it self and his excellencies as therein discovered for the believing in or on the Lord is an effect of the believing God and therefore that phrase or saying Abraham believed in the Lord. Gen. 15.6 Is by the Apostle rendred Abraham believed God Rom. 4.3 As implying that then God is heartily believed in his Testimony when he whom he testifies of is believed in as also that the believing in the Lord is an evidence and product of believing God 2. Here is mentioned also the several causes of this perswasion and so by consequent of that perception and believing on Christ that follows upon it As 1. The principal and first cause the Author and begetter of this faith belief or perswasion and of all that follows upon it is God himself testifying of Christ As it is said Ye are saved by grace through faith and that not of your selves it is the gift of God Eph. 2.8 And this is the work of God both that which he requires of us and that which he works in us That ye believe on him whom he hath sent Joh. 6.29 Yea and our Saviour further testifies it to be the work wrought of God in saying No man can come to me except the Father that hath sent me draw him v. 44. And No man can come to me except it be given to him of my Father Ver. 65. Of him descendeth and cometh down every good and perfect giving And therefore both this perswasion and all therethrough effected But he works mediately and so here is 2. The subordinate and mediate cause of this perswasion and believing on Gods part which is the same that is also the object believed even the Word and Testimony of God the very clearness excellency and evidence of which as manifested of God to the heart perswades the heart to embrace and credit it As by the light of the sun a man sees the sun so the goodness and truth of Gods Testimony is seen by its own brightness and that draws in the heart to receive it By his word God wrought at first in making the world and by his word he works in making new creatures And that this is that by which he works in the heart and perswades it to believe on Christ our Saviour himself testifieth in saying John 6.45 They shall all be taught of God every one therefore that hears and learns of the Father comes to me Thence also his word the Testimony he beareth of Christ the Gospel is called the word of faith Rom. 10.8 But yet this produceth not this believing without some act of man which is and may be called 3. The subordinate cause or means on mans part that without which this believing is not effected and that is expressed to be a serious listening to that word Whence that in Isa 55.3 Hear and your souls shall live And in Rom. 10.17 Faith is of hearing and hearing is of the word of God They that stop their ear lest they should hear deprive themselves of the efficacy of God and his word even of the Spirit of God breathing and working in the word and are justly left of God to their perverseness and unbelief Matth. 13 14 15. I add the word serious to signifie that it is not a careless formal hearing but a diligent attentive hearing Such as our Saviour signifies in that double expression Every one that heareth and learneth so heareth as also to learn of the Father comes to me Such a hearing as includes that which Moses called on the people to do when he said Set your hearts to all these words Deut. 32.46 Or as that in Heb. 2.1 A giving earnest heed to the things spoken in the Gospel And this leads to the next viz. 3. The proper subject of this perswasion belief and so also of the perception and all that follows upon it and that is the heart as it is said With the heart man believes to righteousness Rom. 10.10 And indeed when men set their hearts to attend to Gods words and to consider them God will perswade their hearts and the heart perswaded and believing is there-through both framed to do righteousness in believing on Christ and also is accepted and justified of God therein and the man accounted of God righteous And in both these senses the words may be understood that with the heart man believes unto righteousness Many there are that profess and say they believe and are perswaded of the truth of Gods word and yet they are far from believing on Christ as their lives make manifest in many of them because they believe not with the heart their hearts are not set to or ingaged in the matter They may learn so much of the form of Knowledge in subserviency to some other designs as of getting a livelihood honour and respect with men ease from troubles of mind c. as that they may draw nigh with their mouths and honour him with their lips and yet their hearts be removed far from him going after their covetousness or what they mainly design Isa 29.13 Ezek. 33.31 And these attain not to righteousness They neither render to God and Christ that which is right just and meet viz. that honour fear faith trust and affection that he is worthy of Nor are they therefore justified and accepted of God as righteous persons But when men so receive Gods Testimony as to believe on Christ their minds wills and affections are all ingaged therein and through the presence and operation of the Spirit of God which is always ready to help and save and to that purpose to effect what he requires and is needful to their Salvation in them that attend to him and as he is preventing them by his grace yield up themselves to him they are strengthened and framed to all the acts and exercises both conducing to and contained in this believing on Christ the Son of Man Which are also in this description expressed both 4. The acts productive of and the acts contained in the believing on Christ 1. The acts productive of it are 1. An heart-perswasion or belief of the truth of God or of the word that he speaks and testifies concerning Christ as of him we have largely shewed that he testifieth This is properly the believing God and the believing Christ and the believing his Prophets and Servants in their testimony as speaking forth the word of God and of Christ and they that so do are in the way to prosper 2 Chron. 20.20 This is that by which the faith or belief of the Patriarchs is expressed Heb. 11.13 They see the promises afar off and were perswaded of them And they whose hearts are perswaded of God to believe his testimony as God will perswade Japheth or the perswasible as some render Gen. 9.27 those that meekly hear and attend Psal 25.8 James 1.18 19 21. in them also is certainly effected 2. A heart-perception of the Excellencies of Christ Eor as God in his Doctrine beareth witness to his Son the Son
and man Luc. 2.7 28 52. Yea and though through the operation of the Holy Ghost He was conceived and brought forth without any stain of sin in his Flesh yet He was born with a fore-skin thereon so as He was capable of receiving Circumcision as well in afterward He passed through Baptisme and that too not only of Water but also of fire or afflictions in manifold sorrows sufferings and Death not otherwise agreeable to the Divine and Almighty Word which yet was so made and manifest in that Flesh as to render those sufferings and that Death a full and all-sufficient Sacrifice and expiation for the sins of the World Yea that Heavenly Word in and through the Flesh so spake and so wrought as to procure and to produce the good of men not only in the instructing and healing them as there was need and He judged them meet or worthy thereof and they worthily complyed therewith but also so as to the Eternal salvation of all that duly entertain'd Him And me thinks there is a great analogy and resemblance between the conception and incarnation of that blessed Word and its manifestation in the Flesh and the Conception of Divine truth in the mind of man and its manifestation in word or writing though there is and may be much disagreement also therein Verily the truth of God cannot be comprehended in its fulness in and by the narrow finite mind of mortal man as well the truth of God as the peace of God doubtless passeth all understanding at least while mortal and till if that may be though a perfect union with it it 's advanced to its Divine and Inconceiveable largeness nor can what is there conceived and thence emitted or brought forth but he bounded by the model of the mind that receives and emits it and pertake in its expression of somewhat of its infirmities Yea oft-times it receives some mixtures of Sinfulness Ignorance and Mistakes or other Distempers from it in its being conceived worded or writ at least such coverings and superfluities as render a Circumcision by the Spirit of understanding or an understanding Spirit or a Baptism or Cleansing from the defilements mixed with it and a Remission of the sinfulness therein at the hands of God needful for it in which it differs from the word Incarnate of the Virgin for from her he received nothing of sin and therefore neither needed Circumcision nor Baptism for Remission of sins to admit him into Covenant and Acceptance with God Though both Circumcision and Baptism he received that he might fulfil all Righteousness But the Divine Testimony received into the sanctified Minds and expressed in the Preachings and Writings of the Holy Men of God the Apostles and Prophets bare and beareth a far fuller Analogy thereto then as in any other men it contracted nothing of sinfulness or uncleanness to it self as received and given forth by them from their receit of it or giving it forth And therefore in all the Prophecyings of other men though not to be despised we are to try all things and hold fast that that is good To try them not by comparing them with or bringing them to the Sayings Traditions reputedly Orthodox Doctrines Frames Systimes or Composure of other men of what ever party no though of the straitest Sect of Religion among a professed people of God but even their Sayings Traditions Doctrines Frames Systimes or Composures are all and every of them to be tried and judged of by the words and sayings of the holy Apostles and Prophets and wherein soever any of theirs or any mans Doctrine or Sayings disagree there-with they may and ought to be rejected of us But their Sayings are in all things to be Reverenced and Received without doubt or suspition as the Sayings of God as indeed they are though uttered and given forth by men And even as Christ though as Born of a Woman and as to his Flesh partaking of mans Infirmity yet had in him for all that even in that state the Power and Force of the Eternal Word so as that to them that received him he give heavenly Light Life Vnderstanding Strength and Freedom yea