Redemption from the Curse, Chapter 10
CHAP. X.
Sect. 1. Exhortation to ſenſible ſinners.
2. THis precious Truth holds forth an Olive-branch of peace to ſenſible and broken ſinners, which are convinced of their miſery by the curſe, and lye under the bondage age of it, unable to get out. Poor ſoul, thou feeleſt thy ſelf accurſed thou heareſt, that Chriſt by becoming a curſe, hath ranſomed ſinners from the curſe, yet ſomething ſtill knocks thee off, that thou canſt not reach up to the enjoyment of this happines, but walkeſt mournfully as a meer ſtranger to it, expecting the uttermoſt miſchief that it can work againſt thee. I beſeech thee in the bowels of our dear Redeemer, take ſpecial notice of this weighty Truth, and bring it home cloſe to thy ſpirit. Ar… thou perſwaded that Chriſt hath done this for wretched ſinners? Why then doſt not thou ſet thy heart upon it, and improve it ſeriouſly for thy beſt advantage? Thou poor weather-beaten ſoul, be of good chear, the Lord Jeſus hath paid thy ranſome, and now he bids thee come out of priſon. Wilt thou not give him leave to redeem thee, but chuſe to lye by it ſtill? Oh do not nouriſh this bondage of conſcience any longer, by holding off from this bleſſed remedy. Say to thy ſoul, I ſee the Redeemer hath paid a price, which is abundantly ſufficient to redeem many thouſands, and hath made them priſoners of hope. Well, I will humbly hope, that I am one of that happy number. And that thou mayeſt be really happy in the perſonal poſſeſſion of this grace of Redemption, I will give thee counſel, and God ſhall bee with thee. Take it in three particulars.
1. Seriouſly ponder the weight and ſtrength of this great deſign. It is bottomed on the everlaſting love of God, and managed by his admirable wiſdome. The ſpring from which it flows is love, and wiſdome carries it on from firſt to laſt. It is the good pleaſure of his will, founded on his everlaſting decree, that ſinners ſhould be delivered and ſaved in this way, and in none other. Hearken what the Lord ſaith to thee poor ſinner, I have given my Son to take upon him thy curſe, that thou mighteſt be freed from it: And here I give thee my faithful promiſe, that if thou wilt heartily accept him for thy Lord-redeemer, and reſign up thy ſelf unto him, thou ſhalt both be acquitted from all the miſchief which the curſe would bring upon thee, and moreover inſtated in all that righteouſneſs and glory, which he enjoyes as Mediator, and that by a ſure Covenant, never to be forgotten; my word may be ſufficient ſecurity to thee, but if that will not ſerve, behold here are my ſeals [the Sacraments] viſible evidences of my well-meaning, which may put all out of queſtion. Oh then, I beſeech thee bring thy heart to reſt ſatisfied in this, unleſs thou dareſt ſleight the Lords free love, or thinkeſt that thou canſt diſanull his eternal purpoſe, and reſiſt, or alter the counſel of his will, and be wiſer than thy Maker, what may hinder but thou ſhouldeſt lay hold on this ſtrength, and make peace, Iſaiah 27.5.
2. I ſuppoſe, thou art skared out of thine old prophane temper, and ſeeſt great need of plying the Throne of grace, a with ſupplications for mercy, deliverance, pardon, and acceptation.Pſal. 130.1. Lam. 3.55, 56. Well, continue ſtill inſtant, and watch thereunto, let not thy ſales fall, eſpecially pray earneſtly for grace and ſtrength to perform the condition. Although the benefit of Redemption be far out of thy reach, and ſeem impoſſible in thine eyes,Mar. 9.23. yet if thou canſt beleeve, it is thine, all things are poſſible to him that beleeveth. And becauſe faith is the gift of God, and no man can Come to Chriſt unleſs the Father draw him, Joh. 6.44. therefore it behooves thee to bee importunate for this drawing power, to bring thee to Jeſus Chriſt, that thou mayeſt reſt upon him, and be happy. And unto prayer, joyn other Ordinances, waiting on God in the uſe of them all in their ſeveral degrees, and ſeaſons, till the Spirit ſhall breathe a ſpark of faith into thy ſoul. Hearken not to thoſe, which bid thee lye ſtill,Prov. 19.15 and wait, but do nothing; idle waiting may lull thee aſleep in ſecurity, and lay thee open to deluſions and falſe hallowS concerning thy ſpiritual condition, which may tend to thy undoing, but it is not the way wherein the Spirit of God delights to draw near to the ſoul of the humbled ſinner. Wait on the Lord, and keep his way, Pſal. 37.34. The Lord is willing to do great things for poor ſinners, yet he will bee enquired of by them, they muſt ſeek unto him for the performance of them, Ezek. 36.37.
3. While thou art thus ſighing towards heaven, and begging faith to be ranſomed, and freed from thy ſore bondage, be careful to learn ſelf-denial, trampling under-foot, not onelyonly thine own righteouſneſs (which I preſume, thou doſt already) but alſo wiſdome, reaſon, ſenſe, and whatſoever elſe may unhappily ſtop thy way, and keep thee off from Chriſt; and ſtill ever, and anon, be trying thy heart towards the acting of faith; do not ſit down in the ſullenneſs of thy ſpirit, ſaying, I do well to hold of, but ſtruggle with thy unbeleeving heart. Set thy foot upon this way, and lift up one foot after another, that at laſt thou mayeſt come to cloſe with thy Redeemer. See he is here waiting for thy coming: Oh, ſaith he,Hoſ. 13.13. How long will the poor child ſtay in the place of breaking forth of children? Stick at it no longer, but overleaping at difficulties, forthwith betake thy ſelf to Jeſus Chriſt, and thou art actually ſet free.Ioh. 16.9.10. Let thy heart be convinced of righteouſneſs, as well as of ſin, that as thou haſt ſeen thy ſin powerfully working towards thy condemnation, ſo thou mayeſt ſee, and gladly imbrace the righteouſneſſe of Chriſts Salvation, working as powerfully for thy acquittance and juſtification. Say, Lord, although I finde no encouragement either in my ſelf, or from the creature, to expect any good by the work of Redemption, yet ſeeing thou haſt graciouſly promiſed deliverance to all poor captives that will betake themſelves to Jeſus Chriſt, and give up themſelves to him by faith, behold here I am, I beleeve, help thou mine unbeleef, Mar. 9.24. hee ſhall have the cream of my heart, I will make bold to go to him, and caſt my burthen upon him for ever.
