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-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.
9.13 but if thou art come to Christ thou willingly say'st with the Apostle Paul Phil. 3.9 And be found in him not having my own righteousness which is of the Law but that which is through the Faith of Christ the righteousness which is of God by Faith Thou lookest upon thy own as indeed it is imperfect and insufficient in point of justification and that it must by no meanes stand in competition with Christ and his righteousness 3ly Thou art made willing to accept and imbrace a whole Christ upon Gospel Termes Christ on the Throne as well as at the Altar Christ in his Kingly office to rule and govern thee to impose Laws and institutions which thou must obey as well as Christ a Priest to sacrifice himself that he might appease the Wrath of God satisfie his divine justice extinguish those flames with his Blood which sin had incendiated that he might procure Salvation for poor Sinners Christ in his prophetick office to teach and reveal his Fathers will to thee for no man can know the Father or his will as he ought but he to whom the Son will reveal them by his holy Spirit Mat. 11.27 Neither knoweth any man the Father save the Son and he to whom the Son will reveal him 1 Cor. 2.11 The things of God knoweth no man but the Spirit of God I say thou art willing to receive a whole Christ as the Gospel tenders and offers him to poor Sinners to be Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption 1 Cor. 1.20 Christ will either be a whole Saviour or none he will raign in the heart alone or not at all 4thly Thou art willing to obey the Lord Jesus in all his divine Institutions and commands and not say as those Disciples Joh. 6.60 This is a hard saying who can bear it thou dost not look upon his commands as grievous for his Yoak is easie and his Burthen is light Mat. 11.30 To will is present with thee although how to perform thou knowest not Rom. 7 18. Thy great desire is to walk in his Precepts and The Spirit is willing although the flesh is weak Mat. 26.41 Indeed this is the great tryal and touchstone by which we may know what Metal we are of If thou art not fruitful in obedience to Christ thou art none of his Disciples John 15.8 as the Apostle saith Know ye not to whom ye yield your selves servants to obey his servants ye are to whom ye obey whether of sin unto death or of obedience unto righteousness Rom. 6 16. it doth not trouble thee that his Laws are strict holy and good but thou art grieved that thy power is but imbecility and weakness so that thou canst not do that good which thou wouldest Rom. 7 15. Believers are the only persons that yield obedience to the Lord Jesus they follow him wheresoever he goeth Rev. 14 4. To all his commands thou art willingly subject and in all his Ordinances thou wouldst willingly be active Fifthly and lastly Thou art willing to deny thy self and follow Christ to the end notwithstanding those Mountains of difficulties that may oppose thee in thy Christian course both external and internal Luk. 14 26. If any man come unto me and hate not his Father and Mother and Wife and Children and Brethren and Sisters yea and his own life also he cannot be my Disciple Verse 27. And whosoever doth not bear his Cross and come after me cannot be my Disciple Self-denial is a special lesson to be learned in the school of Christ he was frequently when he was upon earth instructing his Disciples in this kind of Literature Christs Cross is to be learned even in the A B C of Christianity and Christians are daily to exercise themselves in the study of it that they may be good Proficients The Apostle Paul had made a fair Progress and was got to the highest Forme in Christs School when he could say God forbid that I should glory save in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ by whom the world is crucified unto me and I unto the world Gal. 6.14 This was a brave spirit in him that he could glory and boast of his afflictions and sufferings for the Lord Jesus Enemies and afflictions must be expected in the narrow way which leads to life and those who follow the Lord Jesus to the end will be followed by Satan and Temptation and yet for all these things the Spirit maketh the Soul willing to keep close to the Lord Jesus and once having chosen him never finally to forasake him Heb. 10.39 4thly The Spirit doth sanctify and regulate the affections which in the unregenerate state are totally vitiated in the unregenerate state the heart loves sin more than holiness the perishing Creature more than the eternal Creator it can delight in earthly carnal vanities but takes no complacency in the ways or things of God and Christ it can sorrow and lament for worldly sufferings and disappointments but hath no grief at all for sin and transgression of the holy Law of God and that affront upon the glorious Majesty of Heaven the unregenerate Mind fears more the displeasure of mortal Man whose breath is in his Nostrils then offending the great God who lives for ever but now the work of the Spirit is to purify and regulate these affections and passions of the Soul and fix them upon more suitable and God-pleasing objects and this he hath affected upon thy Soul if thou art brought home to the Lord Jesus Now thou canst say with David O how I love thy Law it is my Meditation all the day long Psal 119.97 The Law of thy Mouth is better to me than thousands of Gold or Silver ver 72. The Soul hath a high estimation of and valuation for the Law of God it esteems of God as the supream good because he is an all sufficient eternal and unchangable good he is the fountain which never ceaseth flowing a Sea not to be exhausted a Tree which always bears fruit therefore the Soul makes choice of him and highly magnifies him Christ is now an object thy heart doth most delight in and thou lookest upon all other things but as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dogs-meat in comparison of the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus Phil. 3.7 8. Thou canst say of Christ as the Philosopher lid of Vertue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is no possession more glorious and splendid more firm and permanent now thy heart hates and abhors that evil which before thou lovedst and thou lovest that good which formerly thy mind was a verse to 5thly and lastly If thou art come unto the Lord Jesus then the holy Spirit hath wrought all these graces within thy Soul which do manifest thee to be a real and sound Christian I shall only treat of these six Repentance Faith Love Hope Humility and Zeal where these are wanting in the heart Christ is not possessor there but where these are effectually wrought be sure
our works in us and for us Isa 26.12 The property of true Repentance is not only to drop a tear for sin or to lament a little whilst the Soul is under some apprehensions of future Judgement and then in a short time to turn again to folly but it immediately buds and brings forth fruit and so continues to the end Now humility grows on the same Tree which before was heavy laden with Pride now there is Love Meekness Charity exerting and puting forth their several fruits where formerly there was nothing but Envy Hatred Impatiency 1 Cor. 7.11 and Uncharitableness Now the Soul doth not only hate fear and forsake sin but it is constant in bringing forth fruit of obedience to all the known Precepts of God and Christ Jesus Psal 34.14 It departs from sin and doeth good and it seeks peace all the ways that tends to peace 3dly This Repentance may be known by the effects of it in the soul it hath various influences upon the heart and conscience 1. It works a deadly hatred and enmity in the Soul to sin both internal and external sin in it self and in the being of it as well as in the practise of it Rom. 7.15 For what I would that do I not but what I hate that I do here the Apostle had a Combat and was sometimes overcome to do that which he would not but yet he hated it with his whole Soul for he had tasted of the bitterness of sin and therefore could have no Love or likeing for it Psal 119.4 saith the holy prophet I hate every