SERMONS OF CHRIST HIS Last Discovery of Himself Of The Spirit and Bride The Waters of Life And His free Invitation of Sinners to come and drink of them From Revel 22.16 17. By WILLIAM GREENHILL an unworthy Servant of the Lords He that refuseth instruction despiseth his own soul Prov. 15.32 The heart of the prudent getteth knowledge and the ear of the wise seeketh knowledge Prov. 18. â—5 LONDON Printed by R. I. for Livewell Chapman at the Crown in Popes-head-Alley 1656. TO ALL His Christian Friends More especially To those the Author of these Sermons walks with in the Fellowship of the Gospel doth he Dedicate the same TO THE READER THat these Sermons see the Light is more from the Auditours than the Author of them Some being affected in hearing were importunate to have them published urging they might bee of use not only to doubting Saints and desponding Christians but also to those were dead in Sins and Trespasses Hereupon after some struglings in my spirit I was willing to expose my self to Censure rather than to grieve my Friends by a denial and with-hold those Truths by which possibly some poor Soul or other might gain some little Spiâ—iâ—ual advantage Reader although these Sermons were taken by the Pen of a ready Writer and printed as they were taken yet look not for that Spirit Power and Life was in them when Preached The Press is a dead thing to the Pulpit A Sermon from thence is like Meat from the Fire and Milk from the Brest but when it is in Ink and Paper it 's only cold Meat and Milk it hath lost its lively taste though it may nourish and become a standing Dish to feed upon daily There is this benefit in Printing that when the Preacher is absent or dead the thing printed may bee at hand and serviceable Reader if thou lookest for high Notions quaint Expressions new Opinions strong Lines inticing words of mans Wisdom or any thing to please a fleshly mind I must say to thee as Peter did to him in the Acts Such silver and gold have I none but what I have I give unto thee viz. plain and naked Truths according to the simplicity of Christ and the Gospel Wouldest thou know what is to be had here If thou be shaken in these staggering times here thou maist see what a Root Christ is bearing up all If thou stumble at Christs meanness in the World here thou shalt understand of what Royal Descent he was If thou be in the dark and know not the right way here maist thou behold Christ a glorious Star to direct thee If thou be dull and sad here mayest thou hear the sweet Voyces of the Spirit and Bride to quicken and comfort thee If thou bee thirsty here is water and Water of Life prepared for thee If thou be sinful and so sinful as thou fearest Christ will not save thee here shalt thou finde many clear demonstrations how willing Christ is to save sinners If thou finde not a willingness in thee to have Water of Life here is discovered how that willingness may be wrought in thee If thou bee secure and sleepy here are tidings of Christs coming of what concernment that is and what preparation thou art to make for it which may help to awaken thee In a word here thou hast the last discovery the Lord Christ gave forth of himself and of his miâ—d He had oft before discovered himself what he was as to be the Messiah Joh. 4.25 26. to be the Resurrection and the Life Joh. 11.25 to bee the Bread of Life Joh. 6.35 to be the Light of the World Joh. 8.12 to be the good Shepherd Joh. 10.11 to be the true Vine Joh. 15.1 to be the Way Truth and Life Joh. 14.6 to be Alpha and Omega and here he saith I am the Root and Off-spring of David c. which being the last declaration of himself doubtless hath something considerable in it as will appear in the Work it self William Greenhil Stepney the fifth of the ninth Month. 1655. TO His dearly beloved Brethren and Fellow Members of that Body the Church at Stepney of which Christ is the Head Grace Mercy and Peace from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord be multiplied unto you Brethren YOu are here presented with that in Print which before you have heard Preached unto you but I hope the impression of it is not only in these Papers but that it is already in your hearts It was a glorious commendation that Paul gave of his Corinthians 2 Epist 3.2 Yee are our Epistle written in our hearts known and read of all men for as much as yee are manifestly declared to be the Epistle of Christ ministred by us written not with Inke but with the Spirit of the living God not in Tables of Stone but in fleshy tables of the heart What is the end of our faithful Pastors Preaching and of our Hearing but that we may be the Epistles of Christ You have here presented to your view some of the last words of Christ wherein you have a Declaration of what he is the Root and the Off-spring of David Davids root in regard of his Diety and his Off-spring in regard of his Humanity we have need to hear of these Truths again and again especially in such days of Apostacy and falling away from the Faith as we live in many denying the Lord that bought them by which wee may see the Scripture fulfilled that saith In the latter days many shall depart from the Faith and in 2 Pet. 2.1 2. the Apostle plainly speaks that as there were false Prophets of old so there should be false Teachers that should creep in who privily should bring in damnable Heresies even denying the Lord that bought them and many should follow their pernicious ways by reason of whom the way of truth should be evil spoken of You have here likewise a sweet and blessed in vitation of the Lord Jesus to poor thirsty Sinners that they would come and take of the Water of Life freely O therefore let us not stand off but come although we have no mony for little do we think what prejudice our Soâ—uls do receive because we go no freelier to Jesus Christ to receive of the things that hee hath purchased and is ready to give out unto us you are called out of the World even to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ You are the Members of Christ 1 Corinth 6.15 yee are the Temples of the holy Spirit 2 Cor. 6.16 you stand in near relation to God and Christ as being his Friends his Brethren his Children his Spouse Yee are his Portion his Jewels his peculiar Treasure his Vine-yard his pleasant Plant his Glory Isa 4.5 1 Pet. 2.9 Yee are a chosen Generation a Roval Priesthood a holy Nation a peculiar People It being thus what flows from hence or what doth this call for at our hands but that we labour to shew forth the Praises of
to shed his bloud and to wash us in his own bloud he hath so loved us as he hath laid down his life for us and thought nothing too dear to part with nothing too hard to suffer on our account 6 Christ likewise sparkled in his pity and compassion towards the people when they came to hear him Christ was full of compassion and would not let them go away hungry lest they should faint by the way Christ in the nineteenth of Luke weeps over Jerusalem Christ wept over sinners that would not weep for themselves Christ sparkled in all these and in many other passages of his life and so you see that he is a Star indeed in sparkling and letting out his beams and dispelling darkness Thirdly The morning Star is the most eminent Star one of them in all the Heavens a chief Star so Christ is the chiefest Star the Star of the first Magnitude there is not a more glorious Star in the Heavens than the morning Star and not a more glorious one than Christ In 2 Sam. 16.17 Princes and great ones are called eminent Stars or Lights Thou shalt go no more out with us to Battel that thou quench not the light of Israel why David was a Star of the greatest magnitude in all Israel and so Senacharib or Nebuchadnezzar or both of them they are said to be Lucifer the Son of the morning Isa 14.12 that is a chief Star yet a falling star but now Christ is a Star which is most eminent there is no star among the Sons of Men no Man no Angel that is equal to Christ but he is above them he is of a higher magnitude Psal 45.2 He is fairer than the Children of men he hath more beauty more glory more Majesty more greatness than any of the Children of men Rev. 1.5 Hee is Prince of the Kings of the earth take the Kings of the Earth that are stars and great stars yet Christ is the Prince of the Kings of the Earth so that upon this account he is a bright and a morning Star he goes beyond all the stars and all the lights in the World and all the Lights in Heaven Fourthly Stars you know have their influences and let down their influences here upon the Creatures In Job there is mention made of Pleiades the seven stars and Oryon and the rest that send down their influences and the morning star hath its influences as well as other stars so the Lord Christ he is not wanting this way but le ts out his influences Christ is said to have the seven Spirits the seven Stars and le ts out all the Graces and vertues of his Spirit Of his fulness we receive grace for grace and he sends the Comforter he is the head and hath influence into the whole body This Star lets out vertue into all the inferiour Bodies that are belonging unto him so that the Lord Christ he is a bright morning Star upon this account Lastly Christ is a bright and morning Star especially in that the morning Star brings notice of good tidings that the day is at hand when the morning Star is up then the day is near so Christ hee hath brought good tidings that the day is at hand and that the night is past Luk. 2. At the Incarnation of Christ the Angel said Fear not for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people for unto you is born this day in the City of David a Saviour which is Christ the Lord. And what then Vers 14. Glory to God in the highest on earth peace good will towards men Now the night of Gods anger was past and the day of Gods favour was coming he brought back the Sun of Gods favour and fatherly goodness and love unto us so in Luke 1.76 77. Thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways to give knowledge of Salvation to his people by the remission of their sins through the tender mercy of our God whereby the day-spring from on high hath visited us to give light unto them which sit in darkness and in the shadow of death to guide our feet into the way of peace So that here is good tidings come now the day is at hand and Christ hath brought immortality and life again into the world 2 Tim. 1.10 which are now made manifest by the appearing of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ who hath abolished death and hath brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel and especially the morning Star in regard of the great day that is a coming which some call the Day of Judgement and others call the Day of Restitution of all things there is a great Day a coming Christ is the bright morning Star that doth fore-run the great Day of which you hear in Zech. 14.9 And the Lord shall be King over all the earth in that day shall there be one Lord and his name one this bright morning Star is the fore-runner of that day in that day this bright morning Star shall be a Sun and vers 20 21. In that day shall there be upon the bells of the horses holiness to the Lord and the Pots in the Lords House shall be like the Bowls before the Altar yea every pot in Jerusalem and in Judah shall bee holiness to the Lord of Hosts and all they that sacrifice shall come and take of them and seeth therein and in that day there shall be no more the Canaanite in the house of the Lord of Hosts There is a great day a coming wherein there shall be no more the Canaanite in the House of the Lord and Mal. 4. Behold the day cometh that shall burn as an Oven c. but unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of Righteousness arise with healing in his wings There is a day a coming a great day which this Day-star is the fore-runner of 2 Pet. 3. Looking for and hastening unto the coming of the day of God wherein the Heavens beeing on fire shall bee dissolved and the Element shall melt with fervent heat He is a bright morning Star in regard he goes before that day which shall come Thus you see upon what account and in what sense Christ is resembled to a bright morning Star Now an Objection we have to answer which is this Obj. Are not Saints Stars and Angels Stars and Morning Stars too Is this any great matter in that Christ is called a Star and a morning Star In Gen. 37.9 Joseph in his Dream there saith I beheld the Sun and the Moon and the eleaven Stars made obeysance unto me that was his Brethren And in Job 38 7. When the Morning Stars sang together and all the Sons of God shouted for joy that is interpreted of the Angels who are called morning Stars so that if Saints be Stars and Angels morning Stars is it any such matter that Christ is here called a bright and a morning Star and it is
the Canticles she is espoused unto Christ 3 A Bride she hath her Ornaments and Jewels about her she is trim'd Isa 61.10 so the Church hath Ornaments and Jewels about her she is trimmed and deckt with the Graces of the Spirit with the righteousness of Christ White Linnen in the Revelation is said to bee the righteousness of Saints the Church hath her Ornaments her Jewels and Graces Canticles 4.9 4 Lastly The Bride you know expects Marriage of such a Person so the Church looks to be married unto Christ she waites for the day she is espoused already and waites for to be married unto the Lamb Rev. 19. so then you see upon what account the Church is called a Bride Now the Point to be handled is this Doct. That both the Spirit of God and the whole Church are desirous of Christs coming And the Spirit and the Bride say come To speak a little to the Spirit of God the Spirit of God is said in Scripture to intercede for us and the Spirit of God lusts against the flesh and here the Spirit desires the coming of Christ The Spirit saith come And the Spirit desires the coming of Christ Why the Spirit desires the coming of Christ because it having received from Christ all truth and having given it out unto Apostles and unto John and so to the Church it would gladly have the Church see the accomplishment of what is given out by the Spirit which will not all bee done till the coming of Christ all truth will not be accomplished Prophesies or Promises will not be fulfilled till the coming of Christ and the Spirit having received of Christ and given them out the Spirit desires the accomplishment of them that the Church might see it 2 The Spirrt desires Christs coming for the honour of Christ it is said in 2 Thes 1.10 Christ shall come to be admired this shall bee the honour of Christ to bee admired by the Church to be admired by the World especially he shall bee admired of the Saints and of those that do beleeve and the more admirable will Christ be when they shall see all Truths fulfilled and made good that he gave out by his Spirit It is said Isa 44.26 God is a God that confirmeth the word of his Servant and performeth the counsel of his Messengers so Christ he will confirm the word of his Spirit and confirm the word of his Messenger the Spirit brought it from Christ to John John gives it out to the Church and when Christ comes he will confirm