then come unto Christ as labouring under the intollerable Burthen of sin for sin is a heavy burthen although multitudes in the world count it light as may be seen by their chearful countenances merry hearts jovial lives and running and drawing under this burthen into Eternity being very little concerned for the weight of it Holy David was sensible of the ponderosity of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Onus grave when he cried out Psal 38.4 Mine iniquities are gone over my head as agrievous they are too heavy for me The pressure of sin lay so hard upon poor David that it made his back bend his heart pant his tongue roar and his groanings to multiply as may be seen in that 38. Psal at large So Psal 40.12 Innumerable evils have compassed me about mine Iniquities have taken hold of me so that I am not able to look up they are more than the hairs of my head therefore my heart forsaketh me He was so bowed down under this burthen that he could not elevate himself nay it made his very heart forsake him when he considered the gravity and innumerable number of them but what did David do in this case why he goes to God through Christ for ease from this great and heavy burthen Psal 25.11 For thy Name sake O Lord pardon mine Iniquity for it is great great both for weight and number therefore for thy Names sake magnify thy grace and what was the Issue see Psal 32.5 I said I will confess my transgressions to the Lord and thou forgavest the Iniquity of my Sin He went with this Burthen to the Lord and found Mercy and Pardon from him so must thou do Go to Christ under the sense of the weightiness of your sins and beg him according to his promise to ease thee of thy burthen which otherwise will sink thee down into eternal misery for it weighed Angels out of Glory and now confines them under Chains of darkness therefore come unto Christ for he will not refuse thee because of the greatness of thy burthen but rather imbrace thee for the Exaltation of his free grace 3ly Come labouring under a deep sense of the immense and intollerable weight of the wrath of God for who can endure if he be inraged or what can stand and oppose if God be the Antagonist Job 9.34 by nature we are all under this burthen Eph. 2.3 And were by Nature Children of wrath even as others i. e. by nature we are subject and liable to Divine vengeance because the imputation of the guilt of Adams transgression abides upon us and the corruption of Nature is derived unto us The extream weightiness of this wrath makes damned Angels and wicked Spirits roar lament and gnash their teeth It is more tollerable * Poets Fiction Atlas-like to bear the Heavens upon our shoulders or to lye under Rocks Mountains thousands of years then to abide under this wrath but a day nay an hour nay a minute for it burns yet never utterly consumes it presseth heavy without mitigation now there is no releasement from the obnoxiousness to this wrath but from a deep sense of the grievousness of it by applying our selves speedily to the Lord Jesus for it is he alone that can deliver from the wrath that is to come 1 Thes 1.10 come unto Christ with a sense of it upon thy heart whilst thou art here that thou maist not see the intollerableness of it hereafter 4ly Come to Christ as labouring under and being heavy laden with the curse of the Law and the Empire of death I mean by the Empire of death not only our obnoxiousness to the stroke of death upon our bodys but the sting of death and the eternity of it in regard of our Souls Death has raigned by reason of sin Rom. 5. over the bodys of all two or three excepted and over the Souls of most even from Adam to Moses and from Moses untill Christ and from Christ even to our days Death is a universal Monarch his Empire is from East to West and from North to South There is no escaping his fatal blow Only believers then take their flight from a dead Corps to Christ who is their life from a muddy Tabernacle to a glorious city Rev. 21.22.23 Col. 3.3 Heb. 12.28 Rom. 2.15 from a tottering Cottage to a firm Kingdom from a dark and mortal state to a splendent and immortal glory for although the body dyes yet the life of the Soul is secure as Being hid with Christ in God Col. 3.4 Believers can never dye take it in a Spiritual sence so long as God and Christ live but yet I say the way to be freed from the eternal Bondage of this deadly Monarch is to come unto Christ for Ease from this burthen also Moreover the burden of the curse of the Law must be taken away or else the former Emperor will keep his dominion Gal. 3.10 As many as are of the works of the Law are under the curse for it is written cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the Law to do them But seeing we have not continued in all things to do them and therefore are under the curse what must we do now but go unto Christ who was made a Curse for us Gal. 3.13 