false way and vers 113. I hate vain thoughts but thy Law do I Love This goodman had sometime been tutored in the School of repentance and had learned the Lesson of the Rod by which he was Lashed for his transgressions he felt the smart of it and Learned the cause which was Sin and Iniquity therefore now he abhors and detests every vain way therefore you may make tryal by this whether your repentance hath been true for as it is in nature we are apt to hate those things we are sensible have prejudiced or pained us so the Soul cannot but hate Sin which it now finds and is sensible that it is wronged by it Pro. 8.26 2ly A timidity and fearfulness of falling into Sin any more or to be insnared by the devices of Satan This effect Godly sorrow and repentance had upon the Corinthians 2 Cor. 7.11 For behold this self same thing that ye sorrowed after a Godly sort what carefulness it wrought in you what indignation yea what fear The Soul now is so fearful of Sin when grace is active that it is afraid to look upon temptations therefore it crys out with David Turn away mine Eyes from beholding vanity When the Soul hath been scorched with a sence of Gods wrath and displeasure for Sins and Iniquitys perpetrated and committed against him it is made afraid of Sin when before like the silly Child it could play with the fire of Sin till it had burned it self and brought griefs and wounds upon the Soul the Soul is so terrified at the sight of Sin that it flys from the very appearance of Evil 1 Thes 5.2 3ly It works a watchfulness in the Soul against all Sin for the future 2 Cor. 7.11 For behold this self same thing that ye sorrowed after a Godly Sorrow what carefulness it wrought in you The word signifies a careful Studiousness with great intensness of mind O how careful and watchful is the Soul now Magna animi intentio desiderium Phil. Mel. lest it be caught in the Devils Trap again it is very mindful of that duty Christ injoyned his disciples to be found in Mat. 13.33 Take ye heâ—d watch and pray vers 37. what I say unto you I say unto all Watch. The true repentant lays a charge and command upon every faculty of the Soul and every member of the Body to stand upon their particular guard because of the Enemys continual assaults 4ly Fixed resolusions and covenanting with God to keep his Law in violably as far forth as the Soul is assisted by the blessed spirit David saith I have sworn and I will perform it Ezra 9.4 5 6. to 15. that I will keep thy righteous judgments in the 9. Chap. of Ezra Ezra and the People were assembled together and they confessed and bewailed their sins and transgressions in the bitterness of their Souls and in the 10. Chap. They are covenanting with God vers 3. Now therefore let us make a covenant with our God They were ready to covenant with God to put away all their abominations and to keep his righteous judgments The like we find in the 9. of Nehem. They had kept a sollemn Fast and the Levites confessed Gods goodness and their wickedness in departing from the Living God vers 38. And because of this we make a sure covenant and write it and our Princes Levites and Priests Seal unto it What effect this true Godly sorrow had upon them in general where it is right it hath the same upon every one in particular the Soul that hath smarted by Sin and sincerely lamented over it and repented for it O what resolves what ingagements what sollemn promises doth it make that it will not live in Sin but will walk in the paths of Gods commandments and keep his precepts to the end This is the resolved purpose I say of every individual person that hath evangelically repented of his transgressions 5ly Another effect is a constant Love to and sincere desires after holyness 2 Cor. 7.11 what vehement desire saith the Apostle hath this Godly sorrow wrought in you a desire after holyness after more grace the Soul pants after it because it loves it there is Sacra fames non auri sed sanctimoniae a greedy and a vehement appetite not after Gold but after Grace and Sanctity 2 Pet. 1.4 Heb. 12.14 Exod. 15.11 now it clearly perceives that holyness is a most excellent thing a beam of the Son of Righteousness a Ray of Glory the Finger-work of the divine Spirit the very Image of the Eternal being the nature and essence of the glorious Jehovah the meet quallification of those who expect a fruition of the beatificial vision Where this hath gotten possession there is peace exhaltation tryumphing in God and Christ therefore the Soul loves it with a permanent and fixed Love shee greatly Loves it and also the means that tend to the obtaining of so great and glorious a good The Soul Loves the Spirit because he is the efficient the word of God which is the instrument Psal 119.9 6thly and Lastly Peace of conscience by the application of the Blood of Jesus Christ now there is a sweet and pleasant calmness in the Soul when before there was nothing but continual preturbations one wave tossing and rolling upon the neck of another scil Trouble and vexation of Spirit Where Lusts domineer and corruptions prevail there
BLESSED REST FOR THE Burthened Sinner London Printed for Benj. Harris BLESSED REST FOR THE Burthened Sinner Or the only Center of the Soul Wherein is Discovered 1. Who he is that invites and calls Sinners to this Rest 2. The encouragements to come unto him for Rest 3. Many Obstructions and Impediments which keep back Sinners With their unreasonableness Answered 4. The rest that every one shall have that comes unto Christ Delivered in some Sermons at first yet since some Addition and Enlargement has been made to them By John Hopwood Preacher of the Gospel Tu es recreator omnium qui dixisti venite ad me omnes qui laboratis c. anima enim quae est in te radicata in centro suo recreata quieta est quae vero in te non est multis vanis phantasmatibus fatigatur Tu sufficientissimus es qui te habet totum habet qui non mendicus est pauper Quïa quicquid praeter te est non reficit non sufficit Gerson Part. 3. Alphabet Amoris Divini c. 14. London Printed for Benj. Harris at the Stationers Arms in Sweethings Rents in Cornhil 1676. IMPRIMATUR ANTHONY SAUNDERS Ex Aedibus Lambethanis Reverend Arch. Episc Cant. à Sacris Domesticis Jan. 18. 1675. To the Reverend Mr. Nathaniel Vincent Minister of the Gospel and my much Esteemed FRIEND Worthy Sir IT is well known that that famous Lacedemonian Legislator would not establish among all others a Law against Ingratitude Quòd prodigiosa res esset benificium non rependere and of all ingenious spirits it was ever accounted monstrous to make slight of favours and easily forget Pristine benefits for neglect of favours makes all favour void and should I come under this sensure by my dis-ingenuous and impolite carriage I might from you justly incur the ignominious title of an ingrateful person Your complicated kindnesses conferred upon me do perpetually oblige me whilst not being capable of sutable returns yet to publish my humble acknowledgements of them and if the Laws of God and Nature injoyne and require the homage of due respects to be given unto our earthly Parents I know no Reason or Law which exempts from attributing the like to our Spiritual It was the saying of Alexander that as we have our being from our Parents we have our well being from our instructors and if he could esteem himself happy for terrene knowledge how much more then ought I for that Divine in which you have been my Teacher and if that earthy knowledge may so much conduce to a well being here what will Celestial Science do but safely carry the Soul to an everlasting Weal a happy being which never knows end to terminate its satiateing and abounding comforts Sir I shall not blush to own or be timerous to declare that which I know to you is matter of joy although I have had many Instructors you are he that has begotten me unto Christ and I may truly call you as Cyprian did Cecilius Vitae novae patrem your sweet invitations and divine Rhetorick being accompanied with the blessed influences of Heaven drew me out of the Womb of this world and from the power of Satan into the gracious imbraces of the Lord Jesus it was eternally the design of the Father but you were