who when he was sick sought not to the Lord but to Physitians of no value 2 Cron. 16.12 and so he perished in his affliction If thou mountest up to Heaven and from thence goest down to the Deep if thou compassest the whole Universe to seek for another Saviour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it will be but Labour spent in vain Isa 45.22 Christ saith Look unto me and be ye saved all the ends of the Earth for I am God and there is none other therefore none other Saviour because there is no other God for he that is any thing less then God who is altogether Infinite is no way sufficient neither can he be a compleat Saviour to Poor Sinners Thy transgressions O Sinner are infinite thou hast broken the pure spiritual Law of thy Creator thou canst not make satisfaction because it requires that which is infinite Men or Angels cannot do it for thee the Pope himself with all his Church-treasures cannot satisfy for the least of his own Transgressions it may be said to him as Agesilaus said to the Thasians when for some great Favour received of him they built him a Temple and deified him and withal sent Embassadors to certify him of it Can your Country men said he make Gods of men To which Zenophon answering him they could Let them first make themselves Gods replyed he and then I will believe they can make me one so say I when the Pope can save himself I shall have greater grounds to expect help from him But Further thou art obnoctious to eternal Punishments and dost thou think any can deliver and redeem thee but the Lord Jesus Christ who can pacify the wrath of an angry God who can satisfy Infinite Justice and who can undergo and yet overcome Infinite Torments None O none but Christ therefore Poor Soul hasten unto him 4ly Let Christs willingness to imbrace and ease thee be a motive to thee to come unto him never let the greatness of thy Labour the weightiness of thy burden the deceitfulness of Sin or the subtilty of Satan keep thee back or impede thy coming unto him if Christ were not willing to receive thee he would never invite thee Ho every one that Thirsteth come Drink freely Jo. 17.37 for Christ is freely willing Christ is troubled for thy unwillingness Jo. 5.40 Reason then with thine own Soul and say is Christ willing to ease me and shall I still lay under my burdens is Christ willing to give me life and shall I still remain in a state of Death will Christ make me free with the freedoms of the Sons of God and shall I still abide in slavery to Sin and Satan is Christ willing to give me peace and rest and to keep my Soul in that state Isa 26.3 He will keep them in peace whose minds are staid upon him And shall I still keep my Soul in perpetual perplexity Hose 13.9 shall I be a Self Murtherer when Christ is a willing and Merciful Saviour O this would be horrid impiety and I might then cry out with the rest Heu patior telis vulnera facta meis a lass I suffer wounds made with mine own Darts and yet slight such an able Chirurgion sick even to Death and yet neglect so willing and kind a Physitian I say thus reason thy self out of thy unwillingness from the consideration of Christs willingness as in my Text Come unto me 5ly Consider as a motive who it is that invites thee I have shewed thee in the Former part that he is God Tit. 2.13 he is the great God therefore able he is Jesus therefore Willing If a King should invite thee and make great offers unto thee I am perswaded thou wouldst not as Diogenes Quint. Curt. scorn and refuse them but consider this is not a Cyrus who can promise only Towns or Citys to his Subjects neither an Alexander that may promise an Earthly Kingdom to thee but he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The King of Kings Rev. 19.16 Rev. 5.10 Heb. 12.28 and Lord of Lords He can make thee a King and give unto thee an heavenly and glorious Kingdom a Kingdom that cannot be shaken Imploy thy thoughts a little upon this consideration who the Inviter is and this will inflame thee and ingage thee without delay to come unto him 6. Motive Consider what and who thou art that by so glorious a Person art invited Thou art by Nature a Child of wrath Ephes 2.3 Under the wrath of God Under the Curse Gal. 3.10 and the power of Satan a lost undone perishing sinner Luk. 19.10 an Enemy to God to Christ to Goodness to thy own Soul by nature Rom. 5.10 Whilst we were yet Enemies Christ dyed for us Thou art under the Yoke of Bondage a Poor Needy Indigent creature and it is he alone that can supply thee if thou hadst been a glorious Angel thou wouldst then have needed Christ to confirm and establish thee but thou art not such Mat. 9.13 Luk. 18.13 thou art a Sinner and he a glorious Saviour consider that well in thy meditations what a Sinner it implys a miserable State and person yet Christ invites thee 7. Motive Consider what thou mayst be if thou comest unto him from a Child of wrath thou wilt become the Son of God from an Heir of Hell to be an Heir of Glory from being under the Power of Satan to serve the Liveing God and be kept by the mighty power of God through faith unto Salvation 1 Pet. 1.5 If thou comest unto him thou shalt be for ever happy Blessed in Body Blessed in Soul Blessed in Time Blessed in and to Eternity Rev. 14.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jam nunc Blessed are the Dead which Die in the Lord. In the very moment of their entring upon eternity they are Blessed and shall be so for ever so saith the Apostle Paul And so we shall be for ever with the Lord Thou shalt be made like unto God in Righteousness and true Holyness 1 Thes 17. Eph. 4.24 1 Epis 3.2 Beloved saith the Apostle John Now are we the Sons of God and it doth not yet appear what we shall be but we know when he shall appear we shall be like him Who is not ambitious of being a Prince and Heir to an Earthly Crown and Kingdom how much more shouldst thou be desirous of being Son and Heir to the King of Glory and this is the only way by coming to the Lord Jesus No coming to the Father but by the Son Eph. 1 4 5 6. According as he hath chosen us in him and he has adopted us to be Children by Christ to himself And if Children then Heirs Heirs with God and joint Heirs with Christ Rom. 8.17 Here see and meditate well what thou shalt be if thou comest to Christ it may be thou art a poor distressed dejected dispised Creature here among the men of the World it may be thou art a Servant
2.5 2dly They are ignorant of him in his offices as King Psal 2.6 as Prophet Mat. 21.11 as Priest Heb. 3.7 3ly They understand not that he is the only and alone way to the Father Jo. 14.6 I am the way the truth and the Life no man cometh to the Father but by me Acts 4.12 for there is Salvation in none other He is the only way to all happiness Peace Comfort and Eternal Life Jo. 3.36 But the benighted Soul being altogether in the Dark as to these things wholly defers coming unto Christ 8. They whose minds are Blinded know not God who is the fountain of all Good if they had but a Spiritual understanding concerning God they would not desire to be long away from Christ and where there is not this divine knowledg the Heart cannot be good For it is Life eternal to know the only true God Jo. 17.3.1 They are ignorant of the infinite holyness and purity of God He is of purer Eyes then to behold evil and he cannot look on Iniquity Hab. 1.13 God cannot look on Sin with any approbation for the least Sin is contrary to his Holyness Those glorious Seraphins we read of Isa 6.3 do adore God in his holyness which when the Prophet Isaiah heard and saw he presently crys out ver 5. I am undone because I am a Man of unclean Lips when he perceived the holyness of God he was made more sensible of his own pollution and what need he had for the Seraphin to bring a coal from the Alter to touch him ver 6. that so his Iniquity might be taken away and his Sin purged So I say did but Men and Women apprehend the holyness of God and that no Sinner or Sinful thing can abide in his presence because he is a consuming Fire to all such Heb. 12.14.29 They would cry out we are undone because we are polluted and defiled O that Christ the Angel of the covenant would come and Sprinkle us with his Blood that we might be cleansed from all our Iniquity purified from all our Sin that we may be holy as our God is holy for who can dwell with devouring Fire or who can dwell in ever lasting burnings Isa 33.14 2ly Of his righteousness Psal 145.17 The Lord is righteous in all his ways and holy in his Works There is no unrighteousness with him he will give to every one that which is Right as David confesseth Psal 51.4 That thou mightest be just when thou speakest and clear when thou judgest Sinners are very subject to think God is like themselves Psal 50.21 They think because they are unrighteous therefore he is so to they do not believe that he will render to every man according to his Deeds and that God is so righteous that he will Punish the Least Sin with eternal damnation if the Soul be out of Christ but if God was not thus impartial he could not be righteous for as the Apostle says Rom. 3.6 Is God unrighteous who taketh Vengeance God forbid for then how should God judge the world Now it is the want of the right knowledg of this scil That God is a righteous God and that he will exact the uttermost Farthing either from the Sinner or from Christ the surety which impedes and let them from coming unto Christ 3. The faithfulness of God 2 Tim. 2.13 He abideth faithful God is a faithful God he will fulfil all his promises of mercy to them who receive and believe in Christ 2 Cor. 1.20 For all the promises of God in him are yea and in him are Amen That is they are all certain and true in and through Christ God will fulfil every one of them and also he is Faithful to make good his Threatnings denounced against Sinners who continue strangers to Christ and enemys to the Gospel which invites Sinners to come unto him They will be ready to lay hold upon that Scripture Exod. 34.6.7 The Lord the Lord God gracious and merciful but read not those Words who will by no means clear the guilty which relate to his Justice and Righteousness 4. They do not know that hatred God bares to Sinners whilst they are disobedient to Christ Psal 11.5 They understanding not who are the only persons God loves conclude they are of that number who have an interest in his Love not considering he loves none but those who believe in and except of his Son the Lord Jesus all others are objects of his hatred For he who is Love it self 1 Jo. 4.16 Abhors those who slight his only Son the Son of his love even the Lord of glory 3ly The third Lett or Hindrance from within is the perversness of the will at first when God created man he gave unto him a perfect will and he always willed that which was pleasing unto God but upon his Sinning he quite depraved although de did not loose that faculty now in this depraved state and condition the Will is perverse averse to that which is truely good and willeth evil continually therefore saith Christ Jo. 5.40 Ye will not come unto me that ye may have Life Christ Jesus who is Life Jo. 11.25 makes offers and tenders of Life unto Sinners and promiseth If they come he will in no wise cast them out Jo. 6.37 Yet they obstinately refuse and are ready to cry out we will not have this Man to reign over us Luk. 19.27 Mansit quidem arbitrium hominis liberum à coactione sed tantum ad Malum Wolleb The will of Man doth still remain free from all coaction or compulsion but it is free only to evil not to good Therefore Christ so graciously invites and it is their duty yet they wilfully refuse to come unâ—t him 4ly The vitiosity and irregularity of the affections is another internal impediment Those affections which have good for their object as Love Joy Desire these are fixed upon wrong objects and so they are impeded from coming unto Christ Love which should be fixed upon God Sufficiens perfectum bonum who is the Summum bonum the Supream good the sufficient and perfect good is placed upon the Creature which is but an inferior insufficient and perishing good The Scripture saith Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine Heart and withal thy Strength Deut. 6.5 But God generally hath the least part for if God was chiefly beloved of the Soul Christ would be so too for he that loveth the Father truely loveth the Son sincerely so for joy and delight we are commanded to rejoice in the Lord always Phil. 4.4 We should take complacency and delight in him above all but for the most part their joy and delight is in carnal perishing objects in the Creature more than in the Creator for if the Soul took delight in the Father it must needs take complacency in the Son who is the eternal delight of the Father Pro. 8.30 so the desires of the Soul when they should be after God
his Father which was the Soul of his sufferings Mat. 26.38 My Soul is exceeding sorrowful even unto Death Mat. 27.46 My God my God why hast thou forsaken me He dyed an ignominious Painful Cursed Death Gal. 3.13 These things did the Lord of Life and Glory undergoe that he might redeem me from that punishment and wrath due to my Sins How doth the consideration of Christs suffering humble and break the Adomantine heart and makes it Labour to express its sorrow with sighs and groans that cannot be uttered but further when it comes to apprehend the procuring cause of all this misery that Christ indured then indeed the Soul doth even disolve it self into tears and with unfained contrition crys out what my Sins mine Iniquitys my rebellion against God my disobedient walking my cursed Lusts and vile polluted Actions to be the procuring cause of all Christs sufferings O wretch that I am Vile Unworthy Degenerate Creature thus to cause Christ to be wounded with and for my Sins Lament O my Soul bath thy self in tears of blood lament I say for behold Christ was wounded he suffered bled and dyed for my Iniquitys and violations of the Law of God 5ly and lastly It hath an Eye to the Gospel Jo. 6.37 which is the glad tidings of Salvation which declares and holds forth Christ to be an able and willing Saviour it makes manifest the free grace of God in and through Christ to poor Sinners upon the consideration of the excellency of the Gospel and those things contained in it and yet to be dispised thus the Soul frames its Arguments I have not only Sinned against Justice but I have also Sinned against mercy not only against the Law but most egrediously against the Gospel Christ by his Ministers called once yea twice but I harkned not he knocked Act. 3.46 Rev. 3.20 Cant. 5.2.3 but I opened not unto him he invited but I refused him he wooed me but I scorned him I made Christ weight a long season before I would give him admittance he followed me with intreatys but I unworthy wretch ran away from him and slighted the means of grace even to the indangering the Ruine of my immortal Soul in the days of the Gospel the light is more splendid then it was under the Law therefore my Sins are more aggravated under the Law the Church was but in its infancy but under the Gospel it is grown up into Manhood and as Murder or any Sin is more heinous being committed by a Man than by a Child so it is with me I cannot say but I have Sinned against the checks of Conscience against light and knowledg against many warnings and admonitions given me both by Christs Ministers and other Godly Friends therefore I cannot but lament and mourn being now convinced of all that evil I have perpetrated and wickedly commited against the Gospel of the Lord Jesus 2ly True Evangellic repentance which is wrought in the Soul by the Spirit of God may be known by the nature and propertys of it now the propertys are 1. To confess Sin Psal 32.5 I acknowledged my Sin unto thee and mine Iniquitys have I not bid I said I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord and thou forgavest the Iniquity of my Sin Pro. 28.13 Who so confesseth and forsaketh his Sin shall find Mercy 1 Jo. 1.9 If we confess our Sin he is faithful and just to forgive us our Sin It is the property of repentance I say to confess Sin and that 1. Freely and ingeniously not like a legal Repentant from horror of Conscience or fear of Punishment but from a sence of the evil of Sin as David did Psal 32.5 I said I will confess my transgressions and in Psal 51.3 I acknowledg my transgression and my Sin is ever before me 2ly As Freely so also particularly as Nathan said to David Thou art the Man 2 Sam. 12.7 so the sinner confesseth and acknowledgeth his sin he cries out Thou art the sin the Achan which has troubled the peace of my Israel scil Conscience Thus we find it hath been with the servants of God David Psal 51.14 Deliver me from blood guiltiness O God thou God of my Salvation Dan. 9.5 6. We have sinned and have committed iniquity and have done wickedly and have rebelled even by departing from thy Precepts and from thy Judgments neither have we hearkned to thy Servants the Prophets which spake in thy name to our Kings our Princes and to our Fathers and to all the people of the Land Ezra chap. 9. and Neh. 9. throughout declares how they confessed their sins in particular 1 Tim. 1.13 saith Paul I was before a Pâ—rsecuter a Blasphemer and Injurious but I obtained Mercy Many will confess they have sinned in general but never particularize them before the Lord. 3dly It is mixed with contrition and sincere mourning for sin for as the Psalmist saith the Sacrifices of God are a broken heart A broken and a contrite heart O God thou wilt not despise Psal 51.17 There is a godly sorrow the Apostle mentioneth 2 Cor. 7.10 For godly sorrow worketh repentance unto salvation never to be repented of and indeed without this godly sorrow and sincere mourning for sin confession is insignificant for Confession without Contrition is like a Body without a Soul dead cold and unactive it doth nothing that will prove advantageous to the Soul for as a dead Corps is offensive to man so is a meer confession unto God and much more for where there is only confession without due sense of sin it savours of Hypocrisie but when there is a deep and sensible contrition it savours of sincerity 4. It is accompanied with shame and confusion of face Ezra 9.6 O my God I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face unto thee my God for our Iniquities are increased over our heads and our Trespasses grown up unto the heavens The sense of the exceeding evil that is in sin and of the greatness of the Majesty that hath been offended makes the poor soul ashamed to look up but like the poor Publican stands a far off and would not lift up his eyes to Heaven but smote upon his Breast saying God be merciful to me a sinner Luke 18.13 O when the Soul is truly sensible of the vileness and evil of sin it is ashamed and confounded and dare not look up to God 5thly It is mixt with self-abhorrence and self-condemning Job 42.6 Wherefore I abhor my self and repent in dust and ashes Job 40.4 Behold I am vile what shall I answer thee Dan. 9.8 O Lord to us belongs confusion of face Lord saith the poor humble penitent I am a guilty Malefactor I deserve nothing but Death Hell and eternal Damnation it is true thou hast declared that Christ hath merited Mercy Life and Salvation but I my self deserve nothing but misery I am unworthy of the least manifestation of thy Love and Kindness I am not worthy to be called thy Son