Christ hath redeemed us from the Curse of the Law being made a Curse for us Now the Judge when he gives forth pardon to the Malefactor expects that he should be sensible of the greatness of his guilt and also of his desert the sentence of Condemnation having passed upon him so Christ expects a sensible owning the Curse and Misery we are under that his grace may be magnified in our relief succour and Salvation 5thly Come unto Christ as labouring under the cruel tyrany of Satan for Satan is the Prince of the Powers of the Air Magnitudo mali in quatuor consistit quae sunt peccati gravita quae Dei immensum intollerabile pondus Mortis imperium Tyrannis Diaboli quae tollere abolere placare vincere nemo potuit nisi Deus Bucan and he rules in and over the children of disobedience and there is none that can deliver from this tyranny but Christ for as one reasoning why it behoved Christ the Redeemer to be God said it was for two causes 1. Ob magnitudinem mali For the greatness of the Evil by which mankind was pressed down 2. Ob magnitudinem Boni For the magnitude of the good which could be restored by no man nor Angel unto mankind but only by him who is God now the greatness of the Evil which Christ underwent and in fine overcame consisted in bareing the weight of Sin the intollerable burden of Gods wrath and in conquering Death and the tiranny of Satan which none could or was able to do but he that was God-man by his own mighty Power so that seeing Christ hath done these things for all those that
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
Field for Consider although Satans Darts are terrible yet the terrors of the Lord are infinite and there is none but Christ alone that can deliver thee from them both therefore come and lay hold upon his strength Isa 27.5 24 Is by another means perswading the Sinner his Sins are greater than can be Pardoned and it will prove in vain to seek for a remission of them God never promised Pardon or acceptance to such a one Christ dyed not for such Crimson Sinners therefore it is the best way to sit still and bare his burthen with content for there is not Vertue in the Blood of Christ to wash their filthy and polluted Souls or to justify them from their guilt then he aggravates the hainousness of his Sins in the number nature and circumstances of them the number infinite the nature abominable and considering the circumstances irremissable here he terrifies the poor Soul so that it finds no rest because it hath had Sin presented through a magnifying glass but the mercy of God in Christ to be small and altogether too short to cover his Wounds or cure his distemper by this Dart he drives away the Sinner from coming unto Christ as Adam and Eve were driven out of Paradice least they should eat of the Tree of Life and live for ever But believe not Satan when he thus Wars against the Soul for the mercy of God in and through Christ to poor Sinners is infinite the Price which Christ paid was infinite I write not this that Sinners may presume but that poor penitents may come unto Christ for mercy It was the Blood of God Act. 20.28 Therefore he is able to save to the uttermost Heb. 7.25 Although thy Sins are great yet the mercy of God and the merit of Christ are much greater Therefore come unto Christ when Satan thus assaults thee and see whether he has not purchased Pardon for thee are thy Sins greater than Peters who denyed his Lord Master do they exceed Manasses Idolatry Murder Witchcraft 2 Chron. 33.6 or Paul when a Persecuter and Blasphemer and Injurious 1 Tim. 1.13 Yet these penitentially returning to God found mercy through the Lord Jesus Rom. 5. By him we have access into this grace wherein we stand 25. He doth all he can to bring the Soul into dispair and to cry out as those Jer. 18.12 There is no hope but we will walk after our own devices and we will every one do the Imagination of his own Heart Thus he served Judas first leads him into Sin then into dispair and makes him lay violent hands upon himself and that notable instance of Francis Spira who left the World in a dispairing condition for his denying the Lord Jesus This doth exceedingly dishonour God when we dispair of finding mercy unbelief is the main Wheel that moves this Engine of dispair 1. It calls Gods Pity and Mercy into question as in Psal 77.8 Is his mercy clean goâ—… for ever 2. His Love and Grace vers 9. Hath he forgotten to be gracious 3. His Faithfulness as in vers 8. Doth his promises fail for evermore 4. His Omnisciency and is ready to tax God of imperfection Like unto Man hath he forgotten saith the dispairing Soul By this Dart he hath for a time kept some of the elect from coming unto Christ till the Lord Jesus hath broke in and rescued the captive out of his hands and declared his faithfulness to his promise and his readiness to save all repenting believing Sinners Luk. 4.17 it is certain