But here the humbled ſoul is ready to plead againſt himſelf in this manner.Sect. 2. Anſwer to two Objections.
Object. 1. If I knew that this benefit did indeed belong to me, then I might have ſome ground to beleeve on Chriſt, for the obtaining of it. But I have no aſſurance of that; and thus to beleeve might be to beleeve an untruth, and ſo inſtead of doing a duty, I ſhould commit a ſin.
Anſw. 1. This Objection ariſeth, 1. From ignorance of the extent of the grace held forth in the Goſpel, as if it did except ſome particular perſons, whereas it makes an offer to all, and every one indefinitely, under the conditions before expreſſed.
2 From a miſtake about the proper nature of faith; ſuppoſing it to be an aſſurance or perſwaſion of heart, concerning the love of God in ſpecial to me, and my actual intereſt in redemption, whereas in truth it ſtands,
1 In the underſtandings aſſent to the doctrine of the Goſpel, or a beleef of the certainty of thoſe things which Chriſt hath done for us as Mediator.
Nemo jubetur credere ſe redemptum eſſe, pri…ſquam credat in ipſumAnd 2. The hearts willing conſenting, and accepting of him with all his benefits freely offered. I muſt not firſt know, that I have right unto actual Redemption, and then beleeve on Chriſt, but I muſt firſt beleeve on Chriſt, that I may have an actual right in it. No man can be groundedly perſwaded of his perſonal intereſt in Chriſt, and the grace of Redemption, till he hath heartily conſented to the match which the Goſpel offereth, and given up himſelf to him, as his Lord Redeemer.
2. Yet thou haſt ſufficient, yea abundant warrant thus to beleeve (that is, to take Chriſt, and to reſt on him for Redemption) both from Gods expreſs command, as 1 Joh. 3.23. and from his invitations by promiſes of reſt, righteouſneſs and ſalvation, Matth. 11.28. Act. 13.39. and 16.31. Chriſt himſelf tells us plainly, Joh. 6.29.foreign &c. anſwering them that asked him, what they ſhould do, that they might work the works of God? That this (ſaith he) is the work, or the work of God [by way of eminency, that work, which he would have you to do, and which is well-pleaſing to him above all other works] that ye beleeve, &c. This is thy work, fall to it preſently; ſtand not diſputing or queſtioning whether this Redemption be for thee, but beleeve, that by beleeving thou mayeſt be inſtuted in it, and it may be actually thine.
Object. 2. But I have heard, that this benefit is not for all; Chriſt never intended to buy out all and every one of Adams poſterity from the Curſe, and it may be I am none of that number, for whom it was meant.
Anſw. 1. To the former branch of the Objection. Divines have various apprehenſions concerning the extent of Redemption. The moſt received doctrine amongſt orthodox Writers (as I take it) is, that it is as narrow as Election and effectual vocation, that the Lord did not intend, that the curſe and ſufferings of Chriſt, ſhould be paid as a price for the ranſoming of all, and every one, but only of thoſe, who were ſingularly deſigned in Gods eternal purpoſe according to Election to the injoyment of it, by effectual calling.
There be other two opinions, which hold an univerſality of Redemption, yet with a very great difference: The Arminians teach that Chriſt dyed for all alike, that by his death he obtained that all men ſhould be reſtored into the ſtate of grace and ſalvation, that Almighty God, did not will, or intend the redemption of any one more,See Wards Conc ad Clerum, pag. 19.20. or leſs than another, that both the price was paid for Judas, as well as for Peter, and the application of it (on Gods part) is equally for them both, not more for Peter than Judas; but the difference is made by themſelves, the one accepting, the other refuſing the grace tendered by the power of his own will. But this doctrine is to be rejected as falſe and dangerous. It doth clearly make void the grace of God, and exalt mans free will; lifting him up into the ſeat of God, to be his own Redeemer; for (ſay they) when God hath put forth all thoſe workings of grace which he is wont to make uſe of in the way to converſion,See Suffrag. Colleg…ate in Ar…. 1.2, & 3. yet ſtill the will is left in an equal poiſe, betwixt beleeving, and not beleeving, able indifferently to incline either way; ſo that in caſe a man ſhall hearken, and anſwer the Lords call by beleeving, and ſo turn effectually, this man now hath ſtruck the main ſtroak in the buſineſs, in as much as hee might have refuſed it, if he would, and he hath whereof to boaſt, and may ſay, I had no more grace given towards converſion than others, yet they have rejected it, and remain unconverted, but I by the freedome of my will have imbraced it, and ſo am converted and conſequently in actual poſſeſſion of the grace of Redemption. The Scripture ſpeaks otherwiſe, 2 Cor. 3.5. We are not ſufficient of our ſelves to think any thing, if not to think, than much leſs to will, or to work, Phil. 2.13. It is God which works in you both to will and to work. Oh wretched man! by thine Apoſtacy, thou haſt loſt thy ſelf, and made thy will a perfect ſlave to ſin, ſo that unleſs it be firſt ſet free by grace, it cannot poſſibly be free to any good.
