" because their deeds were evil,"
The Method of Grace.
SERM. XXXIII.
and Jesus Christ condemned in your stead, to procure your discharge; your pardon is sealed in his blood, and that for ever ; so that you shall never any more come into condemnation.
" He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent " me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condem- " nation, but is passed from death to life," John v. 24.
Let them that are so delivered, spend their days on earth in praise, and chearful obedience; and, when they die, let them not shrink away from death, nor be afraid to take it by the cold hand, it can do them no harm.
Yea, let them close their dying lips with, Thanks be to God for Jesus Christ.
*** * SERMON XXXIII .
Of the Aggravation of the fin, and Punishment of Unbelief under the light of the Gospel.
JOHN iii. 19. And this is the condemnation, that light is come intotheworld, andmenloved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
UT of the foregoing verse it was fully proved in our last sermon that Christ no better than dead men, being condemned already.
Our Saviour proceeds in this verse to aggravate the misery of those that refuse, and despise him; yet farther, and to let them know, thatthosewhoremaininunbelief,and the state ofunregeneracy. must expect some greater, and forer wrath than other men ; not only a simple condemnation, but an aggravated, and peculiar condemnation.
" This is the condemnation, that light is " come," &c.
In the words, we find these three parts.
1. The aggravation of fin, by the abuse of gospel-light, Light is come," &c.
2. The aggravation of misery, in proportion to that abuse of light, "This is the condemnation."
3. The cause, and occasion, drawing men into this sin and misery, " Because their deeds were evil."
First, We have here the aggravation of fin, by the abuse of gospel-light, " Light is come." By light we are to understand the knowledge, discovery, and manifestation of Christ, and re-
SERM. XXXIII.
The Method of Grace.
demptionbyhim in the gospel. He is the fun of righteousness, that arises in the gospel upon the nations, Mal. iv. 1. When he came in the flesh, then did " the day-spring from on high
" visit us," Luke i. 78. And the light may be said to come two ways; either, First, In the means by which it is conveyed to us ; or, Secondly, in the efficacy of it upon our minds, when it actually shines in our souls.
Light may come among a people in the means, and yet they actually remain in darkness all the while.
As it is in nature; the fun maybe up and a very glorious morningfaradvanced, whilst many thousands are drowzing upon their beds, with their curtains drawn about them.
Light, in the means, we may call potential light.
Light, in the mind, we may call actual light.
It isbutfeldom that light comes in the means, and continues longamongmen, but fomelight must needs actually thine into their fouls also; but this actual light is twofold.
1. Common, and intellectual only, to conviction ; or, 2. Special, and efficacious light, bringing the soul to Christ, by real conversion, called in 1 Cor. iv. 6.
God" mining in- " to the heart."
Wherever light comes, in this last sense, it is impossible that fuchmenshould prefer darkness before it : But itmaycome in the means, yca, it may actually shine into the confciencesof men, by those means, andconvincethemoftheir fins, and yet men may hate it, and chusedarkness rather than light. And this is the sense of this place, light was come, in the gospel-dispensation among them; yea, it hadshinedinto many of their consciences, galled, and reprovedthem for fin; but they hated it, and had rather be without such a troublesome inmate.
In a word, by the coming of light, we are here to understand a more clear, andopenmanifestation of Christ by the gospel than ever was made to the world before: For we are not to think that there was no light in the world tillChriftcame, and the gospel was published in the world by the apostles ministry. For Abraham saw Christ's day, John viii. 56. and all the faithful, beforeChrift, saw the promises (i. e.)their accomplishment in Christ afar off, Heb. xi. 13. For it was with Christ, the Sun of righteousness, as it is with the natural fun, " which illuminates
" the hemisphere before it actually rises,or thews itsbodyabove " the horizon *;" but when it rises and shews itself, the light
* Sol nondum conspectus illuminat orbems
VOL. III.
The Method of Grace.
SERM . XXXIII.
is much clearer; so it was in this case.
The greater, therefore, was their fin, that rebelled against it, and preferred darkness to light; this was their fin, with its fearful aggravation.