the word and make it all good and so both Christ shall bee honoured the Spirit honoured and the Instruments that gave out the word be honoured 3 The Spirit desires the coming of Christ that so it self may be no more grieved no more quenched So 1 Thes 5. Quench not the Spirit in Eph. 4.30 Grieve not the Spirit whereby yee are sealed unto the day of redemption The Spirit hath sealed up men unto the day that is this day of Christs coming unto the day of redemption Now saith the Spirit come come that I may be no more grieved I am grieved in the hearts of Saints daily I am troubled by them they do many things that are contrary to my Nature contrary to my Holiness the Spirit is a tender thing and soon grieved now saith the Spirit Come come then when Christ comes the Spirit shall no more be grieved there shall be a course taken with enemies Here then we may see that this is a matter of weight and worthy of consideration the coming of Christ for the very Spirit of Christ desires it But so much for that The whole Church also desires it even the Church Triumphant desires it I might insist upon that first In Rev. 6.9 10. The Church triumphant desires Christs coming And when he had opened the fifth Seal I saw under the Altar the souls of them that were slain for the Word of God and for the testimony which they held And they cryed with a loud voyce saying how long how long O Lord holy and true doest thou not judge and avenge our bloud on them that dwell on the earth Here is part of the Church Triumphant crying How long O Lord afore thou comest Souls have no Tongues you must know but here by crying is meant the desires of the Soul they desire Christs day might come and so their enemies might be judged and they might have their bodies united unto their souls and be made compleat Quest But it may be said Do the Souls in Heaven and the Church in Heaven desire Christ may go out of Heaven and come down to earth that should seem strange Ans 1. Yes The very Church in Heaven desires the day of Christs coming and what if Christ do leave Heaven and come down to earth what hurt in that for they being in Heaven do see the face of the Father and beholding the face of the Father they have happiness enough there as the Angels always behold the face of my Father 2 But secondly when Christ comes they shall come with him as you may see in Jude 14. Behold the Lord cometh with ten thousand of his Saints Here is a limited number put for an illimited ten thousand that is with all his Saints so you have it in Ezek. 14.5 And the Lord my God shall come with all the Saints with him Christ shall come and all the Saints shall come with him when he comes so in 1 Thes 4.14 For if we beleeve that Jesus dyed and rose again even so them also that sleep in Jesus will God bring with him they shall come with Christ when he comes so that the very Church Triumphant are desirous of the coming of Christ But so much for that We come now to that which is more chiefly our aime and scope The Church Militant desires the coming of Christ that is the Church here in this World the Bride here doth desire the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ the Bride saith come come Lord you have it in the twentieth Verse of this Chapter He which testifieth these things saith surely I come quickly Amen even so come Lord Jesus John desires the comming of Christ in the person of the Church Come Lord Jesus and frequently in Scripture thâ—s is spoken of Tit. 2.13 Looking for the blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ The Church looks for and so desires the glorious appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ that which we look for we desire and so in 2 Pet. 3.12 Looking for and hastening unto the coming of the day of God 1 Thes 1.10 And to wait for his Son from Heaven The Thessalonians the Church there waited for the coming of Christ from Heaven and Phil. 3.20 Our conversation is in Heaven from whence also wee look for the Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ And many other places there are Rom. 8.23 And not only they but our selves also
Heavens then shall have new qualities and new dispositions and produce new effects the earth then shall be refined and renewed and put into its primitive estate and be made fit to bee a foot-stool for Christ when hee sits in his Throne to judge the World 3 When Christ comes will bee the greatest distress and trouble to the wicked that ever was and the greatest comfort and consolation to the godly that ever was there will bee the greatest distress and trouble to wicked men that ever was 2 Pet. 3.10 But the Day of the Lord will come as a Thief in the night in the which the Heavens shall pass away with a great noyse and the Elements shall meli with fervent heat the Earth also and the works that are therein shall bee burnt up What work will here be now when all shall bee on fire and Christ shall come in flames of fire What work will this make you shall see what work it will make with the wicked and ungodly Revel 6.14 15. And the Heavens departed as a scrowl when it is roled together and every mountain and Island were moved out of their places and the Kings of the earth and great men and the rich men and the chief Captains and the mighty men and every bond-man and every free-man kid themselves in the Dens and in the Rocks of the mountains and said to the mountains and rocks fall on us and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the Throne and from the wrath of the Lamb for the great day of his wrath is come and who shall be able to stand it will be a dreadful a terrible day to all wicked ones when Christ comes who shall bee able to stand but it will be as comfortable a day to the godly Revel 21. New Jerusalem came down from Heaven Behold the Tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with them and they shall be his people and God himself shall be with them and be their God and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes and there shall be no more death neither sorrow nor crying neither shall there be any more pain for the former things are passed away and he that sate upon the Throne said Behold I make all things new and he said unto me Write for these words are true and faithful it will be a day of great comfort to all Beleevers to all Saints to all that fear God all tears shall bee wiped from their eyes there shall be no more death no more pain 4 Again It is of great concernment in regard that the Lord Jesus Christ shal appear eminently in his greatness and in his glory Christ before appeared like a Servant in a state of Humiliation but then when he comes he shall appear eminently in greatness and glory Matth. 24 30. And then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man in Heaven and then shall all the Tribes of the earth mourn and they shall see the Son of Man coming in the Clouds of Heaven with power and great glory Christ shall come with power and great glory It will be a day of glory indeed for the World shall be filled with the glory of Christ They shall see the sign of the Son of Man in Heaven What is the sign of the Son of Man not the Cross as the Papists say nor other fancies of men but as you may gather out of the twenty seventh verse For as the Lightning cometh out of the East and shineth even unto the West so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be hee shall come with Lightning the brightness of Christ shall fill the World with the glory of Christ Christ is glorified and Christs coming now shall be so shining and so glorious that there shall be an appearance of his coming from the luster that shall be seen in the World Paul saith in Acts 26.13 that he saw a light brighter than the Sun at noon day Christ being so glorious he is so bright that when he comes hee will fill the world with glory so that it will be an eminent day indeed a day of great concernment the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ So then you see that this is a day a time to be harkned unto let him that heareth say come Now what is the use of this point Vse 1. This serves for reproof and reproof of those that do not at all listen after the coming of the Lord Christ many they hearken after any thing but the coming of Christ they hearken after news out of all quarters they hearken after ships from all parts and Ports in the World they hearken after Husbands Friends and Relations they hearken after good Bargains good Matches good Houses good Land good Air good Apparrel they hearken after new Fashions and the like but who hearkens after the coming of the Lord Jesus this is a fault too general a common Sickness that we do not hearken after the coming of Christ 2 This is matter of comfort unto those that do hearken after Christ and so hearken as to say Come Lord come Lord It is matter of comfort unto them they are of the Brides minde they are of the Spirits minde they are of that side the Bride and the Spirit are let him that hears say come if he do so hear and hearken as to say come I say he is of the same side with the Bride and the Spirit â—â—e is indeed the Bride hee hath the Spirit that doth so This is matter of comfort Christ will come and will separate thee ere long from all thine enemies free thee from all evils ere long he shall come and all tears shall be wip'd from thine eyes and there shall bee no more sorrow pain or death it is comfort to those that do so As God took care of the Mourners in Jerusalem they were sealed so those that desire the coming of Christ they shall be revealed they are the Sealed ones the Redeemed ones and they shall stand with the Lamb and be with the Lamb they shall lift up their heads and rejoyce in the coming of Christ when others howl and run to Rocks and Mountains 3 Let us all then so hearken to the coming of Christ as to desire it sincerely and heartily you have heard of it hearken after it inquire whether Christ bee not coming daily consult with the Word of God see whether all things are not accomplished or neere accomplished that be foretold saith Christ When you see the Figg-tree bud then you say that Summer is at hand If an Ambassadour were to come into the Land from some Forreign State how you would hearken whence comes the Ambassabour what comes he about What if Gabriel should come from Heaven What if David Moses or Aaron What if Eliah Enoch or Paul should come from Heaven If God should reveal by his Spirit unto you that these men should come from Heaven would not you hearken after their coming God hath revealed
you shall have peace of Conscience that passes understanding you shall have found Illumination and know God and Christ which is life eternall you shall have Christs wisdome Christs righteousnesse Christs sanctification Christ to be your Redemption you shall have the hidden Manna you shall have the white Stone you shall have the new name you shall be made a pillar in the Temple of God you shall be made a member of Christ you shall be made a Temple of the holy Spirit you shall have the Inhabitation of the Father and the Son and Spirit everlastingly in your soules would you have any thing that heaven hath that God hath that Christ hath come to Christ and you shall have it Againe Consider who it is that Invites you to Christ 't is not Moses 't is not Abraham 't is not Ahasuerush 't is not Hester but a greater then any of these a greater then all these when Moses spake to Pharaoh he prevailed with him to let the people goe to Mount Sinai Abraham and Lot prevailed with Angells to come in and eate and drinke with them Ahasuerush prevailed with the Nobles of 127 Provinces to come and feast with him Hester prevailed with Ahasuerush to shew mercy to Mordecai and the Jewes and to destroy Haman shall these prevaile and shall not the Lord Jesus Christ who is greater then all these prevaile Why Christ was greater then Moses Moses was a servant but Christ was a Son in the house Abraham rejoyced to see the day of Christ and he saw it Ahasuerush he was but an Earthly Prince but Christ is the Prince of life the Prince of all the Kings of the earth an eternall Prince Hester a poore captive and Christ is the Master of the marriage-feast And shall the Lord Christ now intreate Invite and beseech you to come in to come to him and will ye not hearken Pharaoh hearkens to Moses will not you hearken to Christ Angells hearken to Abraham and Lot will not you hearken to Christ Nobles hearken to Ahashuerush will not you hearken to Christ Ahasuerush hearkens to Hester and will not you hearken to Christ Let him that is athirst come come saith Christ 't is I that speake to you who am the Son of God who am the Saviour of the world who am the Everlasting Father who am the Lord of Glory who have Heaven at my dispose come come ô come in then to the Lord Jesus let not your sins let not Devills let not world let not your lusts keepe you backe from the Lord Jesus And what is it Christ calls you for why doth he Invite you is it for your hurt is it to upbraid you for your sin is it to check you for your infirmities is it to revile you and reproach you for any miscariages If it were so then you might demurre then you might argue the case then you might give a deniall but 't is for none of all these it is for your good and wholly for Your good God and Christ have no designes upon men as here men have designes one upon another If they invite you to a feast they have many times a designe upon you but God and Christ have no designes upon you 't is purely meerly totally for your good The Lord Invites you that you may pertake of his righteousnesse that you may have his wisdome his Spirit his fullnesse his Grace his Glory that you may be happie as he is happie Christ gets nothing by it you have all the gaine and all the benefit Againe Consider that Christs tendering himselfe unto you it is the greatest mercy that heaven hath to tender unto poore sinners what hath God in heaven now to doe your poore soules good withall besides Christ The Spirit comes not unless Christ send The Father hath promised him the sending of the Spirit But God he houlds out Christ to you God so loved the world that he gave his onely begotten Son c. 't is the greatest mercy I say that heaven hath to tender unto you And this day in the name of the great God I do tender Jesus Christ unto you all come in and receive Christ come in and receive Christ receive the Lord Jesus Christ to be your husband to be your King to be your Prophet to be your high Priest to be your Saviour to be all in all unto you and know that if you doe refuse and will not receive Christ now offered to you if you will not let goe your lusts your drunkenness whoredome envie malice slandering and the like if you will not let goe these for Christ your damnation will be upon your owne heads salvation is brought to your doores Christ is laid before you he is held out unto you The Golden Scepter this day is held out unto you ô receive the Lord Jesus Christ And if you doe not know you provoke God more in refusing of Christ then by all the sins that you ever committed This will be the sin that will be your damnation John 3. This is the Condemnation that light is come into the world and men love darknesse rather then light c. They love darknesse they love sin sinfull wayes sinfull lusts sinfull company and sinfull practises These you love this is The Condemnation when men will not receive Christ they make God a lyar and what an injurie is this to God that you will put the lie upon God as if God did not love the world as if God not hold out Christ to save sinners And if you receive him not you doe not bare witness to the truth of God and sett to your seales that God is true and so honour him Therefore be perswaded to come in and honour the Lord Jesus Christ What will make it so hard with those of Capernaum with those of Jerusalem at the last day but because Christ was their Prophet and there offered unto them and they would none of him We will not have this man to rule over us This is the Heire come let us kill him ô therefore it shall be easier for Sodom and Gomorrah at the day of Judgement easier it shall be for Constantinoble at the day of Judgement then for Stepney that will not leave your sinfull courses and fall in with Christ and live as Christ and looke for Glory hereafter Why you shall not be alwayes here and then comes an eternall condition and why will you loose Eternitie for momentary pleasures and momentary riches why will you loose Glory and loose all and have that which will a thousand times more aggravate your misery for had you not liv'd where the Gospel is preached when you come to die it would not have been so bad but when as you might have had Christ and might have had salvation and heaven and you have neglected this it will trouble you and lie sad upon you to all Eternitie and this will sinke you deeper into hell That mercy is your torment that mercy is your hell that mercy is
