but yet never obey him so as to believe in him Qui Christum non habet ipse non potest Christianus dici Augu. profess him they do but regard not whether they profess him 2 Cor. 13.5 Know ye not that Jesus Christ is in you unless you be reprobates Raigning in you â—nd ruling of you by his holy spirit He who hath not Christ in him is not a Christian I speak all along what dayly observation doth confirm and this is a wile of Satan by which he hinders thousands of Souls from coming unto Christ If we look into the Euopean part of the world where the name of Christ is professed we shall find that the Basis upon which the greatest number do build and rest is only a profession of the Lord Jesus and by professing of him are let from coming to him a strange Paradox but too evidently true Satan knows how to use this weapon for the Souls eternal ruine unless prevented by Divine grace from on high therefore I say let not this Devil hold thee by this device but labour to come nearer unto Jesus Christ for as the Body without the Soul is dead so is the Soul that only professes but doth not possess the Lord Jesus But in a word consider well and thy own Judgment and Conscience will tell thee that all shall not be saved that profess the name of Christ for if all should be saved that are called Christians then thou mayst conclude that Whoremongers Adulterers Lyers Theives Murderers and other abominable Livers shall be happy when they come to dye although there is no saving chang wrought in the heart only a bare profession of Christ as is throughout England and other places where the Gospel is spread Which Argument I know thou wilt deny if thou hast any esteem for real Godlyness It is not every one that sayeth Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Mat. 7.21 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Justin Christians are such who keep the commands of Christ saith Justin Martyr Veri Orthodoxi dicuntur a fidei rectitudine vitae integritate a true Christian is known by the rectitude of his faith and the integrity of his Life was the saying of the Antients 17ly He impedes by perswading the Sinner to rest in a continual series of Duty this is a step higher then the former they Look Speak and act as if they were come unto Christ when indeed they are far from him they keep communion with Christs Flock and are not discerned from his Sheep They hear the word Preached partake of the Sacrament read the word and pray in Publick and Secret but still are like the Foolish Virgins Mat. 25.1.2 Which had Lamps which I take not only to be of profession but a Series of duties for they kept company with the Wise till the Bridegroom was comeing Jo. 17.3 To rest in dutys without Christ is like Josephs Bretheren who bring all things with them but Benjamine i. e. till they were to appear before Christ Jesus then they wanted oile i. e. Grace in their hearts and a saving knowledg of Christ as may be gathered from Christs answer to them vers 12. I say unto you I know you not They did not in all their Duties labour to know Christ so as to believe and rest on him for Salvation therefore saith he I know you not depart from me There must be a coming off from all Duty in point of Salvation and there must be a reliance on Christ alone and not to make that our Jesus which is but the way to him here Satan doth not deceive the notorious Sinner but the seeming devout Saint these take a large step towards Heaven and yet come one step short of Heaven and so tumble headlong into everlasting Misery When the Conscience is a little awakened or wounded upon the account of some Sin he will permit the Sinner to go to Duty there to seek for cure but not to the Lord Jesus By this wile he seeks to deceive the Heirs of the Kingdom if it were possible therefore beware in all conditions of resting short of coming to Christ for if Duty doth not lead the Soul to Christ the Saviour that which usurps that office i. e. of a Jesus will certainly in the end Damn the Soul for ever consider this is one of the depths of Satan therefore to the end he may not delude thee and keep thee in this Snare suspect every duty and ordinance which doth not by Faith bring thee to Christ alone both for grace and Glory 18ly By reason of some gifts bestowed upon the Soul as knowledg it may be in the word of God and ability to discourse of it likewise a guift of Prayer even to admiration now Satan is ready to tell the person he need go no further for if God did intend to condemn him he would not so liberally bestow such gifts upon him he need not question but his condition and state is very secure by this means the Soul rests satisfied in what is bestowed upon it but never looks to Christ as the sole foundation of Salvation O How many doth he deceive by this wile that because of some supernatural gifts confered upon them conclude thence they