There be ſome other Divines,Voluntas in tantum libera, in quantum liberata. Aug. both learned, judicious, and godly, which allow an univerſality of Redemption; and they deliver their judgement thus, or to this effect: That Jeſus Chriſt, by the appointment of his Father, taking upon him the curſe due to ſin, did give himſelf a ſacrifice, and paid a price for the ranſome of all mankinde; yet not with an equal intention and reſolution for every one, but thus, Effectually to redeem, and perfectly to ſave all thoſe whom the Father had given him, that is the Elect, by applying unto them his ſatisfaction and merits, and inabling them by his Spirit to perform the conditions of actual intereſt therein, having no ſuch purpoſe, or reſolution for all, or any of the reſt of mankinde. So that Chriſt dyed for all in this ſenſe, that all, and every one may obtain actual deliverance and ſalvation thereby in caſe they do beleeve; but yet he dyed for the Elect onelyonly in this ſenſe, that they through the merit of his death, which was ſpecially deſigned for them, might be brought infallibly both to faith, and to eternal life. The difference of this from the firſt, which limits even the paying of the price, to the Elect, is not ſo wide, as to give juſt cauſe to either party, to brand the Diſſenters with hereſie or ſchiſme; both of them having the letter of the Scriptures to warrant them: The former we may finde, Joh. 10.15. I lay down my life for the ſheep, Act. 20.28. He hath purchaſed the Church of God with his own blood, Eph. 5.25. &c. He gave himſelf for the Church to ſanctifie and glorifie it: The latter, Joh. 3.16. God ſo loved the world, that he gave his Son, Joh. 4.42. The Chriſt, the Saviour of the world, 1 Joh. 2.2. A propitiation for the ſins of the whole world. He gave himſelf a ranſome for all, 1 Tim. 2.6. He taſted death for every man, Heb. 2.9. Neither am I ſo confident of the ſtrength of mine own judgement, as to determine whether of theſe, is the naked truth of God: For who am I, that I ſhould adventure profeſſedly to ſide with either party, againſt men of ſo great name and worth in the Churches of Chriſt? OnelyOnly (reſerving to my ſelf the liberty of mine own thoughts) I ſhall crave leave to minde you of three things.
1. I ſuppoſe, that this latter opinion cannot juſtly be charged to wrong any fundamental Truth of Chriſtian Religion, or the Doctrine which is according to godlineſs.
2 It ſeems the faireſt way to a right reconciliation of thoſe Texts before mentioned, which ſpeak different things.
3. I am apt to think, that if both were laid together, and well weighed, they would be found to come near to a friendly agreement, and not to ſtand at ſo wide a diſtance, as ſome imagine; for both ſides do readily grant,
1. That the ſatisfaction given by Chriſt is abundantly ſufficient for the redemption of the whole world, yea of ten thouſand worlds, it being the blood of God, Act. 20.28.
2. That the offer of it is freely made to all the poſterity of Adam, by the appointment of God in the miniſtry of the Goſpel, and therefore the Miniſters muſt both publiſh this grace to all, and exhort them to imbrace it, Mark. 16.15. Col. 1.28.
3. That it is onelyonly from a ſpecial diſcriminating grace of God, that ſome ſinners are brought off to ſubmit to Gods termes, while others refuſe, Act. 18.27. 2 Tim. 1.9.
4. That onelyonly the Elect are effectually wrought thus to ſubmit, and to accept of Chriſt offered, and ſo are actually redeemed, Act. 13.48.
5. That all the reſt of the world, not having this effectual grace vouchſafed them, but being left unto themſelves, do refuſe redemption and ſalvation offered,Ioh. 8.24 & 15.22. and ſo periſh in their ſins juſtly through their own default, Matth. 23.37.38.
2. But to diſmiſs this diſcourſe: I anſwer to the latter branch of the Objection thus: Neither of the Opinions named, will bear ſuch a Concluſion. It is but a weak kinde of Logick to argue thus. Chriſt did not intend to pay a price for the ranſoming of every ſinner, and therefore it may not be of me; or thus, he did not intend to apply this ranſome to every one for his actual Redemption, therefore perhaps he meant, it not to me. This is abſurd, and unreaſonable reaſoning: For,
1. Why mayeſt thou not as well ſay, It may be, he doth graciouſly intend it for me? ſeeing thou canſt not plead any unworthineſs, or uncapableneſs againſt thy ſelf, which may not bee as juſt a bar againſt all others.
2. Thou haſt an offer of this benefit made to thee every day, and thou art invited to entertain it? Wilt thou now ſtand off and ſay, I cannot tell whether it be intended for me, or no? If a Creditor ſhall ſay to his impriſoned Debtor, Come forth, for thy debt is paid, and I am ſatisfied, what a folly were it to anſwer thus. It may be, my debt is not diſcharged, I know not whether thou intendeſt my liberty. No, rather wave this intention, and cloſe with his offer.
3. The onelyonly way to put the matter out of doubt, is this, Apply thy ſelf in the diligent uſe of Gods Ordinances, to the ſerious and ſincere performance of the condition, and reſt not till thy heart be drawn off from all other things, to repoſe it ſelf on him, according to his command, Mat. 11.28.