Secondly, In amoltjust proportion to this fin, we have here the aggravated condemnation of them who finned against such clear gospel-light : " This is the condemnation," this is the judgment of all judgments, the greatest, and most intolerable judgment; a severersentenceofcondemnation than ever did pass
: against any others that finned in the times of ignorance and darkness ; they live and die impenitent, andunregenerate, how few soever the means offalvation have been which they have enjoyed, must be condemned ; yea, the Pagan world, who have no more but natural light to help them, willbecondemnedby that light; but " this is the condemnation," (i. e.) such sinning as this is the cause of the greatest condemnation, and forest punishment, as it is called, Heb. x. 19.
Thirdly, The cause and occasion, drawingmen into this sin, and misery, " because their deeds are evil," (i. e.) the convin. cing light of truth put a great deal ofvigour, and activity into their consciences which they could not endure. The accusations, and condemnationsofconfcienceare very irksome, and troublesome things to men : To avoid this, they are willing to be ignorant. An enlightenedconfcience gives an interruption also untomen, in their sinful courses and pleasures; they cannot fin at so easy a rate in the light, as they did in darkness; and this made them hate the light, as a very troublesome thing to them.
Thus you fee what was the fin,what the punishment, and what the cause of both.
Hence the observation is, Doct. That the greater, and clearer the light is, under which the impenitent, and unregenerate, do live in this world; by fo much greater, and heavier, will their condemnation and misery be in the world to come.
Mat. xi. 21 , 22. " Wo unto thee Chorazin, wo unto thee " Bethsaida; for if the mighty works which were done in you,
" hadbeendone in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented " long ago in sackcloth and ashes: But Isayunto you, it chall
" be more tolerable for Tyre andSidonat the day of judgment, " than for you." Two things require explication, in the doc trinal part of this point, viz .
1. How light puts a deeper guilt, and aggravation, inte fin.
2. Why fin, so aggravated, makes men liable to greater condemnation .
First, We will inquire into the grounds, and reasons, why
SERM . XXΧΙΙΙ .
The Method of Grace.
greater, and clearer light, greatens and aggravates, proportionably, the fins that are committed under it; and it will appear, that it doth so, upon divers accounts.
First, All light (especially evangelical light) is a great preservative from fin, and an excellent means to prevent it : It is the property of light to inform the judgment, and rectify the mistakes and errors of it and thereby to give check to the affections, in the pursuit of finfuldesigns and courses : It is a plain case, that many men would never doastheydo, if their under standings were better informed.
1 Cor. ii. 8. " Which none of " the princes of the world knew; for had they known it, they
" would not have crucified the Lord of glory :" It was want of light, and better informationwhichdrewthem under that horrid, and unparallel'd guilt.
Our Saviour also supposes, in the place before cited, that ifTyre and Sidonhad enjoyed the fame light, and means of grace that Chorazin, and Bethsaida did, they would never have been so sinful as they were: light discovers danger, and thereby overawes, and stops men from proceeding farther in those paths, and courses, that will run them into it.
Secondly, Sinning under, and against the light, supposes and involves in it a greater contemptanddespite of God's authority, than sinning in ignorance and darkness doth: Every man that breaks the law of God, doth not, in the fame degree, despise and flight the authority of the law-maker : But when am an hath light to discover the evil, and the danger of what he doth and yet will dare to do it, what is this, but the treading of God's authority under foot ? The casting of his word behind our backs ? Wilful sinning isa despiteful sinning against God,
Heb. x. 26. it argues a low, and vile esteem of the law of God, which is reverent, and holy; and by so much the more it maketh fin to be exceeding sinful.
Thirdly, Sinning under, and against the light, admits not of those excuses and pleas, toextenuatethe offence, which fins of pure ignorance do.
Those that live without the found of the gospel, may say, Lord, weneverheardofChrist, and the great redemption wrought by him; if we had, we would never have lived, and acted as we did: and therefore Christ faith, John xv.
22. " If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not " had fin, but now they have no cloak for their fin ."
