it is his very Being his very Essence for he is a God of Truth and in comparison of him all men in the World are liars Let God be true and every men a liar Rom. 3.4 He is so infinitely true that he is Truth it self and it is impossible for him to lie as the Apostle saith Tit. 2. God must cease to be God if any untruth should be found in him and yet now mark Unbelief doth cast so great a reproach upon God as to say God is a liar You have it expresly 1 John 5.10 11. He that believeth not on the Son of God hath made God a liar because he believeth not the record that God hath given of his Son Now what is the record that God hath given of his Son Verse 11. This is the Record that God hath given to us Eternal Life and this Life is in his Son Here is the Record that God from Heaven doth hold forth in the Gospel here is eternal life and Salvation to be had through Jesus Christ to every one that doth believe this is the great Truth that the Gospel doth hold forth now such as do not receive this Truth and Testimony Unbelievers that remain in their unbelief they go on every day to make God a liar Question But you will say how do we by unbelief make God a liar Answer How briefly thus When a Soul goes on notwithstanding God holds forth this Record that here is Eternal Life to be had by believing on Christ this is the great Truth that God doth bear witness to in the Gospel now when people do no more regard this so great Truth though it be daily held forth to them yet they regard it no more than they do the Words of one that they know to be an arrant Liar Now one that is known to be a liar if he should promise a man never so much he would make no great matter of it he promiseth to furnish him with mony at his need but he doth not trust to it he knows he is a liar and therefore he is fain to provide for himself as well as he can Thus it is God doth promise eternal life to the soul that doth accept of Jesus Christ if you will believe on Christ here is eternal life for you this is the great Truth that God doth bear witness to in the Gospel now this Gospel is preached and published and proclaimed Now when people have no more regard to this great Truth of the Gospel than they have to the words of a liar then they make God a liar they say this is a lie let God say what he will I will not believe a word of it but we will look for salvation another way we will shift for our selves as well as we can by our own duties and services we will find the life in our own hands so long as any poor soul goes on in a course of unbelief he goes on continually to say that God is a liar O Brethren would it not make your ears tingle and your hearts ake to hear a man go up and down the streets saying God is a liar I will not believe one word that he saith you would say if the man were in his wits it is pity that he is suffered to live thus to blaspheme the true God Why truly this is the case and course of every one that lives under the Gospel under this Record that God doth bear concerning Jesus Christ and eternal life to be had in him and yet they go on in a course and state of unbelief and make nothing of all this they do proclaim and say that God is a liar and I do not believe one word that he saith what desperate and horrible blasphemy is this It may be you make no great matter of this but notwithstanding thus it is the Holy Ghost saith He that believeth not the Record that God hath given of his Son he makes God a liar And is not this a great sin to strike at the very Being of God for if God be not a God of Truth he must cease to be God That is the second Demonstration That Unbelief as it is a sin so it is the greatest of sins But then 3. Unbelief appears to be a great sin Because it is that whereby people do despise with the greatest despite the greatest kindness and favour that God can shew to poor creatures they do as it were spurn and kick away the kindness of God with a spurn of the foot God in the Gospel doth hold forth the greatest kindness and favour that can be shown to poor sinners he offers to them life and salvation peace and pardon and reconciliation Now for persons not to regard this O! it is a despising with the greatest despite the highest kindness and favour that God can shew to poor sinners I pray do but consider three or four things that you may see what a high contempt it is of the greatest kindness that can be shown to poor creatures 1. Consider but the State and Condition of those to whom God doth offer and tender his Grace in the Gospel What are they to whom God proclaims his Gospel and offers pardon and reconciliation and peace and life and salvation Who are they A company of poor condemned creatures that are under the sentence of eternal death and condemnation poor hopeless and helpless undone creatures We are all under a sentence of eternal death continually so long as we are in a state of unbelief The soul that sinneth it shall dy God hath pronounced this sentence upon every sinners head Now that God should offer and tender and shew himself ready to shew kindness unto poor undone creatures poor condemned creatures condemned to eternal death and for such poor creatures to slight this kindness Is not this a sin and provocation with a witness Is it not a great kindness for a King to shew such favour to a poor condemned creature that is ready to the Gallows if the King should send him his pardon It would be counted a kindness and a favour indeed Truly Brethren we are all condemned creatures sentenced to eternal death now that God should be pleased to have any intendment of good will and favour towards such as we are especially if you consider the state of Angels that fell and are under a sentence of eternal condemnation that God should leave them hopeless and helpless for ever pass by them and shew favour to poor sinful mankind here is a favour and kindness indeed We might all have perished and God had lost nothing at all he had been infinitely glorious and just for ever And then again 2. Consider how God hath set his infinite Wisdom on work to contrive and find out a way to manifest his goodness and favour to poor sinners which all the Angels in Heaven could never have done that there should be a way found out to save sinners that have infinitely offended and wronged the justice of
convincing of the soul of this great sin of unbelief you shall find usually that the Spirit in convincing a soul of unbelief in order to conversion and eternal salvation it usually doth these three things 1. The Spirit doth come and reveal to the Soul the great evil of the sin of unbelief sets it before the soul and makes it to see it therefore the Spirit is called the Spirit of Revelation because it doth reveal the Gospel and the great sin that is against the Gospel Eph. 1.17 That God would give unto you the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation Brethren it is not natural Conscience that can convince a man of the sin of unbelief A natural Conscience may possibly help to convince a soul of other sins it may check the soul for other sins as Murder or Blasphemy For indeed a natural Conscience is ready to accuse of sin Rom. 2.15 Their Consciences in the mean while excusing or accusing one another Natural Conscience may accuse for some sins but not for this sin of unbelief The Law may help a soul to be convinced of some sins that are expresly against the Law but the law cannot convince any man or woman of unbelief no though 't is true as I said before That believing on Christ is virtually required in the first Commandment yet it is not expresly commanded but only implicitly and virtually therefore it is not in the power of the law of the Commandments to help to convince a soul of the sin of unbelief no more than the second Commandment is a means and instrument to convince us of our neglect of Gospel worship because it is not expresly commanded there but implicitly and consequentially Therefore I say it must be the work of the Spirit alone to convince of the sin of unbelief The Law and Conscience may help to convince the Soul of other sins but none but the Spirit of God can convince the soul of the evil of the sin of unbelief This is the first thing that the Spirit doth in the soul in order to the convincing of it of the sin of unbelief namely to open the eyes of the understanding and to reveal and discover to the soul the evil that is in the sin of unbelief 2. Another work of the Spirit in order to it is this namely to cause the Soul to understand and know plainly that all his best duties and services that he can perform in this World cannot be acceptable unto God nor make his person acceptable without faith in Christ Truly this now is the work of the Spirit to convince a Soul of this to discover this that it is not all my duties and services and performances that can procure my acceptance with God without faith in Christ Brethren this the Holy Ghost speaks in Scripture and this the Holy Ghost makes a soul sensible of That without faith it is impossible to please God The soul it may be is ready to think that he can please God with the performance of duties and services But when the Spirit of God comes to convince the soul of the sin of unbelief it shews him that all these things are not pleasing to God but are displeasing to him without faith in Christ neither our persons nor any thing we can do can be accepted of God without faith Eph. 1.6 saith the Apostle Wherein he hath made us accepted in the Beloved Our persons are accepted in the Beloved and our services are accepted in the Beloved in Christ and through Christ otherwise nothing can be accepted and pleasing to God that we can do and hereby now by the operations of the Spirit the Soul comes to see the sad and miserable Estate of unbelief That is the second 3. Another Work that the Spirit doth in order to convince a Soul of the Sin of Vnbelief is this namely to cause the Soul to see plainly that it hath been out of the Way of Salvation all this time The Soul hath gone on it may be in a course of duties and services and performances it hath been careful and strict to walk exactly to wrong no body to be diligent in its calling to be careful in all its dealings to be abundant in duties and services giving attendance to the Word waiting upon God in every Ordinance The Soul goes on in this way and thinks now it is in a way of salvation I would not discourage and dishearten any from going on in such a way but still without faith this is not the way we are out of the way of salvation and we are all of us naturally enclined to seek for salvation in this way in walking exactly and being conscientious in the performance of duties and being diligent in our vocations and callings this was the way wherein the poor Israelites did miscarry and perish Saith the Apostle Rom. 9.30.31 What shall we say that the Gentiles which followed not after Righteousness have attained to Righteousness but Israel which followed after the Law of Righteousness hath not attained to the Law of Righteousness wherefore because they sought it not by faith but as it were by the Works of the Law Ay they went about saith the Apostle to establish their own righteousness and so would not submit to the Righteousness of God They went about to establish their own Righteousness truly this is natural to every one to walk on in the way of the Covenant of Works to look for life in that way that Adam should have found life in if he had continued in his obedience I say 't is natural for every one to walk on in such a course to expect eternal life and salvation in that way whereas when the Spirit of God comes to convince a Soul of the sin of unbelief it makes the soul to see it hath been out of the way of life and salvation all this time I have taken a wrong course all this time and now the Soul begins to be amazed to think he hath lost all his time and all his labour and now the Soul sees that this is not the way to life and salvation but the way of salvation is in the way of believing on Christ and now the soul is set in that way and course of believing on Christ and this is the Word behind us which the Prophet Isaiah speaks of Isa 30.21 Thou shalt hear a voice behind thee saying this is the way walk in it The Spirit of the Lord comes and whispers in our ear and tells us this is the way of life and salvation you will never find life by your own doings but this is the way walk in it if you would find life Thus the Holy Ghost doth ordinarily those three things in order to the convincing a Soul of the sin of unbelief So now you have heard the Point opened and cleared Now to make a little Application in a word or two and so I have done Application 1. Hence we may see the reason why so many Professors do see so
