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
if not prevalent with Pagans yet it should with those who term themselves Christians for if they will not believe his Testimony let them cease to be called by that glorious name let them be Christians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jus not in words but in deeds now Christ saith of himself I am the Son of God Mark 14.62 not by Creation as Angels and Men not by adoption as Saints for then it could not be Blasphemy in Christ as the Jews termed it but I am the Son of the blessed God by eternal generation Joh. 11.4 Joh. 5.18 Rev. 1.8 Th◠Jews accuse Christ of this That he said he was the Son of God without any equivocation or mental reservation Now it would be horrid to think that Christ did not testify the truth who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Joh. 14.6 ipsae veritas truth it self And if we believe he saith true when he declares he came to give himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a ransom for man Mat. 20.28 We ought to believe him in this especially 2dly Christ testifies that he is one with the Father Joh. 10.30 one in Essence Joh. 5.23 Phil. 2.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 equal in glory and dominion for it is no Robbery in Christ to be equal to God or to be Gods fellow Zach. 13.7 and the reason is because he is God Joh. 1.1 Joh. 14.10 11. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father in me the meaning of which is in short I and my Father are one according to that known Maxim Nihil in Deo est quod non sit ipse Deus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Joh. 15.26 There is nothing in God which is not God himself there is a mutual immeation and eternal inseparable union between the Father and the Son I might here declare how the Spirit that proceeds from God according to Athanasius's Creed proceeds from Christ also John 20.22 He breathed upon them and they received the Holy Ghost 10. Argument from the Testimony of the Prophets and Apostles this is of weight to those who are called Christians and own the Scriptures to be the Word of Truth and the Penmen thereof to be guided by the holy Spirit of God 2 Pet. 1.21 I shall not number up many places because I would finish this head of Christs eternal Deity The holy Prophet saith The Lord said unto my Lord Psal 45.6 Heb. 1.8 sit thou on my right hand till I make thine enemies thy footstool which Scripture Christ applies to himself Matt. 22.24 Isaiah called him the Lord of Hosts chap. 8.13 14. applyed to Christ Luke 2.34 Rom. 9.33 and 1 Pet. 2.8 and Isa 9.6 the mighty God Jer. 23.6 Jehovah our Righteousness Now for the Apostle see Peters Confession Mat. 16.16 Thou art Christ the Son of the living God Jo. 1.1 The word was God Jo. 6.69 Thomas's confession in Jo. 20.28 My Lord and my God The Apostle Paul Rom. 1.3.4 His Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Vers 4. Declared to be the Son of God with power And in Chap. 9.5 God over all blessed for ever Hear and see you that deny the assertions of the ancient reverend Fathers will you or can you deny the Testimony of those who were chosen of God to bear witness to this Truth I might add more as 1 Joh. 3.16 and 5.20 The true God and Eternal Life 11. Argument from the acknowledgment of ancient Rabbies who were most eminent for the Interpretation of the old Testament upon that Scripture Psal 110.3 Jehovah said unto Jehovah sit thou at my right hand Rabbi Jonathan saith Rabbi Jonathan lib. Col. Misde Tehillim in Psal 2.7 Although Christ was Davids Son according to his Manhood yet he was to be Davids Lord according to his God-head And so do Rabbi Jonathan and the publick Commentaries interpret this place on Jer. 23.6 Rabbi Abda doth confess it is meant of the Messias who is saith he Comment in Then in vers 6. The Eternal Jehovah Rabbi Moses Hadarsan expounding Zeph. 3.9 saith Jehovah here in this place signifies nothing else but the Messias The Caballistical Expositors among the Hebrews do prove Christ the promised Messias to be God as well as Man In Isa 1. chap. 9. Rabbi Hacadosch expounding the words of Jeremiah before recited finding the name Jehovah there wherein the Hebrew is compounded of 3 Letters Jod Vau and He twice repeated doth Cabalistically discourse of it thus The Letter He in Jehovah is compounded of two Letters named Daleth and Vau so shall the Messias be made of two natures the one Divine the other humane and as in Jehova there is twice He and consequently two Daleths and two Vaus contained so there are two filiations or childhoods in Messias The one whereby he shall be the Son of God the other whereby he shall be the Son of a Virgin and as in Jehova the letter He is twice put and yet in effect makes but one Letter so in Messias there shall be two distinct natures and yet but one Christ Here although the Argumentation may be denied yet we see their belief concerning the Messias I might quote more places and Authors as Rabbi Simen and Ibda upon Deut. 6. Jehova our Lord is one Lord the first to signifie God the Father the second the Son the third the holy Ghost and the Word one to signifie the unity of Essence so likewise Isa 6.3 I will add this one more Philo de Exulibus speaking of the Death of a high Priest by which they should be redeemed from their Captivity saith That this High Priest shall be the very Word of God who shall be void of all sin voluntary and involuntary whose father shall be God and this Word shall be that Fathers wisdom see how agreeable this is to Scripture Joh. 1.1 The Word was God 1 Pet. 1.19 A Lamb without Spot 1 Cor. 1.24 Christ the Wisdom and Power of God 12. Argument I might here produce the sayings of some Heathens according