I. What it is to be saved.
II. What it is to be saved by grace.
III. Who they are that are saved by grace.
IV. How it appears that they are saved by grace.
V. What should be the reason that God should choose
to save sinners by grace rather than by any other means.
COURTEOUS READER,
In this little book thou art presented with a discourse of the GRACE of God, and
of salvation by that grace. In which discourse, thou shalt find how each Person
in the Godhead doth his part in the salvation of the sinner. I. The Father
putteth forth his grace, thus. II. The Son putteth forth his grace, thus. III.
And the Spirit putteth forth his grace, thus. Which things thou shalt find here
particularly handled.
Thou shalt also find, in this small treatise, the way of God with the sinner, as
to his CONVERSATION, [1] and the way of the sinner with God in the same;
where[in] the grace of God, and the wickedness of the sinner, do greatly show
themselves.
If thou findest me short in things, impute that [to] my love to brevity. If thou
findest me besides the truth in aught, impute that to mine infirmity. But if
thou findest anything here that serveth to thy furtherance and joy of faith,
impute that to the mercy of God bestowed on thee and me.
Thine to serve thee with that little I have,
J.B.
SAVED BY GRACE.
"BY GRACE YE ARE SAVED."—EPHESIANS 2:5.
In the first chapter, from the fourth to the twelfth verse, the apostle is
treating of the doctrine of election, both with respect to the act itself, the
end, and means conducing thereto. The act, he tells us, was God's free choice of
some (verse 4,5,11). The end was God's glory in their salvation (verse 6,14).
The means conducing to that end was Jesus Christ himself—"In whom we have
redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches
of his grace" (verse 7). This done, he treateth of the subjection of the
Ephesians to the faith, as it was held forth to them in the Word of the truth of
the gospel, as also of their being sealed by the Holy Spirit of God unto the day
of redemption (verse 12-14). Moreover, he telleth them how he gave thanks to God
for them, making mention of them in his prayers, even that he would make them
see "what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his
inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of his power to
usward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, which he
wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead," &c. (verse 15-20).
And lest the Ephesians, at the hearing of these their so many privileges, should
forget how little they deserved them, he tells them that in time past they were
dead in trespasses and sins, and that then they walked in them "according to the
course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the
spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience" (Eph 2:2,3).
Having thus called them back to the remembrance of themselves—to wit, what they
were in their state of unregeneracy, he proceedeth to show them that their first
quickening was by the resurrection of Christ their Head, in whom they before
were chosen, and that by him they were already set down in heavenly places,
(verse 5,6); inserting, by the way, the true cause of all this blessedness, with
what else should be by us enjoyed in another world; and that is, the love and
grace of God: "But 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]." These last words seen to be the apostle's conclusion
rightly drawn from the premises; as who should say, If you Ephesians were indeed
dead in trespasses and sins; if indeed you were by nature the children of wrath,
even as others, then you deserve no more than others. [2]
Again, if God hath chosen you, if God hath justified and saved you by his
Christ, and left others as good as you by nature to perish in their sins, then
the true cause of this your blessed condition is, the free grace of God. But
just thus it is, therefore by grace ye are saved; therefore all the good which
you enjoy more than others, it is of mere goodwill.
"BY GRACE YE ARE SAVED."
The method that I shall choose to discourse upon these words shall be this—I
will propound certain questions upon the words, and direct particular answers to
them; in which answers I hope I shall answer also, somewhat at least, the
expectation of the godly and conscientious reader, and so shall draw towards a
conclusion.
THE QUESTIONS ARE—
I. What is it to be saved? II. What is it to be saved by grace? III. Who are
they that are saved by grace? IV. How it appears that they that are saved, are
saved by grace? V. What might be the reasons which prevailed with God to save us
by grace, rather than by any other means?
Now the reason why I propound these five questions upon the words, it is,
because the words themselves admit them; the first three are grounded upon the
several phrases in the text, and the two last are to make way for demonstration
of the whole.
QUEST. I.—WHAT IS IT TO BE SAVED?
This question supposeth that there is such a thing as damnation due to man for
sin; for to save supposeth the person to be saved to be at present in a sad
condition; saving, to him that is not lost, signifies nothing, neither is it
anything in itself. "To save, to redeem, to deliver," are in the general terms
equivalent, and they do all of them suppose us to be in a state of thraldom and
misery; therefore this word "saved," in the sense that the apostle here doth use
it, is a word of great worth, forasmuch as the miseries from which we are saved
is the misery of all most dreadful.
The miseries from which they that shall be saved shall by their salvation be
delivered, are dreadful; they are no less than sin, the curse of God, and flames
of hell for ever. What more abominable than sin? What more insupportable than
the dreadful wrath of an angry God? And what more fearful than the bottomless
pit of hell? I say, what more fearful than to be tormented there for ever with
the devil and his angels? Now, to "save," according to my text, is to deliver
the sinner from these, with all things else that attend them. And although
sinners may think that it is no hard matter to answer this question, yet I must
tell you there is no man, that can feelingly know what it is to be saved, that
knoweth not experimentally something of the dread of these three things, as is
evident, because all others do even by their practice count it a thing of no
great concern, when yet it is of all other of the highest concern among men;
"For what is a man profited if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own
soul?" (Matt 16:26).
But, I say, if this word "saved" concludeth our deliverance from sin, how can he
tell what it is to be saved that hath not in his conscience groaned under the
burden of sin? yea, it is impossible else that he should ever cry out with all
his heart, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?"—that is, do to be saved (Acts
2:37). The man that hath no sores or aches cannot know the virtue of the salve;
I mean, not know it from his own experience, and therefore cannot prize, nor
have that esteem of it, as he that hath received cure thereby. Clap a plaster to
a well place, and that maketh not its virtue to appear; neither can he to whose
flesh it is so applied, by that application understand its worth. Sinners, you,
I mean, that are not wounded with guilt, and oppressed with the burden of sin,
you cannot—I will say it again—you cannot know, in this senseless condition of
yours, what it is to be saved.
Again; this word "saved," as I said, concludeth deliverance from the wrath of
God. How, then, can he tell what it is to be saved that hath not felt the burden
of the wrath of God? He—he that is astonished with, and that trembleth at, the
wrath of God—he knows best what it is to be saved (Acts 16:29).
Further, this word "saved," it concludeth deliverance from death and hell. How,
then, can he tell what it is to be saved that never was sensible of the sorrows
of the one, nor distressed with the pains of the other? The Psalmist says, "The
sorrows of death compassed me, and the pains of hell gat hold upon me: I found
trouble and sorrow. Then called I upon the name of the Lord"—(mark, then), "then
called I upon the name of the Lord; O Lord, I beseech thee, deliver my
soul,"—then, in my distress. When he knew what it was to be saved, then he
called, because, I say, then he knew what it was to be saved (Psa 18:4,5;
116:3,4). I say, this is the man, and this only, that knows what it is to be
saved. And this is evident, as is manifest by the little regard that the rest
have to saving, or the little dread they have of damnation. Where is he that
seeks and groans for salvation? I say, where is he that hath taken his flight
for salvation, because of the dread of the wrath to come? "O generation of
vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?" (Matt 3:7). Alas!
do not the most set light by salvation?—as for sin, how do they love it, embrace
it, please themselves with it, hide it still within their mouth, and keep it
close under their tongue. Besides, for the wrath of God, they feel it not, they
fly not from it; and for hell, it is become a doubt to many if there be any, and
a mock to those whose doubt is resolved by atheism.
But to come to the question—What is it to be saved? To be saved may either
respect salvation in the whole of it, or salvation in the parts of it, or both.
I think this text respecteth both—to wit, salvation completing, and salvation
completed; for "to save" is a work of many steps; or, to be as plain as
possible, "to save" is a work that hath its beginning before the world began,
and shall not be completed before it is ended.
First, then, we may be said to be saved in the purpose of God before the world
began. The apostle saith that "he 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 Jesus before the world began" (2 Tim 1:9). This is the
beginning of salvation, and according to this beginning all things concur and
fall out in conclusion—"He hath saved us according to his eternal purpose, which
he purposed in Christ Jesus." God in thus saving may be said to save us by
determining to make those means effectual for the blessed completing of our
salvation; and hence we are said "to be chosen in Christ to salvation." And
again, that he hath in that choice given us that grace that shall complete our
salvation. Yea, the text is very full, "He hath blessed us with all spiritual
blessings in heavenly places in Christ, according as he hath chosen us in him
before the foundation of the world" (Eph 1:3,4).
Second. As we may be said to be saved in the purpose of God before the
foundation of the world, so we may be said to be saved before we are converted,
or called to Christ. And hence "saved" is put before "called"; "he hath saved
us, and called us"; he saith not, he hath called us, and saved us; but he puts
saving before calling (2 Tim 1:9). So again, we are said to be "preserved in
Christ and called"; he saith not, called and preserved (Jude 1). And therefore
God saith again, "I will pardon them whom I reserve"—that is, as Paul expounds
it, those whom I have "elected and kept," and this part of salvation is
accomplished through the forbearance of God (Jer 50:20; Rom 11:4,5). God beareth
with is own elect, for Christ's sake, all the time of their unregeneracy, until
the time comes which he hath appointed for their conversion. The sins that we
stood guilty of before conversion, had the judgment due to them been executed
upon us, we had not now been in the world to partake of a heavenly calling. But
the judgment due to them hath been by the patience of God prevented, and we
saved all the time of our ungodly and unconverted state, from that death, and
those many hells, that for our sins we deserved at the hands of God.
And here lies the reason that long life is granted to the elect before
conversion, and that all the sins they commit and all the judgments they
deserve, cannot drive them out of the world before conversion. Manasseh, you
know, was a great sinner, and for the trespass which he committed he was driven
from his own land, and carried to Babylon; but kill him they could not, though
his sins had deserved death ten thousand times. But what was the reason? Why, he
was not yet called; God had chosen him in Christ, and laid up in him a stock of
grace, which must be given to Manasseh before he dies; therefore Manasseh must
be convinced, converted, and saved. That legion of devils that was in the
possessed, with all the sins which he had committed in the time of his
unregeneracy, could not take away his life before his conversion (Mark 5). How
many times was that poor creature, as we may easily conjecture, assaulted for
his life by the devils that were in him, yet could they not kill him, yea,
though his dwelling was near the sea-side, and the devils had power to drive him
too, yet could they not drive him further than the mountains that were by the
sea- side; yea, they could help him often to break his chains and fetters, and
could also make him as mad as a bedlam, [3] they could also prevail with him to
separate from men, and cut himself with stones, but kill him they could not,
drown him they could not; he was saved to be called; he was, notwithstanding all
this, preserved in Christ, and called. As it is said of the young lad in the
gospel, he was by the devil cast oft into the fire, and oft into the water, to
destroy him, but it could not be; even so hath he served others, but they must
be "saved to be called" (Mark 9:22). How many deaths have some been delivered
from and saved out of before conversion! Some have fallen into rivers, some into
wells, some into the sea, some into the hands of men; yea, they have been justly
arraigned and condemned, as the thief upon the cross, but must not die before
they have been converted. They were preserved in Christ, and called.
Called Christian, how many times have thy sins laid thee upon a sick- bed, and,
to thine and others' thinking, at the very mouth of the grave? yet God said
concerning thee, Let him live, for he is not yet converted. Behold, therefore,
that the elect are saved before they are called. [4] "God, who is rich in mercy,
for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins," hath
preserved us in Christ, and called us (Eph 2:4,5).
Now this "saving" of us arises from six causes. 1. God hath chosen us unto
salvation, and therefore will not frustrate his own purposes (1 Thess 5:9). 2.
God hath given us to Christ; and his gift, as well as his calling, is without
repentance (Rom 11:29; John 6:37). 3. Christ hath purchased us with his blood
(Rom 5:8,9). 4. They are, by God, counted in Christ before they are converted
(Eph 1:3,4). 5. They are ordained before conversion to eternal life; yea, to be
called, to be justified, to be glorified, and therefore all this must come upon
them (Rom 8:29,30). 6. For all this, he hath also appointed them their portion
and measure of grace, and that before the world began; therefore, that they may
partake of all these privileges, they are saved and called, preserved in Christ,
and called.
Third. To be saved is to be brought to, and helped to lay hold on, Jesus Christ
by faith. And this is called saving by grace through faith. "For by grace are ye
saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God" (Eph
2:8).
1. They must be brought unto Christ, yea, drawn unto him; for "no man," saith
Christ, "can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him" (John
6:44). Men, even the elect, have too many infirmities to come to Christ without
help from heaven; inviting will not do. "As they called them, so they went from
them," therefore he "drew them with cords" (Hosea 11:2,4).
2. As they must be brought to, so they must be helped to lay hold on Christ by
faith; for as coming to Christ, so faith, is not in our own power; therefore we
are said to be raised up with him "through the faith of the operation of God."
And again, we are said to believe, "according to the working of his mighty
power, which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead" (Col 2:12;
Eph 1:19,20). Now we are said to be saved by faith, because by faith we lay hold
of, venture upon, and put on Jesus Christ for life. For life, I say, because God
having made him the Saviour, hath given him life to communicate to sinners, and
the life that he communicates to them is the merit of his flesh and blood, which
whoso eateth and drinketh by faith, hath eternal life, because that flesh and
blood hath merit in it sufficient to obtain the favour of God. Yea, it hath done
so [since] that day it was offered through the eternal Spirit a sacrifice of a
sweet- smelling savour to him; wherefore God imputeth the righteousness of
Christ to him that believeth in him, by which righteousness he is personally
justified, and saved from that just judgment of the law that was due unto him
(John 5:26, 6:53-58; Eph 4:32; 5:2; Rom 4:23-25).
"Saved by faith." For although salvation beginneth in God's purpose, and comes
to us through Christ's righteousness, yet is not faith exempted from having a
hand in saving of us. Not that it meriteth aught, but is given by God to those
which he saveth, that thereby they may embrace and put on that Christ by whose
righteousness they must be saved. Wherefore this faith is that which here
distinguisheth them that shall be saved from them that shall be damned. Hence it
is said, "He that believeth not, shall be damned"; and hence again it is that
the believers are called "the children, the heirs, and the blessed with faithful
Abraham;" that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to them that
believe (Gal 3:6-9,26; Rom 4:13,14).
And here let Christians warily distinguish betwixt the meritorious and the
instrumental cause of their justification. Christ, with what he hath done and
suffered, is the meritorious cause of our justification; therefore he is said to
be made to us of God, "wisdom and righteousness;" and we are said to be
"justified by his blood, and saved from wrath through him," for it was his life
and blood that were the price of our redemption (1 Cor 1:30; Rom 5:9,10).