the Instrument by the Word and Spirit in time to call me home to Christ Moreover you did not only beget me to a second birth but also constantly entertained me with those heavenly dainties with which Christ does nourish his beloved ones But to add to these the remembrance of your private instructions and care for me are not to be obliterated by Times swift Motion or Diurnal vicissitudes and mutations But Sir as an addition to the former favours I have here presumed to prefix your Name and make a-Dedication of this little Treatise to your self not for your Instruction but a manifestation of my submissive respects due to you I know that I have here exposed my self and labours to the view of no less a censuring than a sinning Generation therefore by your favourable Aspect it may in some measure abate if not altogether prevent the hard speeches of a calumniating world It is too perspicuous that our Age abounds with such who study more to carpe at than gather the sweet fruits of the Gospel but Momo satisfacere would be an endless work therefore if I can but exalt the Lord Jesus and help immortal Souls to glory I shall not value the foul aspersions of a dirty World for in this Generation there are such who will not spare the tallest Cedars in the Lebanon of God much less the lowest shrubs Therefore I will not fondly promise my self better entertainment then Christ and his Apostles and his faithful Labourers have ever met with Neither do I so much address my self unto you to shroud me from the frowns or hereby to silence the perverse sayings of Men as that I would study to declare my gratitude in humble acknowledgements and thankful returns like gliding streams that swiftly move toward the abounding Ocean from whence their original sprang I am not ignorant that the world is copiously furnished with Books yet these Muti Magistri as Alphonsus called them are not totally in vain for I have extracted benefit from some of them which I hope others may do from this I have adventured to cast my might into the Treasury and my grain into the field leaving the increase unto God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This Book I may call my Primitiee for when the Lord first called me forth to publish the Gospel he sent me with this Message to call and invite Sinners unto Christ which found entertainment with some then wherefore it gives me some matter of encouragement that it will not prove now as water spilt upon the ground I was unwilling for a time to suffer it to see the light being conscious of my own defections and imperfections but at last being prevailed with by some and having it long by me I was willing to send it forth into the world although not invested with splendid cloathing of rhetorical Phrases yet I trust like pure Gold it will bear the Touchstone of Divine verity and so prove for the advancement of Gods glory the exaltation of the Lord Jesus and the Salvation of immortal Souls All which I am certain are the ardent desires of your Soul and that these may receive a gracious answer with all true prosperity to you and yours shall be the sincere and constant requests of him who will for ever acknowledge a firm obligation to subscribe himself SIR Your obliged Friend and Servant JOHN HOPWOOD To The Unprejudiced Reader I Here present unto thy view what for the most part I some time delivered to the Ear that thou by Divine Benediction mayest through the Reading gain more then some others did by hearing and obtain an eternal emolument to thy immortal Soul expect not here to drink of those
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
Rev. 3.21 He that overcometh shall sit down with me in my Throne Thou shalt Raign with Christ in that Kingdom for ever now this Kingdom is a transcendently glorious Kingdom it is the Court of the great Jehova it is a rich Kingdom full of treasure no want there read but Rev. 21. It is an invincible Kingdom all the Black Regiments of the infernal Prince cannot overcome it Lastly it is an everlasting Kingdom it will abide as long as God is and that will be to all Eternity and thou shalt be Crowned with a Crown of Righteousness 2 Tim. 4.8 I could be much larger in every one of these Particulars but I have much exceeded what I intended being desirous to exalt Christ in thine estimation and allure thee to come to and close with him seeing he so graciously invites thee 7. Thou shalt have God Christ and the blessed Spirit and what a priviledg is this to have God to be thy God this is the great blessing of the new covenant Jer. 31.33 This shall be the Covenant that I will make with the house of Israel After those days saith the Lord I will put my Law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts and I will be their God and they shall be my People See hear Soul what a blessing thou wilt obtain God will be thine what canst thou desire if he be thine then his power is ingaged to defend and protect thee Psal 84.11 Psal 73.24 Psal 103.13 Exod. 34.36 I will be a Sun and a Shield saith God to those that walk uprightly And such are the Souls who come unto Christ his wisdom shall direct thee his love Pity thee his Mercy pardon thee but what shall I say I might run through all the Attributes of God for some way or other they are imployed for thy good Happy is that Soul whose God is the Lord for he can bring good out of Evil to thee he can make all things work together for thy good I cannot number up all the mercys which are contained in this one but let me tell thee in a word it is the Mercy of Mercys for if we seriously consider that those people ever since the lapsation of Adam were looked upon as the most miserable who were said to be without God as the Apostle speaks of the condition of the Gentiles before the Gospel came among them Eph. 2.12 They were without God in the World i. e. They had no saving knowledg of God as Christ saith Jo. 17.3 This is Life eternal to know the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent They had no knowledg of God in Christ moreover the words implys they had no God in covenant with them they were Aliens to the commonwealth of Israel now seeing this is so miserable a condition to be without God to have no interest in him no access unto him no smiles from him it must on the contrary be granted that it is a signal blessing to have God to be our God now this inestimable benefit is confered upon the Soul in and by the Lord Jesus as in Rom. 5.1.2 Therefore being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus vers 2. By whom also we have access unto that grace wherein we stand and rejoice in the hope of the glory of God Thus we see when the Soul comes to Christ by Faith then it is justifyed and hath free access to God which before it had not It now can cry Abba Father Rom. 8.15 2. Christ himself will be thine and thou shalt be his 1 Cor. 3.23 Ye are Christs and Christ is Gods Christ will be a head to communicate Life unto thee and also to rule thee he will be a Mediator and Intercessor at the Right hand of the Father in thy behalf 1 Jo. 2.1 O consider what it is to have Christ to be thine for if he be thine he will be a hiding place for thee from all those tempestuous storms that may arise against thee Isa 8.14 He is called a Sanctuary this must be for his own Isa 22.2 A man shall be for a hiding place and for a Covert from the Storm this Man is the Lord Jesus Col. 3.3 Our Life is hid with Christ in God Now Christ will be a hiding place a sanctuary From 1. The wrath of Men that may be inraged against his Servants Pro. 18.19 The name of the Lord is a strong Tower the Righteous flee into it and are safe Thus he defended Luther from all malice of the Pope and his Emissaries and many more instances I could give out of History the word of God but I should be too prolix and tedious then but as he has been to his Servants so he will be to thee if thou comest unto him 2. From the wrath of God which will inevitably destroy and consume all those who are out of Christ 1 Thes 1.10 Jesus who redeemeth us from wrath to come It must be Christ alone that can hide thee and defend thee from the wrath of God 1 Pet. 5.8 3. From the wrath and malice of Satan who goes