then come unto Christ as labouring under the intollerable Burthen of sin for sin is a heavy burthen although multitudes in the world count it light as may be seen by their chearful countenances merry hearts jovial lives and running and drawing under this burthen into Eternity being very little concerned for the weight of it Holy David was sensible of the ponderosity of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Onus grave when he cried out Psal 38.4 Mine iniquities are gone over my head as agrievous they are too heavy for me The pressure of sin lay so hard upon poor David that it made his back bend his heart pant his tongue roar and his groanings to multiply as may be seen in that 38. Psal at large So Psal 40.12 Innumerable evils have compassed me about mine Iniquities have taken hold of me so that I am not able to look up they are more than the hairs of my head therefore my heart forsaketh me He was so bowed down under this burthen that he could not elevate himself nay it made his very heart forsake him when he considered the gravity and innumerable number of them but what did David do in this case why he goes to God through Christ for ease from this great and heavy burthen Psal 25.11 For thy Name sake O Lord pardon mine Iniquity for it is great great both for weight and number therefore for thy Names sake magnify thy grace and what was the Issue see Psal 32.5 I said I will confess my transgressions to the Lord and thou forgavest the Iniquity of my Sin He went with this Burthen to the Lord and found Mercy and Pardon from him so must thou do Go to Christ under the sense of the weightiness of your sins and beg him according to his promise to ease thee of thy burthen which otherwise will sink thee down into eternal misery for it weighed Angels out of Glory and now confines them under Chains of darkness therefore come unto Christ for he will not refuse thee because of the greatness of thy burthen but rather imbrace thee for the Exaltation of his free grace 3ly Come labouring under a deep sense of the immense and intollerable weight of the wrath of God for who can endure if he be inraged or what can stand and oppose if God be the Antagonist Job 9.34 by nature we are all under this burthen Eph. 2.3 And were by Nature Children of wrath even as others i. e. by nature we are subject and liable to Divine vengeance because the imputation of the guilt of Adams transgression abides upon us and the corruption of Nature is derived unto us The extream weightiness of this wrath makes damned Angels and wicked Spirits roar lament and gnash their teeth It is more tollerable * Poets Fiction Atlas-like to bear the Heavens upon our shoulders or to lye under Rocks Mountains thousands of years then to abide under this wrath but a day nay an hour nay a minute for it burns yet never utterly consumes it presseth heavy without mitigation now there is no releasement from the obnoxiousness to this wrath but from a deep sense of the grievousness of it by applying our selves speedily to the Lord Jesus for it is he alone that can deliver from the wrath that is to come 1 Thes 1.10 come unto Christ with a sense of it upon thy heart whilst thou art here that thou maist not see the intollerableness of it hereafter 4ly Come to Christ as labouring under and being heavy laden with the curse of the Law and the Empire of death I mean by the Empire of death not only our obnoxiousness to the stroke of death upon our bodys but the sting of death and the eternity of it in regard of our Souls Death has raigned by reason of sin Rom. 5. over the bodys of all two or three excepted and over the Souls of most even from Adam to Moses and from Moses untill Christ and from Christ even to our days Death is a universal Monarch his Empire is from East to West and from North to South There is no escaping his fatal blow Only believers then take their flight from a dead Corps to Christ who is their life from a muddy Tabernacle to a glorious city Rev. 21.22.23 Col. 3.3 Heb. 12.28 Rom. 2.15 from a tottering Cottage to a firm Kingdom from a dark and mortal state to a splendent and immortal glory for although the body dyes yet the life of the Soul is secure as Being hid with Christ in God Col. 3.4 Believers can never dye take it in a Spiritual sence so long as God and Christ live but yet I say the way to be freed from the eternal Bondage of this deadly Monarch is to come unto Christ for Ease from this burthen also Moreover the burden of the curse of the Law must be taken away or else the former Emperor will keep his dominion Gal. 3.10 As many as are of the works of the Law are under the curse for it is written cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the Law to do them But seeing we have not continued in all things to do them and therefore are under the curse what must we do now but go unto Christ who was made a Curse for us Gal. 3.13 Christ hath redeemed us from the Curse of the Law being made a Curse for us Now the Judge when he gives forth pardon to the Malefactor expects that he should be sensible of the greatness of his guilt and also of his desert the sentence of Condemnation having passed upon him so Christ expects a sensible owning the Curse and Misery we are under that his grace may be magnified in our relief succour and Salvation 5thly Come unto Christ as labouring under the cruel tyrany of Satan for Satan is the Prince of the Powers of the Air Magnitudo mali in quatuor consistit quae sunt peccati gravita quae Dei immensum intollerabile pondus Mortis imperium Tyrannis Diaboli quae tollere abolere placare vincere nemo potuit nisi Deus Bucan and he rules in and over the children of disobedience and there is none that can deliver from this tyranny but Christ for as one reasoning why it behoved Christ the Redeemer to be God said it was for two causes 1. Ob magnitudinem mali For the greatness of the Evil by which mankind was pressed down 2. Ob magnitudinem Boni For the magnitude of the good which could be restored by no man nor Angel unto mankind but only by him who is God now the greatness of the Evil which Christ underwent and in fine overcame consisted in bareing the weight of Sin the intollerable burden of Gods wrath and in conquering Death and the tiranny of Satan which none could or was able to do but he that was God-man by his own mighty Power so that seeing Christ hath done these things for all those that