"Redeemed," says Peter, "not with corruptible things, as silver and gold,"
alluding to the redemption of money under the law, "but with the precious blood
of Christ." Thou art, therefore, as I have said, to make Christ Jesus the object
of thy faith for justification; for by his righteousness thy sins must be
covered from the sight of the justice of the law. "Believe on the Lord Jesus
Christ, and thou shalt be saved." "For he shall save his people from their sins"
(Acts 16:31; Matt 1:21).
Fourth. To be saved is to be preserved in the faith to the end. "He that shall
endure unto the end, the same shall be saved" (Matt 24:13). Not that
perseverance is an accident in Christianity, or a thing performed by human
industry; they that are saved "are kept by the power of God, through faith unto
salvation" (1 Peter 1:3-6).
But perseverance is absolutely necessary to the complete saving of the soul,
because he that falleth short of the state that they that are saved are
possessed of, as saved, cannot arrive to that saved state. He that goeth to sea
with a purpose to arrive at Spain, cannot arrive there if he be drowned by the
way; wherefore perseverance is absolutely necessary to the saving of the soul,
and therefore it is included in the complete saving of us—"Israel shall be saved
in the Lord with an everlasting salvation: ye shall not be ashamed nor
confounded world without end" (Isa 45:17). Perseverance is here made absolutely
necessary to the complete saving of the soul.
But, as I said, this part of salvation dependeth not upon human power, but upon
him that hath begun a good work in us (Phil 1:6). This part, therefore, of our
salvation is great, and calleth for no less than the power of God for our help
to perform it, as will be easily granted by all those that consider—
1. That all the power and policy, malice and rage, of the devils and hell itself
are against us. Any man that understandeth this will conclude that to be saved
is no small thing. The devil is called a god, a prince, a lion, a roaring lion;
it is said that he hath death and the power of it, &c. But what can a poor
creature, whose habitation is in flesh, do against a god, a prince, a roaring
lion, and the power of death itself? Our perseverance, therefore, lieth in the
power of God; "the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."
2. All the world is against him that shall be saved. But what is one poor
creature to all the world, especially if you consider that with the world is
terror, fear, power, majesty, laws, jails, gibbets, hangings, burnings,
drownings, starvings, banishments, and a thousand kinds of deaths? (1 John
5:4,5; John 16:33).
3. Add to this, that all the corruptions that dwell in our flesh are against us,
and that not only in their nature and being, but they lust against us, and war
against us, to "bring us into captivity to the law of sin and death" (Gal 5:17;
1 Peter 2:11; Rom 7:23).
4. All the delusions in the world are against them that shall be saved, many of
which are so cunningly woven, so plausibly handled, so rarely[5] polished with
Scripture and reason, that it is ten thousand wonders that the elect are not
swallowed up with them; and swallowed up they would be, were they not elect, and
was not God himself engaged, either by power to keep them from falling, or by
grace to pardon if they fall, and to lift them up again (Matt 24:24; Eph 4:14;
Rom 3:12).
5. Every fall of the saved is against the salvation of his soul; but a Christian
once fallen riseth not but as helped by Omnipotent power— "O Israel, thou hast
fallen by thine iniquity," "but in me is thy help," says God (Hosea 13:9; 14:1;
Psa 37:23).
Christians, were you awake, here would be matter of wonder to you, to see a man
assaulted with all the power of hell, and yet to come off a conqueror! Is it not
a wonder to see a poor creature, who in himself is weaker than the moth, to
stand against and overcome all devils, all the world, all his lusts and
corruptions? (Job 4:19). Or if he fall, is it not a wonder to see him, when
devils and guilt are upon him, to rise again, stand upon his feet again, walk
with God again, and persevere after all this in the faith and holiness of the
gospel? He that knows himself, wonders; he that knows temptation, wonders; he
that knows what falls and guilt mean, wonders; indeed, perseverance is a
wonderful thing, and is managed by the power of God; for he only "is able to
keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his
glory with exceeding joy" (Jude 24). Those of the children of Israel that went
from Egypt, and entered the land of Canaan, how came they thither? Why, the text
says, that "as an eagle spreadeth abroad her wings, so the Lord alone did lead
them." And again, "he bore them, and carried them all the days of old" (Deu
32:11,12; Isa 63:9). David also tells us that mercy and goodness should follow
him all the days of his life, and so he should dwell in the house of the Lord
for ever (Psa 23:6).
Fifth. To be saved calls for more than all this; he that is saved, must, when
this world can hold him no longer, have a safe- conduct to heaven, for that is
the place where they that are saved must to the full enjoy their salvation. This
heaven is called "the end of our faith," because it is that which faith looks
at; as Peter says, "Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your
souls." And again, "But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of
them that believe to the saving of the soul" (1 Peter 1:9; Heb 10:39). For, as I
said, heaven is the place for the saved to enjoy their salvation in, with that
perfect gladness that is not attainable here. Here we are saved by faith and
hope of glory; but there, we that are saved shall enjoy the end of our faith and
hope, even the salvation of our souls. There is "Mount Zion, the heavenly
Jerusalem, the general assembly and church of the firstborn;" there is the
"innumerable company of angels, and the spirits of just men made perfect;" there
is "God the judge of all, and Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant;" there
shall our soul have as much of heaven as it is capable of enjoying, and that
without intermission; wherefore, when we come there we shall be saved indeed!
But now for a poor creature to be brought hither, this is the life of the point.
But how shall I come hither? there are heights and depths to hinder (Rom
8:38,39).
Suppose the poor Christian is now upon a sick-bed, beset with a thousand fears,
and ten thousand at the end of that; sick-bed fears! and they are sometimes
dreadful ones; fears that are begotten by the review of the sin, perhaps, of
forty years' profession; fears that are begotten by dreadful and fearful
suggestions of the devil, the sight of death, and the grave, and it may be of
hell itself; fears that are begotten by the withdrawing and silence of God and
Christ, and by, it may be, the appearance of the devil himself; some of these
made David cry, "O spare me" a little, "that I may recover strength before I go
hence, and be no more" (Psa 39:13). "The sorrows of death," said he, "compassed
me, and the pains of hell gat hold upon me; I found trouble and sorrow" (Psa
116:3). These things, in another place, he calls the bands that the godly have
in their death, and the plagues that others are not aware of. "They are not in
trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men" (Psa 73:9). But
now, out of all these, the Lord will save his people; not one sin, nor fear, nor
devil shall hinder; nor the grave nor hell disappoint thee. But how must this
be? Why, thou must have a safe-conduct to heaven? [6] What conduct? A conduct of
angels: "Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them
who shall be heirs of salvation?" (Heb 1:14).
These angels, therefore, are not to fail them that are the saved; but must, as
commissioned of God, come down from heaven to do this office for them; they must
come, I say, and take the care and charge of our soul, to conduct it safely into
Abraham's bosom. It is not our meanness in the world, nor our weakness of faith,
that shall hinder this; nor shall the loathsomeness of our diseases make these
delicate spirits shy of taking this charge upon them. Lazarus the beggar found
this a truth; a beggar so despised of the rich glutton that he was not suffered
to come within his gate; a beggar full of sores and noisome putrefaction; yet,
behold, when he dies, the angels come from heaven to fetch him thither: "And it
came to pass that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's
bosom" (Luke 16:22). True, sick-bed temptations are ofttimes the most violent,
because then the devil plays his last game with us, he is never to assault us
more; besides, perhaps God suffereth it thus to be, that the entering into
heaven may be the sweeter, and ring of this salvation the louder! O it is a
blessed thing for God to be our God and our guide even unto death, and then for
his angels to conduct us safely to glory; this is saving indeed. And he shall
save Israel "out of all his troubles;" out of sick-bed troubles as well as
others (Psa 25:22; 34:6; 48:14).
Sixth. To be saved, to be perfectly saved, calls for more than all this; the
godly are not perfectly saved when their soul is possessed of heaven. True,
their spirit is made perfect, and hath as much of heaven as at present it can
hold, but man, consisting of body and soul, cannot be said to be perfectly saved
so long as but part of him is in the heavens; his body is the price of the blood
of Christ as well as his spirit; his body is the temple of God, and a member of
the body, and of the flesh, and of the bones of Christ; he cannot, then, be
completely saved until the time of the resurrection of the dead (1 Cor 6:13-19;
Eph 5:30). Wherefore, when Christ shall come the second time, then will he save
the body from all those things that at present make it incapable of the heavens.
"For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour,
the Lord Jesus Christ; who shall change" this "our vile body, that it may be
fashioned like unto his glorious body" (Phil 3:20,21). O what a great deal of
good God hath put into this little word "saved"! We shall not see all the good
that God hath put into this word "saved" until the Lord Jesus comes to raise the
dead. "It doth not yet appear what we shall be" (1 John 3:2). But till it
appears what we shall be, we cannot see the bottom of this word "saved." True,
we have the earnest of what we shall be, we have the Spirit of God, "which is
the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession"
(Eph 1:14). The possession is our body—it is called "a purchased possession,"
because it is the price of blood; now the redemption of this purchased
possession is the raising of it out of the grave, which raising is called the
redemption of our body (Rom 8:23). And when this vile body is made like unto his
glorious body, and this body and soul together possessed of the heavens, then
shall we be every way saved.
There are three things from which this body must be saved—1. There is that
sinful filth and vileness that yet dwells in it, under which we groan earnestly
all our days (2 Cor 5:1-3). 2. There is mortality, that subjecteth us to age,
sickness, aches, pains, diseases, and death. 3. And there is the grave and death
itself, for death is the last enemy that is to be destroyed. "So when this
corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on
immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is
swallowed up in victory" (1 Cor 15:54). So then, when this comes to pass, then
we shall be saved; then will salvation, in all the parts of it, meet together in
our glory; then we shall be every way saved—saved in God's decree, saved in
Christ's undertakings, saved by faith, saved in perseverance, saved in soul, and
in body and soul together in the heavens, saved perfectly, everlastingly,
gloriously.
[Of the state of our body and soul in heaven.]
Before I conclude my answer to the first question, I would discourse a little of
the state of our body and soul in heaven, when we shall enjoy this blessed state
of salvation.
First. Of the soul; it will then be filled in all the faculties of it with as
much bliss and glory as ever it can hold.
1. The understanding shall then be perfect in knowledge—"Now we know but in
part;" we know God, Christ, heaven, and glory, but in part; "but when that which
is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away" (1 Cor
13:10). Then shall we have perfect and everlasting visions of God, and that
blessed one his Son Jesus Christ, a good thought of whom doth sometimes so fill
us while in this world, that it causeth "joy unspeakable and full of glory." 2.
Then shall our will and affections be ever in a burning flame of love to God and
his Son Jesus Christ; our love here hath ups and downs, but there it shall be
always perfect with that perfection which is not possible in this world to be
enjoyed. 3. Then will our conscience have that peace and joy that neither tongue
nor pen of men or angels can express. 4. Then will our memory be so enlarged to
retain all things that happened to us in this world, so that with unspeakable
aptness we shall call to mind all God's providences, all Satan's malice, all our
own weaknesses, all the rage of men, and how God made all work together for his
glory and our good, to the everlasting ravishing of our hearts.
Second. For our body; it shall be raised in power, in incorruption, a spiritual
body and glorious (1 Cor 15:44). The glory of which is set forth by several
things—1. It is compared to "the brightness of the firmament," and to the
shining of the stars "for ever and ever" (Dan 12:3; 1 Cor 15:41,42). 2. It is
compared to the shining of the sun— "Then shall the righteous shine forth as the
sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear" (Matt
13:43). 3. Their state is then to be equally glorious with angels; "But they
which shall be counted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from
the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage; neither can they die any
more, for they are equal unto the angels" (Luke 20:35,36). 4. It is said that
then this our vile body shall be like the glorious body of Jesus Christ (Phil
3:20,21; 1 John 3:2,3). 5. And now, when body and soul are thus united, who can
imagine what glory they both possess? They will now be both in capacity, without
jarring, to serve the Lord with shouting thanksgivings, and with a crown of
everlasting joy upon their head. [8]
In this world there cannot be that harmony and oneness of body and soul as there
will be in heaven. Here the body sometimes sins against the soul, and the soul
again vexes and perplexes the body with dreadful apprehensions of the wrath and
judgment of God. While we be in this world, the body oft hangs this way, and the
soul the quite contrary; but there, in heaven, they shall have that perfect
union as never to jar more; but now the glory of the body shall so suit with the
glory of the soul, and both so perfectly suit with the heavenly state, that it
passeth words and thoughts.
Third. Shall I now speak of the place that this saved body and soul shall dwell
in?
Why, 1. It is a city (Heb 11:16; Eph 2:19,22). 2. It is called heaven (Heb
10:34). 3. It is called God's house (John 14:1-3). 4. It is called a kingdom
(Luke 12:32). 5. It is called glory (Col 3:4; Heb 2:10). 6. It is called
paradise (Rev 2:7). 7. It is called everlasting habitations (Luke 16:9).
Fourth. Shall I speak of their company?
Why, 1. They shall stand and live in the presence of the glorious God, the Judge
of all (Heb 12:23). 2. They shall be with the Lamb, the Lord Jesus. 3. They
shall be with an innumerable company of holy angels (Heb 12:22). 4. They shall
be with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of
heaven (Luke 13:28).
Fifth. Shall I speak of their heavenly raiment?
1. It is salvation; they shall be clothed with the garment of salvation (Psa
132:16; 149:4; Isa 61:10). 2. This raiment is called white raiment, signifying
their clean and innocent state in heaven. "And they," says Christ, "shall walk
with me in white, for they are worthy" (Rev 3:4; 19:8; Isa 57:2). 3. It is
called glory—"When he shall appear, we shall appear with him in glory" (Col
3:4). 4. They shall also have crowns of righteousness, everlasting joy and glory
(Isa 35:10; 2 Tim 4:8; 1 Peter 5:4).
Sixth. Shall I speak of their continuance in this condition?
1. It is for ever and ever. "And they shall see his face, and his name shall be
in their foreheads; and they shall reign for ever and ever" (Rev 22:4,5). 2. It
is everlasting. "And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which
seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life" (John 6:40,47).
3. It is life eternal. "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow
me; and I give unto them eternal life" (John 10:27,28). 4. It is world without
end. "But Israel shall be saved in the Lord with an everlasting salvation; ye
shall not be ashamed nor confounded world without end" (Isa 45:17; Eph 3:20,21).
O sinner! what sayest thou? How dost thou like being saved? Doth not thy mouth
water? Doth not thy heart twitter at being saved? Why, come then: "The Spirit
and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is
athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely" (Rev
22:17).
QUEST. II.—WHAT IS IT TO BE SAVED BY GRACE?
Now I come to the second question—to wit, What is it to be saved by grace? For
so are the words of the text, "By grace ye are saved." But,
First. I must touch a little upon the word GRACE, and show you how diversely it
is taken. Sometimes it is taken for the goodwill and favour of men (Esth 2:17:
Ruth 2:2: 1 Sam 1:18: 2 Sam 16:4). Sometimes it is taken for those sweet
ornaments that a life according to the Word of God putteth about the neck [9]
(Prov 1:9; 3:22). Sometimes it is taken for the charity of the saints, as 2
Corinthians 9:6-8.