to what was revealed to them Zoroastes called him secundam mentem the second mind they had extraordinary Revelations Clem. Alex. l. 1. Strom. Hermes Trismegistus calleth him The first begotten Son of God his only Son his dear eternal immutable and incorruptible Son whose sacred name is Ineffable these are his words Lactantius lib. 4. Divin Instit c. 6. makes much mention of certain Heathen Prophetesses called Sybilla Mern Iter. in Demund Augus lib. De Civit. Dei cap. 23. that Prophesied concerning Christ now as he saith this is the expression of one of them Know thy God which is the Son of God Another in Acrostick verses treateth of Jesus Christ Son of God the Saviour although these may not be much accounted of yet they were made use of by Justin Martyr Origen Augustine and Constantine the Emperour against the Heathens who denyed the Divinity of Christ Virgil applieth some of their Prophesies I shall not now cite
from secret Sins Which Petition implys that Sin though never so secret defiles the Soul moreover the holy Prophet hath not only regard in the word secret to those Sins which the Eye of man had not seen but to those Sins which were secret to himself which in thought Word or deed he had perpetrated and yet not observed Psal 51.2 Wash me throughly from my iniquity and cleanse me from my Sin vers 7. Purge me with hysop and I shall be clean wash me and I shall be whiter then Snow Which Scripture doth evince that Sin doth defile and therefore the Soul needs cleansing which cannot be done but by the Blood of Jesus Christ 1 Jo. 1.7 The Blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all Sin The Prophet Isaiah witnesseth this truth when he beheld the glory of the Lord Jesus Isa 6. proved by Jo. 12.41 he cryed Wo is me for I am undone because I am a Man of unclean Lips Isa 6.5 When he had a vision of the Lord Jesus and was nigh unto him then he exclaims that he is unclean so it is with thee if thou art come to Christ thou art convinced that Sin hath polluted and defiled thee the conviction of which drives thee to that Fountain viz. the Blood of Christ laid open for Sin and for uncleanness Every Sin commited is against the blessed Trinity and the goodness love wisdom and Patience of God Zach. 13 1. 4ly Thou art convinced that Sin is against God Psal 51.4 Against thee thee only have I Sinned and done evil in thy sight Agreeable to this is that of the Prodigal Luk. 15.18 I will arise and go to my Father and say unto him Father I have Sinned against Heaven and before thee Thou art convinced that every Sin is against the Essence and Being of God contrary to his nature and to his revealed will I leave thee to inlarge upon this in thy private meditation 5ly Thou art convinced of the dangerous consequences and effects of Sin if persisted in for then there is nothing to be expected but wrath confusion and eternal destruction wher 's Malum culpae the Evil of guilt preceeds and goes before Malum penae the Evil of punishment follows after If the preceeding sins be not repented of and the Soul washed with and justifyed through the blood of Jesus Ro. 2.8 9. To them who are contentious and do not obey the truth but obey unrighteousness indignation and wrath tribulation and anguish upon every Soul of man that doth evil of the Jew first and also of the Gentile Ro. 1.18 The wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all ungodlyness and unrighteousness of Men who hold the truth in unrighteousness here is nothing but wrath upon wrath threatned against disobedient Sinners 6ly Thou art convinced of Righteousness as Jo. 16.8 When be it come he shall convince the World of Righteousness Thou art convinced that a righteousness thou needest a righteousness thou must have both internal which is wrought by the Spirit and external which is wrought by Christ God is a righteous God and his Law is righteous and there is no standing the tryal without a compleat and perfect righteousness the Law will admit of no repentance as the gospel doth it requires full satisfaction in point of suffering or compleat and perfect performance in point of doing if the offence be but one and against one clause of the Law there is a breach of the whole Jam. 2.10 and how shall the poor Sinner do now who hath broken all the Spirit convinces the Sinner of the righteousness of Christ which is apprehended by faith and he inables the Sinner to lay hold of it and to say Christ was made Sin for me who knew no Sin that I might become the righteousness of God in him 2 Cor. 5.21 Paul was thus convinced when he said I would not be found in my own righteousness but in the righteousness of God which is by Faith in Christ Phil. 3.8 9. Thou art convinced of the necessity of a perfect righteousness if thou art truely come unto and hast closed with Christ 7ly and Lastly thou art convinced of Judgment Jo. 16.8 he convinces of Judgment Heb. 9.27 It is appointed for Men once to dye and after death comes judgment a particular as well as a universal and it shall be a righteous judgment Rom. 2.5 speaking of the Sinner who is impenitent Thou treasurest up wrath against the day of wrath and Revelation of the righteous judgment of God now being convinced of this thou expectest preparest dayly for it because it is the day in which thou shalt be acquitted but the enemys of Christ condemned For there is no condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus Rom 8 1 But there is no standing forth ungodly in Judgment Psal 1.5 That which is the ground of terror to the wicked scil the day of judgment is a ground of comfort and consolation to the righteous the Apostle James doth exhort the afflicted Brethren to be patient upon this consideration that the coming of the Lord was at hand the Judge standeth before the Door Jam. 5.7.8 9. 