clear off from its own righteousness and not only so but it leads the Soul to follow after Righteousness still after our own righteousness too This is the work of the Spirit the Evangelical work of the Spirit to take a Soul off from its own righteousness and cause it to lean only upon Christs righteousness and yet to follow hard after its own righteousness it is a mystery to the World ay but the Spirit of the Lord doth lead a Soul in this way whereas now one that hath but a notional conviction of the righteousness of Christ and that his own righteousness cannot save him alas he will be ready to be formal and slighty in looking after his own righteousness he will be formal and careless in duties and ordinances or else he will be ready to neglect them he thinks under a notion of Christs righteousness that he shall be saved by the righteousness of Christ and so he neglects following hard after his own righteousness Brethren this is that the Spirit of the Lord doth when he convinces a Soul of the righteousness of Christ in order to Salvation it still causes the Soul to follow hard after its own righteousness though not to be accepted of God for it not to be saved by it but for such ends as I told you of before This is the way now that the Spirit of the Lord doth work upon the Soul in in order to its salvation And then 2. Again this also the Spirit is wont to do when he convinces of righteousness he doth convince effectually and powerfully as I told you he doth so convince the soul of the Righteousness of Christ as to perswade the soul to venture to lean its everlasting condition upon it to lean there to rest there I say this is the work of the Spirit And let us consider with our selves I pray whether the Spirit hath been thus at work upon our hearts in order to salvation Well to conclude and take my Farewel of you As we desire to obtain life and salvation through the righteousness of Jesus Christ take but only these three words which I shall leave with you and so have done 'T is a matter of everlasting concernment closing with this Righteousness of Christ fall short of the Righteousness of Christ but a hairs breadth and you fall short of eternal life and salvation for There is no Name under Heaven whereby you can be saved but by Christ and his Righteousness this is the new way of the Covenant of Grace to be saved for righteousness indeed and a perfect Righteousness too as perfect as ever Adams was but not for our own but for the perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ therefore I say let me commend but three Words to you and so I have done First Study earnestly and diligently to understand this Righteousness of Christ though possibly you may think you do understand it in some measure yet there is a great deal more of it to be understood it is a great Deep a great Mystery therefore still let us be much in the study of this Righteousness of Christ Secondly Beg and pray earnestly for the Spirit to be given out unto you to convince you of this Righteousness more and more to convince you effectually and powerfully so as to enable your souls to venture to lean upon it Thirdly And then indeavour every day frequently to be exercising your selves in leaning and resting the weight of your Souls upon this Righteousness of Jesus Christ do not only beg for the Spirit to convince us of this but let us be indeavouring to exercise our selves frequently in leaning the weight of our Souls upon the Righteousness of Jesus Christ to be accepted of God to eternal life I will repeat them agaiâ— and then have done First Be very diligent in studâ—ing to understand what the Righteousness of Christ is Our eternal life is in it as Moses said Set your heart to this Word for it is your Life So I say this is your life this Righteousness of Christ therefore set your heart to study it make it your work and business to study to understand still more and more of this Righteousness of Christ Secondly Beg earnestly for the Spirit of Conviction that Christ would send down his Spirit to convince us of this Righteousness to convince us effectually and powerfully of it so as to be enabled to rest upon it Thirdly Let us be exercising our selves frequently in leaning and resting the weight of our Souls upon this Righteousness giving up our selves frequently day by day to lean and rest the weight of our Souls upon the Righteousness of Christ for acceptance with God to eternal life and salvation Well I have done only this Word I shall add in a Word He that hath ears to hear let him hear Thirsty Sinners invited to Christ SERMON VIII JOHN 7.37 In the last day that great day of the Feast Jesus stood and cried saying If any man thirst let him come unto me and drink YOU have heard before the Words that Christ spake when the Pharisees and Rulers sent Officers to take him at the 30 Verse At the 33 and 34 Verses he told them that whatever their design should be to take him Yet notwithstanding saith he yet a little while I am with you and whereas you are now desirous to be rid of me Ere long I shall go away and you shall see me no more and though you may desire it You shall seek me saith Christ and shall not find me and where I am thither you cannot come Now mark what an effect these words had upon them what use did the Jews make of that word of Admonition that Christ gave and that gracious Counsel he gave instead of making a good improvement See v. 35.36 they made use of his words to scoff at and mock him say they Yet a little while and he will go away will he go to the dispersed among the Gentiles speaking in derision and scorn will he go among the dispersed Gentiles Christ spake plain enough if they had not been maliciously blind Yet a little while saith he and I go to him that sent me and so they made a meer mock So that here we may take notice that Malicious minded men in stead of receiving any Word of Counsel and advice will be ready rather to rail mock and scoff at them who give it And so here to the Jews it was a word of Admonition that Christ gave but they fell a mocking and scoffing at him And so it was of old 2 Chron. 14.20 you read there how King Jehoshaphat sent about Priests and Levites throughout the Cities out of Compassion to their Souls to teach the Word among them and to put them in mind of their duty and it is said they mocked those that came they mocked the messengers of the Lord for the words which they brought were for the welfare of their Souls And so you read concerning the Lords Prophets that he
for a supply of them and is unsatisfied without them Whosoever he is that is thus Let him come to me Now I say this same spiritual thirst of the Soul is very necessary else the Soul will hardly ever come to Christ for to be supplyed Like as it is with a man that hath no ailment at all at lest no sence of it tell him of a Physician he will not stir a step after him for cure Those that are truly thirsty and have not wherewithal to supply themselves they are they that will come to Christ And hence it is that when Christ would stir up those of Laodicea to come unto him he doth it by shewing them their spiritual wants Thou saist saith he that thou standest in need of nothing that thou art full and standest in need of nothing But I say saith Christ that thou art blind miserable and naked First Christ doth convince them as it were of their need of a thirst and then holds forth the Water of Life Here 's the first thing opened What we are to understand by this thirst They who are truly thirsty let them come to Christ But 2. What is this coming to Christ or how may the Soul come unto Christ to drink of the water of life As I said before concerning thirst 't is not a thirst of the body but a thirst of the soul In what way may the Soul be said to come unto Christ Briefly three ways the Soul that is athirst may be said to come to Christ 1. First We are to come to Christ in the way of his Ordinances attending upon his Word to hearken to Christ there Let him come to me in the way of mine Ordinances As in Scripture phrase in that place before mentioned Isa 55.2 3. Coming is an hearkening diligently enclining the ear Come unto me by enclining of your ear Jesus Christ is usually to be found in his own way in his ordinances Mat. 28.20 Lo I am with you alway even to the end of the World yea in his Ordinances in the administration of the Gospel I am with you Then come to the place where Christ is or where he may meet with you Received you the Spirit by the hearing of the Law or by the preaching of Faith that is the Gospel Ye received the Spirit saith the Apostle Paul by having the Gospel preached he compares the preaching of the Law and the preaching of the Gospel and calls the preaching of the Law the Letter and the preaching of the Gospel the Spirit To come to Christ to wait upon Christ in his own way where he gives out this water of life he that receives of this water of life must be found in the way where Christ comes as Zaccheus was when Christ said to him this day is Salvation come to thy house This was beyond his desire and beyond his thirst Would you come to Christ come into his Galleries come into my sister my Spouse Would you come to Christ come where he is and see he walks in the midst of his golden Candlesticks there wait upon him in the way of his Ordinances and here what he will say unto you for a supply of your wants 2. Secondly Come unto Christ in a way of Asking by asking of him the waters of life So we are to come and this is called a coming to the Lord in the Hebrews He that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he is a Rewarder of them that diligently seek him Chap. 11.6 He that comes to God how in a way of prayer and so to seek grace to help in a time of need come in a way of prayer And see how he directed the Woman of Samaria Christ asked her a little water and she denyed him well saith Christ If thou hadst asked of me I would have given thee living water how would he have given her living water why in a way of asking 3. Thirldy We are to come in a way of Faith And so saith Christ here in this Text If any man thirst let him come and drink that is he that believeth in me and so this coming to Christ is expounded to be believing John 6.35 He that cometh unto me shall never hunger and he that believeth in me shall never thirst Look now as unbelieving is a departing from the