The Mystery of Faith Opened Up, Part 1 · Sermon 1
SERMON I.
JOHN 3.23.
This is his Commandment, that ye ſhould believe on the Name of his Son Jeſus Chriſt, &c.
THIS everlaſting Goſpel, in which there are drawn ſo many precious draughts and divine lineaments of the tranſcendent beauty of a crucified Saviour, and of the riches of his unſearchable grace, is a moſt precious and excellent thing; not only becauſe it doth contain moſt abſolute & ſublime precepts & commands, in the exerciſe and obedience of which, we do not only attain unto the higheſt pitch in holineſs; but likewiſe, becauſe it containeth moſt rich and precious promiſes, in the poſſeſſion and fruition of which, we are advanced to the higheſt pinacle of eternal bleſſedneſs; this is clear in the grace of Faith; for what doth more purify the hearts and ſtamp it with the Image of the inviſible God, then this grace of Faith? And what richer promiſes are annaxed to any duty, then to this duty of believing to wit, everlaſting life, and fruition of God; ſo that if we had dwelt forty dayes at the foot of Mount Sinai, and had been under the greateſt diſcovering and condemning power of the Law, we may yet come with boldneſs to Mount Sion, and there embrace Jeſus Chriſt, who is the end of the Law for righteouſneſs to ſuch as believe: Upon which Mount he ſtandeth, holding forth the golden Scepter of his peace, deſiring us to embrace him, and is crying out that word in Iſai 65.1. Behold me, behold me, O may we not ſummon Angels, and thoſe twenty four elders about the Throne, to help us to wonder that ever ſuch a command as this came forth, that we ſhould believe on the name of the Son of God, after that we had broken that firſt and Primitive command, That we ſhould not eat of the forbidden tree! VVas not this indeed to make mercy rejoice over judgement? And, O may we not wonder at the precious oath of the everlaſting Covenant, where…y he hath ſworn, that he delighteth not in the death of ſinners? What (ſuppoſe ye) were poor Adams thoughts when at firſt the doctrine of freegrace, and of a crucified Chriſt Jeſus a Savior, was preached unto him in Paradiſe? What a divine ſurpriſal was this, that Heaven ſhould have preached peace to earth, after that earth had proclaimed war againſt Heaven! Was not this a low ſtep of condeſcendency, to behold an offended God preaching peace and good-will to a guilty ſinner? What could ſelf-deſtroying Adā think of theſe morning & firſt diſcoveries of this everlaſting Covenant; Chriſt, as it were, in the morning of time, giving vent to that infinite love, which was reſting in his boſome & precious heart before the foundatiō of the world was laid? We know not whether the infiniteneſs of his love, the eternity of his love, or the freedom of it, maketh up the greateſt wonder: but ſure theſe three joyned together, maketh up a matculeſs and everlaſting wonder. Would any of you ask that queſtion, what is Chriſt worth? We could give … anſwer ſo ſutable as this; It is above all the Arithmetick of all the Angels in Heaven, and all the men on earth, to calculate his worth; all men here muſt be put to a divine non plus. This was Jobs divinity, Job 28.13. Man knoweth not the price of wiſdom; and muſt not Jeſus Chriſt, who is the precious object of faith, and wiſdom of the Faither, be a ſupereminent & excellent One, who hath that name of King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, not only engraven on his veſture (which pointeth out the conſpicuouſneſs of his Majeſty) but even alſo upon his thigh, to point out that in all his goings & motio…s, he proveth himſelf to be higher than the Kings of the earth? And howbeit the naked propoſing of the object doth not convert; yet if once our ſouls were admitted to behold ſuch a ſight, as Chriſt in his beauty and Majeſty, and to be ſatisfied with the divine rayes of his tranſcendent glory, then certainly we ſhould find a bleſſed neceſſity laid upon us of cloſing with him: for Chriſt hath a ſword proceeding out of his precious mouth, by which he doth ſubject & ſubjugat his own to himſelf, as well as he hath a ſword girded upon his thigh, by which he judgeth and maketh war with his enemies. We confeſs it is not only hard, but ſimply impoſſible; to commit an hyperbole in commending of him; his worth being always ſo far above our expreſſions, & our expreſſions alwayes ſo far beneath his worth, therefore we may be put to propoſe that deſire unto him; Exalt thy ſelf, O Lord, above the Heavens.