But "grace" in the text is taken for God's goodwill, "the goodwill of him that
dwelt in the bush;" and is expressed variously. Sometimes it is called "his good
pleasure." Sometimes, "the good pleasure of his will," which is all one with
"the riches of his grace" (Eph 1:7). Sometimes it is expressed by goodness,
pity, love, mercy, kindness, and the like (Rom 2:4; Isa 63:9; Titus 3:4,5). Yea,
he styles himself, "The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious,
long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands,
forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear
the guilty" (Exo 34:6,7).
Second. As the word "grace" signifieth all these, so it intimates to us that all
these are free acts of God, free love, free mercy, free kindness; hence we have
other hints in the Word about the nature of grace, as, 1. It is an act of God's
will, which must needs be free; an act of his own will, of the good pleasure of
his will; by each of these expressions is intimated that grace is a free act of
God's goodness towards the sons of men. 2. Therefore it is expressly said—"Being
justified freely by his grace" (Rom 3:24). 3. "And when they had nothing to pay,
he frankly forgave them both" (Luke 7:42). 4. And again, "Not for your sakes do
I this, saith the Lord God, be it known unto you" (Eze 36:32; Deu 9:5). 5. And
therefore "grace," and the deservings of the creature, are set in flat
opposition one to another—"And if by grace, then is it no more of works;
otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more
grace; otherwise work is no more work" (Rom 11:6).
The word "grace," therefore, being understood, doth most properly set forth the
true cause of man's happiness with God, not but that those expressions, love,
mercy, goodness, pity, kindness, &c., and the like, have their proper place in
our happiness also. Had not God loved us, grace had not acted freely in our
salvation; had not God been merciful, good, pitiful, kind, he would have turned
away from us when he saw us in our blood (Eze 16).
So then, when he saith, "By grace ye are saved," it is all one as if he had
said, By the goodwill, free mercy, and loving-kindness of God ye are saved; as
the words conjoined with the text do also further manifest: "But God," saith
Paul, "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]."
[Third.] The words thus understood admit us these few conclusions— 1. That God,
in saving of the sinner, hath no respect to the sinner's goodness; hence it is
said he is frankly forgiven, and freely justified (Luke 7:42; Rom 3:24). 2. That
God doth this to whom and when he pleases, because it is an act of his own good
pleasure (Gal 1:15,16). 3. This is the cause why great sinners are saved, for
God pardoneth "according to the riches of his grace" (Eph 1:7). 4. This is the
true cause that some sinners are so amazed and confounded at the apprehension of
their own salvation; his grace is unsearchable; and by unsearchable grace God
oft puzzles and confounds our reason (Eze 16:62,63; Acts 9:6). 5. This is the
cause that sinners are so often recovered from their backslidings, healed of
their wounds that they get by their falls, and helped again to rejoice in God's
mercy. Why, he will be gracious to whom he will be gracious, and he will have
compassion on whom he will have compassion (Rom 9:15).
[Fourth.] But I must not here conclude this point. We are here discoursing of
the grace of God, and that by it we are saved; saved, I say, by the grace of
God.
Now, God is set forth in the Word unto us under a double consideration—1. He is
set forth in his own eternal power and Godhead; and as thus set forth, we are to
conceive of him by his attributes of power, justice, goodness, holiness,
everlastingness, &c. 2. But then, we have him set forth in the Word of truth as
consisting of Father, Son, and Spirit; and although this second consideration
containeth in it the nature of the Godhead, yet the first doth not demonstrate
the persons in the Godhead. We are saved by the grace of God—that is, by the
grace of the Father, who is God; by the grace of the Son, who is God; and by the
grace of the Spirit, who is God.
Now, since we are said to be 'saved by grace," and that the grace of God; and
since also we find in the Word that in the Godhead there are Father, Son, and
Holy Ghost, we must conclude that it is by the grace of the Father, Son, and
Spirit that we are saved; wherefore grace is attributed to the Father, Son, and
Holy Ghost distinctly. 1. Grace is attributed to the Father, as these scriptures
testify; Romans 7:25, 1 Corinthians 1:3, 2 Corinthians 1:2, Galatians 1:3,
Ephesians 1:2, Philippians 1:2, Colossians 1:2, 1 Thessalonians 1:1, 2
Thessalonians 1:2, 1 Timothy 1:2, 2 Timothy 1:2, Titus 1:4, Philemon 3. 2. Grace
is also attributed to the Son, and I first manifest it by all those texts
above-mentioned, as also by these that follow: 2 Corinthians 8:9, 13:14,
Galatians 6:18, Philippians 4:23, 1 Thessalonians 5:28, 2 Thessalonians 3:18,
Philemon 25, Revelation 22:21. 3. It is also attributed to the Holy Ghost. Now,
he is here called the Spirit of grace, because he is the author of grace as the
Father, and the Son (Zech 12:10; Heb 10:29).
So then, it remaineth that I show you, FIRST, How we are saved by the grace of
the Father. SECOND, How we are saved by the grace of the Son. And, THIRD, How we
are saved by the grace of the Spirit.
Of the Father's grace.
FIRST. How we are saved by the grace of the Father. Now this will I open unto
you thus—
1. The Father by his grace hath bound up them that shall go to heaven in an
eternal decree of election; and here, indeed, as was showed at first, is the
beginning of our salvation (2 Tim 1:9). And election is reckoned not the Son's
act, but the Father's—"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ,
according as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world" (Eph
1:3,4). Now this election is counted an act of grace—"So then, at this present
time also, there is a remnant according to the election of grace" (Rom 11:5).
2. The Father's grace ordaineth and giveth the Son to undertake for us our
redemption. The Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world—"In whom we
have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the
riches of his grace; that in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches
of his grace, in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus" (Eph 1:7; 2:7; 1
John 4:14; John 3:16; 6:32,33; 12:49).
3. The Father's grace giveth us to Christ to be justified by his righteousness,
washed in his blood, and saved by his life. This Christ mentioneth, and tells us
it is his Father's will that they should be safe- coming at the last day, and
that he had kept them all the days of his life, and they shall never perish
(John 6:37-39; 17:2,12).
4. The Father's grace giveth the kingdom of heaven to those that he hath given
to Jesus Christ—"Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure
to give you the kingdom" (Luke 12:32).
5. The Father's grace provideth and layeth up in Christ, for those that he hath
chosen, a sufficiency of all spiritual blessings, to be communicated to them at
their need, for their preservation in the faith, and faithful perseverance
through this life; "not according to our works, but according to his own purpose
and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began" (2 Tim
1:9; Eph 1:3,4).
6. The Father's grace saveth us by the blessed and effectual call that he giveth
us to the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ (1 Col 1:9; Gal 1:15).
7. The Father's grace saveth us by multiplying pardons to us, for Christ's sake,
day by day—"In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of
sins, according to the riches of his grace" (Eph 1:7).
8. The Father's grace saves us by exercising patience and forbearance towards us
all the time of our unregeneracy (Rom 3:24).
9. The Father's grace saveth us by holding of us fast in his hand, and by
keeping of us from all the power of the enemy—"My Father," said Christ, "that
gave them me, is greater than all, and no man is able to pluck them out of my
Father's hand" (John 10:29).
10. What shall I say? The Father's grace saveth us by accepting of our persons
and services, by lifting up the light of his countenance upon us, by manifesting
of his love unto us, and by sending of his angels to fetch us to himself, when
we have finished our pilgrimage in this world.
Of the grace of the Son.
SECOND. I come now to speak of the grace of the Son; for as the Father putteth
forth his grace in the saving of the sinner, so doth the Son put forth his—"For
ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for
your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich" (2 Cor
8:9).
Here you see also that the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ is brought in as a
partner with the grace of his Father in the salvation of our souls. Now this is
the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ; he was rich, but for our sakes he became
poor, that we through his poverty might be made rich.
To inquire, then, into this grace, this condescending grace of Christ, and that
by searching out how rich Jesus Christ was, and then how poor he made himself,
that we through his poverty might have the riches of salvation.
First. How rich was Jesus Christ? To which I answer—1. Generally; 2.
Particularly.
1. Generally. He was rich as the Father—"All things that the Father hath," saith
he, "are mine." Jesus Christ is the Lord of all, God over all, blessed for ever.
"He thought it not robbery to be equal with God," being naturally and eternally
God, as the Father, but of his Godhead he could not strip himself (John 10:30;
16:15; Acts 10:36; Phil 2:6; Rom 9:4,5).
2. Particularly. Jesus Christ had glory with the Father; yea, a manifold glory
with him, which he stripped himself of.
(1.) He had the glory of dominion, he was Lord of all the creatures; they were
under him upon a double account—(a) as he was their Creator (Col 1:16); (b) as
he was made the heir of God (Heb 1:2).
(2.) Therefore the glory of worship, reverence, and fear from all creatures, was
due unto him; the worship, obedience, subjection, and service of angels were due
unto him; the fear, honour, and glory of kings, and princes, and judges of the
earth were due unto him; the obedience of the sun, moon, stars, clouds, and all
vapours, were due unto him; all dragons, deeps, fire, hail, snow, mountains and
hills, beasts, cattle, creeping things, and flying fowls, the service of them
all, and their worship, were due unto him (Psa 148).
(3.) The glory of the heavens themselves was due unto him; in a word, heaven and
earth were his.
(4.) But above all, the glory of communion with his Father was his; I say, the
glory of that unspeakable communion that he had with the Father before his
incarnation, which alone was worth ten thousand worlds, that was ever his.
(5.) But again; as Jesus Christ was possessed with this, so, besides, he was
Lord of life; this glory also was Jesus Christ's: "In him was life," therefore
he is called the Prince of it; because it was in him originally as in the Father
(Acts 3:15). He gave to all life and breath, and all things; angels, men,
beasts, they had all their life from him.
(6.) Again, as he was Lord of glory, and Prince of life, so he was also Prince
of peace, (Isa 9:6); and by him was maintained that harmony and goodly order
which were among things in heaven and things on earth.
Take things briefly in these few particulars—(a.) The heavens were his, and he
made them. (b.) Angels were his, and he made them. (c.) The earth was his, and
he made it. (d.) Man was his, and he made him.
[Second. How poor he made himself.] Now this heaven he forsook for our sakes—"He
came into the world to save sinners" (1 Tim 1:15).
[1.] He was made lower than the angels, for the suffering of death (Heb 2:9).
When he was born, he made himself, as he saith, a worm, or one of no reputation;
he became the reproach and byword of the people; he was born in a stable, laid
in a manger, earned his bread with his labour, being by trade a carpenter (Psa
22:6; Phil 2:7; Luke 2:7; Mark 6:3). When he betook himself to his ministry, he
lived upon the charity of the people; when other men went to their own houses,
Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. Hark what himself saith for the clearing of
this—"Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of man hath
not where to lay his head." He denied himself of this world's good (Luke 8:2,3;
9:58; John 7:35; 8:1).
[2.] Again, as he was Prince of life, so he for our sakes laid down that also;
for so stood the matter, that he or we must die; but the grace that was in his
heart wrought with him to lay down his life: "He gave his life a ransom for
many." He laid down his life that we might have life; he gave his flesh and
blood for the life of the world; he laid down his life for his sheep.
[3.] Again; he was Prince of peace, but he forsook his peace also. (1.) He laid
aside peace with the world, and chose upon that account to be a man of sorrows
and acquainted with grief, and therefore was persecuted from his cradle to his
cross, by kings, rulers, &c. (2.) He laid aside his peace with his Father, and
made himself the object of his Father's curse, insomuch that the Lord smote,
struck, and afflicted him; and, in conclusion, hid his face from him (as he
expressed, with great crying) at the hour of his death.
[Object.] But perhaps some may say, What need was there that Jesus Christ should
do all this? Could not the grace of the Father save us without this
condescension of the Son?
Answ. As there is grace, so there is justice in God; and man having sinned, God
concluded to save him in a way of righteousness; therefore it was absolutely
necessary that Jesus Christ should put himself into our very condition, sin only
excepted. 1. Now by sin we had lost the glory of God, therefore Jesus Christ
lays aside the glory that he had with the Father (Rom 3:23; John 17:5). 2. Man
by sin had shut himself out of an earthly paradise, and Jesus Christ will leave
his heavenly paradise to save him (Gen 3:24; 1 Tim 1:15; John 6:38,39). 3. Man
by sin had made himself lighter than vanity, and this Lord God, Jesus Christ,
made himself lower than the angels to redeem him (Isa 40:17; Heb 2:7). 4. Man by
sin lost his right to the creatures, and Jesus Christ will deny himself of a
whole world to save him (Luke 9:58). 5. Man by sin had made himself subject to
death; but Jesus Christ will lose his life to save him (Rom 6:23). 6. Man by sin
had procured to himself the curse of God; but Jesus Christ will bear that curse
in his own body to save him (Gal 3:13). 7. Man by sin had lost peace with God;
but this would Jesus Christ lose also, to the end man might be saved. 8. Man
should have been mocked of God, therefore Christ was mocked of men. 9. Man
should have been scourged in hell; but, to hinder that, Jesus was scourged on
earth. 10. Man should have been crowned with ignominy and shame; but, to prevent
that, Jesus was crowned with thorns. 11. Man should have been pierced with the
spear of God's wrath; but, to prevent that, Jesus was pierced both by God and
men. 12. Man should have been rejected of God and angels; but, to prevent that,
Jesus was forsaken of God, and denied, hated, and rejected of men (Isa 48:22;
Prov 1:24-26; Matt 27:26,39,46; Psa 9:17; 11:6; 22:7; Dan 12:2; John 19:2-5,37;
Num 24:8; Zech 12:10; Luke 9:22).
I might thus enlarge, and that by authority from this text—"He became poor, that
ye through his poverty might be rich." All the riches he stripped himself of, it
was for our sakes; all the sorrows he underwent, it was for our sakes; to the
least circumstance of the sufferings of Christ there was necessity that so it
should be, all was for our sakes: "For our sakes he became poor, that ye through
his poverty might be rich."
And you see the argument that prevailed with Christ to do this great service for
man, the grace that was in his heart; as also the prophet saith, "In his love
and in his pity he redeemed them." According to this in the Corinthians, "Ye
know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ"; both which agree with the text, "By
grace ye are saved."
I say, this was the grace of the Son, and the exercise thereof. The Father
therefore shows his grace one way, and the Son his another. It was not the
Father, but the Son, that left his heaven for sinners; it was not the Father,
but the Son, that spilt his blood for sinners. The Father indeed gave the Son,
and blessed be the Father for that; and the Son gave his life and blood for us,
and blessed be the Son for that.
