Christ Inviting Sinners to Come to Him for Rest, Treatise · Chapter 25
CHAP. XXV.
Six Reaſons of the former Doctrine. 1. The ſoul out of Chriſt is departed from God. 2. Every man by nature is an enemy to God. 3. Every man by nature is bound over to the juſtice of God to anſwer to what he can charge him with. 4. In a man out of Chriſt there is every thing to diſquiet him. 5. Every one out of Chriſt is condemned. 6. Such every moment may be Plunged into a Gulf of Wrath.
WELL, Becauſe this text hath taken up ſome time in the opening of it, and hath much in it, I wil name no other than this; for this indeed is ſufficient to prove, that al out of Chriſt can have no peace nor reſt unto their ſoules. Would you know why, and how it comes to paſs, that None that are out of Chriſt can have Reſt unto their ſoules? I ſhal not ſpend much time in opening what I have to ſay, but thoſe that are to be delivered for the opening of this point are exceeding dreadful, they ſpeake dreadfully to thoſe that are out of Chriſt: but now becauſe you have already heard ſo much, of the willingneſs of Jeſus Chriſt to be reconciled to you, and his invitation of you to come to him, and I have ſo much afterwards to deliver to you, about the true reſt that a beleeving ſoul hath in Jeſus Chriſt, therefore I may take the more liberty, to ſhew unto you the reſtleſs condition that every ſoul is in that is out of Jeſus Chriſt. I wil do it very breifly in theſe particulars,
Firſt, Certainly, a ſoul out of Chriſt, can have no reſt, becauſe it is departed from God, know this, and Oh! that the Lord would make you to know it, that every man and woman naturally is departed from God, is gone from God, from the womb we have departed from him, & there is a great diſtance between God & every one of our ſouls naturally, al the union we come to have with God, it is in his ſon, it is in Chriſt, therfore, til we come to be in Chriſt, there is a great chaſma, a gulf, a depth, a vaſt diſtance between God and al our ſoules, and this is one of the firſt things that the Lord is pleaſed to ſhew, and to convince a ſoule that he is about to ſave, of the great diſtance that there is between God and the ſoul natturally, now it is impoſſible for a ſoul to have reſt that is departed from God, for God is the proper Centre of an immortal ſoul, as Moſes ſaith in Pſalm 90. Thou art our habitation; the ſoul can have no reſt but in God, for God is the proper place of an immortal ſoul, the true good of an immortal ſoul it is the injoyment of an infinite good: now if the ſoul be ſeparated from that which is the true good, and proper place of it, it is impoſſible it ſhould have any reſt. In the 12. Pſalm, the latter end, it is ſaid of the wicked, The wicked walk round about, the words are termed in the old Latin, in a circuit, up and down, but now a godly man, walkes in a ſtrait line, he goes to the center, in a ſtrait line to God as the center, and there it finds reſt; but when it is in its natural condition it walkes in a circle, up and downe, ſeeking for reſt and finding none, as it is ſaid of the uncleane ſpirit in the Goſpel, that walks up and down ſeeking reſt, but finds none; ſo it is with men in the world, they would fain have reſt, and ſeek ſomewhat that is good, but finds none, for they are departed from God that is the only reſt of an immortal ſoule.
Secondly, not only ſo, but every man by nature is an enemy to God, and therefore cannot look upon God, the infinite, eternal, firſt being of al things without terror if he knowes him; no man or woman that knowes what God is, that is able to look upon him without terror in his natural eſtate, and therefore it is not poſſible they can have any reſt ſo long as they continue enemies to God, and that certainly, is the ſtate of man by nature, the ſcripture is as cleere in this, as in any one point of divinity, that we are al by nature enemies to God, and canſt thou be at quiet when thou art an enemy to God? think with thy ſelf, it may be, thou haſt ſlept quietly, lived merrily, and eat and drank with a great deale of peace, as you think; but this is your condition, that you are naturally an enemy to the infinit, eternal firſt-being of al things.
Object. You wil ſay, If we do not know it, we may have reſt.
