Sermon 14

Lost sheep] Lost, is either understood of the common condition of all men, and so because all are the heirs of wrath (Ephesians 2), all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23), and so are lost. But the Scripture entitles men by that which they are in their own esteem, as (Matthew 9:13), I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance: this may seem to hold forth that there be some sinners, and some not sinners, but righteous, whereas none are righteous that sins not (Romans 3:10). But God gives to men the title which they give themselves, and so lost here, is such as are lost in their own esteem; for Christ's intention in coming in the flesh, and dying is to seek and to save the lost (Luke 19:10). In this sense (Matthew 9:13) and (1 Timothy 1:15), Christ came to save sinners; otherwise, all the house of Israel are lost (Jeremiah 50:6). My people have been lost sheep (Ezekiel 3:4); neither have you sought that which was lost. Nor is this to be meant of the lost considered, as redemption is purchased; in this notion, Christ died for his enemies (Romans 5:10), the just for the unjust (1 Peter 3:18), and so for the lost. But we are here led to this, that these at whose salvation Christ has a special aim, and whom he actually converts are first sinners, and lost in their own eyes, as is clear (Matthew 9:13; 1 Timothy 1:15; Luke 19:10). It is one thing to be lost, and a sinner, and another thing to be self-lost, as many are laden who are not weary, and yet none are weary, but they be laden. 1. All that Christ converts are self-sinners too, but Christ converts not all sinners. Hence Christ actually calls and saves but those who are such and so prepared; now there is a preparation of order, and a preparation of deserving: I cannot say, there are preparations in the converted by way of deserving. Christ calls not sinners because, or for, that they are sinners in their own sense, for he has mercy on whom he will. 2. Nor are there preparations in the converted to which conversion is promised as a free reward of grace, which may be called moral preparations; there is no such promise in the word as this: whoever are wearied and lost in their own eyes, they shall be converted. Indeed 3, it is hard to affirm that all who are prepared with these preparations of order are infallibly converted; it seems Judas and Cain reputed themselves sinners, and had some law-work in their heart, and yet were never converted. But God's ordinary way, is to bring men into Christ being first self-lost, and self-condemned, and that upon these grounds that proves God's way of working to be successive. 1. Because conversion is a rational work, and the Gospel is a moral instrument of conversion, therefore Christ here opens a vein before he gives medicine; he first cuts and then cures, for though in the moment of formal conversion, men be patients, and can neither prevent Christ, nor co-operate with Christ, yet the whole work about conversion is not done in a moment. For men are not converted as the lilies grow, which do not labor nor spin; there be some pangs in the new birth. Nor are men converted as Simon carried Christ's cross, altogether against their will; they do hear and read the word freely. Nor are men converted beside their knowledge, as Caiaphas prophesied. Nor are we to think with Enthusiasts, that God does all with one immediate rapture, as the sun in its rise enlightens the air. The Gospel works morally as does the Law; reasons work not in a moment, as fire flashes in the air. Christ puts souls to weigh the bargain, to consider the field and the pearl, and then buy it. 2. Christ's saving and calling the lost, is a new creation as well as a generation: a child is not born in one day. Saving grace is not medicine that works the cure while the sick man is sleeping: Christ casts the metal in the fire before he forms the vessel of mercy; he must cast down old work, before he lays the new foundation. 3. Conversion is a Gospel blessing, and so must be worked in a way suitable to the scope of the Gospel. Now the special intent of the Gospel is to bring men to put a high and rich price upon Christ, and this is one Gospel-offer: What do you think of so excellent a one as Christ? What would you part with? What would you do or suffer for Christ? Now men cannot prize Christ, who have not found the terrors of the Law. So Paul finding himself the chief of sinners, and in that case saved (1 Timothy 1:15), must hug and embrace Christ, and burst out in a Psalm (verse 17), Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honor and glory for ever and ever: Amen. A sight of the gallows, of the ax, raises in the condemned man's heart high thoughts of the grace of a pardoning Prince; to be a tenant of free grace is so sweet a free-holding that it must put a high rate on free grace. 4. The clay organs and faculties of the soul working by them, cannot bear the too great violence of legal terrors; for in reviving the Spirit (Isaiah 57:16), if he should let out all his wrath, the souls should fail that he has made. Nor can they bear that God let out all his strength of love in one moment; rough or violent dealing should break crystal glasses. Christ should break the needle, when he sews a heart to himself, if he should put to all his strength; too swift motion of wheels may break the mill. Christ must drive softly, for a sight of the fourth part of the fire of Hell, and a sight of one chamber or one window of heaven is enough at once.

It's not enough to be fitted for the physic, and not for the physician: The weary and laden are fit to be eased, but not fitted for Christ the physician, except they come to him and believe: Faith is a thing very suitable for Christ: Ho, everyone that thirsts, come to the waters, and he that has no money, come buy and eat (Isaiah 55:1). It is true, in regard of all good deserving, moving God to have mercy on one, rather than another: Jerusalem and all converted are dying in their blood, and no eye pitying them (Ezekiel 16:6, 8). And therefore none are discouraged to come because of their wretched estate; that is to say, we cannot come, we have no money: But Christ invites those which have no money, and though Christ seems to exclude the woman from mercy, yet Christ in wisdom holds forth the promise here in that latitude of free grace; while he says, he came for the lost sheep; that there is room for the woman, and all believing Gentiles to come in, and lay hold on the Covenant. Sense of wretchedness and unbelief represents Christ as too narrow, and contracts and abridges the Promises, as if there were no place for you, because you are thus and thus sinful.

