Christ save the Name of Christ others have no more of him but the Notion of him and a third sort have no more of him but the Vizor or appearance of him 4. Without diligence in this work of Tryal there is little hope that there should be a true decision and determination of the point Where that Faith is that doth apprehend Christ it may be but as a grain of Mustard-seed very small and so lye less open to sight 2. There is a feigned and counterfeit Faith that is so like the unfeigned and sincere one that it must be a work of time and care and there is need of help from above to distinguish them 5. It is of great use and advantage to Persons to know how things stand with them 1. If they find they have not an Interest in this Propitiation this may prove a good step towards the attainment of it by putting on a Mournful Prayerful seeking after it 2. If they find that they are Persons of so good an Interest how may their Hearts leap for joy 1 John 5.12 He that through his Son is rendred Propitious and Gracious to to them will at last confer Glory and Blessedness on them The Marks or Signs which I shall lay down for Persons to proceed by in their Trying will be couched under the four following Questions wherewith I will adventure to pose every one that takes me for an Adviser 1. Hast thou felt as well as seen the need thou standest in of Christs being a Propitiation and thereupon an Advocate for thee Hast thou seen thy sins as moats in the Sun abounding Hast thou felt them as an intolerable burthen on thee Hath Divine wrath as due for them been frightful to thee Dost thou own thy best done Duties as insufficient for the appeasing of Wrath and satisfying of Justice how good soever they are in their own place Art thou afraid of setting them in Christs place Some things like these may be in Hypocrites and those things may not at some times be so evident to and in true Believers as they desire But where is there an Hypocrite that is poor in Spirit Mat. 5.3 Or a true Believer that in his ordinary frame is not 2. Dost thou when alone and meditating on the Rich Grace of God in Christ Jesus cry out O the depth Are those thoughts in thee that on a Death-bed were uttered by one of the ablest and choicest of young men What me Rom 7.24 25. Lord why me Shall such a one as I am have the benefit of this Propitiation Would the Father give his Son or will the Son give himself to me Hypocrites are apt to admire themselves and not Free-Grace or Free-Grace in order to self-magnifying Sincere Christians when they dare not say they have embraced Christ are apt to wonder that he is offered them 3. Hath thine Heart known what it is to be supported from the consideration of the Love of God and his exceeding Rich Grace in his Son when it hath been near sinking upon a sight and sense of the numerousness and heinousness of sin that hath beset yea o'erturn'd thee Canst thou remember the word speaking of this Grace upon which God hath caused thee to hope Psal 119.49 When sin reviv'd in Paul's sense of it it was the discovery of abundant Grace that upheld him 1 Tim. 1.13 14 15. The unsound Professor knows less of Heart-failures and if he have apprehensions of Rich Grace he is for making it a Cloak for sin And the infirm Believer that is less acquainted with Triumphs is yet through the displays of Rich Grace kept from being swallow'd up of Troubles 4. Art thou desirous to have thine Heart raised and enlarged in love to God Dost thou rejoyce so far as any have reached Glorying Love Mr. Baxter And when thou canst feel little more than what one styles Lamenting Love are there some stirrings of desiring Love in thee Art thou studious to please God And best pleased with thine Heart when it is readiest to run in the way of Obedience to him If thou lovest God 1 John 4.19 it is from his loving thee first If this Fruit grow in and from thee thou art joyn'd to the Root of Jess When I have written all I can yea when able Writers have done so many will trust as they speak and not try they 'l take it for granted they have received Jesus Christ the Lord though they have nothing like a Proof of it Be it known when men dare not bring their Gold to the Test there is great cause to fear it is not pure and right John 3.20 21. Truth in the inward parts doth affect and not avoid the Light O that they who are willing to try were Humble did attend to the Rule of Tryal the Word of God and did wait for the Spirit 's shines on them The Third Rule of Duty hath a particular reference to those that upon Examination do or may find that as yet the Love of God the Father and his beloved Son as a Propitiation have not been believingly embrac'd by them They should attend to the Advices that are most proper for them whereof The first is Be they willing to entertain Convictions that the Fathers Love and the Sons Blood have hitherto been slighted by them In order to their Conviction in general I shall offer what follows 1. What mean those low thoughts they have of the everlasting Gospel wherein Christ and his Fathers Grace are revealed The Feet of them that bring glad tidings Rom. 10.14 