destitute of, and wanteth. The Soul, considered as vicious and sinful, is utterly destitute of all that Good which is commensurate to it's Nature, and Condition; so that it neither has any within itself, but what is mixed, and adulterated, it's Power of discerning is greatly obscured, and it's Power of acting, suitably to it's rational Nature, is weakened, and interrupted, by the Impediments of diverse Lusts, and Passions; nor has it any fair Title to any true Good out of itself. It is it's Unhappiness, that, in the midst of all the Evils it is liable unto, there is none to speak comfortably unto it; nor any sure Foundation, in the whole Circle of created Nature, for it's Satisfaction, and Joy. If it looketh within itself, it seeth that Sin hath deprived it of that Innocency, and Integrity, which was it's original Beauty, and Delight; if it surveyeth, far and wide, around itself, it seeth Nothing but a wretched Forfeiture of all that Good, which it was primarily designed, and capacitated for. And though, through the Weakness, and Stupefaction, which Sin has brought upon it, the Soul may, for the Present, be very insensible of it's own destitute Condition, and be ready to cry out, in a boasting Manner, with the Laodicean Church, Rev. iii.17. I am rich, and encreased with Goods, and have Need of Nothing; I can see clearly, choose wisely, perform my Part fully, and rejoice in my own Strength, and the mighty Advantages of it; yet, must it be said to her, as in the following Words, Thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked; neither able to see clearly it's Interest, and the Way to it, nor having any thing, within itself, to afford it Peace and Comfort, nor able to defend itself from impending Dangers. In this State of Poverty, Nakedness, Want, and Blindness, the Soul of the Sinner is miserably perishing; and therefore it is an essential Part of his Salvation, to have it's present, and future Wants supplied, with a full Title to, and seasonable Possession of, all that Good which it's Nature, and Condition, do in any Manner require.
And thus;
1. The Soul is saved, by having it's present spiritual Wants supplied. That is to say, to have all the Disorders of the Soul rectified, it's Diseases healed, it's ghastly Wounds cured, it's Desires, and Aversions, regulated, and satisfied; herein consisteth very much of our Salvation for the present, because this is an accommodating the Nature, and Condition, of the Soul, with what she needeth. For, since the Fall, the Soul is naturally in a very languishing Condition, an universal ill Habit hath seised upon all the Powers of it; as the Prophet Isa. i.5, 6. elegantly deciphereth it, The whole Head is sick; &c. The Understanding, that is sickly, and out of Order, unable to perform it's Office, and see clearly, by Reason of the Darkness which is upon the Mind; the Will, the commanding, and active Power in us, is faint, weak, and without Strength, because of the Bands that are upon it, from a perverse Bias; the Affections are unsound, distorted, irregular, being wrongly placed, and impetuous in their Actings; the Conscience is covered with Wounds, Bruises, and putrifying Sores, filled with Pain, and Uneasiness, and often nummed and stupified: And what can be a more destitute, and deplorable Condition, than this is, to a spiritual and intellectual Being? Which was, at first, formed pure, and upright, which saw clearly, chose wisely, and affected regularly, and delighted itself in all its Actions; which was made but little lower than the Angels, as in the Strength, and Vigour, so also in the Rectitude, and Harmony, of all its Powers. To fall from the greatest Fulness of Rectitude, and Happiness, our Nature was capable of, into the Want of it all, is an amazing Fall indeed!
