The Condemnation of Unbelievers, opened and applied
SERM . XXXII .
TheMethod ofGrace.
Rom. viii. 6. they have no beauty in their fouls, how comely ſoever their bodies are; it is grace, and nothing but grace, that beautifies the inner man, Ezek. xvi. 6, 7. The deadhave neither comfort norbeauty inthem : they haveno hope to be withGod inglory ; for the life of glory is begun in grace, Phil. i. 6. their graves must be ſhortly made, tobe buried out of the fight of God, for ever, in the lowest hell, the pit diggedby juſtice for Can all that are ſpiritually dead: the dead muſt be buried. ſuch confiderations as theſe draw no pity from your fouls, nor exciteyour endeavours for their regeneration ? then it is to be feared your fouls are dead as well as theirs. O pity them, pity them, andpray forthem; in thiscaſe only, prayers for thedead areourduty : who knows, but, at the laſt,God may hear your cries, andyou may ſay with comfort, as he did, " This my fon
" was dead, but is alive ; was loſt, but is found; andtheybeganto be merry," Luke. xv. 24.
SERMON XXXII.
TheCondemnation ofUnbelievers, opened and applied.
I JOHN iii. 18. ---But he that believeth not, is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name ofthe only begotten Son ofGod.
CHRIST HRIST havingdiſcourſed withNicodemus, inthebeginning of this chapter, about the neceſſity of regeneration, proceeds to ſhew, in this following diſcourſe, the reaſon, and ground,why regeneration, and faith, are ſo indiſpenſibly neceffary, viz. becauſe there is no otherway tofet men free from thecurſe, andcondemnationofthe law.
The curſe of the law, likethe fiery ferpents inthe wilderneſs, hath ſmitten every finner with a deadly ſtroke, and ſting, for which there is no cure, but Chriſt lifted up in the goſpel, " as Moſes lifted up the ſerpent in " the wilderness," ver. 14. Neitherdoth Chriſt cure any, but thoſe that, believingly, apply him to their own fouls.
The refult, and concluſion of all, you have in mytext ; "He that be- " lieveth in him, is not condemned ; but he that believeth not,
" is condemned already," &c.
In this clauſe, which I have pitchedupon, we find theſe three parts ; 1. The ſin threatened, viz. Unbelief.
2. The punishment inflicted, viz. Condemnation .
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SERM . XXXII.
3.The immediate relation of the one to the other ? " he is " condemned already."
First, Let us take into conſideration the ſin which is here threatened, viz . unbelief; the neglecting, or refuſing, ofan exalted, and offered Jeſus.
Unbelief is twofold, viz. negative, or poſitive.
Negative unbelief, is the fin oftheHeathens, who neverhad the gospel among them, nor the offers of Chrift made to them; theſe cannot believeon him, ofwhom theyhave notheard.
Positive unbelief, is the fin of men andwomen under thegoſpel, towhom Chrift is actually opened, and offered, by the preaching of the gofpel ; but they make light of it, and neglect the great ſalvation: Receive not Chriſt into their hearts, nor confent to the ſevere, and felf-denying terms upon which he is offered.
This is the ſin threatened.
Secondly, The punishment inflicted, and that is condemnation : aword of deep, and dreadful ſignification ; appearing, in this text, as the hand-writting upon the plaiſter of the wall unto
Belteſhazzar, Dan. v. 5. aword, whoſedeepfenfe, and emphaſis, is fully understood in hell.
Condemnation is thejudgment, or fentence ofGod, condemning a man to bear the punishment ofhis eternal wrath for ſin ; the moſt terrible of allfentences.
Thirdly, The immediate relation, or reſpect, this punishment hath to that fin of unbelief.
The unbeliever is condemned already, (i. e.) he is virtually condemnedby the law of God; his mittimus is already made for hell ; he is condemned, as afinner, by the breach ofthe firſt covenant; but that condemnation had never been his ruin, except it had been ratified by the ſentence ofGod, condemning him, as an unbeliever, for flighting, and rejecting the grace offered in the fecondcovenant.