shall be saved Have a care of this Golden bait for it hath allured many Souls into everlasting Flames for thou mayest have great knowledg parts and gifts and notwithstanding all be a Fire brand of Hell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For if thou knowest Christ savingly it is enough though thou art ignorant in other things but if thou knowest not him all other Learning is as nothing Jo. 17.3 And if thou knowest him savingly then thou lovest him really and superlatively 19ly By promises of repentance and future obedience The Language of Satan live in thy Sins gratify thy Lust secure the World follow the Customs of the times thou shalt repent hereafter which is many times Judas like this I know to be the device of Satan by which he prevents many from coming to Christ tell some of their Sins and the necessity of repentance and coming to Christ by faith now they will answer by the instigation of Satan they do intend to repent and lead a now life if they are by afflictions or by the word or some providence sometimes convinced that those things should be done now that they should turn to God lay hold upon Christ abandon all Sin Satan will not let them now but promiseth hereafter they shall do it I fear too many are caught by this wile but Reader be not thou one of them but come to Christ now repentingly and believingly for besure it is not the Spirit of Christ that bids thee demur and put off thy repentance and obedience it is only the voice of Satan The Spirit of God saith to day Heb. 3.15 Satan is for to Morrow 20ly Satan obstructs by telling the Sinner of the mercy of God what
him not neither knoweth him but ye know him for he dwelleth with you and shall be in you See here what a mercy this is to have the blessed Spirit for thou canst have no true comfort here but from him it must flow thou canst not know nor understand the way to Zion but by his Divine assistance 1 Cor. 2.14.15 it is he who is spiritually inlightened that can discern the Excellency of Divine objects thou canst not pray without him Rom. 8.26 Then is it not a blessing greatly to be desired to have the blessed spirit without whom thou canst not perceive thine own misery sufficiently nor apprehend Christ a Saviour satisfactorily it is the Spirit that searches the deep things of God 1 Cor. 2.10 and reveals them to his Children as much as is for his glory and their Eternal good Now I intreat thee in the name of Christ let this consideration that God will be thy God Christ will be thy Saviour and the Spirit thy guid and Comforter excite thy Soul to come to Christ 8. If thou come unto Christ thou shalt have an eternal weight of glory 2 Cor. 4.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the words cannot be well expressed in English but it is as if the Apostle should have said thou shalt have Hyperboly's of Glory Glory upon Glory ineffable such as hath not entred into the Heart of Man to conceive neither can Tongue utter it but observe this it shall be a weight and an eternal weight of Glory not transient and momentary like unto worldly Glory which depends upon the estimation of poor silly Mortals as it is usually said Honos est in Honorante Honour is in him that gives Honour not in him that receives it but the greatest Glory of this World is not to be compared nay rather to be contemned in comparison of that Glory believers shall be Crowned with the greatest part of their Glory shall be in this That they shall see God and be made like unto him 1 Jo. 3.2 What canst thou be humbly ambitious of more then this That thou shalt be like unto God in holyness and Righteousness and that for ever Thou shalt have a Crown of Righteousness upon thine Head 2 Tim. 4.8 Rev. 3.21 and thou shalt sit down with Christ in his throne Here Soul it is lawful for thee to run for this prize Phil. 3.14 To fight for this heavenly Crown Take but a serious view of what thou shalt have if thou comest to Christ and then refuse if thou canst see if the world can offer more then what Christ doth to incourage thee to come unto him if the World or Satan can promise and give more and better things then these I have mentioned from the word of God then imbrace them and let Christ go but if they cannot why dost thou make delays in coming unto him 9ly and lastly 9. Motive consider the misery thou dost involve thy self in if thou dost not come unto Christ thy Misery is great in this Life thou art a Child of wrath a Servant to Satan Eph. 2.3 a Servant to Sin thou art an Enemy to God and God is an Enemy to thee Rom. 6.20 Rom. 5.10 the Curse of the Law abides upon thee Gal. 3.10 Read and consider canst thou be content to be in this estate hast thou no pity for thine own Soul no love to God who sent his Son to dye for Sinners Jo. 3.16 no love for Christ who came to sacrifice himself that thou mightest have access to God by