3ly If thou art come to the Lord Jesus then the holy Spirit hath inclined thy will and made it flexible Psal 110.3 They shall be a willing People in the day of thy Power Cantic 6.12 The Margent of some Bibles read it thus My Soul set me on the Chariots of my willing People It is true that the will remains still in Man Wollebius Mansit quidem arbitrium hominis liberum à coactione sed non ad bonum malum idem but it is as true that it is depraved as one saith Mansit Voluntas sed depravata the Spirit doth not coact or inforce the will for the will of Man remains free from compulsion but yet not equally so both to good and evil for it is free only to evil Now I say the Spirit hath not drawn compulsively but willingly lead thee unto the Lord Jesus of unwilling by nature he hath made thee abundantly willing through the Work of grace 1. Thou art made willing to part with thy Sins to shake hands with them and bid adieu to all thy former vanitys which by nature thou art Prone to there is a purging out of the old leaven For the Temple of God is holy 1 Cor. 3.16 17. And believers are that Temple it is inconsistant for Sin and Christ to dwell together for Christ came to destroy Sin and to redeem his People from it Tit. 2.14 2ly Thou art made willing by the holy Spirit to renounce thy own ragged and imperfect righteousness for as I have declared before this keeps back many from coming fully to the Lord Jesus but there must not only be Sin cast away but self-righteousness also for it is the ruin of many and hath been so that they relye more upon their own righteousness then on Christs righteousness the Jews lost themselves by this Rom.
by faith and apprehends and applies this to it self 3 It not only leads to Christ but into Christ The Soul when once brought out of all self-confidence will rest and center in Christ when it has wandred about like the silly Dove and can find no safe rest she returns to the Ark Christ Jesus and seeks admittance into him for the Soul is not content only to behold Christ but also desires to enjoy him not only to come unto him but to get into him thus it was with the Apostle Paul Phil. 3.9 He would be found 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in him though stript naked of all his righteousness yet be found in him alone in him in life in him at death for ‖ Rev. 14.13 blessed are the dead which die in the Lord. Faith is the uniting and implanting grace whereby the Soul is ingrafted into Christ and so becomes a living branch of that living Vine the Lord Jesus Joh. 15.5 I am the Vine ye are the branches This is the import of the expression believe ‖ Joh. 3.36 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into Christ thus we see that by coming to Christ is meant believing in him So much for the invitation Come 2dly I come now to the second particular and that is to shew who this person is that invites weary laden sinners to come to and believe in him for I know the sinner may be ready to say who is he he makes a fair invitation but can he give rest can he make good his promise I answer yea he can to the uttermost make good his promise for he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God-man 1 Tim. 3.16 God manifest in the flesh Rom. 9.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God blessed to eternity he is not a created Angel as Ebion saith neither is he one Person with the Father as Sabellius attested neither is he one that God only dwelt in as Nicholaus said but know this for thy consolation thou heavy laden and labouring Soul that he is the true God and eternal life Joel 5.20 He is the a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 same divine Essence with the Father and not like unto it Joh. 10.30 I and my Father are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one Essence 1 Joh. 15.7 these three are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one speaking of the Trinity of Persons in the Unity of Essence the Lord Jesus and his Father are not b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dissimiles essentiâ unlike in Essence neither are they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of diverse Essences for God is indivisible as to his simple and eternal essence neither are they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sicut homines like men a eadem essentiâ sed non innumero the same in essence but not in number for they are coessential and consubstantial having one and the same Essence Basil contra Eunomium calleth the Lord Jesus b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 goodness itself life it self and righteousness it self in the very abstract and how can he be otherwise when there dwells in him the fulness of the Godhead 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bodily Coll. 2.9 The Father and the Son Christ Jesus are at c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 once and together in nature as the Sun and light the one hath the priority in order but not in nature so God the Father and God the Son both persons were from eternity the Father in order first but not in nature But let us go to the d melius est petere fontes quà m sectari rivulos fountain scil the holy Writ to the Law and to the Testimony Is 8.20 for if our speech and proofs be not according to that there will be no light in us Therefore we will see whether or no from thence we may more perspicuously and evidently understand this divine truth for the Scripture doth best discover this great verity scil that Christ is God-man in two distinct natures and one person therefore seeing the right understanding of this is the ground of our encouragement to come unto him and to forsake all others and relye upon him alone for ease and rest I shall endeavour to prove that the Person that invites sinners to come unto him is the true and living God therefore those that come unto him shall not fail of rest 1. Argument shall be taken from what the Scripture saith of his divine Original he is called John 1.