The Mystery of the Gospel in Salvation, Sermon 5
The Possibility of a Sinner's Salvation. SERMON V.
ACTS XVI.30.
And said, Sirs, What must I do to be saved?
THESE Words present us with the View of the very great Solicitude, and Concern of Mind, the Iaylor was in, about the Salvation of his Soul, being very inquisitive to know, and willing to do, all that was necessary, in Order to his being eternally saved: And what was his great Concern, ought to be ours: From whence I have noted this Doctrine, namely,
DOCT. It is of the highest Concernment to perishing Sinners, to be very solicitous, what they shall do to be saved; or to know, and practise, all that is necessary, in Order to their Salvation. I have proposed to speak to this Text, and Doctrine, in the following Method, viz.
I. To shew you what it is to be saved, or, what is that Salvation which perishing Sinners stand in Need of.
II. That perishing Sinners may be saved; there is a Possibility, notwithstanding their present miserable Condition, that they may be eternally saved.
III. That perishing Sinners must know, and practise, all that is necessary, in Order to their Salvation; there is something to be done, by them, that they may be saved.
IV. This is a Matter of the highest Concernment to them, and therefore they ought to be most seriously solicitous about it.
I have already spoken to the first of these Heads, and have shewed you what it is to be saved; what is intended, and meant, by the Phrase, in the Gospel-Sense of it; what the Iaylor was apprehensive he needed; and what every Sinner will unavoidably perish without: Namely, a Salvation of the whole Man, but which the Soul is, in a more peculiar Manner, the Subject of, and which consisteth in a Deliverance from all that Evil, both Moral and Penal, which every Sinner is perishing under the Power of; and in the Possession of all that Good, which Sinners are destitute of, and want. Which may serve to shew us the sad, and lamentable Condition Sin has brought all Mankind into; fill us with Love and Admiration of the dear Redeemer; and should raise our Indignation, and Abhorrence, against our Apostacy, the Fountain of Evil in us; and put us upon unwearied Endeavours to mortify Sin in us, remembring, that we must repent of Sin, or dreadfully suffer for it. I shall now proceed, by divine Assistance, to the Consideration of the Second General Head proposed, viz.
II. That perishing Sinners may be saved; there is a Possibility notwithstanding their present miserable Condition, that they may be eternally saved. Though it be true, that every Sinner has forfeited Heaven, and Happiness, and has deserved the Wrath, and Curse of God; which is most solemnly denounced against all Ungodliness, and Unrighteousness, of Men, and will, most certainly, and terribly, be executed, in the utmost Fulness thereof, upon every guilty Sinner, another Day, if he repent not; yet is it also a most glorious Truth, and Heart-reviving Consideration, that, after all the Provocations they have given to the divine Majesty, and their Ill-deservings at his Hands, poor Sinners, pining in their Sin, and Guilt, may possibly be saved from that Wrath, which is justly due unto them, and be restored to the Happiness which they have lost. Were there no Possibility of this, it would be altogether in vain for any Sinner to entertain any Thought about being saved; for all his Care, and Concern about it, would not, in the least, affect that, which has not so much as a bare Possibility, that it ever should be; and all the Exhortations of the Gospel, and Persuasions of the Ministers of it, to the poor Creature, to do any Thing towards his own Salvation, would be so far from manifesting any real Pity, and Compassion to him, or shewing any Act of Kindness to him, or Desire to help him, that they would be but a cruel sporting with his Misery, and mocking at his Calamity; and our severe Taunts, and Sarcasms, would but add to his Unhappiness, and make that which is his Torment, sit the heavier upon him; because his Condition would be, like that of Devils, to lie down in endless Despair.
