of them shall return,” “a remnant shall be saved.” (Isa 10:22, Rom
9:27) For though thy people Israel, whom thou broughtest out of Egypt,
to whom thou hast given church-constitution, holy laws, holy
ordinances, holy prophets, and holy covenants; thy people by separation
from all people, and thy people by profession; though this thy people
be as the sand of the sea, “a remnant shall be saved”; wherefore, among
the multitude of them that shall be damned, professors will make a
considerable party.
3. “Reprobate silver shall men call them, because the Lord hath
rejected them.” (Jer 6:30) The people here under consideration are
called, in verse 27, God’s people, his people by profession: “I have
set thee for a tower and a fortress among my people, that thou mayest
know, and try their way.” What follows? They are all grievous
revolters, walking with slanders, reprobate silver; the Lord hath
rejected them. In chapter 7, verse 29, they are called also the
generation of his wrath: “For the Lord hath rejected and forsaken the
generation of his wrath.” This, therefore, I gather out of these holy
Scriptures,—that with reference to profession and church-constitution,
a people may be called the people of God; but, with reference to the
event and final conclusion that God will make with some of them, they
may be truly the generation of his wrath.
4. In the fifth of Isaiah, you read again of the vineyard of God, and
that it was planted on a very fruitful hill, planted with the choicest
vines, had a wall, a tower, a wine-press belonging to it, and all
things that could put it into right order and good government, as a
church; but this vineyard of the Lord of hosts brought forth wild
grapes, fruits unbecoming her constitution and government, wherefore
the Lord takes from her his hedge and wall, and lets her be trodden
down. Read Christ’s exposition upon it in Matthew 21:33, &c. Look to
it, professors, these are the words of the text, “For many, I say unto
you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.”
5. “Son of man,” said God to the prophet, “the house of Israel is to me
become dross, all they are brass and tin, and iron and lead, in the
midst of the furnace they even are the dross of silver.” (Eze 22:18)
God had silver there, some silver, but it was but little; the bulk of
that people was but the dross of the church, though they were the
members of it. But what doth he mean by the dross? why, he looked upon
them as no better, notwithstanding their church-membership, than the
rabble of the world, that is, with respect to their latter end; for to
be called dross, it is to be put amongst the rest of the sinners of the
world, in the judgment of God, though at present they abide in his
house: “Thou puttest away all the wicked of the earth like dross;
therefore I love thy testimonies.” (Psa 119:119)
God saith of his saved ones, “He hath chosen them in the furnace of
affliction.” The refiner, when he putteth his silver into his furnace,
he puts lead in also among it; now this lead being ordered as he knows
how, works up the dross from the silver, which dross, still as it
riseth, he putteth by, or taketh away with an instrument. And thus
deals God with his church; there is silver in his church, aye, and
there is also dross: now the dross are the hypocrites and graceless
ones that are got into the church, and these will God discover, and
afterwards put away as dross. So that it will without doubt prove a
truth of God, that many of their professors that shall put in claim for
heaven, will not have it for their inheritance.
6. It is said of Christ, his “fan is in his hand, and he will
thoroughly purge his floor, and will gather his wheat into the garner,
but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” (Matt 3:12) The
floor is the church of God: “O my threshing, and the corn of my floor!”
said God by the prophet, to his people. (Isa 21:10) The wheat are these
good ones in his church that shall be undoubtedly saved; therefore he
saith, “Gather my wheat into my garner.” The chaff groweth upon the
same stalk and ear, and so is in the same visible body with the wheat,
but there is not substance in it: wherefore in time they must be
severed one from the other; the wheat must be gathered into the garner,
which is heaven; and the chaff, or professors that want true grace,
must be gathered into hell, that they may be burned up with
unquenchable fire. Therefore let professors look to it! 15
7. Christ Jesus casts away two of the three grounds that are said to
receive the word. (Luke 8)
The stony ground received it with joy, and the thorny ground brought
forth fruit almost to perfection. Indeed the highway ground was to show
us that the carnal, whilst such, receive not the word at all; but here
is the pinch, two of the three that received it, fell short of the
kingdom of heaven; for but one of the three received it so as to bring
forth fruit to perfection. Look to it, professors!