So that the believer is already, virtually, con demned byboth, as he is a finner, and as he is an unbeliever ; ashe hath tranfgreſſed the law, and as he hath refuſed the gofpel; as hehath contracted fin the moral diſeaſe, and refuſed
Chrift, the only effectual remedy. He is, virtually, condemned now, and will be, fententially, condemned in the judgment of the great day.
Unbelief is his great fin, and condemation is his great mifery.
Hence the obſervationwillbe this :
Doct. That all unbelievers are presently, and immediately under the just, and dreadful sentence of God's condemnation.
John xii. 48. "He that rejecteth me, and receivethnotmy " words, hath one that judgeth him : The word that I " have fpoken, the ſame ſhall judge him in the laſt day."
John iii. 36. "He that believeth notthe Son, ſhall not fee " life, but thewrath ofGod abideth on him."
SERM . XXXII.
The Method of Grace.
Three things are to be opened in the doctrinal part of this point:
1. What unbelief, or the not receiving ofJeſus Chriſt, is.
2. What condemnation, the punishment ofthis ſin, is.
3. Why this punishment unavoidablyfollows that fin.
First, What the fin of unbelief, or not receiving Chriſt, is.
By unbelief, we are not here to underſtand the relics, or remains ofthat fin inthe people ofGod, which is mixed with their imperfect faith; for thereisſome unbelief ſtill mingled with faith, in the best hearts : He that can say, " Lord, I believe," hath cauſe enough to cry out, with tears, " help thou my unbelief."
However, this doth notbring the foul under condemnation, or into the ſtate of wrath ; the word condemns this unbelief in them, but doth not condemn their perſons for this unbelief :
Butthe unbelief here ſpoken of, is the neglecting, or refuſing to take Chriſt, uponthe terms of the goſpel, and ſo is exclufive ofthe ſaving act, and effects of faith.
First, It is excluſive oftheſaving act offaith,which (as hath beenalreadydeclared) is the due receiving of Chriſt offered in thegoſpel, conſenting to take him uponhisown terms.
This, the unbeliever willby no means be perfuaded todo ; he will be perfuaded to accept the promises of Chriſt, but not toaccept the perfon of Chriſt : He is willing to accept Chriſt in part, a divided Chriſt, but not to accept Chriſt entirely, in all his offices. He will accept the righteousness of Chriſt, in conjunction with his own righteousness ; but he will not accept the righteouſneſs of Chriſt, as the ſole matter of his juſtification, exclufive ofhis own righteousness; he is willing to wear the crown of Chriſt, but cannot be perfuaded to bear the croſs ofChrift.
Thus Chriſt and unbelievers part upon terms ; God will come down no lower, and the unbeliever will come up no higher :
God will not alter his terms, and the unbeliever will not alter his reſolution ; and ſo Chriſt is refuſed, ſalvation neglected, and in effect the unbeliever chuſeth rather to be damned, than to comply with the ſevere terms of ſelf-denial, mortification, and bearingthe croſs ofChriſt.
Thus it excludes the ſaving act of faith.
Secondly, 'Tis excluſive of the ſaving fruits and effects of faith.
Faith produces love toGod, but the unbeliever doth not truly love him ; " But I knowyou (faith Chriſt to unbelievers)
" that the love ofGod is not in you," Johnv. 42.
Faith purifies the heart of a believer, but the hearts of unbelievers are full of all impurity. Thebeliever overcomes the world, the
VOL. III.
The Method of Grace.
SERM . XXΧΙ.
world overcomes the unbeliever : Faith makes the croſs ofChrift ſweetand eaſy to the believer, unbelief makes Chrift, becauſe of the croſs, bitter and diftaſteful to the unbeliever.
Thus unbeliefexcludes both the ſaving act and fruits of faith, and confequently bars the foul from the ſaving benefits and privileges of Faith , viz . Juſtification, and peace withGod.