The meaning is, that if the gospel-light had not shined among them, their fin had not been of that deep guilt that now it is :
For now it is so foul and heinous,byreasonofthe light under,
The Method of Grace.
SERM. XXXII.
and against which it is committed, that they have no pretence, or excuse to extenuate, or mitigate it.
Fourthly, Evangelical light is avery richfavourandmercyof God to men; one of the choicest gifts bestowed upon the nations of the world; and therefore it is said, Psal. cxlvii. 19, 20.
He sheweth his word untoJacob, and his statutes and his Judgments unto israel: He hath not dealt so with any nati
" on; and as for his judgments they have not known them.
Other nations have corn, and wine, gold, and silver, abundance
of earthly delights, and pleasures: But they have notabeamof heavenly light shininguponthem.
We may account this mercy small ; but God who is best able to value the worth of it, accounts it great. Hos. viii. 12. "I have writtenuntothemthe
66 great things of my law."
Christ reckoned Capernaum to be exalted unto heaven by the ministry of the gospel in that place.
Now, the greater the mercy is which the light of truth brings with it, by fo much the more horrid and hainous must the abusing and despising of it be.
Fifthly, Sinning against the light, arguesalove to fin,as fin; to naked fin, without anydisguiseor covert.
It isnothingnear so bad for am an through a mistake of judgment, when he thinks that to be lawful, which is indeed sinful ; he doth not HOW crofewith fin, as fin; but heeithercloses with it as his duty, or, at least, his liberty : 'Tis hard for Sat an to perfuademanymen to embrace a naked fin; and therefore he cloaths it in the habit of a duty, or liberty, andtherebydeceives, and draws men to the commission of it. But if am an have light thining intohisconfcience, and convincing him that the way, he is in, is the way of fin, quite contrary to the revealed will of God, stripping the finnaked, before the eye of his conscience; fo that he hath no covert, or excuse, and yet will persist in it; this, I fay, argues a soul to be in love with fin, as fin. Now as for am an to love grace, as grace, is a solid argument to prove the truth of his grace ; so, on the contrary, for am an to love fin, as fin, doth not only argue him to be in the state of fin, but to be in the fore front, and amongst the highest rank offinners.
Sixthly, The greater, and clearer the light is, under and against whichmen continue in fin, the more must the consciences of such sinners be supposed to be wasted, and violated by such way of sinning: For this is afure rule
, that " the " greatest violation of conscience, is the greatest fin." Confci † Maxima violatio confcientiæ eft maximum peccatum.
SERM. XXXIII.
The Method of Grace. ence is a noble, and tenderpartofthe foulofman; it is in the soul, as the eye in the body,very sensible of the least injury : and a wound in the conscience, is like a blow in the eye : But nothing gives a greater blow to conscience, nothing to much wastes it, and destroys it, as fins against the light do.
This putsaplainforce upon the conscience, and gives a dreadful stab to that noble power, God's vicegerent in the soul. And thus you fee the first thing made good, that light puts deep guilt, and aggravation into fin.
Secondly, In the next place, let us examine why fin, fo aggravated by the light, makes men liable to the greater condemnation: For that it doth so, is beyond all debate, or question ; elsetheapofilePeterwould nothavefaidofthose sinners against light,as he doth, 2 Pet. ii. 21. " thatithadbeenbetter for them
"not tohaveknownthe way of righteousness."
Nor would Chriftbave told the inhabitants ofChorazin, orBethfaida, thar it should be more tolerable for Tyre andSidonatthedayofjudg ment, than for them.
There isa twofoldreason of this.