15. should be beautiful in their Eyes but their Faces are not Light from Heaven should be welcomed on Earth but alas it is not so 2. How is it that when the Gospel finds some Entertainment in their Heads it hath no better room and reception in their Hearts Their Hearts do not burn within them when the joyful sound is in their Ears 2 Thes 2.10 The love of that great Truth is not receiv'd together with it nor indeed are such with whom I am dealing desirous it may be so 3. Are not those of them that have some Notions of the worth of Christ far from a due and practical valuation of him 1. Will they sell all that they may obtain the Pearl of great price Is not there some sin or other in the Heart Mat. 13.45 to which it cleaveth fast with which it will not part for Christs sake Flesh-pleasing or Worldliness or Pride bear sway in them 2. Are there not some pieces of Service which they will not touch with especially those of a secret and inward Nature Do they aright come to Christ Mat. 11.28 29. who reject his Yoke 3. Do they when their Duties have been largest and their gifts highest keep up a sharp Appetite to Christ and Free-Grace And now I will offer some passages for the Conviction both of the Profane and of those that are at best but Civilians mere
to receive more when they are most enlarged in Thanksgivings for what they have received Have they not matter and ground for high Praises 1. Doth not the Holy Spirit dwell in ' em And doth not that imply 1. That he is very inwardly present with and near to 'em Intimior intimo nostro He is nearer to their Souls than they are to their Bodies 2. That he abides with ' em There is a fixedness and continuance in his Presence He that knocks at the Doors of others Hearts See Reverend Burgess on 1 Cor. 3. Pulsat aliorum corda Dr. Sibbs makes theirs his House and Temple He that moves others at times will not remove from them but stay with 'em for ever 3. That he exerciseth towards 'em much of Familiarity and Condescendence He useth 'em as his special Friends as those of his Family they know such Visitations of his as others are strangers to 2. Will not the Holy Spirit work where he dwells and so fitly furnish his Habitation Will he not be to 'em 1. Rom. 8.14 The most faithful Conductor Shall they not be led by him 2. John 14.26 The most seasonable Remembrancer Will he not write Truths in ' em 3. Rom. 8.2 16. The most powerful quickner Shall they not have Life abundantly 4. The most satisfying Witness Will he not speak to their Hearts Yet in all these workings he is a most free worker taking his own way and time 4. Be they by no means driven out of the good beaten way of earnest believing Prayer On their knees and through their Saviour cry they for the effusion of the Spirit I add That they may more feel the real effects of the Spirit beware they of the Rock on which too many are split to wit making vain and groundless Pretensions to him and his Operations And so in the close of this short Discourse I will offer at the Resolution of some Questions or Cases The First is Are Persons at this day to look for new Revelations from the Spirit Answ 1. They are to look that the Spirit would reveal in 'em what he hath in the Scripture revealed to 'em Eph. 1.17 Vide Arrowsmith Tact. Sac. but that he should add to the Canon and Rule of Scripture and make new Articles of Faith is not to be expected 2. Fish Usher Dr. Winter c. To some choice Favourites that have cleaved to the Scriptures as to matters of Faith he hath strongly suggested what his Providence would do as to matters of Fact This he may do to others The second Case is Is Duty never to be done save when Persons are under extraordinary impulses of the spirit to do it Answ 1. It is brave sailing before full Gales of this Wind and sweet moving when he is sensibly the first mover Yet 2. 1 Thes 5.17 The Spirit speaking in the Scripture calls us to Pray and perform other Duties when there is an Opportunity for it and this Call is to be Answered The Third Case is Is every impulse and strong motion to Prayer or other Duties to be Father'd on the Holy Spirit Answ See Mr. Hollingsworth The late worthy Mr. Oldfield c. This is utterly denyed by the best Divines Though Satan being evil cannot be the Author of Motions that are purely good yet he may excite to a work that is for the matter of it good And if we be moved unseasonably and unreasonably we may fear his hand is in it The Fourth Case is What Use are we to make of those extraordinary motions which some have had to Actions in an ordinary way less defensible as that of Phinehas and that of Sampson Answ We are to think they had full assurance those motives came from the Spirit but our selves should tremble lest we touch with what we have not a clear word for Now the good Spirit concerning whom these Pages are breath in 'em and in those that will give 'em a reading The Lord grant that Writer and Readers may more than ever be filled with the Spirit Amen and Amen A Fourth Instance OF THE RICHES OF GRACE TO WIT Effectual Calling 2 Tim. 1.9 And called us SUch are the difficulties and dangers that