But now to our purpoſe, being at this time to … diſcourſe upon that radical and precious grace of Faith, we intend to ſpeak of it under this twofold notion & conſideration. Firſt, we ſhal ſpeak of it as it is juſtifying, or as it doth lay hold upon the righteouſneſs of a crucified Savior, making application of the precious promiſes in the Covenant of free grace, which we call juſtifying Faith. And in the ſecond place, we ſhal ſpeak a little unto Faith, as it doth lay hold upon Chriſts ſtrength; for advancing the work of mortification; and doth diſcover the perſonal excellencies of Jeſus Chriſt by which we advance in the work of Holineſs and divine conformity with God, which we call ſanctifying Faith. However, it is not to be ſuppoſed that theſe are different habits of Faith, but different acts flowing from the ſame ſaving habit, laying hold and exerciſing themſelves upon Chriſt indifferent reſpects, and for diverſe ends. Now to ſpeak upon the firſt, we have made choiſe of theſe words. The Apoſtle John in the former verſe had been pointing out the precious advantages of the grace of Obediēce, & of keeping of his Cōmands, that ſuch an one hath, as it were, an arbitrary power with God, & doth receive many precious returns of prayer: As likewiſe, that one who is exerciſed in the grace of Repentance, is Gods delight; which is included in this, that he doth thoſe things that are well pleaſing in his ſight. And now in theſe words he doth, as it were, anſwer an objection that might be propoſed about the impoſſibility of attaining theſe precious advantages, ſeeing his commands were ſo large, and that hardly could they be remembred. This he doth ſweetly anſwer, by ſetting down in this one verſe a ſhort compend or breviary both of Law & Goſpel, viz. That we ſhould love one another, which is the compend of the Law, and that we ſhould believe on the Name of his Son, which is the compend of the Goſpel; & by this he ſhoweth the Chriſtian that there are not many things required of him for attaining theſe excellent advantages; but if he exerciſe himſelf in the obedience of theſe two comprehenſive commandments, he ſhall find favor both with God and man. And as concerning this precious grace of Faith, we have, 1. The advantages of it implyed in the words, & clear alſo from the ſcope, as no doubt all the cōmands have infinite advantages infolded in their boſom; which redoūds to a believer, by his practiſing of them. And 2. the excellency of it holden forth in the words, in that it is called his command, as if he had no other command but this. And the Greek particle is here prefixed, which hath a great deal of emphaſis and force in it, and this is his Commandment. But 3. there is this alſo, the abſolute neceſſity of this grace, holden forth here in this word, his Commandment; as if he had ſaid by propoſing of this command, I do ſet life and death before you, and that you would not conceive that it is an arbitrary & indifferent thing for you to believe or not; but be perſwaded of this, that as an infinite advantage may conſtrain you to the obedience of it, ſo abſolute neceſſity muſt perſwade you to act that which is of your everlaſting concernment. And laſtly, ye have the precious object upon which Faith (which is juſtifying) doth exerciſe it ſelf, and that is upon the name of the Son of God: and no doubt faith is that excellent grace which doth elevate the ſoul unto a ſweet & inſeparable union with Chriſt, and is that golden & precious knot that doth eternally knit the hearts of theſe precious friends together. Faith is that grace that draweth the firſt draughts of Chriſts precious image on our hearts, & by love doth accompliſh and perfect them. No, Faith taketh hold not only on the faithfulneſs of God, that he is a God of truth, & that in him there is no lie: but likewiſe it taketh hold on the Omnipotency of God, that he is one to whom nothing is too hard; and on the infinite mercy & love of God, that he is one who doth delight to magnify this attribute above all his works; and theſe are the three great pillars of juſtifying Faith. From the firſt, it anſwers all the objections of ſenſe, which doth ordinarily cry forth; Doth all his promiſe fail for evermore?
