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.
by faith and apprehends and applies this to it self 3 It not only leads to Christ but into Christ The Soul when once brought out of all self-confidence will rest and center in Christ when it has wandred about like the silly Dove and can find no safe rest she returns to the Ark Christ Jesus and seeks admittance into him for the Soul is not content only to behold Christ but also desires to enjoy him not only to come unto him but to get into him thus it was with the Apostle Paul Phil. 3.9 He would be found 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in him though stript naked of all his righteousness yet be found in him alone in him in life in him at death for ‖ Rev. 14.13 blessed are the dead which die in the Lord. Faith is the uniting and implanting grace whereby the Soul is ingrafted into Christ and so becomes a living branch of that living Vine the Lord Jesus Joh. 15.5 I am the Vine ye are the branches This is the import of the expression believe ‖ Joh. 3.36 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into Christ thus we see that by coming to Christ is meant believing in him So much for the invitation Come 2dly I come now to the second particular and that is to shew who this person is that invites weary laden sinners to come to and believe in him for I know the sinner may be ready to say who is he he makes a fair invitation but can he give rest can he make good his promise I answer yea he can to the uttermost make good his promise for he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God-man 1 Tim. 3.16 God manifest in the flesh Rom. 9.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God blessed to eternity he is not a created Angel as Ebion saith neither is he one Person with the Father as Sabellius attested neither is he one that God only dwelt in as Nicholaus said but know this for thy consolation thou heavy laden and labouring Soul that he is the true God and eternal life Joel 5.20 He is the a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 same divine Essence with the Father and not like unto it Joh. 10.30 I and my Father are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one Essence 1 Joh. 15.7 these three are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one speaking of the Trinity of Persons in the Unity of Essence the Lord Jesus and his Father are not b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dissimiles essentiâ unlike in Essence neither are they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of diverse Essences for God is indivisible as to his simple and eternal essence neither are they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sicut homines like men a eadem essentiâ sed non innumero the same in essence but not in number for they are coessential and consubstantial having one and the same Essence Basil contra Eunomium calleth the Lord Jesus b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 goodness itself life it self and righteousness it self in the very abstract and how can he be otherwise when there dwells in him the fulness of the Godhead 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bodily Coll. 2.9 The Father and the Son Christ Jesus are at c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 once and together in nature as the Sun and light the one hath the priority in order but not in nature so God the Father and God the Son both persons were from eternity the Father in order first but not in nature But let us go to the d melius est petere fontes quà m sectari rivulos fountain scil the holy Writ to the Law and to the Testimony Is 8.20 for if our speech and proofs be not according to that there will be no light in us Therefore we will see whether or no from thence we may more perspicuously and evidently understand this divine truth for the Scripture doth best discover this great verity scil that Christ is God-man in two distinct natures and one person therefore seeing the right understanding of this is the ground of our encouragement to come unto him and to forsake all others and relye upon him alone for ease and rest I shall endeavour to prove that the Person that invites sinners to come unto him is the true and living God therefore those that come unto him shall not fail of rest 1. Argument shall be taken from what the Scripture saith of his divine Original he is called John 1.