if my Covenant be not with Day and Night and if I have not appointed the Ordinances of Heaven and Earth then will I cast away the Seed of Jacob. But Heaven can not be measured not the Foundations of the Earth searched out beneath his Covenant is also with day and night and he hath appointed the Ordinances of Heaven therefore he will not cast away the Seed of Jacob who are the coming ones but will certainly save them from the dreadful Wrath to come Jer. 33. 25 26. chap. 50. 4 5. By this therefore it is manifest that it is not the greatness of sin nor thy long continuance in it no nor yet thy back-sliding nor the pollution of thy Nature that can put a bar in against or be an hinderance of the Salvation of the coming sinner For if indeed this could be then would this solemn and absolute Determination of the Lord Jesus of its self fall to the ground and be made of none effect But his Counsel shall stand and he will do all his pleasure That is his pleasure in this for this promise this irreversible conclusion ariseth of his Pleasure and he will stand to it and will fulfil it because it is his pleasure Suppose that one man had the sins or as many sins as an hundred and another should have an hundred times as many as he yet if they come this word I will in no wise cast out secures them both alike Suppose a man hath a desire to be saved and for that purpose is coming in truth to Jesus Christ but he by his debauched Life has damned many in hell why the dore of hope is by these words set as open for him as it is for him that hath not the thousandth part of his Transgressions And him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out Suppose a man is coming to Christ to be Saved and hath nothing but sin and an ill-spent life to bring with him Why let him come and welcome to Jesus Christ And he will in no wise cast him out Luk. 7. 41. Is not this Love that passeth knowledg is not this Love the wonderment of Angels and is not this Love worthy of all acceptation at the hands and hearts of coming sinners Secondly That which is implyed in the words is First The coming Souls hath those that continually lie at Jesus Christ to cast them Secondly The coming Souls are afraid that these will prevail with Christ to cast them off For these words are spoken to satisfie us and to stay up our Spirits against these two dangers I will in no wise cast out First For the First Coming Souls have those that continually lye at Jesus Christ to cast them off And there are three things that thus bend themselves against the coming sinner First There is the Devil that Accuser of the brethren that accuses them before God day and night Revel 12. 10. This Prince of Darkness is unwearied in this work he doth it as you see day and night that is without ceasing He continually puts in his Caveats against thee if so be he may prevail How did he ply it against that good man Job if possible he might have obtained his destruction in Hell fire He objected against him that he served not God for nought and tempted God to put forth his Hand against him urging that if he did it he would Curse him to his face and all this as God witnesseth He did without a Cause Job 1. 9 10 11. chap. 2. 4. 5. How did he ply it with Christ against Joshua the high Priest And he shewed me Joshua said the Prophet the high Priest standing before the Angel of the Lord and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him Zech. 3. To resist him that is to prevail with the Lord Jesus Christ to resist him Objecting the uncleanness and unlawful Marriage of his Sons with the Gentiles for that was the Crime that Satan laid against them Ezra 10. 18. Yea and for ought I know Joshua was also guilty of the fact but if not of that of Crimes no whit inferior for he was Cloathed with filthy Garments as he stood before the Angel neither had he one word to say in vindication of himself against all that this wicked one had to lay against him But notwithstanding that he came off well but he might for it thank a good Lord Jesus because he did not resist him but contrariwise took up his cause pleaded against the Devil excused his infirmity and put justifying Robes upon him before his Adversaries Face And the Lord said unto Satan The Lord Rebuke thee O Satan even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem Rebuke thee Is not this a Brand pluckt out of the Fire And he answered and spake to those that stood before him saying Take away the filthy Garments from him and to him he said Behold I have caused thine iniquities to pass from thee and will Cloath thee with chang of Raiment Again how did Satan ply it against Peter when he desired to have him that he might sift him as Wheat that is if possible sever all Grace from his heart and leave him nothing but flesh and filth to the end he might make the Lord Jesus loath and abhor him Simon Simon said Christ Satan hath desired to have you that he might sift you as Wheat But did he prevail against him No But I have prayed for thee that thy Faith fail not As who should say Simon Satan hath desired me that I would give thee up to him and not only thee but all the rest of thy Brethren for that the word you imports but I will not leave thee in his hand I have prayed for thee thy saith shall not sail I will secure thee to the Heavenly Inheritance Luk. 22. 