Field for Consider although Satans Darts are terrible yet the terrors of the Lord are infinite and there is none but Christ alone that can deliver thee from them both therefore come and lay hold upon his strength Isa 27.5 24 Is by another means perswading the Sinner his Sins are greater than can be Pardoned and it will prove in vain to seek for a remission of them God never promised Pardon or acceptance to such a one Christ dyed not for such Crimson Sinners therefore it is the best way to sit still and bare his burthen with content for there is not Vertue in the Blood of Christ to wash their filthy and polluted Souls or to justify them from their guilt then he aggravates the hainousness of his Sins in the number nature and circumstances of them the number infinite the nature abominable and considering the circumstances irremissable here he terrifies the poor Soul so that it finds no rest because it hath had Sin presented through a magnifying glass but the mercy of God in Christ to be small and altogether too short to cover his Wounds or cure his distemper by this Dart he drives away the Sinner from coming unto Christ as Adam and Eve were driven out of Paradice least they should eat of the Tree of Life and live for ever But believe not Satan when he thus Wars against the Soul for the mercy of God in and through Christ to poor Sinners is infinite the Price which Christ paid was infinite I write not this that Sinners may presume but that poor penitents may come unto Christ for mercy It was the Blood of God Act. 20.28 Therefore he is able to save to the uttermost Heb. 7.25 Although thy Sins are great yet the mercy of God and the merit of Christ are much greater Therefore come unto Christ when Satan thus assaults thee and see whether he has not purchased Pardon for thee are thy Sins greater than Peters who denyed his Lord Master do they exceed Manasses Idolatry Murder Witchcraft 2 Chron. 33.6 or Paul when a Persecuter and Blasphemer and Injurious 1 Tim. 1.13 Yet these penitentially returning to God found mercy through the Lord Jesus Rom. 5. By him we have access into this grace wherein we stand 25. He doth all he can to bring the Soul into dispair and to cry out as those Jer. 18.12 There is no hope but we will walk after our own devices and we will every one do the Imagination of his own Heart Thus he served Judas first leads him into Sin then into dispair and makes him lay violent hands upon himself and that notable instance of Francis Spira who left the World in a dispairing condition for his denying the Lord Jesus This doth exceedingly dishonour God when we dispair of finding mercy unbelief is the main Wheel that moves this Engine of dispair 1. It calls Gods Pity and Mercy into question as in Psal 77.8 Is his mercy clean goâ—… for ever 2. His Love and Grace vers 9. Hath he forgotten to be gracious 3. His Faithfulness as in vers 8. Doth his promises fail for evermore 4. His Omnisciency and is ready to tax God of imperfection Like unto Man hath he forgotten saith the dispairing Soul By this Dart he hath for a time kept some of the elect from coming unto Christ till the Lord Jesus hath broke in and rescued the captive out of his hands and declared his faithfulness to his promise and his readiness to save all repenting believing Sinners Luk. 4.17 it is certain that Satan keeps off more by presumption then by dispair but when the one will not effect his grand design scil The destruction of the Soul then he will make his best improvement of the other if he cannot make the Sinner run precipitantly into Hell he will labour to bring him into dispair of ever getting to Heaven now seeing Satan is thus busy watch against his Wiles Devices and fiery Darts remember what is said Heb. 2.17 Jesus Christ is a Merciful and faithful High Priest And in that Jo. 1.9 If we confess our Sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our Sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness Therefore I say be not discouraged but come unto Christ and thou shalt find Peace for thy Conscience and rest for thy Soul 26. Another fiery Dart by which Satan deters Poor Sinners from coming unto Christ is by telling them there is no God Psal 10.4 The Wicked through the Pride of his countenance will not seek after God God is not in all his thoughts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or as in the Hebrew all his thoughts are there is no God There have been and are some who have attained to that degree of impudence as to deny that there is an eternal being who himself was before all and gave being and existence to all Creatures Diagoras Milesius and Protagoras Abderites and Theodorus commonly called the Atheist and others in former times denyed that there is a Numen or Deity that by his omnipotency hath created all things and it is very much to be lamented that there have been and are at this day in England