the Power and Priviledg to be the Sons of God even to them who believed on his Name And though his Flesh and Body might suffer Pain and be Abused and Crucified as indeed it was Yet his Deity or the blessed Word was not thereby impaired even so the Truth of God received and conceived in a pure Mind and good Conscience as in the holy Apostles and Prophets it most certainly and clearly was and thence brought forth to Light by Word or Writing with which it 's Clothed and as it were Imbodied though its form appearing according to the Model of the mind that conceives it and the Letter or Speech in which it is expressed may seem rude and plain as the Apostle Pauls Speech was by some said to be contemptible 2 Cor. 10.10 yea and may be exposed to diverse injuries or abuses Yet the Divine and Heavenly truth though in that Dress retains its Divine Nature and Worth True it is that its force towards others may by such Injuries be less apparent and they may therefore more slight and disregard it as Christ also by reason of his suffering Reproaches and Abuses was more slighted by many But yet where indeed minded and Imbraced it produceth singular and Divine effects in their Hearts and Lives by virtue of that Divine Nature and Spirit that is in and with it So as to Inlighten Instruct Reprove Convert Comfort Cleanse Sanctifie and Save them yea make them the Sons of God and in some measure like to God and in the end Blessed and Happy as on the other hand to those that Reject or Abuse it it occasions the greater Judgment and heavier Condemnation and so doth Christ also to them that stumble at and reject Him and his Government Wherefore the Heavenly Truth is not to be Judged by or Valued according to its outward Dress and Clothing nor according to the Man and his Meanness through whom it comes and in and by whom it is as it were Imbodied But it is to be received according to its Divine Original and to be made much of according to its excellent Virtues and Effects though no mans Saying or Writing is further the Truth of God and Divine then it is of God and is purely emitted from a pure Mind Thou must apply this Analogy fully and properly as is said to the Word and Preaching of the holy Apostles and Prophets and to other Mens only so far as one with and agreeable thereto and so far thou mayst apply it to this Discourse presented here to thee Christ lifted up as the Brazen Serpent was by Moses in the Wilderness is of only and unspeakable Vsefulness and Virtue for the saving the Souls of those that View and Believe on him from Sin and Destruction And for fitting them by Regeneration for and Advancing them by his Divine
to no godly edifying Or leading men to walk in a road of Practices Observations and Performances of External duties without the Root the great mystery of godliness the right understanding perception and receit of the grace of God in Christ so as to the renewing them in the Spirit of their mind about which there is in many both Teachers and Professors of Religion exceeding great blindness and thence incertainty and confusion in their apprehensions The labour of the foolish wearying every one of them because they know not the way into the City Eccles 10.15 Much zeal there is and may be about the outward form and time of Baptisme the manner and way of Praying receit of the Supper or Communion Hearing Fasting the times and places of Worship with its Formes and Ceremonies yea and about walking in divers Religious practices when yet inwardly pride and arrogancy confidence in our selves our own frames or works with unbelief and rejection of the Grace and Truth of God Despising Hating and even Persecuting men because differing in their modes and apprehensions Envy Malice Covetousness Fraud and such like things lurk and bear sway underneath And yet men are apt to think all is well with them and incourage themselves and one another to expect Gods Kingdom Crying Peace peace where God speaks not peace and healing the hurts slightly that should be made sound like those in Jeremiahs days that thought their having Gods Temple and Worship among them should secure them from Judgment though their hearts were uncircumcised and their ways and doings naught and unmended But it s good to take heed to sound Doctrine the wholesome words of our Lord Jesus Christ and of his holy ones taught and instructed by him for they spake what they knew and testified what they see not stearing our course by the multitude for so we should be rejecters of the Truth For Christs Doctrine was not so crouded after as to be heartily imbraced by the most for then would he not have said We speak what we know and testifie what we have seen and no man receiveth our testimony wherein after signification of his own and his holy Servants fitness for teaching others and faithfulness in teaching he faults and complains of the too great want of credit to and receit of their faithful teachings by the generality of men which he yet signifyeth to be the more inexcusable because he spake but hitherto of things Earthly or done upon earth and therefore thence argues their greater unfitness and incapacity for Heavenly things more properly and in a fuller sense such If I have told you Earthly things and ye believe not how shall ye believe if I tell you of Heavenly v. 12. As implying also his fitness and ability for declaring the heavenly things the things done or to be done in Heaven also Yea and he further signifies his only fitness and sufficiency for declaring them in what he adds viz. when he saith ver 13. And no man hath ascended up into Heaven but he that came down from Heaven even the Son of Man who is in Heaven Signifying as his own descent from and yet being in Heaven so that none but He That Son of Man is fit or able to declare the things of Heaven because none else came down thence furnished with the Knowledge of them And whereas Nicodemus might still be more amazed at these intimations of his coming down from Heaven ascending up to Heaven and being in Heaven even while he see and heard him on the Earth speaking to him he adds the words of the Text. And as Moses lifted up the Serpent in the Wilderness so must the Son of man be lifted up that whosoever believeth on him should not perish but have eternal life Of which he gives the reason in the next verses For God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth on him should not perish but have everlasting life c. Whence we may note by the way that Christ did not for Regenerating Nicodemus Preach to him some particular love or special manifestation of it to him more than to others but generally love or grace even the love of God to the World As the Apostle Paul also tells us that that which saved him and others from their natural and sinful state was the appearance of the love and pity of God to mankind Tit. 3.3 4. He saith not it was some peculiar love to them more then to others that was made to appear as the object upon which their eyes and hearts were fastned but the love of God to man more indefinitely and generally And therefore they are not to be heard who rejecting the Testimony of Gods love and grace to mankind and to the World make it their first and main business to Preach special and particular love to some elect and chosen ones as the way to bring Souls in to God Let us follow the way our Saviour hath walked in before us Preach to men Gods good will and love as testifyed to all in general in the gift of Christ and leave it to God to bear testimony to the word of his grace and to work therewith opening their understandings and perswading their hearts to imbrace it and evidencing and bearing witness to them as he who knows their hearts sees good Act. 14.3 15.8 CHAP. II. The words of the Text considered its parts Four main points thence Observed The first point spoken to viz. The Type of the Brazen Serpent lifted up in some brief notes upon it LET us veiw the words themselves which I have chosen to treat on wherein we have 1. The main thing asserted viz. That the Son of Man must be lifted up 2. The manner of it proposed by way of similitude As Moses lifted up the Serpent in the Wilderness so must the Son of Man be lifted up 3. The end of it declared viz. That whosoever believeth on him should not perish but have Eternal Life We may note from the words also these several notes or points 1. That Moses lifted up the Serpent in the Wilderness that 's supposed and implied 2. That the Son of Man must be lifted up that 's mainly asserted 3. That this latter must answer to the former The lifting up the Son of Man must answer to the lifting up the Serpent by Moses in the Wilderness As Moses lifted up the Serpent in the Wilderness so must the Son of Man be lifted up 4. That the end of the Son of Mans being so lifted up is That whosoever believeth on him should not perish but have eternal life To the first Point which is the comparison or that by which the lifting up of the Son of Man is illustrated and set forth viz. Moses his lifting up the Serpent in the Wilderness I shall speak more briefly the other points being more principally intended And in speaking thereto I note 1. The thing set up A Serpent 2. The cause or reason of