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The only begotten of the Father Heb. 1.6 the first begotten 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to that Joh. 1.1 In the begining was the Word and the Word was with God and the word was God The divine Apostle being guided by an infallible Spirit did foresee that this truth would meet with Opposers therefore he is positive in his assertion that he who was the eternal Word is God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and if all Socinians deny this evident Scripture or put false interpretations upon it and call for humane arguments and reasons we are not to believe them for here is that in the word of God which doth far transcend all Philosophical notions and Scholastick distinctions which do rather darken than illustrate this truth for the Spirit of God was the dictator of it and he wants not wisdom to apprehend nor sutable words to express aright this fundamental point in Divinity I shall not make it my business in this Discourse to enter upon Controversy but labour to confirm this weighty point In 1 Joh. 5.20 Christ Jesus is called the Son of God in one part of the verse and in the other part he is called the true God and eternal life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What ever the Socinians say of this text is invalid for it is evident to any truly enlightned mind that the main scope of the words is to prove the Divinity of the Son of God this were sufficient grounds for faith if there were no other Scriptures to prove the Deity of Christ when Christ asserted that he was one with the Father Joh. 10.30 the unbelieving Jews did rightly apprehend the words but could not understand or conceive the thing for they said that he by this expression who was but a meer man as they thought made himself God vers 33. therefore they term it blasphemy which yet Christ never sought to deny or vindicate himself from so enormous a crime if it had been blasphemy but goes on to confirm it Joh. 10.36 37 38. he owns that he said he was the Son of God which must necessarily be understood that it was by eternal generation therefore one with the Father in essence But I shall wave all prolixity and contract in as narrow compass as I may not being prejudicial to the truth moreover knowing that it is more learnedly and copiously handled by many worthy Divines My work shall be only to touch upon particulars to prove this point and to confirm
him not neither knoweth him but ye know him for he dwelleth with you and shall be in you See here what a mercy this is to have the blessed Spirit for thou canst have no true comfort here but from him it must flow thou canst not know nor understand the way to Zion but by his Divine assistance 1 Cor. 2.14.15 it is he who is spiritually inlightened that can discern the Excellency of Divine objects thou canst not pray without him Rom. 8.26 Then is it not a blessing greatly to be desired to have the blessed spirit without whom thou canst not perceive thine own misery sufficiently nor apprehend Christ a Saviour satisfactorily it is the Spirit that searches the deep things of God 1 Cor. 2.10 and reveals them to his Children as much as is for his glory and their Eternal good Now I intreat thee in the name of Christ let this consideration that God will be thy God Christ will be thy Saviour and the Spirit thy guid and Comforter excite thy Soul to come to Christ 8. If thou come unto Christ thou shalt have an eternal weight of glory 2 Cor. 4.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the words cannot be well expressed in English but it is as if the Apostle should have said thou shalt have Hyperboly's of Glory Glory upon Glory ineffable such as hath not entred into the Heart of Man to conceive neither can Tongue utter it but observe this it shall be a weight and an eternal weight of Glory not transient and momentary like unto worldly Glory which depends upon the estimation of poor silly Mortals as it is usually said Honos est in Honorante Honour is in him that gives Honour not in him that receives it but the greatest Glory of this World is not to be compared nay rather to be contemned in comparison of that Glory believers shall be Crowned with the greatest part of their Glory shall be in this That they shall see God and be made like unto him 1 Jo. 3.2 What canst thou be humbly ambitious of more then this That thou shalt be like unto God in holyness and Righteousness and that for ever Thou shalt have a Crown of Righteousness upon thine Head 2 Tim. 4.8 Rev. 3.21 and thou shalt sit down with Christ in his throne Here Soul it is lawful for thee to run for this prize Phil. 3.14 To fight for this heavenly Crown Take but a serious view of what thou shalt have if thou comest to Christ and then refuse if thou canst see if the world can offer more then what Christ doth to incourage thee to come unto him if the World or Satan can promise and give more and better things then these I have mentioned from the word of God then imbrace them and let Christ go but if they cannot why dost thou make delays in coming unto him 9ly and lastly 9. Motive consider the misery thou dost involve thy self in if thou dost not come unto Christ thy Misery is great in this Life thou art a Child of wrath a Servant to Satan Eph. 2.3 a Servant to Sin thou art an Enemy to God and God is an Enemy to thee Rom. 6.20 Rom. 5.10 the