begotten into the World he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let all the Angels of God worship him The word among the Hebrews for Worship somtimes signifies Prostrating the whole Body as 2 Chron. 20.18 Jehosophat and the men of Israel did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fall to the Ground before the Lord 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such worship is given to the Lord Jesus Luke 17.16 The Lepper that was cleansed fell upon his Face at his Feet 2ly 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It signifies to inclinate and bend the Head as in Gen. 24.48 So the Angels are said to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 incurvate Verticis inclinationem significat and bend their Heads to understand the things concerning Christ in the Gospel 1 Pet. 1.12 3ly 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A stooping of the Head with the Superior parts of the Body Esther 3.5 4ly 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lastly they use a word for worship which signifies to bless with Bended knees 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 genuflectere Psal 45.6 O come let us Worship and bow down let us kneel before the Lord our maker so it is said Every knee shall bow to the Lord Jesus All these external gestures are to signifie the internal humble actings of the Mind Now seeing Angels are glorious Creatures and that part of worship scil Petition is not so proper to them therefore they are imployed in the other scil Praise and Blessing and Adoring of him although not for their redemption by him being never captivated yet for their confirmation and election in him for it is the opinion of our orthodox Divines that the Angels in Glory stand by vertue of their eternal election in Christ therefore they have cause to extol Rev. 5.12 13. praise and magnify the Lord of Glory we read that all Creatures in Heaven and in Earth are at this word giving honour and blessing and Praise to the Lamb for ever and ever This makes it evident that Divine Honour is attributed to the Lord Jesus and there are sure grounds for it if we consult and believe the Scriptures which term him Zach. 13.7 Phil. 2.6 The Fathers Fellow Equal to God i. e. the Father But because the Lord of Life and Glory did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 empty himself of his glory and honour when he assumed the humane nature and became Man therefore the most honour him little more than if he was a man I am somthing larger upon these particulars then I intended but when I consider what the Apostle said Phil. 2.10.11 Every Tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the Glory of the Father It is for the glory of God the Father as well as the good of Souls to understand aright and also confess this main fundamental truth scil the deity of Christ it oblieges me to inlarge a little Mat. 28.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the end I might make it more perspicuous I might heâ—r speak of being Baptized into his name Baptism is an Ordinance of Divine institution and to be Baptized in his Name 2 Tim. 2.19 is an obligation to become his in all ways of obedience to exalt his name and forsake Sin all ought to yield Love and Service to the Lord Jesus 6. Argument Shall be from the comparing Scripture of the Old and New Testament And we shall find that what is atributed to Jehovah in the Old the same is to the Lord Jesus in the New Testament and remember this we are to believe what the word of God saith and not what Caviling Unbelieving Men affirm in Numbers Num. 21.56 The People are said to Sin and Murmour against God for which he sent Fiery Serpents among them compare this with 1 Cor. 10.9 There it is said they tempted Christ for the Angel which conversed with Abraham wrestled with Jacob appeared to Moses Compare Psal 45.6 with Heb. 1.8 thy throne O God is for ever and ever and was with the Children of Israel in the Wilderness was the Lord Jesus as is excellently and evidently proved by Dr. Owen in his exercitations Psal 68.18 compared with Eph. 4.8 Psal 102.25 with Heb. 1.10 And thou Lord in the begining hast laid the foundation of the Earth compare Isa 8.13.14 with Luk. 2.34 Rom. 9.33 and 1 Pet. 2.6 These places evidently prove the deity of the Lord Jesus to any judicious and unprejudiced Reader compare Isa 6. with Jo. 12. in Isa t is said he saw the Glory of the Lord filling the Temple in Joh. it is said the Prophet then beheld the Glory of Christ Jesus compare Isa 40.9.10.11 with Jo. 10.11 In that Prophesie it is said behold your God and the Lord God will come and feed his Flock and it is applyed to the Lord Jesus in the Gospel in the last place compare Isa 45. 