unspeakable excellency and the injoyment of his favour and presence the very end and reward of all the virtue and goodness to be attained to by all his lifting up for and to us and being looked to by us for he is not only the Medium or means to an end though his flesh or humanity and so the things done by it may be so looked upon but he is also the Alpha and Omega the Beginning and the End the First and the Last The Way the Truth and the Life Rev. 1.8 17. John 14.6 6. As Moses lifted up the Serpent upon the Pole so highly as that it might be seen or looked to by the people that were wounded distinctly from all other things putting nothing between to hinder the sight of it and lifting it up above all that might hinder its being seen Even so is Christ to be lifted up above all other things so as nothing may hinder the sight and beholding of him by the sinful and perishing Soul but so as he may be seen and discerned of it to be the only excellent and all-sufficient remedy for it So hath God lifted him up above all as well as him only and nothing with him either on the Cross or on his own right hand That there is nothing so high as he no thing to be compared to him nothing no person no virtue no frame work ordinance nothing visible or invisible no Angel Principality or Power He is set down in the Heavenly places or injoyments fâ— above all Principalities Powers Might and Dominion and every name that is named not only in this world but also in the World to come Eph. 1.20 21. Yea he is lifted up above the Law of Moses both as the Lord of the Law for the Son of man is Lord also of the Sabbath Mat. 12.8 And as able and sufficient to do for us that which the Law could not nor can do that is make Attonement for us justifie sanctifie and save us Rom. 8.3 1 Cor. 1.30 Heb. 7.14 19. 10 4 5 6 c. Act. 13.38 39. And so is he also to be lifted up by the Preachers of the Gospel for so is he by the holy Spirit in the Gospel as Ministred by the holy Apostles and Prophets above all other things and persons whatsoever both as the means to our happiness and the Spring and Ocean of our happiness it self as to the knowledge and injoyment of him and his glory And they that lift up any other thing above him or any otherwise then in him they do not lift him up as Moses lifted up the Serpent in the Wilderness nor they that put a veil over his face or dress the discoveries and preaching of him with the wisdom of man or of words for that is as if Moses should have drest the Serpent in some curious wrought cloth or painted him over with Vermilion as the Idolaters did their Idols least the simplicity of their matter should be seen Thence the Apostle who lifted him up as Moses did the Serpent tells us That Christ sent him to Preach the Gospel not with wisdom of words least the Cross of Christ should be made of no effect 1 Cor. 1.17 And that when he came declaring the Testimony of God he came not with the excellency of speech or of wisdom for he determined to know nothing among them but Jesus Christ and him Crucified and that his speech and his Preaching was not with the inticeing words of mans wisdom but in demonstration of the Spirit and Power that their Faith might not stand in the wisdom of man but in the Power of God 1 Cor. 1.1 2 3 4 5. As implying that the presenting Christ with such paintings and garnishments of speech hinders mens seeing and beholding him while the eye is drawn by the wisdom of the words from the simplicity and nakedness of the matter and so the efficacy of the Cross may be hindred Like as the healing efficacy of the Serpent might have been by any intervening Garment clothing it or Paint dawbing it over so as the nakedness or substance of the Brass could not have been seen And that the faith begot through such wisdom of words oâ— inticeing words of Mans wisdom is but a human not a divine Faith and so could not have such divine and saving efficacies as where it is divine and such as the nakedness and simplicity of the Truth discovered and discerned doth effect 7. As Moses lifted up the Serpent to and for all the wounded Israelites that so who ever of them were wounded what ever were their wounds might looking to it live not excluding any of them from the intent of good by it as setting it up for some certain number of them only seperated from the rest and excluding the rest so as that if any other then that number looked to it they might not get the healing benefit of it it being not set up for them but it was lifted up for all and every one of them without respect of persons not as if it were for the richer rather then for the poor for the wise rather then for the foolish and without exclusion of any So that it could be nothing but mens own refusal of looking to it or neglect of it that would hinder them of its healing efficacy Even so is Christ the Son of Man to be lifted up to and for all and every one that is stung by the old Serpent the Devil who or what ever they be or how ever many or great their wounds sins or sorrows without respect of persons or exclusion of any but inclusion of all that all may see a way of healing as well as know that they are wounded and be induced to seek healing in the forgiveness of their sins and renewing of their hearts and natures thereby So as therein the goodness of God may be commended to all and all have and see in crediting the Testimony concerning him cause to thank and bless him as all Nations and People frequently are called upon in the Scriptures to do As in Psal 66.1 98.4 100.1.4 117.1 2 And to apply their hearts to him in whom there is certain and undoubted healing for them of which in so doing they shall not fail And that if any perish it may be evident that it is through their own voluntary neglect of that Salvation and refusing to seek help in him And so shall God loose nothing of his glory in their destruction forasmuch as he prepared his Salvation before the face of all people so as all might see it but they refused it and by observing lying vanities deprived themselves of their own mercies And so God hath lifted him up and his holy Spirit and Servants have set him forth not as one that dyed only for an elect number or chosen people leaving the rest as unprovided for of help but for all and every one 1 Tim. 2.6 Heb. 2.9 2 Cor. 5.14 15. For the World John 1 29.
through him and obtain eternal life But that is true as it is said in ver 16 17. And as we may see also in our speaking to that observation 1. Object But the Scripture saith that the World goeth to Destruction 1 Cor. 11 32. Or shall be condemned Answ True but that is because it goeth contrary to what God would have it it disobeys and rebells against his will and doth that which pleaseth him not Isa 66.3 4. John 3.19 20. 2. Object But God hated Esau before he was born therefore had pleasure in his Death and perishing Answ It is not said that God hated him before he was born but only that the Elder people Esau namely and his Posterity should serve the younger that is Jacob and his See Rom. 9.12 The other of hating Esau was said in Malachie's time Mal. 1.2 long after Esau was dead and was said of his Posterity when he laid their Mountains wast 3. Object But the Apostle adds this of Esau's being hated to that said before they were born as a demonstration of its truth and therefore that saying also refers to the same time Answ 1. That follows not for it confirms the truth of the former saying though understood of Esau nationally and in Malachie's time For Gods laying Esaus Mountains wast for his hatred against his Brother and therein testifying hatred against Esau in his Posterity when as he more gently chastised Jacob in his posterity was an evidence of Gods resolving to make good his purpose of making him a servant to Israel as nationally considered Gods destroying the Elder for not serving the younger was a demonstration that his place was to have been subject to him but if we should refer this hatred to the same time yet then 2. Less love is in Scripture called hatred and so Gods less love in respect of purpose to shew him grace and give him honour and priviledges might be called his hatred and stand well enough with a desire of his Salvation and that he might not perish As we are willed in such a sense to hate those whose destruction yet we may not desire yea whose good and happiness we are greatly to desire and endeavour as our Fathers Mothers Brethrens c. whom we are to hate that is love less then Christ so as to be willing to displease or forsake them for Christs sake Luk. 14.26 So may God be said to hate in such a sense also 4. Object But God raised up Pharoah to destroy him Answ 1. That is not so said but that he might shew his power in him and make his name to be declared in all the Earth And that he might do and yet desire his Salvation Yea as Origen in his Philocal also notes He might order those Judgments to him and harden him that he might bring them upon him to the bodily death and destruction to awaken him to Repentance and to prevent his perishing hereafter Sometimes God punishes men here to Death that they might not perish for ever 1 Cor. 11.31 32. But granting him to be perished Answ 2. I answer further that its true that there is a time when patience abused ends in vengeance and the day of Mercy may be followed with a day of Destruction And then he that in the day of grace would rather that the wicked turn and live will afford them no more space or grace to turn but will laugh at their calamity and mock when their fear comes Prov. 1.22 23 24 25 26 27. Yea and yet further Answ 3. Gods ways are oft-times unsearchable and his judgments past finding out when as yet his Word is right and all his works are done in truth Rom. 11.33 Psal 33.4 We are not therefore to doubt of or deny his words because we cannot always comprehend his ways 5. Object But he may make some Vessels to dishonour Answ 1. That he may do and yet in their humbling themselves under his Judgments shew them mercy as well as destroy those whom he was framing to be Vessels to honour as is signified in Jer. 13.11 14. With 18.3 4 6 11. He can make another Vessel of what is marred as easily as the Potter can turn again and make a new Vessel of what is broken upon the wheel And he may make any a Vessel to dishonour that will not obey his calls and counsels as well as make any a Vessel to honour that through his grace cleanseth himself from what defiles 2 Tim. 2.21 6. Object But the Lord made all things for himself and the wicked for the day of Wrath. Prov. 16.4 Therefore he made some to destroy them Ans 1. The words may be read And the Wicked are for the day of Wrath. Where by day of Wrath may be understood a time of Wrath against others the wicked then are fit for God to make use of as rods to scourge with For Wickedness proceeds from the wicked See Isa 10.5 6. 2. And the wicked must go to wrath notwithstanding Gods not desiring or delighting that they should so do in case they will be and persist to be wicked contrary to Gods desire I do not say that the wicked abiding wicked are not appointed to wrath but I say that God would not that men should be much less persist to be wicked but rather that they turn to him and be happy Let the wicked forsake his ways and the unrighteous man his thoughts c. Isa 55.7 Vse This then commends the love of God and shews that he is Charity and that mens Destruction is not of him but of themselves And it affords Motive to all to seek and submit to him in order to their happiness yea it invites the wicked also to repentance as that that is most pleasing to him And that they may do so and meet with mercy it 's good for them to mind where God hath provided safety and acceptance for them which leads to the next Observation Namely CHAP. XI The third Observation briefly spoken to shewing Christ to be the only Medicine for our Misery and way to happiness appointed of God for us and what an inducement that consideration is to love God and accept of Christ Obser 3 THat God in order to the preventing mens perishing and bringing them to eternal life hath appointed the Son of Man his only Son to be mans Saviour Or that he is the only Medicine and Medium of Gods appointment in whom we may have Salvation and life everlasting This also is positively and abundantly asserted in the Scriptures for there we find 1. In the Scriptures of the Prophets that David spake of Gods raising up a King over men who should be and be Proclaimed to be Gods Son set upon his holy Hill for the good of Men so as that the Kings and Judges of the Earth should have cause of rejoycing in him and yet of trembling too because of his infinite power and terrible Judgments breaking in pieces as a Potters Vessel all that rebel against him but