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
the Scripture saith concerning Christ and what Christ saith concerning himself wilt thou contemn Christ for thine own conceited Righteousness or for the Righteousness of another who is but a meer Man the Apostle Paul would not durst not rely upon this Phil. 3.3 7 8 9. but fled out of himself into the Lord Jesus thou contemnest him without whom thou canst never be saved if the word of God be true Jo. 3.18.36 Thou dost not come to him but thou runest from him and he will one day judg thee for it and count thee among the number of his Enemys Luke 19.27 For thou dost trample under foot the Blood of Christ without which there is no cleansing 1 Jo. 1.7 The Blood of Christ Cleanseth from all Sin And without which there is no Pardon Heb. 10.29 Heb. 9.22 Without sheding of Blood no remission of Sins one day God will reprove thee and set thy Sins in order before thee and this will be none of the least thy contemning Christ and his invitation and so consequently glory and salvation 2ly Reproof to those who do not contemn coming to Christ but neglect and deferre it they are for Cras Cras to Morrow to Morrow They have procrastinations and delays they think of coming but not now it is too soon yet they were yet in Flore Etatis in the Flower of their Age and they have not yet passed through the Pleasures of the Spring their Bones are full of Sapp they have Health and Strength as yet therefore time enough yet a little more Slumber a little more folding of the Hands together if we come now we must leave our Sins we must then deny the World Eph. 5.15 the Flesh and Satan we must then walk circumspectly we must not then be conformable to this World Rom. 12.2 but there is time enough yet for all these things sayest thou so Sinner then I would ask thee one serious question When wilt thou come Thou mayst be ready to say to morrow but Christ saith to Day this present day is only certain to thee Heb. 3.15 to morrow thou mayst be in thy Grave it is a dangerous and evil thing to neglect Christ one hour for thy Soul and how wilt thou escape if thou neglect so great Salvation Heb. 2.3 Further consider it is not in thy own power to come when thou pleasest but more of this when I come to answer objections in the second Doctrine thou mayst be deprived of Reason thy Heart may be hardened through the deceitfulness of Sin and Satan therefore if thou neglectest Christ and his invitation now he is weighting Cant. 5.2 It declares thou esteemest the World above Christ thy Lusts above thy immortal Soul O what words are bitter enough to be written against thee what canst thou neglect Christ and his tenders of mercy for such trifles as these O wretched creature turn thine Eyes about and behold Christ open thine Ears and hearken to him see if there be not more in Christ and his invitation then all the World will afford if it be but in that word Rest and that for thy Soul 3ly It reproves those who notwithstanding they feel themselves burthened yet keep off from coming unto Christ they think to ease themselves their good meaning or their Prayers or some little external reformation keep them back if they can but obtain a little though false peace of conscience here they rest what Sinner dost thou make of Christ dost thou think he cannot or will not ease thee if he alone can why dost thou not come unto him if thou sayst he will not then thou makest him who is God a Lier for he invites thee to come I tell thee Christ takes it unkindly from thee that thou wilt not give Credit to him Jo. 5.40 Ye will not come unto me saith Christ that ye may have Life Peace Rest and happiness thou art the Guest he hath sent forth his servants to invite all things are ready prepared for thee Luk. 14.17 Therefore thou of all others art to be reproved when thou refusest to come thou givest advantage to Satan and wrongest thine own Soul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou must not think to gather Canaan Grapes of rest and Peace from Thorns of thine own planting thou must come to Christ if thou wilt tast them and have eternal rest 3ly For councel Christ doth graciously invite therefore I would councel you to come unto him let not Christ Jesus call and intreat in vain he invites to come without Mony and without Price come though poor he has riches for you Isa 55.1.2 if Blind he has Eye salve if Naked he has cloathing Rev. 3.18 come I say unto him for he has all Col. 1.19 It pleased the Father that in him all fullness should dwell fullness of Pardon fullness of Grace fullness of Glory Out of his fullness we all receive grace for grace Jo. 1.16 And then Further he is all and in all Col. 3.11 If you have him you have all there are treasures in him Col. 2.3 Not treasures of wrath and punishment but treasures of mercy and grace come then and make no delays come now or else thou mayst come never come ease thy labouring Burthened Soul Christ is willing then refuse not Some Motives to inforce this