1.2 In hope of eternal life which God that cannot lye hath promised So saith Christ Jo. 3.16.36 God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life Jo. 10.28 I will give unto them eternal life Now God and Christ having promised this the believer hopes for the performance of it 2ly Promises of glory Psal 84.11 He will give grace and glory and no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly before him 2 Cor 4.17 and in many other places Therefore these sublime and eternal objects this hope is fixed upon not upon the base vanitys of this perishing world not upon the promises of men or Angells but upon the promises of God in Christ 2 Cor. 1.20 All the promises of God are in Christ yea and amen to the praise of his glory Therefore it being for his praise and glory he will fully perform and not disappoint the expectations of any who hope and trust in him 5ly The spirit hath wrought the grace of humility This grace is most lovely in the eyes of God and men nay it is so excellent and amiable that generally those who themselves are lofty cannot but admire and commend this beautiful adornment when they behold it in others It is so transcendent and comely that the great God takes delight to dwell with such Souls Isa 57.15 For thus saith the high and lofty one that inhabiteth eternity whose name is holy I dwell in the high and holy place with him also that is of an humble and contrite Spirit to revive the Spirit of the humble and revive the heart of the contrite ones Christ Jesus was not ashamed to be cloathed with this garment Mat. 11.29 Learn of me for I am meek and lowly in Spirit Therefore the Apostle exhorts believers to put on this compleat Robe of humility 1 Pet. 5.5 Be cloathed with humility I shall show in a few particulars how it may be known whether this Grace be wrought in the Heart or no. 1. Where this grace is there is contriteness of Spirit A broken heart and an humble heart go together so in that place Isa 57.15 To revive the Spirit of the humble and to revive the Heart of the contrite ones and in the 66. Chap. 2. vers But to this Man will I Look even to him that is of a poor and contrite Spirit Therefore brokenness and contrition are sometimes put for a truely humble frame as Psal 51.17 The Sacrifices of God are a broken heart a broken and a contrite heart O God thou wilt not dispise 2ly The person who hath this Grace hath self-debasing thoughts of himself When on the contrary the Proud Spirit doth elevate and lift up it self it hath high thoughts although altogether undeserving of it self the humble person thinks all to much that is conferred upon him when any Praise and commend him though he truely deserves it yet he hath such mean thoughts of himself that he concludes they have out of extream Love or Flattery exceeded the bounds of his merits but now the superbious and lofty imagin every one is defective and comes short of attributing to him according to his worth and deserts Absolon thinks he hath not Honour enough in being the Kings Son but he must stand in the Gate and by all means be made King in the room of his Father when humble David looked upon it as a great matter to be only Son in Law to a King see how he expresseth his humility 1 Sam. 18.23 And Sauls Servants spake those Words in the Ears of David and David said seemeth it unto you a Light thing to be a Kings Son in Law seeing that I am a poor man and lightly esteemed Thus we see that Pride is ambitious of exaltation when humility lays it self even with the Dust 3ly Where this Grace is in the Heart the Person highly exalts free grace and acknowledgeth all mercys to flow merited from the free grace of God alone 2 Tim. 1.9 Who hath saved us and called us with an holy calling not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace which was in Christ Jesus before the world began The Apostle Paul is often at this work extolling of Free Grace as Eph. 2.5.8 By Grace ye are saved through Faith and that not of your selves it is the gift of God Jacob the Patriark looked upon himself as unworthy of the mercys of God Gen. 32.10 I am not worthy of or I am less then the least of all thy mercys and of all the truth which thou hast shewed unto thy Servant See this humble good man he exalts Mercy and acknowledgeth the freeness of it even in the least measure of it that it did transcend his deserts 4ly Where this humility is the heart fears and trembles at the word of God i. e. fears to Sin and transgress the holy word of God Isa 66.2 But to this man will I look even to him that is poor and of a contrite Spirit and trembleth at my word This humble heart dreads Sin and transgressing the Law of God Jam. 1. because in so doing he keeps himself Spotless and injoys the blessed asspect of Gods countenance he looks towards such a one Moreover he injoys in some measure the blessedness of Heaven for he hath Communion with God Isa 57.15 God dwells with the humble But if he Break Gods Law then God will frown and turn away his Face and withdraw his sensible presence from the Soul therefore it labours to walk humbly as being that which keeps the Soul with God and God with it God requires it from his People Micah 6.8 He hath shewed thee O man what is good and what doth the Lord require of thee but to do justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with thy God or to humble thy self to walk with thy God 5ly Where this grace is there is Poverty of Spirit Mat. 5.3 Christ begins the Blessings to the Poor in Spirit which Diodate expounds Humility and meekness of Spirit before God Those who have this grace always apprehend themselves to be Spiritually Poor therefore they are continually Praying to God and crying to Christ for supplys of grace They are not like to the Laodiceans Who thought themselves rich and increased in Goods and to have need of nothing Rev. 3.17 But yet were most miserable But they are like to the Poor who are always in wants and daily going to the Gates of the Rich and laying open their necessitys and earnestly craveing supplys These humble ones are dayly knocking at Heavens gate by Prayer for some mercy and grace the Soul stands in need of from God 6ly The Person that hath this grace is ready to prefer every gracious Soul before himself he esteemes the Person parts and graces of another very highly for he looks upon himself as the Apostle did even the meanest and unworthyest servant of Christ 1 Cor. 15.9
SINNER Mat. 11.28 Come unto me all ye that Labour and are heavy Laden and I will give you Rest JEsus Christ when the fulness of time was come determinated by the eternal counsel of the blessed Trinity manifested himself for two principal and great ends Gal. 4.45 The first was the glory of his Father in the exaltation of the riches and abundance of his grace towards poor sinners The second was the salvation and eternal felicity of all them who are brought to believe in and accept of him And there is such a conjunction and near union of these two that there is now an impossibility Secundum quid of their separation for the glory of Gods grace is illustrated and exalted in the conversion and everlasting salvation of poor sinners therefore Christ Jesus hath so frequently and publickly declared his and his Fathers willingness to imbrace believing and repenting sinners John 6.37 All that the Father giveth me shall come unto me and them that come to me I will in no wise cast out In the 38 39 40. verses of that Chapter Christ tells us it was his Fathers will that he came to fulfil which is that every one that seeth the Son and believeth in him shall have everlasting Life And that Christ might not fail of these ends he encourageth sinners to seek after their eternal happiness and makes known his readiness to unburden the heavy-laden sinner to refresh the labouring and give the weary rest If the Troubled know not where to get peace or the sick and wounded where to find an Able Faithful and Merciful Physitian or the poor and needy a bountiful benefactor let them convert and fix their Eyes upon the words of my Text and be incouraged and rejoice for Jesus Christ saith Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest In these words observe 1. An Invitation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Person Inviting the Invitor is the Lord Jesus the invitation is to come unto him Come unto me A Metaphorical expression where coming is put for believing because by faith the Soul goes to and closes with the Lord Jesus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. The persons invited the labouring and heavy laden The word for Labour in the Original signifies a Labouring with difficulty and wearisomness Christ in this phrase seems to have respect to the Jews labouring under the yoke and burden of the Mosaical Law 1 Rom. 9.13 Act. 15.10 whereby they indeavoured to work out a righteousness that would justifie them in the fight of God and by which they might procure favour from him but more especially those who Labour in their Souls and Consciences by a lively feeling of their sins and the terror of Gods judgments and the severity of his scourges and punishments as Diodate annot 3. The universality Come unto me all ye Not all who live in their sins 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and persevere in their iniquities but all such who are sensible of and affected with the intollerable burden of sin and their imperfection in and imbecility to perform the strictness of the Law to satisfy the justice of God because the Law requires perfect and compleat obedience or else leaves the Soul under a curse Gal. 3 10. 4. The great incouragment of these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will give you rest rest from all your unprofitable Labours Sorrows Afflictions and sins if you come unto me Isa 55.2 What more Incouragment to the Labouring what greater inducement to the weary and heavy laden than rest and such a rest as Christ hath purchased promised will certainly give to all that come unto him from the words there are these several points of Doctrine deducible 1. Doctrine is this that Jesus Christ graciously condescends to invite Labouring and Heavy Laden Sinners to come unto him come unto me 2. Doctrine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est modus imperandi tanquam precandi that it is the indispensable duty of all who are heavy laden and seek for rest and salvation to come to the Lord Jesus for it 3. Doctrine Sinners before they come to and close with the Lord Jesus Labour under heavy and intollerable burdens 4. Doctrine That all those who are sensible of the heavy burdens they labour under and come unto Christ for help shall certainly find rest I will give you rest I shall begin with the first Doctrine 1. Doctrine Jesus Christ graciously condescends to invite Labouring and heavy laden sinners to come unto him John 7.37 If any man thirst let him come unto me and drink Thirst for peace of Conscience thirst for righteousness grace and salvation let him come and accept of it freely Rev. 22.17 The Spirit and the bride say come and let him that heareth say come and let him that is a thirst come and whosoever will let him take the waters of Life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gratis freely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ is an inexhaustible fountain and the purest and sweetest water is from the fountain therefore Christ invites to come even to himself In prosecution of this Doctrine I shall 1. shew what is implyed in coming to Christ 2. Who he is that invites Sinners to come 3. The means by which he invites 4. The reasons why he doth invite Sinners 5. Make some application of it 1. What is meant by coming for Christ is now in the highest Heaven at the Right Hand of God the Father we are hear on Earth how may we then come to him I Answer 1. Coming is sometimes expressed by looking unto Christ Look unto me and be ye saved all the ends of the Earth Isa 45.22 So John 1.2 9. I 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 behold the Lamb of God who taketh away the sins of the World There must be looking unto Christ till the Eye affect the heart as Zach. 12.10 We are all stung by the fiery Serpent i.e. Sin Jo. 3.14 therefore there is an absolute necessity to lift up our Eyes and fix them on the Lord Jesus who is the Anti-tipe to the brazen Serpent there must be a constant looking till we are perfectly cured by nature the Eye is averted from God and Christ and placed either upon this World for our total and ultimate felicity or upon our imperfect obedience to the Law for our compleat Righteousness so that we think we have no need of Christ but now Christ calls the Sinner off from both these that he may fix it on himself in whom Salvation is to be found the Soul can be compleatly happy in none but Christ Col. 2.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we are compleat in him if we expect full salvation and blessedness we must look unto Christ Heb. 12.2 and look off from all other things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 12.2 Looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our Faith 2. It implys a turning to him Sin hath turned us
by faith and apprehends and applies this to it self 3 It not only leads to Christ but into Christ The Soul when once brought out of all self-confidence will rest and center in Christ when it has wandred about like the silly Dove and can find no safe rest she returns to the Ark Christ Jesus and seeks admittance into him for the Soul is not content only to behold Christ but also desires to enjoy him not only to come unto him but to get into him thus it was with the Apostle Paul Phil. 3.9 He would be found 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in him though stript naked of all his righteousness yet be found in him alone in him in life in him at death for ‖ Rev. 14.13 blessed are the dead which die in the Lord. Faith is the uniting and implanting grace whereby the Soul is ingrafted into Christ and so becomes a living branch of that living Vine the Lord Jesus Joh. 15.5 I am the Vine ye are the branches This is the import of the expression believe ‖ Joh. 3.36 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into Christ thus we see that by coming to Christ is meant believing in him So much for the invitation Come 2dly I come now to the second particular and that is to shew who this person is that invites weary laden sinners to come to and believe in him for I know the sinner may be ready to say who is he he makes a fair invitation but can he give rest can he make good his promise I answer yea he can to the uttermost make good his promise for he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God-man 1 Tim. 3.16 God manifest in the flesh Rom. 9.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God blessed to eternity he is not a created Angel as Ebion saith neither is he one Person with the Father as Sabellius attested neither is he one that God only dwelt in as Nicholaus said but know this for thy consolation thou heavy laden and labouring Soul that he is the true God and eternal life Joel 5.20 He is the a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 same divine Essence with the Father and not like unto it Joh. 10.30 I and my Father are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one Essence 1 Joh. 15.7 these three are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one speaking of the Trinity of Persons in the Unity of Essence the Lord Jesus and his Father are not b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dissimiles essentiâ unlike in Essence neither are they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of diverse Essences for God is indivisible as to his simple and eternal essence neither are they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sicut homines like men a eadem essentiâ sed non innumero the same in essence but not in number for they are coessential and consubstantial having one and the same Essence Basil contra Eunomium calleth the Lord Jesus b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 goodness itself life it self and righteousness it self in the very abstract and how can he be otherwise when there dwells in him the fulness of the Godhead 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bodily Coll. 2.9 The Father and the Son Christ Jesus are at c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 once and together in nature as the Sun and light the one hath the priority in order but not in nature so God the Father and God the Son both persons were from eternity the Father in order first but not in nature But let us go to the d melius est petere fontes quà m sectari rivulos fountain scil the holy Writ to the Law and to the Testimony Is 8.20 for if our speech and proofs be not according to that there will be no light in us Therefore we will see whether or no from thence we may more perspicuously and evidently understand this divine truth for the Scripture doth best discover this great verity scil that Christ is God-man in two distinct natures and one person therefore seeing the right understanding of this is the ground of our encouragement to come unto him and to forsake all others and relye upon him alone for ease and rest I shall endeavour to prove that the Person that invites sinners to come unto him is the true and living God therefore those that come unto him shall not fail of rest 1. Argument shall be taken from what the Scripture saith of his divine Original he is called John 1.