about like a Roaring Lyon Christ keeps his Sheep from being destroyed by him Jo. 10.28 I give unto them Eternal Life and they shall never Perish neither shall any pluck them out of my hands 2. If thou hast Christ he will be a Redeemer to thee Rev. 5.9 Who has redeemed us with his Blood he paid a sufficient price 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 1.18.19 Tit. 2.14 Gal. 3.13 Jo. 15.19 Jo. 14.16 it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with his own pretious Blood He is a Redeemer from Sin from the World and from the Curse of the Law and he hath redeemed thee for everlasting Glory 3. He will be a Mediator between God and thee he will Mediate for Pardon for thy Sins for acceptance with God for grace for thy Soul for his Spirit to guide thee for perseverance that thou mayst hold out to the end Jo. 17.15 Christ prayed that Peters Faith might not fail lastly Jo. 6.35 he mediates for a Crown of Righteousness what priviledges are all these wilt thou not come to Christ upon these terms if thou hast Christ he will be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 food for thy Soul he will be Righteousness to thee 1 Cor. 1.30 God has made him to be wisdom righteousness sanctification and redemption unto every one that believeth in him In a word Christ is all and in all Col. 3.11 Therefore thou wilt be no looser but an infinite gainer if thou hast the Lord Jesus for thy Portion for he is the Eternal delight of the Father the glory of Angells the admiration of Saints 2 Thes 1.10 3. The holy Spirit will be thine saith Christ Jo. 14.16 I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever ver 17. Even the spirit of truth whom the World cannot receive because it seeth
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
that he will not pass by the least Sin without full satisfaction to his justice or else in equity he will punish every Sinner with infinite punishment till then I say the Soul doth not so much regard coming to Christ that it may be made partaker of his righteousness when the Sinner is made to see Gods righteousness then he flys to the Horns of the Alter scil to lay hold of Christs righteousness tendered to Poor Sinners in the Gospel 6ly I might add further that the Spirit doth inlighten the understanding to discern the Love Pity and mercy of God in Christ and his readiness and willingness to accept of those who come unto him in and through his Son Jo. 3.16 God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him shall not perish but have everlasting Life God is ready to give and be reconciled Psal 86.5 But there is no coming unto him but by Christ Jo. 14.6 these considerations do incourage the Poor Soul to come to Christ because God is full of Pitty and faithfulness to forgive 1 Jo. 1.9 7ly The Spirit inlightens the mind in the knowledg of Christ 1. What he is 2 What he hath done 3. What he is doing in the behalf of Poor Sinners 1. What he is I have declared in the beginning of this Book that he is God blessed for ever Rom. 9.5 the true God and eternal life 1 Jo. 5.20 that he is the eternal delight of the Father the Glory of Angels admired by Saints and the Saviour of poor lost Sinners that he is God-man in two distinct natures and one person for ever as he was Man he suffered but as he was God-Man he satisfied infinite Justice by laying down an infinite price for infinite transgressions It was the blood of him that was God as well as Man that was effused and poured forth for our sins Acts 20.28 1 Job 3.16 2dly What he hath done for lost sinners he who was in the form of God took upon him the form of a Servant Phil. 2.6 7. he put himself into a capacity to fulfil all righteousness and to undergo all misery for our iniquities that he might save us from the wrath of God wch will consume all those who believe not in Christ he hath compleated the work of Redemption for we are made compleat in him Col. 2.10 In short he hath fulfilled the whole Law in way of obedience he suffered the penalty due unto those whom he redeemed he was made a Curse for them Gal. 3.13 that they might obtain the blessing even life for evermore he died that they might live for by dying he conquered Death and brought life and immortality to light he broke through the Prison of the grave and by his own power brought Salvation and ascended on high and lead captivity captive that he might give gifts unto men Eph. 4.8 3. He is now sitting at the right hand of God till his Enemies be made his foot-stool Psal 110.1 and his Saints crowned and glorified with him in his Kingdom he prayed for them when he was here on earth Joh. 17. but now he is interceding at the right hand of God in the behalf of his redeemed ones 1 Joh. 2.1 These things and many more the spirit reveals unto them that are come to Jesus Christ Christ is the head of the Body his Church Eph. 1.22.23 And gave him to be the head over all things to the Church which is his Body the fulness of him who filleth all in all * Sicut vita ex solo capite in omnia membra propagatur sic ex un◠Christo in omnia membra spiritus ipsius spargitur non autem ex uno membro in aliud Ursin de doc Chris pa. 249. for as life from the head alone is propagated into all the Members so from one Christ his spirit is poured out into all his Members but not from one member into another as the Head is sons omnis vitae the fountain of all life so Christ is the fountain from which his Members derive continual supplies Now seeing Christ and Believers are so nearly related as to be one spirit 1 Cor. 6.17 he the Head and they the Members there must needs be an intimacy and knowledge of each other for as Christ saith Job 10.14 I am the good Shepheard I know my Sheep and am known of mine so I say if thou art come unto Christ the Spirit hath revealed Christ Jesus to thee he hath enlightned thy understanding to know in some measure what he is what he hath done and what he is doing for thy Soul 2dly If thou art come to Christ thy conscience hath been convinced by the holy spirit it is his work to convince a person of sin Joh. 16.8 and when he is come to wit the holy Spirit he shall convince the world of sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is beyond the power of man to convince the conscience it is proper to the holy Ghost 1. Then he hath convinced thee of thy original sin which is the source and spring from which all other sins flow it is not Fons vitae the fountain of life but Fons corruptionis Mortis of corruption and death from this spring flows forth the bitter waters of Meribah which prove destructive to Mankind the whole man being vitiated and corrupted by original sin which made the Apostle say I know that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing Rom. 7.18 he calls it The Law in his Members Vers 23. The Body of Death ver 24. Thus he was convinced of his Original sin and therefore he saith We are all the children of Wrath by Nature Eph. 2.3 which Scriptures are fully and excellently declared to be meant of Original sin by that worthy Minister of Christ Mr. Anthony Burgess in his Doctrine of Original sin The Prophet David confesseth it Psal 51.5 Behold I was shapen in Iniquity and in sin did my Mother conceive me he was convinced of his pollution even in the very womb and so art thou if the Spirit hath been effectually at work in thy Soul from the heart naturally proceeds no good thing but thence come Thefts evil Thoughts Murders Adulteries Fornications false Witness Blasphemy Mat. 15.1.9 All which defile and pollute a Man 2. Thou art convinced of the evil of thy actual sins thy manifold transgressions and violations of the Law of God those sins which thy hand thy heart thy tongue thy ear and eye have been imployed in as David was convinced of his Murther and Adultery which the 51. Psal declares Paul of his Persecution injuriousness and blasphemy 1 Tim. 1.13 Peter of denying his Lord and Master Mat. 26.74 75. Thou art now convinced that Sin is exceeding sinful Rom. 17.13 and that thy great work and business in thy unconverted state was to Sin against God 3ly Thou art convinced that every Sin doth contaminate and defile thy Soul Psal 19. Cleanse thou me
