25. 40 41. She was confounded she could not well tell what to say the offer was so great beyond what could in reason be expected But suppose this great person should Second his Sute and send to this Sorry Creature again What would she say now Would she not say you Mock me But what if he affirms that he is in good earnest and that his Lord must have her to wife yea suppose he should prevail upon her to Credit his Message and to address her self for her Journey Yet behold every thought of her pedigree confounds her also her sense of want of beauty makes her ashamed and if she doth but think of being imbraced the unbelief that is mixed with that thought whirls her into tremblings And now she calls her self fool for believing the Messenger and thinks not to go If she thinks of being bold she Blushes and the least thought that she shall be rejected when she comes at him makes her look as if she would give up the Ghost And is it a wonder then to see a Soul that is drowned with the sense of glory and a sense of its own nothingness to be confounded in it self and to fear that the glory apprehended is too great too good and too rich for such an one That thing Heaven and Eternal Glory is so great and I that would have it so small so sorry a Creature that the thoughts of obtaining confounds me Thus I say doth the greatness of the things desired quite dash and overthrow the mind of the desirer O it is too bigg it is too big It is too great a mercy But coming sinner let me reason with thee Thou say'st it is too bigg too great Well will things that are less satisfie thy Soul will a less thing than Heaven than Glory and Eternal life answer thy desires No nothing less yet I fear they are too big and too good for me ever to obtain Well as big and as good as they are God giveth them to such as thou They are not too big for God to give No not too big to give freely be content let God give like Himself he is that Eternal God and he giveth like himself When Kings give they do not use to give as poor men do Hence it is said that Nabal made a feast in his house Like the feast of a King And again All these things did Araunah as a King give unto David 1 Sam. 25. 2 Sam. 24. Now God is a great King let him give like a King Nay let him give like himself and do thou receive like thy self He hath all and thou hast nothing God told his people of old that he would save them in truth and in righteousness and that they should return to and injoy the Land which before for their sins had spued them out and then adds under a supposition of their counting the mercy too good or too big If it be marvellous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these days should it also be Marvellous in mine eyes saith the Lord of hosts Zech. 8. 6. As who should say they are now in Captivity and little in their own eyes therefore they think the mercy of returning to Canaan is a mercy too marvellously big for them to injoy but if it be so in their eyes it is not so in mine I will do for them like God if they will but receive my bounty like sinners Coming sinner God can give his heavenly Canaan and the glory of it unto thee yea none ever had them but as a gift a free gift He hath given us his Son how shall he not then with him also freely give us all things Rom 8. It was not the worthiness of Abraham or Moses or David or Peter or Paul But the mercy of God that made them inheritors of Heaven If God thinks thee worthy judge not thy self unworthy but take it and be thankfull And it is a good signe he intends to give thee if he hath drawn out thy heart to ask O Lord thou hast heard the desire of the humble thou wilt prepare their heart thou wilt encline thine car Psal. 10. 17. When God is said to encline his ear it implies an intention to bestow the mercy desired Take it therefore thy Wisdom will be to receive not sticking at thine own unworthiness It is said He raiseth up the poor out of the dust and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill to set them among Princes and to make them inherit the thrown of glory Again He raiseth up the poor out of the dust and lifteth some needy Out of the dunghill that he may set him with Princes even with the Princes of his people 1 Sam. 2. 8. Psal. 113. 7 8. You see also when God made a Wedding for his Son he called not the great nor the rich nor the mighty but the poor the maimed the halt and the blind Mat. 22. Luk. 14. Fifthly Thy fears that Christ will not receive thee may arise from the hideous Roarings of the Devil who pursues thee He that hears him Roar must be a mighty Christian if he can at that time deliver himself from fear He is called a Roaring Lyon and then to alude to that in Isaiah if one look into them they have darkness and sorrow and the Light is darkned in their very Heaven 1 Pet. 5. 8. Isa. 5. 30. There are two things among many that Satan useth to Roar Out after them that are coming to Jesus Christ. 1. That they are not Elected Or 2. That they have sinned the sin against the Holy Ghost To both these I answer briefly First Touching election out of which thou fearest thou art excluded Why coming sinner even the Text it self affordeth thee help against this doubt and that by a double argument First That coming to Christ is by vertue of the gift promise and drawing of the Father but thou art a coming therefore God hath given thee promised thee and is drawing thee to Jesus Christ. Coming sinner hold to this and when Satan beginneth to Roar again Answer but I feel my heart moving after Jesus Christ but that would not be if I were not given by promise and drawing to Christ by the power of the Father Secondly Jesus Christ hath promised that him that cometh to Him he will in no wise cast out And if he hath said it will he not make it good I mean even thy Salvation for as I have said already Not to cast out is to receive and admit to the benefit of Salvation if then the Father hath given thee as is manifest by thy coming and if Christ will receive thee thou coming Soul as 't is plain he will because he hath said he will in no wise cast thee out Then be confident and let those conclusions that as naturally flow from the Text as light from the Sun or water from the fountain stay thee If Satan therefore objecteth but thou art not elected Answer But I am coming Satan
