I. The confirmation of this truth
But that was the third and last word of advice I here intended: viz.
That seeing the Scripture is the sacred, perfect law of the most high God, that man would use it reverently, and that magistrates would restrain men that would bring God's Word into contempt, under pretence of preaching it; that every ignorant fellow, whose tongue has caught a lax, may not run into the pulpit to ease himself; nor any one have leave to disgorge himself in the holy assemblies, that hath got a surfeit of pride and self-conceit. Oh! if you knew the weakness of poor people, and how apt they are to be deceived, you would not give deceivers liberty to do their worst! You that will not give men leave to persuade your wives to adultery, your children to lewdness, your soldiers or subjects to rebellion or treachery, should surely be as regardful of men's souls, and the honour of Christ. And you that will not give every fool leave to go in your names on an embassage, who would but disgrace you, should not let men speak publicly, as in the name of Christ, that cannot speak sense, to the shame of our profession; nor should men turn preachers, as the river Nilus breeds frogs, saith Herodotus, when one half moveth before the other is made, and while it is yet but plain mud.
But I must make this preface no longer. I pray observe that in the margin, and see whether our times be not like Tertullian's.
Reader, as thou lovest thy comforts, thy faith, thy hope, thy safety, thy innocency, thy soul, thy Christ, thine everlasting rest; love, reverence, read, study, obey, and stick close to the Scripture.
Farewell.
April 2, 1652.
CHAP. I
SECT. I. We are next to proceed to the confirmation of this truth, which, though it may seem needless in regard of its own clearness and certainty, yet in regard of our distance and infidelity nothing more necessary: but, you will say, to whom will this endeavour be useful? They who believe the Scriptures are convinced already; and for those who believe it not, how will you convince them? Answ. But sad experience tells, that those that believe, do believe but in part, and, therefore, have need of further confirmation; and, doubtless,
God hath left us arguments sufficient to convince unbelievers themselves, or else how should we preach to pagans; or what should we say to the greatest part of the world, that acknowledge not the Scriptures? Doubtless the Gospel should be preached to them; and though we have not the gift of miracles to convince them of the truth, as the apostles had, yet we have arguments demonstrative and clear, or else our preaching would be in vain; we having nothing left but bare affirmations.
Though I have all along confirmed sufficiently by testimony of Scripture what I have said, yet I will here briefly add thus much more, that the Scripture doth clearly assert this truth in these six ways.
1. It affirms, that this rest is fore-ordained for the saints, and the saints also fore-ordained to it. "God is not ashamed to be called their
God, for he hath prepared for them a city." (Heb. 11:16.) "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, nor heart conceived, what God hath prepared for them that love him." (1 Cor. 2:9.) Which I conceive must be meant of these preparations in heaven; for those on earth are both seen and conceived, or else how are they enjoyed? To sit on Christ's right and left hand in his kingdom, shall be given to them for whom it is prepared. (Matt. 20:23.) And themselves are called
"vessels of mercy, before prepared unto glory." (Rom. 9:23.) And in Christ we have obtained the inheritance, "being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will." (Eph. 1:11.) "And whom he thus predestinateth, them he glorifieth;" (Rom. 8:30;) "For he hath, from
the beginning, chosen them to salvation, through sanctification of the Spirit, and belief of the truth." (2 Thess. 2:13.)
And though the intentions of the unwise and weak may be frustrated, and "without counsel purposes are disappointed," (Prov. 15:22,) "yet the thoughts of the Lord shall surely come to pass; and as he hath purposed, it shall stand. The counsel of the Lord standeth for ever, and the thoughts of his heart to all generations;" (Isa. 14:24;) therefore, "blessed are they whose God is the Lord, and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance." (Psal. 33:11, 12.) Who can bereave his people of that rest which is designed them by God's eternal purpose?
Sect. II. Secondly: The Scripture tells us that this rest is purchased, as well as purposed for them; or that they are redeemed to this rest.
In what sense this may be said to be purchased by Christ, I have showed before, viz., not as the immediate work of his sufferings, which was the immediate payment of our debt, by satisfying the law, but as a more remote, though most excellent fruit; even the effect of that power, which by death he procured to himself. He himself, for the suffering of death, was crowned with glory, yet did he not properly die for himself, nor was that the direct effect of his death.
Some of those teachers who are gone forth of late, do tell us, as a piece of their new discoveries, that Christ never purchased life and salvation for us, but purchased us to life and salvation:b not understanding that they affirm and deny the same thing in several expressions. What difference is there betwixt buying liberty to the prisoner, and buying the prisoner to liberty? Betwixt buying life to a condemned malefactor, and buying him to life; or betwixt purchasing reconciliation to an enemy, and purchasing an enemy to reconciliation? but in this last they have found a difference, and tell us that God never was at enmity with man, but man at enmity with God, and therefore need not be reconciled: directly contrary to Scripture, which tells us that God hateth all the workers of iniquity, and that he is their enemy: (Exod. 23:22; Psal. 11:5, and 5:5; Isa.
63:10; Lament. 2:5:) and though there be no change in God, nor any
thing properly called hatred, yet it sufficeth that there is a change in the sinner's relation, and that there is something in God which cannot better be expressed or conceived than by these terms of enmity: and the enmity of the law against a sinner, may well be called the enmity of God. However, this differenceth betwixt enmity in God, and enmity in us; but not betwixt the sense of the forementioned expressions: so that whether you will call it purchasing life for us, or purchasing us to life, the sense is the same, viz., by satisfying the law, and removing impediments, to procure us the title and possession of this life.
