what shall we do No Stubborness of mans will can stand when God hath absolutely said the contrary shall-come can make them come as doves to their windows The Lord spake unto Manasseth and to his people by the Prophets but he would not hear no he would not but shall Manasseth come off thus no he shall not Therefore he being also one of those whom the Father had given to the Son and so falling within the bounds and reach of shall-come At last he comes indeed He comes Bowing and Bending He humbled himself greatly and made Supplication to the Lord and prayed unto him and he was intreated of him and had mercy upon him 2 Chro. 33. The Thief upon the Cross at first did rail with his fellow upon Jesus Christ but he was one that the Father had given to him and therefore shall-come must handle him and his rebellious will And behold so soon as he is dealt with all by vertue of that absolute promise how soon he buckleth leaves his railing falls to Supplicating of the Son of God for mercy Lord saith he remember me when thou comest into thy Kingdome Mat. 27. 44. Luk. 23. 40 41 42. Object 4. They shall come say you but how if they be blind and see not the way for same are kept off from Christ not only by the obstinacy of their will but by the blindness of their minde now if they be blind how shall they come Answ. The question is not Are they blind but are they with in the reach and power of shall come if so That Christ that said they shall-come will find them eyes or a guide or both to bring them to himself If they shall-come they shall-come no impediment shall hinder The Thessalonians darkness did not hinder them from being the Children of Light I am come said Christ that they that see not might see And if he saith See ye blind that have eyes who shall hinder it Ephes. 5. 8. Joh. 9. 39. Isa. 29. 18. Chap. 43. 8. This promise therefore is as I said abig-bellied promise having in the bowels of it all things that shall accur to the compleat fulfilling of it self They shall-come But 't is objected that they are blind well shall-come is still the same and continueth to say they shall-come to me Therefore he saith again I will bring the blind by a way that they know not I will lead them in paths that they have not known I will make darkness light before them and Crooked things straight these things will I do unto them and not forsake them Isa. 42. 16. Mark I will bring them though they be blind I will bring them by a way they know not I will I will and therefore they shall-come to me Object 5. But how if they have exceeded many in sin and so made themselves far more abominable They are the Ring-leading Sinners in the County the Town or Family Answ. What then Shall that hinder the execution of shall-come It is not Transgressions nor Sins nor all their Transgressions in all their sins if they by the Father are given to Christ to save them that shall hinder this promise that it should not be fulfilled upon them In those days and at that time saith the Lord the iniquities of Israel shall be fought for and there shall be none and the sins of Judah and they shall not be found Jer. 32. 30. Not that they had none for they abounded in Transgression 2 Chron. 33. 9. Ezek 16. â—8 but God would pardon cover hide and put them away by vertue of his absolute promise by which they are given to Christ to save them And I will cleanse them from all their iniquity whereby they have sinned against me and I will pardon all their iniquity whereby they have Transgressed against me And it shall be to me for a name of joy a praise and an honour before all the Nations of the Earth which shall hear of all the good that I do unto them and they shall fear and tremble for all the goodness and all the prosperity that I procure to it Jer. 33. 8 9. Object 6. But how if they have not Faith and Repentance how shall they come then Answ. Why he that saith they shall-come shall he not make it good If they shall-come they shall-come and he that hath said they shall-come if faith and repentance be the way to come as indeed they are then faith and repentance shall be given to them for shall-come must be fulfilled on them First Faith shall be given them I will also leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people and they shall trust in the name of the Lord. There shall be a Root of Jesse and he shall rise to raign over the Gentiles and in him shall the Gentiles trust Zeph. 3. 12. Rom. 15. 12. Secondly They shall have repentance He is exalted to give repentance They shall come weeping and seeking the Lord their God And again with Weeping and Supplication will I lead them Acts 5. 30 31. Jer. 31. 9. Chap. 50. 