some before they Die Answ. Yes And God forbids that Prayers should be made to him for them Jer. 7. 16. Jud. 22. Quest. Then why may not I doubt that I may be one of these Answ. By no means if thou art coming to Jesus Christ because when God Shuts the Door upon Men he gives them no heart to come to Jesus Christ. None comes but those to whom it is given of the Father But thou comest therefore it is given to thee of the Father But sure therefore if the Father hath given thee an Heart to come to Jesus Christ the Gate of Mercy yet stands Open to thee For it stands not with the Wisdom of God To give strength to come to the Birth and yet to Shut up the Womb Isa. 66. 9. to give grace to thee to come to Jesus Christ and yet Shut up the Door of his Mercy upon thee Encline your Ear saith he come unto me hear and your Souls shall Live And I will make an Everlasting covenant with you even the sure Mercies of David Isa. 55. 3. Object But it is said that some knocked when the Door was Shut Answ. Yes But the Texts in which these Knockers are Mentioned are to be referred unto the day of Judgment and not to the coming of the Sinner to Christ in this Life See the Texts Mat. 25. 11. Luke 13. 24 25. These therefore concern thee nothing at all that art coming to Jesus Christ thou art coming Now Now is the acceptable time behold now is the day of Salvation 2 Cor. 6. 2. now God is upon the Mercy-Seat now Christ Jesus Sits by continually pleading the Virtue of his Blood for Sinners and now even as long as this World lasts this word of the Text shall still be free and fully fulfilled And him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out Sinner the greater Sinner thou art the greater need of Mercy thou hast and the more will Christ be gloryfied thereby come then come and try come tast and see how good the Lord is to an Undeserving Worthless Sinner Objection 6. But sayes another I am fallen since I began to come to Christ therefore I fear I did not come aright and so consequently that Christ will not receive me Answ. Falls are dangerous for they dishonour Christ wound the conscience and cause the Enemies of God to speak reproachfully But it is no good argument I am fallen therefore I was not coming aright to Jesus Christ. If David and Solomon and Peter had thus objected against themselves they had added to their griefs and yet they had at least as much cause to do it as thou A Man whose steps are ordered by the Lord and whose goings the Lord delights in may yet be over-taken with a Temptation that may cause him to fall Psal. 37. 23 24. Did not Aaron fall yea Moses himself what shall we say of Hezekiah and Jehosaphat There are therefore falls and falls falls pardonable and falls unpardonable falls unpardonable are falls against Light from the Faith to the despising of and trampling upon Jesus Christ and his blessed undertakings Heb. â— 2 3 4 5. Chap. 10. 28 29. Now as for such there remaines no more Sacrifice for sin Indeed they have no heart no mind no desire to come to Jesus Christ for life therefore they must perish nay sayes the Holy Ghost 't is impossible that they should be renewed again unto repentance Therefore these God hath no Compassion for neither ought we but for other falls though they be dreadfull and God will Chastise his people for them they do not prove thee a graceless man one not Coming to Jesus Christ for life It is said of the Child in the Gospel That while he was yet a-coming the Devil threw him down and tore him Luk. 9. 42. Dejected Sinner is it a wonder that thou hast caught a fall in thy Coming to Jesus Christ Is it not rather to be wondred at that thou hast not caught before this a thousand times a thousand falls Considering First What fools we are by nature Secondly What weaknesses are in us Thirdly What mighty powers the fallen Angels our implacable Enemies are Fourthly Considering also how often the Coming-man is be-nighted in his Journey and also what stumbling-blocks do lie in his way Fifthly Also his familiers that were so before now watch for his haulting and seek by what means they may to cause him to fall by the hand of their strong ones What then must we because of these Temptations incline to fall No. Must we not fear falls yes Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall Yet let him not be utterly cast down The Lord upholdeth all that fall and raiseth up all those that are bowed down Make not light of falls yet hast thou fallen ye have said Samuel done all this wickedness yet turn not aside from following the Lord but serve him with a perfect heart and turn not aside for the Lord will not forsake his people and he counteth the coming sinner one of them because it hath pleased the Lord to make you his people 1 Sam. 12. 20 21 22. Shall come to me Now we come to shew what force there is in this Promise to make them come to him All that the father giveth me shall come to me I will Speak to this promise First In general Secondly In particular In general This word shall is confined to these all that are given to Christ. All that the father giveth me shall come to me Hence I conclude First That coming to Jesus Christ aright is an effect of their being of God given to Christ before Mark they shall come Who those that are given they come then because they were given Thine they were and thou gavest them me Now this is indeed a Singular comfort to them that are coming in truth to Christ. Thus then may the coming Soul reason with himself as he comes Am I coming indeed to Jesus Christ this coming of mine is not to be attributed to me or my goodness but to the grace and gift of God to Christ God gave first my Person to him and therefore hath now given me a heart to come to him Secondly This word shall come maketh thy coming not only the fruit of the gift of the Father but also of the purpose of the Son for these words are a divine purpose they shew us the Heavenly determination of the Son The Father hath given them to me and they shall yea they shall come to me Christ is as full in his resolution to save those given to him as is the Father in the giving of them Thirdly These words shall come make thy coming to be also the effect of an absolute Promise Coming sinner thou art concluded in a Promise thy coming is the fruit of the faithfulness of the Promise of the faithfulness of an absolute Promise 'T was this promise by the vertue of which thou at first received'st strength to come
