Doct. Doct.

There is a twofold Application of our redemption, one Primary, the other Secondary: the former is the Act of God the Father, applying it to Christ our Surety, and virtually to us in him; the later is the Act of the holy Spirit, personally and actually applying it to us in the work of conversion: the former hath the respect and relation of an example, model, or pattern to this, and this is produced and wrought by the vertue of that. What was done upon the person of Christ, was not only virtually done upon us, considered in him as a [Page 6] common publick representative person, in which sense we are said to dye with him and live with him, to be crucified with him and buryed with him: but it was also intended for a platform or Idea of what is to be done by the Spirit actually upon our souls and bodies in our single persons. As he dyed for sin, so the Spirit applying his death to us in the work of mortification causes us to dye to sin, by the vertue of his death: and as he was quick­ned by the Spirit and raised unto life, so the Spirit applying unto us the life of Christ causeth us to live, by spiritual vivi­fication. Now this personal, secondary and actual application of redemption to us by the Spirit in his sanctifying work is that which I am engaged here to discuss and open: Which I shall do in these following Propositions.

Thanks be to God for Jesus Christ.

Doct.

The Scriptures have borrowed from the book of Nature four elegant and lively Metaphors to help the Nature of this Mystical Union with Christ into our understandings; Name­ly, that of two pieces of timber, united by glew: that of a graff taking hold of its stock; and making one tree: that of the husband and wife, by the marriage Covenant beco­ming one flesh: and that of the members and head animated by one soul, and so becoming one Natural body. Every one of these is more lively and full than the other, and what is defective [...]in one, is supplied in the other; but yet, neither any of these singly, or all of them jointly, can give us a full and compleat account of this Mystery.

[Page 27] Not that of two pieces united by glew, 1 Cor. 6. 17. he that 1 Cor. 6. 17. is joyned to the Lord is one Spirit: [...], glewed to the Lord. For though this cementeth, and strongly joyns them in one; yet this is but a faint and imperfect shadow of our Union with Christ: for though this Union by glew be intimate, yet it is not vital; but so is that of the soul with Christ.

Nor that of the graff and stock mentioned Rom. 6. 5. for Rom. 6. 5. thought it be there said that believers are [...], implanted, or ingraffed by way of incision, and this Union betwixt it and the stock be vital; for it partakes of the vital sap and juice of it; yet here also is a remarkable defect, for the graff is of a more excellent kind and nature than the stock, and up­on that account the tree receives its denomination from it, as from the more noble and excellent part; but Christ into whom believers are ingraffed, is infinitely more excellent than they, and they are denominated from him.

Nor yet that Conjugal Union by marriage Covenant betwixt Eph. 6. 32. a man and his wife; for though this be exceeding dear and intimate, so that a man leaves father and mother, and cleaves to his wife, and they two become one flesh: yet this Union is not indissolvable, but may and must be broken by death; and then the relict lives alone without any Communi­on with, or relation to the person that was once so dear: but this betwixt Christ and the soul can never be dissolved by death, it abides to eternity.

Nor Lastly, That of the head and members united by one Eph. 4. 15, 16. vital Spirit and so making one Physical body, mentioned Eph. 4. 15, 16. for though one soul actuates every member, yet it doth not knit every member alike near to the head, but some are nearer, and others removed farther from it; but here every member is alike nearly united with Christ the head, the weak are as near to him as the strong.

Two things are necessary to be opened in the doctrinal part of this point.

First, For the reality of it, I shall make it appear that there is such a Union betwixt Christ and believers: it is no Ens ra­tionis, 1. [Page 28] empty notion, or cunningly devised fable; but a most certain demonstrable truth, which appears,

First, From the Communion which is betwixt Christ and be­lievers: in this the Apostle is express, 1 Joh. 1. 3. truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his son Jesus Christ: [...]. It signifies such fellowship or Copartnership as persons have by a joynt interest in one and the same enjoyment, which is in common betwixt them. So Heb. 3. 14. we are [...], Ipse venit in sortem nostrae mortalita­tis, ut in for­tem nos addu­ceret suae im­mortalitatis: clarum autem est, hic agi de consortibus un­ctionis; quales sunt omnes fide­les qui unctio­nis participes fiunt. Rivet. partakers of Christ, and Psal. 45. 7. [...] here the Saints are called the companions, consorts, or fellows of Christ: and that not only in respect of his assumption of our mortality, and in­vesting us with his immortality; but it hath a special reference and respect to the Unction of the Holy Ghost, or graces of the Spirit of which believers are partakers with him and through him. Now this Communion of the Saints with Christ is entirely and necessarily dependant upon their Union with him, even as much as the branches participation of the sap and juice, depends upon its Union and coalition with the stock: take away Union, and there can be no communion, or commu­nications, which is clear from 1 Cor. 3. 22, 23. All is yours, and ye are Christs, and Christ is Gods: where you see how all our participation of Christs benefits, is built upon our Union with Christs person.

Secondly, The reality of the believers Union with Christ is evident from the Imputation of Christs righteousness to him for his Justification. That a believer is justified before God by a righteousness without himself is undeniable from Rom. 3. 24. being justified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: and that Christs righteousness becomes ours by Imputation, is as clear from Rom. 4. 23, 24. but it can ne­ver be imputed to us, except we be united to him, and be­come one with him: which is also plainly asserted in 1 Con. 1. 30. But of him are ye (in Christ Jesus) who of God is made unto us wisdome, and righteousness, sanctification and redemption: he communicates his merits unto none but those that are in him: hence all those vain cavils of the Papists disputing against our Justification by the righteousness of Christ, and asserting it to be by inherent righteousness, are solidly answered.

[Page 29] When they demand, how can we be justified by the righ­teousness of another? can I be rich with another mans mo­ney, or preferr'd by anothers honours? Our answer is, Yes, if that other be my surety or husband: indeed Peter cannot be justified by the righteousness of Paul: but both may be justified by the righteousness of Christ imputed to them; they being members joyntly knit to one common head: prin­cipal and surety are one in obligation, and construction of Law: head and members are one body, branch and stock are one tree, and it's no strange thing to see a graff live by the sap of another stock, when once it is ingraffed into it.

Thirdly, The Sympathy that is betwixt Christ and believers proves a Union betwixt them: Christ and the Saints smile and sigh together. St. Paul in Colos. 1. 2, 4. tells us that he did fill up that which is behind, [...]—the remain­ders of the sufferings of Christ in his Flesh: not as if Christs suf­ferings were imperfect, (for by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified, Heb. 10. 14.) but in these two Scriptures Christ is consider'd in a twofold capacity: he suffered once in Corpore proprio, in his own person as mediator; these sufferings are compleat and full, and in that sense he suffers no more: he suffers also in Corpore m [...]tico, in his Church and members, thus he still suffers in the sufferings of every Saint for his sake: and though these sufferings in his Mystical body, are not equal to the other, either pondere & mensura, in their weight and value, nor yet designed ex officio, for the same use and purpose, to satisfie by their proper merit offend­ed Justice; nevertheless they are truly reckoned the sufferings of Christ, because the head suffers when the members do: and without this supposition, that place, Acts 9. 5. is never to be understood, when Christ the head in Heaven crys out, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? when the toe was trod upon on earth: how doth Christ sensibly feel our sufferings or we his, if there be not a Mystical Union betwixt him and us?

Fourthly and Lastly, The way and manner in which the Saints shall be raised at the last day, proves this Mystical Union betwixt Christ and them: for they are not to be raised as others, by the naked power of God without them, but by [Page 30] the vertue of Christs resurrection as their head, sending forth vital quickening influences into their dead bodies, which are united to him as well as their souls. For so we find it, Rom. 8. 11. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead, dwell in you: he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you: even as it is in our awakening out of natural sleep, first the animal spirits in the head begin to rouze and play there, and then the senses and members are loosed throughout the whole body.

Now it's impossible the Saints should be raised in the last re­surrection, by the Spirit of Christ dwelling in them; if that Spirit did not knit and unite them to him, as members to their head. So then, by all this it is proved that there is a real Union of the Saints with Christ.

Next I shall endeavour to open the quality and nature of this Union: and shew you what it is, according to the weak 2. apprehensions we have of so sublime a Mystery: and this I shall do in a

First, More generally, it is an intimate conjunction of be­lievers to Christ by the imparting of his Spirit to them, where­by 1. they are enabled to believe and live in him.

All divine Spiritual life is originally in the Father, and co­meth not to us but by, and through the son; Joh. 5. 26. to him hath the Father given to have an [...]—a quicken­ing, enlivening power in himself: but the Son communicates this life which is in him to none but by and through the Spi­rit, Rom. 8. 2. the Spirit of life which is in Christ Jesus, hath made me free from the Law of sin and death.

The Spirit must therefore first take hold of us, before we can live in Christ; and when he doth so, then we are enabled to exert that vital act of faith, whereby we receive Christ: all this lyes plain in that one Scripture, Joh. 6. 57. As the li­ving Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father; so he that cateth me (that is by faith applys me) even he shall live by me. [Page 31] So that these two, namely the Spirit on Christs part, and Faith his work, on our part, are the two ligaments by which we are knit to Christ.

So that the Spirits work in uniting or engrassing a soul into Christ is like the cutting off the graff from its native stock (which he doth by his illuminations and convictions) and clo­sing it with the living stock when it is thus prepared, and so en­abling it (by the infusion of faith) to suck and draw the vital sap, and thus it becomes one with it. Or as the many mem­bers in the natural body, being all quickened and animated by the same vital Spirit, become one body with the head which is the principal member: Eph. 4. 4. there is one body, and one Spirit.

More particularly, we shall consider the properties of this 2. Union, that so we may the better understand the nature of it. And here I shall open the nature of it both negatively, and affirmatively.

First, Negatively, by removing all false notions and mis­apprehensions 1. Negatively. of it. And we say,

First, The Saints Union with Christ is not a meer mental 1. Union, only in conceit and notion, but really exists extra men­tem, whether we conceit it or not. I know the atheistical world censures all these things as fancies, and idle imaginati­ons; but believers know the reality of them. Joh. 14. 20. At that day you shall know that I am in my father, and you in me, and I in you. This doctrine is not phantastical, but scien­tifical.

Secondly, The Saints Union with Christ is not a Physical Union, such as is betwixt the members of a natural body and 2. the head: our Nature indeed is assumed into Union with the person of Christ, but it is the singular honour of that blessed and holy flesh of Christ, to be so united, as to make one per­son with him: that Union is hypostatical, this only My­stical.

Thirdly, Nor is it an Essential Union, or Union with the divine nature, so as our beings are thereby swallowed up and 3. lost in the divine being.

Some there be indeed that talk at that wild rate, of being Godded into God, and Christed into Christ: and those un­wary expressions of Greg. Naz. [...], and [...], do [Page 32] but too much countenance those daring Spirits: but oh there is an infinite distance betwixt us and Christ in respect of na­ture and excellency notwithstanding this Union.

Fourthly, The Union I here speak of, is not a foederal Uni­on; or an Union by Covenant only: such a Union indeed 4. there is betwixt Christ and believers, but that is consequenti­al to and wholly dependent upon this.

Fifthly, and Lastly, It is not a meer Moral Union by love and affection: thus we say, one soul is in two bodies, a friend 5. is another self: the lover is in the person beloved: such a Union of hearts and affections there is also betwixt Christ and the Saints, but this is of another nature: that we call a Mo­ral, this a Mystical Union: that only knits our affections, but this knits our persons to Christ.

Secondly, Positively, and First, though this Union neither 2. Positively. makes us one person, or essence with Christ, yet it knits our persons most intimately and nearly to the person of Christ: 1. the Church is Christs body, Coloss. 1. 24. not his Natural, but his Mystical body: that is to say, his body in a Mystery: because it is to him as his natural body: the Saints stand to Christ in the same relation that the natural members of the body stand to the head, and he stands in the same relation to them, that the head stands in to the natural mem­bers: and consequently they stand related to one ano­ther, as the members of a natural body do to each o­ther.

Christ and the Saints are not one as the Oak and the Ivy that clasps it are one; but as the graff and stock are one: it is not a Union by adhesion, but incorporation. Husband and Wife are not so near, soul and body are not so near as Christ and the believing soul are near to each other.

Secondly, The Mystical Union is wholly supernatural: wrought by the alone power of God. So it's said 1 Cor. 1. 30. 2. but of him are ye in Christ Jesus: we can no more unite our selves to Christ, than a branch can incorporate it self into another stock: it is of him (i. e.) of God, his proper and alone work.

There are only two ligaments or bands of Union betwixt Christ and the Soul, viz. the Spirit on his part, and Faith on ours: but when we say faith is the band of Union on our [Page 33] part, the meaning is not, that it's so our own act, as that it springs naturally from us, or is educed from the power of our own wills; no, for the Apostle expressly contradicts it, Eph. 2. 8. it is not of your selves, it is the gift of God: but we are the subjects of it, and though the act on that account be ours, yet the power enabling us to believe is God's. Eph. 1. 19, 20.

Thirdly, the Mystical Union is an immediate Union: Im­mediate I say, not as excluding means and instruments, for 3. several means and many instruments are employ'd for the ef­fecting of it: but immediate as excluding degrees of near­ness among the members of Christs mystical body.

Every member in the Natural body stands not as near to the head as another: but so do all the mystical members of Christs body to him; every member, the smallest, as well as the greatest hath an immediate coalition with Christ. 1 Cor. 1. 2. To the Church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus; called to be Saints: with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs, and ours.

Among the factious in this Church at Corinth, those that said I am of Christ; as arrogating Christ to themselves; were as much a faction, as those that said I am of Paul, 1 Cor. 1. 30. to cure this he tells them, he is both theirs and ours. Such inclosures are against law.

Fourthly, The Saints Mystical Union with Christ is a 4. fundamental Union: it's fundamental by way of Sustentation: all our fruits of obedience depend upon it. John 15. 4. As the branch cannot bear fruit except it abide in the Vine, no more can ye [...] except ye abide in me. It's fundamental to all our priviledges and comfortable claims, 1 Cor. 3. ult. all is yours for ye are Christs. And it is fundamental to all our hopes, and expectations of glory; for it is Christ in you the hope of glory, Col. 1. 27. So then destroy this Union, and with it you destroy all our fruits, priviledges and eternal hopes at one stroke.

Fifthly, The Mystical Union is a most Efficacious Union, for through this Union the divine power flows into our 5. souls; both to quicken us with the life of Christ, and to con­serve and secure that life in us after it is so infused.

[Page 34] Without the Unition of the soul to Christ, which is to be conceived efficiently as the Spirits act, there can be no Uni­on formally considered; and without these, no communicati­ons of life from Christ to us. Eph. 4. 16. And when there is that [...] or effectual working of the spirit of life in every part, which he there speaks of, (as who should say, the first bublings up of the new life, a spiritual vitality diffu­sed through the soul which ere while was dead in sin) yet still this Union with Christ is as necessary to the maintaining, as before it was to the producing of it.

For why is it that this life is not again extinguished and wholly suffocated in us by so many deadly wounds as are given it by temptations and corruptions? surely no reason can be assigned more satisfying than that which Christ him­self gives us in John 14. 19. because I live, ye shall live also. q. d. whilst there is vital sap in me the root, you that are branches in me, cannot wither and dye.

Sixthly, The Mystical Union is an indissoluble Union: there is an everlasting tye betwixt Christ and the believer: and herein also it is beyond all other Unions in the world: death dissolves the dear Union betwixt the husband and wife, friend and friend, yea betwixt soul and body; but not betwixt Christ and the soul: the bands of this Union rot not in the grave: what shall separate us from the love of Christ? saith the Apostle Rom. 8. 35, 38, 39. he bids defiance to all enemies, and triumphs in the firmness of this Union over all hazards that seem to threaten it. It is with Christ and us in respect of the Mystical Union, as it was with Christ himself in respect of the hypostatical Union: that was not dissolved by his death when the Natural Union betwixt his soul and body was; nor can this mystical Union of our souls and bodies with Christ be dissolved when the Unions betwixt us and our dearest relations, yea betwixt the soul and body are dissolved by death. God▪ calls himself the God of Abraham, long after his body was turned into dust.

Seventhly, It is an honourable Union, Apex, cap [...]t, & vertex [...]obi­litatis est Chri­stus, sine quo nibil est i [...] toto ho [...] sublunari orbe terraru [...] nobile, cujus solium est coelum, & cujus scabellu [...] est terra; terra [...]nquam, in qua h [...]rum omnis cognatio & nobilitas sita-est & collo­cata, divinis illius pedibus substernitur. Laurent. Hum [...]redus de no [...]ilitate lib. 2. p. 176. yea the highest ho­nour 7. that can be done unto men: the greatest honour that [Page 35] was ever done to our common nature, was by its assum­ption into Unity with the second person hypostatically, and the highest honour that was ever done to our single per­sons was their Union with Christ mystically. To be a servant of Christ is a dignity transcendent to the highest advance­ment among men; but to be a member of Christ, how matchless and singular is the glory thereof! and yet such ho­nour have all the Saints, Eph. 5. 30. we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.

Eighthly, It is a most Comfortable Union: yea, the ground 8. of all solid comfort both in life and death: whatever trou­bles, wants, or distresses befal such, in this is abundant re­lief and support. Christ is mine, and I am his; what may not a soul make out of that! If I am Christs, then let him take care for me, and indeed in so doing, he doth but care for his own: he is my head, and to him it belongs to con­sult the safety and welfare of his own members: Eph. 1. 22, 23. he is not only an head to his own by way of Influ­ence, but to all things else by way of dominion, for their good: how comfortably may we repose our selves under that cheering consideration upon him at all times, and in all difficult cases!

Ninthly, It is a fruitful Union: the immediate end of it is 9. fruit: Rom. 7. 4. we are married to Christ, that we should bring forth fruit to God: all the fruit we bear before our ingraf­ture into Christ, is worse than none: till the person be in Christ, the work cannot be Evangelically good, and accepta­ble to God: we are made accepted in the beloved, Eph. 1. 6. Christ is a fruitful root, and makes all the branches that live in him so too, Joh. 15. 8.

Tenthly and Lastly, It is an enriching Union: for by our 10. Union with his person we are immediately interessed in all his riches, 1 Cor. 1. 30. how rich and great a person do the little arms of Faith clasp and embrace! All is yours, 1 Cor. 3. 22. all that Christ hath, becomes ours, either by commu­nication to us, or improvement for us: his Father, Joh. 20. 17. his promises, 2 Cor. 1. 20. his providences, Rom. 8. 28. his glory, Joh. 17. 24. it's all ours by vertue of our Union with him.

Thus you see briefly what the Mystical Union is. Next we shall improve it.

Thanks be to God for Jesus Christ.

Doct.

This is clear from Rom. 10. 14. 1 Cor. 1. 21. and many other Scriptures.

Here we shall take into Consideration these three things.

First, what is implyed in Christs treating with sinners by his Ambassadors or Ministers.

Secondly, What the great Concernment they are to treat with sinners about is.

Thirdly, What and when is the Efficacy of preaching to bring sinners to Christ.

First, We will open what is implyed and imported in Christs treaty with sinners by his Ambassadors or Mini­sters.

And here we find these six things implied.

First, it necessarily implies the defection and fall of man [Page 48] from his estate of favour and friendship with God: if no war with heaven, what need of Ambassadors of peace? the very office of the Ministry, is an argument of the fall. Gospel Ordinances and Officers came in upon the fall, and expire with the Mediators dispensatory Kingdom, 1 Cor. 15. 24, 25. Then shall he deliver up the Kingdom to God even the Father: thenceforth no more Ordinances, no more Ministers; what use can there be of them, when the treaty is ended? They have done and accomplished all they were ever intend­ed and designed for, when they shall have reconciled to God all the number of his Elect that lay dispersed among the lost and miserable posterity of Adam, and have brought them home to Christ in a perfect state, Eph. 4. 12. &c.

Secondly, It implies the singular grace and admirable con­descension of God to sinful man. That God will admit any treaty with him at all is wonderful mercy, it's more than he would do for the Angles that fell, Jude 6. they are reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgement of the great day. Christ took not on him their nature, but suffered Myriads of them to perish, and fills up their vacant places in glory with a number of sinful men and women to whom the Law a warded the same punishment.

But that God will not only treat but entreat and beseech sinful men to be reconciled is yet more wonderful. Barely to propound the terms of peace had been an astonishing mercy, but to wooe and beseech stubborn enemies to be at peace and accept their pardon, Oh how unparallell'd as this condescension!

Thirdly, It implyes the great dignity and honour of the Inter illos qui regi regum in­serviunt, [...]e­gatisumus: Dei Christique per­sonam gerimus, [...]ullus unquam nos impu [...]e despicat [...] ha­buit, quin in Deum Chri [...]umque idem injurius. Bowles pr [...]fat ad past. Evang. Gospel ministry. We are Ambassadors for Christ, Ambassa­dors represent and personate the Prince that sends them: and the honours or contempts done to them reflect upon, and are reckon'd to the person of their Master, Luke 10. 16. he that heareth you, heareth me; and he that despi­seth you, despiseth me.

Neither their persons, nor parts are the proper ground and reason of our respects to them; but their office and Com­mission from Jesus Christ.

[Page 49] We are fallen into the dreggs of time, wherein a vile contempt is poured not only upon the persons but the very Office of the Ministry: and I could heartily wish that Scrip­ture, Mal. 2. 7, 8, 9. were throughly considered by us, possibly it might inform us of the true cause and reason of this sore judgement: but surely Christs faithful Ministers de­serve a better entertainment than they ordinarily find in the world: and if we did but seriously bethink our selves, in whose name they come, and in whose stead they stand, we should receive them as the Galatians did Paul, Gal. 4. 14. as Angels of God, even as Christ Jesus.

Fourthly, Christs treating with sinners by his Ministers, who are his Ambassadors, implies the strict obligation they are under to be faithful in their Ministerial imployment. Christ counts upon their faithfulness whom he puts into the Ministry, 1 Tim. 1. 12. They are accountable to him for all acts of their office, Heb. 13. 17. If they be silent, they can­not be innocent: necessity is laid upon them, and wo to them if they preach not the Gospel, 1 Cor. 9. 16.

Yea, necessity is not only laid upon them to preach, but to keep close to their Commission in preaching the Gospel, 1 Thes. 2. 3, 4, 5. Our Exhortation was not of deceit, nor of uncleanness, nor in guile, but as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the Gos­pel, even so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts: the word is not to be corrupted to please men, 2 Cor. 2. 17. their business is not to make them their disciples, but Christs, not to seek theirs but them, 2 Cor. 12. 14. to keep close to their instructions, both in the matter, manner, & end of their Ministry. So did Christ himself the treasure of wisdom and knowledge, yet being sent by God, he saith, Job. 7. 16. my doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me. And so he expects and requires that his Ambassadors keep close to the Commission he hath given them; and be (according to their measure) faithful to their trust, as he was to his. Paul is to deliver to the people, that which he also received from the Lord, 1 Cor. 11. And Timothy must keep that which was committed to him, 2 Tim. 1. 14.

Fifthly, It implies the removal of the Gospel ministry to be a very great judgment to the people. The remanding of Ambassadors, presages an ensuing War. If the reconciling of souls to God be the greatest work, then the removal of [Page 50] the means and instruments thereof must be the forest Judge­ment. Some account the falling of the Salt upon the Table omi­nous, but surely the falling of them whom Christ calls the Salt of the earth is so indeed.

What are those once famous and renowned places from whence Christ (as he threatned) hath removed the Candle­stick, but magna latrocinia dens of Robbers, and mountains of prey?

Sixthly and Lastly, It implyes both the wisdome and con­descension of God to sinful men in carrying on a treaty of peace with them by such Ambassadors, negotiating betwixt him and them: without a treaty there would be no reconciliati­on; and no method to carry on such a treaty like this: for had the Lord treated with sinners personally, and immediate­ly, they had been overwhelmed with such an awful Majesty. The app [...]ces of God confound the creature, Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God (saith Israel) neither let me see this great fire any more, that I dye not: yea so ter­rible was that sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake, Deut. 18. 16. Heb. 12. 21.