attend the Profession of Christianity especially as to those Professors that are Preachers thereof that all encouragements that are given prove few and small enough Blessed Paul who found that his Ministry drew down and deriv'd * Totius mundi furorem So Luther used to say the fury of the World upon him being at the time of his writing a Prisoner calls on his Son Timothy to fet his face on the Wind and Storms and hold on in his Holy Warfare being not onely a Souldier but a Commission-Officer he should quit himself like a good man And to that end he sets before him how highly he with others was Priviledged by and thereby engaged to the Lord In particular he instanceth in his and their effectual Calling and so gives us fair footing for This Doctrine God the Father out of his Free Grace gives Persons a Powerful Call 1. That God the Father is spoken of in the Text is well argued from his being distinguished from Jesus Christ And 2. His Calling of Persons is denyed to have its rise from their Works and expresly affirmed to arise from his purpose and grace Concerning the Calling of Persons sundry distinctions are found at some of which I shall point 1. Ad munus foedus Acts 17.30 It 's either to Office or Grace 2. It is either general so God calls all by the Gospel to Repent Or particular and so he calls his own Sheep and Elect by Name 3. It is either outward onely John 10.3 to the Ear or inward also to the Heart 4. It is either extraordinary Mat. 20.16 Acts 9.4 as Paul was called by a voice from Heaven as was that Ancient that was bidden * Tolle Lege Take and Read and directed to the Verse that turned him Or ordinary by the Ministry of the Word 5. It is either ineffectual or effectual Ex effectu vocationis Hoornbeck Instit p. 342. Some are barely invited others answer the invitation Some so far answer the Lord's Call as to come to the Profession of Christ and external Communion with his Members and so are of the Church considered as visible Idem 343. Others so answer it as to come to the possession of Christ having inward Communion with him as their Head and so are of the Church considered as invisible My short Treatise is to run concerning those that are so called Rom. 9.6 that they are chosen being Israel or Israelites indeed and not onely of Israel And now we will enquire what is implyed in the Notion or Phrase of Effectual Calling For Resolution whereof I shall lay down some Positions The First is Men in their meer Naturals are afar off from God O that they considered this Eph. 2.12 13
His mercy Is not this wondrous mercy The Second question is Whom did God the Father send Was it not His Son and as is elsewere expressed Rom. 8.32 His own Son as the verse before the Text hath it 1. Jo. 4.9 His only Begotten Son Had He sent a Servant there had been Grace in the business there had still been more had He sent one of those Men that are his Sons by the Grace of Adoption or one of those chief Sons by Creation the Angels But His sending His proper Son His Son begotten in a way beyond our expression Modo ineffabili or conception not one Begotten Son of many and yet we find those that have many loth to part with one but an only Begotten Son a Son of the same individual Essence with himself Prov. 8.30 a Son that from Eternity was with Him and was His delight His dear Son Coloss 1.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the Son of His Love this is Grace to a wonder and they that are made partakers of the saving benefit thereof cannot but wonder at it The Third question is What is implyed in Gods act of sending Ans 1. This Phrase must not have a force put on it Philip. 2.6.7 It doth not imply that the Son as God is at all inferiour to His Father Missio non tollit aequalitatem Among Men one may be imployed by and from others that are His equals Nor doth it intimate that the Son was at all averse to the work he undertook His heart was in 't 2. But it denoteth a decree and purpose of the Father thus to imploy His Son which was from Eternity and withall that the Son as Mediator was by the Father Commission'd to His work and we find the Scripture laying no little stress as on the work of the Son Heb. 10.10 so on the Will of His Father We may not well suppose that the Son would come and become a Sufferer without the consent of His Father If He could have done so would it have been of avail to Mans Salvation He that came freely was authorized fully Now that He should give him such a Commission as it were under Seal the Scripture speaks of Sealing him Je. 6.27 If also we consider that it is said elsewhere and just before my Text Dedit non vendidit dedit haud concessit that He gave him freely for what 's freer than gift He gave Him and sold Him not he gave Him and granted him not when Men were so far from deserving that they could not desire Him we have all reason to cry Grace Grace It 's next enquired Whither did God the Father send His Son Was it not into the World Jo. 1.14 the poliuted World 1 Jo. 5.19 the World that lay in evil as a Carcase lyes in its filth Sub potestate mali a World where he was to meet with the grossest