22 23 24 25. with Rom. 14.11 and Phil. 2.10 Do but read these Scriptures and Study the Intent and scope of them and then you will conclude with the Apostle that he is the true God and Eternal life 1 Jo. 5.20 I have not writ the Places at Large least my Book should swell too Big but I suppose you have Bibles and will Act. 17.11 like those Noble Bereans search the Scriptures 7. Argument To prove this great Point is this he that is the second Person in the blessed Trinity is God but Jesus Christ is so therefore he is God that there is a Trinity of Persons in the Unity of the essence is clear both from plain Scripture and also from Arguments deduced from thence The Scriptures to prove it are these 1 Joh. 5.7 For there are three that bear Record in Heaven the Father the Word and the Holy-ghost and these three are one This Scripture is sufficient one would think both to confirm the truth and also silence all Socinians that oppose it and that is but a weak evasion of theirs when they say it signifies no more than the words in the 8 verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—i tres unum sunt Beza scil that they agree in one for in the Original it is These three are one i. e. Three distinct Persons subsisting in one and the same indivisible essence Mat. 3.16 17. verses will serve in some measure to Prove the Point there is the Lord Jesus ascending out of the Water the Holy Spirit descending from Heaven and the Voice of the Father proclaming this is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased But a more plain Scripture is that Mat. 28.19 Go ye therefore and teach all Nations Baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost These Scriptures may suffice to prove the Trinity of Persons in the Unity of the Divine essence but farther to confirm this that there are three distinct Persons in one Divine essence it may be proved 1 From their several and distinct Names 2 From their distinct personal acts
SINNER Mat. 11.28 Come unto me all ye that Labour and are heavy Laden and I will give you Rest JEsus Christ when the fulness of time was come determinated by the eternal counsel of the blessed Trinity manifested himself for two principal and great ends Gal. 4.45 The first was the glory of his Father in the exaltation of the riches and abundance of his grace towards poor sinners The second was the salvation and eternal felicity of all them who are brought to believe in and accept of him And there is such a conjunction and near union of these two that there is now an impossibility Secundum quid of their separation for the glory of Gods grace is illustrated and exalted in the conversion and everlasting salvation of poor sinners therefore Christ Jesus hath so frequently and publickly declared his and his Fathers willingness to imbrace believing and repenting sinners John 6.37 All that the Father giveth me shall come unto me and them that come to me I will in no wise cast out In the 38 39 40. verses of that Chapter Christ tells us it was his Fathers will that he came to fulfil which is that every one that seeth the Son and believeth in him shall have everlasting Life And that Christ might not fail of these ends he encourageth sinners to seek after their eternal happiness and makes known his readiness to unburden the heavy-laden sinner to refresh the labouring and give the weary rest If the Troubled know not where to get peace or the sick and wounded where to find an Able Faithful and Merciful Physitian or the poor and needy a bountiful benefactor let them convert and fix their Eyes upon the words of my Text and be incouraged and rejoice for Jesus Christ saith Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest In these words observe 1. An Invitation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Person Inviting the Invitor is the Lord Jesus the invitation is to come unto him Come unto me A Metaphorical expression where coming is put for believing because by faith the Soul goes to and closes with the Lord Jesus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. The persons invited the labouring and heavy laden The word for Labour in the Original signifies a Labouring with difficulty and wearisomness Christ in this phrase seems to have respect to the Jews labouring under the yoke and burden of the Mosaical Law 1 Rom. 9.13 Act. 15.10 whereby they indeavoured to work out a righteousness that would justifie them in the fight of God and by which they might procure favour from him but more especially those who Labour in their Souls and Consciences by a lively feeling of their sins and the terror of Gods judgments and the severity of his scourges and punishments as Diodate annot 3. The universality Come unto me all ye Not all who live in their sins 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and persevere in their iniquities but all such who are sensible of and affected with the intollerable burden of sin and their imperfection in and imbecility to perform the strictness of the Law to satisfy the justice of God because the Law requires perfect and compleat obedience or else leaves the Soul under a curse Gal. 3 10. 