Curse of the Law abides upon thee Gal. 3.10 Read and consider canst thou be content to be in this estate hast thou no pity for thine own Soul no love to God who sent his Son to dye for Sinners Jo. 3.16 no love for Christ who came to sacrifice himself that thou mightest have access to God by him but consider further thy misery will not end in this Life nor with it for the wrath of God will follow thee to the Grave and tumble thy Soul into everlasting Flames That is a terririble word Jo. 3.36 The wrath of God abideth on him that believeth not in Christ He doth not say it shall be for a little time for a year or a hundred or a thousand years but it abideth on him and so it will for ever 2 Thes 1.8 9. See what will be the doom of those who obay not Christ that is who believe not in him Now I say Sinner come unto Christ least that terrible word be said unto thee in the last day Pro. 1.24.25.26 Because I have called and ye have refused I have stretched out my hands and no man reguarded But ye have set at nought all my Councel therefore I will laugh at your calamity I will mock when your fear cometh So much shall suffice for the first Doctrine That Jesus Christ graciously invites Sinners to come unto him 2. Doctrine It is the duty of all heavy laden Sinners who look for Rest and Salvation to come unto Christ for the obtaining of it If the invitation will not prevail with thee to come unto Christ yet let his command and the consideration of thy Duty Christ hath not left it mearly to their own wills but he commands them The Method that I shall proceed in is as followeth 1. I shall prove the point 2. Shew many of those obstructions which keep Sinners from coming to Christ with their unreasonableness 3. Answer some objections 4. Apply all and I shall bring in the two other Doctrines in the application 1. To prove that it is a duty Jo. 6.29 This is the work of God that ye believe in him whom he hath sent 1 Jo. 3.23 This is his Commandment that ye believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ I shall demonstrate the point by these propositions 1. It is the great duty incumbent upon all to seek the eternal well-being of their immortal Souls this is granted I think by all sober persons it is made our second principal end in the Assemblies Catechism 1. Glorify God 2. Save our own Souls Phil. 2.12 Work out your Salvation with fear and trembling God requires this from all men whether they be Princes or subjects Rulers or ruled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Arminians do pervert this Text. 1 Tim. 2.4 He willeth all men to be saved So the words may be read and they have relation to the foregoing verses where the Apostle exhorts to pray for all degrees of Men for Kings and those in authority for God willeth all Men all sorts of Men to seek after their Salvation for he is no respecter of Persons in that sence but he that feareth God and worketh Righteousness and believeth in his Son shall be saved Act. 10.35 Jo. 3.36 He that believeth the Son hath Life 2. Prop. Is that it is the duty of all to make use of means in order to the attaining of this great end scil the Salvation of their Souls God hath ordained the means as well as the end and he hath injoyned it as our Duty to make use of the means God hath given his Son to dye for us and doth command us to come and believe in him 1 Jo. 3.33 3. Prop. is that Christ Jesus is the only way for sinners to attain eternal life by
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
Christ reconciling the World unto himself Christ hath purchased all for believers 4. The manner how Christ procured it for us to wit having our Sins imputed to him and suffering and satisfying for them vers 21. He was made Sin for us who knew no Sin 5. The manner how we partake of this righteousness to wit by imputation our Sins are imputed to him and his righteousness imputed to us vers 19. Not imputing their Trespasses unto them but making them become the righteousness of God in him scil by imputation God hath provided the righteousnes imputes it and accepts of it upon the account of Christ now faith alone apprehends all this which the Gospel reveals I have explain'd these words briefly to the end we may see what is held forth in the Gospel which reveals these things unto us And is the Power of God unto Salvation to all them who believe Rom. 1.16 Now if thou art come to Christ brought to believe in him the Spirit hath inlightened thy understanding in the things contained in the gospel of the Lord Jesus thou must have some knowledg of this or else there cannot be any of thy Salvation 6ly He hath inlightened thy understanding to know God the Father who by nature thou art ignorant of 1 Cor. 2.14.15 The natural man discerns not the things of God neither can he know them for they are Spiritually discerned The mind must be spiritually illuminated before it can know God or the things of God savingly as the Apostle prayed for the Ephesians That the God of our Lord Jesu Christ the Father of glory may give unto you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him the Eyes of your understanding being inlightened that ye may know what is the hope of his calling and the riches of the glory of his Inheritance in the Saints Eph. 1.17 18. It is Eternal life to know God Jo. 17.3 Which must be meant of a sanctified knowledge of him wrought by the Spirit of God in the hearts of all those who receive and believe in Christ for as it is in the 1 Rom. There were some who knew God but yet did not worship him as God vers 22. There is a kind of dark glimering light men have of God the understanding and rational facultys not being quite lost and destroyed in the fall but yet this knowledge is sufficient to