These are the arguments that a believer hath against sin, and a believer being conversant •n these arguments, and often exercising faith in Christ, they being made real to the soul. They must needs have a mighty power to overcome any corruption whatsoever. As we read in the Gospel, when the husband man that let out the vineyard sent for fruit, and they took the servant and beat him, and killed another, at length, saith he, I will send my son, surely they will reverence him. So may I say, there is such and such arguments against thy sin, to overcome thy Corruption, and to put thee on to the way of holiness, perhaps those arguments thy corruptions break, and they are but like Samsons cords, thy corruption snaps them asunder like flax. I but, saith God, I will send my son, and reveal the glorious mysteries of the Gospel in my son, I will show to their souls what my son hath done, and what the deep counsels for the salvation of their souls in my son are and these shall prevail upon you. And here is the reason of all their fearfulness of sin, and strictness in walking with God, when the Gospel hath convinced them; you wonder why they will be so strict and fearful to offend, do you wonder at it? Oh my brethren, they have arguments, perhaps, that you know not of, God hath revealed much of his son to them, the wonderful mysteries of Godliness revealed ⟨p. 316⟩in his son, and they are the arguments they go upon. They do not go upon such mean and low arguments as you do; mean and low arguments may keep men in an orderly course, to live quietly with their Neighbours, and keep them from thievery, drunkenness, swearing, and the like, arguments that the heathen had skill of may keep them from those things. But the saints, believers, that are acquainted with the ways of Christ they have higher arguments, they behold him with the eye of faith, and so they come to have power against their sin, and to have ease in their souls. Thus, saith Christ, come to me, you have Corruptions prevailing over you, and you perhaps strive with them with such and such arguments, but come to me, and I will give you such things, you shall see so much against sin, and so much for holiness, as that that I shall discover to you shall help you against your corruptions, and further you in the way of holiness, and so you shall have rest unto your souls.
These are the arguments that a beleever hath against sin, and a beleever being conversant •n these arguments, and often exercising faith in Christ, they being made real to the soul. They must needs have a mighty power to overcome any corruption whatsoever. As we read in the Gospel, when the husband man that let out the vineyard sent for fruit, and they took the servant and beate him, and killed another, at length, saith he, I wil send my son, surely they wil reverence him. So may I say, there is such and such arguments against thy sin, to overcome thy Corruption, and to put thee on to the way of holiness, perhaps those arguments thy corruptions break, and they are but like Sampsons cords, thy corruption snaps them asunder like flax. I but, saith God, I wil send my son, and reveale the glorious misteries of the Gospel in my son, I wil shew to their souls what my son hath done, and what the deep counsels for the salvation of their soules in my son are and these shal prevail upon you. And here is the reason of al their fearfulness of sin, and strictness in walking with God, when the Gospel hath convinced them; you wonder why they wil be so strict and fearful to offend, do you wonder at it? Oh my brethren, they have arguments, perhaps, that you know not of, God hath revealed much of his son to them, the wonderful misteries of Godliness revealed ⟨p. 316⟩in his son, and they are the arguments they go upon. They do not go upon such mean and low arguments as you do; meane and low arguments may keep men in an orderly course, to live quietly with their Neighbors, and keep them from thievery, drunkenness, swearing, and the like, arguments that the heathen had skil of may keep them from those things. But the saints, beleevers, that are acquainted with the wayes of Christ they have higher arguments, they behold him with the eye of faith, and so they come to have power against their sin, and to have ease in their souls. Thus, saith Christ, come to me, you have Corruptions prevailing over you, and you perhaps strive with them with such and such arguments, but come to me, and I wil give you such things, you shal see so much against sin, and so much for holiness, as that that I shal discover to you shal help you against your corruptions, and further you in the way of holiness, and so you shal have rest unto your souls.