those who boldly and impudently write and dispute against this eternal divine truth these have suffered the wicked one to abcecate the Eye of reason and so they are led captive by him at his will but methinks it is one of the absurdest points that may be for a rational Animal thus ignorantly to reason what is there not a supream being who created sustaineth and gubernates all things It is most impudent to assert the negative for either they must be produced into being from themselves and so prove Independent or else it is from some more noble supream and eternal being who himself wants beginning and so consequently will never cease to be according to that maxim Lacttantius du plesses de vera Religione Rawleighs Guost cum multis aliis Quod caret principio effective caret etiam fine That we have not our being from our selves that no creature can be the immediate Efficient or first moving Principle in the production of it self but that there is a supream Author and Efficient of all things whom we call God hath been so copiously proved by many Famous Men both for Piety and Learning that I shall not now insist on it Nay some of the Heathen Phylosophers have owned and declared that there is a God the natural Phylosopher proves it Ex motu fine causa efficiente From the Motion the End and the efficient Cause Ens Finitum a finite thing Closed within bounds and limits as this World and every Creature in it is could not be but from some Maker or Creator with many Arguments to confirm it The Moral Phylosopher hath found many strong Arguments that there is a God as from the Natural inclination and propensity that is in Man to confess and own some God or Deity for as it is seen in all Nations
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
all happiness peace and glory but the wrath of God abideth on him And who can define or conceive the greatness of that Wrath or who can indure it Isa 33.14 Who can dwell with devouring Fire who can lie dow in everlasting flames Therefore Sinner come here is Glory refuse and perish for ever The five Foolish Virgins were shut out of Heaven because they came not to Christ in their Life time for saith Christ I know you not If they had come to Christ before Mat. 25.10.11.12 he had known them at this time also if they had believed in him for as I have shewed coming is believing they would certainly have been saved by him for saith Christ I will in no wise cast out those who come unto me Jo 6.37 6. Reas He invites because this was the end for which he came into the World it was to seek as well as to save them which are lost Luke 19.10 For this very end he devested him-himself of Glory and took upon him a servil condition Jesus Christ came into the World to save Sinners 1 Tim. 1.15 Not to be only an Example as some fondly conceive but he came to save them and that Sinners believing in him might obtain eternal Life what is the main scope of the Gospel but to hold forth and tender Christ Jesus a Saviour to miserable Sinners and to call after them to believe in and imbrace him Jo. 3.16 For God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son there 's the tender of Christ that whosoever believeth in him shall not perish but have everlasting Life observe the words Believe in him Not only believe for that is not faith properly which is not in Christ Act. 20.20 Repentance towards God and faith towards Jesus Christ So that I say this was Christs design that Sinners might come unto him therefore he intreats them and calls after them to accept of him that they may live by him I come now to the application which shall be 1. For Information 2. Reprehension 3. Councel 1. For Information Doth Christ invite sinners to come unto him learn hence the gratious condescention and humility of Christ Here is mercy upon her knees to teach misery to bow It is great condescension if we consider well who he is that ivites as I before manifested he is not a meer-man or an Angel but God blessed for ever not a Creature but the Creator the Heir of all things the possessor of Heaven Earth it is great condescention in a Lord to court his offending Servant to be reconciled a King his rebellious Subjects but this surpasses all examples as it is Storied of Augustus that Ei gratius fuit Nomen Pietatis quam potestatis That the name of Piety was more grateful to him then the name of Potency So much better may it be said of Christ Ei gratius fuit nomen humilitatis Mat. 9.13 quam potestatis Humility more then power Mat. 11.29 Learn of me for I am meek and lowly of Spirit 2. If we further consider who they are he invites not the righteous but Sinners not those who have light Burdens a few Sins as they may conceive abundance of Morality though this is commendable excellent education a sweet and flexible disposition of a noble extraction Wealthy and Honourable but they are the heavy laden ones Mat. 11.5 