guide a man to Eternal bliss there must be a further work of the Spirit of God or else the Soul can never know God as it ought There are these several things which the Spirit teacheth the Soul concerning God the Father that he is Heb. 11.6 He that cometh unto God must believe that he is There is something of Atheism in the heart of every man by nature if thou hast but consulted thine own Heart thou wilt tell me so hast thou never had thoughts that there was no God I believe thou wilt answer yea but if thou art divinely inlightned these are extinguished and fled away thou art now fully perswaded that there is a God and that he is of an eternal existence this was the Message God sent by Moses to the Children of Israel if they should inquire to know from whom he was sent tell them saith God my name is I am that I am which the Septuagint Translate I am the being i. e. that being of beings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which gave being to all others but have my being eternally from my self This the Spirit doth do it teacheth thee that there is a God 2. That this God is a Spirit existing without parts or dimention immaterial and without composition of any matter Jo. 4.24 God is a Spirit He is incorporal and invisible Objecta sensuum non sunt in Deo Vrsin the objects of Sense are not in God No man saw God at any time but he who hath seen Christ by the Eye of Faith hath seen the Father because the Father dwells in him and he dwells in the Father Jo 14.10 11. Christ reveals the Father by the Spirit unto those who are his them who believe in him Mat. 11.27 3. Infinite beyond all bounds and limits infinite in his understanding Psal 147.5 omnipotent Gen. 17.1 Jer. 32.27 Is there any thing too hard for me Omnipresent Psal 139.7 Jer. 23.24 can any hide himself in secret places that I cannot see him saith the Lord do not I fill Heaven and Earth God is all sufficient he needeth not any of his Creatures to add to his felicity for he is Sibi ad faelicitatem sufficiens obtima causa boni in natura Sufficient to his own felicity the chief and the cause of all good in nature the natural Man discerneth not these things concerning God they fancy either that he is not Psal 10.4 all his thoughts are there is no God or if there is one he is but finite and as another Creature as those in 1 Rom. 23. Who changed the glory of the incorruptable God into an Image made like to corruptable man and to Birds and four-footed Beasts and creeping things So their successors the Papists do at this day or as the Paylosophers who own there is a God but confine him to his celestial Mansion not at all to view the affairs of Men upon Earth but when Christ sends his spirit to the Soul these dark clouds are discipated and the splendid rays of the glorious Majesty of Heaven shines in upon the Soul 4. The understanding is made to apprehend the holyness and infinite purity of God Heb. 1.13 God is of purer Eyes then to behold iniquity 1 Pet. 1.16 Be ye holy for I am holy God is holyness in the very abstract he cannot be polluted with Sin which the natural Man doth not apprehend 5ly The righteousness of God the person that is come to Christ apprehends God to be a just and righteous God for his righteousness is seen in the death of his Son Rom. 3.26 To declare his righteousness the righteousness of God was manifestly declared in that he spared not his own Son although he was only a surety and Sin was only imputed to him 2 Cor. 5 21. He was made Sin for us i. e. he suffered the punishment due unto us for our Sins yet he knew no Sin that we might become the righteousness of God in him God is a righteous and just God in all his works Psal 145.17 This was one thing Christ said the Spirit should do when he came from the Father He should convince of righteousness Jo. 16.8 of the righteousness of God as well as the want of righteousness in themselves I greatly question whither a person be come to Christ if he is not in some measure acquainted with the righteousness of God my reason is this till the Eye of the understanding be opened so as to see the righteousness of God that he renders to every Man according to his deeds that he requires compleat obedience and will exact the uttermost Farthing
1.2 In hope of eternal life which God that cannot lye hath promised So saith Christ Jo. 3.16.36 God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life Jo. 10.28 I will give unto them eternal life Now God and Christ having promised this the believer hopes for the performance of it 2ly Promises of glory Psal 84.11 He will give grace and glory and no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly before him 2 Cor 4.17 and in many other places Therefore these sublime and eternal objects this hope is fixed upon not upon the base vanitys of this perishing world not upon the promises of men or Angells but upon the promises of God in Christ 2 Cor. 1.20 All the promises of God are in Christ yea and amen to the praise of his glory Therefore it being for his praise and glory he will fully perform and not disappoint the expectations of any who hope and trust in him 5ly The spirit hath wrought the grace of humility This grace is most lovely in the eyes of God and men nay it is so excellent and amiable that generally those who themselves are lofty cannot but admire and commend this beautiful adornment when they behold it in others It is so transcendent and comely that the great God takes delight to dwell with such Souls 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 with him also that is of an humble and contrite Spirit to revive the Spirit of the humble and revive the heart of the contrite ones Christ Jesus was not ashamed to be cloathed with this garment Mat. 