Secondly, Next let us confider the punishment of this fin, which is condemnation.
Condemnation, in the general, is the fentence of ajudge awarding a mulct, or penalty to be inflicted upon the guilty perſon.
There is a twofold condemnation; 1. Respectu culpae, In reſpect ofthe fault.
2. Refpectu poenae, In reſpect ofthe punishment.
First, Condemnation, with respect to the fault, is the cafting offthe perſon as guilty ofthe crime charged upon him : condemnation, with respect to the punishment, is the ſentencing of the convicted offender to undergo ſuch a punishment for fuch a fault, to bear a penal for a moral evil.
This forenfic word, condemnation, is here applied unto the caſe ofa guilty finner caſt at the bar of God, where the fact is clearly proved, and the punishment righteously awarded. Thou art anunbeliever, for this ſin thou ſhalt die eternally.
Condemnation, with respect tothe fault, ſtands oppoſed to juftification, Rom. v. 16.
Condemnation, with reſpect to the punishment, ſtands oppoſed to falvation, Mark xvi. 16. More particularly,
First, Condemnation isthe fentence ofGod; the great and terribleGod, theomniſcient,omnipotent,fupreme, and impartial
Judge, at whoſe bar the guilty finner ſtands. 'Tis the law of Godthat condemns him now: he hath one thatjudgeth him, a great and terrible one too.
'Tis a dreadful thing to be condemnedat man's bar; but the courts of human judicature, how awful, and folemn ſoever they are, are but trifles to this court of heaven, and confcience, wherein the unbeliever is arraigned, and condemned.
Secondly, 'Tis the fentence ofGod adjudging the unbeliever toeternaldeath, than which, nothing is more terrible.
What is a priſon to hell ? What is a ſcaffold, and an ax, to go ye " curſed into everlasting fire ?" What is a gallows, and ahalter, to everlastingburnings ?
Thirdly, Condemnation isthe final fentence ofGod, the ſupremejudge,from whoſe bar andjudgment there lies no appeal forthe unbeliever, but execution certainly follows condemnation, Luke xix. 27. Ifmancondemn,God mayjuſtify andſave : but ifGod condemn, no mancan ſave or deliever.
Ifthe law caſt aman, as a finner, the gospel may fave him, as abeliever :
SERM . XXXII.
The Method of Grace.
But ifthegoſpel caſt him, as anunbeliever, a man that finally rejects Jeſus Chriſt, whom it offers to him, allthe world cannot favethatman . O then what a dreadful word is condemnation !
Alltheevils, and miſeries ofthis life arenothing to it.
Put all afflictions, calamities, fufferings, and miferies of this world into one ſcale, and this ſentence ofGod intotheother, and they will be all lighter than a feather.
Thirdly, In the nextplace, I ſhall ſhew you that this puniſhment, viz. condemnation, muſt unavoidably follow that fin of unbelief. So many unbelieving perſons asbe in the world, ſo many condemned perſons there are in the world; and this will appear two ways.
1. By confidering what unbeliefexcludes aman from.
2. Byconfideringwhat unbeliefincludes aman under.
First, Let us conſider what unbelief excludes a man from ; and itwill be found, that it excludes him from all that may help, and ſave him.
For, First, It excludes him from the pardon of fin, John viii. 24.
" Ifye believenot that Iamhe, ye ſhall die inyour ſins." Now hethatdies under the guilt of all his ſins, muſt needs die in a ſtateof wrath, and condemnation for ever. " For the wages of " ſin is death," Rom. vi. 23.
Ifa man may be ſavedwithout apardon, then may the unbeliever hope to be ſaved.
Secondly, Unbelief excludes a man from all the ſaving benefits that comeby the ſacrifice, or death of Chriſt.
For if faith be the only inſtrument that applies, andbrings home tothe foul thebenefits ofthebloodof Chriſt, as unquestionably itis ; then unbelief muſt ofneceſſity exclude amanfrom all thoſe benefits, and conſequently leavehim inthe ſtateofdeath, and condemnation.