But methinks we should not yet have done with this grace of the Son. Thou Son of
the Blessed, what grace was manifest in thy condescension! Grace brought thee
down from heaven, grace stripped thee of thy glory, grace made thee poor and
despicable, grace made thee bear such burdens of sin, such burdens of sorrow,
such burdens of God's curse as are unspeakable. O Son of God! grace was in all
thy tears, grace came bubbling out of thy side with thy blood, grace came forth
with every word of thy sweet mouth (Psa 45:2; Luke 4:22). Grace came out where
the whip smote thee, where the thorns pricked thee, where the nails and spear
pierced thee. O blessed Son of God! Here is grace indeed! Unsearchable riches of
grace! Unthought-of riches of grace! Grace to make angels wonder, grace to make
sinners happy, grace to astonish devils. And what will become of them that
trample under foot this Son of God?
Of the grace of the Spirit. THIRD. I come now to speak of the grace of the
Spirit; for he also saveth us by his grace. The Spirit, I told you, is God, as
the Father and the Son, and is therefore also the author of grace; yea, and it
is absolutely necessary that he put forth his grace also, or else no flesh can
be saved. The Spirit of God hath his hand in saving of us many ways; for they
that go to heaven, as they must be beholding to the Father and the Son, so also
to the Spirit of God. The Father chooseth us, giveth us to Christ, and heaven to
us, and the like. The Son fulfills the law for us, takes the curse of the law
from us, bears in his own body our sorrows, and sets us justified in the sight
of God. The Father's grace is showed in heaven and earth; the Son's grace is
showed on the earth, and on the cross; and the Spirit's grace must be showed in
our souls and bodies, before we come to heaven.
Quest. But some may say, Wherein doth the saving grace of the Spirit appear?
Answ. In many things.
In taking possession of us for his own, in his making of us his house and
habitation, so that though the Father and the Son have both gloriously put forth
gracious acts in order to our salvation, yet the Spirit is the first that makes
seizure of us (1 Cor 3:16; 6:19; Eph 2:21,22). Christ, therefore, when he went
away, said not that he would send the Father, but the Spirit, and that he should
be in us for ever— "If I depart," said Christ, "I will send him, the Spirit of
truth, the Comforter" (John 14:16; 16:7,13).
The Holy Spirit coming into us, and dwelling in us, worketh out many salvations
for us now, and each of them in order also to our being saved for ever.
1. He saveth us from our darkness by illuminating of us; hence he is called "the
Spirit of revelation," because he openeth the blind eyes, and so consequently
delivereth us from that darkness which else would drown us in the deeps of hell
(Eph 1:17,19).
2. He it is that convinceth us of the evil of our unbelief, and that shows us
the necessity of our believing in Christ; without the conviction of this we
should perish (John 16:9).
3. This is that finger of God by which the devil is made to give place unto
grace, by whose power else we should be carried headlong to hell (Luke
11:20-22).
4. This is he that worketh faith in our hearts, without which neither the grace
of the Father nor the grace of the Son can save us, "For he that believeth not,
shall be damned" (Mark 16:16; Rom 15:13).
5. This is he by whom we are born again; and he that is not so born can neither
see nor inherit the kingdom of heaven (John 3:3-7).
6. This is he that setteth up his kingdom in the heart, and by that means
keepeth out the devil after he is cast out, which kingdom of the Spirit, whoever
wanteth, they lie liable to a worse possession of the devil than ever (Matt
12:43-45; Luke 11:24,25).
7. By this Spirit we come to see the beauty of Christ, without a sight of which
we should never desire him, but should certainly live in the neglect of him, and
perish (John 16:14; 1 Cor 2:9-13; Isa 53:1,2).
8. By this Spirit we are helped to praise God acceptably, but without it, it is
impossible to be heard unto salvation (Rom 8:26; Eph 6:18; 1 Cor 14:15).
9. By this blessed Spirit the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts, and our
hearts are directed into the love of God (Rom 5:5; 2 Thess 2:13).
10. By this blessed Spirit we are led from the ways of the flesh into the ways
of life, and by it our mortal body, as well as our immortal soul, is quickened
in the service of God (Gal 5:18,25; Rom 8:11).
11. By this good Spirit we keep that good thing, even the seed of God, that at
the first by the Word of God was infused into us, and without which we are
liable to the worst damnation (1 John 3:9; 1 Peter 1:23; 2 Tim 1:14).
12. By this good Spirit we have help and light against all the wisdom and
cunning of the world, which putteth forth itself in its most cursed
sophistications to overthrow the simplicity that is in Christ (Matt 10:19,20;
Mark 13:11; Luke 12:11,12).
13. By this good Spirit our graces are maintained in life and vigour, as faith,
hope, love, a spirit of prayer, and every grace (2 Cor 4:13; Rom 15:13; 2 Tim
1:7; Eph 6:18; Titus 3:5).
14. By this good Spirit we are sealed to the day of redemption (Eph 1:14).
15. And by this good Spirit we are made to wait with patience until the
redemption of the purchased possession comes (Gal 5:5).
Now all these things are so necessary to our salvation, that I know not which of
them can be wanting; neither can any of them be by any means attained but by
this blessed Spirit.
And thus have I in few words showed you the grace of the Spirit, and how it
putteth forth itself towards the saving of the soul. And verily, Sirs, it is
necessary that you know these things distinctly—to wit, the grace of the Father,
the grace of the Son, and the grace of the Holy Ghost; for it is not the grace
of one, but of all these three, that saveth him that shall be saved indeed.
The Father's grace saveth no man without the grace of the Son; neither doth the
Father and the Son save any without the grace of the Spirit; for as the Father
loves, the Son must die, and the Spirit must sanctify, or no soul must be saved.
Some think that the love of the Father, without the blood of the Son, will save
them, but they are deceived; for "without shedding of blood is no remission"
(Heb 9:22).
Some think that the love of the Father and blood of the Son will do, without the
holiness of the Spirit of God; but they are deceived also; for "if any man have
not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his"; and again, "without holiness no
man shall see the Lord" (Rom 8:9; Heb 12:14).
There is a third sort, that think the holiness of the Spirit is sufficient of
itself; but they (if they had it) are deceived also; for it must be the grace of
the Father, the grace of the Son, and the grace of the Spirit, jointly, that
must save them.
But yet, as these three do put forth grace jointly and truly in the salvation of
a sinner, so they put it forth, as I also have showed you before, after a
diverse manner. The Father designs us for heaven, the Son redeems from sin and
death, and the Spirit makes us meet for heaven; not by electing, that is the
work of the Father; not by dying, that is the work of the Son; but by his
revealing Christ, and applying Christ to our souls, by shedding the love of God
abroad in our hearts, by sanctifying of our souls, and taking possession of us
as an earnest of our possession of heaven.
QUEST. III.—WHO ARE THEY THAT ARE TO BE SAVED BY GRACE?
I come now to the third particular—namely, to show you who they are that are to
be saved by grace.
[Who are not saved.]
First. Not the self-righteous, not they that have no need of the physician. "The
whole have no need of the physician," saith Christ. "I came not to call the
righteous, but sinners to repentance" (Mark 2:17). And again, "He hath filled
the hungry with good things, and the rich he hath sent empty away" (Luke 1:53).
Now when I say not the self- righteous nor the rich, I mean not that they are
utterly excluded; for Paul was such an one; but he saveth not such without he
first awaken them to see they have need to be saved by grace.
Second. The grace of God saveth not him that hath sinned the unpardonable sin.
There is nothing left for him "but a certain fearful looking for of judgment, -
which shall devour the adversaries" (Heb 10:26,27).
Third. That sinner that persevereth in final impenitency and unbelief shall be
damned (Luke 13:3,5; Rom 2:2-5; Mark 16:15,16).
Fourth. That sinner whose mind the god of this world hath blinded, that the
glorious light of the gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, can never shine
into him, is lost, and must be damned (2 Cor 4:3,4).
Fifth. The sinner that maketh religion his cloak for wickedness, he is a
hypocrite, and, continuing so, must certainly be damned (Psa 125:5; Isa 33:14;
Matt 24:50,51).
Sixth. In a word, every sinner that persevereth in his wickedness, shall not
inherit the kingdom of heaven—"Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not
inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters,
nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor
thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall
inherit the kingdom of God." "Let no man deceive you with vain words; for
because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of
disobedience" (1 Cor 6:9-12; Eph 5:5,6).
[Who are saved.] Question. But what kind of sinners shall then be saved?
Answ. Those of all these kinds that the Spirit of God shall bring [to] the
Father by Jesus Christ; these, I say, and none but these, can be saved, because
else the sinners might be saved without the Father, or without the Son, or
without the Spirit.
Now, in all that I have said, I have not in the least suggested that any sinner
is rejected because his sins, in the nature of them, are great; Christ Jesus
came into the world to save the chief of sinners. It is not, therefore, the
greatness of, but the continuance in, sins that indeed damneth the sinner. But I
always exclude him that hath sinned against the Holy Ghost. That it is not the
greatness of sin that excludeth the sinner is evident—
1. From the words before the text, which doth give an account of what kind of
sinners were here saved by grace, as namely, they that were dead in trespasses
and sins, those that walked in these sins, "according to the course of this
world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now
worketh in the children of disobedience: among whom also we all had our
conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of
the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as
others" (Eph 2:2,3).
2. It is evident also from the many sinners that we find to be saved, by the
revealed will of God. For in the Word we have mention made of the salvation of
great sinners, where their names and their sins stand recorded for our
encouragement; as, (1.) You read of Manasseh, who was an idolater, a witch, a
persecutor, yea, a rebel against the word of God, sent unto him by the prophets;
and yet this man was saved (2 Chron 33:2-13; 2 Kings 21:16). (2.) You read of
Mary Magdalene, in whom were seven devils; her condition was dreadful, yet she
was saved (Luke 8:2; John 20). (3.) You read of the man that had a legion of
devils in him. O how dreadful was his condition! and yet by grace he was saved
(Mark 5:1-10). (4.) You read of them that murdered the Lord Jesus, and how they
were converted and saved (Acts 2:23). (5.) You read of the exorcists, how they
closed with Christ, and were saved by grace (Acts 19:13). (6.) You read of Saul
the persecutor, and how he was saved by grace (Acts 9:15).
Object. But, thou sayest, I am a backslider.
Answ. So was Noah, and yet he found grace in the eyes of the Lord (Gen 9:21,22).
So was Lot, and yet God saved him by grace (Gen 19:35; 2 Peter 2:7-9). So was
David, yet by grace he was forgiven his iniquities (2 Sam 12:7-13). So was
Solomon, and a great one too; yet by grace his soul was saved (Psa 89:28-34). So
was Peter, and that a dreadful one; yet by grace he was saved (Matt 26:69-74;
Mark 16:7; Acts 15:7-11). Besides, for further encouragement, read Jeremiah 3,
33:25,26, 51:5, Ezekiel 36:25, Hosea 14:1-4; and stay thyself, and wonder at the
riches of the grace of God.
Quest. But how should we find out what sinners shall be saved? All, it seems,
shall not. Besides, for aught can be gathered by what you have said, there is as
bad saved as damned, set him that hath sinned the unpardonable sin aside.
Answ. True, there are as bad saved as damned; but to this question: They that
are effectually called, are saved. They that believe on the Son of God shall be
saved. They that are sanctified and preserved in Christ shall be saved. They
that take up their cross daily, and follow Christ, shall be saved.
Take a catalogue of them thus: "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt
be saved" (Mark 16:16; Acts 16:31). "If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the
Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the
dead thou shalt be saved" (Rom 10:9). Be justified by the blood of Christ, and
thou shalt be saved (Rom 5:9). Be reconciled to God by the death of his Son, and
thou shalt be saved by his life (Rom 5:10). "And it shall come to pass, that
whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Acts 2:21).
See some other scriptures. "He shall save the humble person" (Job 22:29). "Thou
wilt save the afflicted people" (Psa 18:27). "He shall save the children of the
needy" (Psa 72:4). "He shall save the souls of the needy" (Psa 72:13). "O thou,
my God, save thy servant that trusteth in thee" (Psa 86:2). "He will fulfill the
desire of them that fear him, he also will hear their cry, and will save them"
(Psa 145:19).
[Caution.] But, sinner, if thou wouldst indeed be saved, beware of these four
things—
1. Beware of delaying repentance; delays are dangerous and damnable; they are
dangerous, because they harden the heart; they are damnable, because their
tendency is to make thee outstand the time of grace (Psa 95:7; Heb 3-12).
2. Beware of resting in the word of the kingdom, without the spirit and power of
the kingdom of the gospel; for the gospel coming in word only saves nobody, for
the kingdom of God or the gospel, where it comes to salvation, is not in word
but in power (1 Thess 1:4-6; 1 Cor 4:19).
3. Take heed of living in a profession, a life that is provoking to God; for
that is the way to make him cast thee away in his anger.
4. Take heed that thy inside and outside be alike;, and both conformable to the
Word of his grace; labour to be like the living creatures which thou mayest read
of in the book of the prophet Ezekiel, whose appearance and themselves were one
[10] (Eze 10:22).
In all this, I have advertised you not to be content without the power and
Spirit of God in your hearts, for without him you partake of none of the grace
of the Father or Son, but will certainly miss of the salvation of the soul.
QUEST. IV.—HOW IT APPEARS THAT THEY THAT ARE SAVED, ARE SAVED BY GRACE?
This fourth question requireth that some demonstration be given of the truth of
this doctrine—to wit, that they that are saved are saved by grace.
What hath been said before hath given some demonstration of the truth;
wherefore, first repeating in few words the sum of what hath been said already,
I shall come to further proof. 1. That this is true, the Scriptures testify,
because God chose them to salvation before they had done good (Rom 9:11). 2.
Christ was ordained to be their Saviour before the foundation of the world (Eph
1:4; 1 Peter 1:19-21). 3. All things that concur and go to our salvation were
also in the same laid up in Christ, to be communicated in the dispensation of
the fullness of times, to them that shall be saved (Eph 1:3,4; 2 Tim 1:9; Eph
1:10; 3:8-11; Rom 8:30).
[That salvation is by grace appears in its contrivance.] Again, as their
salvation was contrived by God, so, as was said, this salvation was undertaken
by one of the three; to wit, the Son of the Father (John 1:29; Isa 48:16).
Had there been a contrivance in heaven about the salvation of sinners on earth,
yet if the result of that contrivance had been that we should be saved by our
own good deeds, it would not have been proper for an apostle, or an angel, to
say, "By grace ye are saved." But now, when a council is held in eternity about
the salvation of sinners in time, and when the result of that council shall be,
that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost will themselves accomplish the work
of this salvation, this is grace, this is naturally grace, grace that is rich
and free; yea, this is unthought-of grace. I will say it again, this is
unthought-of grace; for who could have thought that a Saviour had been in the
bosom of the Father, or that the Father would have given him to be the Saviour
of men, since he refused to give him to be the Saviour of angels? (Heb 2:16,17).