1. Ex parte Dei, on God's part.
2. Expartepeccatoris,on the sinner'spart.
First, Ex parteDei, on God's part, who is the righteous Judge of the whole earth; and will therefore render unto every manaccordingas his work shall be: For shall not the Judge ofthewholeearthdoright? He will judge the world in righteousness, and righteousness requires that difference be made in the punishment of sinners, according tothedifferentdegrees of their fins. Now that there are different degrees of fin, is abundantly clear, from what we have latelydifcoursed, under the former head ; where we have fhewed,that the light under which menfin, puts extraordinary aggravations upon their fins, anfwerablewhereunto, will the degrees of punishment be awarded, by the righteousJudgeofheavenandearth. TheGentiles,who had no other light but that dim light of nature, will be condemned, for disobeying the lawofGodwritten upon their hearts ; but yet, the greater wrath is reserved for them who fin, both against the light of nature, and the light of the gospel alio : And therefore it is said, Rom. ii. 9. "Tribulation and anguish upon " every foul of man that doth evil; of the Jew first, and also of " the Gentile."
ImpenitentJews andGentiles, willallbecondemned, at the bar of God; but with this difference, to the Jew first, (i. e.) principally, and especially, because the light, and mercies which he abused, and violated, were far greater than those bestowed upon the Gentiles, "because unto them were comthitted the oraclesof God:" And God had not
The Method of Grace.
SERM . XXΧΙΙΙ.
dealt with any nation, as with that nation.
Indeed, in the rewards of obedience, the same reason doth not hold; he that came into the vineyard the last hour of the day, may be equal, in reward, with him that bare the heat, and burthen of the whole day ; because the reward is of grace, and bounty, not of debt, and merit : But it is not so here,justice observes an exact proportion indistributingpunishments,according to the degrees, deserts, and measures of fin: Andthereforeitis faidconcerning
Babylon, Rev. xviii . 7. " How much the hath glorified herself, " and lived deliciously; so much torment, and sorrow give
" her."
Secondly, Ex parte peccatoris, upon the account of sinners ; it must needs be, that the heaviest wrath, and most intolerable torments, should be theportionofthemwhohave finned against the clearest light, and means of grace: For we find, in the scripture account, that a principal, and special part of the torment of the damned, will arise from their own consciences.
Mark ix. 44. "Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched."
And nothing is more manifest than this, that if confciencebethe tormentorofthedamned,then sinners against light must needs have the greatest torments.
For, First, The more knowledge anymanhad in this world, the more was his conscience violated, and abused here, by sinning against it : And O what work will these violations, and abuses , make, for a tormenting conscience in hell ! With what rage, and fury, will it then avenge itself upon the most stout, daring and impudent sinner ! The more guilt now, the more rage, and furythen.
Secondly, The more knowledge; or means of knowledge, any man hath enjoyed in this world, so much the more matter is prepared, and laid up for conscience to upbraid him with, in the place of torments ? And the upbraidings of conscience are a special part of the torments of the damned. O what a peal will conscienceringin the ears of such sinners! " Did not I warn
" thee of the issue of such sins, undone wretch ? How often " did I strive with thee, if it had been possible to take thee.
" off from thy course off inning, and to escape this wrath ? Did " not I often cry out, in thy bosom, stop thy course, sinner ?
" Hearken to my counsel, turn, and live; but thou wouldest " nothearken to my voice ? I forewarned thee of this danger,
" but thou flightedit all my warnings; thylusts were too strong " for my light, and now thou seest whither thy way tended,
" but, alas, too late !"
Thirdly, The more knowledge, or means of knowledge any
SERM . XXXIII .
The Method of Grace.
man hath abused, and neglected in this world, so many fair opportunities, and great advantages he hath loft for heaven ; and the more opportunities, and advantages,he hath had for heaven, the more intolerable will hell be to that man ; as the mercy was great, which was offered by them, so the torment will be unspeakable, that will arise from the loss of them.
Sinners, you have now a wide, and open door, many blessed opportunities of salvation, under the gospel; it hath put you in a fair way for everlasting happiness : Many of you are not far from the kingdom of God; there will be time enough, in hell, to reflect upon this loss.
What think you, will it not be sad to think there :
Ohow fair was I once for heaven, tohavebeenwithGod, and among yonder saints! My confciencewas once convinced, and my affections melted under the gospel. I was almost persuaded to be a Christian, indeed, the treaty was almost concluded, betwixt Christ, and my soul; there were but a few points in difference betwixt us ; but wretch that I was, at those points I stuck, and there the treaty ended to my eternal ruin : I could not deny my lusts, I could not live under the strict yoke of Christ's government ; but now I must live under the insuppor able wrath of the righteous, and terribleGodfor ever : and this torment will be peculiar to such as perish under the gospel.