Faith is the applying cauſe, the inſtrument by which we receive the ſpecialſaving benefitoftheblood ofChrift, Rom . v.
25. " WhomGod hath ſet forth to be a propitiation through faith inhisblood." Eph . ii. 8.
By grace are ye ſaved through " faith."
So then, ifthe unbeliever be acquitted and ſaved, it must bewithout the benefit ofChrift's deathand ſacrifice, which is utterly impoffible.
Thirdly, Unbeliefexcludes a man from the ſaving efficacy, andoperationofthe gospel, by ſhutting up the heart against it; andcroſſingthe maindrift and ſcope of it ; which is to bring up men to the terms of falvation. To perfuade them to believe, this is its great deſign, the ſcope ofall its commands, I John iii.
23. Mark i. 14, 15. John xii. 36. It isthe ſcope ofall its promifes ; they are written toencourage men to believe, John vi.
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SERM . XXXII,
35, 37.
Sothen, ifthe unbelievereſcape condemnation, it must be inaway unknown to us by the goſpel ; yea, contrary to the eſtabliſhedorder therein.
For the unbeliever obeyeth not the great command of the goſpel, I John iii. 17.
Nor is he under anyone ſaving promiſe of it, Gal. iii. 14, 22 .
Fourthly, Unbelief excludes a man from union with Chriſt, faith being the bond of that union, Eph. iii. 17.
The unbeJiever therefore may as reasonably expect to be ſaved without Chriſt, as to be ſaved without faith.
Thus you fee what unbelief excludes a man from .
Secondly, Let us next ſee what guilt and miſery unbelief includes men under; and certainly it will be found tobe the greatest guilt andmiſery in the world : For,
First, It is a fin which reflects the greateſt diſhonour upon God, I John vi. 10. "He thatbelieveth on theSon ofGod, hath
" the witneſs in himself.
He thatbelieveth notGod,hath made " him a liar ; becauſe hebelieveth not the record thatGod gave
" ofhis Son."
Secondly, Unbeliefmakes a man guilty ofthe vileſt contempt of Chriſt, and the whole deſign ofredemption managed byhim.
All theglorious attributes ofGod were finallymaniteſted in the work of redemption by Chriſt ; therefore the apostle calls him
" the wisdom ofGod, and the power ofGod," 1 Cor. i. 23, 24.
Butwhatdoth the careless neglect, and wilful rejection of Chriſt ſpeak, but the weakness, and folly ofthatdefign ofredemption byhim?
Thirdly, Unbelief includes init the foreſt ſpiritualjudgment that is, or can be inflicted in this world, upon the foul of man : even ſpiritual blindness, and the fataldarkeningof the underſtanding by Satan, 2 Cor. iv. 4. ofwhich more hereafter.
Fourthly,Unbelief includes a man under the curſe, andſhuts himup under all the threatnings that are written in the book of God; amongst which, that is an expreſs, and terrible one,
Mark xvi. 1o. " He that believes not, ſhall be damned."
So that nothing can be more evident than this, that condemnation neceffarily follows unbelief.
This finand that punishment, are faſtened together with chains of adamant. The uſes follow :
Infer. 1. If thisbe ſo, thenhowgreat anumberofperfons are,viſibly, in the ſtate ofcondemnation! Somany unbelievers, ſo many condemned menandwomen.
That is a fad complaint ofthe prophet, Ifa. liii. r . "Who hath believedour report, and " to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed ?" Many there be thattalk offaith, and many that profeſs faith; but they only talk ofandprofeſs it: There arebutfewin the worlduntowhom
SERM . XXXII.
The Method of Grace.
the arm of the Lord hath been revealed, in the work offaith withpower.
It is putamongthe great myſteries andwonders of the world, I Tim. iii. 16. ThatChriſt is believedon in the world.