Or had he Commissionated Angels for this imployment, though they stand not at such an infinite distance from us as God doth, yet such is the excellence of their glory (being the highest Species and order of creatures) that their appear­ances would be more apt to astonish than persuade us: be­sides they being creatures of another rank and kinde, and not partaking with us either in the misery of the fall, or benefit of the recovery by Christ, 'tis not to be supposed they should speak to us so feelingly, and experimentally, as these his Ministers do: they can open to you the mysteries of sin, feeling the workings thereof daily in their own hearts: they can discover to you the conflicts of the flesh and spirit, as being daily exercised in that warfare; and then being men of the same mould and temper they can say to you as Elihu did to Job, Chap. 33. 6, 7. Behold, I am according to thy wish, in Gods stead, I also am formed out of the clay: behold, my terror shall not make thee afraid, neither shall my hand be heavy upon thee.

So that in this appointment much of the Divine wisdom and condescension to sinners is manifested: we have this treasure in [...]arthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, [Page 51] and not of us, 2 Cor. 4. 7. Gods glory and mans advantage are both promoted in this dispensation.

Secondly, Next we are to consider that great Concernment 2. about which these Ambassadors of Christ are to treat with sin­ners: and that (as the Text informs us) is their reconciliation to God.

Now reconciliation with God, is the restoring of men to Reconciliareni­hil aliud est quam amiciti­am offensione aliquagravi diremptam re­sarcire, & sic inimicos in pristinam con­cordiam redu­cere. Daven. in [...] Col. 20. that former frindship they had with God, which was broken by the fall, and is still continued by our Enmity and aver­sation, whilst we continue in our Natural, and unregenerate Estate. Now this is the greatest and most blessed design that ever God had in the world: an astonishing and invaluable mercy to men, as will clearly appear by considering these particulars following.

First, That God should be reconciled after such a dreadful breach as the fall of man made, is wonderful: No sin, all things considered, was ever like to this sin: other sins like a single bullet kill particular persons, but this like a chain-shot cuts off multitudes, multitudes as the sand upon the sea shore which no man can number.

If all the posterity of Adam in their several generations should do nothing else but bewail and lament this sin of his whilst this world continues, yet would it not be enough lamented: for a man so newly Created out of nothing, and admitted the first moment into the highest order, Crown­ed a King over the works of Gods hands, Psal. 8. 5. a man perfect and upright, without the least inordinate motion, or sinful inclination: A man whose minde was most clear, bright and apprehensive of the will of God, whose will was free, and able to have easily put by the strongest temptati­on: A man in a paradise of delights, where nothing was left to desire for advancing the happiness of soul or body: A man understanding himself to be a publick complexive per­son, carrying not only his own, but the happiness of the whole world in his hand: so soon, upon so slight a temptation, to violate the Law of his God, and involve himself and all his posterity with him in such a gulph of guilt and misery: all which he might so easily have prevented! O wonderful a­mazing mercy, that ever God should think of being recon­ciled, or have any purposes of peace towards so vile an Apostate creature as man!

[Page 52] Secondly, That God should be reconciled to men and not to Angels, a more high and excellent order of creatures, is yet more astonishing: when the Angels fell they were lost irrecove­rably: no hand of mercy was stretched out to save one of those Myriads of excellent beings, but chains of darkness were immediately clapt on them, to reserve them to the judgment of the great day, Jude v. 6.

That the milder attribute should be exercised to the infe­riour, and the severer attribute to the more excellent Creature, is just matter for eternal admiration: who would cast away vessels of gold, and save earthen potsherds! Some indeed un­dertake to shew us the reasons why the wisdom of God made no provision for the recovery of Angels by a Mediator of re­conciliation: partly from the high degree of the malignity of their sin, who sinned in the light of heaven, partly because it was decent that the first breach of the Divine Law should be punished, to secure obedience for the future. And besides, the Angelical nature was not entirely lost, Myriads of An­gels still continuing in their innocency and glory: whenas all mankind was lost in Adam.

But we must remember still the Law made no distinction, but awarded the same punishment, and therefore it was mer­cy alone that made the difference, and mercy for ever to be admired by men: how astonishing is the grace of God, that moves in a way of reconciliation to us, out of design to fill up the vacant places in heaven from which Angels fell, with such poor worms as we are! Angels excluded, and men re­ceived. O stupendious mercy!

Thirdly, That God should be wholly and throughly reconci­led to men, so that no fury remains in him against us; accord­ing to that Scripture Isai. 27. 4. is still matter of farther wonder.

The design he sends his Ambassadors to you about is not the allaying, and mitigating of his wrath, (which yet would be matter of great joy to the damned) but throughly to quench all his wrath, so that no degree thereof shall ever be felt by you. O blessed Embassy! Beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of them that bring such tydings. God offers you a full re­conciliation, a plenary remission.

Fourthly, That God should be freely reconciled to sinners and discharge them without any the least satisfaction to his [Page 53] justice from them; is and for ever will be marvellous in their eyes.

Oh what mercy would the damned account it if after a thousand years torments in hell God would at last be recon­ciled to them, and put an end to their misery! But believers are discharged without bearing any part of the curse, not one farthing of that debt is levied upon them.

If you say, how can this be, when God stands upon full Object. satisfaction to his Justice before any soul be discharged, and restored to savour? freely reconciled, and yet fully satis­fied, how can this be?

Very well, for this mercy comes freely to your hands, how Solut. costly soever it proved to Christ: and that free remission, and full satisfaction are not contradictory and inconsistent things, is plain enough from that Scripture, Rom. 3. 24. Being justified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: freely and yet in the way of redemption.

For though Christ your surety have made satisfaction in your name and stead, yet it was his life, his blood, and not yours, that went for it, and this surety was of Gods own appointment and providing without your contrivement or thoughts. O blessed reconciliation, happy is the people that hear the joyful sound of it.

Fifthly, and Lastly, That God should be finally reconciled to sinners, so that never any new breach shall happen betwixt him and them any more, so as to dissolve the League of friendship; is a most ravishing and transporting message.

Two things give Confirmation and full security to recon­ciled ones, viz. The terms of the Covenant, and the inter­cession of the Mediator.

The Covenant of grace gives great security to believers against new breaches betwixt God and them. It's said Jer. 32. 40. And I will make an everlasting Covenant with them that I will not turn away from them to do them good, but I will put my fear in their hearts that they shall not depart from me. The fear of God is a choice preservative against second revolts, and therefore taken into the Covenant. It is no hindrance, but a special guard to assurance.

There is no doubt of Gods faithfulness, that part of the promise is easily believed, that he will not turn away from [Page 54] us to do us good, all the doubt is of the inconstancy of our hearts with God, and against that danger this promise makes provision.

Moreover the Intercession of Christ in heaven secures the Saints in their reconciled state. 1 Joh. 2. 1, 2. If any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righte­ous, and he is the propitiation: he continually appears in hea­ven before the Father, as a Lamb that had been slain, Rev. 5. 6. And as the bow in the clouds, Rev. 4. 3. So that as long as Christ thus appears in the presence of God for us, it is not possible our state of Justification and reconciliation can be again dissolved.

And this is that blessed Embassy Gospel Ministers are im­ployed about: he hath committed to them the word of this reconciliation.

In the last place we are to enquire what and whence is this efficacy of preaching, to reconcile and bring home sinners to 3. Christ.

That its efficacy is great in convincing, humbling, and changing the hearts of men is past all debate and question. The weapons of our warfare (saith the Apostle) are not carnal but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds, cast­ing down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth it self against the knowledge of God, and bringing into Captivity eve­ry thought to the obedience of Christ, 2 Cor. 10. 4, 5. No heart so hard, no conscience so stupid, but this sword can pierce and wound: in an instant it can cast down all those vain rea­sonings, and fond imaginations which the Carnal heart hath been building all its life long, and open a fair passage for Convictions of sin, and the fears and terrors of wrath to come into that heart that was never afraid of these things be­fore. So Acts 2. 37. When they heard this they were pricked to the heart, and said unto Peter and the rest of the Apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?

What shall we do? is the doleful cry of men at their wits end: the voice of one in deepest distress, and such outcries have been no rarities under the preaching of the word: its power hath been felt by persons of all orders and conditions: the great and honourable of the earth, as well as the poor and despicable. The learned and the ignorant, the civil and pro­fane, [Page 55] the young and the old, all have felt the heart-piercing efficacy of the Gospel.

If you ask whence hath the word preached this mighty power? The answer must be, Neither from it self, nor him that preaches it, but from the spirit of God whose instrument it is, by whose blessing and concurrence with it, it produceth its blessed effects upon the hearts of men.

First, This Efficacy and wonderful power is not from the 1. word it self: take it in an abstract notion, separated from the spirit, it can do nothing: it is called the foolishness of preach­ing, 1 Cor. 1. 21. foolishness not only because the world so accounts it, but because in it self it is a weak and unsuitable, and therefore a very improbable way to reconcile the world to God: that the stony heart of one man should be broken by the words of another man, that one poor sinful Creature should be used to breath spiritual life into another, this could never be if this sword were not managed by an omnipotent hand.

And besides, we know what works Naturally, works necessarily: if this Efficacy were inherent in the word, so that we should suppose it to work as other Natural agents do, then it must need convert all to whom it is at any time preached, except its effect were miraculously hindered, as the fire when it could not burn the three Children: but alas thousands hear it, that never feel the saving power of it, Isai. 53. 1. and 2 Cor. 4. 3, 4.

Secondly, It derives not this Efficacy▪ from the Instrument 2. by which it is ministred: let their gifts and abilities be what they will, it's impossible that ever such effects should be pro­duced from the strength of their Natural or gracious abili­ties: 2 Cor. 4. 7. We have this treasure (saith the Apostle) in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

This treasure of Gospel light is carried [...] in earthen vessels, as Gideon and his men had their Lamps [...] in earthen pitchers or in Oyster-shells, for so the word also signi­fies, the Oyster-shell is a base and worthless thing in it self, however, there lyes the rich and precious Pearl of so great value: and why is this precious treasure lodged in such weak worthless vessels? surely it is upon no other design but to con­vince [Page 56] us of the truth I am here to prove, That the Excel­lency of the power is of God, and not of us: as it follows in the next words. To the same purpose speaks the same Apostle, 1 Cor. 3. 7. So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.

Not any thing! what can be more diminutively spoken of the Gospel preachers? but we must not understand these words in a simple and absolute, but in a comparative and relative sence: not as if they were not necessary and useful in their place, but that how necessary soever they be, and what ex­cellent gifts soever God hath furnished them with; yet it is neither in their power, nor choice to make the word they preach effectual to men: if it were, then the damnation of all that hear us must needs lye at our door: then also, many thousands would have been reconciled to God, which are yet in the state of enmity, but the effect of the Gospel is not in our power.

Thirdly, But whatever efficacy it hath to reconcile men to God, it derives from the spirit of God, whose Coope­ration 3. and blessing (which is arbitrarily dispensed) gives it all the fruit it hath.

Ministers, saith one Mr. Anthony Burges., are like Trumpets which make no sound, if breath be not breathed into them. Or like Eze­kiels wheels, which move not, unless the spirit move them: or like Elisha's servant, whose presence doth no good except Elisha's spirit be there also: for want of the spirit of God, how many thousands of souls do find the Ministry to be nothing to them? If it be something to the purpose to any soul, it is the Lord that makes it so. This spirit is not limited by mens gifts or parts: he concurrs not only with their labours who have excellent gifts, but ostentimes blesses mean despicable gifts, with far greater success: beautiful Rachel is barren, and blear-ey'd Leah bears children. Ex duobus aeta­te jam grandi­bus impiis; cur iste ita vocetu [...] ut vocantem se­quatur, ille autem non? noli­to judicare, si non vis errare: inscrutabilia sunt judica dei: cujus vult mis [...]retur. Aug. de bono persec. Cap. 8.

Suppose, saith Austin, there be two Conduits in a Town, one very plain and homely, the other built of polished mar­ble, and adorned with excellent Images, as Eagles, Lions, Angels: the water refreshes as it is water, and not as it comes from such or such a Conduit. 'Tis the spirit that gives the [Page 57] word all that vertue it hath: he is the Lord of all saving influences: he hath dominion over the word, over our souls, over the times and seasons of conversion: and if any poor Crea­ture attend the Ministry without benefit, if he go away as he came, without fruit; surely we may say in this case as Mar­tha said to Christ in reference to her brother Lazarus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not dy'd; so, Lord if thou hadst been in this prayer, in this Sermon, this poor soul had not gone dead, and carnal from under it. And now what remains, but that we apply this truth in those uses that it gives us?

Doct.

No man is compelled to come to Christ against his will, he that cometh, comes willingly, but even that will and de­sire to come is the effect of grace: Phil. 2. 13. It is God that worketh in you both to will, and to do, of his own good pleasure.

[Page 71] If we desire the help and assistance of grace (saith Ful­gentius) Ut ergo deside­remus adjuto­rium, hoc quo­que est gratiae; ipsa namque incipit effundi, ut incipiat po­sci. Fulgen. Epist. 6. ad Theod. even the desire is of grace; grace must first be shed forth upon us before we can begin to desire it: by grace are y [...] saved through faith, and that not of your selves, it is the gift of God, Eph. 2. 8. suppose the utmost degree of natural abi­lity, let a man be as much disposed and prepared as nature can dispose or prepare him, and to all this add the proposal of the greatest arguments and motives to induce him to come; let all these have the advantage of the fittest sea­son to work upon his heart; yet no man can come till God draw him: we move as we are moved; as Christs coming to us, so our coming to him are the pure effects of grace.

Three things require Explication in this point be­fore us.

First, What the drawing of the Father imports.

To open this, let it be considered, that drawing is usually 1. distinguisht into Physical and Moral. The former is either by coaction, force, and compulsion, or by a sweet congru­ous efficacy upon the will: as to violence and compulsion it is none of Gods way and Method, it being both against the nature of the will of man which cannot be forced, and against the will of Jesus Christ who loves to reign over a free and willing people, Psal. 110. 4. The people shall be wil­ling in the day of thy power: or as that word may be ren­dred, they shall be voluntarinesses, as willing as willingness it self: it is not then by a forcible coaction, but in a Mo­ral way of perswasion that God the Father draws men to Jesus Christ: he draws with the bands of a man, as they are called, Hosea 11. 14. (i. e.) in a way of rational conviction of the mind and Conscience, and effectual perswasion of the will.

But yet by Moral perswasion we must not understand a sim­ple and bare proposal or tender of Christ and grace, lea­ving it still at the sinners choice whether he will comply [Page 72] with it or no, Non videmus deum concion­autem, scriben­tem, docentem, tamen ac si vi­demus, credi­mus, habet enim omn is veritas vim inclinati­vam, & major, majorem; & maxima, maxi­mam: sed cur ergo non omnes credunt evan­gelio? Respon­deo, quod non omnes trahun­tur a deo. Ba­ptist. Mantua­nus de pati­entia, lib. 3. cap. 2. for though God do not force the will con­trary to its nature, yet there is a real internal efficiency implyed in this drawing, or an immediate operation of the Spirit upon the heart and will which in a way Congruous and suitable to its nature takes away the rebellion and re­luctance of it, and of unwilling makes it willing to come to Christ: and in this respect we own a physical as well as a Moral influence of the Spirit in this work: and so the Scri­pture expresses it, Eph. 1. 19, 20. that we may know what is the exceeding greatness of his power towards us who believe, ac­cording to the working of his mighty power which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead: here is much more than a naked proposal made to the will, there is a power as well as a tender, greatness of power, and yet more, the exceeding greatness of his power; and this power hath an actual efficiency ascribed to it, he works upon our hearts and wills according to the working of his mighty power which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead: thus he fulfills in us all the good pleasure of his will, and the work of faith with power, 2 Thes. 1. 11.

And this is that which the Schools call gratia efficax, effe­ctual grace, and others victrix delectatio an overcoming con­quering Coelestis qu e­dam & ineffa­bilis suavitas. Jansenius Aug. Lib. 4. cap. 1. delight: thus the work is carried on with a most efficacious sweetness. So that the liberty of the will is not infringed, whilst the obstinacy of the will is effectually sub­dued and over-ruled: for want of this there are so many almost Christians in the world, hence are all those vanishing imperfect works which come to nothing, call'd in Scri­pture a morning cloud, an early dew: had this mighty power gone forth with the word, they had never vanished, or pe­rished like Embryos as they do: So then, God draws not only in a moral way by proposing a suitable object to the will, but also in a physical way, or by immediate powerful influence upon the will: not infringing the Liberty of it; but yet infallibly and effectually perswading it to come to Christ.

Secondly, Next let us consider the marvellous way and 2. manner in which the Lord draws the souls of poor sinners to Jesus Christ; and you will find he doth it

• [Page 73] 1. Gradually,
• 2. Congruously,
• 3. Powerfully,
• 4. Effectually, and
• 5. Finally.

First, This blessed work is carried on by the Spirit gra­dually, bringing the soul step by step in the due method and order of the Gospel to Christ: illumination, conviction, compunction prepare the way to Christ; and then faith unites the soul to him: without humiliation there can be no faith, Mat. 21. 32. ye repented not, that ye might believe: 'tis the burdensome sense of sin that brings the soul to Christ for rest, Mat. 11. 28. come unto me ye that are weary and heavy laden: but without Conviction there can be no Compunction, no hu­miliation; he that is not convinced of his sin and misery, ne­ver bewails it nor mourns for it: never was there one tear of true repentance seen to drop from the eye of an uncon­vinced sinner.

And without illumination there can be no Conviction, for what is Conviction but the application of the light which is in the understanding or mind of a man to his heart and Con­science? Acts 2. 37. In this order therefore the Spirit (or­dinarily) draws souls to Christ, he shines into their minds by illumination, applys that light to their Consciences by effectual Conviction, breaks and wounds their hearts for sin in Compunction, and then moves the will to embrace and close with Christ in the way of Faith for life and sal­vation.

These several steps are more distinctly discerned in some Christians than in others; they are more clearly to be seen in the Adult Convert, than those that were drawn to Christ in their youth; in such as were drawn to him out of a state of prophaneness, than those that had the advantage of a pious education; but in this order the work is carried on ordinari­ly in all, however it differ in point of clearness in the one, and in the other.

Secondly, He draws sinners to Christ Congruously, and ve­ry agreeably to the nature and way of man. So he speaks, [Page 74] Hosea 11. 4. I drew them with the cords of a man, with bands Fu [...]ibus ho­minum (i. e.) humanis: n [...] quibus trahi ac deduci so­lent boves. of love: not as beasts are drawn, but as men are inclined and wrought to complyance by rational Conviction of their Judgements, and powerful perswasion of their wills; the minds of sinners are naturally blinded by ignorance, 2 Cor. 4. 3, 4. and their affections bewitched to their Lusts, Gal. 3. 4. and whilst it is thus, no arguments of intreaties can possibly prevail to bring them off from the ways of sin to Christ.

The way therefore which the Lord takes to win and draw them to Christ, is by rectifying their false apprehensions, and shewing them infinitely more good in Christ than in the Creature, and in their Lusts, yea, by satisfying their under­standings that there is goodness enough in Jesus Christ, to whom he is drawing them,

First, To outbid all temporal good, which is to be deni­ed for his sake.

Secondly, To preponderate all temporal evils which are to be suffered for his sake.

First, That there is more good in Christ than in all tem­poral good things, which we are to deny or forsake upon his account: this being once clearly and convincingly discove­red to the understanding, the will is thereby prepared to quit all that which entangles and with holds it from coming to Christ: there is no man that loves money so much, but he will willingly part with it for that which is more worth to him than the sum he parts with to purchase it: Matth. 13. 45, 46. The Kingdome of heaven is like to a Merchant man, seeking goodly Pearls, who when he hath found one Pearl of great price, goeth and selleth all that he hath and buyeth it.

Such an invaluable Pearl is Jesus Christ, infinitely more worth than all that a poor sinner hath to part with for him, and is a more real good than the creature. These are but vain shadows, Prov. 23. 5. Christ is a solid substantial good: yea, he is, and by Conviction appears to be a more suitable good than the creature: the world cannot justifie and save, but Christ can. Christ is a more necessary good than the creature, this is for our temporal Conveniency, but he of eternal necessity. He is a more Durable good than any crea­ture [Page 75] comfort is or can be: the fashion of this world passeth away, 1 Cor. 7. 31. but durable riches and righteousness are in him, Prov. 8. 17. Thus Christ appears in the day of con­viction infinitely more excellent than the world, he out-bids all the offers that the world can make, and this gives the main stroke to this work, of drawing a Soul to Jesus Christ.

Secondly, And then (to remove every block out of the way to Christ) God discovers to the Soul enough in him to preponderate and much more than recompence all the evils and sufferings it can endure for his sake.

'Tis true, they that close with Christ, close with his cross also: they must expect to save no more but their souls by him: he tells us what we must trust to, Luke 14. 26, 27. If any man come to me, and hate not his Father and Mother, and wife and children, and brethren and sisters; yea, and his own life also; he cannot be my disciple: and whosoever doth not bear his cross and come after me, cannot be my disciple.

To read such a Text as this with such a Comment upon it as Satan and our own flesh can make, is enough to scare a man from Christ for ever: nor is it possible by all the arguments in the world to draw any soul to Christ upon such terms as these, till the Lord convince it, that there is enough, and much more than enough in Jesus Christ to recompence all these sufferings and losses we endure for him.

But when the soul is satisfied that these sufferings are but external upon the vile body, but the benefit that comes by Christ is internal in a mans-own soul, These afflictions are but temporal, Rom. 8. 18. but Christ and his benefits are eter­nal: this must need prevail with the will to come over to Christ notwithstanding all the evils of suffering that accom­pany him, when the reality of all this is discovered by the Lord, and the power of God goes along with these discove­ries. Thus the Lord draws in our own way, by rational Convictions of the understanding and allurements of the will.

And it's possible this may be the reason why some poor souls mis-judge the workings of the Spirit of God upon them selves, thinking they never had that wonderful and mighty power of God in conversion acting upon their hearts, be­cause [Page 76] they find all that is done upon their hearts that way, is done in the ordinary course and method of Nature: they consi­der, compare, are convinced, and then resolve to choose Christ and his ways; whereas they expect to feel some strange opera­tions that shall have the visible Characters of the immediate power of God upon them, and such a power they might dis­cern, if they would consider it as working in this way and me­thod: but they cannot distinguish Gods acts from their own, and that puzzles them.

Thirdly, The drawings of the Father are very powerful. The arm of the Lord is revealed in this work, Isa. 53. 1. It was a powerful word indeed that made the light at first shine out of darkness, and no less power is required to make it shine into our hearts, 2 Cor. 5. 14. That day in which the soul is made willing to come to Christ, is call'd the day of his power, Psal. 110. 3. The Scripture expresseth the work of conversion by a threefold Metaphor. viz.

That of a resurrection from the dead, Rom. 6. 4.

That of Creation, Ephes. 2. 10. And

That of Victory or Conquest, 2 Cor. 10. 4, 5. All these set forth the infinite power of God in this work, for no less than almighty power is required to each of them; and if you strictly examine the distinct notions, you shall find the power of God more and more illustriously display'd in each of them.

To raise the dead is the effect of almighty power, but then there surrection suppseth pre-existent matter. In the work of creation, there is no pre-existent matter, but then there is no op­position: that which is not, rebels not against the power that gives it being. But Victory and Conquest supposes oppo­sition, all the power of corrupt Nature arming it self and fighting against God, but yet not able to frustrate his design.