him but consider further thy misery will not end in this Life nor with it for the wrath of God will follow thee to the Grave and tumble thy Soul into everlasting Flames That is a terririble word Jo. 3.36 The wrath of God abideth on him that believeth not in Christ He doth not say it shall be for a little time for a year or a hundred or a thousand years but it abideth on him and so it will for ever 2 Thes 1.8 9. See what will be the doom of those who obay not Christ that is who believe not in him Now I say Sinner come unto Christ least that terrible word be said unto thee in the last day Pro. 1.24.25.26 Because I have called and ye have refused I have stretched out my hands and no man reguarded But ye have set at nought all my Councel therefore I will laugh at your calamity I will mock when your fear cometh So much shall suffice for the first Doctrine That Jesus Christ graciously invites Sinners to come unto him 2. Doctrine It is the duty of all heavy laden Sinners who look for Rest and Salvation to come unto Christ for the obtaining of it If the invitation will not prevail with thee to come unto Christ yet let his command and the consideration of thy Duty Christ hath not left it mearly to their own wills but he commands them The Method that I shall proceed in is as followeth 1. I shall prove the point 2. Shew many of those obstructions which keep Sinners from coming to Christ with their unreasonableness 3. Answer some objections 4. Apply all and I shall bring in the two other Doctrines in the application 1. To prove that it is a duty Jo. 6.29 This is the work of God that ye believe in him whom he hath sent 1 Jo. 3.23 This is his Commandment that ye believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ I shall demonstrate the point by these propositions 1. It is the great duty incumbent upon all to seek the eternal well-being of their immortal Souls this is granted I think by all sober persons it is made our second principal end in the Assemblies Catechism 1. Glorify God 2. Save our own Souls Phil. 2.12 Work out your Salvation with fear and trembling God requires this from all men whether they be Princes or subjects Rulers or ruled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Arminians do pervert this Text. 1 Tim. 2.4 He willeth all men to be saved So the words may be read and they have relation to the foregoing verses where the Apostle exhorts to pray for all degrees of Men for Kings and those in authority for God willeth all Men all sorts of Men to seek after their Salvation for he is no respecter of Persons in that sence but he that feareth God and worketh Righteousness and believeth in his Son shall be saved Act. 10.35 Jo. 3.36 He that believeth the Son hath Life 2. Prop. Is that it is the duty of all to make use of means in order to the attaining of this great end scil the Salvation of their Souls God hath ordained the means as well as the end and he hath injoyned it as our Duty to make use of the means God hath given his Son to dye for us and doth command us to come and believe in him 1 Jo. 3.33 3. Prop. is that Christ Jesus is the only way for sinners to attain eternal life by
23. to 28. See there what befell them and thou must expect no better also Heb. 11. There is no peace in that way it is full of Thorns and briers thou must expect to be pricked and wounded therefore spare thy self as Peter said to Christ Mat. 16.22.23 Be it far from thee but Christ terms it the language of Satan get thee behind me Satan said he for thou savourest not the things that are of God Thus he deludes poor souls with promises of peace which is no true peace for here is not a word of the peace of God which passeth understanding such a peace that the world cannot give Jo. 14.27 Neither can the world take it away for as it is said of the Nightingale she sings with her breast against a thorne so the people of God have such peace and joy within that when the thorne of affliction is against their brests they can rejoice as Paul and Silas did in prison although they have not peace with the world yet they have peace with God Christ and their own Consciences which is the best of all therefore let not Satan keep thee by this wile from coming to Christ for he tells thee in the text he will give thee rest which implys all peace as far as it is good for thy Soul but Satan cannot give one moment of true peace or tranquility to the Soul 8. If peace will not do then he promises the world the pleasures the honours and the profits of this world as he did to Christ but in vain so he doth to all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All these things I will give unto thee do but fall down and worship me Mat. 4.9 O how many Souls doth he catch by this bait notwithstanding he frequently deceives the Soul and gives a blear-eyed Leah instead of a beautiful Rachel Tuta frequens