Anſw. Juſt ſuch a reſt as a man that were aſleep upon the top of a maſt, true, he doth not know his danger when he is a ſleep, but yet, wil you ſay, that the man can have true reſt when he is there; ſo though men do not know what their natural condition is, and though their ſecurity have a kind of falſe reſt, but wil you cal that reſt? wil you ſay, ſuch a man is gone to his reſt, that is gone to ſleep upon the top of a maſt? ſuch a reſt haſt thou had al the dayes of thy life before converſion.
Thirdly, Every man by nature is guilty, is bound over to the infinite juſtice of God, to anſwer for al that the Lord hath to charge him with, to anſwer it before the Lord, and to ſatisfie the ſtrict Law of Gods divine juſtice for al that the Lord hath to charge him with, and is this man in a condition to reſt? can this man have reſt, if he do but underſtand this? If a man be found guilty, and be bound over to the Seſſions or Aſſiſes, truly, that man wil have little reſt, til he have got himſelf free; for a ſoul to be bound over by the infinite, eternal God, to be bound over to eternal juſtice for whatever the Lord hath to charge him withal, is this a condition to reſt in? this is the condition of al out of Chriſt, of a ſoul before it comes to Chriſt.
Fourthly, Not only is a man guilty before the Lord, but whatſoever there is in one to diſquiet him in the world, it is the condition of ſuch a one that is out of Chriſt. What wil diſquiet one? to be in debt, will not that diſquiet one? to be in danger of debt, to be arreſted as ſoone as he comes out of his doores, can ſuch a man ſleep quietly, or eate his meat quietly, and drink quietly? Let me tel you, that al the while you are out of Chriſt, you are in debt unto the infinite and eternal God, and bound to give ſatisfaction fot what the Lord hath to charge you withal, yea, and for ought you know, the next creature that you have to deal withal, may be as a Sergeant, ſent from the eternal God, to lay hold upon you, to arreſt you, and to caſt you into priſon, until you have paid the uttermoſt farthing. I remember I have read of Auguſtus Caeſar, Plutarch reports of him, that he knowing of a Chief man in Rome, that was much in debt he ſent to buy the pillow that that man lay upon; certainly there is much in that pillow, thought he, that a man in ſo much debt could reſt upon: only noting thus much, that it is a mighty trouble, and a reſtleſs condition that ſuch a one is in, that is in debt; if that be ſo, then certainly, every man and woman out of Chriſt is in a reſtleſs condition, for they owe to God the debt of puniſhment, becauſe they have not paid to God the debt of obedience, and God muſt have his debt paid, either in themſelves or in their ſurety, and thy ſurety is only in Chriſt, and Chriſt undertakes to pay for only thoſe that come to him, whom he hath invited to come to him, and if Chriſt do not undertake to pay the debt for you, you muſt pay it your ſelves, or be caſt into priſon; and that is the reaſon of the damned lying in hel for ever, becauſe they lye to pay the debt of obedience that they owe to God, and therefore the ſcripture cals our ſins, our debts, if you examine the ſeveral expreſſions of the evangeliſts, one ſaith treſpaſſes, the other debts, whereby it is apparent, that Chriſt did never intend to bind his people to uſe thoſe very words, but only ſhew a platforme and a patern of prayer, that we are to pray to that effect, this is an argument that no man can poſſibly anſwer, for one Evangeliſt hath the Lords prayer in one kind of words, and the other Evangeliſt hath the Lords prayer in other kind of words, one ſaith, forgive us our treſpaſſes, and the other ſaith, forgive us our debts; now it is true, they come to al one in effect, I but then ſay I from this, that it is not Chriſts intention to tye us punctually to the words that he ſpake, but to make the prayer of Chriſt a patterne of prayer to us, ſo much for that point.
