W£ . ^v*** t tut $h«%Jaf PRINCETON, N. J. Collection of Puritan Literatu Division Section Number H ijv; STRVC no tics ABOUT RIGHT BELEEVING: ISEVERALL SERMONS | Leading unto Ch rift, direding 'J unto Faith, and incouraging thereto. 1 Shewing the 3\(ature, <&\deafnre, fee and necefitie of the fen/e of Sinne. iChrift the bread of Life, a fufficient Si Remedy for Mans mifery ; with the way and m meancs to obtainc him ; as alfo incouragements J| to come to him 3 from his abilitie and readinefle M to/give full foule-fatisfa&ion. By John Archer, Mafter of Art/ometime Preacher of Alt-hallowes Lumbar d-ftreet. London. Acts 2. 39. Now when they heard this > they were priced in their heart. Mat. 11. 28. I Come unto me all ye that labour & are heavie ladenjmd I will give you reft. J! John 4. 14, H Whomever drinh^th of the water that I (hall give him , fhall never thirft : gj but the water that Iftallg.ve him , fall be in him a Well of water |§ Jt rtn g m g up into everlafting life. D . LONDON-, Printed for Benjamin *sf/(en,znd are to be fold at his IT* Shop j at the Crown in Topes-head- Alley. 1645. J*) TO THE READER. Good Reader*; SjflOnfidering the (late of moil people to be, either wholy infenfible oftheir miferable eftate., and goe.on fecurely, not minding the precious and Toul'c- faying Remedy tendred^ or fome others who are fenfible, who are oft difcouraged^ (both , through the malice and fubtiltie of the Dcvill, ) thefe enfuing Sermons, inaplaine and profitable way, tending to helpe, in both thefe refpe&s, are here prefented for a farre more publick advantage, then they could be in the preaching of them ; They are not corre&ed and fitted for thePreflc, as it were to be wifhed, but neere the matter, and way ot his delivery : and the experience had of fome mens Sermons fo printed, hath incouraged to thefe, conceiving they will be A z profitable To the Reader. profitable, hoping ail will be fo charitable as to put good conftru&ions, and not by the contrary, prejudice themfelves, or others from the goo J in- tended : Some things are but briefly propounded, in the Clofe, but there are fevcrall things profita- bly opened, to dircdt finners to Chrift, and incou- rage fenfible ones to come to him,with incourage- ments (b to doe, fhewing his fitneiTe and fnflSci- ency for their helpc, and readinefle to it, and the Soule-fatisfa&ion to be had by him : All which is here commended to thee, for thy good, in defire, and with defire of which, and of thy amending what efcapes thou meetefi: with, I leave thee, and it, to the bleffing of God, CHRIST IS THE $ 1^ E AT> of L 1 F E. A SUFFICIENT REMEDY, F O A MANS MISEKT. John.6,35 # <^4tfrf lefafaid unto them* I am the bread of life : he thtt cornmeth to meefi0a.ll never hunger $ And he that belecveth on me J hall never thir/i. I IHese W o r d s > are an ^yinfwer to that Defre or Demand of the People in the former Verfe, Lord, evermore give us this bread: Wherein Chrift op ens to them, _ What is that Bread, which they feemed to defire ; Which Words of O&rj/MwillConfider ab- folutelyin themfelvesyand pafTe what may beobfer- ved from their Coherence, 6c Dependence .and will not (land on every thing which may be ColJe&cd fro the Verfe, but fo much as may ferve for my purpofc; Which is This: A Having 2 CHRIST is the BREAD of LIFE, *' c . Having fhewcd you the Mifery you are in by Na« of the ture, and now far you muft be humbled with the fence Wordes. of it; Now Ifhall ftiew ye the Remedy* and by what Meanes it may be attained:For which purpofe this Verfi is very full* In which you have: r. Firft a Di/cription of chrisJ: Which is done Meta- phorically by Bread ±1 am the Bread cf Life. a. Secondly the-LMean.es by which this chrifl may be had ; Viz: By comming to Him; That is ( as its expound- ed ) By beleeving on Him, 3« Thirdly the Per fins who may doe this, and fo make Chrifl their ownc;Viz: Any One wbocierfrs isimplyedin the indefinite propounding of it; He that commeth, He that belcevetb.i as ye fliall fee more clearly heerafter^ 4« Fourthly a (trong Motive to perfwade to labour for this Chrifl , tak'en from the Bemfitt • Shall never hunger* Shall never thirfl. First, The Defription of Chrijl ; which is Metaphorically • The Bread of Life. Doctrine . Doctrine. b/auiW CHRIST is the BREAD of L 1FE. Qaeilions! This is °^ ^peated in this chapter : And for ope - ing of which* Coniider thefe Jgueftions ^ u Firft , What is ment , Bj Bread of Life. „. 1 Anfwer;whatever is needfuli,&; fufficicnt,to bring ^uej ton, p CO pj e out f t hj a . c Mijfery rixey are in by Sinne, to that Anfrver. Happynes they loft m Adam : A Sufficiency of CUeanef, To Free from Mifery, And Bring to Happy ness As is more fully expreft ( though in other Metaphors)In Verfes s i> j 4, of this Chapter-, Except ye eate the flesh of the Sonne of m*n>*nd drinke his blood* ye hive no life in yon &c. And there- v^t Efficient Remedy for {Mans Mifery, therefore cbrift culls out a Metaphor, that is one of thecheifc to fupportMans mortall Life; Viz: Bretd; And therefore adds this Epithite; Of Life , That as Bread is fpecially ufefull for our Life;£? is chrifl for the Spiritual & Eternal! Life; The Bread of Life , That is che Remedy of Mansmifery, inwhichheis by NacureSc Sinne. 2 Secondly, Whether this be proper to Chrifl ^ Or common £ Mb him to fome other l £S# tm ' 1 Anfwerit is proper to Him ^ Nothing elfe, nither Anfwer* in whole, nor in part hath any fhare in it ("except as his Instruments v Thefe Words [/ am the Bread »,There- fore by Htm onely it ill all be; And fomuch is expreft by thar, lohnJ. 67 J8. lefus fed unto the twelue , will ye alfi goe away? 7h:n Simon Peter anfrvered him Lord > to whome fhaM we goe \ Thn hall the Wvds of Et email Life ; If ' Eter- nal/ Life could have been had by any other, then they might have gone aw 'ay foCbrifl ; that reafo had not been ftrongj Andthisisexprei]cbythar,^7j.4 iz 4 Neither is there Salvation in any other : For there is none other Name under Heaven gh en among men, whereby we mufl be faved . As the ifraelitcs in the rf'illdernes had noe hclpe from the deadly flings of fiery Serpents , but by the Bra/en Serpent. 3* Thiidlyjywbat Meanest Chrifl comes to be bread of Life. Jj>»efti$n. 1 A 2 I Anfvver, 4 CHRIST is the BREAD of LIFE, I Anfwcr , by His Incarnation, and all that He did & fuffered, till He fate downe at Gods right had in Glory: Oh™ All this, was for the fiting & making Him bread of Life; comes t o as chrifl came into the World for this end, to become be Bread Br Therefore chri/l> being about to fliew Nicodemus,th2it Eternal/Life might be had by Him-, fohn.^, />. That isy that He was the bread of Life s He fir ft lhewcs him his Incarnation, 6c double Nature j Verfe. 1 4. That as iMofes lifted up the Serpent in the Wildernes : Evenfo mufl the Sonne of man be lifted up: For as Bread is not madeofonefingle fubftance,butoffe- verall, joyned together • So chrifl \ the Bread of Life ^ the Man-hoodof chrijl> could not be cffe&uall to bring us to Life j without the God-head > being neither of Power enough to (land under, and come forth, fro that Wrath it mufl: undergoe; Nor of Vertue enough to make its A&ions & Su firings of infinite worth with- out which an infinite debt could not be paid;And the* God-head, though in it Selfe its a Fountaine of Life, & very Communicative,being infinitely Good, Yet by Sinne; Its fealed up , and becomes terrible & a confuming fire, So that It Conveyes nothing but Wrath & De- ft ruction 5 But the Man-hood , makes it an Open Foun- tains, fatisfying & appealing of // Heb*io.iv. to2$* Thus scbrijls Incarnation & Union of two Natures, Viz: The God-head & Man- hood \n One Perfon-, prepares and fits Him to be Bread of Life. And ; 2, Secoadiy , His natural! Infirmities ,& outward Meanefib %^i fujficicnt Remedy far tMans Mifery* Meancfle, and all His SufFerings,were to fit Him for this,- AsCorncis thre(hed> ground, baked in theO- ven , before it makes Bread. O/.i. 14,2/ 22* Thefe, appeafedGW/ Wrath, andfatisfied His Iufiice y for out Sinnes, by which, we were Condemned; And fo, His Obedience & Fulfilling of the Law; This prepared a Robe to cover us> by vertue of which, Wee might appcarefpotlcs in Gods fight, Rev.rp. S. kn&i Thirdly , His Refurrection , was alfo to fit Him to be Bread of Life ; 1.C0/M5.17 Andif ChriH be not raifedy your faith is vaine> y are jet in your finnes. As Bread comes out of the Oven in which it is baked, Or eifc cannot preferve our Life. And: Fourthly , His Afctnfion <5t firing downe in Hea- ven, was alfo to fit Him to be Bread of Life ; This in- deed was the laft preparative Thing hedid,andbut an lntrodudlion , or letting Him into that place & Condition , wherein He might doe the Worke of Bread of Life, who was now by former things, made fully , Compleate Bread of Life : Yet this alfo was done as a Concurrence to His bcwgBreadofLife ; For before He could be given as Bread, and workers Breads He muft be afcended Heaven and fet downe there. Therefore he faith He muft afcend That the Spirit might comeSehn.itf.it&ndEhp.q.Z. Afcending up He gave Gifts unto Men ; As Bread, defcends into the Stomack and fo fends vertue & ftrength into trie Body, before it can nouiifh & preferve Life. Thus ye fee,, how chrifl comes to be Bread of Life And how- many Things were to be done, to fit Him: And though before he dyed ; He fatd all was finished*, He mcanes not every thing, f for th n why dyed he) But all that was to be done , before He gave up the A j Ghoit^ CHRIST to the BRMAD of LIFE, Ghoft; And therefore he proceeded to doe that, And Things°co therefore ,None but He can be it,becaufenone clfe be gather- have, nor can havd ail thefc necefTary Quallifications. c <*. And hence ye may farther gather Two Things. 1. I; When cbrifi is aftually The bread of Ltfe$ namely in his (taceof Glory, then , when he is exalted & at Gods right Hand ; All the tyme & ftate of his Humi- liation w as to fitt & prepare him to be breadofLifcHcb. 7* 2 5 . 2 6. Now he is made higher then the Heavens^ he is able tofave t§ the uttermoft $ And I0ln.14.19. Now he lives { Viz: that glorious Life in Heaven) they fhtll live. And whereas He gave Life to many, before he had done thefe things ( name!y,to all Beleevers before he came; yet it was by vertue of all thefe, done in Gods accountfbecaufe furely to be done ) and in Gods fight to whome all things to come , alwell as paft, are pre- fent ; AcJs.15 . 1 8. Knowne unto Cod are alibis Workes front the beginning of the World.Rev. is. S< The Lamb eflaine from the foundation of the World. And: 2. 2. Ye may hence gather; what in Chrtft, Is theBread of Life sOi' howchriji muft be con fidered & apply ed for Bread: Namely thus 5 The Man hood of chrift, fur- nifhed with all that which it hath Done & Suffred, 6c confequently out of Merrit received as into a (lore houfe ; Is the bread of 'Life : Therefore he faith His Flesh is meate ejr his Blood is drinke indeed tihn.6:$ 5. It is true; that the Man -hwdCmgly confidered without Perfonall Union with the God head, is not 7his bread ofLife(fot then it is not of vertue enough, as ye heard before; But, the Man- hood, as it is in Perfonall Union with the God-head; and fo made of Infinite Worth & Vertue s So, the Man-hood is the Bread of Life ; :,Cor. 1 . 3 o. He of Godjsmadeithit muft be ment of his M*n-bQtd( though as it c/f fiiflicient Remedy for CMan-, Mifery, as iris in Perfonall Union with the God htad) For the Hod head cannot be made a Communicated Wifdome* Mtghteou/nes&c. as tnat is ,• God joyned in Perfon with Chrifts Man>hood, hath by the Doings , Su-ff rings , and Merries cf the Man-hoody to which it was inabied by thcGod £. ^furnished that Man -hood-, with ail Suffjii- gnc^to free from Mifery and make Happy : Irs not thrifts God head but His Man hood which is in Union with His Godrhead+andfo & Vertuc& Effc&of the God- head, and that which is in His Man hiod, that is tlie Bread of Life : Hccre be Two Errors to be a voyded. One when thcGod heado? Chrifl fliall be made the Errors t« Bread of Life-, and that which is applyed by Faith, and b ^ av °y J made One with us ¥ Another, when the Man hood fhall be fimply Con- fidered, and not as it is in Perfonall Unian with the God-head, and receives Vertuefro it, to make its Ads .of JnfiniteWorthu And thus by faith wc eate this Bread \ whitft we re- ceive,apply & truft in Chrifts Man hood, that which he did &iuffred in & by it f through Union with the God- head) for our Juftification, San So, as cannot be conceived. This CMercy farther appe'ares 5 If we Confider , that ( which alfo this Doflrine teacheth us ) it coft God and chrifl fomewhat before they helped SouleSj Chrijl mufi be bread \ That is not his up & doing it; But much muft he doe and indure , 'before he was fited for if, As Bread doth before it become Bread 5 Therefore, we are the more bound to Him for his undertaking the Workeof Our Redemption : And to God the Father, For Giving Him to that Worker IfaKing fhould ap- point his Sonne , and his Sonne undertake, to fave Traytors, onely by comming to the Prifon St fetching them out , it were worthy of much Thankes ; But much more, when the Sonne, by much paines and coft, fhall doe it j lofeph procured Bread for Egypt, But Cbrifi was made Bread, 2. Use, For Incouragement to Such as droope in the Sence of their Mifcry, arid want of Life > i may fay to fuch of you, as be amazed with the Sence of your Mifery by Sinne; As /accb to his SQnncs,Gen.qz.i>2< Why doe ye looke one upon another ? Behold I have beard that there is Come in Egypt &c. Whatever you want, whether Gods Favour, Or Image, The Life of Comfort* Or of Grace, defpajrc not jFor God hath provided Bread for you j I , and ye need not beaffraidtocomc to this Bread, and take it; For heloves to have People eate oiH$m- % as will clearely appcare by this,which alfo followes from this Point, Viz: That cbrifi Came froif Seavcn temK* \ xyi fufficient Remedy for CMans Mifery, End , To recover Sinners out of their Mifery, And to helpe them to live -, For chat is the End of Bread; It is not dire&Iy for any other ufe^- Itisfo ofChrifts Comming* tJWatb,i$. u. For the Sonne of Man is come to fave that which wa* loft : lehn. 3.17* Tor God fen t not his Sonne into the World to condemne the World, but that the World through Him might hefaved : And Chap. 1 z t 47 . / came not to judge the World* but to Save the World : Therefore they that feele their need of him , need not feareComming to Him , or queftion his helping of them : It was the End of His Comming, and the Ufe G^/cheifly pirrHim to: Therefore he will not be averfe from it ; Hence it was in that, Math.iS. 1 i # having told them that this was the Endof His Comming, to Save ,-He, by a Parable fliewes thrmwhat/^it was to Him to five any one-, How can Hebutjoy in making good the End of his Comming? Therefore, they that droope in a Sence of their iMiie- ry> and dare not goe to (Thrift for helpe , doe not knowe Chnft,Nor the Miftery of his Incarnation, Nor the End of his Comming ,- That it was to Rcleive the i^4ffliciedi Learneitnow therefore, and come confi- dently to Htm fot Helpe >, He cannot but with all readi- nes entertaine thee, and the Opertunity of making good the End of his Comming; Therefore in Scripture, Christ was greedy of any opertunity to releive a dif- trefled Soule$ And did not quench the fmoaking flax &c. ?JMath,io 3 mo&meeke, and gentle, and eafily tntreated- y therefore a Dove fate on him 3 in His firft Inftalement into h is Office ; This is a maine thing, that is taught in \\\zGo(pel\ and may be obferved through the wholeSto- tysxhixChriJl with abundance of gentlenes (^voiUingnes, en- tertained & incouraged all that in fincerity came to himfor helpe; Fearc not then Chnfts reje&ing thee, B fo io CHRIST u the BREAD of LIFE, fo thou have a right defire to him, but prefle him, if he feeme to deny thee, as the Woman did Marke, 7, 27.28, Let not want of Life, or Weakenes hinder thee, for he came to helpefuch^as bread is for the empty and weake, Therefore fay yeas CMofes, Exod.r6.iy re. This u the bread which the Lord hath given you to eate &c> I* ?fi- 3. Use, To teach us, how much we fhould efieeme & prize Chrift , and Labour for Him ; even as hunger ftarved people doe for Bread ; ifraell defired a crucll Bondage ForBreads fake,£xW.i6. k* the Egyptian bondage fro which they were freed;And they loh^ij.zS.How did they follow chrift, from one Coafte to another, for Loaves? What did Egypt doe for Bread-Corne ,{not Bread, nor fitted tot eir hands }Gen:^i t 5$ .They cryed to Pharaoh for breads kndCap.+j. \4Slhey parted with all their Monyfor bread | Ahd Ver.i*j< They parted with aft their Catties And Ver^oJ'hey parted with their Land>\ A n AVer* 2/. Theyfould Themfelves ; Would ye fo doe for chnfi . ye fhould have him, l/ay.$ s. i« Ho every one that tbir/leth, eome yee to the waters, and he that hath no mony : come ye, buy ejr eate, yea t come; buy wine ejr milfo without mony^ and W/^«//>r/Vf; and why fhould ye not, fince He is Bread,, not bread cor ne, but ready fitted to your hands? How did all Nations flock to Egypt, Gen\+i* 5 7*Becaufe Bread Corne was there? And why, flock ye not to Chrifl, fince He is the Bread of Life? Doe ye not manefeflly give himthe lye, who calls Him felfe Bread* And yee . who fo much care for Bread ( as if ye call it to mind ) ye did lately in the Famine; yet prize not* nor care to get Him : Though it may fceme,not delirable,as Bread oft doth to Ghildren,therefore when it is given them. they x^i fufjicient Remedy far UWam Mifery* % 1 1 they caft it away, Yet confider 5 the cafe of your Soules, hunger- (tarved; And He-, the Bread of Life. Chrift is That I may quicken yc up to prize & efteeme Chrift better t \g more, Confider.in how many Perticulers , He is better any bread then any other Bread. ' perSr, • i. Other Bread onely fupports Life, it doti not give Life, ( as ye all knowej But Chrift is a Bread that *• gives Life to them that^ dead, and therefore is called the Bread of Life, !ohn.6^ 3 ,54.57* 2. Other Bread preferves Life but for a while ;Gen: 2. 3, Ea-e it till thou turne to dull, It doth but rcpreive as iz \n ere till an oclur Semes ; It Con upts,and keepes not the Body from Corrupting; But this Bread, gives Et email life, lohn.6 \ 3^.51. This is the Bread which com- methdownefrom Heaven J hat a man rr a] eaie tiereof and not dye-, But live for evtrs Therefore. ChriU by this Ar- gument pervades them to prefer this before ot s er meate John. 6. 27, Labour not for the mcate which p:rishah> hut for that m:ate which endureth unto everlaftwg life , which the Son;, e §fman f hall give unto you : 3« Other Bread hclpes but the Body in Point of ?. Life,and but in an earthly Life; But this helps the Soule Cr Bod) , and that in a Spirit uall Life. 4 Other Bread, is not enough to Life, but with 4* that there mull be other things, even in this fence is that true Man lives not by bread alone ^Therefore ye ha\ e Sampfon , not complaining of danger of Death, for want of Bread, but Water; But this Bread is Alifuffici> ent s It alayes Hunger &c Third both, fas is in the Text ) Yea, Its ]Vme, Milke, ejr fat Things, Efay, 5 5 , £. Other Bread maybe kept from you, or tooke /. from you when you need it, and ufually is rareft to be had, when we molt needeir, as in Famine ; As Ponds B 2 which 6. 12 # CHRIST if the BREAD of LIFE* which be full in Winter, wkeri we need no Water, but dry in Summer* when Water is mod needed ,* But this Bread> None can keepc, nor takeaway, Its Ever free ejr plentifully to be had. 6. Other Bread, oft f cofts deare, and is not every ones Mony, ( as in Dearths) But the Price of This ( as ye fhall fee heerafter )isonely the Receiving it, the Comming, Taking, and Eating, (as its in our Text/ and Its free for any , without reftraint or limitation of Pcrfons, 7, Other Bread may poifibly have fomewhat found in its roome that may ferve Nature, though not all fo well; But this Bread, can onely helpeour Soules None clfe can but this , as ye heard in opening the Doc- trine, So that without this, There is no Life to be had; Now Confideringail theft Super-excetfencyes in Chrifi.^ Why fliould ye not prize Him, and labour (ox Him more then for Bread? remember what you did for bread in the dearth , and doe more for chrift* 4. rfe, 4* U s e # To teach us, That Chrifi is onely for hungry Soules Such as be fenfible throughly of "their Mifery bySinne, and fo Pant after a Remedy s For , therefore he is called Bread, becauft Its onely for the hungry : God hath pro- vided him onely for fuch( as ye heard before from, Luke 5. 31 12* ) as the Table is fpread for the empty, not for the fully For indeed none elfedefire, prize, or will receive him,- pleafant foodisflighted by the full feven the hony combe; much more this, which is hard of digeftion , and vefygrofletaFlefh&Blouds pallat & eye: Therefore, obferve in Scripture, who they were that fo Prized 'chrijl\ they were Soules, hunger bitten i^4 fufficicnt Remedy for UHans Mifery. 13 bittenvtith thc/enceof ihzit Jprituall Mlfery: And, who did flight him > Who were they to whome God never gave him? the Pharifees & blind People., who were not hungry after a fpirituall Mercy , as not being throughly fcnfible of a fpirituallMifery; And this is the very reafon, why Cbri/lisfo lit^e regarded in the World 5 When one lookes in the Scripture and I'ccs^ what Excellent Things are fpoke of cbrift ; and on* the longing defires, the Stints of old had after chrift, and their abundant joy in chrifi s andlooke now how (lightly & by how few he is efieemed ; one would thinkt that whie" is writ of them is fabulous ; or they wete foohih , or our Chrijl is not the fame chrifl; or why fhouldhethen be longed fonand now, being co- me and o fired is defpifedfButheere is the truth of it^He isBready and they were hungry 5 But now mod are full- Full with their Sinnes , their Honours, Profits , Con- tents of this World ; and therefore care not for Chri/t; Andmervaileat the hunger-bitten «SW^ y which keepe fuchadoe for chr/sf, But let allfuch knowe,chatC^r//Z is not as yet for them^GWnever prepared, appointed* orient him, for fuch, but for the hungry; as the Sherv- bread was not for David himfelft but in cafe of great hunger , Math, 12. 3.4, If God hadimmediatly & fuddenly conveyed chri(l to finnfull Soules, then might he have been injoyed by you, without being fir/l hungry ; But fincc he gives him as Breadi you muftfo take him s that is firfl being hungry^ This is the reafon why many eace this Bread.Chri^ and be never the better, becauie they eate him without bufjgtt /fry?