that Satan keeps off more by presumption then by dispair but when the one will not effect his grand design scil The destruction of the Soul then he will make his best improvement of the other if he cannot make the Sinner run precipitantly into Hell he will labour to bring him into dispair of ever getting to Heaven now seeing Satan is thus busy watch against his Wiles Devices and fiery Darts remember what is said Heb. 2.17 Jesus Christ is a Merciful and faithful High Priest And in that Jo. 1.9 If we confess our Sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our Sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness Therefore I say be not discouraged but come unto Christ and thou shalt find Peace for thy Conscience and rest for thy Soul 26. Another fiery Dart by which Satan deters Poor Sinners from coming unto Christ is by telling them there is no God Psal 10.4 The Wicked through the Pride of his countenance will not seek after God God is not in all his thoughts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or as in the Hebrew all his thoughts are there is no God There have been and are some who have attained to that degree of impudence as to deny that there is an eternal being who himself was before all and gave being and existence to all Creatures Diagoras Milesius and Protagoras Abderites and Theodorus commonly called the Atheist and others in former times denyed that there is a Numen or Deity that by his omnipotency hath created all things and it is very much to be lamented that there have been and are at this day in England those who boldly and impudently write and dispute against this eternal divine truth these have suffered the wicked one to abcecate the Eye of reason and so they are led captive by him at his will but methinks it is one of the absurdest points that may be for a rational Animal thus ignorantly to reason what is there not a supream being who created sustaineth and gubernates all things It is most impudent to assert the negative for either they must be produced into being from themselves and so prove Independent or else it is from some more noble supream and eternal being who himself wants beginning and so consequently will never cease to be according to that maxim Lacttantius du plesses de vera Religione Rawleighs Guost cum multis aliis Quod caret principio effective caret etiam fine That we have not our being from our selves that no creature can be the immediate Efficient or first moving Principle in the production of it self but that there is a supream Author and Efficient of all things whom we call God hath been so copiously proved by many Famous Men both for Piety and Learning that I shall not now insist on it Nay some of the Heathen Phylosophers have owned and declared that there is a God the natural Phylosopher proves it Ex motu fine causa efficiente From the Motion the End and the efficient Cause Ens Finitum a finite thing Closed within bounds and limits as this World and every Creature in it is could not be but from some Maker or Creator with many Arguments to confirm it The Moral Phylosopher hath found many strong Arguments that there is a God as from the Natural inclination and propensity that is in Man to confess and own some God or Deity for as it is seen in all Nations
the Soul hath closed with him 1. Then I say thou art brought to Repentance this was the Doctrine John Baptist preached Mat. 3.2 Repent ye for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand Christ preached it Luke 13.35 Except ye repent ye shall likewise perish The Apostle Paul preached up this Truth Acts 20. and 21. Repentance towards God That they should repent and turn to God and do works meet for Repentance So that we see here is an absolute necessity of this grace being wrought in the Soul The Apostle speaks of a Repentance unto life Acts 11.18 Then hath God granted unto the Gentiles Repentance unto life Here I suppose thou mayst be ready to propose this Query how may I know whether my repentance be unto life or no I answer there is a twofold Repentance Legal and Evangelical I shall pass by the first and only speak to the last being that which resolves the Query an Evangellic Repentance may be known these three ways 1. by the Objects of it 2. by its Nature and Propertys 3. by the several effects of it When I have declared these things in particular thou mayst resolve thy self whether this grace be wrought in thy Soul by the holy Spirit or no. 1. An Evangellic Repentance may be known by its objects by Objects I mean those things the Soul eyes and looks upon when it is moved thus to repent and they are these five 1. sin 2. the Law 3. God 4. Christ 5. Gospel 1. sin both original and actual Psal 51.5 Behold I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my Mother conceive me 1 and 2 ver According to the Multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions Wash me throughly from mine iniquity and cleans me from my sin 3 ver My sin is ever before me How often doth the Prophet mention his sin This cut and wounded his Soul that he had sinned the Soul looks upon sin both externally internally secret as well as publick Psal 19.12 It looks upon sin as sin Therefore Mourns over it with a Godly sorrow Sin is such a vile thing in it self Satis enim nobis simodo in Philosophia aliquid proficiemus perswasum esse debet si omnes Deos hominesque clare possimus nihil tamen avare nihil injuste nihil libidinose nihil incontinentur esse faciendum Cicero de Offic. that the Heathen Phylosopher could say we ought to be perswaded if we have made any proficiency in Phylosophy if we could be secret or hid from all Gods and Men yet to do nothing avaritiously nothing injustly nothing lustfully nothing incontinently but the true gospel-Penitent looks upon it as the worst of evils the Soul polluting evil Soul deforming and Soul damning evil it cannot look upon Sin with a pleasant aspect when grace is truely active the Soul cannot behold Sin without a sigh in the Heart or tear in the Eye Wo unto us that we have Sinned saith the Church Lam. 5.16 All who have been brought home to Christ have come by weeping Cross lamenting and bewailing their Sin they have looked upon Sin as the heaviest burden Psal 384 and the bitterest Pill that ever they took 2ly The next object is the Law when the Soul looks upon the holyness justness and goodness of the Law it cannot but mourn because it hath violated and transgressed it Every Sin is a transgression of the Law 1 Jo. 3.4 We find it thus with the Servants of God in their confession and humiliation for Sin when they repented they had an Eye to the Law Ezra 9.10 And now O Lord what shall we say after this for we have departed from thy commandments Dan. 9.5 We have Sinned and committed Iniquity and have done wickedly and have rebelled even by departing from thy Precepts and thy judgments Thus we see they had an Eye to the Law of God which was broken by them and it was the trouble and grief of their Souls and so it hath been with thee if thy repentance is true 3ly The Soul hath an Eye to God When it considers God to be an infinite good and yet he hath been slighted a gracious God yet he hath been offended a loving and merciful Father yet he hath been abused a glorious God and yet he hath been dishonoured this melts the Soul into tears because it hath thus requited the Lord for all his mercys what saith the Soul hath he given me my being Act. 17.28 and 20.21 and that for this end that I should glorify him love fear and serve him and that to the uttermost both with my Soul and Body have I wicked wretch dishonour'd him sinned against him from the very womb I went astray followed the cursed immaginations of my own base heart my ears were open to the whisperings and suggestions of Satan that enemy to my Soul but they were shut and deaf to the calls of God my Creator from whom I receive my All and to whom I owe all that I am or can be all the members of my Body and all the faculties of my Soul should have been imployed in obedience to his will but I vile wretch that I am have neglected disesteemed and offended my gracious God Psal 51.4 Try if this has been the language of thy Soul I have Sinned against my God and therefore I mourn and Oh that my head was a fountain Jer. 9.1 and my Eyes Rivers of Tears that I could weep day and night for my Sins 4ly True repentance hath Christ for its object Zach. 12.10 And I will pour upon the house of David and upon the Inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and of supplication and they shall look upon me whom they have peirced and they shall mourn for him as one mourneth for his only Son and shall be in Bitterness for him as one that is in bitterness for his First born Here we see a prophecy of Christ to be fulfilled in the latter days doth clearly confirm this truth And thus it is with every Gospel-penitent who comes unto Christ he looks upon the wounds of Christ by the Eye of Faith the Eye affects the Heart and makes the Sinner mourn and lament that he should be wounded for his Sins and bruised for his Iniquitys that the chastisement of his peace should be upon him and that by his Stripes he should be healed Isa 53.5 O how doth the consideration of this wound the poor Soul and makes it kindly mourn over all those Sins and transgressions which wounded and peirced the Lord Jesus It hath an Eye to the Person that suffered a glorious Person the second in the Blessed Trinity God-Man shed his Blood for my Sins Act. 20.28 O the heinousness of my Sins that no meaner Person could suffer for them Again it looks upon the sufferings themselves they were Torments Chastisements Bruises and Stripes the inflictions were infinite to satisfie for infinite Transgressions he was wounded in his Body by wicked Men and he was wounded in his Soul from