Let the soul whom the father draws struggle and reluctate S [...]avis motus in verbo, & sor­tis tractus in Deo. Est enim quae­dam necessitas vuluntaria. Moulin. Anat. Ar [...]in. as much as it can, it shall come, yea, and come willingly too, when the drawing power of God is upon it. O the self-conflicts, the contrary resolves with which the soul finds it self distracted and rent asunder! the hopes and fears, the incouragements and discouragements, they will, and they will not! but victorious grace conquers [Page 77] all opposition at last. We find an excellent example of this in blessed Augustine Ita due vo­luntates [...], una vetus, alia nov [...], illa car­nalis, illa spi­ritualis confli­gibant inter se at (que) discor­dando dissipa­bant animam medan.—ibi enim magis jam non ego, quia ex magna par­te id patiebar invitus, quod [...] faciebam vo­lens. Aug. con­fess. lib. 8. c. 5. who speaks of this very work, the draw­ing of his soul to Christ, and how he f [...]lt in that day two wills in himself, one old, the other ne [...]; one carnal, the other spiritual, and how in these their contrary moti­ons and conflicts he was torn asunder in his own thoughts and resolutions, suffering that unwillingly, which he did willingly. And certainly if we consider how deep the soul is rooted by natural inclination, and long continu­ed custome in sin, how extreamly averse it is to the ways of strict godliness and mortification, how Satan that invidious enemy, that strong man armed fortifies the soul to defend his possession against Christ, and intrenches himself in the understanding, will, and affections; by deep rooted pre­judices against Christ and holiness, it is the wonder of won­ders to see a soul quitting all its beloved lusts and fleshly in­terests and endearments, and coming willingly under Christs yoak.

Fourthly, The drawings of God are very effectual: there is indeed a Common and ineffectual work upon hypocrites and Apostates, call'd in Scripture a morning cloud, an early dew, Hosea 6. 4. these may believe for a time, and fall away at last, Luke 8. 13. their wills may be half won, they may be drawn half way to Christ, and return again. So it was with Agrippa, Acts 26. 28. [...], within a very little Suadere est co­nantis, persua­dere efficientis: suadet qui con­sulit, persuadit qui quo vult inducit homi­nem. Erasm. thou perswadest me to be a Christian: but in Gods elected ones it is effectual: their wills are not only almost, but alto­gether perswaded to embrace Christ, and quit the ways of sin, how pleasant, gainful and dear soever they have been to them: the Lord not only draws, but draws home those souls to Christ, Joh. 6. 37. all that the Father hath given me, shall come to me.

It is confessed, that in the drawing home of the very elect to Christ, there may be and frequently are many pauses, stands, and demurrs, they have convictions, affections and resolutions stirring in them, which like early blossoms seem to be nipt and dye away again. There is frequently (in young ones especially) an hopeful appearance of grace, they make conscience of sins, and duties: they have sometimes notable rouzings and awakenings under the word, they are observed [Page 78] to affect retirements for meditation and prayer, and de­light to be in the company of Christians, and after all this, youthful lusts and vanities are found to stifle and choak these hopeful beginnings, and the work seems to stand (it may be some years) at a pause, however at last the Lord makes it victorious over all opposition, and sets it home with power upon their hearts.

Fifthly, To conclude, Those whom the Father draws to Christ he draws to him finally and for ever. The gifts and calling of God are without repentance, Rom. 11. 29. They are so as to God the giver, he never repents that he hath called his people into the fellowship of his Son Christ Jesus: and they are so on the believers part, he is never sorry, whatever he afterwards meets with, that he is come to Christ.

There is a time when Christians are drawn to Christ, but there shall never be a time in which they shall be drawn away from Christ, Joh. 10. 29. there's no plucking them out of the Fathers hand. It was common to a Proverb in the Primitive times; when they would express an impossibili­ty, you may as soon draw a Christian from Christ, as do it: when Christ asked that question of the disciples, Will ye also go away? Lord (saith Peter in the name of them all) to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life; Joh. 6. 68. They that are thus drawn do with full purpose of heart cleave un­to the Lord. And thus of the manner and quality of effectual drawing.

Thirdly, In the last place, I am to evince the impossibility of coming to Christ without the Fathers drawings: and this [...]. will evidently appear upon the consideration of these two particulars.

First, The difficulty of this work is above all the power of nature to overcome.

Secondly, That little power and abili [...]y that nature hath, it will never employ to such a purpose as this, till the draw­ing power of God be upon the will of a sinner.

First, If all the power of nature were imploy'd in this de­sign, yet such are the difficulties of this work, that it sur­mounts all the abilities of nature: this the Scripture roundly and plainly affirms, Eph. 2. 8. by grace are ye saved through [Page 79] faith, and that not of your selves, it is the gift of God. To think of Christ is easie, but to come to Christ is (to nature) impossible: to send forth lazy and ineffectual wishes to Christ we may; but to bring Christ and the soul together requires the almighty power of God, Eph. 1. 19. The grace of faith by which we come to Christ, is as much the free gift of God, as Christ himself who is the object of faith, Phil. 1. 29. to you it is freely given to believe. And this will easi­ly let it self into your understandings if you but con­sider

First, Consider the Subject of faith in which it is wrought, or what it is that is drawn to Christ: 'tis the heart of a sin­ner: 1. which is naturally as indisposed to this work as the wood which Elijah laid in order upon the Altar was to catch fire, when he had poured so much water upon it as did not only wet the wood, but also fill'd up the trench round about it, 1. Kings 18. 33. For it's naturally a dark, blind, and igno­rant heart, Job 11. 12. and such an heart can never believe, till he that commanded the light to shine out of darkness, do shine into it, 2 Cor. 5. 14.

Nor will it avail any thing to say, though man be born in darkness and ignorance, yet afterwards he may acquire knowledge in the use of means, as we see many natural men do in a very high degree: for this is not that light that brings the soul to Christ, yea, this natural unsanctified light blinds the soul and prejudices it more against Christ than ever it was before, 1 Cor. 1. 21, 26.

As it is a blind and ignorant heart, so it's a selfish heart by nature: all its designs and aims terminate in Self: this is the Centre and weight of the soul, no righteousness but its own is sought after, that, or none, Rom. 10. 3. now for a soul to renounce and deny Self in all its forms, modes, and interests, as every one doth that cometh to Christ; To disclaim and deny natural, moral, and religious Self and come to Christ, as a poor, miserable, wretched, empty creature; to live upon [Page 80] his righteousness for ever, is as supernatural and wonder­ful, as to see the hills and mountains start from their ba­ses and Centres, and flye like wandering Atomes in the Air.

Nay this heart which is to come to Christ is not only dark and selfish, but full of pride. O'tis a desperate proud heart by nature, it cannot submit to come to Christ as Benhadads servants came to the King of Israel with sackcloath on their loyns, and ropes upon their heads. To take guilt, shame and con­fusion of face to our selves, and acknowledge the righteous­ness of God in our eternal damnation; to come to Christ naked and empty as one that justifies the ungodly; I say na­ture left to it self, would as soon be damned as do this: the proud heart can never come to this, till the Lord have hum­bled and broken it by his power.

Secondly, Let us take the Act of faith into consideration also, as it is here described, by the souls coming to Jes [...]s 2. Christ, and you will find a necessity of the Fathers drawings, for this evidently implies that which is against the stream and current of corrupt nature, and that which is above the Sphere and capacity of the most refined and accomplished nature.

First, It's against the Stream and Current of our corrupt na­ture to come to Christ. For let us but consider the Term from which the soul departs when it comes to Christ. In that day it leaves all its lusts and ways of sin, how pleasant, sweet and profitable soever they have been unto it. Isa. 55. 7. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord: way and thoughts, (i. e.) both the practice and delight of sin, must be forsaken, the out­ward and inward man must be cleansed from it. Now there are in the bosomes of unregenerate men such darling Lusts, that have given them so much practical, and speculative plea­sure, which have brought so much profit to them, which have been born and bred up with them, and which upon all these accounts are endeared to their souls to that degree; that it's easier for them to dye, than to forsake them: yea, nothing is more common among such men, than to venture eternal damnation, rather than suffer a separation from their sins.

[Page 81] And which is yet much more difficult in coming to Christ, the soul forsakes not only its sinful self, but its righteous self: (i. e.) not only its worst sins, but its best performances, accomplish­ments, and excellencies. Now this is one of the greatest straits that Nature can be put to: righteousness by works was the first liquor that ever was put into the vessel, and it still retains the tang and savour of it, and will to the end of the world. Rom. 10. 3. For they being ignorant os Gods righte­ousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. [...], they have not submitted: to come naked and empty to Christ and receive all from him as a free gift, is to proud corrupt nature, the greatest abasement and submission in the world.

Let the gospel furnish its Table with the richest and costliest dainties that ever the blood of Christ purchased, such is the pride of nature, that it disdains to tast them; except it may also pay the reckoning. If the old Hive be removed from the place where it was wont to stand, the Bees will come home to the old place, yea, and many of them you shall find will dye there, rather than go to the Hive though it stand in a far better place than it did before. Just so stands the case with men. The Hive is removed, (i. e.) we are no more to expect righteousness as Adam did, by obeying and working, but by believing, and coming to Christ; but nature had as lieve be damned as do this: it still goes about to establish its own righteousness.

Vertues, Duties, and Moral excellencies these are the Or­naments of nature, here is Nature set off in its sumptuous attire and rich embellishments, and now to renounce it, dis­claim and contemn it as dross and dung in comparison of Christ as believers do, Phil. 3. 8. this I say is against the grain of nature. We reckon it the strange effect of self de­nyal in Mahomet the Great, who being so enamoured with his beautiful Irene, would be perswaded upon reasons of Knowles Hi­story of the Turks. State with his own hand to strike off her head, and that when she appeared in all her rich ornaments before him, rather like such a Goddess as the Poets in their ecstasies use to feign, than a mortal creature: and yet certainly this nothing is to that self denyal which is exercised in our coming to Christ.

[Page 82] Secondly, And if we look to the other Term to which the soul moves, we shall find it acting as much above the Sphere and ability of improved Nature as here it acts and moves against the stream and current of corrupted nature: for how wonderful and supernatural an adventure is that which the soul makes in the day that it comes to Jesus Christ!

Surely for any poor soul to venture it self for ever upon Jesus Christ whom it never saw, nay, upon Christ whose very existence its own unbelief calls into question whether he be, or no: and that when it's even weighed down to the dust with the burdensome sense of its own vileness and to­tal unworthiness, feeling nothing in it self but sin and mise­ry, the workings of death and fears of wrath: to go to Christ of whose pardoning grace and mercy it never had any the least experience, nor can find any ground of hope in it self that it shall be accepted; this is as much above the power of nature, as it is for a stone to rise from the earth and fix it self among the Stars: well might the Apostle ascribe it to that almighty power which raised up Christ from the dead, Eph. 1. 19, 20. if the Lord draw not the Soul, and that with an omnipotent pull, it can never come from it self to Christ. And yet farther,

Thirdly, The Natural impossibility of coming to Christ will more clearly appear, if we consider the enemies to faith, or what blocks are roll'd by Satan and his instruments into the way to Christ: to mention (in this place) no more, but our own carnal reason as it's armed and managed by the subtilty of Satan; what a wonder is it that any soul should come to Christ?

These are the strong holds (mentioned 2 Cor. 10. 4.) out of which those objections, fears and discouragements sal­ly, by which the soul is fiercely assaulted in the way to Christ.

Wilt thou forsake all thy pleasures, merry company, and sensible comforts to live a sad, retired, pensive life? wilt thou begger and undo thy self, let go thy comforts in hand for an hope of that which thine eyes never saw, nor hast thou any certainty that it's any more than a fancy? wilt thou that hast lived in reputation and credit all thy life, now be­come [Page 83] the scorn and contempt of the world? thinkest thou thy self able to live such a strict, severe, mortified and self­denying a life, as the word of God requires? and what if persecution should arise, (as thou must expect it will) canst thou forsake father and mother, wife and children, yea, and give up thine own life too to a cruel and bloody death? be advised better before thou resolve in so important a matter: what thinkest thou of thy fore-fathers, that lived and dyed in that way thou art now leaving? art thou wiser than they? do not the generality of men walk in the same paths thou hast hitherto walked in? if this way lead to hell as thou fearest it may; think then how many millions of men must perish as well as thy self, and is such a supposi­tion consistent with the gracious and merciful nature of God? Besides, think what sort of people those are unto whom thou art about to joyn thy self in this new way? are there not to be found among them many things to dis­courage thee and cool thy zeal? they are generally of the lower and baser sort of men, poor and despicable: seest thou not though their profession be holy, how earthly, carnal, proud, factious, and hypocritical ma­ny of them are found to be! and doubtless the rest are like them, though their hypocrisie be not yet dis­covered.

O what stands, and demurrs! what hesitations, and doubts is the soul clog'd with in its way to Christ! but yet none of these can with-hold and detain the soul; when the Father draws: greater is he that is in us, than he that is in the world: and thus you see the nature, manner, and efficacy of divine drawings, and how impossible it is for any Soul to come to Christ without them.

The Inferences and Improvements of the point fol­low.

Thanks be to God for Jesus Christ.

Doct.

[Page 94] The Spirit of God is not only a living Spirit, formally con­sidered, but he is also the Spirit of life effectively or causally considered: and without his breathing or infusing li [...] into our souls, our Union with Christ is impossible.

It is the observation of learned Camero, that there must be Observandum est unionem & unitionem in­ter se disserre: unio est rerum actus, qui for­mae rationem habet, nempe actus rerum unitarum quâ unitae sunt: unitio autem actus significat caus [...] efficien­tis, &c. Ca­mero de Ec­cles. p. 222. an Unition before there can be a Union with Christ. Unition is to be conceived efficiently as the work of Gods Spirit, joyning the believer to Christ, and Union is to be conceived formally, the joyning it self of the persons together: we close with Christ by faith, but that faith being a vital act, presupposes a principle of life communicated to us by the Spirit; therefore it's said Joh. 11. 26. whosoever liveth and be­lieveth in me shall never dye: the vital act and operation of faith springs from this quickening Spirit: so in Rom. 8, 1, 2. the Apostle having in the first verse opened the blessed estate of them that are in Christ, shews us in the second verse how we come to be in him, The Spirit of life (saith he) which is in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the Law of sin and death.

There is indeed a quickening work of the Spirit, which is subsequent to regeneration, consisting in his exciting, recovering, and actuating of his own graces in us, and from hence is the liveliness of a Christian; and there is a quickening act of the Spirit in our regeneration, and from hence is the first spiritual life of a Christian, of this I am here to speak, and that I may speak profitably to this point, I will in the Doctrinal part la­bour to open these five particulars.

• First, What this spiritual life is in its nature and pro­perties.
• Secondly, In what manner it is wrought or inspired into the Soul.
• Thirdly, For what end, or with what design this life is so inspired.
• Fourthly, I shall shew this work to be wholly super­natural.
• And then fifthly, Why this quickening must be an­tecedent to our actual closing with Christ by Faith.

[Page 95] First, We will enquire into the nature and properties of 1. this life, and discover (as we are able) what it is. And we find it to consist in that wonderful change which the Spirit of God makes upon the frame and temper of the soul, by his infusing or implanting the principles of grace in all the powers and facul­ties thereof.

A change it makes upon the soul, and that a marvellous one, no less than from death to life, for though a man be physically a living man, (i. e.) his natural soul hath Union with his body, yet his soul having no Union with Christ, he is Theologically a dead man, Luke 15. 24. and Col. 2. 13. alas it deserves not the name of life, to have a soul serving only to season and preserve the body a little while from stinking: to carry it up and down the world, and only enable it to eat and drink and talk and laugh, and then dye: then do we begin to live, when we begin to have Union with Christ the fountain of life by his Spirit communicated to us: from this time we are to reckon our life Hic jacet Si­milis cujus ae­tas multorum annorum fuit, ipse septem dumtaxat annos vixit. as some have done: there be many changes made upon men besides this, many are changed from prophaneness to Civility, and from meer Ci­vility to formality and a shadow of Religion, who still re­main in the state and power of spiritual death notwithstand­ing; but when the Spirit of the Lord is poured out upon us to quicken us with the new spiritual life, this is a wonderful change indeed: it gives us an Esse supernaturale, a new super­natural being, which is therefore call'd a new creature, the new man, the hidden man of the heart: the natural essence and faculties of the soul remain still, but it is devested of the old qualities, and endowed with new ones, 2 Cor. 5. 17. old things are past away, behold all things are become new.

And this change is not made by altering and rectifying the disorders of the life only, leaving the temper and frame of the heart still carnal; but by the infusion of a supernatural per­manent principle into the soul, Joh. 4. 14. it shall be in him a well of water: principles are to a course of actions as foun­tains or springs are to the streams and rivers that flow from them, and are maintain'd by them: and hence is the even­ness and constancy of renewed souls in the course of godli­ness.

[Page 96] Nor is this principle or habit acquired by accustoming our selves to holy actions, as natural habits are acquired by fre­quent acts, which beget a disposition, and thence grow up to an habit or second nature; but it is infused or implanted in­to the soul by the Spirit of God. So we read Ezek. 36. 25, 26. a new heart also will I give you, and a new Spirit will I put within you: it grows not up out of our Natures, but is put, or infused into us: as it's said of the two witnesses, Rev. 11. 11. who lay dead in a Civil sense three days and an half, that the Spirit of life from God entered into them; so it is here in a spi­ritual sense, the spirit of life from God enters into the dead, carnal heart: it's all by way of supernatural infusion.

Nor is it limited to this or that faculty of the soul, but grace or life is poured into all the faculties: behold all things are become new, 2 Cor. 5. 17. The understanding, will, thoughts, and affections are all renewed by it: the whole inner man is changed, yea, the tongue and hand, the dis­courses and actions, even all the ways and courses of the out­ward man are renewed by it.

But more particularly, we shall discern the nature of this spiritual life, by considering the properties of it, among which these are very remarkable.

First, The soul that is joyned to Christ, is quickened with a divine life, so we read in 2 Pet. 1. 4. where believers are said to be partakers or consorts of the divine nature: a very high expression, and warily to be understood. Partakers of the divine nature, not essentially, so it's wholly incommunicable to the Creature, nor yet Hypostatically and personally, so Christ on­ly was a partaker of it, but our participation of the Divine na­ture must be understood in a way proper to believers, that is to say, we partake of it by the inhabitation of the Spirit of God in us: according to 1 Cor. 3. 16, 17. know ye not that ye are the Temple of God, and that the spirit of God dwelleth in you? the Spirit who is God by nature, dwells in and actuates the soul whom he regenerates, and by sanctifying causes it to live a divine life: from this life of God the unsanctified are said to be alienated, Eph. 4. 18. but believers are partakers of it.

Secondly, And being divine, it must needs be the most excellent and transcendent life that any creature doth or [Page 97] can live in this world: it surmounts the natural, rational, and moral life of the unsanctified, as much as the Angelical life excels the life that flyes and worms of the earth do live.

Some think it a rare life to live in sensual pleasures, but the Scripture will not allow so much as the name of life to them; but tells us they are dead whilest they live, 1 Tim. 5. 6. certainly it is a wonderful elevation of the nature of man, to be quickened with such a life as this. There are two ways wherein the blessed God hath honoured poor man above the very Angels of heaven. One was by the Hypostatical Union of our nature in Christ, with the divine nature; the other is by uniting our persons mystically to Christ, and thereby communicating spiritual life to us: this later is a most glori­ous priviledge, and in one respect a more singular mercy than the former; for that honour which is done to our Na­ture by the Hypostatical Union, is common to all good and bad, even they that perish have yet that honour; but to be implanted into Christ by regeneration, and live upon him as the branch doth upon the Vine, this is a peculiar pri­viledge, a mercy hedg'd in from the world that is to perish, and only communicated to Gods elect, who are to live eter­nally with him in heaven.

Thirdly, This life infused by the regenerating Spirit, is a most pleasant life. All delights, all pleasures, all joys, which are not phantastick and delusive, have their spring and origin here. Rom. 8. 6. to be spiritually minded is life and peace, (i. e.) a most serene placid life, such a soul becomes, so far as it is influ­enced and sanctified by the Spirit, the very region of life and peace: when one thing is thus predicated of another in casu recto (saith a learned man) it speaks their intimate Connexion: peace is so connatural to this life, that you may either call it a life that hath peace in it, or a peace that hath life in it: yea it hath its enclosed pleasures in it, Such as a stran­ger intermeddles not with, Prov. 14. 10. Regeneration is the term from which all true pleasure commences, you never live a merry day, till you begin to live to God: therefore it's said Luke 15. 24. when the prodigal son was returned to his Father and reconciled, then they began to be merry.

[Page 98] None can make another by any words to understand what that pleasure is which the renewed soul feels diffused through all its faculties and affections in its communion with the Lord, and in the sealings and witnessings of his Spirit. That is a very apt and well known similitude which Peter Martyr used, and the Lord blessed to the conversion of that Noble Marquess Galeacius: If, said he, a man should see a company of people dancing upon the top of a remote hill, he would be apt to conclude they were a company of wild distracted people; but if he draw nearer and behold the ex­cellent order, and hear the ravishing sweet Musick that is among them, he will quickly alter his opinion of them, and fall a dancing himself with them.

All the delights in the sensual-life, all the pleasure that ever your lusts gave you, are but as the putrid stinking waters of a corrupt pond, where Toads lye croaking and spawn­ing, to the Crystal streams of the most pure and pleasant fountain.

Fourthly, This life of God with which the regenerate are quickened in their Union with Christ as it is a pleasant, so it is also a growing increasing life. Joh. 4. 14. It shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

It is not in our Sanctification, as it is in our Justification, our Justification is compleat and perfect, no defect is found there, but the new Creature labours under many defects: all believers are equally Justified, but not equally Sanctified: therefore you read 2 Cor. 4. 16. that the inward man is re­newed day by day: and 2 Pet. 3. 18. Christians are exhorted to grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Sa­viour: if this work were perfect and finished at once as Justification is, there could be no renewing day by day, nor growth in grace, perfectum est cui nihil deest, & cui nihil addi potest: the Apostle indeed prays for the Thessalonians, that God would sanctifie them [...]—wholly, perfectly, 1 Thes. 5. 23. and this is matter of prayer and hope, for at last it will grow up to perfection; but this perfect holiness is reser­ved for the perfect state in the world to come, and none but Perfectio Sanctificatio­nis in istha [...] vil a non repe­ritur nisi in somniis quo­rundam sana­ticorum. [...]. deluded proud spirits boast of it here: but when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away, 1 Cor. 13. 9, 10. and upon the imperfection of the [Page 99] new Creature in every faculty, that warfare and dayly conflict spoken of Gal. 5. 17. and experienced by every Christian is grounded: grace rises gradually in the soul as the Sun doth in the heavens, which shineth more and more unto a perfect day, Prov. 4. 18.

Fifthly, To Conclude, this life with which the regenerate are quickened, is an everlasting life. This is the record, that God hath given us eternal life, and this life is in his son, 1 Joh. 5. 11. this principle of life, is the seed of God, and that remains in the soul for ever, 1 Joh. 3. 9. it is no transient vanishing thing, but a fixed permanent principle, which abides in the soul for ever; a man may lose his gifts, but grace abides: the soul may and must be separated from the body, but grace cannot be separated from the soul: when all forsake us, this sticks by us.

This infused principle is therefore vastly different both from the extraordinary gifts of prophecie wherein the Spirit sometimes was said to come upon men, under the old Testa­ment, 1 Sam. 10. 6, 10. and from the common vanishing ef­fects he sometimes produceth in the unregenerate, of which we have frequent accounts in the new Testament, Heb. 6. 4. and Joh. 5. 35. it's one thing for the Spirit to come upon a man in the way of present influence and assistance, and ano­ther thing to dwell in a man as his Temple.

And thus of the nature and quality of this blessed work of the Spirit in quickening us.

Secondly, Having seen the nature and properties of the spiritual life, we are concerned in the next place to enquire 2. into the way and manner in which it is wrought, and infused by the Spirit: and here we must say,

First of all, That the work is wrought in the soul very my­steriously, so Christ tells Nicodemus, Joh. 3. 8. The wind blow­eth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh or whither it goeth, so is every one that is born of the Spirit: there be many opinions among Philosophers about the original of winds, but we have no certain know­ledge of it: we deseribe it by its effects and properties, but know little of its original: and if the works of God in na­ture be so abstruse and unsearchable, how much more are these sublime and supernatural works of the Spirit so?

[Page 100] We are not able to solve the Phaenomena of nature, we can give no account of our own formation in the womb, Eccles. 11. 5. who can exactly describe how the parts of the body are formed and the soul infused? it's curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth, as the Psalmist speaks, Psal. 139. 16. but how we know not. Basil saith divers questions may be moved about a Fly, which may pose the greatest Philoso­pher: we know little of the forms and essences of natural things, much less of these profound, and abstruse spiritual things.