Hence this necessarily goes into our Salvation, to have this spiritual, and immortal Being, in us, recovered from all those sad, and dismal, Effects of our Apostacy from God; to have a new Nature given to us, disposing of us to act up to the original Dignity, and Design, of our Make, in a constant Care to do the Things, that are fitting and right; that are pleasing, and acceptable to God, and are vertuous, and commendable, among Men. This is called Eph. ii.1. a being quickened, or, being made spiritually alive: And, 2 Pet. i.4. a partaking of the divine Nature; and a new Creature. 2 Cor. v.17. Not that there is any Physical Change passed upon the Soul, but there is a moral one wrought in it, and upon all the Powers of it, by which something of the divine Nature, or Likeness, is put upon it, in the Temper, and Disposition of it, whereby the Soul is enabled to live a new Life, in the regulating of its Actings; and thus, Old Things are done away, and behold, all Things are become new. For, by this Means, the Understanding is enlightned to a true Discernment of spiritual, and divine Things; the Will is renewed to a Capacity, and Strength, whereby it is enabled to chuse the Good, and refuse the Evil; the Affections are duly placed, and exercised, are brought into Subjection, under the Government of right Reason; and the Conscience is purged from dead Works, to serve the living, and true God; and thus the whole Soul becometh the Workmanship of God, created, in Christ Iesus, unto good Works. Eph. ii.10. This blessed Work is wrought in us, by the converting Grace of God, which reneweth, and changeth the Heart of the Sinner, and maketh it to be a gracious, and an holy Soul. 'Till this Work of Grace be accomplished in the Soul, it remaineth in a State of Corruption, and Depravity, of Subjection, and Slavery, under the tyrannizing Power and Dominion, of Sin, and Satan; and therefore cannot possibly be saved, whilst the Chains upon it are so heavy, and the Bondage so cruel. A new Nature is an essential Part of our Salvation. We are not, we cannot be, saved, until we are rescued from our Slavery, and are asserted into the Liberties of the Sons of God. Hence 'tis that the Salvation of the Gospel carries in it, Acts xxvi.18. a being turned from Darkness, to Light, and from the Power of Satan, unto God; a Sanctification of the Spirit, 2 Thess. ii.13; a coming to the Knowledge, and so to the Practice, of the Truth. 1 Tim. ii.4. And hence it is, that the Conversion of the Gentiles, is called their Salvation, Through their Fall (that is, of the Iews) Salvation is come unto the Gentiles. Rom. xi.11. The Rejection of the Iews made Way for the Calling in, and Conversion, of the Gentile World, and this their effectual Calling, and Conversion, is their Salvation. Thus also, the Conversion of the Iews, in the latter Days, is stiled their Salvation; Ver. 26. And so all Israel shall be saved; and how their Salvation shall be brought about, the Apostle informs us, by quoting a Prophecy of Isaiah's, As it is written, there shall come out of Sion, the Deliverer, and shall turn away Ungodliness from Iacob. That is, the Iews shall be converted to the Faith, and Laws, of the great Messiah, whom, at present, they disown and reject; and then they shall be saved.
Besides, the Sinner has the Peace of his own Mind broken, and his Conscience most sadly wounded, by Sin, that he cannot take a Survey of himself, without being inwardly displeased with himself, and his own Actions, and fearfully apprehensive of the Anger of Almighty God, who, he is sensible, is justly offended with him: And therefore our Salvation comprehendeth in it, the Restoration of Peace to the Man's own Mind, from a well-grounded Hope of the Mercy of God, through the Merits of Jesus Christ, and the pleasing Prospect of the renewing Influences of the Spirit, and Grace of God, in the Soul; which affordeth the Rejoicing of the Conscience, in its Testimony for us, that in Simplicity, and godly Sincerity, not by fleshly Wisdom, but by the Grace of God, we have our Conversation in the World. This is a blessed Peace with God, and with a Man's Self. 'Tis called, Phil. iv.7. The Peace of God, which passeth all Understanding; and the Mind's being kept in perfect Peace. Isa. xxvi.3. It is the blessed Legacy which our compassionate Lord hath left to all his Disciples, Ioh. xiv.27. And the Fruit of Righteousness, which is sown in Peace; Jam. iii.18. And truly, great Peace have they that love the Law of God, and nothing shall offend them. This inward Tranquility, Peace, and Calm of Mind, is founded in the Merits of Christ, resulteth from the great and precious Promises of God, and ariseth, not from heated Imagination, and sudden Impulses, but, from a Man's View of himself, in Compare with the Characters given, in the sacred Oracles, of the renewed Soul, whereby the Holy Spirit witnesseth with his Spirit, that he is a Child of God, and an Heir of Salvation. Though every true Christian is not, always, in the actual Enjoyment of this inward Peace, and Joy, in Believing, but only while under the lively Exercise of his Graces, yet he has a Right to it, and at Times, as it pleaseth God, tasteth the Sweet of it, and will finally have his Salvation compleated, by entring into the Joy of his Lord.