The Heathen, who enjoyed nofuch means, can therefore have no such reflections; nay, the very devils themselves, who never had such a plank after their ship-wreck, I mean, a mediator in their nature, or such terms of reconciliation offered them, will not reflect upon their loft opportunities of recovery, as such sinners must, and will.
This, therefore, " is the condemnation, "that light is come into the world; but men loved darkness,
" rather than light."
Infer. 1. Hence it follows, that neither knowledge, nor the best means of knowledge, are in themselves, sufficient to secure menfromwrathto come.
Light in itself isa choice mercy, and therefore the means that begat, and increased it, must be so too ; but yet it is a mercy liable to the greatest abuse, and the abuse of the best mercies, brings forth the greatest miseries. Alas !
Christians, your duty is but half learnt, when you know it; obedience to light, makes light a blessing indeed. John xiii. 17.
" Ifye know these things,happy are ye ifye do them."
Happiness is not in tailed upon simple knowing, but upon doing ; uponobedienceto our knowledge; otherwise, he that increafethknowledge, doth but increase sorrow : " For that servant
" which knew his Lord's will, and prepared not himself, nor " did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes,"
SERM . XXXIII.
The Method of Grace.
Luke xiii .47. "And to him thatknoweth to do good, and doth " it not, to him it is sin,"Jam.iv. 17.
We are bound with all thankfulness to acknowledge the bountyofheaven to this sinful generation, in furnishing us with so many excellent means of light, beyond many other nations,and generations that are past, but yet we ought to rejoice with trembling, when we confider the abuses of light, inthiswantonage, and what a dismal event is like tohappenunto many thousands among us.
I fear the time is coming, when many among us will with they had never set foot on English ground, God hath blessed this nation with many famous,burning, and shining lights.
It was once faidto thehonour of this nation*, that the English ministry was the world's wonder ; and when a man of another nation began to preach methodically, and convincingly, they were wont to fayt, We perceive this man hath been in England : The greater will our account be for abusing such light, and rebelling against it.
The clearer our light is now, the thicker will the mists of darkness be hereafter, if we are thus wanton under it.
The devils have more lightthanwe, andthereforethemoretorment:
Of them it is said, Jam. ii. 19. "The devils also believe, and " tremble;" the horror of their consciences is answerable to their illumination, they tremble; " the word signifies the roar " of the sea," or such a murmuring,dreadful noise, as the tempestuous seas use to make when they break themselves against the rocks.
Infer. 2. If the abuse of light thus aggravatesfin and misery, then times of great temptations are like to be times of deep guilt. Wo to an enlightned, knowing generation, when strong temptations befal them. How do many, in such times, imprifonthe known truth, to keep themselves out of prison ? offer violence to their ownconfciences, to avoid violence from other hands?
Plato||was convincedoftheunity of God,butdurst not owa his convictions ; but said, " It was a truth neither easy to find,
" nor fafetoown." And even Seneca *†, the renowned moralist, was forcedbytemptation to diffemble his convictions;" of * Clerus Anglicanusftupormundi.
+ Percipimus hunc hominemfuissein Anglia.
Eust.
Opificem univerforum neque invenire facile, neque inventum invulgus promulgare tutum .
*† In animi religione nothabeat,fed in altibus fingat.
SERM . XXXIII .
The Method of Grace. whomAugustine faith, " * He worshipped what himself repre- " hended, and did what himselfreproved."
And even a great Papilt of later times was heard to say, as he was going to mass,
Eamus ad communem errorem, Let us go to the common error.
Ohowhardis it to keep conscience pure and peaceable in days of temptation! Doubtless, it is a mercy to many weak and timorousChristians, to be removed by aseasonable death, out of harms way; to be disbanded by a merciful providence before the heat of the battle.