It is the Hope of Success, that putteth a Man upon taking any Pains, to obtain the Good he wanteth, or to free himself from the Evil he is apprehensive of. This maketh the Husbandman toil, and sweat, because, he that ploweth, ploweth in Hope of a Crop; this putteth the Merchant upon venturing his Goods, and the bold Sailor his Person, upon the boisterous Ocean, in Hope of Gain; and this animates the hardy Soldier to the Battle, even the Hope of Victory. And 'tis this Hope that giveth a Spring to all our Labours to be saved. The Psalmist said, Psal. cxix.166. I have hoped for thy Salvation, and done thy Commandment. The Hope of Salvation encourages to Obedience, and exciteth the Man to run, that he may obtain. Without Hope, the Man would not stir one Step, nor move one Finger, about it, but lie down in Despair, which forever cutteth the Sinews, and disableth the Man for Labour. Unless the Sinner had some good Hope, or some good Foundation to build his Hope upon, that, notwithstanding all the Guilt he is chargeable with, there is a Possibility of his being pardoned, and that he may escape all that Wrath, and Vengeance, that hangeth over his Head, he will never be solicitous to do any Thing towards his Salvation, nor be at all seriously inquisitive, what he must do to be saved: But when he cometh to a thorough Apprehension, not only of the vast Ruin, that is impending over him, but, that there is a Possibility, notwithstanding of his nefandous Wickedness, and though he hath brought this Misery upon himself, by his own Folly, in rebelling against the Author of his Being, yet, that he may, after all, be delivered from the threatning Danger, upon proper Methods, and due Pains taken therefor: This addeth Vigour to his Mind, and Strength to his Arm, it maketh him inquisitive, what is necessary to be done, and willing to put his Hand to the Work; this maketh him resolute, and couragious, diligent, and laborious, and stirreth him up to a Readiness to lay himself out, to master all the Difficulties, and Impediments that lie in his Way, that he may, since it is possible, escape so great an Evil, as that which threatneth him, and obtain so matchless a Good, as that which is set before him. When they of old, who were exhorted to Repentance, cried, Jer. xviii.12. There is no Hope; either that their past Iniquities should be forgiven, or, that they should escape the Judgment threatned, it is no Wonder to hear them saying, in the following Words, We will walk after our own Devices, and we will every one do the Imagination of his evil Heart: They will be at no Pains to turn from their evil Ways, and to make their Doings good. But if we hope for that we see not, then do we, with Patience, (in the Use of our best Endeavours) wait for it. Rom. viii.25.
This, therefore, is the Encouragement, which I am, now, in the Name of my great and gracious Master, to give unto every Sinner here before the Lord, (and to all that read this) that though your Sins have brought you into a most deplorable, and perishing Condition, yet there is a Possibility, that the greatest Sinner of you all may be saved. Sirs, your Case is not altogether hopeless, and without Remedy; no, bad as it is, there is a May be of Mercy, an who can tell but the Lord will be gracious unto you: and if there were no more than this, it is enough to preserve from Despair, and quicken you to Duty; but I can assure thee, there is Balm in Gilead, there is a Physician there, so that the Hurt of the Daughter of my People may be healed; if it be not their own Fault. Here then, that I may discourse distinctly, let us consider,
I. What Sinners may be saved. And,
II. The Ground of Hope, that there is a Possibility, that perishing Sinners may be saved.
I. What Sinners are they that possibly may be saved? Or, to whom is it possible that they may obtain the Salvation of their So…ls? And this is to be affirmed of every Sinner, that is, as yet, but in a perishing Condition, and is not …olly perished, and lost forever, beyond all Recovery. That is to say, every Sinner that is, as yet, on this Side of eternal Misery, who yet enjoyeth the Day, and Means, of Grace, and has Time, and Opportunity to work out his own Salvation. The Apostle, referring to the Promise which God the Father made to his Son, to hear, and help him, in building up his Church, in the World, saying, Isa. xlix.8. I have heard thee, in a Time accepted, and in the Day of Salvation have I succoured thee; maketh Application of this, unto every one, unto whom the Gospel of Salvation is preached, and saith, 2 Cor. vi.2. Behold, now is the accepted Time; behold, now is the Day of Salvation. That is, now, while we are in this World, under the Enjoyment of the Means of Grace, whilst the Patience, and Forbearance of God, is exercised towards Sinners, and Christ, and Grace, and Heaven, are offered to them; now, whilst it is a Time of Probation, and Trial, with them, and while as yet the State of Retribution has not overtaken them. Here,
1. 'Tis true, that there are some Sinners who cannot hope for Salvation.