11.29 Learn of me for I am meek and lowly in Spirit Therefore the Apostle exhorts believers to put on this compleat Robe of humility 1 Pet. 5.5 Be cloathed with humility I shall show in a few particulars how it may be known whether this Grace be wrought in the Heart or no. 1. Where this grace is there is contriteness of Spirit A broken heart and an humble heart go together so in that place Isa 57.15 To revive the Spirit of the humble and to revive the Heart of the contrite ones and in the 66. Chap. 2. vers But to this Man will I Look even to him that is of a poor and contrite Spirit Therefore brokenness and contrition are sometimes put for a truely humble frame as Psal 51.17 The Sacrifices of God are a broken heart a broken and a contrite heart O God thou wilt not dispise 2ly The person who hath this Grace hath self-debasing thoughts of himself When on the contrary the Proud Spirit doth elevate and lift up it self it hath high thoughts although altogether undeserving of it self the humble person thinks all to much that is conferred upon him when any Praise and commend him though he truely deserves it yet he hath such mean thoughts of himself that he concludes they have out of extream Love or Flattery exceeded the bounds of his merits but now the superbious and lofty imagin every one is defective and comes short of attributing to him according to his worth and deserts Absolon thinks he hath not Honour enough in being the Kings Son but he must stand in the Gate and by all means be made King in the room of his Father when humble David looked upon it as a great matter to be only Son in Law to a King see how he expresseth his humility 1 Sam. 18.23 And Sauls Servants spake those Words in the Ears of David and David said seemeth it unto you a Light thing to be a Kings Son in Law seeing that I am a poor man and lightly esteemed Thus we see that Pride is ambitious of exaltation when humility lays it self even with the Dust 3ly Where this Grace is in the Heart the Person highly exalts free grace and acknowledgeth all mercys to flow merited from the free grace of God alone 2 Tim. 1.9 Who hath saved us and called us with an holy calling not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace which was in Christ Jesus before the world began The Apostle Paul is often at this work extolling of Free Grace as Eph. 2.5.8 By Grace ye are saved through Faith and that not of your selves it is the gift of God Jacob the Patriark looked upon himself as unworthy of the mercys of God Gen. 32.10 I am not worthy of or I am less then the least of all thy mercys and of all the truth which thou hast shewed unto thy Servant See this humble good man he exalts Mercy and acknowledgeth the freeness of it even in the least measure of it that it did transcend his deserts 4ly Where this humility is the heart fears and trembles at the word of God i. e. fears to Sin and transgress the holy word of God Isa 66.2 But to this man will I look even to him that is poor and of a contrite Spirit and trembleth at my word This humble heart dreads Sin and transgressing the Law of God Jam. 1. because in so doing he keeps himself Spotless and injoys the blessed asspect of Gods countenance he looks towards such a one Moreover he injoys in some measure the blessedness of Heaven for he hath Communion with God Isa 57.15 God dwells with the humble But if he Break Gods Law then God will frown and turn away his Face and withdraw his sensible presence from the Soul therefore it labours to walk humbly as being that which keeps the Soul with God and God with it God requires it from his People Micah 6.8 He hath shewed thee O man what is good and what doth the Lord require of thee but to do justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with thy God or to humble thy self to walk with thy God 5ly Where this grace is there is Poverty of Spirit Mat. 5.3 Christ begins the Blessings to the Poor in Spirit which Diodate expounds Humility and meekness of Spirit before God Those who have this grace always apprehend themselves to be Spiritually Poor therefore they are continually Praying to God and crying to Christ for supplys of grace They are not like to the Laodiceans Who thought themselves rich and increased in Goods and to have need of nothing Rev. 3.17 But yet were most miserable But they are like to the Poor who are always in wants and daily going to the Gates of the Rich and laying open their necessitys and earnestly craveing supplys These humble ones are dayly knocking at Heavens gate by Prayer for some mercy and grace the Soul stands in need of from God 6ly The Person that hath this grace is ready to prefer every gracious Soul before himself he esteemes the Person parts and graces of another very highly for he looks upon himself as the Apostle did even the meanest and unworthyest servant of Christ 1 Cor. 15.9
For I am the least of the Apostles I am not meet to be called an Apostle because I persecuted the Church of God The Sense of his own imperfections and the remembrance of former Sins make him think better of another than himself Phil. 2.3 But in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than himself 6ly and lastly The Spirit hath wrought a holy Gospel Zeal in the hearts of those who are come unto Christ we read of an Ignorant and Blind Zeal Ro. 10.2 For I bare them Record that they have a Zeal of God but not according to knowledge This Zeal which is a Fruit of the Spirit is 1. A holy Zeal the heart burns with the Fire of Zeal against Sin and Wickedness such a Zeal was in Phinâ—as when he Slew the Israelitish Man and the Midianitish Woman for their abominable Sin in the sight of God Numb 25.6 7 8. And David being a man possessed with this holy Zeal was troubled