Fifthly, for this condition, the reſtleſs condition that al men are in that are out of Chriſt, it is this they; are not only debtors and guilty, but every one out of Chriſt is condemned, not only bound over, a priſoner may be bound over, I but he may hope to eſcape when he comes to tryal, but this is certain, every man and woman out of Chriſt is a condemned creature, the ſentence is paſt already upon them. I wil give you a cleare ſcripture for it, in John, 3.18. He that beleeveth not in Chriſt is condemned already, not onelyonly he ſhal be condemned at the great day of judgment, but he is now condemned, he is condemned already. I might give you divers other Scriptures, that in Rom. 8.1. There is no condemnation to them that are in Chriſt Jeſus, who walk not after the fleſh but after the ſpirit, this doth plainly imply, that then there is condemnation to them that are not in Chriſt, that do not walk after the ſpirit, but after the fleſh. Now can any man be at peace when he is a condemned creature? would you think, that a man that were condemned at your Aſſiſes, the Judg having paſt the ſentence of death upon him, if you ſhould come to ſuch a man and find him aſleep, would you not ſay, alas! can you reſt now? Do you think the night is a night of Reſt that is before the execution of a condemned man? Now let me ſay to you, that thoſe that are come to Chriſt, they know that their condition was ſo before they did come to him, this is a certain truth, that til you come in unto Jeſus Chriſt and be a beleever in him, you are under the ſentence of condemnation, he that beleeves not, is condemned, you that walk after the fleſh are under Condemnation.
You will ſay, God forbid, we hope we are not condemned. Now the 8. of the Rom. the firſt verſe, will ſhew you to your faces in what condition you are in, There is no Condemnation to them that are in Chriſt. Who are they that are in Chriſt and delivered from condemnation? They are thoſe that walk not after the fleſh but after the Spirit. Shall it be caſt upon this now? I do challenge every Soul to put it upon the tryal, to ſee whether they dare venture their Souls and eternal eſtate upon this Scripture, look to it, it is the word of God, it is that word of God that muſt ſtand for ever, when thou and I am fallen, There is no condemnation to them that are in Chriſt Jeſus, who walk not after the fleſh but after the ſpirit. Now then, thy eternal eſtate lies upon this, thy ſoul lies upon it, that if thou be a man or Woman that doth walk after the fleſh, that is, look what pleaſure the fleſh deſires, what luſts of the fleſh are delightful to thee, thy Heart walks after them, thou liveſt accordingly, and it is thy great care to make proviſion for the fleſh, the care of thy life to make proviſion for the fleſh, and when thou haſt made proviſion for the fleſh, thou giveſt liberty to thy ſpirit to ſatisfie it ſelf in the luſts of the fleſh, thou art the man and woman that yet art not in Jeſus Chriſt, and therefore art certainly under condemnation; and is this a time to Reſt now in? Is there Reſt for ſuch a Soul that is in this condition? All thoſe therefore, whoſe conſciences tell them, that hitherto they have walked after the fleſh and not after the ſpirit, not after thoſe truths that they find in the word; perhaps they can go to the word, and ſay, it is true what the Miniſter ſaith, if we could do what he ſaith, and in the mean time caſt off the thoughts of thoſe truths that are according to the word, and caſt off what God ſpeaks in his word, for what he ſpeaks in his word ſhould be as real to thee, as if he ſpake it from Heaven, and therfore thou art out of Chriſt, and I ſpeak in the name of God of all theſe things, that I might the more effectually draw mens hearts to come unto Chriſt for Reſt. For I do not mean to leave you thus, to tel you, that you have no Reſt out of Chriſt, but I intend to tell you, how you may have Reſt in Chriſt. Only firſt I would convince you that out of Chirſt there is no Reſt for the Soul, and if you have had Reſt all this while out of Chriſt, it hath been a curſed, a vile, a wretched Reſt, it hath been no other but ſuch a Reſt as this, of a man that is condemned to die, Nay, Let me tel you all out of Chriſt are not condemned to die a temporal, but an eternal Death.
But you wil ſay, they have Reſt enough, it doth not trouble them. I anſwer, What Reſt? juſt as if a condemned man ſhal go to bed, and fal aſleep, and dream that he is at home in his Houſe, with his Wife and Children about him, at home with his friends, at his work, at his meat, and O poor man, how he rejoyceth that he is at home, and hath got his Wife and Children, and all is ſafe and wel, this man pleaſeth himſelf in his dream al this while, and at length (poor man) he awakes, and he ſees he is in the priſon, he ſees the ſhackles about his heels, and the watch at the door, and for ought he knows, he may die the next day. Certainly, this ſets forth as lively the condition of natural Men in the world as can be, they are al condemned, but they are in a dream, and they think they are out of al danger, al wil be ſafe, that there ſhal no miſery befal them; O but, when the Lord ſhal come to awake them out of this dream, they wil ſee themſelves in priſon, under the ſentence of condemnation, and then they wil wonder that they have been ſo quiet al this while.