5. I told you before that an absolute promise hath all conditional ones in the belly of it and also provision to answer all those qualifications that they propound to him that seeketh for their benefit And it must be so for if shall-come be an absolute promise as indeed it is then it must be fulfilled upon every of those concerned therein I say it must be fulfilled if God can by Grace his absolute Will fulfil it Besides since Coming and Believing is all one according to Joh. 6. 35. He that cometh to me shall never hunger and he that believeth in me shall never thirst Then when he saith they shall come 't is as much as to say they shall believe and consequently repent to the saving of the Soul So then the present want of faith and repentance cannot make this promise of God of none effect because that this promise hath in it to give what others call for and expect I will give them an heart I will give them my spirit I will give them repentance I will give them faith Mark these words If any man be in Christ he is a new Creature But how came he to be a new Creature since none can Create but God why God indeed doth make them new Creatures Behold saith he I make all things new And hence it follows even after he had said they are new Creatures And all things are of God that is all this new Creation standeth in the several operations and special workings of the Spirit of grace who is God 2 Cor. 5. 17 18. Object 7. But how shall they escape all those dangerous and damnable opinions that like rocks and quick sands are in the way in which they are going Answ. Indeed this age is an age of errors if ever there was an age of errors in the world but yet the gift of the Father laid claim to by the Son in the Text must needs
come For because he could swear by no Greater he swore by Himself That by Two Immutable Things in which it was impossible that God should Lie we might have a strong Consolation who have fled for Refuge to lay hold on the Hope set before us Heb. 6. 15 16 17 18. Sixthly Neither is it for want of great Examples of God's Mercy that have come to Jesus Christ of which we Read most plentifully in the Word Therefore it must be concluded It is for want of that which follows First It is for want of the Knowledge of Christ Thou knowest but little of the Grace and Kindness that is in the Heart of Christ Thou knowest but little of the Vertue and Merit of his Blood Thou knowest but little of the Willingness that is in his Heart to save thee And this is the reason of the Fear that ariseth in thy Heart and that causeth thee to doubt that Christ will not receive thee Unbelief is the Daughter of Ignorance Therefore Christ saith O Fools and slow of Heart to Believe Luk. 24. 25. Slowness of Heart to believe flows from thy Foolishness in the Things of Christ This is evident to all that are acquainted with themselves and that are seeking after Jesus Christ The more Ignorance the more Unbelief the more Knowledge of Christ the more Faith They that know thy Name will put their Trust in thee Psal. 9. 10. He therefore that began to come to Christ but the other day and hath yet but little Knowledge of him he fears that Christ will not receive him But he that hath been longer acquainted with him he is Strong and hath over-come the Wicked One 1 Joh. 2. VVhen Joseph's Brethren came into Egypt to buy Corn it is said Joseph knew his Brethren but his Brethren knew not him What follows Why great Mistrust of Heart about their speeding well specially if Joseph did but answer them Roughly calling them Spies and questioning their Truth and the like And observe it So long as their Ignorance about their Brother remained with them whatsoever Joseph did still they put the worst Sense upon it For instance Joseph upon a time bids the Steward of his House bring them Home to Dine with him to Dine even in Joseph's House And how is this resented by them Why they were afraid And the men were afraid because they were brought into their Brother Joseph's House And they said He seeketh occasion against us and will fall upon us and take us for Bond-men and our Asses Gen. 42. Chap. 43. What! Afraid to go to Joseph's House He was their Brother He intended to Feast them to Feast them and Feast with them Ah! but they were ignorant That he was their Brother And so long as their Ignorance lasted so long their Fear terrifyed them Just thus it is with the Sinner that but of late is coming to Jesus Christ He is ignorant of the Love and Pity that is in Christ to Coming-Sinners Therefore he doubts therefore he fears therefore his Heart mis-gives him Coming-Sinner Christ inviteth thee to Dine and Sup with him He inviteth thee to a Banquet of Wine yea to come into his Wine-Cellar and his Banner over thee shall be Love Revel 3. 