for the wicked's forgetfulness of the Law of God Psal 119.139 My Zeal hath consumed me because mine Enemys have forgotten thy words And it is a holy Zeal in that it is fervent for holiness and for godliness for Christ hath redeemed such Tit. 2.14 Who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all Iniquity and purify unto himself a peculiar People Zealous of good Works I say this Zeal being holy is for the depression of Sin because it is contrary to holyness and for the promotion of holyness because the Soul delights in it and is a fervent Lover of it 2. It is a Zeal for God his Glory and his Name this true Zealot is tender of the Name and Honour of God this the Lord testifys concerning Phineas Numb 25.11 And the Lord spake unto Moses saying Phineas the Son of Eleazar the Son of Aaron the Priest hath turned away my wrath from the Children of Israel whilst he was Zealous for my sake among them that I consumed not the Children of Israel in my Jealousy So Elijah was Zealous for the Lord 1 King 19.10 And he said I have been very jealous for the Lord God of Hosts The Septuagint renders it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have burned with vehement Zeale for the Lord. 2. For his worship and service as in that forequoted vers 1 Kings 19.10 Zelando Zelavi hoc est vehementissimo arsi zelo pro Domino For the Children of Israel have forsaken thy Covenant thrown down thine Altars and slain thy Prophets with the Sword Thus it was Prophesied of Christ Isa 69.9 and applyed to him Jo. 2.17 For the Zeale of thine house hath eaten me up i. e. A Zeal for the true worship and service of God so as he hath instituted and commanded in his word 3. This Zeale leads the Soul to be Zealous for Christ O how Zealous were the Apostles and all the faithful Servants of Christ when they broke through all difficultys to exalt Christ and keep Faithful to him All the Waters of affliction could not quench this Zeal neither could the Scorching Flames consume it the threats and edicts of Enemys could not at all cool the heat of this Zeal but rather added Fuel to the Fire and made it burn more vehemently What made Paul so resolute when he heard what was prophecied concerning him if he went up to Jerusalem Act. 21.11 12 13. Why it was his Zeal made him so couragious and answer like a Faithful and bold Champion of Christ Jesus I am ready not only to be bound but to dye at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus 4ly It is a Zeal according to knowledge There is much blind and ignorant Zeal abroad in the World such as was among the Jews Rom. 10.2 the Apostle Paul was once a blind Zealot Phil. 3.6 Concerning Zeal Persecuting the Church how many such Zealots are there among the Papists nay how many have we here at home who are zealous for either their own invention or else the traditions of our Fore-fathers but this Zeal is not an ignorant one but flows from Divine illumination and is accompanied with a saving knowledge of the revealed will of God and of those things which concern the Lord Jesus which makes the Soul more zealous for them 5ly and lastly It is a Zeal for spiritual things and gifts 1 Cor. 4.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Follow after Love and zealously affect spiritual things as the words may be read and vers 39. Therefore Brethren be ye zealous that ye may Prophesie There is a zeal which pretends to be for spiritual things but Jehu like is ready for carnal and base things spiritual and divine things are most sutable to be the objects of this Spiritual and Divine Zeal Thus have I finished the use of Examination by which you may certainly know whether you are come to Christ or no. There is still a use of Exhortation that remains under this point of Doctrine that It is the indispensable duty of all labouring and heavy laden Sinners who look for rest and Salvation to come unto the Lord Jesus that they may obtain it And if it is a duty as hath been proved then let me exhort all to come for if you do neglect or refuse to come you do neglect your dutys and slight your Souls and refuse the only means of eternal Salvation But here you may be ready to make this question how must I come unto the Lord Jesus that I may obtain rest and salvation In answering of this question I shall take in the third Doctrine because I have already exceeded my first intentions shall manage the fourth by way of motive and incouragement because I observe poor sinners are generally very unwilling to come to Christ they had rather weary themselves and labour under their burthens of sin till they are in the end crushed down with the intolerable ponderosity of eternal vengeance 1. Then if thou wouldst come unto Christ aright pray for the holy Spirit that he may inable thee to come to Christ in that way which will certainly end in rest and Salvation for as I have before declared it is the Spirit that illuminates the understanding in all those things which are necessary to Salvation it is that convinceth the conscience of those dutys which absolutely concern the Soul he inclines the will to comply readily with the whole known and reveal'd will of God he sanctifys the affections and works grace in the Soul all these are his works alone 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 efficiently let the Instrument be what it will he is not oblieged to any means or method yet the means as Instruments depend wholly upon his Energy and Co-operation therefore if thou wouldst come to Christ aright pray heartily and seek fervently for the holy Spirit without whose conduct thou canst never come to Christ effectually and so as to be eased of thy Burthens 2ly When thou hast sought for the Spirit and dost feel him working upon thy Soul