[Grace appears in the Son's undertaking this work.] Again; could it have been
thought that the Father would have sent his Son to be the Saviour, we should, in
reason, have thought also that he would never have taken the work wholly upon
himself, especially that fearful, dreadful, soul-astonishing, and amazing part
thereof! Who could once have imagined that the Lord Jesus would have made
himself so poor as to stand before God in the nauseous rags of our sins, and
subject himself to the curse and death that were due to our sin? but thus he did
to save us by grace.
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us
with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: according as he hath
chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and
without blame before him in love: having predestinated us unto the adoption of
children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
to the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the
Beloved; in whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins,
according to the riches of his grace" (Eph 1:3-7).
[Grace appears in the terms and conditions on which salvation is made over.]
Again; if we consider the terms and conditions upon which this salvation is made
over to them that are saved, it will further appear we are saved by grace.
1. The things that immediately concern our justification and salvation, they are
offered, yea, given to us freely, and we are commanded to receive them by faith.
Sinner, hold up thy lap. God so loved the world, that he giveth his Son, that he
giveth his righteousness, that he giveth his Spirit, and the kingdom of heaven
(John 3:16; Rom 5:17; 2 Cor 1:21,22; Luke 12:32).
2. He also giveth repentance, he giveth faith, and giveth everlasting
consolation, and good hope through grace (Acts 5:30,31; Phil 1:29; 2 Thess
2:16).
3. He giveth pardon, and giveth more grace, to keep us from sinking into hell,
than we have sin to sink us in thither (Acts 5:31; Prov 3:34; John 4:6; 1 Peter
5:5).
4. He hath made all these things over to us in a covenant of grace. We call it a
covenant of grace, because it is set in opposition to the covenant of works, and
because it is established to us in the doings of Christ, founded in his blood,
established upon the best promises made to him, and to us by him. "For all the
promises of God in him are yea, and in him amen, to the glory of God by us" (2
Cor 1:20).
But to pass these, and to come to some other demonstrations for the clearing of
this—
Let us a little consider,
What man is, upon whom the Father, the Son, and the Spirit bestows this grace.
1. [An enemy to God.] By nature he is an enemy to God, an enemy in his mind.
"The carnal mind is enmity against God, for it is not subject to the law of God,
neither indeed can be" (Rom 8:7; Col 1:21).
2. [A slave to sin.] So that the state of man was this—he was not only over
persuaded on a sudden to sin against God, but he drank this sin, like water,
into his very nature, mingled it with every faculty of his soul and member of
his body; by the means of which he became alienated from God, and an enemy to
him in his very heart; and wilt thou, O Lord, as the Scripture hath it, "And
dost thou open thine eyes upon such an one?" (Job 14:3). Yea, open thy heart,
and take this man, not into judgment, but into mercy with thee?
3. [In covenant with death and hell.] Further, man by his sin had not only given
himself to be a captive slave to the devil, but, continuing in his sin, he made
head against his God, struck up a covenant with death, and made an agreement
with hell; but for God to open his eyes upon such an one, and to take hold of
him by riches of grace, this is amazing (Isa 28:16-18).
See where God found the Jew when he came to look upon him to save him—"As for
thy nativity," says God, "in the day thou wast born thy navel was not cut,
neither wast thou washed in water to supple thee; thou wast not salted at all,
nor swaddled at all. None eye pitied thee, to do any of these unto thee, to have
compassion upon thee; but thou wast cast out in the open field, to the loathing
of thy person, in the day that thou wast born. And when I passed by thee, and
saw thee polluted in thine own blood, I said unto thee, when thou wast in thy
blood, Live; yea, I said unto thee, when thou wast in thy blood, Live. - Now
when I passed by thee, and looked upon thee, behold, thy time was the time of
love; and I spread my skirt over thee, and covered thy nakedness; yea, I sware
unto thee, and entered into a covenant with thee, saith the Lord God, and thou
becamest mine." Sinner, see further into the chapter, Ezekiel 16. All this is
the grace of God; every word in this text smells of grace.
But before I pass this, let us a little take notice of
The carriage of God to man, and again of man to God, in his conversion.
FIRST. OF GOD'S CARRIAGE TO MAN. He comes to him while he is in his sins, in his
blood; he comes to him now, not in the heat and fire of his jealousy, but "in
the cool of the day," in unspeakable gentleness, mercy, pity, and bowels of
love; not in clothing himself with vengeance, but in a way of entreaty, and
meekly beseecheth the sinner to be reconciled unto him (2 Cor 5:19,20).
It is expected among men that he which giveth the offence should be the first in
seeking peace; but, sinner, betwixt God and man it is not so; not that we loved
God, not that we chose God; but "God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto
himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them." God is the first that seeketh
peace; and, as I said, in a way of entreaty he bids his ministers pray you in
Christ's stead; "as though God did beseech you by us, we pray you, in Christ's
stead, be ye reconciled to God." O sinner, wilt thou not open? Behold, God the
Father and his Son Jesus Christ stand both at the door of thy heart, beseeching
there for favour from thee, that thou wilt be reconciled to them, with promise,
if thou wilt comply, to forgive thee all thy sins. O grace! O amazing grace! To
see a prince entreat a beggar to receive an alms would be a strange sight; to
see a king entreat the traitor to accept of mercy would be a stranger sight than
that; but to see God entreat a sinner, to hear Christ say, "I stand at the door
and knock," with a heart full and a heaven full of grace to bestow upon him that
opens, this is such a sight as dazzles the eyes of angels. What sayest thou now,
sinner? Is not this God rich in mercy? Hath not this God great love for sinners?
Nay, further, that thou mayest not have any ground to doubt that all this is but
complementing, thou hast also here declared that God hath made his Christ "to be
sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in
him." If God would have stuck at anything, he would have stuck at the death of
his Son; but he "delivered him up for us" freely; "how shall he not with him
also freely give us all things?" (Rom 8:32). [11]
But this is not all. God doth not only beseech thee to be reconciled to him, but
further, for thy encouragement, he hath pronounced, in thy hearing, exceeding
great and precious promises; "and hath confirmed it by an oath, that by two
immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a
strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set
before us" (Heb 6:18,19; Isa 1:18; 55:6,7; Jer 51:5).
SECOND. OF MAN'S CARRIAGE TO GOD. Let us come now to the carriage of these
sinners to God, and that from the first day he beginneth to deal with their
souls, even to the time that they are to be taken up into heaven. And,
First. To begin with God's ordinary dealing with sinners, when at first he
ministereth conviction to them by his Word, how strangely do they behave
themselves! They love not to have their consciences touched; they like not to
ponder upon what they have been, what they are, or what is like to become of
them hereafter; such thoughts they count unmanly, hurtful, disadvantageous;
therefore "they refused to hearken, and pulled away the shoulder, and stopped
their ears, that they should not hear" (Zech 7,11). And now they are for
anything rather than the Word; an alehouse, a whorehouse, a playhouse, sports,
pleasures, sleep, the world, and what not so they may stave[12] off the power of
the word of God.
Second. If God now comes up closer to them, and begins to fasten conviction upon
the conscience, though such conviction be the first step to faith and
repentance, yea, and to life eternal, yet what shifts will they have to forget
them, and wear them off! Yea, although they now begin to see that they must
either turn or burn, [13] yet oftentimes even then they will study to wave a
present conversion: they object, they are too young to turn yet; seven years
hence time enough, when they are old, or come upon a sick-bed. O what an enemy
is man to his own salvation! I am persuaded that God hath visited some of you
often with his Word, even twice and thrice, and you have thrown water as fast as
he hath by the Word cast fire upon your conscience. [14]
Christian, what had become of thee if God had taken thy denial for an answer,
and said, Then will I carry the word of salvation to another, and he will hear
it? Sinner, turn, says God. Lord, I cannot tend[15] it, says the sinner. Turn or
burn, says God. I will venture that, says the sinner. Turn, and be saved, says
God. I cannot leave my pleasures, says the sinner: sweet sins, sweet pleasures,
sweet delights, says the sinner. But what grace is it in God thus to parley with
the sinner! O the patience of God to a poor sinner! What if God should now say,
Then get thee to thy sins, get thee to thy delights, get thee to thy pleasures,
take them for thy portion, they shall be all thy heaven, all thy happiness, and
all thy portion?
Third. But God comes again, and shows the sinner the necessity of turning now;
now or not at all; yea, and giveth the sinner this conviction so strongly, that
he cannot put it off. But behold, the sinner has one spark of enmity still. If
he must needs turn now, he will either turn from one sin to another, from great
ones to little ones, from many to few, or from all to one, and there stop. But
perhaps convictions will not thus leave him. Why, then, he will turn from
profaneness to the law of Moses, and will dwell as long as God will let him upon
his own seeming goodness. And now observe him, he is a great stickler for legal
performance; now he will be a good neighbour, he will pay every man his own,
will leave off his swearing, the alehouse, his sports, and carnal delights; he
will read, pray, talk of Scripture, and be a very busy one in religion, such as
it is; now he will please God, and make him amends for all the wrong he hath
done him, and will feed him with chapters, and prayers, and promises, and vows,
and a great many more such dainty dishes as these, persuading himself that now
he must needs be fair for heaven, and thinks besides that he serveth God as well
as any man in England can. [16]
But all this while he is as ignorant of Christ as the stool he sits on, and no
nearer heaven than was the blind Pharisee; only he has got in a cleaner way to
hell than the rest of his neighbours are in—"There is a generation that are pure
in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness" (Prov 30:12).
Might not God now cut off this sinner, and cast him out of his sight; might he
not leave him here to his own choice, to be deluded by, and to fall in his own
righteousness, because he "trusteth to it, and commits iniquity"? (Eze 33:13).
But grace, preventing grace, preserves him. It is true, this turn of the sinner,
as I said, is a turning short of Christ; but,
Fourth. God in this way of the sinner will mercifully follow him, and show him
the shortness of his performances, the emptiness of his duties, and the
uncleanness of his righteousness (Isa 28:20; 64:6). Thus I speak of the sinner,
the salvation of whose soul is graciously intended and contrived of God; for he
shall by gospel light be wearied out of all; he shall be made to see the vanity
of all, and that the personal righteousness of Jesus Christ, and that only, is
it which of God is ordained to save the sinner from the due reward of his sins.
But behold, the sinner now, at the sight and sense of his own nothingness,
falleth into a kind of despair; for although he hath it in him to presume of
salvation, through the delusiveness of his own good opinion of himself, yet he
hath it not in himself to have a good opinion of the grace of God in the
righteousness of Christ; wherefore he concludeth, that if salvation be alone of
the grace of God, through the righteousness of Christ, and that all of a man's
own is utterly rejected, as to the justification of his person with God, then he
is cast away. Now the reason of this sinking of heart is the sight that God hath
given him, a sight of the uncleanness of his best performance; the former sight
of his immoralities did somewhat distress him, and make him betake himself to
his own good deeds to ease his conscience, wherefore this was his prop, his
stay; but behold, now God hath taken this from under him, and now he falls;
wherefore his best doth also now forsake him, and flies away like the morning
dew, or a bird, or as the chaff that is driven with the whirlwind, and the smoke
out of a chimney (Hosea 9:11; 13:3). Besides, this revelation of the emptiness
of his own righteousness, brings also with it a further discovery of the
naughtiness of his heart, in its hypocrisies, pride, unbelief, hardness of
heart, deadness, and backwardness to all gospel and new-covenant obedience,
which sight of himself lies like millstones upon his shoulders, and sinks him
yet further into doubts and fears of damnation. For, bid him now receive Christ,
he answers he cannot, he dares not. Ask him why he cannot, he will answer he has
no faith, nor hope in his heart. Tell him that grace is offered him freely, he
says, but I have no heart to receive it; besides, he finds not, as he thinks,
any gracious disposition in his soul, and therefore concludes he doth not belong
to God's mercy, nor hath an interest in the blood of Christ, and therefore dares
not presume to believe; wherefore, as I said, he sinks in his heart, he dies in
his thoughts, he doubts, he despairs, and concludes he shall never be saved.
Fifth. But behold, the God of all grace leaveth him not in this distress, but
comes up now to him closer than ever; he sends the Spirit of adoption, the
blessed Comforter, to him, to tell him, "God is love," and therefore not willing
to reject the broken in heart; bids him cry and pray for an evidence of mercy to
his soul, and says, "Peradventure you may be hid in the day of the Lord's
anger." At this the sinner takes some encouragement, yet he can get no more than
that which will hang upon a mere probability, which by the next doubt that
ariseth in the heart is blown quite away, and the soul left again in his first
plight, or worse, where he lamentably bewails his miserable state, and is
tormented with a thousand fears of perishing, for he hears not a word from
heaven, perhaps for several weeks together. Wherefore unbelief begins to get the
mastery of him, and takes off the very edge and spirit of prayer, and
inclination to hear the Word any longer; yea, the devil also claps in with these
thoughts, saying that all your prayers, and hearing, and reading, and godly
company which you frequent, will rise up in judgment against you at last;
therefore better it is, if you must be damned, to choose as easy a place in hell
as you can. The soul at this, being quite discouraged, thinks to do as it hath
been taught, and with dying thoughts it begins to faint when it goeth to prayer
or to hear the word; but behold, when all hope seems to be quite gone, and the
soul concludes, I DIE, I PERISH, in comes, on a sudden, the Spirit of God again,
with some good word of God, which the soul never thought of before, which word
of God commands a calm in the soul, makes unbelief give place, encourageth to
hope and wait upon God again; perhaps it gives some little sight of Christ to
the soul, and of his blessed undertaking for sinners. But behold, so soon as the
power of things does again begin to wear off the heart, the sinner gives place
to unbelief, questions God's mercy, and fears damning again; he also entertains
hard thoughts of God and Christ, and thinks former encouragements were fancies,
delusions, or mere think-so's. And why doth not God now cast the sinner to hell
for his thus abusing his mercy and grace. O no! "He will have mercy on whom he
will have mercy, and he will have compassion on whom he will have compassion";
wherefore "goodness and mercy shall follow him all the days of his life, that he
may dwell in the house of the Lord for ever" (Psa 23:6).
Sixth. God, therefore, after all these provocations, comes by his Spirit to the
soul again, and brings sealing grace and pardon to the conscience, testifying to
it that its sins are forgiven, and that freely, for the sake of the blood of
Christ; and now has the sinner such a sight of the grace of God in Christ as
kindly breaks his heart with joy and comfort; now the soul knows what it is to
eat promises; it also knows what it is to eat and drink the flesh and blood of
Jesus Christ by faith; now it is driven by the power of his grace to its knees,
to thank God for forgiveness of sins and for hopes of an inheritance amongst
them that are sanctified by faith which is in Christ; now it hath a calm and
sunshine; now "he washeth his steps with butter, and the rock pours him out
rivers of oil" (Job 29:6).