all happiness peace and glory but the wrath of God abideth on him And who can define or conceive the greatness of that Wrath or who can indure it Isa 33.14 Who can dwell with devouring Fire who can lie dow in everlasting flames Therefore Sinner come here is Glory refuse and perish for ever The five Foolish Virgins were shut out of Heaven because they came not to Christ in their Life time for saith Christ I know you not If they had come to Christ before Mat. 25.10.11.12 he had known them at this time also if they had believed in him for as I have shewed coming is believing they would certainly have been saved by him for saith Christ I will in no wise cast out those who come unto me Jo 6.37 6. Reas He invites because this was the end for which he came into the World it was to seek as well as to save them which are lost Luke 19.10 For this very end he devested him-himself of Glory and took upon him a servil condition Jesus Christ came into the World to save Sinners 1 Tim. 1.15 Not to be only an Example as some fondly conceive but he came to save them and that Sinners believing in him might obtain eternal Life what is the main scope of the Gospel but to hold forth and tender Christ Jesus a Saviour to miserable Sinners and to call after them to believe in and imbrace him Jo. 3.16 For God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son there 's the tender of Christ that whosoever believeth in him shall not perish but have everlasting Life observe the words Believe in him Not only believe for that is not faith properly which is not in Christ Act. 20.20 Repentance towards God and faith towards Jesus Christ So that I say this was Christs design that Sinners might come unto him therefore he intreats them and calls after them to accept of him that they may live by him I come now to the application which shall be 1. For Information 2. Reprehension 3. Councel 1. For Information Doth Christ invite sinners to come unto him learn hence the gratious condescention and humility of Christ Here is mercy upon her knees to teach misery to bow It is great condescension if we consider well who he is that ivites as I before manifested he is not a meer-man or an Angel but God blessed for ever not a Creature but the Creator the Heir of all things the possessor of Heaven Earth it is great condescention in a Lord to court his offending Servant to be reconciled a King his rebellious Subjects but this surpasses all examples as it is Storied of Augustus that Ei gratius fuit Nomen Pietatis quam potestatis That the name of Piety was more grateful to him then the name of Potency So much better may it be said of Christ Ei gratius fuit nomen humilitatis Mat. 9.13 quam potestatis Humility more then power Mat. 11.29 Learn of me for I am meek and lowly of Spirit 2. If we further consider who they are he invites not the righteous but Sinners not those who have light Burdens a few Sins as they may conceive abundance of Morality though this is commendable excellent education a sweet and flexible disposition of a noble extraction Wealthy and Honourable but they are the heavy laden ones Mat. 11.5 Luk. 4.18 19 20. the Sick the Poor and needy the Blind the Lame the Distressed the Captivated the Lost these are the Persons that Christ invites 2ly It informs us of the immensity and profundity of the love of Christ Eph. 3.18.19 That you may be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the Breadth and Length and Depth and Height 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledg It is unparalled Love beyond expression and beyond conception it is as long as eternity as high as Heaven To love saith the Philosopher Is to wish that which we esteeem good to any one and to the uttermost of our power procure that good unto him This diffinition may truly be applyed to Christ for he desires they may participate of the greatest good scil His Fathers Love and of himself and of eternal rest and happiness and Christ Jesus hath procured all these for Poor Souls if they will but come unto him he invites the unworthy the undeserving that he may shew mercy unto them David did shew great love to the house of Saul when he sent for Mephibosheth to eat bread at his Table but yet nothing comparable to this of Christs calling after Sinners to come and sit down with him in his Kingdom 2 Sam. 9.56 Rev. 3.21 2. Use is of Reprehension to Sinners in General that refuse to come Doth Christ invite thee and wilt thou refuse to come doth he condesend to woo and intreat thee and wilt not thou consent shall he call and wilt thou stop thine Ears shall he be willing to ease thee of thy Burden and wilt thou be unwilling to accept of Rest What shall Mercy intreat Orat. Misericordia tacet miseria and shall misery be Silent Shall the Physitian offer Cordials freely and the Patient refuse and Perish what must the Judge court