Fourthly, This life of security and vain hope frustrates all the means of recovery and salvation, in the only season wherein they can be useful and beneficial to us : By reason of these things the word hath no power to convince men's consciences, nothing can bring them to a sight and sense of their condition: Therefore Christ told the self-confident and blind Jews, Matth. xxi. 21. " That the publicans and harlots go into the kingdom of God be- " fore them :" And the reason is, because their hearts lie more open and fair to the strokes of conviction and compunction for sin than those do, who are blinded by vain hopes and confidences.
Inference 1. Is this the life that the unregenerate world lives ? Then it is not to be wondered at that the preaching of the gospel hath so little success : " Who hath believed our report ? (saith the " prophet) and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed ?" Isa. liii. 1. Ministers study for truths apt to awaken and convince the con- sciences of them that hear them, but their words return again to them : They turn to God, and mourn over the matter ; we have laboured in vain, and spent our strength for nought : And this se- curity is the cause of all ; vain hopes bar fast the doors of men's hearts against all the convictions and persuasions of the word. The greater cause have they to admire the grace of God, who have found, or shall find the convictions of the word sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the dividing asunder of the soul and spirit ; to whose hearts God brings home the commandment by an effectual application.
Inf. 2. If this be the life of the unregenerate world, what deadly enemies are they that nourish and strengthen the groundless con- fidences and vain hopes of salvation in men ? This the scripture calls the healing of the hurt of souls slightly, by crying, " Peace, " peace, when there is no peace," Jer. vi. 14. The sewing of pillows uuder their arm-holes, Ezek. xiii. 18. That they may lie soft and easy under the ministry ; and this is the doctrine which the people love : but oh, what will" the end of these things be ! And what an account have those men to give to God for the blood of those souls by them betrayed to the everlasting burnings ! Such flattery is the greatest cruelty : Those whom you bless upon earth, will curse you in hell, and the day in which they trusted their souls to your conduct.
Inf. 3. How great a mercy is it to be awakened out of that general sleep and seurity which is fallen upon the world ! You cannot esti- mate the value of that mercy, for it is a peculiar mercy. O that ever the Spirit of the Lord should touch thy soul under the ministry of the word, startle, and rouse thy conscience, wrhilst others are left
294 THE METHOD OF GRACE. SERM. XX,
in the dead sleep of security round about thee ! When the Lord dealt with thy soul much after the same manner he did with Paul in the way to Damascus, who not only saw a light shining from heaven, which those that travelled with him saw as well as he, but heard that voice, from heaven which did the work upon his heart, though his companions heard it not. Besides, it is not only a peculiar mercy, but it is a leading, introductive mercy, to all other spiritual mercies that follow it to all eternity. If God had not done this for thee, thou hadst never been brought to faith, to Christ, or heaven. From this act of the Spirit all other saving acts take their rise ; so that you have cause for ever to admire the goodness of God in such a favour as this is.
////' 4. Lastly, Hence it follows that the generality of the world are in the direct way to eternal ruin ; and whatever their vain con- fidences are, they cannot be saved. " Narrow is the way, and strait '* is the gate that leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." Hear me all you that live this dangerous life of carnal security and vain hope, whatever your persuasions and confidences are, except you give them up, and get better grounds for your hope, you cannot be saved. For,
First, Such hopes and confidences as yours are directly contra- dictory to the established order of the gospel, which requires re- pentance, 4-cts v. 31. faith, Acts xiii. 39. and regeneration, John iii. 3. in all that shall be saved. And this order shall never be altered for any man's sake.
Secondly, If such as you be saved, all the threatenings in scrip- ture must be reversed, which lie in full opposition to your vain hopes, Mark xvi. 16. John iii. 16. Rom. iii. 8, 9. Either the truth of God, in these threatenings must fail, or your vain hopes must fail.
Thirdly, If ever such as you be saved, new conditions must be set to all the promises ; for there is no condition of any special pro- mise found in any unregenerate person *. Compare your hearts with these scriptures, Matth. v. 3, 4, 5, 6. Psal. xxiv. 4. Psal. lxxxiv. 11. Gen. xvii. 1, 2.
Fourthly, If ever such a hope as yours bring you to heaven, then the saving hojre of God's elect is not rightly described to us in the scriptures. Scripture-hope is the effect of regeneration, 1 Pet. i. 3. And purity of heart is the effect of that hope, 1 John iii. 3. Nay,
Fifthly, The very nature of heaven is mistaken in scripture, if such as you be subjects qualified for its enjoyment : For assimila- tion, or the conformity of the soul to God ir\ holiness, is, in the
* The author by condition must be understood here, as meaning evidence of interest in -these promises. Editor,
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scripture account, a principal ingredient of that blessedness : By all which it manifestly appears that the hopes of most men are in vain, and will never bring them to heaven.
For I was alive without the law once : But when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.
Doct. 2. X HAT there is a mighty efficacy in the word or law of God, to kill vain confidence, and quench carnal mirth in the hearts of men, when God sets it home upon their consciences. " The weapons of the word are not carnal, but mighty through " God ; to the pulling down of strong holds, casting down imagina- " tions, and every thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge " of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedi- " ence of Christ," 2 Cor. x. 4, 5. In the opening of this point I shall,
1. Demonstrate the efficacy of the word or law of God.
2. Shew wherein the efficacy thereof lies.
3. From whence it hath all this mighty power and efficacy. First, I shall give you some demonstrations of the mighty power
and efficacy that there are in the word or law of God ; which will appear with the fullest evidence,