so much of them as is good for us is to receive Christ and seek after our Souls Salvation and to live an Holy Life rather than to neglect Christ and our Souls Salvation and to give our selves wholly or chiefly to mind the things of the World which may be proved several ways 1. They that serve Christ and seek chiefly after their Souls Salvation have the promise of all things necessary for this Life as well as the Life to come Math. 6.33 Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you 1 Tim. 4.8 Godliness is profitable unto all things having promise of the life that now is and that which is to come And a promise from God is better security for the things of this life than our own wisdom or industry or present possessions though great or what else the whole World can afford to us 2. When Christ becomes ours the world is ours so far as God seeth it needfull and so far as he seeth it good for us it shall be ours 1 Cor. 3.21 22 23. All things are yours whether Paul or Apollo or the world all are yours and ye are Christs All things in the world shall be for the furtherance of our Spiritual and Eternal welfare the crosses as well as the comforts of the world 3. All things in the world are at the disposal of God and he gives them to whomsoever he will 1 Chron. 29.12 Both riches and honour come of thee and it is in thine hand to make great Dan. 4.17 The most high ruleth in the Kingdom of men and giveth it to whomsoever he will And seeing the whole world is at the disposal of God is a likelier way to obtain the world to seek and serve the Lord and his Son Jesus Christ or to live in the neglect of God and to disregard his service Obj. But some may say how is this the surest and best way to obtain the world to embrace and serve Christ when as ordinarily the servants of God have less of the world than other men A. 1. They that seek and serve the Lord have as much of the world as the Lord seeth to be good for them Psal 34.10 They that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing And it is far better being without than having that which the Lord seeth would be hurtfull for us And Riches are of that nature that to have abundance of them proves a real hurt to some men Eccl. 5.13 I have seen Riches kept for the Owners thereof to their hurt 2. That little of the world which the servants of God have is better than the great possessions of other men Psal 37.16 A little that a righteous man hath is better than the Riches of many wicked If any say how can this be that a little that a righteous man hath should be better than the riches of many wicked I answer 1. The servants of Christ have more comforts in their little than wicked men have in their abundance For they have their little with Gods Blessing which takes away the sorrow from what they possess Prov. 10.22 The blessing of the Lord it maketh Rich and addeth no sorrow therewith But other men have a curse and vexation added to what they have Prov. 3.33 The curse of the Lord is in the house of the wicked 2. The Servants of Christ have their little with a good Conscience and a good Conscience is a continual Feast Prov. 15.15 a merry heart is a continual Feast Rich men make Feasts sometimes which the poor servants of Christ can't do yet they excell the Rich man for they have a continual Feast One of the greatest Feast made by Rich men that we read of was that which King Ahasuerus made which lasted an Hundred and Fourscore days Esth 1.4 But behold here a better yea a continual Feast But now other men have their estates with an accusing Conscience and that is a continual vexation 3. The servants of Christ have more contentment in their little than other men have in their greatest abundance Eccl. 5.10 He that loveth Silver shall not be satisfied with Silver nor he that loveth abundance with increase VVicked men are in straits in their greatest abundance Job 20.22 In the fullness of his sufficiency he shall be in straits But the servants of Christ have a sufficiency and a contented mind in the midst of their wants and straits Phil. 4.11 12. I have learned in whatsoever state I am therewith to be content both to be full and to be hungry both to abound and suffer need 4. The servants of Christ have their little with the love and favour of God Deut. 10.18 He loveth the stranger in giving him Food and Rayment VVhen his People are strangers and he gives them but little Food and Rayment yet they have it with his love Psal 146.8 The Lord loveth the righteous But other men are hated in their greatest abundance Psal 5.5 Thou hatest all workers of iniquity And a little with the love of God is better than great riches and his hatred therewith Prov. 15.17 Better is a dinner of Herbs where love is than a stalled Ox and hatred therewith If the meanest fare with love from men be better than the choicest provision and hatred therewith how much more is this true of the love and hatred of God Sect. 8. Doubts and scruples about our being under the offer of Christ an hinderance to our closing with Christ These doubts answered It may be some will say if I saw and knew that God offered Christ and Salvation by Christ to me I would