4. The great incouragment of these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will give you rest rest from all your unprofitable Labours Sorrows Afflictions and sins if you come unto me Isa 55.2 What more Incouragment to the Labouring what greater inducement to the weary and heavy laden than rest and such a rest as Christ hath purchased promised will certainly give to all that come unto him from the words there are these several points of Doctrine deducible 1. Doctrine is this that Jesus Christ graciously condescends to invite Labouring and Heavy Laden Sinners to come unto him come unto me 2. Doctrine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est modus imperandi tanquam precandi that it is the indispensable duty of all who are heavy laden and seek for rest and salvation to come to the Lord Jesus for it 3. Doctrine Sinners before they come to and close with the Lord Jesus Labour under heavy and intollerable burdens 4. Doctrine That all those who are sensible of the heavy burdens they labour under and come unto Christ for help shall certainly find rest I will give you rest I shall begin with the first Doctrine 1. Doctrine Jesus Christ graciously condescends to invite Labouring and heavy laden sinners to come unto him John 7.37 If any man thirst let him come unto me and drink Thirst for peace of Conscience thirst for righteousness grace and salvation let him come and accept of it freely Rev. 22.17 The Spirit and the bride say come and let him that heareth say come and let him that is a thirst come and whosoever will let him take the waters of Life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gratis freely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ is an inexhaustible fountain and the purest and sweetest water is from the fountain therefore Christ invites to come even to himself In prosecution of this Doctrine I shall 1. shew what is implyed in coming to Christ 2. Who he is that invites Sinners to come 3. The means by which he invites 4. The reasons why he doth invite Sinners 5. Make some application of it 1. What is meant by coming for Christ is now in the highest Heaven at the Right Hand of God the Father we are hear on Earth how may we then come to him I Answer 1. Coming is sometimes expressed by looking unto Christ Look unto me and be ye saved all the ends of the Earth Isa 45.22 So John 1.2 9. I 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 behold the Lamb of God who taketh away the sins of the World There must be looking unto Christ till the Eye affect the heart as Zach. 12.10 We are all stung by the fiery Serpent i.e. Sin Jo. 3.14 therefore there is an absolute necessity to lift up our Eyes and fix them on the Lord Jesus who is the Anti-tipe to the brazen Serpent there must be a constant looking till we are perfectly cured by nature the Eye is averted from God and Christ and placed either upon this World for our total and ultimate felicity or upon our imperfect obedience to the Law for our compleat Righteousness so that we think we have no need of Christ but now Christ calls the Sinner off from both these that he may fix it on himself in whom Salvation is to be found the Soul can be compleatly happy in none but Christ Col. 2.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we are compleat in him if we expect full salvation and blessedness we must look unto Christ Heb. 12.2 and look off from all other things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 12.2 Looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our Faith 2. It implys a turning to him Sin hath turned us
3 From their distinct personal Propertys Mat. 28.19 1 Joh. 5.7 1 From their distinct Names they are called Father Son and Holy Ghost so Father Word and Holy Ghost These names do manifest a distinction not of Nature and Essence for they are one therefore of Personality 2 From the Distinct personal acts ascribed to the three Persons as 1 The giving of the Spirit is ascribed to the Father Joh. 14.16 I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter the act of giving is proper to a Person that hath understanding and will 2 Sending the Comforter is ascribed to the Son Jo. 15.26 And it is proper to Christ to send his holy Spirit to his Servants 3 Guiding into all truth is ascribed to the Holy Ghost Jo. 16.13 their Personal Acts as Giving Sending and Guiding prove the distinction and trinity of persons yet there can be but one single and 〈◊〉 essence which proves the unity 3 that they are three distinct persons is evident from their distinct Personal and incommunicable propertys as 1 The personal Property of the Father is to beget the Son Heb. 1.5 2 The personal Property of the Son is to be Begotten Joh. 1.14 We beheld his glory the glory as of the only begotten of the Father 3 The personal property of the Holy Ghost is to proceed from the Father and the Son Jo. 15.26 And when the Comforter is come whom I will send from the Father even the Spirit of truth which proceedeth from the Father he shall testifie of me I need not say more to prove the Blessed Trinity or that the Lord Jesus is the second Person of those that require further satisfaction in this point let them consult the famous Duplesses in his treatise de vera Religione I could say much more to prove this Point that the Lord Jesus is a Divine Person and that he is the Second in order although not in Nature in the blessed trinity but having proved the trinity from the word of God I suppose the other Granted viz. That the Lord Jesus is God 8. Argument Shall be taken from the greatness of the sufferings that the Lord Jesus indured and satisfaction he made to his Fathers justice the sufferings of Christ were infinite in regard they were the sufferings of an infinite Person Act. 20.28 The Church of God which he hath purchased with his Blood Est aliquid in Christo quod non est passum Vrsin spoken Senechdochally because of the communication of properties the communication of properties is to attribute to the whole Person that which is the property of one of the Natures the Deity of the Lord Jesus is impassible and altogether