2. The Soul is saved, by having its future, and eternal, Wants supplied. For, however the Body is but temporary in its Duration, and, we know, will, sooner, or later, return to its original Dust, yet the Soul is of an immortal Nature, and shall exist, when separated from the Body, and continue to exist throughout an endless Eternity: Which gave Occasion to that solemn Caution of our Saviour, Luke xii.4. I say unto you, my Friends, be not afraid of them that kill the Body, and after that, have no more that they can do; they cannot kill the Soul. And the God, who formed the Spirit of Man within him, has given us sufficient Assurance, that he will not so destroy the Soul, as to put an utter End to its Existence, but will deal with it, as with a Creature of endless Continuance, by bestowing everlasting Rewards, and Punishments, upon it: Which is a plain Conviction to us, that the Soul must have an everlasting Duration, that it may be a Subject capable of everlasting Rewards, or Punishments.
Hence, in that future, and eternal, State, which the Soul is passing into, it will stand in Need of the endless Possession of a Good, that is every Way sutable, and agreeable, in its Nature, and Duration, to such a spiritual, intellectual, and immortal Being, to compleat its Happiness, in the satisfactory Enjoyment of it. For however its present Wants may be supplied, with all that its Condition requireth, yet, if in that future, and eternal, State, it is passing into, the Soul, should be left naked, and destitute, of what would be necessary for its Comfort, and that throughout an endless Duration, it could not possibly avoid being truly, and forever, miserable.
And because God himself, is the only Fountain of all true Good, and Heaven, wherever it is, is the peculiar Seat of perfect Happiness, therefore the Soul cannot possibly be happy, in the future World, not have its Nature gratified, nor its Desires answered, if it should not be admitted to dwell in the special Presence, and partake of the Expressions of the peculiar Favour, of that infinitely glorious, and happy, Being; but, instead thereof, must be forever banished from the blissful Seat, and the delightful Tokens, of the Divine Loving Kindness. And yet, this heavenly Glory, and Happiness, the Soul has no Claim, or Title, to, in its present, natural, corrupt, State, as fallen, and sinful: Because all Sin is such a Contrariety to the divine Nature, and Law, as forfeiteth the Favour of God, and the heavenly Inheritance. Therefore it is said of Sinners, 1 Cor. vi.10. They shall not inherit the Kingdom of God; and we are assured, Heb. xii.14. Without Holiness no Man shall see the Lord. God, and Heaven, are too pure and holy, for an impure, unholy Soul, while it remaineth such, ever to arrive at the Possession of: The Disagreement between their Natures, would forever keep the guilty, filthy, impure Thing, at the greatest Distance from God, and Heaven.
Hence, therefore, as this is the chief Good, which the Soul wanteth, to return to God as its Centre, so is it the very Top, and Perfection, of the Salvation of the Soul, finally to be brought into the more immediate Presence and full Enjoyment of the supream Good, in the special Tokens of the distinguishing Favour, and Love, of the infinitely blessed God, in the heavenly World. Therefore our Salvation is called, Matth. vii.21. an entring into the Kingdom of Heaven; and, a seeing God, Matth. v.8. and a being where Christ is, Joh. xiv.3. And you may observe, that the Apostle Peter mentions this as the Consummation, and Perfection of our Salvation; 1 Pet. i.9. Receiving the End of your Faith, the Salvation of your Souls. That is, when you receive, for so the Participle is often to be understood; when you receive the End of your Faith; their Faith was placed on God, and Christ, whom having not seen, (says he) ye love, though now ye see him not, yet believing ye rejoice;— now the End, or finishing, or consummating, of their Faith, is the Enjoyment of the Object of it; then their Faith is finished, attaineth its End, when it is turned into Vision, and Fruition, in the Possession of what their Faith was fixed upon; thus receiving the End of your Faith, you receive the Salvation of your Souls; the Salvation of your Souls will be perfected in this. This Salvation, this End of our Faith, we shall receive in Heaven, the special Seat of the blessed Reward, of which the Apostle had spoken, in the Beginning of the Chapter, saying, Ver. 3, 4, 5. God hath begotten us to an Inheritance, incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in Heaven for you; who are kept, by the Power of God, through Faith, unto Salvation. There, in Heaven, our Faith will have an End, and there will be no farther Use, and Occasion, for it; because there, Vision, and Fruition will succeed in the Room of it.