word of Councel 1. Consider if thou comest not now he intreats thou wilt declare great disingenuity and ingratitude has Christ condescended so far as to intreat thee manifested so much Love as to call after thee and wilt thou not return what is there no retaliation no imbracing his offers this was the great Sin of the Jews Jo. 1.11 He came to his own but his own received him not He tendered himself but they refused him Prodigosa res est Benificium non rependere Lycurgus O what horrid ingratitude is this for such unparralled love Salvation offered but they put it from them Luk. 13.16 This I say was their Sin base unthankfulness to Christ so it will be thine if thou dost not receive him and come unto him this is requiting evil for good Pro. 17.13 The Persians Punished Ingratful Men with Death and Queen Elizabeth in a Letter to Henry the Fourth King of France used this expression If there be any unpardonable Sin in the World Camb. Eliz. it is Ingratitude Oh Sinner be not Ingrateful do not slight neglect Christs gratious invitations 2ly If thou consent not and hearken to Christ thou wilt hearken to Satan for where the ears and heart are shut to Christ they are open to Sin and Satan so it was with the Jews when they would not believe Christ that he was the Son of God they presently believe Satan term him a Blasphemer and a Devil 3ly Consider that it is he alone can help thee and if thou seekest unto any other Physitian it may cost thee thy Life even the Life of thy Soul it will be with thee as it was with King Asa
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
est honos vernis and please it with a vanishing glory which like the Flower this day is Beautiful and pleasing to the Eye but to morrow is quite withered and decayed Christ tells us of some such Jo. 5.44 Which receive Honour one of another but seek not the honour that cometh from God only And in the beginning of the vers Christ makes it an Argument of their unbelief How can ye believe saith he the Introgation implys a Negation as if he should have said whilst you thus seek after the honour of Men ye cannot believe there is a kind of impossibility in it How few Moses's or Galeaceus's are there in the World who devest themselves of this fading Earthly Honour to the end they may partake of true honour immortality and eternal Life Rom. 2.7 Dayly observation doth confirm this I need not stand to give instances for the World doth afford innumerable both abroad and at home who for this Worlds glory will refuse Christ and everlasting bliss but let it not be so with thee Reader who ever thou art Fix thine Eye upon Christ and that Crown of Righteousness he will give thee Here thou maist live iâ— honour but like a Candle which gives but a dim light and soon is extinct but if thou comest unto Christ Dan. 12.3 thou shalt shine as a Star in the Firmament and as the Sun for ever and ever I come now to the second particular which is to declare what impediments there are ab intrâ— from within that let and hinder Sinners from coming unto Christ and there are many of them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I shall begin first with carnal reasonings which are great obstacles in the Sinners way 2 Cor 10.45 and these must be thrown down before the Sinner will come unto Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for they are strong holds which keep the Sinner secure 2 Cor. 10.4 He is as it were in a Garrison by these his reasonings â— Saith Reason how can God assume the Nature of Man live and converse among Men suffer and Die and be made a Curse can these things be is it possible for God to Die who is immortal I can never believe it my Reason cannot apprehend or conceive it it can never dive into my thoughts that God would ever come down from Heaven to suffer for Men to satisfie for their Sins is not God infinite is he not from eternity to eternity and shall he be made a finite Creature and of yesterday certainly this doth derogate from the Honour of God and doth reflect upon the greatness and infinitness of his glorious Majesty Is it not said of God his Throne is in the Heavens and that no Mortal Eye can behold him and if it be so I have no reason to believe that it was God who shed his Blood without the Gates of Jerusalem and that I must expect Salvation from him alone To the removal of this Impediment 1. I say art thou wiser then God that thou thus reasonâ—st against his revealed truth for in 1 Tim. 3.16 It is said Phil. 2.6 God was Manifest in the Flesh i. e. The second Person in the glorious Trinity who was equal with God the Father did assume humane nature and so was manifest in the Flesh and so became God-man united in one person although there ever remains two distinct Natures 2dly This God-Man suffered for Sin he made himself a Sacrifice to satisfie divine justice therefore it is said Act. 20.28 The Church of God which he Purchased with his own Blood not that the divine Nature shed Blood or suffered for that is impossible and incapable of afflictions or death but that nature which was united to the divine suffered and effused Blood by which our Sins are washed away 1 Jo. 1.7 we redeemed and reconciled unto God Rev. 5.9 1 Jo. 3.16 Hereby perceive we the love of God because he laid down his Life for us His Life who was God blessed for ever Rom. 9.5 went to redeem us from eternal Death 3. This great truth is a Divine Mistery no where revealed but in the word of God 1 Tim. 3.16 as Christ said to the Jews Jo. 5. 