And that with his one word, If he hath once purpoſed it, he will alſo do it; and if he hath once ſpoken it, he will alſo make it come to paſs. From the ſecond, it anſwereth all theſe objections that may ariſe from carnal reaſon, and probability, which tendeth to the weakning of his confidence. And theſe do oftentimes cry out; How can theſe things be? But Faith laying hold upon the Omnipotency of God, it ſtaggers not at the promiſe, but is ſtrōg in the faith giving glory to God. And it is the noble and divine exerciſe of this heroick grace of Faith, that theſe objections of reaſon and probability, which it cannot anſwer, it will lay them aſide, and yet cloſe with the promiſe; which was the practice of believing Abraham, who conſidereth not his own body being weak, nor the barrenneſs of Sarahs womb. As likewiſe it was the commendable practiſe of that woman, Matth. 15. who not being able to anſwer the ſecond trial of her faith from reaſon; yet notwithſtāding, Faith made her cry out, Have mercy on me, O Son of David. And from the laſt, a Chriſtian doth anſwer all the arguments of misbelief, which doth ariſe from the convictions of our unworthineſs and ſinfulneſs; which makes us oftentimes imbrace that Divinity of Peters, Luke 5.8. Depart from me, for I am a ſinful man. But Faith taking hold on the infinite mercy and love of Chriſt, it anſwereth all with this: He walks not with us according to that rule of merit, but according to that precious and golden rule of love and boundleſs compaſſion.
But before we ſhal ſpeak any thing unto you of theſe things, we would a little point out ſome few things to be known as previous to theſe; we ſhal not dwell long in pointing out the nature of juſtifying Faith: It is that grace whereby a Chriſtian being convinced of his loſt eſtate, & of an utter impoſſibility to ſave himſelf, he doth flee to the righteouſneſs of Jeſus Chriſt, and unto him who is that precious City of refuge, and there doth abide till our High Prieſt ſhal die, which ſhal not be for ever. Or if ye will, it is a ſweet travelling of the immortal ſoul betwixt infinite mercy, and infinite love; betwixt an utter impoſſibility to ſave our ſelves, and a compleat ability in him to ſave to the uttermost; betwixt abounding ſin, & ſuperabounding mercy: hence Faith is often holden forth to us in Scripture under that notion of coming, Iſai. 55.1. Ho, every one that thirſteth, come ye to the waters. Rev. 22.17. Whoſoever will, let him take the water of life freely. Heb. 7.25. Wherefore he is able alſo to ſave them to the uttermoſt that come to God by him. And we may ſay by the way, that if once a ſinner could be brought to this, to count all his own righteouſneſs but filthy rags, and to believe that a man is as really juſtified before God by imputed righteouſneſs, as if it were by inherent holineſs; ſurely ſuch an one were not far from the Kingdom of God. Neither ſhal we ſtand long to point out this unto you, that it is your duty to believe; for it is clear, not only from this place, but likewiſe from Iſai 45.22. Look unto me, and be ye ſaved, all ye ends of the Earth, Matth. 11.28. Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you reſt. John 14.1. Ye believe in God, believe alſo in me. Iſai. 55.1. Ho, every one that thirſteth, come ye to the waters; and he that hath no money, come, buy without money, and without price. But oh! it is a great miſery of many (and that which may be a ſubject of a perpetual lamentation) that we can neither be ſubject to the Law, as commanding to obey it, or as threatning to believe it: Nor to the Goſpel, as promiſing to embrace it, and ſweetly to receive it. O but that primative temptation and deluſion whereby Satan did deceive our firſt father, is that whereby he yet ſeeks to catch and delude many ſouls, viz. That though we eat of the forbidden fruit, & walk in the vain imaginations of our own hearts, yet he doth ſuggeſt this to us; that we ſhal not die, but ſhal once be as God; this is Satans great and deluding Divinity: And therefore to inforce this great and precious command a little further, we ſhal propoſe theſe conſiderations.