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
his Father which was the Soul of his sufferings Mat. 26.38 My Soul is exceeding sorrowful even unto Death Mat. 27.46 My God my God why hast thou forsaken me He dyed an ignominious Painful Cursed Death Gal. 3.13 These things did the Lord of Life and Glory undergoe that he might redeem me from that punishment and wrath due to my Sins How doth the consideration of Christs suffering humble and break the Adomantine heart and makes it Labour to express its sorrow with sighs and groans that cannot be uttered but further when it comes to apprehend the procuring cause of all this misery that Christ indured then indeed the Soul doth even disolve it self into tears and with unfained contrition crys out what my Sins mine Iniquitys my rebellion against God my disobedient walking my cursed Lusts and vile polluted Actions to be the procuring cause of all Christs sufferings O wretch that I am Vile Unworthy Degenerate Creature thus to cause Christ to be wounded with and for my Sins Lament O my Soul bath thy self in tears of blood lament I say for behold Christ was wounded he suffered bled and dyed for my Iniquitys and violations of the Law of God 5ly and lastly It hath an Eye to the Gospel Jo. 6.37 which is the glad tidings of Salvation which declares and holds forth Christ to be an able and willing Saviour it makes manifest the free grace of God in and through Christ to poor Sinners upon the consideration of the excellency of the Gospel and those things contained in it and yet to be dispised thus the Soul frames its Arguments I have not only Sinned against Justice but I have also Sinned against mercy not only against the Law but most egrediously against the Gospel Christ by his Ministers called once yea twice but I harkned not he knocked Act. 3.46 Rev. 3.20 Cant. 5.2.3 but I opened not unto him he invited but I refused him he wooed me but I scorned him I made Christ weight a long season before I would give him admittance he followed me with intreatys but I unworthy wretch ran away from him and slighted the means of grace even to the indangering the Ruine of my immortal Soul in the days of the Gospel the light is more splendid then it was under the Law therefore my Sins are more aggravated under the Law the Church was but in its infancy but under the Gospel it is grown up into Manhood and as Murder or any Sin is more heinous being committed by a Man than by a Child so it is with me I cannot say but I have Sinned against the checks of Conscience against light and knowledg against many warnings and admonitions given me both by Christs Ministers and other Godly Friends therefore I cannot but lament and mourn being now convinced of all that evil I have perpetrated and wickedly commited against the Gospel of the Lord Jesus 2ly True Evangellic repentance which is wrought in the Soul by the Spirit of God may be known by the nature and propertys of it now the propertys are 1. To confess Sin Psal 32.5 I acknowledged my Sin unto thee and mine Iniquitys have I not bid I said I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord and thou forgavest the Iniquity of my Sin Pro. 28.13 Who so confesseth and forsaketh his Sin shall find Mercy 1 Jo. 1.9 If we confess our Sin he is faithful and just to forgive us our Sin It is the property of repentance I say to confess Sin and that 1. Freely and ingeniously not like a legal Repentant from horror of Conscience or fear of Punishment but from a sence of the evil of Sin as David did Psal 32.5 I said I will confess my transgressions and in Psal 51.3 I acknowledg my transgression and my Sin is ever before me 2ly As Freely so also particularly as Nathan said to David Thou art the Man 2 Sam. 12.7 so the sinner confesseth and acknowledgeth his sin he cries out Thou art the sin the Achan which has troubled the peace of my Israel scil Conscience Thus we find it hath been with the servants of God David Psal 51.14 Deliver me from blood guiltiness O God thou God of my Salvation Dan. 9.5 6. We have sinned and have committed iniquity and have done wickedly and have rebelled even by departing from thy Precepts and from thy Judgments neither have we hearkned to thy Servants the Prophets which spake in thy name to our Kings our Princes and to our Fathers and to all the people of the Land Ezra chap. 9. and Neh. 9. throughout declares how they confessed their sins in particular 1 Tim. 1.13 saith Paul I was before a Pâ—rsecuter a Blasphemer and Injurious but I obtained Mercy Many will confess they have sinned in general but never particularize them before the Lord. 3dly It is mixed with contrition and sincere mourning for sin for as the Psalmist saith the Sacrifices of God are a broken heart A broken and a contrite heart O God thou wilt not despise Psal 51.17 There is a godly sorrow the Apostle mentioneth 2 Cor. 7.10 For godly sorrow worketh repentance unto salvation never to be repented of and indeed without this godly sorrow and sincere mourning for sin confession is insignificant for Confession without Contrition is like a Body without a Soul dead cold and unactive it doth nothing that will prove advantageous to the Soul for as a dead Corps is offensive to man so is a meer confession unto God and much more for where there is only confession without due sense of sin it savours of Hypocrisie but when there is a deep and sensible contrition it savours of sincerity 4. It is accompanied with shame and confusion of face Ezra 9.6 O my God I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face unto thee my God for our Iniquities are increased over our heads and our Trespasses grown up unto the heavens The sense of the exceeding evil that is in sin and of the greatness of the Majesty that hath been offended makes the poor soul ashamed to look up but like the poor Publican stands a far off and would not lift up his eyes to Heaven but smote upon his Breast saying God be merciful to me a sinner Luke 18.13 O when the Soul is truly sensible of the vileness and evil of sin it is ashamed and confounded and dare not look up to God 5thly It is mixt with self-abhorrence and self-condemning Job 42.6 Wherefore I abhor my self and repent in dust and ashes Job 40.4 Behold I am vile what shall I answer thee Dan. 9.8 O Lord to us belongs confusion of face Lord saith the poor humble penitent I am a guilty Malefactor I deserve nothing but Death Hell and eternal Damnation it is true thou hast declared that Christ hath merited Mercy Life and Salvation but I my self deserve nothing but misery I am unworthy of the least manifestation of thy Love and Kindness I am not worthy to be called thy Son
the children of the most high 6ly Faithfull Ministers of the Gospel in an especial manner have an interest in this love The persons that have this right love cannot but esteem of the Ministers of Christ and love them because they are Messengers and Embassadors sent from God for the good of their Souls 2 Cor. 5.20 Now then we are Embassadors for Christ as though God did beseech you by us we pray you in Christs stead be ye reconciled unto God Their feet are beautiful because they proclaim the glad tidings of Salvation and are Co-workers with God in the conversion of sinners from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to serve the living God 1 Cor. 3.9 for we are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Co-labourers with God now upon these and the like considerations this Evangellic Love flows forth toward the Ministers of Christ and it is manifested three ways 1. by obeying them in the Lord and doing those things which they injoyn from the word of truth as Christ saith He that heareth you heareth me and he that receiveth you receiveth me and he that keepeth my sayings will keep yours also Jo. 15.20 Obedience in these things is a great demonstration of a real and sincere Love 2. It is manifest by the high estimation of them 1 Tim. 5.17 Let the Elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour especially they who labour in the word and Doctrine There is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Maximè principally those who are laborious in preaching the Doctrines of the Gospel