Objection 1. The King puts forth a general Proclamation to all thieves: Oh (says one) but he may mean others but not me; Why? He means thieves in general, he accepts none: why should you say not me, Christ belongs to sinners as sinners, he receives sinners as sinners, indeed he ascended on high to give gifts to the rebellious, therefore there's no qualification required in men, that believes in Christ, nor does unbelief debar a man from Christ, it only excludes him from the experimental knowledge that Christ is his. Answer 1. It's true, the Gospel excepts no man from Pardon, and all that hears the Gospel are to be wearied and laden, and to receive Christ by faith, as if God intended to save them: But the Promises of the Gospel are not simply universal; as if God intended and purposed, that all and every one should be actually redeemed and saved in Christ, as Arminians teach, and so God accepts in his own hidden Decree, not a few, though he reveals not in the Gospel who they are, yet he reveals in the Gospel the general, that Many are called, but few are chosen. And I grant there's no ground for any one man not to believe upon this ground, because some are reprobated from eternity, and it may be I am one of those, for the contrary is as sure logic; many are chosen to life Eternal, and it may be that I am one of those. 2. It is most untrue, that Christ belongs to sinners as sinners, for then Christ should belong to all unbelievers, how obstinate so ever, even to those that sin against the Holy Ghost. In fact, Christ belongs only to sinners elected to glory, as elected to glory in regard of God's gracious purpose, and he belongs only to believing sinners as believing, in regard of actual Union with Christ (Ephesians 3:17; Galatians 2:20). 3. It's false, that sinners as sinners receive Christ, for so Judas and all sinners should receive Christ: Now the Scripture shows that Believers only receive him (John 1:12; Galatians 2:20; Ephesians 3:17). 4. It's false that sinners as sinners believe in Christ. This way of Libertines is a broad way for sorcerers, thieves, murderers, parricides, idolaters, remaining in that damnable state to believe; whereas sinners as such, sinners thus and thus qualified, are to believe; that is humbled, wearied, and self-condemned sinners only are to believe, and come to Christ. It's true, all sinners are obliged to believe; but to believe after the order of free grace; that is, that they be first self-lost and sick, and then be saved by the physician.

I cannot but here mention some damnable errors of Libertines, contrary to this truth of Christ; as this, that the Spirit acts most in the Saints, when they endeavor least. 1. It may be by accident and through our abuse, who confide in our endeavors and works, that Grace and the Spirit will not flatter merits, which are too natural to us; that God let a sweating wrestler who has spent nights in prayer, and is careful in all means, and abundant in the work of the Lord: see and understand, that Free Grace, not our endeavors, leads us on to heaven: better it is I be conscious to myself that I am Christ's debtor, not debtor to myself. 2. That we see self to be wretched, and that self loves to share and to divide the glory with Free Grace. 3. That Christ reserves the flowing of his tide, and the blowing of his wind to his own Free Grace (John 3:8). And that Grace in its filling the sails is not in the seaman's power. But this error is the daughter of another more damnable: that is, that the activity and efficacy of Christ's death is to kill all activity of graces in his members, that Christ may be all in all. This I take to be the marrow of fleshly Libertinism, that not only the regenerate cannot sin; but they ought to sin that Grace may abound; and that Christ died for this end, that we should live in sin, the contrary of which is said (1 John 3:8), that Christ died that he might destroy the works of the Devil, that is sin. Now the not stirring up of the Grace of Christ in us is a grievous sin (1 Timothy 4:14; 1 Corinthians 15:10). Indeed, he (1 Peter 2:24) bore our sins on the tree, that being dead to sins, we should live to righteousness (Romans 6:4), that we should walk in newness of life. And (Galatians 1:4) Christ gave himself for us, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father. And (1 Peter 1:18) we are not redeemed from our vain conversation received by tradition from our fathers, by any corruptible thing, etc. This makes good that which is the upshot of all the Antinomian doctrine, that Christ is so our sanctification, that there is neither law nor gospel which requires of us that we be holy. Hence their fifth error; here is a great stir about graces, and looking to hearts, but give me Christ, I seek not for graces, nor promises, nor sanctification, tell me not of meditation and duties, but tell me of Christ. So Christ has not only suffered for us all that he should suffer, so as it is sacrilege to add to his sufferings our own; and the like sacrilege it is for us to be holy, and to add any of our active holiness to his active obedience. So Master Towne says, all our obedience as it is the work of the Spirit, it is passive, and truly called the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22), and so it is an entire work, and undefiled, every way correspondent to the mind of the efficient, and author, which is the law and rule he works by: but as it is actively our obedience, so it is very imperfect, and polluted: indeed, simply considered, it is a menstruous cloth and dung. And their 36th error is, all the activity of a believer is to act to sin; so we can do nothing but sin, and we are to do nothing, in fact, not obliged to pray, but when the Spirit moves us, and that is the work of the Spirit: we are in it mere patients. So Error 4 says, if Christ will let me sin, let him look to it, upon his honor be it. Indeed, it stands upon the honor of him who has promised to keep us spotless until the day of Christ, and Christ is so an engaged Advocate to intercede for the Saints, when they sin, that the redeemed of the Lord fall not away, but be presented spotless before the Lord in the day of Christ. But what is all this to annul, 1. all action of grace, and to soothe men up in a lazy dead faith? 2. To take away all commandments of duties so frequent in the word of grace, which teaches us to deny all ungodliness, and to live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world (Titus 1:11)? 3. To make an opposition between Christ and his grace, the fountain and the stream (John 1:16; Titus 1:14; 1 John 3:8)?

Objection: If the actions of grace be all turned upon this axle-tree of God's gracious will, what can I do, when I am indisposed to do good? Answer: If this be a rational question, then is no man condemned, because he believes not in the only begotten Son of God, contrary to (John 3:18, 36). For reprobates are finally indisposed to believe. 2. Indisposition is our sin that we should be humbled for, and ink water cannot wash a blackened cloth, sin excuses not sin.