Secondly, But though we cannot pry into these secrets by the eye of reason, yet God hath revealed this to us in his word, that it is wrought by his own almighty power, Eph. 1. 19. The Apostle ascribes this work to the exceeding great­ness of the power of God: and this must needs be, if we con­sider, how the Spirit of God expresses it in Scripture by a new Creation: (i. e.) a giving being to something out of no­thing, Eph. 2. 10. In this it differs from all the effects of hu­mane power, for man always works upon some pre-existent matter, but here is no such matter: all that is in man, the Ab uno desuper principio quod convenienter voluntati ope­ratur depen­dent prima, se­cunda & ter­tia. Quemad­modum mini­ma pars ferri lapidis magne­tis spiritu mo­vetur, per mul­tos annulos fer­reos extensi: ita etiam qui sunt virtute praediti, divino spiritu attra­cti, cum prima mansione con­jungantur, de­inceps autem alii usque ad postremam. Glem. Alexan. Strom. lib. 7. subject of this work, is only a passive capacity or receptivity, but nothing is found in him to contribute towards this work: this supernatural life is not, nor can it be educed out of natu­ral principles: this wholly transcends the Sphere of all natural power: but of this more anon.

Thirdly, This also we may affirm of it, that this divine life is infused into all the natural faculties and powers of the soul, not one exempted. 1 Thes. 5. 23. The whole soul and spirit is the recipient subject of it: and with respect to this general infusion into all the faculties and powers of the soul, it's call'd a new creature, a new man, having an integral per­fection and fullness of all its parts and members: it becomes light in the mind, Joh. 17. 3. obedience in the will, 1 Pet. 1. 2. in the affections an heavenly temper and tenderness, Col. 3. 1, 2. and so is variously denominated, even as the Sea is from the several shores it washes, though it be one and the same Sea. And here we must observe lyes one main difference be­twixt a regenerate soul, and an hypocrite; the one is all of a piece, as I may say, the principle of spiritual life runs into all and every faculty and affection; and sanctifies or renews the [Page 101] whole man: whereas the change upon hypocrites is but partial and particular, he may have new light, but no new love, a new tongue, but not a new heart: this or that vice may be reformed, but the whole course of his life is not altered.

Fourthly, and lastly, This infusion of spiritual life is done instantaneously, as all Creation work is: hence it is resembled to that plastick power, which in a moment made the light to shine out of darkness, just so doth God shine into our hearts, 2 Cor. 4. 6.

'Tis true, a soul may be a long time under the preparato­ry works of the Spirit, he may be under Convictions and hu­miliations, purposes and resolutions a long time, he may be waiting at the pool of Bethesda, attending the means and ordinances, but when the Spirit comes once to quicken the soul, it's done in a moment: even as it is in the infusion of the rational soul, the body is long ere it be prepared and moulded, but when once the Embryo or matter is ready, it's quickned with the Spirit of life in an instant: so it is here: but O what a blessed moment is this! upon which the whole weight of our eternal happiness depends; for it is Christ in us, (i. e.) Christ formed in us, who is the hope of glory, Col. 1. 27. and our Lord expressly tells us, Joh. 3. 3. that ex­cept we be regenerate and born again, we cannot see the Kingdome of God. And thus of the way and manner of its infusion.

Thirdly, Let the design and end of God in this his quicken­ing work be next considered: for what end, and with what 3. design and aim this work is wrought. And if we con­sult the Scriptures in this matter, we shall find this principle of life is infused in order to our glorifying God in this world by a life of obedience, and our enjoying of God in the world to come.

First, Spiritual life is infused in Order to a course of obe­dience in this world, whereby God is glorified: so we read in Eph. 2. 10. Created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them: ha­bits are to actions, as the root is to the fruit, it is for fruit sake that we plant the roots, and ingraff the branches. So in Ezek. 36. 27. a new spirit also will I put within you, and cause [Page 102] you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgements and do them. This is the next or immediate design and end not only of the first infusion of the principle of life into the Soul, but of all the exciting, actuating and assisting works of the Spirit afterwards. Now this principle of spiri­tual life infused hath a twofold influence into obedi­ence.

First, This makes it sincere and true obedience, when it flows from an inward vital principle of grace. The Hypo­crite is moved by something ab extra, from without, as the applause of men, the accommodation of fleshly interests, the force of education, or if there be any thing from within that moves him, it is but a self-interest, to quiet a grumbling Con­science, and support his vain hopes of heaven: but he never acts from a new principle, a new nature inclining him to holy actions. Sincerity mainly lyes in the harmony and correspondency of actions to their principles: from this in­fused principle it is, that men hunger and thirst for God, and go to their Duties, as men do to their meals, when they find an empty craving stomach.

O Reader, pause a little upon this ere thou pass on, ask thy heart whether it be so with thee: are holy duties connatural to thee? doth thy soul move and work after God by a kind of supernatural instinct? this then will be to thee a good evidence of thy integrity.

Secondly, From this infused principle of life, results the Excellency of our obedience, as well as the sincerity of it: for by vertue and reason thereof, it becomes free and volunta­ry, not forced and constrained, it drops like honey of its own accord out of the Comb, Cant. 4. 11. without squeezing: or as waters from the fountain without forcing, Joh. 4. 14. An unprincipled professor must be squeez'd by some weight of affliction, ere he will yield one tear, or pour out a prayer, Psal. 78. 34. when he slew them, then they sought him.

Now the freedome of obedience is the excellency of it, Gods eye is much upon that, 1 Cor. 9. 17. yea, and the unifor­mity of our obedience, which is also a special part of the beau­ty of it, results from hence: he that acts from a principle acts [...]uently and uniformly, there is a proportion betwixt the parts [Page 103] of his Conversation: this is it which makes us holy [...], in all manner of Conversation, or in every creek and turning of our Conversations, as that word imports, 1 Pet. 1. 15. whereas, he that is moved by this or that external-accidental motive must needs be up and down, off and on, very uneven, like the legs of a lame man, as the expression is, Prov. 26. 7. which are not equal: now a word of God, and then the discourse runs muddy and prophane, or carnal again: all that evenness and uniformity that is in the several parts of a Christians life, is the effect of this infused principle of spiritual life.

Thirdly, Another aim and design of God in the infusion of this principle of life, is thereby to prepare and qualifie the soul for the enjoyment of himself in heaven: except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God, Joh. 3. 3. all that shall possess that inheritance must be begotten again to it, as the Apostle speaks 1 Pet. 1. 3, 4. this principle of grace is the very seed of that glory, it's eternal life in the root and principle, Joh. 17. 3. by this the soul is attempered and qualified for that state and imployment: what is the life of glory, but the vision of God, and the souls assimilation to God by that vision? from both which results that un­speakable joy and delight which passeth understanding: but what vision of God, assimilation to God; or delight in God can that soul have, which was never quickened with the su­pernatural principle of grace? The temper of such souls is expressed in that sad Character, Zech. 11. 8. my soul loathed them, and their soul also abhorred me: for want of this vi­tal principle it is that the very same duties and ordinances which are the delights and highest pleasures of the Saints, are no better than a meer drudgery and bondage to others, Ma [...] 1. 13. heaven would be no heaven to a dead soul; this princi­ple of life in its daily growth and improvement is our meet­ness as well as our evidence for heaven: these are the main ends of its infusion.

Fourthly, In the next place according to the method pro­posed I am obliged to shew you, that this quickening work is 4. wholly supernatural, it is the sole and proper work of the Spi­rit of God. So Christ himself expressly asserts it in Joh. 3. 6, 8. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which [Page 104] is born of the Spirit is Spirit: the wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it co­meth nor whither it goeth, so is every one that is born of the Spirit.

Believers are the birth or off-spring of the Spirit, who pro­duceth the new creature in them in an unintelligible manner even to themselves. So far it is above their own ability to produce, that it is above their capacity to understand the way of its production: as if you should ask, do you know from whence the wind comes? no: do you know whither it goes? no, but you hear and feel it when it blows? yes, why so is every one that is born of the Spirit: he feels the efficacy and discerns the effects of the Spirit on his own soul, but cannot understand or describe the manner of its production: this is not only above the carnal, but above the renewed mind to comprehend; we can contribute no­thing, I mean actively, to the production of this principle of life: we may indeed be said to concur passively with the Spi­rit in it: that is, there is found in us a capacity, aptness, or receptiveness of this principle of life: our nature is endowed with such faculties and powers as are meet sub­jects to receive, and instruments to act this spiritual life: God only quickens the rational nature with spiritual life.

It is true also, that in the progress of Sanctification a man doth actively concurr with the Spirit, but in the first producti­on of this spiritual principle he can do nothing: he can indeed perform those external duties that have a remote tendency to it, but he cannot by the power of nature perform any saving act, or contribute any thing more than a passive capacity to the implantation of a new principle: as will appear by the following Arguments.

Doct.

We cannot act spiritually, till we begin to live spiritually: therefore the Spirit of life must first joyn himself to us in his quickening work, (as was shewn you in the last Sermon) which being done, we begin to act spiritually by taking hold upon, or receiving Jesus Christ, which is the thing designed to be opened in this Sermon.

The soul is the life of the body, faith is the life of the soul, and Christ is the life of faith. There are several sorts of faith besides saving faith, and in saving faith there are several acts besides the justifying or saving act; but this receiving act which is to be our subject this day, is that upon which both our righteousness and eternal happiness do depend. This as a form differences saving faith from all other kinds or sorts of faith: by this it is that we are justified and saved. To as many as re­ceived [Page 116] him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God: Forma vel ali­quid formae analogum po­nitur differen­tiae loco. yet it doth not justifie and save us by reason of any proper dignity that is found in this Act, but by reason of the object it receives and apprehends: the same thing is often exprest in Scripture by other terms, as coming to Christ, Joh. 6. 35. rol­ling or staying upon Christ, Isa. 50. 10. but whatever is found in those expressions it is all comprehended in this, as will appear hereafter. Now, the method into which I shall cast the discourse of this subject, that I may handle it with as much perspicuity and profit as I can, shall be

First, To explain and open the nature of this receiving of Christ and shew you what it includes. 1.

Secondly, To prove that this is the justifying and saving act of faith. 2.

Thirdly, To shew you the excellency of this act of Faith. 3.

Fourthly, To remove some mistakes, and give you the true account of the dignity and excellency of this act. 4.

Fifthly, And then bring home all in a proper and close ap­plication. 5.

First, In the first place then, I will endeavour to explain (1.) There are di­vers other expressi­ons by which the nature of saving faith is exprest in Scripture, viz. eating Christs flesh, and drinking his blood, Joh. 6. 40. coming to Christ, Mat. 11. 28. Having the son, 1 Joh. 5. 12. Trusting or depending upon him, for which the Hebrew use th [...]ee emphatical wo [...]ds, [...] The first signifies a firm and sta­ble trust. The second to lean or depend with security. The third to betake ones self to a sanctuary for protection: all which is supposed or included in our receiving of the Lord Jesus Christ: in eating and drinking we must receive meat and drink, coming to Christ is necessarily supposed in receiving him, for there is no receiving at a distance: Having the son, and receiving him are notions of the same importance; and for trusting, relying with security, and betaking our selves to Christ for refuge, they are all involved in the receiving act: for as God offers him to us as the only prop of our hearts and hopes, so we receive hi [...] o rely upon him: and as he is held forth in the Gospel as the only Asylum or City of refuge, so we take or receive him, and accordingly betake our souls to him for refuge. and open the nature of this receiving of Christ, and shew you what is implyed in it.

And indeed it involves many deep mysteries and things of greatest weight: people are generally very ignorant and un­acquainted with the importance of this expression, they have very sleight thoughts of faith, who never past under the illu­minating, convincing and humbling work of the Spirit: but we shall find that saving faith is quite another thing, and differs in its whole kind and nature from that tra [...]itional faith, and common assent, which is so fatally mistaken for it in the world.

[Page 117] For First, It is evident, that no man can receive Jesus Christ in the darkness of natural ignorance: we must under­stand and discern who and what he is, whom we receive to be the Lord our righteousness. If we know not his person and his offices, we do not take, but mistake Christ. It's a good rule in the Civil Law, non consentit qui non sentit: a mistake of the person invalidates the match: [...]e that takes Christ for a meer man, or denys the satisfaction of his blood, or devests him of his humane nature, or denys any of his most glorious and necessary offices, let them cry up as high as they will, his spirituality, glory, and exemplary life and death; they can never receive Jesus Christ aright: this is such a crack, such a flaw in the very foundation of faith, as undoes and de­stroys all: ignorantis non est consensus: all saving faith is founded in light and knowledge: and therefore it's called knowledge, Isa. 53. 11. and seeing is inseparably connected with believing, Joh. 6. 40. men must hear and learn of the father before they can come to Christ, Joh. 6. 45. the re­ceiving act of faith is directed and guided by knowledge. I will not presume to state the degree of knowledge, which is absolutely necessary to the reception of Christ, I know the first of actings faith are in most Christians accompanied with much darkness and confusion of understanding: but yet we must say in the general, that where ever faith is, there is so much light as is sufficient to discover to the soul, its own sins, dan­gers, and wants; and the all-sufficiency, suitableness, and necessity of Christ for the supply and remedy of all; and without this Christ cannot be received. Come unto me ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest, Mat. 11. 28.

Secondly, The receiving Christ necessarily implies the Assent of the understanding to the truths of Christ revealed in the Gospel, viz. his person, natures, offices, his incar­nation, death and satisfaction; which assent, though it be not in it self saving faith, yet is it the foundation and ground­work of it: it being impossible the soul should receive and fiducially embrace, what the mind doth not assent unto as true and infallibly certain. Now there are three degrees of assent, Vide Dr. Scla­ter in Rom. 4. 3. conjecture, opinion, and belief. Conjecture is but a slight, and weak inclination to assent to the thing propounded, by rea­son [Page 118] of the weighty objections that lye against it. Opinion is a more steady and fixed assent, when a man is almost certain, though yet some fear of the contrary remains with him. Be­lief is a more full and assured assent to the truth, to which the mind may be brought four ways.

First, By the perfect intelligence of sense, not hinde­red or deceived. So I believe the truth of these proposi­tions, Fire is hot: water moist: honey is sweet: gall is bitter.

Secondly, By the native clearness of self-evidencing principles. So I believe the truth of these propositions, The whole is more than a part: the cause is before the effect.

Thirdly, By discourse, and rational deduction▪ So I be­lieve the truth of this proposition, Where all the parts of a thing are, there is the whole.

Fourthly, By infallible Testimony, when any thing is witnessed or asserted, by one whose truth is unquestiona­ble: and of this sort is the assent of faith: which is there­fore Nec enim dece­bat ut cum de­us ad homines loqueretur ar­gumentis asse­reret suas vo­ces, tanquam aliter fides ei non haberetur: sed ut oportuit est locutus, quasi rerum omnium maxi­mus judex, cu­jus est non ar­gumentari, sed pronunciare ve­rum, &c. La­ctantius de falsa religione p. (mihi) 179. Titubat fides ubi vacillat divinarum Scripturarum autoritas. Aug. call'd our receiving the witness of God, 1 Joh. 5. 9. our setting to our Seal that God is true, Joh. 3. 33. This prima veritas, divine veracity is the very formal object of faith: into this we resolve our faith. Thus saith the Lord, is that firm foundation upon which our assent is built: and thus we see good reason to believe those profound myste­ries of the incarnation of Christ, the Hypostatical Union of the two natures in his wonderful person, the mystical Union of Christ and believers, though we cannot understand these things by reason of the darkness of our minds. It satisfies the soul to find these mysteries in the written word, upon that foundation it firmly builds its assent: and without such an assent of faith, there can be no embracing of Christ: all acts of faith and religion without assent, are but as so ma­ny Arrows shot at randome into the open air, they signifie no­thing for want of a fixed determinate object.

It is theresore the policy of Satan, by injecting or fo­menting Atheistical thoughts (with which young Converts use to find themselves greatly infested) to undermine and destroy the whole work of faith: but God makes his people victori­ous over them: yea, and even at that time they do assent to the truths of the word, when they think they do not: [Page 119] as appears by their tenderness and fear of sin, their dili­gence and care of duty: If I discern these things in a Christians life, he must excuse me if I believe him not, when he saith he doth not assent to the truths of the Gospel.

Thirdly, our receiving Christ necessarily implies our hear­ty approbation, liking, and estimation, yea, the acquiescence of our very souls in Jesus Christ, as the most excellent, sui­table and compleat remedy for all our wants, sins and dangers that ever could be prepared by the wisdome and love of God for them: we must receive him with such a frame of heart as rests upon him, trusts to and relys upon him, if ever we re­ceive him aright: to them that believe he is precious, 1 Pet. 2. 7. this is the only soveraign plaister in all the world that is large enough, and efficacious enough to cure our wounds: and therefore as Christ is most highly esteemed, and heartily approved as the only remedy for our souls, so the soveraign grace and wisdome of God are admired, and the way and method he hath taken to save poor lost souls by Jesus Christ most heartily approved; as the most apt and excellent me­thod, both for his glory and our good, that ever could be taken: for 'tis a plain case, that none will espouse themselves with conjugal affections to that person whom they esteem not as the best for them that can be chosen: none will for­sake and quit all for his sake, except they account him as the spouse did, the chiefest of ten thousand, Cant. 5. 10.

There are two things in Christ which must gain the greatest approbation in the soul of a poor convinced sinner, and bring it to rest upon Jesus Christ.

First, That it can find nothing in Christ that is distastful or unsuitable to it, as it doth experimentally find in the best creatures. In him is no weakness but a fulness of all saving abilities; able to save to the uttermost: no Pride causing him to scorn and contemn the most wretched soul that comes to him: no inconstancy or levity, to cause him to cast off the soul whom he hath once received: no passion, but a Lamb for meekness and patience: there is not a spot to be found in him, but he is altogether lovely, Cant. 5. 16.

Secondly, As the believer can find nothing in Christ that is distastful, so it finds nothing wanting in Christ that is ne­cessary [Page 120] or desirable: such is the fulness of wisdome, righ­teousness, sanctification, and redemption that is in Christ, that nothing is left to desire, but the full enjoyment of him. O saith the soul, how compleatly happy shall I be, if I can but win Christ! I would not envy the Nobles of the earth, were I but in Christ. I am an hungry and a thirst, and Christ is meat indeed, and drink indeed; this is the best thing in all the world for me, because so necessary, and so sui­table to the needs of a soul ready to perish. I am a law-condemned, and a self-condemned sinner; trembling for fear of the execution of the curse upon me every moment; in Christ is compleat righteousness to justifie my soul; O there is nothing better for me than Christ. I see my self plunged both in nature and practice into the odious pollutions of sin, and in Christ is a fountain opened for sin and for uncleanness: his blood is a fountain of merit, his spirit a fountain of holiness and purity: none but Christ, none but Christ. O the manifold wisdome and unsearch­able love of God to prepare, and furnish such a Christ, so fully answering all the needs, all the distresses, all the fears and burdens of a poor sinner! Thus the believing soul approves of Christ as best for it. And thus in believing it gives glory to God, Rom. 4. 20.

Fourthly, Receiving Christ consists in the consent and choice of the will: and this is the opening of the heart, the opening and stretching forth of the soul to receive him: thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, Psal. 110. 3.

'Tis the great design and main scope of the Gospel to work over the wills of poor sinners to this: and this was the great complaint of Christ against the incredulous Jews, Joh. 5. 40. ye will not come unto me that ye might have life.

It is disputed by some whether faith can be seated in two distinct faculties, as we seem to place it, when we say it involves both the approbation of the judgement, and the consent of the will. I will not here intangle my discourse with that fruit­less dispute. I am of the same judgement with those Divines that think Faith cannot be expressed fully by any one single habit or act of the mind or will distinctly, for that (as one [Page 121] well notes) there are such descriptions given of it in Scri­pture, Dr. Owen in his Doctrine of Justificati­on, p. 135. Consensus deno­tare videtur concursum vo­luntatis cum intellectu, ad sentiendum i­dem quod intel­lectus sentit. 12 Q. 15. a. 1. Fides non est virtus simplex, sed diversis constat parti­bus, notitia, as­sensu, & fidu­cia, quae ad eandem poten­tiam non pertinent. Wendelini Theol. p. 450. such things are proposed as the object of it; and such is the experience of all that sincerely believe; as no one sin­gle act either of the mind or will can answer unto: nor do I see any thing repugnant to Scripture or Philosophy, if we place it in both faculties. Consent (saith Vasquez) seems to de­note the concourse of the will with the understanding: but to leave that, it is most certain, the saving justifying act of faith lies principally in the consent of the will, which consent is the effect of the almighty power of God, Eph. 1. 19. he allures and draws the will to Christ, and he draws with the cords of a man, (i. e.) he prevails with it by rational Argu­ments: for the soul being prepared by convictions of its lost and miserable estate by sin, and that there is but one door of hope open to it for an escape from the wrath to come, and that is Christ: being also satisfied of the fulness and com­pleatness of his saving ability, and of his willingness to make it over for our salvation upon such just and equal terms; this cannot but prevail with the will of a poor distressed sinner, to consent and chuse him.

Fifthly, and Lastly, The last and principal thing included in our receiving of Christ, is the respect that this act of accep­tance hath, unto the terms upon which Christ is tendred to us in the Gospel, to which it is most agreeable, 1 Cor. 15. 11. so we preach, and so ye believed: faith answers the Gospel offer Rom. 6. 17. [...]. The will like melted metal is delivered into the Gos­pel mould, where it re­ceives the same form and figure that the mould gives. as the impress upon the wax doth the engravings in the Seal: and this is of principal consideration, for there is no recei­ving Christ upon any other terms but his own, proposed in the Gospel to us: he will never come lower, nor make them easier than they are, for any mans sake in the world: we must either receive him upon these, or part with him for ever as thousands do, who could be content to agree to some Articles, but rather choose to be damned for ever, than sub­mit to all: this is the great controversie betwixt Christ and sinners: upon this many thousands break off the Trea­ty, and part with Christ; because he will not come to their terms: but every true believer receives him upon his own, (i. e.) their acceptance of him by faith is in all things consentaneous to the overtures made of him in the writ­ten word. So he tenders himself, and so they receive [Page 122] him; as will be evident in the following particulars.

First, The Gospel offers Christ to us sincerely and really, and so the true believer receives and accepts him: even with 1. a faith unfeigned, 1 Tim. 1. 5. If ever the soul be serious and in earnest in any thing, it it so in this: can we suppose the heart of him that flys for his life to the refuge City, to be serious and in earnest to escape by flight the Avenger of blood who pursues him, then is the heart of a convinced sinner seri­ous in this matter; for under that notion is the work of faith presented to us, Heb. 6. 18.

Secondly, Christ is offered to us in the Gospel intirely and undividedly, as cloathed with all his offices, Priestly, Prophe­tical, 2. and Regal: as Christ Jesus the Lord, Acts 16. 31. and so the true believer receives him: the hypocrite like the harlot is for dividing, but the sincere believer finds the need he hath of every office of Christ, and knows not how to want any thing that is in him.

His ignorance makes him necessary and desirable to him, as a Prophet: His guilt makes him necessary as a Priest: His strong and powerful Lusts and Corruptions makes him necessary as a King: and in truth he sees not any thing in Christ that he can spare; he needs all that is in Christ, and admires the infinite wisdome in nothing more than the investing Christ with all these offices, which are so suited to the poor sin­ners wants and miseries. Look as the three offices are undivided in Christ, so they are in the believers acce­ptance: and before this tryal, no hypocrite can stand, for all hypocrites reject and quarrel with something in Christ: they like his pardon, better than his govern­ment: they call him indeed Lord and master, but it is but an empty Tite they bestow upon him; for let them ask their own hearts, if Christ be Lord over their thoughts, as well as words: over their secret, as well as open actions: over their darling Lusts, as well as others: let them ask, who will appear to be Lord and master over them, when Christ and the world come in competition? when the pleasures of sin shall stand upon one side, and sufferings to death, and deepest points of self-denyal upon the other side? Surely 'tis the greatest affront that can be offered to the divine wisdome and goodness to separate in our acceptance, what is so [Page 123] united in Christ for our salvation and happiness. As with­out any one of these offices the work of our salvation could not be compleated, so without acceptance of Christ in them all, our Union with him by faith cannot be compleated.

