Christ Inviting Sinners to Come to Him for Rest, Treatise · Chapter 39
CHAP. XXXIX.
Containing two ſtrong Arguments in Chriſt for holineſs. Firſt, In him the ſoul ſees the greateſt breach between it and God by reaſon of Sin. Secondly, In him it ſees the greateſt Hatred of Sin in God.
FIrſt, in Chriſt, there the foul ſees the greateſt breach that can be imagined that ſin made between God and the creature, it is true, when we preach the Law to you, and tel you of the curſe of the Law that is due to ſin, this acquaints you with ſomewhat of the breach that ſin made between God and you, and this may terrifie you, but the truth is, the breach between God and a ſoul by ſin, is never throughly ſeen, til you come to Chriſt, the ſoul never throughly ſees ſin til then, when it comes to Chriſt, and ſees Chriſt indeed, ſees Chriſt ſo as one that hath union with him, then it underſtands the evil of ſin after another manner then ever it did before. And that is the reaſon, that faith doth more purge the heart from ſin, then al the terrors of the Law poſſibly can do, yea, if God ſhould let a crevis into hel, and let you ſee into al the torment that is there, they could not diſcover ſo much the evil of ſin to you, as when you come to have a real ſight of Jeſus Chriſt, how ſin made ſuch a breach between God and us, as can be made up no other way, but the ſon of God muſt come and take upon him mans ſin, this is the greateſt diſcovery of the evil of ſin that poſſibly can be.
Object. You wil ſay, Others know this as wel as beleevers.
It is true, they know it after a ſort, but none can know this throughly, but thoſe that through faith have the real ſight of Chriſt, and ſo have the real ſight of the evil of ſin, in Chriſt.
Secondly, another ſtrong argument of the evil of ſin in Chriſt is this, the infinite hatred of ſin in God, that God ſhould ſo infinitly hate ſin, that he would not ſpare his owne ſon, this ſhewes the evil of ſin. We heare much of hell and of the terror of the Law, now when I come to conſider the fruit of Gods hatred of Sin in his ſon, this ſhewes me a great deale more the evil of ſin, And therefore, though the terror of the law may reſtrain men from ſin, I but when the ſoul comes to know the infinite wrath of God againſt ſin, that he would give his ſon to ſatisfie for ſin, this ſhewes the evil of ſin, and this ſhewes the infinite holineſs of God, that he would ſend his only ſon to purchaſe holineſs. And in this we ſee the infinite love of Chriſt to die for ſin, the infinite price of the ſoul to purchaſe it, and the infinite difficulty in the deliverance from ſin, and nothing can prevail upon the heart more then the viewing of Chriſt. There is ſo many things that I cannot ſpeak of them, that when the ſoul comes to Chriſt, makes the ſoul hate ſin, and makes it in love with holineſs. The knowledg of Chriſt in any common way, hath as much power to reſtrain ſin as any thing, but now the knowledg of Chriſt in a ſpiritual way, in a ſaving way, it hath an infinite efficacy in it. And the truth is, the ſpecial way for a ſoul to help it ſelf againſt its own corruptions, it is much to dive into the knowledg of the Goſpel, look into the Goſpel, pry into the myſtery of the Goſpel, be much converſant in the miſtery of the Goſpel, and there conſider what argument thou maieſt draw againſt thy ſins. They are poor, low arguments, that common people draw againſt their ſins, they have a temptation to ſin, and they think, Oh! let me take heed I do not do it, for my maſter and miſtris wil know of it, or ſuch a one wil know of it, or if I do it, I ſhal be brought to puniſhment, theſe are poor, low arguments, But ſaith a beleever, Oh let me not commit ſin, Why? It is that that brought the ſon of God down from heaven to be made a curſe for man. It is that that made the greateſt ſtir in the world that ever was, it is that that Gods ſoul infinitly hates and it is that that made ſuch a breach between the ſoul and God, as only can be made up by the ſon of God. Theſe are the arguments that a beleever hath againſt ſin, and a beleever being converſant …n theſe arguments, and often exerciſing faith in Chriſt, they being made real to the ſoul. They muſt needs have a mighty power to overcome any corruption whatſoever. As we read in the Goſpel, when the husband man that let out the vineyard ſent for fruit, and they took the ſervant and beate him, and killed another, at length, ſaith he, I wil ſend my ſon, ſurely they wil reverence him. So may I ſay, there is ſuch and ſuch arguments againſt thy ſin, to overcome thy Corruption, and to put thee on to the way of holineſs, perhaps thoſe arguments thy corruptions break, and they are but like Sampſons cords, thy corruption ſnaps them aſunder like flax. I but, ſaith God, I wil ſend my ſon, and reveale the glorious miſteries of the Goſpel in my ſon, I wil ſhew to their ſouls what my ſon hath done, and what the deep counſels for the ſalvation of their ſoules in my ſon are and theſe ſhal prevail upon you. And here is the reaſon of al their fearfulneſs of ſin, and ſtrictneſs in walking with God, when the Goſpel hath convinced them; you wonder why they wil be ſo ſtrict and fearful to offend, do you wonder at it? Oh my brethren, they have arguments, perhaps, that you know not of, God hath revealed much of his ſon to them, the wonderful miſteries of Godlineſs revealed in his ſon, and they are the arguments they go upon. They do not go upon ſuch mean and low arguments as you do; meane and low arguments may keep men in an orderly courſe, to live quietly with their Neighbors, and keep them from thievery, drunkenneſs, ſwearing, and the like, arguments that the heathen had skil of may keep them from thoſe things. But the ſaints, beleevers, that are acquainted with the wayes of Chriſt they have higher arguments, they behold him with the eye of faith, and ſo they come to have power againſt their ſin, and to have eaſe in their ſouls. Thus, ſaith Chriſt, come to me, you have Corruptions prevailing over you, and you perhaps ſtrive with them with ſuch and ſuch arguments, but come to me, and I wil give you ſuch things, you ſhal ſee ſo much againſt ſin, and ſo much for holineſs, as that that I ſhal diſcover to you ſhal help you againſt your corruptions, and further you in the way of holineſs, and ſo you ſhal have reſt unto your ſouls.