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The only begotten of the Father Heb. 1.6 the first begotten 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to that Joh. 1.1 In the begining was the Word and the Word was with God and the word was God The divine Apostle being guided by an infallible Spirit did foresee that this truth would meet with Opposers therefore he is positive in his assertion that he who was the eternal Word is God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and if all Socinians deny this evident Scripture or put false interpretations upon it and call for humane arguments and reasons we are not to believe them for here is that in the word of God which doth far transcend all Philosophical notions and Scholastick distinctions which do rather darken than illustrate this truth for the Spirit of God was the dictator of it and he wants not wisdom to apprehend nor sutable words to express aright this fundamental point in Divinity I shall not make it my business in this Discourse to enter upon Controversy but labour to confirm this weighty point In 1 Joh. 5.20 Christ Jesus is called the Son of God in one part of the verse and in the other part he is called the true God and eternal life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What ever the Socinians say of this text is invalid for it is evident to any truly enlightned mind that the main scope of the words is to prove the Divinity of the Son of God this were sufficient grounds for faith if there were no other Scriptures to prove the Deity of Christ when Christ asserted that he was one with the Father Joh. 10.30 the unbelieving Jews did rightly apprehend the words but could not understand or conceive the thing for they said that he by this expression who was but a meer man as they thought made himself God vers 33. therefore they term it blasphemy which yet Christ never sought to deny or vindicate himself from so enormous a crime if it had been blasphemy but goes on to confirm it Joh. 10.36 37 38. he owns that he said he was the Son of God which must necessarily be understood that it was by eternal generation therefore one with the Father in essence But I shall wave all prolixity and contract in as narrow compass as I may not being prejudicial to the truth moreover knowing that it is more learnedly and copiously handled by many worthy Divines My work shall be only to touch upon particulars to prove this point and to confirm
those into whose hands this my Book may come and find acceptation with and also to encourage them to come unto Christ who so graciously invites poor sinners to come that they may have rest for their souls 2d Argument à nominibus Divinis from the names of God which are also given to Christ he is called a Rom. 9.5 God over all b 1 Tim. 3.16 God manifest in the flesh c Tit. 3 13. the great God so Is 9.6 the mighty God now the meer name is not only ascribed to the Lord Jesus as it was to them Psal 82.6 but because he truly is so 2d the name Jehovah as in Jer. 23.6 this is the name whereby he shall be called Jehovah our righteousness the name Jehovah has relation to the very essence and being of God and springs from the same root with that Exod. 3.14 I am that I am in Rev. 1.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ is termed He that was is and is to come 3ly Lord which relates to his dominion over and sustentation of the world Heb. 1.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And thou Lord in the begining hast laid the foundations of the Earth Psal 110.1 The Lord said unto my Lord sit thou on my right hand till I make thine enemies thy footstool The name Lord in the first place is meant of the Father but in the second of the Son as Christ himself interprets it Mat. 22.44 Thus it appears by the names of God given unto him he is not a meer creature Essentia Dei tum ex nominibus ejus tum ex proprietatibus intelligitur Wol. Job 32.21 22. for the Essence of God is understood from his names and properties Now these being given to the Lord Jesus we may conclude there is more appertains to him than meerly the names for if Elihu could say I know not to give flattering titles for in so doing my Maker would soon take me away what blasphemy then will it be to imagine that the holy Spirit will do so his names are real and proper to him for he is what the Scriptures term him to be and a happy soul wilt thou be if thou canst believingly say with Thomas my Lord and my God Joh. 20.28 3d Argument Proprietates Dei essentiales attribuntur Christo Alsted the essential properties of God which are ascribed to him prove that he is of a divine essence and nature as 1 Immensity Joh. 14 23 If a man love me he will keep my word and my Father will love him and we will come unto him and make our abode with him As Christ Jesus is of an infinite nature he is altogether immeasurable 2ly Eternity as in Micah 5.2 But thou Bethlehem Ephratah though thou be little among the thousands of Judah yet out of thee shall come forth unto me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ab initio diebus aeternitatis that is to be Ruler in Israel whose goings forth have been from of old or as in the Original from the begining from the days of eternity which very well agrees with that of the Apostle In the begining was the word and the word was with God the word was God Joh. 1.1 he does not mean here the begining of the Creation for then he might be accounted a blasphemer because he asserts that he is God Rev. 1.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but he means that God the Son was with God the Father even from Eternity 3ly Immutability is attributed to him Heb. 1.8 Joh. 8.58 Heb. 1.10 11 12. And thou Lord in the begining hast laid the foundations of the Earth and the Heavens are the works of thy hands they shall perish but thou remainest and they all shall wax old as doth a garment and they shall be changed but thou art the same and thy years shall not fail The Lord Jesus is not mutable as the creatures are but he ever abides the same Heb. 13.8 4ly Omnisciency which is an essential property of God and cannot be ascribed to any created thing but it is written of the Lord Jesus that he knows all things Rev. 2.23 even the hearts and thoughts of men Jer. 17.10 I search the heart and I try the reins which is the great Attribute of God alone for it is he only that is God that can unlock the doors of the Soul and penetrate into the dark chambers thereof and search out its secret imaginations and actions Peter could say to Christ Lord thou knowest all things Joh. 21.17 all things past present and to come are naked plain to him he needs none to instruct him what has been or shall be or what the thoughts of men are Mat. 12.25 Jesus knew their thoughts not only their words or external actions but their internal cogitations were manifest to him 5ly Ubiquity and Omnipresency as Christ saith Mat. 18.20 where two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the midst of them now he could not have said this of himself if he was not God So Mat. 28 20. Lo I am with you to the end of the World Lastly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in omnibus diebus Omnipotency is attributed to him for he is able to subdue all things to himself Phil. 3.21 as there is nothing too hard for God the Father so there is nothing impossible to God the Son he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Almighty Rev. 1.8 Isa 9.6 and in Isa he is called the mighty God mighty to save his Elect ones †Omnia Atttibuta propter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 singulis Divinitatis personis competunt and mighty to confound his and their enemies This clearly proves the Deity of the Lord Jesus for all the Attributes because of the sameness of the Essence belong to the three Persons only with the limitation of a Persons propriety 4. Argument ex operibus Divinis from his divine works for as never man spake as the Lord Jesus spake so there was never meer man did or could do as he hath done or can do For 1 he created the World all things both in Heaven and Earth Joh. 1.3 All things were made by him Heb. 1.10 and without him was not any thing made that was made The Apostle in the words that was made seems to exclude sin as being no creature of Gods making sin came into the World as rottenness into an apple which is meerly the defection of the creature from its primitive solidity and pure original essence Heb. 1. 10. And thou Lord in the begining hast laid the foundation of the Earth the Heavens are the works of thy hands 2ly Conservation is an act of the Lord Jesus Coll. 1.16 for he supports conserves and upholds all things by his omnipotent arm Coll. 1.17 3ly those miraculous Works which he did to confirm his doctrine do evidently prove his Divinity and call for divine faith Joh. 14.11 as Christ
said to Thomas Believe me for the very works sake what works were they why they were such as are almost incredible and to many seem impossible as giving sight to the blind strength to the weak health to the sick life to the dead c. but it would be tedious for me to relate all the miracles he did upon the bodies of men and women he did and doth effect greater things upon the Soul Luk. 4.18 for he enlightens darkned understandings heals broken hearts likewise there are his works for the good of his Church My Father saith Christ worketh hitherto and I work Joh. 5.17 Christ is continually working for the glory and happiness of his beloved ones for he protects them as the apple of his eye and sends his Spirit who conveys celestial treasure into their souls fills them with grace and conducts them over the raging waves of this tumultuous World to the haven of rest Joh. 16.13 14 15. and the land of eternal felicity Christs care is continual towards his Church and therefore he hath and doth and will work wonders for it Thus his divine works prove that he is more than a creature yea that he is the Creator Joh. 20.28 5th Argum. The fifth Argument to prove his Divinity is deduced ex honore Divino from the divine honour given to him God the Father saith I will not give mine honour to another i. e. Is 4.8 Joh. 5.23 any creature yet it is said of Christ Jesus That all men should honour the Son even in the same manner and in the same measure as they honour the Father he that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him He is not only to be honoured as a person designated to the office of Mediatorship but also as he is the true living God For as Christ said to Philip He that hath seen me hath seen the Father so that one said concerning the Trinity ‖ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Greg. Naz. I cannot think of one but presently I am invironed with the glory of three I cannot discern three but immediately I am carryed to adore the glorious Unity The Angels are said to adore and worship him Heb. 1.6 When he bringeth his first begotten into the world he saith let all the Angels of God worship him i. e. give divine honour to him Is 6.3 The Angels did cry holy holy holy Lord God of Hosts Now the divine Apostle saith that it was the glory of the Lord Jesus that the Prophet did behold in that glorious Vision Joh. 12.41 When the Angels were thus magnifying and adoring him for they are but ministring Spirits in Rev. 5.12 13. we have the whole regiment of them celebrating his praise Heb. 1.14 as one worthy of divine honour 2ly Saints Militant do pay the tribute of divine honour to him who is their Lord and Saviour As 1 Faith this is accounted part of divine honour as a learned Divine hath defined it Cultus qui tendit in Deum anquam in bonum nostrum Ames Medull Theol. saith he it is a worship which extends to God as our present good Now that Faith is proper to Christ as part of divine worship I need not say much to prove because the scriptures are so clear in it as Joh. 14.1 Ye believe in God believe also in me i. e. believe that I am the second Person in the blessed Trinity therefore am able and faithful to perform what I have said and promised unto you Repentance towards God and Faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ Now we know that the Scripture saith it is sin to trust in man Act. 20.21 and a curse to them that rely on him for salvation nay to believe or depend upon Angels because they are but creatures Jer. 17.5 and it would derogate from the honour of God that we should believe for salvation from any but from him who is all-sufficient and all-mighty to save 2ly as Faith so Prayer which is part of divine worship is frequently made unto Christ Prayer as one saith is made up of two species or kinds Orationis species Duae sunt Petitio gratiarum actio Ames Phil. 4.6 scil Petition and giving of Thanks Be careful for nothing but in every thing by Prayer and Supplication with Thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God for he alone is the true object of all religious services as Christ told Satan It is written thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve But I suppose Mat. 4.10 this granted by all Oratio est voluntatis nostrae religiosa representatio coram Deo ut illa Deus quasi afficitur Ames Medul Theol. that Prayer is a religious Act. And thus that excellent Author defines it Prayer saith he is a religious representation of our will before God that he may as it were be affected with it My work then is to enquire whether this part of divine honour be given unto Christ Jesus as 1 Petition in the 2 Cor. 13.14 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all Amen so 2 Thess 3.18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all Amen 2 Tim. 4.22 The Lord Jesus Christ be with thee All which prove that petitions are made to Christ and that for the highest mercy scil grace and peace Tim. 1.2 Rom. 16.20 21. 2 Thes 1.2 which comprehend most spiritual blessings and seeing the Apostle prays for these things it proves that he is a divine Person from whom he requests them or else he could never give such mercies for who can give grace but God alone who is the fountain of grace Eph. 2.13 14 16. now grace peace flow from the Lord Jesus to poor sinners for he has made peace by the blood of his Cross it is he that has purchased peace for believers with his Father and grace in an abundant measure Joh. 1.16 I am come that they might have life that they might have it more abundantly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gratiam super gratiam life is put here for grace other spiritual blessings for it is out of his fulness we all receive and grace for grace There is a fulness of redundancy that dwells in the Lord Jesus and well it may for there dwells in him the fulness of the God-head Bodily Col. 2.9 Rom. 9.5 Therefore the servants and true worshippers of God make their petitions to the Lord Jesus for Grace who is God over all Blessed for ever Secondly The other part which is thanksgiving and praise is by the Apostle Ascribed to him 2 Tim. 4.18 And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work and will preserve me 2 Tim. 4 18. unto his heavenly Kingdom unto whom be glory for ever and ever Amen The context makes it evident that it is applyed to the Lord Jesus Heb. 1.6 When he bringeth his first