gave him Grace and would give him Glory Hence it is that he saith in Psal 84.11 Grace and Glory will he give and no good thing will hee withhold Well I have grace and I shall have more grace and I have a humane glory I am a King and a Prophet and shall have greater glory I shall have glory in the highest heavens So that you see its true of David Christ is the root of his Nature the root of his Grace and the root of his Glory Now this will appear for the general That hee is the root of Nature and Grace and Glory First It will appear that Christ is the root of Nature How it appears that Christ is the root of Nature from the Creation and making of all things He that makes all things must needs bee the Lord and the Root and the author and fountain of Nature Heb. 1.2 By whom also he made the worlds why the world was made by Christ Christs right hand Christs arm was at work in the making of all the creatures The world was made by him therefore he is the Lord of Nature that hath made all Secondly It appears he is the root of Nature because he can blast nature at his pleasure what saith Christ to the Fig-tree Never fruit grow more upon this tree did it not presently wither away Christ dryed up all the moysture dried up the sap dried up the very root of the tree why he is the very Root and the Lord of Nature Thirdly Farther it appears in regard that he hath the command of all Diseases he cured and healed them What Disease was there ever presented to Christ that he could not cure He cast out Devils cured Leprosies and all manner of diseases the woman that had spent all her estate with Physitians and could do no good the man that lay at the Pool of Bethesday and could not be cured yet Christ cures all Diseases He is the root of Nature Fourthly So likewise it appears from his raising of the dead when men are upon dissolution and nature going downward the breaths gone the soul is gone the body putrified it matters not saith Christ to Martha Thou shalt see the glory of God thou shalt see that I am the root of Nature that I am the root of all that I can call both the soul and breathe breath into him and raise him up These are evidences that hee is the Root and Lord of Nature Secondly Christ hee is the root of Grace Christ the root of Grace all Grace is from him Luke 4.18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he hath anointed me to preach the Gospel To preach it to the poor he hath sent me to heal the broken hearted to preach deliverance to the Captives and recovering of sight to the blind to set at liberty them that are bruised to preach the acceptable year of the Lord Is not here Grace in all these Yes and all comes from Christ Hee was annointed with the Spirit of the Lord to do these things And more fully in Joh. 1.14 16 17. The word was made flesh and dwelt among us full of Grace and Truth but for whom was this Grace and for whom was the Truth saith John And of his fulness have all we received and Grace for Grace Hee had a fulness of Grace hee was the Author the Root of Grace the Fountain of Grace the God of Grace and this Grace was to be communicated and derived unto others Of his fulness have we all received Grace for Grace For the Law was given by Moses but Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ The Lord Christ is the root of Grace Rom. 5.20 21. Where sin abounded Grace did much more abound That as sin hath reigned unto death even so might Grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord Sin abounded I but Grace doth superabound how comes it to superabound by Jesus Christ our Lord Grace must reign as sin hath reigned and it must reign by Christ this Grace will send out so much Grace that Grace will reign and out-reign sin bring under sin So then Christ he is the root of Grace Lastly Christ the rooâ— of Glory Christ he is the root of Glory there is none let into heaven but by Christ none made glorious but by Christ 1 Cor. 2.8 he is called the Lord of Glory They crucified the Lord of Glory The Lord of Glory because he was a glorious Lord in himself The Lord of Glory because he hath all Glory to dispose of The Lord of Glory because he advances whom he pleases to Glory he will advance his Church unto Glory all beleevers unto Glory So that you see now Christ he is the root of Nature the root of Grace and the root of Glory Now what remains but that we should make some use of this point and there are several things which will be observable Use First If Christ be the Root of Nature of Grace and Glory then we may all make use of that which David doth upon this account in Ps 138.8 Thy mercy O Lord indures for ever forsake not the works of thine own hand why may not every one say Lord I am the work of thy hands thou hast made me a creature Thou art the root of my nature Lord do not forsake me but Lord make me gracious as well as to have nature bee the root not only of a natural life to mee but the root of a spriritual life unto me and be the root of Glory unto me why thy hand hath made me Thou hast made me a man given me an immortal soul indued me with understanding and some wisdome and knowledge Lord do not forsake me leave mee not to the Devil to the world to my self But Lord seeing thy hand hath made me a man so Lord let it make me a new man as I have a Natural life so let me have another life a Spiritual life so every one when they are in straights and troubles in darkness and afflictions and think they are left of God and Christ let them use this Argument in Prayer I am the work of thine hands what wilt thou leave the work of thy own hands why men will not desert the work of their own hands thou hast not deserted the Creation the Sun Moon and Stars Night and day Summer and Winter why Lord I am the work of thine own hands do not leave me nor forsake me 2 Is Christ the root of Nature of Grace and of Glory then whatsoever difference you see in men as men in men as Christians what difference soever you read of men in glory it is all from the Lord Jesus Christ it is from the root You know that one Tree is higher than another it is from the root that one tree or branch is higher or bigger than another it is from the root of the Tree that the differences are in the branches and arms and boughes of the tree
Corruption then you may go with boldness to the Throne of Grace why Christ is at the Throne of Grace Christ who is the Off-spring of David Christ who is of your Nature Christ who is sensible of your wants he is there go and tell the Lord Jesus what Temptations you have what Corruptions you have what guilt you finde what weaknesses you finde in you go and tell the Lord Jesus and desire him to commend it to the Father and he will do it for you 2 The next Conclusion here is If Christ be of the Race of David that the Lord Jesus is no mean Person but a very honourable Person and well descended he is the Off-spring of David of David a Prophet of David a King of Israel of David the beloved of God of David an eminent Person in Israel Christ is well born and well descended he is of the Bloud Royal Mat. 2. Where is he that is born King of Israel hee descended from Kings from the greatest that the Scripture mentions It was Solomons honour to be the Son of David and it is the honour of Christ to be the Son of David Behold a greater than Solomon is here And there be two expressions upon this very account which do help to set out the Lord Christ that he is a person honourable indeed The one is That he is called the Branch so in Isa and Jerem. and Zach. hee is called the Branch that is the branch out of this Root the branch of David an eminent and glorious branch Jer. 33.15 In those days and at that time will I cause the branch of righteousness to grow up unto David and hee shall execute Judgement and Righteousness in the Land David he is the Root out of that Root shall come the Off-spring Christ the Branch of Righeousness the righteous Branch or the Branch that acts and works Righteousness that executes Judgement and Justice a Branch that yeelds the best Fruit that ever the World had a Branch of Righteousness and such a Branch as in Isa 4.2 In that day shall the Branch of the Lord bee beautiful and glorious and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and comely This is the Branch of David and is called The Branch of the Lord and this Branch shall be beautiful and glorious beautiful and glorious all the World over and the fruit of the Earth shall bee excellent and comely O here is a Branch of Righteousness here is a Branch out of a Root the Lord Christ out of the Root of Jesse the Root of David that shall yeeld fruit which shall be excellent all the World over The other expression is that in Ezeck 24.29 where he is called The Plant of renown This Branch this Plant this Off-spring of David is the Plant of renown There have been many renowned Plants in the World Abraham was a renowned Plant in his days so Joshua Moses and the Prophets were renowned Plants and divers of the Kings of Judah were renowned Plants also But Christ is the Plant of renown emphatically this Plant hath done renowned things indeed this is the Plant that is to bee honoured above all the Plants that ever were in the World he hath done such things as never any did this is he that took away the sin of the world Joh. 1.29 This is he that did break down the partition wall between Jew and Gentile and reconciled Jew and Gentile Ephes 2.11 12 13 14. This is he that laid the foundation of the Christian Church and built up that Zech. 6.12 And speak unto him saying Behold thus speaketh the Lord of Hosts saying behold the man whose name is the Branch and hee shall grow up ouâ— of his place and he shall build the Temple of the Lord It is the Branch the Branch the Plant of renown the Lord Jesus the Off-spring of David that shall build the Christian Church This is he that brought in everlasting righteousness Dan. 9.22 to bring in everlasting righteousness and to seal up the Vision this is the Plant that yeelds such fruit as this as to send the Comforter Joh. 16.7 this is he that did such Works as never any did before him Joh. 15.24 so that the Lord Christ he is no mean person he is the Off-spring of David the Branch of Righteousness the Plant of Renown Vse This serves in the first place to take off the offence and prejudice which lies in the hearts of many against Christ in regard of his meaneness in regard of his poverty in regard of his being accounted the Carpenters Son a Fellow and a vulgar Person and in that he was reckoned among Malefactors and put to an open shameful Death many stumble at these things the Jews stumble and the Turks stumble and say Our Saviour was a poor contemptible man and the like but this may take off all the prejudice and scandal that arises thence he was the Son of David the Branch of renown hee that did such things as never man did Matth. 11. saith Christ Blessed is he that is not offended at me why I am a poor Man that have not two Coates that have not a house to hide my head in that have not bread to eat and the like and blessed is he that is not offended at me that stumbles not at my meanness nor at the scandals and reproaches that are taken at me O blessed is he that is not offended at me but can look through these and can see me to be the Off-spring of David the Plant of Renown the Branch of Righteousness that can see me to be all in all 2 This may serve to strengthen our faith many did reject David 1 Sam. 22.7 Then Saul said unto his Servants that stood about him here now yee Benjamites will the Son of Jesse give every one of you Fields and Vineyards c. he rejects the Son of Jesse that is David himself what hath this poor fellow such and such things to give you he is but the Son of Jesse So many reject Jesus the Son of David and say Why what hath this poor Jesus to give you he was but the Carpenters Son but this serves to strengthen our faith Wee know saith Paul in whom we have beleeved we have beleeved in him who is the Off-spring of David the Plant of renown the Branch of renown that took away the sin of the World that sends the Comforter that can do greater things for us than we can ask or think we beleeve in him who is an honourable Person descended from the best Bloud that ever was we beleeve in him 3 This should serve to raise up our hearts to a higher esteem of the Lord Jesus Kings Sons are regarded and observed by all the people the Lord Jesus was a Kings Son the Son of David I and the Son of God too therefore we should have high and honourable thoughts of the Lord Jesus 1 Pet. 2.7 To you that beleeve hee is precious precious in your thoughts precious
