GOD'S SENDING JESUS CIIRFST. the gospel, do belong unto them as well as unto others, because they also are Christians. But they consider not that there are certain ways and means, whereby the virtue and benefitof all that the Lord Christ bath done for us, are conveyed to the souls of men, where- by they are made partakers of them. Without these, we have no concernment in what Christ hath done or declared in the gospel. If we expect to be saved by Christ, it most be by what he cloth, and bath done for us, as a priest, a prophet, and a king: but one of the principal ends of what he doth in all these, is to make us holy; and ifthese be not effected in us, we can have no eternal benefit by any thing that Christ bath done,, or.continueth to do, as the Mediator of the church. Sect. 20.Hence the miserable condition of the ge- nerality of thosewho are called Christians, who live in sin, and yet hope to be saved by the gospel, is greatly to be bewailed. They contract to themselves the guilt of the two greatest evils that any reasonable creatures are liable unto in this world: For, (1.) They wofully deceive and ruin their own souls. Their whole profes- sion of the gospel is but a crying, Péace, peace, when sudden destruction lies at the door. They deny the Lord that bought them, and bringupon themselves swift destruc- tion. They are bought and vindicated into the know- ledge and profession of the truth, but, in their works, theydeny him whom in words they own, whose damna- tion sleepeth not. For men to livein covetousness, sen- suality, pride, ambition, pleasures, hatred of the power of godliness, and yet to hope for salvation by the gos- pel, is the most infallible way to hasten and secure their own eternal ruin. And, (2dly,) They cast the greatest dishonour on Christ and the gospel, that any persons are capable of casting on them. Those by whom the Lord Christ is rejected as a seducer, and the gospel as a fable, do not more (I may say not so much) dishonour the one and the other, as those do, who, professing to own them both, yetcontinue to live and walk in an un- holy condition. For as to the open enemies of Christ, they are judged and condemned already, and nonehave occasion to think the worse of him, or the gospel, for their opposition unto them: but, for those ethers who profess to own them, they endeavour to represent the Lord Christ as a minister of sin, as one who bath pro - cured indulgence unto men to live in their lusts and 5C 379 rebellion against God; and the gospel as a doctrine of licentiousness and wickedness. What else can any one learn from them concerning the one or the other? The whole language of their profession is, that Christ is such a Saviour, and the gospel such a law and rule, as that men loving sin, and living in sin, may be saved by them. This is that which bath reflected all kind of dishonour on Christian religion, and put a stop unto its progress in the world. These are they of whom our apostle makes his bitter complaint, Phil. iii. is, 19. 44 Many walk, of whom I have told youoften, andnow " tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of " the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose " god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, " whomind earthly things." How manythat are called Christians doth this character suitin these days? What- ever they think of themselves, they are enemies of the cross of Christ, and do trample under their feet the blood ofthe covenant. Sect. 21.Secondy, Let more serious professors be most serious in this matter. The apostle having given assurance of the certain salvation of all true believers, from the immutable purpose of God, presently adds, Let every one that nameth the name ofChrist departfrom iniquity, 2 Tim. ii. IS. plainly intimating, that without holiness, without an universal departure from iniquity, we cannot have the least evidence that we are interested in that assured condition. You name the name ofChrist, profess an interest in him, and expect salvationby him; which way will you apply yourselves unto him? from which of his offices do you expect advantage? Is it from his sacerdotal? bath his blood purged your consciences from dead works, that you should serve the living God? are you cleansed, and sanctified, and made holy there- by? are you redeemed out of the world by it, and from your vain conversation therein, after the customs and traditions of men? are you by it dedicated unto God, and made his peculiar ones? Ifyou findnot these effects of the blood-sheding of Christ in and upon your souls and consciences, in vain will you expect those other of atonement, peace, and reconciliation with God; of mercy, pardon, justification, and salvation, which you look for. Thepriestly office of Christ hash its whole effect towardsall on whom it hath any effects. Despis- ers of its fruits in,*toliness, shall never have the least interest in its fruits in righteousness. 34
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