Firſt, that the Goſpel hath laid no obſtruction in our way of cloſing with Chriſt, and partaking of the effects of the Goſpel; but on the contrary, ſhoweth that the great impediment is our want of willingneſs, which we lay in our own way, as is clear from John 5.40. Ye will not come to me that ye may get life; as likewiſe from Revel. 22.27. where the Gates of the Goſpel are caſt open, and whoſoever will, are commanded to enter in: So that although you may father your misbelief upon your inability, or that your ſpot is not the ſpot of his people, yet know that the riſe and original of it is want of willingneſs. But to make this more clear, we would have you knowing this, that all the qualification annexed to this commandment of Faith, as that i… Math. 11.28. ſpeaketh out the qualifications rather of theſe that will come, then of all theſe that ought to come: Or he inviteth theſe that through the Spirit of diſcouragement and misbelief, have the greateſt reluctancy to come; and may not that cardinal and ſoul-refreſhing promiſe, John 6.37. ſtop the mouth of misbelief, ſo that it ſhould have nothing to ſay? He that cometh unto me, I will in no wiſe caſt out; ye may reduce your misbelief rather to the ſinfulneſs of your will, then to the ſinfulneſs of your walk, and if once ye could come to the length of willingneſs to embrace Jeſus Chriſt, all other objections and knots ſhould be ſweetly looſed and diſſolved.
Secondly, conſider that though we ſhould pray the one half of our time, and weep the other, yet if we want this noble grace of Faith, the wrath of God ſhal abide on us. VVhat are all the works of theſe hypocrits, & thoſe gliſtering acts of Law-ſanctification, but a plunging of our ſelves in the ditch, Until our own cloaths abhor us? Therefore it is that after the Prophet Zachary hath made mention in the twelfth Chapter of this Propheſie, of making bitter lamentation for him whom we have pierced, as for an only Son, yet in the beginning of the 13. Chapter, he maketh mention of a Fountain opened to the houſe of David, for ſin and for uncleanneſs; which may intimate unto us, that although we have waſhed our ſelves with our own tears, yet there is uſe of the blood of Chriſt, and that we muſt be waſhed in that fountain even from our own rightouſneſſes, which are but as filthy rags.
Thirdly, conſider that great and monſtrous ſinfulneſs that is in this ſin of unbelief; we will ſtrain at a gnat, but many will eaſily ſwallow down this Camel: We will tithe mint and anniſe, and faſt twice in the week, but neglect faith and love, and judgement, which are the weighter things of the Law. And indeed there are theſe things which ſpeak out the ſinfulneſs of unbelief. 1. That when the holy Ghoſt is ſent to convince the world of ſin, John 16.9. he pitched upon this ſin, as though there were no other ſin of which the World had need to be convinced: He will convince the world of ſin, becauſe they believe not on the Son of God: & no doubt there is more ſinfulneſs in that ſin, then in many breaches of the Moral Law, it being a ſin againſt matchleſs love, and againſt that which is the remedy of ſin. 2. That it is called by way of eminency, diſobedience, as is clear from Heb. 4.11. Lest any of you fall under the ſame example of unbelief; or as the word may be tendred, leſt any of you fall after that example of diſobedience, Eph. 2.2.3. That amongſt all theſe that ſhal be eternally excommunicate from the preſence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power, thoſe that are guilty of this ſin of unbelief, they are put in the firſt place, Rev. 21.1. And 4. That unbelief doth contradict & deny theſe three precious and cardinal attributes of God. 1. Doth not unbelief contradict his faithfulneſs, and make him a liar? 1 John 5.10. 2. Doth it not contradict the infiniteneſs of his power? And 3. the infiniteneſs of his love, and ſuppoſeth that there is ſomething too hard for him which his power cannot reach, nor his infinite love overcome? We may reduce many of our queſtions and diſputings of his good will to this original, viz. to the diſputing of his power. No doubt, if we belong to him, we ſhal once ſing that note of lamentation over our unbelief; This is our infirmity, for changes are from the right hand of the moſt High.
And laſtly, to inforce this precious command of Faith, conſider that it is his command which ſpeaketh forth this, that we muſt not take an indulgence or diſpenſation to our ſelves to believe, or not to believe at our pleaſure: and is it not a ſtrange thing that Chriſtians are leſs convinced of the breaches of the Commandment of Faith, then of other commands? They think misbelief to be but a Zoar, a little ſin; and it proceedeth either from this, that the convictions of other ſins (as the neglect of prayer, or the ſin of ſwearing, or committing adultery) do ariſe from a natural conſcience; for there is ſomwhat of natures light to make us abominate and hate them; when yet the light of nature will not lead us, to the convictions of the ſinfulneſs of misbelief, it being a Goſpel & more ſpiritual ſin. Or it proceedeth from this, that unbelief doth ordinarily paſs vail'd under the vizard of ſome refined vertue, as humility and tenderneſs, though that rather it may be ſaid, that it is pride and ignorance, cloathed with the garments of humility. And no doubt, Chriſt doth account obedience to this commandement of Faith, the greateſt act of humility, as is clear from Rom. 10.3. where it is called ſubmiſſion; they ſubmitted not to the righteouſneſs of God. Or elſe it proceedeth from this, that we conceive that the commandement of Faith is not of ſo large extent as other commands, and ſo doth not bind us to the obedience of it; but know this, that it ſhall be the condemnation of the world, that they have not believed on the Name of the Son of God; and no doubt but it is Satans great deſign and cardinal project, to keep us back from obedience to the commandment of faith, & that we ſhould not liſtē to the precious promiſes of this everlaſting Goſpel, but ſhould reject the counſel of God againſt our ſelves, and refuſe his precious and divine call.
