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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
work_n	faith_n	justifi_v	justify_v	6,808	5	9.1273	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A77504	The mystical brasen serpent: with the magnetical vertue thereof. or, Christ exalted upon the cross, with the blessed end and fruit of that his exaltation, in drawing the elect world to himself, to believe on Him, and to be saved by Him. In two treatises, from John 3. 14, 15. 12. 32. Whereunto is added A treatise of the saints joint-membership each with other. As they were delivered to the Church of God at Great Yarmouth, by John Brinsley, minister of the gospel, and preacher to that incorporation. Imprimatur, Edm. Calamy. July 30. 1652.	Brinsley, John, 1600-1665.	1653 (1653)	Wing B4719; Thomason E1249_1; ESTC R208891	155,986	284

1. The proper object of faith as it justifieth that faith whereby we are justified and saved it looketh at other things It hath an eye at every truth revealed in the word beleeving all things which are written in the Law and the Prophets as Paul saith of himself Act. 24. 14. assenting to every promise every threatning but as it justifieth and saveth it looketh only at Christ Even as the Israelites with the same eye wherewith they beheld the Brasen Serpent they beheld other things also but they were cured only by looking upon the Brasen Serpent Thus that faith which justifyeth looketh at other things but as it justifieth it looketh only at Christ at Christ lifted up crucified Here is the proper Object of faith as it justifieth 2. And what is the proper Act of this faith 2. The proper act of faith as it justifieth Why to beleeve in Christ on Christ that is as I have said to look up unto him with hope confidence affiance resting and relying upon him and him alone for pardon of sins and eternall salvation This is truly to beleeve on Christ not only to beleeve Christ that there is a Christ that Jesus the son of Mary is that Christ that he is an All-sufficient Saviour that he hath done and suffered all things requisite for our salvation but to look up unto him as our Saviour applying the merit of his obedience unto our selves resting and relying upon him as our Jesus the alone means of our Justification and Salvation And this is that true Faith which draweth this healing saving vertue from Christ by which a poor sinner cometh to obtain these great benefits Quest How faith cometh to heal and save A second Question followeth How cometh this Faith thus to heal and save To this I may answer first Negatively then Positively Answ 1. Negatively 1. Shewing you how it doth not Justifie and save viz. Not as it is a work done by us not as it is a Habit or Quality a Gift or Grace inherent in us Thus faith justifieth not saveth not neither can it being in it selfe imperfect and defective as all other graces in regenerate persons are it cannot justifie it selfe much lesse the person in whom it is there is no such vertue in Faith it selfe no more then there was healing vertue in the eye of an Israelite It was not the eye that healed them neither is it Faith as faith either as an Act or Habit that helpeth us 2. Affirmatively viz. as How then Why Faith healeth and saveth these two wayes 1. As a Condition 2. As an Instrument 1. A condition of the Covenant 1. As it is a Condition of the New Covenant the Covenant of Grace a condition upon which God hath promised freely to justifie and save us Even as looking was the condition of the Israelites cure not touching but looking So here the condition of the Covenant of Grace is not Doing but Beleeving Not Fac hoc vive D this and live but Crede vive Beleeve and live Even as there it was Vide vive See and live so here Crede vive Beleeve and live This is the condition of this New Covenant that which God requireth at our hands in order to our Justification and Salvation Even as the Apostles Peter and John in the place forenamed bade that Cripple look upon them in order to his cure Act. 3.5 not that there was any vertue in that act of his but they required it as a condition whereupon they would freely cure him Thus are we cured and saved by looking up unto Christ by beleeving on him who upon our so doing doth freely justifie and save us 2. Faith healeth and saveth Instrumentally 2. An instrument viz. as it apprehendeth and applyeth Christ by whom we are healed and saved Thus faith justifieth and saveth not considered simply in it selfe as having any vertue in it selfe more then other graces have Other graces there are which in their own nature are as excellent and in some respects more excellent then faith Now abideth Faith Hope and Charity saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 13. last but the chiefest of these is Charity But it justifieth and saveth as it is considered Relatively with its Object As it is an Instrument an Eye a Hand to look up unto and take hold of Jesus Christ the meritorious cause of our Justification and Salvation