via est sub amici fallere Nomen Vnder the name of kindness and friendship he frequently deludes the sinner And these are brave alluring baits and do most usually insnare the poor silly creature being so sutable to flesh and blood and that corrupt part of man which is like tinder easily fired with the desire of these things these have kept thousands from coming and have drawn back many that were gon a fair way toward Christ this made Judas instead of believing in Christ for his Saviour betray him as a Malefactor the Love of the world drew away Demas who had followed Christ a great way the Devil knows full well how to impede and hinder sinners from coming to Christ I have read a story of one Hippomenes who fell in Love with a beautiful Woman called Atalanta who had vowed Virginity only she proposed this to her Wooers that they should run a Race with her unarmed she having a dart in her hand and if she won the Race she was to kill them with her dart she having ended many so Himpomenes was to run with her and he had gotten three Golden Apples given him by Venus which in the midst of the race when she drew nigh unto him he severally throws down and she being allured by them runs to gather them up and so he wins the race and her which I apply thus for the moral of it is good This Hipomenes is Satan who falls in love with the soul which is Atalanta who has vowed Virginity in its baptismal covenant he goes to Venus which is the world and gets three Golden Apples which are profit pleasure and honour and when the soul is as it were half way to Zion he throws down these before it and whilst it stops to gather them the Race is lost and the soul is undone for ever Satan works most effectually by these which are but perishing vanitys and thousands of souls are swallowed up in this Gulfe who believe Satan that is the Father of lyes when he promiseth only a dirty world and neglect to come to Christ when he promiseth an eternal glorious Kingdom Satan promiseth the earth and he too often prevails but Christ offers Heaven with all the immunitys glory and happiness imaginable and yet is refused Satan promiseth that which he cannot perform without divine permission but Christ promiseth that which he will certainly bestow upon the believing soul therefore let not these Cobwebs hold thee seeing he Commands thee and it is thy duty to obey 9ly He perswades the sinner that he shall live a Malancholly life if he come to Christ and then produces various instances then shews him such a one and such a one who when they followed the course of the world and had their conversation as other men they lived chearfully and merrily but since they turned out of that way and have gone in another new way they are sad and disconsolate persons now ye shall not see them rejoyce but hang down their heads as a Bullrush This I say is another of his devices to keep back poor Souls when they are coming to Christ although there is no reason why it should for if they are sorrowful and pensive it is not with the sorrow of the world which is deadly 2 Cor. 7.10 Godly sorrow worketh Repentance to Salvation never to be Repented of but the sorrow of the world worketh death and as the wise man saith In the midst of laughter the heart is sad thus it is usually with the men of the world but the Godly though they have a dejected countenance yet then they have a chearful heart as their sorrows are not alike so their joys cant be compared the Apostle can say to the Godly rejoice evermore 1 Thes 5.16 And rejoice in the Lord always when he saith to the wicked Go weep and howl for the misery that shall come upon you James 5.1 Satan lies when he saith the ways of God are Melancholy for as the wise man saith Rom. 3.17 All her ways speaking of wisdom are ways of pleasantness and all her paths are peace and he may truly say all because all her paths are holiness I could give several instances besides scriptural ones of persons who have found it and declared it to be the most pleasant way all the godly more or less Galeaceus Carraciolus have experienced this I shall mention only that of the Noble Marquess who had experienced what comforts the world could afford and what were to be found in the ways of God could say Cursed be that Man who shall preferr all the Gold and Silver in the world before one days Communion with the Lord Jesus See here how he esteemed the comforts and delights he met with in the ways of God Therefore let not this deter thee and I will add mine own experience I never had such joys and delights as in the holy ways of God I cannot express it but come thou to Christ and thou shalt tast it nay satiate thy soul out of his superabundant fullness for he has rivers of pleasure by him and he doth often here give