-, and foe digeft him not; but fill their Sou* leswithcrudy Humors, Secuntv, Prefumption,&x„ which kill the Soule : Let an hungry Soule eate of this B 3 ' Bread 14 CHRIST is the BREAD of LIFE, i. Bread j it exceedingly ftrengthens bim to all Obedi- ence , filling theSoulc with good Nourifhmcnt & Spi- rits, of Love, Peace, Hope, Joy: Bat if any that be not hungry doe eate of chr'tft^ thatis, apply him * y He is to them , butas the foode to the Angells who were without (iomacks Gen iS. 8. they feemed to eate, but .eate not, and Co were never the better for it though the foode was good. Hence theSoules of People be fo ftarveling like, though they oft injoy large Meales of this Bread, (Viz: the Word oft preachy Sacraments oft adminiftred) becaufe, wanting Stomacks they How h° - one 'y f eeme to eate * but eac e not. If therefore , ye ier.afcer would be the better for chrifl > ye muft get an Hunger ; Chrift. which that ye may the better doe. i. Difgorge \our SouJesofthatSurfet of Sinne &: earthly Vanityes, which ye have taken in; By Confi- dering the vanity & hurtfullnes of them* 2. Getaftrong Appetite to cbrifl; Which is done, Partly by drinking downe the Vinegtr of the Law, eating the fower Hearbs ; By the Law laboring to fee your Sinnfullnes & Mifery thereby? And partly by looking into the GoJpeL and chrifis Beauty, and Defirable- nes',zsEve by Considering the Fruire, was drawn e to take & eare it : But I will not preife this , becaufe I have lately done it, and (hewed you how farr'you muft be Humbled & the Signes &Meanes of it: AH that I now fay is this: That as it was with the bitter Water in another fence. So is it with chrift ; If they that hunger , take St eate him, they are faved by Him\\i they that hunger not) medle with Him> It is their bane& ruine: There* forechinkc notthofe Preachers your enemyes, who la- bor to humble you by prcfling on you the Law,and your mife- i_J fufficient Remedy for \JMans Mifiry. 15 muerable fcllatc by Nature, tor ic is but to make you hungry, and fo fit for Cbrifl, the Brsad of Life * We are your Paftors& Nurfes , and muft ftckc to get you Stomacks,thatyemayeace, and not tread under foote this Jpirituafl foode j therefore, thus , and for this end to feeke co humble you, is a part of our Duty 6c Love to youjfhould Preachers onely preach chrift to you, it would but delude you, for till you be hungry* God will not give him, nor will yeaccept him,bccaufe He is Bread. Thus much f>rtheFirft Thing in the Text 5 The Defcriftion of Chrift-, as the fuffictent Remedy of CMaks Mtfery. • The- Second Thing, in the Te xt,Is The fecod the Meanes by which this chrift t T his Remedy of out Mi- Thing m fery \ raav be had : That is by Lomming to chrift: He the text, that comes to Ait /ball never hunger \ This, is farther expr.ft in the Text, by an other word, Vi2: Eeleevi'gin htm: So that camming to him* and beleeving on him , is a ! l one and the lame, and he that comes to Chrift , or beleeves in Chrift, fliall ob- taine Chrift , and get him , for die he could not be kept from hungring & thrifting, as the Text faith he fliall be; And in other Scriptures, This ( which is the CMeanesby which chrift may be hadj is expreft ino- ther words; Kslohn.i. 12. A receiving chriftytor there, receiving Chsift& beleeving on him, is made all one, and receiving Chrift, is the meanes of gating Chrift; ( or elie, be rha t receives him could not have preroga- tive to be Cods Sonne -, as that Verfe affirmes of him; Andelfe where; it is called a ukein^Reve.iz.i-j. So 16 Comming to, and Beleeving on CHRIST. D^clrine* So that, ihtKMetncs by which chri/l ( this Remedy of Mans mifery ) may be had , is Comming to Him , Beleeving on Him, Taking or Receiving of Him: Hence obfcrve. Doc T III N £ Tie allrjr onely CHEANESof, and that GOD requires for , the Obtaining of CHRIST , and Salvation by CHRIST s Is the Comming to HI Mi Taking, Receiving of HIM> cr Beleev- ing m HI M % This is exprefTe in the Texts, whence we now raife it, there is no more to be done , and Chriji is injoyed, If God required more, or more muft be done j Then this Verfe of my Text, doth not fully direft how to get the Bread of Life , But that it doth ; Therefore , let a Man come to Chrift, and he fhdl have Chrift; This isall that God requires for the obcaining Chrift; and therefore our Sa viour, expreflech Chrifl by a Feaft,Ycady prepared, and to be pertaked by all that come ,- Pro.p. 1.2.? , Wifdome hath builded her Houfe, She hath killed her Be a (Is : She hath mingled her Wine : She hath famished her Table, She hath fent forth her May dens ^ She cryeth: Who fi is fimplejet him turne in hither *Sh e fan h come eate of my Bread, anddrinke of my Wine which I have mingled. Luke.i 4.17. He fent hisfervant at [upper time to fay to them that were bidden', come> for all things are now ready - y And they that eate not of it, mifte it becaufe they came not ^VerCe 2 4. And however there was One that came, and yet was not permitted to eate at the Teaft^tMatkiz, z/.ijmj. yet it followes nor, that there is fome what more required then Comming $ for he mifearried becaufe he came not The onely iMeanes to obtaine CHRl ST. 17 not, bad he come indeed ; he had obtained s buc he did but feeme to come, though it is called a Comming, tor the want of the wedding garment , was onely a want of Comming, (as ye fhall lee heerafter, when welhevv what Right commivg is) This allfo is farther proved by thefe Scriptures ; Iohn,$, 40, cbap \\.i%. And as the Scripture is expreffe for the proofc of this$under the expreffionof Comming; So alio, is it asexpretfe; under the PhrafeofBeleevwgiMatb.21.j1. The Publicans & Harlots goe ivto the Kingdome of God before you : Why? For Verfe^i. Tee beleeved not , but the) did, Therefore Faith is the Way : Therefore when the Peo- ple askt Chrtft 5 What they fhould doe to norke the Worke of Cod, thatis 10 get Salvation y He prescribes them this onely, lohnJ,$(>. Thit is the Worke of God, that ye Beleeve : Hence ; that, Marke.id. if. He that beieeveth /hail be fived. This is taught by our Saviours mzkingFaith the In- ftrument & onely Meanes of Curing, & Helping all them He cured in the Gofpel; and where He found flot Faith, Ke did no great Cure; Math. 13 5 f. Alfchenceitis that Unbelecfe is made the onely Ground &Reafon of Mens Damnation- lobn.i.iS J &Chap.%. i 4 . Though Men (hall be punifced for all other Sinnes , Yet not Belceving is the Ground & Rcafon why they perish by their Sinnes , Becaufe^- letvtng is the onely CMeanesofSalvatiou • And this was typified by the ifralttes not entering Canaan, becaufe ofcheirUnbeleefe,/^ &/ a a 5 And hence alto it is, that Be/eeving,is in Scripture made the Fruirc Signc & Pledge , of Gods ordaining VcoplctoEtemMtt Life, Ate i^t. Andnorbdeeving V-» is marlp * 8 Cotmning to, and Beleeving on CHRIS T, is madcthe Fruite, &Signe of Gods not purposing t& Save People lohn. i u 3 9,40. B'eca-u-fe, Btleeving is the otte- ly UWeafies of obtaining Salvation, Laftly, It is hence alfo, that all the Requifites to Sal- vmon^xt made in Scripture the Confequents & Workesoi Faith : Namely : The Righteoufnes of Chrift for our lufiification , Rom: s, 22. And the^/W/ofChriftforour Sanclification: GalLi.i4> Thus ye fee, how the ^and Onely Meanet of, and all that God requires for, Our obtaining Chrift and Salvation by Him is to Come to Him > Or Beleeveon Him, And this was typified by the Bra/en Serpent 5 as it is expounded & applyed by ChriH lohnj. 14, as Allthzx. God required, and was the Meanos. for obtaining Cure from the Bra/en Serpent, was the Looking on it\ as you may rea.de> Nam: 21 ♦ 8,9* There are two Propo/itions,o£ncccffitytQ be knowne by all that would be faved : One is , that chrift is the Allejr onely Remedy of our Salvations The other is, that Comming to Chrift, or Belecving on Him , is the All ejr onely fJM-anes, whereby Chrift faues Hi: There is no Salvation but by Chrift onely 5 and there is no having Chriftejr Sal- vation but by Faith onely : As God conveyes Salvation ondy by Chrift 5 So Chrift & Salvation are had onely by Commingto, or Beleevingin Chrift: The formerof theft, hath been taught you in the former Point; and row,> the latter is as clearely taught. For the better underftanding , and making ufeof this Doclnwi It is fit co open & (hew > What this Comming to C^r//?,Keceiving, Taking,and Beleeving on Him > is. They are (as ye heard before,) feverall Words expreffing one and the fame Thing : And that is this. The The finely CMeanes to ohtaine CHRIST* 19 The Act of the whole Man ( chat is of every part and faculty ofMan ) entertaining Cbri/l offered in the ^j" 001 " Gcfbel, and refigning up himfelre to chrift, in all the and bclce- Offices of Chrift, asa King , Preifl, ty Prophet, to be faved vin g on . by Him through thoie Offices. To Be/eeve in chrift $ is Chrlft > xu not in Generall to phanly & conceire that 1 mail be faved by Chrift and he dyed for me 5 as the Worlds Faith is. Yefhall find Divines giving other defenptions of Faith. As namely, a periwafion of the forgivencs of rn<- Sinnes & Salvation of my Soule by Chrift : Or a Confidence, & Truft in Chrift for Salvation , which (with all other defcriptions of Faith ) I conceive to be Venire ad tht expreflions of fomebigher Degrees, Effects, Con- ch> 'ft" e fl fequents of Faith ^ andnot co be the firft act of Faith-, '%££££ But, as for this ; which I have now give i , [0 farr as I fere } & fi can find by Scripture , it is the firft act of Faith, and ** ic **fi- tbat which trolly gives title to ,6c intercft in , the Bud/in™ Lo ur,2nd to refigne&: give up his nholefelfe to him ; T , And therefore, i thinke, Beleevi-.g is expreit by the i ng t hi S * phraksotcowmingto Hint, taking receiving of Him $ be- Bread. js caufeitis afo doing as is before defcribed 3 For then b y*f*feto receive ( as any one in reafon knowes;is chrift come to, tool c> b mi c and as w*. Heis efftredb* God A Kmg,Preft,ejr Prophets for the Ends fo r w h ch God ten aers ^im; Viz-.Tv he faved by Him . And whereas ltmay be objected; that the Word, Beleevmgj in or on Chrift -, implycs a Confidence or C 2 Truft 20 Comming to , and Beleeving on C H RIST. Truft in hinu a relying on him$ I Aafwer it is moffc true 5 and therefore , the phrafe is extreordinary , not to be found ( as fome have obfcrvedyin any Writers, butthe Scriptures, ("and Such as take it from them) O thers ufing onciy this phrafe,to beleeve a tbingjand not to beleeve in it,or on it; So that the phrafc implyes relying on it with a Confidence &Expe without aTruft, Confidence, or Relying on him: And the Comming to Him, or Receiving of Him, is theEfFcft of this; ('for therefore, they Come toHim&Entcr- taine Him, becaufe they Truft to be Helped by Him ) but this may not allway es be E vident, as the Caufc is oft more obfeure then the Effect, And fo, a Man may Entertaine Chrift, when he thinks he cannot Re- lye on Him & Truft in Him: But yet there is a double Trufting or Relying on Chrift; Theoneis, at a Venture, without a Pcrfwa- fion of an Intereft in Him; grounded on Gods free effer of Him to al! Sorts of People * this is the Ground of comming to him, and entertaining of him, (for if *> this were not, People would never receive Him ) this fcemes to be no more then a confidece in his ability & wiliingnes to fave all that come unto Him % and in the truth of Him, gives record of him; The other is, a more Certaine Thing,grounded on tfce Knowledge of an Intereft in C hr iji -, B ecaufe a Joule knowes it hath Chrift for/// onne\ Therefore it refts on Him confidently for Salvation: Thisfollowcs the Knowledge of our Beleeving ^wd is a farther act and degree of Faith&nd comes after out Comming to Him and Receiving of Him, The former may not appeare, though The one! j cjiieanes to obtaine CHRIST. 21 tl ough it ever is, where chrijl is beleeved en j and is weaker according as the the aft ot Faith is weaker; And that makes lome Divines make Faith to be a reft- ingonGods Authority, ora truftinthe Truth of God that fpeakes $ for this ever is, where Faith is : Thus, all Things considered, wee fee, Faith, may be fo defined, as 1 have done y Viz: The atl of the whole Man ejrc.lt is an Entertajnmg ch? /y?,and Re/igning himjelfe to Cbrifii Therefore, it is called an acknowledging Cbriji, 2.frt.i. 3. as t is in the Greeke ixtypaas. And therefore, expreft by a Womasis marrying a Man , Rom. 7.4. which is an entertaining by covenat of a man,refigning up hir felfc to him ; And it is expreft by Ingrafting, Rom. the 1 i« whereby the Science embraceth the6tock for itsRoote&Meancsof Life& Fruite, and is given up to the .Stock tb be prekrved 6c furnifhed with Sap, and made fruitefull by it. Onely in this , there is this difference > The Fruite followes the Science& Impe, and nor the Stock : But the Eeleevers Fruite is Chr:(li , the Stocks , and not Its owne: And this feemes to be Pauks beleevm~\ For, \^4cJs.p. 6. when he perceived that leftuxvas God in Kea-> . i*»,and fo raifed from the dead &c. ( as appeared by that Vifion 6c Voice ) then Rattle, entertaines him, and refignes up himfeife to him , in thofe Words : Lord what wtlt thmkave meto dee ? as if he had /aid Lord,/ave me, and rule thee } I become thine ejre. And this feemes to be Faiths for the Fruite of Faith is found in him Vtrfu, He prayeth ( faith the Lord of him )and Ferfeij. Ananias call* him Brother; and together with this fight, he was to rtcetve the Holy-Ghojl, which was a iigne othisbelcev- ing; And in the iz. chapter, where the Story is re- peated , Vcrfc.\6. Ananias haftneth him to be baptized : C 3 therefore 2 2 Comm'tng to , and Be leei ing on CHRIST, therefore, he tookc it for granted that He 'bckeved , of elle he would have faid as Phill»p AftsA 57. to the Eunuch, ifthou bJeevefl rvith a ! l thy Heart, then may (I fa baptized 1 And thus it is a Peruculer application of Chrift, to a Mans felfe ,-for one cannot entertaine hi*tt and refigne up ones felfe to him; but we doe pertitu- lerly apply him.-as the marrying a Man, or ingrafting an lmpe,is, aperticulerapplication of them: Sochere is a perticuler application of cbrijl % that is not ever with the firft ad of Faith: and that is an ajfttrance that Chrift is mine (for this followes the reflect a£h whereby I knovve that I beleeve ) There is anothenand that is a taking Chrift, for mine , and giving up my felfe ro Him • and this is ever , where there is Taith. Againe, ascitis an entertainingChrift, and refign- ing up ones felfe to him \ So it is an entertaining and reiigningupto Him in all his Offices: whole Chr.ft, not Tome part of Chrift; Therefore, & perfe&ly fubjed to Himzs fijfafe Prophet, but this muflthey be willing, ^covenant j&indea- vor todoe^andfoto expeft Salvation byChrijl through his execution of all thofe 0$foj 5 when he fliall be in us afwell as for us, a King,PreiJl ,ejr Prophet : This is to Befeeve* Now the Ground of thus doing, and fo of Faith , is Gods free offer ofchrifl, on chefe Tearmes , thus to be had,\viih his promife of Salvation by Him to all that fo entertaine Him; therefore . thedoing this , is called the fettingtoaSealethzt God is true ; and the not doing it, is called the Making God a lyep> The Reasons of this Doctrine. Feifonscf Why thus to doe, as hath been explained, is, All 'that the Docl. GodrequireSiZnd the onely CMeanes of obtaining chrifl, and Salvation by chriji: Are. Fir ft, Becaufe Chrifl & Salvation, are Gifts (fGod.lohn* 4, 10. Bom- 6. la/l (for in them Godfeekesthepratfsofhis Grace^Eph i, 6.andfothey muft be Gifts $C free Things; Nowa Gifr,mu(t not be deferved,for then it is a Debt, Nor, haveany thing done for it , but the receiving it; forelfe, it is an Exchange, no Gift ; And indeed this i$ onemaine reafon , why Godlo magnifies Faith, as to make it the onely (jMeanes of obtaining ChriH & Salvation; Becaufe Faith onc r y magnifies Gods free Grace., For if any thing were done; then chrifl & Heaven could not be Gifts 5 And this alfo fhewes that Faith onely as it is a receiving chrifl ( and no other way, not as it is an O- bedience, or Deed done ) is the UMcaws of obtaining thrift U 24 Comming to , and Beleeving on CHRIST, 2. thrift & Salvation by him : Becaufe elfe, they could not be Gifts, norof Grace, Rom.q. 16. Therefore it is of Faith, that it might be by Grace. Secondly, Becaufe Man fhould be abafed, and ftript of all boaftwg\fox whilft that nothing is required of him for having Chrifl: 6c Salvation , hut receiving and taking it, he can attribute nothing tohimfelfe^a*.*, 2-].WhereuBoaftinglhet2? it is excluded, by what Law: of Workes \ nay : but by the Law of Faith Thirdly, Becaufe this makes Salvation fure to us ; Rom, 4* \6Jtti of Faith jo the end th • Fromife might be fure ; for chat it is grounded on God his Truth & Faithfuflnes ,and laot on us , as it was in ^Adam, There are two Things by which fome abufe this Doflrine-y which muft be removed. i. Somebe ready to thinkejlf all that God requires to Salvation be the BelecvinginChrtJl, then may we live in Sinne as we lift; and yet come to Chrift, belceve in Him, and fobefaved. I Anfwer jbut this is prevented by the defcription of Vomming to Chrift , receiving of Him , or befecving on Him\ It is fas yeheard^the entertaining and resigning up one felfe to Chrifl: in all things ,to be taught & ruled by him , afwell as to be faved by him; and they that doe not this; doe not come to Chrifl, nor receive, nor beleeve in him ; So that the very nature of Beleex ing> and a carnall Heart, & Life, are incompatible. Faith unites to Chrift, and fo from Chrift there is communi- cated , Death to Sinne , RefurreQion to newnes of Life . Faith affords many holy reafonings,whereby the Heart isftirredagainftSinne,andto Obedience, Rom.6, io n. Likewife reckon ye alfo your Selves to be dead indeed unto Sinne ± but alive unto God through lefm Chrtft our Lord. i . Peter, The onely CMeants to chtaine CHRIST. 25 I .Peter .4. 1 .Forasmuch the as Chrijl hath fnffred for us tn the fiesh,arme your Jeltes likewife n ith the fame mind &c. They that beleeve, are married ioChri(l, and therefore bring forth fruiteby Him to God, Rom.7.4. Chrift Lives in them that beleeve , GaUa .29, And dwelles in their hearts, Eph % i. 17. Faith works by Love t Gall. 5 • 6. And Love makes us keepe fthat is /Evangelically; in defire & indeavor )*#/£ the Spirit muft likevvifc come from Heaven to Convince of Righteoufnes : which needed not, if anything but God could doe it ^ And To for a Man to renounce his owne will '&wayes , and give D up 26 Comming to, and Beleeving on CHRI ST> up himfelfe to Chrift* whofc Lawes be fo contrary to Mans will; this is above Nature : AiCo the Dcvill is moft ftrongly againft this ; hence To many difcou- ragements be fubtill tentations are put on them that indeavor to beleeve^ for Satan knowes that this onely gives Chrift the Kingdome and turnes him out. To con- clude, therefore \s it to hard to be faved, and /b few are faved; becaufe it is Co hard to belceve, and fofm doe beleevc. But it is farther obje&ed againft thisDottrine ; thus* The Scripture calls for many Things befides Fatth , of them that be faved $ as legall Humiliation , Moi tifica- cion,Hoiynes, Obedience &c. Therefore it feemes that Beleeving or Comming to Chrift is not all that (7^ requires. i Anfwer t TheLegall Humiliations, and all wound- in'gs of Spirit, with the fight of Sinne, are required> not as Meanes by which wc pertake of Chrift ejr Salva- tion ; ( for many have them that never obtaine Chrift or Salvation ) but as Preparations whereby People are fitted, & inclined, anddrawne, to Come to chrift > to Receive, & Beleeve on Him $ and they be one Meanes by which the Father drawes and theMinifters com- pell People to come r And Mortification, Hclynes, obedi- ence ejfc, are onely the Tmites ejr Effects of our Beleevingi that, vvhrch chrtft doth in them, he meanes to fave, after they have beleeved in Him s Thefe are the be» ginings of Salvation &GIory which Chrift begines and perfects in them that come to Him for Salvation; So that allthough thefe muft be in all that be faved; Yet there is no other Meanes required of God for Obtaining Chrift and Salvation, but onely Beleev- ing. Uses. The finely CMeanes. to obtalne CHRIST. 17 i *. Uses. Fitft Vfe, may ferve for Inftrttclion.mTnizz Perti- t yf e . i 4 To fhew us in the General! what to obferve in CMans Salvation, Viz: Free Grace> Certainty, and chat God is Ak U* Ally in Itt; Thefe fas ye heard in the Keafons ©f the Point) are manifeftedaboundantlym Gods re- quiring no other CMewes of getting chrift, and Sdva- tion by chrift .bwzoncly Beleeving: Therefore ice u. fee thefe in,Godhisfavingof PeoplejThisis indeed the fweetnesof theGofpel, and that which makes it io much glorifie God & incourage mifcrab'e Ma ; xV at it adores us , all Happynes is to be had in C hfiflj for receiving it, 2 To fhew their Error, thzt labour moft fnrPl^a- fure, Wealth, Honour, Content 6cc Whereas thefe neither are CWeancs > nor are required by God, for our getting chriBejr Salvation-. Therefore folly// is to la- bour for them more, then to Beleeve. 3, To fhew the £rm5-, both, OfPapifts,who feeke Salvation by Workes aifo, and not by Faith onely; and fo make it neither Free Grace &Gtft> nor fare s nor fliutt Man out from */l bcafting. Andalfo, the Errorof many among us (even that have fomegood thing in them.^ who, to the end they may get cbrifi & Salvation , la- bour mod for Humiliation , or for Holynes , and leafl: of all, to Come to Chrift, & beleeveon Him ; wheras onely Faith'\$fattJMeanes,2XidAllt)\ztGod requires for our obtaining C bri ft ejr Salvation. gSfThere are Two Snares , which the DeviS fets for People. One is, when they hope to be faved by Chrift, and D 2 never 2 8 Comming to, and Beleeving on C HRIS> T, never looke to be humbled, nor to be fanftified ; ( thus the Profane are caught ) which i$ a moft filly thing r to thinke that any can be Saved, that be not regene- rated 8c fan&ified ; or to thinke that one can beleevc,&: not hate all Sinne>& ftudy all HoIynes,or that any one Can be brought to Heaven by Chrift, and not to Holy- nes firft j It was a good fpeech of Francis Spira , lying in thediftrefleof Spirit -> Iwillnot (faith he) dctraft from the Gojpel, it is moft true , that by Faith in Chrift, we be onelyfaved, but yet, takeheede of refting on Faith, and neglt&ingthcrVorkes of Faith, Faith requires not that we be Chr iftians in word oncly ; Beleeve me ( qouth he) roho have fully tryed the matter > and therefore lie much commended to them, the EpiJIles ofrtter,vthich prefle Sanflity ejr Chajlitytjrc. This was good Counfell, and very ufefull againft this Snare,by which Satan intangles the moft of People, who reft in a Conceitethat tliey beleeve, and never care for the Workes of Faith $ but the Error of this hath been opened before. There is an other Error, which is zfecond Snare of Sa- tan; Viz: To labour for Humiliation , Mortification, Holynes & Obedience, and not to labour to Beleeve -, this is the Snare in which many well difpoted People arc caught : And the Error of it appeared by this DocJrine ; Becaufe there is no other (JMeanes required by God for our obtaining Chrifl ( which is , when there is a ferious labour after Mortification , and all Obedience) Yet then to labour for more Humiliation, or Holynes,and not The only LMeanes to obtaine CHRIST. 