30 31 32. Secondly As Satan so every sin of the coming-sinner comes in with a Voice against him if perhaps they may prevail with Christ to cast off the Soul When Israel was coming out of Egypt to Canaan how many times had their sins thrown them out of the mercy of God had not Moses as a Type of Christ stood in the breach to turn away his VVrath from them Psal. 106. 23. our Iniquities testify against us and would certainly prevail against us to our utter rejection and Damnation had we not an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous 1 Joh. 2. 1 2. The sins of the old World cryed them down to Hell the sins of Sodom fetched upon them Fire from Heaven which devoured them the sins of the Egyptians cryed them down to Hell because they came not to Jesus Christ for Life Coming-sinner thy sins are no whit less than any Nay perhaps they are as big as all theirs VVhy is it then that thou livest when they are dead and that thou hast a promise of Pardon when they had not Why thou art coming to Jesus Christ and therefore sin shall not be thy ruin Thirdly As Satan and
Heb. 3. And therefore this Man is counted worthy of more glory than Moses even upon this account because more Faithful than he as well as because of the dignity of his person Therefore in him and in his truth and faithfulness God rested wel pleased and hath put all the government of this People upon his shoulders Knowing that nothing shall be wanting in him that may any way perfect this design And of this He to wit the Son hath already given a proof for when the time was come that his Blood was by Divine Justice required for their Redemption Washing and Changing he as freely poured it out of his Heâ—â—t as if it had been Water out of a vessel not sticking to part with his own Life that the life which was laid up for them in Heaven might not fail to be bestowed upon them And upon this account as well as upon any other it is that God calleth him his righteous servant Isa. 53. For his righteousness could never have been compleat if he had not been to the uttermost faithful to the work which he undertook It is also because he is faithful and true that in Righteousness he doth Judge and make Work for his peoples deliverance He will faithfully perform this trust reposed in him The Father knows this and hath therefore given his Elect unto him Thirdly The Fathers giving of them to Him to save them declares unto us that he is and will be gentle and patient towards them under all their provocations and miscarriages It is not to be imagined the tryals and provocations that the Son of God hath all along had with these people that have been given to him to save them indeed he is said to be a tryed stone for he has been tryed not only by the devil guilt of sin death and the curse of the Law but also by his peoples ignorance unruliness falls into sin and declining to errors in life in Doctrine Were we but capable of seeing how this Lord Jesus has been tryed even by this people ever since there was one of them in the world we should be amazed at his Patience and gentle Carriages to them It is said indeed the Lord is very pitiful slow to anger and of great mercy and indeed if he had not so been he could never have indured their manners as he has done from Adam hitherto Therefore is his pitty and bowels towards his Church preferred above the pitty and bowels of a mother towards her Child Can a woman forget her sucking Child that she should not have Compassion on the Son of her Womb yea they may forget yet will I not forget thee saith the Lord Isa. 49. 15. God did once give Moses as Christs Servant an handful of this people to carry them in his bosom but no further than from Egypt to Canaan and this Moses as is said of him by the Holy Ghost was the Meekest man that was then to be found in the Earth yea and he loved the people at a very great rate yet neither would his meekness nor love hold out in this work he failed and grew pationate even to the provoking of his God to Anger under this work that God had laid upon him And Moses said unto the Lord wherefore hast thou afflicted thy Servant But what was the affliction Why the Lord had said unto him carry this people in thy bosom as a nursing father beareth the sucking child unto the Land that he sware unto their fathers Not I sayes Moses I am not able to bear all this people because it is too heavy for me if thou deal thus with me kill me I pray thee out of hand and let me not see my Wretchedness Numb 11. 