39. Search the Scriptures for in them ye think ye have eternal Life and they are them that testify of me Therefore thou must not reason with Flesh and Blood Gal. 1.16 or think ever to comprehend this by Carnal disputes and reasonings for these do but exalt themselves against the knowledg of God and are not brought into the obedience of Christ as 2 Cor. 10.5 The Gospel cals for Faith which is a supernatural Work for according to that common saying Although it is not contrary to reason yet it is above it And if by reason it might be apprehended Faith would then be unnecessary but Faith is absolutely necessary for without it it is impossible to please God Heb. 11.6 And he that believes shall be saved Jo. 3.36 In a word if thou wilt not come unto Christ till thy Carnal reason or thy Worldly wisdom as the Apostle calls it 1 Cor. 2.6 can comprehend this profound Mystery thou wilt never come for as the World by Wisdom knew not God 1 Cor. 1.21 so neither canst thou by that Wisdom know Christ for he said unto Peter when he made that excellent confession of the Deity of the Lord Jesus Flesh and Blood hath not revealed it unto thee but my Father which is in Heaven Mat. 16.17 Therefore let this be no Lett unto thee when thy Reason cannot conceive the Depths of this Mystery but humbly beg God to give thee Faith to apprehend and believe it because the holy word of God doth declare it Credo quia tu dixisti against all Arrians and Socinians whatsoever 2ly I cannot conceive saith the Sinner carnally reasoning how finite Punishments could satisfie for infinite offences and how it may be then safe for me to venter my eternal welfare on this account could so small a time of suffering procure Redemption from Eternal Torments this cannot stand with reason for an infinite Person is offended and so an infinite Punishment is due for every Sin All this is granted that every Sin deserves eternal Punishment because an infinite Person is offended and yet it is clear both by Scripture and reason that the Punishment Christ underwent though but finite as to the time has satisfied fully for infinite offences Gods Justice is thereby Salved and the Sinner who is brought to believe eternally saved 1. His obedience of his Fathers will the Scripture saith Heb. 10.10 By which will we are sanctified though the offering of the Body of Jesus once 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one single time wherein Christ suffered although but Momentary as to the duration yet it made full compensation and satisfaction for the eternity of misery due to Sinners v. 12. But this Man i. e. The man Christ Jesus After he had offered one sacrifice for Sin for ever
descendit Know thy self descended from Heaven 2. Of his misery for Man is in a most deplorable state and condition being lost and liable to eternal condemnation unless Christ deliver him from it and the greatest part of his misery consists in this that he is for the most part insensible of his sad condition for it is the first step to happiness and felicity to be made sensible of ones misery for this moves the Soul to look out for a remedy 3. He knows not his wants and indigences Man in his Sinful lapsed state is full of wants 1. He wants Pardon for his Sin for if Sin be not forgiven the Soul is undone if the guilt of Sin doth remain upon the Soul when it enters upon an Eternal State the Soul is lost for ever and must lye cursed in intolerable and inextinguishable Flames to all eternity Mat. 25.41 2. Grace and holyness for the Soul Jo. 3.3 Except a man be Born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God Heb. 12.14 Follow peace with all men and holyness without which no man shall see the Lord. 3. A Mediator to interceed and procure these and all other Mercys for the Soul which Mediator is only the Lord Jesus 1 Tim. 2.5 There is a Mediator between God and Man the Man Christ Jesus 1 Jo. 2.1 We have an advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous Did the Sinner but understand his wants and necessities he would not much be intreated to come unto Christ That out of his fulness he might receive Grace for Grace Jo. 1.19 4ly The mind being darkened doth not discern the evil of Sin Chrysostom when threatned Exilement by Eudoxia the Empress answered I fear nothing but Sin He saw Sin to be the greatest and worst of Evils The Apostle Paul when he was divinely illuminated exclaimed and cryed out of the exceeding Sinfulness of Sin Rom. 7.13 which made him look upon himself as most miserable therefore he so pathetickly affectionately expresseth and bewaileth his state by reason of sin which remained although not regnant within him v. 24. O Wretched Man that I am not that I was as some vainly would pervert the Text who shall deliver me not the unconverted Sinner from this Body of Death This present state I am in now I have a Body of Death Sin cleaves close to me it is tyed to me as a Dead Corps therefore I am wretched now because of this Body of Death and not when I was a Persecuter a Blasphemer and Injurious Thus doth a person truely inlightened see the evil of Sin and lament over it so the Prophet Isa Chap. 6.5 then said I Wo is me for I am undone because I am a man of unclean Lips Here we see two eminent and holy Servants of the Lord bewailing their Sin the one a great Prophet called by Piscator Magnus Propheta the other a great Apostle but why because they perceived the evil that is in Sin and if Sinners did but know the evil of Sin they would cry out so too and thank God with the Apostle that there is a Christ to go unto Rom. 7.25 but because they see not the Evil Jo. 17.15 therefore they imbrace it and refuse Christ 5. Ignorant of the wrath of God revealed against obstinate Sinners this makes them regardless of Christ for did they but know with a sanctified knowledg what God hath threatned against them they would tremble and be astonished at the tremendious