2 9 not firft Sccheifly to labour to beleeve in Chrift; this is agreat error ^ for there is noe other meanes to get Chrift & Salvation but Faith; So that all the other Labour is in vaine,and for that, which never can bring Chrift or Salvation j fas if a Man that ckfires to bring hisdeadFreindtoLife,ihould onely labour to bring him to the a&s of Life ( as to fpeake walke 6cc. ) and not to the onely Mcancs of Life: to have his Soule joynedagaine to his Body; and that Satan knowes> and therefore putts them on it, to make them fpend time&payncs to noepurpofe; To fuch therefore, 1 may (ay , as Elisha in an other cafe , to the Syrians ; i. Kings.6>ip.Thu u not thell\y y Yc feeke Salvation and Chrift, but by farther meafure of Humiliation, ( hav- ing enough allready tomake you willing) or by Holy- nes,youcan net get them; there is but one Way > one jbir/g that God requires , and that is , to Beleeve ; There- fore as Chrift faid to Martha in an other cafe ; Lnke.io. 4T. 42. Te are careful! about many things, but one thing is ne* ce/Jary Viz: to Come to Chrift, and Beleeve in him j to Entertaine him, and Give up your Selves to Kim in all his Offices 5 doe this and you fhall be Jived-, When this is done, then fhall ye be able to attaine Mortification and Victory over your Lufts Sanclification 6c Ability to Duty, and not before , Thefe be the Fruites 6c Effects of Belceving . and you tnull Beleeve y before you can have thtfe * As the Wopnan muit be marryed to the Man , before fliee can have lawfall Children by him; And the Science muft be ingrafted into the Tree, before it can beare Fruite : Were it not a fimple thing, for a Woman to expect Children Legitimate b; a Man and then fhee would marry him ; Oc to exped that a Science fhould firft bcarc Fruite by the Sap of ; D 1 Stock, 3 o Comming to , and Beleeving on CHRIST, Stock,and then ye would ingraft it to it 5 Or to cxped that a Roome fhould be firft inlightned , and warmed in the cold Winter, and the ye would bring in a Can. dleecFirc; As abiurdisic, to expect firft to 'be Sm&ified and then to Beletve in chrj/l ■ For Faith in Cbrijl , is \he Cau/e> of all Mortification & Holynes 5 it is Chrift that ftntttfies PeopU, Beb.i. 1 1. And of His Grace conveyes to us % lobna.\6. and he never doth it,but by our Faith in Him^ ( for it is by Faith that He lives in m ejr dwells in ut y as ye have heard) Holynes is the Meanes by which Chrift after he is beleeved in , brings them that belcevc in Him> to Salvation; It is therefore, a mod prepofterous, and wholy un- profitable way, for People to labour for Holynes, or Heaven, or Chrifty and not ftrj? ejr cheiflj to labor to Bcleeve in Chrifts The Right and onelyWayis: being foe farr humbled , ( as 1 faid before ) as to hunger after Chri/ly&nd be willing to have him on anyTearmes, the to labour to Beleeve, and after that is done, to labour for Mortificatio&c Holynes, By, & From Ch v ift to get it, Whome thouhaftmade Thine ovoneby Faith ; Wherefore, I be- iccchyou/ee your Error, who will not bcleeve, till firft you have the Spirit quickningyou, Grace flrengthiog you toDuty,andfubduingSinne in you, if you could thus find it in you , then you could beleeve and not elfe; This'is the inverting Gods Order, and a way, thatwillnever bringyou to Chrift, or Heaven. Indeed ( and I pray obferveit ) there is an Aft of Faith j which cannot be had till this be had, and that Divines calls a reflect Act; where by a Soule bcleeves that it doth beleeve: Before this can be, there muft be Repentance, Holynes &c. This is a knowing that we hare Faith 5 this is not the neceffary Meanes {to i Sal- The onetj CMeanes to obtaine CHRIST. 31 Salvation but to Ajfurance ejr Comfort $ But there is an ' other Aft of Faith, Viz . the direft Atl> which is Beleev- /»{j;notaBeleevingthat I doe Beleeve /but a tf^w/ag, and this muft be , before we can repent, or have , or doe any good 5 this is the Meanes and onely Meanes to be faved. Now confider the abfurdity of your Error-, before you labor to Beleeve, you labor to know you doc Be- leeve^you will before you doe Belceve, before you will Beleeve, you labor for the Evidence of Faith, before you labor to have Faiih it Se'fe ,• you more and firft,care for the Meanes ofAtfurance& Comfort, of your Sal- vation, then the CMeanes of being Saved ; And one mainc Ground of your doing thus, is partly Pride, that ye will not have all groiid of Hope ejr Mercy to be in God> and none in your Selfe^ For obferve it, you will not goe thatway, which makesyou ground your Salvatio onely on Chrift, and not at all in your Selfe r but you muft fee fomewhat in yourSelfe, before you will, beleeve 5 And partly it is not daring to venter your Soules on Gods bare Word,but you muft fee fomewhat done by him in you, before you will credit him > For though He faith, that Whoever comes to Cbrift,and beleeve sin Him, fbtflbe Saved & Swcltfied; yet you will not beleeve, till you find he hath ian&ifiedyou;and fodare not truft his Word^and therefore it is that the Scripture makes every Vnbeleever, to make God a Lyars Confider that i.Iob.£,x* of Thomas Iohn.io, 2 5 , The Difeip/esfaid we have feene the Lords But he faid, e xcept I /hall fit the print of the nayles, andpnt in my fingers I will not belt eve j then Verfc< 2$. /ejus faid becaufc jhou ha(l feene me thou haft heleevcd* bleffed are they that have not feene me and yet have beleeved. Yea farther: By this meanes: you hinder the Alin- ing 3 1 Comming to , and Beleeving on CHRIST, ing forth of Gods free GracesVor whilfl: that you will tot Firjl beleeve, but frfl will be able todoefomewhar, you make not Cbrift ejr Heaven pi free Gift j nor can it be free Grace in God 5 and To not feeing Gods free Grace , ye doe not fo magnifie Him as elfe you would; nor find fuch fweetenes in the Go(pel , nor be fo incouraged as ye might be; but finke,perplexe,& wound your Soules by feares &: difcouragemecs, which indeede begroud- les , Alfo,you hinder your owne Certainty & AlTurace; For whilfl: you ground your Beleeving on fomewhat in your Selfe,andnot onclyon Gods free Fromife&Word of Truth'. It being grounded,: partly at theleaft ) on yourSelfe who chaogcjit is uncertaine &chag^able # By all this Ibefeech you fee your Error , who being fo much humbled as is requifite; labour for Humiliation, Holynes &c. and doe not fir(l&cheifly labour to Be- leeve. Qhjetlion. It may be Objefted by fome^ But I have indeavored this Way as you reach, and have beleeved, and yet I find not Chrifl & Holynes follow after. Anfwer* I Anfwer , FJrft it is not poiTible to Beleeve , in the I, leaft meafure or degree, but cbriH & Salvation muft be had, becaufe God hath abfolutely promifed it to Beleeving^ And the Spirit & Sanclification muft be had , for thefe be as infeperable as Light from the Sunne ; but thefe things be not everfenfible to them that Beleeve. i« Becaufe , they doe not knowe & confider the firft,leaft&weakeft workesof Chrift, in the beleeving Soule, but onely judge themfelves by the more full £c ftrong workings of Chrift in the Soule; In trying the truth of Faith, cake the weakeft Evidences fo they be fure, f though reft not there, for that, true Grace will never doe; as if a Man judgeth Life, onely by walk- ing The onetj CMeanes to obtaine CHRIST. 33 ing, 6c eating, he may thinkea Man that fleepes is dead. 2 Becaufc the A& of Faith is not ftrong enough to put forth it Selfe very fenfibly , as the Ads of the Soulc in a Swound; inafmuch as there is not a frequet accuftomed a&ing and exercifing Faith, till by pract- ife the Heart is fetled in it. 3. Becaufe there is not a refleft Ad, a Confidering what it is to Beleeve, and that thou haft to done, and then a drawing the comfortable Conclusions to thy Selfe that Howe thence, and from Faith,a reafonmg to quicken thee up ; for Faith produceth its Effe&s by reafo- ing;ks thus, // Chrisi ha hfufferedin the fesh } thcn muft I make the fl-sh fuffet in me • ifchri/irofe againe, then mufti rife to ne^r/es of Life. I X chrifl loved me fo as to give Kim- Jetft for me Tnen fliall not I love Himfo a* to give my Lufts for Him &c. Let thefe Things be obferved , and there is none that doe in theleaft meafuie truly Beleeve , But thev fli a 1 1 find Chnfl & Solvation made theirs. Secondly i Anfwer,- If thou haft indeavoredto£ nor ufed this Afo^.* rightly. Therefore thou muft nor give over this Way, but labour to find it out, If there be many Pathes inaFeild and but one that leades to the Houfe a Man is going to , and he have gon to the end of one Path, and finds not the Houfe, k is a good reafon why he fhould thinke that is not the right Path, and fo feekc it out, but no reafon why he fhould leave thar Fcild and betake himfelfetoaothec for in that Feild onely is the Path ; So it is no reafon that thou (houldit cealc driving to Beleeve , and ta 1 ^ to £ fome 34 Comwng to , and Beleeving en CHRIS T, fomc other Courfe 5 but labour to find out what it is to Beleeve y and then care to doe that. And as this Docl'ine fhewes their Error who labour to Repent, to be Holy &c* a nd not flrfl to Belecvc. So it alfo fliewes their Error; who finding a decay in their Soules of Grace -, and an increafe of Sinne ; ceafe their Faith, and lay it afide and take to fome other Courfe : Whereas, the onely way & meanes for them to reco- ver themfclves, is to recover, flrengthen & increafe thc\vFaitb> for Faith is the onelj OHcanes to chrifi ey Sal- vation. 2, US E* 2. ffi 4 For Exhortation, To exhort ye all to labour above all things, to Bel-eve ; that is, To entertatne drift , and re- figne up your Selves co Chrtfi in all his cjfcs to befaved through rhem : Mind this Worke molt of all , for it is the a// in all to your Salvation j Thus did Paul Phi//.]. S.p.Teadeubtles I count a// things but loffe for the ex e/ency of the know/ecig ofchrtfl •. and aoe count all but Dunge that I may winne chrifttAnd ha found in him , not havingmine ovone Righteoujhes , which is of the Law y but that which it through the Faith cfchrifi : This is a workc I commend to you, and Command you in Gods Name: It is Gods Workc that which he moft chargeth on you under the Cofpely John. 6.29. doe yee make it your cheife worker You that take up your Thoughts & Hearts mod with the World, with the Honours, Pleasures , or Pro- fits thereof I might exhort you to beleeve ( for till } o^ doe it you cannot befaved ) but you are to farr off fromr^V^yct; You are to be exhorted to get Prepa- ration* for Faith 5 your Hearts to be fo affefted by the, Law, with a fight of your Sinnes , and Mifery by it, that The onely UMeanes to obtainc CHRIST. ^5 that ye may be brought totbirfi after chrift, and will- ing to cntercaine him on any Conditions ; Mind ye this above all , becaufc without this , ye cannot come to Faith, that onely brings Chrifl &Salvand:T\\is Worlds Honours, Pleafures, 6t Profits, cannot give you chrijl not Salvation, and why then fhall they be prefered&r minded &foughtafter more then Faith, and that Hu- miliation which fits for Faith? But I will not addrefle my Exhortation to you; But to Such as be humbled & troubled with their Smnes, & Cry OMXyWhat fhall re doe to be faved? To you 1 ii. And they faid beleeve on the Lord lepm Chrifl , and thou /halt be faved-, And although JVflrrpreft them to Re- pent,2LsAcJs.2. $S. Ytt that is, but as if he had faid Be- leeve , Which in & by Repentance will fhew forth it Self &worke in you ; It ye feare Hell &defire Salva- tion>ihen Beleeve.Thisis the one & onely rvay,hli other Things that be good , come afterthisj All other La- bour of thine> is in vaine til! this be done? Therefore this is io called for,and preftin Scripture jit is charged on People by a Command, i Johns. 23+This is his Com- mandement: that we fhould beleeve on the Tiame of his Scmc Iefus Chrifts And fo is in that Call to Repent, Acls,ij. 30, for till they IteArw, they cannot Repent > And it is required with the greateft reward promifed, & threat znne*ed,OPfarke t i6.i6. He that beleevt th&is baptized fhall he faved, but he that bckeveth not fhall be damned. Topedwadeyou to th,s duty, Confidertbeevili of £ 2 not 3 6 Comming to , and Beleeving on C HRIS% not Beleeving, And the Benifite of ' Be/erving, The Evillof not Beleeving is very greac $ Its very Injurious to God, Chrift,and your Selves. To God ; 1 1 makes him a Lyer , whereas Beleeving, fetts to your Scale that God U true ; therefore it is called a luftjfymg of God. Luhe 7, 29* \ o. His truth e$ faithfullnes y And not Beleeving , is a condemning God , as not true& faithfully You alfo wrong God in not obeying his C6mand(which is toBele amandin not regarding his Feafte: nor valucing bis Daintiesrwhichmade him fay they thar did fo fkould not tafi cf therm, for he that beleeves not, is expreft by them that refufed to come when the Supper was prepared Luke* the 14 And fo ye wrong himin not receiving his Sonnef for that is Beleeving) when he proffers & fends him to you* It alio is injurious to Chrift; Its a flighting him,ss if he were not worth the taking, It is arefufing to kiffe Him, and to let him raigne over you> and a Hating Him, Luke.tp.14. it is as much as to fay he is not worth the takingup, he is not fufficient, or not free to helpe. It is alfo Injurious to your owneSoules, Luke v y^o. again/l t hem felves fthat is not beleeving they did wrong themfelves,/^, 3,79*1 1 is The Condenationsmany Cedent- natios ye have v'iz.Oathcs, Lying ejrc but this is The Condem- nation ; Ye doe keepe yourSelv cs fro Salvation, becaufe this is the onely Meanes>&C yc will not ufe it; Ye doc that, Aclsjj.w. Judge your Selves unworthy ,and make the Preachers of Chrift be turned from you; And for you that by difcouragmcts are kept fro Bekciing>yt keepc your Soulcs,from that pertakingof Chrift, and his Bcnifitcs which ye might attaine to ; And fo alfo,fuch as doe bclecve but wcakely, they wrong God , Chrift , and themfelves very much$a$ if their food which God provides The onely UHeanes to cbtaine C H RI ST. $7 pro v ides were nocgood enough as if chrtft the Second i>Awwere not as good to helpe them, as the Firfl ^Adam was to hurt them; and keepe themfelves from that meafure of Grace from Cbri(l, which they might attaine to. AstheEvillofnot Belecving is great; So is the Be- nifteofBcUcving; Irs as effe&uall as doing was with Cddim* With him it was, doe ejr live-, Now it h Beleeve tndLive: Not that God loves a fruitles Faith > but be- caufeit is Faith that muft helpe to doe, and that is bet- ter cfteemed with Gjd then doing, Rom+^.zi.ii. Be- caufe Faith brings chrijls doing, which is Ferfefl, and Ours is not; Bcletvingxt is the very Key which opens Cbrtfl : in whom arc unfearchab'e Riches ,and gives enter* ance into Heaven : it is the Bucket by which we fetch V/a* tertromthatWcllefLifis And all that have this Key & Bucket,may take thence : And therefore it is, that many hzvenoe Grace from chrift ,becaufethey havew Faith inChriJl: And others have fo little Grace > becaufe they have fo little Faith , for as we Beleeve , fo is it unto us ; UMatb.S.13. It is the turning the Cock, which (ets all a flowing from God, both Ubtercy & Grace-, It is in the lead degree, afire Evidence of Heaven , gives Title to Chrtfiy and all Promtfes , brings lujHfcation , Sanclification^ and Salvation, affo rds adoption & Sonnship , lohn. i # 1 2 . Now then Confidering the Evill of not Beleeving,and the Benifite of Faith, What canft thou doe that is of fomuchConfequencc as to Beleeve. To helpe thee to Beleeve : Obfcrve thefc Di- Helpe* t* reftions. i Belccvc * Firft labour to underftand& be clcarely convinced JheJe Di? of thele Perticulers. regions, - E 3 1. Chrifts 3 g Camming to, and Beleeving onC H RIST, i. i r Chnils Alfufficiency y tohelpe theetozl[things y accd^ full to Salvation, 2. 2, Gods Offer & tender of Chri/l to afl People t wheve the Gofpel comes, without refpeft, or lirnitacio of Pcifons but ondy of C onditions ( winch is the next Point to come in our Text, ) 3, g. That God who offers him freely , Ismofttruefa able> and moftjincere&willingtogive, what he offers. 4» 4. That for the fitting us to have Cbrift* or before wedoefeeke for him, God requires nothings but fo farr to fee our Mifery. as to defire Chrift, and be willing to take H/w on His ovone Conditions , and that then we be fitted for obtaining chrifi % when we fee in our Selves nothing butemptinesofall Good,and fuffnesat Sinne & MiCery* 5, 5, That Befeezing brings Chri/i ejr all Grace, and muft bethcfirit thing we doctogettCA;*/^^ Grace, ('which is the Point-in hand) $ # 6. Thzt Chrift readily imbracetb t andfiveet/y incourag- eth all \ that attempt, Stindezvour to beleeve in Him, 7. That the exp-e/ft Command of God, is upon ^ where the Golpel comes, Jbattbey Joibelceve; Thele 2. Prad- arc undoubted Truthes expreffe in the Scripture, ise thefe Secondly, Praclifetbefe Things. Things. ^ p^ tQ Cod (or helper}* grace to bel evefbritu hiigift. 2, Attend on the Preaching of the Go/pel, Faith comes by 2 ♦ hearing Rom. 10.17* 3. a. Strive to it, fit not ftill,give 00/TOytoDoubtings, and Tentations,andCarnaIl reafonings, but reafon from the above premifed Proportions , and prefle your owne Heart, with the Lonclufiom that muft followe thence ; Alio ponder 6c confider of thole Propo(itions t SC refift allthat furthers Doubting,& hinders Beleevingj Thus make it your worke dc trade,to worke your Heart to it* 4* Bring The Onely 'CM earns to obtaine CHRIST* 39 4» Bring your Selfe Jo venture upon that which the 4. Word fets before you,e\ r cn above Reafon &; Hope, and without Sence^ftudioufly fearch out, what itisto Be- leeve.in the firft & lead a<5t of it ; and then doe that at zrenture, and commit your Soule to it, doing it,wha£ ever rifet'n againft it in your owne reafon: And thus Faith begin es. Thus much for the Second Thing in the Text /The UHeanes by which this Bread of Life : The s^Alijuffiii- ent Remedy cfMans mifery may be obtained* The Third Thing in the Text is the ThcThird Persons that may ufc this meanes,and (0 obtaine Thing in Chuft : ip tht fe Words : He ihat Commeth , Be that thcText> Beleeveth 4 That is , K^Any One by thefe CMeancs may cbtaine Him 5 It is an indefinite Proposition biis equi- valent to a univerfall s It is as much as to fay 5 Who- ever Comes : ( as it is elfe where pat) Iohn.^. 1$. That Whofoever beleeveth in Him ) fbouldnot perish y but have E- ternall Life ; upon the u(e of this Meanes, any Pcrfon whoever may obtaine ChriA,& Salvation by him, DcC T R 1 NE» CHRIST, and Salvation by CHRIST^ are free Dodrine* for any PERSON whatsoever > to obtaine by Be- leeving in CHRIST. The meaning is not, onely, that Chrifl is for all forts of People 5 for all Sorts of People fhall actually have him, bxaufe God hath Eleft of allSoits; both Men ■ & Women & Children , Yong? & Old, Poore &: h ich, wiie & Foolish , One Nanon & Another &c. But the meaning is this , that trere li no perticuler Petfon in the World, which may not by Bduving have 40 CHRIST & SALVATION by HIM, have Chrift, &: Salvation by him; Chrift is fo freely tendered to all Commers, to all Receivers, to all that Bcleeveinhim;that there is no pcrfon of any Sexe, Age, Country; Condition, or Sinnes whatever but by Belcevingm&yhwc Ckrift & Salvation by Chri/l; This is expreflein the Text jwhilft our Saviour faith, He that comes , He that beleeves ; that is , Whoever comes & beleeves : As it was in the type $thc Brafen Serpent cured onely by being locked on, and it cured /*//that looked on it, fo that whatever ftung Ifraelite looked on it , by that meanes was cured; which tipyfied, that what Perfon foever, Came to Chrift & Beleeved on Him, fhould be Saved $ for allthough , the Serpent helped none ( as it is like ; but the Israelites ; yet chrifi is larger then that type, being for all whoever, one or other, that come to him&s Himfilfe appljes >drexpoi!ds it fobnj .14.1s. &C in other Scriptures : And therefore, MarkeA 6. 1 5. 1 6. He appoints His Difcijjles to preach the Gojpelto every Creature t ( that is to every one of Man kind) and then adds, He that beleeves fhafl be faved ^ that is, whatever Creature of Man- kind , whoever among them doth Belecve* fhall be faved- y indeed where the Gofpel is not preach- ed, the People are not Commanded to Beleeve ; and fo the' Obedience cannot be exacted from them , nor they punisht for the want of it; Yet theCommiffion' of Mercy, & Pardon given out,- is no way limited in regard of Perfons , but tenders Mercy & Pardon without limitation #fPerfom>upon Beleeving, and therefore where ever it comes r and is preached, it offers Chrift & Salva- tion free for every Perfon of them whatever, to be ob- t ained by Beleevings And it may be trulyfaid that Chrift \s free to be had \ by any Perfon, by Beleening ; even as it was with the Jewes* in the Proclamation of Cyrus , 2. freely obtained by any PERSON Beleeving, 41 Cron tafljm lajltferfes.znd Ezrah.i.i 4 2.3.2Lny ]c\v might have liberty Stfreedome from Captivity, upon the tearmes of accepting it, fox it was grated to all whoever, to depart that would depart. Now though it is true all did not take it, and (o were nor delivered, yet Free* dome was Free for everyone , to be had by accepting tt; So is it with Chrtfi ejr Salvation by Him ; although not everyone, corthemoftdoe obtaine it, becaule they ufe not the Meancs > accept not the Tearmes 6tCoditions. And chis was typified by the Tcarei of Jubih ( which typified chrifl^ as is cleare by Ltde.a,. ip. Chri/l is to preach the acctptab'e Teare y that is,the labile \Hc is to Preach its that is , m& by Him-> it is performed & declared ) Inthofe T. ares any Servant of the Hehtevces might goc from :is Mailer, and if he would goe, andfo adept of Freed me , he was to havett ,Deut.i$ 11.13* any Helrerv was to have Freedom in this Tcare, if he would accept it (though if he would not accept it, he was not to have it as we fliall fee heerafter ) which taught, that*»y Pcrfb~(fot chough the Tipe was Umited,vet the^»//>y>£ is not, becaule thcWa/lofSeperation is removed) I fay it taught, that any Perfen whoever , upon thefe Tearmes by chcie CMcanes, Viz; AccrptingCbriJl ejr Salvation^ thzt is, Beleevingm H/w,(liould have it: And this feemes to be implved in Rom.$. 22.25* That as there is no difference among PeopK till they beleeve, ( thzy are all Sinners) So there is no differezrein Godsoffercf Mercy in tbeGofpelM* on the fame Tearmes, to be had a like by AU^ and there- fore with Chrtfi , The ^Angels fa id glad Tidings came t$ aff People, Luke. 1. 10, Now if Salvation might not be had by All t on the fame Tearmes, then were it not glad Tidings to All , But this makes it glad Tydings t* ^yiily That ^aU whoever , by Beleeving may have F Solvation ; 42 CHRIST & SALVATION by HIM* Salvation $ therefore is that Luke.i. 30,3 v.KMyne eyes have feme thy Salvation, which thmhaft prepared before the face of all People: This is another maine thing to be knovvne ,*as, that cbrift is the All ejr onely Remedy ; and that He is to be haA by Beleeving ; So that any Per fort whatever, by Beleev» Ing may have Him $ As a Generall Pardon , offering Mercy to all Tray tors which fubmit& : come in; any Traytor whatever upo thofc Tearmes may have Mer- cy ; Indeed LhriJ? doth aclua/ly afford helpe to none, but to them that Belceve, but his helpe is freely tender* ed ail, upon their Beleeving, So that any on? whatever Beleeving, fhall have helpe by Cbrift -this iscxprefle, Re vela 22. 