and the like cogitations into poor sinners but yet consider to be reproached for Christs sake is an honour Heb. 11.26 Moses esteemed the Reproaches of Christ greater Riches than the Treasures of Egypt observe it is said he esteemed them he put a high value upon them he was not ashamed of them but he accounted them his honour 2. It is better to be reproached and follow Christ than commended and follow Satan The meanest part of Christs service is more honourable than the greatest the Devil can confer upon you 3. It is the same that Christ and his Apostles did find in the world Joh. 15.18 19. If the world hate you saith Christ ye know it hated me before it hated you And vers 19. I have chosen you out of the world therefore the world hates you Luke 21.16 17. All freinds shall set themselves against you and ye shall be hated of all men for my name sake 4. It is better to have men and friends reproach and hate than our conscience to reproach and the great God to hate for ever And if thou dost not come to Christ be sure thou wilt have no peace in thy conscience nor any Love or pitty from God And if thou sufferest with Christ in thy name or whatever else thou shall be glorified with him Rom. 8.17 Then notwithstanding all these Devices of Satan come unto the Lord Jesus that thou mayst have rest for thy Soul 14ly By perswading the Sinner to rest in the performance of some Moral acts as temperance and just dealing abstaining from gross enormities which others daily fall into if they do fall yet they do not wallow in the mire By this Chain he held the Jews fast and many thousands of those who are called Christians I speak not against Morality for where there is not Morality there is no true Christianity but we must not rest here that by reason of this never come fully unto the Lord Jesus It has troubled me sometimes to see those who are high in Morality very just very Temperate and circumspect in their external deportment and all their actions are so regulated even to admiration but no Christ all this while discourse to them in their life time not a word of Christ come to them in times of sickness they have a refuge to fly to they never wronged any one they have not been guilty of Adultery Fornication and the like gross sins they have done what they could and they hope God will accept the will for the deed and the like but no mentioning of Christ here is no renouncing selfe they have laid Feeble foundation and have raised their superstructure but the next storm of Gods wrath will quite evert and overturn the building and demollish this stately Fabrick For other foundation can no man lay No other firm Gospel foundation such as will bear up the soul in the day of Gods wrath than that which is layed even Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 3.11 He is the only foundation of Gods elect ones Therefore be not deceived by this wile of Satan for although I must confess Morality is a duty incumbent upon all and I wish there was more used among them who are termed Christians yet this must not be thy Christ if thou expectest to be saved for There is Salvation in none other Acts. 4.12 If thou couldst live the life of an Angel sail Free from sin one only transgession excepted thou wouldst be undone for ever unless Christ should satisfy his fathers justice for that iniquity nay without thine actual transgression thine Original sin would damn thee except it were washt away with the blood of Christ for we all sinned in Adam Rom. 5.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in whom all have sinned and all thou canst do can never wash away that pollution for if Doing would have done it Christ needed not to have dyed Again if Morality would do the work in order to Salvation we may conclude that many of the Heathens and also of the Jews who never believed in Christ shall be saved but as the Apostle saith Gal. 2.16 By the works of the Law shall no flesh be justified Paul had abundantly more to say for himself in this case Phil. 3.3.4.5.6 Than many of our proud Pharisee's now a days yet he renounces all as not being safe to rest in and build upon and 〈◊〉 to Christ alone 7.8.9.10 verses So I would advise thee whoever thou art that dost peruse this treatise never to rest upon any foundation for thy eternal well being but upon the Lord Jesus Christ who is the Rock to build upon Mat. 16.18 15ly By the applause of men this Subtile Adversary hath detained many as he did the Rulers mentioned Jo. 12.42 Nevertheless among the chief Rulers also many believed on him but because of the Pharisee's they did not confess him least they should be put out of the Sinagogue And the reason is given ver 43. For they loved the praise of Men more than the praise of God I must not inlarge but know this is no good reason Hinc apicem rapax fortuna cum stridore acuto sustulit hic posuisse gaudet Hor for which is better the praise of Man or the praise of God do but judge the one is of finite dust the