Lord Heb. 10.38.39 Take heed if any man draw back my Soul shall have no pleasure in him But we are not of those that draw back but of them that believe to the saving of the Soul O! an evil heart of unbelief is a departing from God and so then by believing the soul is said to come to God to draw neer to God But what is that coming unto Christ or believing in Christ whereby the Soul shall be fully satisfied is it a believing that Jesus Christ is the Messias the Saviour of the World the very Devils do believe this No but briefly This Believing is namely The Souls rest and relying and trusting upon Christ for acceptance in the sight of God for remission of sins for Salvation and eternal life Trusting and relying upon Christ and his merits for Salvation a putting confidence in the Lord. Now when the Soul doth rely and venture through a Word of invitation in the Gospel through Christs invitation doth adventure to rely upon his merits to be wholly accepted in the sight of God This now is a coming to Christ And now saith Christ If any man thirst Let him câ—me unto me and he shall drink Let not any here move contention and say what do you bid us come to Christ why this holds forth free Will Why know that such exhortations usually and frequently are in all the duties that the Holy Ghost requires of us which he knows we have no strength to do the Lord calls us to pray and 't is our duty so to do and to believe but we have no strength and power of our selves but we must not stand upon cavelling and say 't is but a folly for us to be striving seeing we can do nothing but it is our duty to be doing what lies in us to the performance and wait upon the Lord for his coming in with power to enable us to perform as Lazarus when he was in the grave Christ called and with his word power was given forth and he came out So now we should indeavour to rely and trust upon Christ in his grace and in his promise to have a supply of this same Water of life and not to give over and cavil That is a third to shew what way the Soul that is truly a thirst should come to Christ Then 3. Thirdly Such as being athirst and do come to Christ they shall certainly be supplyed They shall certainly have a full supply and it freely given them for so saith Christ If any man thirst let him come and he shall drink freely He doth not expect any thing or hold forth any price but they whoever come shall drink freely
they shall certainly have a full supply and be supplyed freely and he speaking it spake in the hearing and audience of many thousands I shall speak a Word of Application Application This may help us to discern whether we have ever been made to drink out of the Well of Salvation Whether ever we have been made to drink of the waters which Jesus Christ hath given forth and to go no further than the Text there are two things that may help us to discern it and one is this 1. That if ever the Soul hath drank of the waters of life that are held forth then it was once athirst for Christ for here the offer that Christ makes is to thirsty souls and those who thirst not will not care for coming And 2. Not only thirsty but they must also come to Christ And therefore briefly to hint what I have spoken before 1. Consider whether you have been truly thirsty and by that you may see and know whether you have truly drank of this water of life Consider it every one hath my soul been truly thirsty the soul that is truly thirsty is really sensible of some spiritual want that he wants some spiritual mercy so sensible as to be spiritually affected yea afflicted with the sense of it As a man that is thirsty for water he is so sensible that if he have it not he is afflicted for it why so let every soul consider well hath my soul ever been really sensible of the want of some saving mercy or truth hath my soul been ever sensible of it I pray consider it with your own souls what saving grace is it that your souls have been sensible for the want of even afflicted for the want of it if ever you have been very greatly thirsty in your bodies you have been very sensible I pray consider can you remember that ever your souls were really sensible so as to be afflicted for the want of some spiritual saving mercy from God 2. Again Consider If you have been thirsty Whether you have ever found that same strong ardent and longing desire after a supply of that spiritual want you are in As pardon of sin or saving grace Have your souls not only been affected but afflicted from the sence of the want of Grace being ardently vehemently and earnestly longing after it Can you remember at such a time your body was thirsty and you longed for water and could have drank puddle water by a good token and cannot you remember that your souls have been longing vehemently longing most earnestly longing after and panting after this spiritual water of life and to have been altogether unsatisfied without you might have that spiritual grace and mercy which you have longed for If a man be thirsty he will not be satisfied with a song you may sing him a song but that will not satisfy him and give him what you will he must have that which he longs for and that which he desires or nothing And hath it been thus with your souls consider what I say can you say you have longed for this grace and the other for saving grace and the like well but have you not been satisfied with something else for I say if we had not had in some measure a supply our souls would still have been thirsty and never satisfied without that we have found a need of And then take that along with all viz. 3. Consider whether ever you have truly come to Christ Suppose you have longed for this and that mercy and have been unsatisfied for want of this mercy consider of it did you ever truly come to Christ have you ever been athirst have you ever come to Christ in his Ordinances for a supply why yes you will say you have come to the Ordinances to hear the Word preached Ay Brethren you may come to hear and yet not come to Christ have you ever come to hear the Word from the sense of the want of some spiritual saving grace that he would supply to you it is ordinary for every one to come except they are such as are desperately wicked and prophane but thus we are to come and have we ever come thus to Christ even as the Saints have been wont to come to the Ordinances with a sense of their spiritual wants I will hearken and hear what God the Lord will speak to me for he will speak peace He wanted peace and he had the sense of the want of peace upon him now saith he God will speak peace So Psal 73. The good man was under a great temptation and it was even too hard for him and he was even ready to cry out of the temptation and murmur and repine against God well he now goes unto the Lord in the way of his Ordinances and hearkens what God will give unto him to answer his temptation and then his temptation was answered in his waiting upon God in the sense of his spiritual wants for a supply And so have you even come thus to the Lord in the way of his Ordinances when you came this day before the Lord can you say between the Lord and your own Souls that you came upon the sense of some spiritual want for your Souls unto the Lord in this Ordinance Why Brethren it is a rare thing for to come to Christ in the way of his Ordinances in the sense of the want of some spiritual mercy But 4 Again Consider Have you ever come to Christ in a way of prayer to ask a spiritual mercy and blessing It 's true inded you will say you go to God every day for the pardon of sin and assurance of it you go every day but now have you come to the Lord and asked this spiritual mercy and the other as a thirsty man that is even ready to perish for want of drink and to take nothing in a way of satisfaction whatsoever you have besides without you have that you are so sensible of 5. And then Consider Whether you have ever come to Christ in a way of Faith There is the coming to Christ indeed if ever you would drink of the water of life you must come in a way of faith Though you have come to the Word and come in a way of prayer yet have you come in a way of faith relying and resting and rolling upon Christ in a way of Faith to be accepted of the Father through him and so for remission of sins and whatever saving benefit you stand in need of Have you ever came to Christ thus relying upon him in his word in the invitation he makes there and in his promise this is the way to come to Christ He that believeth on me out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water Let us consider of it between the Lord and our own souls whether ever we have come to Christ and so drank of the waters of life if we have not been thirsty though we may have seemed to be so
leaves spreading till it hath spread all over and the grain of mustard seed it grows and springs up further and further till it become a tree for the fowls in the air to lodge in so our inward man is renewed day by day as it will spring up increase and grow more and more though yet he that hath drunk of the Spirit hath not the full perfection of it at once but may desire more yet notwithstanding he hath so much as he shall never be dry again that is wholly destitute but shall grow up and increase and spring And let me add only a third thing Answer 3. You will say The Saints have not a full draught and full supply because they complain I answer that though here they be in a state of imperfection and stand in need of a daily supply being sensible of their own defects and weaknesses Yet every believing soul hath drunk so much of the water of life as now he hath right and title unto the Inheritance of Glory where there is such fulness of joy as he shall be satisfied and shall not be able to desire any more Psal 16.11 Thou wilt shew me the path of life in thy presence is fulness of Joy and at thy right hand are pleasures for evermore They shall have joy as much as they can hold every vessel shall be filled with glory so full as it can hold no more they shall enjoy as much as ever they are able to hold or containe every vessel shall be full of glory The beginnings of eternal life are here and though possibly they may be made to drink tears here in abundance yet notwithstanding they have the beginnings of eternal life and glory and when they come once to enjoy the consummation of it they shall not be able to desire one draught one jot more so He that believeth on me out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water springing up unto eternal life So much for that Objection Now for the Application of the Point Vse 1. You see what Christ saith in the Text That man that comes unto me shall drink My drift in this Application shall be to press this Invitation of Jesus Christ Be it known unto you Men and Women young men and old and children that are capable of knowledge Know it that Jesus Christ doth invite every one of you that stands before him in this Ordinance to come unto him and draw water out of this Well of salvation It is a strong invitation that whosoever comes to him shall drink of this water of life Let me say unto you as Moses said unto the Children of Israel Deut. 32.46 And he said unto them Set your hearts unto all the Words that I testify among you this day Set your hearts to this Invitation of Jesus Christ to the Word that is now sounding in your ears for it is your life Jesus Christ doth bring eternal life to your doors to your hearts do not look upon them as if they were words of course and wind as if there were no truth or reality in them Brethren