accept of him on any terms but I have many doubts and scruples upon my mind whether God offers Christ to me as my unworthyness the greatness of my sins my being so little affected with my sin and misery my long neglect of Christ and the like and I can't tell how to think that God should offer Christ to such an unworthy creature to such a great sinner to such an hard hearted creature as I am to one that have neglected and stood out so long as I have done For satisfying these scruples I shall lay down these following propositions about the offer of Christ and Salvation by Christ to all sorts of sinners on the terms of Faith and Repentance 1. The Lord Jesus Christ with all his saving benefits is offered to the meanest and most worthless persons in the whole world when the Gospel comes that find their want of Christ and are willing to receive him though they have no mony that is nothing of any value to commend them to God yet they may have Christ and all his benefits freely Isa 55.1 Ho! every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters and he that hath no mony come ye buy and eat yea come buy Wine and Milk without mony and without price 2. There is an offer of Christ and Salvation by Christ to all sorts of Sinners The
no A. 1. By the illumination of our minds and understandings to know Christ and the free grace of God and those things which God hath freely given us for Christs sake By the light of nature we have some notions of good and evil of the punishment due to sin and a reward of Righteousness but the knowledge of Christ and the free grace of God and the mysteries of our Salvation proceedeth only from the Spirit of God Eph. 1.17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of Glory may give unto you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him Matth. 16.16 17. Thou art Christ the Son of the Living God and Jesus answered and said unto him blessed art thou Simon Bar-jona for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee but my Father which is in Heaven Flesh and Blood that is all that man can attain to by his own wisdom and understanding without the help of the Spirit of God will not bring a man to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ And as we can't attain the knowledge of Christ so neither of the free grace of God but by the Spirit of Christ 1 Cor. 2.11 12. The things of God knoweth no man but the Spirit of God Now we have received not the Spirit of the world but the Spirit which is of God that we might know the things that are freely given us of God And the like may be said of the mysteries of our Salvation we do not know the way and means by which we should get to Heaven till the Spirit of God gives us the knowledge of the mysteries of the K. of Heaven Mat. 13.11 It is given unto you to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven but to them it is not given But seeing some men are enlightned by the word and Spirit of God that have no saving knowledge it will not be amiss to shew how we may know saving illumination from that illumination which is found in those that perish 1. The saving knowledge of Christ is accompanied with Faith in Christ When a man hath such a knowledge of Christ as causeth him to believe in Christ he is then made wise to Salvation 2 Tim. 3.15 From a child thou hast known the holy Scriptures which are able to make thee wise unto Salvation through Faith which is in Christ Jesus Though a man have never such a great measure of knowledge of the holy Scriptures yet if he remain without Faith in Christ Jesus he is not wise unto Salvation 2. Saving knowledge causeth a man to do those things which we know to be the will of God If our knowledge be accompanied with obedience we need not doubt but it is saving knowledge for such as know and do the will of God shall be Everlastingly happy John 13.17 If ye know these things happy are ye if ye do them Mat. 7.22 3. Saving knowledge maketh a man to be pure and peaceable and mercifull and to be easy to be entreated to do good to others and to be without partiality and hypocrisie Jam. 3.17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure then peaceable gentle and easy to be entreated full of mercy and good fruits without partiality and without hypocrisie 2. We may know that we have the Spirit of Christ by those convictions which the Spirit works in the Consciences of those to whom he is given I will give instance in these two convictions of sin and convictions of Righteousness Joh. 16.7 8. When he is come he will reprove or as it is in the Margent convince the world of sin and of righteousness and judgment We may know that Christ hath sent his Spirit into our hearts by the convictions of sin and of righteousness and of judgment I shall speak only to the two first Where God giveth the Spirit of Christ he convinceth of sin But seeing natural Conscience may convince of sin as well as the Spirit of Christ how may we distinguish the convictions of the Spirit from the convictions of natural Conscience A. 1. Natural Conscience may convince of sins against the Law as Unrighteousness intemperance lying uncleanness c. But the