Christ was he that should save them therefore they rejected him for it was through ignorance as the Apostle Peter asserts in Acts 3.17 And the Apostle Paul 1 Cor. 2.7 They were ignorant of his deity therefore doubted whether they might go unto him for Salvation 3. Quid aternis minorem consiliis animum fatigas Hor. By raising doubts concerning Election and this is a great let to many so that they totally neglect Christ and their salvation but why as the Heathen said dost thou vex thy Soul with the eternal Councels and wilt not seek unto him because Satan tells thee thou art not elected Observe here the subtilties of Satan to stave off poor souls from coming unto Christ when ever this objection comes in thy way conclude it is from the Devil for Election is a secret belongs to God and although he hath chosen a certain number thou may'st be one of them The Gospel doth not say if you are elected you shall be saved although that is true But if you believe you shall be saved Prudens futuri temporis exitum caliginosa nocte premit deus idem Joh. 3.16.36 Now if thou hast true saving faith * Act. 15.9 heart-purifying and a * Jo. 5.4 world conquering faith then conclude thou art elected inquire more after that than thy election for that is the way unto salvation by coming to and believing on the Lord Jesus If any man be in Christ he is a new Creature 2 Cor. 5.17 If thou art so thy condition is safe 4. He keeps them from coming to Christ by representing Christ unable to save sinners but this is another of his lyes for he is able to save to the uttermost all that come unto God through him Heb. Isa 9.6 7.25 Isa 63.1 He is mighty to save and well he may for he is the Mighty God and he is the Lord Jehovah Jer. 23.6 but by this subtilty of his he hath kept thousands of Souls from coming unto Christ and makes them set up false Christs and Competitors with him as though he could not do the work alone thus the Papists have done all along they have exalted and magnified other Christs as Charity this hath usurped the place of Christ Good works Prayers Masses works of super-erogation a vain proud lye as though Man could do more than God required and these must help on the work of our salvation or else it cannot be perfected moreover there is the Intercession of Saints and Virgin Mary must do more than Christ can in their apprehension therefore they implore them ten times for once that they seek unto the Lord Jesus For if they did look upon Christ as an able Saviour they would never thus set up new Saviours but these people are like the heathens who worshiped many Gods and relyed upon them for succor and salvation as their Jupiter Apollo The Athenians had an Alter with this inscription 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mercury and Minerva and many more because they were ignorant of the true God and his Almightiness to save So these because perswaded by Satan of the inability of the Lord Jesus to save alone therefore they come not unto him but Christ Jesus is infinite in regard of his diety and therefore able omnipotent therefore sufficient to save all those who relye upon him for salvation Rev. 1.8 5. By representing Christ unwilling to save this is another of his falsities for Christ saith Jo. 6.37 Him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out There are two negatives in the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not not which declare Christ's abundant willingness to imbrace sinners and the certainty of their acceptance with him Jo. 5.40 Ye will not come unto me that ye may have life Which implyes Christ's willingness to give life if they would but come but by this subtil argueing of Satan he impedes and hinders poor sinners they conclude from his instigation and suggestion that Christ is unwilling therefore it is in vain for them to come to him for he has no mercy for them no love to extend to their souls although they are willing yet Christ they know is unwilling Thus the Devil possesseth the Sinner with hard thoughts of the Lord Jesus without any reason for if he had not been willing to save he would never have been willing to dye if he was not willing to receive returning Sinners he would never call after them nor invite them as in the text Come unto me For Christ is faithfullness it selfe he is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Amen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rev. 3.14 But the Devil is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The wicked one and a Lyer Jo. 8.4 Then come sinners for Christ is willing to accept of and imbrace thee 6. He impedes them by perswading them the evil day is far off i. e. the day of death saith Satan there is time enough yet you are young and strong there is no fear of death yet and what need you look unto Christ so soon and how many especially young ones doth he hold with this argument let a Minister or godly Christian exhort them to repent and make hast to get into Christ their reply is Time enough yet thus the Devil deceives them in that which their own sences dayly confutes the folly of for they see that where one lives to be old five dye in youth but all this will not convince them of the weakness of this Argument which Satan produces Dum loquimur fugerit invida aetas carpe diem quam minimum credula postero Hor. for the Spirit of God never suggests such things he says To day if you will hear his voice harden not your hearts Heb. 3.13.15 The Spirit of God will not allow of a Morrow for the sinners to come to Christ for the present time is only theirs to morrow may be denyed as a Heathen could say therefore do not defer upon this account for who knows whether God will add one day more to thy life We are but dust and a shaddow and who knows whether the Celestial powers will add to morrow to the sum of this days hours Pulvis umbra sumus quis scitan adjiciant hodiernae crastina summae tempora Dii superis Idem O hasten out of this snare of Satan and come to the Lord Jesus 7. By promising peace to them in his service but trouble and perplexity in the ways of God He is always ready to promise that he can never perform this is one of his wiles to keep sinners back from Christ O saith he if you will but serve me follow me you shall have peace on every side thy ungodly relations will be at peace with thee thy wicked neighbours will keep correspondence with thee nay the greatest part of Mankind will be at amity with thee but if thou goest to Christ nothing but trouble both without and within 2 Cor. 4.8 9 10. and 11. chap. from
BLESSED REST FOR THE Burthened Sinner London Printed for Benj. Harris BLESSED REST FOR THE Burthened Sinner Or the only Center of the Soul Wherein is Discovered 1. Who he is that invites and calls Sinners to this Rest 2. The encouragements to come unto him for Rest 3. Many Obstructions and Impediments which keep back Sinners With their unreasonableness Answered 4. The rest that every one shall have that comes unto Christ Delivered in some Sermons at first yet since some Addition and Enlargement has been made to them By John Hopwood Preacher of the Gospel Tu es recreator omnium qui dixisti venite ad me omnes qui laboratis c. anima enim quae est in te radicata in centro suo recreata quieta est quae vero in te non est multis vanis phantasmatibus fatigatur Tu sufficientissimus es qui te habet totum habet qui non mendicus est pauper Quïa quicquid praeter te est non reficit non sufficit Gerson Part. 3. Alphabet Amoris Divini c. 14. London Printed for Benj. Harris at the Stationers Arms in Sweethings Rents in Cornhil 1676. IMPRIMATUR ANTHONY SAUNDERS Ex Aedibus Lambethanis Reverend Arch. Episc Cant. à Sacris Domesticis Jan. 18. 1675. To the Reverend Mr. Nathaniel Vincent Minister of the Gospel and my much Esteemed FRIEND Worthy Sir IT is well known that that famous Lacedemonian Legislator would not establish among all others a Law against Ingratitude Quòd prodigiosa res esset benificium non rependere and of all ingenious spirits it was ever accounted monstrous to make slight of favours and easily forget Pristine benefits for neglect of favours makes all favour void and should I come under this sensure by my dis-ingenuous and impolite carriage I might from you justly incur the ignominious title of an ingrateful person Your complicated kindnesses conferred upon me do perpetually oblige me whilst not being capable of sutable returns yet to publish my humble acknowledgements of them and if the Laws of God and Nature injoyne and require the homage of due respects to be given unto our earthly Parents I know no Reason or Law which exempts from attributing the like to our Spiritual It was the saying of Alexander that as we have our being from our Parents we have our well being from our instructors and if he could esteem himself happy for terrene knowledge how much more then ought I for that Divine in which you have been my Teacher and if that earthy knowledge may so much conduce to a well being here what will Celestial Science do but safely carry the Soul to an everlasting Weal a happy being which never knows end to terminate its satiateing and abounding comforts Sir I shall not blush to own or be timerous to declare that which I know to you is matter of joy although I have had many Instructors you are he that has begotten me unto Christ and I may truly call you as Cyprian did Cecilius Vitae novae patrem your sweet invitations and divine Rhetorick being accompanied with the blessed influences of Heaven drew me out of the Womb of this world and from the power of Satan into the gracious imbraces of the Lord Jesus it was eternally the design of the Father but you were the Instrument by the Word and Spirit in time to call me home to Christ Moreover you did not only beget me to a second birth but also constantly entertained me with those heavenly dainties with which Christ does nourish his beloved ones But to add to these the remembrance of your private instructions and care for me are not to be obliterated by Times swift Motion or Diurnal vicissitudes and mutations But Sir as an addition to the former favours I have here presumed to prefix your Name and make a-Dedication of this little Treatise to your self not for your Instruction but a manifestation of my submissive respects due to you I know that I have here exposed my self and labours to the view of no less a censuring than a sinning Generation therefore by your favourable Aspect it may in some measure abate if not altogether prevent the hard speeches of a calumniating world It is too perspicuous that our Age abounds with such who study more to carpe at than gather the sweet fruits of the Gospel but Momo satisfacere would be an endless work therefore if I can but exalt the Lord Jesus and help immortal Souls to glory I shall not value the foul aspersions of a dirty World for in this Generation there are such who will not spare the tallest Cedars in the Lebanon of God much less the lowest shrubs Therefore I will not fondly promise my self better entertainment then Christ and his Apostles and his faithful Labourers have ever met with Neither do I so much address my self unto you to shroud me from the frowns or hereby to silence the perverse sayings of Men as that I would study to declare my gratitude in humble acknowledgements and thankful returns like gliding streams that swiftly move toward the abounding Ocean from whence