17. Neither let this Point be perverted > for it flicwes not that any Perfon may haveChrift& Salvatio>on a- nytearmesfforfoit fhould juftifie & incouragecarnall Libertines ) Nor that all, or the molt fhall have Chrift atrthefe tearmes,- that is, aclually in joy him by thus doing, for themod fliall not have Grace to doe fo, chough by fo doing, they may have him; But the Point flhewes, that any Perfon may have it,on chriffs tearmes^ and that every Perfon (where the Gofpel ispreacbed/ may &. fhould indeavor to Beleeve , and Bel eving, fliall have chrift, hnd this is mod clcare> by thoteforip- tures which exprefle chrifl by a FeafiiProv.9. t. Luke,i4. i6*ejrc. where all are invited,and upon comming might eate of the FeaU j andrhe moft unlikelieft of all to be permitted ro come, areinftanced in ; Viz: The Simple ejr Foo/es, the Poore, an d t h e Hed^e ejr High way Perfons* to fli ew. that X&ne be excluded, out of the ^Offcr , but on the fame Tearmes aov one whatever may come&injoye ChrilK Reasons, Freely obtained by any PERSON Selecting. 43 Reasons. Ren fins, Firft, Be caufe this much magnifies & fcts out Gcds I# Grace. & Tree Merc) ; whilft that chrifi & Salvation, may notonelybe had for taking- but aifo may.behadby any One nhattver> for tdhg. So freely to offer Chrift and Salvation to a few were greate Mercy, butto offer itfi freely to every one,that is Wot far full CMercy * As it is great Mercy for a Prince, to offer Pardo to one or two Traytors, upon the tearmes of accepting Pardon i but to tender it to ail Traytors on the fame freetearmes ; is \\ ordertuil xMercy S even as it was wonder full Riches in Solomon in the i.CroriA.i$\ to m&teSilver at lerufalem as Stones si\\2iK.\s that any one whatever may have for cak- ing up, -fhedefires them v for foare Stones;) Even thus is the Riches of Gods UMercy , fee forth : inafmuch as Chrif ejr Salvation (Things of more worth then Gold& Silver ) are to be had by any nboez er,if they accept the, that is, f&leevi in chrifi. Secondly, Becaufc this Incourg^eth every one to obey *« tb: Gcff?el>cr beleeve in chrijls inasmuch as chrift is not UmiteAj\Qi areany feq«uihcd 6c \\:uz o\\t from having C.nft by Belcevir.g: Therefore there is good Incou- ragementfor any one, fofor everyone, to in^ieavbr to BeJeeve. Andthisisa wife Adminiftratio of God,f$r,by this meanes,tbey who live under the Gofpel, and yet be- leevenot, areleftwholvW'ithout excufe,even as that Man Math. 2 1,12. fpeechLs v for it will be cleare; even their owne felves being Judges Jthat chcy miffed Vcr- cy, becaufe thev cared not for it , bqt lov^d other things better, for when it was free to be had by any one, by Receiving ScBeleeving, they y>ouid not doe F 2 that 44 CHRIST dr SALV ATlO N by ' HIM. that j even as the Tray tor, who receives not the free and generall Pardon,hath no plea nor excufe left him, when he comes to receive the Sentence ; And this feemes to be implyed in Iohn.$ . /^.The Condemnation to them that have heard the GoJpei t> will be this, That Light came into the World) (which muft be fupplyedj and might have been had by every one of thcm } if they would have received it, but they would not fo much as take it, when they might have had it, heeaufe their deeds were evill'y This free tender ofChriftJtdiicovers the wickednes of their Hearts, the e v ill Deeds of the ((ox therefore they will not love,nor receive the lights and leaves them without all Plea,and makes their De- finition to be of themfelves,their ovvne vviilfull ruine, who doe perifh under the Go/pel ; Arid as there is this ^c^Tr tL l- t n ' r , l , a, So alio , by this mcanes, the Perrons ( as the ApoftU Jpeahs /. Thef$ . p. ) are appointed by God to obtatne Salvatia by chrifii they are brought on to Beleeve, aud io to be faved by Chrift,For God, dothnotfirft:, fhew People that hehath Elecled them , and then & thereby per- fwade 6c bring them to beleeve, but Ele&ion is con- cealed as a fecret thing, and by Gods offering Chriffc freely to every one to be had by Beleeving His free Offer incourageth them to labour to Beleeve , and they finding them felves not fhut out of Mercy, they labour to Beleeve, and God helpes 5c gives them the Gift ofFaith^nd (o they Bel*eving,cometo knowe that they are ordayned to Life Ftewall , dels Js.$$ A This is a wife courfe &. way to bring in the Ele6t,and diicouragc Vj e * or hinder none. tncourag- Use* ment* For Jpcciatt Incourtgement to every one of you To e mc Freely obtained by any PERSON Believing. 4* tome to cbriU ejr beleeve in him; I now in Gods Name, ash;s Meitenger &cEmb*ffadov-Texderejr Offer chrift to every One efYou> on thefe 7earrr.es, that ye Come t& Him> Receive Him, Beleeve in Him, and affure von, that To doing, TefhallbefavedbyHim : I tender Chrift to you $jiRi oncly annexing thefe Two Cautions leaft ye fhould friiftake or abufc this Doctrine: Cautions, Firft, That none muft meddle with chrift, but they f who ben tiling to have him on HU orvxe Tearmes Yiz- To be Lord & King to them aftvell as Prift. Secondly, Whoever doe get chrift , they are furely u Changedby Hint, and made New Creatures, Thefe being premifcd; I doe this Day, offer Iefus Chrift to yee \^iH, and affure yee He is to be had by you if ve Come to Him, Receive H m Beleeve in Him,- that is , If ye Entertain? Him, and ~ive up your Selves to Him in all hu Offices \ upon thefe learmes ,He may b had by any of ycu ; It is mod probable there be Some of You towhomeGod intends good; where He fo freely fends his Gofpei ; Now let every one hope it is he.Andindeavor tomakeitfo ; as mendoe ata Dole: and let Heaven Suffer violence. Oh Receive Him then » Give up your Selves to Him in Covenant ; Accept Him for y our King, Preift, and Prophet ; Refolve this Day , The Lord Jefus Chrift, fhall be my Prophet , L will in all Things la- bour to be Taught & Guided by Kim; And he (hall be my King; I will in all Things care to be Ruled by hs Lawes: And he ftall be mv Preift,! will reft on Him for Attonement and Satbfa&ion to God- wards* 1 muft add reffs my SelfctoTwo Sorts of People among you. F 3 u To 4-6 CHRIST & SALVATlONbyHtMy i. Tofuchof you as are W///»g that Chrift ihould raigne over you, but dare not, or cannot truft in Him for your Sahatio^bc ye incouraged,for there is none fuch but be wdlcomc to Chri(t> that is all he feckes* to raigne over you, it is all the tearmes he (lands on , ye' having granted him his owne Conditions, why ihould ye queftion his Mercy > This. I lay to you, i. that if yc be made willing to give up your Selves to Chrift in all things to be guided by him, and covet his Kingly Of- fice in your Soules>and ftudy& ieeke for Holy nes, And 2, If yefind.that hope of Mercy, makes ye feare to offend, &: care to pleafe God in all things, and doth not male you pre(umptuous,fecure& bold to Sinne; Then you may,and fhould apply Chtfl for Mercy, and ex- pert it from him; And doe it now, blow He is offered to you this Day, zsuPreifltofaveyon, ejr reconcile God to you, accept it , in that office dc pur your truit in him, Is he not free for every one upon thefe tearmes , and why will you negle&yS free UMercy ? You ha ve finned againft it hitherto, in doubting &. queftioning of it, Oh now finne not any longer! but boldly venture thy fife on Chrift; feare not thy Wellcome, or being permitted toapply Chrift,the free generali f Pardon U given out } 6c fue itforthjWhoevcrlayesnoldon Chrift muft heiaved: C^r//? puts this out of doubt :lahn.6.j7.-He that comesl will innoe wife fend arvAy - y Limitt not , where God hatri notlimitted;doe notfhut out thy Selfe, where God hath not (hut thee out ; doe not inquire whether thou artchofen or no, but lookcto the Gofpel,in which Chrift is freely tendered toevery one on tne tearmes of beleeving , and labour to beleeve 5 Therefore a- gainft all malitious tuggeftions of Satan, and againft all carnall reafonings of thine owne Heart, boldly in- deavour Freely obtained by jiny PERSON Believing. 47 deavourto rely on ChrifUMerrit for thy Juftification andfo doing thou (halt be faved; Thusreafon with your Selfc, Doth God freely offer Chnft to fave all that entcrtaine him, and requireth nothing but our accepting hina , why then fhould not I venture my Stfuleon him,and reft Confident ? How can the God of Truth, buc be as good as hisV ord? And if he befo, how can IbutobtaineSalvation by Chrift, if I truftin Chnft i 1 would beleeve a Man whomc I thought honed upon hisword;and fhalllnot God, when I have his Word 8c Oath ? 2, J am to fpeake to another fort of People; Viz: Suchcf you, as mind not cbrtfl at *V , or if yon doc, yet not fo much as to let him raigne oter you , but are ftill bent on your Lufts, & your old 8c former Wayes ; Yee are they, who yet mind fome thing in the World , to much.andaienot willing to entertaineChriflfor your A7tf£;Ik ye now exhorted to receive him, and let h>m raigne overyou,- He may be had upon thefe Tearmes even by you ( for he is free for every one on thefe tearmes ) therefore c ntertaine him, let the World & your Lufts goe, and choofe chrifl $ Reafoa thus with your Selves ; Is not the L eve of the World enmity to God, (o that He that is a friend to the Wcrld, mnft be Gods Enemy ? The Things of the World they are but penfhing , un- certaine, inefficient Helpers, Sc Comforters; And as formy Luftes 8c Wayes \ are they not dcceitfull , va- mfhing, 8c damnable i Is not the Frttite of every Smne 9 Shame \ and the Wages Death I muft I not leave them , 8c get Pardon for them, or goe ttth thrift , even this Day, at this Time : Covenant in your Spirits with Chrift ; that you will accept Him in all his Offices to be yours], and give up your Selves to behis,andreftonhimforyour Salvation,- Now I fay doe it, whilfl it is called too Day, and defer not; \t now you will indeavor to doe it , Chrift will helpe you ibrwardjncline to this happy worke,and the miniftry oftheGofpel fhall promo ve& farther you; It is the Miniftry of the Spirit , and not of the Letter * Gods Spirit accompanyes it, both to worke in you a Will to doe thus , and to Helpe them that are willing & doe indea- Tor it 5 But if yefhall defer Chrift,- and excufe your iaotComming,and put himoff,yecan exped no o- ther returne b»uc that , Luke* 14**4. For tfay untoyott, that Freely obtained Ij any PERSON B( Ueving. 49 that none of thofe men which were hiddfn fhall tafl of my Supper: and ye may well feare, it fhal 1 fare with you, as with the i/raelites , who becaufe They would not accept Gods offer ejr enter Canaan , B hen he tendred it, all though a while after, they would have done it, and did indea- •vor , yec God w ? ould never let them come into it: Where Gods Mercy is moft free; he is ufually moft quick & feverejand they that may & will not goe free, arelerved, as the Servant that might, and would not. Deut. 15.T6J7. No after Yearcs of Jubile, could free them. Remarkeable is the Speech of Francis Spira, ( one of wbome I told you before ) when he languished un- der the torture of his Confcience,for preferring the World> before Chrift : Oh faith be [that 1 could but hope in Gods Oiler cy ; Ob \wh at would I give for one cf thofe frteete Motions of Gods Spirit , to incline me, which 1 have had b?fore& flighted •> A pittifull Cafe; and yet the like and worie may yours be, if ye negled or defer to take Chrift, now that he is offered to you all j Therefore, if ye have any fence or apprehenfion of Things Spiri- tual! , Eternall & to Come , If ye have any feare of hell, ordeiire of Heaven • If any refpect or reverence to God who thus condefcends & ftcopes low, fo as to Offer Chtiftry Salvation to you, and Invite you to come & tale it; Be Exhorted to Come rjr Beleeve in lefas Cbrifl. But if all this will not move you, then breifly Con- fider what the Lord faith in his Word \ where Chrift u offered , and not received -, Oh! how fearefull is that; Peoples State ? 2. They are iwzmore Sptciall defperatefubjection to Sinne then others ; For Light is come into the World, and fuchMen Loved Darkenes, rather then Light, becaufe their G deeds ?o CHRIST & SALFATI ON by HfM* deedes areevilijohn.i< 19. Chrift, Who is ft for the rifing againe of many , is fee alfo for the fall of *other s^Ltike.t.i^ 3 5 . And for a, figne which f hall be Jpoken again/l, that the thoughts of many Heartsmay be revealed i Andbeerein the Iniquity of Sinne is difcovered, 2< They muf Perish ; you heard before, how they» that were invited > and Came not , fhould not tafl of the Supper,T hercfore i if the GoJpelbehid> it is to them that perish i.Cor.q. 3. Such fliall call for Chrift & Mercy, as Pro. 1. 2$ % &c. but (hall be anfwer- ed, Him ye would not have > Such fliall have in them as much fare of chrift, as of God, and as much danger fom Chrift, as from God h For chrift will be Wroth, and will certainely Have thofe hit Enemy es> which would not that he fhould raigne over them , brought , & flaine> before Him , Luke.xp. 27. Chrift the Lambe> will be wroth, and fuch fhall be the dayoflns wrath, fo great ,& terrible^ that men fhall fay y who fhallbe able to ftandt&C therefore unbeleevers of all rankes,Kings,Grcat men of the Earth, Rich men, and the Cheife Captaines, Such as now dare looke Death in the Face, fhall then Call to the OMountaines & Rockestofallonthem, to cover them from that Wrath^ Revel \ *i \Sj6.17. And how can Such want ruine, When the Goftet fhall fudge them j as Chrift tells you it fhall doe thofewho heareitand doe notbeleeve, John. 12.47. 48. The Word that f have Jpoken, the fame fhall fudge them at the La(l Day : And Such fliall not onely perifli, but Perish worfe the Others s The Gojpelis a Savour of Death unto Death to them. 2. Cor. freely obtained by any PERSON Beleeving. 5 1 _ 1— — -^— — 1 — — — «»— — j.Cor.i. r$.i6. They are dead allrcady > but fhali dye worfe; They are fallen in<^ddam,but fhali fall far* ther Luke.t.ja, Therefore that Place is very Confidc- rable, UMai&jo. 12. to 1 6, And when ye come into An boufe, faluteit. Jnd tf the heufc be worthy, let jour peace come upon it, but if tt be net worthy Jet your peace return, to you. And who/oever J ball not rec-ive you y nor he are your no. del : when ye de fart out of that houfe or city ,f hake off the dufi of your feet. Verily I fay unto you, It f hall be more tole- rable for 1 he landofSodome & Gomorrha m the day ofludge- mentt then for that Citie. Tlius much for the third Thing in the Text,Viz:/&* Per/ins v at may ukthife UUeancs, and lo obtaine Chrijt: Now the Laft followes, TheFourth &LaftTHiNG in the Text is The 4; thcMoT 1 v e by which People are perfwaded to ule Thing in this Meaner and fo get Chrift, This Bread of Life, The the Text* K^Allfuffcicnt Remedy ofCMans Miferyi That is taken fro the gieat Benifte that by fo doing,wilI iedound to the: As appeares by thefc XV ordes; Shall never Hunger, Shall never Thirft ; Whoever Comes to Chrift, or Beleeves in Chrift fhali never Hunger nor Thirft : As Bread alayes Hunger; So doth this Bread; This chriftsAnd that in a better manner then Bread doth; For, i # Bread alayes Hunger & not Third,- But chrtfl aUyes Hunger & Thirft y more appetites then Bread doth 2,. Bread alayes but for a while ^Chrift alayes fcr ever ; Paralellto this latter is that Iohn,A, 13,14. Whofoever drinhth of this Water y fhali thirft againe : But whofoever drinhth of the Water that I (hail give him, f hall never thirfl : Where the Companfon is made , and chrift in this Refpt& \ is ptefered* G a F©r 52 BEL EE?I NG in CHRIST, For the undcrftanding this ; Yce muft knowe, that although in fomc regard (as ye (hall fee heerafter )this may be taken Litterally,8c in fome regard of the Body; that they that Beleeve in chrifi, fhall never hunger mr ibirjl; Yet Cheifly this is to be taken Metaphorically^ 6c fo largely, and fo including the Littcrall 6c Corporall Sence, and the meaning is this • That all their Wants fhall bc/upplyed, & all Defires alayed &fati$fied ; But this is expreft by not hunger- ing &thirfting,becaufe of following the Metaphors of Bread 6c Water, by which Chriftis expreft : Hun- gering 6c Thirfting, are painfull Defires of fome ne- cefTary good Thing thats wanting, the one of Meate. the other of Drinke, for the good of the Body j Now every Perfon having a reafonable & immortall Soule; hach many 6c great Defires, which be as fo many Hun- gerings & Thirftings; Now by Chrifi, all thefe De- fires (hall be alayed, byfupplying all his Wanrs , and Cbri(l is had by Beleeving ; This is the Meaning : The Voclrine arifing hence is. Dottritie* Doctrine* Whoever Beleeves in CHRIST, fhall have all his WA N TS fupplyed, andfo , all his DES IR E S alayed; and his S OV L E fully fatis fed. He. fhall be fent away w\\\izCompleate Satisfaction, as the hungry Man when he is filled with Meate, or the thirfty Man with Drinke. The Point is plaine &: exprefle in theText * If there were no other Proofes,we might build our Faith on it: But there are Divers This was Prof befied off, under she fame CMetaphors; Ifiy>49* 9***i That thou maiftfay to the Prifoners,goe forth, to Brings full Soule SATISFA CTION. 53 to the that are in darknesfhervjotn flves\they fhall feede in tbewayes>ejr their pa/lures / 'hall be in all high places- they f hall net hungtrnor tbtrfii neither f hall the Heate nor Sunne [mite the for he that hath mere) on th^^jh all lead them, even by the firings of Waters fhall he guide tbem. To which Chrifl: hath reference ; Revels* 16. ij , ibey fhall hunger no more , neither thirft any mere e$c. And is in exprelTe wordes promifed , ler.jr. 14. 25. ^yind I will fatiate the Joules of the Preifismth fatnes, and my people J hall be fttif- fiedwith goednes, faith the Lord; And Verle.2j\ lhavefa- tiated the near) [onle<> ejr I have rtplemshed every for row full pule 5 And io Ur^o t \g. I mil bring ifraell sgaine to his Habitation, And he f hah fa de on Car met ejr Bashan , and hv$ foule fhall be fatisfied upe mount Ephraim ejr Gilead, And therefore, it is affirmed, as made good by,&r. in Chrift; Lule.i. 5 $. He hath filled the hungry wth good 1 hint t^ibet e- forePfal.l^. ?.p>;0 The Eeleever (who is after expreft by the effefts of faith ) fearing ejr feeking God \ is /aid to be Blcf/ed, and why f t>ecau(e He fhall want no gcod; for that is Blcffednes: Thus much is alio inplyed in Ifa. 55. 1 ,2. j. by Beleeving in Chrift, (which is men t there by Comming Buying ejr c*) they fhall come to injoy all good things, that berequifne to their welifare, and fo Confequcntly fhall hzveJlldejires alayed: Therefore it is,that as all our Defres are in the Text expreft by Hnger- wg&Thirflingfo chrifl it expreft by a Feaft in Scripture and tipified by the Manna & Rocke, that yeilded Ri- vers of Water in the Wildcrnes; to fhew, that as by comming to a rich fcc full Feaft, there is a fupply, of all the wants, & an alaye,of all thedefires,ofan hiigry & thirfty Man s So by Beleeving in thrift , all the Wants of People atefuppfyed, and all their Defires alayed: There- fore, UMatb. 5 .6. They which Hunger bc^/^r^becauf^ G 3 they 54 BELEEVl UG in C H Rl S T, they fliall be Sat i ( fed, Knot Satisfied, they be not Bleffek Reasons* Reafonu The x ed f m j$ grounded upon a two fold Propofition. I. Firft , That Belecving poffffeth a Man of Chrift : He that Beleeves in Chrift, hath Chrift, and hone with Chrift ; Therefore, ( as ye heard before ) Beleeving is compared to a Marrying , and to an Ingrafting int* Chrift : That looke as a Woman married to a Man , in* joyethhim as herowne ; and a Science grafted , in- joyeth & pofifefleth the Tree for its owne ; So , Whim everheleeveihin chrift : Injoyerh & Poffefleth Chrift for their orvne: Chrifl: is the Gtft-of God lohn 4. 12. and Faith is a receiving of this Gift lohnj, V2. N ow as a Man that hath received a gift doth pqflefle & injoye it as his owne, So Beleevers receive Chrift given of God, and fo injoye Stpoffeffe him as their owne , Faith makes us the Houfe cf Chrift ,• chrifl dwells in the Heart by Faith, Ephj. 1 7. even as a man dwelleth in his Houle, and fo he hath Poffeflion of the Houfe ; So have Belevers of Chrijl: Hence when Thomas beleeved 3 he faith my Lord, myGodyThcxtiotc VavidPfal 144* M* Challegeth God to be hisy and why ? He tru(ls in Him ; in the end of the Ferfe. So that Beleevim poffeffeth a Man of cfoifl. 2 4 Secondly as Beleeving poffeffeth of Chnft,6cmaks him to be ours: So the Having Chrifl makes God to be ours ; Chrift brings to the Fruition & eniafvg of God \ which may be gathered from his very Name-, which is Emanuell) that is , God with m UMath<\.2 h which not onely impl} es,that in him God is come in our Nature, becaufe he that £6Wtookc our Nature into Perfonall Union, butalfo that in &hy Him God is imojedby us, even by fo many as have Chrift r For by chrifl , all is removed, Brings full So*le SATISFACTION ss removed, that kept us from God, and all is (uppl)ed that mav bnng us to God, and make us injoy God y The Sufferings , Obedience, & Jnterceflion of Chrift ,• ap- peafe Gods Wrath, 6cfatisfie Gods Juftice , and foe brings the Perfon into full Favour with God, and alayeof all Defires ; G^d himfelteisfatisfiedin himfelfe, elfehe were not God, and being able to fatisfie himfelfe, who is an Infinite being, he can much morefacisfie Man that is but of a finite being > Since therefore Chr'tjl brings us into Gads Prefcnce%.sEph.i. n.Bjhimroe have accc(fe> that is he is Gods Emi(fary } lent from God to bring Beleevers into Gods Preience 6c fo to imoy God fas the word figni- fiesin Greekejijc muft needs followe; That Every one that injoyah chrift, muft be Satisfied, and haveo^' de-- fires ^^Becaufewith Chrift, God is had, and fo ^yill fulnes. In what For the better clearingthis Point; Confider we in howj Be- What Refpefls, or How this can be true; That the leever ne- . Beleever never hungers nor thirfts. ver hugers j t is crue i n f om e degree in this Life 5 and fully & compleately in the Ltfeto Come. Fitft in this Life , it is true, in fome degree 5 That he that Beleeves in Cbri/l; hath all his wants fupplyed, & fo all his defires alayeds And cnat in a Three-fold Re- fteti. 1. In refp^# of Sinne s He that beleeves iri Chrift, (hall Brings full Soule S An ST ACTION. 5 7 /hall not hunger nor third after S'inne- This is the great- cft Hunger & Third of an Unbeleever 5 Therefore Sinnszxe called Lufls, becaufe they are the appetites & defires of Unbelievers ; The Unbeliever , as truely wants 6c defires after , the Corrmtfftcn of Sinne , fome or other , according as he is carryed by Conftitu- tion, Condition, Cuftome, Company , or Tenta- tion , as the hungry or thirfty Man doth after Meate, or Drinke, Pro % 4. if. They fleepe not except the) have done mtfebtife-yiherttoreit is,that ti.ey arefo eager upo Sinne, Pro. 1. 1 6 Their fete run to eviUs fo i .Pet, 4. 4. For th re is a ^aturein every Unbeleever; thatisfatisfied & up- held by commiting Sinne , as our Nature is by Eating and Drinking, therefore// lufls, after evWs lames. 4 5 . But now, He that Beleeves in Chrijl\ is not thus to Sinne; The Bod) of Sinne is deflrojedin him > Rom>6.6> therefore, he ferves not, and fo feekts not Sinne ; For he is faid to be Dead to Sinne Verfe. 7. therefore he defires not after Sinne \ Hence, Rom.%. 