Luk. 4.18 19 20. the Sick the Poor and needy the Blind the Lame the Distressed the Captivated the Lost these are the Persons that Christ invites 2ly It informs us of the immensity and profundity of the love of Christ Eph. 3.18.19 That you may be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the Breadth and Length and Depth and Height 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledg It is unparalled Love beyond expression and beyond conception it is as long as eternity as high as Heaven To love saith the Philosopher Is to wish that which we esteeem good to any one and to the uttermost of our power procure that good unto him This diffinition may truly be applyed to Christ for he desires they may participate of the greatest good scil His Fathers Love and of himself and of eternal rest and happiness and Christ Jesus hath procured all these for Poor Souls if they will but come unto him he invites the unworthy the undeserving that he may shew mercy unto them David did shew great love to the house of Saul when he sent for Mephibosheth to eat bread at his Table but yet nothing comparable to this of Christs calling after Sinners to come and sit down with him in his Kingdom 2 Sam. 9.56 Rev. 3.21 2. Use is of Reprehension to Sinners in General that refuse to come Doth Christ invite thee and wilt thou refuse to come doth he condesend to woo and intreat thee and wilt not thou consent shall he call and wilt thou stop thine Ears shall he be willing to ease thee of thy Burden and wilt thou be unwilling to accept of Rest What shall Mercy intreat Orat. Misericordia tacet miseria and shall misery be Silent Shall the Physitian offer Cordials freely and the Patient refuse and Perish what must the Judge court the guilty condemned Malefactor to accept of a Pardon Orat. Judex silet Reus and shall he obstinately slight it O what stupidity what folly and ingratitude is this to the Lord of glory when he so friendly invites thee dost thou think thy blind excuses will serve thee in the day of Christ like those in Luk. 14.17 18 19 20. But more particularly 1. This is a reproof to those who condemn this invitation and O how many justly fall under this reproof many contemn it because they Imagin they have better provision then Christ can give unto them his Person is contemned by them his tenders of grace Slighted his Ordinances disregarded his name must be rooted out from their Israel they see no necessity of coming to him they have a better foundation to build upon contrary to the great Apostles Doctrine 1 Cor. 3.11 he saith Thus Sinners Imagine Christ is the only Foundation But they can build upon something either within or without them that will support their tottering structure firmer than the Rock of Ages the Lord Jesus therefore they contemn both Christ and coming to him we will not believe in him we will believe in our selves say the deluded Quakers we have somthing within Our Light will save us but what if your Light be darkness so the Papists say for they are nearly allyed we care not for coming for we have enough either of our own works of supererrogation or else in the Church Treasury and if I but open and empty my Bag Luk. 24.25.26 the Pope will fill my Hand with other mens good works and merits sufficient to procure Life for me but O Fools and slow of Heart to believe what
Christ was he that should save them therefore they rejected him for it was through ignorance as the Apostle Peter asserts in Acts 3.17 And the Apostle Paul 1 Cor. 2.7 They were ignorant of his deity therefore doubted whether they might go unto him for Salvation 3. Quid aternis minorem consiliis animum fatigas Hor. By raising doubts concerning Election and this is a great let to many so that they totally neglect Christ and their salvation but why as the Heathen said dost thou vex thy Soul with the eternal Councels and wilt not seek unto him because Satan tells thee thou art not elected Observe here the subtilties of Satan to stave off poor souls from coming unto Christ when ever this objection comes in thy way conclude it is from the Devil for Election is a secret belongs to God and although he hath chosen a certain number thou may'st be one of them The Gospel doth not say if you are elected you shall be saved although that is true But if you believe you shall be saved Prudens futuri temporis exitum caliginosa nocte premit deus idem Joh. 3.16.36 Now if thou hast true saving faith * Act. 15.9 heart-purifying and a * Jo. 5.4 world conquering faith then conclude thou art elected inquire more after that than thy election for that is the way unto salvation by coming to and believing on the Lord Jesus If any man be in Christ he is a new Creature 2 Cor. 5.17 If thou art so thy condition is safe 4. He keeps them from coming to Christ by representing Christ unable to save sinners but this is another of his lyes for he is able to save to