their original sprang I am not ignorant that the world is copiously furnished with Books yet these Muti Magistri as Alphonsus called them are not totally in vain for I have extracted benefit from some of them which I hope others may do from this I have adventured to cast my might into the Treasury and my grain into the field leaving the increase unto God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This Book I may call my Primitiee for when the Lord first called me forth to publish the Gospel he sent me with this Message to call and invite Sinners unto Christ which found entertainment with some then wherefore it gives me some matter of encouragement that it will not prove now as water spilt upon the ground I was unwilling for a time to suffer it to see the light being conscious of my own defections and imperfections but at last being prevailed with by some and having it long by me I was willing to send it forth into the world although not invested with splendid cloathing of rhetorical Phrases yet I trust like pure Gold it will bear the Touchstone of Divine verity and so prove for the advancement of Gods glory the exaltation of the Lord Jesus and the Salvation of immortal Souls All which I am certain are the ardent desires of your Soul and that these may receive a gracious answer with all true prosperity to you and yours shall be the sincere and constant requests of him who will for ever acknowledge a firm obligation to subscribe himself SIR Your obliged Friend and Servant JOHN HOPWOOD To The Unprejudiced Reader I Here present unto thy view what for the most part I some time delivered to the Ear that thou by Divine Benediction mayest through the Reading gain more then some others did by hearing and obtain an eternal emolument to thy immortal Soul expect not here to drink of those
mellifluous Streams of that Nectorean Eloquence which flows from the lips of well skilled Orators but Tractates are not Veriores quia disertiores more true because more eloquent for as one said there is ambitiosum eloquentiae mendacium and I would not seem to affect words more than matter or to catch at the shaddow and let the substance go and I hope thou art one that puts a more inestimable appretiation upon plain and simple verity then upon painted figments and elaborate trifles which if it be so then I have some humble confidence that in the perusal of these my mean endeavors thy expectation shall not meet with a total frustration or thy labour prove nulla opera moliri to be in vain My grand design in the publishing this work is the exaltation and advancement of the Lord Jesus that lapsed and miserable mankind may be alliciated and induced to have precious valuations and inextinguishable Ceraphic love to the Lord of Glory the knowledge of whom is life eternal Joh. 17.3 1 Joh. 4.7 Joh. 14.6 Rom. 9.5 1 Cor. 3.23 love to whom is a sure character of a Heaven-born Soul faith in whom is the infallible way to glory and whose to be is no meaner then to be the Almighties Now this glorious one is he that makes free tenders of himself to perishing sinners condescends so as to invite the infirm laboring and heavy laden to come unto him who alone give rest The Subject on which I have fixed doth sufficiently demonstrate Christs abundant willingness to receive and ease poor wounded and oppressed Mortals And who is there that has not an absolute necessity of accepting such offers of Peace and Mercy are not all by actual sin wounded by original sin contaminated and polluted by multiplied transgressions intolerably laden did any escape that primitive lapse of our first Parents no none that was or is or shall be who are acted meerly by a rational Soul The serious consideration of which should prevail with all to seek out for cure for their wounds medicines for their maladies rest for their burdened Souls all which and infinitely more the Lord Jesus is willing to confer What more delectable than Divine imbraces what more excellent than celestial knowledge what more desirable than rest and comfort for the weary and disconsolate Soul all which is to be found in Christ and he that seeks unto him shall certainly obtain for he is the Divine Treasurer who has all necessaries to communicate and he is a full Fountain of living waters Col. 2.2 which flows freely to all thirsty Souls Therefore if thou art not yet come unto Christ let me perswade thee no longer to make demurs and let me be Christs Ambassador to call thee home unto him I know thou canst have no reasonable argument that should deter thee Acts 4.12 Gal. 3.10.13 1 Thes 1.10 1 Cor. 2.14 I know thou hast a Soul to save from the curse of the Law and eternal wrath then come unto Christ for it is he alone can save thee from the Curse and everlasting Vengeance I know by Nature thou wantest Divine knowledge come to Christ Mat. 11.27 and he will teach thee the knowledge of the Almighty And surely if Robert King of Naples did so much prise human learning as to say Chariores sibi literas regno esse it was dearer to him than his Kingdom how much more then should'st thou and I esteem the true knowledge of the Eternal Jehovah that Divine learning Joh. 17.3 which begins with the prelibation and ends in the fruition of eternal life thou wantest grace to enrich and beautifie thy Soul and to make thee meet for glory why it is out of his fulness thou must receive if ever grace for grace Joh. 1.16 There is not any thing which may conduce to thy everlasting benefit but Christ has rich supplies and is ready to extend to all indigent and humble mendicants and seeing thou mayst have for asking and receive for coming let this Treatise lead thee by the hand to the Lord Jesus for Christ sayes come and thy miseries if thou consultest thy Soul say go or thou art undone it may be that through some stratagems of Satan thou art prevented from getting into Christ therefore I have here laid open thirty two of them and I think the most subtlest of his Arguments and Baits and I have also in a weak measure laboured though in brief to invalidate and discover the danger of them Other obstructions which are from our selves whilst we continue in an unconverted State likewise some from the world thou shalt here find them manifested and removed but I could not be so large for the removal of them quite out of the way as I at first intended because my volumn grew bigger then I expected therefore I was forced to contract in some things and in fine to draw up those things which I thought largely to handle into a very narrow compass But Reader pardon my abruptness for I design'd this piece for a common good that the meanest sort might be able as well as willing if any be so to purchase it and this I would further intreat of thee if thou pleasest to spend thy labour read with an unprejudiced and impartial mind with a design to profit if thou hast not already made such a proficiency as some perswade themselves that thou needest no further instruction do not read it as too many go to hear Sermons to wit that they may judge of them not thinking that they are to be judged by them but do thou peruse it I beseech thee in the name of Christ with a respect to the good of thine immortal Soul and although thou may'st find some things which are in other Authors yet know that I have used those arguments for the confirmation of that great truth necessary to be known and absolutely needful to be believed to wit the Divinity of the Lord Jesus And it may be my Book may fall into the hands of some who never yet read so much of his Eternal Deity I know this truth has too many opposers but we must not let the Truth go because of opposition but as it was said of the Romans Victi multo fortius nesistant being conquered the more valiantly they resisted so if thou hast been overcome in pleading for this fundamental point the more earnestly contend for the faith of it now as the Apostle exhorts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jude 3. vers There are two many who are called Christians that are yet unable to confirm what they profess to believe Therefore that providence may order that this book may be helpful both to thy understanding of and also establishment in that glorious Truth and likewise be a means to bring thy Soul to close with Jesus Christ and that the eternal God may have the glory of all shall be the perpetual prayers of Tâ—y Souls servant in the Lord John Hopwood BLESSED REST for the BURDENED
those into whose hands this my Book may come and find acceptation with and also to encourage them to come unto Christ who so graciously invites poor sinners to come that they may have rest for their souls 2d Argument à nominibus Divinis from the names of God which are also given to Christ he is called a Rom. 9.5 God over all b 1 Tim. 3.16 God manifest in the flesh c Tit. 3 13. the great God so Is 9.6 the mighty God now the meer name is not only ascribed to the Lord Jesus as it was to them Psal 82.6 but because he truly is so 2d the name Jehovah as in Jer. 23.6 this is the name whereby he shall be called Jehovah our righteousness the name Jehovah has relation to the very essence and being of God and springs from the same root with that Exod. 3.14 I am that I am in Rev. 1.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ is termed He that was is and is to come 3ly Lord which relates to his dominion over and sustentation of the world Heb. 1.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And thou Lord in the begining hast laid the foundations of the Earth Psal 110.1 The Lord said unto my Lord sit thou on my right hand till I make thine enemies thy footstool The name Lord in the first place is meant of the Father but in the second of the Son as Christ himself interprets it Mat. 22.44 Thus it appears by the names of God given unto him he is not a meer creature Essentia Dei tum ex nominibus ejus tum ex proprietatibus intelligitur Wol. Job 32.21 22. for the Essence of God is understood from his names and properties Now these being given to the Lord Jesus we may conclude there is more appertains to him than meerly the names for if Elihu could say I know not to give flattering titles for in so doing my Maker would soon take me away what blasphemy then will it be to imagine that the holy Spirit will do so his names are real and proper to him for he is what the Scriptures term him to be and a happy soul wilt thou be if thou canst believingly say with Thomas my Lord and my God Joh. 20.28 3d Argument Proprietates Dei essentiales attribuntur Christo Alsted the essential properties of God which are ascribed to him prove that he is of a divine essence and nature as 1 Immensity Joh. 14 23 If a man love me he will keep my word and my Father will love him and we will come unto him and make our abode with him As Christ Jesus is of an infinite nature he is altogether immeasurable 2ly Eternity as in Micah 5.2 But thou Bethlehem Ephratah though thou be little among the thousands of Judah yet out of thee shall come forth unto me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ab initio diebus aeternitatis that is to be Ruler in Israel whose goings forth have been from of old or as in the Original from the begining from the days of eternity which very well agrees with that of the Apostle In the begining was the word and the word was with God the word was God Joh. 1.1 he does not mean here the begining of the Creation for then he might be accounted a blasphemer because he asserts that he is God Rev. 1.