There are some Sinners, who never enjoyed any Day, and Means, of Grace, and Salvation; and there are others, whose Day of Grace is over with them; neither of these can hope for Salvation, for it is not possible to them; but as for all such, upon whom God is wa…ing, that he may be gracious, their Salvation is possible.
(1) There are some Sinners who never enjoyed any Day of Grace; with whom, there never was any Time of Probation, and Trial, for eternal Happiness; for whom, a Saviour from Sin, and Wrath, never was provided; and who never had one Offer of Salvation made to them: And with Respect unto such Sinners, there is no Room to hope, that they will ever obtain Mercy from God, but Salvation is utterly, and everlastingly, impossible to them. This is the sad Case of Apostate Spirits, those, once glorious, Angels that kept not their first Estate, but left their own Habitation. How art thou fallen from Heaven, O Lucifer, Son of the Morning! It would be in vain for them to cry out, What must we do to be saved. The infinitely gracious God has no Reserves of Mercy for them; Christ took not on him the Nature of Angels; therefore is Salvation far from them: They sinned without a Tempter, and therefore are punished without any Mixture of Mercy, but are reserved in everlasting Chains, under Darkness, unto the Iudgment of the great Day, Jude ver. 6. So that there is no Possibility of their Escape from that miserable State they are doomed unto.
(2) There are other Sinners whose Time of Probation is at an End, and the Day of Grace, which they once enjoyed, is forever over with them; they are entred upon the State of Retribution, and inherit the Reward of all their evil Deeds. This is the unhappy Condition, of all such as have died in their Sins, and gone into the other World in an impenitent, unconverted Frame, and carried all their unpardoned Guilt with them. When they were in this World, the Door of Hope stood open to them; God called upon them to repent, and turn from all their Transgressions; Christ wooed them, with much Entreaty, to come to him, and live; they enjoyed many precious Means, and Opportunities, and Seasons of Grace; they were waited upon Year after Year, and Sabbath after Sabbath; but now that they are gone down to the Congregation of the Dead, the Door is shut, forever shut, upon them; and there is no Room for them now, since they did not before, to cry, What shall we do to be saved. So the old World had their Day of Patience, and Long-suffering, all the while that Noah, a Preacher of Righteousness, warned them of the approaching Deluge, and then they might, possibly, have improved their Advantages, the Price they had in their Hands, to have secured the Favour of God, and to have escaped the Damnation of Hell, but seeing they had no Heart therefor, they are, now, Spirits in Prison, 1 Pet. i.19, shut up under the Curse, without a Possibility of their ever altering their Condition for the better. Though while there is Life, there is Hope, yet dead, and damned, Sinners cannot hope for the Mercy, and Truth, of God; for there is no Work, nor Device, nor Knowledge, nor Wisdom, in the Grave, Eccl. ix.10. there remaineth no more an Opportunity, or Capacity, to do any Thing for the Welfare of their Souls; their State is fixed, and unalterable, throughout Eternity; so that, if they are not saved already, it is wholly impossible they ever should be. This our Saviour giveth us to understand, by the Parable of the rich Man, where Dives, having passed through his State of Probation, and entered upon that of Reward, and finding it to be a State of Uneasiness, and Torment, to him, entreateth Abraham, to send Lazarus to dip the Tip of his Finger in Water, and cool his Tongue; that is, to administer any, the least Degree, of Comfort to him. In Answer to which, Abraham first, sheweth him the Unreasonableness of his Request, for that, in his Life-Time, he enjoyed his good Things, and did not make a wise Improvement of them, and, now, it was but just, that, in that World he was lodged in, he should go without them: Son, (said he,) remember, that thou, in thy Life-Time, receivest thy good Things: And, then, he letteth him know the utter Impossibility of his Request's being granted, from the irreversible Determination of the supream Lord of all, who hath so fixed the State of every Man, in the other World, as by an unpassable Gulf, that none can alter their Condition, and go from the one to the other: Besides all this, between us, and you, there is a great Gulf fixed, so that they which would pass from hence, to you, cannot, neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence. Luke xvi.25, 26. So that such as have gone out of this World, in their Sins, with their unpardoned Guilt, and depraved Nature, both rendering them unsit for the Society of the Blessed above, are not in a perishing Condition, but have totally perished already; and therefore all Hope, of their being saved, is cut off, and gone forever; there is no possible Way, that we know of, by which they can be rescued from that State of Damnation, which, by the righteous, and unchangeable, Judgment of God, has already seized upon them.