Thus did the Israelites looking heal them not simply in or by it selfe but as directed to and fixed upon the Brasen Serpent that sanative vertue was in the Object not in the faculty In the Serpent that was seen not in the eye which looked upon it Thus that healing and saving vertue whereby we are justified and saved it is properly in Christ not in our faith that looketh up unto him All that faith herein doth is as an instrument to apply Christ and so to convey that vertue from him unto the soul Divines usually illustrate this by a familiar similitude of a Ring Faith and Christ as the Ring and the Blood-stone which hath in it a precious stone of some excellent quality suppose a Blood-stone or the like Such a Ring we say is good for such a purpose of soveraign use in such and such cases as to stanch bleeding c. Now to speak properly it is not the Ring but the Stone in the Ring which doth this there lieth all the vertue All that the Ring doth is only to apply the stone to the body or part affected Thus standeth the case here Faith is the Ring Christ is the Precious Stone All that faith doth or can do is to apply Christ to bring him home with all his merits and benefits to the soul In the mean time all the vertue is in Christ it is he that healeth that justifieth that saveth Even as the Story tels us of the woman in the Gospel who came and touched the hem of our Saviours garment Mark 5.25 touched it as with her finger so with her faith therupon she was presently cured of her bloody issue But was the vertue in her finger or in her Faith No the Text tels us expressely whence that healing vertue came ver 30. Luk. 8.46 I perceive that vertue is gone out of me saith our Saviour to his Disciples Her Faith in the mean time was only the instrument in drawing that vertue from Christ And in that respect our Saviour tels her ver 48. that her Faith had made her whole And even so are we to understand those Texts of Scripture where it is said that we are justified by faith and saved by faith viz. not Meritoriously but Instrumentally By grace ye are saved saith the Apostle through faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eph. 2.8 Not Propter fidem but Per fidem Not for faith as the Meritorious cause which is only Christ but by or through faith as the Instrument conveying vertue

The MYSTICAL BRASEN SERPENT WITH The Magnetical Vertue thereof OR CHRIST exalted upon the CROSS WITH The blessed End and Fruit of that his Exaltation in drawing the Elect world to Himself to believe on Him and to be saved by Him In two Treatises from John 3.14 15. John 12.32 Whereunto is added A TREATISE of the Saints JOINT-MEMBERSHIP each with other As they were delivered to the Church of God at Great YARMOUTH By JOHN BRINSLEY Minister of the Gospel and Preacher to that Incorporation Imprimatur Edm. Calamy July 30. 1652. 1 COR. 2.2 I determined not to know any thing among you saving Jesus Christ and him crucified 1 COR. 1.18 For the preaching of the Cross is to them that perish foolishnesse but unto us which are saved the power of God LONDON Printed by Thomas Maxey for Ralph Smith at the Bible in Cornhil neer the Royal Exchange 1653. To The truely Honourable The LADY FRANCIS HOBART Grace and Peace Madam I Plead no excuse for the homelinesse of this present Whatever the Workmanship be sure I am the matter is such as shall find acceptance at your Ladyships hands I question not but your Honour hath often read of what esteem the Typicall Brasen Serpent was with the Israelites 2 King 18.4 even then when it was out of date a bare Nehushtan no more worth then what the metall weighed And I presume you have as often heard what honour at least the ignoranter sort of the Romish perswasion are wont to give to the Crucifixes of their own making Both of them superstitiously and idolatrously yeilding that respect to the shadow which is appropriate to the substance This it is which I here present to your Honours view The Mystical Brasen Serpent the Reall Crucifix Christ himselfe exalted upon the Crosse Of whose Magneticall Vertue I doubt not but your precious soule hath already had so much experience as that you earnestly desire to feele more of it In this way if these my poor labors may contribute ought either to your selfe or any other I shall blesse that God who hath made use of me as his Instrument in so honourable a service In the hope and confidence hereof I shall put them into your Ladyships hand and rest Great Yarmouth June 24. 