the uttermost all that come unto God through him Heb. Isa 9.6 7.25 Isa 63.1 He is mighty to save and well he may for he is the Mighty God and he is the Lord Jehovah Jer. 23.6 but by this subtilty of his he hath kept thousands of Souls from coming unto Christ and makes them set up false Christs and Competitors with him as though he could not do the work alone thus the Papists have done all along they have exalted and magnified other Christs as Charity this hath usurped the place of Christ Good works Prayers Masses works of super-erogation a vain proud lye as though Man could do more than God required and these must help on the work of our salvation or else it cannot be perfected moreover there is the Intercession of Saints and Virgin Mary must do more than Christ can in their apprehension therefore they implore them ten times for once that they seek unto the Lord Jesus For if they did look upon Christ as an able Saviour they would never thus set up new Saviours but these people are like the heathens who worshiped many Gods and relyed upon them for succor and salvation as their Jupiter Apollo The Athenians had an Alter with this inscription 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mercury and Minerva and many more because they were ignorant of the true God and his Almightiness to save So these because perswaded by Satan of the inability of the Lord Jesus to save alone therefore they come not unto him but Christ Jesus is infinite in regard of his diety and therefore able omnipotent therefore sufficient to save all those who relye upon him for salvation Rev. 1.8 5. By representing Christ unwilling to save this is another of his falsities for Christ saith Jo. 6.37 Him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out There are two negatives in the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not not which declare Christ's abundant willingness to imbrace sinners and the certainty of their acceptance with him Jo. 5.40 Ye will not come unto me that ye may have life Which implyes Christ's willingness to give life if they would but come but by this subtil argueing of Satan he impedes and hinders poor sinners they conclude from his instigation and suggestion that Christ is unwilling therefore it is in vain for them to come to him for he has no mercy for them no love to extend to their souls although they are willing yet Christ they know is unwilling Thus the Devil possesseth the Sinner with hard thoughts of the Lord Jesus without any reason for if he had not been willing to save he would never have been willing to dye if he was not willing to receive returning Sinners he would never call after them nor invite them as in the text Come unto me For Christ is faithfullness it selfe he is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Amen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rev. 3.14 But the Devil is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The wicked one and a Lyer Jo. 8.4 Then come sinners for Christ is willing to accept of and imbrace thee 6. He impedes them by perswading them the evil day is far off i. e. the day of death saith Satan there is time enough yet you are young and strong there is no fear of death yet and what need you look unto Christ so soon and how many especially young ones doth he hold with this argument let a Minister or godly Christian exhort them to repent and make hast to get into Christ their reply is Time enough yet thus the Devil deceives them in that which their own sences dayly confutes the folly of for they see that where one lives to be old five dye in youth but all this will not convince them of the weakness of this Argument which Satan produces Dum loquimur fugerit invida aetas carpe diem quam minimum credula postero Hor. for the Spirit of God never suggests such things he says To day if you will hear his voice harden not your hearts Heb. 3.13.15 The Spirit of God will not allow of a Morrow for the sinners to come to Christ for the present time is only theirs to morrow may be denyed as a Heathen could say therefore do not defer upon this account for who knows whether God will add one day more to thy life We are but dust and a shaddow and who knows whether the Celestial powers will add to morrow to the sum of this days hours Pulvis umbra sumus quis scitan adjiciant hodiernae crastina summae tempora Dii superis Idem O hasten out of this snare of Satan and come to the Lord Jesus 7. By promising peace to them in his service but trouble and perplexity in the ways of God He is always ready to promise that he can never perform this is one of his wiles to keep sinners back from Christ O saith he if you will but serve me follow me you shall have peace on every side thy ungodly relations will be at peace with thee thy wicked neighbours will keep correspondence with thee nay the greatest part of Mankind will be at amity with thee but if thou goest to Christ nothing but trouble both without and within 2 Cor. 4.8 9 10. and 11. chap. from