Farther, we are to observe, that in Order to the future Wants of the Soul being supplied, it must be every Way gratified, both from within itself, and from every Thing it converseth with, and that in such a Manner as to leave no Appetite unsatisfied, and so as to render it compleatly happy. For if there should be any Thing wanting, within itself, either as to the perfect Harmony of its Powers, or the Capacity to take in what it thirsteth after; or, if there be any Thing wanting, in what it converses with, to afford it true Delight, and Satisfaction, it would remain, so far at least, in a State of Misery, because in a State of Craving, and Want.
Therefore, this is necessarily included in the Salvation of the Soul, that it be perfectly holy, without the least Remainder of Corruption, or Taint of Sin, or so much as an unholy Thought entertained in the Heart. Hence we are told, 1 Joh. iii.2. It doth not yet appear what we shall be, but when he (Christ) shall appear we shall be like him; being made conformable to the perfectly holy Lord Jesus Christ. Our Powers shall also be enlarged to take in the Objects that are presented to them, and our Knowledge of God, and Christ, and the stupendous Wonders of Creation, Providence, and Redemption, be as perfect as our finite Nature will admit of: Therefore the Apostle saith, 1 Cor. xiii.12. Now we see, through a Glass darkly, but then Face to Face; now we know in Part, but then we shall know even as we also are known. Our converse will then be, not wi…h weak, imperfect Creatures, of jarring Tempers, separate Views, and Designs, and full of Jealousies, and Suspicions, but, with such pure Spirits, as are wholly purged from all the Feculency, and Alloy, which here cleaveth to us; that perfectly harmonize in the same Temper, Views, and Designs, and therefore afford unspeakable Pleasure and Delight, to each other. Heb. xii.22, 23. We come to the innumerable Company of Angels, to the general Assembly of the Church of the First-born, to the Spirits of just Men made perfect. Our Employment will fill the Soul with the most delightful Entertainments, in the most devout and raised Contemplations, and the ravishing and incessant Anthems of Praise, and Hallelujahs, to our Almighty Maker, and Redeemer. Rev. iv.8. They rest not, Day, and Night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come. And of Consequence, our Enjoyments will be of all that Heart can wish for, by which every Appetite will be compleatly filled, and every Desire abundantly gratified; and so the Soul will be rendered truly happy.
But, I must add, that whilst the Soul is separated from the Body, it cannot, we may suppos…, but have some longing Desire after a Union to that she so long dwelt in, and had a Fondness for: And therefore her Salvation comprehendeth in it, the gratifying of this Desire, by a Re-union of Soul, and Body; though not of so gross a Body as was her Companion, and very much her Impediment, in this World, for Flesh, and Blood, cannot inherit the Kingdom of God; but a Body raised, and purified, refined, and spiritualized, and rendered immortal; a proper Mansion for a pure Spirit, a fit Vehicle for her various sublime Operations. Therefore the Apostle informs us, of the Resurrection of our Bodies, and what Sort of Bodies they will be; 1 Cor. xv.42▪ &c. It is sown (saith he) in Corruption, it is raised in Incorruption; it is sown in Dishonour, it is raised in Glory; it is sown in Weakness, it is raised in Power; it is sown a natural Body, it is raised a spiritual Body: And he addeth, Ver. 53. This Corruptible must put on Incorruption; and this Mortal must put on Immortality. And to compleat the Fulness of our Salvation, both in Soul, and Body, 'tis an eternal Salvation, Heb. v.9. And our Saviour saith of the Resurrection Bodies, Luk. xx.36. Neither can they die any more, for they are equal unto the Angels of God. When thus the purified, and happy Spirit shall receive the raised Body, refined, and spitualized, into an intimate Union with itself, never more to be separated from it, then will … arrive at the Consummation of its Salvation, and …tain the End of its Faith; what its Faith aimed at, and what it will be forever perfected in.