begotten into the World he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let all the Angels of God worship him The word among the Hebrews for Worship somtimes signifies Prostrating the whole Body as 2 Chron. 20.18 Jehosophat and the men of Israel did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fall to the Ground before the Lord 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such worship is given to the Lord Jesus Luke 17.16 The Lepper that was cleansed fell upon his Face at his Feet 2ly 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It signifies to inclinate and bend the Head as in Gen. 24.48 So the Angels are said to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 incurvate Verticis inclinationem significat and bend their Heads to understand the things concerning Christ in the Gospel 1 Pet. 1.12 3ly 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A stooping of the Head with the Superior parts of the Body Esther 3.5 4ly 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lastly they use a word for worship which signifies to bless with Bended knees 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 genuflectere Psal 45.6 O come let us Worship and bow down let us kneel before the Lord our maker so it is said Every knee shall bow to the Lord Jesus All these external gestures are to signifie the internal humble actings of the Mind Now seeing Angels are glorious Creatures and that part of worship scil Petition is not so proper to them therefore they are imployed in the other scil Praise and Blessing and Adoring of him although not for their redemption by him being never captivated yet for their confirmation and election in him for it is the opinion of our orthodox Divines that the Angels in Glory stand by vertue of their eternal election in Christ therefore they have cause to extol Rev. 5.12 13. praise and magnify the Lord of Glory we read that all Creatures in Heaven and in Earth are at this word giving honour and blessing and Praise to the Lamb for ever and ever This makes it evident that Divine Honour is attributed to the Lord Jesus and there are sure grounds for it if we consult and believe the Scriptures which term him Zach. 13.7 Phil. 2.6 The Fathers Fellow Equal to God i. e. the Father But because the Lord of Life and Glory did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 empty himself of his glory and honour when he assumed the humane nature and became Man therefore the most honour him little more than if he was a man I am somthing larger upon these particulars then I intended but when I consider what the Apostle said Phil. 2.10.11 Every Tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the Glory of the Father It is for the glory of God the Father as well as the good of Souls to understand aright and also confess this main fundamental truth scil the deity of Christ it oblieges me to inlarge a little Mat. 28.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the end I might make it more perspicuous I might heâ—r speak of being Baptized into his name Baptism is an Ordinance of Divine institution and to be Baptized in his Name 2 Tim. 2.19 is an obligation to become his in all ways of obedience to exalt his name and forsake Sin all ought to yield Love and Service to the Lord Jesus 6. Argument Shall be from the comparing Scripture of the Old and New Testament And we shall find that what is atributed to Jehovah in the Old the same is to the Lord Jesus in the New Testament and remember this we are to believe what the word of God saith and not what Caviling Unbelieving Men affirm in Numbers Num. 21.56 The People are said to Sin and Murmour against God for which he sent Fiery Serpents among them compare this with 1 Cor. 10.9 There it is said they tempted Christ for the Angel which conversed with Abraham wrestled with Jacob appeared to Moses Compare Psal 45.6 with Heb. 1.8 thy throne O God is for ever and ever and was with the Children of Israel in the Wilderness was the Lord Jesus as is excellently and evidently proved by Dr. Owen in his exercitations Psal 68.18 compared with Eph. 4.8 Psal 102.25 with Heb. 1.10 And thou Lord in the begining hast laid the foundation of the Earth compare Isa 8.13.14 with Luk. 2.34 Rom. 9.33 and 1 Pet. 2.6 These places evidently prove the deity of the Lord Jesus to any judicious and unprejudiced Reader compare Isa 6. with Jo. 12. in Isa t is said he saw the Glory of the Lord filling the Temple in Joh. it is said the Prophet then beheld the Glory of Christ Jesus compare Isa 40.9.10.11 with Jo. 10.11 In that Prophesie it is said behold your God and the Lord God will come and feed his Flock and it is applyed to the Lord Jesus in the Gospel in the last place compare Isa 45. 22 23 24 25. with Rom. 14.11 and Phil. 2.10 Do but read these Scriptures and Study the Intent and scope of them and then you will conclude with the Apostle that he is the true God and Eternal life 1 Jo. 5.20 I have not writ the Places at Large least my Book should swell too Big but I suppose you have Bibles and will Act. 17.11 like those Noble Bereans search the Scriptures 7. Argument To prove this great Point is this he that is the second Person in the blessed Trinity is God but Jesus Christ is so therefore he is God that there is a Trinity of Persons in the Unity of the essence is clear both from plain Scripture and also from Arguments deduced from thence The Scriptures to prove it are these 1 Joh. 5.7 For there are three that bear Record in Heaven the Father the Word and the Holy-ghost and these three are one This Scripture is sufficient one would think both to confirm the truth and also silence all Socinians that oppose it and that is but a weak evasion of theirs when they say it signifies no more than the words in the 8 verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—i tres unum sunt Beza scil that they agree in one for in the Original it is These three are one i. e. Three distinct Persons subsisting in one and the same indivisible essence Mat. 3.16 17. verses will serve in some measure to Prove the Point there is the Lord Jesus ascending out of the Water the Holy Spirit descending from Heaven and the Voice of the Father proclaming this is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased But a more plain Scripture is that Mat. 28.19 Go ye therefore and teach all Nations Baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost These Scriptures may suffice to prove the Trinity of Persons in the Unity of the Divine essence but farther to confirm this that there are three distinct Persons in one Divine essence it may be proved 1 From their several and distinct Names 2 From their distinct personal acts
3 From their distinct personal Propertys Mat. 28.19 1 Joh. 5.7 1 From their distinct Names they are called Father Son and Holy Ghost so Father Word and Holy Ghost These names do manifest a distinction not of Nature and Essence for they are one therefore of Personality 2 From the Distinct personal acts ascribed to the three Persons as 1 The giving of the Spirit is ascribed to the Father Joh. 14.16 I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter the act of giving is proper to a Person that hath understanding and will 2 Sending the Comforter is ascribed to the Son Jo. 15.26 And it is proper to Christ to send his holy Spirit to his Servants 3 Guiding into all truth is ascribed to the Holy Ghost Jo. 16.13 their Personal Acts as Giving Sending and Guiding prove the distinction and trinity of persons yet there can be but one single and 〈◊〉 essence which proves the unity 3 that they are three distinct persons is evident from their distinct Personal and incommunicable propertys as 1 The personal Property of the Father is to beget the Son Heb. 1.5 2 The personal Property of the Son is to be Begotten Joh. 1.14 We beheld his glory the glory as of the only begotten of the Father 3 The personal property of the Holy Ghost is to proceed from the Father and the Son Jo. 15.26 And when the Comforter is come whom I will send from the Father even the Spirit of truth which proceedeth from the Father he shall testifie of me I need not say more to prove the Blessed Trinity or that the Lord Jesus is the second Person of those that require further satisfaction in this point let them consult the famous Duplesses in his treatise de vera Religione I could say much more to prove this Point that the Lord Jesus is a Divine Person and that he is the Second in order although not in Nature in the blessed trinity but having proved the trinity from the word of God I suppose the other Granted viz. That the Lord Jesus is God 8. Argument Shall be taken from the greatness of the sufferings that the Lord Jesus indured and satisfaction he made to his Fathers justice the sufferings of Christ were infinite in regard they were the sufferings of an infinite Person Act. 20.28 The Church of God which he hath purchased with his Blood Est aliquid in Christo quod non est passum Vrsin spoken Senechdochally because of the communication of properties the communication of properties is to attribute to the whole Person that which is the property of one of the Natures the Deity of the Lord Jesus is impassible and altogether incapable of depression suffering or affliction it was his humane Nature suffered and died it was Christ who is God-man that did bear our sorrows 1 Tim. 2.5 He is called man and in 1 Jo. 3.16 He is called God Hereby perceive we the Love of God because he laid down his Life for us continebat paenas maximas quia miseriam illam totam aequabat hominum peccata merebantur Ames Med. Theo. he what he even he that was God-man in one person and two distinct natures By the one he underwent Death and by the other viz. his divine he overcame and triumphed over Death and the Grave if he had not been an Almighty Person he would have been pressed down under that load of guilt and punishment for he sustained the greatest punishment in that it did equal all the misery which our Sins merited and we to eternity ought to have suffered 2 The satisfaction he made was infinite Bellarmin de Justificil 2. Cap. 7. Ser. 4. confesseth that nothing can make satisfaction for sin which is an infinite wrong to God but that only which is Infinite in value so was the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the price that Christ paid Ca. 22. i.e. quod nos in aeternum debuissimus pati Vrsin it was of infinite Value for it gave satisfaction to infinite justice offended by the Sinner he could never have made peace except he had broken down the middle Wall of Partition between God the party offended and poor Sinners the partys offending and this he did by that Price he paid viz. His blood 1 Pet. 1.19 And having paid the uttermost Farthing he came out of the Prison of the Grave Id circo illis tertio diae vita resumpta denuo apparuit Joseph lib. 14. Antiq. Cap. 4. and appeared to his Disciples as both Scripture and History relate the third day he reassumed life and appeared to his Disciples if Christ had not done and suffered that which was equivolent to the demands of divine justice and made full satisfaction for every Sin of his elect ones we might then question whether his satisfaction was of infinite value but he has done so and made compleat satisfaction therefore it is said The Blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sin 1 Joh. 1.7 Joh. 1.29 Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the Sins of the World Now this could not be if he had not compleatly satisfied every demand of justice and paid an infinite Price for our Sins Peccati gravitas irae Dei immensum intolerabile pondus mortis imperium tirannis Diaboli quae tollere vincere abolere placare nemo potuit nisi Deus Bucanum So that the Sufferings being Infinite and the Satisfaction infinite it must needs be of an Infinite Person which is Christ the second Person of the Blessed Trinity and so his suffering and satisfaction becomes Meritorious now there are three things required in a Person that merits 1 He must be a free voluntary Agent no way obligated to the performance of that act done by him but of this sort there are neither Angels nor Men for they are all obligated and injoyned to do their uttermost for the glory of God 2 What they merit with must be of their own but as the Apostle saith What have we or Angels that we have not received 1 Cor. 4.7 Mensura debet esse unigenira similis mensurato 3 The work must be equivalent to the reward But these qualifications are found in none but in Christ and the work he did he was a free voluntary Agent no way oblieged till he bound himself and became our surety as he himself saith Joh. 10.17 18. Therefore doth the Father love me because I lay down my Life none 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 takes it from me but I lay it down of my self I have power to lay it down and I have power to take it up again So the work was perfected by his own Divine Power as being Almighty and it was of equal value to the reward even grace pardon life and glory for ever then we conclude that Christ Jesus the Inviter is God blessed for ever Rom. 9.5 9. Argument From Christs Testimony of or concerning himself and we shall find this is no slight Argument
if not prevalent with Pagans yet it should with those who term themselves Christians for if they will not believe his Testimony let them cease to be called by that glorious name let them be Christians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jus not in words but in deeds now Christ saith of himself I am the Son of God Mark 14.62 not by Creation as Angels and Men not by adoption as Saints for then it could not be Blasphemy in Christ as the Jews termed it but I am the Son of the blessed God by eternal generation Joh. 11.4 Joh. 5.18 Rev. 1.8 Th◠Jews accuse Christ of this That he said he was the Son of God without any equivocation or mental reservation Now it would be horrid to think that Christ did not testify the truth who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Joh. 14.6 ipsae veritas truth it self And if we believe he saith true when he declares he came to give himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a ransom for man Mat. 20.28 We ought to believe him in this especially 2dly Christ testifies that he is one with the Father Joh. 10.30 one in Essence Joh. 5.23 Phil. 2.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 equal in glory and dominion for it is no Robbery in Christ to be equal to God or to be Gods fellow Zach. 13.7 and the reason is because he is God Joh. 1.1 Joh. 14.10 11. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father in me the meaning of which is in short I and my Father are one according to that known Maxim Nihil in Deo est quod non sit ipse Deus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Joh. 15.26 There is nothing in God which is not God himself there is a mutual immeation and eternal inseparable union between the Father and the Son I might here declare how the Spirit that proceeds from God according to Athanasius's Creed proceeds from Christ also John 20.22 He breathed upon them and they received the Holy Ghost 10. Argument from the Testimony of the Prophets and Apostles this is of weight to those who are called Christians and own the Scriptures to be the Word of Truth and the Penmen thereof to be guided by the holy Spirit of God 2 Pet. 1.21 I shall not number up many places because I would finish this head of Christs eternal Deity The holy Prophet saith The Lord said unto my Lord Psal 45.6 Heb. 1.8 sit thou on my right hand till I make thine enemies thy footstool which Scripture Christ applies to himself Matt. 22.24 Isaiah called him the Lord of Hosts chap. 8.13 14. applyed to Christ Luke 2.34 Rom. 9.33 and 1 Pet. 2.8 and Isa 9.6 the mighty God Jer. 23.6 Jehovah our Righteousness Now for the Apostle see Peters Confession Mat. 16.16 Thou art Christ the Son of the living God Jo. 1.1 The word was God Jo. 6.69 Thomas's confession in Jo. 20.28 My Lord and my God The Apostle Paul Rom. 1.3.4 His Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Vers 4. Declared to be the Son of God with power And in Chap. 9.5 God over all blessed for ever Hear and see you that deny the assertions of the ancient reverend Fathers will you or can you deny the Testimony of those who were chosen of God to bear witness to this Truth I might add more as 1 Joh. 3.16 and 5.20 The true God and Eternal Life 11. Argument from the acknowledgment of ancient Rabbies who were most eminent for the Interpretation of the old Testament upon that Scripture Psal 110.3 Jehovah said unto Jehovah sit thou at my right hand Rabbi Jonathan saith Rabbi Jonathan lib. Col. Misde Tehillim in Psal 2.7 Although Christ was Davids Son according to his Manhood yet he was to be Davids Lord according to his God-head And so do Rabbi Jonathan and the publick Commentaries interpret this place on Jer. 23.6 Rabbi Abda doth confess it is meant of the Messias who is saith he Comment in Then in vers 6. The Eternal Jehovah Rabbi Moses Hadarsan expounding Zeph. 3.9 saith Jehovah here in this place signifies nothing else but the Messias The Caballistical Expositors among the Hebrews do prove Christ the promised Messias to be God as well as Man In Isa 1. chap. 9. Rabbi Hacadosch expounding the words of Jeremiah before recited finding the name Jehovah there wherein the Hebrew is compounded of 3 Letters Jod Vau and He twice repeated doth Cabalistically discourse of it thus The Letter He in Jehovah is compounded of two Letters named Daleth and Vau so shall the Messias be made of two natures the one Divine the other humane and as in Jehova there is twice He and consequently two Daleths and two Vaus contained so there are two filiations or childhoods in Messias The one whereby he shall be the Son of God the other whereby he shall be the Son of a Virgin and as in Jehova the letter He is twice put and yet in effect makes but one Letter so in Messias there shall be two distinct natures and yet but one Christ Here although the Argumentation may be denied yet we see their belief concerning the Messias I might quote more places and Authors as Rabbi Simen and Ibda upon Deut. 6. Jehova our Lord is one Lord the first to signifie God the Father the second the Son the third the holy Ghost and the Word one to signifie the unity of Essence so likewise Isa 6.3 I will add this one more Philo de Exulibus speaking of the Death of a high Priest by which they should be redeemed from their Captivity saith That this High Priest shall be the very Word of God who shall be void of all sin voluntary and involuntary whose father shall be God and this Word shall be that Fathers wisdom see how agreeable this is to Scripture Joh. 1.1 The Word was God 1 Pet. 1.19 A Lamb without Spot 1 Cor. 1.24 Christ the Wisdom and Power of God 12. Argument I might here produce the sayings of some Heathens according to what was revealed to them Zoroastes called him secundam mentem the second mind they had extraordinary Revelations Clem. Alex. l. 1. Strom. Hermes Trismegistus calleth him The first begotten Son of God his only Son his dear eternal immutable and incorruptible Son whose sacred name is Ineffable these are his words Lactantius lib. 4. Divin Instit c. 6. makes much mention of certain Heathen Prophetesses called Sybilla Mern Iter. in Demund Augus lib. De Civit. Dei cap. 23. that Prophesied concerning Christ now as he saith this is the expression of one of them Know thy God which is the Son of God Another in Acrostick verses treateth of Jesus Christ Son of God the Saviour although these may not be much accounted of yet they were made use of by Justin Martyr Origen Augustine and Constantine the Emperour against the Heathens who denyed the Divinity of Christ Virgil applieth some of their Prophesies I shall not now cite