1642. Ready further to serve Your Honour in all Christian Offices JOHN BRINSLEY An Alphabeticall Table A. ADversaries not to be feared 140. Affections towards Christ evidencing mans drawing to him 183 Christ offered to All how and why 146 Attractive vertue in Christ to be sought after 188 B. BEnefit of Christs death extending to all Beleevers 111 Beleeving on Christ the onely means to receive benefit from him 73 Discouragements in Beleeving answered 115 Blindnesse naturall to all men 153 Brasen Serpent both a medicine and a mystery 3 Brasen Serpent a lively and convincing Type of Jesus Christ 5 Brasen Serpent resembling Christ in five particulars 16 Brasen Serpent to be looked up unto 96 C. Carnall persons not drawn to Christ 181 Christ a mighty Saviour 17 Christ like unto men and sinfull men yet without sin 18 Christ crucified the onely Sole-Remedy 51 Christ a Saviour by his Fathers Ordination 22 Christ to be looked up unto and how 124 Motives to come unto Christ 71 Discouragements in coming unto Christ answered 115 Motives to look up unto Christ 97 Strength of Corruption no just discouragement in coming to Christ 122 Conversion to be ascribed unto Christ 161 Common work of the Spirit not to be rested in 191 Crosse of Christ a memoriall of mans sin and misery 21 Crosse of Christ the way to his Crown 27 The Crosse an Exaltation to Christ 28 Christ crucified the onely Saviour 62 Cure of the Soul to be locked after 48 D. Darknesse mans naturall estate 30 Death passed upon all 115 Death of Christ necessary in a threefold respect 45 Death of Christ not dubious 132 Drawing of men by Christ to Christ 143 150 Drawing a fruit of Christs death 134 Men drawn to Christ as a Saviour and Lord 169 God the Father draweth men to Christ how 144 All men and all things drawn to Christ how 145 Drawing what it importeth 152 Whence Christ draweth men 164 Men drawn out of themselves how 168 Evidences of men not drawn to Christ 179 Evidences of men drawn to Christ 183 Drawing to Christ a ground of comfort 187 Outward Drawing not to be rested in 190 Drawing back to be taken heed of 163. 191 E. Elect ones drawn to Christ 149 Enemies still infesting Beleevers 53 Enemies of Christ disappointed 135 136 Christ exalted upon the Crosse 28 F. Faithfulnesse of Christ in his obedience 56 Faith justifying and saving what 75 Faiths object and act in justifying 79 Faith how it healeth and saveth 80 Faith and Christ as the Ring and the Bloodstone 92 Faith the only Instrument in healing the soule 93. 101 Weaknesse of Faith no just discouragement 123 H. Christ Healing his people how 58 I. Ignorant persons not drawn to Christ 179 Impediments in coming to Christ 119 Mans naturall Impotency 154 Weak Instrument effecting great works 174 God blesseth all and only his own Institutions 10 Intercession of Christ effectuall 57 Inveterate sins not hindering benefit by Christ 119 Civil Justiciaries not drawn to Christ 182 L. Lamenesse naturall to all men 155 Christ Lift up four wayes 25 Lifting up of the Brasen Serpent shadowing the death of Christ in five particulars 29 Lifting up of Christ drawing men to him 173 Life eternall what 109 Life all men deprived of 44 M. Mans Misery the occasion of Gods Mercy in sending his Son 20 Man 's naturall Misery described 33 Gods Mercy in providing a Remedy 38 Ministers of God to be enquired of for Soul-cures 49 N. Natures power in the work of Conversion decayed 160 O. God not tied to costly Ordinances 7 P. Penitent sinners only capable of benefit by Christ 113 The Estate of Nature a Perishing Condition 43 Whether men Perish in death 105 No Perishing to Beleevers 107 Profane persons not drawn to Christ 180 R. Man Repenting God Repents 9 Refusing of Christ a just Condemnation 71 Relapses dangerous not desperate 120 Reluctancy against receiving of Christ with the grounds thereof 158 159 S. Salvation to be sought onely in Christ 63 Satan resembled by a Serpent in three particulars 34 Satan hindering men from coming unto Christ how 156 Men drawn from under the power of Satan how 156 Christ a Saviour to lost mankind 152 How Christ cometh to be a Saviour 154 Christ the onely Saviour 159 Ministers how called Saviours 161 How men save themselves ibid. Christ a perfect Saviour 68 Sense of misery a preparative for mercy 46 The Serpent the Instrument of mans misery 45 Shadowes made use of by God to work reall effects 8 Great Sins great punishments 9 Discouragements from magnitude or multitude of Sins answered 116 117 Son of man the phrase opened being given to Christ what it imports 12 14 Spirit of Christ drawing men to

from Christ unto our Justification and Salvation You see the second Question resolved and therein a resolution prepared and in part given to the third which is Quest Why this should be the only way and means to convey this benefit from Christ Quest 3. Why faith the only means viz. to beleeve on him Answ Answ 1. So God hath appointed it To this I might return a sudden and yet satisfactory answer It is enough God hath appointed it so to be even as he appointed looking to be the means of conveying that sanative vertue to the Israelites from that Brasen Serpent not but that he could if he had pleased have directed them to some other way either to touch it or to fall down before it or the like or else he could have made it effectuall to them only by the bare presence of it in the Camp But this is the way which he pitcheth upon requiring them only to look up unto it Thus God could had he pleased have appointed other wayes