5. lheBeleever( who is defenbed by his infeperable Property to be after the Spirit ) winds the Things of the Spirit > that is, and not the Things of the Flesh ; The Unbeleever minds fleshly things ; as a Woman that is with Child her eyes are (till on it if it be prefent,or elfe her PhanrTy runns after it • But the Be- ieever , lives the Life ofchriftjznd hath chrtjl drvel/ingin him, therefore he mufl doe as Chrifldid -thatis, not de- fire Sinning, but to fuppre/fe it as 1. John. 3. 8, and^?r/?.p* Heis madepertaker of the [cede of God t there(oTCcanot finnes that is, fo farr as he is percaker of that, there is a Nature in every Beleever ; which is contrary to Sinne, He pertakes t of the Dhine nature z.Pet.i. 4, therefore wants not, nor feckes any fatisfa&ion by Sinne 5 but the Contrary; Helufts after ffolynesfzs in the former Place is faid; 58 BELEEVINGin CHRIST, minds the things of the Spirit 5 ejr lujls againjl Sinne $ as Gafl 4 $. i/ for it makes the Soule fee mifery, in the Sinnes it defired 5 and that happynes it fought in Sinnej to feeit&feekeitin Godejr Holynes: Now in refpeft of this the Doftrine is true 5 That in every Beleever there is no Hungers becaufethe Nature is deftroyed and fo the appetite : Indeede there is an old Nature remaining in part in the ]fe£*wr,& (hall be in him as long as he lives, and that defires after Sinne; which is ment by the Tlesh its lufting againft the Spirit, Gall, j. 1 7 . bu t there is an- other Nature which is in JWw,that doth notlujl, in which regard he is (aid not to defire Sinne 5 So that the alaje of thefe defires , is but in part & fome degree in this Life « As this is true in Rejpeclof Sinne \ So is it true : z* In Rejpe 'cl of the law full things of this World ; as Life and things tending there to , Pleafures , Honours , Profits j &c # He that beleeves in Chrift, fhall not hun- ger & thirft after thefe, As is cleare in Zaccheut) who fo thirfled after Riches , that he defrauded , oppreft, withheld unjuftlyv/et having beleevedin chrift- y he gives away halfe to the Poore; and tenders toreftore foure- fold to all that he had wronged , Luke, 19, 8. Therefore the Beleever s Acts. i t q^^.fould their Goods & Lands, & committed them to the ^dpoftles difpofe in good ufes, Thus Gal.ti* T4* The World is crucified to me, ( faith Paul ) and fo not coveted nor defired, as a withered flower is not j therefore /W had all appetite to this LyfesCon- tent alayed 5 onely for fome (]>irituallrej]>ecls> Viz. the Churches good , he defired A? abyde in this LifePhillr, 2,3. 24.for ail his overweaning opinios of their exeellecy, arere&ifled, and he is made fee, the Emptines, lln- j certainty , Infufficieacy of them ; that he cannot much regard them, 2. Cor,u if. Knowe (that is efteerne and Brings full Souk SATISFACTION. $9 and regard) noman after the flesh, that is in regard of„, Carnall Excellencies , and he fees (o much Satisfa e iome defires after the ; chrift teacheth us to pray Give m this Da) our day iy Bread) But it is nothing fuch as it is in unbeleevers, Its not the Principally Cheife Good : But as the baice & refreshment at an Inn, which one that travailes to an other Place, takes for his neceflary refrefhment, therefore Beleevers are ex- prcft by Thnr leavingthcir Country and not returning vohen they might, Heb.n. i^.to 17* This Alayc of Hunger >QQV(\zs from the former , for the fame Nature that had appe- tite to Sinne, fent forth inordinate appetites to the things of this World : which Nature being deftroyed theDeure ceafeth. As it is true in thefeRefpe&s; So: 3 # In Refpecl of Grace & true Happy nesl The Be it ever in Chrift , in this Life , fhall not hunger nor thirft after Grace,&true Happynes: For the underftanding this, Ye mutt: knowe that none doefo defire Grace ejr true Hap- fyn.s, as the Brfeevtr doth, 1, Per.2 .2 t $.and he never de* fired it before he bJeevcd -, fo much as he doth after ; H 2 as it 6o BE LEE? I NG in C II RI ST, as is clcare in David,fi in Paul who had flrog earmfl Thirds after Grace* as appcares by thofe exprejfios he ufeth, I bate downe my Body: I fo run that I may attaine &c. And this God would have usdoeyhe hath Commanded to followe or hunt after Righteoufnes &c> But the Beleever is faid not to hunger 6c thirft after it$ In thefe Four t Regards. Fir/l* Becaufc He that beleeves in chrift , fhail never fi« naliy or totally loofe Grace & true Happynes Viz: Gods Fa- vour, Image* & Fellowship which he hath got by Chrijl ; Thefe things fhall be in him as a Spring living & firing- ing up for ever* lohn.^ 14, and not as a Pond which may in tyme be quite dry ed up: and fo the Beleever fhall ne- ver hunger & thirft after thefe things, as we doe after Meate be Drinke,who though we have had it, yet over a while, are as deftituteof it, and as fully want it as e- ver we did. This T^pt hungring* excludes not every defire , but fuch an one, as fprings from a totall want of Grace; That this is true of the Beleever* is mod cleare in Scrip- ture, by many Place% Viz: Pfaljg,s3% Neverthe/effe my loving kindnes will I not utterly take 'from him\ norfujfer my faythfullnes to fayle . Some may fay thisismentofD<*i//W for the Crowne^ that his Seede fhould never be wholy ftriptof itfor ever: true 5 but notonely fo,for Efay, 55,3. every Beleever is promifed The Jure CMercyes of David^ Ier. 3 /. 7,, I haze loved thee with an everlafting Love: R0.rr.2p.The Giftfythztis the gt ft of faiths fo of Chrifl with faith,& the Calling % xhztis*Vocation*^i\A. fo the drawingto beleeve ? is with out repentance; that is on Gods part :Where God hath begun a good worke he will per feci it, Phi/l.r. tf. Secondly , He that Beleeves in Chrijl* may in this re- fpeft be faid not to hunger after Grace ,Becaufe he pof-*** fejfeth> and hath in himfelfe* and ofhitowne* that which is I Brings full Soule SATISFACTION. 61 is aboundantly able, to fupply z\\ his wants, ejr fatisfie all his dcfircs ; there is a faring in him lohn.4.1^. how- ever he may ftand in neede of Grace, yet he hath as his owne,what may give a full fupply 5 and all his defires are virtually fatisfied, in that he cannot defire , what, he hathnottofatisfie; He hath TwoStore-houfes, Firft Cbrifl , In whome are bid all the treasures of W if dome & Knowledge, Coll. 2. 3. and in wbome dnelleth the fullnes of the God-head bodily Verfe p. And Secondly he hath All the Promt fes ,V\ herein there is All fullnes, and wherein God hath given him. All things tb.tt pert sine to lif^f godlines i.fet, 1.3.4* He is faid to have Rivers (n him, Iohn 4 7.37. that is a continuall Streame of Satisfa&ion, able to fill up all wants; He cannot be faid to hunger becaufe he hath that in him, which is able to alayehis hunger 5 and when ever he will , he may take what ever his Soule can defire. as Paul Rom ,7. 24. had defires, which he prefently fatisfes himfelfe in Verfe^% . and gives thankestoGod; And that there is ever a fupply, appeares in this; that in his *ery want& defire, there is fome Content, and flay to his Soule, therefore there is fome fupply. Thirdly, They are faid not to hunger, becaufe there is a Fullnes, Via, not P atria, fuch a Fullnes, as fuites their prefent Condition ;a Comparative , though nor an abfolute fullnes; Therefore theSaintes fpeake of a Fullnes Pfal.i,6.%.p therefore, no Hunger,no Thirft ; and it muft be fo, be- caufe of that where with we be fatisfied*Viz : Gods 64 BEL E EVIN G in CHRIST, Likenes, that is , God Him-felfe & his Glory ; Gods Facets in the former words ) it fhall be vetoed ; that is , there fhall be a full & cleare fruition of God, i.Cor.ii. iz, Then I fh wll fee Face to Face , and know even as alfo I am hnovone : Therefore if God can give full Satisfaction, it fhall then be had; for then fhall that fully be made good, Eph^. j 9. That ye might be filled rvtth the fullnes of God-, All the fullnes ofGod,io far as ye are capable: If there- fore there beet;ough in God, there then fhall be e- nough : Thus, in the Life to Come , He that beleeves in Cbrtfty fhall have all wants fupplied, &: all de fires aUyed; becaufe he fhall fully & perfe&ly injoy God , and fo perfeft Happynes : Then ail defires to Sinnc, fhall beperfedtly quelled, ( for that all Sinne fhall be com- pleately purged out ) Then all neede &: d.'fire of the Creature in this World, fhall be quirt removed •, be- caufe God fhall be in ftead of ail, as the Sun n is in ftcad ofaGandle,and the Ocean in ftead of a Dropp i.Cor. 15. 28* God fhall be All in :ll\ Meate , Drinke, Cloth- ing, Honour, Weaith Pleafure, Frcinds, and All,MarL 12,25, Then ail defires after Grace, fhall be fully Satisfi- ed ; becaufe there fftall be a Perfection of aUGrace. , in re- gard of mealures & degrees, fo much Grace fhall be in • joyed, as isdefired, or needed : Thus he that Beleeves in Chrift % fhall new hunger northirft ; becaufe God be- gines to alaye his d fires fo foone as he beleeves, and never leaves till He hath brought him to the full Fruition of all deferable Good in the Heavens* rfs. Uses. 1. For In- Firft,for Inslruclicn & Comfort to all that truely be- flruclib dr leeve in Chrift ( What it is truely to Beleeve i I opened in Comfort, opening the Second Doclrint; where Ifhewed, It isnota groundles Brings full Souk SATISFACTION. 6$ — ____ groundless flight Conceice that Chrift dyedforus; but an entertaining (fr receiving chrift in all his Offices a full re- c figning ones Sefe to Him j Covenanting to be ordered & f OI Bei?eY guidedby Himin attThings) to fucb hecre is Injlruclion dr e " in two Comfort ; and that, In thefe Two Perticulers. pemculers Firft,7\7* *o«24, The Sonne s of God ( and fo is every one that Beleev- eth, lehn*i, /-a.Jmuft be Like Chri/l,whcnHe appeares at the Lafi Day y i John. 5 , r.2 k Therefore, Fe that beleeveth, mufl be faved , and can never wholy loofe God or Grace; And therefore it is, that He that once Beleeves can never wholy loofe his Faith, becaufe to the end He may never loofe Godor Grace, God preferves Faith in him* and by that Faith preserves him in Grace & Favour with God, till he come to inherite Glory, i.Pet u+>$. Who are kept by the Power of God through Faith &c> 5t Secondly, Ton that beleeve in Chri(l\ lhall have All your de fires aiayed, Ally our wants fupplyed, ejr your Soulesfatisfied fully in this Life: i 4 Your finfullde fires toSinne,& the Worlds Vanitycs 5 thefe f hall be aiayed, by removing the Caufe of them ; Viz: Originail Corruption , the Vanity of your Minds & Hearts : Your Soulcs fhall be purged from thofe ill Humors, which make you Hunger after this Trash 5 and fhall be put in right frame , and you made to Hunger after good ejr wholfome Things; Viz: Gods Favour & Holjnes , Gall.$.2<\> ejr Chap, 6.14. Examine your Selves well, and ye fhall find, that ye doe not fo hunger after thefe Things as ye did, and be ye furethat ye (hall doe itlefle& lefle, till at laft Brings full Soule SATISFACTION. 67 laft, ye f ball be quite freed from that vaine Defire:For thofe many Exhortations in Scripture , to Mortifie thofc jiffe(ii09is>2Ltu\to Lty them downe \ as Eph 4. 21,21* 24. & 0/7.3, 2.5. doc include Promifes fuponyour indeavor ) that it f frail be done; as may begathered from Rcrn*6. 12 14. where Gedpromif(th tr at i ball be, which he ex- horts to; YtzGods Exhortations to Beleevers , areas his Word in Creation was, operative . and working that v hich he Calls for, and Commands to be : Therefore doevebut Exerci/i your Faith , and ufe the CM cams God haih for what you fedrt bv Faith in Him, and in Am ufe of His meanes , he muOt give you? His Promife&OffiGe doe tyc him to it ; for He u your Spring of Grace to fatisfieyour thirfty Suules: And as a Mans owne Spring cannot with hold Wa* terfrom him, when hecomes to it, nomorecanC^/)?. Some wants ye fhall ha vefo longasye live hcercs I 2 bur 6$ BELEEV TNG in CHRIST, but yet there (hall be a fatisfieing, & filling up, though not filled up 5 as the Child is growing, though not fully growcn, till he comes to Age; Andyefhall have that fulines,&fatisfairituall wants, (02s to feelrfeforfupply; but it is folly 6cunbeleefe, to be difcouraged under ihcm, fincethatye have in hand 6c doe poiTeiTe as your owne, that which is able 6c ready to fupply them all, ifyou ufe the meanes> Viz: Chrifiejr the Promi/es ; Would not one thinke them toolcs, that cocrplaine of Thirft , and had a Spring of there owne, at their Doore? Yea farther Confider \ that ye have actually all FulU nes\ Viz: In Chriftejr the Promi/es ; there is AllFulInes, what can you defire that is not there? and it is all yours; So that in your Subftitute, Treafury, Srore houfe, * Wardroope , there is actually all that you neede or de- fire, and it is all yours $ For allis yours fas ye heard be- Cahm on fore) i.C^.J. i*. and therefore the Afoflle fpeakes of this Scrip- Beleevers aspoffeffing all things 2 Cor, 6 1 o.& lam, 2 . 5 .ft yies wdl :* the rich in faith^thsit is not ment of abundance of Faith, Sieges wo fas fometime the word is taken ) but that by Faith they r /f J ^T~ ^ e ^* 5 So c ^ ac cver y one r hat Beleeves is Rich by Be- *on*ejres. kWwg ; therefore pofleft of abundance felfe none are called Rich ) for the prefent injoying all that is need ful 1 $ and Heim of a Kingdome ; for i n the Life to come ye (hall have a Satisfaction of all your Defires. There ye fliall have an abfolute Fullnes ; all finnfull & worldly Dcfires fhall be quite extinguifht 5 all Holynes&Hap- pynes fliall be perfectly adminiftred; there is nothing vj neceffary or defirable (01 your Haines, but ye fliall enjoy Brings full Sdule S ATISF ACTION. 69 enjoy it a dually in the higheft Z)/£ra; ye fhall have your Wills to the full, no Want or Crofle in any Defire.GW will fay to you, as Herodio Heredias htr Daughter CMarU. 6. 222.3. and better >not onely aske what you will to the HalfeofiheKingdome, but to the Whole, and it (hall be granted jou, Whatever Chrift, Heaven , God can give > to fill you, you fhall have (o, far as you can receive. In a Word Te fhall be as Chriflis i.fobn.j, 2. So that iiChrtftis full,Te fhall be full j Wherefore be ye Confined with thele Things. 2. Use. a. Vfe. For Tr/alli Ye may bv this try, whether ye Beleeve or ForTrjall no : If yee Beleeve: ye doe not hunger ejr third : Thou that an not thus atayed in thy Defires: Thou either doft not Beleevej Or doft net exenife&ufe Faith* Or Cbrift faith not true. Ye toat have gaping wide Defires after Sinne* that feed on Sinne as an hungry Man , and drinke downe Iniquity as Water ; ye doe not beleeve: Ye t at as fully admire, feeke, & delight in the Things of this World ,as ve did formerly , and hunger & third cheiflj after them , Te Beleeve not : If your Defires, goe out conflantly* in an inordinate Way, to any of thefe Worlds Contents \ Its a Signe you have not Faith, Hence alfo zDifcovery may be madejBoth concern- ing the Meafure, and Exercife of Faith,! ht flroger your Faith is, thelefle is your hunger after the World and 5inne&c. and according a? you exercife Faiths will be the alaye of your defires after fuch things ; You want theexercifeof Faith, who cannot fuprly your wants, as you feele them -, For Faith ifextrcifed will draw from Cbrift and the Promifes (uch afullnes as is convenient tot this Life ; Ic will fliew you a Complcat fmltmin Chrift I 3 as 7 o BELEEVlNGin CHRIST, as your owne •, And where chilis not, there Faith u weake y or not excrcifed as it ought to be, Z*Vfi. 3* Use. For Ex* Shall be for Exhortation to Bekeve ; Becaufe of thclte- hortatien. ttifite that comes by it ; This is thrifts ayme in this Tlaee: And this ^belongs, Firft to fuchofyou, as yet never Bcleeved ; Secondly toiuch as have , and doe 'in fome mesifvucBeJeeve. I* HoVn- Firft to you t nat yet never B^leeved^hat is never en- believers* tertainedchn(l\n all his Offices, and never gave up your Selves to whole Chrift, as to your King, Preift,& Pro- phet; But the mod ye have done, is m a Generall manner to phanfy Chnlr dyed for you , and you fli .11 be faved by him \ which is not true Faith , as ye heard before: You, therefore that yet never rightly beleeved; be ye perfwaded ro doe it,ana chat above all things : For why ! what can docyou fo much good as this ? lsthere any Thing in the World, can fat is fie all your Defires? Sinne doth not,- Signing aiayes the Defire of Sinne, no otherwife,then calling on Gyle doth aiaye the Fire, it increaftthit; the more vcfinne, the more yedefire tofinne: It is like the adminiftring Wine in a Dropfy, Riches fatisfie not, EzekicU i.ip* Ecclc.f. 10. He that lovrth Silver fhallmt he fatisfied with Silver , nor he that lovtth abundance , with inert a fe , he fpake u chat had fully tryed it^and therefore the more to be regarded , And as it holdeth in Riches, So hkewife in Honour, Pleafii*e,pr any Thing elie, ye feeke after, and ncg- led Beleeving. That which is reported oi^AlexmierM to be found in every ones Heart, which a Philefrpher difcovcred in hiSjby ibis Jjlu/tftiS to hxmJWbeutboM haft Cincptered Greece what Brings full Souk SATISFACTION. 7* what rviit thou doe ? He anfwered, I will Conquer Ajh and the whe>lc World ; When that is done what rpilt thou doe? 1 will (faith he) wish for another World to Con- query thus unfatisfied was he by all his Honour: And thus is it with Men , both for Honour, Pleafure&c. Our Soulcs are made to enjoy God, rheretore Covet an Infinite & Eternall Good- which ismentby that Groping afttrGod,^ tts *lj ,27. Not that they feekeGod as God, for 1 o, that is true, Rom. u rr. There is none feeketh after God >butm that they feeke blindly after an infi- nite & Eternall Good (which onely is God, though they thinfce not foythey befaid to grope or feele after God and therefore reft unfatisfied, in any finite or mortall good, reall or feeming : Our Soules are likethe gapc- ing Earth, full of Chinckes , and great Crannyes, which nothing in the World can fill 6c farisfie, but the Ocean or bhowers of Heaven, God Himfelfe; hence is that reftleflhes that is in all Hearts: Whatever they have, even in this fence , they are toiTed up & downe, as the Sea , and not quiet : For fo long as the Soule is in Defire, it is in a reftleffhes 1 &; troublefome Motion. And hence it is there be fuch fhif "tings fro one tning to another,rro Coveteoufnes to Prodigallity Stc/though ye never have the witt tofhift from the Creature ta God, (ox. then ye would be fatisfied ) becaufe in no- thing ye be fatisfied ; yea, and God oft lets you have your Defires,fo much Wealth, Pleafure, or Honour, as ye fecke, and yet ye be not fatisfied , that fo ye may knowe, thereis nothing can fatisfie but God. And this I allure you, if ye Beleeve nor,(Marke it, for ye fliaii one Day remember, ye were cold of it j ye fhall ever hunger St thirft, and never be fatisfied,. and that is a great Mifery : as He that beletvet [ball never , fo you 72 B E LE E Fl NG in CHRIST, you that beleeve not , fhall ever hunger 6c want , and never gee Satisfaction, Pro.13.15* Therefore fuch a Condition is difcribed in Scripture by them that /<*- hour in the Fire , and for Parity , Habuc.z. 13. That feede on Ashes, E (ay. 4.4.. 20. Follow the Baft Wind, Hofea. 12. 1, Labour wholly in Vaine s as Elaj.$ $. 2. Confi- der the Difference twixc them that Beleeve , and thofe who doe not Beleeve, Efay. 6$j$. Gods Servants that is, Beleevers ; fhall have ley, becauieyW/ Satisfaction ; and fo nohunger: Ye, that beleeve not, i ball want, and fo be ashamed; because ye have not got that ye fought: In this Life, ye i hall not be (atisfied, and much lefle in Hells there is Pana Bamni t ye fhall be punished with loffe&wantofwhatyeieeke : Dives- who was full of Honours & Riches, and enjoyed a fullnes of all out- ward Contentments, while he was in the World ; yet this Dives, becaufe he was not a Beteever, he thirfted after a dropp of Water 5 and could uot have that Thirftalayed : There fhall be continually Bemfus Vo- luntatis, your wills fhall ever incline unto this 6c that good which ye want, but fhall ever defire, and never attaineto; It is a painefull thing, to hunger & thirft, and not to have to fatisfie 5 the Poore knowe this : Oh ! what is it the to huger & thirft,a Yeare together and never be fatisfied? and what is it to doe fo Ever? yet this,6c all this is,& fhall be your Czk t who beleeve not in thrift $that is, doe not fo receive him in All his Offices, as hath been opened. But on the other fide, if ye will Beleeve inchriftsyce fhMnever hunger nor thirjl, what would a hungry Man doe for this ? will he not venter his Life ? If ye will Beleeve, ye ihallhave a fupply of all good things, and be as Deut.}3>22< Satisfied with Favour , & full of the Blefftng Brings full Souk SATISFACTION. 73 Bieffwg of the Lord, Ycneede not goe out as I may /o fay, but fhall have ofjourowne, whatever you neede for Soule or Body : Ye may have outward Things , be yet want more, or Icofe them againe: But Belceve, 6c ye fhall have all Good, and never loofe it : Ye defire Joy, HeereistheH^ to Full fry-, ye mud have full fruition of all Good, and that is onely had by Beleeving : Your defires to Sinne (hall be alayed; and new Dejires given you, ejrfaisfieJ- and that is all one, as if ye had them of Sinne, fatisfied: Therefore Confider what the Trodigall faith, Luke. l$> 17.184 In my Fathers Houfe is Bread enough j and I dye for Hunger : In God there is Fullnes enough of Satisfaction, and I am diftra&ed through want of it: Reafon then as the Prodigall did; Alias ! i am hcere, ready to famish , for want of Bread ; How urfatisfied is my Soule? 1 follow after Wealth, Honours, 6c Plea- fures,and yet my Soule hungers &thir(lsj Why fhould my Soule be famished heere ;and perish heereafterl There is Bread enough in the Gojpel \ In Iefits Chrifl, I may have to fupply all my wants, a Compleate Satisfaction: Why fhould not / renounce my Selfe ; Forfake my Sinne ;and Goe to Chrifl* I will goe to Him, and Beleeve in Him: How great a Benifitc would it be to have Meate or Drinke that would alaye Hunger &: Thirft for Ever} This is had by Faith; This ^Argument perfwaded the Woman Iobn.q. 74. 15. Let itperfwadcyou. Ye have heard in the former DocJrine, That ^ny one, what Perfon foever, may by Beleeving get chrifi : God in his Go/pel fhutts out Hone, therefore be not kepc from indeavoring to Beleeve by sl Conccite,that fuch a Sinner as thou fhaltnotbe accepted, for any that comeareVPellcomtilibour thoutheto2ekcvc\ and know K that 74 BBLBBVINGinCHRlST y that on thefe Tearmes , Perfeft Happynes , is offered tbce ; For it is chat onelj which cznjatisfie all Defires ; and therefore, above all , Labour to Beleeve in chrift^ If thou wilt not, thou refufe/l Perfefi Happynes y and (halt have perfcft Mifery. 