This may suffice, to shew what it is to be saved; I should now proceed to the Second General Head proposed, that perishing Sinners may be thus saved; but I shall conclude the present Discourse, with a Reflection or two on what has been said.
USE 1. With what Indignation, and Abhorrence, of Soul, should we now take a View of our original Apostacy, that Fountain of Evil, in us? It is a sad and most Heart-affecting, and Soul humbling, Prospect, to behold, such an amazing Ruin, as is brought upon what was, once, so beautiful, and glorious a Creature, as Man, by so vile, and base a Thing as Sin is. The Thought hereof is enough, one would think, to raise in our Minds, the utmost Abhorrence, and unconquerable Aversion, to so great an Enemy to our Nature, and Happiness; which has, not only rendered us guilty, and depraved, but has exposed us to the most severe Punishment, in the Loss of all that is good, and delightful to us, and the suffering of all that is painful, and tormenting. While Man continued an innocent Creature, there was no foreign, nor domestick, Punishment, to distress, and torment him; he felt none, and he feared none. But the first Sin has driven the human Nature from its original Mansions of Light, and Joy, and cast it down from Heaven, into the lowest Abyss, into outer Darkness. It has deprived us of our God, the Perfection of Being, and of all Good; has thrust us out of his blissful Presence, and Favour, and doom'd us to an everlasting Destruction, in Hell, there to suffer the Vengeance of eternal Fire; that unless some kind, and almighty Arm, appear to help us, and rescue us from the devouring Jaws of the burning Vault, and make up the Breach between God, and us, we are undone, and perish for ever. We are too apt to have our Resentments kindled against those, and to hold them for our Enemies, and treat them accordingly, who, we see, at any Time, designedly, attempt to hurt us, in our Bodies, or any of our bodily Interests; (though in Reality, nothing can hurt us but what is detrimental to our Souls, in their Purity and Happiness) and should we not then look upon Sin, with the utmost Abhorrence, and Detestation, as truly our grand Enemy, the Bane of our Comfort, the Destroyer of our Purity, Peace, and Happiness, which at first, and ever since, has designedly sought our utter Destruction, in Soul and Body, forever? Should we not look upon our original Guilt, and Pollution, as the Origin of all the Evils we suffer, of Pains and Sicknesses, of Losses, and Bereavements, of Plagues, and Famines, and Wars? 'Tis this that hath sold us into Slavery to vile, and sordid Lusts; that has bound our Hands, and rendered us unable, without special Divine Assistance, to perform any acceptable Service to our God, or profitable to ourselves; 'tis this that has forfeited Heaven, and all the Glories, of the upper World, which are not to be regained for us, but at the Expence of the Blood of the incarnate Son of God; and it is this that has exposed us to Fear, and Horror, and the Damnation of Hell, which none but the blessed Jesus can save us from. And shall we, then, maintain any Friendship with it, consult its Interest, and seek the gratifying of it! Your Iniquities have separated between you, and your God, Isa. lix.2. And your Sins have withholden good Things from you, Jer. v.25. Should we not, then, abhor, and loath it, and our selves for it; and contract an implacable Hatred, and Aversion to Sin, as that which we cannot possibly be in Friendship with, upon lower Terms, than the Loss of all that is truly dear to us, and the suffering of all that will make us compleatly, and forever miserable? O how earnest should we be in coming to an immediate, and fixed Resolution, with ourselves, never more to have any Thing to do with the unfruitful Works of Darkness, of which we have so much Reason to be ashamed, and the End whereof is Death. Had it not been for the Apostacy of the human Nature, we should have shone bright, with the radiant Likeness of the Deity upon us, and have been admitted to near, and intimate Communion with our Maker, and Converse with Angels; the Earth would have been an universal Paradise to us, and we had known nothing of the Pains, and Terrors of dying; but, Oh! how is the Gold become dim, and the fine Gold changed! and what was ruddier than the Rubies, and more polished than the Saphire, is become blacker than a Coal, and embraceth the Dunghill. So has Sin turned a noble Creature into a Devil, covered him with Blackness, and Deformity, rendered him a Shame to himself, and the Contempt, and Sport, of every soul Spirit; converted a Paradise into a Wilderness, made Death necessary, and unavoidable, and the Hell, that followeth close at the Heels thereof, his deserved, and dreadful Portion. And with what Distress, and Anguish, of Soul, should we cry out, upon the View hereof, with the A…ostle, Rom. vii.24. O wretched Man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the Body of this Death?