in your desires a beleeving Soul sees what an honourable Person Christ is Carnal eyes do not see but Spiritual eyes do see this Off-spring of David they see what a Plant he is what a Branch he is And it should make men and women desirous to come in to Christ and close with Christ Women desire honourable Matches and rich Matches and shall not our Souls now close with Christ who is the best Match the Off-spring of David the Heir of the World the Heir of Heaven O therefore let your desires be towards Christ and close with the Lord Jesus and honour him in your thoughts and exalt him in your hearts and lift him up higher and higher every day for there is none like unto him 4 Lastly This may serve to let us see what service and subjection is due unto Jesus Christ hee is the Off-spring of David hee is the Root of David he is God and he is true Man and he is of the most eminent of men in the World therefore all service and subjection is due unto him Psal 2. Kiss the Son lest he bâ—e angry and yee perish from the mid way O kiss him and subject unto him kiss him and serve him kiss him and obey him manifest your respects unto him every way the meaning here is Kiss the Son and serve him serve him with your Souls with your Bodies he hath the right of Redemption O therefore serve him The next Conclusion to be drawn from these words is this If Christ bee the Root and Off-spring of David then whatsoever the Scripture faith upon this account and consideration must be made good and there are two Scriptures worthy your serious and best consideration The first is in Jer. 23.5 Behold the days come saith the Lord that I will raise unto David a righteous branch and a King shall reign and prosper and shall execute Justice and Judgement in the earth Hear what the Scripture saith of the Off-spring of David he shall be a King and shall prosper and he shall execute Justice and Judgement in the earth The other Scripture is in Luk. 1.29 He shall be Great and shall be called the Son of the Highest and the Lord shall give unto him the Throne of his Father David Whether ever Christ yet had these Scriptures made good unto him is worth your serious consideration was Christ ever yet set upon the Throne of David according to these words When Christ was here it was in a state of Humiliation he came not to be ministred unto but to minister unto others and he did wash his Disciples feet he was in a state of humiliation doth it not remain then that these Scriptures should be made good It is true Christ hath a Throne in Heaven but that is not Davids Throne that is the Throne of God but he shall sit upon his Father Davids Throne And surely there is something in that Rev. 19.11 And I saw heaven opened and behold a white Horse and he that sate upon him was called faithful and true and in righteousness he doth judge and make Warre his eyes were as a flame of fire and on his head were many Crowns and hee had a name written that no man knew but himself and he was cloathed in a vesture dipt in bloud and his name was called the Word of God who was this but Christ And the Armies which were in Heaven followed him upon white Horses cloathed in fine Linnen white and clean and out of his mouth goeth a sharp Sword that with it he should smite the Nations and he shall rule them with a rod of Iron and he treadeth the Wine-press of the fiercèness and wrath of Almighty God c. Whether this bee yet fulfilled take into your serious consideration and this conclusion that Christ the Off-spring of David must reign and sit upon the Throne or David serves for two speciall things First For preparation Secondly For expectation First for Preparation That people should prepare and sit themselves against the coming of Christ so Revel 19.7 Let us be glad and rejoyce and give honour to him for the Marriage of the Lamb is come and his Wife hath made her self ready This was in Vision now it must be made good in reality let every Soul prepare and make themselves ready for the coming of the Lord Jesus you know a Bride doth trim and deck up her self and put on her ornaments and make her self as lovely and amiable as possibly the can so should every Soul purge away sin and deck up themselves with the Graces of Gods Spirit and walk righteously and holily and unblamably and so make themselves ready for Christ The Second is for Expectation saith Christ I am the Root and the Off-spring of David and what follows in the next words And the Spirit and the Bride saith come and let him that heareth say come c. presently therâ— is an expectation raised Christ speaks these words to raise the expectations of all that should live after this Book to expect his coming I am the root of Jesse the root of David and the Off-spring of David I have upheld David and he hath had a Kingdom and I am his Son and I must come and I must sit upon his Throne and I must reign The next Conclusion is this That the knowledge of Christ under these Notions or expressions here is of great concernment This is the last Declaration that ever the Lord Jesus made of himself here in the world and what saith he I am the root and the off-spring of David and so leaves it unto the World to consider of This is of great concernment to consider Christ under these Notions now to make it out in two or three particulars 1 Here is held out unto us the two Natures of Christ his God-head his Divine Nature and his Human Nature the Divine Nature I am the root of David his Human nature The off-spring of David and withall a great Mystery for mark I am the root of David and the Off-spring of David and David lyes between both So here Christs Human nature in the Off-spring the Divine nature in the root and Christ Mediator lyes between both for there must be a concurrence of Divine and Human nature to impersonate Christ to be a Mediator which here is held out unto the World in the last Declaration of the Lord Jesus Christ I am God and I uphold you I uphold David and his Kingdom and I am the Off-spring of David I am sensible of any thing is done to my Church and People and I am Mediator and will mediate with my Father for vengeance on those shal wrong them and for assistance of all those he hath given unto me 2 Herein many Scriptures are fulfilled I am the root and Off-spring of David and so wee may see the truth reality and certainty of Scripture Joh. 4.7 Hath not the Scripture said that Christ cometh of the Seed of David and out of the town of
hath life when men swear and lye and follow their lusts and courses of the world they are darkness and walk in darkness but that man that walks most conformable to the rule of Gods Word he is light he is a brother but if you have not love the Day-star is not risen in your hearts 4 Lastly If this Day-star be risen in you then you will follow the Lord Christ and the Light that he holds out unto you and others you will not follow I say you will follow Christ hee is Light saith Paul Be yee followers of me as I am of Christ and my Sheep know my voyce and they follow me but they know not the voyce of strangers and will not follow them Christs Sheep those that have light they will follow the light they will follow the Day-star you know that when they were in the Wilderness they had a Pillar of Fire went before them in the night and they followed that so now Christ is the Pillar of Fire he is the Star that goes before them and they will follow that Star the Wise men had a Star that went before them and they followed that Star and that led them to Christ but now we must not follow Stars nor follow Men but follow Christ the Star whom do you follow now your own wisdom your own counsel your own Iusts the examples of men and the like are these your Guides and Leaders you are undone theâ— you have not the Day-star risen in your hearts if it were you would follow this Guide which is an infallible light and an infallible Guide therefore try your selves by this 5 If Christ be the bright and morning Star then let us look and wait for the Day which this morning Star is a fore-runner of it will be a glorious and a great Day be it the Day of Judgement as some do conceive or the day of Restitution of all things as others conceive yet that day will come and it will be a remarkable day a glorious day a day of burning a day of fire a day to consume the wicked a day to advance and raise the godly and Paul doth beseech them in 2 Thess he lays the weight upon that very thing chap. 2. vers 1. Now we beseech you Brethren by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and by our gathering together unto him O the coming of Christ is a very weighty thing when he shall come in the glory of his Father and of the Angels to judge the World or to deliver the World it will bee a great day a separating day O therefore let us look for that day and prepare for it Oh the Saints at that day will have cause to lift up their heads their Redemption draweth nigh It will be the day wherein Christ as he saith in Mat. 26.29 I will not drink henceforth of the fruit of the Vine untill the day when I drink it new with you in my Fathers Kingdom It will be a day of rejoycing to the Saints but the wicked shall have a Cup of Vinegar to drink or mingled Cup with Wrath and they must drink it all off to their undoing well seeing the morning Star hath appeared and is up and that day will come O let us look and prepare for it 6 Lastly If Christ bee the bright morning Star then we should be encouraged here to serve the Lord Jesus Christ and not to be weary of his work of his way and though wee meet with difficulties and discouragements yet to go on and fight it out and upon what ground see in Revel 2.26 28. He that overcometh and keepeth my words unto the end to him will I give power over the Nations and I will give him the morning Star He that goes on in my service and overcomes World Devil Corruption and Sin saith Christ I will give him the morning Star I will make him glorious I will fill him with joy and comfort I will give him my self for I am the morning Star hee shall have fruition of me and possession of me so that here 's incouragement enough for any to go on in godliness in Christianity in the ways of holiness and to oppose the enemies of Christ why he shall have Christ himself the morning Star The Voyce of the Spirit and Bride REV. 22.17 And the Spirit and the Bridesay Come THE Lord Christ having declared many things concerning himself and his enemies and the state his Church should come unto in this Book here the Spirit and the Bride say Is it so come come seeing there is such Prophesies of thy self come seeing thine enemies shall meet with such things come seeing thou wilt bring the Church to such a state come The Spirit and the Bride say Come To speak a little to the words Some by a Figure called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where two words are put for one do understand the words thus And the Spirit and the Bride that is the Bride by the Spirit saith come Or the Bride by instinct of the Spirit saith come or the Spiritual Bride the Bride sanctified by the Spirit saith come But you see they are put distinct and so some Expositors take them The Spirit saith come and the Bride saith come The Spirit that spake to the Churches in the second and third of the Revelation Here what the Spirit saith unto the Churches that Spirit here saith come And the Bride saith come by Bride both the Church â—â—â—umphant and Militant may bee understood those that are chosen called and faithful Revel 17.4 those that had the name of their Fathers written in their fore-head Revel 14.1 Those that had white Robes and Palms in their hands Revel 7. Those that made up the New Jerusalem that descended from Heaven Revel 21. Those who did keep the Commandements of God and do his Will Revel 22.14 Those that were the several assembly of the first born Heb. 12. these are the Bride Now the Church is called a Bride from the resemblances that it hath with a Bride 1 You know a Bride doth forget The reâ—emblance â—etween â—he Church â—nd a â—â—ride and forsake her own people and her fathers house Psal 45. Forget thine own people and thy fathers house it is spoken there to the Bride so the Church forgets the World and the customs and fashions of the World her own people kindred and relations and forsakes them Thus doth the Church Ephes 5.32 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother and shall be joyned to his wife This is a great mystery but I speak concerning Christ and the Church the Church must leave Father and Mother leave outward relations Wee have forsaken all and followed thee said the Disciples 2 A Bride you know is betrothed and espoused unto a man she gives up her self unto a man so the Church 2 Cor. 11. For I have espoused you to one Huthand that I may present you as a chaste Virgin to Christ Christ calls her his Spouse in
Christ Cant. 5.10 He is said to bee white and ruddy the chiefest of ten thousand and altogether lovely who should bee more desired than Christ Christ looks upon his Church as lovely and desirable and he saith Come away come away my beloved come over the Mountains and come away and have communion with me and Christ is farre more lovely than the Church farre more glorious and beautiful Christ is the bright morning Star and is not that desirable Christ is the Sun of Righteousness that comes with healing in his wings and is not be desirable Christ is the brightness of his Fathers glory and is not he desirable Pro. 13.15 Wisdom is to be desired above all things saith he and is not Christ the Fountain of all Wisdom In him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge Col. 2.3 and is not he desirable Christ is the Bridegroom and is not he desirable such a Bridegroom as never was in the world before nor will be afterwards no marvell then the Church saith Come come come he is desirable 3 If the Church do desire Christ then here is matter of comfort for the Church matter of comfort for every beleeving soul that doth desire Christ comfort upon sundry considerations 1 The soul that doth so desire Christ as you have heard that desires Christ Spiritually that desires Christ earnestly that hath a waking desire after Christ a lasting desire a desire that springs from promises this is an Argument now unto thee of the truth of grace such desires come from the Spirit of God they are not from Nature from the flesh and bloud flesh and bloud doth not desire the coming of Christ but it is from a principle of Grace from a Fountain within from something conformable to Christ and this is an argument of comfort many are troubled they know not whether they have Grace or no but dost thou so desire the coming of Christ it is an argument of the truth of grace in thy heart 2 It is an Argument of a blessed condition Matth. 