I suppose now if a friend should invite you to a Dinner or a Supper you would believe that he were real and you are ready to accept of his invitation because you think he means as he saith Why so now be it known unto you that Jesus Christ doth make an invitation to all here every one in the Congregation this day to come unto him and you shall have a supply of this water of life Suppose now that Jesus Christ were here present speaking these words as he did with his own mouth in the hearing of thousands and suppose now that if Jesus Christ were here in his bodily presence do you not think you should believe and give entertainment to what he spake behold Jesus Christ now speaks in his Word to all that are here present as he spake to all that were present then and makes proclamation saying Is any man athirst is there any that do desire this water of life that do desire to have their sins pardoned and forgiven them that do desire to be freed from condemnation that do desire to be adopted Sons and Daughters of God to have peace with God to have comfort and consolation in life and death and to have everlasting eternal glory when life shall be no more Know Jesus Christ holds forth all this whatsoever is requisite to eternal life Jesus Christ doth invite you to this and holds forth and promiseth to give a full draught of it to all that ever will come to him Therefore let no poor soul lay impediments and blocks in its own way to hinder him from coming unto Jesus Christ Objection But may one say I am afraid that I should presume if I should come unto Christ and therefore I dare not venture Answer O! let not any soul think so nor say so to hinder any of your souls from coming Know it that if Jesus Christ had made no invitation to you to come then you might very well say it 's presumption indeed for me to come but Jesus Christ invites thee himself in his Word and Promises that if you do come you shall have of this water of life and that freely Suppose a great rich man should invite a poor man to his Table and he comes being invited will ye say this is presumption when he spake to him himself and if he should not come 't is rather a slighting and despising his favour and love Why Jesus Christ holds forth a free invitation tenders it and promises it to any one soul that will come unto him upon his invitation and therefore let nothing stave thee off seeing he hath made a full and free invitation unto every one to come indeed Objection But alas I do not know that I am invited Christ invites me what me I am altogether unworthy to be invited to partake of this water of life alas so poor a creature so ignorant and so blind and so without strength as I am unable to perform any duty no strength and nothing at all to commend me unto the Lord or why the Lord should give me the least drop of the water of life and therefore certainly it is not to me Jesus Christ doth not invite me Answer I say Let not this Impediment ly in thy way because we have no strength or ability to do or to please or to serve him in any way why alas do you think now that Jesus Christ calls for any price invites people and then they must bring money in their hands No Brethren you are much mistaken Jesus Christ doth invite to come without money or without any price Whoever you be though you be never so weak and unable to perform any duty or service and never did any thing for the Lord yet you should come And Brethren the more unfit we are in our selves and the less we have of our selves and the more sensible we are of our own
clearing of this do you not think that Jesus Christ saith true or that he is to be believed in what he speaks never an one surely but will say that Jesus Christ is to be believed and that they do believe that he speaks truth why then Jesus Christs invitation is to every one in this Congregation to come unto him and therefore why should any stand back and hold off from coming unto Christ If the Lord would perswade your hearts to come unto Christ it would be the happiest day that ever your eyes saw in this World if the Lord would perswade your hearts hereto you should find that Jesus Christ would be as good as his word that you shall drink of this water of life and partake of it for ever and ever and shall never see death eternal death Objection There is one thing more Possibly you will say I do not very well understand how I may come to Christ in a way of faith and believing how or which way doth the soul come to Christ in a way of faith and believing as that the soul shall certainly have of this water of life and that Christ will give of this water of life Answer To open this a little This same coming to Christ I would speak it as plainly as possibly I could and not as a riddle or fancy or notion 'T is an hearkening to Christ in a Word of Promise and the soul is therein to venture it self and rely on or upon him in that Word which he holds forth and when the soul doth venture and close with all this is now a coming unto Christ when the Lord gives out an invitation a gracious Promise which holds out mercy and eternal life and in the hearing of it the Lord perswades the soul of the truth and reality of it it is perswaded to trust in it to rely upon it and to expect an accomplishment and performance of it And because I would not speak it as mine own words alone I speak it as the Virgin Mary did when the Angel came to her Luke 1.38 Then said Mary Behold the Servant of the Lord be it unto me according to thy Word This was now a believing a trusting and a relying on the Word of the Lord she was a Virgin and the Angel answered her in that as she had no more to say but to rely upon the Word of Promise Behold the Handmaid of the Lord be it unto me according to thy Word whence was it it was from this speech the holy confidence and expectation of the fulfilling of that promise to her And so effectual calling is an hearkening unto the Lords call the soul being perswaded to receive the Word closing with returning answer to the Word then the soul is effectually called So also there is an ineffectual Call unto which the soul doth not answer but looks upon the Word of the Lord by his Servants as words of wind and words of course but as this same accepting of this gracious invitation and promise which he holds forth is effectual calling why so the neglecting of these I say is a refusing to hear him that speaks from Heaven Take heed that you do not refuse him that speaks from Heaven that is now when the Lord speaks in his invitation by gifts and outward calling this invitation being propounded and made and men make light of it is an ineffectual calling so now when upon the invitation of the call of the Lord in his promise there is an yielding obedience unto that call in faith it 's called the obedience of Faith Rom. 16.26 When the soul doth yield unto the Lord in the voice of the Promise close withal and receive and embrace it looking upon it as worthy of all acceptation receiving it with both hands as it were when the soul doth thus venture to rely upon the Word venturing it self upon the Lord in his Promise that if I perish I will perish there I will venture my self upon the Lords Word and Faithfulness This is effectual Calling 2 Tim. 1.12 I know saith Paul in whom I have believed and I am perswaded that he will keep that good thing which I have committed unto him against that day I have committed my soul concernments unto him and I trust them in his armes When the soul doth venture thus upon the gracious Word of invitation doth receive it and committeth it self unto the Lord in it this is a closing with Christ and the anwer of the heart unto the Lords call and this is a coming unto Christ So that when you venture upon the Lord in his Word you close with him in it it is soon said yea soon done the soul may come and close with Christ in the Promise and that soon too so pass from death unto life Therefore ask your own hearts in the Presence of the Lord seeing Jesus Christ doth make such a gracious Invitation for to come unto him and venture upon him in his Word whether it can be free and ready to say now Lord let it be according to thy Word to me say in this manner as in the presence of the Lord Lord upon this gracious invitation of thine in the Gospel I desire to rest and hope upon the faithfulness of thy Word and to accept thereof and trust in it Can you say it in the presence of the Lord you whosoever you are that seem to be afar off though possibly you might have had some glimmering hopes hoping sometimes that the Lord would be merciful to you and presently fearing your eternal condition Well I speak it to you that are old men and women and possibly old sinners that have lived in sin all your lives long and possibly are even hopeless in your selves and ready to cast out words of despair and so in a hopeless condition in your selves to you the Lord this day calls to come in unto him and to hearken to this invitation and if you now come unto him you shall have of the water of life And you young Men and Maids I would leave out none who are capable of partaking of this water of life consider the Question again Are you willing to be saved Let your hearts speak it out between the Lord and your own souls upon this Word of thy grace unto which thou hast invited me this gracious Promise I do now commit my soul to thee and rely upon this thy Word of Grace and rely upon thy faithfulness to accomplish it to me and have your souls thus answered unto the Lord let it be unto me according to thy Word let me say it in the name of the Lord unto you This day is salvation come unto thy soul this day hath Jesus Christ given eternal life unto thy soul this day the Lord hath taken thee into Covenant with himself and hath vouchsafed thee to be his And I speak it in the authority which Jesus Christ hath given me in his word even every one that thus comes to Christ