abuses to be dealt with as if he had not been worthy of it Jo. 15.18 A Prince's coming from a Palace to a Dunghill was as nothing to this Condescension and Grace The fifth Question is For whom did God the Father send His Son into the World Was it not for us for the sake of such as we are 1. It was for us Heb. 2. and not for fallen Angels Christ took not on Him the nature of Angels He took not them by the hand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nor was sent so to do The Angels that fell Sinn'd without a Tempter and they perish without the tender of a Saviour I am aware that besides what is hinted in the last sentence there are by some of the Learned some reasons or congruities produc'd why God should rather pass by fallen Angels than fallen Man but I fall fully in with such as would have Man to attribute this chiefly to His Will So Mr. Hopkins and good Will towards him He may think that if Angels had been Redeemed they would have been larger Vessels of Honour and did not Man Sin upon a small and for ought we know the first Temptation Again If we be from our hearts devoted to the Lord it was for us more than for other Men that the Son of God was sent Though there be in Him and in His Death a sufficiency for all the World Revel 5.8.9 yea for a Thousand Worlds yet the efficacy of His suffering and so of His Fathers sending is peculiar to the Faithfull Can we refrain speaking of God's Grace as exceeding Rich when we see him preferring us above Angels and many Men that are round about us Gen. 32.10 especially when having considered our selves comparatively we consider Eph. 2.2.3 that absolutely we are 1. Undeserving less than the least mercy and yet the objects of this greatest mercy and 2. Ill-deserving that he should send His Son to redeem us that might have sent His Wrath to consume us we are delivered that might have been destroyed The last question which will call for the largest Answer is For what end or on what Errand was Christ sent into the World Ans One main End and Errand is laid down in the Text which whosoever well weighs will cry out Behold what manner of Love the Father hath bestowed on us He was sent to be a Propitiation for our sins We 'll first consider the importance of the word Propitiation And it is not doubted but in it is a respect and allusion to such Propitiatory Sacrifices as were used and appointed in the time of the Law See Dr. Stillingfleet against Crellius As there were gratulatory Offerings wherein the Offerers testified their Love to God with their thankfullness for his favours So there were Expiatory Offerings which tended to appease God and apply the pardon of Sin to Men and those were all of them Bloody ones without shedding of Blood there is no Remission said the Apostle Accordingly Heb 9.22 Christ's being a Propitiation 1. Implyes His being a sufferer and that unto Death 2. His being substituted in the room Idem and so suffering not only for the good but withall in the stead of Sinners as the Sacrifices were slain to prevent their being so that brought ' em 3. His so far answering and satisfying God His Father and making a Compensation for the wrong done to His Law and justice that on the score thereof He is attoned and Propitious and Gracious to believing Penitents He is their Peace Eph. 2.14 the procurer and effecter thereof what the Jewish Sacrifices were in type He is in truth I will not conceal that such as are eminently judicious do judg See Mr. Truemans great Propitiation that in the word Propitiation there is an eye to the Mercy-Seat or cover of the Ark that Holy of Holy's and questionless Christ is in substance what that was in signification and it s said He is called by the Name of His own Type 1. That
Moralists or Formalists And as to the former sort With what face or colour can they say they have received Jesus into their Hearts and have the Fathers Love shed abroad in them who are overmuch wicked Eccles 7.17 I remember with what seriousness a worthy Brother Mr. H. Newcome Preached thereon as the Preachers Phrase is 1. Wallow in the mire of Uncleanness or run into excess in Drink or over reach those they Trade with or inure their tongues to vain Swearing Cursing or Reviling 2. Add one of those Enormities to another having on them sundry black and broad spots at once And 3. Add Rebellion to sin hating to be Reformed rising up against the Reproofs under which they should fall down Is Christ an Head Tit. 2.11 12. to which such Corrupt Members are joyned Is such ungodliness consistent with Graces Teaching And so I fall on posing those who go no further than the form of Godliness Who 1. In abstaining from Evil are onely sollicitous about abstaining from more open Evils The filthiness that is in the Spirit to wit Contrary to 2 Cor. 7.1 Pride Malice Luke-warmness and Worldliness they indulge 2. Their abstinence from evil is separated from diligence in good they think it enough not to bear bad Fruit though they be Barren as to what is good as if not flying out into Rebellion was enough to make a good Subject Mat. 3.10 3. In doing Duties they are partial picking