5.10 Blessed are those that hunger and thirst after righteousness blessed are they in the Judgement of the Lord Jesus Christ himself thou art a blessed Creature Dost thou hunger and thirst after righteousness To hunger and thirst is to have earnest strong desires after righteousness and if so thou art blessed Now is not Christ righteousness Look into Jer. 23.5 6. saith the Lord Behold the days come that I will raise unto David a righteous branch and a King shall reign and prosper and shall execute Judgement and Justice in the earth in his days Judah shall be saved and Israel shall dwell safely and this is the name whereby hee shall be called the Lord our righteousness Well dost thou hunger and thirst now after righteousness after Christ and his righteousness Doest thou see thine own righteousness as spotted filthy loathsome and throw it away and hunger and thirst after the righteousness of Christ what he hath purchased and procured by his Death Sufferings and Merits for poor sinners thou art a blessed Creature that dost desire Christ 3 Thou shalt be satisfied for ere long Christ will come Yet a little while Heb. 10. and hee that shall come will come and will not tarry Behold I come quickly and my reward is with me I am a coming I am a coming saith Christ and he will satisfie the souls of those that do desire him Revel 7.15 Therefore are they before the Throne of God and serve him day and night c. and vers 16. They shall hunger no more neither thirst any more neither shall the Sun light on them nor any heat for the Lamb which is the midst of the Throne shall feed them and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes They shall be fed and be filled and shall not hunger and thirst any more and it is not long For that might bee objâ—cted Wee have desired and we have waited long why it is not long Christ is a coming the things that now we see do prognosticate as much unto us When the Son of Man cometh shall he finde faith on the earth Where is any faithfulness in men no faith to be found in men And doth not the Devil rage now and throw out puddle waters Blasphemies Errours and Heresies And are not all Nations perplexed at this time and know not what to do and which way to turn them And is there not a spirit of Prayer abroad for the coming of Jesus Christ more than hath been in former days And if it bee so these are Arguments that Christs coming is nearer at hand then you are aware of therefore here is comfort to the Saints and servants of Christ Christ will come and then they shall be satisfied that have desired and waited for his coming 4 If it bee so that the Church desires the coming of Christ then let me intreat you all to examine your selves whether you do so desire the coming of Christ yea or no and if you would know it I shall commend two or three things to you beyond what I have laid down 1 That Soul that desires the coming of Christ as the Bride here doth lives not in any known sin that Soul that lives in any known sin that Soul cannot that Soul doth not that Soul dares not desire the coming of Christ I will give you one place of Scripture for it 2 Thes 1.8 When the Lord Jesus shall bee revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ If a man be ignorant and knows not God and his duty and if a man do know God and his duty and disobey the Gospel dares that man now desire the coming of Christ that shall come in flames of fire to render vengeance Doth the Murderer desire the coming of the Judge Doth any guilty man desire the coming of him that will bring him forth and punish him for his guilt therefore the Soul that desires the coming of Christ is a Soul that lives in no known Sin he is neither ignorant of God Gospel nor duty nor disobedent to God Christ or Gospel 2 If you do desire the coming of Christ in truth and according to those desires before mentioned you will make some preparation for the coming of Christ as you see the Bride that saith Come she prepares for his coming Revel 19.7 And his Wife hath made her self ready she prepared for his coming And so in the Gospel Luke 12.40 Be yee therefore ready also for the Son of Man cometh at an hour when yee think not And the wise Virgins they made ready in Matth. 25. saith he there And while the foolish Virgins went to buy oyl the Bridegroom came and they that were ready went in with him to the Marriage and the door was shut Now what do you do towards Christs
the coming of Christ In Isa 66. they say there Let God be glorified Joh. 16. They shall cast you out of their Synagogues and hate you and kill you for my name sake and think they do God good service Wicked men know it is their duty to glorifie God and they go about it though they do it the wrong way but now this being for Gods glory and revealed it is the duty of all men to desire the coming of Christ But I shall come to those Observations the words will afford Obs 1. That the coming of Christ is a thing made known and ought to be made known Let him that heareth say Come How shall they hear unless this be known and made known it cannot be heard nor desired there is hardly any thing in all the Gospel so much made known as the coming of Christ is Christ himself doth frequently speak of it Joh. 14. I go away but I will come again I will see you again saith Christ Joh. 21.22 23. If I will that he tarry till I come what is that to thee so v. 23. If I wil that he tarry till I come what is that to thee Till I come I mean to come again And in Revel 2.25 That which yee have already hold fast till I come saith Christ to the Church of Thyatira Christ himself speaks oft of his coming so the Angels have proclaimed and made known the coming of Christ Acts 1.11 This same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven shall so come in like manner as yee have seen him go into heaven So Peter he hath proclaimed the coming of Christ Acts 3.20 And he shall send Jesus Christ which before was preached unto you God shall send Jesus Christ again and he shall come and he vindicates the coming of Christ which was questioned 2 Pet. 3.4 some said there Where is the promise of his coming Peter vindicates this Looking for and hastening unto the coming of the day of God And Paul he is not silent in this business but he speaks frequently of the coming of Christ 2 Thess 1. When he shall come to be glorified in his Saints and chap. 2. vers 1. We beseech you Brethren by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and vers 8. Whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming So in 2 Timoth. 4. I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing And in Tit. 2.13 Looking for the blessed love and the glorious appearing of the great God and of the Saviour Jesus Christ and in Heb. 9. ult and chap. 10.16 17. he speaks of it James also mentions it And it is observable there is not one Writer in all the New Testament but speaks of the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ Jam. 5.8 Bee yee also patient stablish your hearts for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh Peter also speaks of it I told you before So iâ— Jude 14. Behold the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his Saints and John he mentions it frequently six times in this Chapter my text is in doth he speak of it And will you have Matthew and Mark and Luke to give their testimony see in Matth. 24.27 For as the Lightning cometh out of the East and shineth unto the West so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be Mark likewise speaks of it chap. 8.38 When he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy Angels and Luk. 10.13 he calls his ten Servants and delivers them ten pound and saith unto them Occupy till I come so that it is very observable that all the Apostles and all that write the Epistles do speak of the coming of the Lord Jesus Now why is this coming of Christ insisted upon so much and made known so much and so often repeated 1 Because we are hard to beleeve it men are hardly induced and perswaded to beleeve the coming of the Lord Jesus 2 Pet. 3.4 say they Where is the promise of his coming do not all things abide as they did from the beginning They could not beleeve Christs coming and it is a hard thing to perswade men and settle men in this the coming of the Lord Jesus again 2 If men be perswaded to this yet they are wonderfull apt to forget his coming and to put the evil day farre of Matth. 24.48 The evil servant says in his heart my Lord delays his coming he will not come in my days so the wise and foolish Virgins grew secure the wise slumbered and the foolish slept and so forgat the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ we are apt I say to forget and to put it off 3 This is so often mentioned and insisted upon that so we may prepare for it Matth. 24.44 Therefore bee yee also ready for in such an hour as yee think not of the Son of Man cometh The Son of Man comes and hee will come suddenly when men and women do not think of it therefore it is to be made known that people may bee ready and prepared for the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ 4 Lastly This is made known and so much insisted upon in the New Testament because it is a ground for Patience and to bear up the spirits of men and women against the Cross against afflictions against reproaches against discouragements and all the hard measures they meet withall here in the World Heb. 10.36.37 For yee have need of patience that after yee have done the Will of God yee might receive the Promise they had indured the spoyling of their goods and great afflictions and saith he yee have need of Patience For yet a little while and he that shall come will come and will not tarry here is a ground for their patience Christ will come and so in Jam. 5.7 Bee patient therefore brethren unto the coming of the Lord behold the Husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth and hath long patience for it be yee also patient stablish your hearts for the coming of the Lord draweth neer This will bear up the heart against all discouragement these afflictions reproaches temptations will have an end when Christ comes so that upon these accounts it is so much spoken of and to be made known Application 1 This serves for reproof First of those that cannot indure to bear of the coming of Christ that had rather hear of any thing than the coming of Christ why is Christs coming spoken of so by himself by all the Apostles and Evangelists Doth the Spirit say come and the Bride say come and shall not we indure to hear of the coming of Christ It argues abundance of guilt abundance of wickedness and prophaneness abundance of ignorance in the heart that cannot indure to hear of the coming of Christ 2 It reproves those and shews how inexcusable they will be that the coming of Christ is so made
after Christ nor use the means these do not thirst 3 Again no unregenerate man doth Spiritually thirst after Christ 1 Cor. 2.14 The Natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him neither can he know them because they are Spiritually discerned And if he do not know them it is the old rule There is no desire of that Now men that have not the Spirit as appears ver 12. they cannot thirst So in Jude it is there They are sensual not having the Spirit Now what a multitude of men and women are there in the world that have not the Spirit they jear at the Spirit and others know not whether there bee a Spirit of God or no Oh! multitudes the greatest part are in the broad way These now do not Spiritually thirst after Christ 4 Again those that do live and go on in any known way of wickedness they do not desire Christ nor cannot desire the Lord Jesus Christ And do not most men and women go on in some way of wickedness or other and they make their Lusts their god and they would not have that god destroyed they say to Christ as the Devils did Why dost thou come to torment us before the time When men and women walk in any way of wickedness and it is their ordinary practise they do not desire the coming of Christ neither can they Many things I might instance in this way but it is too evident there are few that do Spiritually thirst after Christ Q But whence is it that so few do so Spiritually thirst after Christ Whence is it that so few do thirst after Christ A. First It is from the ignorance of men and women the Law of God hath never entered into their Souls for had the Law of God entred to convince them of sin for by the Law comes the knowledge of sin had the Law ever entred to convince them of the sinfulness of sin that is in them of the pollution of sin how it defiles them of the distance sin hath set them at from God of the Curse hangs over their heads by reason of their sin they would then begin to inquire and to thirst after Christ but the Law hath never entred into them they are ignorant of the Law of God ignorant of the truths of God and where there is blindness and ignorance there can be no true thirst Secondly This is from the conceitedness of men and women most men and women are conceited of their own goodness they have good hearts good natures lead honest lives they are civil and just they walk unblameably and these things they rest upon and so they feed upon these husks Solomon saith Every man is first in his own cause A man is righteous in his own eyes and a man will judge himself and justifie himself and think himself better than another and we are naturally prone to Hypocrisie to see a mote in anothers eye and not a beam in our own The Church of Laodicea conceited her self to be rich and to be full c. and to want nothing when as she was poor and miserable and blinde and naked and wanted all things This is natural for men and women to conceit well of themselves The Pharisee fasts twice in the week c. And not like this Publican this is incident to us all to think too well of our selves and hence it is that men and women do not thirst after Christ but will be their own Saviours and so undoe themselves Thirdly This is from men and womens mistakes 1 Of God 2 Of the Creature 1 Of God They think God is like unto themselves Psal 50. Thou thoughtest that I was such a one as thy self but I will reprove thee and set thy sins in order before thee and I will tear thee in peeces and none shall deliver thee unless thou do otherwise then so Wee think God is all Mercy and that he is not so holy so just so severe and ridgid against sin O it is but a saying Lord have mercy upon us and all will do well now here is their mistake about God God is exceeding holy and he is wonderful severe Gods thoughts are not as our thoughts A man judges well of himself but God will send him to Hell for judging well of himself the Wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all unrighteousness the very appearances of evil God hath cut off men for small sins 2 It is from peoples mistakes about the Creature and the insufficiency of the Creature they do not see an utter insufficiency in all Creatures to releeve them and therefore they stick upon Creatures One man hee trusts unto his estate and riches the rich mans wealth is his strong tower Another man rests upon his Wisdom and policy another trusts to his Strength another trusts to his Almes and good Works and another thinks he shall never dye he is not so old but he may yet live another Month or a Year men are not convinced of the insufficiency of all things to releeve them and deliver them but the Lord Jesus Christ but if they were satisfied no Angel nor Potentate no Action of their own no action of others not all the Saints in the VVorld can deliver one Soul Then they would hunger and thirst after Christ but while they are not convinced of the insufficiency of all these things there is no thirsting after Christ 4 Further This is from their not understanding of the infinite worth and excellency and good that is to be had in the Lord Jesus Christ alone they think they must joyn something with Christ I will do a little and Christ shall do the rest they set up themselves with Christ and make themselves equal to Christ they must save themselves in part and Christ must save them in part But now if men and women did understand the excellency of Christ the fulness of Christ the grace of Christ the mercy and love of Christ and the vertue of Christ how that the only way for pardon for peace for life for strength for comfort for whatsoever their Souls stand in need of it is in Christ then they would be carried out to Christ Is not he held out in the Gospel to be a Sun all Light in him Is not he held out to have life in himself all Spiritual life in him I am come that yee might have life and have it in more abundance Is not Christ held out to be the great High Priest that offered himself a Sacrifice and such a Sacrifice that all other Sacrifices have ceased all lies upon Christ and whatsoever your sins are whatsoever your nakedness and Poverty is there is relief to bee had in Christ hee is Righteousness hee is Strength he is Bread he is all so that peoples not well understanding the worth of Christ and all to be had in Christ for the Lord hath sealed him sent him set him forth and declared
