wouldest thou not to thy power have done them that thou maist injoy the blessed Son of God for thine How much more then when he only saith Take Jesus Christ as thy Lord and Saviour prize and love him as thy Saviour obey and honour him as thy Lord and he shall be thine for ever do but as much for him as the covetous man does for his wealth as the ambitious man for his honour as the voluptuous man for his belly they give their highest esteem their choicest affections and their greatest service to that which they take for their God their chief good And surely Christ is more worthy hereof and will requite thee best for them 4. Consider how God offers this gift to thee his manner of dealing with thee in this is wonderful he offers Christ most really means what he speaks and most tenderly and affectionately He not only offers Christ to thee but invites thee to him what canst thou desire more in a gift or benefit than to have it heartily offered and be invited to take it He offers Christ without grudging falshood or equivocation with an open heart that he may shew how willing and cordial he is to part with this gift He invites us to take him Rev. 22.17 Let him that is a thirst come and whosoever will let him take the water of life freely Nay he shouts and calls aloud Isa. 55.1 Ho every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters and he that hath no money come ye buy and eat yea come buy wine and milk without money and without price Had he once tendered Christ it had been infinite mercy but to entreat us to accept him to perswade and move us as one that would not be denied that 's admirable 2 Cor. 5.20 We are embassadors for Christ as though God did beseech you by us we pray you in Christs stead be ye reconciled to God And he commands us to receive Christ his Son and makes this the chief and as it were the only thing he requires of us 1 Ioh. 3.23 and inforceth his just command with most severe threatnings Heb. 12.25 See that ye refuse not him that speaketh for if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth much more shall not we escape if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven Sometimes he expostulateth with men Wherefore do you spend your money for that which is not bread Isa. 55.2 and adds protestations of his loathness that any soul should perish Why will you dye anger is not in me why should the flame consume the stubble what could I do more what iniquity have ye found in me c He complains and laments most sadly when men neglect and slight this offered gift Why will ye not come to me that ye may have life He came to his own and they received him not John 1.11 O Ierusalem Ierusalem thou that killest the Prophets and stonest them that are sent unto thee how often would I have gathered thy children together even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings and ye would not Matt. 23.37 Yea with very vehement passions he bewails and weeps over them that pity not themselves Luke 19.42 If thou hadst known even thou at least in this thy day the things which belong to thy peace c. Those tears and mournings over Ierusalem for her hard heart and contempt have been and are still over thee He upbraids men with nothing so much as this and threatens no such woes in all the Scripture as against such as refuse Christ Matt. 11.20 Wo unto thee Chorazin wo unto thee Bethsaida c. Jer. 13.17 Wo unto thee O Ierusalem wilt thou not be made clean when shall it once be He is never so angry with any as with them that despise this love and refuse this offer Luke 14.21 Matt. 22.7 He was very wroth when the invited guests would not come So Mat. 21.40 with those Husbandmen that took his Son and killed him and those Citizens Luke 19.27 that would not have him reign over them are destroyed as enemies And when all this will do no good men will not be perswaded nor allured but hang off and keep at a distance he goes away as it were troubled and wishing it had been better He swears and pawns his life on it that he would not have them perish has no pleasure in their destruction Ezek. 33.11 O that they had hearkened to my commandments then had their peace been as a river and their righteousness as the waves of the sea Isa. 48.18 Psal. 81.11 But my people would not hearken to my voice Israel would none of me O that my people had hearkened unto me and Israel had walked in my ways I would soon have subdued their enemies I would have fed them with the finest of the wheat with honey out of the rock would I have satisfied them O the compassionate pangs of Gods bowels of infinite mercy towards poor sinners O quam stupenda pieatas quam mira Dei dignatio quem regare debuimus ut nos recipere dignaretur ab ipso rogamur ut ad eum venire dignemur It were one would think enough to prevail with us to accept this gift with joy and thankfulness to consider how incomparably excellent the gift it self is But God adds unspeakable benefits with him to draw us to this acceptance as life and favour with God Prov. 8.35 Whoso findeth me findeth life and obtaineth favour of the Lord. Recovery of Gods image freedom from bondage communion with God liberty of will pardon of sin power against sin deliverance from Satan peace and joy adoption of Sons Ioh. 1.12 acceptance of persons and services audience of prayers a sanctified use of comforts and crosses victory over death assurance of heaven the fair inheritance of all things fulness of joy and happiness pleasures for evermore 5. Consider why God offereth Christ unto thee for what end is he thus sollicitous about thine acceptance of this gift do not mistake me nor deceive thy self by thinking that because God out of his infinite pity to his miserable creatures is instant and urgent with them to accept of Christ therefore he hath any need of thee or seeketh his own happiness therein I tell thee if thou hadst no more need of Christ than he hath of thee thou maist let him alone No it 's purely for thy good for thy real and eternal good that he offers his Son to thee He needs thy service no more than he doth the service of the Damned or of the Devils and he knows how to make use of thee for his own glory as he doth of them if thou foolishly reject this offer of his Son to save thee Had he a work to do he needs not thy help he might have made nobler creatures than the present race of mankind to glorifie his Grace and execute his will and have left thee and all Adam's posterity to glorifie his Justice Thy righteousness will not