other of an infinite Jehovah The applause of men is like the bubble on the water which soon vanisheth it is uncertain as dayly experience teacheth us and it is dangerous for the soul because it often puffs up and elevates the mind to act above its own sphear and soar too nigh the schorching sun so that Icarus-like at last they come tumbling down into the Ocean of woe and Misery for God resisteth the proud but giveth grace to the humble Jam. 4.6 Consider but this to be a faithful disciple and Follower of Christ is greater honour than to be the highest Monarch upon earth and have no Interest in him for true honour is that which comes from God therefore seek not so much the vain applause of man Jo. 5.44 But that honour which comes from God By believing in the Lord Jesus 16ly Satan impedes many by keeping them in a mear external profession wholly neglecting the internal work of Grace as saving faith in Christ sincere Love to him to his Ordinances and to his members the work of regeneration upon the soul without which they can never be saved Jo. 3.3 Except a man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom These have the form but not the power of Godliness 2 Tim. 3.5 They profess Christ but in works deny him they are called Nathaniel's but indeed are full of guile they have the name of Christians but never labour to become true and sincere Christians they honour God in words but their hearts are far from him like unto the Jews they cry out The Temple of the Lord The The Temple of the Lord and yet disobey the Lord of the Temple So these cry up a Christ a Jesus
of Gods grace and love in bestowing freely what the Sinner findes he needeth and what God requireth from him scil Faith in Christ Jesus Eph. 2.8 By grace ye are saved through faith and that not of your Selves it is the gift of God The Sinner wants Faith which is a supernatural of the Blessed Spirit Gal. 5.22 for without Faith there is no apprehending of Christ now God is pleased in his abundant mercy to confer this and all other graces upon the Sinner to the praise of the glory of his grace Eph. 1.6 3. To declare to man his own deplorable state and condition and that he may see what he has made himself by Sin he can do nothing in his lapsed fallen estate which conduceth to his eternal well being without me saith Christ ye can do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nothing Jo. 15.5 He doth not say ye can do no great thing without me but nihil nothing 4. That poor Creatures who are lost and undone by reason of Sin and who are imbecilitated and weakened through iniquity so that they cannot come themselves to Christ being convinced of the duty incumbent and the necessity of having this grace might more earnestly seek unto God for it and having obtained it highly esteem this Jewel for no Faith no Christ and no Christ no Salvation Jo. 3.36 5. This is to exalt the Lord Jesus in the estimation of miserable Sinners for being perswaded of the absolute necessity of this duty without which they cannot come unto the Father it will make Christ more desirable Jo. 14.6 I am the way the truth and the Life no man cometh unto the Father but by me i. e. By believing in Christ Jesus that is the only way to be reconciled to God and to obtain mercy from him For without faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11.6 or be any way grateful to him for God is so far from manifesting his Love to sinners whilst they remain strangers to Christ as that he rather hates them for God taketh complacency and delight 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chiefly in his Son Christ Jesus who is the eternal delight of the Father and may I speak with reference Prov. 8.30 and as I humbly presume congruent to the Analogy of Faith that God the Father takes delight or complacency in none neither Angels nor men except considered as elected in Christ because the finiteness of the Creature renders it not an adequate object for the delight of an infinite God or that he should fix his Love upon a Finite being when he is infinite and eternal for God loves not the Creature for it self for any intrinsick worth or excellency in it but for himself and so far as he hath ordained it for his glory there can be no additional felicity unto God the Creating of the Creature adds nothing to him neither doth the perishing of it detract any thing from him for he hath the same fulness and perfect object for his delight now as from all eternity scil his Son Jesus in whom he is well pleased For he is God blessed for ever Rom. 9.5 So that if we desire to be beloved of the Father or to have any manifestation of it to us we must go unto Christ in a way of Duty that he may confer and bestow those graces by which we may come unto him in a way of Mercy scil Repentance and Faith for as Christ has purchased Salvation so has he also the