these things are laid aside but here is the difference between them the true thirst carries thee unto Grace Holiness and Communion with God and makes you look at the excellencies of God whereas the other look for peace ease Salvation and the like Now it is true that men and women who look at Grace Holiness and Communion with God shall have pardon peace and Salvation but these are as Consequences Lord saith the Soul rather make me holy than pardon me for if I be not holy what shall I do in Heaven if I be holy I cannot miscarry in Hell a holy Soul shall never feel pain though it be in Hell and a corrupt Soul shall never finde joy though it be in Heaven so that in this there lies a great difference Of Spiritual Thirst and Thirsters REV. 22.17 Let him that is athirst come WEE now proceed to shew you how you shall know the true Spiritual Thirst by the effects and fruits of it 1 True Spiritual thirst doth cause even fainting in the Soul â—he efâ—cts and â—uits of â—â—e Spiriâ—al thirst as the Natural thirst makes a man or woman to faint as in Judges 15.19 it is said there of Sampson that he drank and revived and his spirit came again his spirit was gone he was ready to faint his thirst was such that it brought him low and in Psal 107.5 Hungry and thirsty their souls fainted in them they were very feeble they were brought low with hunger and thirst and where there is this Spiritual thirst the Soul is brought low it is ready to faint as the Spouse in the Canticles Tell him that I am sick of love O my desires are such after Christ and after my Beloved that I am sick of Love I am ready to faint And so David Psal 42. his Soul panted and thirsted after God as the Hart when it is long hunted wearied and dry pants after the water Brooks so a Soul that hath a Spiritual thirst it is ready to faint with longing after God with longing after Christ with desiring of Grace and the incomes of his Spirit the light of his Countenance communion with God in Christ this is one effect of it 2 This thirst will cause men to stir and to seek out when men are truly and thorowly athirst they will seek out for drink a man that is thorowly athirst he will out of his Bed at Midnight and down to the Seller and get drink to quench his thirst when men are athirst they will run to this Brook and to that Brook for water those in Judg. 7. they down on their knees and lapt water Men at Sea what shifts will they make to get a little water when they are dry so the Soul that is athirst will not sit still but seek out it will seek for Brooks and Fountains it will run to every Ordinance to every Promise run unto Christ look up to God If there bee any means of Grace in a Land it will finde the same out if the Vision be never so rare the Word never so precious it will look out after it a Soul that is thirsty it will seek abroad it will not bee restrained and kept within bounds that is the nature of a Spiritual thirst when their desires were a little stirred at Christs coming how did they flock after Christ and continued with him nights and days You have beon with me saith Christ these two or three days and he works a Miracle now to satisfie them that they might not faint in going home so all night did they sit there with Paul when hee preacht the Gospel that they might drink large drafts of that heavenly Doctin a Soul that is athirst will seek out for releef 3 Again Where there is true thirst there men will part with any thing for to releeve their thirst hungry and thirsty men wil part with any thing for those necessaries which Nature requires when Hagar saw the Bottle empty and the Childe ready to perish the water was spent in the Bottle and she casts the Childe under one of the shrubs and she went and sate her down over against him a good way off as it were a Bow-shot for she said Let me not see the death of the Childe and she sate over against him and lift up her voyce and wept What would Hager have given for a Bottle of water for a morsel of bread and when her eyes were open to see the Well how it did rejoyce her that a Well was near her And Esau when hee was hungry and thirsty he gives away his Birth-right hee sells that for a little Pottage and for Drink hee gives any thing to releeve and help him in that case Gen. 25. Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of Lintals and he sold his birth-right unto Jacob for it So in this Spiritual thirst men will part with any thing to have this Spiritual thirst satisfied they will accept of Christ upon his own terms they will pluck out a right eye cut off a right hand or a right foot part with their deerest lusts now to have the thirst of their Souls quenched The young-man that came to Christ Good Master what shall I do to inherite eternal life It was a false thirst in him saith Christ Go and sell all that thou hast and give to the poor and thou shalt have treasure in heaven Now had his thirst been true hee would have parted with his riches for Christ the Disciples parted with all Master we have parted with all and followed thee the Soul that is truly athirst wil let all go to have its thirstsatisfied How can yee beleeve saith Christ when yee seek honour one of another let go your honour let go your pleasures let go the Creatures seek honour of God alone If men were athirst after Divine injoyments and Divine honours they would let these things go Spiritual thirst will cause men to part with any thing 4 Again Those that are truly thirsty things that are bitter seem pleasant unto them that drink which is sower and distaftful unto others is wonderful sweet and pleasing unto them Darius and his Nobles when they were dry drank puddle water and thought that never any Wine was so pleasant as that water was unpleasing things and things untoothsome will be very delightsome unto such Souls and where this Spiritual thirst is there is not any truth in all the Gospel though it seem never so severe never so cross to Nature never so contrary to our wills humours and fancies but we will drink it down let a man deny himself and take up his Cross and follow Christ this will down with a man that is truly thirsty A man to become a fool that he may be wise this will down the Gospel hath many things in it which to flesh and bloud are something hard unsavoury but were we truly Spiritual Thirsters and did thirst after Christ even the most bitterest truths and the tartest cup that Christ
do not finde this thirst in my Soul I do not finde such a thirst as here is mentioned in my Soul and what shall I think of my self others it may be they have strong thirstings and such desires but as for my self I do not finde the same Ans To this I answer that there is a difference in men in regard of this Spiritual thirst as well as in men in regard of Natural thirst some bodies are more thirsty than others your Cholerick bodies are more thirsty than Flegmatick so some Christians are more thirsty than others some have lived very profane lives in scandalous courses and run out into exorbitant ways and greatly have dishonoured God and if God ever stir in their hearts and bring them to thirst their thirst will be vehement their thirst will be afflictive their thirst will bee stronger than other mens some they are trained up from the Cradle in the ways of God they have more ingenuous Natures and breaks not out into such ill ways and their thirst is more moderate and less discernable it is not the degree of the thirst but the truth of the thirst that is required though you have not a strong thirst yet you have a true thirst as it is not a strong faith but a true faith that is required to Salvation Now the degree of thirst which will bring you to Christ which will make you come and drink and stay with Christ that is sufficient Vse of Exhortation But to come to another use and that is an use of Exhortation Let him that is athirst come Men and women O labour to be true thirsters after Christ we can thirst after other things one thirsts after this another after that and another after another thing and all the things in the World are thirsted after by one or other but who thirsts after Christ All seek their own and none seek the things of Christ they neither thirst after Christ nor any thing belongs to Christ Now here I shall do two or three things 1 Shew you grounds why you should thirst after Christ 2 Give some directions to those that never thirsted and directions to those that do thirst that they may thirst more First for some grounds 1 Consider Why wâ—â— should thirst after Christ Blessedness is fixed unto Thirsting would you not be blessed all of you would you not have a blessing from the mouth of our dear Saviour Matth. 5. Blessed are those that hunger and thirst after Righteousness it may be you have not Righteousness yet but do you hunger and thirst after righteousness saith Truth it self the Lord Jesus Blessed is the man blessed is the woman and is there nothing in a blessing pronounced by him This word is a comprehensive word Blessed there is all good wrapt up in it all good for Soul all good for Body all good for present all good for future Blessed is the man that hungers and thirsts if you would therefore have such a blessedness as this is O hunger and thirst after Christ and the excellencies of Christ 2 Many great and precious Promises are made out to Thirsters and will bee made good to Thirsters In Isa 44. I will pour water upon him that is thirsty and flouds upon the dry ground I will pour my Spirit upon thy Seed and my blessing upon thine Off spring and they shall spring up as among the Grass as Willows by the water-courses I will pour water upon him that is thirsty that is I will pour my Spirit upon him that is meant by water if thou bee thirsty God will not only give his Spirit but pour his Spirit it notes abundance it notes vehemency such a measure of the Spirit as shall bear down your corruptions and your sins God wil pour out his Spirit upon you so in the one and forty of Isaiah When the poor and the needy seek water and there be none and their Tongue faileth for thirst I the Lord will hear them I the God of Israel will not forsake them I will open rivers in high places c. If you be thirsty if you bee even fainting if you bee brought low now in your longings and desires after Grace and Holiness and the things of Heaven the Lord saith I will hear you mine ear shall be open mine hand shall be stretched out I will not forsake you I will not leave you in that condition I will releeve you so that sweet and choyse Promises are made to Souls that hunger and thirst they shall be satisfied 3 Again we should labour for this thirst because the invitation here is unto thirsters If any man thirst let him come so in Joh. 7.38 If any man thirst let him come unto me and drink The Lord invites such persons you know when he made a great Feast in the fourteenth of Luke he invited all sorts but those were not athirst they would not come the Yoke of Oxen the Wife the Farm drew them away but those that were athirst came If any man thirst let him come You would take it ill if Christ should not invite you to the dainties of the Gospel well do you thirst Christ invites you Are you a hungery will you eat will you drink Christ invites you the invitation is to Thirsters therefore get this thirst Quest But the Question is What directions will you give us to attain unto this thirst Ans First Some directions to them that have it not Secondly To them that have 1 For those that have it not Directions to those that have not this thirst and 1 Let such consider something of God something of the Law something of Sin something of their Lives something of Eternity God 1 Something of God Let them consider the Purity the Justice and Power of God 1 The Purity of God God is a holy God so pure that his eyes cannot behold iniquity to approve of it see what is said in Psal 5. Thou art not a God that hast pleasure in wickedness neither shall evil dwell with thee no unclean thing shall ever enter into his presence God is a holy God and who can stand before him 1 Sam. 6.20 He is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity Hab. 1.13 Well if God be holy and pure what wilt thou do then that art unholy unpure wicked carnal and corrupt he is an holy God whom thou hast to do withall 2 He is a just God a God that hath said The soul that sins shall dye Bee hee great or small rich or poor young or old learned or unlearned The soul that sins shall dye Psal 143. saith David there Enter not into judgement O Lord with thy Servant for no flesh living shall be justified in thy sight The Lord is so just so righteous so exact that no flesh living can be justified in his fight why flesh is guilty guilty before God and sinners must dye God is righteous 3 Consider as God is Pure Holy and hates all sin the appearance of