and terrible noise of those Thunder claps as the Children of Israel were when God descended upon Mount Sinai to deliver the Law unto them but because of this stupedity Sinners are secure without a Jesus not considering that The wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all ungodlyness and unrighteousness of men Ro. 1.18 To them who obey not the truth but obey unrighteousness such are all those who obey not Christ and his Gospel 2 Thes 1.8 Indignation and Wrath Tribulation and Anguish upon every Soul of man that doth Evil of the Jew first and also of the Gentile Rom. 2.8.9 Now I say did Sinners but rightly conceive of this wrath of God which he hath denounced against them they would soon hasten to tome to Christ Jesus for refuge and safety from it for it is he alone that can do it 1 Thes 1.10 Jesus who delivers from the Wrath to come But whilst they neglect coming unto Christ they are treasuring up wrath against the day of wrath treasures of Wrath but who is able to indure the least grain of it may I so express my self in its extremity Rom. 2.5 for such as his power is such is his wrath it is terrible yet without passion infinite yet without mitigation intollerable without cessation and swift to consume the Sinner yet without any motion in God O the ineffable and inconceivable torments that will be the consequence of impenitency and final neglect of the Lord Jesus 6. Ignorant of that glory and blessedness they would partake of if they came unto the Lord Jesus they cannot discern that glory because their Eyes are blinded and their Faces turned away from God There is a vail of Ignorance over their Hearts which is taken away from believers who are come unto Christ 2 Cor. 3.18 But we all with open Face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord are changed into the same Image from Glory to Glory even as by the Lord. There is a blessedness and glory in this Life believers are partakers of and invested with They are blessed in Life Mat. 5. 2. to the 12. v. Blessed at death Rev. 14.13 Blessed are the Dead which dye in the Lord. Blessed at the day of Judgment when the wicked are Cursed Mat. 28.34 Come ye blessed of my Father saith Christ Inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the Foundation of the World And they remain blessed for evermore 1 Thes 4.17 I cannot here number up all the blessedness of the Saints The glory is unconceivable 1 Cor. 2.9 It hath not entred into the Heart of man to conceive the things God hath prepared for them that love him 2 Cor. 14.17 A far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory Believers shall be glorious for ever Dan. 12.3 They shall shine as the Sun in the firmament and as the Stars for ever and ever Ignoti nulla Cupido And because the darkened Mind apprehends not this Glory blessedness therefore it slights coming unto Christ 7. The Carnal mind is ignorant of Christ as John Baptist said to the Jews There stands one amongst you whom you know not Jo. 1.26 So I may say to many who terme themselves Christians there is one who is dayly Preached among you yet ye know him not and it is evident by this you come not to him 1. They whose minds are darkened know not Christ essentially i. e. that he is very God and very Man as Rom. 9.15 God over all blessed for ever The man Christ Jesus Tim.
shal ye be my Disciples Thus thou wilt manifest thy self that thou art come to Christ and to be one of his Disciples if thou indeavourost to glorifie God 2. Thou art inlightened to know thy duty towards thy Neighbour as Christ saith This is the second great Commandment to love thy Neighbour as thy self Mat. 22.39 1. To love his Person as he is the workmanship of God fearfully and wounderfully made Psal 139.14 Thou art to love him not to envy him Let not thy Heart envy Sinners but be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long Saith the wise man thou maist hate the Sins of thy wicked Neighbours because they are against God and his own Soul but thou art to Love his Person because he may be converted and shine gloriously for ever you may be Heirs together of the same happiness 2. And principally to desire and indeavour the good of his Soul by seasonable reproof for Sin Lev. 19.17 Eph. 4.25 and by admonition and exhortation unto good which tends to the eternal well being of his Soul I might number up many more as to tender his Name and Reputation not any way to prejudice him in his estate but I must contract 3. Thou art instructed thy duty concerning thy self as 1. To preserve thy Life by all lawful means whilst God is pleased to lengthen out the days of thy Pilgrimage 2. To Fly and turn from all Sin which wrongs thy own Soul Pro. 8. ult and to make use of all these means God hath appointed in order to thy Salvation These are some of the dutys in short which the holy Spirit doth teach a Man who is come unto the Lord Jesus 4ly Thou art brought to understand the Law not only the Letter of it but the spirituallity so saith the Apostle Rom. 7.14 not only as it relates to the external but the internal Man vers 7. Christ when he expounded the Law Mat. 5. shewed the extent of it reached to the outward man and especially to the inward man the thoughts and cogitations of the Soul as well as the actings and motions of the Eye the Tongue and the Hand Paul whilst a Pharisee was very exact as to his external deportment in all things keeping to the rule of the Law Phil. 3.6 Act. 8.1 he little thought then that his consenting to the Death of Steven was such a Sin that it deserved eternal Damnation although he had no hand in the Stoning of him but when his Eyes were opened then he crys the Law is Spiritual but I am carnal sold under