Christ and Antichrist seem at this day tobedrawinginto the field; a fiery trial threatens the profefforsofthis age : butwhenitcomes to a close engagement, indeed we may justly tremble, to think how many thousands will break theirwaythrough the convictions oftheirownconsciences, to save their flesh.
Believe it, firs, if Christ hold you to himself bynoothertie than the slender thread ofafingle conviction ; if he have not interest in your hearts and affections, as well as in your understandings and consciences; if you be men of great light, and strong unmortified lusts; if you profess Christ with your tongues, and worship the world with your hearts ; a man may sayofyou, without the giftofprophecy, what the prophet faidofHazael, I know what you will do in the dayoftemptation.
Infer. 3. If this befo, what a strong engagement lieth upon allenlightnedperfons to turn heartily to God, and reduce their knowledge into practice and obedience ? The more men know, themoreviolence they do their own consciences, in rebelling against the light; this is to fin with an high hand, Num. xv.
30.
Believe it, firs, you cannot fin at so cheap a rate as others do: knowledge in a wicked man, like high mettle in a blind horse, doth but the sooner precipitate him into ruin.
You may know much more than others,but ifeveryou come to heaven, it must be in the samewayoffaith and obedience, mortification and self-denial, in which the weakest Christian comes thither ; whatever knowledge you have, to be sure youhavenowisdom, if you expect salvation uponanyother, or easier terms than the most illiterate Christian finds it.
It was afad observation of the father, Surgunt indocti, et rapiunt coelum; the unlearned rise, and take heaven. What a pity is it, that menoffuch excellent parts should be enslaved to their lusts ! that ever it should be said, Sapientesfapienterdefcendunt in Gehennam; their learning
* Colebat quod reprehendebat, age bat quod argue bat, quod culpabatadorabas.
VOL. III,
SERM . XXXIII.
The Method of Grace. dothbuthangintheir light, it doth but blind them in spiritual things, andprepareth them for greater misery.
Infer. 4. Hence also it follows, that the work of conversion is a very difficult work ; the soul is scarcelyhalfwon to Christ, when Satan is cast out of the understanding by illumination. The devil hath deeply intrenched himself, and strongly fortified every faculty of the soul against Christ ; the understanding, indeed, is the first entrance into the soul, and out of that faculty he is oftentimes cast, by light and conviction, which seems to make a great change upon am an : now he becomes a professor, now he takes up the duties of religion, and passes up and down the world for a convert ; but, alas, alas ! all the while Satan keeps the fort-royal, the heart and will are in his own possession; and this is a work of more difficulty : the weapons of that warfare must indeed be mighty through God, which do not only cast down imaginations, but bring every thought of the heart into captivity, to the obedience of Christ, 2 Cor. x. 4, 5.
While the heart stands out, though the understanding be taken in, the soul remains in Satan's possession ; it is a greater work, (and we daily find it so), to win one heart, than to convince twentyunderstandings.
Infer. 5. Hence also we may learn, what strength and power there is in the lusts of mens hearts, which are able to bear down fostrong convictions of the conscience before them.
That is a great truth, though avery fad one, Eccl. viii. 11. " The heart " of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil." O how common it is, every day, and in every place,to see men hazarding their souls to satisfy their lusts ! Every man, faith the prophet, " turneth his course, as the horse rusheth into the battle."
The horse is a very fierce and warlike creature; and when his courage is rouzedby the sounds of trumpets and shouts of armies, he breaks headlong into the ranks of armed men, though death is before him. Such boisterous and headlong lusts are found in many enlightned persons, though their consciences representdamnationbeforethem; onward they will rush, though
God be lost, and a precious soul undone for ever.
Infer. 6. To conclude, As ever you will avoid the deepest guilt, and escape the beaviest condemnation, open your hearts to obey, and practise whatsoever God hath opened your understandings and consciences to receive of his revealed will; obey the light of the gospel,whileyouhave opportunity to enjoy it : this was the great counsel given by Christ, John xii. 35, 36. " Yet a little while the light is with you, walk whileyehave the " light, left darkness come upon you." The manifestation of