The Gospel offer of Christ includes all his offices, and Gospel faith just so receives him, to submit to him, as well as to be redeemed by him: to imitate him in the holiness of his life, as well as to reap the purchases and fruits of his death. It must be an entire receiving of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Thirdly, Christ is offered to us in the Gospel exclusively, 3. as the alone and only saviour of sinners; with whose blood A man may as lawfully joyn Saints or Angels in his mediation with Christ, as graces. It is gross idolatry to make the works of God a God: and it is but a more subtil Idolatry to make the works of Christ a Christ. Burges de Lege. and intercession nothing is to be mixed: but the foul of a sinner is singly to rely and depend on him and no other. Acts 4. 2. 1 Cor. 3. 11. and so faith receives him, Psal. 71. 16. I will make mention of thy righteousness, even of thine only. Phil. 3. 9. And be found in him not having my own righteousness which is of the Law, but that which is through the faith of Christ: to depend partly upon Christs righteousness, and partly upon our own, is to set one foot upon a rock, and the other in a quick-sand: either Christ will be to us all in all, or nothing at all in point of righteousness and salvation: he affects not social honour: as he did the whole work, so he expects the sole praise: if he be not able to save to the uttermost, why do we depend upon him at all? and if he be, why do we lean upon any beside him?

Fourthly, The Gospel offers Christ freely to sinners as the gift, not the sale of God, Joh. 4. 10. Isa. 55. 1. Rev. 22. 17. and even so faith receives him. The believer comes to Christ with an empty hand, not only as an undeserving, but as an hell deserving sinner: he comes to Christ as to one that justifies the ungodly, Rom. 4. 5. Unto him that worketh not, but belie­veth in him that justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted for righte­ousness: where by him that worketh not, he means a convin­ced humbled sinner, who finds himself utterly unable to do the task the Law sets him (i. e.) perfectly to obey it; and therefore in a Law sense is said not to work: for it's all one as to the intent and purpose of the Law not to work and not to work perfectly: this he is convinced of, and therefore comes to Christ as one that is in himself ungodly, acknow­ledging the righteousness by which he alone can stand before [Page 124] God; is in Christ, and not in himself, in whole, or in part: and by the way, let this encourage poor souls that are scared and daunted for want of due qualifications, from closing with and embracing Christ: there is nothing qualifies any man for Christ more than a sense of his unworthiness of him, and the want of all excellencies or ornaments that may com­mend him to divine acceptance.

Fifthly, The Gospel offers Christ orderly to sinners, first his person, then his priviledges. God first gives his son, and then 5. with him, or as a consequent of that gift; he gives us all things, Rom. 8. 32. In the same order must our faith receive him. The believer doth not marry the portion first, and then the person: but to be found in him is the first and great care of a believer.

I deny not but it's lawful for any to have an eye to the benefits of Christ. Salvation from wrath is, and lawfully may be intended and aimed at: look unto me, and be ye saved all ye ends of the earth, Isa. 45. 22. Nor do I deny but there are many poor souls who being in deep distress and fear, may and often do look mostly to their own safety at first; and that there is much confusion as well in the actings of their faith, as in their condition; but sure I am it is the proper or­der in believing, first to accept the person of the Lord Je­sus: heaven is no doubt very desirable, but Christ is more: whom have I in heaven but thee? Psal. 73. 25. Union with Christ is in order of nature antecedent to the Communica­tion of his priviledges, therefore so it ought to be in the or­der and method of believing.

Sixthly, Christ is Advisedly offered in the Gospel to sinners, as the result of Gods eternal counsel, a project of grace upon which his heart and thoughts have been much set, Zech. 6. 13. 6. The counsel of peace was betwixt the Father and Son. And so the believer receives him, most deliberately weighing the matter in his most deep and serious thoughts: for this is a time of much solitude and thoughtfulness. The souls espou­sals are acts of judgement, Hosea 2. 19. on our part, as well as on Gods: we are therefore bid to sit down and count the cost, Luke 14. 28. Faith, or the actual receiving of Christ is the result of many previous debates in the soul: the mat­ter hath been ponder'd over and over: the objections and [Page 125] discouragements both from the self-denying terms of the Gospel, and our own vileness and deep guilt have been ru­minated, and lain upon our hearts day and night, and after all things have been ballanced in the most deep consideration, the soul is determined to this conclusion, I must have Christ be the terms never so hard, be my sins never so great and ma­ny, I will yet go to him and venture my soul upon him; if I perish I peri [...]h. I have thought out all my thoughts, and this is the result, union with Christ here, or separation from God for ever must be my lot.

And thus doth the Lord open the hearts of his elect, and win the consent of their wills to receive Jesus Christ up­on the deepest consideration, and debate of the matter in their own most solemn thoughts: they understand and know that they must deeply deny themselves, take up his cross and follow him, Matth. 16. 24. renounce not only sinsul but religious self; these are hard and difficult things, but yet the necessity and excellency of Christ makes them appear eligible, and rational: by all which you see faith is another thing than what the sound of that word (as it is generally understood) signifies to the understandings of most men. This is that fidu­cial receiving of Christ here to be opened.

Secondly, Our next work will be to evince this receiving 2. of Christ as it hath been opened, to be that special saving faith of Gods elect: this is that faith of which such great and glorious things are spoken in the Gospel, which whosoever hath shall be saved, and he that hath it not shall be damned: and this I shall evidently prove by the following Arguments or reasons.

First Use of Information.

And in the first place this point yields us many and great 1. Use. and useful truths for our Information: as,

Second Use for Examination.

Doth saving faith consist in a due and right receiving of the Lord Jesus Christ, then let me perswade you to examine 2. Use. your selves in this great point of faith. Reflect solemn­ly upon the transactions that have been betwixt Christ and your souls: think close on this subject of meditation.

If all you were worth in the world lay in one precious stone, and that stone were to be tried by the skilful Lapi­dary, whether it were true or false, whether it would flye or endure under the smart stroke of his Hammer, sure your thoughts could not be unconcerned about the issue: why, all that you are worth in both worlds depends upon the truth of your saith, which is now to be tried.

O therefore read not these lines with a running careless eye, but seriously ponder the matter before you: you would be loth to put to Sea, though it were but to cross the chan­nel, in a rotten leaky bottome: and will you dare to ven­ture into the ocean of eternity in a false rotten faith? God forbid: you know the Lord is coming to try every mans faith as by fire, and that we must stand or fall for ever with the sincerity or hypocrisie of our faith. Surely you can never be too exact and careful about that on which your whole estate depends, and that for ever.

Now there are three things upon which we should have a very tender and watchful eye for the discovery of the sinceri­ty of our faith, and they are

As these are, so we must judge and reckon our faith to be. And accordingly they furnish us with three general Marks or tryals of faith.

First, If you would discern the sincerity of your faith exa­mine 1. Mark. whether those Antecedents and preparative works of the Spirit were ever found in your souls, which use to introduce and usher it into the souls of Gods Elect: such are illu­mination, [Page 147] conviction, self-despair, and earnest crys to God.

First, Illumination is a necessary antecedent to faith: you cannot believe till God hath opened your eyes to see your sin, your misery by sin, and your remedy in Jesus Christ alone: you find this act of the Spirit to be the first in order both of nature and time, and introductive to all the rest, Acts 26. 18. To turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God. As faith without works (which must be a consequent to it) is dead, so faith without light, which must be an Ante­cedent to it, is blind: faith is the hand by which Christ is received, but knowledge is the eye by which that hand is directed.

Well then, hath God opened your eyes to see sin and misery in another manner than ever you saw it before? for certainly if God have opened your eyes by saving illumina­tion, you will find as great a difference betwixt your former and present apprehensions of sin and danger, as betwixt a painted Lion upon the wall or sign post, and the real living Lion that meets you roaring in the way.

Secondly, Conviction is an Antecedent to believing: where this goes not before, no faith can follow after: the Spirit first convinces of sin, then of righteousness, Joh. 16. 8. So Mark 1. 15. repent ye, and believe the Gospel: believe it O man, that breast of thine must be wounded, that vain and frothy heart of thine must be pierced and stung with conviction, sense, and sorrow for sin: thou must have some sick days and restless nights for sin, if ever thou rightly close with Christ by faith: 'tis true, there is much difference found in the strength, depth, and continuance of conviction and spiri­tual troubles in converts, as there is in the labours and tra­vailing pains of women, but sure it is, the child of faith is not ordinarily born without some pangs. Conviction is the application of that light which God makes to shine in our minds, to our particular case and condition, by the consci­ence: and sure when men come to see their miserable and sad estate by a true light, it cannot but wound them, and that to the very heart.

Thirdly, Self-despair, or a total and absolute loss in our selves about deliverance, and the way of escape, either by [Page 148] our selves, or any other meer creature, doth and must go be­fore faith.

So it was with those believers, Acts 2. 37. men and bre­thren what shall we do? they are the words of men at a to­tal loss: it is the voyce of poor distressed souls that saw them­selves in misery, but knew not, saw not, nor could devise any way of escape from it, by any thing they could do for themselves, or any other creature for them: and hence the Apostle uses that emphatical word, Gal. 3. 23. [...] (i. e.) shut up to the faith, (i. e.) as men besieged and distres­sed in a garrison in time of a storm, when the enemy pours in upon them through the breaches, and over-powers them: there is but one sally-port or gate at which they can escape, and to that they all throng; as despairing of life if they take any other course: Just so do mens convictions besiege them, distress them, beat them off from all their holds and intrench­ments; and bring them to a pinching distress in themselves, shutting them up to Christ as the only way of escape. Duties cannot save me, reformation cannot save me, nor Angels nor men can save me; there is no way but one, Christ or Con­demnation for evermore.

I thought once that a little repentance, reformation, resti­tution, and a stricter life, might be a way to escape wrath to come; but I find the bed is too short, and the covering too narrow: all is but loss, dung, dross, in comparison with Jesus Christ: if I trust to those Aegyptian reeds, they will not only fail me, but pierce and wound me too. I see no hope within the whole Horizon of sense.

Fourthly, Hence come vehement and earnest crys to God for faith, for Christ, for help from heaven to transport the soul out of this dangerous condition, to that strong rock of salvation: to bring it out of this farious stormy Sea of trouble where it's ready to wreck every moment, into that safe and quiet harbour Christ.

O when a man shall see his misery and danger, and no way of escape but Christ, and that he hath no ability in himself to come to Christ, to open his heart thus to receive him, but that this work of faith is wholly supernatural, the operati­on of God; How will the soul return again and again upon God with such crys as that Mark 9. 24. Lord help my unbelief. ‘[Page 149] Lord enable me to come to Christ: give me Christ or I perish for ever: what profit is there in my blood? why should I dye in the sight and presence of a Saviour? O Lord it is thine own work and a most glorious work: reveal thine arm in this work upon my soul, I pray thee: give me Christ, if thou deny me bread: give me faith, if thou deny me breath: it's more necessary that I believe, than that I live.’

O Reader, reflect upon the days and nights that are past, the places where thou hast been conversant: where are the bed-sides, or the secret corners where thou hast besieged hea­ven with such crys? if God have thus inlightned, convin­ced, distressed thy soul, and thus set thee a mourning after Christ, it will be one good sign that faith is come into thy soul; for here are certainly the Harbingers and fore runners of it, that ordinarily make way for faith into the souls of men.

Secondly, If you would be satisfied of the sincerity and truth 2. Mark. of your faith, then examine what Concomitants it is attended with in your souls. I mean what frames and tempers your souls were in at that time when you think you received Christ. For certainly in those that receive Christ (excepting those in­to whose hearts God hath in a more still and insensible way infused faith betime, by his blessing upon pious education) such concomitant frames of Spirit may be remarkt, as these following.

First, The heart is deeply serious, and as much in earnest in this matter, as ever it was, or can be about any thing in the world. This you see in that example of the Jaylor, Acts 16. 29. he came in trembling and astonished: it is the most solemn and important matter that ever the soul had before it in this world, or ever shall, or can have: how much are the hearts of men affected in their outward straits and distresses about the concernments of the body? their hearts are not a little concern'd in such questions as these, What shall I eat? what shall I drink? where withal shall I and mine be fed and cloathed? but certainly the straits that souls are in about salvation, must be allowed to be greater than these; and such questions as that of the Jaylors; Sirs! what must I do to be saved? make deeper impressions upon the [Page 150] heart, than what shall I eat, or drink? Some indeed have their thoughts sinking deeper into these things than others: these thoughts lye with different degrees of weight upon men: but all are most solemnly and awfully concern­ed about their condition: all frothiness and frolicks are gone, and the heart settles it self in deepest earnest about its eternal state.

Secondly, The heart that receives Jesus Christ is in a frame of deep humiliation and self-abasement. O when a man be­gins to apprehend the first approaches of grace, pardon and mercy [...]y Jesus Christ to his soul: a soul convinced of its utter unworthiness, and desert of hell; and can scarce ex­pect any thing else from the just and holy God but damna­tion; how do the first dawnings of mercy melt and humble it! ‘O Lord what am I that thou shouldest feed me and preserve me! that thou shouldest but for a few years spare me, and forbear me! but that ever Jesus Christ should love me and give himself for me, that such a wretched sinner as I should obtain Union with his person, pardon, peace and salvation by his blood! Lord whence is this to such a worm as I? and will Christ indeed bestow himself upon me? shall so great a blessing as Christ ever come within the arms of such a soul as mine? will God in very deed be reconciled to me in his son? what to me! to such an enemy as I have been! shall my sins which are so many, so horrid, so much aggravated beyond the sins of most men, be forgiven me? O what am I vile dust, base wretch, that ever God should do this for me!’ And now is that Scripture indeed fulfill'd and made good, Ezech. 16. 63. That thou maist remember, and be confounded, and never open thy mouth any more, because of thy shame, when I am pacified towards thee for all that thou hast done, saith the Lord God. Thus that poor broken-hearted believer stood behind Christ weeping, and washing his feet with tears; as one quite melted down and overcome with the sense of mercy to such a vile sinner, Luke 7. 38.

Thirdly, The soul that receives Jesus Christ is in a weary Condition, restless and full of disquietness, neither able to bear the burden of sin, nor knowing how to be discharged from it; except Christ will give it ease, Matth. 11. 28. Come unto me, [Page 151] that is believe in me, you that are weary and heavy laden: if they do not look into their own souls they know there's no safety, and if they do, there's no comfort. O the burdensome sense of sin overweighs them: they are ready to fail, to sink un­der it.

Fourthly, The soul that rightly receives Christ is not on­ly in a weary, but in a longing condition: never did the hart pant more earnestly for the water-brooks: never did the hire­ling desire the shadow, never did a condemned person long for a pardon, more than the soul longs after Jesus Christ. O said David, that one would give me of the waters of the well of Bethlehem to drink. O saith the poor humbled sinner, that one would give me of the open'd fountain of the blood of Christ to drink! O for one drop of that precious blood! O for one encouraging smile from Christ! O now were ten thousand worlds at my command, and Christ to be bought; how freely would I lay them all down to purchase him! but he is the gift of God. O that God would give me Christ if I should go in raggs, and hunger and thirst all my days in this world!

Fifthly, The soul in the time of its closing with or recei­ving Christ is in a state of conflict: it hangs betwixt hopes and fears, encouragements and discouragements, which occa­sion many a sad stand and pause in the way to Christ; some­times the number and nature of its sins discourage it, then the riches and freeness of the grace of Christ erects his hopes again: there's little hope, saith unbelief, nay it's utterly impossible saith Satan, that ever such a wretch as thou shouldst find mercy; now the hands hang down. O but then there's a necessity, an absolute necessity; I have not the choice of two, but am shut­up to one way of deliverance: others have found mercy, and the invitation is to all that are weary, and to all that are a­thirst: he saith he that cometh to him, he will in no wise cast­out; now new hopes inspire the soul, and the hands that did hang down are again strengthned.

These are the Concomitant frames that accompany faith.

Lastly, Examine the Consequents and effects of Faith if you 3. Mark. would be satisfied of the truth and sincerity of it: and such are

[Page 152] First, Evangelical meltings, and ingenuous thawings of the heart under the apprehensions of grace and mercy: Zech. 12. 10. They shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and shall mourn.

Secondly, Love to Christ, his ways and people. Gal. 5. 6. Faith worketh by love, (i. e.) it represents the love of God, and then makes use of the sweetness of it by way of ar­gument to constrain the soul to all acts of obedience, where­in it may testifie the reality of its love to God and Christ.

Thirdly, Heart purity, Acts 15. 9. purifying their hearts by faith: it doth not only cleanse the hands but the heart: no principle in man besides faith can do this: morality may hide corruption, but faith only purifies the heart from it.

Fourthly, Obedience to the commands of Christ, Rom. 16. 26. the very name of faith is call'd upon obedience: for it accepts Christ as Lord, and urges upon the soul the most powerful arguments in the world to draw it to obe­dience.

In a word, let the poor doubting believer that que­stions his faith, reflect upon those things that are un­questionable in his own experience, which being well considered will greatly tend to his satisfaction in this point.

It's very doubtful to you whether you believe, but yet in the mean while, it may be past doubt, (being a matter of clear experience) that you have been deeply convinced of sin, struck off from all carnal props and refuges, made wil­ling to accept Jesus Christ upon what terms soever you might enjoy him: you doubt whether Christ be yours, but it's past doubt that you have a most high and precious esteem of Christ, that you heartily long for him, that you prize and love all, whether persons or things, that bears his image: that nothing in the world would please your hearts like a trans­formation into his likeness, that you had rather your souls should be fill'd with his Spirit, than your houses with Gold and Silver. 'Tis doubtful whether Christ be yours, but it's past doubt that one smile from Christ, one token of his love, would do you more good than all the honours and smiles of the world; and nothing so grieves you, as your [Page 153] grieving him by sin doth: you dare not say that you have re­ceived him, nor can you deny but that you have had many sick days and nights for him: that you have gone into many secret places with yearning bowels after him: whether he be yours or not, you cannot tell; but that you are resolved to be his, that you can tell: whether he will save you is a doubt, but that you resolve to lye at his feet, and wait only on him, and never look to another for salvation, is no doubt.

Well, well; poor pensive soul, if it be so, arise, lift up thy dejected head, take thine own Christ into thy arms. These are undoubted signs of a real closure with Christ: thou makest thy self poor, and yet hast great riches: such things as these are not found in them that despise and reject Christ by unbelief.

3. Use of Exhortation.

This point is likewise very improveable by way of Exhor­tation, 3. Use. and that both to

• Unbelievers and
• Believers.

First, To unbelievers who from hence must be prest, as ever they expect to see the face of God in peace, to receive Je­sus Christ as he is now offered to them in the Gospel: this is the very scope of the Gospel, I shall therefore press it by three great Considerations: viz.

First, What is in Christ whom you are to receive.

Secondly, What is in the offer of Christ by the Gospel.

Thirdly, What is in the rejecting of that offer.

4 Use of Direction. 4. Use.

Lastly, I will close all with a few words of direction to all that are made willing to receive the Lord Jesus Christ: and sure it is but need that help were given to poor Christians in this matter, it is a time of trouble, fear, and great temptation: mistakes are easily made, and of dan­gerous consequence: attend heedfully therefore to a few di­rections.

Thanks be to God for Jesus Christ.

Doct.

From the Saints Union with Christ, there doth naturally and immediately result a most sweet and blessed communion or fellowship with him in graces and spiritual priviledges, Eph. 1. 3. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places (or things) in Christ: in giving us his Son, he freely gives us all things, Rom. 8. 32. so in 1 Cor. 1. 30. of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdome, righteousness, sanctifica­tion and redemption: and once more, 1 Cor. 3. 22, 23. all are yours, and ye are Christs: what Christ is and hath is theirs by communication to them, or improvement for them: and this is very evidently carried in all those excellent Scripture me­taphors by which our Union with Christ is figured and sha­dowed [Page 166] out to us: as the Marriage Union betwixt a man and his wife, Eph. 5. 31, 32. You know that this conjugal uni­on [...]bi ego Cajus tu Caja. Uxor clarescit in radiis ma­riti. gives the wife interest in the estate and honour of the husband, be she never so meanly descended in her self: the natural Union betwixt the head and members of the body, by which also the mystical union of Christ and believers is set forth, 1 Cor. 12. 12. excellently illustrates this fellowship or com­munion betwixt them: for from Christ the whole body fitly joyn­ed together, and compacted, by that which every joint supplieth ac­cording to the effectual working in the measure of every part maketh increase of the body, as the Apostle speaks, Eph. 4. 16. The Union betwixt the graffe and the stock which is another embleme of our Union with Christ, Joh. 15. 1. imports in like manner this communion or partnership betwixt Christ and the Saints. For no sooner doth the graffe take hold of the stock, but the vital sap of the stock is communicated to the graffe, and both live by one and the same juice.

Now that the scope of this discourse be not mistaken, let the Reader know that I am not here treating of the Saints communion or fellowship with God in duties, as in prayer, hearing, Sacraments, &c. but of that interest which believers have in the good things of Christ by vertue of the Mystical Union betwixt them through faith: there is a twofold communion of the Saints with Christ.

• The first is an Act.
• The second is a State.

There is an actual fellowship or communion the Saints have with Christ in holy duties: wherein Christians let forth their hearts to God by desires, and God lets forth his com­forts and refreshments again into their hearts: they open their mouths wide, and he fills them: this communion with God is the joy and comfort of a believers life: but I am not to speak of that here. It is not any act of communion, but the State of communion, from which all acts of communion flow, and upon which they all depend; that I am now to treat of: which is nothing else but the joynt interest that Christ and the Saints have in the same things: as when a ship, an house, or estate is among many partners, [Page 167] or joynt-heirs, every one of them hath right to it, and inte­rest in it, though some of them have a greater and others a lesser part. So is it betwixt Christ and his people: there is a [...] (i. e.) a fellowship or joynt interest betwixt them, upon which ground they are call'd co-heirs with Christ, Rom. 8. 17. This communion or participation in Christs benefits de­pends upon the Hypostatical Union of our nature, and the mystical union of our persons with the Son of God: in the first he partakes with us, in the second we partake with him; the for­mer is the remote, the later the next cause thereof.

In the explication of this point I shall speak to these four things,

• 1. What are those things in which Christ and believers have fellowship.
• 2. By what means they come to have such a fellowship with Christ.
• 3. How great a dignity this is to have fellowship with Jesus Christ.
• 4. And then apply the whole in divers practical infe­rences.

First, What are those things in which Christ and believers 1. have fellowship: to which I must speak both negatively and positively.

First, The Saints have no fellowship with Jesus Christ in Negatively. those things that belong to him as God: such as his consub­stantiality, coequality, and coeternity with the father: 'tis the blasphemy of the wicked Familists to talk of being God­ded into God and Christed into Christ: neither men or Angels partake in these things, they are the proper and incommuni­cable Justitia Chri­sti fit nostra, non quoad uni­versalem valo­remsed particu­larem necessita­tem, & impu­tatur nobis non ut causis sal­vationis, sed ut subjectis sal­vandis. Brad­shaw de justi­ficatione. glory of the Lord Jesus.

Secondlly, The Saints have no communion or fellowship in the honour and glory of his mediatory works, viz. his satis­faction to God, or redemption of the elect: 'tis true, we have the benefit and fruit of his mediation and satisfaction, his righteousness also is imputed to us for our personal justifi­cation, but we share not in the least with Christ in the glo­ry of this work: nor have we an inherent righteousness in us as Christ hath, nor can we justifie and save others as [Page 168] Christ doth: we have nothing to do with his peculiar honour and praise in these things: though we have the benefit of being saved, we may not pretend to the honour of being Sa­viours as Christ is to our selves or others. Christs righte­ousness is not made ours as to its universal value, but as to our particular necessity: nor is it imputed to us as to so many causes of salvation to others, but as to so many subjects to be saved by it our selves.

Secondly, But then, there are many glorious and excellent Posi ively. things which are in common betwixt Christ and believers, though in them all he hath the preeminence, he shines in the fulness of them as the Sun, and we with a borrowed and les­ser light, but of the same kind and nature as the Stars. Some of these I shall particularly and briefly unfold in the following particulars.