will give thee Rest which implys all spiritual blessings both for time and Eternity Why Christ invites 2ly Possitively 1. In Obedience to his Fathers Will as he was Mediator for although he was in the form of God yet he did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phil. 2.6.7 empty himself disrepute himself and took upon him the form of a Servant therefore Christ saith so frequently I come not to do my own will in reguard of his Man-hood but the will of him that sent me Jo. 5.30 Jo. 6.38 I came down from Heaven not to do mine own will but the will of him that sent me In the 39.40 He declares what is the Fathers will even the Salvation of poor Sinners the Father he wills and the Son he wills the eternal well-being of poor Sinners therefore he cloathed himself with a body of Flesh to the end he might declare and fulfil his Fathers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luk. 2.14 good pleasure towards poor perishing Creatures For allthough he was a Son yet he learned Obedience Heb. 5.8 Therefore he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 10.7 behold I come to do thy will O God Heb. 10.7 2. Reason Why Christ thus condescends to invite poor Sinners to come unto him may be taken from his tender love and compassion to poor Souls Christ Jesus is full of tenderness and love as he manifested when he was grieved for their unbelief for faith is the leading grace as I shewed before which carrieth the Soul to Christ in Mat. 14.14 We read Christ was moved with compassion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his bowels did yearn towards the multitude and then it was only bodily food they needed but Oh how much more doth Christ commiserate and pitty poor distressed Souls that is a kind of a pathetick expression of Christ in Jo. 5.40 Ye will not come unto me that ye may have life As if Christ should have said you my Friends my Country-men Jo. 11.25 you are all morally dead but I am the resurrection and the Life And he that believeth in me though he were dead yet should he live You are lost ones but I came to seek and to save that which was lost Luke 19.10 you are miserable Sinners but I a merciful Saviour Heb. 2.17 Therefore come unto me believe in me and ye shall have Life and have it more abundantly all that Christ Jesus did and suffered was from a principle of love to poor Souls Jo. 10.10 We commonly say Magnes Amoris Amor Love is the Loadstone of Love but now here was no such Argument in the Sinner for instead of Love here he found hatred instead of Friends deadly enemies therefore Christ did all from his Love and Pity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he saw the Sinners Misery Ezek. 16. Therefore is moved with mercy so Christ did when he foresaw the destruction of Jerusalem Luk. 19.41.42 He beheld the City and wept over it saying if thou hadst known even then at least in this thy day the things which belong to thy Peace but now they are hid from thine Eyes Christ had been here inviting with much love and kindness but they refused and slighted his invitation we see here when Christs words and Doctrine will not prevail with hard-hearted Sinners he is so full of compassion notwithstanding that his Soul mourns in secret for their Pride Folly and Unbelief Illis compatitur a quibus patitur Ang. Jer. 13.17 when gratious intreatys will not bring the Sinner home he himself will send tears sighs and groans after him thus we see Christ invites because he is full of tenderness and love to poor Souls O Sinner then retard not but love thy self and come to Christ 3. Reason Because he knows the worth and excellency of their Souls the excellency of the Soul did consist at first in its conformity to the Creator in wisdom and true holyness but upon Sinning the Soul lost its pristine Beauty and primitive excellency only this remains scil the faculty and capability of being restored and renewed again The worth of the Soul transcends all sublimary things Mat. 16.26 What is a Man profited if he gain not a City not a Kingdom not some parts of 〈◊〉 but the whole World and loose his own Soul Now because Christ knows this therefore he invites them to come unto him that they may not lose a Jewel of so high value that there is no exchange for it see Psal 49.7.8 None can by any means redeem his Brother nor give to God a Ransome for him He gives the Reason in the 8. v. For the Redemption of the Soul is precious and it ceaseth for ever Well may he say the redemption of the Soul is precious for no less then the precious blood of Christ who was God-man will redeem it 1 Pet. 1.19 and it ceaseth forever as to its deliverance by any Creature so Christ seems to intimate in my Text and in v. 29. I have reguard to the better part even to the Soul I will give you rest for your Soul and indeed that is the happiest and most glorious rest 4. Reas Because he knows it will prove in vain to go or seek to any other he alone can bear their Burden and ease them of their Labour and weary Travel Men cannot help Angels which excel in strength cannot succour in Soul-distresses Isa 45.22 à quibus vulnetatur illis medetur look unto me and be ye saved saith Christ he who was wounded by thee is the only Physitian for thee Jo. 14.16 I am the way the truth and the Life He is the direct way to Salvation Glory God has made him to be Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption If thou wantest Wisdom thou must go to Christ for he is the Teacher come from God 1 Cor. 1.30 Jo. 3.2 Col. 1.19 If Righteousness we must seek to Christ and so for all mercies For it hath pleased the Father that in him all fulness should dwell He has ability to save and willingness too come unto me saith Christ why For there is no other name given under Heaven whereby you can be saved Act. 4.12 All Power is given unto me saith Christ Jo. 17.2 I have power to kill and power to make a live therefore Sinner be perswaded to return come unto me and find rest I can ease thee from the yoke of Bondage and I can make thee free with the Priviledg of the Sons of God 5. Reas Because he knows the weight of Glory the Sinner will lose and the greatness of the misery he involves himself into if he refuse It is not a temporal but eternal not a light but a weight of Glory that the refusing Sinner will fall short of He knows the misery is great the Burthen intollerable the Flames inextinguishable the Fire eternal that will be the portion of those who refuse to come Jo. 3.36 He that believeth not the Son shall not see Life which implies
a slave to men well but come unto him and he will exalt thee even to his own throne Rev. 3.21 8. Motive To excite poor Creatures to come unto Christ who invites them is this consider what you shall have if you come unto him but hear I may say with the Apostle in another case Who is sufficient for these things I want understanding to conceive it 1 Cor. 2.9 and words to express it For as the Apostle saith Eye hath not seen Ear heard neither hath it entred into the heart of man to conceive what God hath prepared for them that love him I may as well think to number the days of eternity as Imagin to declare all the Immunities Priviledges and Benefits those will Partake of who come unto the Lord Jesus Christ they shall know more fully when they come to glory but I will lay some of them before thee 1. If thou comest unto Christ thou shalt have Pardon for thy Sins Act. 13.38 39. Through this man is Preached the Forgiveness of Sin That is through the man Christ Jesus vers 39. And by him all that believe are justified from all things O Sinner here is pardon and justification if thou wilt but come to and believe in him and how desirable is a pardon to a condemned Malefactor thou art undon for ever if thou art not pardoned now it is alone by Christ Exod. 34.6 and upon his account that thou caust expect to obtain it the Lord is a sin-pardoning God but there is no man can come to the Father for this Pardon but in and through Christ Jo. 2.1 If any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous 2ly Thou shalt have peace for thy Conscience not such peace as the World gives but the peace of God God is called The God of Peace 2 Cor. 13.11 Because he gives peace to his People thou shalt be at peace with God at peace with thine own Conscience and what would a wounded Conscience give for this peace but it is too pretious to purchase for Silver or Gold My peace saith Christ I give unto you not as the World giveth give I unto you Jo. 14.27 The World can afford no such fruit for it is brought forth by the Spirit in the heart of the believer Gal. 6.22 This peace is permanent Isa 26.3 I will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayd upon me now Worldly peace is deceitful it is uncertain but this is true and abiding because rt is from God at peace with God upon the account of the Lord Jesus But I intend not to be large in these particulars only my great desire is Sinner that I might induce thee to come unto Christ 3. Thou shalt have Grace in abundance and what can be more desireable or what dost thou need more on this side Eternity it will beautify and make thee lovely in the sight of God Virtus clara aeternaque habetur Salust Angels and Saints Thy Soul is deformed by Sin but this will make thee comly Grace will inrich thee with a Divine treasure as Christ said to the Church of Smyrna Rev. 2.9 Virtus intaminatis fulget honoribus Hor. Thou art Rich Rich in Grace although poor in worldly Treasure as Jam. 2.5 Poor in the world yet rich in faith now these riches come from the fulness of Christ Joh. 1.16 Out of his fulness have we all received and grace for grace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Isocrates It will establish the Soul in shaking times Heb. 13.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is an excellent and good thing to have the heart established with Grace I should burthen you and prevent my self if I should here treat of the Excellencies of the graces as faith love hope patience and all the other graces which are the golden Chains and Pearls which adorn the Soul of a Believer only consider this that all grace is from God through Christ by the Spirit conveyed and wrought in the Soul 4. If thou comest to Christ thou shalt have life so saith Christ I am come that you may have life and have it more abundantly Life naturally is much desirable but how much more life spiritual and life eternal Thou art spiritually dead Eph. 2.5 and it is from him thou must receive quickning Joh. 11.25 Jesus saith unto her I am the Resurrection and the Life he that believeth in me though he were dead yet shall he live Vers 26. And he that liveth and believeth in me shall never die Here Soul is spiritual and eternal life for thee and wilt thou not come unto Christ for this what dost thou not reguard life life everlasting Mat. 25.46 the righteous shall go into life everlasting O let the consideration of this excite and stir up thy Soul to come unto Christ for all those that come unto him shall obtain this blessed priviledge of living for evermore Our days here are but a shaddow Vita ipsa qua fruimur brevis est Salust Pulvis umbra sumus we soon pass away into Eternity and is not life eternal much more to be esteemed of then to be everlastly in a dying state of misery and yet never die 5ly Thou shalt have joy Rom. 15.13 Act. 16 25. The God of peace fill you with all joy in believing In the midst of outward troubles and afflictions this joy will keep thee company as it did Paul and Silas in Fetters they Sung praises to God this joy will be strength to thee Neh. 8.10 The joy of the Lord is our strength It is not like the worldlings joy which is transient and momentary but it is everlasting joy Isa 35.10 The Ransomed of the Lord shall return to Zion with Songs and everlasting joy shall be upon their heads they shall obtain joy and gladness and sorrow and sighing shall flee away Indeed after thou dost come to Christ Psal 42.5 and hast tasted of this joy whilest thou art here Sinning God may for a time hide his Face but when thou dost return again by repentance and humiliation he will again lift up the light of his countenance upon thee and put more gladness into thy Soul then all sublimary consolations can Psal 4.6.7 and when thou dost come above the Clouds thou shalt then rejoice for ever Psal 16.11 In thy presence is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Satietas laetitiarum fullness of joys or as the Word sinifies fullness to Satiety Thou wilt have it in abundance then therefore defer not thy coming to Christ 6ly If thou comest unto him thou shalt have a Crown and Kingdom Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand come ye blessed of my Father Mat. 25.34 inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the Foundation of the World Christ has prepared the Kingdom for you and by your coming to him he prepares you for the Kingdom I say from the word of God thou shalt have a Kingdome
Acts 4.12 There is no other name given under heaven whereby we can be saved therefore I say it is the duty of all that expect salvation to look and return unto to accept of and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ That they may obtain remission of sins and an Inheritance of eternal Glory among those who are sanctified by faith in Christ 2. Thes 2.13 4. God the Father hath given his son for this very end that Sinners coming to and apprehending of him might have life and rest from him Jo. 3.16 God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him shall not perish but have everlasting life Now seeing this is the end of God it is our duty therefore to close with it for there is no coming to the Father but by the Son Jo. 14.6 So much for the confirmation of the point if all ought to seek the happiness of their Souls and in order thereunto use the means which is coming to and apprehending of Christ which is the Fathers will and end in sending his Son then it is a duty to come but it is clear from the word of God that it is so therefore neglect not sinner to come unto Christ 2. I shall make manifest many of these obstructions which deter and hinder Sinners from coming to the Lord Jesus notwithstanding it is their duty and also shew the unreasonableness of them all which is the main thing intended in this Doctrine Sinners make these impediments to themselves they are not efficient but accidental causes 1. Ab extra 2. Ab intra Lets from without and from within 1. External Lets and hinderances that 1. from Christ himself who is the Inviter and Commander of this great duty as 1. the meaness and lowness of his earthly extraction and descent So it was with the Jews Jo. 6.42 And they said is not this Jesus the Son of Joseph whose Father and Mother we know and how is it then that he saith I came down from heaven Christ preached his divine Original but they stumbled at it because he was not of noble Parentage Praeclarum est à principibus nasci It is an excellent thing to be the progeny of Princes They did not consider that it was for their sakes that he became low and although he was in the form of God yet for their sakes he came in the form of a servant Christ put himself into this capacity that he might suffer for sin and make an attonement to the Father But they stumbled at that stumbling stone Rom. 9.32 Christ instead of being to them the Rock that should save them was made by them a Rock of offence and as it was with them so it is with too too many in our days who are ready to say how can he who was born of a poor Virgin save or succour us They will not search and believe that Testimony God hath given of his Son Mat. 3.17 This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased Therefore refuse him not for thy Savior because he made himself of no reputation for it was the Ordinance of Heaven that Christ should come in that way Isa 7.14 Consider he is the Immanuel which being interpreted according to the Hebrew is God with us 2ly The Poverty of his life Impediment As Christ saith the Foxes have holes and the Birds of the air have nests but the Son of man hath not wherein to lay his head he was so poor that others were fain to Minister of their sustenauce to him Mat. 27.56 Now for this cause also the Jews rejected him for they expected their Messiah should be some potent and honourable one in the earth and that he should restore the Kingdom unto them then under the Roman Bondage This is some hinderance I fear at this day for if Christ were an Earthly Prince and would give them terrene Inheritances how would persons flock to him but they do not consider that he became poor that he might make many rich and bring many Sons and Daughters to glory therefore let not this keep thee back for he hath riches in abundance for thee riches of grace and glory for he is the heir of all things He created them and by him they do subsist Coll. 1.16.17 3. The Ignominy of his death because he dyed a cursed painful and shameful death Mat. 27.39 They reviled him saying If thou be the Son of God come down from the Cross v. 42. He saved others himself be cannot save If he be the King of Israel let him come down from the Cross and we will believe in him Thus much we may gather from these words that because they saw Christ dye such a cursed death therefore they conclude that he was not the Son of God and so consequently not the promised Messiah They made that the Obstacle to their faith which should have been the chief ground of their faith scil the death and suffering of the Lord Jesus for had not he willingly consented to dye that cursed death and to be made a curse for sinners they must all have been cursed to all eternity Gall. Gal. 3.13 3.10 Thus some in our days make a scoff and revile him who dyed without the gates of Jerusalem and trample his blood under their feet as being nothing worth Heb. 10.29 Therefore they will not believe in him because he yeilded himself and humbled himself unto death Phil. 2.8 Even the death of the Cross which had a curse annexed to it and this Christ did suffer not as a Malefactor himself nor for any example only but he gave himself a Ransom for many Mat. 20. 28. 2. As many stumble at the person of Christ his mean descent his poverty of life and his cursed death so also at the Doctrine of Christ This will not down with them they cannot relish it Luk. 23.5 He stirreth up the people teaching throughout all Jury but what was it he taught he taught that he was the Son of God and that he was the way to salvation he taught the way to Salvation by a Redeemer and that their Pharisaicall Righteousness would not save them this they were offended at but more particular 1. The plainness of his Doctrine this was an offence to them notwithstanding his words were more sweet than the hony and the hony-comb He was full of grace and truth Jo. 1.14 And his Doctrine was gracious Luk. 4.22 They wondred at the Gratious words which proceeded out of his Mouth But yet we find some were are offended at the plainness of it the Grecian Phylosophers were for high strains and rhetorical florishes they sought earthly wisdom therefore they stumbled at Christ 1 Cor. 1.22.23 and the pure plain simplicity of the Gospell and how many such Grecian Spirits have we in our days if the Ministers of Jesus Christ teach and preach the Gospel with plainness to the capacity of the Vulger that is an offence to many