Owhat a great and terrible day will theday of Chrift's coming to judgment be, when ſomany millions of unbelievers thall be brought to his tribunal to be ſolemnly fentenced ! They are (as my text ſpeaks) condemned already ; but then that dreadful ſentence willbe folemnly pronounced by Jeſus Chriſt, whom they have deſpiſed and rejected: Then ſhall that ſcripture be fulfilled, Luke xix. 27. " Theſe mine enemies that would not " that I ſhould reign over them, bring them hither, andlay
" them before me ."
Infer. 2. Hencebe informed how great a mercy theleaſt meafureof ſaving faith is; for the leaſt meaſure oftrue faith unites the foul to Jeſus Chriſt; and then " there is no condemnation
" to themthat are in Chriſt Jeſus," Rom. viii. 1. Not one fen. tence of God against them.
So acts xiii. 39. " Byhim all that " believe are justified in all things."
The weakeſt believer is as free from condemnation, as the ſtrongest ; the righteouſneſs ofChriſt comes uponall believers, without anydifference. Rom. iii. 22. " Even the righteousness of God, which is by faith of " Chriſt Jeſus untoall,and upon all themthatbelieve ; for there
" is nodifference." It is notimputed, asitis in inherent righteouſneſs ; one man hath more holiness than another : The faith that receives the righteousness ofChriſt, maybe very different in degrees of ſtrength; but the received righteouſneſs is equal upon all believers : A piece ofgold is as much worth in the hand ofa child, as itisin the hand of a man. O the exceeding preciouſneſs ofſaving faith !
Infer. 3. How dreadful a ſin is the fin ofunbelief, which brings menunder the condemnation ofthe greatGod. No fin ſtartles leſs, ordamns furer : Itis a fin thatdoth not affright the confcience, as ſome other fins do,but it kills the foul more certainly than any of thoſe fins could do: For, indeed, other ſins . could notdamn us, were it not for unbelief, which fixes the guilt ofthem all upon our perſons.
This isthe condemnation.
Unbelief is the fin, of fins ; and whenthe Spirit comes to convince menof fin he begins with this as the capital fin, John xvi. 9.
But more particularly, First, Eftimatethe evil of unbelief, from its object.
It is the lighting, andrefuſingofthe moſt excellent, and wonderful perfonin heavenor earth: the viſion of Christ by faith, is thejoy offaints upon earth: the viſion of Chriſt above, is the happigels of faints inheaven.
Itisadeſpiſing ofhimwhois altoge- :
SERM . XXXI.
The Method ofGrace. ther lovely in himself, who hath loved us andgiven himself for us.
It is a rejectingof the onlyMediatorbetwixtGod and man; after the rejecting ofwhom there remains no facrifice for fin.
Secondly, Let the evil of unbeliefbe valued by the offer of Chrift toour fouls in the goſpel: It is one partofthegreat myſtery of godliness, that Chriſt ſhouldbe preached to theGentiles, &Tim. iii. 16. That the word ofthis ſalvation ſhouldbe fent to us, Acts xiii. 26. A mercy denied tothe fallen angels, andthe greatest partof mankind, which aggravates the evil of this finbeyond all imagination. So that in refuſing, or neglectingJeſus Chriſt, is foundvile ingratitude, highest contempt ofthegrace and wisdom ofGod; and in the event, the loſs of theonly ſeaſon, and opportunity of ſalvation, which is never more tobe recovered to all eternity.
Infer. 4. Ifthis be the case ofall Unbelievers, it isnotto be admired, that fouls underthe firſt convictions oftheir miserable condition, are plunged into ſuchdeepdiſtreſſes of ſpirit.
It is faidofthem, Acts ii. 27. " That they werepricked attheheart, *" and cried out, men andbrethren, what ſhallwe do ?" Andfo thejailor, "He came intrembling andaftoniſhed, and faid, Sirs,
"whatmuſt I do tobe ſaved ?" Certainly, iffouls apprehend themfolves under the condemnation, and ſentence of the great
God, all in tears andtrembling, their wearydays, and reſtleſs Bights, are not withoutjust cauſe and reaſon.