from uncleanness Zech. 13.1 Who is the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world John 1.29 Christ was without spot knew no sin was born holy that he might cover the impurity of thy conception Hath sin like a poison or leprosy spread over thy whole Soul and all thy actions are impure so that there is no soundness in thee but wounds and bruises and putrifying sores Improve Christ in this case who will wash thee in his blood Rev. 1.5 bind up thy wounds and make thee partaker of the Divine nature as 2 Pet. 1.4 Though thy sins be as scarlet he will make thee white as snow If the blood of bulls and goats sprinkling the unclean sanctified to the purifying of the flesh how much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternal spirit offered himself without spot to God purge your consciences from dead works to serve the living Lord Heb. 9.13 14 O then look unto Christ and be healed tell him as he did Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me clean No Soap nor Nitre can purge it the general deluge swept away sinners but could not wash away one sin 3. Against the bondage of sin every one is by nature a bondslave to corruption Now Christ was sent to Preach as well as purchase deliverance for captives and to open the Prison to them that are bound Isa. 61.1 2. If a number of men were taken captives by the Turks and made Gally-â—laves suppose some rich Merchant should lay down a vast sum of Money to purchase their liberty or a great Prince make way by the Sword for their escape or give some Prisoners in exchange for them and should this dear-bought liberty be proclaimed to all in general That whoever will apply themselves to him should be free from bondage How deservedly may those lye and dye in Chains that will not accept and make use of those easie terms If thou cry out O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me c Christ alone that Son will make you free Ioh. 8.32 33 34. 'T is not a feigned or fancied but a real liberty free indeed 4. Against the danger of sin Art thou afraid of such a corruption art thou annoyed with such a temptation and ready to say ah I shall one day perish by the hand of such a sin Then to prevent falling into sin and antidote thee against the solicitations of it with Paul run to Christ and beseech the Lord once and again till thou have that answer My grace is sufficient for thee 2 Cor. 12.8 9. When sin comes as a Potiphars Wife and offers thee deadly Poison in a golden Cup let Faith answer I would consent but that I am a Christian how can I do this great wickedness and sin against my Christ I cannot gratifie this or that lust but I must be disloyal to my Lord Christ. When ever temptations assault and an host incamp against thee hast to the Captain of thy Salvation as David at What time I am afraid I will trust in thee Psal. 56.3 5. Against the whole body of sin make use of Christ who came to destroy the works of the Devil Would thou have sin mortified and killed and the old man crucified nail him to the Cross of Christ that by vertue of his death sin may receive its deaths wound no corruptions can stand before Christs Cross. Rom. 6.8 Knowing this that our old man is crucified with him that the body of sin might be destroyed 1. Art thou troubled and molested with passion and transported with anger nothing so effectual to subdue and bridle that short madness as Christ. Nihil ita irae impetum cohibet sicut Iesus 'T is the property of contraries to expel one another Christ is meekness and love 2. Doth Pride that detestable sin swell thee art thou proud of wealth honour gifts friends c Nihil ita superbiae tumorem sedat sicut Iesus he is humble and lowly Mat. 11.29 3. Or that diabolical sin of envy Christ can cure thee of that rotten vice Nihil ita livoris culmas sanat sicut Iesus Who ever shewed more opposition to it than Christ who prayed that his Servants might have the same glory with him Ioh. 17.22 4. Or that idolatrous heathenish sin of Covetousness Christ alone can quench the insatiable thirst after worldly things Ioh. 4.14 Whoever drinks of this water shall never thirst Nil ita temperat sitim avaritiae sicut Iesus Thou wilt trample the Moon under thy feet and scorn to love this poor dunghil-world or be fond of these beautiful vanities and fair-fac'd nothings Lastly Dost thou feel in thy Soul the scorching heat of Concupiscence and knowest not how to rid thy self of it Go to Christ who will quickly quench that flame Nihil ita extinguit libidinis flammam sicut Iesus Christs blood is an excellent antidote against lust and will quench and not curb only that inflamation So we might add many more instances for our mortification c. 2. As a Physician to cure all Diseases Christ the gift of God is a most excellent and soveraign Remedy for all diseases and spiritual indispositions whatever the Soul ails go to Christ and he can and will help 1. For darkness and blindness none better than Christ. Do the eyes of thy mind wax dim and dark that thou canst not so well as formerly see the soulness of sin the fairness of Christ the beauty of holiness O make use of Christ who can open blind eyes and clear the sight and make you see that plainly that others can scarce perceive He can illuminate the mind anoint the eye with eye-salve Rev. 3.18 that thou maist see how naked and wretched thou art dispel all darkness and shew thee the light of life Iohn 8.12 and 12.46 If any walk in darkness and hath no light let him trust in the name of the Lord and stay himself upon his God Isa. 50.10 2. Deadness Christ is an effectual remedy against deadness and lifelesness of spirit Whither should we go but unto him who hath the words of eternal life Thou hast fallen among Thieves and they have bereaved thee of all yea of life it self why Christ is that good Samaritan which puts Wine and Oyl into thy wounded Soul Luk. 10.30 he complains that ye will not come unto him that ye may have life he is called our life Col. 3.4 O derive life and strength from him 3. Hardness Art thou infected with that sore disease of hardness of heart so that thou canst not mourn for sin nor art scarce sensible of the great burden of sin and misery nor lay to heart the evils of the times but thy heart is a Rock or an Adamant O go to Christ who can and will take away the heart of stone and give thee a heart of flesh Ezek. 11.19 and 36.26 In him this gracious promise is and ever shall be yea and Amen Soak thy heart thorowly in this promise and set before
enemies Col. 1.21 Those that are afar of are made nigh by the blood of Christ he hath broken down the partition-wall and slain the enmity Ephes. 2 16 17 18. If thou hast some dear friend who bestows a gift on thee in token of his dear love and respect to thee and there should be afterwards some disagreeing and falling out betwixt you wouldst thou shew this gift a pledg of league and amity c. thus hold up Christ to God 3. Or though it be not thus yet thou wantest the sense and feeling of his love and art comfortless in the want of it O then make use of Christ in this case who is able to make all Consolations abound and fill thy soul with joy and peace in believing He hath said Ioh. 14.18 I will not leave you comfortless Tristatur aliquis nostrum veniat in cor Iesus Is any man sad saith Bernard let that sweetest name Jesus come into his heart and so he shall have that peace and comfort that the world cannot give neither can the world take it away from him Christ is a most soveraign Cordial apply and use him and your joy will be full 4. Or art thou terrified in Conscience and groaning under the insupportable burden of a wounded spirit art thou affrighted with accusing and condemning thoughts O go to Christ who as he can make peace in the Court of Heaven so he can create peace in thy heart and still the crys of Conscience and make a calm there also though the waves roar and the winds blow c. thy soul shall have peace in him which passeth all understanding Col. 1.20 And will say in me ye shall have peace be of good cheer let not your hearts be troubled though your hearts ake and tremble yet he is greater thaâ— your hearts who is nigh to justifie you Isa. â—â— 8 so that you may triumph with the Apostle Who is he that condemneth it is Christ that died Rom. 8.34 Expect no peace in laying aside Christ. 