Sin then he saw how the Law condemned Passion Malice Spiritual Pride and other motions of Sin as he calls them vers 5. when they never broke out into action as well as the actions of Sin done in the Flesh for indeed there is an action of the Soul even in the very thoughts of evil the Imagination acts and communicates it to the understanding the understanding to the will the will to the affections Thus there is a secret passage of every thought of evil throughout the whole Soul therefore the holy Ghost saith Gen. 6.5 The imaginations and thoughts of Mans Heart were evil continually Now the natural unconverted man discerns not this heart-evil or the spirituallity of the Law but he that is come to Christ as the Apostle Paul was to close with him and believe in him he perceives it 2. Thou seest the purity and holyness of it as well as the spirituallity of it The Law of God is pure and holy Psal 19.8 the Commandment of the Lord is pure inlightening the Eyes it is holy in that it comes from a holy God and tends to make and keep men holy holy in its nature and the inlightened Soul perceives and discerns an extraordinary sanctity and holyness in the Law of God Rom. 7.12 The Law is holy and the commandment holy Saith the holy Apostle when he was made holy by the Blood of Jesus 3. Rom. 7.12 The justness and Righteousness of the Law it is just therefore it will clear none that are guilty it is just and therefore it requiers compleat obedience and in case of default or transgression threatens eternal Punishment it allows of no repair neither will it abate the least mite of its just demands Thus when the Eyes are open to discern these things of the Law it becomes a School-Master to bring the Sinner to Christ that he may be justified by faith in him therefore our Divines say the Law should be Preached before the Gospel John Baptist-like to be a Harbinger to prepare the way for Christ into the Soul that he may find free and ready entertainment 4. Thou art brought to see the goodness of the Law Rom. 7.12.13 The Law is good 16. I consent to the Law that it is good In that it manifests the contrary evil to wit Sin and it is opposite to it and God hath ordained and commanded it for the good of his People Deut. 10.13 now he that is come to Christ looketh upon the Law as good therefore with the Prophet David He loves it above Gold or Silver Psal 119.72 And taketh delight in it as the Apostle did Rom. 7.22 I delight in the Law of God after the inward Man This is thy condition if thou art come to Christ thou art more grieved that thou canst not keep that Law which is so just and good and holy then because God hath made it so strict holy and just thou art ready to cry out Give power to do what thou commandest and command what thou wilt the Spirit is made willing although the Flesh is weak Rom. 7.15 5. Thou art brought to understand the Gospel I mean not that thou shouldst understand the Gospel as a Divine or learned Scholler by the Spirits assistance may do but I mean thou art inlightened to understand and apprehend the glad tidings of Salvation and the good will of God towards Men declared throughout the whole covenant of grace wherein God maketh known his willingness and readiness to be reconciled to poor Sinners upon the account of Christ Jesus 2 Cor. 5.18 All things are of God who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ 19. God was in Christ reconciling the World unto himself not imputing their trespasses unto them vers 12. He hath made him to be Sin for us who knew no Sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him In these words here are the great transactions between God and Christ concerning the Salvation of poor Sinners 1. Here are the great benefits redounding to Believers scil Reconciliation with God and a compleat Righteousness of God in Christ vers 18.21 2. The causa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Scool-men term it the Proegoumenal or moveing cause not the foresight of Mans obedience but meer mercy of God All things are of God vers 18. 3. The causa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the procureing cause which is the Lord Jesus he was in
Christ reconciling the World unto himself Christ hath purchased all for believers 4. The manner how Christ procured it for us to wit having our Sins imputed to him and suffering and satisfying for them vers 21. He was made Sin for us who knew no Sin 5. The manner how we partake of this righteousness to wit by imputation our Sins are imputed to him and his righteousness imputed to us vers 19. Not imputing their Trespasses unto them but making them become the righteousness of God in him scil by imputation God hath provided the righteousnes imputes it and accepts of it upon the account of Christ now faith alone apprehends all this which the Gospel reveals I have explain'd these words briefly to the end we may see what is held forth in the Gospel which reveals these things unto us And is the Power of God unto Salvation to all them who believe Rom. 1.16 Now if thou art come to Christ brought to believe in him the Spirit hath inlightened thy understanding in the things contained in the gospel of the Lord Jesus thou must have some knowledg of this or else there cannot be any of thy Salvation 6ly He hath inlightened thy understanding to know God the Father who by nature thou art ignorant of 1 Cor. 2.14.15 The natural man discerns not the things of God neither can he know them for they are Spiritually discerned The mind must be spiritually illuminated before it can know God or the things of God savingly as the Apostle prayed for the Ephesians That the God of our Lord Jesu Christ the Father of glory may give