8. The parable of the unprofitable servant, the parable of the man
without a wedding garment, and the parable of the unsavoury salt, do
each of them justify this for truth. (Matt 25:24,29, 22:11-13, 5:13)
That of the unprofitable servant is to show us the sloth and idleness
of some professors; that of the man without a wedding garment is to
show us how some professors have the shame of their wickedness seen by
God, even when they are among the children of the bridegroom; and that
parable of the unsavoury salt is to show, that as the salt that hath
lost its savour is fit for nothing, no, not for the dunghill, but to be
trodden under foot of men; so some professors, yea, and great ones too,
for this parable reached one of the apostles, will in God’s day be
counted fit for nothing but to be trodden down as the mire in the
streets. O the slothful, the naked, and unsavoury professors, how will
they be rejected of God and his Christ in the judgment! Look to it,
professors!
9. The parable of the tares also giveth countenance to this truth: for
though it be said the field is the world, yet it is said, the tares
were sown even in the church. “And while men slept, his enemy came and
sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.” (Matt 13:24,25) Object.
But some may object, The tares might be sown in the world among the
wheat, though not in the churches. Answ. But Christ, by expounding this
parable, tells us the tares were sown in his kingdom; the tares, that
is, the children of the devil. “As therefore the tares are gathered and
burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. The Son of
man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his
kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity, and shall
cast them into a furnace of fire; there shall be wailing and gnashing
of teeth.” (verse 30,39-43) Look to it, professors!
10. The parable of the ten virgins also suiteth our purpose; these ten
are called the kingdom of heaven, that is, the church of Christ, the
visible rightly-constituted church of Christ; for they went all out of
the world, had all lamps, and all went forth to meet the bridegroom;
yet behold what an overthrow the one-half of them met with at the gate
of heaven; they were shut out, bid to depart, and Christ told them he
did not know them. (Matt 25:1-13) Tremble, professors! Pray,
professors!
11. The parable of the net that was cast into the sea, that also
countenanceth this truth. The substance of that parable is to show that
souls may be gathered by the gospel—there compared to a net—may be kept
in that net, drawn to shore, to the world’s end, by that net, and yet
may then prove bad fishes, and be cast away. The parable runs
thus:—“The kingdom of heaven,” the gospel, “is like unto a net which
was cast into the sea,” the world, “and gathered of every kind,” good
and bad, “which when it was full, they drew to shore,” to the end of
the world, “and sat down,” in judgment, “and gathered the good into
vessels, but cast the bad away.” Some bad fishes, nay, I doubt a great
many, will be found in the net of the gospel, at the day of judgment.
(Matt 13:47,49) Watch and be sober, professors!
12. “And—many shall come from the east and from the west, and shall sit
down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. But
the children of the kingdom shall be cast out.” (Matt 8:11,12) The
children of the kingdom, whose privileges were said to be these, “to
whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the
giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises.” (Rom 9:4)
I take liberty to harp the more upon the first church, because that
that happened to them, happened as types and examples, intimating,
there is ground to think, that things of as dreadful a nature are to
happen among the church of the Gentiles. (1 Cor 10:11,12) Neither,
indeed, have the Gentile churches security from God that there shall
not as dreadful things happen to them. And concerning this very thing,
sufficient caution is given to us also. (1 Cor 6:9,10, Gal 5:19-21, Eph
5:3-6, Phil 3:17,19, 2 Thess 2:11,12, 2 Tim 2:20,21, Heb 6:4-8,
10:26-28, 2 Peter 2, 3, 1 John 5:10, Rev 2:20-22)
13. The parable of the true vine and its branches confirm what I have
said. By the vine there I understand Christ, Christ as head; by the
branches, I understand this church. Some of these branches proved
fruitless cast-aways, were in time cast out of the church, were
gathered by men, and burned. (John 15:1-6)