of Man so there is nothing to be said of Christ because nothing in him but what is excellent for in him all fulness dwells and he is fairer then the children of men the chiefest or he that carries the banner among ten thousand The most powerful wise just holy merciful and gracious one And the entrance of Gods word concerning him gives light discovers the excellencies in him the Forgiveness of sins Redemption Spirit and Spiritual Blessings the Grace and Glory in him and it gives understanding to the simple It gives sight to discern the light and what is discovered in and by it It opens the eyes of the blind and makes wise the simple Psal 19.7 8 9. 119.130 And so the Soul perceives the excellencies of Christ That he is the excellent and precious one Beautiful and glorious excellent and comely Isa 4.2 however he appears to others whose eyes are not opened but they are yet spiritually blâ—â—d or are blinded of Sathan for their not believing 2 Cor. 4.4 Yet the enlightened Soul sees him worthy to be adhered to above all other things and persons worthy above all to be loved and to be believed on Thus the Apostles whose eyes were blessed because they see saw in him as the glory of the onely begotten of the Father full of grace and of truth And therefore pronounced of him Thou art the Christ the Son of the living God and whither should we go thou hast the words of eternal life c. John 1.14 6.68 69. Matth. 16.16 Now from this perswasion of the truth of Gods Testimony I say and this perception of his Excellencies discovered therein flow 2. The acts contained in the believing on Christ wherein the believing on him properly stands and is exercised which the Scripture variously expresseth To take in all which I say 1. It 's a hearty betaking of the Soul or of a mans self to Christ In which expression I include and intend what our Saviour or the Evangelists expresses in two used by them viz. 1. The receiving Christ which hath respect or reference to his being given of God to us and coming in his name and tendring himself to us to be our Saviour Helper Healer and in order thereto our Prophet Master or Teacher our King Commander Protector and Defender our precious Sacrifice and perfect High Priest yea our Lord and our God Now he that betakes himself to him receives him with all acceptation as such a one as the great gift of God and of himself unto and for all those exercises of his authority over us and grace toward us unto which he is given and which he tenders And this is interpreted in the Scripture it self to be believing on him or on his name John 1.12 He came to his own and his own received him not but to as many as received him he gave power to become the sons of God even to them that believed on his name This phrase also our Saviour uses to signifie the believing on one John 5.43 44. And so he that believes on him receiving him as the Prophet and Teacher sent of God receives also his sayings instructions reproofs counsels c. and receiving him as the Lord and King receives his commands yea receiving him as the great High Priest receives him so as to come to God by his Sacrifice yea receiving him as God receives his sayings and commands as the most sovereign and absolute sayings and commands of God To which also tends 2. The coming to him This also is included in believing on him and so in the betaking a mans self to him yea so as to go from all other to him For receiving him as such a one the Soul comes to him or betakes it self to him from all others that may stand in competition with him to be taught instructed counselled commanded and so to be helped healed protected and saved by him and to obtain blessing from God by his Sacrifice and Mediation And this phrase also is often used to express and signifie the believing on him As when it 's said Ye will not come to me that ye might have life John 5.40 He that cometh to me shall not hunger John 6.35 If any man thirst let him come to me and drink which in the next verse is He that believeth on me John 7.37 38. and many beside Now this coming is 1. First and principally of the heart and inward man liking prizing loving and looking to him for all grace and blessing and such is the believing heart a heart drawing nigh or cleaving to him with purpose or resolution Heb. 10.22 Acts 11.24 As the unbelieving heart is called an evil heart withdrawing or departing from the living God Heb. 3.12 10.39 An heart removed far from the Lord Isa 29.13 or departing from him Jer. 17.5 8. 2. Secondarily as the way to and an effect of the former it contains and leads to a coming to him in his Ordinances and the appointments of God as to the Assemblies and Societies of Gods people where he is spiritually present and exercising his power and dispensing his grace and blessing in a bodily coming thereto Matth. 18.20 2 Cor. 6.16 Rev. 1.13 Heb. 10.24 25. Psal 133. II. It 's a yielding up a mans self to him which as it is also included in the receiving Christ the admitting or entertaining him in his Doctrine counsels reproofs commands and so in the exercise of his Priestly power with God and Princely Authority over us and all things so it also hath in it that resigning up a mans self to his gracious guidance and government which is required of us and that obeying him which is to be exercised by us as is implied in that saying Heb. 5.8 9. That being made perfect he became the author of eternal salvation to all that obey him which is put there for that which here and in other places is believing on him Obedience to him in yielding to his counsels and commands and so in being ruled and governed by him being a necessary and indispensible fruit or exercise of the faith or believing on him to which the promises are made exercised also and practised by the antient and approved believers recorded in the Scripture whose faith we are to follow as is to be seen in Heb. 11.7 8 17. Whence the unbelievers are called the children of disobedience and judgment threatned to them as such Eph. 5.6 Col. 3.6 2 Thess 1.7 8 9. This expression of yielding a mans self to the Lord we have in 2 Chron. 30.8 Yield your selves or as the Margent hath it Give your hands to the Lord who is stretching out his hand to us to succour and supply us to pull us out of the snares of sin and Sathan and to bring or lead us into his Sanctuary c. III. It 's an attendance to him also called in Scripture sometimes a looking to him as seeking and expecting all grace and blessing from him Isa 45.22 Psal 34.5 and a waiting
her hand which signifies a putting forth her strength and tendring her help to men to turn them to her self and bring them in to God Prov. 1.4 5. 1.20 24. 4. In his reproofs and judgments even to and upon the Heathen for not calling on his name to which believing on him is necessary Rom. 10.14 it being excellent in all the earth and declared by his wondrous works Psal 79.6 Jer. 10.25 Psal 8.1 9. 75.1 Mal. 1.11 14. And for not glorifying him as God nor being thankful to him but withholding the truth in unrighteousness seeing what was to be known of God was manifested in them and God shewed it to them so as they knew but liked not to have him in their knowledge Rom. 1.18 19 20 21 28. Yea for not believing God as now the Jews believe him not Rom. 11.30 All imply that God requires that men believe him and believe on him as made known to and among them But much more evident is this in his often reproofs of Israel among whom he was more signally made known Psal 76.1 2. 147.19 20. in his faulting and judging them for not hearing and hearkening to his voice law and words but rejecting them and for not liking to have him for their God the object of their stay trust and confidence but turning adulterously from him after others Psal 81.9 10 11 12. Isa 66.3 4. Jer. 2.5 13. 6.19 7.25 26. though using more special means with and towards them so as he vouchsafed not to any other Nation to make them cleave to himself Jer. 13.11 Yea his very condemning men both here and hereafter for their not believing on the Son of Man is an evidence that he would they should have believed on him John 5.40 3.18 19 36. 