5. Are you afraid of death and judgment to come in this case also make use of Christ. It 's reported by Cassander that in ancient times sick and weak dying persons were directed and accustomed to make use of Christ at that time especially interposing him betwixt them and Gods Judgment saying these words Lord we put thee the death of our Lord Iesus Christ betwixt us and thy judgment But what need we look into Historians the Scriptures shew what languishing souls and drooping spirits must do Psal. 23.4 5. Though I walk in the valley of the shadow of death yet I will fear no evil c. Christ hath destroyed him that had the power of death Heb. 2.4 taken out the venome and malignity of it Death lost its sting in Christs side And now O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory 1 Cor. 15.55 57. Or fearest thou judgment look to Christ and thou shalt not die the second death but he will raise thee up at the last day Ioh 6.49 50. Having Christ thou maist stand in judgment and lift up thy head with joy for 't is the day of thy Redemption then the redeemed of the Lord shall return with joy everlasting and you shall appear with him in glory 4. Fourth Branch of Exhortation Be â—ery thankful for him yea let your whole soul go out in thankfulness be ever praising and magnifying God for his unspeakable mercy in Christ your Sacrifice your Redeemer your Saviour often call upon your sluggish hearts and say Bless the Lord O my soul and all that is within me bless his holy name Psal. 103.1 and 116.12 What shall I render to the Lord for this the greatest of all his benefits O be thankful not in a common ordinary formal manner but in the most lively enlarged and raised manner that is possible where the mercy is high and great the thankfulness must bear some proportion to it O let your apprehensions be widened to conceive the vastness of this mercy that your affections may be more enlarged to praise God for it O how shall we get our hearts affected with it what thankfulness can be enough for such a gift should not the whole soul be summon'd in to give its most united acknowledgment of so signal a mercy for God to give his only begotten Son to be a Saviour for sinners Here 's the wonder of wonders God never did the like before and he 'l never do the like again and blessed be his name there is no need he should It would have been admirable mercy if God would have sent some other person upon this Errand to redeem and save undone sinners If send he will why did he not send an Angel or body of Angels to try their skill and see what they could do Nay why did he not send an Angel as once he did with a flaming sword in his hand to keep off sinners from the Tree of Life O this did not comport with his gracious designs though it did too well with the creatures merit therefore he would not do it no his own Son shall be pitcht upon he is the person whom God will send Surely here was love great love great to the degree of infiniteness Millions of Angels were nothing to one Son to one such Son his first-born his only begotten Son the Son of his love who lay in his bosom had been his delight from everlasting O astonishing mercy O admirable goodness and condescention how may we cry out here Lord what is man that thou art thus mindful of him and the Son of man that thou makest this account of him Psal. 8.4 and 144.3 or as Iob 7.17 What is man that thou shouldest magnifie him and that thou shouldest set thine heart upon him Here was God so loving so as can never be expressed never be comprehended Ioh 3.16 God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believed on him might not perish but have everlasting life The Heavens and the Earth were once called upon to be filled with astonishment because of the ingratitude of a sinful people Isa. 1.2 May not now Heaven and Earth Angels and men all creatures whatsoever be called upon to be filled with astonishment because of the stupendious love of God! O Christians what influence hath this upon your dull and sluggish hearts what are you made of that you are no more in the sense of it drawn out in blessing loving admiring and adoring of God Pray if there be any holy ingenuity in you take some pains with your selves that you may be much more affected with it and give not over till you have such thoughts and affections upon Gods giving his Son raised in you as may in some measure answer to those thoughts and affections which you shall have about it when you shall be in Heaven The Angels never reaped that advantage that we do yet they were at praising-work as soon as ever Christ was born
that delivered him was called his Lord. So when we were mancipia peccati diaboli the Devils captives and slaves of sin in which condition if we had lived and died after a hard and toilsome service in the mean time our wages in the end should have been eternal death Christ by his death hath conquered sin and Satan and freed us from that wretched thraldom to this end that being delivered out of the hands of all our enemies we might serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our life Luke 1.74 75 Thus the Israelites were delivered from Egypt the house of bondage to serve God Hence the Preface to the ten commandments and David confesseth Psal. 116.16 I am thy servant I am thy servant thou hast loosed my bonds If a man had brought another out of Captivity or he had sold himself all his strength or service belonged to the buyer Christ hath bought us from the worst slavery and with the greatest price no thraldom so bad as bondage to sin no prison so black as Hell and certainly Christs blood is better than any money not to serve him then is to defraud him of his purchase no bondage so great as ours no price so great as Christs and therefore no service so great as that which we owe. 2. By the fathers donation or delivery up of them Iohn 17.6 I have manifested thy name unto the men whom thou gavest me out of the world thine they were and thou gavest them me and they have kept thy word God hath made us and not we our selves and so hath absolute right to us and dominion over us hath given us unto Christ that we should serve him as well as be saved by him Isa. 44.21 Remember O Iacob thou art my servant I have formed thee thou art my servant O Israel they are given him for a Possession Psal. 2.8 3. By voluntary resignation and surrendring of themselves to him They have given themselves to the Lord that are real Christians 2. Cor. 8.5 'T is by their own consent and contract Rom. 6.13 Yeild up your selves unto God c. Christ loves to have his right and title established By our own consent we take Christ for our Lord and Master and give up our selves to him that we may be no longer at our own dispose and therefore 't is not only robbery but treachery and breach of Covenant to seek our selves in any thing and this resignation must be made out of a sense of Christs love to us in his death and sufferings 2 Cor. 5.15 Christ died that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him who died for them We enter upon other services out of hopes but we enter upon Christs service out of thankfulness 'T was our own voluntary Act by Marriage-Covenant we take him for our Lord our Husband Guide Governour and Protector and as Sarah obeyed Abraham and called him Lord so we Christ we have bound our selves by solemn vow and promise to be and continue Christs faithful servants unto the end of our lives now the word is gone out of our lips we may not alter it nor after we have made a vow enquire what we have to do He hath the best right to our best services by this three-fold title and a threefold cord is not easily broken our tongues are not our own to speak what we please nor our hearts to think what we please nor our hands to do what we list By vertue of these and many more titles we are anothers and are bound to live and Act for him according to his will and for his glory 3. What a Lord and Master Christ is The Scriptures give us these Characters or Properties of Him 1. He is the most absolute and supreme Lord. His stile is King of kings and Lord of lords he hath no superior or co-partner with him in his dominion and government all other Power and Lordship is dependent and derivative and subordinate 1. All Power is from him as 1. Civil Prov. 8.15 By me Kings reign and Princes decree Iustice. 