2. Jo Be- Secondly, This (erves alfo tor Exhortation, To Yon Icevers* that have Beleeved : Gett mort Faith, and exercife Faith more, So (hall your Wants be ftpplyed > and Defires fatisfied, and this is the Way to have more freedome from (innhill & worldly Defires , and to have your fill of Grace* G<>d,& HApfynes, you want (bmuch» be- cau(e you a&ually beleeve (o little ^ For Bdceving brings Sdtisfaftion , and the more ye BeUeve , the more full &*- tisfaclion : Be allwayes then in the ufe& exercife of F*itb> abound there with sSatban above all things, la- bours to hinder your growth in Faith j becaufe by that meanes he would keepe you in want ; But learnc you above all things, to labour to abound in Faith , for then (hall you want nothing : Hence are there (o many Exhortations & Prayers made by the ^Jpoftle'm Scrip- ture for Beleevers abounding in Faith > For as they ex- ercife &increafe in F aith y foallFullnes is farther con- veyed to them : Faith is as the Bucket , which let downe fetcheth Water\ and the oftner you let it downe > the more Water you have * The Exercife of Faith M as the turn- ing of the Cock , which if turned , letts in Wa- ter ,• So Faith exemfedy letts in all (upply, and the more it is exetcifed, the greater is the (upply j The more Faith, the more fullnes; If wc want, the want is not from chrijl , but from our want of the exercife of Faith : Exercife Faith then , and you will never be pimbt with Hunger or Third, or be (operp/ext, as often ye Brings full Soule SATISFACTION. 75 ye are ; But you (hall enjoy a Heaven upon Earth ; you (hall have a (wecte Influence of all Grace , as faft as your Soulcs can receive it; you fhall enjoy the Spirit of God, and the Favour of God^nd be fully fatisfied; All Supplyes are to be had one Ij from cbri/l ; and all to be had from Chrifl, onely by Bekeving, Faith Exercifed doth Three Things. Fait ^ * x ' Firft, // Conveyes the Thing that is fought \ Therefore doth^ ' fo oft in Scripture, It is made the Inftrument of Convey- Things, anceof all Gods Bleflings; By Faith Sarah received the l% promifed Sonne: Hcb.n. li« So Ga0,$. 14, The Promife of the Spirit u received by Faith: It is Faith brings it : Therefore the Scripture makes Faith to Conveye the Par- done of Sinne, the healing Difeafes : and whatever it be* leeves,CMath t %. /$, ( as ye heard before ) For, what* ever Faith layes hold on, it makes it thine owne, be it ever fo much: And. Secondly, Vntill it hath Brought & Conveyed the 2* Thing, It gives Affurance that it f hall be had, and fo it gives Content 6c Sansf-a&ion in fome meafure as if it were had; As it did to Abraham foth\slfaac,Gcn.ijt 17. it made him laugh,that isloy, ((ot it was another kind of laughing then Sarahs was - } who laughed out of fcorne of the thing fpoken , as deeming it impof- fible 6c therefore was fhee rebuked ) I fay, Faith made Abraham laugh 5 that is Ioj in the Affurance of the thing. And fo it made Hmna ^///>/,andeafed her of her per- piexity,i.£*w # /./o./8.upon Her fraying fhee Beleeving was Satisfied, untill fhee had it '. For Faith exercifed, dotha(IuretheSoule,theThingdefiredfhalI be had, in the beft tyme 6c manner. Thirdly, it prefects all fullnes & defirabUnes , as that, 3» which fhall be in due tyme puffeded, & enjoyed; K 2 It 7 6 BELEEVlNGin CHRIST, It gives aglimps, of all that God kith PromifeA, or thou dcfireft; Faith leadeth thee to Heaven, and fheweth thee thc'many iManfions , the Crovone of Glory ^ the glorious Roabes, the immortaff Inheritance, the Kingdome that (hall never be fhaken, whatever is to Come, Faith gives the fight of it before hand;\ooVe as God did toAbraha, Gen.l f ♦ He f hewed him that full Po/Ierity,eJr PoffeJJion that in due tymcy he fhould have ; So doth Faith $ Htb. 1 1 , 1 3 < #y /i/'/A /£^ yin? the things promt fed afarr off, ejr were perfwaded of them y & embraced them (otjalutedthem ) that is as things prefent and enjoyed by them, Now Faith doing thus • the more it is $ the more it doth thus; as Fire hearing, the more the Fire is, the more it heates-, and the more it is exercifed, the more it doth thus: For it is with /^//A, asitis with any Skill Power, or Habit ; if it be not ufed &: exercifed ; it doth nothing, he that hath it is never the better, there is no difference tvvixt him 6c another , that hath noe fuch thing : And this is the great folly ofBeleevers that they grovvnotin, andexercifenot their Faith; did theyfb, they could want no good thing : Therefore Consi- der , what Increafe can yeild ye fo much Benifite, as the Increafe of your Faith* what Exercife can doe ye fo much good, as the Exercife of your Faith i Therefore, above all things, mind this: Doc yeas Hab.z.^ Live by your Faith : Let that be it whereby ye doe %^All Things, and pafle ^illTyme, let it be in Continual/ Aclion in you > on Alt Occafions\ And I Affure you, Tee f hall never Hunger nor Thirfti But be free from all the Pinches and Pangs , Perplexities, and Troubles , that now ye un- der goe. Thus ; Ye have had the Pith & Subftmce of this Text, In thefe Fourt Doftrmes. I. That Brings full Soule S ATI SF AC TI ON. 77 i 4 That chrtf u the Bread of Life \ that is, The one- ly ejr alfufficient Remedy of CMans Mifery. 2* That the all & ondy CMeanes appointed & required by God , for the obtaining this chriji $ is Commmgiohim; that is , Be/eezing on Htm. 3. That Every Per fin without any limitation or Jeclu- ding, by Beleeving on chrifl , may certainly obtaine Him, 4, That whoever Comes to Chrifl, or Beleeves in Chrift> [hall never hunger nor thirjl ; that is t f hall have aU his Wants fupplycd > and his Soule fMly Satisfied. 1 Conclude all, with that of Hofea Chap, La/}. Vcrfe. the Laft. Who is wife , & he fhall Vndaftand thefe Things. FI N I S. A Table of fuch Scriptures ± as receive Light in the precedent Matter. THE FIRST PART. Cat. Vers. Page. Cap. Feks. P £6\ \z. 4 **♦ i>2. U 10, 21,21 17 Z^///:4* 30. 38 Luke t i 71,^74, 38 /♦ Zl.tozg. 5 4. 18,19. it 7*m?£:ij. IS. 1 3 13. i,2, N 2.2 Kuthiu I*. 3* H- i<5. 17 I.A/^gr,8. 4. 24 J J. 7 z.&ngsj/.ii.: 37 11, 7/4/14 j. 4# 26" loh»>i. 8 39 10 21 J 1 - 3. 2 4> &1 *P* *4 90. n« • 13 6e,<5<5. 17 lip. 5SM23, 37 >6, 8. 7,9,21 Tvo:\o. 12. ip K^4fls,i. 37. 22 mlefl 7 . 9* I. 25 J. Jp, 26 Efaithyi. 16", 17. 39 13, 39. itf 55. l>z- 12 l<5 # 29,50,34. i<5,?2 59» 3 j8 6* i2 # 39 ill 31 • 24 2,Tim:u 9. 39 2.CW4. 4. 23 Titus,!. 1 4 . 38 G*//:3, 22. 8 /fr£:6 t |. 37 2^24. 6 II. 7, ^5 £/£:l. <5". 31 12, IM022. £ 5* M- 21 2i. 15 7 Thf.$. 7. 3p /^w:4 4 s,io. 20 &Tim:i. 13. 23 7,7^,4. 1. 25 l6 - 3* Rcv\2i, 17. 7^7I7>*0,23. I© 44* *o* 72 SO. 20 7 49, 9>la 52,5/ Exodi\6. 3»M,i^ 70 jy. j, 1,5. 53,6/,72 Beutwy 12,13, 4/ 65V /;♦ 72 35* 2 3. 7 2 l*tl"i* i4)2j« 5? KS4m:r. io,i3« 75 50* ,19. ibid 2.Crcn:t> 15. 43 £fa£:2. 13. 72 Pfalti6. it. 56 iJltath.r. 23. $4. l 7. 15. 63 ft 17. j; 34* 8,9,10. j3 \ .8. 7/. 37,75 36. 8 3 p, <3t 10, 12. 57 634 /♦ <>l 1$. rr. 9 '*I« lo» 67 21. 31,32* . 17 *9* 33* A 2 2. IUT2M. 16,4.3 lOT* 9- 5<5 25- ZW . 63 *45> itf. 36 CMarke>6. 22,23. £9 iV*:j t itf, 57 i(5. 15,16. 40 Luke, Cap. Feus. Vagi. Cat. /^rs. Vagx. Luke,%. 10,34. 41,50,51 5- J ^ S 8 ^ ip 41 Galliy. 4. i8>75 7 . 29,30* 36 J* $ x 7* 2 5»^8 12. 14, !£♦ *4< 15,25,30. ?9 6 - . *4- 3 8 16,17,24. 10,36,4a Bfhiz. 13,19* 55 $tf I2 4 56 liriifei't 12* 15,22, J4> 5* 3- x 7>^ 54**4 3. I4>i5* i8 f 3M"° 4. 8 > 12 * 5^3 16,3^ 62 23,24,25- 67 19* 3 ^44 *$***• 23,24. 5* 4 . 12,14. 60,54*7 3 *» 8 « 9 * 34 6, So,»57% '•" ° /:i - »4>«,22. 5 44 . 25 2 # 3.9. io* 61,62 *7>*t- 3 3- 2 5. 67 **. 3P,40,47>4& * 8 >*o /♦TAffo 9. 44 I4 . 19. £ *.Thef.\. 7>8. jo 16 7>8- 5*5 t*ft**i *- S9 lASuu 3 8. 35 » fc 3- ^ X J, 9 . 6,11,17. 21 47»48 *7>**>44 I0 * W*3* I3< itf* 30,31.. 35 17- 22. 1^. ** Eom:$. "* „ 71 „ 4# 5 * £ 4* 5* II* 2p* x.Cont, *3« i 5# 17,2s, /#>** FINIS, Colli. 14,21,22. l. 3»9.io* 3- 25. uThef:.$ 9. z.Thef.i. 7>8. iXtm\6. & Hcb:^ lp. 7- 2?,2$* IO # 19,^23% 11. II. *3>*7- Iames,i 4 s. 4* 5* t.Petu. 4)5- 4# 4- s.Petul 3>4< ulohnA* 1,2. 8,9- Rev:6* Uflttf 7* I 6,1 7«- 22* IT* 75 20,27,30, 35.JA71 , 3>'7- 39.7J 68 6(f 32,23. 1 8.4.1 11,22. 37 4. , 4- 57 H. 55 *.Ptf:U 3>4« 57.^1 61 l Johf>,l* 1,2. 66,6 j> 7 *4»*5« «. f. 57 »»* W 6o ftwi" 15,1 They that are ^hole need hot a Ph-jftcian : but they that areficke. j 2 . / came not to call the righteous, but {inner* to repentance* Hese" Verfes containes chr'tfls Anfiver to h Jgueftion, ^hich the Scribes & Pharifees 3 propounded to HisDifciples in the former Verfe, in vv hich he gives them the fall & cleare Reafcn of that they askdd ; Viz: Why he converft with Publicans & Sinners \ Thatis> with thofevvhoin the account ofalI> were notorious Sinners* He anfwers firft in a borrowed /peech by aprover- biall Sentence jVerfe 3 1. They that are whole need not the Phijkian , hit they that are fake: And after in plaine words, exprt fling his meaning in the former: Ver.32 / came not n call the Pighteom but Sinners to repentance. A The 1 SenjibU SINNERS are onely fitted The Words mud be warily underftood; for they ex- prefTe not what is, but what men doe thinke is in this pcrticularj There are none that in thefelves are Righ- teous (as ye have heard in opening the naturall eftate of people ) But thereare many vvno arenot Senfible of there naturall ftate, and doe thinke themfelves righ- teous} and fo Cbrift calls them according to what they thinke of themfclves ; Againe , there is none but are Spiritually Jicke,buz there be fome, who zvevvell enough in their owne opinion , and therefore ChriH calls the whole owncs : Againe , thofe that are thus whole in there owneeftecmc, and not in Truth -, they have a need of Cbrifl, as much as any others, becavfethey be asmifcrablcbuttbeyare laid not to need him,bccavfe in theirowne{enle& feeling they need him. not. The words Mlo,phr.ift. came not to call the Righteous t Tlv and perceived not their Jimfullnes \ Fbi' fee called the Apojlle Paule t who was a Pharife , 6c as righteous in his owne efteeme> as Sny, But the meaning js t j,that t^ey are;not in the next ifpofitioji £p his cajl& to receive him, who are righ- teous in their owneefteeme; they are not prepared for him $he reveales & exhibits not Himfelf: & Mercy to any fuch immedt^tlys but if he fhew mercy to fuch hefirft O^g^c^^^^^^^^y ifhewiqg them they are not righteous ■•, as the Phiijeian , who comes to Perfons that be not fcnfible of their ficknes , but brings them to befc?, before he cures than. Their $«$ meamn^thefr aftheje Verfis is thus rnazh: Meaning Tcqnverie with the great Sinners y i\\ch as are the explained. p u blicans be oriitr Notorious Tranfgrejfors.y and not with you Scribes &Phrarifees 5 becaufe they atefrnftbieof xhwfiwfiiBm.SL Souks mifery % and you are not, butiti your Otyettsjor iMBRCTbyCHRlST. your ownc cftcemc, are well enough & righteous 3 far 1 afford not iMercy & Salvation to any but fuch as be in their own e eftecme miferable , as the Phifician ufeth not his (kill &helpc for any but them that are ficke. Now thefe WW/Ihavechofctoopen to you , be- caufe, I would fhew you how much the Doflrine of y out T^atura/l State ( which I have unfolded & applied to you, and is often done ) fhould & muft Vcorke on you before you can be freed (torn that Mifery: Wherefore, 1 will from thefe Words y not raife every Obfervation which may be, but only fo much as may ferve to in- forme & helpe you in this perticular $ And that is, cheifly one Doftrine, which is the maine fumme & fcope of, and conteyned clearcly in thefe Verfes, Doctrine. That. Only fuch People as are fenfible of their miferable State of Nature > by Sinne, are the prepared Ob jetts of €od$CM Chrifts helpe is farr why foful cnoU gh, and Sathan hath them fure enough: I will y one * therefore indeavour to prove itarrplySt evidently, that yee all may fee clearly, it is an undou bted Truth of Cod: Inftances. Andfirft, We will begine vvith fuch as firft had Mercy to be freed fro m Sinne * Viz* x^Adam d$ Eve ; Be- \ f r °*h ^ ore Go ^ ^ e wec * x ^ icm Mercy* He firft made them/enjt- had firtt bleof their mi/fry ; He putts them in feare by his Voyce Mercy, as appeares by their hiding themfdves } Gen: $, 8jo. and then indites him, and con vinceth them Verfe. n.iz* r?.and pronounceth Judgment on the Serpent Vera*. before ever he promifeth chriff, or any Mercy by Him. Tipyfied And this was tipified in Gods dealing Voith I frae/Iia In Kraals t heir mercyfull deliverance out of Egypt ; He firft d uMofE- ma ' ces tncir bondzgefenfibty heavy,fo that, thry fighed, gy pt. & groaned $ before, God was about to deliver them ; they were very well in Egypt, in Gofhen, the bed of the Lan d $ in much efteeme, but when the tyme of delive* ranee drew to vvards, (WraifedupaKing that knew not lofepb> and oppreffed them , and as Mercy drew nearer , fo their Mifery grew fenftbly on them , in fo much that their fighes&groancs came up to God. In the This was yet more fully tipified in the ^Uitrnes\ht^ wildernes fore ever God gzyc them the Manna, 01 Rock > vvhich fent objrcls forCMERCYby CHRIST. fent forth a River of Water, or Brafen Serpent* ( all vvhich were Tipes of chrifi) He fir ft made chem /enfibly deftrcf ftd> by tamine,Drought, & the ftinge of fiery Serpets: AUo, before he appointed Mofcs to be their Prophetic inftrud them, from 6W } He(o amazed them &: terifi- ed them with his ovne dreadfull Voice, that it was like to kill them, and they leaft they fhoulddye, bc- feecht God to fpeake to them by Mofe$\Deut\ $* 2s* to ip. All this typifying Gods Purpofe ; never to (hew Mercy to the Soules of any by chrijl , butfuchas were fenfible of their mifry be need of Him. And this alfo,(W aim'd at in his method & maner of 2, In his revealing his Go$el,& Doclrine ofChrift: He firft more ™™f™ obfcurelyrevealesit , under tipes &fhaddowes, and thegofpel amply & clearly opens the Do&rineof the LaVc , In vvhich Maxsmifery by Nature through Stnne> is fully o- pened, by vvhich meanes he begctts in his Church, a fenfe & conv?c~lion of their mifcry ,& much bondage & feare by realon of it, and to rhis, the Afoftle hath refer, rcnceafwellas to pert cular Perfons-, Rom: S,i$ « For yee haut not received the Sprit of bondage againe to feare* but ye have received the Spirit ofAdoptitn eye. Th e church cf God formerly, from CMofcs especially (in fome me&futchom Jdam) to chn/i h was brought up under the difciplinc of Cerimonies , and the Law which was accompanied with many con virions of finne, & danger, 8c with many feares &terrors,ehpetiallyin the delivering of it on Mo'wtsinai, and alio w t th the Spi- rit of God j vvhich wrought conviction of Sinne, and Terror in the Hearts of People, and fo held them in a bondage & feare; This Hay, was Gods old manner of disciplining his church , moreefpecially from Mofes toCbrifl: Wi*enthe commingofcAr//?, drew nearer A 3 then Senfible SINNERS are cnely fitted then in former times ; this I fay is included in that Rotn\S. 75. though this be not all its meaning ; and is exprefle > Heb: 12* rf. to 22. Foryee are not came vnto the Mount, that might be touched that burned with fire 3 not to blacknes ejrdarknes, & tempefl ejr the found of a trumpet, and the voice of words, vvhich they that heard intreated that the Word fhuld not be Jpoofo to them any more, and Verfu* So terrible was the fight* thatMofesfaid 1 exceed- ingly fear e ejr quake. It was the Condition of Gods People at firft; and therefore, Gall.}. 23. x*. before Faith Y that is, theDoftrineof Gods Mercy inchri/l by Faith) came (that is > was charely revealed* ) Wc were kept under the La^to \ that is , under its Doclrine & Di/cipline: And why I as under a Schooie-Mafier to lead us to ChriH: By theLaw.he meanes the whole Mofaicall Vifcipline of Morrall, & Ceremoniall Law > It vvas as a Schoole- Ma/fer 5 not onely in regard of Tipcs, to point out Chrifl j but alfo, in regard of Terrors & Con virion of Sinne, & Danger, vvhich the Morrall Law taught,5c fo did the Ceremoniall, forin pointing out* Saviour, it (hewed there was Mifery to be faved from* and by every wafhing& facrafice, 6c attonement> it (hewed* there vv as guilt t & danger, eir wrath due $ and therefore this Ceremoniall Law is called an Hand vvritingof Or- dinances againft as , for it did prove to their faces , that they were unier wrath , or what need was their cf them; and they did but darkely point out cbrift, and to them onely who had Knowledge and Faith to conceive their meaning , but they did clearely vvitnes to all their faces , that they were in mifery and danger \ Thus, this Law > as a Schoole-mafter, prepared for Chri(l, Objecls forCMBRCT by CH R IS T. Chri(l,\n ihat,it (o abounds nth convincl of their mifery, falVell as by tipifiing chrift ) And thus did God bring up his Church at firft, ar.d for a long vvhiIe,to the latter age of the World, and till chrift came, And feme vvhat to this porpofe was intimated by the Condition the Jewes were in,vvhenChrf(l came,cven when the Scep- ter was departed from ludah , and they were mi/erably yoakedby theRomanes, and fen fib le of it , All this , to teach us His method, That he fhe\sres Lfrlercy by chrijl, oneK tofuch zszieccnvincJ ejr fenfibleoi their UMiferj by Nature & Sinne : And thus God dealt with David) before he fhewes 3« Inihew him Mercy in pardoning his Sinne, he fends Nathan to ^Q^y^ convince him efit, andfhewehim his mifery of which he was not before fenfible: - And this Method, C^v/?fheVes for ever to be in the 4- Out of 'Spirits converfwn of Sinners j lohn it, 8. Firft to Convince Iohn l6 '** if Sinne j to make people evidently fee that they are xmterablebySinficandtbcn tocovinceofRiehteouil nes, that is ,of Mercy by .Clrtjt: And thus did the Affiles all\rayes j Peter, Acts the 5. So all- Second; never gives t;bemhGpeof Mercy by chri$ y till * h a> Y b ft hehad firft Gt^^f^t^^P^^gg^^^J^cM^W 1 ^ ** !«. their Hearts, an^ti^n .hAtdwihun q£ Mercy j So Taule ejr Barnabte, Ach tfaf6> Never (peakc of chrifi tothejaylor,tiil b\ their miracle, Gods Spirit tooke occafion to convince him of his danger of damnation by his finnc : ■ hu.4 foA^JK&kjfafi > 4fl jjNj Romany. Firft-prwe^^U>:J|4chjIowc:sA. Gentiles, to be <##- demned | wretches , chapter in- thud* ana then o- pcnsthcDoftrineo"f'Salva«on^cirj/'i, Yer*e,the 24, and fo forward, Senfible SINNERS are onely fitted And therefore GaU. 3* 22. the Scripture firft [hum up allunder Sirme> that they who beleeve may be faved ; by (hewing all to be in a damnable itate by Sinne, he pre - pares them for mercy, who were to haue it by belee- ving: For as God plotted the Salvation of people, So he works it \ He plotted it thus , firft to let them be- come Miserable by their o^ne Sinne, then to provide a Chri/l&c fend him , and by Him to fave them ; So God works it jfirft convinced* them, & fenfiably perfwads the that they are Sitmers & Mt/erabh by it , and then by ChnH he faves fuch as beleeves : Thus ye fee.this Doftrine as cleare as the Sunne , a Truth as evident as may be, from the whole courfe of Gods dealing from time to time $ and this 5 none that considers the Scripture, 6c Queftion willregarditdoeordaredenyin thegenerall. How farr ^ ut a " c ^ e Queftion is , about the degree & meafure forthPeo- offenfiablenes: How much & how farr forth, Pevplemufi plemuft be fenfible of their mifery, This Queftion is neceil'ary to.be refolved. Anf er And ro this I Anfwer, Theremuftbefuch zfeiifible- nes as that they be throughly ' affettcd with it ; It is not enough that they be generahy perfwaded that they are w//£ra&/*, nor lightly affe&ed with it, norforafitt and^ay, mufeh^ddbled withit: But it muft be* ftrong through impreffion on -ifri'hfeart 5 Some thin&fc ttata flight convi&ion is enough; Oi^ if not fovyet a cleare cbrivi&ion ofJudgment,fo that they fee & fay, ^Btfrfflfey Vrt fhiferable by Nature ; Or if not fo r yet ^hftffti^tfHipr^bnonchehearr, rs fafrety enough "fifti! ^rWofa^&ftffi^^ «a ^egp^&^teoiighConviamn of MMd/and impreffio on^^ife^oitW^Heart. , ^sis cleare by all the Inftaces whisht wtie brought Objcclsfor iM£ RCY by CHRIST. to prove the Do&rin^ from the firftto the laft j Con- iider themallja-nd yQurfrTall find it yvas fuch an Httmi- lUtion as I now ipeake of 5 Doth every thought of ficknes, or flight diftemper caufe People to en tertaine a Phihcian • Was ^AdamsTerrorm theGarden , fmaU> when he was afraid 6c hid himfelfe v Vvhen G^ ar- raigned; him , indited hira, convind &•■ condemned him ? Was Israelis affiSion of "Spirit fmallinEgyp, when God delivered them out of it I doth not the Scripture often record it to be very great* What was thtaffttilioof Ifrae/l in the Wildernes before they had theM*»fc/*,--tlve Water from the Rocke y the bra fen Serf em, and CMo/es ap- pointed to ta*£& them, in Gads jlead^vz% it not very .great*. . What was the Condition of the 7?^ under the Lauv 7 - were they nozzzxhc fittt math 'ajfrighted, as •Hcfr:z2.vvte itnotviHth*rt«c?i -and.deepe^&lr^ ^ Spirit? And that utifi&Q*. Cot^ vimingth€WorldxfStrine T z\\t\\bxi^ out English word (eemjes: *a .imply that a bate -naked convmci^W* 4«dg.m^ht?is.th£iv r xnorfc! Yete&iftiW' 3 ^ { kli^Wvfc 4haBfinxii£vriBc© though the ^po/lleipczkes, howthe Church ofGod, the Jewes, were before chrifliznd compares it with tihat Cafe which now the Church of beleeving Jct£g&& Gentiles be in, Jince chrifl, as ye heard before 5 Yctaift)j,thb place manefeltly coternes adifcription offuch£crtrciilar Pfcrfons.as obtains mer- cy by chrtftibefwc that they doe fo; they have 4 Spirit of bondage to feare^Wet have it mot mgat»e,( hi th the Apofile) therefore we had it , Which vvc.MW^ atad you Gentile Romanes , (for *toeu;e is the fame manner of dealing which God takes with his Church in gene- ral and Perfons in perticular , for the fitting them for Mercy) Before Paule & thefe Romanes had Mercy , they had a Spirit, that h, Gods Spirit, called a Spirit of bon- Jjg^becaufc he at that timejeades peoples Soules in- to bondage 8c fointofeare \ Isheereonely zjlight con- viction > v vhen the Souk is bwdag W, and the Heart made to fear* l Nocfurcly.v And ObjetfsfirCMERCTby CHRIST. II And this in Paule is cleare ; Rom. 7 P* When the Commmandement came ,Sinnc revived & I dyed ; that is, When God by the Light of the true understanding of his Lav, Convinced me 6c wrought on me ; I then fav aboundanceof Sinne, and fo , my Sdfcdeadby it; which before I faw not , and therefore thought 1 was well > Docyouthinkethisunthouhtof^//?>7> wasfecne by Pauley and he not throughly affecled with it ? Jt is im- poflible. This alfo, is cleare by that •, Luke.4^^19 The Spirit $fthe lordti upon me to preach tjrc Where Chrift plainly determines this Quelho.n ; & fhewes to whome He u fent& appointed to bring to Mercy, ( for that is mentby his preaching, an cjfccluall preaching, and not a bare de- claration ) even as in my Text; to them onrij, <'vho 2te throughly affecled with the fence of their miierabie ftate by Nature : Thefc are defcribed by fevcrall Names, but ailfuch,as imply a through affeftion&: fence of their mifery: The Poore-, that is, fochas by fence of their mifery , are lowe & meane in their ownc eyes, ( for thus ufually the Scripture ufeth the word Poore ) and fo it appeares by the next words: The Broken hearted* the Captives, and Blind, that is, who knowe their captivity & blindnes (for elfe he fhould be fenttoall, all being fo , which Chrift is not) and doe anyknowethemfelvcstobe^/^/^ , ^//W,with out being throughly affefted with it > And fothe next words fhewes, in that, he calls them bruijed oVmn with their Captivity y And in the next words; To preach the acceptable Teare of the Lord; that is , that 4 of which the Yeare of JubiJe wasaTipe 5 <5a41ed an ac- ceptable Teare* becaufe it was a Ti*pe of Deliverance toluchzs were in Bondagejand th^r^efore they were B 2 ' fcnfble 1 2 S£»Jitte&YNl$ERthattherea,re diners ^different degrees & met- fhfln hy f ures ®£^&^ of which therTare muft.bfckualiUThece bi£gr©£tek&; k?