First, Believers have communion with Christ in his names and titles: they are call'd Christians from Christ, Eph. 3. 15. from him the whole family in heaven and earth is named: this is that worthy name the Apostle speaks of, James 2. 7. He is the son of God, and they also by their union with him have power or authority to become the sons of God, Joh. 1. 12. He is the heir of all things, and they are joynt heirs with him, Rom. 8. 17. He is both King and Priest, and he hath made them Kings and Priests, Rev. 1. 6. but they do not only partake in the names and titles, but this com­munion consists in things as well as titles: and there­fore

Secondly, They have communion with him in his righte­ousness, (i. e.) the righteousness of Christ is made theirs, 2 Cor. 5. 21. and he is the Lord our righteousness, Jer. 23. 6. 'Tis true, the righteousness of Christ is not inherent in us, as it is in him; but it is ours by imputation, Rom. 4. 5. 11. and our union with him is the ground of the imputation of his righteousness to us, 2 Cor. 5. 21. we are made the righte­ousness of God in him, Phil. 3. 9. for Christ and believers are considered as one person, in construction of Law; as a man and his wife, a debtor and surety are one: and so his payment or satisfaction is in our name, or upon our account.

[Page 169] Now this is a most inestimable priviledge, the very ground of all our other blessings and mercies. O what a benefit is this to a poor sinner, that owes to God infinitely more than he is ever able to pay him, by doing or suffering; to have such a rich treasure of merit as lyes in the obedience of Christ, to discharge in one entire payment all his debts to the least farthing? Surely shall one say, In the Lord have I righteous­ness, Isa. 45. 24. even as a poor woman that owes more than she is worth, in one moment is discharged of all her ob­ligations, by her marriage to a wealthy man.

Thirdly, Believers have communion with Christ in his ho­liness or Sanctification, for of God he is made unto them not only righteousness, but Sanctification also: and as in the for­mer priviledge they have a stock of merit in the blood of Christ to justifie them, so here they have the Spirit of Christ to sanctisie them, 1 Cor. 1. 30. and therefore we are said of his fulness to receive grace for grace, Joh. 1. 16. (i. e.) say some, grace upon grace, manifold graces or abun­dance of grace: or grace for grace, that is, grace answerable to grace: as in the seal and wax, there is line for line, and cut for cut exactly answerable to each other: or grace for grace, that is, say others, the free grace of God in Christ for the sanctifica­tion or filling of our souls with grace: be it in which sense it will, it shews the communion believers have with Jesus Christ in grace and holiness. Now holiness is the most precious thing in the world, it's the image of God, and chief excellen­cy of man: it is our evidence for glory, yea, and the first-fruits of glory: in Christ dwells the fulness of grace, and from him our head it is derived and communicated to us: thus he that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are all of one, Heb. 2. 11. You would think it no small priviledge to have Baggs of Gold to go to, and enrich your selves with, and yet that were but a very trifle in comparison to have Christs righteousness and holiness to go to for your Justification and Sanctification. More particularly,

Fourthly, Believers have communion with Christ in his death: they dye with him, Gal. 2. 20. I am crucified with Christ, (i. e.) the death of Christ hath a real killing and mor­tifying influence upon the lusts and corruptions of my heart and nature: true it is he died for sin one way, and we dye [Page 170] to sin another way: he dyed to expiate it, we dye to it when we mortifie it: the death of Christ is the death of sin in belie­vers: and this is a very glorious priviledge: for the death of sin is the life of your souls: if sin do not dye in you by mor­tification, you must dye for sin by eternal damnation: if Christ had not dyed, the Spirit of God by which you now mortifie the deeds of the body, could not have been given unto you: then you must have lived Vassals to your sins, and dyed at last in your sins: but the fruit, efficacy and benefit of Christs death is yours, for the killing those sins in you which else had been your ruine.

Fifthly, Believers have Communion with Christ in his life and resurrection from the dead: as he rose from the dead, so do they; and that by the power and influence of his vivifica­tion and resurrection: 'tis the Spirit of life which is in Christ Jesus that makes us free from the Law of sin and death, Rom. 8. 2. our spiritual life is from Christ, Eph. 2. 1. and you hath he quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins: and hence Christ is said to live in the believer, Gal. 2. 20. Now I live, yet not I; but Christ liveth in me: and it is no small priviledge to partake of the very life of Christ, which is the most excellent life that ever any creature can live: yet such is the happiness of all the Saints, the life of Christ is manifest in them, and such a life as shall never see death.

Sixthly, To conclude, Believers have fellowship with Je­sus Christ in his glory which they shall enjoy in heaven with him: they shall be ever with the Lord, 1 Thes. 4. 17. and that's not all, (though as one saith it were a kind of heaven but to look through the keyhole, and have but a glimpse of Christs blessed face) but they shall partake of the glory which the father hath given him, for so he speaks Joh. 17. 22, 24. and more particularly they shall sit with him in his throne, Rev. 3. 21. and when he comes to judge the world, he will come to be glorified in the Saints, 2 Thes. 1. 10. So that you see what glorious and inestimable things are and will be in common betwixt Christ and the Saints. His Ti­tles, his righteousness, his holiness, his death, his life, his glory. I do not say that Christ will make any Saint equal with him in glory: that's impossible: he will be known from all the Saints in heaven, as the Sun is distinguished from [Page 171] the Stars: but they shall partake of his glory, and be fill'd with his joy there: and thus you see what those things are that the Saints have fellowship with Christ in.

Secondly, Next I would open the way and means by which 2. we come to have fellowship with Jesus Christ in these excel­lent priviledges; and this I shall do briefly in the following Po­sitions.

Thanks be to God for Jesus Christ.

Doct. 1.

I Do not say all are so, for fools make a mock of sin, Prov. Doct. 1. 14. 9. 'tis so far from being burthensome to some, that it is a sport to them, Prov. 10. 23. but when a mans eyes are opened to see the evil that is in sin, and the eternal misery that follows it, (sin and hell being linkt to­gether with such strong chains as nothing but the blood of Christ can loose) then no burthen is like that of sin: a wound­ed conscience who can bear? Prov. 18. 14. For let us but con­sider the efficacy that the Law of God hath upon the consci­ences of men, when it comes in the spirituality and pow­er of it to convince and humble the soul of a sinner. For then

First, The memory of sin long since committed is refresht and revived as if it had been but yesterday: there are fresh recog­nitions 1. What inward troubles for sin are. of sin long since acted, and forgotten, as if they had never been: what was done in our youth is fetcht back again, and by a new impression of fear and horror set home upon the trembling conscience. Job 13. 26. Thou writest bitter things against me, and makest me to possess the sins of my youth. Conscience can call back the days that are past, and draw up a new charge upon the score of old sins, Gen. 42. 21. all that ever we did is recorded and entred into the book of Con­science, and now is the time to open that book, when the Lord will convince and awaken sinners: we read in Job 14. 17. of sealing up iniquities in a bag, which is an allusion to the Clerk of the Assizes, that takes all the indictments that are made against persons at the Assizes, and seals them up in a bag, in order to a Tryal. This is the first office and work of conscience, upon which

[Page 186] The second, namely its Accusations, do depend: these ac­cusations of Conscience are terrible things, who can stand 2. before them? they are full, they are clear, and all of them referring to the approaching Judgement of the great and terrible God.

Conscience dives into all sins, secret as well as open, and Prima est haec ultio, quod se judice, nemo uocens absolvi­tur. into all the circumstances and aggravations of sin, as being committed against light, against mercy, against the strivings, warnings, and regretts of conscience. So that we may say of the efficacy of conscience as it is said Psal. 19. 6. of the influence of the Sun, nothing is hid from the heat or pow­er thereof. Come (saith the woman of Samaria) see a man that hath told me all that ever I did, Joh. 4. 29, Christ convin­ced her but of one sin by that discourse, but conscience by that one fetcht in and charged all the rest upon her. And as the accusations of conscience are full, so they are clear, and undeniable: a man becomes self-convinced, and there remains no shift, excuse, or plea to defend himself: a thousand witnesses cannot prove any point more clearly than one te­stimony of conscience doth, Matth. 22. 12. the man was speech­less, [...] & ille capi­stratus er at. a mute; muzzled (as the word signifies) by the clear testimony of his own conscience: these accusations are the second work or office of conscience, and they make way for the third, namely,

Thirdly, The sentence and condemnation of Conscience: and truly this is an insupportable burthen: the condemnati­on 3. of conscience is nothing else but its application of the condemning sentence of the Law to a mans person: the Law curseth every one that transgresseth it, Gal. 3. 10. consci­ence applys this curse to the guilty sinner. So that it sen­tences the sinner in Gods name and authority, from which there is no appeal: the voice of conscience is the voice of God, and what it pronounces in Gods name and au­thority, he will confirm and ratifie, 1 Joh. 3. 20. if our hearts (i. e.) our consciences, condemn us, God is greater than our hearts, and knoweth all things: this is that torment which no man can endure. See the effects of it in Cain, in Judas, and in Spira, 'tis a real foretast of hell torments: this is that worm that never dyes, Mark 9. 44. For look as a worm in the body is bred of the corruption that is there, so the accusations and con­demnations [Page 187] of conscience are bred in the soul by the corrupti­on and guilt that is there: as the worm in the body preys and bites upon the tender sensible inward parts, so doth con­science touch the very quick. This is its third effect or work to sentence and condemn, and this also makes way for a fourth, namely,

Fourthly, To upbraid and reproach the sinner under his misery: 4. and this makes a man a very terrour to himself: to be pittied in misery is some relief, but to be upbraided and reproached doubles our affliction: you know it was one of the aggrava­tions of Christs sufferings, to be reproached by the tongue of his enemies, whilest he hanged in torments upon the cursed tree: but all the scoffs and reproaches, the bitter jeers and Sarcas [...]s in the world are nothing to these of a mans own con­science: this will cut to the very bone.

O when a mans conscience shall say to him in a day of trou­ble, as Reuben to his afflicted brethren, Gen. 42. 22. Spake I not unto you saying, do not sin against the child: and ye would not hear, therefore behold also his blood is required. So consci­ence, Did I not warn you, threaten you, perswade you in time against these evils? but you would not hearken to me, therefore behold now you must suffer to all eternity for it: the wrath of God is kindled against thy soul for it: this is the fruit of thy own wilful madness and obstinacy. Now thou shalt know the price of sinning against God, against light, and conscience. O this is terrible! every bite of conscience makes a poor soul to startle, and in a terrible fright to cry, Oh the worm! Oh the bitter foretast of Hell! a wounded spirit who can bear?

This is a fourth wound of conscience, and it makes way for a fifth, for here it is as in the pouring out of the vials, and the sounding of those woe-trumpets in the Revelation, one woe is past, and another cometh. After all these deadly blows of conscience upon the very heart of a sinner, comes another as dreadful as any that is yet named, and that is,

Fifthly, The fearful expectations of wrath to come which 5. it begets in the soul of a guilty sinner: of this you read Heb. 10. 27. a fearful looking for of Judgement, and fiery indigna­tion: and this makes the stoutest sinner quail and faint under the burthen of sin. For the tongue of man cannot declare [Page 188] what it is to lye down and rise with those fearful expectati­ons: the case of such sinners is somewhat like that which is described in Deut. 28. 65, 66, 67. The Lord shall give thee there a trembling heart, and failing of eyes, and sorrow of mind, and thy life shall hang in doubt before thee, and thou shalt fear day and night, and shalt have no assurance of thy life: in the morning thou shalt say Would God it were evening, and at even thou shalt say Would God it were morning, for the fear of thine heart, wherewith thou shalt fear, &c. Only in this it differs, in this Scripture you have the terrours of those described, whose temporal life hangs in doubtful suspense, but in the persons I am speaking of it is a trembling under the ap­prehensions and expectations of the vengeance of eternal fire.

Believe it Friends, words cannot express what those poor creatures feel, that lye down and rise under these fears and frights of conscience. Lord what will become of me! I am free among the dead, yea, among the damned. I hang by the frail thred of a momentany life, which will and must break shortly, and may break the next moment, over the everlasting burnings: no pleasant bread is eaten in these days, but what is like the bread of condemned men.

And thus you see what the burden of sin is, when God makes it to bear upon the consciences of men, no burden of affliction is like it: losses of dearest relations: sorrows for an only son are not so pungent, and penetrating as these, For

First, No creature enjoyment is pleasant under these in­ward troubles: in other troubles they may[?] signifie something to a mans relief, but here they are nothing, the wound is too deep to be healed by any thing but the blood of Jesus Christ: Conscience requires as much to satisfie it, as God re­quires to satisfie him. When God is at peace with thee (saith Conscience) then will I be at peace with thee too; but till then, expect no rest nor peace from me: all the pleasures and diversions in the world shall never stop my mouth: go where thou wilt, I will follow thee like thy shadow: be thy portion in the world as sweet as it will, I will drop in Gall and Wormwood into thy cup, that thou shalt tast no sweetness in any thing, till thou hast got thy pardon.

[Page 189] These inward troubles for sin, alienate the mind from all former pleasures and delights, there's no more taste or sa­vour in them, than in the white of an Egg. Musick is out of tune, all instruments jarr and groan. Ornaments have no beauty, what heart hath a poor creature to deck that body, in which dwells such a miserable soul! to feed and pamper that carcass that hath been the souls inducement to, and instru­ment in sin, and must be its companion in everlasting misery.

Secondly, These inward troubles for sin, put a dread into death beyond whatever the soul saw in it before. Now it looks like the King of terrours indeed: you read in Heb. 2. 15. of some that through fear of death are all their life long sub­ject to bondage. O what a lively comment is a soul in this case able to make upon such a Text? they would not scare at the pale horse, nor at him that sits on him though his name be called death, if it were not for what follows him, Rev. 6. 8. but when they consider that hell follows, they tremble at the very name, or thoughts of death.

Thirdly, Such is the nature of these inward troubles of spi­rit that they swallow up the sense of all other outward troubles: alas these are all lost in the deeps of soul sorrows as the lit­tle rivulets are in the vast Sea: he that is wounded at the heart, will not cry Oh at the bite of a Flea: and surely no greater is the proportion betwixt outward and inward sor­rows: a small matter formerly would discompose a man, and put him into a fret, now ten thousand outward troubles are lighter than a feather. For, saith he, why doth the living man complain? am I yet on this side eternal burnings? O let me not complain then, whatever my condition be: have I losses in the world, or pains upon my body? alas these are not to be named with the loss of God, and the feeling of his wrath and indignation for evermore. Thus you see what troubles in­ward troubles for sin be.

Secondly, If you ask in the second place, how it comes 2. How souls are supported under such troubles. to pass that any soul is supported under such strong troubles of Spirit that all that feel them do not sink under them; that all that go down into these deep waters of sorrow, are not drowned in them: The Answer is,

[Page 190] First, Though this be a very sad time with the soul (much like that of Adam, betwixt the breach of the first Covenant, and the first promise of Christ made to him) yet the souls that are thus heavy laden do not sink, because God hath a most tender care over them, and regard to them: under­neath them are the everlasting arms, and thence it is they sink not: were they left to grapple with these troubles in their own strength, they could never stand: but God takes care of these mourners that their Spirits do not fail before him, and the souls that he hath made, I mean those of his E­lect whom he is this way preparing for, and bringing unto Christ.

Secondly, The Lord is pleased to nourish still some hope in the soul under the greatest fears and troubles of Spirit: though it have no comfort or joy, yet it hath some hope in the bottom and that keeps up the heart: the afflicted soul doth in this case as the afflicted Church, Lam. 3. 29. he put­teth his mouth in the dust if yet there may be hope: he saith, its good for a man to hope, and quietly to wait for the salvation of God: there are usually some glimmerings or dawnings of mer­cy through Christ in the midnight darkness of inward trou­bles: non dantur purae tenebrae, in hell indeed there is no hope to enlighten the darkness, but it is not so upon earth.

Thirdly, The experiences of others who have been in the same deeps of trouble are also of great use to keep up the soul [...] ut & [...] est primum pi­cturae linea­mentum: su­mitur hic pro exemplo, ut vi­derent quid si­bi sp [...]randum sit [...] domino: gratiam esse u­beriorem ac po­tentiorem pec­cato [...] quis qui credit diffide­reti sibi para­tam esse veni­am. Poli Sy­nops. in Loc. above water. The experience of another is of great use to prop up a desponding mind, whilest as yet it hath none of its own: and indeed for the support of souls in such cases they were recorded 1 Tim. 1. 16. For this cause I obtained mercy that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all long suffering for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting: for an encouraging pattern, an eminent precedent to all poor sinners that were to come after him: that none might absolutely despair of finding mercy through Christ. You know if a man be taken sick, and none can tell what the dis­ease is, none can say that ever they heard of such a disease before, it's exceeding frightful; but if one and another, it may be twenty, come to the sick mans bedside and tell him, [Page 191] Sir, be not afraid, I have been in the very same case that you now are, and so have many more, and all did well at last, why this is half a cure to the sick man. So it is here a great support to hear the experiences of other Saints.

Fourthly, As the experiences of others support the soul under these burdens, so the riches of free grace through Je­sus Christ uphold it: 'tis rich and abundant, Psal. 130. ult. plenteous redemption, and 'tis free and to the worst of sin­ners, Isa. 1. 18. and under these troubles it finds it self in the way and proper method of mercy, for so my Text (a Text that hath upheld many thousand drooping hearts) states it: all this gives hope, and encouragement under trouble.

Fifthly, Lastly, Though the state of the soul be sad and sinking, yet Jesus Christ usually makes haste in the extremi­ty of the trouble to relieve it, by sweet and seasonable disco­veries of his grace: cum duplicantur lateres, venit Moses: in the Mount of the Lord it shall be seen. It is with Christ as it was with Joseph whose bowels yearned towards his bre­thren, and he was in pain till he had told them I am Joseph your brother. This is sweetly exhibited to us in that excel­lent parable of the Prodigal, Luke 15. when his Father saw him, being yet a great way off, he ran and fell upon his neck and kissed him: mercy runs nimbly to help when souls are ready to fail under the pressure of sin. And thus you see both how they are burthened, and how upheld under the burthen.

Thirdly, If it be enquired in the last place, why God makes the burden of sin press so heavy upon the hearts of poor 3. Why doth God make the burden of sin lie so hea­vy upon the souls of some sinners. sinners, 'tis answered,

First, He doth it to divorce their hearts from sin, by gi­ving them an experimental taste of the bitterness and evil that is in sin: mens hearts are naturally glewed with delight to their sinful courses: all the perswasions and arguments in the world are too weak to separate them and their beloved lusts. The morsels of sin go down smoothly and sweetly: they roll them with much delectation under their tongues; and it is but need that such bitter potions as these should be administred to make their stomachs rise against sin, as that [Page 192] word used by the Apostle in 2 Cor. 7. 11. signifies, in that ye [...] indigna­tio, stomocha­tio. Leigh's Critica, in verb. sorrowed after a godly sort, what indignation it wrought: it notes the rising of the stomach with rage, a being angry even unto sickness, and this is the way, the best and most effectual way to separate the soul of a sinner from his Lusts: for in these troubles conscience saith, as it is in Jer. 4. 18. Thy way and thy doings have procured these things unto thee; this is thy wickedness, because it is great, because it reacheth unto thy heart.

Secondly, The Lord doth this, to make Jesus Christ most welcome and desirable to the soul. Christ is not sweet, till sin be made bitter to us. Matth. 9. 12. They that be whole need not a Physician, but they that be sick. If once God wound the heart of a sinner with the stinging sense of sin, then nothing in the world is so precious, so necessary, so vehemently desired, and panted for, as Jesus Christ. O that I had Christ, if I did go in raggs, if I did feed upon no other food all my dayes, but the bread and water of affliction! This is the language of a soul filled with the sense of the evil of sin.

Thirdly, The Lord doth this to advance the riches of his free grace in the eyes of sinners. Grace never appears Grace, till sin appear to be sin. The deeper our sense of the evil of sin is, the deeper our apprehensions of the free grace of God in Christ will be. The louder our groans have been un­der the burden of sin, the louder will our acclamations and praises be for our salvation from it by Jesus Christ. To me (saith Paul) the chiefest of sinners was this grace given, 1 Tim. 1. 15. Never doth the grace of a Prince melt the heart of a Traytor, as when Tryal, Sentence, and all prepa­rations for his execution have past, before his unexpected pardon comes.

Fourthly, The Lord doth this to prevent relapses into sin: In that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought! 2 Cor. 2. 7. The burnt Child dreads the fire; the Bird that is delivered out of the Tallons of the Hawk, trem­bles afterward at the noise of his Bells. After such a delive­rance as this, should we again break thy Commandments? Ezra 9. 13, 14. Ask a poor penitent soul, that hath been in the deeps of sorrow for sin, Will you return to your former course of sin again? and it sounds in his ears, as if you should ask him, [Page 185] Will you run into the fire, will you go to the Rack again? No [...]o tanti emere poeniten­tiam. O no: it hath cost him dear already.

Fifthly, Lastly, This the Lord doth, to make them both skil­ful and compassionate in relieving others that are under like inward troubles. None can speak so judiciously, so pertinently, so feelingly to anothers case, as he that hath been in the Haud ignara mali, miseris [...]currere disco. Dido. same case himself: this furnishes them with the tongue of the learned, to speak a word in season to the weary soul: By this means they are able to comfort others with the same comforts wherewith they themselves have been comforted of God, 2 Cor. 1. 4.

Thus you have had a brief account, what the burden of sin is, how souls are supported under that burden, and why the Lord causes sin to lye so heavy upon the souls of some sin­ners. The improvement of all will be in a double Use: viz.

of

• Information, and
• Direction.

Doct. 2. Doct. 2.

THIS Point sounds sweetly in the ear of a di­stressed sinner, it is the most joyful voice that ever the soul heard; the voice of blessing from Mount Gerezim, the ravishing voice from Mount Sion, Ye are come to Jesus the Mediator. In opening of it I will shew,

• 1. What it is to come to Christ.
• 2. How Christ invites men to come to him.
• 3. Why his invitation is directed to burdened souls.

First, We will enquire what it is to come to Christ, and 1. how many things are involved in it.

In general, To come to Christ, is a phrase aequipollent, or of the same amount with believing in Christ. It is an expression that carries the nature and necessity of faith in it, and is reciprocated with believing, John 6. 35. He that cometh to me shall never hunger, and he that believeth in me shall never thirst. Coming to Christ, is believing in Christ; and belie­ving in Christ, is coming to Christ: they are Synonyma's, and import the self same thing: only in this notion of faith there are many rich and excellent things hinted to us, which no other word can so aptly convey to our minds: as,

First, It hints this to us, That the souls of convinced and burdened sinners, do not only discern the reality of Christ, or that he is; but also the necessity of applying Christ, and that their eternal life is in their union with him: for this is most certain, that the object of faith must be determinate and [Page 194] fixed; the soul must believe that Christ is, or else there can be no emotions of the soul after him: all coming presup­poses a fixed term to which we come, Heb. 11. 6. He that cometh to God, must believe that God is. Take away this, and all motion after Christ presently stops. No wonder then that souls in their first motions to Christ find themselves clogg'd with so many atheistical temptations, shaking their assent to the truth of the Gospel at the very root and foundation of it: but they that come to Christ do see that he is, and that their life and happiness lyes in their union with him; else they would never come to him upon such terms as they do.

Secondly, Coming to Christ, implyes the souls despair of salvation any other way: the way of faith is a supernatural way, and souls will not attempt it, until they have tryed all natural wayes to help and save themselves, and find it all in vain: therefore the Text describes these Comers to Christ as weary persons, that have been tugging and striving all other wayes for rest, but can find none; and so are forced to relinquish all their fond expectations of salvation in any other way, and come to Christ as their last and only remedy.

Thirdly, Coming to Christ, notes a supernatural and al­mighty power acting the soul quite above its own natural abilities in this motion, John 6. 44. No man can come to me except my father which hath sent me draw him. It is as possible for the ponderous mountains to start from their Bases and Centres, mount themselves aloft into the air, and there flye like wandring Atoms hither and thither; as it is for any man of himself, (i. e.) by a pure natural power of his own, to come to Christ: it was not a stranger thing for Peter to come to Christ walking upon the Waves of the Sea, than for his or any mans soul to come to Christ in the way of faith.