4. Although (I ſuppoſe) we may ſafely conclude, that every childe of Adam, even continuing in his ſinful eſtate, may lawfully take it for granted, that Chriſt became a curſe to buy him out from the curſe, that is, that he gave himſelf a ranſome for all men, and therefore for him alſo, for ought he knows to the contrary; and that he may, and certainly ſhall be partaker of the fruit thereof, if he ſubmit to the Lords termes (for otherwiſe what ground have I to make, or he to take the offer of Chriſt) yet for all that, we may not ſay, that any ſinner continuing under the obedience of ſin, that is, that he hath a preſent intereſt in Redemption, or is actually partaker of it; for this implies a contradiction, Joh. 8.34. A ſervant of ſin (while ſuch) cannot be the Lords free man; nay rather he ought to be perſwaded of the contrary. But as for thee, poor ſenſible humbled ſoul, thou mayeſt groundedly beleeve, that thou art one of the Lords Redeemed; this is thy priviledge, and accordingly it is thy duty, by the daily acting of faith on Chriſt, and the conſtant exerciſe of all other graces, to endeavour after a full aſſurance thereof in thy ſoul; and in the mean time to ſtay thy ſelf on the Lord, and his ſure word for the accompliſhment.
Sect. 3. Anſwer to three Objections more.
Object. 3. BUt if the actual enjoyment of this benefit be limited to the Elect, then I am ſtill where I was; for I know not any thing concerning mine election. If you can make it ſure to me, that God hath not caſt me out by an eternal Decree, but hath appointed me to ſalvation, then I ſhall have ſome courage in the uſing of any means, and taking any pains for attaining that end: But if I be none of that number, then I have nothing to do with Redemption, and all my labour of beleeving and repenting, and doing good will be loſt, and I ſhall runne in vain.
Anſw. 1. I grant it to be an undeniable truth, that whatſoever we do, whether we run, or ſit ſtill, we ſhall all in concluſion bee found ſuch (as to our everlaſting eſtates) as God hath decreed we ſhall be.
But then 2. Hence to infer, that it is no matter what a man doth, or how he walks, is a wicked and dangerous concluſion; for the Decreee of Predeſtination, hath made a neceſſary connexion, betwixt the means, and the end; but that godleſs inference, breaks this golden chain all to peeces. To live in ignorance, ſecurity, unbeleef, diſobedience is the ready way to hell, and conſequently a fearful mark of Reprobation. To neglect means of ſaving knowledge, faith, repentance, and new obedience, is to forfeit ſalvation, and to declare thy ſelf to be none of Gods Elect.
A learned Divine illuſtrates this by a ſimilitude thus,Davenant, Animadverſions on a Treatiſe called Gods love to mankinde. p. 512 Put caſe (ſaith he) a battel were to be waged betwixt two Armies, and God ſhould reveal ſome way or other that the greater part of the ſouldiers ſho…d periſh in the fight, and ſome few eſcape, not mentioning the particular perſons which ſhould be ſlain or preſerved; if any ſouldier ſhould now either paſs ſentence upon himſelf before-hand, or ſuffer his heart to be fore-ſtalled with a ſtrong conceit, that he is one of them that ſhall be ſlain, and ſhall thereupon deſpairingly run upon his enemies ſwords, or throw down his weapons, and neglect himſelf, and ſo periſh; I demand, whether this deſpair, and the effects thereof, are not rather to be imputed to his own indiſcretion than to the divine revelation? without doubt he may juſtly blame himſelf, for taking occaſion, where none was given.
The application is eaſie. To walk in the ſtate and wayes of ſin, or to avoid the way of faith and holineſs, out of a conceit or fear that thou art not in the number of the Elect, is damnable madneſs.
3. It is a groundleſs ſuppoſition, to ſay, If I be not elected, all my labour of beleeving, repenting, and holy walking will be loſt; for it implies, that a man may do all theſe, and yet be damned. But this is altogether inconſiſtent with the frame of the Goſpel, which holds forth the quite contrary, that he that doth theſe things, ſhall bee ſaved, 2 Pet. 1.10, 11. Rom. 2.7, 8, &c.
4. No man in the world can give thee an infallible aſſurance of thy election immediately, neither oughteſt thou to ſeek for ſuch aſſurance. Scripture and reaſon both will tell thee, that …ods eternall counſels are ſo deep, as they cannot poſſibly be found out, no man ought to conclude peremptorily of himſelf, that he is a Reprobate, rather let every one that lives in the Church, and under the ſound of Gods Ordinances, conceive, hope, that he is one of the elect number, provided that he improve this hope, to be a ſpur to diligence in the uſe of means towards ſalvation. But then take heed, that thou ſuſpend not this upon the certain knowledge of thine election; ſay not, I will firſt know that I am elected, before I take pains in the way to ſalvation; If the King ſhould grant a pardon to a hundred Traytors, whoſe names are inrolled in the Exchequer, upon certain conditions to be performed by them, expreſſed in a Proclamation, it would be a fooliſh prepoſterous courſe, firſt to ſearch the Rolls, before they look after the performance of the conditions; no, they muſt firſt do this, and then ſue out their pardon: Even ſo, thy way to heaven, is not firſt to climbe up thither, to ſearch the Records, whether thy name be there, the word is near thee even in thine heart; Say not, who ſhall go up to heaven for me? Rom. 10.6, 8. Think not of jumping into heaven at once: Begin at the bottome of the ladder, and go up by ſteps. He that will not ſet himſelf o… the way to ſalvation, unleſs God will firſt make him of his Cabinet-councel, is ſure to meet with damnation, as the deſerved reward of his deſperate folly. Therefore, poor ſoul, if thou haſt begun, go on by the exerciſe of Faith, Repentance, and all other graces, to make thy calling ſure; this will make thine Election ſure, 2 Pet. 1.10. and then thou needeſt not fear thy Redemption.
Obj. 4. But I have ſo long neglected to hearken to the counſel of the word, calling me to believe, that it may be, the day of grace is paſt to me; If the Lord had any thoughts of good towards me, he would have perſwaded my heart before this time: but now I am grown into ſuch a ſetled habit of unbelief, that I may fear, the Lord hath even determined to leave me under the power of it for ever.