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
Christ Grace and eternal Blessedness as David saith Psal 42.2 My Soul thirsteth for God for the living God Instead of this they are after the World and the things thereof they are for who will shew us any Good here as for the Light of Gods Countenance let those that will seek after that And those passions and affections which have evil for their object are irregular also as Fear Sorrow Hatred and the like these are placed upon quite contrary objects the Soul should hate evil sorrow for Sin fear the wrath of God which he hath threatned against rebellious Sinners but on the contrary it doth by nature hate the good and choose the evil sorrow for worldly concerns and disappointments more then for Sin fear the wrath of Man more than the wrath of God and by reason of this depravity and irregularity of the affections the Sinner minds not coming unto Christ 5ly The hardness of the heart is another Lett. This kept many of the Jews from believing in Christ Mat. 3.5 The Heart of Man by nature is so hard and obdurate that the distillation and daily droppings of the Gospel cannot penetrate or make impression therefore God has graciously promised to take away the Heart of Stone and give a Heart of Flesh Ezek. 36.26 And till God doth effect this upon the Soul to take away the hardness from it and mollify it with the Blood of Jesus it will never receive any divine impression or come unto Christ that it may be for ever happy Heb. 3 15.16.18 As it was through the hardness of Heart the Israelites provoked God in the Wilderness and believed not in him and so shut themselves out of the promised Land of Rest so to this day the obduratness of Sinners impedes them so that they regard not coming to Christ As the Heart of Man is so desperatly Wicked and deceitful above all things Jer. 17.9 so it is desperatly hard and obdurate above all things Moses struck the Rock but twice and the Waters came out abundantly Num. 20.11 but Christ stands knocking at the door and cannot get admittance into the hearts of most Sinners Rev. 3.20 all his sweet and kind expressions and glorious promises will â—ot induce them to let him in or allure them though miserable to come unto him 6ly And lastly the Pride and haughtinesse of Mans Spirit obstructs him A Proud man is loth to own his own poverty and come to Christ for Riches he is unwilling to own his nakedness and come to Christ for cloathing Rev. 3.18 Because God at first made him Lord of the Creature he concludes he hath now no need of his Creator he thinks by his own Arme to procure Salvation and by his own industry work out redemption for himself To be saved by the merits and righteousness of another he cannot indure to hear of Man cannot indure to own himself a Bankrupt lost and undone unless he seek to another for help that he is poor and must now turn Beggar when he has so much Riches by him as he vainly conceits he has accumulated and heaped together a little treasure of fine wishes perhaps with an inconsiderable number of morral or civil acts and so he is an accomplished person and it is beneath him to seek adjuvation or assistance from another for being vainly puft up in his Fleshly mind he slights Christ he is like Esau who having got something of the Riches of the World seems to slight Jacobs presents till he urged him to take them so the Sinner being elevated by the Pride of his Heart disesteems Christ and his tenders of Love and Mercy till Christ do as it were force them upon him if he at all receive them Thus have I laboured as briefly as I could to lay open many of those impediments and obstructions which deter and impede Sinners from coming unto the Lord Jesus although it is their duty to come and they are for ever miserable and undone if they come not unto him therefore if any of the forementioned obstacles stand in the way between thee and Christ labour to remove them and beg grace to overcome them that thou maist come unto the Lord Jesus 3ly I come now to remove a few objections that some may make against this Doctrine that It is the duty of all heavy laden Sinners to come unto Christ Some may object and say how can this be a duty for all to believe in receive and come to Christ this supposes a will and power in man or else it is to bid a Blind man see a Cripple walk upright a Child encounter a Gyant and a Mole overturn a Mountain if man hath no ability this can be no duty I answer 1. Man hath no free will or power of his own by nature to come Jo. 1.13 Not born of Blood nor of the will of the Flesh nor of the will of Man but of God Rom. 5.6 Whilst we were yet without strength Christ dyed for us No strength or ability to carry our selves to Christ it is God must work in us both to will and to do of his