5. Yea in a word all that I have said on Observ 2â— about Gods desire of mens Salvation and living rather then that they dye and perish are evidences of the truth of this also that God requires that men believe on his Son the Son of Man as evidenced and lifted up by him and that their so doing is acceptable to him for so much as that believing on him is necessary to that Salvation and living with him 2. As for the acceptableness of it his requiring it and using or vouchsafing means and power for it and his threatning and punishing men for not improving them thereto and profiting by them so as to practise it evidence that also But much more clearly is this evidenced to and in them that believe 1. In his forgiving their sins as it is said To him give all the Prophets witness that through his name whosoever believeth on him shall receive forgiveness of their sins Acts 10.43 2. In his justifying them as righteous there-through as it is said By him all that believe are justified from all things from which they could not have been justified by the Law of Moses Acts 13.39 3. In giving them the priviledge to be his Children as it is said To them that received him to them he gave this power to become the Sons of God even to them that believe on his Name John 1.12 And Ye are all the Sons of God by faith in Christ Jesus Gal. 3.26 4. In blessing them as it is said So many as are of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham being reputed as his Children Gal. 3.7 9 29. And in a word 5 In that they shall not perish but have eternal life And so this Point of the acceptableness to God of mens believing on Christ is confirmed by the next Observation and what is contained in it Which we shall nextly consider reserving the Use of this Observation in its several branches to afterward CHAP. XIII The fifth Observation having two branches the former of them is here explicated what the perishing is from which the believer on the Son of Man is preserved and how he is preserved from it Obser 5 WHosoever believeth on the Son of Man shall not perish but have eternal life and it is the gracious mind of God it should be so This the next Verse also confirmeth wherein it is said God so loved the world that he gave his onely begotten Son that whosoever believeth on him should not perish but have everlasting life And in Verse 36. where it is said He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life And in Chap. 6.40 where it is said This is the will of him that sent me that he that seeth beholdeth the Son and believeth on him should have everlasting life c. But here it is to be minded that he saith not that whosoever believeth on him should not be sick or poor or tempted or dye in Prison or on the Gallows or any such like violent death by men and their authority or any thing of the like nature For any of these may and sometimes do befall those that believe on him For Hezekiah was sick and so was Lazarus the brother of Martha and Mary whom Jesus loved John 11.1 3 11. And so was Epaphroditus Phil. 2.27 30. And Lazarus that begged at the rich mans door was poor and God hath chosen the poor of this world rich in faith Jam. 2.5 And both Christ himself and his Saints Paul and Peter and many of his Worthies were tempted And we account them happy that endure temptation and so they are For when they are tryed they shall receive a crown of life which God hath promised to tâ—em that love him James 1.12 5.11 Heb. 2.18 11.37 And many Confessors of his Name and Truth have dyed in Prison or been put to shameful deaths for his Names sake as in Heb. 11.35 36 37. besides many other places of Scripture may be seen Let no man therefore think himself unhappy or not approved of God and of Christ in his believing because of such thiÌ„gs as Sathan is busie to tempt some to think 1 Pet. 5.8 they being not the things which God sent his Son to keep those that receive and believe on him from Neither let any man promise himself that in his believing on Christ he shall be saved from such things befalling him otherwise then he sees good to save him there-from lest missing of his hope and expectation therein he should be offended John 16.1 2 3. Think not saith our Lord that I am come to send peace on earth but a sword c. Nor is it said That whosoever believeth on him should have a rich and prosperous life in this world free from crosses and exercises for that is included in the peace which Christ would not have us think that he came to send upon earth Peace in the Hebrew and Scripture Language signifying prosperity No nor a long life upon earth or great promotions and honours with men Much less is it said that they should live here for ever No we see Death is common to all Abraham is dead and the Prophets be dead and so be the Apostles and all others must
Pharaohs Court as the Son of Pharaohs daughter yet through faith believing on the Son of Man he was not snared so as to perish from the way thereby but refusing to be called the Son of Pharaohs daughter chose rather to suffer adversity with the people of God then to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season esteeming the reproches of Christ greater riches then all the treasures of Egypt for he had respect to the recompence of reward Heb. 11.24 25 26. 5. In case of Gods giving honour power and authority to men they are in a danger to and often do perish from the way either neglecting and sleighting and so missing it or if they were somewhat in it before they wander out of it not believing in the Son of Man to steer them evenly and uprightly in it as is to be seen in many Kings and Princes that are or have been corrupted by power and greatness Instances we have in Saul and Vzziah Solomon and other Kings of Judah and Israel but now if any such believe on the Son of Man and in God through him he will preserve them from perishing from the way as may be seen in David Asa Jehosaphat Hezekiah and Josiah though they all had their stumbles and falls in the way and this is that that is implyed in the second Psalme when he saith Be wise now therefore O ye Kings understand or be instructed ye that Judge the Earth Serve the Lord with fear and rejoyce before him with trembling Kiss the Son lest he be angry and ye perish out â—f the way if his wrath be kindled but a little Kiss that is imbrace honour submit to believe on the Son even him that is set upon Gods holy hill of Sion to whom God said Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee Gods Son this Son of Man the Lord Jesus But then in adding Blessed are all they that trust in him He implies that they who do so in an exercise of faith in or believing on him they shall be happy in this that they shall be preserved from such perishing out of the way as befalls others that do not kiss or believe on him I may also add 6. In case of Gods honouring and lifting up men with great spiritual gifts and favours as knowledg utterance experience and such like priviledges The heart not exercising faith in the Son of Man and living upon him as nothing in and of itself notwithstanding them and as needing always to be found in him upheld and supplied by and presented in him is in danger to perish out of the way As is implied in that counsel and warning of the Apostles to the Gentiles Rom. 11.20 21. Thou standest by faith be not high-minded but fear for if God spared not the natural branches take heed lest he also spare not thee And as was exemplified in Jerusalem Ezek. 16.16 17 18. That trusting in her own beauty and excellency received from Christ her husband and not living upon and trusting only to and in him plai'd the harlot and perished from the way as is to be seen in the following verses there and in Jer. 2.5 6 7 31. Whereas the living by the faith of the Son of God and exercising it by believing on him preserves and saves there-from as the Apostle Paul and all that in all ages lived by faith in their injoyments of Gods gifts favours and priviledges were Gal. 2.20 Heb. 10.38 7. In case of difficulties and seeming hardness in the words or works of God or Christ so as we cannot find them out or comprehend them by our understanding from want of believing on the Son of Man many perish from the way of truth and righteousness So we find that Israel fell in temptations and provocations not knowing Gods way erring in their hearts through unbelief of his words not mixed with faith in them Psal 95.10 Heb. 3.15 16 18. with 4.2 When Caleb and Joshua that believed followed God with a full heart and were not offended at any of his ways Asaph had like that way to have slipt but that going into the Sanctuary of God through believing what he there met with he was recovered Psal 73. Jeremiah also though he would reason with God of his judgments yet holding fast faith and believing that God was righteous in all his ways was not in danger of miscarrying Jer. 12.1 Yea in a word Great peace have they that love Gods Law and nothing shall offend them either in Gods words or works for they believe that his word is right and all his works are done in truth Psal 119.165 with 33.4 That God is a Rock his work perfect and all his ways judgment a God of truth and without iniquity just and right is he Deut. 32.4 But a most eminent instance of this we have in Christs Disciples Joh. 6. where at a hard saying of his about eating his Flesh and drinking his Blood many of his Disciples were so offended that they perished from the way turning back from and no more walking with Christ and that because they believed not hung not upon him as the Christ tho Son of God trusted not to his leading beyond what they could see and comprehend with their own understandings as one they were perswaded of that he would not deceive or mislead them Whereas Peter the other Apostles being asked If that offended them also and if they would go away too replied Whither shall we go Thou hast the words of eternal Life and we know and are sure that thou art the Christ the Son of the living God and would not depart from him Joh. 6.60 61 64 67 68 69. Abraham also believing according to what was said and giving glory to God staggered not through unbelief either at the strangness or greatness of what was promised or at the unlikeliness of its being performed and so turned not out of the way however he may be said to have tripped in it by listening to Sarahs advice Gen. 16. Rom. 4.16 17 18. Whereas Israel in the Wilderness as is noted afore not believing for the words sake nor for Gods sake upon the account of his power and faithfulness but judging by sight and appearance and accordingly believing or distrusting turned aside and perished from the way many of them And to say no more in case of temptations generally men not believing on Christ the Son of Man and so on God are in danger to perish out of the way being overcome of their lusts and of Sathan And so all the diverse ways of the people of Israel falling into sin and perishing from the way as by lusting after evil things by Idolatry by murmuring against Christ by tempting Christ and by fornication mentioned 1 Cor. 10. are resolved generally into their unbelief as the grand root and cause of them Heb. 3.19 Jude 5. When as they who hold fast faith in Christ and depend on him continually are thereby preserved from every evil way As it is