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The only begotten of the Father Heb. 1.6 the first begotten 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to that Joh. 1.1 In the begining was the Word and the Word was with God and the word was God The divine Apostle being guided by an infallible Spirit did foresee that this truth would meet with Opposers therefore he is positive in his assertion that he who was the eternal Word is God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and if all Socinians deny this evident Scripture or put false interpretations upon it and call for humane arguments and reasons we are not to believe them for here is that in the word of God which doth far transcend all Philosophical notions and Scholastick distinctions which do rather darken than illustrate this truth for the Spirit of God was the dictator of it and he wants not wisdom to apprehend nor sutable words to express aright this fundamental point in Divinity I shall not make it my business in this Discourse to enter upon Controversy but labour to confirm this weighty point In 1 Joh. 5.20 Christ Jesus is called the Son of God in one part of the verse and in the other part he is called the true God and eternal life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What ever the Socinians say of this text is invalid for it is evident to any truly enlightned mind that the main scope of the words is to prove the Divinity of the Son of God this were sufficient grounds for faith if there were no other Scriptures to prove the Deity of Christ when Christ asserted that he was one with the Father Joh. 10.30 the unbelieving Jews did rightly apprehend the words but could not understand or conceive the thing for they said that he by this expression who was but a meer man as they thought made himself God vers 33. therefore they term it blasphemy which yet Christ never sought to deny or vindicate himself from so enormous a crime if it had been blasphemy but goes on to confirm it Joh. 10.36 37 38. he owns that he said he was the Son of God which must necessarily be understood that it was by eternal generation therefore one with the Father in essence But I shall wave all prolixity and contract in as narrow compass as I may not being prejudicial to the truth moreover knowing that it is more learnedly and copiously handled by many worthy Divines My work shall be only to touch upon particulars to prove this point and to confirm
Acts 4.12 There is no other name given under heaven whereby we can be saved therefore I say it is the duty of all that expect salvation to look and return unto to accept of and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ That they may obtain remission of sins and an Inheritance of eternal Glory among those who are sanctified by faith in Christ 2. Thes 2.13 4. God the Father hath given his son for this very end that Sinners coming to and apprehending of him might have life and rest from him Jo. 3.16 God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him shall not perish but have everlasting life Now seeing this is the end of God it is our duty therefore to close with it for there is no coming to the Father but by the Son Jo. 14.6 So much for the confirmation of the point if all ought to seek the happiness of their Souls and in order thereunto use the means which is coming to and apprehending of Christ which is the Fathers will and end in sending his Son then it is a duty to come but it is clear from the word of God that it is so therefore neglect not sinner to come unto Christ 2. I shall make manifest many of these obstructions which deter and hinder Sinners from coming to the Lord Jesus notwithstanding it is their duty and also shew the unreasonableness of them all which is the main thing intended in this Doctrine Sinners make these impediments to themselves they are not efficient but accidental causes 1. Ab extra 2. Ab intra Lets from without and from within 1. External Lets and hinderances that 1. from Christ himself who is the Inviter and Commander of this great duty as 1. the meaness and lowness of his earthly extraction and descent So it was with the Jews Jo. 6.42 And they said is not this Jesus the Son of Joseph whose Father and Mother we know and how is it then that he saith I came down from heaven Christ preached his divine Original but they stumbled at it because he was not of noble Parentage Praeclarum est à principibus nasci It is an excellent thing to be the progeny of Princes They did not consider that it was for their sakes that he became low and although he was in the form of God yet for their sakes he came in the form of a servant Christ put himself into this capacity that he might suffer for sin and make an attonement to the Father But they stumbled at that stumbling stone Rom. 9.32 Christ instead of being to them the Rock that should save them was made by them a Rock of offence and as it was with them so it is with too too many in our days who are ready to say how can he who was born of a poor Virgin save or succour us They will not search and believe that Testimony God hath given of his Son Mat. 3.17 This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased Therefore refuse him not for thy Savior because he made himself of no reputation for it was the Ordinance of Heaven that Christ should come in that way Isa 7.14 Consider he is the Immanuel which being interpreted according to the Hebrew is God with us 2ly The Poverty of his life Impediment As Christ saith the Foxes have holes and the Birds of the air have nests but the