2. But then, as for all such Sinners, as are on this Side the Grave, and the eternal World; who are not yet gone down to the Blackness of Darkness forever; who have the Grace of the Gospel preached, and the Offers of Salvation mercifully tendered, to them; these, whatever be their Circumstances in this World, either civilly, or morally considered, whether they be high, or low, or whether they are greater or lesser Sinners, may, notwithstanding all, be finally saved: There is a Possibility, though they are, at present, in such a State as that it may truly be said of them▪ they are miserably perishing, yet, that they may, after all, by the astonishing Grace of God, be truly converted, and eternally saved.
I know but of one Exception, out of all the various Sorts of Sinners, that can be thoug…t of; and that is, of such as are guilty of the Sin against the Holy Ghost, of which our Lo…d said, M…th. xii.32. It shall not be forgiven, neither in … neither in the World to come. What …his Sin a…inst the Holy Ghost is, I think, we may sufficientl… understand, by considering of the …ont…t: For there we find, that our Savi…ur having wrought divers notable Miracles, as particularly, the casting out of Devils, which could, by no Rules of Reason, be supposed to be performed by the Assistance of Devils, because this would suppose Satan to be divided against himself, but were wrought by the Agency of the Divine Power, or, by the Power of the Holy Ghost; yet, the Pharisees, who had evident Conviction of the Truth of the Miracle, and all imaginable Reason to conclude it was performed by a divine Energy, from the very Nature, and End, of the Miracle, that they might evade the Force, which the Acknowlegment of its being wrought by the Holy Ghost, would bring them under, to own Jesus Christ to be a Person truly sent from God, rather chose to act contrary to the Light, and Convictions, of their own Minds, and prosecute their Enmity to Christ, by a maliciou…, and wilful, imputing his Miracles to the Agency of the Devil. So that this Sin seemeth, to me, to consist, in a Person's maliciously, and contrary to the Convictions of his own Mind, imputing the miraculous Works of the Holy Ghost, to the Operation of infernal Spirits. And this seemeth to be one Reason why this Sin, above all others, remaineth unpardonable; because such a fixed Malice, against Jesus Christ, as influenceth any Person designedly, to reject the highest Evidence that can be given, of the Truth of his Mission from God, and consequently, the Truth of the D…ctrine… which he taught, leaves no possible Way, for such an one, to receive Conviction of his being the Saviour of Sinners, and therefore no Room for the pardoning Mercy of God to reach and save him.