11 12 13 14. God gave them to Moses that he might carry them in his bosom that is that he might shew gentleness and patience towards them but he failed in the work he could not exercise because he had not that sufficiency of patience towards them But now it is said of the person speaking in the Text That he shall gather his Lambs with his arm shall carry them in his bosom and shall gently lead them that are with young Isa. 40. 10 11. Intimating that this was one of the qualifications that God looked for and knew was in him when he gave his Elect to him to save them Fourthly The fathers giving of them to him to save them declares to us that he hath a Sufficiency of wisdom to wage with all those difficulties that would attend him in his bringing of his Sons and Daughters unto glory He hath made him to us to be Wisdom yea he is called Wisdom it self and God saith moreover that he shall deal prudently And indeed he that shall take upon him to be the Saviour of the people had need be Wise because their adversaries are subtile above any Here they have to incounter with the Serpent who for his Subtilty out-witted our Father and Mother when their wisdome was at highest Gen. 3. But if we talk of Wisdom our Jesus is wise wiser than Solomon wiser than all men wiser than all the Angels he is even the Wisdom of God Christ the Wisdom of God 1 Col. 1. And hence it is that he turneth sin temptation persecutions falls and all things for good unto this people Rom. 8. Now these things thus concluded on do shew us also the great and wonderful love of the Father in that he should chuse out one every way so well prepared for the work of mans Salvation Herein indeed perceive we the love of God Huram gathered that God loved Israel because he had given them such a King as Solomon 2 Chro. 2. 11. But how much more may we behold the love that God hath bestowed upon us in that he hath given us to his Son and also given his Son for us All that the Father giveth me shall come In these last words there is closely inserted an answer unto the Fathers end in giving of his Elect to Jesus Christ. The Fathers end was that they might come to him and be Saved by him and that sayes the Son shall be done They shall come to me and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out Here therefore the Lord Jesus positively determineth to put forth a sufficiency of all Grace that shall Effectually perform this promise They shall come That is he will cause them to come by infusing of an effectual blessing into all the means that shall be used to that end As was said to the evil Spirit that was sent to perswade Ahab to go and fall at Ramah Gilead Go Thou shalt perswade him and prevail also go forth and do so 1 King 22. 22. So will Jesus Christ say to the means that shall be used for the bringing of those to him that the Father hath given him I say he will bless it effectually to his very end it shall perswade them and shall prevail also Else as I said the
4. Rom. 7. The works strugglings and oppositions of the Flesh are more manifest than are the works of the Spirit in our hearts and so are sooner felt than they What then let us not be discouraged at the sight and feeling of our own infirmities but run the faster to Jesus Christ for Salvation Fourthly Get thy heart warmed with the sweet promise of Christs acceptance of the coming sinner and that will make thee make more hast unto him Discouraging thoughts they are like unto cold weather they benumb the senses and make us go ungainly about our business but the sweet and warm gleads of the promise are like the comfortable beams of the Sun which liven and refresh You see how little the Bee and Flye do play in the Air in Winter why the cold hinders them from doing of it but when the Wind and Sun is warm who so busie as they Fifthly But again he that comes to Christ flyes for his life now there is no man that Flyes for his life that thinks he speeds fast enough on his Journey no could he he would willingly take a mile at a step Oh I come not fast enough say'st thou Oh my sloth and heartlesness say'st thou O that I had wings like a dove for then would I flee away and be at rest I would hasten mine escape from the windy storme and tempest Psal. 55. 6 8. Poor coming Soul thou art like the man that would ride full gallop whose horse will hardly trot now the desire of his minde is not to be judged of by the slow pace of the dull jade he rides on but by the hitching and kicking and Spurring as he sits on his back Thy flesh is like this dull Jade it will not Gallop after Christ. It will be backward though thy soul and heaven lies at stake but be of good comfort Christ judgeth not according to the fierceness of outward motion Mark 10. 