(Te!degr*es;> As is different cleate iri:thejewes •& the Jaylor , The J ewes were d ^S rees ? f prLckt at the bcact:6r fayAfeo^wSi^/^i// vve doe ? but Laden!™" ^g^a^finw^vAB^ttc^hfi cia^fefofl^g fc^kVfe^t^ before th§m /n AhpVfoI>^ fome brfikerhh&atlc^ivmzbrM 1-S. Labour-, and h'eaVf./vadePt and ' weary •> and ifa^S'u i. Thirfty^ that, is not fo. much as the other-,, and RweU.22.-17-. W#* g , |&#&i J n ot fo muchfacss ctfirfty j ibr thi r ft & a dc- •fire ,v y\t,h fn^Afeftf idig&iitta^ & piirie of body r which is noteye;r-inavvillinghes: Thu^there be degrees ; greater $g IeHer« measures- •>■ For oniome God works tht^fence of Miferyfaddenly & altogether, on fome he wotksit by degreesy Uttlc & little, the former like the Objecls fir CMERCTby CH RIS T, 1 5 the beating out a barreils head, and letting out all at once.the other like the leaking,or letting cut at a tapp, which maks notfogreatafloud 5 on fomc God works the fence cfMifer j in full ignorance ; who never heard of any remedy, 6c fo fhewes them their mifery onely, and hides all appcarace of an helpe ; but others are a* fore had acquainted with th£ remedy that is poffibly to be had by any in that mifery ; Now thefe cannot be wrought on fo deeply as the other; To conclude this; GWvvillfettiton fome much more then on o^ thers, either becaufe their natures cannot beare fo much, or he-hath not appointed them to fuch high, 5c fpeciall fervice, or the hke, So that the difference The Pro- in degree 6c meafure is verv much ; Yet all have it in Pf rtl ^ s - of that mealure, as hath bine opened, a (trong, through, on , impreffion on the Heart; which hath thefe Properties. 1. To make Gods Wrath mofc fear e full & hreadfull of U all things, they feeing it in the Effects of it, Vizi The Mifery it hath inili&ed on :hcm : PfaLvc. ri. Who kno^cth the pokier oj 'thine Anger ^according to thy feart 'ejrc, 2. To make Sinne evi//ejr bitter^ Ier.z.io, Eccle:y< 2 6. 2. even beyond any thing in the Vcrld, though on a fudden worldly things may more violently tranfport with greife, Yet not fo bitter, as this, when the Soule is it Sdfe& ad vifeth 6c deliberates ferioufly of it, nor fopincheth the Heart. 3. To make all Things in the World, that are worldly, 3. Inefficient to give Red. Jguiet ey Content to the Soule-, and therefore to be Reflles in itsS^notwithftanding all outward things : As Abraham for want of a child, though he had much Gen\i$,i.z. What wilt thou give me feeing Jgoe childles : And Sampfon his Vi&ory for want of ThizH: fridges. 1 j.i8, B i 4. To 14 Senfible SINNERS are onely fitted 4. To make the Remedy that can helpe the Soule, 4* more fwecte then any thing in the World, and there- fore p anted & longed after more then any thing in the World, all things in companfon of it , uudcr vallucd &: neglcfted ; and it gladly to be embraced upon any tearmes or condition what ever ; And when Chrifi is knownc to be this onely be alfufficient Remedy, then the Heart to be Co toChrtfl, as hath bine exprefled. ?♦ To be abafed in itsoVcne eyes, laid love, therefore r' called in Scripture, & by Divines , a being humbled, or Humiliation , and be driven quite out of it Selfc > fo as to difpare of all helpe in and by it Sclfe , And therefore to be ready vvholj to goe out of its Sclfe >Rom\ ?.#.ldyedy Therefore, they be called Poore Luke*4 4 i8. Thefe be the Properties of that impreflion which muft be made on the Heart of all , before , By chrift* they can have CMcrey (Infants all waves excepted, who comming not to Ycarcs are not capeable , nor v vc of what way God works on them; Now if thefc be, though ever fo gently &: flovrly Gob hath wroughtit, and with out fudden flights &gaftings, Yet it is e- nough, But with out thele be , Its not enough , And thefc cannot be without a ftrong & through imprefli- on upon the heart. Bbjeclions $°™ c objecltons arife againfl this, which muft necejjaryly be anpfcered and cleared. As. 1. Firft, againfl this are objc&ed, The Records in Scrip* tuie, of David> the t^ipoftles of Chrifl, Zacheus> &t Lydc- ab t who were pertakers of Mercy by chrift^nd yet, ne- ver fo affe&ed with fence ofSinne, as we fpcake of, Jnpber. ^o ** ' A rif^er* Firft, perhaps They were much j though it is not re- l- corded 3 The Hiftory in the old Teftament fpeakes not Objeclsfor iMERCTbyCHRlST. t? not of Mofcsfcare when he was at Mount Sinai, though it was very great, as the Author to the Hebrew tells us, Chapm.ii. Secondiy.an Humiliatio they had had before,becaufc being under the Dtfciplinc of the LmVp > they were brought up under a Conviction & Senceoi their dange- rous State •, thrift found them in that, For they had the Law their Schoole * mafler $ which taught them by the Spirit of bondage to feare - t Thevc fore, they were before wrought on by humiliation, This is implied in that, Acls. f 3 ♦ 3 9- By him all that beleeve, are jujlffied from all things, which they could not be ju(lijirdby the Law of Mofev, Therefore, they flood Convincl,ihzt they were under guilt and to be juftified, or could not be faved. Thirdly, By the Effects &Eruitcs, it is cleare that they had this Humiliation , Becaufe all the Effects which it hath,are in Scripture recorded to be in them , Viz: The Things for which, faking all for Him, The fubjetling to his WiUinall things &c, ( as ye (hall heare anon ) We find all thofe things in them 3 Since therefore the Effects is , the Cdufevvas'y All that can be proved from thefelnftan- ces* is onely this , That there are degrees & meafures in this Huwri/iation, ( If this doth follow from it ) fome not fo much, or in fuch a manner as others ; But nor, that there need not fo much as hath bine difcribed, for that, they could never have done as they did, if they had nor binefohumbled, for though God could, by his /Vi/wrinable them to doe it, Yet he never doth, but by fo humbling them, Becaufe he hath fettdownc that meancs & method togoe byfas hath bine proved) And therefoie > vvc muft knave that, yvent before (thpugb 5 *4 1 6 Senfible SINNERSare mely fitted ( though it be not exprefled ) when there is the other Viz; The fruition of Mercy by Chrijl ; or eife Cod fhall notkeepeto his owne Rule. Lydiab, a devout woman before ; hir prefcnt enter- taining the JpoJileSyihtwcs not that (hee had not bine deepely humbled, but that either it was before now $ or that it lafted not, but was foone healed, as it was in them Acls.i. 3 7. compared with ver. 41.& chap.i6+ 29.34. deepe Humiliation, foone turned into Joye. Great Humiliation is for great Sinners: Not foe, Paule not iq great a Sinner, >et very much humbled; Jtis for greate Servants rather, fuch of vvhome God will have much w oAt^Paules finnnes confidering they came from Ignorance St blind Zeale, thinking that they he perfecuted,were Gods enemies, are much ex- tenuated, andhewasfor his outward Life, blameles, yet much humbled. 2. Objecl- Againe , That is objected ; Reve.iu 17. Whofoever'^. willing^ , There is noe more required, but a Willingnes^ Therefore not Cuchavtea/ure of ^Humiliation. Anftver. I Anf^er, If that Phra/c be rightly opened accord- ing to the Scripture, It will be foudtocontaineafmucti as weprefle, onely exprefling the lead degree ofit; For to be willing, is an inclination of SouTc to, have it,on thetearmes & conditions it is offered , on, f and . making Chn& All in All > The'loofing.any thingo 7 doing:any .thing, (ufFering any thing, that fiod vv;ll have us , all •this is contrary to our natures &: old courfes, and tjjve ^orld, and the continuing to the end of our dayes fo IftWrfii Now thus to be willing to doe", and to have Chrid I ObjecJsfor CMERCTbyCHRIST. \ 7 chrijl on thefeTearmes, none can be, but they who are/ei humbled as hath bine exprefl: 5 All others will either not atallcare forchrif, regard him or come to him, as they Luke. 14.1f.ejrc, When they were invited to the Supper, They all began to make Excufe : The Firftfaid I have bought a peece of Ground &c. As they thatarenot hungry & thirfty , care not for water or bread ; and he that had not killed , cared not for the Citty of refuge, but he that had & was perfued by the avenger of blood, would leave all to gett to it $ Or elfe They will not ftay with Him, As the Stony Ground; OrnotobeyH;>winall^/^;,fodoingashe appoints; As they lohn. 6. 6e.66. Many of them fayed, This it a hard faying, Who can he are it. I hx\&Verfe,66. From that tyme many of ' hu Difczp/es ^cent bach, and talked no more with him-,) As the Do&nne of Prcdeftination j And that young Man, CMarkc+io. 21 22. He therefore that istruely Willing, muft be foe Humbled as hath bine exprefl;. Rbasons, Reafons. Firfi, Is that we have implycd allready : To drive i f to Chrijl, And make Willingto take Him, Becaufenone elfe will entertaine chri(t> on the Tearmes as God onely gives Him , Viz: With a goeing 1^0/7 out of Themfelves, Laying afide all Selfe-Confidence, Either for Acceptance or A£Hng any Thing ; And Refting wholy and onely on Him > Which is to Beleeve : And alfo, With a Selfe-Denyall , C ontempt of the World, Suffring, Leaving, Doing all Things, That Chrijl i hall Appoint, Thus will None doe, butfuch as be thus Humbled: C A 1 8 Senftble SINNERS are onely fitted A grcatc Building, therefore muft have decpe Fou - dation ; The weeds naturall &deepe rooted, there- fore, muft goe low?, to rooce them up* Therefore is Chriflfo flighted fox eveiy vanity* becaufe People be not throughly humbled, and fo willing for Him to lee all goe; The Prodigall never cared for his Fathers houfe , nor was willing to become his Sonne againe till he was ready to beftarved: Indeed G^couki makechem doe it, if he would by the immediate change 06 their Spirits-, but he will not fo doc ; but by bittemes & anguish, weanethem from all Things, and workethem to Chrift; As he could have made ifraell gladly leave E* gjpt, and come to Cannaan, but he would by hardnesd* mifery vvorke them of of Egypt unto a defirc of Canaan-, By fence of * Mifery, to bring unto God, is the Way, which God fees bell to take in bringing us to Himlelfe, and that, which is a Second Reafon of the Point. 2i Secondly, Becaufe,//* would have chrijl and Hunter* cy in bim , defired & panted after > which never would be, if we were not in greate need of it ; And this he doth that it may be the more prized & gladfome to us, when it is injoyed ; and this he doth alfo,which is the Third Reafonof the Point, Thirdly, Becaufe our Thankfullnes to Him fhould be the greater; As he made Jfiaells deliverance to make the more thank full, by not giving it , till they were in ex- treame Mifery* Thus I have opened this Point , That cbrift affords tMercy to None, But fuch as are made fenfible of their Mifery by Sinne. Praved it, Anfweredthc Obje&ions, Given you the Reafons of it, And now we come to the Ufes* Uses obje&sforOHBRCTbj CHRIST. 19 Uses. Firftto (hew their Folly, and their Ignorance of Gods Way^nd their Injuriowfnes to Soules j who applye Chrift ; without difference , or diftinguifhing twixt Whole & Sicke* Righteous & Sinners ; Who incouragc them to beleeve who were never humbled, or never to purpofe; Thefe are they who be jU flight ly Jer: 6. 14, Too tender Phificians oft fpoile Patients ; Some that be well affe&ed , out of inconfideratenes, and over- much mercifulines, commit this error, But it is a cru- elty &great error, Some out ofdefire to pleafe, and further carnall liberty, and expofeththe Gojpel and Grace, to contempt orabuffe: Hece are Carnall Gof- pellers, Foimall ProfefTors, Apoftats dec, 2 * UsE - 2.rft. To fuch of you , as are Whole & JR ighteous : who zxo, not fenftbleoi the Mifcry ye sltc in by Nature; Pro: 30. 1 2. There is a Generation that are pure in their owne eyes, and yet is not washed from their fit bines ; A Genera, tionthey be called, becaufe fuch in all Ages (hall be in the Church; There is a Seede of them j which will fproutc forth in every A ge j and they are not a few 6c therefore alfo called a Generation, fuch as the Scribes & Pharifees were in chrtfis tyme, who fee noe need, but are afwell as you can wish, except fome outward refpefts, and therefore, yeareatquietreft, in good hope of Gods mercy & favour, &fo have ever bine, without being humbled with that which hath bine taught about theMifery of your Naturall State 5 Or if you have bine troubled, it is but atouch and away, other Things put it eafily out againe ; it works not fo A* hath bine formerly exprcft, not deepe e- C z nough 20 Senftble SINNERS are onely fitted nough, Yc want the Five Perciculars requifite to a Tufficient Humiliation 5 To you all I fay two words: * • The Firfl: , is for Inftruciion \ That Chrift is not for Inftruclio. you, neither provided, nor to be had by you, fo long as ye continue thus, fenceles & unaffected. Indeed it is true, Such as God hath appointed to Mercy % (hall be vazdt fenfeble of cheir M ifery by Nature, and fo to feeke Christ-, and thus Godis found o( them that feeke him not; But he never gives Mercy in Chrijl to be pofle-fTed , to any ; butfuch as he hath madeofinfenfible, throughly fenfiblc of their Spirituall Mifery , And fo firfl comes to them and works on them ; And thac appeares by this, That when their Mifery by Stnne , is opened, they are affected throughly with it ; And thus it appeared in them which the ^dpoflles preached to in the /fr?*,Such as God intended Merc) to y were wrought on by their open* ing their Sinnes, and the others that were not (b- wrought on, never had Gods Mercy by chrift \ Heere therefore, is ill Newes for you; Who, notwithstand- ing, our full opening the Doctrine of your Natural State > are not throughly humbled, Chrift as yet is not for you ; He is Bread& Water, and. onely for the hungry^, nor is the Gofpel for you ; Yec will, ( if it bepreacht ) contemneit orabufeit,as fulIChrildren doe bread. z> In the Second Place, For Exhortation Labour to be E ho ajfefted tbroughly with your Mifery by Nature; Con- tent not your Selves that ye have heard it , and are not inraged by it ( which is well,) or that ye were a little ftird with it; But labour to be throughly iKeccwc that Exhortation, Ier: 4* 3* Breake up yourfa/la^ Ground, and ferve not among Themes ; And lames ,4. p. ro. Be afflicled mourne & weepe*, Humble your /elves in the fight of the Lord , and he J hall lift you up ; Yee muft haye it heere ObjeclsforUMERCTby CHRIST. U hecre or heerafter ; humbje your (elves and God will life you up i if not , God will humble you $. Take heed of too little humiliation, a common fnare ; too tender a Patient oft is fpoild 5 If ever you woyld have Ltfc from Chrift, be ye throughly humbled : Efh, 5.1 4. reftnot til 1 thou haftgott to beprickt at the Heart j and though it be bitter &: troublefome,yet knowe, better fufFer it then perish in hell for Sinne ; it is fuch a Trouble as comes by fetting a bone, or taking phifick ; I onely labourite becaufe it is for your good , not elfe loving, your for.ro we, or delighting to trouble you, ^ue/lion. But now you may aske this Jgucjtion: How to How may we come to be thus throughly fenfibie of our come to be Mferyby^ature «£"£! 1 Anfewr the Cheire & Pnncipall yearns is to ~ gett Cods Spirit, He onely can worke this ,He it is that n y vcr * Convinceth ofSinnc,Iohn t if. 8* And therefore ( as yee %• heard ) He-is called the Spirit of Bondage ,{ as he onely Thecheife can worke C6fort,andthereforeis called the Coforter) ^f^"~ 1 ' till ye gett him, ye never can have the worke done* . .Now the Spirit is a Free Gift of Cod, Therefore, Rom: 8,15/rhey arefaidtorwi?/* /^Wjwhichjmplyesagive ing, Therefore , you mud begg him^there is noe way but by in treaty to obtaine him, becaufe he is afree Gift. Againe, the Spirit is a Tree Agent, he works when 6c where helifts (as the Wind blowes, lobn.y.S. /there- fore if you will have him , you muft vvaite on him,6t ftay his leifure ,and ufe his meanes,and take him in his tymes (as you doe the Windy Therefore* fre- quent and fhunn not that Miniftxy that is Convin- cing and Enlightning of your Minds arid Confci^np. ces > For 1a that the Spirit is Conveyed ( as a fweete fmcli is in the Aire) And by that Hee Works ufu- aliy; C 3 And SenfibU SINNERS are onelj fitted And if the Word begins to trouble & ftir you , doc not goe from it, or (hunit, or ftriveagainft-it, butgoe to them that trouble you, as Acls^z.ij. They were pricked in their he Arts , and fa id Men & Brethren what fhall we doe , and frequent that Word, and fecond it on your ownc Hearts, by ConGdering, Applying, Conftrmingit,more & morejlndeed, vvc are prone to ihun fuch/Vaff&//*£as the Fifhesdoethc Netts,& fool- ish patiets doe the Surgeon that hurts the.or the knife thatlancheth them, But if you fo doe, Ye may never have the Spirit worke more , And how doe you kno w whither He will or no, or whither Lyme enough for you ; And if He will not, then all You can doe , and Preachers can doe, will never ft:r you ; Therefore takeH/wvvfoile//* offers, &(tirs thee by the Word. And fo alfovvhen Afffi&ionscomeon thee \ That is another Tyme& Mcanes by which the Spirit oft works this Worke > For it is not Affli&ions but the Spirit in them •, when they are on thee j therefore , la- bour to affect thy Heart with a Sence of thy Sinnes , and whervit is a little ftirrcd, follow it moreSt more, Now if- thou tikis, doft obferve the Spirits tymes U mcanes, and follow Him, and by earned: & conftant PrajSr, begg him, He will come and helpe theejThis 2 ♦ i s t h e Frineipall Meanes. LeflTe There be Leffe Principall CMeanes , or fuch CMeanes by principal! vvhich the Spirit doth it, And they are the Removcing Mcanes. qC ^ { fte|l*fojr they affect not; for Faith onely inables the Mind to fee > what is onely in the threat 6c faying of God,andfo makes that evident that is not feene, as Hcb\i\*i. Wherefore take paines to remove this ; This Igno- rance t$ Vnbtleefc, is as a blind-fold on vour eyes, 2 Cor. 4.4. put on by Satan, Oh ! pull it off, Or as a non- fighr, a blindnes , wherebyye are kept from feeing what concen.es you; Labour to pctt Knowledg 6c Faitn 5 Knowledg of the Law, by fearching out the per- Senfibk SIN NE.RS are onely fitted <«pe£dcalars & meaning of it, the curfes 6t threats of it and then compare the rules of it, the things it requires and your felves together, that fo ye may knowe, in what ye beihort ; This is that bethinking your Selves* i.KingtJ. <&?: And that fearchmg & trying; yourWayes , Lam 5.40 i; and when this is done , labour for fqcha Faith as may make you clearly fee the truth of the Word-, Confider the Evidences & Argumets that prove God to be, and to be fuch a God , mod Holy, Juft, True, Powerful!, Wife,and that prove thefe Scriptures to be Gods Word, and fo : mbfl: True, Andreafon with your Heart, till you bring it to a firmeConclufion of the undoubted truth & certainty of all thefe Things. 2* The 2. Theflownes of the Heart to be affe&ed with nownes of Things Spiriwall and to Come , There is a vvonderfull tob^atfedt backvvardnes in our hearts to take any impreffion, or red with any to purpofe , from thefe Things, things fpi- Wherefore yoa mull: as vvith Lead, or fome hard ritualUnd Mettali flyj^ hard & oft, that with force an impref. , lion may be made ; You mull: ponder on the rore named Things , Dwell on them in your Medi- tation, hold the Objeft to your Mind continually: Thus God doth with them he would humble, P/al.$r 3. My Smneis everhfore me % And thus Satan doth, whe he tempts to difpaire: And be oft in thofe Contem- plations, and with them, who ftrongly apprehend them, and make prefent what you can,allyour Sinnes and Gods Wrath, due to them, and apply it to your felves to perticular„paffe. the Sentence on, andjudg voud Seifeas/.iQr* //♦£/♦ as Paule did with his bodily death, &ceafe not this till thy Heart is affected, fet tymes a part, and againe & againe to it* ? . A feem- W A kzvamght terms xhzi\ others , either through 3 * civiility Objettsfor CM ERCT by CHRIST. 25 civillity,&reftraning grace, or other common works of the Spirit, formall performances of the duties of Religion j or fuch like : This made the Pharifees fo fencelet andkept them from being afte&ed $ Where- fore confider, If ye be ever fo much better then o- thers, Yet arc you ftarke naught by Nature, even as bad as any ( as ye heard before J yea it may be* that thou art actually a worfe Sinner, then many thou thinkeft worfe then thou art; Such as thefe, are ufu- ally moft fubjeft to Pride, Hipocrify, Envy , 8t Cove- toufnes, & perfecution of Gods Sain&s, which be the worft of Sinnes. 4. Freedoms from outward Affliftions 3 as Chrift 4* a free- implies, Lu&e.ij, 1.2*3. Supofe ye thefe Were Sinners ^- Outward m boue others, becaufe they [offered fuch thingsj tell ye nay&c, Afflidtids. wherefore confidcr, that by outward things, we can judge neither Love nor Hatred from God; Ecclej.r. 5* Gods KjMcrcjfullnes in chrijt\ Wherefore Co nfi- $, Gods der, that None pertake of CMercy from Got through Mercifuli- chrijf, but Such is are deepcly fenfible of their Mifery nes * by Nature as ye have heard atlarge. 6. The fcVcnes of them Preachers, that preffe this du- ^ # j^ e tyj one Michaiah, when 300 other Prophets fay other fewnes of wife: Wherefore confider, that Error hath ever the t ^ emPr h ea moft, and Truth the fe^oeji Chaplaines; In times 0f prc fle this old, they who followed the moft Prophets were mil- Duty, led with Lyes: Cods Prophets were ever the feireft: It may be Obje&cd, But many good M en 6c good Preachers, beagainftthis Doflrine: Wherefore confi- der, that many of them who feeme to be right , are wrong, therefore no woder though unacquaited with fuchfiteciall Truths as cocertLesSalvatiojaMoytry the Spi- r its Jo h. 4. /.that is>theDofirines,byGods wwv^to the Law and Teftamonye, D If 2 6 Senfible SINNERS are onely fitted If this be the undoubted Truth of God, ( as ye fee it is ) though good Men beagamllit t yctbefeeveit-, God leaves many that fee well difpofed to be corrupt in Judgment in many Things •, Yetknowe, that there isfcarfe any Authoror Preacher of nore, efbecially for Godlines, that denyes this Truth : Thus care ye to remove thefe Impediments , and whatever elfe you find keepes your Heartfrom being fenjib/y and to purpofe njfecled with your Mifery by Na- ture, And if you cannotremove the Lett, feekc helpe of them who are able to doe it ; Thus I have directed you how you fhould gett to be Co affedted as you mud be, before you can bcprepared objects forchrifl: Now then , (ince ye know ye muft be fo humhled,and how ye may come to it, and if yet ye will not be rrraved to labour for it , I give you over, till God (hall be pleafed to worke on you, if he ever will doe it , and turne to fuch as are thus humbled as is required, And that is my Third Utc< l.Vfe. 3. Use. For Incouragment & Confohtion , To fuch of you as are Sinners, andS/ok; That is, throughly fenfible of your CMifery by Nature, as appeares in that ye have the Five Things required to z Efficient Humiliation : Yee affiicled Soules who lyeCrying^s/yS/^/.