Seventh. But after this, perhaps the soul grows cold again, it also forgets this
grace received, and waxeth carnal, begins again to itch after the world, loseth
the life and savour of heavenly things, grieves the Spirit of God, woefully
backslides, casteth off closet duties quite, or else retains only the formality
of them, is a reproach to religion, grieves the hearts of them that are awake,
and tender of God's name, &c. But what will God do now? Will he take this
advantage to destroy the sinner? No. Will he let him alone in his apostasy? No.
Will he leave him to recover himself by the strength of his now languishing
graces? No. What then? Why, he will seek this man out till he finds him, and
bring him home to himself again: "For thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I, even
I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out. As a shepherd seeketh out his
flock in the day that he is among the sheep that are scattered; so will I seek
out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been
scattered. - I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was
driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that
which was sick" (Eze 34:11,16).
Thus he dealt with the man that went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell
among thieves; and thus he dealt with the prodigal you read of also (Luke
10:30-35; 15:20).
Of God's ordinary way of fetching the backslider home I will not now
discourse—namely, whether he always breaketh his bones for his sins, as he broke
David's; or whether he will all the days of their life, for this, leave them
under guilt and darkness; or whether he will kill them now, that they may not be
damned in the day of judgment, as he dealt with them at Corinth (1 Cor
11:30-32). He is wise, and can tell how to embitter backsliding to them he
loveth. He can break their bones, and save them; he can lay them in the lowest
pit, in darkness, in the deep, and save them; he can slay them as to this life,
and save them. And herein again appears wonderful grace, that "Israel is not
forsaken, nor Judah of his God, though their land was filled with sin against
the Holy One of Israel" (Jer 51:5).
Eighth. But suppose God deals not either of these ways with the backslider, but
shines upon him again, and seals up to him the remission of his sins a second
time, saying, "I will heal their backslidings, and love them freely," what will
the soul do now? Surely it will walk humbly now, and holily all its days. It
will never backslide again, will it? It may happen it will not, it may happen it
will; it is just as his God keeps him; for although his sins are of himself, his
standing is of God; I say, his standing, while he stands, and his recovery, if
he falls, are both of God; wherefore, if God leaves him a little, the next gap
he finds, away he is gone again. "My people," says God, "are bent to backsliding
from me." How many times did David backslide; yea, Jehoshaphat and Peter! (2 Sam
11,24; 2 Chron 19:1-3; 20:1-5; Matt 26:69-71; Gal 2:11-13). As also in the third
of Jeremiah it is said, "But thou hast played the harlot with many lovers, yet
return unto me, saith the Lord" (verse 1). Here is grace! So many time as the
soul backslides, so many times God brings him again—I mean, the soul that must
be saved by grace—he renews his pardons, and multiplies them. "Lo, all these
things worketh God oftentimes with man" (Job 33:29).
Ninth. But see yet more grace. I will speak here of heart- wanderings, and of
daily miscarriages—I mean, of these common infirmities that are incident to the
best of saints, and that attend them in their best performances; not that I
intend, for I cannot, mention them particularly, that would be a task
impossible; but such there are, worldly thoughts, unclean thoughts, too low
thoughts of God, of Christ, of the Spirit, words, ways, and ordinances of God,
by which a Christian transgresses many times; may I not say, sometimes many
hundred times a day; yea, for aught I know, there are some saints, and them not
long-lived either, that must receive, before they enter into life, millions of
pardons from God for these; and every pardon is an act of grace, through the
redemption that is in Christ's blood. [17]
Seventy times seven times a day we sometimes sin against our brother; but how
many times, in that day, do we sin against God? Lord, "who can understand his
errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults" [sins], said David. And again, "If
thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand? But there is
forgiveness with thee that thou mayest be feared" (Matt 18:21,22; Psa 19:12;
130:3,4).
But to mention some of them. Sometimes they question the very being of God, or
foolishly ask how he came to be at first; sometimes they question the truth of
his Word, and suspect the harmony thereof, because their blind hearts and dull
heads cannot reconcile it; yea, all fundamental truths lie open sometimes to the
censure of their unbelief and atheism; as, namely, whether there be such an one
as Christ, such a thing as the day of judgment, or whether there will be a
heaven or hell hereafter, and God pardons all these by his grace. When they
believe these things, even then they sin, by not having such reverent, high, and
holy thoughts of them as they ought; they sin also by having too, too good
thoughts of themselves, of sin, and the world; sometimes, let me say, often,
they wink too much at known sin, they bewail not, as they should, the
infirmities of the flesh; the itching inclinations which they find in their
hearts after vanity go too often from them unrepented of. I do not say but they
repent them in the general. But all these things, O how often doth God forgive,
through the riches of his grace!
They sin by not walking answerably to mercies received; yea, they come short in
their thanks to God for them, even then when they most heartily acknowledge how
unworthy they are of them; also, how little of the strength of them is spent to
his praise, who freely poureth them into their bosoms; but from all these sins
are they saved by grace. They sin in their most exact and spiritual performance
of duties; they pray not, they hear not, they read not, they give not alms, they
come not to the Lord's table, or other holy appointments of God, but in and with
much coldness, deadness, wanderings of heart, ignorance, misapprehensions, &c.
They forget God while they pray unto him; they forget Christ while they are at
his table; they forget his Word even while they are reading of it.
How often do they make promises to God, and afterwards break them! Yea, or if
they keep promise in show, how much doth their heart even grudge the performing
of them; how do they shuck[18] at the cross; and how unwilling are they to lose
that little they have for God, though all they have was given them to glorify
him withal! [19]
All these things, and a thousand times as many more, dwell in the flesh of man;
and they may as soon go away from themselves as from these corruptions; yea,
they may sooner cut the flesh from their bones than these motions of sin from
their flesh; these will be with them in every duty—I mean, some or other of
them; yea, as often as they look, or think, or hear, or speak. These are with
them, especially when the man intends good in so doing: "When I would do good,"
says Paul, "evil is present with me." And God himself complains that "every
imagination of the thoughts of the heart of man is only evil," and that
"continually" (Rom 7:21; Gen 6:5).
By these things, therefore, we continually defile ourselves, and every one of
our performances—I mean, in the judgment of the law—even mixing iniquity with
those things which we hallow unto the Lord. "For from within, out of the heart
of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts,
covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride,
foolishness; all these evil things come from within, and defile the man" (Mark
7:21- 23). Now what can deliver the soul from these but grace? "By grace ye are
saved."
QUEST. V.—WHAT MIGHT BE THE REASON MOVED GOD TO ORDAIN AND CHOOSE TO SAVE THOSE
THAT HE SAVETH BY HIS GRACE, RATHER THAN BY ANY OTHER MEANS?
I come now to answer the fifth question; namely, to show why God saveth those
that he saveth by grace, rather than by any other means.
First. God saveth us by grace, because since sin is in the world, he can save us
no other way; sin and transgression cannot be removed but by the grace of God
through Christ; sin is the transgression of the law of God, who is perfectly
just. Infinite justice cannot be satisfied with the recompence that man can
make; for if it could, Christ Jesus himself needed not to have died; besides,
man having sinned, and defiled himself thereby, all his acts are the acts of a
defiled man; nay, further, the best of his performances are also defiled by his
hands; these performances, therefore, cannot be a recompence for sin. Besides,
to affirm that God saveth defiled man for the sake of his defiled duties— for
so, I say, is every work of his hand—what is it but to say, God accepteth of one
sinful act as a recompence and satisfaction for another? (Hag 2:14). But God,
even of old, hath declared how he abominates imperfect sacrifices, therefore we
can by no means be saved from sin but by grace (Rom 3:24).
Second. To assert that we may be saved any other way than by the grace of God,
what is it but to object against the wisdom and prudence of God, wherein he
aboundeth towards them whom he hath saved by grace? (Eph 1:5-8). His wisdom and
prudence found out no other way, therefore he chooseth to save us by grace.
Third. We must be saved by grace, because else it follows that God is mutable in
his decrees, for so hath he determined before the foundation of the world;
therefore he saveth us not, nor chooseth to save us by any other way, than by
grace (Eph 1:3,4; 3:8-11; Rom 9:23).
Fourth. If man should be saved any other way than by grace, God would be
disappointed in his design to cut off boasting from his creature; but God's
design to cut off boasting from his creature cannot be frustrated or
disappointed; therefore he will save man by no other means than by grace; he, I
say, hath designed that no flesh should glory in his presence, and therefore he
refuseth their works; "Not of works, lest any man should boast." "Where is
boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay; but by the law of
faith" (Eph 2:8,9; Rom 3:24-28).
Fifth. God hath ordained that we should be saved by grace, that he might have
the praise and glory of our salvation; that we should be "to the praise of the
glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the Beloved" (Eph 1:6).
Now God will not lose his praise, and his glory he will not give to another;
therefore God doth choose to save sinners but by his grace.
Sixth. God hath ordained, and doth choose to save us by grace, because, were
there another way apparent, yet this is the way that is safest, and best
secureth the soul. "Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the
end the promise [the promise of eternal inheritance, (Heb 9:14-16)] might be
sure to all the seed" (Rom 4:16). No other way could have been sure. This is
evident in Adam, the Jews, and, I will add, the fallen angels, who being turned
over to another way than grace, you see in short time what became of them.
To be saved by grace supposeth that God hath taken the salvation of our souls
into his own hand; and to be sure it is safer in God's hand than ours. Hence it
is called the salvation of the Lord, the salvation of God, and salvation, and
that of God.
When our salvation is in God's hand, himself is engaged to accomplish it for us.
1. Here is the mercy of God engaged for us (Rom 9:15). 2. Here is the wisdom of
God engaged for us (Eph 1:7,8). 3. Here is the power of God engaged for us (1
Peter 1:3-5). 4. Here is the justice of God engaged for us (Rom 3:24,25). 5.
Here is the holiness of God engaged for us (Psa 89:30-35). 6. Here is the care
of God engaged for us, and his watchful eye is always over us for our good (1
Peter 5:7; Isa 27:1-3).
What shall I say? Grace can take us into favour with God, and that when we are
in our blood (Eze 16:7,8). Grace can make children of us, though by nature we
have been enemies to God (Rom 9:25,26). Grace can make them God's people which
were not God's people (1 Peter 2:9,10). Grace will not trust our own salvation
in our own hands—"He putteth no trust in his saints" (Job 15:15). Grace can
pardon our ungodliness, justify us with Christ's righteousness; it can put the
spirit of Jesus Christ within us, it can help us up when we are down, it can
heal us when we are wounded, it can multiply pardons, as we, through frailty,
multiply transgressions.
What shall I say? Grace and mercy are everlasting. They are built up for ever.
They are the delight of God. They rejoice against judgment. And therefore it is
the most safe and secure way of salvation, and therefore hath God chosen to save
us by his grace and mercy rather than any other way (Isa 43:25; Rom 3:24,25; Isa
44:2,4; Psa 37:23; Luke 10:33,34; Isa 55:7,8; Psa 136; 89:2; Mal 3:18; James
2:13).
Seventh. We must be saved by the grace of God, or else God will not have his
will. They that are saved are "predestinated unto the adoption of children by
Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the
praise of the glory of his grace" (Eph 1:5,6).
1. But if it be his will that men should be saved by grace, then to think of
another way is against the will of God. Hence they that seek to establish their
own righteousness are such as are accounted to stand out in defiance against,
and that do not submit to, the righteousness of God—that is, to the
righteousness that he hath willed to be that through which alone we are saved by
grace (Rom 10:3).
2. If it be his will that men should be saved through grace, then it is his will
that men should be saved by faith in that Christ who is the contrivance of
grace; therefore they that have sought to be justified another way have come
short of, and perished notwithstanding, that salvation that is provided of God
for men by grace (Rom 9:31-33).
3. God is not willing that faith should be made void, and the promise of none
effect; therefore they of the righteousness of the law are excluded: "for if the
inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise, but God gave it to Abraham
by promise" (Rom 4:14 Gal 3:18).
4. God is not willing that men should be saved by their own natural abilities;
but all the works of the law which men do to be saved by, they are the works of
men's natural abilities, and are therefore called the work of the flesh, but God
is not willing that men should be saved by these, therefore no way but by his
grace (Rom 4:1; Gal 3:1-3; Phil 3:3).
Eighth. We must be saved by grace, or else the main pillars and foundations of
salvation are not only shaken, but overthrown—to wit, election, the new
covenant, Christ, and the glory of God; but these must not be overthrown;
therefore we must be saved by grace.
1. Election, which layeth hold of men by the grace of God, God hath purposed
that that shall stand—the election of God standeth sure; therefore men must be
saved by virtue of the election of grace (Rom 9:11; 2 Tim 2:19).
2. The covenant of grace, that must stand—"Brethren, I speak after the manner of
men. Though it be but a man's covenant, yet if it be confirmed [as this is, by
the death of the testator, (Heb 9:16,17)] no man disannulleth, or addeth
thereto"; therefore man must be saved by virtue of a covenant of grace (Gal
3:15).
3. Christ, who is the gift of the grace of God to the world, he must stand,
because he is a sure foundation, "the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever";
therefore men must be saved by grace, through the redemption that is in Christ
(Isa 28:16; Heb 13:8).
4. God's glory, that also must stand; to wit, the glory of his grace; for that
he will not give to another; therefore men must so be saved from the wrath to
come, that in their salvation praise may redound to the glory of his grace.
Ninth. There can be but one will the master in our salvation; but that shall
never be the will of man, but of God; therefore man must be saved by grace (John
1:13; Rom 9:16).
Tenth. There can be but one righteousness that shall save a sinner; but that
shall never be the righteousness of men, but of Christ (therefore men must be
saved by grace), that imputeth this righteousness to whom he will.
Eleventh. There can be but one covenant by which men must be saved; but that
shall never be the covenant of the law, for the weakness and unprofitableness
thereof; therefore men must be saved by the covenant of grace, by which God will
be merciful to our unrighteousnesses, and our sins and iniquities will remember
no more (Heb 8:6-13).
POSTSCRIPT.
A few words by way of use, and so I shall conclude.
THE FIRST USE.
First. Is the salvation of the sinner by the grace of God? Then here you see the
reason why God hath not respect to the personal virtues of men in the bringing
of them to glory. Did I say, personal virtues? How can they have any to Godward
that are enemies to him in their minds by wicked works? Indeed, men one to
another seem to be, some better, some worse, by nature, but to God they are all
alike, dead in trespasses and sins. [20]
We will, therefore, state it again—Are men saved by grace? Then here you may see
the reason why conversion runs at that rate among the sons of men, that none are
converted for their good deeds, nor rejected for their bad, but even so many of
both, and only so many, are brought home to God as grace is pleased to bring
home to him.