and means of conveying life and salvation to us but hee hath been pleased in infinite wisdome and mercy to pitch upon this requiring no more from us as the condition of the Covenant of Grace but only this Beleeve on the Lord Jesus 2. Faith onely applyeth Christ 2. But secondly take a reason of this appointment Faith is the Instrument of conveying this benefit from Christ because Faith only applyeth Christ bringeth home Christ This is the proper work of faith Every grace hath its own proper work which is peculiar to it Even as every member of the body hath its proper office and work the Eye to see the Ear to hear the Hand to take or receive a thing so hath every grace its proper work Remembring your work of faith 1 Thes 1.3 and labour of love and patience of hope saith the Apostle to his Thessalonians Now what is the proper work of faith Why to Receive Christ To as many as received him he gave power to become the Sons of God even to as many as beleeve on his name Joh. 1.12 To apply Christ to bring Christ home with his merits unto the soul This doth faith It bringeth home Christ and bringing him home it bringeth home his benefits drawing from him that vertue that is in him And this is proper unto faith And therefore is it that God hath appointed this to be the only way to convey benefit from Christ unto poor sinners for their Justification and Salvation You see this third Question resolved and so you have this third Conclusion opened That which now remains hereof is the Application Which shall be only a word of Direction and Exhortation to all penitent broken-hearted sinners such as feel the sting of sin Applic. Seek cure in this way and desire to be healed cured for for such only is this Brasen Serpent erected this means of cure provided Being such now bee you advised and excited to put your soules upon this way of cure to look up unto this Brasen Serpent by faith to look up unto the Lord Jesus Christ Let it not bee enough that you have heard tidings of a Saviour to hear that God hath given his Son that Christ hath given himself for lost mankind or yet to know who and what this Christ was what he hath done what he hath suffered and the like Alas what would this have availed a poor Israelite to have heard of the Brasen Serpent that it was erected in the Camp and that all that came to it were healed by it whilst in the mean time himself lay close in his Tent never looking out for any benefit by it And what will this profit a poor sinner to hear what God hath done for others in giving a Christ a Saviour for them and to them whilst in the mean time himselfe lyeth still sleeping in his sinnes not looking out for cure for justification and salvation by and through him Better such a one had never heard these Gospell tidings His contempt or neglect of so great a mercy will be no small aggravation to his sin and punishment And therefore as many of us as God hath in any measure made sensible of our miserable state and condition by reason of sin as we desire deliverance out of that estate apply we our selves to the right use of this remedy Look we up unto Jesus Christ Looking up unto this Brasen Serpent Look up I say Not looking too much downwards upon our selves not poring too much upon our sins the multitude magnitude number nature quantity quality of them how many how great and grievous they are But look upwards look up unto Jesus Christ who is able to heale us to save us The Israelites which were stung with those fiery Serpents if they onely looked upon their soars and complained of their smart and anguish in the mean time neglecting or refusing to look up to the Brasen Serpent they died for it Such is the condition of a poor despairing soule whose eye is all upon his sore upon his sin and punishment as Cain's and Judas's were Gen. 4.13 My sin is greater then can be forgiven or my punishment is greater then I can bare Mat. 27.3 4. saith the one I have sinned in betraying innocent blood saith the other complaining of the grievousnesse thereof in the mean time never looking up to Christ for cure by this means he perisheth and dieth in his sins To all such then and all others who desire to have any benefit by Jesus Christ let it be spoken Look up to this Brasen Serpent look you up to the Lord Jesus obeying and dying for your sakes and look you up unto him as with desire so with hope with affiance and confidence of receiving benefit by him To set on this Exhortation what Arguments shall I take up Strange Motives there should be need of any I suppose it was argument enough to an Israelite being stung and feeling himselfe so to here that there was a Brasen Serpent lift up for a present remedy to all that should looke up unto it other motive he should need none to perswade him to fixe his eye upon it And certainly so would it be with poor sinners did they but feel themselves stung by sin were they but throughly convinced and made sensible of their wretched state and condition by reason of sin it would be motive sufficient to them to hear of a Saviour whom God hath set forth with promise that upon their looking to him beleeving on him they shall be saved they should need no other argument to perswade them to look up unto him Yet to quicken our dull and dead hearts doe but consider these four or five particulars 1. This is God's Ordinance 1. This is Gods Ordinance the way and means which God himself in infinite wisdome and mercy hath appointed to bring his Elect to life and salvation by viz. by faith in Christ and therefore submit