it is evident that we do not love that person who we esteem not according to his deserts and degree 3. In allowing them a chearful and competent maintenance according to the capacity of them over whom the Lord hath set them to feed them in the way to life eternal 7ly The objects of the Love are the word of God and his Commandments and this is a certain rule to try thy Love by for if a person should propose this Question to me how may I do to know whether I have a true Evangellic Love which is a fruit of the Spirit of God I would answer by this See if you love the Commandments and the word of God as the Apostle John saith 1 Epist 5.3 By this we know we are the Children of God if we love God and keep his Commandments he that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings Here we may clearly and evidently perceive that a Love to the Commandments doth demonstrate our Love to God and Christ to be real and if it be so then we may conclude that it will never fail as 1 Cor. 13.8 But will indure for ever How did David declare himselfe to be a man after Gods own heart but by this in expressing the greatness of his Love to the law of God as in Psal 119.72.97 vers 163. O how I love thy Law it is my Meditation all the day long I love it above Gold and silver So in Psal 19.10 But how few Davids are there How few are there of his Spirit to be found in the World on the contrary most trample under foot the Law of God and esteem Gold and trash and Lusts above it but yet the true believer and disciple of Christ doth greatly love that holy law and with the Apostle delights in it after the inward man Rom. 7.22 8ly This Love has Souls for its objects As it was the greatness of Christs Love to Souls next to the obedience to his Fathers will which brought him from Heaven to Earth and made him willing to devest himself of his glory and take upon him the form of a Servant Phil. 2.6 7 8. So they who have this Love of Christ wrought in their Souls by the holy Spirit are vehemently carried out with Love and desire after the good of Souls He that in some measure apprehends what a great thing 't is to be saved cannot but desire the Salvation of all others If upon inquiry you find no sensible and real Love to Souls then conclude there is but little of this grace of Love within you The person in whose heart this grace is implanted pants after nothing more than the eternal Salvation of his own Soul and the Souls of his Relations Friends and acquaintance It may be said of them as it is of God 1 Tim. 2.5 They would have all men be saved and come to the knowledge of the Truth What was it that made the Apostles and Servants of Christ in all Ages suffer so much and yet willingly It was these two Principles First their Love to Christ 2 Cor. 5.14 For the Love of Christ constraineth us Secondly their zealous love and desire of the everlasting salvation of Immortal Souls they were willing according to that Scripture to lay down their Lives for the good of the Brethren scil Believers Now see if your Love be such that you earnestly desire the well being of the Souls of those who are about you or related to you 9ly The objects of this Love are all the institutions of Christ O how lovely are his Ordinances to his beloved ones Prayer is Lovely and aimable because it is the Key that unlocks the Gates of Heaven and opens the very Bosome of God so that he is ready to confer plentiful treasures of grace upon this divine Lover hearing of Gods word is delectable to such an one because therein the Love glory and Transcendent excellencys of Christ are displayed and the will of the Father clearly revealed to the Soul and thence the Soul derives finds grace communicated out of the fulness of Christ because it is the means of conveyance the Sacraments are amiable because they are Seals of Heaven by which God makes over himself and all to believers assures them of the stability faithfulness and everlastingness of his Love in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper the believer by Faith beholds Christ broken and bleeding for his Sins and it becomes nourishment to the Soul in it the Soul injoys communion with God Christ and Blessed Saints these Priviledges render the ordinances very lovely delectable to Believers I might run through others as Reading Meditating and holy conferrence which are all very lovely to the Evangellic Lover 10ly and lastly Grace and Holyness these bare so much of God in them that the Apostle calls them the Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1.4 Whereby are given to us exceeding great and pretious Promises that by these you might be partakers of the Divine Nature having escaped the corruption that is in the World through Lust Grace hath a lovely aspect and holyness shines forth like a Beam of Heaven in the Eyes of them whose Hearts are full of Love to Divine objects Grace and Holyness being the Image of God and the way and means through Christ to Heaven and happiness are intirely beloved the Divine Lover is so enamoured with the excellency and true worth of Grace that he esteems it above all terrene
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
come unto him neglect not but come For Christ came that he might destroy the works of the Devil 1 Jo. 3.8 For this purpose the Son of God was made manifest that he might destroy the Works of the Devil By nature we are slaves to Satan and he tiranizeth over us and the way to be effectually delivered from it is by coming to Christ and being weary of and willing to throw away his Yoke and to yield subjection unto Christ I say the way to be eased of these Burthens is to come to Christ as weary and heavy laden with them 6ly Come unto the Lord Jesus repenting and believing I put these both together because I would contract Christ is ready to behold the Watery Eye and bleeding heart caused by a sence of the heinousness of Sin with a gracious aspect he loves a broken and contrite Spirit he is willing to heal the wounds of a broken heart and set at liberty them that are bruised with the intollerable Burthen of Sin Luk. 4.18 and a sence of the wrath of God and because of that are willing to turn to Christ and become wholly his Those who are Heirs of the Crown of glory are for the most part brought to the Kingdom by weeping Cross Luk. 13.3 Except you repent ye shall all likewise Perish So likewise there must be a believing or else there is no true closing with Christ for Faith is the Hand that lays hold on Christ the Mouth that feeds upon him and derives out of his fulness Jo. 1.16 That Soul is in a dead and deplorable state and condition that hath not a saving Faith in Christ Jo. 3.36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting Life and he that believeth not the Son shall not see Life but the wrath of God abideth on him There is nothing but Wrath for that Soul that believes not in the Lord Jesus 7ly and lastly Come unto Christ with high estimations and valuations of that rest which Christ hath Promised for this will discover thy sincerity and true love to divine and spiritual things and hereby thou wilt honour Christ when thou believest in him and preferrest his Rest above all that this vain World can afford The World is a fading Perishing thing and the best rest that it gives is full of disquietness fears perplexities but now the rest which Christ will give hath so much contained in it that the World cannot compare with it therefor I say keep up a high valuation of this rest which leads me to the Motives that may induce us freely and chearfully to come unto Christ and they shall be taken from the consideration of what kind of rest this is which Christ will give unto them that come unto him 1. In regard of this World 1. It shall be a rest from the Dominion of Sin and I think it is a happy rest and priviledge to be free from the dominion of Sin if it was only this rest that should be obtained it would be very well worth coming unto Christ for who would be a slave and servant to Sin Humanorum nullum est grave malorum nisi Peccatum Chrisost which brings trouble and vexation of Spirit now those the Son makes free they are free indeed Jo. 8.34 35 36. Whosoever commiteth Sin