Those that never faw theirown miferable condition by the light of a clear and fullconviction, maywonder toſee others ſo deeply diſtreſſed in ſpirit.
They may mif-judge the cafe,and callit melancholy or madness; but ſpiritual troublesdo notexceedthe cauſeandground ofthem, let them be as deep and as great as they will : And, indeed, it isone of the great mysteries ofgrace andprovidence; athing much unknown to men, how fuch poor fouls are fupported, from daytoday, under ſuch fears and forrows as are able, in a few hours to break the ſtouteſt ſpirit inthe world.
Lutherwas amanofgreat natural courage; andyet,whenGod letin ſpiritualtroubles upon his soul, it is noted ofhim, utnec vox, nec calor, nec fanguisfupereffet; hehad neither voice, nor heat, norblood appearing in him .
Inf. 5.How groundleſs and irrational is the mirth andjollity ofallcarnal and unregenerate men ? They feast intheir prifon, and dance in their fetters. O the madneſs that is in the hearts ofmen! Ifmendid but ſee their mittimusmade for hell, or believe they are condemned already, it were impoſſible for them toliveatthat rate of vanity theydo: And is theircondition leſs
SERM . XXXI.
The Method of Grace.
dangerous, becauſeitisnotunderstood? Surelyno; butmuch moredangerous for that. O poor finners, you have foundout an effectual way topreventyour preſent troubles; itwere well ifyou could find outa way to prevent your eternal mifery : But itiseasier for amanto ſtifle conviction, than preventdamnation. Your mirthhath atwofold mischief in it; itprevents repentance, and increaſeth your future torment. Owhat anhell will your hell be, whodrop into it outofall the ſenſitive, and ſinful pleaſures of this world! If evermanmayſayof mirth, thatit is mad ; andoflaughter,what doth it ! Hemay ſay foin thiscafe.
Infer. 6. Lastly, what cauſe have they to rejoice, admire, and praiſe the Lord, to eternity, who have a well-grounded confidence, that they are freed from God's condemnation ?
" O give thanks to the Father, who hath delivered you from " the power ofdarkness, and tranſlated you intothe kingdom
" ofhis dear Son," Col. i. 13. Rejoice, andbe exceedingglad; for if you be freedfrom condemnation, you are out of Satan's power, hehath no more any dominion over you.
The power ofSatan, over men, comes inby virtue of their condemnation, asthe power of thejaylor, or executioner, over the bodies of condemned priſoners doth, Heb. ii. 14.
Ifyou befreed from condemnation, the ſting ofdeath ſhall never touch you ; forthe ſting ofdeath ſmites the fouls ofmen with adeadly ſtroke, only byvirtue ofGod's condemnatory fentence.
1 Cor. xv. 55, 56.
"The ſting ofdeath is fin, andthe ſtrength of fin is thelaw."
Ifyou be freed fromcondemnationnow, you ſhall ſtandwith comfort, andboldness, at thejudgment-feat of Chriſt, in the greatday; and verily inthis thing is the love ofGod perfected, 1 Johniv. 17. O it isa privilege inwhich the grace, mercy, and love of God, shine forth as clearlyas the fun, when itſhineth in its full ſtrength. Andcertainlyyou will findcaufe tolieat the feet of God, aſtoniſhed, and overwhelmed with the fenfe ofthis mercy,whenyou ſhall find yourſelves free from thecondemnation ofGod, whilst manyothers, as good as you were, are ſtill under condemnation.
Yea, yourſelves freed, and many of your ſuperiors inthe world fillunder thecurſe,
Cor . i. 26.
Yea, yourselves freed and others, that fatunder the ſame means ofgrace, and had the fame external advantages youhad, ſtill in chains, 2 Cor. ii. 16. O brethren! This is a marvellous deliverance; look on it whichway you will, your ranfom ispaid, andnotapenny of itby you ; it coſt you nothingtoprocure yourpardon ; yourpardon is full, andnot one
finexceptedout ofitthatyou ever committed. Youare freed,