Spirit convinceth of sins against the Gospel as not believing in Christ not loving Christ c. Joh. 16.8 9. He will reprove the world of sin of sin because they believe not in me Such as have the Spirit of Christ are troubled for and mourn over their unbelief as well as their sins against the Law Mark 9.24 The Father of the child cryed out and said with tears Lord I believe help thou mine unbelief 2. The Spirit of God convinceth a man of his evil heart and evil nature as well as of his evil actions Natural Conscience may convince a man of sinfull actions but doth not shew a man the evil root whence these proceed But the Spirit of God sheweth a man the plague of his heart and teacheth him to bemoan his Original as well as his Actual sin Psal 54.5 Behold I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my Mother conceive me The Spirit of God sheweth a man his sinfull corrupt and wicked heart as well as his sinful life Jer. 17.9 The heart is deceitfull above all things and desperately wicked who can know it The Spirit of God teacheth a man to bewail the body of Sin and Death as well as the acts of sin Rom. 7.24 O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this Death 3. When the Spirit convinceth a man of his sins he leadeth him to Christ and teacheth him to seek remission of his sins from the blood of Christ Psal 51.7 Purge me with hyssope and I shall be clean Hyssope was dipped in the blood of the Sacrifice and sprinkled upon the persons and things that were to be cleansed a Type of our being cleansed by the Blood of Christ 'T is as if he should have said Lord apply thy Sons Blood to my Soul and then I shall be cleansed from my sins So the Apostle when distressed with the sense of sin fetcheth his Consolation from Christ Jesus Rom. 7.24 25. O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this Death I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. But the convictions of natural Conscience either make a man desperate as we see in Judas who hanged himself or wear off by diverting to the pleasures and businesses of the world Saul when under trouble was quieted by Musick or else Conscience is eased by the doing some good works and doth fetch its ease from Christ And as the Spirit convinceth those to whom it is given of Sin so of Righteousness also Now where the Spirit convinceth of Righteousness he doth these things 1. He shews a man the imperfection of his own Righteousness that all the works of Righteousness which ever he did or is able to do are full of imperfections and so takes him off from resting in his
Lords because he had sought his Precepts Psal 119.94 I am thine save me for I have sought thy Precepts Now when may we be said to have sought Gods Precepts A. 1. When we are desirous to know the Commandments of God in order to doing them and therefore when any doubtfull cases occurr we will do nothing rashly till we have considered whither it be agreeable to the Commandments of God and when we can't find out what the Lord hath commanded in this or the other thing we go to God to discover his will to us Psal 119.12 19. Teach me thy Statutes hide not thy Commandements from me When we thus seek to God to teach and reveal his will to us we may be said to seek his Precepts 2. We seek Gods Precepts when we seek to him for grace to keep his Precepts and say with David Psal 119.5 Oh that my ways were directed that I could keep thy Precepts Psal 143.10 Teach me to do thy will 3. It is an argument that we love Christ and so consequently that we have an interest in him when we set his Commandements before us as our rule and walk after them though we be not able to walk up to them 2 Ep. Joh. 6. And this is love that we walk after his Commandements 4. Though you can't obey Christ perfectly yet are you not willing and desirous to obey Christ better even to obey him in all things It is an argument that a man hath a good Conscience and is in a good estate when he is willing in all things to live Honestly Heb. 13.18 We trust we have a good Conscience in all things willing to live honestly 5. If our obedience be sincere though it be imperfect obedience it is a sign that we have a saving interest in Christ and are his peculiar people Exod. 19.5 Now therefore if ye will obey my voice in deed then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people Grace that is the love of God and all those blessings which he is wont to give out of his love and free grace to the Children of men shall be unto all them that love the Lord Jesus in sincerity although they do not love him in perfection Eph. 6.24 Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity Grace be with all them that is shall be with them and continue with them for ever See more in the last Chapter of this Treatise CHAP. II. Of the Grounds of Consolation under natural troubles and desolations IF Interest in Christ be a ground of Consolation under all the troubles of this Life then let us seek comfort in Christ and from Christ under national troubles when ruin and desolation is coming upon the Nations either by Forreign Invasion or by Tumults Insurrections or Massacres at home when