1. None are received for their good deeds; for then they would not be saved by
grace, but by works. Works and grace, as I have showed, are in this matter
opposite each to other; if he be saved by works, then not by grace; if by grace,
then not by works (Rom 11). That none are received of God for their good deeds
is evident, not only because he declares his abhorrence of the supposition of
such a thing, but hath also rejected the persons that have at any time attempted
to present themselves to God in their own good deeds for justification. This I
have showed you before.
2. Men are not rejected for their bad deeds. This is evident by Manasseh, by the
murderers of our Lord Jesus Christ, by the men that you read of in the
nineteenth of the Acts, with many others, whose sins were of as deep a dye as
the sins of the worst of men (2 Chron 33:2,13; Acts 2:23,41; 19:19).
Grace respecteth, in the salvation of a sinner, chiefly the purpose of God;
wherefore those that it findeth under that purpose, those it justifies freely,
through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ. At Saul's conversion, Ananias of
Damascus brought in a most dreadful charge against him to the Lord Jesus Christ,
saying, "Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to
thy saints at Jerusalem; and here he hath authority from the chief priests to
bind all that call on thy name." But what said the Lord unto him? "Go thy way,
for he is a chosen vessel unto me" (Acts 9:13-15). This man's cruelty and
outrage must not hinder his conversion, because he was a chosen vessel. Men's
good deeds are no argument with God to convert them; men's bad deeds are no
argument with him to reject them. I mean, those that come to Christ, by the
drawings of the Father; besides, Christ also saith, "I will in no wise cast"
such "out." (John 6:37-44).
Second. Is the salvation of the sinner by the grace of God? Then here you see
the reason why some sinners, that were wonderfully averse to conversion by
nature, are yet made to stoop to the God of their salvation. Grace takes them to
do, because grace hath designed them to this very thing. Hence some of the
Gentiles were taken from among the rest; God granted them repentance unto life,
because he had taken them from among the rest, both by election and calling, for
his name (Acts 11:18; 15:14). These men that were not a people, are thus become
the people of God; these men that were not beloved for their works, were yet
beloved by the grace of God. "I will call them my people which were not my
people; and her beloved which was not beloved." But their minds are averse. But
are they the people on whom God doth magnify the riches of his grace? Why, then,
they shall be, in the day of his power, made willing, and be able to believe
through grace (Psa 110:3; Rom 9:25; Acts 18:27). But doth the guilt and burden
of sin so keep them down that they can by no means lift up themselves? Why, God
will, by the exceeding greatness of that power by which he raised Christ from
the dead, work in their souls also by the Spirit of grace, to cause them to
believe and to walk in his ways (Eph 1:18-20).
Paul tells us, in that epistle of his to the Corinthians, that it was by grace
he was what he was—"By the grace of God I am what I am," says he, "and his grace
which was bestowed upon me was not in vain" (1 Cor 15:10). This man kept always
in his mind a warm remembrance of what he was formerly by nature, and also how
he had added to his vileness by practice; yea, moreover, he truly concluded in
his own soul, that had not God, by unspeakable grace, put a stop to his wicked
proceedings, he had perished in his wickedness; hence he lays his call and
conversion at the door of the grace of God—"When it pleased God," says he, "who
separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace, to reveal his
Son in me" (Gal 1:15,16). and hence it is, again, that he saith, "He obtained
grace and apostleship"; grace to convert his soul, and the gifts and authority
of an apostle, to preach the gospel of the grace of God.
This blessed man ascribes all to the grace of God. 1. His call he ascribes to
the grace of God. 2. His apostleship he ascribes to the grace of God. 3. And all
his labour in that charge he also ascribes to the grace of God.
This grace of God it was that which saved from the beginning. 1. Noah found
grace in the eyes of the Lord, and was therefore converted and preserved from
the flood (Gen 6:8). 2. Abraham found grace in the sight of the Lord, and
therefore he was called out of his country (Gen 12:1,2). 3. Moses found grace in
the eyes of the Lord, and therefore he must not be blotted out of God's book
(Exo 33:12,17).
Neither may it be imagined that these men were, before grace laid hold on them,
better than other men; for then they would not have been saved by grace; grace
should not have had the dominion and glory of their salvation. But, as Paul says
of himself, and of those that were saved by grace in his day, "What then? are we
better than they? No, in no wise; for we have before proved both Jews and
Gentiles that they are all under sin" (Rom 3:9). So it may be said of these
blessed ones; for indeed this conclusion is general, and reacheth all the
children of men, Christ Jesus alone only excepted. But,
Third. Is the salvation of the sinner by the grace of God? Then here you may see
the reason why one backslider is recovered, and another left to perish in his
backsliding.
There was grace for Lot, but none for his wife; therefore she was left in her
transgression, but Lot was saved notwithstanding. There was grace for Jacob, but
none for Esau; therefore Esau was left in his backsliding, but Jacob found mercy
notwithstanding. There was grace for David, but none for Saul; therefore David
obtained mercy, and Saul perished in his backsliding. There was grace for Peter,
but none for Judas; therefore Judas is left to perish in his backsliding, and
Peter is saved from his sin. That text stands good to none but those that are
elect by grace—"Sin shall not have dominion over you; for ye are not under the
law, but under grace" (Rom 6:14).
It will be said, repentance was found in one, but not in the other. Well, but
who granted and gave the one repentance; The Lord turned, and looked upon Peter;
he did not turn and look upon Judas; yea, the Lord told Peter before he fell
that he should follow him to the kingdom of heaven, but told him that he should
deny him first; but withal told him also he should not let his heart be
troubled, that is, utterly dejected, for he would go and prepare a place for
him, and come again and receive him to himself (John 13:36-38; 14:1-3). That is
a blessed word of God, "The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and he
delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; for
the Lord upholdeth him with his hand" (Psa 37:23,24).
THE SECOND USE.
My second use shall be to them that are dejected in their souls at the sight and
sense of their sins.
First. Are they that are saved, saved by grace? Then they that would have their
guilty consciences quieted, they must study the doctrine of grace.
It is Satan's great design either to keep the sinner senseless of his sins, or
if God makes him sensible of them, then to hide and keep from his thoughts the
sweet doctrine of the grace of God, by which alone the conscience getteth health
and cure; "for everlasting consolation, and good hope" is given "through grace"
(1 Thess 2:16). How then shall the conscience of the burdened sinner by rightly
quieted, if he perceiveth not the grace of God?
Study, therefore, this doctrine of the grace of God. Suppose thou hast a disease
upon thee which is not to be cured but by such or such medicines, the first step
to thy cure is to know the medicines. I am sure this is true as to the case in
hand; the first step to the cure of a wounded conscience is for thee to know the
grace of God, especially the grace of God as to justification from the curse in
his sight.
A man under a wounded conscience naturally leaneth to the works of the law, and
thinks God must be pacified by something that he should do, whereas the Word
says, "I will have mercy and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the
righteous, but sinners to repentance" (Matt 9:13).
Wherefore thou must study the grace of God. "It is a good thing," saith the
apostle, "that the heart be established with grace"; thereby insinuating that
there is no establishment in the soul that is right but by the knowledge of the
grace of God (Heb 13:9).
I said, that when a man is wounded in his conscience, he naturally leaneth to
the works of the law; wherefore thou must therefore be so much the more heedful
to study the grace of God; yea, so to study it as rightly, not only in notion,
but in thy practices, to distinguish it from the law. "The law was given by
Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ" (John 1:17). Study it, I say,
so as to distinguish it, and that, not only from the law, but from all those
things that men blasphemously call this grace of God.
There are many things which men call the grace of God, that are not.
1. The light and knowledge that are in every man. 2. That natural willingness
that is in man to be saved. 3. That power that is in man by nature to do
something, as he thinketh, towards his own salvation.
I name these three; there are also many other which some will have entitled the
grace of God. But do thou remember that the grace of God is his goodwill and
great love to sinners in his Son Jesus Christ; "by the which" good "will we are
sanctified, through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all" (Heb
10:10).
Again; when thou hast smelt out this grace of God, and canst distinguish it from
that which is not, then labour to strengthen thy soul with the blessed knowledge
of it. "Thou therefore, my son," said Paul, "be strong in the grace that is in
Christ Jesus" (2 Tim 2:1). Fortify thy judgment and understanding; but
especially labour to get down all into thy conscience, that that may be "purged
from dead works, to serve the living God."
[Second.] And to enforce this use upon thee yet further, consider, a man gets
yet more advantage by the knowledge of, and by growing strong in, this grace of
God.
1. It ministereth to him matter of joy; for he that knows this grace aright, he
knows God is at peace with him, because he believeth in Jesus Christ, who by
grace tasted death for every man; "by whom also we have access by faith into
this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God" (Rom 5:2).
And indeed what joy or what rejoicing is like rejoicing here? To rejoice in hope
of the glory of God, it is to rejoice in hope to enjoy him for ever, with that
eternal glory that is in him.
2. As it manifesteth matter of joy and rejoicing, so it causeth much
fruitfulness in all holiness and godliness. "For the grace of God that bringeth
salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and
worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present
world" (Titus 2:11,12). Yea, it so naturally tendeth this way, that it can no
sooner appear to the soul, but it causeth this blessed fruit in the heart and
life. "We ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving
divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one
another. But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour appeared"— what
then? Why then, he that believeth, being justified by his grace, and expecting
to be an heir according to the hope of eternal life, is "careful to maintain
good works" (Titus 3:3- 8). See also that in Paul's epistle to the
Colossians—"We give thanks," says he, "to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ, praying always for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus,
and of the love which ye have to all the saints, for the hope which is laid up
for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the
gospel; which is come unto you, as it is in all the world; and bringeth forth
fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace
of God in truth" (Col 1:3-6).
3. The knowledge of, and strength that comes by, the grace of God is a sovereign
antidote against all, and all manner of delusions that are or may come into the
world. Wherefore Peter, exhorting the believers to take heed that they were not
carried away with the errors of the wicked, and so fall from their own
steadfastness, adds, as their only help, this exhortation—"But grow in grace,
and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 3:18).
(1.) Suppose it should be urged, that man's own righteousness saveth the sinner;
why, then, we have this at hand—God "hath saved us, and called us, not according
to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in
Christ" &c. (2 Tim 1:9).
(2.) Suppose it should be urged, that by the doctrine of free grace we must not
understand God's extending free forgiveness as far as we have or do sin; the
answer is—"But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: that as sin hath
reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness," through
the justice of God being satisfied by his Son, "unto eternal life" (Rom
5:20,21).
(3.) Suppose it should be urged, that this is a doctrine tending to looseness
and lasciviousness; the answer is ready—"What shall we say then? Shall we
continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead
to sin, live any longer therein?" for the doctrine of free grace believed is the
most sin-killing doctrine in the world (Rom 6:1,2).
(4.) Suppose men should attempt to burden the church of God with unnecessary
ceremonies, and impose them, even as the false apostles[21] urged circumcision
of old, saying, Unless you do these things, ye cannot be saved; why, the answer
is ready—"Why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the necks of the disciples, which
neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? But we believe that through the
grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they" (Acts
15:1,10,11). But not to enlarge, [22]
[Third.] This doctrine, "By grace ye are saved," it is the only remedy against
despairing thoughts at the apprehension of our own unworthiness; as,
1. Thou criest out, O cursed man that I am! my sins will sink me into hell.
Answ. Hold, man; there is a God in heaven that is "the God of all grace" (1
Peter 5:10). Yet thou art not the man of all sin. If God be the God of all
grace, then if all the sins in the world were thine, yet the God of all grace
can pardon, or else it should seem that sin is stronger in a man penitent, to
damn, than the grace of God can be to save.
2. But my sins are of the worst sort—blasphemy, adultery, covetousness, murder,
&c.
Answ. "All manner of sins and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men,
wherewithsoever they shall blaspheme.—Let the wicked forsake his way, and the
unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have
mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon" (Matt 12:31; Mark
3:28; Isa 55:7,8).
3. But I have a stout and rebellious heart, a heart that is far from good.
Answ. "Hearken unto me," saith God, "ye stout-hearted, that are far from
righteousness: I bring near my righteousness"; that is, the righteousness of
Christ, by which stout-hearted sinners are justified, though ungodly (Isa
46:12,13; Phil 3:7,8; Rev 4:5).
4. But I have a heart as hard as any stone.
Answ. "A new heart also will I give you," says God, "and a new spirit will I put
within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will
give you a heart of flesh" (Eze 36:26).
5. But I am as blind as a beetle; I cannot understand anything of the gospel.
Answ. "I will bring the blind by a way that they know not; I will lead them in
paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and
crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them"
(Isa 42:16).
6. But my heart will not be affected with the sufferings and blood of Christ.
Answ. "I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of
Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me
whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his
only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for
his first-born" (Zech 12:10).
7. But though I see what is like to become of me if I find not Christ, yet my
spirit, while I am thus, will be running after vanity, foolishness, uncleanness,
wickedness.
Answ. "Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from
all your filthiness, and from all your idols will I cleanse you" (Eze 36:25).
8. But I cannot believe in Christ.
Answ. But God hath promised to make thee believe. "I will also leave in the
midst of thee an afflicted and poor people, and they shall trust in the name of
the Lord." And again, "There shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to
reign over the Gentiles, in him shall the Gentiles trust" (Zeph 3:12; Rom
15:12).
9. But I cannot pray to God for mercy.
Answ. But God hath graciously promised a spirit of prayer—"Yea, many people and
strong nations shall come to seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem, and to pray
before the Lord.—They shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say,
It is my people; and they shall say, The Lord is my God" (Zech 8:22; 12:10;
13:9).
10. But I cannot repent. Answ. "The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye
slew and hanged on a tree. Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a
Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins"
(Acts 5:30,31).
Thus might I enlarge, for the holy Bible is full of this exceeding grace of God.
O these words, "I will" and "you shall"! they are the language of a gracious
God; they are promises by which our God has engaged himself to do that for poor
sinners which would else be left undone for ever.
THE THIRD USE.
Are they that are saved, saved by grace? Then let Christians labour to advance
God's grace. FIRST. In heart. SECOND. In life.
FIRST. In heart; and that in this manner—
First. Believe in God's mercy through Jesus Christ, and so advance the grace of
God; I mean, venture heartily, venture confidently, for there is a sufficiency
in the grace of God. Abraham magnified the grace of God when "he considered not
his own body now dead, - neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb: he staggered
not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving
glory to God" (Rom 4:19,20).
Second. Advance it by heightening of it in thy thoughts. Have always good and
great thoughts of the grace of God; narrow and slender thoughts of it are a
great disparagement to it.
And to help thee in this matter, consider—1. This grace is compared to a
sea—"And thou will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea" (Micah 7:19).