imports two things The word and phrase being thus opened it giveth us to take notice of two things 1. Mans naturall indisposition and 2. Christs effectuall working The indisposition of man to come unto Christ the effectuall working of Christ in bringing man home to himself the one necessarily implyed the other clearly expressed both in this phrase of drawing both usefull Observations I shall insist upon them severally beginning with mans naturall indisposition Obs Doct. Men come not unto Christ unless they be drawn I will draw them He doth not say Men come not to Christ without drawing saith Musculus upon it Current ad me when I am lifted up all men shall run unto me no there is no such principle in Nature to carry men unto Christ but I will draw them men must be drawn before they can come un-unto Christ otherwise they come not Qu. And why do they not come of themselves An. Take a double reason for it Reason they cannot they will not They cannot if they would they will not if they could both these keep them from coming impotency reluctancy They are unable to come of themselves and not more unable then unwilling see both made good 1. Their impotency 1. Their impotency they cannot come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith our Saviour No man can come to me except my Father draw him Joh. 6.44 Q. And why cannot men of themselves come unto Christ A. See a double impediment A double impediment the one inward the other outward the one in and from themselves the other from Satan 1. In themselves they are both blind and lame 1. Inward in themselves being Blind in their understandings lame in their wills both hindring them from coming unto Christ from believing on him 1. They are blind 1. Blind Act. 26.18 Isai 42.7 Paul was sent to the Gentiles to open their eyes their blind eyes so it is said of Christ that he was given for a light of the Gentiles to open the blind eyes Such is the condition of all men by nature they are born blinde Eph. 4.18 having their understandings darkned through the ignorance that is in them because of the blindnesse of their heart as Paul saith of the Gentiles 1 Sam. 11.2 having their right eye put out as Nahash would have dealt with the men of Jabesh Gilead so as they do not cannot see and know the things that belong to their peace Naturall men know little of God onely so much as may serve to convince and condemne them but nothing of Christ Nature can tell a man somewhat of the one but nothing of the other now how shall any one come unto him believe on him whom he knoweth not How shall they believe on him Rom 10.14 of whom they have not heard saith the Apostle Men are naturally blind 2. And not onely so but lame 2. Lame being born blind they cannot come unto Christ whom they know not but suppose their eyes were opened so as they did know Christ yet can they not come to him they cannot incline their own wills to receive him to believe on him Faith in Christ it is a supernaturall work a gift of God Eph. 2.10 By grace ye are saved through faith It is the gift of God It as salvation it selfe so that faith whereby we are saved it is the gift of God To believe is a thing which a man cannot do of himself no though Christ be revealed and made known to him So he is in the preaching of the Gospell not onely revealed but offered and tendered to all that will receive him but this men of themselves cannot do He that giveth Christ himself to us must also give us the hand to receive that gift He that offereth Christ to us and requireth us to beleeve on him he must also work that in us which he requireth from us No man can come unto me saith our Saviour except it be given him of my Father Joh. 6.65 Man cannot beleeve of himself Time was indeed when man had power to have done what his Creator required of him In state of innocency he could have performed the condition of the Law much more of the Gospel had it been propounded to him He could then by himselfe have fulfilled the righteousnesse of the Law much more could he have believed on another for righteousnesse if God had required it of him But now through the fall of Adam Man lamed by the fall of Adam we are all become like Mephibosheth who by a fall from his Nurses armes became lame of his feet Such is our condition by nature how ever at first created sound and perfect yet falling in the armes of our first parent we are become lame and impotent so as now we cannot of our selves come unto God either by the way of the