2. Ecclesiastical 2 Cor. 10.8 That power which the Apostle had was derived from Christ For though I should boast something more of the Authority which the Lord hath given us for Edification and not for Destruction 3. Inward and spiritual Mar. 16.20 They preached every where the Lord working with them the opening of the eyes of the blind quickening the dead turning them from darkness to light were the effects of his power not the parts or piety of the Preacher but his grace and spirit did the work Lastly extraordinary and miraculous power whereby they confirmed the word signs and wonders were wrought in his name and by his power When the lame man was healed and the Apostle examined by what power or by what name they had done it Peter answered Acts 4.10 Be it known unto you all tâ—at by the name of Iesus of Nazareth this man doth stand before you whole 2. As all power is derived from him and dependent on him so 't is to be used and obeyed in subordination to him 1. For him as the authority of Magistrates Parents 1 Pet. 2.13 Submit to every ordinance of man for the Lords sake whether it be to the King as supream Eph. 6.1 Children obey your parents in the Lord so wives to husbands servants to masters Col. 3.18 2. According to him Acts. 5 29 the Apostle answered We ought to obey God rather than men 3. All other Lords are responsible to him for the use and abuse of that authority and those gifts they received from him and are therefore punishable by him 2 dly He is an universal Lord Lord of all 1. In regard of persons he is over all Rom. 9.5 He rules over all nations persons hearts all other Masters and Lords are inferiour to him Eph. 6.9 And ye masters do the same things to them that is your Servants forbearing threatning knowing that your master also is in heaven neither is there respect of persons with him 2. In regard of matters and acts outward inward Godward manward civil spiritual all come under his cognizance Eph. 6.5 6. Col. 3.23 Rom. 14.18 in all these things we are to serve Christ 3. In regard of places the three kingdoms of Heaven Earth and Hell have no other Lord but Christ Angels and glorified Saints in Heaven Saints Sinners and every creature on Earth the damned and Devils in Hell are all his subjects 3 dly He is a spiritual Lord for the manner of his rule and government Iohn 18.36 My kingdom is not of this world not from hence Not that he governs not in Heaven and Earth for though his kingdom be not of this world Rex tamen est in hoc mundo Bern. when Pilate had openly declared whose accusation it was Jesus plainly tells him that his Kingdom was not secular but spiritual not of this world So that he nothing intrenched on Caesars
sundry Sermons preached at St. Iames Dukes-place by Zech. Crofton The life and death of Edmund Stanton D. D. To which is added a Treatise of Christian-conference and a Dialogue between a Minister and a Stranger Sin the Plague of plagues or sinful sin the worst of Evils by Ralph Venning M. A. Cases of Conscience practically resolved by I. Norman The faithfulness of God conâ—idered and cleared in the great Events of his Word or a second part of the fulfilling of the Scripture The immortality of the Soul explained and proved by Scripture and Reason to which is added Faiths-triumph over the fears of death by Tho. Wadsworth A Treatise of the incomparableness of God in his Being Attributes Works and Word by George Swinnock M. A. A discourse of the original c. of the Cossacks The generation of Seekers or the right manner of the Saints addresses to the throne of Grace with an Exposition on the Lords-Prayer The administration of Cardinal Ximones A discourse of Family-instruction by Owen Stockton with directions for those that have suffered by the Fire An Essay to facilltate the Education of Youth by bringing down the rudiments of Grammar to the sense of seeing which ought to be improved by Syncresis by M. Lewis of Totenham An Artificial Vestibulum wherein the sense of Ianua Linguarum is contained compiled into plain and short sentences in English for the great â—ase of Masters and Expeditious progress of Scholars by M. Lewis Speculum Sherlockianum oâ— a Looking glass in which the admirers of Mr. Sherlock may behold the man as to his Acuracy Judgment Orthodoxy A discourse of Sins of Omission wherein is discovered their Nature Causes and Cure by George Swinnock Mr. Baxter's Reformed Pastor His Majesties Propriety in the British Seas vindicated Quakerism no Christianity or a through-Quaker no Christian proved by their Principles and confirmed by Scripture by I. Faldo Differences about Water-baptism no bar to Communion by Io. Bunian The Dutch-dispensatory shewing the vertues qualities and properties of Simples the vertue and use of Compounds whereto is added the Compleat Herbalist Judg Dodaridge's laws of Nobility and Peerage Dinglys Spiritual Fast. Solitude improved by Divine Meditation by Matth. Ranew A Murderer punished and pardoned or Tho. Savage his life and death with his Funeral sermon Small 8 vo A defence against the fear of death by Zach. Crofton Gods Soveraignty displayed by William Gearing The godly mans Ark or a City of Refuge in the day of his distress in five Sermons with Mrs. Moors evidences for Heaven by Edmund Calamy The Almost-Christian discovered or the false-Professor tried and cast by M. Mead. The true bounds of Christian-freedom or a discourse shewing the extent and restraints of Christian-liberty by S. Bolton D. D. The sinfulness of Sin and fulness of Christ in two Sermons by Will. Bridg. A Plea for the godly or the Righteous mans Excellency The holy Eucharist or the Sacrament of the Lords Supper A Treatise of Self-denial All three by Tho. Watson The life and death of Tho. Wilson of Miâ—dstone in Kent The life and death of Doctor Samuel Winter A Covert from the Storm or the fearful encouraged in the day of Trouble Worthy-walking press'd upon all that have heard the Call of the Gospel The Spirit of Prayer All three by Nath. Vincent The inseparable union between Christ and a Believer by Tho. Peck A discoâ—rse of Excuses setting forth the variety and vanity of them the sin and misery brought in by them by Iohn Sheffield Invisible reality demonstrated in the holy life and triumphant death