and that he will have with him in his Kingdom to behold his Glory as these Scriptures declare This is the will of the Father that sent me that of all that he hath given me I should lose nothing but should raise it up at the last day And I give unto them Eternal Life and they shall never perish neither shall any man pluck them out of my Hand my Father that gave them me is Greater than All and no man is able to pluck them out of my Fathers Hand As thou hast given him Power over all Flesh that he should give Eternal Life to as many as thou hast given him Thine they were and thou gavest them me and they have kept thy word I pray for them I pray not for the world but for those that thou hast given me for they are thine And all mine are thine and thine are mine and I am glorified in them Keep through thine own Name those whom thou hast given me that they may be one as we are Father I will that those whom thou hast given me may be with me where I am that they may behold my Glory which thou hast given me for thou lovedst me before the Foundation of the World John 6. 39. Chap. 10. 28. Chap. 17. 2 6 9 10 24. All these sentences are of the same import with the Text and the All 's and Manies those they c. in these several sayings of Christ are the same with All the given in the Text. All That the Father giveth So that as I said before the word All as also other words must not be taken in such sort as our foolish fancies or groundless opinions will prompt us to but do admit of an enlargment or a restriction according to the true meaning and intendment in the Text. We must therefore diligently consult the meaning of the Text by compareing it with other the Sayings of God so shall we be better able to find out the mind of the Lord in the Word which he has given us to know it by All that the Father giveth By this word Father Christ describeth the person giving by which we may learn several useful things 1. That the Lord God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ is equally concerned with the Son in the Salvation of his People True his acts as to our Salvation are divers from those of the Son he was not capable of doing that or those things for us as did the Son he Died not he Spilt not Blood for our Redemption as the Son but yet he hath a hand a great hand in our Salvation too As Christ saith The Father himself loveth you and his love is manifest in chusing of us in giving of us to his Son yea and in giving his Son also to be a ransom for us Hence he is called The Father of Mercies and the God of all comfort For here even the Father hath himself found out and made way for his grace to come to us through the sides and the heart Blood of his well beloved Son Col. 1. 12. The father therefore is to be remembred and adored as one having a chief hand in the Salvation of sinners We ought to give thanks to the Father who hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light for the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the World 1 Joh. 4. 14. Col. 1. 12. As also we see in the Text the Father giveth the sinner to Christ to save him Secondly Christ Jesus the Lord by this word Father would familiarize this given to us Naturally the Name of God is dreadful to us specially when he is discovered to us by those names that declare his Justice Holiness Power and Glory but now this word Father is a familiar word it frighteth not the sinner but rather inclineth his heart to love and be pleased with the remembrance of him Hence Christ also when he would have us pray with Godly boldness puts this word Father into our mouths Saying when ye pray say Our Father which art in Heaven concluding thereby that by the familiarity that by such a word is intimated the Children of God may take more boldness to pray for and ask great things I my self have often found that when I can say but this word Father it doth me more good than when I call him by any other Scripture Name and 't is worth your Noting that to call God by this relative Title was rare among the Saints in Old Testament times seldom do you find him called by this name no sometimes not in three or four whole books but now in New-Testament times he is called by no name so often as this both by the Lord Jesus himself and by the Apostles afterwards Indeed the Lord Jesus was he that first made this name common among the Saints and that taught them both in their Discourses their Prayers and in their Writings so much to use it it being more pleasing to and discovering more plainly our interest in God than any other Expression for by his one name we are made to understand that all our Mercies are the off-spring of God and that we also that are called are his children by adoption All that the Father giveth This word giveth is out of Christs ordinary Dialect and seemeth to intimate at the first sound as if the Fathers gift to the Son was not an act that is past but one that is present and continuing when indeed this gift was bestowed upon Christ when the Covenant the Eternal Covenant was made between them before all worlds Wherefore in those other places when this gift is mentioned it is still spoken of as of an act