20. Song 2. Chap. 5. But I doubt it sayes the Sinner But 't is answer'd He calls thee invites thee to his Banquet to his Flaggons Apples to his Wine and to the Juyce of his Pomgranate O I fear I doubt I mistrust I tremble in Expectation of the contrary Come out of the Man thou Dastardly Ignorance Be not afraid Sinner only Believe He that cometh to Christ he will in no wise cast out Let the Coming Sinner therefore seek after more of the good Knowledge of Jesus Christ Press after it Seek it as Silver and dig for it as for hid Knowledge This will embolden thee This will make thee wax Stronger and Stronger I know whom I have Believed I know him said Paul And what follows Why And I am perswaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed to him against that Day 2 Tim. What had Paul committed to Jesus Christ The Answer is He had committed to him his Soul But why did he Commit his Soul to him Why because he knew him He knew him to be Faithful to be Kind He knew he would not fail him nor forsake him And therefore he laid his Soul down at his Feet and committed it to him to keep against that Day But Secondly Thy Fears that Christ will not receive thee may be also a Consequent of thy earnest and strong Desires after thy Salvation by him For this I observe That strong Desires to have are attended with strong Fears of missing What a Man most sets his Heart upon and what his Desires are most after he oft-times most fears he shall not obtain So the Man the Ruler of the Synagogue had a great desire that his Daughter should live and that Desire was attended with Fear that she should not Wherefore Christ saith unto him Be not afraid Mark 5. 36. Suppose a Young Man should have his Heart much set upon a Virgin to have her to Wife If ever he Fears he shall not Obtain it is when he begins to love now thinks he some body will step in betwixt my Love and the Object of it either they will find Fault with my Person my Estate my Conditions or somthing Now thoughts begin to work she doth not like me or something And thus it is with the Soul at first Coming to Jesus Christ thou lovest him and thy love produceth Jealousy and that Jealousy oft-times beget Fears Now thou fearest the Sins of thy Youth the Sins of thine old Age the Sins of thy Calling the Sins of thy Christian Duties the Sins of thy Heart or somthing thou thinkest somthing or other will alienate the Heart and Affections of Jesus Christ from thee thou thinkest he sees somthing in thee for the sake of which he will refuse thy Soul But be content a little more Knowledge of him will make thee take better heart thy earnest desires shall not be attended with such burning Fears Thou shalt hereafter say This is mine Infirmity Psal. 77. Thou art Sick of Love a very sweet Disease and yet every Disease has some weakness attending of it yet I wish this Distemper if it be lawful to call it so was more Epidemical Dye of this Disease I would gladly do 't is better than Life it self though it be attended with Fears But thou cryest I cannot obtain Well be not too hasty in making Conclusions If Jesus Christ had not put his Finger in at the Hole of the Lock thy Bowels would not have been troubled for him Song 5. Mark how the Prophet hath it They shall walk after the Lord he shall Roar like a Lyon When he shall Roar the Children shall Tremble from the East They shall Tremble like a Bird out of Egypt and as a Dove out of the Land of Assyria
is with one that can pity pray for pardon yea multiply pardons It is with one that can have Compassion upon us when we are out of the way with one that hath an heart to fetch us again when we are gone astray with one that can pardon without upbraiding Blessed be God that life is in Christ For Now 't is sure to all the seed But Fourthly This Doctrine of coming to Jesus Christ for life informs us of the evil of Unbelief that wicked thing that is the only or chief hindrance to the coming sinner Doth the Text say 〈◊〉 Doth it say And him that cometh I will in no wise cast out Then what an evil is that that keepeth sinners from coming to Jesus Christ And that evil is unbelief For by faith we come by Unbelief we keep away Therefore It is said to be that by which a Soul is said to depart from God because it was that which at first caused the world to go off from him and that also that keeps them from him to this day And it doth it the more easily because it doth it with a wile This sin may be called The White Devil for it often-times in its Mischievous doings in the Soul shews as if it was an Angel of Light Yea it Acteth like a Counsellor of Heaven Therefore a little to discourse of this evil disease First It is that sin above all others that hath some shew of reason in its attempts For it keeps the Soul from Christ by pretending its present unfitness and unpreparedness as want of more sense of sin want of more repentance want of more humility want of a more broken heart Secondly It is the sin that most Suiteth with the Conscience the Conscience of the coming sinner tells