of Mr. I. Ianeway The Saints encouragement to diligence in Christs service both by Mr. Iames Ianeway A discourse concerning the Education of Children Convivium Coeleâ—te a plain and familiar discourse concerning the Lords Supper both by R. Kidder The Saints perseverance asserted in its Positive-ground against Mr. Ives by Tho. Danson A Wedding ring fit for the Finger by Will. Secker The Young-mans Call and Duty by Nich. Lockyer An Explanation of the shorter-Catechism of the Assembly of Divines by Tho. Lye The Childs Delight with Pictures by Tho. Lye The life and death of Tho Hall A Plea for the Non-Conformists tending to vindicate them from Schism by a Doctor in Divinity The flat opposition of Popery to Scripture by I. N. Chaplain to a Person of Honour The Weavers Pocket-book or Weaving spiritualiz'd by I. C. D. D Two disputations of Original-sin by Richard Baxter The History of Moderation The welcome Communicant The ready way to prevent sin by William Bagshaw The Little-peace-maker discovering foolish Pride the Make-baâ—e Philadelphia or a Treatise of Brotherly-love by Mr. Gearing Reformation or Ruine being certain Sermons on Levit. 26 2â— 24. by Tho. Hotchkis The Riches of Grace displayed to which is added the priviledg of Passive Obedience and 52 proposals in order to help on Heart-humiliation by Will. Bagshaw The parable of the great Supper opened in 17 Sermons by Io. Crump A present for Teeming-women by I. Oliver Non-conformity without Controversie by Benj. Baxter The Christians daily Monitor by Iosh. Church A Treatise of Closeâ—-prayer by Richard Mayo The Religious Family by Philip Lamb. A sober inquiry or Christs Reign with Saints a thousand years A discourse of the prodigious Abstinence of Martha Taylor A Memento to young and old by Iohn Maynard The priviledg of the Saints on Earth above those in Heaven by William Hook Index biblicus multijugus or a Table of the holy Scripture wherein each of its Books Chapters and particular matters are distinguished and Epitomized The day of Grace with the conversion of a Sinner by Nath. Vencent The Greek Testament in 8 vo An easie and useful Grammar for the learning of the French tongue by Mr. Gosthead Gentleman Mr. Raworths work and reward of a Christian. The Miners Monitor or advice to those that are employed about the Mines A Protestant Catechism for little Children A Scripture Catechism by Samuel Petto A Catechism according to the Church of England Grotius Catechism Brief of the Bibles-History The Fountain sealed by Dr. Sibbs Nero Tragidea Cottons None but Christ. Cornelianum dolium The Christians earnest longing for Christs appearing preached at the Funeral of Mr. Noah Webb by Dan. Burgess Wilsons Catechism Elenchus motuum nuperorum in Anglia Cocains Poems Poor Robins Jesâ—s Croftons Foelix Sâ—elus or Prospering prophaneness provoking holy conference by Zech. Crofton Gramaticus Analyticus by the same Author Alexanders advice to his Son Artificial Embelishments H. Excellency of Christ set forth Gods Soveraignty displayed by Mr. William Gearing In small 12 s. The duty of Parents towards their Children A little Book for little Children A method and instruction for the Art of divinâ— Meditation All three by Tho. White The considerations of Drexelius on Eternity The shadow of the Tree of Life by M. M. The Psalms of David newly translated more plain smooth and agreeable to the Text than any heretofore The Prisoners Prayers Mr. Henry Lukin's Life of Faith Awakening Call to Sinners Câ—umbs of Comfort or the Lord Bacons Prayer FINIS
undeserving and ill deserving mankind such a gift so transcendently superlatively excellent and wonderful that if God the Lord should create an understanding-faculty of man or Angel millions of degrees more apprehensive and vigorous than if all the men and Angels that are or possibly might be created were contemperated in one yet could not their understanding so see the incomparable worth and superexcellent beauty of this gift but that there would remain unseen treasures of loveliness and oceans of excellencies never known to the amazement and admiration of all creatures to all eternity Nay it implys an eternal contradiction that the Creatures should see to the bottom of the Creator or that which is finite fathom that which is infinite This gift is promised in the Old and those Promises are fulfilled in the New Testament Hear what the Prophet Isaiah saith Isa. 9.6 Vnto us a child is born a son is given A Child born in respect of his Humanity a Son given in respect of his Deity and both as already done in regard of Gods purpose and the infallible certainty of his promise which is as sure as if it were already done and in regard of the fruits and benefits thereof to men though it was to be accomplished above 700 years after and in the fulness of time God sent his Son actually given both to us and for us to effect our Salvation Ioh. 3.16 God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believed on him should not perish but have everlasting life All I purpose to do in the prosecution of this Doctrine is to shew the excellency of this gift and then make Application A great attempt indeed and far above the utmost reach of a finite capacity for who can declare his generation what pen though dipt in the river of life that flows under the Sanctuary what tongue though shap't out of all the Angels in Heaven and watered with the milk and wine of that good land can sufficiently express the glory and excellency of this heart-ravishing flower of Angels this living Ark of heaven the song of Angels and glorified Saints the joy and glory of that new land the crown and garland of his Fathers delight the sweetness of the garden of God the wonder of wonders for eternity to Angels and men that fair tree of life the branches whereof cannot for the narrowness of the place have room to grow within the huge and capacious borders of the Heaven of heavens How impossible is it therefore to contain him in the narrow compass of the words or thoughts of any mortal creature I cannot better express what he is than by telling you I cannot express him Yet something I shall endeavour to speak of his inexpressible worth under the notion of a Gift in these particulars Christ and Heaven cannot be praised Hyperbolically No danger of excess speak I as much think you as much as we can of Christ. 1. Christ is a most free gift we use to say what 's freer than gift I may well add What gift freer than Christ whether we respect the giver or look on the receiver 't is easie to judg that this gift is absolutely free and undeserved In relation to God it is beyond all doubt that there was nothing in man that might move God to give him Christ no worthiness in man no profit by man nothing but loathsomness The promise of Christ coming in the flesh was an absolute unconditional promise Hence 't is said Christ is not only sent delivered c but given not paid nor sold he is not returned to us by way of payment for who hath given ought that he should be repayed neither is he sold to us in consideration of ought to be paid by us for what can we return to God that is not his own already Rom. 11.35 36. 1 Chron. 