some great Journey or some Voyage to go away from her she is mourning and weeping he comes and speaks comfortably to her and perswades her to be of good chear as if he should say My Deare there is no Remedy I must go away I must take this Journey there is no help for it 't is necessary 't is expedient nay and 't is for thy sake it is to fetch in Comforts for thee and necessaries for thee it is expedient not only for me to finish my Business because my occasions and business call me abroad but it is expedient for thee that I take this Voyage or Journey 't is for your Comfort and be assured of it that I will send to you ere long thou shalt hear from me ere long I will send One on purpose to comfort thee and refresh thee in my absence and know this that I will not stay always from you but will come in a short time again Thus Jesus Christ spake to his Disciples when he was about to leave them saith he My occasions call me to go away from you and not only so but it is expedient for you it is for your Benefit and Advantage and though I be personally absent from you yet I will send one unto you that shall supply my absence even the Comforter and after a little short time I will come again to you I will not stay long from you so he saith afterwards Verse 16. A little while and you shall not see me and a little while and you shall see me because I go to the Father And Verse 22. Therefore now have you Sorrow but I will see you again and your hearts shall rejoyce Within a little while I will come to you I will make all the haste I can to you Thus Christ speaks to his Disciples and Servants to comfort their Hearts being sorrowfull upon his going away Brethren Was there any thing or could there be any thing that was nearer or dearer to the hearts of the Disciples than the presence of Christ The presence of Jesus Christ was more to them than any Comforts of this World more to them than their Estates and Callings and Gain and Trade for you know they left their Ships and their Nets and Callings and all to follow Christ nay Christ was more near and dear to them than their nearest Relations that they had in the World for 't is said they left not only their Callings their Trades and Ships and Nets but they left their Fathers and away they went after Christ yea they left all that ever they had as Peter himself saith Matthew 19.27 28 29. saith he We have left all to follow thee Not only their Callings their Trade and Gains not only their Parents and Relations But we have left All to follow thee Yea Brethren Jesus Christ was more dear and precious to them than their very lives for you know what Christ was speaking to them about his going away Mat. 26. and telling them that some of them would deny him saith Peter Though I dy with thee I will not deny thee saith he I will dy first I will lose my life first and 't is said all of them said after the like manner they loved Christ more than their very lives and yet now you see what Christ said to them though his Presence was so near and dear unto them yet saith Christ I tell you the Truth it is expedient for you that I go away it is expedient for you that I leave you though I be so near and dear unto you So that here is the Point grounded upon these Words That it is a most certain Truth That it is expedient for the Disciples and Servants of Christ sometimes to be deprived of those Comforts that seem to be nearest and dearest to them in this World it is expedient for them The Word that is here translated expedient it signifieth most profitable more profitable for you or better for you better for you that I go away than that I stay with you more Profitable for you so the Word is sometimes translated and so it properly signifieth expedient that is profitable so saith the Apostle 1 Corinthians 6.12 All things are lawfull for me but all things are not expedient The Word is profitable so it is in the Margin All things are not profitable So Chap. 10. in the last Verse saith the Apostle Even as I please all Men in all things not seeking mine own profit but the profit of many that they may be saved it is the same word only t is there translated profit or profitable 't is expedient or profitable for you that I go away and sometimes 't is translated good or better so Luke 17.2 3. Saith Christ It were better for him that a Mill-stone were hanged about his neck and he cast into the Sea than that he should offend one of these little ones The word is expedient So again Mat. 5.29 30. Saith Christ 'T is better for you to go into Life maimed with one Eye or one Hand than having both your Eyes and hands to go into Hell 'T is better the word is expedient So that here is the meaning of it It is expedient for you that I go away that is 't is most profitable for you 't is better for you that I go away from you than that you do enjoy my personal presence Now for the opening and handling of this Point and Truth I shall briefly speak to these three things 1. Give you the Demonstrations of it by some particular Instances That it is most expedient or profitable sometimes for the Servants of Christ to be deprived of their nearest and dearest Comforts that they do enjoy In which I shall give you some particulars 2. I shall shew the Ground why or whereupon It is so expedient or profitable for them to be deprived of their dearest and nearest Comforts they can enjoy in this World 3. And then shew you this That to enjoy the presence of the Comforter the Spirit of God is more expedient for the Saints in this World than to enjoy the personal presence of Christ I shall not be able to go through this Point at this time but for the 1. To give you some Demonstrations by some particular Instances That it is expedient for the Servants of Christ sometimes to be deprived of their nearest and dearest Comforts that they have in this World I shall Instance now in some particulars As 1. It may be expedient for the Servants of Christ sometimes to be deprived of their outward Estates in the World Brethren to have a competent measure of Estate in the World is a comfortable thing Those that have great Estates do not know and understand the temptations of a poor estate therefore saith the holy man Agur Pro. 30.9 though he would not be rich yet Lord give me not poverty It is a great mercy to be comfortably provided for in the World yet for all that it is most
personal righteousness of Jesus Christ Brethren this is the work of the Spirit of God to discover and reveal this to the Soul that God will accept of the righteousness of Christ on the behalf of poor sinners He was made sin for us that knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him 2 Cor. 5.21 Well this the Spirit of God doth discover and reveal to the Soul when he comes to convince it of righteousness Nay and let me add further concerning this righteousness namely the Spirit doth discover to the Soul the way whereby he may come to have an interest in this righteousness the Spirit doth discover that to the Soul namely that it is in a way of faith and believing and leaning and resting upon the righteousness of Christ that Whosoever believeth on him shall not perish but have everlasting life and Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to every one that believeth Rom. 10.4 This is the work of the Spirit to discover this to the soul when he comes to deal with the soul to convince it of righteousness in order to salvation This is the second thing that the Spirit doth first it takes us off from our own righteousness and then it reveals and discovers to the Soul this righteousness of Christ what it is and which way it is to be attained But then 3. A third Work that the Spirit doth which is the upshot of all and that is this when the Spirit comes to convince a Soul of righteousness in order to salvation then The Spirit doth convince powerfully and effectually that is the Spirit comes powerfully and perswades the Soul to close with this righteousness This is to convince of righteousness in order to salvation so to convince as to perswade and prevail with the soul to venture to close with it this is the way whereby a Soul comes to have an interest in Christs righteousness by faith and believing on Christ and it is the work of the Spirit so to convince so powerfully so as to prevail with the Soul to give the venture Well I will venture my Soul upon it if I perish I perish I will venture my Soul upon this righteousness of Christ the Spirit secretly perswades the heart so as now the Soul is made to say with the Psalmist Psal 71.16 I will go in the strength of the Lord God I will make mention of thy righteousness even of thine only When the Spirit comes thus to convince effectually so as to perswade the Soul to venture to lean upon Christs righteousness only to be accepted of God to salvation then the soul doth make mention of Christs righteousness and that only well I will venture to rest upon that alone and then surely shall one say In the Lord have I righteousness and strength then the soul shall be made to say there 's all my righteousness I have none of my own that I dare venture on but I do now venture to lean the weight of my Soul upon this righteousness of Christ and if I perish I perish This is now the convincing work of the Spirit to convince of righteousness So now you have heard the point briefly opened namely That it is the Work of the Spirit in order to Salvation to convince the Soul of righteousness Now then briefly for the Application of it in a Word Application Here then we may come to understand whether or no the Spirit hath been at work upon our souls in order to salvation It is a great Question I suppose you will think it so when you come to ly upon your death-beds whether or no the Spirit of God hath been at work upon my heart in order to my salvation Well you see it is the work of the Spirit in order to Salvation to convince of sin and to convince of righteousness then consider I pray consider seriously between the Lord and your own souls and let us not willingly deceive our own souls Hath the Spirit of the Lord ever been thus at work upon my heart hath the Spirit ever come and convinced me of sin and of righteousness For if the Spirit of the Lord hath ever convinced you of sin in order to your Salvation it will go on also in the Work of Conviction to convince also of Righteousness Therefore I say I pray consider of it seriously Objection You will say Well I hope the Spirit of the Lord hath been at work upon my heart I hope I can say my heart hath been deeply troubled about my sin and I have gone and confessed my sin unto God and I have begged earnestly in prayer for the pardon of my sins Answer Well a man or a woman may do all this and yet come short of this convincing work of the Spirit which is in order to Salvation Therefore consider further I pray for as you heard the last time usually when the Spirit doth convince of sin in order to Salvation it convinceth the soul especially of unbelief and indeed till a Soul come to be convinced by the Spirit of the sin of unbelief his conviction of sin may be no argument to him that the Spirit hath been at work upon his heart in order to salvation Indeed when a soul comes to that discovery that the soul is convinced of the evil of unbelief then there is the greatest hopes that such a Soul is not like to miscarry for I am perswaded that the Spirit of the Lord never convinces a Soul of the evil of unbelief but it is in order to his salvation you shall never have a carnal heart to understand the evil of unbelief that is the work of the Spirit of God Now consider I pray hath the Lord discovered to you and convinced you of sin especially of the sin of unbelief Objection You will say possibly I hope the Spirit hath been at work upon my heart in order to salvation for I know thus much I am perswaded that without the righteousness of Christ I can never be saved I can never be saved by mine own righteousness I know that and I know that I must have the righteousness of Christ imputed to me by faith or I cannot be saved Answer But Brethren I pray consider of it for here may be only a meer notional knowledge a meer conviction in the notion only you may be convinced that this is a truth that there is no salvation but by Christ A man or woman may be convinced of this notionally he may have this knowledge in his head that the only way whereby I must attain to salvation must be by the righteousness of Christ by believing on Christ but I pray consider whether the Spirit of the Lord hath throughly convinced you of the righteousness of Christ Question You will say How shall I know that Answer Briefly by these two things 1. When the Spirit of the Lord doth convince a Soul of righteousness in order to Salvation it doth as you heard take a Soul