Fourthly, Coming to Christ, notes the voluntariness of the soul in its motion to Christ. 'Tis true, there's no coming without the Fathers drawing; but that drawing hath nothing of co-action in it; it doth not destroy, but powerfully, and with an overcoming sweetness perswade the will. 'Tis not forced or driven, but it comes: being made willing in the day of Gods power, Psal. 110. 3. Ask a poor distressed sinner in that season, Are you willing to come to Christ? O rather than live. Life is not so necessary as Christ is. O with all my heart, [Page 195] ten thousand worlds for Jesus Christ if he could be purchased, were nothing answerable to his value in mine eyes. The souls motion to Christ is free and voluntary, 'tis coming.

Fifthly, It implyes this in it, That no duties or Ordinances (which are but the wayes or means by which we come to Christ) are or ought to be Central and terminative to the soul: (i. e.) the soul of a believer is not to sit down and rest in them; but to come by them, or through them to Jesus Christ, and take up his rest in him only. No duties, no reformations, no Ordinances of God how excellent soever these things are in themselves, and how necessary soever they are in their proper place and use, can give rest to the weary and heavy laden soul: it cannot centre in any of them; and you may see it cannot, because it still gravitates, and inclines to another thing, even Christ; and cannot terminate its motion till it be come to him. Christ is the term to which a believer moves; and therefore cannot sit down by the way as well sa­tisfied, as if he were at his journeys end. Ordinances and du­ties have the nature and use of means to bring us to Christ, but not to be to any man instead of Christ.

Sixthly, Coming to Christ, implies an hope or expectation Venite ad me, (i. e.) affe­ctibus fidei, & spei religiosae, & desiderii. Burgensis in loc. from Christ in the coming soul. If it have no hope, why doth it move forward? as good sit still, and resolve to perish where it is, as come to Christ, if there be no ground to ex­pect salvation by him. Hope is the spring of motion and industry: if you cut off hope, you hamstring faith: it cannot move to Christ, except it be satisfied at least of the possibility of mercy and salvation by him. Hence it is, that when comers to Christ are strugling with the doubts and fears of the issue, the Lord is pleased to enliven their faint hopes, by setting on such Scriptures as that John 6. 37. He that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out: and Heb. 7. 25. He is able to save to the utter­most all that come unto God by him. This puts life into hope, and hope puts life into industry and motion.

Seventhly, Coming to Christ for rest, implies that believers have, and lawfully may have an eye to their own happiness in closing with the Lord Jesus Christ. The poor soul comes for rest: it comes for salvation: its eye and aim is upon it: and this aim of the soul at its own good is legitimated and allowed by that expression of Christ, John 5. 40. Ye will not come unto me that [Page 196] ye may have life. If Christ blame them for not coming to him that they might have life, sure he would not blame them, had they come to him for life.

Eighthly, But Lastly, and which is the principal thing car­ried in this expression, Coming to Christ, notes the all-suffici­ency of Christ to answer all the needs and wants of distressed souls, and their betaking themselves accordingly to him only for relief, being content to come to Christ for whatever they need, and live upon that fulness that is in him. If there were not an all-sufficiency in Christ, no soul would come to him: for this is the very ground upon which men come, Heb. 7. 25. he is able to save to the uttermost, all that come to God by him: [...], to the uttermost: in the greatest plunges, dif­ficulties and dangers: he hath a fulness of saving power in him; and this encourages souls to come unto him. One beggar uses not to wait at the door of another, but all at the doors of them they conceive able to relieve them. And as this notes the fulness of Christ as a Saviour, so it must needs note the emptiness and humility of the soul as a comer to him. This is call'd submission in Rom. 10. 3. Proud nature must be deeply distressed, humbled and moulded into another temper, before it will be perswaded to live upon those terms, to come to Christ for every thing it wants, to live upon Christ's ful­ness in the way of grace and favour, and have no stock of its own to live upon. O this is hard, but it's the way of faith.

Secondly, In the next place let us see how Christ invites 2. men to come unto him, and you shall find the means em­ploy'd in this work, are either internal and principal, namely the Spirit of God, who is Christ's Vice-gerent, and comes to us in his name and room to perswade us to believe, Joh. 15. 26. or external, namely the preaching of the Gospel by Commis­sionated Embassadors, who in Christ's stead beseech men to be reconciled to God: (i. e.) to come to Christ by faith in or­der to their reconciliation and peace with God. But all means and instruments employ'd in this work of bringing men to Christ, entirely depend upon the blessing and con­currence of the Spirit of God, without whom they signifie nothing: how long may Ministers preach, before one soul come to Christ, except the Spirit co-operate in that work? Now as to the manner in which men are perswaded, and their [Page 197] wills wrought upon to come to Christ, I will briefly note seve­ral acts of the Spirit in order thereunto.

First, There is an illustrating work of the Spirit upon the minds of sinners, opening their eyes to see their danger and misery. Till this be discovered, no man stirs from his place: 'tis sense of danger that rouzes the secure sinner, that distresses him and makes him look about for deliverance, crying, What shall I do to be saved? and 'tis the discovery of Christs ability to save, which is the ground and reason, (as was observed above) of its motion to Christ. Hence, seeing the Son, is joyned with believing or coming to him, in John 6. 40.

Secondly, There is the Authoritative call, or commanding voice of the Spirit in the Word; a voice that's full of awful majesty and power, 1 Joh. 3. 23. This is his Commandment, that we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ. This call of the Spirit to come to Christ rolls one great block, namely the fear of presumption, out of the souls way to Christ, and in­stead of presumption in coming, makes it rebellion, and inex­cusable obstinacy to refuse to come. This answers all pleas against coming to Christ from our unworthiness and deep guilt, and mightily encourages the soul to come to Christ, whatever it hath been or done.

Thirdly, There are soul-encouraging conditional promises to all that do come to Christ in obedience to the Command. Such is that in my Text, I will give you rest: and that in John 6. 37. Him that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out: and these breathe life and encouragement into poor souls that hang back and are daunted through their own unworthiness.

Fourthly, There are dreadful threatnings denounced by the Spirit in the Word against all that refuse or neglect to come to Christ, which are of great use to engage and quicken souls in their way to Christ, Mark 16. 16. He that believes not, shall be damned. Dye in his sins, John 8. 24. The wrath of God shall remain on him, John 3. ult. Which is as if the Lord had said, Sinners don't dally with my Christ: don't be alwayes treating and never concluding or resolving: for if there be Justice in heaven, or Fire in hell, every soul that comes not to Christ, must and shall perish to all eternity: upon your own heads let the blood and destruction of your own souls be for ever, if you will not come unto him.

[Page 198] Fifthly, There are moving and working examples set before souls in the Word, to prevail with them to come, alluring and encouraging Examples of such as have come to Christ under deepest guilt and discouragement, and yet found mercy, 1 Tim. 1. 15, 16. This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief: howbeit (or nevertheless) for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all long-suffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter be­lieve in him to life everlasting. Who would not come to Christ after such an example as this? And if this will not prevail, there are dreadful examples recorded in the Word setting before us the miserable condition of all such as refuse the calls of the Word to come to Christ, 1 Pet. 3. 19, 20. By which also he went and preached to the spirits which are in prison, which sometime were disobedient when once the long-suffering of God waited in the dayes of Noah. The meaning is, the sinners that lived before the Flood, but now are in hell, clapt up into that prison, had the offers of grace made them, but despised them, and now lye for their disobedience in prison, under the wrath of God for it, in the lowest hell.

Sixthly and Lastly, There is an effectual perswading, over­coming and victorious work of the Spirit upon the hearts and wills of sinners, under which they come to Jesus Christ. Of this I have spoken at large before in the fourth Sermon, and therefore shall not add any thing more here. This is the way and manner, in which souls are prevailed with to come to Jesus Christ.

Thirdly, In the last place, if you enquire why Christ makes his invitations to weary and heavy laden souls, and to 3. no other: the answer is briefly this:

First, Because in so doing, he follows the Commission which he received from his Father; for so you will find it runs in Isa. 61. 1. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tydings to the meek, he hath sent me to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the Captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound. You see here how Christs Commission binds him up: his Fa­ther sent him to poor broken hearted sinners, and he will keep close to his Commission. He came not to call the righte­ous, [Page 199] but sinners (i. e. sensible burthened sinners) to repentance, Matth. 9. 13. I am not sent (saith he) but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Thus his Instructions and Commission from the Father, limit him only to sensible and burthened souls, and he will be faithful to his Commission.

Secondly, The very order of the Spirits work in bringing men to Christ, shews us to whom the invitations and offers of grace in Christ are to be made. For none are convinced of righteousness, (i. e.) of the compleat and perfect righteous­ness which is in Christ for their Justification, until first they be convinced of sin; and consequently, no man will or can come to Christ by faith, till convictions of sin have awakened and distressed them, John 16. 8, 9. This being the due order of the Spirits operation, the same order must be observed in Gospel offers and invitations.

Thirdly, It behoves, that Christ should provide for his own glory as well as for our safety, and not expose that, to secure this; but save us in that way which will bring him most ho­nour and praise. And certainly such a way is this, by first convincing, humbling and burthening the souls of men, and then bringing them to rest in himself.

Alas! Let those that never saw or felt the evil of sin, be told of rest, peace and pardon in Christ, they will but despise it, as a thing of no value, Luke 5. 31. The whole need not a Physician, but those that are sick. Bid a man that thinks him­self sound and whole, go to the Physician, and he will but laugh at the motion. If you offer him the richest composi­tion, he will refuse it, slight it, and it may be spill it upon the ground: ay, but if the same man did once feel an acute disease, and were made to sweat and groan under strong pains, if ever he come to know what sick dayes and restless nights are, and to apprehend his life to be in eminent hazard; then messengers are sent one after another in post-haste to the Physician; then he begs him with tears to do what in him lyes for his relief; he thankfully takes the bitterest potions, and praises the care and skill of his Physician with tears of joy; and so the Patients safety and the Physicians honour are both secured. So is it in this method of grace. The Uses follow.

Doct. 3. Doct. 3.

REST, is a sweet word to a weary soul, all seek it, none but believers find it. We which have believed Non dicit [...] ingressi sumus, sed [...] ingredi­mur, signifi­cans, initia quietis fideles nunc habere: plenam quie­tem suo tempor [...] consecuturos. Pareus in loc. (saith the Apostle) do enter into rest, Heb. 4. 3. he doth not say they shall, but they do enter into rest; noting their spiritual rest to be already begun by faith on earth in the tranquillity of conscience, and shall be consum­mated in heaven in the full enjoyment of God. There is a sweet calm upon the troubled soul after believing, an ease or rest of the mind, which is an unspeakable mercy to a poor weary soul. Christ is to it, as the Ark was to the Dove when she wandred over the watery World, and found not a place [Page 206] to rest the soal of her foot. Faith centres the unquiet spi­rit of man in Christ, brings it to repose it self and its bur­den on him. It is the souls dropping anchor in a storm, which stayes and settles it.

The great debate which cost so many anxious thoughts, is now issued into this resolution; I will venture my all upon Christ, let him do with me as seemeth him good. It was im­possible for the soul to find rest whilest it knew not where to bestow it self, or how to be secured from the wrath to come; but when all is embarqued in Christ for eternity, and the soul fully resolved to lean upon him, and trust to him; now it feels the very initials of eternal rest in it self: it finds an heavy burden unloaded from its shoulders: it is come as it were into a new world: the case is strangely altered. The word rest in this place notes, (and is so rendered by some) a recreation: 'tis restored, renewed and recreated as it Recreabo vos, nempe à lassi­tudine, à mo­lestia, & one­re. Vatab. & Erasm. were, by that sweet repose it hath upon Christ. Believers know, that faith is the sweetest recreation you can take. Others seek to divert and lose their troubles by sinful recre­ations, vain company and the like; but they little know what that recreation, and sweet restoring rest that faith gives the soul, is. You find in Christ what they seek in vain among the creatures. Believing is the highest recreation known in this world. But to prevent mistakes, three Cauti­ons need to be premised, lest we do in ipso limine impingere, stumble at the threshold, and so lose our way all along af­terward.

Blessed be God for Jesus Christ.

DOCT.

That the Lord Jesus Christ is the only Physician for sick souls.

The world is a great Hospital full of sick and dying souls, Doct. all wounded by one and the same mortal weapon, sin. Some are senseless of their misery, feel not their pains, value not a Physician: others are full of sense, as well as danger; mourn under the apprehension of their condition, and sadly bewail it. The merciful God hath, in his abundant compassion to the perishing world, sent a Physician from Heaven, and gi­ven him his Orders under the Great Seal of Heaven for his Office, Isai. 61. 1, 2. which he opened and read in the au­dience of the people, Luke 4. 18. The spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach good tydings unto the meek, he hath sent me to bind up the broken hearted, &c. He is the tree of life, whose leaves are for the healing of the Nations: he is Jehova Rophe, the Lord that healeth us; and that as he is Jehovah Tzidkenu, the Lord our righteousness. The Brazen Serpent that healed the Israelites in the Wilder­ness, was an excellent Type of our Great Physician Christ, and is expresly applied to him, John 3. 14. he rejects none that come, and heals all whom he undertakes: but more particularly I will,

First, Point at those Diseases which Christ heals in sick souls, and by what means he heals them.

Secondly, the excellency of this Physician above all others: there is none like Christ, he is the only Physician for wound­ed souls.

First, We will enquire into the Diseases which Christ the Physician cures; and they are reducible to two heads, [...].

viz.

• 1. Sin, and
• 2. Sorrow.

[Page 218] First, The disease of sin, in which three things are found exceeding burthensome to sick souls,

First, The guilt of sin, this is a mortal wound, a stab in 1. the very heart of a poor sinner. 'Tis a fond and groundless distinction that Papists make of sins Mortal and Venial: all sin in its own nature is mortal, Rom. 6. 23. The wages of sin is death: yet though it be so in its own nature, Christ can, and doth cure it by the Soveraign Balfom of his own pre­cious blood, Eph. 1. 7. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace. This is the deepest and deadliest wound the soul of man feels in this world: what is guilt, but the obligation of the soul to everlasting punishment and misery? It puts the soul under the sentence of God to eternal wrath; the con­demning sentence of the great and terrible God; than which, nothing is found more dreadful and insupportable: put all pains, all poverty, all afflictions, all miseries in one Scale, and Gods condemnation in the other, and you weigh but so many Feathers against a talent of Lead.

This Disease our great Physician Christ cures by Remission, which is the dissolving of the obligation to punishment; the loosing of the soul that was bound over to the Wrath and Condemnation of God, Coll. 2. 13, 14. Heb. 6. 12. Micah 7. 17, 18, 19. this remission being made, the soul is immediate­ly cleared from all its obligations to punishment, Rom. 8. 1. There is no condemnation: all Bonds are cancelled; the guilt of all sins is healed or removed; original, and actual; great, and small. This cure is performed upon souls by the blood of Christ: nothing is found in Heaven or earth besides his blood, that is able to heal this disease; Heb. 9. 22. With­out shedding of blood there is no remission; nor is it any blood that will do it, but that only which dropt from the wounds of Christ, Isa. 53. 5. By his stripes we are healed: his blood only is innocent and precious blood, 1 Pet. 1. 19. blood of infi­nite worth and value; the blood of God, Act. 20. 28. blood [Page 219] prepared for this very purpose, Heb. 10. 5. this is the blood that performs the cure; and how great a cure is it! for this cure the souls of Believers shall be praising and magni­fying their great Physician in Heaven to all eternity, Rev. 1. 5, 6. To him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, &c. to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever.

Secondly, The next evil in sin, cured by Christ, is the do­minion 2. of it over the souls of poor sinners. Where sin is in dominion, the soul is in a very sad condition; for it darkens the Understanding, depraves the Conscience, stiffens the Will, hardens the Heart, misplaces and disorders all the Affections: and thus every faculty is wounded by the power and domi­nion of sin over the soul. How difficult is the cure of this disease! it passes the skill of Angels or men to heal it: but Christ undertakes it, and makes a perfect cure of it at last; and this he doth by his Spirit. As he cures the guilt of sin by pouring out his blood for us, so he cures the dominion of sin, by pouring out his Spirit upon us. Justification is the cure of guilt, Sanctification the cure of the dominion of sin. For,

First, As the Dominion of sin darkens the understanding, 1 Cor. 2. 14. so the spirit of holiness which Christ sheds up­on his people, cures the darkness and blindness of that no­ble faculty, and restores it again, Eph. 5. 8. they that were darkness are hereby light in the Lord: the anointing of this Spirit teacheth them all things, 1 John 2. 27.

Secondly, As the dominion of sin depraved and defiled the Conscience, Tit. 1. 15. wounded it to that degree, as to disable it to the performances of all its Offices and Functions; so that it was neither able to apply, convince, or tremble at the word: So when the Spirit of holiness is shed forth, O what a tender sense fills the renewed Conscience! for what small things will it check, smite and rebuke! how strongly will it bind to duty, and bar against sin!

Thirdly, As the dominion of sin stiffned the Will, and made it stubborn and rebellious; so Christ by sanctifying it, brings it to be pliant and obedient to the will of God. Lord, saith the sinner, what wilt thou have me to do? Act. 9. 6.

[Page 220] Fourthly, As the power of sin hardneth the Heart, so that nothing could affect it, or make any impression upon it; when sanctification comes upon the soul, it thaws and breaks it, as hard as it was, and makes it dissolve in the breast of a sinner in godly sorrow, Ezec. 36. 26. I will take away the heart of stone out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. It will now melt ingenuously under the threatnings of the word, 2 Kings 22. 19. or the strokes of the Rod, Jer. 31. 18. or the manifestations of grace and mercy, Luke 7. 38.

Fifthly, As the power of sin misplaced and disordered all the affections, so sanctification reduces them again, and sets them right, Psal. 4. 6, 7. And thus you see how sanctification becomes the rectitude, health and due temper of the soul, so far as it prevails, curing the diseases that sin in its domi­nion filled the soul with. True it is, this cure is not per­fected in this life: there are still some grudgings of the old diseases in the holiest souls, notwithstanding sin be dethro­ned from its dominion over them: but the cure is begun, and daily advances towards perfection, and at last will be compleat, as will appear in the cure of the next evil of sin, namely,

Thirdly, The Inherence of sin in the soul; this is a sore disease, the very core and root of all our other complaints 3. and ayles. This made the holy Apostle bemoan himself, and waile so bitterly, Rom. 7. 17. because of sin that dwelt in him: and the same misery is bewailed by all sanctified persons all the world over.

'Tis a wonderful mercy to have the guilt and the dominion of sin cured; but we shall never be perfectly sound and well till the existence, or indwelling of sin in our natures be cu­red too. When once that is done, then we shall feel no more pain, nor sorrows for sin: and this our great Physician will at last perform for us, and upon us: but as the cure of guilt was by our Justification, the cure of the dominion of sin by our Sanctification; so the third and last which per­fects the whole cure, will be by our Glorification; and till then it is not to be expected. For it's a clear case, that sin like Ivy in the old Walls, will never be gotten out, till the Wall be pulled down, and then it's pulled up by the roots. This [Page 221] cure Christ will perform in a moment upon our dissolution. For 'tis plain,

First, That none but perfected souls, freed from all sin, are admitted into Heaven, Eph. 5. 27. Heb. 12. 23. Rev. 21. 27.

Secondly, 'Tis as plain, that no such personal perfecti­on and freedom is found in any man on this side death, and the grave, 1 Joh. 1. 8. 1 Kings 8. 46. Philip. 3. 12. a truth sealed by the sad experience of all the Saints on earth.

Thirdly, If such freedom and perfection must be before we can be perfectly happy, and no such thing be done in this life; it remains that it must be done immediately upon their dissolution, and at the very time of their glorification: as sin came in at the time of the union of their souls and bodies in the womb, so it will go out at the time of their separation by death: then will Christ put the last hand to this glorious work, and perfect that cure which hath been so long under his hand in this world: and thenceforth sin shall have no power upon them; it shall never tempt them more, it shall never defile them more; it shall never grieve and sadden their hearts any more: henceforth it shall never cloud their evi­dences, darken their understandings, or give the least inter­ruption to their communion with God: when sin is gone, all these its mischievous effects are gone with it. So that I may speak it to the comfort of all gracious hearts, according to what the Lord told the Israelites in Deut. 12. 8, 9. (to which I allude for illustration of this most comfortable truth) Ye shall not do after all the things that ye do here this day, every man whatsoever is right in his own eyes, for ye are not as yet come to the rest, and to the inheritance which the Lord your God giveth you. Whilst you are under Christs cure upon earth, but not perfectly healed; your understandings mistake, your thoughts wander, your affections are dead, your com­munion with God is daily interrupted: but it shall not be so in Heaven, where the cure is perfect: you shall not know, love, or delight in God as you do this day; for you are not as yet come to the rest, and to the inheritance which the Lord your God giveth you: and so much as to the dis­eases of sin, and Christs method of curing them.

Secondly, As sin is the disease of the Saints, so also is Sorrow. The best of Saints must pass through the vally of 2 [...]. [Page 222] Bacha to Heaven. How many tears fall from the Eyes of the Saints upon the account of outward, as well as inward troubles; even after their reconciliation with God? Through much tribulation we must enter into the Kingdom of God, Acts 14. 22. It would be too great a digression in this place, to note but the more general heads, under which almost infi­nite particulars of troubles and afflictions are found. It shall suffice only to shew, that whatever distress or trouble any poor soul is in upon any account whatsoever; if that soul belong to Jesus Christ, he will take care of it for pre­sent, and deliver it at last by a compleat cure.

First, Christ cures troubles by sanctifying them to the souls of his that are under affliction, and makes their very trou­bles medicinal and healing to them. Trouble is a Scorpion, and hath a deadly sting; but Christ is a wise Physician, and extracts a Soveraign Oyl out of this Scorpion, that heals the wound it makes. By affliction our wise Physician purges our corruptions, and so prevents or cures greater troubles by les­ser; inward sorrows, by outward ones, Isai. 27. 9. By this therefore shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged, and this is all the fruit, to take away his sin.

Secondly, Christ cures outward troubles by inward conso­lations, which are made to rise in the inner man as high as the waters of affliction do upon the outward man, 2 Cor. 1. 5. One drop of spiritual comfort is sufficient to sweeten a whole Ocean of outward trouble. It was an high expression of an Nihil Corpus sent it in nerv [...], cum Anima sit in Coelo. afflicted Father, whom God comforted just upon the death of his dear and only Son, with some clearer manifestations of his love than was usual. O, said he, might I but have such consolations as these, I could be willing (were it possible) to lay an only Son into the grave every day I have to live in this world. Thus all the troubles of the world are cured by Christ, John 16. 33. In the world ye shall have trouble, but in me ye shall have peace.

Thirdly, Christ cures all outward sorrows and troubles in his people by death, which is their removal from the place of sorrows to peace and rest for evermore. Now God wipes all tears from their eyes, and the days of their mourning are at an end: they then put off the Garments and Spirit of mourning, and enter into peace, Isai. 57. 2. they come to [Page 223] that place and state, where tears and sighs are things un­known to the Inhabitants: one step beyond the state of this mortality, brings us quite out of the sight and hearing of all troubles and lamentations. These are the diseases of souls, sin and sorrow; and thus they are cured by Christ the Physician.

Secondly, Next, I shall shew you that Jesus Christ is the only Physician of souls: none like him for a sick sinner: and this will be evident in divers respects.

First, None so wise and judicious as Jesus Christ to under­stand, 2. and comprehend the nature, depth, and danger of soul diseases. O how ignorant and unacquainted are men with the state and case of afflicted souls! but Christ hath the tongue of the Learned, that he should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary, Isai. 50. 4. He only understands the weight of sin, and depth of inward troubles for sin.