2. Hence, Brethren, ye see the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath undertaken to redeem, and save us, from all of this Evil, both Moral, and Penal. The Apostle illustrates, and commends to us, the Love and Grace of God, and Christ, in his appearing on our Behalf to save us from Sin, and Punishment, in the fifth Chapter to the Romans; When we were without Strength (says he) Christ died for the Ungodly; God commendeth his Love to us, in that, while we were yet Sinners, Christ died for us; that we might be saved from Wrath through him; that we might be reconciled to God, by the Death of his Son; that by him, we might receive the Atonement; that by the Obedience of that one Man many might be made righteous; and the free Gift of God might come upon all Men unto Iustification of Life; that Grace might reign, through Righteousness, unto eternal Life, through Iesus Christ our Lord. And is it possible we can think of these Things, and not see that we owe all that we are, and have, and hope for, unto the blessed Jesus!
View over thine own wretched Condition, by Nature, and Practice! See what thou art, and what thou deservest! A guilty, defiled, unworthy, Hell-deserving Creature! And how canst thou hope to escape from all this Unhappiness and Misery? Can the Wisdom of thine own Heart prudently contrive the Methods of thy Redemption? Or, will the Strength of thine own Arm be sufficient, effectually to rescue thee from the Powers of Darkness, the Arrest of divine Justice, and the Punishment of the Damned? Or, hast thou a full Price in thy Purse▪ Merit enough of thine own, to buy off thy Guilt, and Punishment, and procure the divine Favour to thee? Alas! thou art empty, and destitute, wretched, and miserable, poor, and blind, and naked; and there is nothing within the Compass of meerly created Nature, that is able to help thee. Be it known unto you, that by the Name of Jesus Christ only, can you be made whole; neither is there Salvation in any other; for there is none other Name, under Heaven, given among Men, whereby we must be saved. Acts iv.12.
Though thy Redemption, and Salvation, take their Rise from the Good-will of the eternal Father, yet it is Christ alone that has merited all for thee. And, Oh! at how dear a Price has he purchased our Redemption from Sin, and Hell! Not with corruptible Things, as Silver, and Gold, but with the Price of his own most precious Blood, which he hath given as a Ransom for many. Thus Christ hath redeemed us from the Curse of the Law, being made a Curse for us. Gal. iii.13.
And as he alone hath merited all for us, so doth he, of his Fulness, confer all upon us; his Word to teach and instruct us; his Spirit to convert, lead, and guide us; his Grace to purify us, and make us meet for the Inheritance of the Saints in Light; and his Heaven, and Glory, as our satisfying, and everlasting Portion.
Oh, let the Thoughts hereof greatly endear the blessed Jesus to thy Soul, as the most amiable Object, the chiefest among Ten Thousands, and altogether lovely; may it knit thy whole Heart unto the dear Redeemer, in the most sincere Faith, and fervent Love, and fixed Resolution to be his obedient Servant, and Follower forever.
3. Let us, then, prosecute the mortifying of Sin in us, by the most sincere Humiliation, and unfeigned Repentance. Unless Sin be mortified, it will prove the Death, not only of the Body, but of the Soul also; yea, there is a spiritual Death already preying upon the Soul, by Reason whereof, we are dead in Trespasses, and Sin, Eph. ii.1. Our great Work is to get Sin mortified in us, that we may be delivered from the Curse of it, and be ourselves restored to Life and Happiness.