the guilty condemned Malefactor to accept of a Pardon Orat. Judex silet Reus and shall he obstinately slight it O what stupidity what folly and ingratitude is this to the Lord of glory when he so friendly invites thee dost thou think thy blind excuses will serve thee in the day of Christ like those in Luk. 14.17 18 19 20. But more particularly 1. This is a reproof to those who condemn this invitation and O how many justly fall under this reproof many contemn it because they Imagin they have better provision then Christ can give unto them his Person is contemned by them his tenders of grace Slighted his Ordinances disregarded his name must be rooted out from their Israel they see no necessity of coming to him they have a better foundation to build upon contrary to the great Apostles Doctrine 1 Cor. 3.11 he saith Thus Sinners Imagine Christ is the only Foundation But they can build upon something either within or without them that will support their tottering structure firmer than the Rock of Ages the Lord Jesus therefore they contemn both Christ and coming to him we will not believe in him we will believe in our selves say the deluded Quakers we have somthing within Our Light will save us but what if your Light be darkness so the Papists say for they are nearly allyed we care not for coming for we have enough either of our own works of supererrogation or else in the Church Treasury and if I but open and empty my Bag Luk. 24.25.26 the Pope will fill my Hand with other mens good works and merits sufficient to procure Life for me but O Fools and slow of Heart to believe what
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
shal ye be my Disciples Thus thou wilt manifest thy self that thou art come to Christ and to be one of his Disciples if thou indeavourost to glorifie God 2. Thou art inlightened to know thy duty towards thy Neighbour as Christ saith This is the second great Commandment to love thy Neighbour as thy self Mat. 22.39 1. To love his Person as he is the workmanship of God fearfully and wounderfully made Psal 139.14 Thou art to love him not to envy him Let not thy Heart envy Sinners but be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long Saith the wise man thou maist hate the Sins of thy wicked Neighbours because they are against God and his own Soul but thou art to Love his Person because he may be converted and shine gloriously for ever you may be Heirs together of the same happiness 2. And principally to desire and indeavour the good of his Soul by seasonable reproof for Sin Lev. 19.17 Eph. 4.25 and by admonition and exhortation unto good which tends to the eternal well being of his Soul I might number up many more as to tender his Name and Reputation not any way to prejudice him in his estate but I must contract 3. Thou art instructed thy duty concerning thy self as 1. To preserve thy Life by all lawful means whilst God is pleased to lengthen out the days of thy Pilgrimage 2. To Fly and turn from all Sin which wrongs thy own Soul Pro. 8. ult and to make use of all these means God hath appointed in order to thy Salvation These are some of the dutys in short which the holy Spirit doth teach a Man who is come unto the Lord Jesus 4ly Thou art brought to understand the Law not only the Letter of it but the spirituallity so saith the Apostle Rom. 7.14 not only as it relates to the external but the internal Man vers 7. Christ when he expounded the Law Mat. 5. shewed the extent of it reached to the outward man and especially to the inward man the thoughts and cogitations of the Soul as well as the actings and motions of the Eye the Tongue and the Hand Paul whilst a Pharisee was very exact as to his external deportment in all things keeping to the rule of the Law Phil. 3.6 Act. 8.1 he little thought then that his consenting to the Death of Steven was such a Sin that it deserved eternal Damnation although he had no hand in the Stoning of him but when his Eyes were opened then he crys the Law is Spiritual but I am carnal sold under Sin then he saw how the Law condemned Passion Malice Spiritual Pride and other motions of Sin as he calls them vers 5. when they never broke out into action as well as the actions of Sin done in the Flesh for indeed there is an action of the Soul even in the very thoughts of evil the Imagination acts and communicates it to the understanding the understanding to the will the will to the affections Thus there is a secret passage of every thought of evil throughout the whole Soul therefore the holy Ghost saith Gen. 6.5 The imaginations and thoughts of Mans Heart were evil continually Now the natural unconverted man discerns not this heart-evil or the spirituallity of the Law but he that is come to Christ as the Apostle Paul was to close with him and believe in him he perceives it 2. Thou seest the purity and holyness of it as well as the spirituallity