of his Son the Lord Jesus Christ and this is the Commandement of the Son that we should beleive in him When the Father commanded his Son to goe to the Vineyard and digg there the Father was very willing the child should goe and doe it And so when God the Father and Christ the Son commands us to beleive they are very willing wee should When Princes send out their Commands to the people to doe such and such things they are very desirous they should be done So when God gives out his Commands in the Gospel and Christ commands in the Gospel to come come saith Christ Let him that is athirst come I command you to beleive It 's an argument there is a strong will in him for it Sixthly Doth not Christ sweetly invite you use sweete Invitations and allurements to draw sinners to him can there be more sweete Invitations then what you have from Christ upon this account in the 11th of Math 28. Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavie laden and I will give you rest oh you poore sinners of the world you poore sinners of the earth you that travell under the burden of your sins you that are heavie laden you that are ready to sinke into hell through feare of wrath come unto me come unto me he doth not say why have you broken Moses Law why have you offended my Father why have you liv'd so basely and vilely no come unto me you that are weary and heavie laden you that are ready to sinke and perish and are hungry and thirsty and know not which way to turne your selves now for releife come unto me So in the 55 of Isaiah see what a blessed Invitation there is Ho every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters and he that hath no money come ye buy and eate come buy wine and milke without money and without price Wherefore doe you lay out your money for that which is not bread and your labour for that which satisfieth not hearken diligently unto me and eate ye that which is good and let your soule delight it selfe in fatness Is not here a sweete a gracious a blessed Invitation now to poore sinners unto such as we are here this day The Lord Christ is a speaking unto you this day Ho every one every one that thirsteth young or old rich or poore learned or unlearned of whatsoever condition you be are you athirst would you have mercy peace grace the Spirit of Christ would you have any thing to doe your soules good come come unto me Come unto the waters I but I have no money It matters not come without money come here 's wine here 's milke and here 's bread and marrow and fattness here 's that will make your soules live here 's virtue in Christ to make your soules live for ever So in the 23 Pro 26. My son give me thy heart ô my son saith God give me thy heart Christ is the Everlasting Father and he saith my son give me thy heart come to me One place more in the 3d Revelation is worth your observing Behold I stand at the doore and knock if any man heare my voyce and open the doore I will come in to him and will sup with him and he with mee Behold I stand at the doore and knock I came downe from heaven into mine Ordinances I knock at the doore of your hearts and consciences if any man will open now if any man would have water of life from me if any man would have bread of life from me if any man would have communion with me let him but open and receive me in and I will sup with him and he with mee what sweete Invitations have wee from Christ how forward how ready is the Lord Jesus to doe poore sinners good Seventhly This appeares in that the Lord Christ hath Instituted and appointed his Officers his Messengers his Ministers and sent them to wooe intreate beseech and to draw men in unto him The Lord hath set up in the Church Officers purposely to make known his forwardness and readiness to receive sinners and to goe forth in his Name and to get them to come in to Christ 'T is our worke to beseech you Brethren to intreate you to hearken to the Lord Christ to come in to him to come and tast of his dainties to receive righteousnesse grace strength salvation to receive pardon this is our worke to get men in to Christ to fetch you in to the Fould In the 14 of Luke 16. A certaine man made a great Supper and bad many and sent his servants at Supper time to say unto them that were bidden Come for all things are now ready Christ is the great Man and hee makes a Supper in the time of the Gospel and he sends out his servants he sends out the Ministers to Invite and call men saying Supper is ready and all things are ready Christ hath satisfied Divine Justice Christ hath laid downe his life and shed his blood he is risen from the dead he hath overcome the world overcome the Devill hath opened heaven all things are ready for you to feede upon ô come But they all made excuse Then the Master of the house being angery said to his servants goe out quickly into the streets and lanes of the Citie and bring in hither the poore and the maimed the halt and the blinde and the servants said Lord it is done as thou hast commanded and yet there is roome and the Lord said unto the servants goe out into the high wayes and hedges and compell them to come in that my house may be filled Goe ye saith he my Apostles my Disciples my Ministers my Servants goe fetch in men and women from high wayes and hedges from lanes and streets from all parts ô bring them in to the Gospel bring them into my house bring them into the kingdome of heaven tell them of the dainties there tell them of their danger abroad This is the great worke now of the Ministry which is a cleere demonstration that the Lord Christ would have sinners saved he would have his house filled he stands not upon what they be let them be blinde maimed naked poore wounded bring them in saith Christ let them tast of the dainties of the Gospel let them heare of mercy through me of pardon and forgiveness through me So in the 9 Pro Wisdome hath builded her house she hath hewn her out seven pillars she hath killed her beasts she hath mingled her wine she hath also furnished her table she hath sent forth her maidens she cryeth upon the highest places of the Citie who so is simple let him come in hither as for him that lacketh understanding she saith to him come eate of my bread and drinke of the wine that I have mingled For sake the foolish and live and goe in the way of understanding This is spoken of Christ and the times of the Gospel and the Ministers
unto me heare and your soules shall live and I will make an everlaesting Covenant with you even the sure mercies of David Is not here Incouragement enough now to come to Christ Incline your eare and come unto me and your soules shall live you shall have everlasting mercies and everlasting comforts Joh 3.16 God so loved the world that he gave his onely begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life Here 's life and death set before you Come thou poore sinner and beleive in the Lord Jesus close with him here 's life for thee everlasting life for thee Refuse to doe it there 's everlasting death for thee thou shalt perish how peremptory is the Lord here In the 16 Mark 15 16. Goe ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature he that beleiveth and is baptized shall be saved but he that beleiveth not shall be damned how round is the Gospel he that beleiveth he that comes to Christ that 's the meaning he that beleiveth shall be saved saved from all his sinne saved from the power of death saved from the wrath of God saved from hell-fire saved from the guilt of his owne Conscience he that beleiveth shall be saved over and over and over he that beleiveth not shall be damned how doth he press men now to come to him If there be any weight in heaven or hell it 's laid all upon this your coming to Christ or refusing Christ if you come to Christ all heaven is yours all the glory all the joy all the comfort all the blessings all the happiness there is yours If you will not come to Christ all the terrors of hell are yours all the darkness all the mournings all the howlings all the gnashings of teeth all the misery there will be yours Therefore see how willing the Lord Jesus is that sinners should come and that they should be saved Christ's willingness to save sinners Reve 22.17 Let him that is athirst come 12ly ANother evidence of Christs willingness to save sinners that will come unto him is The Lord doth venture and hazard the loosing many by making knowne his free Grace and willingness to save sinners for when sinners doe heare that Christ is willing to save them and very desirous also many they abuse his free grace this rich mercy this willingness of Christ to doe their soules good If Christ be so willing say they wee will stay a while it will suffice hereafter In the 4th of Jude it 's said They turne Grace into wantonness and thousands of scorners turne Grace into wantonness when they heare Christ dyed and shed his blood for sinners that he is willing sinners should come in that he waites for them that he intreats and presses them to come to him they take advantage from hence to sin more freely to stay it out to the uttermost And thus the Lord runs a hazard of loosing many by making knowne the riches of his Grace the freedome of his mercy and loving kindness which shews there a very strong desire in Christ to save sinners Thirteenthly It is evident that Christ is very desirous of sinners salvation in that he takes sinners when they are at the worst of all at the height of wickedness If a Prince will take into his family those that are sick of the plague of the Leprosie and of the worst diseases 't is an argument he hath a minde to have them live in his family and that he is desirous of their company the Lord Jesus Christ he takes sinners when they are at the very worst Saul he was at the height of his blasphemy at the height of murder at the height of persecution and Christ saith Saul Saul why persecutest thou me thy blasphemies rage and persecutions are come up to heaven and Paul saith in the 1 Tim 1. he was a persecutor a blasphemer and an injurious person but I obtained mercy even when I was so great and notorious a sinner Christ came and tooke him in it 's an argument then that Christ is very desirous of the salvation of sinners that he will take sinners when they are in the height of their wickedness When the Prodigall had run out from his fathers house and had spent yeares in wicked practises in whoredome drunkenness gameing and running in the wayes of the world when he had spent all and spent himselfe now when he was in this height of wickedness it pleases God and Christ to call him to bring him home and to receive him againe had not Christ been desirous of the salvation of sinners he might have shut the doore against the Prodigall and said you shall never come in adores againe had not the Father been desrous for the Sons sake to have savâ—d sinners he would not have entertain'd the Prodigall there is not a velleitie but a strong efficacious desire in God and Christ to save sinners The Jewes when they were at the worst when they had put that innocent one to death when they had said His blood be upon us and upon our Children when they had mockt him reviled him and accused him even after all this Christ takes in many of them three thousand of them converted at one Sermon by Peter Him whom ye have Crucifyed with bloody hands hath God raised here is a cleere evidence of the earnest desire of the Lord Jesus to save sinners he takes them when they are at the worst when they have done the uttermost mischeife spite they can against him and against his wayes Fourteenthly It 's an argument that the Lord Jesus is very desirous to save sinners If you confider that the Lord takes sinners at the last cast at the end of their dayes when they have no time left to serve him he tâ—kes them at the very first intreaty and begging of mercy The Theefe you know that had livâ—d wickedly all his dayes when he came to the last cast and was upon the Laddar or nail'd to the Crosse and ready to breath out his last breath saith he Lord remember me when thou comest into thy kingdome Christ might have said Remember thee why should I remember thee thou hast bin a bloody wretch a Theefe and a murderer all thy dayes and thou deservest nothing now but death and damnation and why should I remember thee No the Lord Christ saith not so but he saith This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise now when there was no time left for him to honour Christ and to serve Christ he onely now intreats this favour of him being on the Crosse saith Châ—ist This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise And doubtless though we have but this one Instance and so men should not presume to put off Repentance till it be too late yet I doe beleive many a soule hath met with mercy when they have been at the gates of death I say many a poore soule that hath been burdened with sin asslicted in
unto me all ye that are weary and heavie laden and I will give you rest he doth not say that mountaines can refresh you that Angells can refresh you or any creature can refresh you but come unto me all ye that are weary and heavie laden and I will give you rest All the virtue that refreshes a guilty soule a thirsty soule a sinfull soule all the virtue is in the Lord Jesus Christ he is water of life he is a fountaine of living water he hath to give you that which will doe your soules good hee can give you his blood to quench the fire of hell to purge away your guilt to remove wrath to come 't is in Christ and in none other Therefore all those that goe to others forsake their owne mercies and imbrace lying vanities but those that come to Christ they goe the right way Thirdly Doth Christ invite us to come unto him then let us examine and make inquiry whether wee are come to Christ or no I beleive here 's hardly any under this roofe but thinkes he is come to Christ that he is a true Christian and its worth the Inquiry then that he may resolve this case so that he may not be deceived for Christ saith in the 7th of Math In that day many shall say Lord Lord have not we done thus and thus in thy presence but Christ shall say unto them depart from me I never knew you you never came to me I say then it may be worth our time to make Inquiry after this case of Conscience whether wee are come to Christ yea or no and I shall in a few particulars cleere it up unto you First The soule that is in truth come to Christ hath seene a sufficiency in Christ to releive it every way and such a sufficiency as hath made it to venture it selfe upon the Lord Jesus Christ alone and nothing else Now apply this to your owne soules have you ever seene such sufficiency in the Lord Jesus as heaven and earth besides hath not And so seene as to make you come off from all and venture upon him alone if you have cleerely seene the suffiency of Christ then your owne righteousnesse is nothing to you your owne civility morality and honesty are as nothing though they are good in regard of men yet they are nothing in regard of God and in regard of your soules You see an allsufficiency in Jesus Christ and an utter insufficiency in your selves Alas what 's my righteousnesse saith the soule that 's come to Christ my righteousnesse is filthinesse and all that ever I can doe is unprofitablenesse before God and though I have learning and wisdome and parts and memory and utterance and riches and honours and follow a calling and doe good in my place and the like alas all these are nothing I account them but as dung saith the soule in respect of Christ there 's an allusufficiency in Christ I but these may damne me and send me to hell now put these to your owne hearts for it 's ill to be deceived in matters of eternity have you seene I say such a sufficiency in the Lord Jesus of wisdome and strength and righteousnesse and the like as you have laid downe all your owne and see it nothing and have ventured your soules nakedly upon Jesus Christ In the 45 of Isa 24. Verily shall one say In the Lord have I righteousnesse and strength I have none in my selfe It is a prophesie of the last times concerning Christ I have sworne by my selfe the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousnesse and it shall not returne that unto me every knee shall bow every tongue shall sware It 's spoken of Christ and applyed to him in the Philippians Surely shall one say In the Lord have I righteousnesse and strength even to him shall men come marke in the Lord shall all the seede of Israel be Justified and shall Glory unto him shall they come And all that are incensed against him shall be ashamed what go to Christ saith one there 's nothing in Christ and men speake blasphemously and basely of Christ in these dayes but they shall be ashamed But unto HIM shall men come and in the Lord shall all the seede of Israel be Justifyed and shall Glory they shall be justifyed in Christ therefore deale really with your owne