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but he means that God the Son was with God the Father even from Eternity 3ly Immutability is attributed to him Heb. 1.8 Joh. 8.58 Heb. 1.10 11 12. And thou Lord in the begining hast laid the foundations of the Earth and the Heavens are the works of thy hands they shall perish but thou remainest and they all shall wax old as doth a garment and they shall be changed but thou art the same and thy years shall not fail The Lord Jesus is not mutable as the creatures are but he ever abides the same Heb. 13.8 4ly Omnisciency which is an essential property of God and cannot be ascribed to any created thing but it is written of the Lord Jesus that he knows all things Rev. 2.23 even the hearts and thoughts of men Jer. 17.10 I search the heart and I try the reins which is the great Attribute of God alone for it is he only that is God that can unlock the doors of the Soul and penetrate into the dark chambers thereof and search out its secret imaginations and actions Peter could say to Christ Lord thou knowest all things Joh. 21.17 all things past present and to come are naked plain to him he needs none to instruct him what has been or shall be or what the thoughts of men are Mat. 12.25 Jesus knew their thoughts not only their words or external actions but their internal cogitations were manifest to him 5ly Ubiquity and Omnipresency as Christ saith Mat. 18.20 where two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the midst of them now he could not have said this of himself if he was not God So Mat. 28 20. Lo I am with you to the end of the World Lastly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in omnibus diebus Omnipotency is attributed to him for he is able to subdue all things to himself Phil. 3.21 as there is nothing too hard for God the Father so there is nothing impossible to God the Son he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Almighty Rev. 1.8 Isa 9.6 and in Isa he is called the mighty God mighty to save his Elect ones †Omnia Atttibuta propter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 singulis Divinitatis personis competunt and mighty to confound his and their enemies This clearly proves the Deity of the Lord Jesus for all the Attributes because of the sameness of the Essence belong to the three Persons only with the limitation of a Persons propriety 4. Argument ex operibus Divinis from his divine works for as never man spake as the Lord Jesus spake so there was never meer man did or could do as he hath done or can do For 1 he created the World all things both in Heaven and Earth Joh. 1.3 All things were made by him Heb. 1.10 and without him was not any thing made that was made The Apostle in the words that was made seems to exclude sin as being no creature of Gods making sin came into the World as rottenness into an apple which is meerly the defection of the creature from its primitive solidity and pure original essence Heb. 1. 10. And thou Lord in the begining hast laid the foundation of the Earth the Heavens are the works of thy hands 2ly Conservation is an act of the Lord Jesus Coll. 1.16 for he supports conserves and upholds all things by his omnipotent arm Coll. 1.17 3ly those miraculous Works which he did to confirm his doctrine do evidently prove his Divinity and call for divine faith Joh. 14.11 as Christ
said to Thomas Believe me for the very works sake what works were they why they were such as are almost incredible and to many seem impossible as giving sight to the blind strength to the weak health to the sick life to the dead c. but it would be tedious for me to relate all the miracles he did upon the bodies of men and women he did and doth effect greater things upon the Soul Luk. 4.18 for he enlightens darkned understandings heals broken hearts likewise there are his works for the good of his Church My Father saith Christ worketh hitherto and I work Joh. 5.17 Christ is continually working for the glory and happiness of his beloved ones for he protects them as the apple of his eye and sends his Spirit who conveys celestial treasure into their souls fills them with grace and conducts them over the raging waves of this tumultuous World to the haven of rest Joh. 16.13 14 15. and the land of eternal felicity Christs care is continual towards his Church and therefore he hath and doth and will work wonders for it Thus his divine works prove that he is more than a creature yea that he is the Creator Joh. 20.28 5th Argum. The fifth Argument to prove his Divinity is deduced ex honore Divino from the divine honour given to him God the Father saith I will not give mine honour to another i. e. Is 4.8 Joh. 5.23 any creature yet it is said of Christ Jesus That all men should honour the Son even in the same manner and in the same measure as they honour the Father he that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him He is not only to be honoured as a person designated to the office of Mediatorship but also as he is the true living God For as Christ said to Philip He that hath seen me hath seen the Father so that one said concerning the Trinity ‖ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Greg. Naz. I cannot think of one but presently I am invironed with the glory of three I cannot discern three but immediately I am carryed to adore the glorious Unity The Angels are said to adore and worship him Heb. 1.6 When he bringeth his first begotten into the world he saith let all the Angels of God worship him i. e. give divine honour to him Is 6.3 The Angels did cry holy holy holy Lord God of Hosts Now the divine Apostle saith that it was the glory of the Lord Jesus that the Prophet did behold in that glorious Vision Joh. 12.41 When the Angels were thus magnifying and adoring him for they are but ministring Spirits in Rev. 5.12 13. we have the whole regiment of them celebrating his praise Heb. 1.14 as one worthy of divine honour 2ly Saints Militant do pay the tribute of divine honour to him who is their Lord and Saviour As 1 Faith this is accounted part of divine honour as a learned Divine hath defined it Cultus qui tendit in Deum anquam in bonum nostrum Ames Medull Theol. saith he it is a worship which extends to God as our present good Now that Faith is proper to Christ as part of divine worship I need not say much to prove because the scriptures are so clear in it as Joh. 14.1 Ye believe in God believe also in me i. e. believe that I am the second Person in the blessed Trinity therefore am able and faithful to perform what I have said and promised unto you Repentance towards God and Faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ Now we know that the Scripture saith it is sin to trust in man Act. 20.21 and a curse to them that rely on him for salvation nay to believe or depend upon Angels because they are but creatures Jer. 17.5 and it would derogate from the honour of God that we should believe for salvation from any but from him who is all-sufficient and all-mighty to save 2ly as Faith so Prayer which is part of divine worship is frequently made unto Christ Prayer as one saith is made up of two species or kinds Orationis species Duae sunt Petitio gratiarum actio Ames Phil. 4.6 scil Petition and giving of Thanks Be careful for nothing but in every thing by Prayer and Supplication with Thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God for he alone is the true object of all religious services as Christ told Satan It is written thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve But I suppose Mat. 4.10 this granted by all Oratio est voluntatis nostrae religiosa representatio coram Deo ut illa Deus quasi afficitur Ames Medul Theol. that Prayer is a religious Act. And thus that excellent Author defines it Prayer saith he is a religious representation of our will before God that he may as it were be affected with it My work then is to enquire whether this part of divine honour be given unto Christ Jesus as 1 Petition in the 2 Cor. 13.14 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all Amen so 2 Thess 3.18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all Amen 2 Tim. 4.22 The Lord Jesus Christ be with thee All which prove that petitions are made to Christ and that for the highest mercy scil grace and peace Tim. 1.2 Rom. 16.20 21. 2 Thes 1.2 which comprehend most spiritual blessings and seeing the Apostle prays for these things it proves that he is a divine Person from whom he requests them or else he could never give such mercies for who can give grace but God alone who is the fountain of grace Eph. 2.13 14 16. now grace peace flow from the Lord Jesus to poor sinners for he has made peace by the blood of his Cross it is he that has purchased peace for believers with his Father and grace in an abundant measure Joh. 1.16 I am come that they might have life that they might have it more abundantly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gratiam super gratiam life is put here for grace other spiritual blessings for it is out of his fulness we all receive and grace for grace There is a fulness of redundancy that dwells in the Lord Jesus and well it may for there dwells in him the fulness of the God-head Bodily Col. 2.9 Rom. 9.5 Therefore the servants and true worshippers of God make their petitions to the Lord Jesus for Grace who is God over all Blessed for ever Secondly The other part which is thanksgiving and praise is by the Apostle Ascribed to him 2 Tim. 4.18 And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work and will preserve me 2 Tim. 4 18. unto his heavenly Kingdom unto whom be glory for ever and ever Amen The context makes it evident that it is applyed to the Lord Jesus Heb. 1.6 When he bringeth his first