Whether any, in our Days, may be guilty of this Sin, in the full Sense of it, I am not able to say, because I don't know but that occular Evidence of the Miracles of Christ, may be necessary to compleat it. But this I may venture to affirm, that none of those, who conscientiously sit under the Preaching of the Gospel, have ever yet been guilty of this Sin, whatever their melancholly Thoughts of themselves, may, at Times, suggest to them; because it is ever accompanied with Malice, and Rage, against the Gospel, and its Ministry. Setting aside therefore such Sinners against the Holy Ghost, (none of which, I may venture to say, are here,) and it must be affirmed, that, as to every other Sinner, who is yet alive in this World, how many soever his Transgressions may have been, and however highly aggravated, and long continued in, there is a Possibility of his being saved. Therefore you may observe, that Christ said, in the Verse before his Account of the Sin against the Holy Ghost; Ver. 31. Wherefore, I say unto you, …ll Manner of Sin, and Blasphemy, shall be forgiven unto Men. Though the Dead cannot hope for the Mercy of God, yet the living Sinner has this to encourage him, to Pains, and Diligence, in working out his own Salvation, that the Thing is possible; as he, who was in great Danger of drowning, cried out, Help, I am yet alive; so may every Sinner say, I am yet alive, it is yet a Day of Grace with me, Oh! What must I do to be saved! As he yet enjoyeth the Means of Grace, he may possibly, be prevailed upon, though he has so long turned a deaf Ear to the Calls of the Gospel, to embrace the Tenders of Mercy, and Pardon, and Life, which are as yet made to him, and be succeeded in his Endeavours to work the Work of God, and so happily partake of Salvation in the End. And this, I take it, is the comfortable Condition of every Sinner here, (or that shall read this,) even of the greatest.
II. I am now to set before you, the Ground of Hope, that there is a Possibility, that perishing Sinners may be saved. This will sufficiently appear, by considering these four Things, viz. 1. The Mercy of God: 2. The Death of Christ: 3. The Offers of Salvation: And, 4. The Instances, on sacred Record, of Sinners, and very great ones, being finally saved.
1. It is evident, from the Sovereignty, and Riches, of the Grace, and Mercy of God, that it is possible perishing Sinners may be saved. By this, I do not mean, what may be argued, merely from such Considerations as our natural Reason, destitute of Revelation, under the best Improvement of it, could entertain of the gracious, and merciful, Nature of God; for, I know of no Reason we have, to conclude the Possibility of the Salvation of sinful Man, any more than of sinning Angels, purely from any natural Conceptions we can have of the Nature of God: And therefore, by the Grace, and Mercy, of God, I understand, those favourable Regards, which, according to the Counsel of his own Will, God hath determined to shew to the unworthy, miserable, Children of Men, as he hath made the Revelation of such his Designs of Favour to us, in his Holy Gospel. Here observe,
1. The boundless Goodness of the divine Nature is the Origin, and Fountain, from whence all Acts of Favour, to any of the Creatures, are derived, and therefore from whence peculiarly flows all gracious, and merciful, Designs, to guilty, miserable Creatures. If God were not infinitely good, there could be no Possibility of any Sinner's receiving any, the least, Favour from him. But though God be infinitely good, yet that any guilty Creature shall escape the Punishment, which his Sin has justly deserved, and be received into a State of Peace, and Friendship, with his offended Sovereign, does not necessarily result from the Goodness of the divine Nature, because, possibly, the Demands of Justice, and the Rights of the divine Authority, and Holiness, may lay in the Way of consummate Goodness exercising it self, in such a Manner, until some Expedient is fixed upon, for Justice, and Mercy, Righteousness, and Peace, to meet, and harmonize, in the great Design. So that the Pardon, and Salvation, of a Sinner does not flow from any Necessity of Nature, in God, and therefore cannot be argued, by any Principles of Reason, from the divine Goodness; but they are free Acts of the divine Will, and (as all Acts of Grace are) must be resolved into Good Pleasure, and not Necessity of Nature. Accordingly, the Apostle speaking of the original Purpose of God to save Sinners, resolveth it into this, it is according to the good Pleasure of his Will, Eph. i.5. Hence it followeth, that we must first know what the Will of God is, relating to the Salvation of a Sinner, before we can conclude it possible, or not; and because no Disquisition our rational Powers can make, into the divine Nature, will ever discover to us what turneth purely upon the divine Will, therefore there is a Necessity of our having a Revelation from God, which shall shew us what his Will is, in this Case, before we can peremptorily conclude any Thing about it. And therefore, by the Grace, and Mercy, of God, I understand, what God hath revealed to us, in his Gospel, or Word, of his Designs of Grace, and Mercy, to poor Sinners; for this, and this only, is the solid Foundation of our Hope of Salvation, fetched from the Goodness of the divine Nature.
