ly received the word, were baptized; and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls."

Fourthly. Many do deal treacherously with God in this covenant; Psal. lxxviii. 36, 37. "Nevertheless, they did flatter him with their mouth, and they lied unto him with their tongues; for their heart was not right with him, neither were they steadfast in his covenant. And although they profess their estimation of Christ the Saviour, and their heart satisfaction with that device of saving sinners by him, and having the image of God restored by him in them; yet their heart is not right with God, and they do content themselves with an empty title of being in a sealed covenant with God; John viii. 39. "Abraham is our father, say they." For although the Lord obligeth every man, who professeth his satisfaction with Christ Jesus, the devised ransom, to be cordial and sincere herein; and only to these who are so, doth he make out the spiritual promises of the covenant, they only being "privileged to be the sons of God, who do really receive Christ," John i. 12. yet the Lord doth permit many to profess their closing with him in Christ, both in the Old and New, Testament, whilst their heart is not engaged; and he doth admit them to be members of his church, granting unto them the use of ordinanees and many other external mercies and privileges denied unto the heathen, who are not in covenant with him.

5thly. Although the greater part of people do foolishly fancy that they have closed with God in Christ Jesus sincerely and heartily; or, at

least, they do, without any ground or warrant, promise a new heart to themselves before they depart this life; yet there be but very few who do really and cordially close with God in Christ Jesus, as he is offered in the gospel; and so there be but very few saved; as is clear, Matth. vii. 14. "Straight is the gate, and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life, and few there be who find it;" Matth. xx. 16. "Many are called, but few are chosen." If people would believe this, it might help to alarm them.

6thly. Although none at all do cordially close with God in Christ Jesus, and acquiesce in that ransom found out by God, except only such as are elected; Rom. xi. 7. "But the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded; and whose hearts the Lord doth sovereignly determine to that blessed choice; John vi. 44. "No man can come to me, except the Father, which hath sent me, draw him; yet the Lord hath left it as a duty upon people who hear this gospel, to close with his offer of salvation through Christ Jesus, as if it were in their power to do it; and the Lord, through these commands and exhor. tations wherein he obligeth men to the thing, doth convey life and strength to the soul, and doth therein convey the new heart unto them, which pointeth kindly towards this new device of saving sinners, and towards Christ in his covenant relations; or, it is the Lord's mind, in these commands and invitations, to put people on some duty, with which he useth to concur for accomplishing that business between him and them; so then it is a coming on our part,

and yet a drawing on his part; John vi. 44. ; it is a drawing on his part, and a running on our part, Cant. i. 4. ; it is an approaching on our part, and yet a "choosing and causing to approach on his part," Psal. lxv. 4.; it is a blieving or receiving on our part, John i. 12. and yet " it is given us to believe," Phil. i. 29.

CHAP. II.

SECT. 1. What is it to close with God's device of saving sinners by Christ Jesus, and that it is a necessary duty.

say, if men

Having premised these things, I do not find in themselves the marks of a saving interest in Christ, spoken of in the former part of the treatise; then, for securing their state, they are obliged, with all diligence, personally and heartily to accept of and close with God's device of saving sinners by Christ Jesus, held out in the gospel.

In handling of this, we shall, 1st, Shew what it is to accept of and close with that noble invention. 2dly, We shall shew that it is the necessary duty of those who would be in favour with God and secure their souls. 3dly, What is previously required of those who perform this duty. 4thly, What are the qualifications and properties of this duty, if rightly managed. 5thly, What be the native consequences of it, if it be performed aright.

As for the first, What is it to close with God's device of saving sinners by Christ Jesus, held out in the gospel. Here we must remember as we shewed before, that at first God willed man to abide in his favour, by holding fast his first

integrity in which he was created; but man by his transgression lost God's favour, made void that covenant of works, and put himself in an utter incapacity to regain the Lord's friendship, which he had lost by his sin, and to rescue himself from the curse and wrath now due to him for the same, or any way to procure his own salvation: but the Lord freely hath manifested another way of repairing man's lost estate, viz. by sending his Son Christ Jesus in the flesh, to satisfy his justice for the sins of the elect, and to restore in them his image now defaced, and to bring them unto glory; and he hath made open proclamation in the church, that whosoever will lay aside all thoughts of saving themselves by the covenant of works, or inherent righteousness, and will agree heartily to be saved by Christ Jesus, they shall be restored to a better condition than formerly man was in, and · shall be saved. So then to close with God's device of saving sinners by Christ Jesus, is to quit and forego all thoughts of help of salvation by our own righteousness, and to agree unto this way which God hath found out; it is to value and highly esteem of Christ Jesus as the treasure sufficient to enrich poor men, and with the heart to believe this record, that there is life enough in him for men; it is to please this invention, and to acquiesce in it, as the only way to true happiness; it is to point toward this Mediator, as God holdeth him out in the gospel, with desire to lay the stress of our whole state on him. This is that which is called faith, or believing, the "receiving of Christ," or "believing on his name," John 1. 12. This is that

believing on the Lord Jesus Christ," commanded unto the jailer for his safety, Acts xvi. 31. this agreeth to all the descriptions of justifying faith in the scripture. This doth answer the type of "looking to the brazen serpent lifted up in the wilderness," John iii. 14, 15. and this is supposed in all these ordinary actings of faith to which promises are annexed in the scripture ; and will be found in all who have got the new heart from God, and it will be found in none else.

As to the second thing, viz. That this is the necessary duty of all such who would be in favour with God and secure their souls; it appeareth thus:

1st. This closing with God's device, or believing in Christ, is commanded every where in scripture by the Lord as the condition of the new covenant, giving title and right unto all the spiritual blessings of the same; for it is, upon the matter, the receiving of Christ. This is commanded whilst God bids men come and buy, that is, impropriate all, by closing with that device. Isaiah lv. 1. The weary are commanded to come unto him thus for their rest, Matth. xi. 28. "This is his commandment, that we "should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ," 1 John iii. 23. This is enough to prove it a duty incumbent. But further,it is such a duty as only giveth title and right to a sonship; for only they who receive him are privileged to be sons, John i. 12. "But as many as received him to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believed on his name."