begotten into the World he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let all the Angels of God worship him The word among the Hebrews for Worship somtimes signifies Prostrating the whole Body as 2 Chron. 20.18 Jehosophat and the men of Israel did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fall to the Ground before the Lord 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such worship is given to the Lord Jesus Luke 17.16 The Lepper that was cleansed fell upon his Face at his Feet 2ly 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It signifies to inclinate and bend the Head as in Gen. 24.48 So the Angels are said to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 incurvate Verticis inclinationem significat and bend their Heads to understand the things concerning Christ in the Gospel 1 Pet. 1.12 3ly 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A stooping of the Head with the Superior parts of the Body Esther 3.5 4ly 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lastly they use a word for worship which signifies to bless with Bended knees 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 genuflectere Psal 45.6 O come let us Worship and bow down let us kneel before the Lord our maker so it is said Every knee shall bow to the Lord Jesus All these external gestures are to signifie the internal humble actings of the Mind Now seeing Angels are glorious Creatures and that part of worship scil Petition is not so proper to them therefore they are imployed in the other scil Praise and Blessing and Adoring of him although not for their redemption by him being never captivated yet for their confirmation and election in him for it is the opinion of our orthodox Divines that the Angels in Glory stand by vertue of their eternal election in Christ therefore they have cause to extol Rev. 5.12 13. praise and magnify the Lord of Glory we read that all Creatures in Heaven and in Earth are at this word giving honour and blessing and Praise to the Lamb for ever and ever This makes it evident that Divine Honour is attributed to the Lord Jesus and there are sure grounds for it if we consult and believe the Scriptures which term him Zach. 13.7 Phil. 2.6 The Fathers Fellow Equal to God i. e. the Father But because the Lord of Life and Glory did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 empty himself of his glory and honour when he assumed the humane nature and became Man therefore the most honour him little more than if he was a man I am somthing larger upon these particulars then I intended but when I consider what the Apostle said Phil. 2.10.11 Every Tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the Glory of the Father It is for the glory of God the Father as well as the good of Souls to understand aright and also confess this main fundamental truth scil the deity of Christ it oblieges me to inlarge a little Mat. 28.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the end I might make it more perspicuous I might heâ—r speak of being Baptized into his name Baptism is an Ordinance of Divine institution and to be Baptized in his Name 2 Tim. 2.19 is an obligation to become his in all ways of obedience to exalt his name and forsake Sin all ought to yield Love and Service to the Lord Jesus 6. Argument Shall be from the comparing Scripture of the Old and New Testament And we shall find that what is atributed to Jehovah in the Old the same is to the Lord Jesus in the New Testament and remember this we are to believe what the word of God saith and not what Caviling Unbelieving Men affirm in Numbers Num. 21.56 The People are said to Sin and Murmour against God for which he sent Fiery Serpents among them compare this with 1 Cor. 10.9 There it is said they tempted Christ for the Angel which conversed with Abraham wrestled with Jacob appeared to Moses Compare Psal 45.6 with Heb. 1.8 thy throne O God is for ever and ever and was with the Children of Israel in the Wilderness was the Lord Jesus as is excellently and evidently proved by Dr. Owen in his exercitations Psal 68.18 compared with Eph. 4.8 Psal 102.25 with Heb. 1.10 And thou Lord in the begining hast laid the foundation of the Earth compare Isa 8.13.14 with Luk. 2.34 Rom. 9.33 and 1 Pet. 2.6 These places evidently prove the deity of the Lord Jesus to any judicious and unprejudiced Reader compare Isa 6. with Jo. 12. in Isa t is said he saw the Glory of the Lord filling the Temple in Joh. it is said the Prophet then beheld the Glory of Christ Jesus compare Isa 40.9.10.11 with Jo. 10.11 In that Prophesie it is said behold your God and the Lord God will come and feed his Flock and it is applyed to the Lord Jesus in the Gospel in the last place compare Isa 45. 22 23 24 25. with Rom. 14.11 and Phil. 2.10 Do but read these Scriptures and Study the Intent and scope of them and then you will conclude with the Apostle that he is the true God and Eternal life 1 Jo. 5.20 I have not writ the Places at Large least my Book should swell too Big but I suppose you have Bibles and will Act. 17.11 like those Noble Bereans search the Scriptures 7. Argument To prove this great Point is this he that is the second Person in the blessed Trinity is God but Jesus Christ is so therefore he is God that there is a Trinity of Persons in the Unity of the essence is clear both from plain Scripture and also from Arguments deduced from thence The Scriptures to prove it are these 1 Joh. 5.7 For there are three that bear Record in Heaven the Father the Word and the Holy-ghost and these three are one This Scripture is sufficient one would think both to confirm the truth and also silence all Socinians that oppose it and that is but a weak evasion of theirs when they say it signifies no more than the words in the 8 verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—i tres unum sunt Beza scil that they agree in one for in the Original it is These three are one i. e. Three distinct Persons subsisting in one and the same indivisible essence Mat. 3.16 17. verses will serve in some measure to Prove the Point there is the Lord Jesus ascending out of the Water the Holy Spirit descending from Heaven and the Voice of the Father proclaming this is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased But a more plain Scripture is that Mat. 28.19 Go ye therefore and teach all Nations Baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost These Scriptures may suffice to prove the Trinity of Persons in the Unity of the Divine essence but farther to confirm this that there are three distinct Persons in one Divine essence it may be proved 1 From their several and distinct Names 2 From their distinct personal acts
when the Apostle Paul could say I use plainness of Speech But I think if this be well considered we should not so much stand off from coming to Christ because of this for suppose a person was going a journy into a strange Country but knew not the way and should come into a great Wilderness where many Paths present themselves but he knew not which would bring him to his journnys end and he meets a man there who knows the way very well of whom he makes inquiry to know the right way but this man answers in a Dialect or Language he understands not notwithstanding he could have answered him in his own Language in the first place would not he look upon his inquiry of him as unprofitable in the second place would he not condemn him of cruelty and unmercifulness Just thus it is between Ministers of the Gospel and poor sinners who are the travellers and in a wilderness there are many teachers who propose various ways of Salvation and the Minister of Christ is the man who meets the poor sinner in this bewildred condition and he enquires of him who knows the way to Sion but he answereth in a Language he cannot understand would not this savour of cruelty and affected pride is it not more grateful to speak so as to be understanded by the inquiring party yea certainly and most profitable to the soul therfore do not contemn Christs Doctrine or his Ministers for preaching of it plainly but rather rejoice Christ hath taken such care for thy soul that the way to happiness may be easily known if thou humbly seekest and enquirest into it I have been told that a Learned divine who in his preaching used much plainness and had done great service for the Gospel the good of souls but it happened that some more curious than wise reproached and scandalized him in secret saying he was no scholler c. He always used such a plain stile he being informed of it by some freinds prepares his Sermon for next Lords day composed most of Hebrew Greek and Latin and coming to preach he takes his text and delivers his Sermon in those languages The people being amazed for few or none understood him began to be troubled because they came there to be instructed but understood nothing so he took an occasion to ask them what they profited by that Sermon and withall sharply reproved them for their folly and madness in censuring his plainness in preaching which he intended only for their good It was that kind of preaching the Apostle Paul most affected 1 Cor. 1. chap. 2. And this if it be the pure Gospel is the most effectual for the conversion of sinners unto Christ there is the love the Wisdom and the power of God discovered in the Simplicity of Gospel truths therefore let not this hinder thee from coming to the Lord Jesus for undoubtedly he who gave to his Apostles all kinds of Tongues could much more have so spoken himself if it had been either for his or his Fathers glory or the good of poor Souls 2. The strictness of the Gospel it will not allow that Latitude and liberty which corrupt nature requireth therefore they refuse Christ and his Doctrine If the Gospel saith Christ hath redeemed us from all iniquity Tit. 2.14 We must no longer live in sin 1 Cor. 15.34 Awake to righteousness and sin not You must leave your former vain conversation you must be holy as God is holy you must take up the Cross of Christ and follow him Mat. 10.38 1 Pet. 1.15 Sinners are ready to reply with those disciples Jo. 6.60 This is a hard saying and who can bear it if we can have more liberty I only allude to it under Rehoboam which we may term the Gospel than under Solomon the Law we will serve if not Israel to your tents House of David look to thy self for we have no lot or inheritance with the son of Jesse 1 Kings 12.16 If they may have Christ and their lusts the pleasures honours and unjust profits of the world if the Love of Christ and the love of Mammon will agree together if the Samaritan Religion will serve i. e. to fear the Lord 2 Kin. 17.33 and worship their own Gods they would imbrace Christ and the Gospel but seeing those will not conjoin and stand together give us our swine but let Christ be gon if they come to him it is but to beg his retreat and that he would leave their coasts not at all desiring his presence but oh the folly of sinners to refuse coming unto Christ upon this account it would be their honour Lucurgus Solon their happiness their priviledge to be holy and free from the tyranny of base inslaving lusts which bring nothing but shame and detriment to the Soul Rom. 6.21 Mat. 16.26 Among the Heathens those Lawgivers were ever in most account who made the strictest and severest Laws against vice as being destructive to common wealths and shall not Christ the great Legislator be esteemed and imbraced for his holy and stricct precepts against sin which is destructive to precious Souls 1 Pet. 2.11 Obtain from fleshly Lusts which war against the Soul Observe this sinner Christs making his precepts strict which extend not only to the external but the internal man Mat. 5. chap. 10. Not because he hates but because he loves poor souls therefore let not the strictness of his Doctrines be an obstacle or let unto thee for none are more just in imposing precepts on their Subjects then Christ is Agesilaus King of Sparta said Plutarch when he heard the King of Persia called the great King Nemo me major nisi justior No man is greater than I unless he be more just and I say none can be more just than Jesus Christ is in his injunctions and commands therefore none more excellent or that doth better deserve thy obedience than the Lord of Glory 3. The powerfulness of his Doctrine Luk. 4.32 And they were astonished at his Doctrine for he spake with power Christ taught not as the Scribes and Pharisees for he loved to awaken sleepy consciences which they never reguarded they thought it sufficient to cleanse the outside but never reguard the internal part when Peter Preached that excellent Sermon Act. 2. and proved the Deity of him whom they had crucifyed vers 36. and vers 37. It is said they were pricked in their hearts it did not only reach the eare but it did affect and touch the heart but we may see an instance in Felix that when the word comes with power they cannot bear it Acts. 24.24.25 Felix sent for Paul and heard him concerning the faith in Christ v. 25. And be reasoned of Righteousness Temperance and Judgment to come Felix trembled and answered go thy way for this time when I have a convenient season I will call for thee Here it seems the Word came with power and touched his Conscience made Felix