Sixthly: Yea, Let me ſay further, if thou beeſt out of Chriſt thou are not only under the ſentence of Condemnation, but for ought thou knoweſt, every moment thou mayeſt be plunged into the Gulf of the wrath of the infinite God, it is true, God hath ſpared thee along time, God hath continued thy Life in his Patience, perhaps, twenty, forty, fifty years; well, but how doſt thou know, but that may fal out in one night, or day, or moment, that never fel out in al thy life, though thou haſt been ſpared a long time, yet thou knoweſt not but before morning, thou maieſt be among the damned in Hell, and is this a condition to reſt in? For a man and Woman to be in ſuch a condition, as when he comes to examine, how doth things ſtand between God and my Soul? How ſtand I to God? What reference have I to God? Or what reference hath God to me? How do I know but I may be ſwallowed up in the Gulf of the eternal wrath of the infinite God, and there lie under it for ever? What do I know to the contrary? And if this prove to be my portion, it had been better ten thouſand times I had never been borne, and is this a condition to reſt in? Certainly if God hath revealed any truth in his word, theſe are the truths of God. The condition of one out of Chriſt is like one that hath ſuffered Shipwrack, and perhaps he gets one of the Bords that are broken off from the ſhip, and is floating up and down the Sea upon it, and yet in ſuch danger, that every wave coming, he is in danger to be drowned, do you think it is poſſible for any one to ſleep there? Its true, You are not drowned yet, but you ſee your ſelves in danger by every wave that comes to be ſwallowed up, and to be ſunk to the bottom. It may be it hath been the caſe of ſome of you, that have ſuffered Shipwrack, that you have been dilivered in a boate, I beleeve when you have been there you could hardly ſleep quietly, if you ſhould neſtle down in your boate, and ſay, wel, here I wil take my reſt, would not every one think you a mad man? Juſt thus, for al the world, it is with men in their natural eſtate, they take up their reſt, whereas they know not but there wil come preſently ſome dreadful wave of the wrath of God, and ſwallow them up, and ſo they are undone for ever, certainly, there is no peace to the wicked, ſaith my God, if this be ſo.
There are divers other particulars that might ſet forth for the opening of the condition of al men that are out of Jeſus Chriſt, no reſt can come to them, and al to make Jeſus Chriſt precious to you, that you might ſeek the happy condition that is to be had in Chriſt. Oh! that any thing that hath been ſpoken might be ſettled upon your hearts, that you might go with that poor wretched ſinner, that you read of in the Acts of the Apoſtles Chap. 16.30. and ſay, Men and bretheren, what ſhal we do to be ſaved? The Lord hath ſhewn me my reſtleſs condition, I ſee the reſt I have had, hath been a reſtleſs condition. And Oh that it might make you but to inquire after Chriſt, but to put your ſouls into an inquiring condition after Jeſus Chriſt, that you may hearken unto what ſhal be delivered unto you about the bleſſed reſt that Chriſt doth here promiſe in this invitation, when he ſaith, Come unto me, You that are laden, and I wil give you reſt, be not afraid to apply your ſelves to thoſe things that have been delivered, whenas theſe things are ſpoken out of ſuch a text as doth ſufficiently hold forth to you the true reſt that is in Chriſt, for this promiſe of reſt, it is made to them that do labor & are heavy lade. Now if theſe truths of God that have been delivered to you, do ly as a load upon your ſpirits, if you go away with your hearts burdened with it, be not diſcouraged, for you that are burdened with ſuch truths as theſe are, come to Chriſt and he wil deliver you from this burden, and you ſhal have in this that quiet that ſhal remain everlaſtingly; al the quiet that you can have with putting off theſe truths that have been delivered cannot hold long, but there is a ſtorm a coming, that wil try every man and womans quiet, of what nature it is; whether true quiet, or falſe; whether true reſt, or falſe; do not therefore caſt off what hath been delivered, but apply it to your ſouls, that ſo you may be the more prepared to heare further of the bleſſed reſt that Chriſt doth here promiſe unto you.