Law or Gospel either by doing or believing We cannot believe of our selves This is the work of the Spirit of Christ which as it must enlighten the understanding to the beholding of Christ so it must bow and encline the will to receive him rest upon him believe on him Thence it is called the Sp rit of Faith 2 Cor. 4.13 Neither the eye nor hand whereby we behold Christ and take hold of him are our own Of our selves we are both blind lame And here is the impediment from within 2. Outward impediment Satan 2. Besides this there is another from without Satan hinders men from coming unto Christ even as Paul tels his Thessalonians concerning his own coming to them Wee would saith he have come unto you once and again but Satan hindred us 1 Thes 1.18 So doth Satan hinder men from coming unto Christ how Satan hindred Paul in his journey is uncertain probably by raising up against him some stormes of trouble and persecution at land or else some tempest at sea so stopping his passage to them And by such waies and means Satan often hinders men from coming to Christ when they begin to look towards him he raiseth up storms and tempests of persecution and trouble casteth some stumbling blocks or other in their way whereby he disheartens and discourageth them from coming unto him besides he holdeth them captive so saith Paul of such as oppose themselves against the truth of the Gospel They are in the snare of the divel taken captive by him at his will 2 Tim. 2. 2 Tim. 2. last 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Taken alive as Captives taken in the wars or as Beasts and Birds taken by Hunters and Fowlers in nets and snares which are carried whither they please Even so are wicked men taken by Satan I so are all men naturally all taken captive and held captive and led captive by him some captivated in their understandings by Erroneous and Hereticall Doctrines some in their Wills and affections by vitious provocations and enticements and hereby he keepeth them off from coming to Christ The Parable in the Gospel

him that is willing to follow not so but the clean contrary it is the difference as I have told you betwixt Drawing and Leading a man that is willing is led a man unwilling is drawn And such are all men before Christ comes to overpower their wills So as Grotius might well have spared his gloss upon the Text I will draw all men Sed eos intellige qui non reluctantur Grot. Annot. in Text. that is saith he Eos qui non reluctantur Such as are willing to follow But where are they I shall not dwell upon that More usefully for our selves Vse 2. The glory of Conversion to be given to Christ As many of us as have tasted of this grace of God in the great work of our Conversion in bringing us home unto Christ learn we hence whither to give the praise and glory of it Not unto our selves but unto Jesus Christ not unto our willing or running but unto his drawing It is not of him that willeth Rom. 9.16 nor of him that runneth saith the Apostle Alas of our selves we could neither run nor yet will to run before conversion being dead in trespasses and sins we could not so much as move towards Heaven no nor yet will to move no more then a dead man can will his own resurrection even this will is of God It is God that worketh in you both to will and to do Phil. 2.13 Had not Christ drawn us we had never come unto him And therefore not unto us not to the goodnesse of our natures not to the tractablenesse of our tempers the ingenuity and sequaciousnesse of our dispositions nor yet to the benefit of our education or what ever else but only to the free grace of God in Christ bee all the praise and glory of this work Vse 3. Be convinced of natural Impotency and Reluctancy For others who are as yet strangers to this work who never yet felt this attractive power working upon their souls let them be convinced of the truth of what hath been now delivered viz. that they cannot come unto Christ of themselves they cannot come except Christ himselfe draw them Whence is it that many neglect seeking after Christ and after faith in Christ and put off the work of their conversion from day to day why there is a false principle in their hearts They think that to beleeve is the easiest thing in the world that they can come unto Christ when they list Not so except Christ himself draw thee there is no coming unto him It is not in man to bring himself nay it is not in all the Men and Angels in the world that can draw a soul to Christ Except Christ himselfe put to his hand it neither can nor will come to him Be convinced of this And being convinced hereof now take heed of drawing back Vse 4. Take heed of drawing back when we feel Christ beginning to draw Our coming unto Christ depends upon his drawing And therefore doth he beginne to draw take heed how we hold off How know we whether ever hee will draw again which if he do not wee are men without hope But of this more hereafter in the next point to which I now come The second thing held forth to us in the Text is The effectuall working of Jesus Christ in bringing his Elect home to himselfe Observ 2. The effectuall work of Christ in bringing men home to himselfe I will draw them to me Those who in themselves are both unable and unwilling to come Christ over-powreth and causeth to come to himselfe A truth excellently shadowed out in that known parable of the lost sheep Luke 15.5 which the shepherd having found he layeth it upon his shoulders and bringeth it home This Shepherd is Christ the chiefe Shepherd the Shepherd and Bishop of souls 1 Pet. 5.4 1 Pet. 2.25 as Saint Peter cals him The lost sheep are his Elect before conversion who in regard of Gods Election are sheep Matth. 