tremble but he sends him away with this I will call for thee when I have a convenient season And how many such Felix's have we in our days They pretend to Love the Letter but cannot indure the power of the Gospel though it is the power not the Letter that must save their Souls Paul praised God for the power of the Gospel among the Thessalonians For we give thanks to God always for you because our Gospel came not to you in word only but in power 1 Thess 1.2.5 But how many turn their backs upon Christ his Ministers and his word because the power of the Gospel will not let them sleep in sin and go quietly to Hell with deluded ungrounded hopes of Heaven If John Baptist will preach and let Herod peaceably injoy his Herodias he will gladly hear him rejoice in him but if he preach powerfully Mat. 14. and reprove him because of his Herodias then through him into prison behead him rather than I will be seperated from my Herodias It is said Heb. 4.12 The word of God is powerful sharper than a Two-edged sword But sinners cannot endure the Keenness of it when it comes to dissect and lay open the Interiors those cursed principles of lust and wickedness which lodge within the soul they will then bid Adeiu unto Christ not considering that the Gospel is the power of God to salvation Rom. 1.16 Therefore this would be but a weak bulwork to keep the soul from coming to Christ if sin and Satan did not delude the soul 4ly There is this in the Doctrine of Christ which is an obstacle hindrance to sinners it condemns and casts away all selfe Righteousness in point of salvation and directs the sinner to Christ alone for it Isa 45.22 Look unto me and be yee saved Some of the Papists confess we are justified by the imputation of Christs righteousness Nos imputatione Christi meriti justificamur Tapper Tom. 2. art Cap. 36. all the ends of the earth for I am God and there is none else which as I have proved before is spoken of Christ Acts. 4.12 Neither is their Salvation in any other for there is no other name given under heaven whereby we can be saved The Scripture holds forth Christ as the only way to salvation Christ and his Apostles preached up this Doctrine God hath so loved the world that he hath given his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him shall not perish but have everlasting life So Christ is the way when the Jailor was convinced in his Conscience and cryed out What shall I do to be saved The answer was not become more righteous leave thy sins although that he must do but believe in the Lord Jesus and thou shalt be saved and thy house Acts. 16.30 31. This is the Doctrine of the Whole Assembly of the Apostles and Churches of Believers in Jerusalem We believe that through the grace of our Lord Jesus we shall be saved even as they Acts. 15.5 The Apostle Paul would be saved no other way Phil. 3.8.9 He would not be found in his own Righteousness but in the Righteousness of Christ But yet how many Thousand Souls have split and do daily split themselves upon this Rock They have stumbled at the stumbling stone Rom. 9.32 The Jews did so of old they would not with the Apostle Paul renounce their Pharisaical Righteousness They sought a Righteousness but not â—hat of faith therefore the Gentiles obtain it and they miss of it vers 30.31 Jesus Christ bids them come unto him without mony and without price but these will not come unto him unless their hands be full both of mony and price Propter incertitudinem propriae justitiae periculum inanis gloriae tutissimum est totam fiduciam in Sola Dei misericordia benignitate reponere De Justific l. 5. So it is and has been with the Papists and Quakers they have no need of a Christ and his Righteousness whilest they live but when they come to a death bed and conscience is a little awakened they will with that great Goliah Bellarmine who stifly contended for relyance on good works say * that because of the uncertainty of Mans own righteousness and the danger of vain glory it is the safest way for men to place their whole confidence in the mercy and goodness of God alone The Gospel exalts Christ but they debase him and set up themselves with their imperfect Righteousness rather than they will come to him in whome they may be compleat Col. 2.10 5ly The Doctrine of the Gospel ascribes the whole of our Salvation to free grace Eph. 2.5 By grace ye are saved and gives God all the Glory now the Arminians Quarrel at this and will have the grace of God no further free than we are free and have a power to accept of it therefore this keeps them from coming fully to Christ although they do pretend to believe in him because they will not quite renounce self for it is no true coming to Christ unless we come as lost condemned Wretches and not being able to help our selves in the work of our Salvation all is done by a free act of grace of the Father electing the Son redeeming and the blessed Spirit converting and leading the Sinner to the Lord Jesus for it is God who doth work all our works in us both to will and to do of his own good pleasure Phil. 2.13 and because of the Doctrine of election and the free grace of God many refuse to come unto Christ 6ly And lastly it is an hindrance because the Gospel commands all works of Righteousness yet none to be relyed upon 1 Cor. 15.34 Awake to Righteousness and sin not It is not sufficient that we avoide sin but we must also do good worke righteousness yet when we have done all to say we are unprofitable servants We have done that which was our duty to do Luke 17.10 The Gospel commands to love enemies at well as friends Mat. 5.44 Now these precepts will not well digest with those who are of a persecuting spirit Also the Gospel commands to love our Brethren 1 Jo. 3.54 to be charitable to be full of good works to be Zealous for God and the Gospel and it requires obedience to all the institutions of the Lord Jesus Tit. 2.14 but this the sin cannot away with to bring his neck under Christs yoke notwithstanding his yoke is easy and his burden is light Mat. 11.29 He loves to be at liberty that he may sin with freedome which is indeed the greatest slavery Now this stumbles the sinner that he must do that which is Righteous and holy and that at all times and to flee from the appearance of sin and fear nothing so much as it as Chrysostome said Nihil timeo nisi peccatum So that he looks upon it the greatest servitude imaginable to yield up himself unto Christ Then thinks he there is no meriting by what I
and the like cogitations into poor sinners but yet consider to be reproached for Christs sake is an honour Heb. 11.26 Moses esteemed the Reproaches of Christ greater Riches than the Treasures of Egypt observe it is said he esteemed them he put a high value upon them he was not ashamed of them but he accounted them his honour 2. It is better to be reproached and follow Christ than commended and follow Satan The meanest part of Christs service is more honourable than the greatest the Devil can confer upon you 3. It is the same that Christ and his Apostles did find in the world Joh. 15.18 19. If the world hate you saith Christ ye know it hated me before it hated you And vers 19. I have chosen you out of the world therefore the world hates you Luke 21.16 17. All freinds shall set themselves against you and ye shall be hated of all men for my name sake 4. It is better to have men and friends reproach and hate than our conscience to reproach and the great God to hate for ever And if thou dost not come to Christ be sure thou wilt have no peace in thy conscience nor any Love or pitty from God And if thou sufferest with Christ in thy name or whatever else thou shall be glorified with him Rom. 8.17 Then notwithstanding all these Devices of Satan come unto the Lord Jesus that thou mayst have rest for thy Soul 14ly By perswading the Sinner to rest in the performance of some Moral acts as temperance and just dealing abstaining from gross enormities which others daily fall into if they do fall yet they do not wallow in the mire By this Chain he held the Jews fast and many thousands of those who are called Christians I speak not against Morality for where there is not Morality there is no true Christianity but we must not rest here that by reason of this never come fully unto the Lord Jesus It has troubled me sometimes to see those who are high in Morality very just very Temperate and circumspect in their external deportment and all their actions are so regulated even to admiration but no Christ all this while discourse to them in their life time not a word of Christ come to them in times of sickness they have a refuge to fly to they never wronged any one they have not been guilty of Adultery Fornication and the like gross sins they have done what they could and they hope God will accept the will for the deed and the like but no mentioning of Christ here is no renouncing selfe they have laid Feeble foundation and have raised their superstructure but the next storm of Gods wrath will quite evert and overturn the building and demollish this stately Fabrick For other foundation can no man lay No other firm Gospel foundation such as will bear up the soul in the day of Gods wrath than that which is layed even Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 3.11 He is the only foundation of Gods elect ones Therefore be not deceived by this wile of Satan for although I must confess Morality is a duty incumbent upon all and I wish there was more used among them who are termed Christians yet this must not be thy Christ if thou expectest to be saved for There is Salvation in none other Acts. 4.12 If thou couldst live the life of an Angel sail Free from sin one only transgession excepted thou wouldst be undone for ever unless Christ should satisfy his fathers justice for that iniquity nay without thine actual transgression thine Original sin would damn thee except it were washt away with the blood of Christ for we all sinned in Adam Rom. 5.