^.Z^ri be mercifnll to me> heale my Soule y Be of Comfort; Chnjl Calls You $ and be ye Incouraged to come to Chrijl, to reft on him, and hope in him ; For you are fuch as He calls & (be wes Mercy to, being/icfo, you are prepa- ed for the Phifician , and being finnersfthat isjenfible Sinners) You are prepared for the Saviour, and if you come to him, hewill wellcome you, if you Beleeve in Him he will Save yow y Ghrift ObjeclsforOHBRCTby CHEIST. 27 Chrift never rejected any flich humbled Soulcs , that came to him 3 but helped them all ; There are Jf W p Sor [ s Two Sorts of People whome this Ule Concernes, whoethis 6 who yet, both put it from them: Ufc con- Firft,Suchas thinke they be not humbled enough\ cernes: This is the ufuall Snare of the Divell, t© intangle the tfonk^j,* 8 thatare enough, inmaking them thinke they arenotbenot ha- enoughfasheinfnares them that are not enough, in bled e- making them thinke they are enough) Thou art not nou S h * humbled enough $ In one fence it is true, nor is any, the more the better, fo it workenot todifpaire; But the Queftion is if not Co much humbled as isfujficient, that thou maift with wellcome &: incouragement come to chrtfly and apply him ; Now for difcovering this.Gonfider what hath beene faidffh is Worke ad- mitts divers Afea/ures ejr Degrees, Some God humbles lejfe then others , for divers good reafons as you have heard; Art thou fo farr wrought on that thou haft the Five forenamed perticulers in thee, which be re- quifite?Thou art humbled fufficientlv, So that thou maift & (houldeft apply chrifl to thee by faith \ Yea, that J mayhelpethee 5 haft thou not found the all in thee? But onely haft found this , that thou art refolved , &: defireft, to take Chrift on his owne termes, even then when thou dtliberatly confidereft what it will coft thee; and this thou perfifteft in from tyme to tyme \ I fay thou haft all the other pefticulers, though they fo a^peare not,Forelfe there would not be, on this de Irfcerat confidering $rhat it wwl toft thee,adefire& refelution, to take Ohri/i, and giye up thy fife to him on his owne tearmes \ but that thou art fenfible & feeft thy need, 8diisexcellency, Start taken of of every thing, thou artfo muchfeumbledHhat^thourRaift^p- D z ply 28 Senfible SINNERS are oriel j fitted ply Chrift , Reve: 22. 17. Whoever will , Therefore, though not fo much as others ; though thou never kneweft what belongs to the flinging pangs, & amaz- ments which others feele;yet thatworkebeingdone, for which deepe humiliation is required 5 thou mayeft take the Incouragment&c goe on- 60 the Needle make hole bigg enough for the Thred to follow, though notfo biggasfome Needles doe, it is enough; So the Purge cknfe the Stomacke* though it makes not fo licke as others doe, So the Plough makes way for the Seed to roote deepe enough &: kill the Thornes at rootes, though it teare not the Ground fo much, nor diggit fo deepe as others doe $ So the Foundation be [owe enough for the Building, though not foloweas others be, is it not well enough? Thou art brought to Chrijly and defireft him with thy Hearty and that a- boue All, and on his owne Conditions - r Therefore thou mayeft apply Htm\ And for to bring to chrift and make willing to receive him as he is y doth God fo humble all Sinners He fives : That therefore being done, this muft be fufficient : I would not have fuch as be not thus wrought on as I cxprefle, quiet: themfelves in their not humbled and fencelcs ftate ; But Tou } that kno w yee have beene fo bumbled* as is now expreft,be not kept from going co Chri(i> and applying him by this , that ye be not hum- bled enough, It is eafy to diftinguish Tou from the o- thcr$ Theotherwho be not humbled enough, are not kept from Chrift, for want of Humiliation , but they confidently apply him, Or it not, it is becaufe they like him not with ail his Conditions, they arc offended with him; To thefe I fay , there muft be more Humiliation, or n$ Salvation: But obfeclsforOHERCTby CHRIST. 19 But Tou to whome I now fpcake, who are fo fuffici- ently humbled that you may apply drift; you arc ^tiling to have him on Hi* o^ne learmes, you defire him as he is, who/e Chrifti But you dare notbecaufe you thinkc, vour Humiliation is not fu-fficient, To you I fpeake; It 'is Sufficient, for you are Sic kejr Sinners in your o^tne efleeme and will gladly let the Phifician doe with you as he will; Therefore , Come to him , Caft your fclves on him, Apply him; Is it not Incouragement enough that you are among them whome He comes to Call, Know this ; It is not thy want of Humiliation, But of By Chnft application of chrifl to thy Selfe by Taytb, that hinders "™" n . & thee from Mercj\ Repenting (that is being humbled) is not by hu~ thziycmzy beleeveMatkii.^z. As many perish for Vtat miliacion. otHumiliatto, fo doemany,for not applying chrift, when they be humbled -> ThusCaine, ludas& many with us, doe perish ; How farr wouldeft thou proceed in Humili- 4**00 before thou wouldeft thinke it is enough >So farr as this or that Man or Woman &c 4 Oh Confider ! perhaps if fo farr , thou could- eft not ftay>but fall into difpaire, or phrenfy, knoweft thou the waight of that burden, or the ftrength of thy Spirit to beareit£ Why wilt thou not leave God to difpefe what degees of this Grace & Gift of his Spi- rit as he pleafeth.afwell as in matters of San&ificatio? Wilt thou not be Content with lefTe Grace then thy Brother ( fo Content 1 mease, as to hope God loves thee, though not fo as to be idle 6c not labour for more ) and why nor with leffe Humiliation f But fuppofe thou hadeftfo much as thou defireft, and as ever any had ? What then J Yet mayeft thou fall of, and prove naught, as much experience fhewe*. D 3 Itiss 3 o Senfibte SINNERS are onely fitted, It is onely Gads leading on bumbled Soules , to apply Chrijl , hy Fayth > that doth fecurc them ; Labour thou therefore for this Faith, give that Obedience that God calls for in the prefent; Of others, he calls for Humiliation \ Of thee, he calls for the obedience of Fayth ;tht*efott labour for "that; whilft thou art taken with this conccite, that it is not humiliation enough, thou art "kept frbm Faiths and not fo onely , but from due7^fr&PtoGod;for thou haft received a favour (as ye heardl^mplyed in t[\ztMomXi$ ) a gift fro ' Gdd^afid^JK ^hi>ph b€Jtokens fome purpofe to doe thee good; at leaft, it 'fetts thee nearer Salvation then the mo ft are , then all they are that be not hum- bled, thou art prepared for Mercy in Ckrift, and ihalt have it (ifunbeleefe hinders tiot,j Now thou prizeft not, tior giveft thanks fork, nor takeft that comfort from it, nor fo improved it } as thou mayeft & f hould- eft, and all from this falfe concute, that it is note- nough ; Therefore by this Dodtrine difcover the Snare, avoide it; and becauie thou art enough f bttmbled 7 Come to Chrift by Faith. 2. Others Secondly there be others , who are more bumbled, that a h C ubr aifK * * re in another Snare ; they thinke themfelves ?d° r falling if#ecovcrable,hatedofGod, appointed to defku&ion 5 into dif- ^hey apprehend fo much Wrath in God, &: Sihfie in P are# them(elves,and fo defpairejthis was the cafe of Caine &ludass If there beany fuch heere* let them knowe, that Sfnce of Sirines M is* Preparatory wor&e for Mercy by cbfift, be lt^e^el f fb great a Smte ; 'God oft lettsftnne abound ifi'dftMfenee,^^ MttiohmtYty a5 Rdmi$, 20-' There is yet nothing done 3by ^hich God fhewes either hatted or purpofe to de- ftroythee; fo much hath he humbled thofefre after healed, Objeclsfor CMERCTbyCHRlST. 31 healed, as the Iaylor* Paule, David, after htefinne- with Bath/hebath &t\ Thou art among rhern whome chrifi cal/$, He calls the Sinners, that \s,fuckatbe fcnfible of their Sinne-, and doth he exempt any \ be calls fuch onely, and therefore becaufe they are finfible i tteere» fore the more fenjib'le any one is, the more and rather he calls him j AndifC&n/?be more willing- to fave one Sinner then other, it is fuch as be mo/i humbled, be- caufe he gettsmoft Praife to his Grace, which is that heaimesat, Eph i, 6, And why wilt tkou-refaie to goe and finke in empaire, when an helpe is offered thee. To Conclude to pafle this latter Sorte with a word,' becaufe I thinke none fuch are heere; As I atf> fure on the one fide, that none be fo miftrable by Smae ( except thatagainft ffi^^^^^J4toT#qfifti^flpftt9 but they may & fhould'fce faved,if t-heVapply'd Chrift and refted oh him 5 Sc^ chere is none fo farr humbled as hathbeeneexprefied* but they a)fo Fnay bought to apply Chrifly as is cltttte ft&m'i&rpiiti&l^kxtjmq many others \ efpecially that, E&y&dh&PjK- I krrowe not any thing betweene this Humiliation 5c Faith-, but People being thus humbled, mayandfhouldfteponto beleevein Cbri/l 5 Indeed, in feme (pecially, there feeme to precede other things, before' beleiving&sihc melt- ting of Heart for offending God fo Good & Merci- fully feeding Gods Face,hatingSinncasSinne,abe- ing Content and not making haft out of the Trouble, adefiringmoreto be cured of Sinne,then freed from Puniihment&c. and therefore fome make thefe mid- dleThings betweene through legall Humiliation and true Bcleevingi and to be Works of the Go/pel, which fay they, muft be before Faith can be; But 1 thinke, Thofe be the Works of a true luftifwg Faith, which yet is not 3 2 Senfible SINNBRSare onely fitted is not ftrong enough, to apply Chrifi ; Nor can I fee,that they can be in any, but in fuch in vvhome, true Faith is begun ; And why muft there be a Worke of the Gofpel in Humihatio to prepare for Faith f The Jaylor had none, Acl$.i6. for he knew not the Go/pel j Wee never reade of the Humiliation of Gods Eleft, but of the Faith. Calling thatis proper to the Eleff, is the concep- tion & hatching F*//£ in them that are humbled; Sure- ly, the difference is made by Faith y and firft 6c onely by that, as Romii.zz.ija? *2%+ In the preparatory worke of Humiliatio , there is noe difference betweene the Elefl: 5c fuch Reprobates as have it, but onely this: i. It lafts, (though with fome interruption, and abateing perhaps, )even beyond all Sorrow which at feft perhaps was fenfibly greater 5 Yea, it never ceaf- eth, but when they beleeve, it ferves to aw e & tame theflesh, yea, and helpe the $>/>/>, (orthcSpirit may feare Hell , & Gods Wrath , fo it be not with a def- pairefull or difcouraging,but oncIy> ageing feare^and it is good for Beleevcrs toprefcrve and increafe this Humiliation, all their dayes: But in others, fuch as be Reprobates, the Sorrow vanisheth quite away for the mod part, but in thefe it continueth fufficient till it have wrought to chrift 5 asfhee fayed of Boa\, Ruth. fclft 2 4 It makes inquifitive after meanes to be helped and is reftles in the ufe of them, till an helpc is found as A£ls>i.i7< & Chaff. 1 6*3 o 4 Whereas that in Repro- bates, if it vanish not, yet it fincks the Heart ( as in Caive&Ludas)thdLt ic feekes noe meanes, or becomes careles& negligent, V12; when itis but flight 6c little, and in the end vanisheth$and thefeare more fro Gods working with, or ordering this Humiliation ; then from Objefls for CHE RCT by CHRIST. 33 from the Humiliation it fclfc 3 God continuing the Spirit of bondage to them , he purpofeth good to 5 and taking it aw ay from othersjand giving them fome gcnerall Fayth , whereby they knowing the Gojpel, knowe him to be Mercyfull in chrijl ; And this noc doubt may be in Reprobates humbled ; But cannot fo worke, becaufeCWis not with it; And perhaps even this generall Worke, by which they are carried on to beinquifitive &reftles in the ufe of Mcanes 5 is the rude 6tweakc beginnings of true Faith. Thus J fay, though there is a difference in Gods or- dering the Humiliation of the Eleft&c Reprobate ; yet in thcmfelves they arealike, & common one to other; and noe difference twixtElc&& Reprobate, in any thing they doe, till the Elect hath Faith begun in him > And therefore the reafon why fome that are fo hum- bled, ( as we make enough ) fall quite away, and grow fenceles , and loofe it , Is not,that there is more in that which lads & prcvailes, then in the other ; But becaufe God gives not Grace to apply chrijl, and alfo with drawes the Sprit of bondage, for his Spirit is not tyed but to Beleevers: I knowe there is a kind of difference in Humiliatios\ Some knowe not the Gofrel> and fo are alltogcther without Knowledge of poflibilityof a Remedy; O- thers knowe this, but cannot apply it as poffibleto them, and fo thqeffeft 1% in a manner one &: the fame; This difference; I fhall acknowledg, As alfo, that they may knowe, That Somefo miferable as they, fhall have Bcnifitt by that Remedy, As Balam did* And this is all the Worke of the Gofpel before Faith comes , In Such , as be Legally humbled e- nough: F 34 Senfible SINNERS are onely fitted But J thinke, though there is difference in Know- ledge y yet there is one & the fame worke in Humiliati- on before Faith.and till that is begun, both in the hum- bled Reprobate & Eled $ So that, 1 fee nothing more, to be labored for , before you apply chrift, but this ##- miliation, that may fo worke as hath beeneexpreffed ; Therefore, ye that have it, proceed to apply chrift, &; reflon H/w,and knowe that belongs to you, lohn.6*i9+ This is theWorke of God &c. And till you have done this, you can have noe Grace\Hot not Godly Sorrovv> nor hi* tred-of Sinne&s Sinne^Norareyou feciired by any thing you can find or feele, from falling from what you have, or from perishing,- And why will you fo mind what is not (imply needfullfVizr more Humi- liation ) and negleft what is (imply needfull to your Salvation, Viz: Beleeving in chrift. I deny not ( as 1 fayed in the firfl: life ) that want of Humiliation is a caufe why many fall of,and prove Garnall Go(pellcrs &c 4 they never were enough hum- bled ; But I (ay, in fuch as be thus much humbled as this Point exprefleth ( which Reprobates may be ) I thinke, their perishing, falling away, or what ever ill befalls them, is becaufc they apply not Chrift, and reft not on him > Therefore labour if you will, to in- ereafe your Humiliation ; for it muft laft,and is of ufe fas ye heard before^ and the more it increafeth, the better it is ; But let not your labour for that, make you negleft labour to Beleevein Chrifl ,or to thinke that yet you ihouldnotfe/^w, foryefee, you are Calledby Chri/li IfaPhifician fay, whoever is fo fenlible of his ficknes, that he will give up himfelfe tome to doe what I will with him, and be wholy mine for tymc to come, let him come to me,andl willheale him>Or if a King objeflsforCMERCTby CHRIST; 35 King fhouldto Tray tors make fuch a Proclamation 5 would any queftion who were fo,but that going they (hould fpecde,if they thought them who made the proffer, to be able and faythfulH Is it not juftthusin this Cafe? It may be Objected, But I apply Chrifl, as you wish mfc$and yet am not quickened', therefore not bumbled enough: lAnftoer, doe not thus conclude, for fo ye may much wrong your felves , miiTe that Comfort ye might take ; and be kept of from that Worke which moft concernesyou,Vi2: J^/ft?x>*>*£ in chrift>Yc fee by what hath beenefaid; What mcafures are re- quifite, finding them,your Worke is to Beleeve-, And if onyourindeavoring tobe!eeve,ye doe not find that quickening^ labour to mend your Fayth, and not give over, as not being humbled enough &c* Againe, it may be Objected $ That Chrift is not promt- fed But to fuch as have more then this Humiliation, Viz: Contrition of Heart (jrc. 1 Anfoer, Chrift is a Prof* fer, not a Promifei except in generallto the World & thelfraelites (& made to fuch as be WiHing^nd with him the Promifes are made, for which > Beleeving in Chrift, doth qualifie, & beget the Conditions of thefe Promifes, 4* Use, ^ To fhewe, with what Sinners, Preachers & good * Chriftias fhouldchoofeto cov ct(cMz:Such as be fcke & fcnfible of their Sinnfullnes ; In fo doing, ye (hall be like chrift \, who as ye have heard chofe to convctfe with fuch: Such you are moft like to doe good to 8cc # Thus wehave done with th^. Pome cheifly intend- ed in thefe Words, Namely, The Objecls prepared for Mercy by Chrift i Viz; The Throughly bumbled. E z Having 3* CHRIST brings Them to Repentance, HAving finished the maine Doclrine^ We may add a Second obfervation * though not fo principally aimed at in this place ; yet expreflc in the Words , and ufefull for our purpofe, taken from the end of chr'tHs refit-fl to Sinners>or what He intends to the, "tokt He ejpefls and fhevves Mercy to 5 Viz: To call them to Repentance \ The meaning is to (hew them Mercy , and it is 10 ex* prcft in other Scriptures \zsr.Ttm .1 Joif. But heere it is ex- preft by Callingto Repentance, Becaufe this is the Way & Meanes, by which he recovers them oucofMifcry, &: brings them to Happhes. Call to Repentance j That is to ejfeel Repentance % For others be called ineffectually, Math.ii* ?. He lent his Servants to Call them that were bidden to the Wedding, and they would not come \ Verfe 14. For many are called, butfeVt cho/en, But as Ads .2*39. The Promife U toTouejrto your Children* and to all that are afarr ojfs even asmanyasthe Lord our God fhallcall. And Rom 9. 24 2.5, He makes Inawne the riches of Glory on the vejfells of tJMercy^ even us vvhome he hath called, as he fajeth alfo in Hofea , / ^ill call them my People > Vehich vvere not my People* Doclrines. Dgctrinej. I . The way by which Chrijls convey es Mercy on Sinners, * Is by bringing them to Repentance. Chrifl: therefore is for the humbled, becaufe he calls xP repentance, which none need but the humbled* 2. 2. Chip brings to Repentance , all them to vvhome he fhevves Mercy* This we fee ^iBs % %„ ji 4 fpeaking of Chrift 5 Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and 4 SAviour>fir to give repentace to /Jraell dr forgivemsofjinnes: So To W home he fhevves CMERCT. %f So lfiy.$9:2 o* And the Redeemer [ball come to Sion, & unto them that turntfrom tranftefton in lacob, faytb the Lord So Rom i .16. Andfoalllfraell fhdlbe faved\ And he quoteth that of I fay, and a'ters the Words thus, There fha I comeeutafSionthe deliverer , and (hall turne away tmgodlynes from Iacob So that chri/l brings to repentance, all them to whome he fhevves Merq. gucflion> What is Repentance* gntftion. For Anfwcr, There are Two Words in Scrip. %**** ture by whicr* it is expreft ( as one well obferves ) an ^ e ^ U Oneis as muchas to fay an after greife or care , kgreife ^ p. ^ or care after doing fome what > An other is an after tnifdome, when feeing our error we are better advi(- cd and change our myndes : But iometimev Rep entice is taken largcly,and fomciimcs more ftri<5fcly,fometimes for the whole worke,preparatio&othcr of our turning to God; Sometimes oneiyforthe preparative,^^//?: 2i*l**i^ic'is »6 20. Sometimes for the turning Heb: tf. 1. Repentance from dead vvorfos* that is turning from them, and fo I take it, its men t in our Text, becaufe it fpeafces of humbled Sinners , Its * turning of the whole Man, in part from all Sinne to the whole Law of God, and fo to God \ The whole Utfan\ His ludgmertt & Affeclions ,His Soule&Body \ from Sinne, Ier+26.3 if they will hearken and turne every man fromtheevill of his wayes Andas from Sinne, fofrd Ezek.j4.6- all Sinne, Pfal.119 128. Therefore I efit erne thy Precepts to be right I hate every falfe way ; And (o it is a turning to the Law of God, i.Kings. 17. 1 s.Tutne ye from your evtll wayes* andkeepe my Commandements rjr my Statutes*, PfaL up >9 / thought on my w*yes , and turned my feet e unto thy Tej}imonjes+ £ 3 And 38 CHRIST brings Them to Repentance, And fo it is a turning to God, Deut^.jo. if thou 25.2 to whome he (hewes Mercy, Luke i. jr, yi. 74,75. That ^\e fhould , be favedfrom our enemies, To per forme the mercy promt fed to our Fathers ; and to remember his holy Covenant j That he would grant unto m K that webeingdelwereAout pfthf hands of our enemies might fer ve him without fare, In holynes & rtghteoufnes. before him all the dayes of our Life 5 Titus \i* 14. Who gave himfelfe for us that he might re* dee me us from all iniquities and purifie to himfelfe a pecu- liar People zealot of good Workes. i, Reason, 2 4 Reafon Bccaufe he is appointed for this ufe alfo, i.Cor.i. 3*. He of God is made unto us Wiftdome } ejr Righteoufnes t & Sanclification and Redemption ; In that this is alfo promi- fed : UWicha.y.ip. He will turne againc, he will have companion onusi he will fub due our iniquities , and thou wilt cajl all their Sinnes into the depths of the Sea, 3* Reason,. Reafm Bec^ufe elfe it is not Mercy, for they are in Misery J till they have Repentance, And it is a fruite and pu- nifhment of Adams finne imputed, that they be fo turned toSinne from God , Therefore mud be re- moved as well as guilt &: other puni(hments,>4#*. 20. 2r. It is call ec} Repentance towards God. And ^Atts, ?./.?• Repent and be. Converted; AndVer/e,zf jA Uses. To Whome he fhevves iMBRCT. 3 9 Uses, i. It being fo, Hence fee, That all ye that be not v l es * brought to Repentance, as yet never had Mercy by cbrifl: t ( Confider,areye Penetentiares? are yourmindes changed, or no ? doe ye Workes meet e for Repentance ? If not ? Then as yet Chrifl hath not conveyed Mercy to you. 2. Hence learne& fee, That if ye would have Mer- 2. cy by Chrifl, then ye muft come to Repentance ; If thou art not willing to this, then art thou not fitted for chrifl-, Many pleafe themfeives with adeftreofchrtfttthinking he will onely fave the, but if he fave, he will alCofacJ/fie, He will not doe the one without the other, Hefancli- fies ail them v*vhome he fives, and £*z/« *w#£ but whome He fanclifies , if he call you to £//£ Etemall: as in /.Tiw. ^ /2. Lay hold on Eternal! Lifi,Vvhere unto thou art alfoe (ailed-, He will call you to Tiolynes ; r.Tbefq. 7. For God hath not called tu to uncle anes, but unto Holynes 4 And that, not in one, but in eyery perticuler- therefore th&t, Rom r. you are not fittly prepa- red for Chrifl:. But 7*00 that be willing to this and would repent, Ye muftfir(l beleeve i Beleeve&repenf; which thatyemay doe,you muft Condder the free offer of chrifl (of which and to whome, I (hall fpeake more after ) you muft ceafefromEvill& doe Good, as Efay. i. 16.17. This Chrifl; calls ye to : And this Wee, who arc chrifts Mejfengers, alfo call Yee to. As for you who are Juft pcrfons, and need noe Re- pentance, as £0^,13.7. That is^Itsfo in your owne efteemc, 40 chrifl brings the to repentancejo vvhome he fbewes mercy. efteeme, chrifl hath nothing to doc with you ( In this way oiCMerc) ) Nor we that are Hat Mejfengers t as yet, This in truth makes you to rejecJ chri/ljbccaufc he calls to Pepentace : You muft expeft Calling to Repentance * when Chri/lyorhis Mimflers come ;T hcrcfovc lohnBapift calls to repetdnc^So Chri/l,Math.^. t ij .From that time lefus beg* to pre at h & fay R that benotvyitiingto repent. OSES* i # Regard , & Receive them , that would worke ye to Repentance, either Preachers or People, They goc Chrifts way to doe you good, 2. Be ye from hence Comforted, That doe Repent, • FINIS. iii!J '<»-#* ^^^^^UsS^^J^iC^^; _^4 ^s^ jg ^*~% "^^^i»w«***^ • "Hr^^^ £3 ~^^-^s^ ^^^^^^^^^ 1 ^^^^p^if^^...... i —>;•_.. .#•-*'' -'-■--'•.' v — — — — «* , •--■• :«. a '..-- ..— ~ ~ : ""' gtfeSSfc *?•--.-- ■