29.11 12 13 14. If Iacob could say He was not worthy of the least of all his mercies Gen. 32.10 Who can pretend to be worthy of this greatest but Christ is given freely bestowed of his meer grace and bounty without respect of ought in us that might invite or induce him thereunto Rom. 5.6 8 10. Tit. 3.5 without any expectation of ought from us that might be beneficial to himself Can a man be profitable unto God Is it any pleasure to the Almighty that a man is righteous Is it any gain to him that we make our ways perfect Job 2â— 23 35.5 8. No our goodness cannot extend it self unto God Psal. 16.2 Look on man and what is there to be found in him but sin and misery He is not only without strength and so despicable cannot help himself but ungodly also and so loathsome deserving no help from others What is man that God was thus mindful of him a poor naked indigent helpless and wretched creature and all this wo and misery is brought upon him by his own choice and act he is not only miserable but wicked a rebel as well as a beggar not only cast out into the open field to the loathing of his person but found in the field of war treacherously fighting against his Lord and Maker Man was in a state of darkness slavery rebellion poverty pain ignominy banishment nakedness filthiness deformity sickness death perdition every thing that 's naught and miserable all the woes in the world were they a thousand times greater are but a faint representation of the miseries of man by nature Now if a gift may be free when bestowed on a friend how much more when given to an enemy why God gave us his Son to reconcile us to himself when we were not only strangers from him but enemies to him Col. 1.21 O the riches of his meer mercy and grace Is not that gift free that is bestowed on sinners strangers enemies Ephes. 2.12 13 14 God never did nor never will sell his Grace his Son to any none can have Christ but those that come empty a full hand can hold nothing Fix your thoughts on the terms expressed in that Evangelical Proclamation Isa. 55.1 Ho every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters and he that hath no money come ye buy and eat yea come buy wine and milk without money and without price 2. Christ is a most full gift He is full of Grace and truth Joh. 1.14 Col. 1.29 It pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell he fills all in all There is in this gift of God a fulness of sufficiency and a fulness of redundancy enough for himself and to fill all persons all things there is enough in Christ for every soul and for the supply of every want whatever the heart of man can want or wish is to be had in Christ. That 's a very full expression Col. 2.9 In him dwells all the fulness of the Godhead bodily Fulness in the abstract he is not full only but Fullness it self fulness not of the cistern but of the fountain Gods
help him Job 22.2 3. Nor thy wickedness hurt him Job 35.2 He expects no gain by thee looks for no requital he offers this gift to thee not that he may be blessed by thee but that he may be bountiful to thee it 's thy good not his own that he looks at The felicity of accepting is thine own and the misery of neglecting is thine own Prov 9.12 If thou be wise thou shalt be wise for thy self but if thou scornest thou alone shalt bear it Men call Customers to them and press them with many arguments and entreaties to buy that they may inrich themselves by their Customers but God calls men to buy of him not to inrich himself he is as rich and perfect and happy as he can be but to inrich themselves I counsel thee saith Christ to his lukewarm Church â—ev 3.18 to buy of me gold tryed in the fire Why that he might get â—omething by him and enrich himsâ—lf No that thou maist be rich that thou not I may be rich Now Brethren ponder it seriously it is wholly for your own good that you may escape wrath and death that you may attain Heaven and life that God is pleased once more to offer Christ to you He gives his Son to this end that you may be saved to bring you into the state of Sons and into a right to Heaven and Glory Had he given Christ only to rule over you with his Scepter of righteousness it would have been an excellent gift and no small priviledg to be Subjects to such a Prince especially for such as were bondslaves of Satan by nature but he gives Christ to save and redeem us Something yea very much of God is in the Creation much of God in his common providence but most of all yea whole God in the redemption of man If a Physitian should come to us who would heal us of all our diseases suppose we were an Hospital of unsound persons would he not be most acceptable to us What more acceptable to a poor man than wealth or a naked man than clothes or to an hungry man than bread a slave than freedom all this and infinitely more is Christ to us Now all that is required of us in order to the obtaining of all these benefits is to believe in Christ and what is believing but receiving Christ as he is offered to us in the Gospel Iohn 1.12 What is thy mind now about this offer what dost thou resolve on wilt thou have Christ this Gift of God or not Is there any thing unreasonable in his demands any thing defective in this offer or in the gift is not Christ fair or good enough is he not rich and honourable enough is there any want of love or loveliness in Christ for thee What hath been said of him will silence all these and the like objections What canst thou say is it an indifferent matter whether thou take this or not doth not thy eternal felicity depend on thine acceptance of him what sayest thou shall Christ be thy Lord or the Devil One of these will reign over thee Consider what thou dost thy Soul is immortal and must either take God and Christ and Heaven to be thy portion for ever or Hell and Death and Wrath and Divels for thy portion for ever one of these two is the portion of all the Sons and Daughters of Adam If thou wilt still prefer the world before Christ and love the creature above Christ and please thy flâ—sh more than Christ 〈◊〉 thou goest without him and however thou maist shift in this world yet when once thou appearest in another world God will rain fire and brimstone and an horrible tempest and this will be the portion of thy cup Psal. 11 6. But if now thou acceptest oâ— this gift of God Jesus Christ when all thy friends shall leave thee and dearest relations forsake thee yea when thy flesh and thy heart shall fail thee Christ will be the strength of thy heart and thy portion for ever Well consider what I say and the Lord give thee understanding that thou maist know when thou art well offered and be wise on this side the other world I know not what other answer you can rationally make to all that hath been said to perswade your acceptance of this gift of God but that either you have it already or desire to know how you may make it your own I shall therefore to prevent mistakes in the one and to give assistance to the other first direct you to try your selves whether Christ be yours or not and then how to attain propriety in this excellent gift whereby you may be happy to all eternity Let this be your most serious inquiry whether you have indeed received this gift of God or not Is Christ yours can you truly say with the Spouse Cant. 2.16 My beloved is mine and I am his If you can but once say and speak true I am my beloveds as Cant. 6.3 you may with the same breath conclude my beloved is mine Have you ever made a full intire affectionate deliberate and unreserved resignation