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in whom all have sinned and all thou canst do can never wash away that pollution for if Doing would have done it Christ needed not to have dyed Again if Morality would do the work in order to Salvation we may conclude that many of the Heathens and also of the Jews who never believed in Christ shall be saved but as the Apostle saith Gal. 2.16 By the works of the Law shall no flesh be justified Paul had abundantly more to say for himself in this case Phil. 3.3.4.5.6 Than many of our proud Pharisee's now a days yet he renounces all as not being safe to rest in and build upon and 〈◊〉 to Christ alone 7.8.9.10 verses So I would advise thee whoever thou art that dost peruse this treatise never to rest upon any foundation for thy eternal well being but upon the Lord Jesus Christ who is the Rock to build upon Mat. 16.18 15ly By the applause of men this Subtile Adversary hath detained many as he did the Rulers mentioned Jo. 12.42 Nevertheless among the chief Rulers also many believed on him but because of the Pharisee's they did not confess him least they should be put out of the Sinagogue And the reason is given ver 43. For they loved the praise of Men more than the praise of God I must not inlarge but know this is no good reason Hinc apicem rapax fortuna cum stridore acuto sustulit hic posuisse gaudet Hor for which is better the praise of Man or the praise of God do but judge the one is of finite dust the other of an infinite Jehovah The applause of men is like the bubble on the water which soon vanisheth it is uncertain as dayly experience teacheth us and it is dangerous for the soul because it often puffs up and elevates the mind to act above its own sphear and soar too nigh the schorching sun so that Icarus-like at last they come tumbling down into the Ocean of woe and Misery for God resisteth the proud but giveth grace to the humble Jam. 4.6 Consider but this to be a faithful disciple and Follower of Christ is greater honour than to be the highest Monarch upon earth and have no Interest in him for true honour is that which comes from God therefore seek not so much the vain applause of man Jo. 5.44 But that honour which comes from God By believing in the Lord Jesus 16ly Satan impedes many by keeping them in a mear external profession wholly neglecting the internal work of Grace as saving faith in Christ sincere Love to him to his Ordinances and to his members the work of regeneration upon the soul without which they can never be saved Jo. 3.3 Except a man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom These have the form but not the power of Godliness 2 Tim. 3.5 They profess Christ but in works deny him they are called Nathaniel's but indeed are full of guile they have the name of Christians but never labour to become true and sincere Christians they honour God in words but their hearts are far from him like unto the Jews they cry out The Temple of the Lord The The Temple of the Lord and yet disobey the Lord of the Temple So these cry up a Christ a Jesus
your selves and them who were entring ye hindred Or forbid those Lawyers called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are sometimes taken for the Scribes called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because they were writers of the Law and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 1.7 Dionisius de tribus sectis l. 2. Chap. 11. The teachers of the Law of Moses they did expound the Law to the People in Esra 7.6 But yet by their false interpretation took away the Key of Knowledg i. e. the right meaning of it and so shut out both themselves and others from happiness by their false and corrupt glasses Upon Texts of Scripture it is probable they prohibited and forbid the Jews to believe that Christ was the promised Messiah therefore they ought not to obey him who is the only way to Eternal Life Thus the Papists Socinians and Pelagians have perverted Souls and caused whole Kingdoms to deviate and turn out of that direct way which leads unto Christ but O what a dreadful account will these Soul-Murderers have to give in at the day of Christ The Papist is for his Works and Merits the Socinian for his Faith not laying hold upon the object and Foundation the Lord Jesus the Pelagian for his free Will he will come to Christ when he pleaseth Others by a bare notion and assent thus when they should do as the Apostle 2 Cor. 4.5 Not Preach themselves but Jesus Christ they on the contrary Preach down Christ and extol themselves but Sinner receive none of these Doctrines which Savour not of Christ but reject them with that saying of Augustine when he read Cicero's Works Dukes non sunt quia nomen Jesu non est in illis Aug. They are not sweet because the name of Jesus is not in them Let him be alone exalted and held forth as the Brasen Serpent for the Eye of thy Faith to look unto Jo. 3.14 That thou maist receive cure for thy wounded Soul 2ly By their evil example for this hath a great influence upon the common sort and generality of mankind Exemplis sanè qui docet ille docet He teacheth well who teacheth by examples These pretend to believe in Christ yet live like the Servants of Satan Linaker reading the 6. 7. Chap. of Mat. and considering the lives of Christians threw away his Testament saying Certainly Certè aut hoc non est Evangelium Christi aut nos non sumus Christiani either this is not the Gospel of Christ or we are not Christians I say this has been and is at this day a very great Let to poor Sinners and keeps them from coming to Christ The conversation of such who profess Christ ought to be mannaged so uprightly that thereby they might win others unto Christ I know the evil of this by experience for when I was Puris Naturalibus in my Natural State and Condition and observing the loose conversation of one who seemed a great Zealot for Christ and pure Christianity it proved an obstacle unto me for a time and kept me back from fully closing with the Lord Jesus Therefore I only say this Christians look to your lives that they be exemplary for holyness and Sinner look to the word of God which will lead thee unto Christ who is the best example and pattern of Piety 3ly By their Edicts and strict Laws against them and their threatning of them Thus the Jews threatned the Apostles that they should not Preach up Christ Act. 4.17 And thus the Papists threaten people with fire and faggot if they come unto Christ their Bloody Inquisitions scares many from believing professing and imbracing the truth of the Gospel this they have done ever since Christs time but let not these things deter thee but consider the answer of the Apostles when called before the Councel Act. 4.19 Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more then unto God judg ye 4ly By keeping the word of God from them and not permiting them to read the holy Scriptures which are able by the assistance of the holy Spirit to make one wise unto Salvation 2 Tim. 3.15 Chrisostom calls them Animae Pharmaca the Medicines of the Soul there the wounded may find cure the blind may receive sight the Scriptures are such a copious treasure that the Soul may have full supplies in time of straits there it may have councel as David had they were the men of his councel there the Soul may come to understand its misery the way of justification and Salvation by a Redeemer who and what person he is that he is the Eternal Son of God Jo. 3.16 The only begotten Son of God In fine there are all things necessary to Salvation it is like a well stored Magazin wherein there is plenty of Amunition to offend and defend against the Enemy and also plenty of Provision to supply the wants of those inclosed in the Garison But cruel Papists deny them to the Layety and by that means prevents them from knowing who Christ is and the necessity of coming unto him many have been converted by reading the Scriptures as Augustine Tertullian and Luther with several others therefore labour to get the Scriptures to read and understand them that thou maist come unto Christ and that thy Soul may be made eternally happy by him 5ly By persecuting of and destroying those who are Christs faithful Embassadors that would bring them to Christ Justin Martyr was converted by seeing the undanted Spirit of those who suffered for Christ And many more instances I might give Thus the Papists have spit out their poisonous venome how many have they made to deny the Lord that bought them although it must be confessed that God is pleased to order it so that Sanguis Martyrum est semen Ecclesiae The Blood of the Martyrs is the Seed of the Church and the more they have been oppressed the more they have Augmented and by scattering have been increased as they were in the Apostles days yet quite contrary to the design of their Adversaries as it is said of the great King of Assyria Isa 10. He designed to destroy Nations not a few But God designed no such thing but only to convert and chastise those who had sinned against him so the wicked persecutors of the World in all the ten bloody persecutions and in the Marian Days here in England their whole purpose and intent was to keep Persons from believing in Christ and laying hold upon him for Salvation therefore they destroyed the shepheards that the Sheep might go astray others through fear of their cruelty be impeded and letted from coming but that this may not hinder consider that to have Christ at a dear rate is better than to have the World at a Cheap for thou wilt infinitely be a looser if thou hast the whole world and yet missest of Christ One Christ will make thee amends for all thy sufferings and afflictions
of Gods grace and love in bestowing freely what the Sinner findes he needeth and what God requireth from him scil Faith in Christ Jesus Eph. 2.8 By grace ye are saved through faith and that not of your Selves it is the gift of God The Sinner wants Faith which is a supernatural of the Blessed Spirit Gal. 5.22 for without Faith there is no apprehending of Christ now God is pleased in his abundant mercy to confer this and all other graces upon the Sinner to the praise of the glory of his grace Eph. 1.6 3. To declare to man his own deplorable state and condition and that he may see what he has made himself by Sin he can do nothing in his lapsed fallen estate which conduceth to his eternal well being without me saith Christ ye can do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nothing Jo. 15.5 He doth not say ye can do no great thing without me but nihil nothing 4. That poor Creatures who are lost and undone by reason of Sin and who are imbecilitated and weakened through iniquity so that they cannot come themselves to Christ being convinced of the duty incumbent and the necessity of having this grace might more earnestly seek unto God for it and having obtained it highly esteem this Jewel for no Faith no Christ and no Christ no Salvation Jo. 3.36 5. This is to exalt the Lord Jesus in the estimation of miserable Sinners for being perswaded of the absolute necessity of this duty without which they cannot come unto the Father it will make Christ more desirable Jo. 14.6 I am the way the truth and the Life no man cometh unto the Father but by me i. e. By believing in Christ Jesus that is the only way to be reconciled to God and to obtain mercy from him For without faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11.6 or be any way grateful to him for God is so far from manifesting his Love to sinners whilst they remain strangers to Christ as that he rather hates them for God taketh complacency and delight 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chiefly in his Son Christ Jesus who is the eternal delight of the Father and may I speak with reference Prov. 8.30 and as I humbly presume congruent to the Analogy of Faith that God the Father takes delight or complacency in none neither Angels nor men except considered as elected in Christ because the finiteness of the Creature renders it not an adequate object for the delight of an infinite God or that he should fix his Love upon a Finite being when he is infinite and eternal for God loves not the Creature for it self for any intrinsick worth or excellency in it but for himself and so far as he hath ordained it for his glory there can be no additional felicity unto God the Creating of the Creature adds nothing to him neither doth the perishing of it detract any thing from him for he hath the same fulness and perfect object for his delight now as