hearts therein there is a fundamentall truth to be taken off from your owne righteousnesse and to build wholly upon Christ those that come to him doe so Secondly The soule that is come unto Christ it doth stay it selfe upon him and rests upon him and goes not out from him as it ventures it selfe upon Christ so it rests it selfe content with Christ You know a Woman when shee hath chosen a Man for her husband she rests content in him above all the men in the world and the soule that hath chosen Christ and come to Christ and beleives in Christ in truth rests content with the Lord Jesus above all in heaven and earth In the 6th of John Christ puts a Question to Peter Jesus said unto the twelve will ye also goe away Then Simon Peter answered him Lord to whom shall we goe Thou hast the words of eternall life Lord to whom should we goe we are satisfied with thee we rest content with thee we looke not beyond thee we have enough in thee and from thee to bring us to eternall life so that a soule that 's truly come to Christ will joyne nothing with Christ but rests satisfied with him alone try your selves thereby Thirdly A soule that is come to Christ in truth doth accept of the Lord Jesus Christ upon his owne termes many they will accept of Christ but it shall be upon their termes so I may have Christ and the world saith one I will be content to be a Christian so I may have Christ and honours saith another so I may have Christ and my lusts satisfied and injoy them I will come to him saith a third so I may live and take my ease and goe to heaven at last I will have Christ saith a fourth man Thus men will have Christ upon their termes but a soule that is thirsty and comes to Christ in truth takes the Lord Christ upon his owne termes If any man saith Christ will be my Disciple he must deny himselfe and take up his Crosse These are Christs termes a man must lay aside his owne wisdome a man must be content to bare a Crosse to meete with reproach prisons temptations persecutions hard measure Christ and a Crosse Christ and a prison Christ and hunger and nakedness and perill and temptations or whatsoever God will For we are slaine all the day long for thy sake in the Psa and in the 8 Rom so that a soule that doth come to Christ in truth takes Christ upon his owne termes Christ and mortification of your lusts Christ and death to the world Christ and death to sin these goe together
I had Christ ô that I had the Spirit ô that I had Grace And then outwardly it carries to the use of all meanes to reading to hearing to meditating to prayer conferring and the like to all the ordinances and all the meanes that it may Injoy Christ and meete with him whom it hath chosen this is the willingnesse that is required If you be willing If he hath had such apprehensions and prized the water of life whosoever hath made choice of it whosoever is moov'd and carried out to Injoy it let that soule take the water of Life Quere Now a Quere moveable upon this is Whither can man by his owne abilities make this choice of Christ or of this water of life Answ Men by their naturall abilities may desire the word and be carried out after it Amos 8.11 12. Behold the day is come saith the Lord God that I will send a famine in the Land not a famine of Bread nor a thirst for water but of hearing the word of the Lord and they shall wander from Sea to Sea and from the North even to the East They shall run too and fro to seeke the Word of the Lord and shall not finde it Marke when the word should be taken away they would have a desire and there would be a motion after it in them and yet these it 's conceived were not regenerate Godly but of the ordinary and common sort of people The worke of reason and naturall apprehension of some good to be in the word carried them after it But I conceive no man can by naturall abilities thus will the Lord Jesus Christ as we have spoken There be Scriptures that doe hold it out strongly If you looke into the 7 Rom 11. Sin taking occasion by the Commandement deceived me and by it slew me Sin slew me saith Paul if Paul were slaine a dead man how could he moove in such a manner then towards Christ for marke in the 6 Chap 11 â—â— Likewise reckon ye also your selves to be dead indeed unto sin but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord Saith Paul I was slaine through sin But as You have life through Jesus Christ so must I have life through Jesus Christ I have no life naturally and of my selfe and that place 1 Cor 2.14 But the naturall man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishnesse unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned Some would make this verse to speak to young Christians weake Christians But saith he the naturall man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God a young Christian having the Spirit of God would receive the things of the Spirit of God would have some spirituall discerning But the naturall man is a man destitute of the Spirit for he saith We have received not the Spirit of the world but the Spirit which is of God But the naturall man now which hath not the Spirit he receives them not he discernes them not And that this is the meaning of the word looke but into the 19 Jude where you have the same word Sensuall he might Interpret it Naturall Sensuall not having the Spirit Now he that hath not the Spirit he cannot discerne the things of God he cannot desire them he cannot receive them therefore saith Christ unto Peter Blessed art thou Symon Bar-jona For flesh and blood hath not revealed this unto thee Some boast they come to this by the power of nature but God hath revealed it by the power of his Spirit and in the 1 Cor. 1.21 For after that in the wisdome of God the world by wisdome knew not God it pleased God by the foolishnesse of preaching to save them that beleeve All the wisdome of the world brought them not up to the knowledge of God So then by mans naturall abilitie he is not able to come to this willingnesse Quere To what end then are these waters of life freely offered if a man have not this power to will these waters are they not offered in vaine Answ To this I answer first 'T is not so 't is not in vaine for where the Gospel comes there is so much mercie love and goodnesse of God held out such great pretious and free promises presented unto men as that being heeded they beget a willingnesse in sinners to live there goes a generall vertue and power with the Gospel to doe something in the hearts of men and women which they could not doe before When the Loadstone toucheth the needle it makes an impression and leaves some virtue upon it It 's said in the 47 of Ezek 9. That whithersoever the waters of the Sactuary doe come they heale the waters That is If men and women who are like the dead Sea who are corrupt filthy stinking and loathsome in their naturall condition The waters of the Gospel doe something there and they doe inable men to will and will otherwise then they could before so that men now living under the Gospel if they heed the Gospel there is so much Grace mercy and love of God held out in the Gospel and such breathings of Gods Spirit goes along with it that if men heede the same something is wrought in their hearts that may Inable them to will these weters of life and their not doing of this is sufficient Ground for their condemnation And secondly The Lord he tenders these waters of life unto whosoever will that so these persons might begg of God a will to receive these waters who is ready to give them these waters For when they shall see waters of life held out and it is thus whosoever will let him take of them The soule may well conclude and say Surely God will give me a will to receive these waters if I begg them So that if men and women now having waters of life held out freely doe come to God and begg of God this willingnesse Lord give me a Will give me a will to close with Christ to prize Christ to move out after Christ God that will give them the waters will give them the will Phil 2.13 Pro 16.1 Thirdly Lastly This will Justifie God and this will be Condemnation to the creature that here 's the Gospel offered to men freely that the Gospel if heeded will beget a power and will in men that God if pray'd unto will give them the will and yet they neglect all Mens Condemnation will be upon their owne heads where is God to be blam'd This being so let us give you the reasons why the Lord holds out waters of life to those that are willing to receive them Or why is this willingnesse requir'd at our hands First This willingness is required Why this willingness is required because otherwise men will not take the waters of life let God offer them never so freely or never so long If men be not willing they will not take them present vvhat you vvill to a man that
hath not a Will to a thing and he will not take it so present Christ the Spirit of God life eternall Heaven and Glory the great and pretious promises pardon of sin or what you vvill if a man have not a vvill he vvill not take it so that vvillingness is required to the taking If a man have not a mouth it is in vaine to offer him meate If men have not a will they vvill not receive Math 23.37 Acts 13.46 Therefore God requires vvillingnesse that men may receive the vvaters of life Secondly This willingnesse is requir'd that so men may not complaine for if men should be brought to drinke waters of life by a compulsory Act they vvill complaine of vvhat follows Therefore saith Christ in the 16 Math 24. If any man will come after me let him deny himselfe and take up his crosse and follow me If any man will come if a man have a will saith Christ to follow me let him he vvill meete with hard things and if he be not willing he vvill complaine that I should cause him to follow me Men must deny themselves and take up crosses and indure persecutions and temptations and if they did not come willingly to Gods way they would complaine of it Now God to prevent Complaining of his wayes he requires that men be willing Thirdly This is that so the Communion between Christ and the soule may be the sweeter vvhere there is vvillingnesse on both sides there vvill be the sweetest life If the parties doe not consent on both sides you will say it vvill be an Ill match But if there be a willingnesse and a freenesse on both sides there the Communion will be the sweeter So Christ saith I freely give and I would have them freely receive and so there will be a sweete Communion between Christ and the soule I am my beloveds saith the soule and my beloved is mine There was mutuall Consent and Agreement between them Lastly This willingnesse is required that so the wisdome of God in the Governing of his Church and of the world might not be Questioned for should God force men to his service they would say where 's the goodnesse of God where 's the wisdome of God here 's Tyranny hereâ—s forcing of men into the service of the Lord. Now God will have none to be his servants but those that come freely Psal 110. In the day of thy power thy people shall be willing And when he speakes Compell them to come in It is not by Clubs Law but by strong Arguments tell them what the water of life is tell them what Supper is prepared tell them of the excellency of the provision that so that may compell them no other compulsion doth God use but the Grace of the Spirit and divine Arguments sett on upon the heart But this may seeme contrary to Joh 6.44 saith Christ No man comes to me except the Father draw him It should seeme then that it is not voluntary and free I answer God doth not force a mans will but God doth sweetly and lovingly take away the unwillingnesse of his will the corruption of his will Ezek 11.19 I will give them one heart and I will put a new Spirit within you and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh and will give them an heart of flesh I will take away the stoninesse the hardnesse that corruption that enmity and opposition I will take away all these out of them and put a new heart and a new Spirit into them So in the 36 of Ezek 26. A new heart also will I give you and a new Spirit will I put within you I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh and I will give you an heart of flesh and I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walke in my statutes and ye shall keepe my Judgements and doe them He will cause them to walke in his statutes vvhat will hee thrust them on against their wills no see vvhat the Church saith Cant 1.4 Draw me ô Lord we will run after thee When God comes to draw the soule runs willingly and freely So that you see a willingnesse is required The Water of Life Reve 22.17 Whosoever will let him take the water of life freely TO proceed to the Uses of the poynt and so to finish the Text. Vse First If those that are willing shall have the waters of life then here it serves for Conviction and doth convince us that all who thinke and say they have drunke of these waters of life yet have not Every one thinks that he hath Grace and hath the Spirit hath Christ God and that he shall be sav'd but here is cleere conviction to the contrary for have you had this willingnesse in you that is required have men seene such excellency in these vvaters as to prize them above all have you so prized them as to choose them above all things in the world have you so chosen them as to pursue the getting of them to the uttermost of your power few have done so In the 7 of Math 21 22 c. Not every one that saith unto me Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdome of heaven but he that doth the will of my Father which is in heaven Many will say unto me in that day Lord Lord have we not prophesied in thy name and in thy name have cast out Devills and in thy name done many wonderfull works And then I will professe unto them I never knew you depart foom me ye that worke Iniquitie These men did not see so much worth in the waters of life as they did in Iniquitie they did not prize Christs Grace his Spirit the Gospel and the promises thereof so much as workes of Iniquitie they would drinke puddle water poysonous water they would not let goe their Iniquitie for Christ yet these thought themselves Christians thought themselves safe happie and blessed creatures The five foolish virgins in the 25 of Math they had gotten lamps but they had gotten no Oyle in their lamps they had none of this water of life they had no Grace they had no Christ they had none of the Spirit they had none of the truths of God in their hearts they thought that to professe Christ and professe the Gospel was sufficient they had lamps but where was the oyle where was the water of life where was Grace they had none of it So in the 2 of Tim 3.5 Having a forme of Godlinesse but denying the power They had a forme they came to the Assemblies as you doe and sat there heard the word professe Christ seemed to be Christians and it may be did something in their families but they denied the power they never had this willingnesse to see the excellency of the power of Godlinesse never did they choose the power of Godlinesse never did they pursue after the power of Godlinesse And many in these dayes they live in base and sinfull