Anſ. 1. God is the Soveraigne Lord of time, he workes at all houre… of the day, he calles at the Eleventh, as well as the ſixth, or nineth houres;Matth. 20.5, 6. he hath his ſeveral ſeaſons of offering grace, bringing Chriſt home to the ſoul, and ſatisfying the ſoul with the comfort of enjoying him, according to his good pleaſure.
2. I confeſs it is a very dangerous thing for a ſinner to reſiſt the motions of the Spirit, till he be even wearied out, till the Lord ſay peremptorily, my Spirit ſhall no longer ſtrive with this man, I will leave him to his own counſels. And it is to be feared, that this is the caſe of very many, who living under quickening means, yet grow old in a ſecure ſenſleſs ſtate and courſe, and it is ten to one, that theſe perſons have ſitten out their day of grace: Yet let no ſinner (no, not he that is of the blackeſt grime, or longeſt ſtanding) ſet down this abſolutely againſt himſelf, [that this day of Grace is quite paſt,] Say not, it's now too late to Repent, and believe, or if I do, God will not regard me. This were to denie the grace of the new Covenant. If now at length thou wilt open thine eares to the counſel of the Goſpel, and laying aſide thine enmitie, wilt heartily come in, thou ſhalt finde by good experience, that there is abundant grace in the Lord Jeſus for thy recoverie, and ſalvation. See the example of Paul, 1 Tim. 1.13, 14.
3. But as for the poor afflicted ſoul, although thou haſt turned a deaf ear to the encouragements of the Spirit of God, and hearkened to thine own heart too long, yet thou haſt no ſuch cauſe of fear. For thy practiſe doth conſtantly proclaim, that thou feareſt the Lord, and obeyeſt the voice of his ſervant,Iſa. 50.10. in departing from all known iniquity, and endeavouring to walk worthy of the Lord, unto all pleaſing; OnelyOnly thou art in darkneſs, as to thy right unto Jeſus Chriſt, and the grace of Redemption, and although thou breatheſt after him in the deſires of thy ſoul, yet thou canſt not reach up ſenſibly to cloſe with him by faith. In this condition, as ſad as it is to thee, the Lord looks upon thee, as a tender mother lookes upon her childe, that will not take the breaſt, he pities thy waywardneſs, and will not make it an advantage againſt thee, but ſtill invites thee to ſtay thy ſelf on his Name. He can eaſily change thy heart of ſtone into an heart of fleſh, and pluck up that bitter root of unbelief, though by long cuſtome deeply rooted in thy ſpirit, and plant in ſtead of it, the contrary habit of faith. Nothing is too hard for him, yea, he will certainly do it, and never lay to thy charge thy former unbelief, if thou wilt now ceaſe to lean to thine own underſtanding, and humbly thruſt thy ſelf into his boſome, and make thy refuge in the ſhadowes of his wings, whether thou muſt come after all thy contrary ſtrugglings, and where onelyonly thou mayeſt be ſafe.
Obj. 5. Although I cannot gainſay theſe things, yet ſtill my heart miſgives me, I cannot ſee it to be my way, thus to believe, and if I ſhould, I much fear, that it would not proove well. To be ſhort, I do not, I cannot believe.
Anſ. 1. This is a maladie incident to ſenſible doubting ſouls, to be obſtinate in that which they have fixed upon, to hold faſt the Concluſion, when they cannot prove the premiſes, and rather to ſtudy out Arguments, to ſtrengthen themſelves in their unbelief, than to yield to the truth laid before them. But I beſeech thee, in the bowels of our Redeemer, look upon this as a piece of Sathan's policie, that he may undoe thee. He would lock upon thine eares, and heart from all thoſe truths, which are moſt uſual for thee. Oh! do not hearken to him, but yield thy ſelf to be overcome by the ſtrength of Scripture reaſon for thy good.
2. Theſe groundleſs miſgivings of heart, are not the perſwaſions of him that hath called thee, but the buddings of thine own wiſdome at the beſt, and therefore they are wiſely to be reſiſted. Call them to the barre of Gods teſtimony, and examine them narrowly, what they are, whence they come, and whither they go, and if thou findeſt them Vagrants, whip them out, and ſend them away.