But, in Order to mortify Sin, 'tis not enough to lop off some of its Branches; for so many Persons may do, and very much escape the Corruption that is in the World, through Lust; and yet be under the reigning Power of Sin over them; but we must strike at the Root, the Sin that dwelleth in us, and endeavour to get this Root of Bitterness, which beareth Gall, and Wormwood, subdued, and slain▪ that receiving its Death Wound in the Soul, it may no longer have the Dominion over us. To this End, as we must, by Faith, repair to the Blood of Christ, for the Pardon of our Guilt, both original and actual, so must we unfeignedly repent, and turn from all Sin, both of Heart and Life, that we may be renewed unto a Life of Holiness, for the Time to come. The stronger is our Faith, and the more sincere, and thorough, our Repentance is, by so much the more will indwelling Corruption be mortified in us, and Grace will reign in us, unto eternal Life, through Iesus Christ our Lord, Rom. i.21. Let us, then, whenever we find our selves tempted, and enticed to Sin, through the corrupt Workings of our own Hearts, or the Allurements of the World, strongly resist the Temptation, by considering the infinite Evil of all Sin, even the least, and how alluring soever it may appear, under its false Pretentions of Friendship to us, yet, such is the deadly Nature of it, that there is an absolute Necessity of one of these two Things, either, that we must repent of it, or, we must suffer for it; neither of which are to be chosen by a wise Man, if they can possibly be avoided. Wherefore,
1. Remember, that if, at any Time, you gratify the corrupt Part which is in you, by complying with any Temptation to Sin, you must certainly repent of it. There is not the least Sin, that any Man can possibly commit, but he must, he will, repent of it, one Time, or other; and if his Repentance be seasonable, and hearty, it will be the best Thing that he can do. Not that his Repentance can take away the Guilt of …is Sin; for it is only the Merits of the Obedience, and Sufferings, and Death, of Christ, who has appeared a Surety for us, and borne the Curse, in our Stead, that can take away our Guilt, by disarming the Law of its Power to condemn us; yet, Repentance is made absolutely necessary, by the Appointment of God, and from the Nature of Things, to our being saved; as I shall more particularly shew hereafter. But if any Sinner does not willingly and designedly repent, and turn from his Sins, now, whilst he has the Opportunity of benefiting himself by it, he shall, finally, be forced to the bitter Part of Repentance, whether, he will, or no, when it will be all too late, and to no good Purpose, for him. And is Repentance so pleasant, and delightful, as that any Man should chuse to do that which will necessarily bring him to it? Do but consider what is included in Repentance, and then say, whether any wise Man would chuse to allow himself in any Sin whatever. The least that can be supposed in Repentance is, an hearty Sorrow that ever we have sinned, and a deep Concern of Mind, to have the Guilt of our Sin done away. And would any wise, and thinking Person, allow himself in that which he knoweth, beforehand, he shall certainly be sorry for afterwards? Will it not be very burdensom to him, to have his Mind filled with Uneasiness? To have his own Heart reproach him, and taunt him, for his Folly, in doing that which he knew would be just Matter of Grief to him? And how great will be the Difficulty of getting his Mind freed from this Burden, and of obtaining any clear Perception, any comfortable Hope, that his Sin is forgiven him, and God is at Peace with him: But and if the Sinner does not experience this Shame, and Sorrow, for his past Sins, now, and that so prevalent in him, as to make him dread, and abhor, and carefully watch, and strive against, and endeavour to avoid, every sinful Thing, for the future, and so as to produce a real Reformation, and Amendment in him, he will hereafter be more grievously sorry, and even be filled with Rage, and Indignation against himself, another Day, when he shall come to lie down in everlasting Sorrow, without a Possibility of his ever being saved from it. And is it fitting, and reasonable, for any Man to buy Repentance at so dear a Rate! Let therefore the Thought that you must, sooner, or l…ter, repent; be strong, and forcible, to prevail upon you, now, immediately, and without Delay, to break off from all your Iniquities, to yield no sinful Compliances with the corrupt Desires of the Flesh, or of the Mind, but resist, strenuously, in the Faith, all Temptations thereunto; though they should be gilded over with ever so splendid an Appearance. Come, now, to the good Resolution, which E…ihu proposed, Job xxxiv.31, 32. Surely, it is meet to be said unto God,—I will not offend any more;— if I have done Iniquity, I will do no more.