tremble but he sends him away with this I will call for thee when I have a convenient season And how many such Felix's have we in our days They pretend to Love the Letter but cannot indure the power of the Gospel though it is the power not the Letter that must save their Souls Paul praised God for the power of the Gospel among the Thessalonians For we give thanks to God always for you because our Gospel came not to you in word only but in power 1 Thess 1.2.5 But how many turn their backs upon Christ his Ministers and his word because the power of the Gospel will not let them sleep in sin and go quietly to Hell with deluded ungrounded hopes of Heaven If John Baptist will preach and let Herod peaceably injoy his Herodias he will gladly hear him rejoice in him but if he preach powerfully Mat. 14. and reprove him because of his Herodias then through him into prison behead him rather than I will be seperated from my Herodias It is said Heb. 4.12 The word of God is powerful sharper than a Two-edged sword But sinners cannot endure the Keenness of it when it comes to dissect and lay open the Interiors those cursed principles of lust and wickedness which lodge within the soul they will then bid Adeiu unto Christ not considering that the Gospel is the power of God to salvation Rom. 1.16 Therefore this would be but a weak bulwork to keep the soul from coming to Christ if sin and Satan did not delude the soul 4ly There is this in the Doctrine of Christ which is an obstacle hindrance to sinners it condemns and casts away all selfe Righteousness in point of salvation and directs the sinner to Christ alone for it Isa 45.22 Look unto me and be yee saved Some of the Papists confess we are justified by the imputation of Christs righteousness Nos imputatione Christi meriti justificamur Tapper Tom. 2. art Cap. 36. all the ends of the earth for I am God and there is none else which as I have proved before is spoken of Christ Acts. 4.12 Neither is their Salvation in any other for there is no other name given under heaven whereby we can be saved The Scripture holds forth Christ as the only way to salvation Christ and his Apostles preached up this Doctrine God hath so loved the world that he hath given his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him shall not perish but have everlasting life So Christ is the way when the Jailor was convinced in his Conscience and cryed out What shall I do to be saved The answer was not become more righteous leave thy sins although that he must do but believe in the Lord Jesus and thou shalt be saved and thy house Acts. 16.30 31. This is the Doctrine of the Whole Assembly of the Apostles and Churches of Believers in Jerusalem We believe that through the grace of our Lord Jesus we shall be saved even as they Acts. 15.5 The Apostle Paul would be saved no other way Phil. 3.8.9 He would not be found in his own Righteousness but in the Righteousness of Christ But yet how many Thousand Souls have split and do daily split themselves upon this Rock They have stumbled at the stumbling stone Rom. 9.32 The Jews did so of old they would not with the Apostle Paul renounce their Pharisaical Righteousness They sought a Righteousness but not â—hat of faith therefore the Gentiles obtain it and they miss of it vers 30.31 Jesus Christ bids them come unto him without mony and without price but these will not come unto him unless their hands be full both of mony and price Propter incertitudinem propriae justitiae periculum inanis gloriae tutissimum est totam fiduciam in Sola Dei misericordia benignitate reponere De Justific l. 5. So it is and has been with the Papists and Quakers they have no need of a Christ and his Righteousness whilest they live but when they come to a death bed and conscience is a little awakened they will with that great Goliah Bellarmine who stifly contended for relyance on good works say * that because of the uncertainty of Mans own righteousness and the danger of vain glory it is the safest way for men to place their whole confidence in the mercy and goodness of God alone The Gospel exalts Christ but they debase him and set up themselves with their imperfect Righteousness rather than they will come to him in whome they may be compleat Col. 2.10 5ly The Doctrine of the Gospel ascribes the whole of our Salvation to free grace Eph. 2.5 By grace ye are saved and gives God all the Glory now the Arminians Quarrel at this and will have the grace of God no further free than we are free and have a power to accept of it therefore this keeps them from coming fully to Christ although they do pretend to believe in him because they will not quite renounce self for it is no true coming to Christ unless we come as lost condemned Wretches and not being able to help our selves in the work of our Salvation all is done by a free act of grace of the Father electing the Son redeeming and the blessed Spirit converting and leading the Sinner to the Lord Jesus for it is God who doth work all our works in us both to will and to do of his own good pleasure Phil. 2.13 and because of the Doctrine of election and the free grace of God many refuse to come unto Christ 6ly And lastly it is an hindrance because the Gospel commands all works of Righteousness yet none to be relyed upon 1 Cor. 15.34 Awake to Righteousness and sin not It is not sufficient that we avoide sin but we must also do good worke righteousness yet when we have done all to say we are unprofitable servants We have done that which was our duty to do Luke 17.10 The Gospel commands to love enemies at well as friends Mat. 5.44 Now these precepts will not well digest with those who are of a persecuting spirit Also the Gospel commands to love our Brethren 1 Jo. 3.54 to be charitable to be full of good works to be Zealous for God and the Gospel and it requires obedience to all the institutions of the Lord Jesus Tit. 2.14 but this the sin cannot away with to bring his neck under Christs yoke notwithstanding his yoke is easy and his burden is light Mat. 11.29 He loves to be at liberty that he may sin with freedome which is indeed the greatest slavery Now this stumbles the sinner that he must do that which is Righteous and holy and that at all times and to flee from the appearance of sin and fear nothing so much as it as Chrysostome said Nihil timeo nisi peccatum So that he looks upon it the greatest servitude imaginable to yield up himself unto Christ Then thinks he there is no meriting by what I
do therfore do never so much I must relye wholly upon another and it t is uncertain whether he can or will save me therefore I will not go unto him These are the Obstacles that lies in sinners ways and keeps them from coming unto Christ I come now to the second outward Obstacle or Impediment of the sinners coming unto Christ Imped 2. and that is Satan that Arch-Enemy of poor souls who goes about like a roaring Lyon seeking whom and how he may devour 1 Pet. 5.8 The great Apostle tells us of the Wiles and fiery darts of Satan Eph. 6.11.16 and if his Engines of Craft and subtilty will not do he will then throw forth his fire-balls and shoot his fiery darts and all to keep poor miserable Creatures from coming unto Christ I shall indeavour to discover some of his subtilties and lay them open to the view of sinners that they may not be so easily deluded and deceived by him * 2 Cor. 2.11 and be ignorant of his devices for he is always waiting and watching to take advantages of sinners 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Satan is altogether evill therefore he can bring forth nothing that is good he is the Father of Lyes Jo. 8.44 He is called in the same verse a Murderer and so he may well even in the worst sence for he loves to Murder Souls t is thy life not thy living the Jewel not the Cabinet he desires and aims at therefore seriously peruse these following particulars wherein is discovered what stratagems Satan useth to keep the soul if he can from coming to Christ 1. By his power not that Satan is stronger than God or can do any thing more than what God permits him for God has him in a Chain and can curb him when he pleases but when man rebelliously fell from God and refused him for his Guardian and Protector God most justly for his sin and iniquity permited him to be under the Dominion and power of a most tyranical Lord scil Satan who ever since has held him in slavery till God by Christ did redeem him and by his Spirit does convert him He is called Eph. 2.2 The Prince of the power of the Air the Spirit who worketh in the Children of disobedience And it is very observable that the Apostle there speaks of Believers and converted ones we had our conversation according to this world those who are the elect ones of God are under this power of Satan till God by his own Almighty power delivers them from the jaws of this roaring Lyon and from the paw of this devouring Bear Acts 26.18 To turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God Satan raignes in Elect ones before conversion but when converted Christ erects and sets up his Throne in their hearts The Apostle exhorts the Ephesians to put on the whole Armour of God Eph. 6.11 But why must they do it In the 12 vers saith he We wrestle not against Flesh and Blood 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but against Principalitys against Powers against the Rulers of the darkness of this World against wicked Spirits as it may be red in high places i. e. in the air they are the enemys which was against poor Souls and do their utmost to deter and hinder them from coming to the Lord Jesus 2. Satan doth it by casting a mist before their eyes so that they cannot perceive their own misery nor the necessity of a Saviour 2 Cor. 4.4 The God of this world i. e. Satan hath blinded the eyes of them who believe not lest the light of this Glorious Gospel of Christ who is the Image of God should shine unto them The sinner is blinded by Satan he thinks not his condition so bad as it is therefore he sees no necessity of coming to Christ thus he did by the Jews they thought themselves happy they were the Children of Abraham so it could not but go well with them They perceived not that they were under the curse notwithstanding they were Abrahams natural offspring Gal. 3.10 Cursed is every one that continues not in all things which are written in the Book of the Law to do them They were to fulfill all the Commandments both externally and internally and continually without any omission of Good or commission of evil or else they lay under the curse but they understood not this their misery therefore they came not to Jesus Christ Thus it was with the Laodicean Church she thought she was rich and increased in goods and had need of nothing and knew not that she was miserable Rev. 3.17 poor blind and naked but what was the cause of all this it was her blindness she knew not as the Text saith her Misery Poverty and Nakedness therefore Christ exhorts her to come unto him in the 18. v. for it was her keeping away from him put her in this low condition for had her eyes been open to have seen her deplorable condition without Christ shee would speedily have gon unto him but till the Mask of ignorance be taken off from the Soul it will never see the excellency or necessity of the Son of Righteousness Act. 26.18 They must be turned from darkness to light before they can come to Christ who is the bright morning Star 3ly If the Conscience be awakened and the eyes a little inlightned then he raises doubts in the Soul as 1. Whether the Scriptures are the word of God Thus he has done by many and so made them turn out of the way which leads to Christ and the knowledg of him and run into horrid Atheism and Blasphemy against the God who made them and the Christ who alone can save them Jo. 5.39 Christ saith search the Scriptures for in them ye think ye have eternal life and they are they who testify of me That is the true way to come unto the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ by the assistance of the holy Spirit which Satan is not ignorant of therefore it is his policy to bring the Soul to doubt this as he did Eve concerning the strict Command of God and the punishment threatned Gen. 3. So at last she stretches forth her hand to the forbiden fruit Thus he doth bring them to doubt the certainty and the truth of the word of God and then causeth them to stretch forth their hand to all manner of wickedness and wholly to neglect the saviour the Lord Jesus 2. To doubt of Christ whether he be the son of God Thus he did by the Jews of old when Christ asserted so frequently that he was the Messiah that he was one with the Father Jo. 10.30 That he came forth from God He made them doubt it therefore it is so often mentioned in the four Evangelists that they inquired of him whether he was the Christ the son of God Jo. 1. There they send to John Baptist to inquire of him whether he was the Christ they expected a Messiah but doubted whether
if thou dost Sin God is Merciful he is full of Pity Exod. 34.6.7 He is gracious and long suffering Therefore question not but thou wilt do well we find this answer very ready in their Mouths when we come to set their Sins before them and demand how they expect to be saved seeing they live so in Sin the answer is God is merciful and I hope he will pardon my iniquities By this wile of Satan the mercy of God is abused and the Sinner undone for ever it is true that Gods mercys are infinite and he is full of pitty and tenderness unto poor Creatures but his mercy will not save without Christ I shall not now enter into that dispute whether or no God could save Sinners by his mercy alone without any Consideration of or relation unto the Lord Jesus but this I assert from Christs own words Jo. 14.6 That there is no coming to the Father but by the Son no coming to him for mercy pardon and salvation but by Christ alone But consider further it is the Malice of Satan to thy Soul and he designs only Cruelty when he keeps thee in thy Sins and yet flatters thee with hopes of Mercy I do not write this to discourage any poor penitent Sinner from finding mercy but to bring deluded Sinners from the abuse of it and discovering the Wile of Satan shewing them the only way to obtain it for never think to be saved by his mercy when thou hast lived as long as thou canst in Sin for God is a consuming Fire to all such Heb. 12.29 And instead of extending Mercy he will on the contrary Condemn thee if thou dost not come unto Christ Rom. 8.1 21ly He impedes them by begeting prejudices in them against the faithful Ministers of the Lord Jesus and if he can but do this he thinks he hath done the work thus he did in the Jews Act. 3.45 when Paul and Barnabas had Preached Christ and so consequently Salvation to the Gentiles they then contradict and Blaspheme and are filed with envy against them Christs Embassadors are the very Butt Satan Shoots at and he knows if he can but keep Sinners from imbracing their Doctrine then he has them secure because Christ has committed such treasure unto them and his chosen them as instruments in an ordinary way to convert Sinners and turn them from darkness unto light and from the power of Satan unto God Act. 26.18 and as Christ saith Jo. 15.20 If they have kept my sayings they will keep yours also Satan is not ignorant of this that the Preaching of the Gospel is the means of conversion and the hearing of it the means of the begeting faith in the Lord Jesus Rom. 20.14 Therefore he doth all he can to prevent Sinners this he doth sometimes by scandalizing of them and casting contempt upon them giving forth names of Schismaticks Hereticks and the like as the Church of Rome hath done and some others sometimes by blaspheming the Doctrine they deliver as though it was not congruent to the word of truth But Sinner thou hast no reason to believe him for he is a