Son of man hath not wherein to lay his head he was so poor that others were fain to Minister of their sustenauce to him Mat. 27.56 Now for this cause also the Jews rejected him for they expected their Messiah should be some potent and honourable one in the earth and that he should restore the Kingdom unto them then under the Roman Bondage This is some hinderance I fear at this day for if Christ were an Earthly Prince and would give them terrene Inheritances how would persons flock to him but they do not consider that he became poor that he might make many rich and bring many Sons and Daughters to glory therefore let not this keep thee back for he hath riches in abundance for thee riches of grace and glory for he is the heir of all things He created them and by him they do subsist Coll. 1.16.17 3. The Ignominy of his death because he dyed a cursed painful and shameful death Mat. 27.39 They reviled him saying If thou be the Son of God come down from the Cross v. 42. He saved others himself be cannot save If he be the King of Israel let him come down from the Cross and we will believe in him Thus much we may gather from these words that because they saw Christ dye such a cursed death therefore they conclude that he was not the Son of God and so consequently not the promised Messiah They made that the Obstacle to their faith which should have been the chief ground of their faith scil the death and suffering of the Lord Jesus for had not he willingly consented to dye that cursed death and to be made a curse for sinners they must all have been cursed to all eternity Gall. Gal. 3.13 3.10 Thus some in our days make a scoff and revile him who dyed without the gates of Jerusalem and trample his blood under their feet as being nothing worth Heb. 10.29 Therefore they will not believe in him because he yeilded himself and humbled himself unto death Phil. 2.8 Even the death of the Cross which had a curse annexed to it and this Christ did suffer not as a Malefactor himself nor for any example only but he gave himself a Ransom for many Mat. 20. 28. 2. As many stumble at the person of Christ his mean descent his poverty of life and his cursed death so also at the Doctrine of Christ This will not down with them they cannot relish it Luk. 23.5 He stirreth up the people teaching throughout all Jury but what was it he taught he taught that he was the Son of God and that he was the way to salvation he taught the way to Salvation by a Redeemer and that their Pharisaicall Righteousness would not save them this they were offended at but more particular 1. The plainness of his Doctrine this was an offence to them notwithstanding his words were more sweet than the hony and the hony-comb He was full of grace and truth Jo. 1.14 And his Doctrine was gracious Luk. 4.22 They wondred at the Gratious words which proceeded out of his Mouth But yet we find some were are offended at the plainness of it the Grecian Phylosophers were for high strains and rhetorical florishes they sought earthly wisdom therefore they stumbled at Christ 1 Cor. 1.22.23 and the pure plain simplicity of the Gospell and how many such Grecian Spirits have we in our days if the Ministers of Jesus Christ teach and preach the Gospel with plainness to the capacity of the Vulger that is an offence to many
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
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
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
the Soul hath closed with him 1. Then I say thou art brought to Repentance this was the Doctrine John Baptist preached Mat. 3.2 Repent ye for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand Christ preached it Luke 13.35 Except ye repent ye shall likewise perish The Apostle Paul preached up this Truth Acts 20. and 21. Repentance towards God That they should repent and turn to God and do works meet for Repentance So that we see here is an absolute necessity of this grace being wrought in the Soul The Apostle speaks of a Repentance unto life Acts 11.18 Then hath God granted unto the Gentiles Repentance unto life Here I suppose thou mayst be ready to propose this Query how may I know whether my repentance be unto life or no I answer there is a twofold Repentance Legal and Evangelical I shall pass by the first and only speak to the last being that which resolves the Query an Evangellic Repentance may be known these three ways 1. by the Objects of it 2. by its Nature and Propertys 3. by the several effects of it When I have declared these things in particular thou mayst resolve thy self whether this grace be wrought in thy Soul by the holy Spirit or no. 1. An Evangellic Repentance may be known by its objects by Objects I mean those things the Soul eyes and looks upon when it is moved thus to repent and they are these five 1. sin 2. the Law 3. God 4. Christ 5. Gospel 1. sin both original and actual Psal 51.5 Behold I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my Mother conceive me 1 and 2 ver