yet if we have not really come to Christ we fall short of what we might have expected to have met with I thought to have prest the invitation on poor souls that they might come and drink of the water of life but the time is past Thirsty Sinners invited to Christ SERMON IX JOHN 7.37 In the last day that great day of the Feast Jesus stood and cried saying If any man thirst let him come unto me and drink THE Point or Truth that was before us from these words was this namely That such as being thirsty and come unto Jesus Christ shall certainly have a full and free supply Or as you may take it in the words of Christ If any man be a thirst let him come to Jesus Christ and drink This Jesus Christ did speak and cryed it in the hearing of many thousands saying If any man thirst let him come unto me and drink You have heard what it is to thirst and what this thirst is it is a thirst of the soul which Jesus Christ here speaks of If any man thirst it implyes these three things 1. There is a sence even an afflictive sence of something that it sees a necessity of As it is with the thirst of the Body if one be truly thirsty he doth not only want water or want drink or moisture but is sensible of it and is afflicted with the sense of it So now this same thirsty soul it hath a sence of spiritual want and is afflicted with the sense of it You may see David cryes out saying I am in a place where no water is And Psal 63. My soul thirsteth for God And the Prophet Isaiah saith The needy seek water and their tongue fails for thirst There is an afflictive sense upon the soul from the want of some spiritual good 2. There is not only a sense of want but there is also an ardent and vehement desire of a supply And 3. The Soul is not only lodging and desiring but is unsatisfied with any thing short of that it desires Several other particulars were insisted upon and I came to a third which now I shall desire to speak to through the Lords assistance Viz. That such as do come to Christ shall have a full supply Every soul that doth come to Christ shall be filled He that comes to me shall not only have a taste but shall have a full supply Let him come unto me and drink He shall not only have a full suyply but a free supply Christ doth not require any thing at all Whosoever he be that comes unto me he shall drink he shall be freely supplyed Rev. 22.17 Let him that is a thirst come And whosoever will let him come and take of the waters of Life freely And Isa 55.1 Ho every one that is a thirst come ye to the Waters He shall be made to drink and be supplied with all spiritual heavenly and eternall Blessings Jesus Christ he is a full supply and though we may have a Notion that in Jesus Christ there is a full supply yet we have a Principle and Notion in us that we have some supply in our selves A Popish Principle Christ may supply us in part but some from our selves and therefore we have a Notion as if we should go unto Christ with money in our hands to buy it of him Therefore a little to clear these things viz. To demonstrate 1. That Jesus Christ will certainly give a full supply 2. That there is a full supply that Christ will give out not a part only but a full supply to all that come to him First That Jesus Christ will give out a full supply of all spiritual Blessings Whatsoever good things the soul can stand in need of or can possibly desire Jesus Christ will give out a full supply unto all them even every of them that comes to him 1. The first Demonstration is taken from The Incomprehensible Fullness that is in Jesus Christ He is a full Fountain not as a Pail or a Bucket drawn from a Well but he is a full Fountain now from out of a fountain â—here is a full supply to be had a man may drink as much as ever he will as much as ever he can hold Now Christ is a full Fountain see what is said concerning Christ Zech. 13.1 In that day there shall be a Fountain set open to the house of David and to the Inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness And so Coloss 1. It pleased the Father that in him all fulness should dwell even all fulness Now if Christ be a fountain a full fountain there is fulness of supply to be had in him Now all fulness of blessings are in Jesus Christ he is a fountain of all spiritual things that are needful for the salvation of a poor soul and there is a fulness of Spirit in Christ John 3.34 For God giveth not the Spirit by measure to him And so Coloss 2.9 't is said It pleased the Father that the fulness of the God-head dwelt in him as Mediator the fulness of the Deity the fulness of the Spirit 2. And then as there is a fulness of the God-head dwelling in him as Mediator and a fulness of the Spirit so there is also a Fulness of all gifts and of all graces in Jesus Christ John 1.14 He is the only begotten Son of the Father full of Grace and Truth And so in him are hid the treasures of wisdom and knowledge they are all hid in Christ he is the fountain of them and the Apostle hath another full expression Ephes 3.8 Vnto me who am less than the least of all Saints is this grace given that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ Unsearchable riches that can never be drawn dry The fulness of the Spirit the fulness of all Grace dwelleth in him 3. Thirdly There is a Fulness of Righteousness and Satisfaction in Jesus Christ so as to make a poor sinner to be accepted as righteous before God and discharge it of all sins as the Angel told Daniel Chap. 9.24 To make an end of Sins and to bring in an everlasting Righteousness a righteousness that will serve to all eternity for all from the beginning to the end of the World and though the Saints are striving after a measure and fulness daily yet notwithstanding there is a fulness in Jesus Christ the blood of Jesus cleanseth from all sin there is merit enough and vertue enough 1 John 2.5 If any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous and he is the Propitiation for our sins and not for ours only but for the sins of the whole World There 's righteousness and satisfaction and merit enough for all And 4 Then there is a Fulness of power to give out and to communicate unto others See John 5.26 27. For as the Father hath Life in himself so hath he given to the Son to have Life in himself and
of life without price I counsel thee to come and buy of me Rev. 3.18 to buy is to receive of him to come and buy wine and milk without money and without price Isa 55.1 Again 3. Because of his free invitation to all comers to drink He comes among thousands to proclaim this his readiness and freeness to give out of this water of life Suppose you should be at a dinner or supper at a Friends house and being there should offer for your dinner or supper would not he take it as a disparagement unto him why so I say if Jesus Christ should require any thing for what he gives out as a price and should not give it out freely might not these many thousands that heard of his kind proffer cry out against him why all those Texts that you read of wherein he invites poor sinners to come unto him and that freely if he were not now free to communicate would not these words and scriptures witness against him O my people testify against me saith the Lord in Micah Jesus Christ doth challenge any man to testify against him for his unfaithfulness towards him or them and therefore hence it appears that Jesus Christ is ready and free to give out a full and free supply unto all that come unto him he will give out freely without money or without price One thing more I should have spoken to by way of Answer to an Objection What are all comers unto Christ to be supplied why then what 's the reason that so many real believers make so many complaints and are under such great wants they want this and that and the other and scarce any but want some measure or other sensible of their own wants of this grace or the other and I have such a hard heart and such a dead heart and such a carnal heart how then is it that if all that do come unto Christ shall be supplyed what mean these complaints This I should have spoken to and the Application but the time is spent Thirsty Sinners invited to Christ SERMON X. JOHN 7.37 In the last day that great day of the Feast Jesus stood and cried saying If any man thirst let him come unto me and drink AS You have heard you have here a gracious invitation that Jesus Christ doth give unto poor sinners that stand in need of the Water of Life that stand in need of Eternal Life He makes a loud Proclamation If any be a thirst let him come unto him And you have also a gracious Promise that is annexed unto this Invitation sc That they shall drink If any man thirst let him come unto me and drink You have heard the Point opened That any one whosoever he be that comes in a thirst to Christ shall be made to drink abundantly he shall have a full and a free supply of the Waters of Life First You have heard what we are to understand by this same thirst If any man be a thirst Secondly We have opened and shewn what is this same coming unto Christ And the last day we came to speak of a Third and that was to shew what Christ here means in this Promise when he saith They shall drink If any man thirst let him come unto me and drink Ay drink drink of the Water of Life drink of whatsoever is necessary and good or desirable for their everlasting salvation That is meant by this same drinking of the Water of Life Drink in of the Spirit and eternal blessedness as you may see in the following words He that believeth on me as the Scripture hath said out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water This he spake of the Spirit Now in this Promise here wherein Christ saith they shall drink It implies and holds forth two things 1. It holds forth a full supply they shall have a full supply not only a taste or a sip but they shall drink and have a full draught they shall have their bellys full 2. It holds forth and implies That he will let them have of the Water of Life and not only so but they shall have it freely they shall have a full draught of the Water of Life a full supply without any price or money He requires nothing but only coming if they come they shall have it Reasons 1. Christ is a full Fountain he hath all fulness in him and fullness as a Fountain hath and therefore can supply all Comers There may be fullness of water in a Pail but that will not supply all comers but as he is the Fountain of the Springs he can supply all comers he is the fountain of all fulness for all fulness is in him and as he hath all fulness given unto him so God the Father hath put all fulness into Christ the Mediator to give out and communicate unto those that come unto him foâ— a supply and he will do it for he came from heaven to do his Fathers will as Mediator he is filled with all fulness not for himself to keep it to himself but it is put into him to that end to communicate derive and give out As the light of the Sun is not put into it meerly that it should keep it to it self but to communicate thereof unto all that shall come into the World And so the Sea is the fulness of water and that gives out of it self freely and the cause why the water is put into the Sea is that it may fill the Rivers and Springs And so it is with Christ It pleased the Father that in him we should have all fulness that so through his fulness we might receive grace for grace There is fulness of Wisdom in Jesus Christ and fulness of Righteousness Holiness and Sanctification in him God hath filled him with this fulness and why so as the Apostle tells us 1 Cor. 1.30 to this end to communicate He is made unto us of God or Who of God is made unto us Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption And so he hath made him to be thus unto us that from his grace he might fill those that come unto him He is the fountain of life and wherefore hath God put the fountain of life in Christ what to keep it to himself no but to communicate John 10.10 I am come saith Jesus Christ that you might have life and that you might have it more abundantly more abundantly than ever you had in all the time of the Law the Son hath life in himself for this end and purpose that he might give out life not to have it to himself and keep it to himself but to give out as a fountain and so John 9.39 It is said he is come for this end To give light to those who are blind and that they that see not might be made to see And then a Reason 2. Why it must needs be so that they shall have a full supply is Because that those that come to Christ are very near unto