own good pleasure Phil. 2.13 but although men cannot will or come to Christ yet it is their duty Jo. 6.29 This is the Work of God that ye believe on him whom he hath sent i. e Believe in his Son Jesus 1 Jo. 3.23 This is his commandment that ye believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ here we see it is made an express command incumbent upon all and from which none may exempt themselves Christ preached this Doctrine and hath commanded his Ministers to preach and publish it to all Mark 16.15.16 Go Preach saith he the Gospel to every Creature 16. vers He that believeth and is Baptized shall be saved but he that believeth not shall be damned The Apostle Paul preached and pressed this duty upon both Jews and Gentiles Acts 20.21 Testifying both to Jews and Greeks repentance towards God and Faith towards our Lord Jesus 2 Obj. If man cannot come then it is in vain to preach and inforce such a duty I answer it is a duty and to be preached 1. That man may be convinced of his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 natural impotency and inability of coming to Christ and that he needeth the adjuvation and help of an omnipotent Arm to draw him Jo. 6.44 Silly man is apt to conceit great things of his own ability and that it is easy and Facile to believe in Christ Jesus but when they are under the apprehensions of death or the like they are convinced of the necessity of coming to Christ but find their power to be faintness and their will to be meer conceitedness as one of that perswasion being under the apprehension of Death told me shee could not then find power in her self to come to Christ or believe in him for Salvation unless he would work faith in her to apprehend him and apply the promises 2. To exalt the infinite riches
objects and the Soul wisheth nothing more than to be full even to the brim 1 Pet. 1.15 16. with this celestial Liquor And for Holyness the Soul is ambitious to attain to the perfection of it To be Holy as God is Holy in all manner of conversation But seeing it cannot acquire that Perfection in this Life it is so in Love with Sanctity that it pants and Prays and longs to get to that state of Glory wherein it is not perfecting but perfect in Holyness not cleansing but cleansed and purified from all Iniquitys By these things you may know whether the Spirit hath wrought the Grace of love in your Souls 4ly The Fourth grace is Hope This is numbred among the three graces 1 Cor. 13.13 And now abideth Faith Hope and Charity but the greatest of these is Charity I shall speak to this and the other two scil Humility and Zeale very Briefly because I have been longer then I intended in the former the Spirit is the Author of this evangellick grace in the Soul and it is the Character of the People of God that they are those who hope in him Psal 3.24 Be of good Courage and he shall strengthen your Hearts all ye that hope in the Lord. 1. I shall declare what this Hope is 2. It s Nature and Office 3. Its objects 1. What it is Hope is a Grace of the Soul whereby every true Christian doth surely expect and patiently wait and look for the injoyment of promised mercys and Salvation Rom. 8.24.25 For we are saved by Hope but hope that is seen is no hope for how can a Man hope for that which he seeth but if we hope for that we see not we do with patience wait for it Heb. 10.35.36 Cast not away therefore your Confidence which hath great recompence of reward Vers 36. For ye have need of Patience that after ye have done the will of God ye might receive the Promise i. e. The thing promised Rom. 5.2 Rejoice in the hope of the glory of God Hope looks to the time to come for the certain possession of the thing hoped for 2. The propertys of it 1. It Looks for the thing promised God hath promised Life Salvation Glory and Bliss to believers Tit. 1.2 In hope of Eternal Life which God that cannot lye promised before the world began I will give Grace and Glory saith God Psal 84.11 Now hope doth firmly expect that God should make good his word and not fail in one Iota or tittle of all things he hath promised to his Saints and Servants 2. It is the nature of it to look forwards to the end and full perfection of bliss Here our blessedness is but imperfect because our graces are not compleated there being the Reliques of Sin in the Soul but hereafter when we are taken above the Clouds and possessed of eternal Glory being in full fruition of God Grace shall be perfected and Crowned with Glory Faith shall be turned into a glorious vision and hope into everlasting fruition this hope expects and waits for 3. From the consideration and certain perswasion of the things hoped for it fills the Soul with joy and gladness Rom. 5.2 Rejoycing in the Hope of the Glory of God The very Expectation that the Day will come when the Soul shall be invested with and possess That far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory spoken of 2 Cor. 4.17 makes it even in the midst of afflictions exult and rejoice It can Glory in tribulation when the Heart is possest of this Grace of Hope 4. This Hope is not ashamed to discover it self neither doth it make the Person ashamed that has it Paul is not ashamed to own it before Agrippa and a Court of Judicature Act. 26.6 And now I stand and am Judged for the Hope of the promise made by God to our Fathers Although the worldly Miser may condemn Believers who build so much upon the expectation of future happiness and for that are willing to undergo afflictions here Yet this hope maketh not ashamed because the Love of God is shed abroad in the heart by the holy Ghost Rom. 5.5 5. It puts the Soul upon purification of it self Seeing it expects such great things as to be delivered from all evil to enjoy God and be made like unto him 1 Joh. 3.2.3 Beloved now are we the Sons of God and it doth not yet appear what we shall be but we know that when we shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is vers 3. And every man that hath this hope in him purifyeth himself even as he is pure This Soul expects to live with a holy God holy Angels and Saints therefore it labours to become holy and to be made meet for so blessed an Inheritance as God hath provided for them who hope in his Mercy 3ly The objects and foundations of this Evangelic hope 1. God as in Psal 42.5 Why art thou cast down O my Soul and why art thou disquieted within me hope thou in God for I shall yet praise him for the help of his Countenance So vers 11. and Psal 43.5 The Psalmist doth still call upon his Soul to hope in God Jer. 17.7 Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord and whose hope the Lord is 2. This hope builds upon the Mercy of God in and through Christ Psal 33.1.8 Behold the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him upon them that hope in his Mercy And in the 147. Psal 11. The Lord taketh pleasure in those that fear him in them that hope in his Mercy God has declared himself by this Name The Lord gracious and merciful Exod. 34.6 therefore hope looks unto this expecting that his Mercy and pity will move him to tender forth grace to the poor soul Christ is called the Mercy promised to the Fathers Luk. 1.72 To perform the Mercy promised to our Fathers and to remember his holy Covenant And the fulfilling of this is said to flow from the tender mercys of God ver 78. Through the tender mercys of God whereby the day spring from on high hath visited us so that hope takes incouragement from the mercy of God still to rely upon him 3ly The faithfulness of God Titus 1.2 In hope of eternal life which God that cannot lye hath promised before the foundation of the world Here the soul casts Anchor flyes to refuge in storms and concludes the foundation of God stands sure 2 Tim. 2.13.19 and he cannot deny himselfe he can as soon cease to be as fail of fulfilling his promises which he has given as bonds to his people and they are sealed with the blood of Christ therefore never to be cancelled till they are fully discharged 4ly This hope looks upon the promises that God hath made and builds upon them 1. for salvation and eternal life the believer firmly hopes for it and expects to partake of life and happiness as in that forementioned place Tit.
of Gods grace and love in bestowing freely what the Sinner findes he needeth and what God requireth from him scil Faith in Christ Jesus Eph. 2.8 By grace ye are saved through faith and that not of your Selves it is the gift of God The Sinner wants Faith which is a supernatural of the Blessed Spirit Gal. 5.22 for without Faith there is no apprehending of Christ now God is pleased in his abundant mercy to confer this and all other graces upon the Sinner to the praise of the glory of his grace Eph. 1.6 3. To declare to man his own deplorable state and condition and that he may see what he has made himself by Sin he can do nothing in his lapsed fallen estate which conduceth to his eternal well being without me saith Christ ye can do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nothing Jo. 15.5 He doth not say ye can do no great thing without me but nihil nothing 4. That poor Creatures who are lost and undone by reason of Sin and who are imbecilitated and weakened through iniquity so that they cannot come themselves to Christ being convinced of the duty incumbent and the necessity of having this grace might more earnestly seek unto God for it and having obtained it highly esteem this Jewel for no Faith no Christ and no Christ no Salvation Jo. 3.36 5. This is to exalt the Lord Jesus in the estimation of miserable Sinners for being perswaded of the absolute necessity of this duty without which they cannot come unto the Father it will make Christ more desirable Jo. 14.6 I am the way the truth and the Life no man cometh unto the