17. but according to the sincerity of the heart and inward parts Joh. 1. 47. Psal. 51. 6. Mat. 26. 41. Sixthly Ziba in appearance came to David much faster than did Mephibosheth but yet his heart was not so upright in him to David as was his T is true Mephibosheth had a Check from David Why wentest thou not with me Mephibosheth said he but when David come to Remember that Mephibosheth was Lame for that was his plea Thy Servant is Lame 2 Sam. 19. he was content and concluded he would have come after him faster than he did And Mephibosheth appealed to David who was in those days as an Angel of God to know all things that are done in the earth if he did not believe that the reason of his backwardness lay in his Lameness not his mind Why poor coming sinner thou canst not come to Christ with that outward fierceness of Carrear as many others do but doth the reason of thy backwardness lie in thy mind and will or in the sluggishness of the flesh canst thou say sincerely The Spirit truly is willing but the flesh is weak Mat. 26. 41. yea canst thou appeal to the Lord Jesus who knoweth perfectly the very inmost thought of thy heart that this is true then take this for thy comfort he hath said I will assemble her that halteth I will make her that halteth a remnant and I will save her that halteth Mich. 4. 6 7. Zeph. 3. 19. what canst thou have more from the sweet lips of the Son of God But. Seventhly I read of some that are to follow Christ in Chains I say to come after him in Chaines Thus saith the Lord the labor of Egypt and the Merchandize of Ethiopia and the Sabeans men of stature shall come over unto thee and they shall be thine They shall come after thee in Chaines shall they come over and they shall fall down unto thee they shall make Supplication unto thee saying surely there is none else to save Isa. 45 14. Surely they that come after Christ in Chaines come to him in great difficulty because their steps by their chaines are straightened And what Chaines so heavy as those that discourage thee thy Chain which is made up of guilt and filth is heavy it is a wretched bond about thy neck by which thy strength doth fail Lam. 1. 14. chap. 3. 17. But come though thou comest in chaines 't is glory to Christ that a sinner come after him in Chaines The blind man though called surely could not come apace to Jesus Christ but Christ could stand still and stay for him True he rideth upon the Wings of the Wind But yet he is long Suffering and his long Suffering is Salvation to him that cometh to him Mark 10. 49. 2 Pet 3. 9. Eighthly Hadest thou seen those that came to the Lord Jesus in the days of his flesh how slowly how hobblingly they come to him by reason of their infirmities and also how friendly and kindly and graciously he received them and gave them the desire of their hearts thou wouldest not as thou dost make such Objections against thy self in thy coming to Jesus Christ. Objection 5. But sayes another I fear I come too late I doubt I have stayed too long I am afraid the Door is Shut Answ. Thou canst never come too late to Jesus Christ if Thou dost come This is manifest by two instances First By the Man that came to him at the Eleventh Hour This Man was Idle all the day long He had a whole Gospel day to come in and he play'd it all away save only the last hour thereof But at last at the Eleventh Hour he came and goes into the Vineyard to Work with the rest of the Labourers that had born the Burden and heat of the day Well but how was he received of the Lord of the Vineyard Why when pay day came he had even as much as the rest yea had his mony first True the others Murmured at him but what did the Lord Jesus Answer them Is thine Eye Evil because mine is Good I will give to this last even as unto thee Mat. 20. Secondly The other instance is The Thief upon the Cross He came late also even as at an Hour before his Death yea he stayed from Jesus Christ as long as he had liberty to be a Theif and longer too for could he have deluded the Judge and by lying words have escaped his Just Condemnation for ought I know he had not come as yet to his Saviour but being Convicted and Condemned to Die yea fastned to the Cross that he might Die like a Rogue as he was in his Life behold the Lord Jesus when this wicked one even now desireth Mercy at his Hands tells him and that without the least reflexion upon him for his former Mis-spent Life To Day thou shalt be with me in Paradice Luke 23. 43. Let no Man turn this Grace of God into Wantonness my design is now to encourage the coming Soul Object But is not the Door of Mercy Shut against