and choosing and onely taking the cheaper serving the Lord with what costs them least not communing with their own Hearts in self-examination not labouring to work truths upon and into their Hearts by Meditation not keeping up a Watch and Guard over their Senses and Souls 4. They are not for exercising their Spirits in the exercises they are engag'd in James 5.17 they are not for Praying earnestly or in Prayer nor for Praising God with their whole Hearts nor for hearing Psal 9.1 that they may Live 5. They when exercising some of the strength of their Spirits are not for exercising the Graces of Gods Spirit They cannot call forth Faith Love and Zeal who are void of them 6. Phil. 3.3 They are not for exalting Christ above and in the close of Duties nor glorying in him as the Lord their Righteousness covering their sins and presenting their Souls acceptable to God Let these know that as yet the Free grace of God in Christ hath not a special influence on them nor are they peculiarly interested therein The second Advice is Be they persuaded to weigh well that their present state is not a state to be rested in Be it known that the slighting of Christ argues 1. An Understanding dangerously dark that hath not discover'd 1. The indispensible want of him that he is more needed than daily Bread John 4.10 God can preserve mens Bodies without that but will not save their Souls without him Nor yet 2. The incomparable worth of him Did Men kow the gift of God and how this Sun out-shines all lesser Stars so that they disappear at and on his appearance they could not but fall in Love with him and follow hard after him 2. It is also an Argument of an Heart desperately hard hardened through divers Lusts particularly through 1. Pride The Heart thinks too highly of it self to go unto Christ Rom. 10.3 4. John 1.11 to be its Righteousness and too meanly of his Service to submit to him as its Ruler 2. Sensuality It prefers filthy Puddles before the River of God and had rather have its Residence in Styes than in his pure presence And it is a great Truth but no great Wonder that this sin doth immediately shut Persons out of Heaven and under Wrath what Remedy is there for those with whom the great Gospel-remedy is at an undervalue Will not all the Curses of the Law and with them an Anathema 1 Cor. 16.22 Maranatha fall on such as Love not the Lord Jesus Christ nor have recourse to him and to his Fathers Love in him that they may do so Whither will they Appeal that are cast at the Mercy-seat I will next apply my self to the notoriously Vicious and oh that God would say to them Micah 2.10 Get ye from these Tents Haste out of this Sodom Know they their Crimes are exceedingly aggravated from the tenders of the great Propitiation out of the Fathers Rich Grace made to ' em 1. Are they not against clear Light In this Glass may be seen 1. How deep the stain and pollution of sin is which onely his Blood who is God can fetch out so that it shall not be seen with an avenging Eye 2. How greatly the Nature as well as the Will of God is against sin yea how all his Attributes oppose sin Rom. 8.32 He spared not his own Son but gave him up to a Cursed Death when he undertook to answer for it 3. How willing as well as able both the Father and the Son are to receive Penitents into favour Doth not Christ's death set out this to the Life and with their Love is that of the Spirit presented in the Gospel witness the moving Lamentations over sinners Isa 55.1 2 3. John 5.40 the pressing Exhortations on 'em and winning Invitations to 'em And so 2. Are not their ill courses against dear Love yea against expressions of the highest Love as to the spring Evidences and Effects of it Do they not strike at the Heart of every Person in the Godhead And will not these blows redound and fall on their Heads that give ' em Mat. 1.21 Will not this be the Condemnation of thousands they with the resistance of Light and Love expected that God should save 'em in their sins who would have have sav'd 'em from ' em The Application is now to fall on those that rest on this side Christ the true Rest though in those cleaner ways to Hell as some speak Civility and Formality This is not their Rest nor should be made so one hour Till such Persons have Union to and Communion with Jesus Christ and his Father 1. Eph. 2.12 They are in the World without God in the World They have a better Air than Heathens but have not better Hearts at least not a better inward state than they They have more Light but not more Spiritual sight They have more Church-Priviledges but no more saving Grace 2. Their Services how specious soever and taking with Men are unacceptable to God if we speak of full and absolute and not of comparative acceptance their Fruit is not to Perfection 1 Pet. 2.5 and will not be to Salvation not growing on or from the Tree of Life 3. They have no Title to Heaven John 3. last but are Children and Heirs of Wrath. Their Righteousness doth not exceed probably it doth not equallize the Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees 1 Thes 1. last It is Christ alone that delivers from