saith is of hearing and hearing is of the word of God not of every hearing nor of every word but of hearing the word of God From which word hearing or the hearing Ear also is effected and proceeds Rom. 10.17 For no man can come unto Christ this Son of Man unless it be given to him of God unless he draws him and he draws by his teaching men the knowledge of him whence it is said every one that heareth and learneth of the Father comes unto him Joh. 6.44 45 65. It is of his own good will that he begets men through the word of truth to be of a contemptible vile worthless creature as man hath made himself by his sin a kind of first-fruits of his creatures a more noble and prime creature to him a new creature a first-fruits of his future new creation therefore it behooves men every one to be swift to hear slow to speak slow to wrath slow to murmur and be angry at the word of truth and the instructions reproofs and counsels of it because clashing with the wisdom and will of the flesh the principles thoughts and practices of the world and of the wise men thereof but with meekness to receive the ingraffed word the word as God puts and ingraffs it into the heart which is able to save the Soul being not only hearers of the word but doers of it as it is working and so God in and with it to will and to do of good pleasure Jam. 1.18 19 21. Phil. 2.12 13. turning at Gods reproofs therein given from whatsoever in conceit apprehension or opinion we hold or imagine that clashes with the truth discovered in the word and its instructions that we may so conceive judge and believe as that declares and informs us of all things and from whatsoever in affection desire purpose or practice we naturally or through evil principles or customs affect desire purpose or practice disagreeing with and reproved by the light and instruction of that blessed word that so we may obey its counsel and instruction and affect desire purpose and practice what it commends and leads us to seeking after that and so the wisdom of God will pour out his spirit to us and make known his words Prov. 1.22 23. and so hearing the Soul shall live Isa 55.3 there through attaining to know the name of the Lord the Son of Man we shall be strengthened framed and have the will set to trust in him Psal 9.10 in meditating in the law and doctrine of the Lord and exercising our selves in it day and night the heart will be fixed to trust in the Lord and to make him its hope Yea and therein to be rooted grounded and fixed like a Tree planted by the water side so as to abide in the blasts of temptations and be fruitful in every good work increasing in the knowledge of God strengthened with all might according to his glorious power to all patience and long suffering with joyfulness Psal 1.1 2 3. Jer. 17.7 8. Col. 1.10 11. for the Gospel of Christ the preaching of the cross is the power of God to salvation even from unbelief and all the power of darkness to every one that believes it Rom. 1.16 1 Cor. 1.22 23. So as that in taking diligent heed thereto and yeilding up our selves to the power that worketh therein we shall be helped and framed to believe on the Son of God it s through his name that men receive power to believe on him Acts 10.43 and therefore it behooves all men as they would avoid the perishing from Gods way and the everlasting misery and destruction at the end and as they would obtain the everlasting life and happiness propounded and promised to give serious and diligent heed and obedience thereto who would willingly incur pain grief and affliction here or to perish by hunger cold prison gallows or the like and yet these things are infinitely short of the evil of perishing from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power for ever Yea who that is travelling to some remote place where if he go right on to it he shall find great riches honours or gain would be willing or through carefulness expose himself to loose and be lost out of the way and to wander in a Wilderness among bryers and thorns boggs and lakes yea among wild and savage creatures as serpents lyons tygers c. when in a diligent careful inquiry after and attendance to some faithful direction and guide he might go right and safe and attain the good proposed and miss that perishing by hunger cold the teeth of the wild beasts that he is otherwise in danger off and yet that perishing from the way and danger of finally perishing by the ways or means forementioned are little evils in comparison of perishing from Gods way and by what that perishing exposes to who again that hath proffer and opportunity of being made rich honourable living pleasantly and delightfully for a long time so long suppose as was the life of Methuselah would willingly refuse and loose such enjoyments and incur answerable miseries and yet this eternal life which God hath promised to give to them that believe on and follow after the Son of Man is infinitely more excellent then all the honours riches pleasures and most excellent enjoyments of this world though they might be enjoyed safely not only so long as the life of Methusalah but also so long as from the beginning of this world to the end thereof without interruption Oh therefore how concerns it all men to come and believe on the Son of Man and to that purpose to listen to and receive the teachings of God concerning him that such miseries may be missed and such mercies enjoyed that they may not perish in the way and from the end but may have everlasting life Vse 2. How doth this then reprove the vanity folly pride and wickedness of the world which rejects and puts from them and matter not to believe on this most excellent one whom God to such glorious ends hath raised up for us If it be folly and madness in men who may in hearing their Fathers and freinds good instructions in matters of this world live well and comfortably have and get yet more of the good things of this world to maintain them and preserve them from want and beggery and make them live in credit and repute to turn their backs upon such good counsels and thereby willingly and wilfully through their pride folly slothfulness love of bad company or the like bring themselves into debt poverty prisons and nothing but a Series of miseries How much more is it folly and madness for the world or any of us to neglect Gods word and Gods Son and that great Salvation wrought and preached and brought to us by so great and glorious a hand as that of this Son of Man being also the Son of God the mighty God and our Saviour and thereby to
deprive our selves of such unspeakable bliss and happiness as cannot be conceived and plunge our selves into such miseries as cannot be imagined And yet evident it is that such folly and madness the world is greatly guilty of For evident it is that it generally rejects and treads under foot the Lord Jesus and the doctrine that declares him and is left to us by him in which is included our salvation and happiness Deut. 32.46 47. Prov. 4.13 Joh. 12.49 50. That the world generally slights both him and his doctrine the bleatings of the sheep and the lowings of the Oxen testifie that is the general Atheism Prophaneness Disorder and Wickedness the false Religions and Worships generally practised commanded or countenanced do loudly proclaim it Use 3. It may also provoke such as do believe on the Son of Man the Lord Jesus Christ to hold fast the faith and so their believing on him and by no means to suffer themselves to be withdrawn therefrom For let us consider with our selves that Consideration 1. If we turn away and fall from our dependance on him we turn after vain things and things that cannot profit because vain 1 Sam. 12.19 20. and so we deprive our selves of all the good in him and plunge our selves into all the misery that can be incurred by us For this eternal life being in the Son of Man Christ Jesus in departing from him we depart from it and losing him we lose it and he being the Saviour and Salvation in withdrawing from him we withdraw from it and lie open to all the evil that the unbeliever may fall into Nay indeed better never to have known the way or word of truth or the holy commandement or to have had fellowship with him then to turn away again therefrom for the latter end in that case is worse than the beginning 2 Pet. 2.20 Luk. 11.26 27. For as all that are far from him do and shall perish So he doth and will destroy them who go a whoring from him Psal 73.27 The consideration then of the certain danger of loss and misery yea of the greatest loss because of the greatest and longest abiding good and of the greatest misery because of the greatest and longest continued evill may move us all with all earnestness to hold fast the profession of the faith and the exercise thereof And that is one consideration often urged by the Apostles So in Heb. 10.23 24 25 26 29 39. Let us hold fast the profession of the faith without wavering not forsaking the Assembling our selves together as the manner of some is For if we sin wilfully after the knowledge of the truth received there remains no more sacrifice for sin but a certain fearfull looking for of fiery indignation which shall devour the Adversary For if they that sinned against so as they despised Moses Law dyed without mercy under two or three witnesses Of how much sorer punishment shall he be thought worthy that hath troden under foot the Son of God and hath counted the blood of the Covenant an unholy thing and hath done despite to the Spirit of grace It is a fearfull or terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living God And if any man draw back my soul shall have no pleasure in him As also the Consideration of Consid 2. The exceeding profit and benefit accruing from the holding fast the faith and believing on him and the great incouragements we have thereunto These may more powerfully move us to it What is there better than safety from destruction and the injoyment of Eternal life in which there is an everlasting injoyment of God and Christ and of all that is or can be good and desirable and what have we to incourage to it and assure us of it To that consider Encouragement 1. We have to encourage us to this believing and holding fast the faith all the Trinity for us God the Father gave his Son to that end that we might believe on him and be saved and live for ever Joh. 3.16 And he fills strengthens and upholds his Son in and unto all his undertakings for us in order to the bringing us to that safety and eternal life and happiness Isa 42.1 5 6. Psal 89.20 21 22. And gives his holy Spirit in and through him to strengthen and help us therein against all that would harm us or pull us from it The Son himself or Word is for us in all he hath done and suffered and in all he now doth in heaven or earth in his mediation and intercession with God for us and in his government of the World in the name and power of God about us and his ordering of his providences to us Joh. 14 2 3 18. and 16.33 and dispences his Word and Spirit to that purpose to animate and hearten us thereunto and therein is working in us the works of God for us even what he requires of us Joh. 14.16 17 26. and 16.13 14 15. And the holy spirit encourages us by his word and by his heavenly and powerful working in us therewith and gives us all motives and inducements that may be with exhortations counsells promises c. to perswade and strengthen us And what shall we say to these things If God be for us herein who is he that is against us Or what is there that can be presented to our view that may so much discourage us as the consideration that God both Father Son and Spirit are for us may encourage us and hearten us Rom. 8.31 32 33. 