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VeR. 23.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS VL 377
against me wrongeth his own soul : all they that hate ine love death.' By refusing Christ and nourishing sin you nourish a serpent in your bosoms, and embrace the flames of hell-fire ; therefore betimes seek a pardon.
[2.] To the penitent believers ; three things I have to press upon them.
(Ist.) Consider what cause we have to admire and magnify the riches of God's mercy in our redemption by Christ, by whom sin is taken awuy, and the consequent of it, eternal death, and who also hath taken the punishment of it upon himself : Ii?a. liii. 4, 5, ' Surely he hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows ; yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our sins, the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and by his stripes are we healed.'
(2d.) Never return to this slavery again, for you see what a dangerous thing sin is. When you indulge sin, you lay hold on death itself ; therefore fly from it as from the gates of hell, and from all means, instruments, occasions, and opportunities that lead to it. And when Satan showeth you the bait, remember the hook, and counterbalance the pleasure of sin, to which we are vehemently addicted, with eternal pains, which are the fruit of it. Now, shall we run so great a hazard for poor, vain, and momentary delights? It is sweet to a carnal heart to please the flesh, but it will cost dear. Now, * shall we sell the birth- right for one morsel of meat,' Heb. xii. 15, and hazard the loss of the love of God for trifles ?
(3d.) Take heed of small sins ; they are breaches of the eternal law of God. They that do not make great account of small sins will make but small account of the greatest ; for he that is not faithful in a little will be unfaithful in much. There are many forcible arguments to deter us from small sins ; partly because it is more difficult to avoid them, they do not come with such frightening awakening assaults as the greater do ; partly because, being neglected, they taint the heart insen- sibly, and men look not after their cure ; partly because they do pre- pare and dispose to greater offences, as the little sticks set the great ones on fire ; partly because with their multitude and power they do as much hurt the soul as great sins with their weight ; minuta sunt, sed multa sunt ; lastly, because they are in their own nature mortal. Therefore dash Babylon's brats against the stones. In short, small sins are the mother of great sins, and the grandmother of great punish- ments. Lot's wife was turned into a pillar of salt; the angels were cast out of heaven ; Adam thrust out of Paradise.
Secondly, ' But the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.'
Doct, That eternal life is God's free and gracious gift to the sancti- fied.
What eternal life is we showed before: it is the full fruition oi eternal joys, without any possibility of losing them.
Here is,
1. The donor— (?od
2. The meritorious and procuring cause — Jesus Christ our Lord.
3. The parties qualified — Those that have their fruit to holiness.
378 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VI. [SeR. XXIV.
1. On God's part, a gift, not a debt, as wages is to the servant or soldier, but 'xapia-fxa, a gracious gift. Though we should serve God a thousand years, we cannot merit to be one half-day in heaven. There it is a gift to those who do most exactly persevere in holiness ; the best have no other claim, but the mercy of the donor.
[1.] It is the freest gift.
[2.] It is the richest gift.
[1.] It is the freest gift ; God payeth more than is our due. To punish men beyond their desert is injustice ; but to reward men be- yond their deserts is not contrary to justice, for it is an act of mercy.
(1st.) It is greater than any merit of ours, because it is the eternal enjoyment of the ever-blessed God, and so far beyond anything that we can do. Finite things carry no proportion to an infinite reward.
(2d.) Our works are many ways imperfect, and so we may expect punishment rather than reward. Mercy is our best plea when we come to consider the case between God and our consciences : Jude 21, ' Looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.'
[2.] It is the richest gift. What can God give us more than him- self ?
2. On Christ's part it is a purchase. We have it upon the account of his merit and intercession, and it is conveyed to us by his free pro- mise.
[1.] Upon the account of his merit and intercession we have both the preparations and the gift itself. Justification, which is the founda- tion of it : Rom. v. 18, ' By the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.' Sanctification is the beginning and introduction into it : Tit. iii. 5, ' Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost.' The first we have by the merit of his death and obedience : Eom. iii. 24, 'Being justified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus ; ' the second is wrought in us freely by his Spirit. Eternal life itself Heb. ix. 15, ' That they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.'