2. Remember, seriously, and often, remember, that if you are found, at last, in your Sins, you must suffer for it. If the Guilt of Sin remain chargeable upon you, and you are under the Power of Corruption, when you come to stand before your Judge, (as certainly this will be the Condition of all unconverted, impenitent Sinners,) that Guilt, and Pollution, will as certainly bring a most heavy Punishment upon you. For, it is but a righteous Thing with God, to punish them that go on in Disobedience to him, and refuse to be reclaimed. Hence, they that sin, are said, To do such Things as are worthy of Death, Rom. i.32. That is, they deserve Death for what they do, the natural Conscience of Man himself being Judge. For thus every Man judgeth, and that rationally, when the Case is brought Home to himself. There is no Man but what judgeth, that a disobedient Child, or Servant, ought to be corrected. And what Man is there, who does not judge, that, he, that should rob him of his Interest, or reproach his Name, or make a vile Attempt upon his Life, and give him many a Wound, would deserve to be punished? Are not these Things Crimes, deserving to be punished, when they are committed against another, as well as when against ourselves? Yea, is not the Crime so much the greater, when committed against the infinitely great, and wise, and good, and holy, God, than when it is only against a poor, mean, Worm of the Dust? Verily; all Sin is a robbing the great God of the Glory due unto his Name, and an impudent, though vain, Attempt, to destroy his very Being. Doth it not then deserve to be punished, when such a Crime is levelled against the Majesty of Heaven, and Earth, as when it is levelled against ourselves? Let no Man deceive himself. Thy own Conscience telleth thee, that thy Sin deserveth to be punished. And is not the Punishment severe enough to deter thee from being guilty of the Crimes that deserve it? To lose the Favour of God, who is the Fountain of all Good; to be banished from Heaven, and Happiness, and never more know Light, and Joy; to be cast out into outer Darkness, and lie down in Hell, in everlasting Burnings; to be associated with Devils, and damned Spirits, in the infernal Prison; and to be in exquisite Pain, and Torment, forever and ever! Is not this Punishment heavy enough! Or, canst thou make Light of it, as if it were easy to undergo all this? Make the Trial; hold thy Hand in the Flame, for one Quarter of an Hour? Dost thou shrink, and start back, at the Thought of it! How then wilt thou bear to lie in the Fire of Hell, Soul, and Body, throughout eternal Ages? Well then, knowing the Terrors of the Lord, O be perswaded, with all Earnestness to mortify thy corrupt Part, diligently to shun that Sin, and strenuously resist those Temptations thereto, which, if complied with, and indulged, will most certainly bring upon thee all this amazing Punishment, without a Possibility of thy escaping.
See, then, how much all Sin ought to be hated, subdued, and mortified, by thee, since it spoils thee of thy Glory, and exposeth thee to the greatest Misery. Thou wouldst not have needed to be saved, for thou wouldst have been in no Danger, if it had not been for Sin. And wilt thou, then, hug this thy grand Enemy, and cherish it in thy Bosom, as though it were thy best Friend? Jer. ii.19. Know therefore, and see, that it is an evil Thing, and bitter, that thou hast forsaken the Lord, thy God: And when ever thou art solicited, and enticed, to gratify the corrupt Workings of thy own Heart, or comply with the Temptations of others, to do any Thin… that is offensive to thy God, call to mind the deadly Consequents of all Sin, and say with Ioseph, Gen. xxxix.9. How shall I do this great Wickedness, and sin against God? Go, therefore, to God in Christ, with thy earnest Importunity that he would graciously give unto thee Repentance unto Life, and Salvation; and let thy Heart be ever under the Aw of those Words of Wisdom, with which I now conclude; Prov. viii.36. He that sinneth against me, wrongeth his own Soul; all they that hate me, love Death.