Now a sea can never be filled by casting into it. [23]
2. This grace is compared to a fountain, to an open fountain—"In that day there
shall be a fountain opened to the house of David, and to the inhabitants of
Jerusalem, for sin and for uncleanness." Now a fountain can never be drawn dry
(Zech 12:1). 3. The Psalmist cries out concerning the grace and mercy of God,
"It endureth for ever"; he says so twenty-six times in one psalm. Surely he saw
a great deal in it, surely he was taken a great deal with it (Psa 136). 4. Paul
says the God of all grace can do more than "we ask or think" (Eph 3:20). 5.
Therefore as God's Word says, so thou shouldst conclude of the grace of God.
Third. Come boldly to the throne of grace by hearty prayer; for this is the way
also to magnify the grace of God. This is the apostle's exhortation, "Let us
therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and
find grace to help in time of need" (Heb 4:16). See here a little, and wonder.
We have been all this while discoursing of the grace of God; and now we are come
to his throne, as Job says, "even to his seat"; and behold, "that is a throne of
grace." O, when a God of grace is upon a throne of grace, and a poor sinner
stands by and begs for grace, and that in the name of a gracious Christ, in and
by the help of the Spirit of grace, can it be otherwise but such a sinner must
obtain mercy and grace to help in time of need? But not to forget the
exhortation, "Come boldly." Indeed, we are apt to forget this exhortation; we
think, seeing we are such abominable sinners, we should not presume to come
boldly to the throne of grace; but yet so we are bidden to do; and to break a
commandment here is as bad as to break it in another place.
You may ask me, What is it to come boldly? [I] answer—
1. It is to come confidently—"Let us draw near with a true heart, in full
assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our
bodies washed with pure water" (Heb 10:22).
2. To come boldly, it is to come frequently—"At morning, at noon, and at night,
will I pray." We use to count them bold beggars that come often to our door.
3. To come boldly, it is to ask for great things when we come. That is the bold
beggar that will not only ask, but also choose the thing that he asketh.
4. To come boldly, it is to ask for others as well as ourselves, to beg mercy
and grace for all the saints of God under heaven as well as for
ourselves—"Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit - for
all saints" (Eph 6:18).
5. To come boldly, it is to come and take no nay; thus Jacob came to the throne
of grace—"I will not let thee go except thou bless me" (Gen 32:26).
6. To come boldly, it is to plead God's promises with him both in a way of
justice and mercy, and to take it for granted God will give us—because he hath
said it—whatever we ask in the name of his Son.
Fourth. Labour to advance God's grace in thy heart, by often admiring, praising,
and blessing God in secret for it; God expects it— "Whoso offereth praise
glorifieth me," says he. "By Jesus Christ therefore let us offer the sacrifice
of praise to God continually; that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to
his name" (Psa 50:23; Heb 13:15).
SECOND. [In life.] But again; as we should advance this grace in our hearts, so
we should do it in our life. We should in our conversation adorn the doctrine of
God our Saviour in all things. It is a great word of the apostle, "Only let your
conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ," which is the gospel of the
grace of God (Phil 1:27). God expecteth that there should in our whole life be a
blessed tang[24] of the gospel, or that in our life among men there should be
preached to them the grace of the gospel of God.
The gospel shows us that God did wonderfully stoop and condescend for our good;
and to do accordingly, it is to stoop and condescend to others.
The gospel shows us that there was abundance of pity, love, bowels, and
compassion in God towards us; and accordingly we should be full of bowels, pity,
love, and compassion to others.
The gospel shows us that in God there is a great deal of willingness to do good
to others.
The gospel shows us that God acteth towards us according to his truth and
faithfulness, and so should we be in all our actions one to another.
By the gospel, God declares that he forgiveth us ten thousand talents, and we
ought likewise to forgive our brother the hundred pence.
And now, before I conclude this use, let me give you a few heart- endearing
considerations to this so good and so happy a work.
[Heart-endearing Considerations.]
First. Consider, God hath saved thee by his grace. Christian, God hath saved
thee, thou hast escaped the lion's mouth, thou art delivered from wrath to come;
advance the grace that saves thee, in thy heart and life.
Second. Consider, God left millions in their sins that day he saved thee by his
grace; he left millions out, and pitched upon thee; it may be hundreds also,
yea, thousands, were in the day of thy conversion lying before him under the
preaching of the word as thou wert, yet he took thee. [25] Considerations of
this nature affected David much; and God would have them affect thee, to the
advancing of his grace in thy life and conversation (Psa 78:67-72; Deu 7:7).
Third. Consider, perhaps the most part of those that God refused that day that
he called thee by his grace were, as to conversation, far better than ever thou
wert—I was a blasphemer, I was a persecutor, I was an injurious person, but I
obtained mercy! O this should affect thy heart, this should engage thy heart to
study to advance this grace of God (1 Tim 1:14,15).
Fourth. Perhaps in the day of thy conversion thou wast more unruly than many.
Like a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke, hardly tamed, thou wast brought home by
strong hands; thou wouldst not drive, the Lord Jesus must take thee up, lay thee
upon his shoulder, and carry thee home to his Father's house. This should engage
thy heart to study to advance the grace of God (Luke 15:1-6).
Fifth. It may be many did take even offence at God in his converting and saving
of thee by his grace, even as the elder son was offended with his father for
killing the fatted calf for his brother, and yet that did not hinder the grace
of God, nor make God abate his love to thy soul. This should make thee study to
advance the grace of God in thy heart and life (Luke 15:21-32).
Sixth. Consider again, that God hath allowed thee but a little time for this
good work, even the few days that thou hast now to live—I mean, for this good
work among sinful men, and then thou shalt go to receive that wages that grace
also will give thee for thy work to thy eternal joy.
Seventh. Let this also have some place upon thy heart—every man shows subjection
to the god that he serveth; yea, though that god be none other but the devil and
his lusts; and wilt not thou, O man! saved of the Lord, be much more subject "to
the Father of spirits, and live"?[26]
Alas! they are pursuing their own damnation, yet they sport it, and dance all
the way they go. They serve that "god" (Satan) with cheerfulness and delight,
who at last will plunge them into the everlasting gulf of death, and torment
them in the fiery flames of hell; but thy God is the God of salvation, and to
God thy Lord belong the issues from death. Wilt not thou serve him with
joyfulness in the enjoyment of all good things, even him by whom thou art to be
made blessed for ever?
Object. This is that which kills me—honour God I cannot; my heart is so
wretched, so spiritless, and desperately wicked, I cannot.
Answ. What dost thou mean by cannot? 1. If thou meanest thou hast no strength to
do it, thou hast said an untruth, for "greater is he that is in you, than he
that is in the world" (1 John 4:4). 2. If thou meanest thou hast no will, then
thou art out also; for every Christian, in his right mind, is a willing man, and
the day of God's power hath made him so (Psa 110:3). 3. If thou meanest that
thou wantest wisdom, that is thine own fault—"If any man lack wisdom, let him
ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not" (James 1:5).
Object. I cannot do things as I would.
Answ. No more could the best of the saints of old—"To will is present with me,"
said Paul; "but how to perform that which is good I find not." And again, "The
flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these
are contrary the one to the other, so that ye cannot do the things that ye
would" (Rom 7:18; Gal 5:17).
And here indeed lies a great discovery of this truth, "ye are saved by grace";
for the children of God whilst here, notwithstanding their conversion to God,
and salvation by Christ through grace, are so infirm and weak by reason of a
body of death that yet remaineth in them, that should even the sin that is in
the best of their performances be laid to their charge, according to the tenor
of a covenant of works, they would find it impossible ever to get into glory.
But why do I talk thus? It is impossible that those that are saved by grace
should have their infirmities laid to their charge as afore, "for they are not
under the law"; they are included by the grace of God in the death and blood of
the Son of God, who ever liveth to make intercession for them at the right hand
of God; whose intercession is so prevalent with the Father as to take away the
iniquity of our holy things from his sight, and to present us holy, and
unreprovable, and unblamable in his sight. To him, by Christ Jesus, through the
help of the blessed Spirit of grace, be given praise, and thanks, and glory, and
dominion, by all his saints, now and for ever. Amen.
FOOTNOTES:
[1] General course of manners, behaviour, deportment, especially as it regards
morals (see Phil 1:27, 1 Peter 1:15).
[2] Their conduct proved to the living that they were dead, they themselves
having no feeling or sense of spiritual life; but, when quickened, their
penitence and good works were brought into existence by Divine power; they feel
the joys of salvation, but feel also their total unworthiness of this new
creating power, and sing, "O to grace how great a debtor!"—Ed.
[3] The hospital of St. Mary Bethlem, vulgarly called "Bedlam," bestowed, in
1545, upon the citizens of London, who appropriated it to the reception of
lunatics. It being the only public hospital for that class of the afflicted in
England, it gave the name of "bedlam" to all whose conduct could only be
accounted for on the score of madness.—Ed.
[4] The person who writes this, was a singular instance of the truth of our
author's remark; having been twice providentially preserved from drowning, and
once from the fatal effects of a violent fever, before effectual saving grace
had reached his soul. The same rich and abundant mercy follows all the elect,
quickens them when dead, saves them when lost, and restores them when ruined.
God hath chosen us unto salvation, and enables us to live holily on earth, in
order to a life of happiness in heaven. The Father's good will and pleasure is
the only fountain from whence the salvation of believers flows; and such as are
given to Christ by the Father he considers as his charge, and stands engaged for
their preservation; and the death of Christ for sinners, is an evident
demonstration of the love of God the Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ, towards
them; this love manifested in time was in and upon the heart of God before the
world began.—Mason. What a multitude of unseen dangers, both spiritual and
temporal, the Christian escapes before he is called!—Ed.
[5] "Rarely," finely, nicely.
[6] A safe-conduct is a military term, either a convoy or guard for protection
in an enemy's land, or a passport, by the sovereign of a country, to enable a
subject to travel with safety.—Imperial Dict.— Ed.
[7] Footnote seven is missing.
[8] What heart can conceive the glorious worship of heaven? The new song shall
be as the voice of many waters, and a great thunder, when the "ten thousand
times ten thousand and thousand of thousands" shall sing, "Worthy is the Lamb
that was slain, to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and
honour, and blessing." O that my poor voice may join that celestial choir!—Ed.
[9] The fear of the Lord—an ornament of grace unto thy head, and chains about
thy neck, and life unto thy soul.—Solomon.
[10] "Their appearance and themselves"; this beautiful illustration might escape
the reader's notice, unless specially directed to it. The living creatures were
always the same, although seen under different circumstances, and in diverse
places. Inside and out they were the same; without deviation or turning, they
went straight forward. It is well said that Bunyan has here snatched a grace
beyond the reach of art, and has applied it to exalt and beautify consistency of
Christian character.—Ed.
[11] This is one of Bunyan's peculiarly affecting representations, which in
preaching went to the heart, producing intense interest, and tears of contrition
over the stubbornness of human nature. Reader, Bunyan, being dead, yet speaketh;
can you feel unaffected under such an appeal?—Ed.
[12] "To stave," to thrust, to push, to delay.—Ed.
[13] These terms are taken from Foxe's Martyrology. It was frequently the brutal
remark of the Judges, You must turn or burn. Bunyan here applies it to turning
from sin or burning in hell.—Ed.
[14] This treatise having been written some years after the Pilgrim's Progress,
Bunyan very naturally refers to the well- known scene in the Interpreter's
House, where the fire is kept burning by oil from behind the wall, in spite of
all the water thrown upon its flames.—Ed.
[15] "To tend," to watch, to guard, to attend.—Ed.
[16] How pointedly, how admirably, does this illustrate the fond absurdities,
the extreme follies of the human heart! "To serve God with such dainty dishes,"
the cleanest being befouled with sin. "A cleaner way to hell than our
neighbours!"—Ed.
[17] O how humbling a consideration! Our sins are numberless, of omission, of
commission, openly and secretly; nay, in a thousand cases they escape the
sinner's observation. "Cleanse thou me from secret faults."—Ed.
[18] "Shuck," to shake or start back.—Ed.
[19] In Bunyan's time, the saints of God were sorely tormented by penalties,
fines, and imprisonments. It required great faith in a mother, who saw all her
goods seized, for not going to church, the incarnate devils throwing the milk
that was warming for her infant on the dunghill, and the skillet in which it was
contained into the cart, answering her prayers for mercy on her babe. Let the
brat of a heretic starve.—Ed.
[20] How abasing and humbling to human pride is it thus to conceive, that all
have sinned, and, in the sight of God, are hell- deserving. What! says the
honourable man, must I take mercy upon no higher consideration than the thief on
the cross? Or the highly virtuous dame, Must I sue for mercy upon the same terms
as the Magdalene? The faithful answer to both is, YES, or you must perish.—Ed.
[21] "False apostles," mentioned in Acts 15, who would have blended Jewish
observances with Christianity, and have brought the converts into misery and
thraldom. They are specially referred to in 2 Corinthians 11:13, "false
apostles," deceitful workers, that devour you and take from you (verse 20). In
contradistinction to Paul, who was "chargeable to no man" (verse 9).—Ed.
[22] We must not for a moment imagine that Bunyan was afraid of temporal
consequences, which prevents his enlarging upon this part of his subject. His
contemptuous answer to Fowler for attacking the doctrine of justification,
although a great man with the state, and soon afterwards made a bishop, is a
proof that he was a stranger to the fear of man. He had said enough, and
therefore there was no need to enlarge.—Ed.
[23] How does Bunyan here exhibit the perfection as well as the freeness of the
pardon that Micah celebrates! That which is sunk in the depths of the sea is
lost for ever.—Ed.
[24] "Tang," taste, touch, savour, flavour, relish, tone, sound. A word of
extensive meaning, but now nearly obsolete. "No tang of prepossession or fancy
appears in the morality of our Saviour or his apostles."—Locke.—Ed.
[25] What can I render unto thee, my God, for such unspeakable blessedness? The
cattle upon a thousand hills, yea, all creation, all that I have and am, is
thine: all that I can do is "to take the cup of salvation and call upon the name
of the Lord." Not unto us, but unto thy name, be all the praise and honour of
salvation!—Ed.
[26] In the edition of 1692, this sentence is "subject to the Father of spirits
and love." It is a very singular mode of expression to call God "the Father of
love." God is love, and that author and source of all holy love. Bunyan was at
all times governed by Scripture phrases, with which his mind was so richly
imbued as to cause him, if we may so speak, to live in a scriptural atmosphere;
and this sentence bears a great affinity to Hebrews 12:9, "Shall we not much
rather be in subjection to the Father of spirits, and live." I have been, for
these reasons, induced to consider the letter o in "love" a typographical error,
and have altered the word to "live," but could not take such a liberty without a
public notice.—Ed.
Added to Bible Bulletin Board's "John Bunyan Collection" by:
Tony Capoccia
Bible Bulletin Board
Box 119
Columbus, New Jersey, USA, 08022
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Email:
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