Secondly, None so able to cure and heal the wounds of af­flicted souls as Christ is: he only hath those medicines that can cure a sick soul. The blood of Christ, and nothing else in Heaven or Earth, is able to cure the mortal wounds which guilt inflicts upon a trembling Conscience: let men try all other receipts, and costly experience shall convince them of their insufficiency. Conscience may be benummed by stupe­factive medicines, prepared by the Devil for that end, but pacified it can never be, but by the blood of Christ, Heb. 16. 22.

Thirdly, None so tender hearted, and sympathizing with sick souls, as Jesus Christ: he is full of bowels and tender compassions to afflicted souls: he is one that can have compas­sion, because he hath had experience, Heb. 5. 2. If I must come into the Chirurgeons hand with broken bones, give me such a one to choose, whose own bones have been broken, who hath felt the anguish in himself. Christ knows what it is by experience, having felt the anguish of inward trou­bles, the weight of Gods wrath, and the terrors of a forsa­king God, more than any, or all the sons of men: this makes him tender over distressed souls, Isai. 42. 3. A brui­sed reed he will not break, and smoaking flax he shall not quench.

Fourthly, None cures in so wonderful a method as Christ doth: he heals us by his stripes, Isai. 53. 5. The Physician [Page 224] dyes that the Patient may live: his wounds must bleed, that ours may be cured: he feels the smart and pain, that we might have the ease and comfort. No Physician but Christ will cure others at this rate.

Fifthly, None so ready to relieve a sick soul as Christ: he is within the call of a distressed soul at all times. Art thou sick for sin, weary of sin, and made truly willing to part with sin? Lift up but thy sincere cry to the Lord Jesus for help, and he will quickly be with thee: when the Prodigal, the embleme of a convinced humbled sinner, said in himself, I will return to my Father, the Father ran to meet him, Luke 15. 20. he can be with thee in a moment.

Sixthly, none so willing to receive and undertake all di­stressed and afflicted souls as Jesus Christ is: he refuses none that come to him, Joh. 6. 37. He that cometh unto me, I will in no wayes cast out: whatever their sins have been, or their sorrows are; however they have wounded their own souls with the deepest gashes of guilt; how desperate and helpless soever their case appears in their own or others Eyes: he ne­ver puts them off, or discourages them, if they be but will­ing to come, Isai. 1. 18, 19.

Seventhly, None so happy and successful as Christ: he ne­ver fails of performing a perfect cure upon those he under­takes: never was it known that any soul miscarried in his hands, John 3. 15, 16. other Physicians by mistakes, by ig­norance, or carelesness, fill Church-yards, and cast away the lives of men: but Christ suffers none to perish that commit themselves to him.

Eighthly, none so free and generous as Christ, he doth all gratis: he sells not his medicines, though they be of infinite value, but freely gives them, Isai. 55. 1. He that hath no mo­ney let him come; if any be sent away, 'tis the rich, Luk. 1. 53. not the poor and needy: those that will not accept their re­medy as a free gift, but will needs purchase it at a price.

Ninthly, and Lastly, None rejoyces in the recovery of souls more than Christ doth. O it is unspeakably delightful to him to see the efficacy of his blood upon our souls, Isai. 53. 11. He shall see the travail of his soul (i. e. the success of his death and sufferings) and shall be satisfied: when he foresaw the success of the Gospel upon the world, it's said Luk. 10. 21. [Page 225] In that hour Jesus rejoyced in spirit: and thus you see, there is no Physician like Christ for sick souls.

The Uses of this Point are,

For

• Information and
• Direction.

First, From hence we are informed of many great and ne­cessary truths deducible from this: as,

Thanks be to God for Jesus Christ.

DOCT.

First, Why Christ is stiled the Mercy.

Secondly, What kind of Mercy Christ is to his people.

Thirdly, How this promised Mercy was performed.

First, Christ is the mercy, emphatically so called, the peer­less, invaluable, and matchless mercy; because he is the 1. prime fruit of the mercy of God to Sinners. The mercies of God are infinite: mercy gave the world and us our be­ings: all our protections, provisions and comforts in this world are the fruits of mercy: the after-births of Divine Favour: but Christ is the first-born from the womb of mercy: all other mercies compared with him, are but fruits from that root, and streams from that fountain of mercy: the very bowels of Divine mercy are in Christ, as in vers. 78. according to the tender mercies, or as the Greek, the yearn­ing bowels of the mercy of God.

[Page 235] Secondly, Christ is the mercy, because all the mercy of 2. God to sinners is dispensed and conveyed through Christ to them, Joh. 1. 16. Col. 2. 3. Eph. 4. 7. Christ is the medium of all Divine communications: the Channel of Grace; through him is both the decursus & recursus gratiarum; the flows of mercy from God to us, and the returns of praise from us to God: fond and vain therefore are all the expectations of mercy out of Christ: no drop of saving mercy runs beside this Channel.

Thirdly, Christ is the mercy, because all inferiour mercies derive both their nature, value, sweetness and duration from 3. Christ, the fountain mercy of all other mercies.

First, they derive their nature from Christ: for out of him those things which men call mercies, are rather traps and snares, than mercies to them, Prov. 1. 32. The time will come when the rich that are Christless will wish, O that we had been poor! and Nobles that are not ennobled by the new birth, O that we had been among the lower rank of men! All these things that pass for valuable mercies, like Ciphers signifie much when such a speaking Figure as Christ stands before them, else they signifie nothing to any mans comfort or benefit.

Secondly, They derive their value as well as nature from Christ: for how little, I pray you, doth it signifie to any man to be rich, honourable, politick, and successfull in all his designs in the world; if after all, he must lye down in Hell?

Thirdly, All other mercies derive their sweetness from Christ, and are but insipid things without him. There is a twofold sweetness in things; one natural, another spiritual: those that are out of Christ can relish the first, Believers only relish both: they have the natural sweetness that is in the mercy it self, and a sweetness supernatural from Christ and the Covenant, the way in which they receive them. Hence it is that some men taste more spiritual sweetness in their daily bread, than others do in the Lords Supper: one and the same mercy by this means becomes a feast to soul and body at once.

Fourthly, All mercies have their duration and perpetuity from Christ: all Christless persons hold their mercies upon [Page 236] the greatest contingencies and terms of uncertainty: if they be continued during this life, that's all: there is not a drop of mercy after death; but the mercies of the Saints are continued to eternity: the end of their mercies on earth, is the beginning of their better mercies in Heaven. There is a twofold end of mercies, one perfective, another destructive: the death of the Saints perfects and compleats their mercies; the death of the wicked destroys and cuts off their mercies: for these reasons Christ is called the mercy.

Secondly, In the next place let us enquire what manner of mercy Christ is; and we shall find many lovely, and tran­scendent, 2. properties to commend him to our souls.

First, He is a free and undeserved mercy, called upon that account the gift of God, John 4. 10. And to shew how free this gift was, God gave him to us when we were ene­mies, Rom. 5. 8. needs must that mercy be free, which is given not only to the undeserving, but to the ill deserving: the benevolence of God was the sole impulsive cause of this gift, John 3. 16.

Secondly, Christ is a full mercy replenished with all that answers to the wishes or wants of sinners: in him alone is found whatever the justice of an angry God requires for satisfaction, or the necessities of souls require for their sup­ply. Christ is full of mercy, both extensively and intensively; in him are all kinds and sorts of mercies, and in him are the highest and most perfect degrees of mercy; for it pleased the Father, that in him should all fulness dwell, Col. 1. 19.

Thirdly, Christ is the seasonable mercy, given by the Fa­ther to us in due time, Rom. 5. 6. in the fulness of time, Gal. 4. 4. a seasonable mercy in his exhibition to the world in general, and a seasonable mercy in his application to the soul in particular: the wisdom of God pitched upon the best time for his incarnation, and it hits the very nick of time, for his application. When a poor soul is distressed, lost, at its wits end, ready to perish; then comes Christ: all Gods works are done in season, but none more seasonable than this great work of Salvation by Christ.

Fourthly, Christ is the necessary mercy: there is an abso­lute necessity of Jesus Christ: hence in Scripture he is called the bread of life, Joh. 6. 48. he is bread to the hungry: he is [Page 237] the water of life, Joh. 7. 37. as cold water to the thirsty soul: he is a ransome for captives, Mat. 20. 28. a garment to the naked, Rom. 13. ult. only bread is not so necessary to the hungry, nor water to the thirsty, nor a ransom to the Cap­tive, nor a garment to the naked; as Christ is to the soul of a sinner, the breath of our nostrills, the life of our souls is in Jesus Christ.

Fifthly, Christ is a fountain mercy, and all other mercies flow from him: a believer may say of Christ, all my fresh springs are in thee: from his merit, and from his Spirit flow our Redemption, Justification, Sanctification, Peace, Joy in the Holy Ghost, and blessedness in the world to come: In that day shall there be a fountain opened, Zech. 13. 1.

Sixthly, Christ is a satisfying mercy; he that is full of Christ can feel the want of nothing. I desire to know nothing but Jesus Christ, and him crucified, 1 Cor. 2. 2. Christ bounds and terminates the vast desires of the soul; he is the very Sabbath of the soul: how hungry, empty, straitned, and pinched in upon every side, is the soul of man in the abun­dance and fulness of all outward things, till it come to Christ? The weary motions of a restless soul, like those of a River, cannot be at rest till they pour themselves into Christ, the Ocean of blessedness.

Seventhly, Christ is a peculiar mercy intended for, and ap­plied to a remnant among men: some would extend re­demption as large as the world, but the Gospel limits it to those only that believe: and these Believers are upon that account called a peculiar people, 1 Pet. 2. 9. The offers of Christ indeed are large, and general; but the application of Christ is but to few, Isai. 53. 1. the greater cause have they to whom Christ comes, to lye with their mouths in the dust, astonished and overwhelmed with the sense of so peculiar and distinguishiug mercy.

Eighthly, Jesus Christ is a suitable mercy, fitted in all re­spects to our needs and wants, 1 Cor. 1. 20. wherein the ad­mirable wisdom of God is illustriously displaied: ye are complete in him (saith the Apostle) Col. 2. 20. Are we ene­mies? He is reconciliation: are we sold to sin and Satan? He is redemption: are we condemned by Law? He is the Lord our righteousness: hath sin polluted us? He is a foun­tain [Page 238] opened for sin and for uncleaness: are we lost by depart­ing from God? He is the way to the Father. Rest is not so suitable to the weary, nor bread to the hungry, as Christ is to the sensible sinner.

Ninthly, Christ is an astonishing and wonderful mercy: his name is called Wonderful, Isai. 9. 6. and as his name is, so is he; a wonderful Christ: his person is a wonder, 1 Tim. 3. 16. Great is the mystery of godliness, God manifested in the flesh: his abasement wonderful, Phil. 2. 6. his love is a wonderful love: his redemption full of wonders: Angels desire to look into it: he is and will be admired by Angels and Saints to all eternity.

Tenthly, Jesus Christ is an incomparable and matchless mer­cy; as the Apple-tree among the Trees of the Wood, so is my Be­loved among the Sons (saith the enamoured Spouse) Cant. 2. 3. Draw the comparison how you will betwixt Christ and all other enjoyments, you will find none in Heaven or earth to match him: he is more than all externals, as the light of the Sun is more than that of a Candle: nay the worst of Christ is better than the best of the world: his reproaches are bet­ter than the worlds pleasures, Heb. 11. 25. he is more than all Spirituals, as the Fountain is more than the Streams: he is more than justification, as the cause is more than the effect: more than sanctification, as the person himself is more than his image or picture: he is more than all peace, all comfort, all joys, as the Tree is more than the Fruit. Nay draw the comparison betwixt Christ and things eternal, and you will find him better than they: for what is Heaven without Christ? Psal. 73. 25. Whom have I in Heaven but thee? If Christ should say to the Saints, Take Heaven among you, but as for me, I will withdraw my self from you: the Saints would fall a weeping, even in Heaven it self, and say, Lord, Heaven will be no more Heaven to us, except thou be there; thou art the better half of Heaven.

Eleventhly, Christ is an unsearchable mercy: who can spell his wonderful name, Prov. 30. 4. who can tell over his un­searchable riches, Eph. 3. 8. Hence it is that souls never tire in the study or love of Christ, because new wonders are eternal­ly rising out of him: he is a deep which no line of any crea­ted understanding, angelical or humane can fathom.

[Page 239] Twelfthly, and Lastly, Christ is an everlasting mercy; the same yesterday, to day, and for ever, Heb. 13. 8. All other enjoyments are perishable, time eaten things: time like a Moth will fret them out: but the riches of Christ are dura­ble riches, Prov. 8. 18. the graces of Christ are durable graces, Joh. 4. 14. all the creatures are flowers that appear and fade in their month: but this Rose of Sharon, this Lilly of the Valley, never withers. Thus you see the mercy per­formed, with his desirable properties.

Thirdly, The last thing to be opened is the manner of 3. Gods performing this mercy to his people: which the Lord did,

• 1. Really and truly, as he had promised him.
• 2. Exactly agreeable to the promises and predictions of him.

First, Really and truly; as he had promised, so he made good the promise, Act. 2. 36. Let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made the same Jesus, whom ye crucifi­ed, both Lord and Christ.

The manifestation of Christ in the flesh was no phantasm or delusion, but a most evident and palpable truth, 1 Joh. 1. 1. That which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled. A truth so certain, that the assertors of it appealed to the very enemies of Christ for the certainty thereof, Act. 2. 22. yea, not only the sacred but prophane writers witness to it: not only the Evangelists and Apostles, but even the Heathen writers of those times, both Roman and Jewish, as Suetonius, Tacitus, Plinius the younger, and Josephus the Jewish Anti­quary do all acknowledge it.

Secondly, As God did really and truly perform Christ the promised mercy, so he performed this promised mercy exactly agreeable to the promises, types, and predictions made of him to the Fathers, even to the most minute circum­stances thereof. This is a great truth for our faith to be esta­blished in: let us therefore cast our eyes both upon the pro­mises and performances of God, with respect to Christ the mercy of mercies. See how he was represented to the Fa­thers [Page 240] long before his manifestation in the flesh: and what an one he appeared to be when he was really exhibited in the flesh.

First, As to his person and qualifications, as it was foretold, so it was fulfilled. His original was said to be unsearchable and eternal, Mica. 5. 2. and so he affirmed himself to be, Rev. 1. 11. I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: Joh. 6. 31, 32. Before Abraham was, I am: his two natures united in one person was plainly foretold, Zech. 13. 7. the man my fellow; and such a one God performed, Rom. 9. 5. His immaculate puri­ty and holiness was foretold, Dan. 9. 24. to anoint the most Holy; some render it the great Saint: the Prince of Saints, and such an one he was indeed, when he lived in this world: Joh. 8. 46. Which of you convinceth me of sin? His Offices were foretold, the prophetical Office predicted, Deut. 18. 15. and fulfilled in him, Joh. 1. 18. his Priestly Office foretold, Psal. 110. 4. fulfilled, Heb. 9. 14. his Kingly Office foretold, Mica. 5. 2. and in him fulfilled, his very enemies being Judges, Mat. 27. 37.

Secondly, As to his birth, the time, place, and manner thereof was foretold to the Fathers, and exactly perform­ed to a tittle.

First, The time prefixed more generally in Jacobs Phophe­cie, Gen. 44. 10. when the Scepter should depart from Ju­dah, as indeed it did in Herod the Idumean: more particular­ly in Daniel seventy weeks from the decree of Darius, Dan. 9. 24. answering exactly to the time of his birth: so cogent and full a proof, that Porphyry, the great enemy of Christi­ans had no other evasion, but that this Prophecie was devi­sed after the event; which yet the Jews (as bitter enemies to Christ as himself) will by no means allow to be true: and Lastly, The time of his birth was exactly pointed at in Haggai's Prophecie, Hag. 2. 7, 9. compared with Mal. 3. 1. he must come whilst the second Temple stood: at that time was a general expectation of him, Joh. 1. 19. and at that ve­ry time he came, Luke 2. 38.

Secondly, The place of his birth was foretold to be Bethlehem Ephrata, Mica. 5. 2. and so it was, Mat. 2. 5, 6. to be brought up in Nazareth, Zech. 6. 12. Behold the man whose name is the branch, the word is Netzer, whence is the [Page 241] word Nazarite: and there indeed was our Lord brought up, Mat. 2. 23.

Thirdly, His Parent was to be a Virgin, Isai. 7. 14. pun­ctually fufilled, Mat. 1. 20, 21, 22, 23.

Fourthly, His Stock or Tribe was foretold to be Judah, Gen. 49. 10. and it is evident (saith the Apostle) that our Lord sprang out of Judah, Heb. 7. 14.

Fifthly, His Harbinger or forerunner was foretold, Mal. 4. 5, 6. fulfilled in John the Baptist, Luk. 1. 16, 17.

Sixthly, The obscurity and meanness of his birth was pre­dicted, Isai. 53. 2. Zech. 9. 9. to which the event answered, Luk. 2. 12.

Thirdly, His Doctrine and Miracles were foretold, Isai. 61. 1, 2. and Isai. 35. 4, 5. the accomplishment whereof in Christ is evident in the History of all the Evangelists.

Fourthly, His death for us was foretold by the Prophets, Dan. 9. 26. The Messiah shall be cut off, but not for himself: Isai. 53. 5. He was wounded for our transgression: and so he was, Joh. 11. 50. The very kind and manner of his death was prefigured in the brazen Serpent, his Type, and answe­red in his death upon the Cross, Joh. 3. 14.

Fifthly, His burial in the Tomb of a rich man was fore­told, Isai. 53. 9. and accomplished most exactly, Mat. 27. 59, 60.

Sixthly, His resurrection from the dead was Typed out in Jona, and fulfilled in Christs abode three days and nights in the Grave, Mat. 12. 39.

Seventhly, The wonderful spreading of the Gospel in the world, even to the Isles of the Gentiles, was fore-prophesied, Isai. 49. 6. To the truth whereof we are not only the witnes­ses, but the happy instances, and examples of it. Thus the promised mercy was performed.

Blessed be God for Jesus Christ the mercy of mercies.

DOCT.

That Jesus Christ is the loveliest person souls can set their eyes Doct. upon: Psal. 45. 2. Thou art fairer than the children of men. That is said of Jesus Christ, which cannot be said of any creature, that he is altogether lovely. In opening this love­ly point, I shall,

• 1. Weigh the importance of this phrase, altogether lovely.
• 2. Shew you in what respects Christ is so.

[Page 250] First, Let us weigh this excellent expression, and particu­larly 1. consider, what is involved in it, and you shall find this expression, Altogether lovely:

First, That it excludes all unloveliness, and distastefulness from Jesus Christ. So Vatablus, there is nothing in him which Nibil in to quod non est am [...]bile. is not amiable: the excellencies of Christ are perfectly ex­clusive of all their opposites: there is nothing of a contrary nature or quality found in him to allay or debase his excellen­cy: and in this respect Christ infinitely transcends the most excellent and loveliest creatures: for whatsoever loveliness is found in them it is not without a distasteful tang: the fairest Pictures must have their shadows: the most orient and transplendent Stones must have their foiles to set off their beauty: the best creature is but a bitter-sweet at best: if there be somewhat pleasing, there is also somewhat distasting: if there be gracious and natural excellencies in the same person to delight us, yet there is also some natural corruption in­termixed with it to distaste us: but it is not so in our alto­gether lovely Christ: his excellencies are pure and unmixed, he is a Sea of Sweetness, without one drop of Gall.

Secondly, Altogether lovely (i. e.) as there is nothing un­lovely found in him, so all that is in him is wholly lovely: as Quantus quan­tus est, sum­mis studi is & votis est expe­tendus, Bright­man. every raye of Gold is precious, so every thing that is in Christ is precious: who can weigh Christ in a pair of ballan­ces, and tell you what his worth is? His price is above Ru­bies, and all that thou canst desire is not to be compared with him, Prov. 8. 11.

Thirdly, Altogether lovely, (i. e.) he is comprehensive of all things that are lovely: he seals up the sum of all loveli­ness: quae faciunt divisa beatum, in hoc mixta fluunt; things that shine as single stars with a particular glory, all meet in Christ as a glorious constellation, Col. 1. 19. It pleased the Father, that in him should all fulness dwell. Cast your eyes among all created beings, survey the Universe, observe strength in one, beauty in a second, faithfulness in a third, wisdom in a fourth; but you shall find none excelling in them all as Christ doth. Bread hath one quality, Water ano­ther, Rayment another, Physick another, but none hath all in it self as Christ hath: he is bread to the hungry, water to the thirsty, a garment to the naked, healing to the wound­ed, [Page 251] and whatever a soul can desire is found in him, 1 Cor. 1. 30.

Fourthly, Altogether lovely, (i. e.) nothing is lovely in opposition to him, or in separation from him; if he be alto­gether lovely, then whatsoever is opposite to, or separate from him, can have no loveliness in it: take away Christ, and where is the loveliness of any enjoyment? The best crea­ture comfort out of Christ is but a broken Cistern, or a Vessel whose bottom is fallen out, it cannot hold one drop of true comfort, Psal. 73. 25. It is with the creature, the sweetest and loveliest creature, as with a beautiful image in the Glass; turn away the Face, and where is the Image? Riches, Honours, and comfortable Relations are sweet when the face of Christ smiles upon us through them, but without him what empty trifles are they all?

Fifthly, Altogether lovely, (i. e.) transcending all created excellencies in beauty and loveliness, so much it speaks: if you compare Christ and other things, be they never so love­ly, never so excellent and desireable; Christ carries away all loveliness from them, he is (saith the Apostle) before all things, Col. 1. 17. not only before all things in time, nature, and order; but before all things in dignity, glory and true excellency: in all things he must have the preeminence: for let us but compare Christs excellency with the creatures, in a few particulars, and how evidently will the transcendent loveliness of Jesus Christ appear! For,

First, All other loveliness is derivative and secondary, but the loveliness of Christ is original and primary. Angels and men, the world and all the desirables in it, receive what excellency they have from him, they are streams from the fountain: but as the waters in the fountain it self are more Dulcius ex ips [...] fonte bibuntur aquae. abundant, so more pure and pleasant than in the streams: and the farther any thing departs and is removed from its foun­tain and original, the less excellency there is in it.

Secondly, The loveliness and excellency of all other things is but relative and respective, consisting in its reference to Christ, and subserviency to his glory; but Christ is love­ly considered absolutely in himself: he is desireable for himself, other things are so for him.

[Page 252] Thirdly, The beauty and loveliness of all other things is fading and perishing, but the loveliness of Christ is fresh to all eternity: the sweetness of the best of creatures is a Fa­ding flower, if not before, yet certainly at death it must fade away, Job 4. 21. Doth not their excellency which is in them go away? Yes, yes, whether natural excellencies of the body, or acquired endowments of the mind, lovely features, ami­able qualities, attracting excellencies: all these like plea­sant flowers are withered, faded, and destroyed by death: but Christ is still the same, yesterday, to day and for ever, Heb. 13. 8.

Fourthly, The beauty and loveliness of creatures is ensna ring, and dangerous; a man may make an Idol of it, and dote beyond the bounds of moderation upon it: but there is no danger of excess in the love of Christ: the soul is then in the healthiest frame and temper, when it is most sick of love to Christ, Cant. 5. 8.

Fifthly, The loveliness of every creature is of a cloying and glutting nature: our estimation of it abates, and links by our nearer approach to it, or longer enjoyment of it: creatures like Pictures are fairest at a due distance; but it is not so with Christ, the nearer the soul approacheth him, and the longer it lives in the enjoyment of him, still the more sweet and desireable he is.

Sixthly, Lastly, All other loveliness is unsatisfying, and straitning to the soul of man: there is not room enough in any one, or in all the creatures for the soul of man to di­late and expatiate it self; but it still feels it self pinch't in, Aestuat infe­lix angusto [...] ­mite mundi. and narrowed within those strait limits: and this comes to pass from the inadequateness and unsuitableness of the creature to the nobler and more excellent soul of man: which like a Ship in a narrow River hath not room to turn, and besides is ever and anon striking ground, and foundring in those shallows: but Jesus Christ is every way adequate to the vast desires of the soul: in him it hath Sea-room enough: there it may spread all its fails, no fear of touching the bottom. And thus you see what is the importance of this phrase, al­together lovely.