Lyer and a Murderer and seeks the Blood of thy Soul and under pretence of keeping thee from delusion he deludes thee altogether For although the World and Devil hate them persecute them and speak evil of them that is no Argument that they are not therefore Christs Ministers and Servants but rather that they are so Jo. 15.30 22. Satan hinders by perswading the Sinner that Christs service is very difficult his Yoke is heavy and his burthen Intolerable that Christ is a hard Master and will exact the whole tale of Bricks but will not allow Straw there is no abiding long in his Service for there are several that have made tryal but are returned to their former courses if he become his Servant he must take up his Cross and deny himself he must be universal and constant in his obedience Pray always Watch always and in all things 2 Tim. 4.5 Thus Satan renders the service of Christ as unlovely and intolerable as may be to the end he may impede the Sinner from coming home to Christ but Satan is not to be credited before Jesus Christ therefore I say hearken to what Christ saith Mat. 11.30 My Yoke is easy and my Burthen is Light All his commands and injunctions are light and easy because he puts under everlasting arms to support the Soul and inables it to go chearfully under it There is no service like his for it is perfect freedom and the Soul is never free till it is subject to him The experience of all his sincere disciples and servants will confute this lying Argument of Satan for there is not a faithful servant of his but will say they have found his ways pleasant and his Burthen tolerable thou maist hear them cry out of the thorn in the Flesh 2 Cor. 12.7 8. of the Body of Sin Rom. 7.24 And of the Burthen of it Psal 38.4 Mine iniquities are gon over my head as a heavy Burthen they are too heavy for me to bear But they are so far from accounting his service difficult or crying out of the weightiness of Christs Burthen that on the contrary they cry O how do we love thy Law as David in Psal 119. I rejoice in them more than in hid Treasure so Paul Rom. 7.22 I delight in the Law of God after the inward Man Da quod mandas manda quod vis Aug. This is their language give but strength Lord and command what thou wilt let not this discourage thee for it is only Satans wile 23. If all this will not do then he will let fly his fiery Darts and by terrors and horrors of Conscience 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eph. 6.16 he will seek to scare the Sinner from coming to Christ he will send forth Thunder and Lightening against the poor Soul and threaten nothing but damnation if it go to seek for Salvation he will give it no peace till it returns again to folly Woful experience doth confirm the truth of this many have tasted of the powers of the World to come but yet by Satans Darts have been shamefully overcome If Christ promise Peace Satan will give the Soul nothing but trouble he will terrify and amaze it if once it offer to look to Christ when his sophystry and subtilty will not do then he plays his Engines of War and makes the poor Sinner willingly yield and lay down Arms upon condition of peace It is willing to comply and yield subjection rather then stand the contest with such a potent adversary but let not Satan with his fiery Darts beat thee back from coming unto Christ the Captain of thy Salvation Pray Christ to give thee the sheild of faith wherewith thou may'st quench his fiery Darts Eph. 6.6 If thou come to Christ he will tread this Enemy Satan under thy Feet and bring thee conqueror out of the
them unto Christ vers 37.39 All that the Father giveth me shall come unto me Eph. 1.4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the Foundation of the World so 1 Pet. 1.2 God hath elected and made choice of thee if thou art come to Christ Jer. 31.3 I have loved thee with an everlasting love therefore with loving kindness have I drawn thee Gods Love was fixed from all Eternity and he manifests it in time unto the Soul in drawing it unto Christ Jo. 6.37 All that the Father hath given him shall come unto him God hath chosen them and given them to his Son therefore he draws them to him Sinners are not able to move hand nor foot Zyon-ward unless God draws them they cannot come unto Christ 2ly If thou art come unto Christ the holy Spirit hath been at work upon thy Soul 1. To illuminate and inlighten thy understanding 2. Convince thy Conscience 3. Incline thy will 4. Sanctify thy affections 5. Work grace in the inward Man 1. The Spirit doth inlighten the understanding By nature Man is darkness Eph. 5.8 Therefore he must be turned from darkness to light Act. 26.18 And this is done by the Spirit of God he opens the Sinners Eyes that he may know himself Know thy self descended from Heaven it is said concerning the Prodigal Luk. 15.17 When he came to himself then he thought of returning home to his Father not before so it must be with every Sinner he must come to himself to know what he is before he will come to Christ if thou art come to the Lord Jesus thou hast been made to see thy miserable and deplorable condition by nature that thou art a Child of wrath Eph. 2.3 subject and obnoctious to the wrath of God deservest nothing but wrath and it were justice in God to execute wrath upon thee even for thy natural pollution and defilement much more for that contracted filth and impurity in thy conversation that thou art lost and shalt perish for ever without a Redeemer a Jesus to save thee that thou art an enemy to God Rom. 5.10 and needest reconciliation with him through the Blood of Christ that thou art unregenerate and without regeneration no seeing the Kingdom of God Jo. 3.3 miserable all over nothing but Wounds and Bruises and Putrifying Sores miserable because in thy flesh Rom. 7.18 dwelleth no good thing Sin Raigning Satan Captivating at his will the World allureing and perswading and thou art without strength or ability to resist and overcome these and many more I might number up are the evils which in Puris naturalibus in thy Natural condition make it deplorable therefore the holy Spirit brings thee first to know thy self before thou comest unto Christ 2ly To know and understand the Scriptures is another effect of the Spirit upon the understanding of those who are come to and have closed with the Lord Jesus As it is said Luk. 24.45 He opened their understandings that they might understand the Scriptures Therein all things concerning Christ are revealed Jo. 5.39 Search the Scriptures for in them ye think to have eternal Life i. e. the knowledge of eternal Life and they are they which testify of me Now the Spirit doth open the Eye of the understanding that it may in the glass of the Scriptures see those things clearly which are necessary to Salvation to wit repentance towards God and faith towards our Lord Jesus Act. 20.21 it declares the mind and will of God fully and directs poor Sinners who are stung in the Wilderness to look up to the BrazenSerpent scil the Lord Jesus Jo. 3.14 it declares that there is Salvation in none other I do not here say Act. 4.12 that the Spirit teaches all to read the Scriptures who are adult and grown into a capacity of exercising their Reason for there are many who I am perswaded have closed with Christ Luther Tertullian and others were converted from Papism and Gentilism by being brought to understand the Scriptures that could not read the Scriptures but this I assert that the understanding is inlightened by the Spirit to discern the things of God and Christ when preached or read to them out of the holy Scriptures for without a right understanding of the Scriptures there can be no apprehending the right way of Salvation All the Phylosophers of old with all their profound Learning Arts Sciences did not know Christ so consequently they were ignorant of the way of Salvation because Christ is the only way 3ly Thou art brought to understand and know thy duty in a great measure thy duty towards God thy duty towards thy Neighbour and thy duty towards thy self 1. Towards God that thou oughtest to Love him for himself to Love him as thy Creator and as a bountiful Benefactor to thee to Love him primarily superlatively and above all as the Text saith Thou shalt Love the Lord thy God with all thy Heart and with all thy Mind and with all thy Strength Deut. 6.5 To love him fervently and permanently if thou art not come to Christ besure there is none of this sincere love in thee for as God loves not the Sinner but as chosen in Christ Eph. 1.4 so the Sinner can never love God as he ought but in and through Christ and as God sees no lovelyness in the Sinner considered out of Christ so the Sinner perceives no amiableneness in God but in the Face of Jesus Christ for God is a consuming fire to Sinners if they be seperate from Christ so that I say Heb. 12. ult thou art taught to love God as an infinite good 2. To fear him not with a Bondage Slavish fear Rom. 8.15 but with a Filial and Holy fear such a fear as becometh Gods Children a reverential fear a fearing to displease him such a fear Christ Jesus had in his humiliation state Heb. 5.7.8 and such a fear have all his members who are come unto him and are implanted in him 3. Taught to serve him before thou wast the Servant of Sin and Satan but now the Servant of the living God Rom. 6. now thou desirest and indeavourest to obey him constantly as to the time fervently faithfully as to the manner and universally as to the Practice of them in all holy dutys as it was said of Zachary and Elizabeth They walked in all the Commandments of God Luk. 1.6 So it is thy care and Study to obey him in all things he requires from thee 4. Thou art taught to glorify God as being the chief end of thy Creation For he hath made all things for himself Psal 16.4 Thou indeavourest to glorify thy Soul and Body which are his according to that command 1 Cor. 6.20 Glorify God in your Bodys and in your Spirits which are Gods Thus Christ Jesus did as he saith Jo. 17.4 I have glorified thee on Earth so he saith of his Disciples Jo 15.8 Herein is my Father glorified that ye bare much Fruit so
9.13 but if thou art come to Christ thou willingly say'st with the Apostle Paul Phil. 3.9 And be found in him not having my own righteousness which is of the Law but that which is through the Faith of Christ the righteousness which is of God by Faith Thou lookest upon thy own as indeed it is imperfect and insufficient in point of justification and that it must by no meanes stand in competition with Christ and his righteousness 3ly Thou art made willing to accept and imbrace a whole Christ upon Gospel Termes Christ on the Throne as well as at the Altar Christ in his Kingly office to rule and govern thee to impose Laws and institutions which thou must obey as well as Christ a Priest to sacrifice himself that he might appease the Wrath of God satisfie his divine justice extinguish those flames with his Blood which sin had incendiated that he might procure Salvation for poor Sinners Christ in his prophetick office to teach and reveal his Fathers will to thee for no man can know the Father or his will as he ought but he to whom the Son will reveal them by his holy Spirit Mat. 11.27 Neither knoweth any man the Father save the Son and he to whom the Son will reveal him 1 Cor. 2.11 The things of God knoweth no man but the Spirit of God I say thou art willing to receive a whole Christ as the Gospel tenders and offers him to poor Sinners to be Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption 1 Cor. 1.20 Christ will either be a whole Saviour or none he will raign in the heart alone or not at all 4thly Thou art willing to obey the Lord Jesus in all his divine Institutions and commands and not say as those Disciples Joh. 6.60 This is a hard saying who can bear it thou dost not look upon his commands as grievous for his Yoak is easie and his Burthen is light Mat. 11.30 To will is present with thee although how to perform thou knowest not Rom. 7 18. Thy great desire is to walk in his Precepts and The Spirit is willing although the flesh is weak Mat. 26.41 Indeed this is the great tryal and touchstone by which we may know what Metal we are of If thou art not fruitful in obedience to Christ thou art none of his Disciples John 15.8 as the Apostle saith Know ye not to whom ye yield your selves servants to obey his servants ye are to whom ye obey whether of sin unto death or of obedience unto righteousness Rom. 6 16. it doth not trouble thee that his Laws are strict holy and good but thou art grieved that thy power is but imbecility and weakness so that thou canst not do that good which thou wouldest Rom. 7 15. Believers are the only persons that yield obedience to the Lord Jesus they follow him wheresoever he goeth Rev. 14 4. To all his commands thou art willingly subject and in all his Ordinances thou wouldst willingly be active Fifthly and lastly Thou art willing to deny thy self and follow Christ to the end notwithstanding those Mountains of difficulties that may oppose thee in thy Christian course both external and internal Luk. 14 26. If any man come unto me and hate not his Father and Mother and Wife and Children and Brethren and Sisters yea and his own life also he cannot be my Disciple Verse 27. And whosoever doth not bear his Cross and come after me cannot be my Disciple Self-denial is a special lesson to be learned in the school of Christ he was frequently when he was upon earth instructing his Disciples in this kind of Literature Christs Cross is to be learned even in the A B C of Christianity and Christians are daily to exercise themselves in the study of it that they may be good Proficients The Apostle Paul had made a fair Progress and was got to the highest Forme in Christs School when he could say God forbid that I should glory save in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ by whom the world is crucified unto me and I unto the world Gal. 6.14 This was a brave spirit in him that he could glory and boast of his afflictions and sufferings for the Lord Jesus Enemies and afflictions must be expected in the narrow way which leads to life and those who follow the Lord Jesus to the end will be followed by Satan and Temptation and yet for all these things the Spirit maketh the Soul willing to keep close to the Lord Jesus and once having chosen him never finally to forasake him Heb. 10.39 4thly The Spirit doth sanctify and regulate the affections which in the unregenerate state are totally vitiated in the unregenerate state the heart loves sin more than holiness the perishing Creature more than the eternal Creator it can delight in earthly carnal vanities but takes no complacency in the ways or things of God and Christ it can sorrow and lament for worldly sufferings and disappointments but hath no grief at all for sin and transgression of the holy Law of God and that affront upon the glorious Majesty of Heaven the unregenerate Mind fears more the displeasure of mortal Man whose breath is in his Nostrils then offending the great God who lives for ever but now the work of the Spirit is to purify and regulate these affections and passions of the Soul and fix them upon more suitable and God-pleasing objects and this he hath affected upon thy Soul if thou art brought home to the Lord Jesus Now thou canst say with David O how I love thy Law it is my Meditation all the day long Psal 119.97 The Law of thy Mouth is better to me than thousands of Gold or Silver ver 72. The Soul hath a high estimation of and valuation for the Law of God it esteems of God as the supream good because he is an all sufficient eternal and unchangable good he is the fountain which never ceaseth flowing a Sea not to be exhausted a Tree which always bears fruit therefore the Soul makes choice of him and highly magnifies him Christ is now an object thy heart doth most delight in and thou lookest upon all other things but as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dogs-meat in comparison of the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus Phil. 3.7 8. Thou canst say of Christ as the Philosopher lid of Vertue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is no possession more glorious and splendid more firm and permanent now thy heart hates and abhors that evil which before thou lovedst and thou lovest that good which formerly thy mind was a verse to 5thly and lastly If thou art come unto the Lord Jesus then the holy Spirit hath wrought all these graces within thy Soul which do manifest thee to be a real and sound Christian I shall only treat of these six Repentance Faith Love Hope Humility and Zeal where these are wanting in the heart Christ is not possessor there but where these are effectually wrought be sure