from all eternity scil his Son Jesus in whom he is well pleased For he is God blessed for ever Rom. 9.5 So that if we desire to be beloved of the Father or to have any manifestation of it to us we must go unto Christ in a way of Duty that he may confer and bestow those graces by which we may come unto him in a way of Mercy scil Repentance and Faith for as Christ has purchased Salvation so has he also the means by which we may obtain it and apply it to our own Souls as the Apostle saith Gal. 2.20 I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me and the Life which I now live in the Flesh I live by the Faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me By that Faith which Christ had purchased and his Spirit had wrought the Apostle did live I come now to the uses and application that may be made of this Doctrine 1. Information 2. Examination 3. Exhortation 1. It informs us of a great and indispensable duty for as I have before declared this receiving of looking coming unto and believing in Christ is a duty relating to all who expect salvation and are desirous to be eased of their Burthens which otherwise would press them down into everlasting misery it is by coming to Christ and believing in him that the Soul comes to be exonerated and eased from all its heavy loads of Sin and guilt it is a duty and a work that must be done Jo. 6.29 This is the work of God that ye believe in him whom he hath sent scil His Son Jesus Christ 2ly Learn hence the erronious falsity of those opinions that direct the Sinner some other way to seek for ease and help when it is only to be found in the Lord Jesus as Christ saith If ye believe not that I am he ye shall dye in your Sins Jo. 8.24 There is no other remedy for the wounded Soul but coming to the Blood of Christ no other Saviour for the lost Sinner but the Lord Jesus no other refuge for the persued Malefactor to sanctuary in but the name of the Lord Jesus Rom. 10.13 and there is none other that can bare away his burthens of guilt Levit. 16.22 into the Land of separation but the Scape-goat scil the Lord Jesus therefore they do but deceive and delude poor Sinners who direct them to any other for ease or comfort 3ly Learn hence that believing which is the right coming unto Christ is not meritorious because it is a Duty We are under a command of believing in Christ 1 Jo. 3 23. now that which is injoyned as a duty to do cannot be meritorious when done for the name of Duty doth casheir and cut off the very Sinnews and Strength of Merit Luk. 17.9.10 When we have done all we must say not complementingly we are unprofitable Servants for here is the Reason we have done but that which was our duty to do It is a duty to come and believe in Christ but our believing doth not merit or deserve that he should accept of us Believing in Christ is the work of the Spirit of God it is not by a mans own Power that he imbraceth him 2ly Use of Examination to know whether you are come unto Christ and indeed this is the Life of all for as the Apostle saith 2 Cor. 13.5 Examin your selves whither you be in the Faith prove your selves know you not your own selves that Jesus Christ is in you except you he Reprobates Here I shall propose this question how shall I know whether I am come to Christ Jesus or no I am satisfied that it is my Duty to come and that if I do not come I am undone and lost to all eternity I answer first If thou art come unto Christ the Father hath drawn thee Jo. 6.44 No man can come unto me except the Father which hath sent me draw him Now the Father draws by his election and so gives
9.13 but if thou art come to Christ thou willingly say'st with the Apostle Paul Phil. 3.9 And be found in him not having my own righteousness which is of the Law but that which is through the Faith of Christ the righteousness which is of God by Faith Thou lookest upon thy own as indeed it is imperfect and insufficient in point of justification and that it must by no meanes stand in competition with Christ and his righteousness 3ly Thou art made willing to accept and imbrace a whole Christ upon Gospel Termes Christ on the Throne as well as at the Altar Christ in his Kingly office to rule and govern thee to impose Laws and institutions which thou must obey as well as Christ a Priest to sacrifice himself that he might appease the Wrath of God satisfie his divine justice extinguish those flames with his Blood which sin had incendiated that he might procure Salvation for poor Sinners Christ in his prophetick office to teach and reveal his Fathers will to thee for no man can know the Father or his will as he ought but he to whom the Son will reveal them by his holy Spirit Mat. 11.27 Neither knoweth any man the Father save the Son and he to whom the Son will reveal him 1 Cor. 2.11 The things of God knoweth no man but the Spirit of God I say thou art willing to receive a whole Christ as the Gospel tenders and offers him to poor Sinners to be Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption 1 Cor. 1.20 Christ will either be a whole Saviour or none he will raign in the heart alone or not at all 4thly Thou art willing to obey the Lord Jesus in all his divine Institutions and commands and not say as those Disciples Joh. 6.60 This is a hard saying who can bear it thou dost not look upon his commands as grievous for his Yoak is easie and his Burthen is light Mat. 11.30 To will is present with thee although how to perform thou knowest not Rom. 7 18. Thy great desire is to walk in his Precepts and The Spirit is willing although the flesh is weak Mat. 26.41 Indeed this is the great tryal and touchstone by which we may know what Metal we are of If thou art not fruitful in obedience to Christ thou art none of his Disciples John 15.8 as the Apostle saith Know ye not to whom ye yield your selves servants to obey his servants ye are to whom ye obey whether of sin unto death or of obedience unto righteousness Rom. 6 16. it doth not trouble thee that his Laws are strict holy and good but thou art grieved that thy power is but imbecility and weakness so that thou canst not do that good which thou wouldest Rom. 7 15. Believers are the only persons that yield obedience to the Lord Jesus they follow him wheresoever he goeth Rev. 14 4. To all his commands thou art willingly subject and in all his Ordinances thou wouldst willingly be active Fifthly and lastly Thou art willing to deny thy self and follow Christ to the end notwithstanding those Mountains of difficulties that may oppose thee in thy Christian course both external and internal Luk. 14 26. If any man come unto me and hate not his Father and Mother and Wife and Children and Brethren and Sisters yea and his own life also he cannot be my Disciple Verse 27. And whosoever doth not bear his Cross and come after me cannot be my Disciple Self-denial is a special lesson to be learned in the school of Christ he was frequently when he was upon earth instructing his Disciples in this kind of Literature Christs Cross is to be learned even in the A B C of Christianity and Christians are daily to exercise themselves in the study of it that they may be good Proficients The Apostle Paul had made a fair Progress and was got to the highest Forme in Christs School when he could say God forbid that I should glory save in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ by whom the world is crucified unto me and I unto the world Gal. 6.14 This was a brave spirit in him that he could glory and boast of his afflictions and sufferings for the Lord Jesus Enemies and afflictions must be expected in the narrow way which leads to life and those who follow the Lord Jesus to the end will be followed by Satan and Temptation and yet for all these things the Spirit maketh the Soul willing to keep close to the Lord Jesus and once having chosen him never finally to forasake him Heb. 10.39 4thly The Spirit doth sanctify and regulate the affections which in the unregenerate state are totally vitiated in the unregenerate state the heart loves sin more than holiness the perishing Creature more than the eternal Creator it can delight in earthly carnal vanities but takes no complacency in the ways or things of God and Christ it can sorrow and lament for worldly sufferings and disappointments but hath no grief at all for sin and transgression of the holy Law of God and that affront upon the glorious Majesty of Heaven the unregenerate Mind fears more the displeasure of mortal Man whose breath is in his Nostrils then offending the great God who lives for ever but now the work of the Spirit is to purify and regulate these affections and passions of the Soul and fix them upon more suitable and God-pleasing objects and this he hath affected upon thy Soul if thou art brought home to the Lord Jesus Now thou canst say with David O how I love thy Law it is my Meditation all the day long Psal 119.97 The Law of thy Mouth is better to me than thousands of Gold or Silver ver 72. The Soul hath a high estimation of and valuation for the Law of God it esteems of God as the supream good because he is an all sufficient eternal and unchangable good he is the fountain which never ceaseth flowing a Sea not to be exhausted a Tree which always bears fruit therefore the Soul makes choice of him and highly magnifies him Christ is now an object thy heart doth most delight in and thou lookest upon all other things but as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dogs-meat in comparison of the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus Phil. 3.7 8. Thou canst say of Christ as the Philosopher lid of Vertue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is no possession more glorious and splendid more firm and permanent now thy heart hates and abhors that evil which before thou lovedst and thou lovest that good which formerly thy mind was a verse to 5thly and lastly If thou art come unto the Lord Jesus then the holy Spirit hath wrought all these graces within thy Soul which do manifest thee to be a real and sound Christian I shall only treat of these six Repentance Faith Love Hope Humility and Zeal where these are wanting in the heart Christ is not possessor there but where these are effectually wrought be sure