2. Such is the open, and full, Declaration, in the Gospel, of the gracious, and merciful, Designs of God to Sinners, as doth abundantly evidence the Possibility of a poor perishing Sinner's being saved. For, therein we have, not only a clearer Discovery, beyond what our natural Reason could make, that the Lord, our God, is a God gracious, and m…ciful, long-suffering, and abundant in Goodness; but also a full Account of what our God, according to his gracious Nature, and mere good Pleasure, has determined to do, even to forgive Iniquity, Transgression, and Sin, Exod. xxxiv.6, 7. With thee, saith the Psalmist, there is Forgiveness, that thou mayst be feared, Psal. cxxx.4. Says the Apostle, 1 Joh. i.9. If we confess our Sins, he is faithful, and just, to forgive us our Sins. And another Apostle assureth us, 1 Tim. i.15. This is a faithful Saying, and worthy of all Acceptation, that Iesus Christ came into the World, to save Sinners. God himself saith, Jer. xxxi.34. I will forgive their Iniquity, and I will remember their Sin no more. And our blessed Lord commanded, Luke xxiv.47. That Remission of Sins should be preached, in his Name, among all Nations. So that from these, and innumerable other, Texts of Scripture, which reveal to us God's gracious Designs, we may very fairly conclude, that it is possible for the very chief of Sinners to be saved: And there are two Considerations, respecting the Grace, and Mercy of God, made known unto us, in his holy Word, which plainly shew us, that every Sinner, even the greatest, may entertain the Hope of the Possibility of his finally finding Acceptance with God, if he will but diligently improve the Means he is directed to; namely, the Sovereignty, and Freedom, the Riches, and Fulness, of the Mercy, and Grace of our God.
First, The Mercy, and Grace of God is infinitely sovereign, and free. By the Sovereignty, and Freedom, of the Grace, and Mercy of God, I intend, that God acteth his own Pleasure, without being controuled by any, or accountable to any, for what he does therein; that there is nothing, out of the divine Nature, sufficient to procure Acts of Grace, or limit them; nothing, but what is in himself, that effectually moveth God to shew Mercy to any, or say how far his Mercy shall extend.
Grace, and Mercy, may be needed by a poor Creature, and so he may be the proper Object of them, if there be nothing in the Way to hinder their reaching to him; but yet if ever God shew Favour to a guilty Sinner, it must be because it so pleaseth him; not because he is necessitated, or obliged to it, but because it is the free Act of his sovereign Will, and Pleasure. And, indeed, this is included in the very Notion we have of Grace, or Favour, that it is absolutely free; to which Purpose, the Apostle elegantly, and most conclusively argueth, Rom. xi.6. If by Grace, then it is no more of Works; otherwise Grace is no more Grace; but if it be of Works, then it is no more Grace; otherwise Work is no more Work. So that, how much soever the Condition of the Sinner may render him needy, yet, it is not from any Thing of Worthiness, or Desert, in the greatest, and best of Men, that they partake of the Grace, and Mercy of God, in their Pardon, and Salvation; but from the good Pleasure of God alone. Hence God says, Rom. ix.15. I will have Mercy, on whom I will have Mercy; and I will have Compassion, on whom I will have Compassion. And the Apostle Paul giveth us this Account of the Sinner's Salvation, 2 Tim. i.9. Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy Calling, not according to our Works, but according to his own Purpose, and Grace, which was given us, in Christ Iesus, before the World begun.