him that he hath nothing good that he stands inditable for Ten Thousand Tallents that he is a very ignorant blind and hard-hearted sinner unworthy to be once taken notice of by Jesus Christ And will you says Unbelief in such a case as you now are presume to come to Jesus Christ Thirdly It is the sin that most Suiteth with our Sense of feeling The coming sinner feels the workings of sin of all manner of sin and wretchedness in his flesh He also feels the Wrath and Judgement of God due to sin and oft-times staggers under it Now sayes unbelief you may see you have no grace for that which works in you is corruption You may also perceive that God doth not love you because the Sense of his Wrath abides upon you Therefore how can you bear the face to come to Jesus Christ Fourthly It is the sin above all others that most Suiteth with the Wisdom of our flesh the Wisdom of our flesh thinks it prudence to question a while to stand back a while to hearken to both sides a while and not to be rash sudden or unadvised in too bold a presuming upon Jesus Christ And this Wisdom Unbelief falls in with Fifthly It is that sin above all other that continually is whispering the Soul in the ear with mistrusts of the faithfulness of God in keeping promise to them that come to Jesus Christ for life It also suggesteth mistrust about Christs willingness to receive it and save it And no sin can do this so Artificiently as Unbelief Sixthly It is also that sin which is always at hand to enter an Objection against this or that Promise that by the Spirit of God is brought to our heart to comfort us and if the poor coming sinner is not aware of it it will by some evasion slite trick or cavil quickly wrest from him the Promise again and he shall have but little benefit of it Seventhly It is that above all other sins that weakens our Prayers our faith our love our diligence our hope and expectations It even taketh the heart away from God in duty Eightly Lastly This sin as I have said even now it appeareth in the Soul with so many sweet pretences to safety and security that it is as if it were Counsel sent from Heaven Biding the Soul be wise wary considerate well advised and to take heed of too rash a venture upon Believing Besure first that God loves you take hold of no promise untill you are forced by God unto it neither be you sure of your Salvation doubt it still though the testimony of the Lord has been often confirmed in you live not by faith but by sense and when you can neither see nor feel then fear and mistrust then doubt and question all This is the Devilish counsel of Unbelief which is so covered over with specious pretences that the wisest Christian can hardly shake off these reasonings But to be brief Let me here give thee Christian Reader a more particular description of the qualities of Unbelief by opposing Faith unto it in these Twenty five particulars First Faith believeth the word of God but Unbelief questioneth the certainly of the same Psal. 106. 24. Secondly Faith believeth the word because it is true but Unbelief doubteth thereof because it is true 1 Tim. 4. 3. Joh. 8. 45. Thirdly Faith sees more in a promise of God to help than in all other things to hinder But Unbelief notwithstanding Gods promise saith How can these things be Rom. 4. 19 20 21. 2 King 7. 2. Joh. 3. 4 12. Fourthly Fourthly Faith will make thee see love in the heart of Christ when with his mouth he giveth reproofs But Unbelief will imagine wrath in his heart when with his mouth and word he saith he loves us Mat. 15. 22 23 24 25 26 27 28. Numb 13. 2. chap. 14. 3. Fifthly Faith will help the Soul to wait though God deferres to give but Unbelief will take snuff and throw up all if God make any tarrying Psal. 25. 5. Isa. 8. 17. 2 King 6. 33. Psal. 106. 13 14. Sixthly Faith will give comfort in the midst of fears but Unbelief causeth fears in the midst of comfort 2 Chro. 20. 20 21. Mat. 8. 26. Luk. 24. 36 37. Seventhly Faith will suck sweetness out of Gods rod but Unbelief can find no comfort in his greatest mercies Psal. 23. 4. Numb 21. 5. Eighthly Faith maketh great burdens light but Unbelief maketh light ones intollerably heavy 2 Cor. 4. 13 14 15 16 17 18. Mal. 1. 2 13. Ninethly Faith helpeth us up when we are down but Unbelief throws us down when we are up Mich. 7. 8 9 10. Heb. 4. 11. Tenthly Faith bringeth us near to God when we are far from him but Unbelief puts us far from God when we are near to him Heb. 10 22. Chap. 3. 12 13. Eleventhly Where Faith reigns it declareth Men to be the Friends of God but where Unbelief reigns it declareth them to be his Enemies Jam. 5. 23. Heb. 3. 18. Rev. 21. 8. Twelfthly Faith putteth a Man under Grace but Unbelief holdeth him under Wrath Rom. 3. 24 25 26. Chap. 4 16. Ephes. 2. 8. Joh. 3. 36. 1 Joh. 5. 10. Heb. 3. 17. Mark 16.