dreadful judgments as the Sword Pestilence or Famine are upon us in the worst times imaginable there is comfort to be had in Christ as you may see from such Scriptures as these Mich. 5.5 And this man shall be the peace when the Assyrian shall come into the Land The man spoken of here is the man Christ Jesus who being the Son of God became man for our sakes That the Prophet is here treating of Christ who was to be born at Bethlehem is evident from ver 2. And because what is said of this man that he shall be the peace is applyed to Christ Eph. 2.14 For he is our peace Now it is said of our Lord Jesus that he shall be the peace when a Forreign Enemy should invade the Land namely when the Assyrian should come into the land And what manner of People were these Assyrians The Assyrians were Idolaters 2 Chron. 28.23 And Idolaters are bitter enemies to the Worshippers of the true God They were great enemies to Israel and came with open mouth to devour the Israelites Isa 9.12 The Assyrians were the rod of Gods anger and the staff of his indignation who was sent by God to tread down a sinful people like mire in the streets Isa 10.5 6. Yet Christ was the peace of his people in such a dismal and bloody day when the Assyrian was sent into the land to tread down all ranks and degrees of men like mire in the streets Another Scripture that shews us there is comfort to be had in Christ in times of greatest confusion when all places and persons are in an uproar and all things are turned upside down and there is no peace to be had either at sea or land We have Psal 46.4 There is a River the Streams whereof make glad the City of God For opening this Scripture let us consider This River may signifie the Lord Jesus Christ For it is said of him Isa 32.2 He shall be as Rivers of water in a dry place Is is frequent with the Scriptures to set out Christ by a Fountain and Rivers of Waters As Isa 33.21 The glorious Lord will be unto us a place of broad Rivers Zach. 13.1 In that day there shall be a Fountain opened Jer. 2.14 They have forsaken me the Fountain of Living VVaters All the gladness of the City of God comes from this River namely from Christ the consolation of Israel The streams that issue from this River are the benefits that we have from Christ as pardon of sin reconciliation with God hope of eternal life and the like and all those good things which God for Christs sake giveth to us and doth for us The fruits and benefits which we have by the death and intercession of Christ are a great refreshing to the people of God in their greatest troubles When the Spouse of Christ was under the scorching heat of persecution She found great delight and sweetness in meditating on those benefits she had by Christ Cant. 2.3 I sate down under his shadow with great delight and his fruit was sweet unto my tast The benefits we have by Christ comprehends all those great things which the Lord hath been wont to do for his People in all ages which puts great gladness into their hearts Psal 126.3 The Lord hath done great things for us whereof we are glad The City of God which is made glad by the streams of this River are the people of God in all ages and all places of the world Now let us see what dismal times are pointed at what great calamities are mentioned in this Psalm under all which the City of God is made glad by the streams that issue from this River 1. He supposeth such times wherein the earth should be removed and carried into the midst of the Sea ver 2. which signifieth the utter and irrecoverable destruction of mighty Kingdoms for its usual with the Scripture to set out States and Kingdoms by Mountains and the destruction and desolation of Kingdoms by removing the earth and removing the mountains Isa 24.1 3 19 20. Jer. 51.25 The removing these mountains into the midst of the Sea may signifie their
John the Baptist takes them off from this Mat. 3.9 Think not to say within your selves we have Abraham to our Father As if he should have said you are apt to rest upon this that ye are the Children of Abraham that ye have such a man as Abraham to your Father who was the Friend of God but this will not avail you to Salvation that you are Abraham's Children Think not to say within your selves we have Abraham to our Father For Abraham's impenitent Children shall be cast into Hell when as their Father is in Heaven and they shall not by all their entreaties get so much favour from Abraham as to have one drop of water to cool their Tongues Luk. 16.23 24. 