15.24 in regard of their naturall condition are lost sheep wandring in the pathes of sin and death having no disposition of themselves to returne to the fold These sheep this great Shepherd seeketh Luke 19.10 The Son of man is come to seeke that which was lost And seeking he findeth them and finding them he bringeth them home causing them to return to the Shepherd and Bishop of their soules 1 Pet. 2.25 For the opening and illustrating Illustrat of this usefull truth viz. Christs drawing of poor sinners to himselfe give me leave to propound and resolve these two or three Questions 1. Whence they are drawn 2. Whither they are drawn 3. By what means Christ draweth them For the two former more briefly Whence and Whither they are drawn In drawing as in every motion there are two terms A quo and Ad quem Whence and Whither whatever is drawn is drawn from one place or thing to another Quest Whence Christ draweth men Qu 1. First then Whence doth Christ draw his Elect Answ In generall Out of the state of nature An. To this we might answer in the general Hee draweth them out of the state of nature which is a state of sin and death In this estate do all men naturally lie in a state of sin The whole world lieth in wickednesse 1 Joh. 5.19 And consequently in a state of death Death passed upon all for that all have sinned Rom. 5.12 Now out of this estate Christ draweth his Elect as so many Lots out of Sodom so many Lazaruses out of the grave Bringing them out of that state of sin and death into a state opposite to it a state of righteousnesse and life More particularly More particularly Christ draweth men 1. Out of Darknesse 1. Out of darknesse Jer. 38.9 12 13 Even as Jeremy was drawn by Ebedmelech out of the Dungeon where he was like to perish So are poor sinners drawn by Christ out of the Dungeon of ignorance In this Dungeon do all men naturally ly They all sit in darknesse Luke 1.19 and in the shadow of death being by nature no better then darkness it self Ye were somtimes darkness Ephes 5.8 destitute of heavenly light wholly ignorant of what belongs to their eternall peace and happinesse Now out of this dungeon doth Christ draw his Elect calling them out of darkness That you should shew forth the vertues of him who hath called you out of darknesse 1 Pet. 2.9 And this he doth by causing a light to shine forth unto them Luke 1.79 Matth. 11.25 Giving light to them that sit in darknesse revealing unto them those supernaturall mysteries which are hid from the wise and prudent of the world 2. He draweth them from under the power of Satan 2. From the power of Satan Acts 26.18 Under this power do all men naturally lie possessed and held captive by Satan Now from under this power Christ draweth his

Let our enquiry be for this thorow work whether we have felt the effectuall power of Jesus Christ in drawing our hearts and souls not onely towards but to himself This is the saving work without which we can have no benefit by Christ No Communion without Vnion A man must first be brought home unto Christ before he can be justified and saved by him Are we then thus drawn unto Christ O that every of us here present could but make this good to our selves But alass how many are there who are meer strangers to this work Evidences of persons not drawn never felt any such power put forth in their souls know not what it means To finde out some of them I beseech you go along with me and deal impartially with your own souls see whether you be not in the number 1. Such in the first place are all ignorant persons 1. Ignorant persons such as are not yet drawn out of the dungeon of spiritual darkness Persons grossly ignorant Such as live without the knowledge of Christ Though living under the means of knowledge where Christ is preached and published to them yet they are wholly ignorant of the mystery of Christ not knowing so much as what Christ was what he hath done what he hath suffered what he hath merited by what way or means they should have any benefit by him Such there are and that too many every where to be found Now alas against such the evidence is too clear They are not yet drawn and brought home unto CHRIST Christ never draws men blindfold to himself But that he may draw them Acts 26.18 he first opens their eyes Paul was sent to the Gentiles first