From hence I argue, That since the Grace of God is sovereign, and free, therefore there is Room for every Sinner, even the greatest, and most unworthy, to hope that he, as well as any other, may possibly partake of the Benefits of it, and be saved; because that which is freely dispensed, is equally free for every Person to receive, that will come, in the appointed Way, for the Reception of it. If we were to found our Hopes of Salvation upon any Excellency in our selves, or any Thing we have done, or can do, to deserve it, I doubt, no Sinner, upon a serious View of himself, and Reflection upon his past Life, would be able to form to himself any comfortable Hope, so much as of the Possibility of his Salvation; because he may plainly see so much in his Heart, and Life, as renders him altogether unworthy of so great a Favour. But since the Grace of God is sovereign, and free, this giveth proper Encouragement unto every individual Sinner to hope, that, if he will be at the Pains to labour after it, he may be a happy Sharer in the so great a Salvation.
Secondly; The Grace of God is infinitely rich, and full. By which I mean, that there is nothing in the Sinner, no Degree of Sinfulness, and aggravated Provocation, (except only the Sin against the Holy Ghost, as I at first observed) that can set Bounds to the Mercy, and Grace of God; nothing out of God himself can limit the Flow of his Grace. The Reason of the Exception is not, because they that commit the Sin against the Holy Ghost properly limit the Mercy of God, which is infinite, but because such never will come into the Way of receiving it; so that the Grace of God is every Way sufficient to save any Sinner whatever, with whom it is yet a Day of Probation, and Trial. Therefore we read, Eph. i.7. of the Riches of his Grace; and, Psal. li.1. of the Multitude of his tender Mercies; and that he will abundantly pardon, Isa. lv.7. All of which speaketh the infinite Fulness of the Grace of God, so that no Unworthiness, no Ill-deservings, in the Sinner, shall hinder his partaking of it, if it be not his own Fault, by his obstinate rejecting the Offers that are made to him. There is Grace, and Mercy, enough in God, to save the greatest of Sinners, as effectually as the least, because there is such a Fulness, and Sufficiency, of it, as is equal to the greatest Extent of Sins, and the highest Demerit of the Sinner. Hence we may observe, though the Ephesians were very great Sinners, gross Idolaters, vile Magicians, and lived in all abominable Immoralities, yet they became Heirs of the saving Grace of God, and the Apostle giveth this as the Reason of it, Eph. ii.4, 5, 7. God, who is rich in Mercy, for his great Love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in Sins, hath quickened us, together with Christ; by Grace ye are saved;—that in the Ages to come, he might shew the exceeding Riches of his Grace, in his Kindness towards us, through Iesus Christ. And the same Apostle giveth us this Account of the hideously black Sinners, among the Corinthians, 1 Cor. vi.9—11. But ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified, in the Name of the Lord Iesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
There is so much of Malignity in the Nature of every Sin, and so high an Injury, and Offence, offered to the infinitely great, and holy God, even by any one Sin, and that the least that can be thought of, that nothing, short of the infinite, rich Grace of God, can save the Sinner from the Guilt, and Punishment of it; and the same infinite Grace is every Way full, and sufficient; for the Salvation of one Sinner, as well as of another, because it is infinite: So that there is no Sinner hath so multiplied his Transgressions, but that the super-abundant Mercy of God can multiply to pardon, and save him. Therefore the Apostle observes, Rom. v.20. Where Sin abounded, Grace did much more abound.
From what I have briefly remarked, it is very evident, that every Sinner has sufficient Encouragement, from the gracious Nature of God, discovered to him, in the divine Oracles, to hope that he may be saved, and to use his best Endeavour therefor, because he may, from the Freeness and Riches, of divine Grace, plainly see, that there is a Possibility that, after all his Wickedness, he may obtain Salvation.