means by which we may obtain it and apply it to our own Souls as the Apostle saith Gal. 2.20 I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me and the Life which I now live in the Flesh I live by the Faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me By that Faith which Christ had purchased and his Spirit had wrought the Apostle did live I come now to the uses and application that may be made of this Doctrine 1. Information 2. Examination 3. Exhortation 1. It informs us of a great and indispensable duty for as I have before declared this receiving of looking coming unto and believing in Christ is a duty relating to all who expect salvation and are desirous to be eased of their Burthens which otherwise would press them down into everlasting misery it is by coming to Christ and believing in him that the Soul comes to be exonerated and eased from all its heavy loads of Sin and guilt it is a duty and a work that must be done Jo. 6.29 This is the work of God that ye believe in him whom he hath sent scil His Son Jesus Christ 2ly Learn hence the erronious falsity of those opinions that direct the Sinner some other way to seek for ease and help when it is only to be found in the Lord Jesus as Christ saith If ye believe not that I am he ye shall dye in your Sins Jo. 8.24 There is no other remedy for the wounded Soul but coming to the Blood of Christ no other Saviour for the lost Sinner but the Lord Jesus no other refuge for the persued Malefactor to sanctuary in but the name of the Lord Jesus Rom. 10.13 and there is none other that can bare away his burthens of guilt Levit. 16.22 into the Land of separation but the Scape-goat scil the Lord Jesus therefore they do but deceive and delude poor Sinners who direct them to any other for ease or comfort 3ly Learn hence that believing which is the right coming unto Christ is not meritorious because it is a Duty We are under a command of believing in Christ 1 Jo. 3 23. now that which is injoyned as a duty to do cannot be meritorious when done for the name of Duty doth casheir and cut off the very Sinnews and Strength of Merit Luk. 17.9.10 When we have done all we must say not complementingly we are unprofitable Servants for here is the Reason we have done but that which was our duty to do It is a duty to come and believe in Christ but our believing doth not merit or deserve that he should accept of us Believing in Christ is the work of the Spirit of God it is not by a mans own Power that he imbraceth him 2ly Use of Examination to know whether you are come unto Christ and indeed this is the Life of all for as the Apostle saith 2 Cor. 13.5 Examin your selves whither you be in the Faith prove your selves know you not your own selves that Jesus Christ is in you except you he Reprobates Here I shall propose this question how shall I know whether I am come to Christ Jesus or no I am satisfied that it is my Duty to come and that if I do not come I am undone and lost to all eternity I answer first If thou art come unto Christ the Father hath drawn thee Jo. 6.44 No man can come unto me except the Father which hath sent me draw him Now the Father draws by his election and so gives
shal ye be my Disciples Thus thou wilt manifest thy self that thou art come to Christ and to be one of his Disciples if thou indeavourost to glorifie God 2. Thou art inlightened to know thy duty towards thy Neighbour as Christ saith This is the second great Commandment to love thy Neighbour as thy self Mat. 22.39 1. To love his Person as he is the workmanship of God fearfully and wounderfully made Psal 139.14 Thou art to love him not to envy him Let not thy Heart envy Sinners but be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long Saith the wise man thou maist hate the Sins of thy wicked Neighbours because they are against God and his own Soul but thou art to Love his Person because he may be converted and shine gloriously for ever you may be Heirs together of the same happiness 2. And principally to desire and indeavour the good of his Soul by seasonable reproof for Sin Lev. 19.17 Eph. 4.25 and by admonition and exhortation unto good which tends to the eternal well being of his Soul I might number up many more as to tender his Name and Reputation not any way to prejudice him in his estate but I must contract 3. Thou art instructed thy duty concerning thy self as 1. To preserve thy Life by all lawful means whilst God is pleased to lengthen out the days of thy Pilgrimage 2. To Fly and turn from all Sin which wrongs thy own Soul Pro. 8. ult and to make use of all these means God hath appointed in order to thy Salvation These are some of the dutys in short which the holy Spirit doth teach a Man who is come unto the Lord Jesus 4ly Thou art brought to understand the Law not only the Letter of it but the spirituallity so saith the Apostle Rom. 7.14 