According to the Multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions Wash me throughly from mine iniquity and cleans me from my sin 3 ver My sin is ever before me How often doth the Prophet mention his sin This cut and wounded his Soul that he had sinned the Soul looks upon sin both externally internally secret as well as publick Psal 19.12 It looks upon sin as sin Therefore Mourns over it with a Godly sorrow Sin is such a vile thing in it self Satis enim nobis simodo in Philosophia aliquid proficiemus perswasum esse debet si omnes Deos hominesque clare possimus nihil tamen avare nihil injuste nihil libidinose nihil incontinentur esse faciendum Cicero de Offic. that the Heathen Phylosopher could say we ought to be perswaded if we have made any proficiency in Phylosophy if we could be secret or hid from all Gods and Men yet to do nothing avaritiously nothing injustly nothing lustfully nothing incontinently but the true gospel-Penitent looks upon it as the worst of evils the Soul polluting evil Soul deforming and Soul damning evil it cannot look upon Sin with a pleasant aspect when grace is truely active the Soul cannot behold Sin without a sigh in the Heart or tear in the Eye Wo unto us that we have Sinned saith the Church Lam. 5.16 All who have been brought home to Christ have come by weeping Cross lamenting and bewailing their Sin they have looked upon Sin as the heaviest burden Psal 384 and the bitterest Pill that ever they took 2ly The next object is the Law when the Soul looks upon the holyness justness and goodness of the Law it cannot but mourn because it hath violated and transgressed it Every Sin is a transgression of the Law 1 Jo. 3.4 We find it thus with the Servants of God in their confession and humiliation for Sin when they repented they had an Eye to the Law Ezra 9.10 And now O Lord what shall we say after this for we have departed from thy commandments Dan. 9.5 We have Sinned and committed Iniquity and have done wickedly and have rebelled even by departing from thy Precepts and thy judgments Thus we see they had an Eye to the Law of God which was broken by them and it was the trouble and grief of their Souls and so it hath been with thee if thy repentance is true 3ly The Soul hath an Eye to God When it considers God to be an infinite good and yet he hath been slighted a gracious God yet he hath been offended a loving and merciful Father yet he hath been abused a glorious God and yet he hath been dishonoured this melts the Soul into tears because it hath thus requited the Lord for all his mercys what saith the Soul hath he given me my being Act. 17.28 and 20.21 and that for this end that I should glorify him love fear and serve him and that to the uttermost both with my Soul and Body have I wicked wretch dishonour'd him sinned against him from the very womb I went astray followed the cursed immaginations of my own base heart my ears were open to the whisperings and suggestions of Satan that enemy to my Soul but they were shut and deaf to the calls of God my Creator from whom I receive my All and to whom I owe all that I am or can be all the members of my Body and all the faculties of my Soul should have been imployed in obedience to his will but I vile wretch that I am have neglected disesteemed and offended my gracious God Psal 51.4 Try if this has been the language of thy Soul I have Sinned against my God and therefore I mourn and Oh that my head was a fountain Jer. 9.1 and my Eyes Rivers of Tears that I could weep day and night for my Sins 4ly True repentance hath Christ for its object Zach. 12.10 And I will pour upon the house of David and upon the Inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and of supplication and they shall look upon me whom they have peirced and they shall mourn for him as one mourneth for his only Son and shall be in Bitterness for him as one that is in bitterness for his First born Here we see a prophecy of Christ to be fulfilled in the latter days doth clearly confirm this truth And thus it is with every Gospel-penitent who comes unto Christ he looks upon the wounds of Christ by the Eye of Faith the Eye affects the Heart and makes the Sinner mourn and lament that he should be wounded for his Sins and bruised for his Iniquitys that the chastisement of his peace should be upon him and that by his Stripes he should be healed Isa 53.5 O how doth the consideration of this wound the poor Soul and makes it kindly mourn over all those Sins and transgressions which wounded and peirced the Lord Jesus It hath an Eye to the Person that suffered a glorious Person the second in the Blessed Trinity God-Man shed his Blood for my Sins Act. 20.28 O the heinousness of my Sins that no meaner Person could suffer for them Again it looks upon the sufferings themselves they were Torments Chastisements Bruises and Stripes the inflictions were infinite to satisfie for infinite Transgressions he was wounded in his Body by wicked Men and he was wounded in his Soul from