1 Joh 5.6 9. Encour 2. Having God for us we have his creatures the best of them and all that are on Gods side to encourage us too We have the holy Angels to protect and defend us therein Psal 34.7 and 91.11 12. Heb. 1.13 14. This they will do for us while we are here and when we go hence they will carry us up to Christ or into Abrahams bosome to be at rest with Christ and his holy ones Luk. 16.22 We have the holy Apostles and Prophets and so the Spirits of just men made perfect for us both to encourage us by their testimonies instructions provocations and all means used in their writings left on Record for us animating and heartning us in believing on the Son of man and by their own practice and examples in all ages we have in them a cloud of witnesses going before us as a guide to us all witnessing to this That the just shall live by faith and shewing us by their examples how to exercise it and live by it Heb. 10.38 with 11 throughout and 12.1 and we have the living Saints the holy men led by the spirit of God to encourage and hearten us on For whatsoever difference there may be among such in any by-opinions or apprehensions yet they all agree in this That he that believeth on the Son of man the Son of God is in a good and right way in the certain way to happiness and shall in holding
fast and not turning therefrom be sure not to fail of it and we have their prayers for us that we may therefore hold fast and go on to the end with manifold provocations by word writings and examples to it Yea and many of our enemies too though they hate us for the the thing it self as practised by us yet they preach and approve what they hate in their doctrines and declarations even as the Jews approve and magnifie those Scriptures which hold forth what the Christians belieâ—â— though they believe not what is in their own Scriptures Joh 5.45 46. and 10.34 Yea and we have all Gods providences therein working together for us all things working together for good to them that love God all the paths of the Lord mercy and truth to them that keep his Covenant and his Testimonies Psal 25.9 Rom. 8.28 Yea all things ours Whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the World or life or death or things present or things to come all are ours if we be Christs as Christ is Gods 1 Cor. 3.21 22 Gal. 3.29 and therefore great encouragement have we to hold fast faith and go on believing in the Son of man the Son of God Encour 3. The great profit and benefit proposed to be received and injoyed in beleiving on him both the avoiding and escaping so great misery as perishing and the greatness of the good things contained in the eternal life to be injoyed a great recompence of reward Therefore cast we not away our confidence it 's life a Kingdom yea Eternal life and an everlasting Kingdom the Kingdom and Glory of our Lord Jesus Christ an eternal weight of glory Heb. 10.36 2 Thess 2.14 1 Pet. 5.10 2 Cor. 4.17 18. Yea and Encour 4. All the assurances given us of the certain fulfilling of what is said herein certifying us that we shall not perish but have Eternal life in such believing are strong Encouragements to us worthy to be minded by us As to say 1. We have Gods promise for it God that cannot lye hath promised Eternal life to the believer Tit. 1.2 1 Joh. 2.24 25. And faithfull is he that hath promised and he will perform it Heb. 10.23 And if we would trust an honest man upon his word or promise may we not much more trust God 2. We have the oath of God That by two immutable things in which it is not possible that God should lye namely his promise and his oath we might have strong consolation that flee for refuge to lay hold on the hope set before us seeing therein appears the immutability of his counsel Heb. 6. 17 18. By my self have I sworn saith the Lord to Abraham and in him to his seed them that are Christs Gal. 3.29 that in blessing I will bless thee and in multiplying I will multiply thee Gen. 22.16 Heb. 6.13 And if we believe men upon their solemn oaths shall we not much more believe God when to confirm our faith he adds his oath to his promise ingaging himself thereby to the performance 3. We have manifold evidences of Gods truth and the truth of his Word in which these things are covenanted and promised all that evidences Gods truth and faithfulness in making good his words increases this assurance and that 's much as the casting off the Jews for their Idolatry and unbelief according to what or so far as Moses and the Prophets long since fore-signified Deut. 31.17 18. 32.21 22. 30.1 with Rom. 9 10 11.11 The calling and bringing in us Gentiles to be his people which was prophesied off long before while we were all worshippers of Idols and Devils Yet God hath made good this against all appearing probability even then when that one Nation that had the Oracles of God and boasted themselves to be his people and to have him for their God and he a greater God than all the gods of the Gentiles was for their sins rejected so as to have their City sackt and burnt their Land laid wast their people destroyed by famine pestilence sword and led captive into all lands and that by those who opposed the Lord his word and ways and were ready to attribute all their successes to the strength of their Gods or Idols and the ruine of their enemies to the weakness of their God Judg. 16.23 24. 2 King 18.33 and 19.22 Yet even then by the preaching of the Apostles a few despised persons he got himself the victory over them and brought in the Gentiles against all the malice of the Devils and thier worshippers to confesse him and his oracles the holy Scriptures Many other things might be noted to confirm the truth of the Scriptures as but I shall note it as another ground 4. The raising up Jesus and so sending us his own Son his only begotten according to the promises and prophecies that fore-went of him to be our Saviour the light to lighten us Gentiles and to be his salvation to the ends of the earth Act. 13.32 47. and 26.22 23. with Isai 42.1 6. 49.6 7 8. And he was discovered to be the Son of God by the testimony of the Scriptures of the Prophets by his own miracles and doctrine by the voyce of God and by the Spirit of holiness in the resurrection from the dead Joh. 5.36 37 39 and 20.31 Rom. 1.3 4. He as given of God for us and giving himself to be the ransome of our souls the propitiation for our sins the peace-maker and reconciler of us to God is an evident witness and assurance of the love and faithfulness of God to us and that in our believing on him he will be to us the Author of eternal salvation and everlasting life Isai 55.4 1 Tim. 2.6 Heb. 5.7.9 Having not spared his own Son but delivered him up to death for us all How shall not he with him freely give us all things Rom 8 32. 5. The holy Spirit given us as an earnest of the inheritance both as gifting the Apostles and believers at first with extraordinary and most usefull gifts inabling them to work miracles wonders and signs according to the fore-sayings of the holy Prophets Joel 2.28 29 in the name of Jesus witnessing therein to him and to the truth of his doctrine and also as inlighting the mind renewing the heart and assuring the conscience by his divine and heavenly operations in which we have included those three witnesses on earth mentioned in 1 Joh. 5.7 8. The Spirit inlightning and gifting the water washing and cleansing and the blood pâ—â—ging and pacifying and so the spirit by all assuring the conscience give assurance of Gods truth and faithfulnesse in making good his promises for saving the believer from perishing and giving him Eternall life Having therefore such motives and incouragements to believe and such assurances of welfare therein How should we not be strengthned to believe on him and to follow on to believe yet more and more strongly against all temptations and oppositions using
may eat of what they labour in and then 3. As for safety they serve a Master so Great as is sufficiently able and so Good that he will not fail to uphold them and save them in all difficulties and against all dangers in their faithful serving him And surely both as betrusted with God's name and honour and as betrusted with and employed about Mens highest concernments it behoves them to be 1. Faithful both to him and them to do the will of God and Christ and speak his words he gives them faithfully so as not to conceal the words of the Holy One Job 6.10 Psal 40.10 but to make known the whole counsel of God and Christ to them as Christ did to his Disciples Joh. 15.14 15. And the Apostle Paul to the Churches who shunned not to declare to them the whole counsel of God Act. 20.26 27. Yea and to declare it as God orders them to do it with such plainness putting away the hidden things of dishonesty or guile flattery and wisdom of words that may obscure and darken the truth and tender the cross of Christ ineffectual Not casting a Veil over their Faces as Moses did hiding from men the messages which they carry that they may not see to the end and tendency of them though what Moses did was done in faithfulness but using all openness and freeness of speech sincerity and soundness of doctrine without adding ought thereto or diminishing ought there-from or changing or altering any thing therein but as of sincerity and as of God commending themselves to every mans conscience and approving themselves as in the sight of God and Christ who imploy them 1 Cor. â— 17 18. 2.1 4 5. 