Luk. 15.19 My heart condemns me 1 Joh. 3.20 But do thou justify me upon the account of thy free grace in thy Son the Lord Jesus 6thly and lastly It doth in all still declare God to be just let his proceedings be never so severe Neh. 9.33 speaking there of the Afflictions God had brought upon the Children of Israel for their sins Howbeit saith he Thou art just in all thou hast brought upon us for thou hast done right but we have done wickedly Psal 51.4 That thou mightest be just when thou speakest and clear when thou judgest I have sinned and it is just with thee to condemn me whatsoever thou bringest upon me yet thou art just for I have transgressed thy commands 2dly The second Property is to depart and turn away from iniquity Man since the fall hath a natural pronity and propensity to follow sin and vanity but in true repentance there is a forsaking and turning from sin which the Schoolmen call the Terminus à quo the Term from which every sincere penitent doth turn there must be a tergiversation and forsaking all Iniquity 2 Tim. 2.19 Let every one that nameth the Name of Christ depart from Iniquity There are these four things implyed in our departing from Iniquity 1. A turning from it and forsaking of it a bidding adieu to all and every sin Acts 26.18 To turn them from darkness unto light and from the power of Satan unto God Acts 3.26 God having raised up his Son Jesus sent him to bless you in turning every one of you away from his Iniquity Isa 55.7 Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous Man his thoughts in which Scripture it is evident that to depart from sin is to forsake it utterly not to depart from it as a man doth from a Friend only for a while and with intentions of returning again but it must be a forsaking of it as one would do a strange and unpleasant Country designing never to return to it more 2. Cleansing ones self Jer. 4.14 O Jerusalem wash thine heart from wickedness Isa 1 16. Wash ye make ye clean put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes cease to do evil 2 Tim. 2.21 If a man therefore purge himself from these scil sins he shall be a vessel to honour sanctified and meet for the Masters use There must be a purifying and cleansing where there is right departing from iniquity not only the outside but the inside must be washed ‖ Jam. 4.8 the heart as well as the hand the fountain being corrupt and defiled it must be purified before any pure streams will issue there 3. The abstaining from all evil both internal and external 1 Thes 5.22 Abstain from all appearance of evil If but the shaddow of sin doth appear we must post away from it the very thoughts of evil God takes notice of therefore they are to be abstained from for they are as really sins as if they were acted externally Jer. 4.14 How long shall vain thoughts lodge within thee Vain thoughts are offensive to God and they are transgressions of his holy Law Prov. 24.9 The thoughts of foolishness is sin As to External sins I know it will be granted by most if not all that we should abstain from them 2 Tim. 2.22 Flee youthful lusts but follow righteousness 1 Pet. 2.11 Dearly Beloved I beseech you as strangers and Pilgrims abstain from fleshly lusts which War against the Soul 4thly and lastly The absession or departing from Iniquity is to go the quite contrary way scil the way of righteousness and holiness 2 Tim. 2.22 Flee youthful lusts but follow Righteousness Faith Charity Peace with them that call on the Lord with a pure heart As there is the departing from the one there is a walking in the other it is not enough to cease to do evil but there must be a learning to do well Isa 1.17 There is a way called the way of holiness which the righteous must walk in Isa 35.8 A high-way shall be there and a way and it shall be called the way of holiness the unclean shall not pass over it Christ hath redeemed his not only from Iniquity but that they should be Zealous of good works Tit. 2.14 3dly The next property of Evangelic Repentance is with the whole heart to turn to the Lord and this is called the Terminus ad quem the Term to which every true penitent does turn there were some we read of who returned but not to God Hosea 7.16 They returned but not to the most high It may be they turned from the gross and notorious sins to private and seemingly lesser sins the Prodigal turns covetous and the openly prophane become secret hypocrites but this is no repentance for there must be a total turning to the Almighty as in Jer. 4.1 If thou wilt return O Israel saith the Lord return unto me to me and to none other for else it is but a mocking of God and cheating our own selves to rest any where short of God is not real Repentance for it is the nature of it when wrought by the Spirit to lead the Soul home to God Isa 55.7 Let the wicked forsake his way and the Man of Iniquity his thoughts and let him return unto the Lord and he will have mercy upon him and to our God for he will multiply to Pardon There must be a converting to God the Lord for he is the Center of the Souls happiness as the needle once touch'd with the Loadstone turns to the North Pole continually so the heart once touched with true Repentance turns evermore to God The understanding will and affections are all now God-ward as being the chief Good 4thly The Nature of it is to bring forth fruit Mat. 3.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bring forth fruit meet for Repentance It may be rendered Therefore make manifest fruits worthy of Repentance Let the fruits of Grace Righteousness and holyness declare your Repentance to be true when the Tree brings forth no fruit we conclude it dead and sapless so if there is no fruit to be found no amendment of life no love to God and goodness then we may certainly conclude this work is not done upon the Soul for the true tears of Repentance do so water and bedew the Soul that forever after it is most fertile it is not as a Plant in a dry ground but as a Tree planted by the Rivers of water which brings forth fruit in due season Psal 1.3 If the ground brings forth nothing but Briers and Thorns it is near unto cursing if sin doth still predominate over the Soul and it is lead captive by lusts and enormities then it is far from blessing or partaking of that Evangellic grace of Repentance for where it is wrought by the Spirit of God it doth certainly bring forth fruit in some thirty in some sixty and in some a hundred fold to the eternal glorification of that God who works all
part trouble it is not only for the Soul but for the body too the Saints are in this life Compleat in Christ Col. 2.10 Buâ— the time is hasting in which Soul and body shall be compleat and perfect in rest and also it is a perfect rest from all sorrows and molestations whatsoever Isa 35.10 3ly A holy rest for there is no unclean thing enters into that rest Rev. 21.17 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth neither that worketh abomination or maketh a Lye but they which are written in the Lambs book of Life It is the place and seat of the holy God and there are none but holy Angels and Saints to attend the great Jehovah who inhabits this holy Place Isa 57.15 For thus saith the high and lofty one that inhabiteth Eternity whose name is holy I dwell in the high and holy Place O who would not desire to injoy this holy place of rest where there is no defilement or corruption but all persons and things are holy therefore come unto Christ to the end thou mayst obtain rest for it is holy 4ly It is a glorious rest and who is able to express the Glory of it 2 Cor. 4.17 Our light afflictions which are but for a moment worke for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory Hyperbolies of Glory far transcending our shallow Capacitys and weak conceptions it is a participating of the same Glory with Christ Rom. 8.17 If Children then Heirs Heirs of God and joint Heirs with Christ if so be we suffer with him that we may also be Glorified together It is a glorious rest in these respects 1. The most glorious God Trinity in Unity Father Son and holy Spirit keep their residence 〈◊〉 splendent Glory in that place where the Saints shall take up their â—est Although God fills the Heavens â—nd the Earth with his presence as â—eing infinite in his essence and so can be excluded no where neither can be included in any circumferrence limits or bounds yet more especially he makes manifest his glorious and majestical unipresence in the imperial heavens for there he keeps his glorious Court and shines forth in the beams of his brightness and makes evident his refulgent glory Rev. 21.22.23 And I saw no Temple therein for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the Temple of it and the City had no need of the Sun neither of the Moon to shine in it for the Glory of God did Lighten it and the Lamb is the Light thereof 2. There are none but Glorified Creatures that are inhahitants of this glorious Pallace attending always upon the Lord the great Jehovah Seraphins and Cherubims surround his Throne singing forth his magnificent Glory Isa 6.1.2 3. Crying out Holy Holy Holy Lord God of Hosts And Glorified Saints they are at this work extolling and magnifying the great God Rev 4.10.11 and in the 19. Chap. They are singing forth Halelujah Salvation and Honour and Glory and Power unto the Lord our God 3. It is a Glorious Rest in respect that the Saints shall have a glorious view of the beatifical vision They shall behold the Glorious God 1 Jo. 3.2 We shall see him as he is Here no mortal Eye can behold him and Live but there all Clouds shall be disipated the Curtains drawn a side the vision shall be perspicuous here we see but in a Glass darkly but then Face to Face 4ly It is a Glorious rest in this that the Saints are not only blessed with the vision of this Glory but they have glory conferred upon them all they do not only see him but are made like unto him They shall all Raign as Kings and Princes for ever Rev. 3.21 and 4.10 Here the Saints are looked upon as contemptible Creatures and the World hates them and for the most Part tramples them under foot but Christ will confer such a Glorious rest upon them that they shall be exalted above their Enemys and shall Raign with him in Glory and that to eternity which leads me to the last particular and that is this that this Rest which Christ will give to all them that come unto him and accept of him is fiftly and lastly an everlasting Rest 1 Thes 4.17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the Clouds to meet the Lord in the Air and so shall ever be with the Lord. Indeed this is the Crown and Happyness of all that it shall be to eternity not for a day a year or thou sands of years but as long as God is and Christ is which will be for ever so long shall the Saints inherit and possess Glory therefore it is called immortal Glory and eternal Life Rom. 2.7 To them who by Patient continuing in well doing seek for Honour and Glory and immortallity and eternal Life O the sweetness and comfort that is in the word Eternal to all those that believe Most People would think themselves happy if they could have Tabernacles of rest built for them whilst they are in this World which very rarely exceeds the time of threescore years and Ten but what is this comparable to that Eternity of Rest prepared for the Saints when they shall be taken up to live with Christ for ever Satan is a Lyer when he promiseth Rest for he can never give it The World is continually attended with preturbations dsiquietness or at the best with an imperfect Rest but those who close with Christ shall injoy an everlasting and perpetual Rest and what greater motive can there be to induce poor Sinners who here are in continual Labour and wearying themselves under heavy and intollerable burthens it is most certain that there is no rest that will comfort the Soul to be found out of Christ it is he that can give rest unto the weary it is he that hath purchased rest for the Labouring and heavy Laden and withal he condescends to invite and has promised that those who come and believe in him shall have a rest from the dominion of Sin from the Tyranny of Satan and a Soul-Rest in this Life and also they shall have a true and perfect a holy and glorious Rest and in fine an eternal Rest which adds exceedingly to the felicity of the Saints therefore as I began so I shall conclude with the words of the Lord Jesus varying the Person Come unto him all ye that Labour and are heavy Laden and he will give you Rest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 FINIS