of your selves unto him have you given up your heart head and hands all you are all you have unto Jesus Christ and that constantly Then he is wholly yours For God never gave his Son to any but such gave themselves to the Lord and are new creatures and sound believers But more particularly 1. If you have received this gift of God you do very highly esteem of him and prefer him above all other things in the world To them that believe Christ is precious they have a good opinion of his worth and excellency have him in greatest honour and estimation as Hinsius saith the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies He that loves Father or Mother or any Relation or Riches or Pleasures more than Christ is not worthy of him cannot be his Disciple Do you truly in judgment and affections account it your chief happiness to enjoy the Lord Jesus Christ is he the chiefest of Ten thousand in your eyes altogether lovely Can you say with David Psal. 16.5 The Lord is my portion or with him Psal. 73.25 Whom have I in heaven but thee and there is none on earth I desire beside thee or in competition with thee So that whatever temptations to the contrary you meet with you do in your settled prevailing judgment prefer Christ before all and count all loss and dung in comparison of the excellency of the knowledg of Christ making him the end of your desires and endeavours putting the world and all other things behind him in your esteem and pursuit and thinking no labour nor losses nor sufferings too great for Christ. 2. Are you willing to receive Christ as Lord as well as Saviour submit to him as King as well as accept of him as Redeemer and come not only for ease and rest but to take his yoke upon you and become his Servants Is Christ your Lord
come near Him nor his Ordinances have nothing to do with him Now will any be so stupid as to gratifie his greatest adversary to his own unspeakable prejudice Is it not horrible indignity to Christ monstrous cruelty to the soul to refuse Christ who hath done and suffered so much for him and to be led by Satan captive and blindfold into misery to slight Christs sweet invitations and yield to Satans malicious temptations Satan is that strong man that hath power over all men in nature he keeps his goods in peace in the palace of our hearts and there sports himself in carrying on the design of the souls ruin sometimes by policy sometimes by force he keeps possession Luk. 11.21 22. And wherein can a man more designedly gratifie Satan further his wicked designs and establish his kingdom yea enlarge his dominion than by siding with him against Christ who besiegeth the soul with Ordinances and Providences for Satan knows well enough that Christs rise will be his fall Christs scepter will be his destruction that when Christ a stronger than he comes he will overcome him and take from him all his armour wherein he trusted pull down his strong holds divide the spoils and deliver poor captive man out of prison and slavery O then do not so much gratifie Satan 4. If you refuse Jesus Christ offered in the Gospel you are guilty of the greatest sin and folly that can be Though for most part men think not so of it and accordingly lay it not to heart yet it is the greatest sin the sin of sins and in some sort the only sin of the world Men commonly think murder adultery theft drunkenness to be very hainous sins and so indeed they be but unbelief far worse for it is the mother of these and all other evils Take all the sins that ever were committed against any of Gods just laws and none is like to this no greater sin can be laid to ones charge than to refuse wilfully and trample under foot the Son of God Christ promises to send his Spirit the Comforter into the world and he shall convince the world of sin because they believe not on him Joh. 16.9 he means this sin alone saith Austin as if not believing in the Son of God were the only sin Indeed it is the main and master-sin O beloved little do you think who daily sit under the Ministry unwrought on by the Word of God what a grievous and fearful sin you commit and dreadful guilt you carry home with you in neglecting from day to day so great Salvation in forsaking your own mercy and in judging your selves unworthy of everlasting life when Jesus Christ this most precious gift is offered to you by chusing rather to cleave to a lust than to Christ blessed for ever and rather to wallow in the mire and mud of earthly riches and swinish pleasures than to receive this most pleasant and excellent gift rather to cast away your time in idleness pride worldliness and sensuality than in seeking after this transcendent favour rather make choice of a life made up of drunkenness whoredoms railing at godliness The greatness of this sin appears in this that it is most directly and diametrically opposite to the most fundamental Doctrine and command of the Gospel the primary and principal command of Christ is to believe in Jesus Christ 1 Ioh. 3.23 When the Jaylor being sadly convinced cryed out to the Apostles Sirs what shall I do to be saved they answered him Act. 16.31 Believe in the Lord Iesus Christ and thou shalt be saved Not to believe is accounted by God notorious disobedience and horrid gain saying Rom. 10. ult In the Law God strictly requires obedience to his just precepts Do this and live by doing these things thou shalt save thy self from hell but no man living being able to purchase Heaven at this rate by Christ he takes off this yoke so that if they will but believe on his Son they shall not be condemned by the Law and thus he treats men Since thou canst not fully obey my Law nor satisfie my Justice I 'le give thee my Son who shall do all for thee through whose perfect obedience thy imperfections may be remitted and healed only thou must believe in him and if thou wilt do but this one thing for thy soul all thy sins shall be pardoned thou shalt be received into favour adopted for my Son and in thy obedience to the rest of my commands I 'le accept the will for the deed though thou canst not perform such perfect obedience as thou shouldest yet if thou labour to do what thou canst I 'le help thee with strength from Heaven bear with unallowed infirmities c. 'T is a sin against light and much knowledg a sin against love and special mercies it binds all a mans other sins upon him it puts and keeps him under the guilt of all his sins Infidelitate manente maneat peccatum omne he that lives in unbelief dies in his sins it makes a mans actions though moral and spiritual be sinful be a man never so holy and devout do or suffer never so much none of these nor all nor whatever can be named or imagined God will not be pleased with them for without faith 't is impossible to please God yea 't is a sin that defiles all a mans outward enjoyments and temporal good things To them that are unbelieving nothing is pure wife children house In a word 't is the height and perfection of madness to refuse Christ Quis nisi mentis inops c. Heaven and earth may be astonished Angels and all Creatures may justly stand amazed at this prodigious sottishness and monstrous madness 5. If you refuse Christ you utterly undo your own souls for ever if ye miss of this gift ye must expect nothing but misery here and eternal damnation hereafter For there is no name under heaven by which you can be saved Whatever your formalities be how fair soever ye carry in the eye of the world let your profession be never so plausible 't is Christ alone that can save you If you will accept of the Lord Jesus Christ you are in the suburbs of Heaven there is but a thin wall between you and the land of Praises ye are within an hours sailing of the shore of the new Canaan when death digs a little hole in the wall and takes down the sails you have no more to do but set your foot down in the fairest of created Paradises but if you will not accept of Christ let me tell you the truth you are in the suburbs of Hell there is but the cutting of a small thred and you have your portion with hypocrites and unbelievers 1. By refusing Christ you do no less than put and fix your selves in the state of condemnation Let not this be accounted as a harsh censure of my own head for 't is the Scipture Ioh. 3.18 He that believeth on him is