unfitness this should rather be so far from hindering and discouraging us as that it should encourage us to come why because that having nothing and Christ being the fulness of all we should go unto Christ for all as Rev. 3.18 saith Christ Thou art poor and naked blind and miserable and hast nothing wherefore come to me I counsel thee to come to me for Ey salve and for rayment gold and treasure and riches Why here now is Christs argument on the contrary Why Brethren he fills the hungry and the empty with good things and they are to come to Christ Jesus Christ invites such poor souls as have nothing at all no ability at all a poor blind creature if one be more blind and unable and more ignorant than another here is the invitation that Jesus Christ doth make this day to such a poor soul that he shall if he come he shall drink and he shall have of this Water of Life Objection But another Objection is Alas I am a poor old creature an old man or an old woman that have lived without God and without Christ all this time and have slighted the offers of grace and all the invitations of Christ in his Gospel And also a poor old sinner and will Jesus Christ invite me I possibly have been a drunkard and an old drunkard and a swearer and a blasphemer of the name of God and the ways of Christ and can I think that ever Christ should entertain me when I come Answer Why now mark what I say unto you in a word from the Lord Let not any one here except himself and exclude himself if Jesus Christ do not except and exclude him look into the invitation doth Jesus Christ exclude and say Let every one come to me except he be an old drunkard or an old swearer no he doth not say so he excludes none See how the Words run if any man will come he shall drink if any man without exception can you have it spoken more full or in plainer terms If any man will come unto me he shall drink John 6.35 36 37. saith Jesus there I am the Bread of life he that cometh unto me shall not hunger and he that believeth on me shall never thirst but I said unto you that ye also have seen me and believe not All that the Father giveth me shall come to me and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out Let him be what he will whatsoever he be never such an old sinner and therefore why should a poor soul make this exception in his coming to Christ Now know it if there be any such a soul in the Congregation that hath lived so many years and all his life long hath been in sinful courses the invitation is to him and to all others that If any come to me saith Christ I will give him the water of life Objection But to object further Alas I have no strength nor power and I am unworthy to come and therefore it is but a folly to make such an invitation unto me and I have no power Answer You have heard before what it is to come to Christ viz. To venture and cast your self upon Christs invitation in his promise and the soul now venturing to lean upon Christs word and to trust Christ upon his word and to expect what Christ holds forth in his word this is a coming unto Christ you know what the Prodigal was and when the Lord sees a poor soul afar off he meets him and strengthens him and encourageth him and leadeth him by the hand and upholdeth him Objection Ay but you will say Alas I am willing to come to Christ but I have no word and a soul cannot come to Christ unless the Lord gives out some promise secretly to draw the heart to Christ and I cannot remember that ever the Lord spake to me whereby I should ever come Answer Well Suppose you cannot remember that ever you had any word or promise given out to draw or perswade your heart to cast it self and to adventure upon Christ yet behold here is a word from the Lord this day which he causes to be proclaimed in your hearing Jesus Christ holds forth unto you this day whoever you be that comes he shall drink and shall drink abundantly and most freely drink of the waters of life and shall never perish but shall live for ever and therefore from this time forward let not any soul say well the Lord hath not this day holden forth any word to me know it the Lord speaks to you even to one and to another this day If any man be athirst let him come unto me and drink Have you any thing more to object think with your selves what it is Objection Ay you will say there is one thing more and that is here in the Text If any man be athirst let him come and I cannot say I am athirst There are two things in answer to this Answer 1. The Promise that Christ makes here of giving the water of life is not so much to the thirsty as to the comer Whoever he be that comes to me shall drink 't is true indeed he saith every one that thirsts let him come to me and drink Why ordinarily men and women poor sinners are not ready to come to Christ without they be made very thirsty and see their necessity ay but notwithstanding saith Christ If any man do but come whoeuer he be if he doth but come and so Whosoever will whosoever he be let him come and take of the water of life freely The Promise is made not to thirsters only but to comers and be sure if you come he will give you to drink fully and freely Rev. 22.17 And the Spirit and the Bride say Come and let him that heareth say Come and let him that is a thirst come and whosoever will let him come and drink of the water of life freely Remember the Promise is not to the thirsty alone but unto the comer therefore venture to come and you may be sure Jesus Christ will give you to drink of the water of life Answer 2. But then again you say you do not thirst Can any soul here before the Lord say that you have no need of the water of life that you have no need of nor desire everlasting life that you have no need to have your sins pardoned is there any soul in the Congregation that can say that there is no need then you may stand off and say there is no invitation made to me but I dare say for every one in the congregation that he would willingly dy the death of the righteous and therefore let every poor soul know whatsoever is spoken to one is spoken to every one Jesus Christ hath made this invitation if any man do but come to Christ do but venture upon Christ that is the way he shall drink of the water of life and what shall I say more for the
accepting of this his gracious promise I say it thy sins are forgiven thee relying upon him in the Faithfulness of his Word and Promise I say the Lord Jesus Christ hath forgiven thy sins and you may go home and record it for a Memorial that this day at such a time the Lord hath drawn out my soul to make a close with himself and now eternal life is come unto thee the Lord hath forgiven thy sins and now thou art passed from death to life Let me make the offer again unto such poor sinners as have held out all this time and have not laid hold upon this gracious invitation made by Jesus Christ that will yet venture the Lord perswading your hearts though possibly you have been enemies and opposers and possibly might come to oppose and catch and though never so far off and lost in your selves yet notwithstanding hearken to this invitation that if the Lord doth perswade your hearts to say solemnly and seriously Lord upon this Word of thy gracious Promise and Invitation I do now desire to trust and to venture upon thy Word and do expect the performance and accomplishment of thy Word that now it may be given out to thee that so you also might be brought in unto Christ to partake of this water of life Vse 1. A Word of Exhortation to you who are come to Christ Go away now even as the Virgin Mary and say My Soul doth magnifie the Lord and my Spirit rejoyceth in God my Saviour for he hath regarded the low Estate of his poor creature It is said that the Eunuch went away rejoycing after that Philip was caught away by the Spirit and so hath every Believer cause to do Use 2. Another Word is That you would go unto God with a holy boldness as to your God and Father for such special mercies as you desire to have at the Lords hand Now as the Holy Ghost saith Seek the Lord while he may be found and draw nigh unto him while he is near The Lord is near to you do do you draw neer to him with a humble and holy boldness as to your God and Father and you may ask what you will and now beg that the Lord would establish his Work of Grace in your hearts and now ask for this and that mercy and for your relations even what you will In Gen. 17. Abraham falls down in a begging posture God having made a Covenant with him O Lord now that Ismael might live in thy sight so say I Go to God and desire some special mercy this day now while the Lord is nigh Use 3. You who are brought near unto God hath the Lord spoken to you Take heed that you do not stop your ear unto what God speaks and return again to folly Look that you do not walk as the Gentiles did in the vanity of your minds Eph. 4.17 Now you must take heed that you do not walk in the same vanities in your foolish pastimes in your vain conversations take heed you do not walk after the course of the World If the Lord hath taken you out of the World called you unto Christ you are now to walk in a diligent performance of all duties unto the Lord walk close with God in your particular Callings from the heart take heed that you walk exactly and inoffensively keeping a good Conscience Use 4. And lastly That still upon all occasions you would be coming to Christ We are not to content our selves with once coming unto Christ and there is an end but we must come daily even every day When you find your hearts out of frame when you are straitned and dead-hearted come to Christ even every day by vertue of this Promise through this Word leaning and resting upon Christ and O remember this blessed Word this blessed Word of the Lord Jesus Christ wherein he hath said If any man thirst let him come unto me and drink FINIS