thee up these Marks make thee these high heaps of the golden Grace of the Gospel set thine heart towards the high-way even the way that thou wentest when thou didst backslide turn again O Virgin of Israel turn again to these thy Cities Jer. 31. 21. And him that Cometh He saith not And him that talketh that professeth that maketh a shew a noise or the like but him that Cometh Christ will take leave to judge who among the many that make a Noise they be that indeed are coming to him It is not him that saith he comes nor him of whom others affirm that he comes but him that Christ himself shall say doth Come that is concern'd in this Text. When the Woman that had the bloody Issue came to him for Cure there were others as well as she that made a great bussle about him that touched yea thronged him Ah but Christ could distinguish this woman from them all And he looked round about upon them all to see her that had done this thing Mar. 25. 26 27 28 29 30 31 32. He was not concerned with the thronging or touchings of the rest for theirs were but accidental or at best void of that which made her touch acceptable Wherefore Christ must be Judg who they be that in Truth are coming to him Every mans way is right in his own Eyes but the Lord weigheth the Spirits It standeth therefore every one in hand to be certain of their coming to Jesus Christ for as thy coming is so shall thy Salvation be If thou comest indeed thy Salvation shall be indeed but if thou comest but in outward appearance so shall thy Salvation be But of coming see before as also afterwards in the Use and Application And him that cometh to me These words to me are also well to be heeded for by them as he secureth those that come to him so also he shews himself unconcerned with those that in their coming rest short or turn aside to others For you must know that every one that comes comes not to Jesus Christ some that come came to Moses and to his Law and then take up for Life with these Christ is not concerned with these this Promise hath not to do Christ is become of none effect unto you whosoever of you are justified by the Law ye are falen from grace Gal. 5. 3 4. Again some that came come no farther than to Gospel Ordinances and there stay they come not through them to Christ with these neither is he concerned nor will their Lord Lord avail them any thing in the great and dismal day A man may come too and also go from the place and Ordinances of Worship and yet not be remembred by Christ. So I saw the wicked buried said Solomon who had come and gone from the place of the Holy and they were forgotten in the City when they had so done this is also Vanity Eccles. 8. 10. To me These words therefore are by Jesus Christ very warily put in and serve for caution and incouragement for caution lest we take up in our coming any where short of Christ and for incouragement to those that shall in their coming come past all till they come to Jesus Christ And him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out Reader If thou lovest thy Soul take this Caution kindly at the hands of Jesus Christ. Thou seest thy Sickness thy Wound thy necessity of Salvation well go not to King Jareb for he cannot Heal thee nor Cure thee of thy Wound Hos. 5. 13. Take the Caution I say lest Christ insteed of being a Saviour to thee becomes a Lion a young Lion to tare thee and go away vers 14. There is a coming but not to the most High there is a coming but not with the whole Heart but as it were feignedly therefore take the Caution kindly Jer. 3. 10. Hos. 7. 16. And him that cometh To me Christ as a Saviour will stand alone because his own Arm above hath brought Salvation unto him He will not be joyned with Moses nor suffer John Baptist to be tabernacled by him I say they must vanish for Christ will stand alone Luk 9. 28 36. yea God the Father will have it so therefore they must be parted from him and a Voice from Heaven must come to bid the Disciples hear only the beloved Son Christ will not suffer any Law Ordinance Statute or Judgement to be partners with him in the salvation of the Sinner Nay he saith not And him that cometh to my Word but And him that cometh to me The words of Christ even his most blessed and free Promises such as this in the Text are not the Saviour of the World for that is Christ himself Christ himself only The Promises therefore are but to incourage the coming sinner to come to Jesus Christ and not to rest in them short of Salvation by him And him that cometh To me The man therefore that comes aright casts all things behind his back and looketh at nor hath his expectation from ought but the Son of God alone as David said My Soul wait thou only upon God for my expectation is from him He only is my Rock and my Salvation he is my Defence I shall not be moved Psal. 62. 