is the Servant of Sin and the Servant abideth not in the house for ever but the Son abideth ever if the Son therefore shall make you free you shall be free indeed It is Christ alone that can make any free from the raigning power of Sin therefore come unto him that thou mayest partake of this Blessedness not to be a Servant of Sin whilst thou art here it is a base servitude and very dishonourable most uncomfortable and hath the least and worst security for he that is Servant to Sin hath abundance of Enemys but no real Friends therefore he is obnoctious to miserys every moment both temporal and eternal 2ly It is a Rest from the tyranny of Satan although not from his temptations Snares whilst thou abidest in this sinful world and art a sojourner as all thy Fathers were the Devil will hunt and tempt thee to commit Iniquity but yet if thou comest unto Christ he will give thee rest from the tiranical power of this grand enemy for he will do and say unto thee as he did unto Paul when buffered by the Messenger of Satan My Grace is sufficient for thee for my strength is made perfect in thy weakness 2 Cor. 12.9 And if thou hast the strength of Christ for thee although thou art weak in thy self Yet thou wilt be strong to resist Satan Vers 10. of that Chap. 3ly It is an inward Soul-rest that thou shalt have if thou comest unto him it is not such a Rest as the world gives neither can the World deprive thee of it the World may afflict and perplex thy outward man and give no rest unto it but it can never touch thy internal peace rest if Christ is pleased to confer it upon thee if thou hast rest for thy Soul thou art most happy even in the midst of Worldly disquietments for it is the affliction and trouble of the Soul that is the Soul of affliction but now Christ hath promised to give this Soul-rest to those that come unto him Mat. 11.29 Take my yoke upon you and learn of me for I am meek and lowly in Spirit and ye shall find rest for your Souls This indeed is the best of rests for suppose a man hath never so many temporal injoyments yet if his Soul be not at rest and peace all these blessings seem to be cursed to him because his Soul is under preturbations or if not so yet under sleepy sinful security which is worse but O the serene calmness peace sedateness that the saints injoy in this life for I am not speaking of that rest the Righteous shall inherit hereafter but whilst we are here in the Wilderness and journy to Canaan God hath promised to give them peace Isa 26.3 Whose minds are stayed upon him and the Saints experience this dayly 2ly What kind of peace and rest this is in regard of the future World 1. It is a true rest not any fiction of the Poets but a certain and firm rest that Christ hath purchased for Non expectationem fallit and promised to believers they shall be sure of it for he that cannot lye hath promised it he who is the Amen Rev. 3.14 He in whose mouth was found no guile therefore he will not deceive poor Souls for The foundation of God standeth sure 2 Tim. 2.19 Men many times promise themselves rest but it proves false to them for the most part and they never find that rest which they imagined would be their lot but now this rest will prove true even beyond expectation 2. The rest that Christ will give to them that come unto him shall be perfect and compleat rest it is not part rest and other
but yet never obey him so as to believe in him Qui Christum non habet ipse non potest Christianus dici Augu. profess him they do but regard not whether they profess him 2 Cor. 13.5 Know ye not that Jesus Christ is in you unless you be reprobates Raigning in you â—nd ruling of you by his holy spirit He who hath not Christ in him is not a Christian I speak all along what dayly observation doth confirm and this is a wile of Satan by which he hinders thousands of Souls from coming unto Christ If we look into the Euopean part of the world where the name of Christ is professed we shall find that the Basis upon which the greatest number do build and rest is only a profession of the Lord Jesus and by professing of him are let from coming to him a strange Paradox but too evidently true Satan knows how to use this weapon for the Souls eternal ruine unless prevented by Divine grace from on high therefore I say let not this Devil hold thee by this device but labour to come nearer unto Jesus Christ for as the Body without the Soul is dead so is the Soul that only professes but doth not possess the Lord Jesus But in a word consider well and thy own Judgment and Conscience will tell thee that all shall not be saved that profess the name of Christ for if all should be saved that are called Christians then thou mayst conclude that Whoremongers Adulterers Lyers Theives Murderers and other abominable Livers shall be happy when they come to dye although there is no saving chang wrought in the heart only a bare profession of Christ as is throughout England and other places where the Gospel is spread Which Argument I know thou wilt deny if thou hast any esteem for real Godlyness It is not every one that sayeth Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Mat. 7.21 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Justin Christians are such who keep the commands of Christ saith Justin Martyr Veri Orthodoxi dicuntur a fidei rectitudine vitae integritate a true Christian is known by the rectitude of his faith and the integrity of his Life was the saying of the Antients 17ly He impedes by perswading the Sinner to rest in a continual series of Duty this is a step higher then the former they Look Speak and act as if they were come unto Christ when indeed they are far from him they keep communion with Christs Flock and are not discerned from his Sheep They hear the word Preached partake of the Sacrament read the word and pray in Publick and Secret but still are like the Foolish Virgins Mat. 25.1.2 Which had Lamps which I take not only to be of profession but a Series of duties for they kept company with the Wise till the Bridegroom was comeing Jo. 17.3 To rest in dutys without Christ is like Josephs Bretheren who bring all things with them but Benjamine i. e. till they were to appear before Christ Jesus then they wanted oile i. e. Grace in their hearts and a saving knowledg of Christ as may be gathered from Christs answer to them vers 12. I say unto you I know you not They did not in all their Duties labour to know Christ so as to believe and rest on him for Salvation therefore saith he I know you not depart from me There must be a coming off from all Duty in point of Salvation and there must be a reliance on Christ alone and not to make that our Jesus which is but the way to him here Satan doth not deceive the notorious Sinner but the seeming devout Saint these take a large step towards Heaven and yet come one step short of Heaven and so tumble headlong into everlasting Misery When the Conscience is a little awakened or wounded upon the account of some Sin he will permit the Sinner to go to Duty there to seek for cure but not to the Lord Jesus By this wile he seeks to deceive the Heirs of the Kingdom if it were possible therefore beware in all conditions of resting short of coming to Christ for if Duty doth not lead the Soul to Christ the Saviour that which usurps that office i. e. of a Jesus will certainly in the end Damn the Soul for ever consider this is one of the depths of Satan therefore to the end he may not delude thee and keep thee in this Snare suspect every duty and ordinance which doth not by Faith bring thee to Christ alone both for grace and Glory 18ly By reason of some gifts bestowed upon the Soul as knowledg it may be in the word of God and ability to discourse of it likewise a guift of Prayer even to admiration now Satan is ready to tell the person he need go no further for if God did intend to condemn him he would not so liberally bestow such gifts upon him he need not question but his condition and state is very secure by this means the Soul rests satisfied in what is bestowed upon it but never looks to Christ as the sole foundation of Salvation O How many doth he deceive by this wile that because of some supernatural gifts