unto you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him the Eyes of your understanding being inlightened that ye may know what is the hope of his calling and the riches of the glory of his Inheritance in the Saints Eph. 1.17 18. It is Eternal life to know God Jo. 17.3 Which must be meant of a sanctified knowledge of him wrought by the Spirit of God in the hearts of all those who receive and believe in Christ for as it is in the 1 Rom. There were some who knew God but yet did not worship him as God vers 22. There is a kind of dark glimering light men have of God the understanding and rational facultys not being quite lost and destroyed in the fall but yet this knowledge is sufficient to guide a man to Eternal bliss there must be a further work of the Spirit of God or else the Soul can never know God as it ought There are these several things which the Spirit teacheth the Soul concerning God the Father that he is Heb. 11.6 He that cometh unto God must believe that he is There is something of Atheism in the heart of every man by nature if thou hast but consulted thine own Heart thou wilt tell me so hast thou never had thoughts that there was no God I believe thou wilt answer yea but if thou art divinely inlightned these are extinguished and fled away thou art now fully perswaded that there is a God and that he is of an eternal existence this was the Message God sent by Moses to the Children of Israel if they should inquire to know from whom he was sent tell them saith God my name is I am that I am which the Septuagint Translate I am the being i. e. that being of beings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which gave being to all others but have my being eternally from my self This the Spirit doth do it teacheth thee that there is a God 2. That this God is a Spirit existing without parts or dimention immaterial and without composition of any matter Jo. 4.24 God is a Spirit He is incorporal and invisible Objecta sensuum non sunt in Deo Vrsin the objects of Sense are not in God No man saw God at any time but he who hath seen Christ by the Eye of Faith hath seen the Father because the Father dwells in him and he dwells in the Father Jo 14.10 11. Christ reveals the Father by the Spirit unto those who are his them who believe in him Mat. 11.27 3. Infinite beyond all bounds and limits infinite in his understanding Psal 147.5 omnipotent Gen. 17.1 Jer. 32.27 Is there any thing too hard for me Omnipresent Psal 139.7 Jer. 23.24 can any hide himself in secret places that I cannot see him saith the Lord do not I fill Heaven and Earth God is all sufficient he needeth not any of his Creatures to add to his felicity for he is Sibi ad faelicitatem sufficiens obtima causa boni in natura Sufficient to his own felicity the chief and the cause of all good in nature the natural Man discerneth not these things concerning God they fancy either that he is not Psal 10.4 all his thoughts are there is no God or if there is one he is but finite and as another Creature as those in 1 Rom. 23. Who changed the glory of the incorruptable God into an Image made like to corruptable man and to Birds and four-footed Beasts and creeping things So their successors the Papists do at this day or as the Paylosophers who own there is a God but confine him to his celestial Mansion not at all to view the affairs of Men upon Earth but when Christ sends his spirit to the Soul these dark clouds are discipated and the splendid rays of the glorious Majesty of Heaven shines in upon the Soul 4. The understanding is made to apprehend the holyness and infinite purity of God Heb. 1.13 God is of purer Eyes then to behold iniquity 1 Pet. 1.16 Be ye holy for I am holy God is holyness in the very abstract he cannot be polluted with Sin which the natural Man doth not apprehend 5ly The righteousness of God the person that is come to Christ apprehends God to be a just and righteous God for his righteousness is seen in the death of his Son Rom. 3.26 To declare his righteousness the righteousness of God was manifestly declared in that he spared not his own Son although he was only a surety and Sin was only imputed to him 2 Cor. 5 21. He was made Sin for us i. e. he suffered the punishment due unto us for our Sins yet he knew no Sin that we might become the righteousness of God in him God is a righteous and just God in all his works Psal 145.17 This was one thing Christ said the Spirit should do when he came from the Father He should convince of righteousness Jo. 16.8 of the righteousness of God as well as the want of righteousness in themselves I greatly question whither a person be come to Christ if he is not in some measure acquainted with the righteousness of God my reason is this till the Eye of the understanding be opened so as to see the righteousness of God that he renders to every Man according to his deeds that he requires compleat obedience and will exact the uttermost Farthing