14. Lastly, I will come to particular instances.
(1.) The twelve had a devil among them. (John 6:70) (2.) Ananias and
Sapphira were in the church of Jerusalem. (Acts 5) (3.) Simon Magus was
among them at Samaria. (Acts 8) (4.) Among the church of Corinth were
them that had not the knowledge of God. (1 Cor 15:34) (5.) Paul tells
the Galatians that false brethren crept in unawares; and so does the
apostle Jude, and yet they were as quick-sighted to see as any
now-a-days. (Gal 2:4, Jude 4) (6.) The church in Sardis had but a few
names in her, to whom the kingdom of heaven belonged. “Thou hast a few
names, even in Sardis, which have not defiled their garments, and they
shall walk with me in white, for they are worthy.” (Rev 3:4) (7.) As
for the church of the Laodiceans, it is called “wretched, and
miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.” (Rev 3:17) So that put all
things together, and I may boldly say, as I also have said already,
that among the multitude of them that shall be damned, professors will
make a considerable party; or, to speak in the words of the
observation, “when men have put in all the claim they can for heaven,
but few will have it for their inheritance.”
[REASONS WHY FEW ARE SAVED.]
I will show you some reasons of the point, besides those five that I
showed you before. And, First, I will show you why the poor, carnal,
ignorant world miss of heaven; and then, Second, why the knowing
professors miss of it also.
[First, Why the poor, carnal, ignorant world miss heaven.]
1. The poor, carnal, ignorant world miss of heaven even because they
love their sins, and cannot part with them. “Men loved darkness rather
than light, because their deeds were evil.” (John 3:19) The poor
ignorant world miss of heaven, because they are enemies in their minds
to God, his Word, and holiness; they must be all damned who take
pleasure in unrighteousness. (2 Thess 2:10-12) The poor ignorant world
miss of heaven, because they stop their ears against convictions, and
refuse to come when God calls. “Because I have called, and ye refused,
I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded, but ye have set at
nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof; I also will laugh
at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh—as desolation, and
your destruction—as a whirlwind, when distress and anguish cometh upon
you; then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall
seek me early, but they shall not find me.” (Prov 1:24-29)
2. The poor ignorant world miss of heaven, because the god of this
world hath blinded their eyes, that they can neither see the evil and
damnable state they are in at present, nor the way to get out of it;
neither do they see the beauty of Jesus Christ, nor how willing he is
to save poor sinners. (2 Cor 4:2,3)
3. The poor ignorant world miss of heaven, because they put off and
defer coming to Christ, until the time of God’s patience and grace is
over. Some, indeed, are resolved never to come; but some, again, say,
We will come hereafter; and so it comes to pass, that because God
called, and they did not hear; so they shall cry, and I will not hear,
saith the Lord. (Zech 7:11-13)
4. The poor ignorant world miss of heaven, because they have false
apprehensions of God’s mercy. They say in their hearts, We shall have
peace, though we walk in the imagination of our heart, to add
drunkenness to thirst. But what saith the Word? “The Lord will not
spare him; but then the anger of the Lord, and his jealousy, shall
smoke against that man, and all the curses that are written in this
book shall lie upon him, and the Lord shall blot out his name from
under heaven.” (Deu 29:19-21)
5. The poor ignorant world miss of heaven, because they make light of
the gospel that offereth mercy to them freely, and because they lean
upon their own good meanings, and thinkings, and doings. (Matt 22:1-5,
Rom 9:30,31)
6. The poor carnal world miss of heaven because by unbelief, which
reigns in them, they are kept for ever from being clothed with Christ’s
righteousness, and from washing in his blood, without which there is
neither remission of sin, nor justification. But to pass these till
anon.
[Second.] I come, in the next place, to show you some reasons why the
professor falls short of heaven.
First. In the general, they rest in things below special grace; as in
awakenings that are not special, in faith16 that is not special, &c.;
and, a little to run a parallel betwixt the one and the other, that, if
God will, you may see and escape.