of it The Law of God is pure and holy Psal 19.8 the Commandment of the Lord is pure inlightening the Eyes it is holy in that it comes from a holy God and tends to make and keep men holy holy in its nature and the inlightened Soul perceives and discerns an extraordinary sanctity and holyness in the Law of God Rom. 7.12 The Law is holy and the commandment holy Saith the holy Apostle when he was made holy by the Blood of Jesus 3. Rom. 7.12 The justness and Righteousness of the Law it is just therefore it will clear none that are guilty it is just and therefore it requiers compleat obedience and in case of default or transgression threatens eternal Punishment it allows of no repair neither will it abate the least mite of its just demands Thus when the Eyes are open to discern these things of the Law it becomes a School-Master to bring the Sinner to Christ that he may be justified by faith in him therefore our Divines say the Law should be Preached before the Gospel John Baptist-like to be a Harbinger to prepare the way for Christ into the Soul that he may find free and ready entertainment 4. Thou art brought to see the goodness of the Law Rom. 7.12.13 The Law is good 16. I consent to the Law that it is good In that it manifests the contrary evil to wit Sin and it is opposite to it and God hath ordained and commanded it for the good of his People Deut. 10.13 now he that is come to Christ looketh upon the Law as good therefore with the Prophet David He loves it above Gold or Silver Psal 119.72 And taketh delight in it as the Apostle did Rom. 7.22 I delight in the Law of God after the inward Man This is thy condition if thou art come to Christ thou art more grieved that thou canst not keep that Law which is so just and good and holy then because God hath made it so strict holy and just thou art ready to cry out Give power to do what thou commandest and command what thou wilt the Spirit is made willing although the Flesh is weak Rom. 7.15 5. Thou art brought to understand the Gospel I mean not that thou shouldst understand the Gospel as a Divine or learned Scholler by the Spirits assistance may do but I mean thou art inlightened to understand and apprehend the glad tidings of Salvation and the good will of God towards Men declared throughout the whole covenant of grace wherein God maketh known his willingness and readiness to be reconciled to poor Sinners upon the account of Christ Jesus 2 Cor. 5.18 All things are of God who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ 19. God was in Christ reconciling the World unto himself not imputing their trespasses unto them vers 12. He hath made him to be Sin for us who knew no Sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him In these words here are the great transactions between God and Christ concerning the Salvation of poor Sinners 1. Here are the great benefits redounding to Believers scil Reconciliation with God and a compleat Righteousness of God in Christ vers 18.21 2. The causa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Scool-men term it the Proegoumenal or moveing cause not the foresight of Mans obedience but meer mercy of God All things are of God vers 18. 3. The causa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the procureing cause which is the Lord Jesus he was in
Canaan and the Glory of the new Jerusalem she takes a survey of those blessed immunities eternal felicitys and that Immortal glory the Saints shall be invironed and invested with when they come to injoy Christ who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all and in all Col. 3.11 and from the blessed Prospect of these things Faith makes a return and descent into the Soul implets and fills it with divine joy even to the supream confines of it it tells such storys of the Love of God and Christ and the blessed Spirit to the believer that it doth conflagate and inflame the Soul and makes it rejoice perpetually in the Lord according to that exhortation of the Apostle rejoyce in the Lord always May I speak with reverence Faith penetrates into the very Bosome of the Almighty and sees there is Love Peace and reconciliation for the believing Soul it looks into the records of Heaven and can read Thy Sins are forgiven and thy Iniquitys are blotted out It can look into the Lambs book of Life and read the name of the believer imprinted there this makes the Soul exalt and triumph with Songs of praise what made Paul and Silas Sing and Rejoyce when their Feet was incastriated their Bodys with Stripes vulnerated Act. 16.22 23 24 25. in an interior obscure Prison denyed the solace of that which nature is very ambitious of scil their Eyes to behold the Sun but this a lively Faith which devocated and fetched down new comfort to their Souls Faith when Active makes the Soul rejoyce in God and Christ and in divine and spiritual objects 2ly Peace is another effect of