that he will not pass by the least Sin without full satisfaction to his justice or else in equity he will punish every Sinner with infinite punishment till then I say the Soul doth not so much regard coming to Christ that it may be made partaker of his righteousness when the Sinner is made to see Gods righteousness then he flys to the Horns of the Alter scil to lay hold of Christs righteousness tendered to Poor Sinners in the Gospel 6ly I might add further that the Spirit doth inlighten the understanding to discern the Love Pity and mercy of God in Christ and his readiness and willingness to accept of those who come unto him in and through his Son 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 God is ready to give and be reconciled Psal 86.5 But there is no coming unto him but by Christ Jo. 14.6 these considerations do incourage the Poor Soul to come to Christ because God is full of Pitty and faithfulness to forgive 1 Jo. 1.9 7ly The Spirit inlightens the mind in the knowledg of Christ 1. What he is 2 What he hath done 3. What he is doing in the behalf of Poor Sinners 1. What he is I have declared in the beginning of this Book that he is God blessed for ever Rom. 9.5 the true God and eternal life 1 Jo. 5.20 that he is the eternal delight of the Father the Glory of Angels admired by Saints and the Saviour of poor lost Sinners that he is God-man in two distinct natures and one person for ever as he was Man he suffered but as he was God-Man he satisfied infinite Justice by laying down an infinite price for infinite transgressions It was the blood of him that was God as well as Man that was effused and poured forth for our sins Acts 20.28 1 Job 3.16 2dly What he hath done for lost sinners he who was in the form of God took upon him the form of a Servant Phil. 2.6 7. he put himself into a capacity to fulfil all righteousness and to undergo all misery for our iniquities that he might save us from the wrath of God wch will consume all those who believe not in Christ he hath compleated the work of Redemption for we are made compleat in him Col. 2.10 In short he hath fulfilled the whole Law in way of obedience he suffered the penalty due unto those whom he redeemed he was made a Curse for them Gal. 3.13 that they might obtain the blessing even life for evermore he died that they might live for by dying he conquered Death and brought life and immortality to light he broke through the Prison of the grave and by his own power brought Salvation and ascended on high and lead captivity captive that he might give gifts unto men Eph. 4.8 3. He is now sitting at the right hand of God till his Enemies be made his foot-stool Psal 110.1 and his Saints crowned and glorified with him in his Kingdom he prayed for them when he was here on earth Joh. 17. but now he is interceding at the right hand of God in the behalf of his redeemed ones 1 Joh. 2.1 These things and many more the spirit reveals unto them that are come to Jesus Christ Christ is the head of the Body his Church Eph. 1.22.23 And gave him to be the head over all things to the Church which is his Body the fulness of him who filleth all in all * Sicut vita ex solo capite in omnia membra propagatur sic ex un◠Christo in omnia membra spiritus ipsius spargitur non autem ex uno membro in aliud Ursin de doc Chris pa. 249. for as life from the head alone is propagated into all the Members so from one Christ his spirit is poured out into all his Members but not from one member into another as the Head is sons omnis vitae the fountain of all life so Christ is the fountain from which his Members derive continual supplies Now seeing Christ and Believers are so nearly related as to be one spirit 1 Cor. 6.17 he the Head and they the Members there must needs be an intimacy and knowledge of each other for as Christ saith Job 10.14 I am the good Shepheard I know my Sheep and am known of mine so I say if thou art come unto Christ the Spirit hath revealed Christ Jesus to thee he hath enlightned thy understanding to know in some measure what he is what he hath done and what he is doing for thy Soul 2dly If thou art come to Christ thy conscience hath been convinced by the holy spirit it is his work to convince a person of sin Joh. 16.8 and when he is come to wit the holy Spirit he shall convince the world of sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is beyond the power of man to convince the conscience it is proper to the holy Ghost 1. Then he hath convinced thee of thy original sin which is the source and spring from which all other sins flow it is not Fons vitae the fountain of life but Fons corruptionis Mortis of corruption and death from this spring flows forth the bitter waters of Meribah which prove destructive to Mankind the whole man being vitiated and corrupted by original sin which made the Apostle say I know that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing Rom. 7.18 he calls it The Law in his Members Vers 23. The Body of Death ver 24. Thus he was convinced of his Original sin and therefore he saith We are all the children of Wrath by Nature Eph. 2.3 which Scriptures are fully and excellently declared to be meant of Original sin by that worthy Minister of Christ Mr. Anthony Burgess in his Doctrine of Original sin The Prophet David confesseth it Psal 51.5 Behold I was shapen in Iniquity and in sin did my Mother conceive me he was convinced of his pollution even in the very womb and so art thou if the Spirit hath been effectually at work in thy Soul from the heart naturally proceeds no good thing but thence come Thefts evil Thoughts Murders Adulteries Fornications false Witness Blasphemy Mat. 15.1.9 All which defile and pollute a Man 2. Thou art convinced of the evil of thy actual sins thy manifold transgressions and violations of the Law of God those sins which thy hand thy heart thy tongue thy ear and eye have been imployed in as David was convinced of his Murther and Adultery which the 51. Psal declares Paul of his Persecution injuriousness and blasphemy 1 Tim. 1.13 Peter of denying his Lord and Master Mat. 26.74 75. Thou art now convinced that Sin is exceeding sinful Rom. 17.13 and that thy great work and business in thy unconverted state was to Sin against God 3ly Thou art convinced that every Sin doth contaminate and defile thy Soul Psal 19. Cleanse thou me
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
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