Canaan and the Glory of the new Jerusalem she takes a survey of those blessed immunities eternal felicitys and that Immortal glory the Saints shall be invironed and invested with when they come to injoy Christ who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all and in all Col. 3.11 and from the blessed Prospect of these things Faith makes a return and descent into the Soul implets and fills it with divine joy even to the supream confines of it it tells such storys of the Love of God and Christ and the blessed Spirit to the believer that it doth conflagate and inflame the Soul and makes it rejoice perpetually in the Lord according to that exhortation of the Apostle rejoyce in the Lord always May I speak with reverence Faith penetrates into the very Bosome of the Almighty and sees there is Love Peace and reconciliation for the believing Soul it looks into the records of Heaven and can read Thy Sins are forgiven and thy Iniquitys are blotted out It can look into the Lambs book of Life and read the name of the believer imprinted there this makes the Soul exalt and triumph with Songs of praise what made Paul and Silas Sing and Rejoyce when their Feet was incastriated their Bodys with Stripes vulnerated Act. 16.22 23 24 25. in an interior obscure Prison denyed the solace of that which nature is very ambitious of scil their Eyes to behold the Sun but this a lively Faith which devocated and fetched down new comfort to their Souls Faith when Active makes the Soul rejoyce in God and Christ and in divine and spiritual objects 2ly Peace is another effect of that Faith which is wrought by the Spirit of God as in that forequoted place Rom. 15.13 The God of Peace fill you with all joy and Peace in believing Peace of Conscience from sound principles is a happy priviledge and great blessing To be under the racks of a disquieted and tormented Conscience O what a mercy is it to injoy peace and a Calm within the Soul when there is nothing but tempests and tumults abroad what a comfortable condition is this God hath made a promise of Peace to believers Isa 26.3 I will keep him in Peace whose mind is Staid upon me because he trusteth in me Christ gives his Peace to Believers as he did to his Disciples Jo. 14.27 My Peace I leave with you my Peace I give unto you The Believer is at Peace with the Law of God because it is satisfied by the Death of Christ at peace with God the Father because he is well pleased in his Son to be reconciled to poor Sinners he is at peace with himself because his Sins are pardoned but he is never at peace again with Sin or Satan because they are Enemys to this true Peace which believers do partake of The believers peace is not remaining in Sin but it is a peace from Sin from the guilt and power of it 3ly In those who are come unto Christ the Spirit hath wrought the grace of Love for as the Apostle saith 1 Jo. 4.8 He that Loveth not knoweth not God for God is Love This is the great Gospel-grace as the Apostle Paul calls it 1 Cor 13.13 Jo. 13.35 Now there abideth Faith Hope and Love these three but the greatest of these is Love This is the distinguishing grace by which we are known to be Christs Disciples it declares our Divine original That we are Born from above 1 Jo. 4.7 it manifests our near union and communion with God 1 Jo. 4.16 God is Love and he that dwelleth in Love dwelleth in God and God in him But I shall speak to this Query how may one know that the grace of Love is wrought by the Spirit in the Soul The Resolution of which may be known by these two means scil the propertys and objects of it 1. As to the propertys of it it is Divine for the Spirit of God is the Author of it Gal. 5.22 it descends from above Jam. 1.17 Every good gift and every perfect gifts is from above and cometh down from the Father of Lights Now Love is one of these good perfect gifts 1 Jo. 4.7 for there is not any thing in the new Creature which is not the Finger-work of God all grace flows from him through Christ by his holy Spirit into the Soul Love is a grace that is Immortal for when Faith is turned into fruition and hope into possession this divine Love Remains 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 13.8 Love never faileth It is a Seed that never dies a fire that once being kindled never more will be extinguished it transformes the Soul into the very Image of God and makes it most like unto its maker it is Divine in that it Loves Joys and takes complacency in pure holy and divine objects it is not Like Carnal Love which findes nothing but the perishing Creature to diligate and delight in but it seeks better and more durable objects because it is of a Divine original 1 Jo. 4.7 Love is from God Therefore there are reflex acts towards the Author and giver of it 2ly This Love is sublime it is high and lofty although not puffed up with vain pride because it scorns to fix its felicity in a vain Perishing world the base things of this World are not objects noble enough for this excellent grace it is of a noble extraction and therefore Loves and delights in Divine and noble objects David who was a Man after Gods own Heart was full of this Divine and sublime Love therefore we have him often expressing his Love to God to the Law far above Gold or Silver or the perishing trash of a sinful World Psal 119.72 The Law of thy mouth is better to me then thousands of Gold and Silver The beauty of this inferior World is but deformity and blackness compared with the Splendor and glory of those divine objects which this Love is fixed upon the Honours and Riches of this World are but Dung and Dross to the Soul who hath this sublime Love Phil. 3.8 Ye doubtless and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord for whom I have suffered the loss of all things and count them but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dogs-meat that I may win Christ What made the Apostle thus to trample upon these terrene things and so to stain the glory of those things which are most excellent in the Eyes of most men why his Heart overflowed with this divine sublime and seraphick Love this is the true nature of evangelick Love it Loves the World and the things of it with a World-like Love which is cold indifferent and mutable the Heart that flows with this Love ever ebbs and runs low to the things of this world because it looks upon them as not worthy of its Love 3ly It Loves superlatively all divine things it doth not only Love in a high degree but in
the things of the World for if any man love the world the love of the father is not in him Here the divine Apostle gives a reason which withal proves that these two are not consistent for as Christ said Luk 16.13 You cannot serve God and Mammon one will have the preheminence and where this true evangellick Love is there the Love to the World is but flat and cold 2ly And possitively what are the true adequate and constant objects of this Evangellick Love in general all spiritual divine holy objects to which our Love is commanded or required by the Holy Word of God there is nothing which the believer apprehends to be truely divine but the Soul Loves entirely fervently and constantly for these objects are sutable to the State of a Believer he can perceive a greater excellence in them then in any other therefore the Soul is carried forth to love them above all others but more particularly and yet succinctly 1. God is the object of this Evangellic Love he is the chief and supream good therefore supreamly to be beloved even with all the heart with all the Soul and with all the strength Mat. 22.37 The Soul that is come to Christ by believing in him loves God not only as a Creator but as a reconciled Father in and through Christ 2 Cor. 5.19 Now it looks upon it self as oblieg'd and bound to love God who hath manifested such Love Joh. 3.16 as to give his only begotten Son that whoever believes should not perish but have everlasting life if God out of his infinite love had not been willing to give his Son to die for Sinners Christ would not have been willing to come and give himself for and to those who are his The Father out of his Love elected some to be Heirs of God and Co-heirs with Christ Rom. 8.17 Now the consideration of these things doth inflame the heart with Love to God as the Apostle saith 1 Joh. 4.19 We love him because he first loved us The fruits and effects of the Love of God shed abroad in the Soul makes it now to love God with an impartial and superlative Love Modus diligendi Deum est sine modo Bern. it Loves God as one saith the measure of loving him should be without measure 2ly Christ Jesus is the object of this Love O how the Believer loves Christ the Soul is so fired with Love to the Lord Jesus that it knows not how to express it words are too mean actions too low and the Soul thinks all too little to express and manifest its Love unto the Lord Jesus When the Believer considers Christ in the transcendent excellency of his person that he is God blessed for ever that he is the Eternal Son of God beloved of him adored of Angels then he says with the Spouse Cant. 5.10 My beloved is the chiefest among ten thousand and as it is in the 16. vers He is altogether lovely Further when he considers the extremity infiniteness and ignominy of the Passion and Suffering Christ underwent for him and that he should express his Love at so dear a rate to one altogether indeserving it doth so inflame the Soul that it vehemently longs to get above the clouds into the bosom of Jesus and that it may drink of the celestial Fountain and Springs of life Rev. 7.17 Moreover when it considers what Christ hath purchased and what he is doing now for his Elect and Redeemed ones that he hath procured Pardon Reconciliation with God Grace and Glory Life and eternal Bliss for those who were sometimes dead in Trespasses and Sins 2 Tim. 4.8 1 Pet. 5.4 Eph. 2.5 and that he continues interceeding by the vertue of his Blood and Merits that all his may have these blessings confered upon them and at last be crowned with a Diadem of Righteousness and Glory O the consideration of these things doth so incendiate the Soul with the flames of Divine Love that many waters cannot quench it neither can floods drown it Cant. 8.7 nay Afflictions Persecutions or Death cannot seperate this Soul from the Love of Christ When the Believer looks upon Christ in his Offices and in that near Relation between them this doth still elevate and heighten his Love so that the Soul is full and as it were immerged and swallowed up with Love to Christ who is the Head and the all of Believers Col. 3.11 3ly This Divine Evangelick Love hath for its object the holy Spirit he who is the alone Author is now become the Object the Spirit is he who infuseth and operateth this grace in the Soul Gal. 5.22 The Fruit of the Spirit is Love now seeing this is a Fruit of the Spirit it has reflex actings so that it leads the Soul to love affectionately and intirely the holy Spirit knowing that except he cooperates nothing can profit the Soul and that if he work not Joh. 16.15 there will be no exception of grace it is he which leads and guides into the way of all truth which is the alone way of Salvation he teacheth the Soul to know God and Christ and to know it self he fills the heart with Divine blessings which make the Believer greatly to admire and love him Try your Love by these objects see whether Carnal or Divine objects have the Supremacy in your affections for these are infallible ways to try your Love by and to discern a true Evangelic Love from all others whatsoever 4ly Holy Angels are greatly beloved of Believers because they are to be their Companions to Eternity and bear part in that Celestial quire where they shall sing eternal Hallelujahs to their God and Father in the Kingdom that cannot be shaken Heb. 12.28 and further because they are a Life-guard to them here and Ministring Spirits sent forth for the good of all those who are Heirs of Salvation Heb. 1.14 5ly All Saints as such are the objects of this Divine Love without any distinction or difference Because they perceive their Fathers Image shine forth in such therefore that which is so amiable in them doth attract and draw their affection to it The Apostle John in several places puts this down as a Character by which we may prove our Love if it be right nay the only way to know whether we Love God or no 1 Joh. 4.20 If a man say I love God and hateth his Brother he is a Lyar for he who loveth not his Brother whom he hath seen how can he love God whom he hath not seen David saith Psal 16.2 3. O my Soul thou hast said unto the Lord thou art my Lord my goodness extendeth not to thee but to the Saints that are in the Earth and to the excellent ones in whom is all my delight Here this holy man declares that the Saints were excellent in his eye and all the delight of his Soul but why were they so but because they were Saints they were holy ones born from above and
part trouble it is not only for the Soul but for the body too the Saints are in this life Compleat in Christ Col. 2.10 Buâ— the time is hasting in which Soul and body shall be compleat and perfect in rest and also it is a perfect rest from all sorrows and molestations whatsoever Isa 35.10 3ly A holy rest for there is no unclean thing enters into that rest Rev. 21.17 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth neither that worketh abomination or maketh a Lye but they which are written in the Lambs book of Life It is the place and seat of the holy God and there are none but holy Angels and Saints to attend the great Jehovah who inhabits this holy Place Isa 57.15 For thus saith the high and lofty one that inhabiteth Eternity whose name is holy I dwell in the high and holy Place O who would not desire to injoy this holy place of rest where there is no defilement or corruption but all persons and things are holy therefore come unto Christ to the end thou mayst obtain rest for it is holy 4ly It is a glorious rest and who is able to express the Glory of it 2 Cor. 4.17 Our light afflictions which are but for a moment worke for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory Hyperbolies of Glory far transcending our shallow Capacitys and weak conceptions it is a participating of the same Glory with Christ Rom. 8.17 If Children then Heirs Heirs of God and joint Heirs with Christ if so be we suffer with him that we may also be Glorified together It is a glorious rest in these respects 1. The most glorious God Trinity in Unity Father Son and holy Spirit keep their residence 〈◊〉 splendent Glory in that place where the Saints shall take up their â—est Although God fills the Heavens â—nd the Earth with his presence as â—eing infinite in his essence and so can be excluded no where neither can be included in any circumferrence limits or bounds yet more especially he makes manifest his glorious and majestical unipresence in the imperial heavens for there he keeps his glorious Court and shines forth in the beams of his brightness and makes evident his refulgent glory Rev. 21.22.23 And I saw no Temple therein for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the Temple of it and the City had no need of the Sun neither of the Moon to shine in it for the Glory of God did Lighten it and the Lamb is the Light thereof 2. There are none but Glorified Creatures that are inhahitants of this glorious Pallace attending always upon the Lord the great Jehovah Seraphins and Cherubims surround his Throne singing forth his magnificent Glory Isa 6.1.2 3. Crying out Holy Holy Holy Lord God of Hosts And Glorified Saints they are at this work extolling and magnifying the great God Rev 4.10.11 and in the 19. Chap. They are singing forth Halelujah Salvation and Honour and Glory and Power unto the Lord our God 3. It is a Glorious Rest in respect that the Saints shall have a glorious view of the beatifical vision They shall behold the Glorious God 1 Jo. 3.2 We shall see him as he is Here no mortal Eye can behold him and Live but there all Clouds shall be disipated the Curtains drawn a side the vision shall be perspicuous here we see but in a Glass darkly but then Face to Face 4ly It is a Glorious rest in this that the Saints are not only blessed with the vision of this Glory but they have glory conferred upon them all they do not only see him but are made like unto him They shall all Raign as Kings and Princes for ever Rev. 3.21 and 4.10 Here the Saints are looked upon as contemptible Creatures and the World hates them and for the most Part tramples them under foot but Christ will confer such a Glorious rest upon them that they shall be exalted above their Enemys and shall Raign with him in Glory and that to eternity which leads me to the last particular and that is this that this Rest which Christ will give to all them that come unto him and accept of him is fiftly and lastly an everlasting Rest 1 Thes 4.17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the Clouds to meet the Lord in the Air and so shall ever be with the Lord. Indeed this is the Crown and Happyness of all that it shall be to eternity not for a day a year or thou sands of years but as long as God is and Christ is which will be for ever so long shall the Saints inherit and possess Glory therefore it is called immortal Glory and eternal Life Rom. 2.7 To them who by Patient continuing in well doing seek for Honour and Glory and immortallity and eternal Life O the sweetness and comfort that is in the word Eternal to all those that believe Most People would think themselves happy if they could have Tabernacles of rest built for them whilst they are in this World which very rarely exceeds the time of threescore years and Ten but what is this comparable to that Eternity of Rest prepared for the Saints when they shall be taken up to live with Christ for ever Satan is a Lyer when he promiseth Rest for he can never give it The World is continually attended with preturbations dsiquietness or at the best with an imperfect Rest but those who close with Christ shall injoy an everlasting and perpetual Rest and what greater motive can there be to induce poor Sinners who here are in continual Labour and wearying themselves under heavy and intollerable burthens it is most certain that there is no rest that will comfort the Soul to be found out of Christ it is he that can give rest unto the weary it is he that hath purchased rest for the Labouring and heavy Laden and withal he condescends to invite and has promised that those who come and believe in him shall have a rest from the dominion of Sin from the Tyranny of Satan and a Soul-Rest in this Life and also they shall have a true and perfect a holy and glorious Rest and in fine an eternal Rest which adds exceedingly to the felicity of the Saints therefore as I began so I shall conclude with the words of the Lord Jesus varying the Person Come unto him all ye that Labour and are heavy Laden and he will give you Rest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 FINIS