It is, then, by the "blood of Jesus that we have entrance into the holiest." (Heb. 10:19.) Even all our entrance to the fruition of God, both that by faith and prayer here, and that by full possession hereafter. Therefore do the saints sing forth his praises, "who hath redeemed them out of every nation by his blood, and made them kings and priests to God." (Rev. 5:10.) Whether that εἰς ἀπολύτρωσιν τῆς περιπονήσεως, in Eph. 1:14, which is translated "the redemption of the purchased possession," do prove this or not; yet I see no appearance of truth in their exposition of it, who, because they deny that salvation is purchased by Christ, do affirm that it is Christ himself who is there called the purchased possession. Therefore did God give his Son, and the Son give his life, and therefore was Christ lifted up on the cross, "as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:15, 16.) So, then, I conclude either Christ must lose his blood and sufferings, and "never see the travail of his soul," (Isa. 53:11,) but all his pains and expectation be frustrated, or else there remaineth a rest to the people of God.
Sect. III. Thirdly: And as this rest is purchased for us, so is it also promised to us; as the firmament with the stars, so are the sacred pages bespangled with the frequent intermixture of these divine engagements. Christ hath told us that "it is his will, that those who
are given to him should be where he is, that they may behold the glory which is given him of the Father:" (John 17:24.) so also, "Fear not, little flock; it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom;" (Luke 12:32;) q. d. fear not all your enemy's rage, fear not all your own unworthiness, doubt not of the certainty of the gift; for it is grounded upon the good pleasure of your Father. "I appoint to you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me a kingdom, that ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom." (Luke 22:29.)
But because I will not be tedious in the needless confirming of an acknowledged truth, I refer you to the places here cited: 2 Thess. 1:7;
Heb. 4:1, 3; Matt. 25:34, and 13:43; 2 Tim. 4:18; James 2:5; 2 Pet.
1:11; 2 Thess. 1:5; Acts 14:22; Luke 6:20, and 13:28, 29; 1 Thess. 2:12; Matt. 5:12; Mark 10:21, and 12:25; 1 Pet. 1:4; Heb. 10:34, and 12:23;
Colos. 1:5; Phil. 3:20; Heb. 11:16; Eph. 1:20; 1 Cor. 15; Rev. 2:7, 11, 17, &c.
Sect. IV. Fourthly: All the means of grace, and all the workings of the Spirit upon the soul, and all the gracious actions of the saints, are so many evident mediums to prove that there remaineth a rest to the people of God. If it be an undeniable maxim that God and nature do nothing in vain, then it is as true of God and his grace. All these means and motions imply some end to which they tend, or else they cannot be called means, nor are they the motions of wisdom or reasons: and no lower end than this "rest" can be imagined. God would never have commanded his people to repent and believe, to fast and pray, to knock and seek, and that continually, to read and study, to confer and meditate, to strive and labour, to run and fight, and all this to no purpose. Nor would the Spirit of God work them to this, and create in them a supernatural power, and enable them and excite them to a constant performance, were it not for this end whereto it leads us. Nor could the saints reasonably attempt such employments, nor yet undergo so heavy sufferings, were it not for this desirable end. But whatsoever the folly of man might do, certainly divine wisdom cannot be guilty of setting to work such fruitless motions. Therefore, whatever I read of duty required, whenever I find the grace bestowed, I take it as so many promises of
rest. The Spirit would never kindle in us such strong desires after heaven, nor such a love to Jesus Christ, if we should not receive that which we desire and love. He that sets our feet in the way of peace will, undoubtedly, bring us to the end of peace. (Luke 1:27.) How nearly are the means and end conjoined! (Matt. 11:12.) "The kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force;" or, (as Luke 15:16,) every man presseth into it: so that the violent apprehends the kingdom. Those whom he causeth to follow him in the regeneration, he will surely provide them thrones of judgment.
(Matt. 19:28.) Sect. V. Fifthly: Scripture further assures us that the saints have the beginnings, foretastes, earnests, and seals of this rest here; and may not all this assure them of the full possession? The very kingdom of God is within them. (Luke 17:21.) They here, as is before said, take it by force, they have a beginning of that knowledge which Christ hath said is eternal life. (John 17:3.) I have fully manifested that before, that the rest and glory of the people of God doth consist in their knowing, loving, rejoicing, and praising; and all these are begun, though but begun here: therefore, doubtless, so much as we here know of God, so much as we love, rejoice, and praise, so much we have of heaven on earth, so much we enjoy of the rest of souls. And do you think that God will give the beginning where he never intends to give the end? Nay, God doth give his people oftentimes such foresights and foretastes of this same rest, that their spirits are even transported with it, and they could heartily wish they might be present there. Paul is taken up into the third heaven, and seeth things that must not be uttered. The saints are kept by the power of God through faith unto that salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time, wherein they can greatly rejoice, even in temptations: (1 Pet.
1:5, 6:) and therefore the apostle also tells us, that they who now see not Christ, nor ever saw him, yet love him, and believing do rejoice in him with joy unspeakable and full of glory; receiving the end of their faith, the salvation of their souls. (1 Pet. 1:8, 9.) Observe here, first, how God gives his people this foretasting joy: secondly, how this joy is said to be full of glory, and therefore must needs be a beginning of