1. Have they that shall be saved, awakenings about their state by
nature? So have they that shall be damned. They that never go to heaven
may see much of sin, and of the wrath of God due thereto. This had Cain
and Judas, and yet they came short of the kingdom. (Gen 4, Matt 27:4)
The saved have convictions, in order to their eternal life; but the
others’ convictions are not so. The convictions of the one doth drive
them sincerely to Christ; the convictions of the other doth drive them
to the law, and the law to desperation at last.
2. There is a repentance that will not save, a repentance to be
repented of; and a repentance to salvation, not to be repented of. (2
Cor 7:10) Yet so great a similitude and likeness there is betwixt the
one and the other, that most times the wrong is taken for the right,
and through this mistake professors perish. As, (1.) In saving
repentance there will be an acknowledgment of sin; and one that hath
the other repentance may acknowledge his sins also. (Matt 27:4) (2.) In
saving repentance there is a crying out under sin; but one that hath
the other repentance may cry out under sin also. (Gen 4:13) (3.) In
saving repentance there will be humiliation for sin; and one that hath
the other repentance may humble himself also. (1 Kings 21:29) (4.)
Saving repentance is attended with self-loathing; but he that hath the
other repentance may have loathing of sin too; a loathing of sin,
because it is sin, that he cannot have; but a loathing of sin, because
it is offensive to him, that he may have. The dog doth not loath that
which troubleth his stomach because it is there, but because it
troubleth him; when it has done troubling of him, he can turn to it
again, and lick it up as before it troubled him. (2 Peter 2:22) (5.)
Saving repentance is attended with prayers and tears; but he that hath
none but the other repentance, may have prayers and tears also. (Gen
27:34,35, Heb 12:16,17) (6.) In saving repentance there is fear and
reverence of the Word and ministers that bring it; but this may be also
where there is none but the repentance that is not saving; for Herod
feared John, knowing that he was a just man and holy, and observed him;
when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly. (Mark
6:20) (7.) Saving repentance makes a man’s heart very tender of doing
anything against the Word of God. But Balaam could say, “If Balak would
give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the
commandment of the Lord.” (Num 24:13)
Behold, then, how far a man may go in repentance, and yet be short of
that which is called, “Repentance unto salvation, not to be repented
of.” (a.) He may be awakened; (b.) He may acknowledge his sin; (c.) He
may cry out under the burden of sin; (d.) He may have humility for it;
(e.) He may loath it; (f.) May have prayers and tears against it; (g.)
may delight to do many things of God; (h.) May be afraid of sinning
against him—and, after all this, may perish, for want of saving
repentance.
Second. Have they that shall be saved, faith? Why, they that shall not
be saved may have faith also; yea, a faith in many things so like the
faith that saveth, that they can hardly be distinguished, though they
differ both in root and branch. To come to particulars.
1. Saving faith hath Christ for its object, and so may the faith have
that is not saving. Those very Jews of whom it is said they believed on
Christ, Christ tells them, and that after their believing, “Ye are of
your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do.” (John
8:30-44) 2. Saving faith is wrought by the Word of God, and so may the
faith be that is not saving. (Luke 8:13) 3. Saving faith looks for
justification without works, and so may a faith do that is not saving.