3. If thou ſeeſt not this to be thy way, the fault is not in the way, but in thy eye: It hath been told thee again, and again, that this is thy way; If thine eye cannot diſcerne it clearly, or thou feareſt, that it is not, yet do as a wiſe traveller would do, when he is at a loſs. He ſeeth ſeveral wayes before him, but the way, which he muſt take, hath a pillar ſet up at the entrance of it, with this inſcription. This is the way to — for there comes to him an Inhabitant of thoſe parts, and aſſures him, that's the way: yet to him it ſeems very unlikely, and he ſtill ſuſpects, that it will never bring him to the place, where he would be. In this caſe, what doth he? Why? He reſolves to lay aſide his own judgement, and to adventure on the way, which he is directed; He doth ſo, and holding on in it, at length he obtains his deſire. This is thy caſe, poor ſoul, thou art travailing heaven-ward, the Goſpel, as a ſtanding pillar, points thee out the way, and directs thee to Jeſus Chriſt the Redeemer, and tell's thee, that if thou wilt heartily accept of him, lay the ſtreſs of thy ſoul upon him alone, and abide in him, not turning to the right hand, or the left, thou ſhalt undoubtedly be happy;Iſa. 30.21. The Miniſter of the Goſpel aſſures thee of the ſame by the warrant of the word. But thy unbelieving heart boggles at this, and thou ſayeſt, ſurely this is not my way: What? ſuch a wretch as I go to Chriſt, and exſpect any good from him? I dare not, I may not be ſo bold. Say not ſo, rather play the Wiſeman's part, and adventure on this way, contrary to thine own reaſon, and thou ſhalt ſee, the iſſue will be good. Bear down thy feares concerning a good ſucceſs, with the ſtream of God's command; up, and do as thou art bidden, and proove him herewith, whether he will not pour thee out a bleſſing.2 King 7.3, 8. Obſerve the practiſe of the four Lepers in the gate of Samaria; apply their arguments to thy caſe, and make an adventure as they did. Say, if I go back into the world, I ſhall die, and if I ſit here without Chriſt, I ſhall die; I will therefore betake my ſelf to Chriſt, and th…ſt my ſelf into his boſome, let him do with me what he pleaſeth. Thus doing, thou ma… …t hope to ſpeed as well as they. Why? what got they? Not onelyonly the ſaving of their lives, but good chear for their hungrie bellies, and rayment for their naked backs, and gold and ſilver for their empty purſes: Even ſo, if thou wilt fall in unto Jeſus Chriſt, thou ſhalt not onelyonly be ſaved from the curſe of the Law, but the fleſh of Chriſt ſhall be thy meat, and his blood thy drink, his righteouſneſs thy clothing, thou ſhalt be enriched with all ſpiritual bleſſings in him. Follow the example of Queen Eſther: When the necks of all the Jews, her dear countrie-men were almoſt on the block, and their was a preſent neceſſity of her interceding with the King, which (if he had not taken it well) might have coſt her life, yet ſhe reſolves, to put it to the uttermoſt; I will go in to the King (ſaith ſhe) and if I periſh, I periſh. The iſſue was ſweet, and comfortable; ſhe was not onelyonly ſaved from the danger of the Law, but the King held forth the golden Scepter to her, and granted her Petition for the lives of her people; And if thou wilt make the like adventure for thy ſoul upon the King of Saints, thou ſhalt both be freed from the danger of a more rigorous Law,Eſther 4.16. and 5.2 &c. and be inveſted in his favour, and he will accept thy ſervices, and fulfill all thy lawfull deſires. Thou haſt better ground of hope, then either this Queen or thoſe lepers; for they both went meerly upon hazzards, but God would have thee to overleap all difficulties, and truſt upon the account of certain profit, coming in to thee hereby, Iſa. 55.3.
Sect. 4. Encouragements.
BUt to provoke thee yet more to this important work, which doth ſo neerly concern thy condition, take notice of theſe encouraging Conſiderations.
1. The Name of God is a moſt ſweet name. Read it in that ſolemne Proclamation, Ex. 34.6. and ſpell every ſyllable of it for thy ſelf. It will preſent unto thy minde the unſpeakeable goodneſs of his glorious Being, and render him eminently amiable. Thou judgeſt thy ſelf extreamly miſerable, as one lying under the dreadful guilt of the higheſt treaſon: But the firſt letter of his Name is Mercifull, he hath bowels of compaſſion, he is not hardly drawn to it, but he delights in mercy, Mic. 7.18. Thou art moſt unworthy, and thy deſert is damnation, but another part of his name is Gracious, he is free to beſtow his beſt bounties, on thoſe that account themſelves moſt unworthy. If Satan can preſent him to thee, as a cruel Enemie, or one that would ruine thee, then he might eaſily drive thee away from him: But look thou upon him, as love it ſelf, 1 John 4.8. and therefore infinitely more tender,Corpora magnanima ſatis eſt proſtraſſe Leoni. than the deareſt mother can be over her childe. The lyon of the Tribe of Judah will not hurt that ſoul, which lies proſtrate before him.
2. It is a ſpecial clauſe in the Mediatours Commiſſion, that he ſhould proclaim Liberty to the Captives, Iſa. 61.1. God the Father ſaith to him, Lo, I give thee for a Covenant of the people, that thou mayeſt ſay to the priſoners, Go forth, Iſa. 49.8, 9. Be ſure thou take ſpecial care of poor ſenſible ſinners, pour oyl into their woundes, and give them beauty for aſhes: Cheriſh thoſe diſtreſſed ſoules, which lie ſighing and ſobbing under the burthen of their bolts, and fetters, thoſe that are loſt in themſelves, and come running to thee, like the chaſed Hart, panting after the water-brooks, and cannot be ſatisfied without thee. Doſt thou think, that Jeſus Chriſt will not execute his Commiſſion to the full?
3. The termes on which thou mayeſt actually enjoy Chriſt, and Redemption, are very fair, being both reaſonable, and eaſie, 1. What can be more reaſonable, then that the poor ſlave, ſhould, in the ſence of his undone condition, heartily own him for his onelyonly Redeemer, who hath both paid his ranſome, and fetch him out of priſon? and what is faith, but the loſt ſinner's acknowledging and accepting of Jeſus Chriſt for his All in all? 2. What can be more eaſie, than to do a work, the ſtreſs whereof lies upon another hand, not on thine? It's true, of thy ſelf thou art no more able to believe, than to keep the whole Law, (for the dead man can ſtirre his right hand, no more then his left): but the Goſpel, or Covenant of grace affords ſtrength to believe, whereas the Law, or Covenant of works affords none at all to obey:Ier. 31.37, Heb. 8.6, …, 10. Therefore Chriſt tells them, His yoke is eaſie, and his burthen light, (in oppoſition to thoſe Law-burthens, which the Phariſees impoſed, and call's them to come to him upon that account. Matth. 11.28, &c. Thus Chriſt makes believing an eaſie work to a ſelf-denying ſoul: Even as it is eaſie for one, that knowes not how to faſhion a Letter, to write a word, or a ſentence legibly, if he will wholly refigne his hand up, to be holden, moved, guided, and carried on by the hand of a cunning Writer throughout. I may now ſay to thee, poor captive ſoule, as the ſervants ſaid to Naaman; If the Prophet had bid thee do ſome great thing, wouldſt thou not have done it? how much more, &c. 2 Kin. 5.13. So here, If the Lord did enjoyn thee ſome difficult exploit, or ſome deſperate adventure, as the condition of thy ſalvation, would'ſt thou not have put forth thy ſelf to the furtheſt? how much more when he ſaith, Believe, and be ſaved?