that Faith which is wrought by the Spirit of God as in that forequoted place Rom. 15.13 The God of Peace fill you with all joy and Peace in believing Peace of Conscience from sound principles is a happy priviledge and great blessing To be under the racks of a disquieted and tormented Conscience O what a mercy is it to injoy peace and a Calm within the Soul when there is nothing but tempests and tumults abroad what a comfortable condition is this God hath made a promise of Peace to believers Isa 26.3 I will keep him in Peace whose mind is Staid upon me because he trusteth in me Christ gives his Peace to Believers as he did to his Disciples Jo. 14.27 My Peace I leave with you my Peace I give unto you The Believer is at Peace with the Law of God because it is satisfied by the Death of Christ at peace with God the Father because he is well pleased in his Son to be reconciled to poor Sinners he is at peace with himself because his Sins are pardoned but he is never at peace again with Sin or Satan because they are Enemys to this true Peace which believers do partake of The believers peace is not remaining in Sin but it is a peace from Sin from the guilt and power of it 3ly In those who are come unto Christ the Spirit hath wrought the grace of Love for as the Apostle saith 1 Jo. 4.8 He that Loveth not knoweth not God for God is Love This is the great Gospel-grace as the Apostle Paul calls it 1 Cor 13.13 Jo. 13.35 Now there abideth Faith Hope and Love these three but the greatest of these is Love This is the distinguishing grace by which we are known to be Christs Disciples it declares our Divine original That we are Born from above 1 Jo. 4.7 it manifests our near union and communion with God 1 Jo. 4.16 God is Love and he that dwelleth in Love dwelleth in God and God in him But I shall speak to this Query how may one know that the grace of Love is wrought by the Spirit in the Soul The Resolution of which may be known by these two means scil the propertys and objects of it 1. As to the propertys of it it is Divine for the Spirit of God is the Author of it Gal. 5.22 it descends from above Jam. 1.17 Every good gift and every perfect gifts is from above and cometh down from the Father of Lights Now Love is one of these good perfect gifts 1 Jo. 4.7 for there is not any thing in the new Creature which is not the Finger-work of God all grace flows from him through Christ by his holy Spirit into the Soul Love is a grace that is Immortal for when Faith is turned into fruition and hope into possession this divine Love Remains 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 13.8 Love never faileth It is a Seed that never dies a fire that once being kindled never more will be extinguished it transformes the Soul into the very Image of God and makes it most like unto its maker it is Divine in that it Loves Joys and takes complacency in pure holy and divine objects it is not Like Carnal Love which findes nothing but the perishing Creature to diligate and delight in but it seeks better and more durable objects because it is of a Divine original 1 Jo. 4.7 Love is from God Therefore there are reflex acts towards the Author and giver of it 2ly This Love is sublime it is high and lofty although not puffed up with vain pride because it scorns to fix its felicity in a vain Perishing world the base things of this World are not objects noble enough for this excellent grace it is of a noble extraction and therefore Loves and delights in Divine and noble objects David who was a Man after Gods own Heart was full of this Divine and sublime Love therefore we have him often expressing his Love to God to the Law far above Gold or Silver or the perishing trash of a sinful World Psal 119.72 The Law of thy mouth is better to me then thousands of Gold and Silver The beauty of this inferior World is but deformity and blackness compared with the Splendor and glory of those divine objects which this Love is fixed upon the Honours and Riches of this World are but Dung and Dross to the Soul who hath this sublime Love Phil. 3.8 Ye doubtless and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord for whom I have suffered the loss of all things and count them but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dogs-meat that I may win Christ What made the Apostle thus to trample upon these terrene things and so to stain the glory of those things which are most excellent in the Eyes of most men why his Heart overflowed with this divine sublime and seraphick Love this is the true nature of evangelick Love it Loves the World and the things of it with a World-like Love which is cold indifferent and mutable the Heart that flows with this Love ever ebbs and runs low to the things of this world because it looks upon them as not worthy of its Love 3ly It Loves superlatively all divine things it doth not only Love in a high degree but in