The ſecond previous conſideration that we would give, ſhall be to ſhow you what are the cauſes that there is ſo much diſputing of our intereſt, & ſo little believing; that we are unſtable as water, marring our own excellency, ſpending ſo much of our time in walking under a cloud, and are ſo ſeldome admitted to read our names in theſe precious and eternal records of Heaven. No doubt, theſe things have influence upon it, viz. 1. That we are more judging of God by his diſpenſations, then by his Word, ſuppoſing ever the change of diſpenſatiōs to ſpeak for the change of our ſtate; this is misbeliefs Divinity, that when ſenſe cannot read love in hi… face, but he appeareth to frown, and to caſt a clou… over it, then it is preſumption (ſaith ſenſe) to rea… love in his heart, or in his Word; but know it was ſelf-denying practice of believing Job, to cry out, Though he ſhould kill me, I will believe in him: therfore make not diſpenſatiōs your Bible; otherwiſe ye will ſtumble at the noon tide of the day, & ſhal halt in your way; knew you never what ſuch a thing as this meaned, to aſcend in overcoming thoughts of his love, notwithſtanding any thing that his diſpenſations might preach? We conceive, that if the eyes of our faith were opened, we might ſee infinite love engraven on the darkeſt acts, and moſt diſmal-like diſpenſations of his to us, though it be often-times written in dark and dim characters to ſenſe.
2. There is this likewiſe which hath influence upon our ſo much diſputing and misbelieving, viz. a guilty conſcience, and the entertainment of ſome predominant luſt, which oftentimes occaſioneth our walking in darkneſs, and having no light, This is clear from 1 Tim. 1.19. where that precious jewel of Faith can be holden in no other place but in a pute conſcience, that is that Royal place wherein it muſt dwel; and no doubt, if once we make ſhipwrack of a good conſcience, we will erre concerning our Faith. A boſom-Idol when it is entertained, doth exceedingly mar the vigorous exerciſes of theſe graces, which are evidences of our faith; and certainly Grace rather in its degrees, then in its ſincerity, or ſimple being only, is that which giveth the clear evidence of Faith. Therefore when we find not love in its high and eminent actings, we hardly win to make it any clearly-concluding demonſtration of our Faith.
3. As likewiſe a boſom idol when it is entertained, maketh us to loſe much of our high eſteem & reputation of Jeſus Chriſt, which doth exceedingly interrupt the ſweet and precious actings of faith. For it is certain, that if once the immortal ſoul be united to Jeſus Chriſt by the bond of love and reſpect, then our faith will increaſe with the increaſe of God, Our entertainment of a boſom idol is ordinarily puniſhed with the want of the ſenſible intimations of his peace, and of our intereſt in him: ſo that ſometimes his own are conſtrained to cry out; God hath departed from me, and he anſwereth me not, neither by dreams nor viſions.