confered upon them conclude thence they shall be saved Have a care of this Golden bait for it hath allured many Souls into everlasting Flames for thou mayest have great knowledg parts and gifts and notwithstanding all be a Fire brand of Hell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For if thou knowest Christ savingly it is enough though thou art ignorant in other things but if thou knowest not him all other Learning is as nothing Jo. 17.3 And if thou knowest him savingly then thou lovest him really and superlatively 19ly By promises of repentance and future obedience The Language of Satan live in thy Sins gratify thy Lust secure the World follow the Customs of the times thou shalt repent hereafter which is many times Judas like this I know to be the device of Satan by which he prevents many from coming to Christ tell some of their Sins and the necessity of repentance and coming to Christ by faith now they will answer by the instigation of Satan they do intend to repent and lead a now life if they are by afflictions or by the word or some providence sometimes convinced that those things should be done now that they should turn to God lay hold upon Christ abandon all Sin Satan will not let them now but promiseth hereafter they shall do it I fear too many are caught by this wile but Reader be not thou one of them but come to Christ now repentingly and believingly for besure it is not the Spirit of Christ that bids thee demur and put off thy repentance and obedience it is only the voice of Satan The Spirit of God saith to day Heb. 3.15 Satan is for to Morrow 20ly Satan obstructs by telling the Sinner of the mercy of God what
if thou dost Sin God is Merciful he is full of Pity Exod. 34.6.7 He is gracious and long suffering Therefore question not but thou wilt do well we find this answer very ready in their Mouths when we come to set their Sins before them and demand how they expect to be saved seeing they live so in Sin the answer is God is merciful and I hope he will pardon my iniquities By this wile of Satan the mercy of God is abused and the Sinner undone for ever it is true that Gods mercys are infinite and he is full of pitty and tenderness unto poor Creatures but his mercy will not save without Christ I shall not now enter into that dispute whether or no God could save Sinners by his mercy alone without any Consideration of or relation unto the Lord Jesus but this I assert from Christs own words Jo. 14.6 That there is no coming to the Father but by the Son no coming to him for mercy pardon and salvation but by Christ alone But consider further it is the Malice of Satan to thy Soul and he designs only Cruelty when he keeps thee in thy Sins and yet flatters thee with hopes of Mercy I do not write this to discourage any poor penitent Sinner from finding mercy but to bring deluded Sinners from the abuse of it and discovering the Wile of Satan shewing them the only way to obtain it for never think to be saved by his mercy when thou hast lived as long as thou canst in Sin for God is a consuming Fire to all such Heb. 12.29 And instead of extending Mercy he will on the contrary Condemn thee if thou dost not come unto Christ Rom. 8.1 21ly He impedes them by begeting prejudices in them against the faithful Ministers of the Lord Jesus and if he can but do this he thinks he hath done the work thus he did in the Jews Act. 3.45 when Paul and Barnabas had Preached Christ and so consequently Salvation to the Gentiles they then contradict and Blaspheme and are filed with envy against them Christs Embassadors are the very Butt Satan Shoots at and he knows if he can but keep Sinners from imbracing their Doctrine then he has them secure because Christ has committed such treasure unto them and his chosen them as instruments in an ordinary way to convert Sinners and turn them from darkness unto light and from the power of Satan unto God Act. 26.18 and as Christ saith Jo. 15.20 If they have kept my sayings they will keep yours also Satan is not ignorant of this that the Preaching of the Gospel is the means of conversion and the hearing of it the means of the begeting faith in the Lord Jesus Rom. 20.14 Therefore he doth all he can to prevent Sinners this he doth sometimes by scandalizing of them and casting contempt upon them giving forth names of Schismaticks Hereticks and the like as the Church of Rome hath done and some others sometimes by blaspheming the Doctrine they deliver as though it was not congruent to the word of truth But Sinner thou hast no reason to believe him for he is a Lyer and a Murderer and seeks the Blood of thy Soul and under pretence of keeping thee from delusion he deludes thee altogether For although the World and Devil hate them persecute them and speak evil of them that is no Argument that they are not therefore Christs Ministers and Servants but rather that they are so Jo. 15.30 22. Satan hinders by perswading the Sinner that Christs service is very difficult his Yoke is heavy and his burthen Intolerable that Christ is a hard Master and will exact the whole tale of Bricks but will not allow Straw there is no abiding long in his Service for there are several that have made tryal but are returned to their former courses if he become his Servant he must take up his Cross and deny himself he must be universal and constant in his obedience Pray always Watch always and in all things 2 Tim. 4.5 Thus Satan renders the service of Christ as unlovely and intolerable as may be to the end he may impede the Sinner from coming home to Christ but Satan is not to be credited before Jesus Christ therefore I say hearken to what Christ saith Mat. 11.30 My Yoke is easy and my Burthen is Light All his commands and injunctions are light and easy because he puts under everlasting arms to support the Soul and inables it to go chearfully under it There is no service like his for it is perfect freedom and the Soul is never free till it is subject to him The experience of all his sincere disciples and servants will confute this lying Argument of Satan for there is not a faithful servant of his but will say they have found his ways pleasant and his Burthen tolerable thou maist hear them cry out of the thorn in the Flesh 2 Cor. 12.7 8. of the Body of Sin Rom. 7.24 And of the Burthen of it Psal 38.4 Mine iniquities are gon over my head as a heavy Burthen they are too heavy for me to bear But they are so far from accounting his service difficult or crying out of the weightiness of Christs Burthen that on the contrary they cry O how do we love thy Law as David in Psal 119. I rejoice in them more than in hid Treasure so Paul Rom. 7.22 I delight in the Law of God after the inward Man Da quod mandas manda quod vis Aug. This is their language give but strength Lord and command what thou wilt let not this discourage thee for it is only Satans wile 23. If all this will not do then he will let fly his fiery Darts and by terrors and horrors of Conscience 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eph. 6.16 he will seek to scare the Sinner from coming to Christ he will send forth Thunder and Lightening against the poor Soul and threaten nothing but damnation if it go to seek for Salvation he will give it no peace till it returns again to folly Woful experience doth confirm the truth of this many have tasted of the powers of the World to come but yet by Satans Darts have been shamefully overcome If Christ promise Peace Satan will give the Soul nothing but trouble he will terrify and amaze it if once it offer to look to Christ when his sophystry and subtilty will not do then he plays his Engines of War and makes the poor Sinner willingly yield and lay down Arms upon condition of peace It is willing to comply and yield subjection rather then stand the contest with such a potent adversary but let not Satan with his fiery Darts beat thee back from coming unto Christ the Captain of thy Salvation Pray Christ to give thee the sheild of faith wherewith thou may'st quench his fiery Darts Eph. 6.6 If thou come to Christ he will tread this Enemy Satan under thy Feet and bring thee conqueror out of the
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