(James 2:18) 4. Saving faith will sanctify and purify the heart, and
the faith that is not saving may work a man off from the pollutions of
the world, as it did Judas, Demas, and others. (2 Peter 2) 5. Saving
faith will give a man tastes of the world to come, and also joy by
those tastes, and so will the faith do that is not saving. (Heb 6:4,5,
Luke 8:13) 6. Saving faith will help a man, if called thereto, to give
his body to be burned for his religion, and so will the faith do that
is not saving. (1 Cor 13:1-5) 7. Saving faith will help a man to look
for an inheritance in the world to come, and that may the faith do that
is not saving. All those virgins “took their lamps, and went forth to
meet the bridegroom.” (Matt 25:1) 8. Saving faith will not only make a
man look for, but prepare to meet the bridegroom, and so may the faith
do that is not saving. “Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their
lamps.” (Matt 25:7) 9. Saving faith will make a man look for an
interest in the kingdom of heaven with confidence, and the faith that
is not saving will even demand entrance of the Lord. “Lord, Lord, open
to us.” (Matt 25:11) 10. Saving faith will have good works follow it
into heaven, and the faith that is not saving may have great works
follow it, as far as to heaven gates. “Lord, have we not prophesied in
thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done
many wonderful works?” (Matt 7:22)
Now, then, if the faith that is not saving may have Christ for its
object, be wrought by the Word, look for justification without works,
work men off from the pollutions of the world, and give men tastes of,
and joy in the things of another world—I say again, if it will help a
man to burn for his judgment, and to look for an inheritance in another
world; yea, if it will help a man to prepare for it, claim interest in
it; and if it can carry great works, many great and glorious works, as
far as heaven gates, then no marvel if abundance of people take this
faith for the saving faith, and so fall short of heaven thereby. Alas,
friends! There are but few that can produce such [works] for
repentance; and such faith, as yet you see I have proved even
reprobates have had in several ages of the church. 17
But,
Third. They that go to heaven are a praying people; but a man may pray
that shall not be saved. Pray! He may pray, pray daily; yea, he may ask
of God the ordinances of justice, and may take delight in approaching
to God; nay, further, such souls may, as it were, cover the altar of
the Lord with tears, with weeping and crying out. (Isa 28:2, Mal 2:13)
Fourth. Do God’s people keep holy fasts? They that are not his people
may keep fasts also—may keep fasts often—even twice a week. “The
Pharisee stood, and prayed thus with himself: God, I thank thee that I
am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as
this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I
possess.” (Luke 18:11,12) I might enlarge upon things, but I intend but
a little book. I do not question but many Balaamites will appear before
the judgment-seat to condemnation; men that have had visions of God,
and that knew the knowledge of the Most High; men that have had the
Spirit of God come upon them, and that have by that been made other
men; yet these shall go to the generations of their fathers, they shall
never see light. (Num 24:2,4,16, 1 Sam 10:6,10, Psa 49:19)
I read of some men whose excellency in religion mounts up to the
heavens, and their heads reach unto the clouds, who yet shall perish
for ever like their own dung; and he that in this world hath seen them,
shall say at the judgment, Where are they? (Job 20:5-7) There will be
many a one, that were gallant professors in this world, be wanting
among the saved in the day of Christ’s coming; yea, many whose
damnation was never dreamed of. Which of the twelve ever thought that
Judas would have proved a devil? Nay, when Christ suggested that one
among them was naught, they each were more afraid of themselves than of
him. (Matt 26:21-23) Who questioned the salvation of the foolish
virgins? The wise ones did not; they gave them the privilege of
communion with themselves. (Matt 25) The discerning of the heart, and
the infallible proof of the truth of saving grace, is reserved to the
judgment of Jesus Christ at his coming. The church and best of saints
sometimes hit, and sometimes miss in their judgments about this matter;
and the cause of our missing in our judgment is, 1. Partly because we
cannot infallibly, at all times, distinguish grace that saveth from
that which doth but appear to do so. 2. Partly also because some men
have the art to give right names to wrong things. 3. And partly because
we, being commanded to receive him that is weak, are afraid to exclude
the least Christian. By a hid means hypocrites creep into the churches.
But what saith the Scripture? “I the Lord search the heart, I try the
reins.” And again, “All the churches shall know that I am he which
searcheth the reins and hearts; and I will give unto every one of you
according to your works.” (Jer 11:20, 17:10, Rev 2:23) To this Searcher
of hearts is the time of infallible discerning reserved, and then you
shall see how far grace that is not saving hath gone; and also how few
will be saved indeed. The Lord awaken poor sinners by my little book.
[USE AND APPLICATION OF THE WHOLE.]
I come now to make some brief use and application of the whole: and