incapable of depression suffering or affliction it was his humane Nature suffered and died it was Christ who is God-man that did bear our sorrows 1 Tim. 2.5 He is called man and in 1 Jo. 3.16 He is called God Hereby perceive we the Love of God because he laid down his Life for us continebat paenas maximas quia miseriam illam totam aequabat hominum peccata merebantur Ames Med. Theo. he what he even he that was God-man in one person and two distinct natures By the one he underwent Death and by the other viz. his divine he overcame and triumphed over Death and the Grave if he had not been an Almighty Person he would have been pressed down under that load of guilt and punishment for he sustained the greatest punishment in that it did equal all the misery which our Sins merited and we to eternity ought to have suffered 2 The satisfaction he made was infinite Bellarmin de Justificil 2. Cap. 7. Ser. 4. confesseth that nothing can make satisfaction for sin which is an infinite wrong to God but that only which is Infinite in value so was the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the price that Christ paid Ca. 22. i.e. quod nos in aeternum debuissimus pati Vrsin it was of infinite Value for it gave satisfaction to infinite justice offended by the Sinner he could never have made peace except he had broken down the middle Wall of Partition between God the party offended and poor Sinners the partys offending and this he did by that Price he paid viz. His blood 1 Pet. 1.19 And having paid the uttermost Farthing he came out of the Prison of the Grave Id circo illis tertio diae vita resumpta denuo apparuit Joseph lib. 14. Antiq. Cap. 4. and appeared to his Disciples as both Scripture and History relate the third day he reassumed life and appeared to his Disciples if Christ had not done and suffered that which was equivolent to the demands of divine justice and made full satisfaction for every Sin of his elect ones we might then question whether his satisfaction was of infinite value but he has done so and made compleat satisfaction therefore it is said The Blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sin 1 Joh. 1.7 Joh. 1.29 Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the Sins of the World Now this could not be if he had not compleatly satisfied every demand of justice and paid an infinite Price for our Sins Peccati gravitas irae Dei immensum intolerabile pondus mortis imperium tirannis Diaboli quae tollere vincere abolere placare nemo potuit nisi Deus Bucanum So that the Sufferings being Infinite and the Satisfaction infinite it must needs be of an Infinite Person which is Christ the second Person of the Blessed Trinity and so his suffering and satisfaction becomes Meritorious now there are three things required in a Person that merits 1 He must be a free voluntary Agent no way obligated to the performance of that act done by him but of this sort there are neither Angels nor Men for they are all obligated and injoyned to do their uttermost for the glory of God 2 What they merit with must be of their own but as the Apostle saith What have we or Angels that we have not received 1 Cor. 4.7 Mensura debet esse unigenira similis mensurato 3 The work must be equivalent to the reward But these qualifications are found in none but in Christ and the work he did he was a free voluntary Agent no way oblieged till he bound himself and became our surety as he himself saith Joh. 10.17 18. Therefore doth the Father love me because I lay down my Life none 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 takes it from me but I lay it down of my self I have power to lay it down and I have power to take it up again So the work was perfected by his own Divine Power as being Almighty and it was of equal value to the reward even grace pardon life and glory for ever then we conclude that Christ Jesus the Inviter is God blessed for ever Rom. 9.5 9. Argument From Christs Testimony of or concerning himself and we shall find this is no slight Argument
the children of the most high 6ly Faithfull Ministers of the Gospel in an especial manner have an interest in this love The persons that have this right love cannot but esteem of the Ministers of Christ and love them because they are Messengers and Embassadors sent from God for the good of their Souls 2 Cor. 5.20 Now then we are Embassadors for Christ as though God did beseech you by us we pray you in Christs stead be ye reconciled unto God Their feet are beautiful because they proclaim the glad tidings of Salvation and are Co-workers with God in the conversion of sinners from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to serve the living God 1 Cor. 3.9 for we are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Co-labourers with God now upon these and the like considerations this Evangellic Love flows forth toward the Ministers of Christ and it is manifested three ways 1. by obeying them in the Lord and doing those things which they injoyn from the word of truth as Christ saith He that heareth you heareth me and he that receiveth you receiveth me and he that keepeth my sayings will keep yours also Jo. 15.20 Obedience in these things is a great demonstration of a real and sincere Love 2. It is manifest by the high estimation of them 1 Tim. 5.17 Let the Elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour especially they who labour in the word and Doctrine There is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Maximè principally those who are laborious in preaching the Doctrines of the Gospel it is evident that we do not love that person who we esteem not according to his deserts and degree 3. In allowing them a chearful and competent maintenance according to the capacity of them over whom the Lord hath set them to feed them in the way to life eternal 7ly The objects of the Love are the word of God and his Commandments and this is a certain rule to try thy Love by for if a person should propose this Question to me how may I do to know whether I have a true Evangellic Love which is a fruit of the Spirit of God I would answer by this See if you love the Commandments and the word of God as the Apostle John saith 1 Epist 5.3 By this we know we are the Children of God if we love God and keep his Commandments he that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings Here we may clearly and evidently perceive that a Love to the Commandments doth demonstrate our Love to God and Christ to be real and if it be so then we may conclude that it will never fail as 1 Cor. 13.8 But will indure for ever How did David declare himselfe to be a man after Gods own heart but by this in expressing the greatness of his Love to the law of God as in Psal 119.72.97 vers 163. O how I love thy Law it is my Meditation all the day long I love it above Gold and silver So in Psal 19.10 But how few Davids are there How few are there of his Spirit to be found in the World on the contrary most trample under foot the Law of God and esteem Gold and trash and Lusts above it but yet the true believer and disciple of Christ doth greatly love that holy law and with the Apostle delights in it after the inward man Rom. 7.22 8ly This Love has Souls for its objects As it was the greatness of Christs Love to Souls next to the obedience to his Fathers will which brought him from Heaven to Earth and made him willing to devest himself of his glory and take upon him the form of a Servant Phil. 2.6 7 8. So they who have this Love of Christ wrought in their Souls by the holy Spirit are vehemently carried out with Love and desire after the good of Souls He that in some measure apprehends what a great thing 't is to be saved cannot but desire the Salvation of all others If upon inquiry you find no sensible and real Love to Souls then conclude there is but little of this grace of Love within you The person in whose heart this grace is implanted pants after nothing more than the eternal Salvation of his own Soul and the Souls of his Relations Friends and acquaintance It may be said of them as it is of God 1 Tim. 2.5 They would have all men be saved and come to the knowledge of the Truth What was it that made the Apostles and Servants of Christ in all Ages suffer so much and yet willingly It was these two Principles First their Love to Christ 2 Cor. 5.14 For the Love of Christ constraineth us Secondly their zealous love and desire of the everlasting salvation of Immortal Souls they were willing according to that Scripture to lay down their Lives for the good of the Brethren scil Believers Now see if your Love be such that you earnestly desire the well being of the Souls of those who are about you or related to you 9ly The objects of this Love are all the institutions of Christ O how lovely are his Ordinances to his beloved ones Prayer is Lovely and aimable because it is the Key that unlocks the Gates of Heaven and opens the very Bosome of God so that he is ready to confer plentiful treasures of grace upon this divine Lover hearing of Gods word is delectable to such an one because therein the Love glory and Transcendent excellencys of Christ are displayed and the will of the Father clearly revealed to the Soul and thence the Soul derives finds grace communicated out of the fulness of Christ because it is the means of conveyance the Sacraments are amiable because they are Seals of Heaven by which God makes over himself and all to believers assures them of the stability faithfulness and everlastingness of his Love in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper the believer by Faith beholds Christ broken and bleeding for his Sins and it becomes nourishment to the Soul in it the Soul injoys communion with God Christ and Blessed Saints these Priviledges render the ordinances very lovely delectable to Believers I might run through others as Reading Meditating and holy conferrence which are all very lovely to the Evangellic Lover 10ly and lastly Grace and Holyness these bare so much of God in them that the Apostle calls them the Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1.4 Whereby are given to us exceeding great and pretious Promises that by these you might be partakers of the Divine Nature having escaped the corruption that is in the World through Lust Grace hath a lovely aspect and holyness shines forth like a Beam of Heaven in the Eyes of them whose Hearts are full of Love to Divine objects Grace and Holyness being the Image of God and the way and means through Christ to Heaven and happiness are intirely beloved the Divine Lover is so enamoured with the excellency and true worth of Grace that he esteems it above all terrene