4. There is that likewiſe that hath influence upon it, our not cloſing abſolutely with Jeſus Chriſt, but upon conditions and ſuppoſitions. We make not an abſolute and blank reſignation of our ſelves over to Chriſt, to hold faſt the Covenant, notwithſtanding he ſhould diſpenſe both bitter and ſad things to us? but we conceive that Chriſts Covenant with believers, is like that Covenant that God made with Noah, that there ſhould be Summer and Winter, ſeed time and harveſt, night and day unto a Chriſtian. A Chriſtian muſt have his night as well as his day: he muſt once ſow in tears, before he reap in joy: he muſt once go forth, bearing his precious ſeed, before he can return bearing his ſheaves in his boſom: and that this hath influence upon our inſtability, may be ſeen from this, that often a Chriſtian after his firſt cloſing with Chriſt, he meeteth with deſertion in point of tenderneſs, in point of joy, and in point of ſtrength, ſo that his corruption ſeems now to be awaked more then formerly, that he wants thoſe ſeeming enjoyments of him which formerly he had: and that much of his ſoftneſs of his heart hath now evaniſhed, which is clear ſomewhat from Heb. 10.32. And after they were enlightened, they endured a great fight of afflictions. For the word that is there rendered afflictions, ſignifieth inward troubles through the motions of ſin, as well as outward afflictions, Gal. 5.24. And God uſeth to diſpenſe this way to his own, not only to take tryal of the ſincerity of your cloſing with him, but to make our Faith more ſtedfaſt and ſure. And no doubt, if we cloſe not abſolutly with Chriſt (when under theſe temptations and tryals) we will reject our confidence as a deluſion, and ſuppoſe it to be but a morning dream: therefore it were a noble and divine practiſe of a Chriſtian, to cloſe with Chriſt without reſervation, ſeeing he doth diſpenſe nothing but that which might tend to our advantage. And we would ſay to ſuch as are under theſe temptations, that if ye endeavor to reſiſt them, it is the moſt compendious and excellent way to make your hearts, which now are dying as a ſtone, to be as a watered garden, & ſprings of water, whoſe waters fail not, and to make you ſtrong as a Lyon, ſo that no temptation can rouſe you up; but ye ſhall be enable to tread upon the high places of the earth, and to ſing ſongs of triumph over our idols.
5. There is this likewiſe which hath influence on it, our building of our Faith more upon ſenſe then upon Chriſt or his word; and therefore it is that Faith is ſo unconſtant and changeable as the Moon, we not knowing what ſuch a thing means; To hope against hope, and to be strong in Faith, giving glory to God. And we would only ſay unto you that erect your cōfidence upon ſo ſandy a foundation, that when the wind and ſtorm of temptation ſhal blow, that houſe ſhal fall to the ground. As likewiſe, building of your Faith upon ſenſe, doth not abate much of your joy, and much of your precious eſteem of Jeſus Chriſt: It being Faith exerciſing it ſelf upon an inviſible object, that maketh the Chriſtian to rejoice with joy unſpeakable and full of glory, 1 Pet. 1.8.
6. There is this laſt that hath influence upon it, even our ſloathfulneſs in the exerciſe of our ſpiritual duties, by which Faith ſhould be entertained. Faith is a tender grace, and a plant that muſt not be rufled, but nouriſhed through the ſap of other precious graces: but we grow remiſs in our ſpiritual duties, and do turn our ſelves upon the bed of ſecurity, as the door upon the hinges. And doth not our drowſineſs cloath us with rags, and make us fall into a deep ſleep, while as, if we were diligent, our ſouls ſhould be made fat and rich? Yea, ſloathfulneſs doth not only imped aſſurance of this, that it hindereth the divine communications of his love and reſpect, by which aſſurance may be kept in life, Cant. 5.2. but alſo, it maketh our poverty come on us as an armed man, and our want as one that travelleth. And withal it letteth looſe the chain by which our corruptions are tyed, and maketh them to lift up their head, by which our aſſurance is much darkned and impaired, and our hope is much converted into diffidence and deſpair. And we would only ſay this, it is the diligent Chriſtian that is the believing Chriſtian; and it is the believing Chriſtian that is the diligent Chriſtian: there being ſuch a ſweet reciprocation betwixt theſe two precious graces, that they die and live together.
Now thirdly, we ſhal ſhut up our diſcours with this, in pointing out a little what are thoſe things that do obſtruct a Chriſtians cloſing with Chriſt, and believing in his precious Name.