not only as it relates to the external but the internal Man vers 7. Christ when he expounded the Law Mat. 5. shewed the extent of it reached to the outward man and especially to the inward man the thoughts and cogitations of the Soul as well as the actings and motions of the Eye the Tongue and the Hand Paul whilst a Pharisee was very exact as to his external deportment in all things keeping to the rule of the Law Phil. 3.6 Act. 8.1 he little thought then that his consenting to the Death of Steven was such a Sin that it deserved eternal Damnation although he had no hand in the Stoning of him but when his Eyes were opened then he crys the Law is Spiritual but I am carnal sold under Sin then he saw how the Law condemned Passion Malice Spiritual Pride and other motions of Sin as he calls them vers 5. when they never broke out into action as well as the actions of Sin done in the Flesh for indeed there is an action of the Soul even in the very thoughts of evil the Imagination acts and communicates it to the understanding the understanding to the will the will to the affections Thus there is a secret passage of every thought of evil throughout the whole Soul therefore the holy Ghost saith Gen. 6.5 The imaginations and thoughts of Mans Heart were evil continually Now the natural unconverted man discerns not this heart-evil or the spirituallity of the Law but he that is come to Christ as the Apostle Paul was to close with him and believe in him he perceives it 2. Thou seest the purity and holyness of it as well as the spirituallity of it The Law of God is pure and holy Psal 19.8 the Commandment of the Lord is pure inlightening the Eyes it is holy in that it comes from a holy God and tends to make and keep men holy holy in its nature and the inlightened Soul perceives and discerns an extraordinary sanctity and holyness in the Law of God Rom. 7.12 The Law is holy and the commandment holy Saith the holy Apostle when he was made holy by the Blood of Jesus 3. Rom. 7.12 The justness and Righteousness of the Law it is just therefore it will clear none that are guilty it is just and therefore it requiers compleat obedience and in case of default or transgression threatens eternal Punishment it allows of no repair neither will it abate the least mite of its just demands Thus when the Eyes are open to discern these things of the Law it becomes a School-Master to bring the Sinner to Christ that he may be justified by faith in him therefore our Divines say the Law should be Preached before the Gospel John Baptist-like to be a Harbinger to prepare the way for Christ into the Soul that he may find free and ready entertainment 4. Thou art brought to see the goodness of the Law Rom. 7.12.13 The Law is good 16. I consent to the Law that it is good In that it manifests the contrary evil to wit Sin and it is opposite to it and God hath ordained and commanded it for the good of his People Deut. 10.13 now he that is come to Christ looketh upon the Law as good therefore with the Prophet David He loves it above Gold or Silver Psal 119.72 And taketh delight in it as the Apostle did Rom. 7.22 I delight in the Law of God after the inward Man This is thy condition if thou art come to Christ thou art more grieved that thou canst not keep that Law which is so just and good and holy then because God hath made it so strict holy and just thou art ready to cry out Give power to do what thou commandest and command what thou wilt the Spirit is made willing although the Flesh is weak Rom. 7.15 5. Thou art brought to understand the Gospel I mean not that thou shouldst understand the Gospel as a Divine or learned Scholler by the Spirits assistance may do but I mean thou art inlightened to understand and apprehend the glad tidings of Salvation and the good will of God towards Men declared throughout the whole covenant of grace wherein God maketh known his willingness and readiness to be reconciled to poor Sinners upon the account of Christ Jesus 2 Cor. 5.18 All things are of God who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ 19. God was in Christ reconciling the World unto himself not imputing their trespasses unto them vers 12. He hath made him to be Sin for us who knew no Sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him In these words here are the great transactions between God and Christ concerning the Salvation of poor Sinners 1. Here are the great benefits redounding to Believers scil Reconciliation with God and a compleat Righteousness of God in Christ vers 18.21 2. The causa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Scool-men term it the Proegoumenal or moveing cause not the foresight of Mans obedience but meer mercy of God All things are of God vers 18. 3. The causa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the procureing cause which is the Lord Jesus he was in