Father but by me i. e. By believing in Christ Jesus that is the only way to be reconciled to God and to obtain mercy from him For without faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11.6 or be any way grateful to him for God is so far from manifesting his Love to sinners whilst they remain strangers to Christ as that he rather hates them for God taketh complacency and delight 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chiefly in his Son Christ Jesus who is the eternal delight of the Father and may I speak with reference Prov. 8.30 and as I humbly presume congruent to the Analogy of Faith that God the Father takes delight or complacency in none neither Angels nor men except considered as elected in Christ because the finiteness of the Creature renders it not an adequate object for the delight of an infinite God or that he should fix his Love upon a Finite being when he is infinite and eternal for God loves not the Creature for it self for any intrinsick worth or excellency in it but for himself and so far as he hath ordained it for his glory there can be no additional felicity unto God the Creating of the Creature adds nothing to him neither doth the perishing of it detract any thing from him for he hath the same fulness and perfect object for his delight now as from all eternity scil his Son Jesus in whom he is well pleased For he is God blessed for ever Rom. 9.5 So that if we desire to be beloved of the Father or to have any manifestation of it to us we must go unto Christ in a way of Duty that he may confer and bestow those graces by which we may come unto him in a way of Mercy scil Repentance and Faith for as Christ has purchased Salvation so has he also the means by which we may obtain it and apply it to our own Souls as the Apostle saith Gal. 2.20 I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me and the Life which I now live in the Flesh I live by the Faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me By that Faith which Christ had purchased and his Spirit had wrought the Apostle did live I come now to the uses and application that may be made of this Doctrine 1. Information 2. Examination 3. Exhortation 1. It informs us of a great and indispensable duty for as I have before declared this receiving of looking coming unto and believing in Christ is a duty relating to all who expect salvation and are desirous to be eased of their Burthens which otherwise would press them down into everlasting misery it is by coming to Christ and believing in him that the Soul comes to be exonerated and eased from all its heavy loads of Sin and guilt it is a duty and a work that must be done Jo. 6.29 This is the work of God that ye believe in him whom he hath sent scil His Son Jesus Christ 2ly Learn hence the erronious falsity of those opinions that direct the Sinner some other way to seek for ease and help when it is only to be found in the Lord Jesus as Christ saith If ye believe not that I am he ye shall dye in your Sins Jo. 8.24 There is no other remedy for the wounded Soul but coming to the Blood of Christ no other Saviour for the lost Sinner but the Lord Jesus no other refuge for the persued Malefactor to sanctuary in but the name of the Lord Jesus Rom. 10.13 and there is none other that can bare away his burthens of guilt Levit. 16.22 into the Land of separation but the Scape-goat scil the Lord Jesus therefore they do but deceive and delude poor Sinners who direct them to any other for ease or comfort 3ly Learn hence that believing which is the right coming unto Christ is not meritorious because it is a Duty We are under a command of believing in Christ 1 Jo. 3 23. now that which is injoyned as a duty to do cannot be meritorious when done for the name of Duty doth casheir and cut off the very Sinnews and Strength of Merit Luk. 17.9.10 When we have done all we must say not complementingly we are unprofitable Servants for here is the Reason we have done but that which was our duty to do It is a duty to come and believe in Christ but our believing doth not merit or deserve that he should accept of us Believing in Christ is the work of the Spirit of God it is not by a mans own Power that he imbraceth him 2ly Use of Examination to know whether you are come unto Christ and indeed this is the Life of all for as the Apostle saith 2 Cor. 13.5 Examin your selves whither you be in the Faith prove your selves know you not your own selves that Jesus Christ is in you except you he Reprobates Here I shall propose this question how shall I know whether I am come to Christ Jesus or no I am satisfied that it is my Duty to come and that if I do not come I am undone and lost to all eternity I answer first If thou art come unto Christ the Father hath drawn thee Jo. 6.44 No man can come unto me except the Father which hath sent me draw him Now the Father draws by his election and so gives