5. His Eye is to Christ his Heart is to Christ and his expectation is from him from him only Therefore the man that comes to Christ is one that hath had deep Considerations of his own sins slighting thoughts of his own Righteousness and high thoughts of the Blood and Righteousness of Jesus Christ yea he sees as I have said more vertue in the Blood of Christ to save him than there is in all his sins to damn him He therefore setteth Christ before his Eyes there is nothing in Heaven or Earth he knows that can save his Soul and secure him from the Wrath of God but Christ that is nothing but his personal Righteousness and Blood And him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out In no wise By these words there is somthing expressed and somthing implyed That which is expressed is Christ Jesus his unchangable Resolution to Save the Coming sinner I will in no wise reject him or deny him the benefit of my Death and Righteousness This word therefore is like that which he speaks of the everlasting damnation of the sinner in Hell-fire He shall by no means depart thence that is never never never come out again no not to all Eternity Mat. 5. 25. chap. 25. 46. So that as he that is condemned into Hell-fire hath no ground of hope for his deliverance thence so him that cometh to Christ hath no ground to fear he shall ever be cast in thither Thus saith the Lord If Heaven above can be measured or the Foundation of the Earth searched out beneath I will also cast away all the seed of Israel for all that they have done saith the Lord Jer. 31. 37. Thus saith the Lord
Wine-press of the Wrath of God And the Angel thrust in his Sickle into the Earth and gathered the Vine of the Earth that is them that did not come to Christ and cast them into the great Wine press of the Wrath of God Rev. 14. 19. Fourthly It is called a Lake of Fire And whosoever was not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the Lake of Fire Rev. 20. 15. Fifthly It is called a Pitt Thou hast said in thy Heart I will Ascend into Heaven I will Exalt my Throne above the Stars of God I will sit also upon the Mount of the Congregation in the sides of the North Yet thou shalt be brought down to Hell to the sides of the Pitt Jsa 14. 13 14 15. Sixthly It is called a bottomless Pit out of which the smoak and the Locust came and into which the great Dragon was cast and it is called Bottomless to shew the endlesness of the fall that they will have into it that come not in the acceptable time to Jesus Christ Rev. 9. 1 2. chap. 20 3. Seventhly It is called Outer Darkness Bind him hand and foot and cast him into outer Darkness and cast ye the unprofitable Servant into outer Darkness there shall be Weeping and Nashing of Teeth Mat. 22. 13. chap. 25. 30. Eighthly It is called a Furnace of Fire As therefore the Tares are gathered and burned in the Fire so shall it be in the end of this World the Son of Man shall send forth his Angels and they shall gather out of his Kingdom all things that Offend and them that do Iniquity and shall cast them into a Furnace of Fire there shall be Wailing and Gnashing of Teeth And again So shall it be in the end of the World the Angels shall come forth and sever the wicked from among the just and shall cast them into a Furnace of Fire there shall be wailing and gnashing of Teeth Matt. 13. 41 42 43 48 49 50. Lastly It may not be amiss if in the conclusion of this I shew in few words to what the things that torment them in this state are compared Indeed some of them have bin occasionally mentioned already as that they are compared 1. To wood that burneth 2. To Fire 3. To Fire and Brimstone But 4. It is compared to a Worm a gnawing Worm a never dying gnawing Worm They are cast into Hell where their Worm dieth not Mar. 9. 44. Fifthly It is called unquenchable Fire He will gather his Wheat into his Garner but will burn up the Chaff with unquenchable Fire Matt. 3. 12. Luk. 3. 17. Sixthly It is called everlasting destruction The Lord Jesus shall descend from Heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming Fire taking Vengance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ Who shall be punished with Everlasting Destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the Glory of his Power 2 Thes. 1. 7 8 9. Seventhly It is called Wrath without mixture and is given them in the Cup of his Indignation If any man Worship the Beast and his Image and receive his mark in his forehead or in his hand the same shall drink of the Wine of the VVrath of God which is powred out without mixture in the Cup of his Indignation and he shall be tormented with Fire and Brimstone in the presence of the Holy Angels and in the presence of the Lamb Rev. 14. 