2. It is a great priviledge and an honour to be a Member of a Church of Christ but this will not avail a man to Salvation that he is a Member of a Church unless he be also a Member of Christ For there are Hypocrites as well as sound Christians in the purest Churches in the World Christ had but a small Church Twelve Persons selected out of the Twelve Tribes of Israel but yet amongst them few there was an arch Hypocrite that differed little from the Devil Joh. 6.70 Have not I chosen you Twelve and one of you is a Devil There are barren as well as fruitfull Trees in the Lord's Vineyard and the barren Trees shall be hewen down and cast into the Fire Math. 3.10 And now the ax is laid unto the root of the Trees therefore every Tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewen down and cast into the fire There is Chaff as well as Wheat in Christ's Floor and when he purgeth his Floor he will burn up the Chaff with unquenchable Fire ver 12. Whose Fan is in his hand and he will throughly purge his Floor but he will burn up the Chaff with unquenchable Fire There are foolish as well as wise Virgins that have their Lamps as well as the wise but have no Oyl in their Vessels whose lot will it be to be shut out of the Kingdom of Heaven 3. It is a duty and a priviledge to pertake of the Sacraments and attend upon the Ordinances of the Gospel but yet this will not avail a man to Salvation if he do not accept of Christ as he is tendered in the Gospel as will appear these ways 1. No Priviledges no Ordinances no Sacraments will avail a man to Salvation unless he be a new Creature Gal. 6.15 For in Christ Jesus neither Circumcision nor Vncircumcision availeth any thing but a new Creature Circumcision was an Ordinance of God a profitable Ordinance Rom. 3.1 2. a painfull Ordinance they that were Circumcised underwent much pain and were sore for several days Gen. 34.25 It was a token and seal of the Covenant Gen. 16.11 yet Circumcision availeth none to Salvation but such as were new Creatures Now many that attend on Ordinances and receive the Sacraments are no new Creatures 2. Many that attend on the Ordinances of the Gospel and have been Baptized in the name of Christ and do receive at the Lords Table are workers of iniquity Isa 58.1 2. Ezek. 33.31 32. And it is not hearing the word Preached and frequenting the Lords Table will avail men to Salvation if they be workers of iniquity Luk 13.26 27. We have eaten and drunk in thy presence and thou hast taught in our streets but he shall say I tell you I know you not whence you are depart from me ye workers of iniquity 3. The participation of Sacraments and Ordinances of the Gospel is accounted as nothing by such as are impenitent sinners Rom. 2.25 If thou be a breaker of the Law thy Circumcision is made Vncircumcision Jer. 9.25 26. The Uncircumcised in heart among the Jews have the same lot with the Uncircumcised Egyptians Edomites Ammonites and Moabites The impenitent Jews offered up a multitude of Sacrifices unto God but the Lord accounted all as nothing Isa 1.11 13. To what purpose is the multitude of your Sacrifices unto me saith the Lord Bring no more vain Oblations Incense is an abomination to me Their Oblations are called vain Oblations as being of no value in the sight of God Many persons are kept from coming to and closing with Christ by resting in the Law or resting in their own Righteousness They think they already have or hope that in process of time they shall attain unto that Righteousness which will commend them to God and give them a right to Eternal Life when as they have no Union with Christ or Interest in Christ That many men do rest in the Law or in their own works of Righteousness done in Conformity to the Law We may see from such Scriptures as these Rom. 2.17 Behold thou art called a Jew and restest in the Law That is as Pareus observs Fiduciam ponis in lege quasi ea te servaret thou placest thy confidence in the Law as if that could save thee Or as de Dieu Non lassat te peccati onus quippe qui ex lege quietem capias The burden of thy sins do not weary thee because thou findest ease from the law Luk. 18.9 He spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were Righteous Rom. 9.31 32. Now the reasons why men rest upon their own works of Righteousness done in Conformity to the law of God for that Righteousness which should commend them to God and bring them to Eternal Life are such as these 1. A natural inclination and propensity in all men to look for Righteousness and Life on the terms of the first Covenant which was to give life to such as should obey the law of God Do this and live Gal. 4.21 Tell me ye that desire to be under the Law There is a desire in men to have Righteousness and Life by the works of the law 2. Their ignorance of the true meaning purity and spirituality of the law whereby they are kept from seeing the imperfection of their own Righteousness and because they comply with the outward performance of the law they think they have that which will give them life Rom. 7.9 I was alive without the law once but when the Commandment came sin revived and I dyed That is the Apostle while a Pharisee was without the right understanding of the law and then he thought himself alive in a good condition one that should inherit Eternal Life but when the Commandment came that is when I came to have a right understanding of the law and it came to be applyed to my Conscience Sin revived that is I discovered those sins which I knew not of before I saw my self a lost sinner and I dyed that is my hope of attaining Righteousness and the Life was taken away 3. Ignorance of Christ's being appointed of God to be our Righteousness is another reason why men go about to establish their own Righteousness and do not seek to Christ to be found in