2 Cor. 2.17 and 3.12 13. and 4.1 2. Not seeking or pleasing themselves but seeking to please God and profit men yea and please them too for their good that they might be saved 1 Cor. 9.19 22. and 10.33 Rom. 15.2 3. Not seeking Riches or Honours to themselves nor for any Pleasures of the Flesh or Injoyments of the World nor for Ease Liberty or any thing turning aside from either their attendance to God or faithful discharge of their trust towards him or towards men nor dealing unfaithfully with the Word of God as Persons partial in his Law but leaving themselves to God to provide maintenance and give honour to them as he pleases and contenting themselves with what he by his providence orders them to do the work and service to which he calls them not making merchandize of Gods Word and of the Souls of men for gain honour or livelihood and so deny the Lord who bought them but seeking only the honour that comes of God and the glory of God and good of men in all things depending on God and Christ contentedly to honour and reward them who also will do it abundantly as shall be good for them here but most fully hereafter when the great Shepherd shall appear from heaven 1 Pet. 5.4 2. Greatly diligent and industrious not giving up themselves to sloth and idleness or to follow the lusts and appetites or intangle themselves with the affairs of this World but that they may please him that imploys them seeking diligently by prayer and supplications to God for themselves and all Saints and more especially for those that they are more especially betrusted with and giving attendance to reading meditation c. that they may in their converse with God know and perceive his mind and receive the word from his mouth and be strengthned to declare it faithfully and boldly unto men not fearing their faces or being flattered from it by them and to be useful to and have cause of joy in them in their service toward whom also they are to use great diligence and therefore they are compared to and stiled by the name of Labourers to signify that they must not be idle and loyter and give themselves to ease carelesness and effeminacy they are to digg and plow sowe and plant and water and do all the work of the Lords husbandry which the people are and of his building Vineyard and Garden which his Church is Yea as Shepherds they must watch their Flocks and that by Night and by Day least any ravenous Beast devour them or disease infest or any Thief steal them or any harm from one another come to them Yea and so much the more as the souls of men are more precious then their bodies about which the earthly husbandry building and other acts and manufactures are employed the loss of the soul is of wonderful great concernment and God will require it of whomsoever the loss of it proceedeth if he would require the blood of men at the hands of men as is said Gen. 9.7 Surely much more will he require the Souls of men at the hands of men with whom they are betrusted if lost by their negligence seeing he hath valued them so highly as that he hath not spared his own Son nor Christ his own Life and Soul but hath poured it out to death to save them And shall thy Brother for whom Christ dyed perish through thy meat For thy sloth thy ease thy will or pleasure Surely if this were considered it would make men careful how they undertake the Ministry and having undertaken it how they discharge it it would make them watch and labour with diligence least any should miscarry through want thereof or through want of skill the product of sloth and idleness or some such miscarriage and so the blood of their Souls should be required at their hands as God threatned the Prophet Ezekiel Chap. 3.17 18 19 20 c. 3. Great humility and lowliness of mind bewaring of pride least being puffed up they fall into the condemnation of the Devil Indeed while they look upon the heighth and honourableness of their Employment their Liberty to and Intelligence with Heaven the secrets they see into above others and the excellent discoveries they have and make of the great and high things of the Gospel and the like they may have Temptations to be proud and lifted up and many there are that are apt to miscarry that way but it is a dangerous deceit a Rock earnestly to be shunned and indeed none have cause to be less proud Considering 1. The exceeding heighth and weightiness of their place and work and their exceeding imbecility of themselves as of themselves for the discharge thereof This made Paul cry out Who is sufficient for these things 2 Cor. 2.16 Especially considering too the great woe will befall them as guilty of betraying Cods Name and Honour and his great Design the work and business of highest consequence and as guilty of the lose of Souls that are most precious in Gods sight if through their miscarriage they be lost and perish Oh therefore with what care and humbleness of mind should they walk Indeed their honour is great and their reward will be great if faithful and successful but the difficulty
14.31 and the Love both of God and of Christ to us 1 John 3.16 17. and 4.9 10. able to move our hearts to love him again 1 John 4.19 Yea both his Love to his Disciples John 14. and 15.9 10. as an example and motive to us to love them that are his Disciples and our Brethren John 13.34 35. and 15.12 And his Love to those who were ignorant of him lost and perishing as an example to us to love such and a motive as we our selves were such to love such also with a love of compassion yea such as are strangers from us Eph. 2.11 12 13.19 2 Cor. 8.9 Rom. 5.6 1 Tim. 1.15 1 John 3.16 17. Gal. 6 10. Yea his Love to his Enemies is an Example and Motive to us to love to our capacities our enemies also Rom. 5.10 Mat. 5.44 45. Ephes 5.2 1 Pet. 2.21 Yea in this lifting up this Son of man by his Spirit is also the Presence and Efficacy of his Spirit as a Spirit of love to infuse love into us and frame us to love 2 Tim. 1.7 8. Yea Case 13. Would we be furnished with any Virtue and framed to and directed in any good way Look hither and behold Christ Crucified for us and lifted up there-through for and to us and here we may find Motive Inducement and Spirit to inable and frame the heart thereto Yea in most things if not in all Pattern and Example thereof as to say In Bowels of Mercy behold his mercifulness to us Luke 6.37 and 10.37 In kindness Tit. 3.4 In humbleness of mind Phil. 2.5 6 7. In meekness and lowliness Mat. 11.29 In gentleness 2 Cor. 10.1 In long-suffering 2 Pet. 3.9 and 1 Pet. 2.21 22. In forbearance and forgiveness Col. 3.13.14 In patient putting up of wrongs 1 Pet. 2 21 22 23. In love and obedience to God Phil. 2.8 John 14.31 In submission to Superiours in the World Mat. 17.25 27. Isa 49.7 In giving place to wrath Mat. 12.14 15 16 18 19. Isa 42.2 For mens loving their Wives Ephes 5.25 26 c. And to say no more Case 14. In case of loss of our Friends Brethren Relations Husbands Children c. as we have him for a Pattern of Submission to his Fathers Will in taking out of his hand and drinking the Cup he gave him to propose to our selves and imitate in looking upon him John 18.11 So also looking upon him as lifted up for and before us we shall see cause to be submissive to God therein For was it not more for God to give his Son for us and expose him to such Sufferings and Death then to take away a Son or a Daughter a Wife or a Husband or a Friend from us Seeing also by his Sons death he hath made a way through Death to better injoyments and greater happiness then they could have here in this life and hath given to his Son through his death the Keys of hell and death to bring or keep out from Death as he pleases Yea He is the Resurrection and the Life so as the Dead in him shall Live again Yea they do in their spirits live in his Presence and have a fuller Injoyment of him then we have while here Phil. 1.21.23 Rev. 1.18 19. John 11.25 26. And he is the Lawful and Sovereign Lord of all and so of us and ours a Just Righteous Holy Merciful and Good Lord whose Work is perfect and all his Ways judgment Deut. 32.4 Psal 145.8 9. and therefore doth us no wrong in any thing yea aims at our good and profit in all things Heb. 10.8 9 10. And if we believe that Jesus Christ Died and Rose again so we believe that them who sleep in Jesus God will bring With him for the Lord himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout with the Voice of the Archangel and the Trump of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first and then we that are alive and remain shall be caught up together in the Clouds to meet the Lord in the Air and so we shall be for ever with the Lord These words minded and these things looked to will be for comfort to us 1 Thes 4.14.17 As also that in the mean time the Lord is nigh at hand to us to help us and this Son of man as a Child born to and for us and a Son given us is also an Everlasting Father the Wonderful the Counsellor the Mighty God the Prince of Peace And he will be a Counsellor a Comforter a Provider for and Protector of us and better to us then many Fathers or Mothers Sons or Daughters Friends or Relations Isa 9.6 Yea in a word 〈◊〉 The looking to him is the way to have our understandings inlightned into all Truth our minds renewed our hearts cleansed comforted healed filled with peace joy hope and every good fruit our Souls saved from all evil of sin both guilt filth snare and punishment and from the pollutions of the World and power of Satan and so from every evil thing and our whole Conversation rightly ordered In a word it s the way to be saved from perishing out of the way and much more from perishing in the end and to have and injoy Eternal life Oh therefore let us in all cases and at all times look to him and wistly behold and view him and to that purpose Oh let us with David make it the one thing desired by us That we may dwell in his house and be always beholding the fair Beauty of the Lord and inquiring in his holy Temple Psal 27.4 Seeing also Motive 3. There is nothing else that we can turn to or look upon that can or will do any of these things for and in us no Law or Doctrine if this be rejected and put away or that is beside or swarveth from this no work frame or device of our own or others no Plaister Medicine or Course we can take will heal us in any thing so as to better our conditions For sure if Moses Law will not do it which was given from God himself the exactest and best that ever was given beside then much less will any humane Laws or Injunctions Impositions Works Ceremonies Practices of our own or others but if we turn from this Object we must needs go after vain things and things that cannot profit us because they are vain And though we may kindle fires to our selves and compass our selves with sparks and walk in the light of our own fire yet we must perish and lie down in sorrow 1 Sam. 12.19 20 21. Isa 50.11 Yea though we set any Precepts or Ordinances of Christ before us to observe and practise yet if we observe and practise them without seeing and looking to him and so believing and depending on him for wisdom Strength and Blessing we shall deceive our selves and do like them that made the Word of the Lord to themselves Precept upon precept Precept upon precept Line upon line Line upon line here a little and