9 10. Eighthly It is called the second Death And death and hell were cast into the Lake of Fire this is the second Death Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first Resurrection on such the second Death hath no Power Rev. 20. 14. chap. 2. v. 6. Ninthly It is called Eternal Damnation But He that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness but is in danger of Eternal Damnation Oh These three Words Everlasting Punishment Eternal Damnation And for Ever and Ever How will they gnaw and eat up all the expectation of the end of the misery of the Cast-away sinners And the smoke of their Torment ascended up for Ever and Ever and they have no rest Day nor Night c. Rev. 14. 11. Their behaviour in Hell is set forth but by four things as I know of 1. By calling for Help and Relief in Vain 2. By Weeping 3. By Wailing 4. By gnashing of Teeth And now we come to the second thing that is to be enquired into Namely How it appears that Christ hath Power to save or to Cast out For by these words I will in no wise cast out he declareth that he hath power to do both Now this enquiry admits us to search into two things 1 How it appears that he hath power to save 2 How it appears that he hath power to cast out That he hath power to save appears by that which follows First To speak only of him as he is Mediator He was Authorized to this blessed work by his Father before the World began Hence the Apostle saith He hath chosen us in him before the Foundation of the World that is chosen us in him to be Saved by him as Ephesians the first makes manifest Hence it is again that we are said to be Blessed in him before the Foundation of the World with all those things that effectually will produce our Salvation Read the same Chapter with 2 Tim. 1. 9. Secondly He was promised to our first Parents that he should in the fulness of time bruise the Serpents Head and as Paul expounds it redeem them that were under the law hence since that time he hath bin reckoned as slain for our Sins by which means all the Fathers under the first Testament were secured from the wrath to come hence he is called The Lamb slain from the Foundation of the World Rev. 13. 8. Gen. 3. 15. Gal. 4. 4 5. Thirdly Moses gave Testimony of him by the Types and Shaddows and Bloody Sacrifices that he commanded from the Mouth of God to be in use for the support of his peoples Faith until the time of Reformation which was the time of this Jesus his Death Heb. 9. and 10th Chapters Fourth At the time of his Birth it was Testified of him by the Angel That he should Save his People from their Sins Mat. 1. 20 21. Fifth It is Testified of him in the days of his Flesh that he had Power on Earth to forgive Sins Mark 2. 5 6 7 8 9 10. Sixth It is Testified also of him by the Apostle Peter that God hath exalted him with his own Right Hand to be a Prince and a Saviour to give Repentance to Israel and forgiveness of Sins Acts 5. 30 31. Seventh In a word This is every where Testified of him both in the Old Testament and in the New And good reason that he should be acknowledged and trusted in as a Saviour 1. He came down from Heaven to be a Saviour Joh. 6. 38 39 40. 2. He
was Anointed when on Earth to be a Saviour Luk. 3. 22. 3. He did the Works of a Saviour As First He Fulfilled the Law and became the End of it for Righteousness for them that believe in him Rom. 10. 3 4. Secondly He laid down his Life as a Saviour He gave his Life as a Saviour He gave his Life as a Ransom for many Mat. 20. 28. Mar. 10. 45. 1 Tim. 2. 6. Thirdly He hath Abolished Death Destroyed the Devil put away Sin got the Keys of Hell and Death is Ascended into Heaven is there accepted of God exalted of God and bid Sit at his Right Hand as Saviour and that because his Sacrifice for our Sins pleased God 2 Tim. 1. 10. Heb. 2. 14 15. Ephes. 4. 7 8. Joh. 16. 10 11. Acts 5. 30 31. Heb. 10. 12 13. Fourthly God hath sent out and proclaimed him as Saviour and tells the World that we have redemption through his Blood that he will Justifie us if we believe in his Blood and that he can Faithfully and Justly do it Yea God doth beseech us to be reconciled to him by his Son which could not be if he were not Anointed by him to this very End and also if his Works and undertakings were not accepted of him as considered a Saviour Rom. 3. 24 25. 2 Cor. 5. 18 19 20 21. Fifthly God hath received already Millions of Souls into his Paradice because they have received this Jesus for a Saviour and is resolved to cut him off and to cast him out of his presence that will not take him for a Saviour Heb. 12. 22 23 24 25 26. I intend brevity here therefore a word to the Second and so conculde How it appears that he hath Power to cast out This appears also by what follows First The Father for the service 〈◊〉 he hath done him as Saviour 〈◊〉 made him Lord of all even Lord 〈◊〉 Quick and Dead For to this 〈◊〉 Christ both Died and Rose and Revived that he might be Lord both of the Dead and Living Rom. 14. 