4. Faith layes a kinde of engagement on Jeſus Chriſt to relieve a ſoul in extremitie. When a poor creature lies ſuccourleſs, if he can now adviſedly look after him, and caſt his burthen upon him, this doth after a ſort oblige him to come in with ſuccour: An honeſt man, will the rather do his neighbour a pleaſure, if he ſee,Pſal. 55.22. Donabile tuum quod tibi dari deſideras. Buxtorf. Io. 6.37. foreign. that he depends upon him. A mercifull man will make this an Argument why he muſt do this or that for a poor man, Oh, ſaith he, the man put's confidence in me, it's a matter of weight, if I fail him, he may be undone: ſo Chriſt takes himſelf bound to help thee, if thou wilt come and commit thy way to him. Otherwiſe Chriſt lookes down from heaven upon thee, and ſaith, There goes a wretched ſinner, that would gladly be delivered from the Curſe, and ſaved; but alas, he is not capable of help, for he dares not truſt me, h… will not come at me. The poor ſervant m… have his wages paid, becauſe he ſet's his heart upon it, Deut. 24.15. and if thou ſetteſt thine heart upon Chriſt, and his ſatisfaction, he will render unto thee thy righteouſneſs. If the ſhip of thy ſoul be covered with waves through ſence of ſin, and wrath, and Chriſt be aſleep, thou haſt no way, but to jogge him by the hand of faith, and to awake him, as the diſciples did, Mat. 8.24. &c. and if thus thou doeſt, he will turn the ſtorme into a calme: Yea, if he ſee thee but offering to come to him by faith, and thou art begining to ſink, by reaſon of the weakneſs of it, yet if thou canſt but ſigh towards him, he will ſtretch forth his hand, and ſave thee, as he did Peter, Matth. 14.29, &c.
5. I know, thou art vile in thine own eyes, thou art willing to be abaſed, even unto the duſt, thou thinkeſt, thou canſt not caſt down thy ſelf low enough: Well friend, this is the right way to ſelf-abaſement. If thou wilt not come to Jeſus Chriſt, till thou canſt bring ſomething with thee, which may commend thee to him, or till thou canſt get into a more pleaſing poſture, thou takeſt the courſe, to raiſe up thine own Creſts, and to glory in thy ſelf. But if thou wilt denie thy ſelf, in the thoughts of unworthineſs, as well as worthineſs, and without further diſputing put thy ſelf wholly upon his grace, and ſtrength for thy deliverance, this is the way to a more kindely abaſement, than any Legal humiliati… can poſſibly work. For while thou ſtandeſt … from Chriſt, thou wilt flie from God, and thy heart will be hardened againſt him: But if thou canſt but touch the hemme of his garment, thou ſhalt come in due time, to know that in thy ſelf which will lay thee humbly at his feet, and melt thy ſoul in the boſome of his love. See the example of the woman, labouring long under her bloodie Iſſue, and the manner of her cure, Mark 5.26, &c.
6. I know, thou wouldſt advance Jeſus Chriſt, thou wouldſt give him all the honour thou poſſibly canſt, thou wouldſt make his praiſe glorious. Well, if thou wilt break through all difficulties, and heartily accept the offer of deliverance through him alone, this is the way to exalt him, this is his Crown, and his glory. It may be, thou canſt ſay, Let God have his glory, whatever become of me. Why? if thou wilt now come to him, in the ſorrowfull ſence of thy wofull bondage, and lay the whole ſtreſs of thy ſoul-affairs upon him, thou ſhalt ſee that he will work out his own glory by thy ſalvation. Thy Deſigne is, to ſet up his glory, by lying down in thy ſorrow, as altogether helpleſs, and pining away in diſcontent, but that will not do it: thou canſt not honour him in thy condition wherein thou art, by any other way, than by believing. It is by truſting in Chriſt, That poor ſinners come to the praiſe of his glory, Eph. 1.12.
This is the beſt part of thy thankfulneſs.7. If thou wilt ſtill hold off from embraceing this free mercy, then thou addeſt one ſinne to another, even ingratitude to unbelief: thou art baſely unthankful to the Lord Jeſus. Hath he laid aſide his majeſtie, and deſcended into the lower parts of the earth, yielding himſelf a priſoner to the Curſe of the Law, and all, that he might reſcue thee from it, and make thee a freeman of heaven? Hath he purchaſed thy ranſome with ſo great a ſumme, and made ſo hard an adventure to hale thee out of hell? Hath he brought thy deliverance even to the very nick of enjoyment, and now is readie to lay it in thy lappe, and to thruſt it into thy boſome, and doſt thou ſhrink back from the gift? wilt thou render all this coſte, and labour of love to be as water ſpilt on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again? Oh! do not requite him ſo badly. There be ſome, that draw back, and that threaten's their perdition; and there be ſome few, that believe, and this tends to the ſalvation of their ſoules, Heb. 10.39. Now conſider whether of theſe two companies is the more deſirable, and betake thy ſelf thereunto without delay.
foreign, &c. It's the moſt commendable Self-love.8. Yea, and beſides, thou art elſe very injurious to thy ſelf. If it might be any gain to thee, or at leaſt no loſs, to be ſo unthankfull to thy Redeemer, (and yet this can admit of no excuſe), ſomething might be ſpoken towards the extenuation of thy folly, but truly thy loſs will be invaluable, thou foregoeſt that commodity which can never be recovered, and implungeſt thy ſelf into that miſchief, which will ſtick by thee for ever. If thou wert floating on the Sea, or ſome deep river, in danger of preſent drowning, ſhould any well-willer of thine come, and venture his life to ſave thee, if thou ſhunneſt him, and refuſeſt his help, is not this to deſtroy thy ſelf? But oh, thou haſt caſt thy ſelf headlong into the Sea of God's curſe, and Jeſus Chriſt hath (as it were) put his life in his hands, that he might fetch thee out. If now thou wilt not apply thy ſelf to him, but holdeſt off from him, thou periſheſt through thine own default, for there is no ſalvation in any other, Acts 4.12. If thou miſſeſt it here, thou mayeſt bid it farewell for ever.