have sunk into the bottomless pit But I pray consider was this Conviction from the holy Spirit of God you have heard there may be a trouble for sin that may come from the evil spirit What was it any other but the Conviction that may come from the evil spirit yes you will say I hope it is from the holy Spirit of God For that you may consider those seven things that were laid down to discover when sin is set home by the holy Spirit of God you may consider of them at your leisure when you are in private between the Lord and your own Souls But let me only propound this one thing to you from them all you say you have been convinc'd of sin by the Spirit of God I pray mind it for it is that that doth concern our everlasting state our eternal Salvation for if the first step be not set toward our conversion then we cannot expect that the other steps are set therefore I say you that say you hope you have been convinced of sin by the Spirit I pray consider how was your Conviction healed how was your trouble taken off Consider of it between the Lord and your own Souls you were troubled for your sins once but how is it taken off did it wither away by degrees like a land-flood that makes a great noise for a time but wears away by degrees insensibly Was it so with you or was your trouble taken off by making restitution giving of satisfaction where you have wronged or was it by reformation and performance of duties and so obtained the life by your own hands as the Prophets expression is or was it by making application of the Righteousness of Jesus Christ to your Souls in a way of faith and believing Were you brought to that Truly if not I cannot say but that your Conviction of sin might be from the evil spirit Therefore consider seriously of it hereby we may come in some measure to discern about our spiritual Estate whether the work of Conversion be effectually wrought or no Consider whether this first step be set namely Convincing of sin by the Spirit of God and truly if so be the holy Spirit have convinced you of Sin I am apt to think that the Spirit will never leave till it hath made thorow Work saith the Apostle Philip. 1.6 We are confident of this very thing that he that hath begun a good Work in you will certainly finish it to the Day of Christ And if the holy Spirit hath begun to convince you of sin the Spirit will go on to convince you of Righteousness too That is the first Word of Application I have another and so have done 2. It is to exhort and perswade you that if ever the Work of Conviction should come upon your hearts and spirits to take heed that you do not hinder it but further it what you can I confess it is irksome to flesh and blood our carnal hearts cannot away with this Work of Conviction but will avoid it and escape it if possible But take heed you do not hinder it but further it what you can because else if it be from the holy Spirit of God you do resist the Spirit and go about to quench the Spirit Therefore you should do even as old Eli advised young Samuel when the Lord began to call him saith Eli When you hear the Voice again say speak Lord for thy Servant desireth to hear So I say to you doth any word come to your Hearts and speak to your Consciences in a way of Conviction of sin do not drive it away do not quench it but say Speak Lord for thy Servant desireth to hear And now plead with the Lord do not now rise up in your Spirits against the Instruments that are means to convince you take heed of that but rather ly low before the Lord and bless the Lord that any Word is spoken to you by way of Conviction and never leave till such time as you come to rest upon Christ and his Righteousness and upon the vertue of his death whereby he hath made satisfaction to the Justice of God on the behalf of poor sinners I say do not neglect do not slight or despise or quench or check this Work of Conviction And so now I have done with this Point The next Point is concerning the Spirits convincing of the sin of unbelief He shall convince the World of sin because they believe not on me But thus much shall suffice for this time The Holy Ghost convinceth of Sin SERMON VI. JOHN 16.9 Of Sin because they believe not on me WE have already handled one point from these words which was this That the first work of the Spirit of God upon the heart in order to Conversion is to convince the Soul of Sin Christ saith here that he would send the Spirit after his departure from them saith he I will send the Comforter and this he spake to support and comfort the hearts of his Disciples against his absence and therefore the end of his Spirit was to cooperate with their Ministry it was in order to the Conversion of Souls this is the matter of their comfort Now this I have spoken to at large before but now to come to the second Note or Point which doth plainly lye before us which I shall desire to speak something to at present and that is this Doctrine That the great and special Sin that the Spirit of God doth usually convince People of in order to their Conversion is their Vnbelief not believing on Christ For so saith Christ here He shall convince the World of Sin Of what Sin He tells them of their Unbelief Of Sin because they believe not on me That is the great and special Sin that the Spirit of God is wont to convince people of in order to their Salvation namely their Vnbelief It is indeed the work of the Spirit to convince of other sins as you heard before but yet in a special manner 't is the work of the Spirit to convince of this sin of Unbelief He is said so to convince of this Sin as if there were no other sins to be convinced off he mentions no other sins But he shall convince the World of sin because they believe not on me And this you shall find in part verified presently after Christs Ascension into Heaven In a few dayes after Christs Ascension into Heaven he sent the Holy Ghost Acts 2. The Holy Ghost was poured down abundantly upon the Disciples when they were met together thereupon Peter preached a sermon to the People that came wondring about him and now Peter had experience of what Christ here promised saith Christ I will send the Spirit and he shall convince the World of sin by your Ministry And at Peters Sermon there was three thou-convinced at one clap they were convinced of sin not only of their not believing on Christ but of their murdering of Christ that they had Crucified
the Lord of Life and when they heard this then by the power of the Spirit that went along with Peter's Sermon 't is said they were pricked at the heart and cryed out Men and brethren what shall we do They saw now a need of Christ and were glad now to receive Christ and to believe in Christ Well for the prosecution of this point I shall desire briefly to speak to three things 1. Shew you That not Believing on Christ is a sin 2. That it is not only a sin not to believe in Christ but a great sin one of the greatest sins that a soul can be guilty of 3 That it is the work of the Spirit to convince a Soul of the sin of Unbelief 1. Then that Unbelief is a sin It is that which very few are sensible of they scarce look upon unbelief to be a sin they look upon believing rather as their presumption and for their not believing they look upon it rather as their duty as their humility Now I say Unbelief is a sin Such as do not believe on Christ they are guilty of sin But mark I do not say that every one that doth not believe on Christ is guilty of the sin of Unbelief No but Unbelief is a sin only to them that have the Gospel preached to them and Christ offered to them it is a sin to them not to believe on Christ 't is not a sin to others and though Heathens and Pagans shall be condemned and damned in their unbelief yet not for their not believing on Christ Saith Christ John 15.22 If I had not come and spoken to them they had not had sin that is they had not had the sin of Unbelief they had not been guilty of that sin but now they have no Cloak no excuse for their sin Look now as it is with those that have not the Law written as the Apostle speaks Rom. 2.12 14 15. They that sin without Law shall be judged without the Law They shall not be judged and condemned by the written Law but they shall be judged and condemned by the Law that is written in their hearts and consciences So now here those that never had the Gospel preached to them as a great many Nations in the World Pagans Heathens and Infidels and Indians they never had the Gospel preached to them Christ was never revealed to them the Name of Christ never sounded in their ears now they shall not be condemned for their not believing on Christ 't is not a sin to them And therefore some tell us there is a twofold Unbelief There is a Negative or Privative Unbelief that is the Unbelief of those that never had the means of Faith offered them and it is not a sin for them not to believe on Christ because they never heard of him But when there is a Positive Unbelief as they call it that is the Unbelief of such as live under the sound of the Gospel under the hearing of Christ Christ is preached to them and held forth to them and they are called upon to believe on Christ and yet they believe not this is a Positive unbelief and this unbelief is a sin And that it is a sin let me give you two or three Demonstrations 1. It appears to be a sin because it is the transgression of the Moral Law or the Law of the Ten Commandments Where there is no Law saith the Apostle there is no Transgression Sin is not imputed where there is no Law Rom. 5.13 But sin is a transgression of the Law and this sin of unbelief a transgression of the Moral Law of the first Commandment Objection How so you will say Was believing on Christ then commanded to Adam in the first Commandment Answer I Answer Yes Virtually The first Commandment you know was thus Thou shalt have no other gods before me That is thou shalt own the true God for thy God and no other Now how do we own God When we give him that worship that he requires of us now the first Commandment requires that we should worship God with a natural worship which is due to God from us as we are his Creatures that is comprized in the first Commandment You shall worship God as God worship him How Obey him fear him love him reverence him believe in him put trust and confidence in him The first Commandment requires that we should yield obedience to God in whatsoever is required of us Then this is virtually required in the first Commandment 'T is our duty by virtue of the first Commandment to believe in Christ Now if it be commanded in the Law then our unbelief is a sin because it is a transgression of the Law Objection But you will say a little for the clearing of this but this was inconsistent with the state of Innocency for Adam to believe on Christ as a Mediator as a Saviour to save him from sin because Adam was in a sinless condition he had no guilt upon him in his Innocency it was then inconsistent with Adams state to believe on Christ as a Mediator and Saviour then it seems Adam had no power to believe on Christ and if so then certainly not believing on Christ is not a transgression of the first Commandment Answer For Answer to it let me briefly clear this in two things 1. It is granted it is true that it was inconsistent with Adams state of Innocency to rely upon Christ and to believe on Christ as a Saviour to save him from sin for he had no sin he was Innocent therefore it was inconsistent with his state to believe on Christ as a Saviour yea it was inconsistent with the wisdom of God to require Adam to believe on Christ to command such a duty of Adam yet notwithstanding mark I pray Adam had a principle and a virtual power for to have believed on Christ if God had required it of him Though its true it was inconsistent with his state that God should require it of him yet Adam had this principle this virtual power put into him with his first Creation in the image of God He had this power put into him that he had a virtual power to obey God in every thing that he should require of him whatever God should reveal to be his will he had power to believe it and yield obedience to it Though it is true it was inconsistent with his State actually to believe yet he had a power to have believed on Christ if God had required it of him For Adam had a power to do that which was inconsistent with his state of innocency as for example Adam had a Principle and virtual Power to shew Mercy and Compassion to any that were in misery but that was inconsistent with his state for there was none in misery then There was no need of the Compassion of Adam yet Adam had a principle a virtual power to have done this so in this case though 't is true believing on Christ