2. It is farther evident, that it is possible that perishing Sinners may be saved, if we consider the great End of the Incarnation, and Death, of Jesus Christ. It is, indeed, a marvellous Instance of the Grace and Mercy of God, and his astonishing Compassion, to poor miserable Sinners, that he should entertain the Thought of sending his own Son into the World, to appear on our Behalf, and much more that he should actually deliver him up, to become subject to the Law, and die a shameful, and painful, and cursed Death for us. And what was the great End of all this Grace, and Mercy, to poor Sinners? Why did Jesus Christ assume our Nature, appear in our Flesh, and tabernacle among Men upon Earth? Why did he subject himself to a Life of Sorrows, Harships, and Difficulties, and, at length, give up his Life, and that by his own voluntary Act, when he neither deserved to have it taken from him, nor was it in the Power of all Creatures to deprive him of it, against his Will? Why, I say, did Jesus Christ willingly submit to all of this? Was it only to teach us Mortification to the World, and Resignation to the Will of God? Any ordinary Person might have been made Use of, by the infinitely wise God, as a fit Instrument to this End; and there would have been no Occasion for so extraordinary a Person as the Son of God, to have appeared, and died, for this Purpose only. Surely Christ came into the World, and suffered, and died, for no less End, and Purpose, than to be a compleat Saviour, for sinful Man, in whose Nature he appeared, and suffered. Thus, as the Apostle expresses it, …. iv.4, 5. In the Fulness of Time, God sent forth his Son, made of a Woman, made under the Law, to redeem them that were under the Law. Here,
1. Observe, That the End of Christ's appearing, and Death, was to be a spiritual Saviour. His great Design in all that he did, and suffered, was not to be a temporal Saviour, as the Iews, through the Darkness that was upon their Minds, expected him to be; but it was to be a spiritual, and eternal Saviour, to save from Sin, and Wrath, to free us from the Power of Sin over us, and to deliver poor Sinners from the Punishment of Sin, that Jesus Christ descended from Heaven, was clothed with our Flesh, and subjected himself to the Death of the Cross. He wears the Character of a Saviour throughout the Book of God, and many ancient Prophesies of him speak his being a spiritual one; but the New-Testament, which is a clearer Revelation of Jesus Christ most fully setteth him forth to us in this Light. This is given as the Reason for his Name, Matth. i.21. Thou shalt call his Name Iesus, for he shall save his People from their Sins. The Word was made Flesh, and died, for this very End, to take away our Guilt, and procure a Pardon for us, to deliver us from Wrath, and purchase eternal Life for us; that is to say, that we might be eternally saved. For this End, God sent not his Son into the World, to condemn the World, but that the World, through him, might be saved, Joh. iii.17. When God sent his Son into a World, that had rebelled against him, and greatly exposed themselves to his righteous Displeasure, had Mankind been generally apprehensive of the Coming of such a Person, they would have had sufficient Reason to have feared, if not informed otherwise, that it was to make Reprisals upon them, to vindicate his Father's Honour, and punish them very severely for the Indignity, and Contempt they had cast upon his Father; but this was not the End of that Mission of the Son of God; no; but, instead thereof, the grand Intention of the Son of God's being sent into the World was, to save the World. To save the World from what? from Pestilence, Famine, and Sword? No; we see the World plagued, and punished, with these to this Day: But it was to save the World from the Power, and Guilt, of Sin, and to bring Men to God, and to eternal Life. God so loved the World, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him, should not perish, but have everlasting Life, Joh. iii.16. Jesus Christ came into the World, to prevent Sinners perishing, to rescue them from their Misery, and to procure Life, and Happiness for them. This was an End befitting an infinitely wise God to project, and worthy the Son of God to accomplish. Therefore, when Christ was in the World, he said, Joh. x.11, 28. I am the good Shepherd; the good Shepherd giveth his Life for the Sheep.— And I give unto them eternal Life, and they shall never perish; neither shall any Man pluck them out of my Hand. Let this suffice at present.