9. It is a bleſſed thing to believe, when there is nothing viſible to the eye of reaſon, which may give encouragement thereunto, but all things ſpeak the contrary, this is the excellency of faith, it preſents things which are not ſeen, and convincingly evidenceth them to the ſoul. They that reach up to this height, are pronounced bleſſed, John 20.29. Mary was eminently bleſſed in bearing Chriſt, and this was an addition to her bleſſedneſs, that ſhe believed the meſſage of the Angel concerning it, though croſs to her reaſon. Luke 1.28, 42, 45. God's appearances are ſometimes dark; he threatens to condemne,foreign, Heb. 11, …. when he mean's to ſave; he rejects, when he will embrace, as the woman of Canaan, to whom he gave ſundrie ſad repulſes, and yet both entertained her and highly commended her faith, Matth. 15.28. The tender Mother doth ſometimes ſet her ſelf out of her childes ſight, yet even then her eye is upon it, ſhe takes care of it, and it is then ſafeſt, when it apprehends danger neereſt. Thus doth the Lord deal with thee; therefore now ſtirre up thy ſelf to truſt in his name. There is a choice promiſe, Iſa. 41.17. If thou ſeekeſt water, and findeſt none, and thy tongue faileth for thirſt, yet then the Lord will hear thee, and not forſake thee. Every word hath weight, and ſweetneſs. Take hold upon it, and let it not go.
10. Conſider, that thouſands of poor captive ſouls have gone this way, and have ſped well. When David ſaid, he was cut off, and gave himſelf for loſt, he did but cry, and the Lord heard him, Pſal. 31.22. The Pſalmiſt ſighing out of the depths, hoped in the word, waited on God, and at length was able to ſay out of his own experience, With the Lord is mercy, and plenteous redemption, Pſal. 130.1.5, 7. The Jaylour comes trembling to Paul and Silas, and being exhorted to beleeve on Chriſt, he followes their counſel, and rejoyceth, Act. 16.29.-34. This uſe we may make of the Parable of the Prodigal; when he comes to himſelf, and reſolves to return, his Father meets him, falls on his neck, kiſſeth him, puts on him the beſt Robe, with a ring on his hand, and ſhooes on his feet, and kills for him the fatted Calf, which holds forth Gods wonderful graciouſneſs to impoveriſhed ſinners that return to him by faith and repentance, Luke 15.20. &c. and the Publican in ſenſe of unworthineſs, crying to God for mercy, goes away juſtified rather than the Phariſee, Luke 18.13, 14. But eſpecially look upon the example of Saul (who is after called Paul) the Lord meeting him on the rode, as he was poſting to perſecute the Saints, having convinced him of his ſin, ſends him to A…anias, by whoſe Miniſtry hee is brought to imbrace Chriſt, and to preach him zealouſly, Act. 9.6, 17, 20. and herein he is ſet forth, for a patterne to others in time to come, that they might be encouraged to beleeve, 1 Tim. 1.15, 16. Do thou ſo too, and expect the ſame ſucceſs.
Thus the Lord ſpeaks to thee (O deſolate ſoul) as Laban to Abrahams ſervant, Gen. 24.31. Come in thou bleſſed of the Lord, wherefore ſtandeſt thou without! (as a meer ſtranger to mee, and to the grace of Redemption) my Sonnes ſatisfaction by his bearing thy curſe, hath made room for thee in mine houſe, and he hath provided for thee all ſpiritual accommodations to make thee happy. I am loath to leave thee till thou art perſwaded; therefore I ſhall adde one thing more: Thou ſayeſt, I do not, I cannot beleeve: But what if I make it appear, that thou doſt beleeve, even now when thou verily thinkeſt, thou doſt not. Obſerve then, the very ſtreſs of faith lyes in the wills hearty conſenting to the offer of Chriſt in the Goſpel. Thou art a wretched ſinner, accurſed by the ſentence of the Law, utterly unable to help thy ſelf; Thou heareſt the good news of Redemption by Jeſus Chriſt. The Lord invites thee, and ſaith, If thou wilt renounce all confidence in thy ſelf, and the creature, and unfainedly accept of Chriſt alone for thy Redeemer, to ſave thee, and thy Lord to ſanctifie and rule thee, he ſhall both free thee from the curſe, and bring thee to the Kingdome of glory. See, here he is for thee. Art thou willing to have him? Thou ſayeſt yea, with all my heart, if I might. And is it even ſo with thee; thou canſt not deny it, elſe what mean thoſe breathings and groanings towards him in prayer? thoſe ſolicitous inquiries and ſearchings after him in addreſſes to Gods Miniſters? Oh, where ſhall I finde Jeſus Chriſt? Whither is he turned aſide? When will he own me? That reſtleſneſs of thy ſpirit, that thou canſt not be ſatisfied without him? Theſe are plain demonſtrations, that he hath thy heart, and that the ſtrength of thy will is carryed towards him, in deſires and longings to injoy him for thy All in all. So that now, poor ſoul, Chriſt is willing, and thou art willing; the match is made, thou enjoyeſt him by faith although thou doſt not perceive it; onelyonly ſtand not here but endeavour to ſcrue it up to more ſenſible reſting on him, and ſo to the riches of full aſſurance.