to open their eyes to turne them from darknesse to light And this Christ in measure doth in every soule which he intendeth to draw to himselfe he causeth a light to shine into it revealing himselfe to it By this means was Paul drawn to Christ by an effectuall revelation of Christ to him Gal. 1.16 When it pleased God to reveale his Son to me or in me c. Till Christ be thus revealed to the soule the soul neither will nor can come to him Still in drawing Christ worketh first upon the understanding then upon the will first inlightning the one before he bow and incline the other They who never yet found a work of illumination and conviction in themselves certainly it cannot be that as yet they should be drawn unto Christ 2. A second sort against whom the evidence is clear that they are not drawn unto Christ are all profane 2. Profane persons wicked and ungodly persons such as are yet under the power of Satan having him ruling and reigning in them Such as are not yet drawn out of the world not having escaped the grosse pollutions of it 2 Pet. 2.20 Such as stick and lie and wallow in the mire of sinfull lusts Ephes 2.2 walking after the course of this world according to the Prince that ruleth in the aire as Paul saith of his Ephesians before conversion giving over themselves to known and scandalous evils Swearers drunkards unclean profane licentious unrighteous persons c. Let not such deceive themselves they are far from being drawn unto Christ 2 Cor. 6.15 What agreement hath Christ with Belial saith the Apostle that is with Satan that wicked one or with wicked men in whom Satan dwels and rules Christ drawing men to himselfe he draweth them from under the power of Satan and he severeth them from the world teaching them to deny ungodlinesse and worldly lusts Certainly that soule that so imbraceth any one sinfull lust as being convinced of the sinfulnesse of it yet liveth and lieth in it being resolved not to part with it it never yet knew what this effectuall work of Christ meant in drawing men to himfelfe 3. A third sort are all meer carnall men 3. Carnal persons Phil. 3.9 such whose hearts and affections are wholly set upon earth and earthly things minding earthly things The profits and pleasures and honours of the world with such other sensuall and carnall contentments these are the things which they are wholly taken up with In the mean time as for heaven and heavenly things Grace and Glory these are things which they do not trouble themselves about neither have they any affection to them These also we must conclude to be in the number of them who are not yet drawn unto Christ Christ in drawing men to himselfe he draweth them from the earth in measure weaning them from the world draweth them above the earth causing them to seek the things which are above Col. 3.1 2. and to seek them in the first place Certainly they whose hearts and affections are all upon earth they cannot yet be drawn to Christ who is in Heaven 4. A fourth and last sort are meer Civil or Pharisaicall Justiciaries 4. Pharisaicall Justiciaries Such as are not drawn out of themselves such as rest in their own righteousnesse not feeling the need they have of Christ such as bear themselves upon the innocency and harmlesnesse of their lives and conversations they are no swearers drunkards unclean unrighteous persons but they are regular and orderly in their course they as near as they can give both God and man their due and here they rest hoping and trusting to be justified and saved by their own righteousnesse As for such the evidence is also cleare against them notwithstanding they may seem to be drawn out of the world severed from it in respect of any scandalous evils yet they stick in themselves and consequently cannot be drawn unto Christ Christ in drawing men unto himselfe he drawes them out of the dungeon of ignorance he draweth them from under the power of Satan he draweth them out of the world and hee draweth them out of themselves Whoever they are that stick in any of these they are not yet drawn unto Christ Quest Quest But how shall we know and bee assured that we are in the number of those that are truely drawn unto Christ Evidences of men drawn to Christ Ans For answer 1. Reflect upon what hath been spoken Ans 1. Such as are drawn out of all the aforsaid particulars Enquire we whether we find our selves drawn out of all these Are we drawn out of our naturall darknesse the darknesse of ignorance Can we say that a supernaturall light hath shined into our hearts revealing unto us the mysterie of Christ Are we freed and delivered from the power of Satan so as we are not led captive by him as sometime we were Are we drawn out of the world Have we received another spirit then the spirit of the world a spirit teaching us to deny ungodlinesse and worldly lusts and to mind the things which are above Are wee drawn out of our selves taught to deny our selves and to renounce our own righteousnesse in respect of any affiance and confidence in