9. Secondly The Father hath left it with him to quicken whom he will to wit with saving Grace and to cast out whom he will for their Rebellion against Him Joh. 5. 21. Thirdly The Father hath made him Judge of Quick and Dead hath committed all Judgment unto the Son that all Men should honour the Son even as they honour the Father Joh. 5. 22. Fourthly God will Judge the World by this Man the day is Appointed for Judgment and he is Appointed for Judge He hath Appointed a day in the which he will Judge the World in Righteousness by that Man Acts 17. 31 32. Therefore we must all appear before the Judgment-Seat of Christ that every one may receive for the things done in the Body according to what they have done If they have closed with Him Heaven and Salvation if they have not Hell and Damnation And for these Reasons he must be Judge First Because of his Humiliation because of his Fathers Word he humbled himself and he became Obedient unto Death even the Death of the Cross Therefore God hath highly Exalted him and given him a Name above every Name that at the Name of Jesus every Knee should bow both of things in Heaven and things on Earth and things under the Earth and that every Tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the Glory of God the Father This hath respect to his being Judge and his Sitting in Judgment upon Angels and Men Phil. 2. 7 8 9 10 11. Rom. 14. 10 11. Secondly That all Men might honour the Son even as they honour the Father For the Father Judgeth no Man but hath Committed all Judgment unto the Son that all Men should honour the Son even as they honour the Father Joh. 5. 22 23. Thirdly Because of his Righteous Judgment this work is fit for no Creature it is only fit for the Son of God For he will reward every Man according to his Ways Rev. 22. Fourthly Because he is the Son of Man He hath given him authority to execute Judgment also because he is the Son of Man Joh. 5. 27. Thus have I in brief passed through this Text by way of explication my next Work is to speak to it by way of Observation but I shall be also as brief in that as the Nature of the thing will admit All that the Father giveth me shall come to me and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out Joh. 6. 37. ANd now to come to some Observations and a little briefly to speak to them and then conclude the whole The words thus Explained affords us many some of which are these First That God the Father and Christ his Son are two Distinct Persons in the God-head Secondly That by them not Excluding the Holy Ghost is contrived and determined the Salvation of some of fallen Man kind Thirdly That this contrivance resolved it self into a Covenant between these Persons in the God-head which standeth in giving on the Fathers part and Receiving on the Sons All that the Father giveth me c. Fourthly That every one that the Father hath given to Christ according to the mind of God in the Text shall certainly come to him Fifthly That coming to Jesus Christ is therefore not by the will wisdom or power of man but by the gift promise and drawing of the Father All that the Father giveth me shall come Sixthly That Jesus Christ will be careful to receive and will not in any wife reject those that come or are coming to him And him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out There are besides these some other Truths implyed in the Words As Seventhly They that are coming to Jesus Christ are oft-times heartily afraid that he will not receive them Eightly Jesus Christ would not have them that in Truth are Coming to him once think that he will cast them out These Observations lie all of them in the Words and are plentifully confirmed by the Scriptures of Truth but I shall not at this time speak to them all but shall pass by the first second third fourth and sixth partly because I design brevity and partly because they are touched upon in the Explicatory part of the Text. I shall therefore begin with the Fifth Observation and so make that the first in order in the following discourse First Then Coming to Christ is not by the will wisdom or power of Man but by the gift promise and drawing of the Father This Observation standeth of two parts First that coming to Christ is not by the Will Wisdom or Power of Man Secondly But by the Gift Promise and Drawing of the Father That the Text carrieth this Truth in its bosom you will find if you look into the Explication of the first part thereof before I shall therefore here follow the Method propounded First That coming to Christ is not by the will wisdom or power of man this