right which he saith not to avoid death but to shew that he was unjustly accused 4. He is an eternal Lord Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end upon the throne of David and upon his kingdom to order it and to establish it with judgment and justice from henceforth even for ever Isa 9.7 Luke 1.33 He is the King immortal 1 Tim. 1.17 Death the King of terrors and terror of Kings is subdued by this Lord not only so as never to touch him but also never to hurt any of his Servants Other Rulers though they be called gods and lords yet shall dye like men earthly Monarchs either by some Poison or Treason are brought to untimely deaths at least some disease or other will lay their glory in the dust but Jesus Christ is yesterday today and the same for ever 5. He is a mighty Lord most able to do what is good for his Servant and to subdue all persons and things to himself Psal. 3.21 He can kill the Soul and throw both the Body and Soul into Hell he can subdue the hearts of men even of the deadliest enemies unto his love and obedience he can protect and shelter his Servants from all evil and bestow all good things on them for the world is his and the fulness thereof He hath under his command the forces of all creatures in Heaven and Earth which he rules as he pleases to his own purpose he can at ease frustrate the harmful intentions and noisom qualities of the worst of them he can turn their malice into mercy their hatred into love yea can bring forth glory to himself and profit to his Servants not only against but even out of their mischievous designments as in Daniel and the three Children c. 6. He is a most just Lord his is a Scepter of righteousness Heb. 1.8 his right hand is full of righteousness The Lord is righteous in all his ways and holy in all his works Psal. 145.17 In him is exact and perfect integrity and equity of all his counsels words and actions and there is no unrighteousness in him His will is the rule and standard of justice and whatever he commands is most equal and right because he wills and commands it 7. He is a most glorious Lord and Master The glory of Kings and Emperours is but a borrowed ray or spark from his Majesty the glory of all the Caesars c. is but a black coal in comparison of his splendor and when he shall appear in his glory the glow-worms of worldly splendor and majesty shall disappear and be extinguished the poorest Servant he hath shall then appear with him in such glory that the combined-excellency of Kings shall not be so much as a shadow to it 8. He is a most gracious Lord he puts them upon none but safe honourable and comfortable employments He puts no more upon them than they can go through and lays no more upon them than they are able to bear he knows their mould and frame remembers they are but dust he is Jesus as well as Lord a Shepherd as well as a Master he joins his glory and their happiness together he never requireth brick from his people without giving them straw he will either multiply grace or diminish the temptation his Grace is always sufficient for them 9. He is a wise judicious Master A man that serves a fickle and unconstant Master who often changes his mind has a hard task and endless labour but a prudent man who orders his affairs with discretion and deliberation his commands are but once obeyed his work is soon done what he doth now anon he must undo and so Sysiphus like he is ever doing and hath never done he never knows an end of his work But the Servant of Christ is at a good certainty and knows before-hand what his work must be and what his wages as his Master himself is so his Commandments are immutable and invariable without so much as a shadow of change Iam. 1.17 That was a needless cavil and meer peevishness and selfishness in Ionah Ionah 4.2 10. He is a most knowing and discerning Lord. He observes the ways and works of his Servants so narrowly that the closest and subtillest among them cannot deceive him he spies them in every corner nay every corner of their hearts in them all things are open and naked before him though now in some sort he be absent yet he needs no informer he knows what every Servant doth in his absence and will manifest every ones work to all the world his eyes are as a flame of fire clearer than ten thousand suns he takes notice of all their services and hearts Rev. 2.19 I know thy works and charity and service and faith and thy patience and thy works and the last to be more than the first 11. He is a pitiful and merciful Lord and Master He hath an eye as pitying as it is piercing he doth no less observe the wants and troubles than the ways and works of his Servants he is a Father as well as a Master and As a father pitieth his children so the Lord pitieth them that fear him Psal. 103.13 14 And spareth them as a father his son that serveth him Mal. 3.17 hath more tender bowels than a mother Isa. 49.15 Can a woman forget her sucking-child that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb yea they may forget yet will I not forget thee Christ is not as the slothful man thought a cruel and hard Master Matt. 25.24 that looks for much work and gives little encouragement but is moved with compassion towards his Servants Matt. 18.27 he will not have his Servants complain that they serve an hard Master 12. He is a meek and lowly Master condescending to serve his Servants here and hereafter 1. Hereâ— Matt. 20.28 He came not to be ministred unto but to minister Luke 22.27 Whether is greater he that sitteth at meat or he that serveth is not he that sitteth at meat but I am among you as he that serveth He stoopt so low as to wash his Disciples feet 2. Hereafter Luke 12.37 Blessed are those servants whom the Lord when he cometh shall find watching Verily I say unto you That he shall gird himself and make them sit down to meat and will come forth and serve them Study but yet expect not to understand either the comfort or condescention of this promise made to the faithful Servants of Christ He shall gird himself c. Lord saith one did I not think that the cheer and the attendance were both one I should say the attendance were infinitely better than the meat Think what it is for Christ himself to serve at the Table what is it but infinite delight for the guests to have him set himself to solace them who is infinite as in sweetness so in knowledg to make his sweetness please them Nor will the dignity of these