I. We conceive that this woful evil doth ſpring and riſe from that fundamental ignorance of this truth, that there is a God, as is clear from Heb. 11.6. where that is required as a qualification of a Comer, That he ſhould believe that God is: and aſſuredly, till once this precious truth be imprinted upon our ſouls, as with a pen of iron, and point of a diamond, we will look upon the Goſpel as an U…opian fancy, and a deluding notion, to teach unſtable ſouls, who know not the way to attain unto real bleſſedneſs. And truly it is a fault of many, that they begin to diſpute their being in Chriſt, before they know there is a Chriſt; and do diſpute their intereſt in him before they believe his being, and that there is ſuch an one as is called Chriſt.
II. Our coming unto Chriſt is obſtructed from the want of the real and ſpiritual convictions of our deſperate and loſt eſtate without Jeſus Chriſt, and that our unſpeakable miſery is the want of him: which is clear from Jer. 2.31. We are Lords, we will come no more to thee. And it is evident from Revel. 3.16.18. that ſuch a deluſion as this doth overtake many, that they can reign as Kings without Jeſus Chriſt; and that they can build their happineſs, and eſtabliſh their carnal felicity upon another foundation: But, O that we could once win to this, to believe what we are without Chriſt, and to believe what we ſhal be in the enjoyment of him: with the one eye to deſcend and look upon theſe deep draughts, that the myſtery of iniquity hath imprinted upon our immortal ſouls; and withal, to reflect upon the wages of ſin, which is death, and be conſtrained to cry out, Wo is me, for I am undone: and with the other eye, to aſcend and look to that help that is laid upon one that is mighty, and to make uſe of the righteouſneſs of a crucified Savior, that ſo what we want in our ſelves, we may get it abundantly made up in him.
III. There is this likewiſe that obſtructeth our cloſing with Chriſt, our too much addictedneſs to the pleaſures and carnal delights of a paſſing world, which is clear from Luke 14.18.19.20.21.22 Mat. 22.5.6. where thoſe that are invited to come to the feaſt of this Goſpel, they do make their Apologie, and with one conſent do refuſe it, ſome pretending on impoſſibility to come, and ſome pretending a… unavoidable inconveniency in coming. And, O! what a ridiculous thing is that poor complement that thoſe deluded ſinners uſed to Chriſt, I pray you, have us excuſed? And is not the world the great plea and argument that they make uſe of, when they will not come and make uſe of Chriſt.
IV. There is this laſtly, which doth obſtruct ones coming to Chriſt, their unwillingneſs to be denied to their own righteouſneſs, which is clear from Rom. 10.23. & we conceive, if once theſe two were believed (which are the great Tropicks, out of which all theſe arguments may be brought, to perſwade you to imbrace Chriſt) to wit, the infinite excellency of his Perſon on whom we are to believe, & the infinite loſs that thoſe do ſuſtain who ſhal be eternally rejected of him: we might be preſwaded to entertain a divine abſtractedneſs, & holy retirement from all things that are here below, and to pitch our deſires alone upon him, who is the everlaſting wonder of Angels, and the glory of the higher Houſe. O! did we once ſuppoſe the unſpeakable happineſs of thoſe whoſe Faith is now advanced unto everlaſting felicity & fruition, and hath entered into that eternal poſſeſſion of the promiſes, might not we be conſtrained to cry out, It is good for us once to be there? Chriſt weepeth to us in the Law, but we do not lament; & he pipeth unto us in the Goſpel, but we do not dance: he is willing to draw us with the cords of men, and with the bonds of love, and yet we will not have him to reign over us. May not Angels laugh at our folly, that we ſhould ſo undervalue this Prince of love, and ſhould contemn him who is holden in ſo high eſteem & reverence in theſe two great aſſemblies that are above of Angels, and of the ſouls of juſt men made perfect? Chriſt hath now given us the firſt and ſecond ſummons: the day is approaching when the ſad and woful ſummons ſhal be ſent againſt us, of departing from him into thoſe everlaſting flames, out of which there is no redemption: and this ſhal be the cap-ſtone of our miſery, that we had once life in our offer, but did refuſe it: And though there were four gates ſtanding open toward the North, by which we might have entered into that everlaſting reſt, yet we chooſed rather to walk in the paths that lead down to death, and take hold of the chambers of hell. O! but there are many that think the Goſpel cunningly deviſed ſables and fooliſhneſs, (they being unwilling to believe that which ſenſe cannot comprehend, nor reaſon reach) and this is the ground why the Goſpel is not embraced, but is rejected as an humane invention, and as a morning dream, &c.