that is past As All that He hath given me to as many as thou hast given me Thou gavest them me and those which thou hast given me Therefore of necessity this must be the first and chief sence of the Text. I mean of this word giveth otherwise the Doctrine of Election and of the Eternal Covenant which was made between the Father and the Son in which Covenant this gift of the Father is most certainly comprized will be shaken or at leastwise questionable by erronious and wicked men But again this word giveth is not to be rejected for it hath its proper use and my signifie to us First That though the act of giving among men doth admit of the time past or the time to come and is to be only spoken of with reference to the time yet with God it is not so Things past or things to come are alwayes present with God and with his Son Jesus Christ He calleth things that are not that is to us as though they were and again known unto God are all his works from the foundation of the world All things to God are present and so the gift of the Father to the Son although to us it is an act that is past Rom. 4. 17. Acts 15. 10. Secondly Christ may Express
Heb. 3. And therefore this Man is counted worthy of more glory than Moses even upon this account because more Faithful than he as well as because of the dignity of his person Therefore in him and in his truth and faithfulness God rested wel pleased and hath put all the government of this People upon his shoulders Knowing that nothing shall be wanting in him that may any way perfect this design And of this He to wit the Son hath already given a proof for when the time was come that his Blood was by Divine Justice required for their Redemption Washing and Changing he as freely poured it out of his Heâ—â—t as if it had been Water out of a vessel not sticking to part with his own Life that the life which was laid up for them in Heaven might not fail to be bestowed upon them And upon this account as well as upon any other it is that God calleth him his righteous servant Isa. 53. For his righteousness could never have been compleat if he had not been to the uttermost faithful to the work which he undertook It is also because he is faithful and true that in Righteousness he doth Judge and make Work for his peoples deliverance He will faithfully perform this trust reposed in him The Father knows this and hath therefore given his Elect unto him Thirdly The Fathers giving of them to Him to save them declares unto us that he is and will be gentle and patient towards them under all their provocations and miscarriages It is not to be imagined the tryals and provocations that the Son of God hath all along had with these people that have been given to him to save them indeed he is said to be a tryed stone for he has been tryed not only by the devil guilt of sin death and the curse of the Law but also by his peoples ignorance unruliness falls into sin and declining to errors in life in Doctrine Were we but capable of seeing how this Lord Jesus has been tryed even by this people ever since there was one of them in the world we should be amazed at his Patience and gentle Carriages to them It is said indeed the Lord is very pitiful slow to anger and of great mercy and indeed if he had not so been he could never have indured their manners as he has done from Adam hitherto Therefore is his pitty and bowels towards his Church preferred above the pitty and bowels of a mother towards her Child Can a woman forget her sucking Child that she should not have Compassion on the Son of her Womb yea they may forget yet will I not forget thee saith the Lord Isa. 49. 15. God did once give Moses as Christs Servant an handful of this people to carry them in his bosom but no further than from Egypt to Canaan and this Moses as is said of him by the Holy Ghost was the Meekest man that was then to be found in the Earth yea and he loved the people at a very great rate yet neither would his meekness nor love hold out in this work he failed and grew pationate even to the provoking of his God to Anger under this work that God had laid upon him And Moses said unto the Lord wherefore hast thou afflicted thy Servant But what was the affliction Why the Lord had said unto him carry this people in thy bosom as a nursing father beareth the sucking child unto the Land that he sware unto their fathers Not I sayes Moses I am not able to bear all this people because it is too heavy for me if thou deal thus with me kill me I pray thee out of hand and let me not see my Wretchedness Numb 11. 11 12 13 14. God gave them to Moses that he might carry them in his bosom that is that he might shew gentleness and patience towards them but he failed in the work he could not exercise because he had not that sufficiency of patience towards them But now it is said of the person speaking in the Text That he shall gather his Lambs with his arm shall carry them in his bosom and shall gently lead them that are with young Isa. 40. 10 11. Intimating that this was one of the qualifications that God looked for and knew was in him when he gave his Elect to him to save them Fourthly The fathers giving of them to him to save them declares to us that he hath a Sufficiency of wisdom to wage with all those difficulties that would attend him in his bringing of his Sons and Daughters unto glory He hath made him to us to be Wisdom yea he is called Wisdom it self and God saith moreover that he shall deal prudently And indeed he that shall take upon him to be the Saviour of the people had need be Wise because their adversaries are subtile above any Here they have to incounter with the Serpent who for his Subtilty out-witted our Father and Mother when their wisdome was at highest Gen. 3. But if we talk of Wisdom our Jesus is wise wiser than Solomon wiser than all men wiser than all the Angels he is even the Wisdom of God Christ the Wisdom of God 1 Col. 1. And hence it is that he turneth sin temptation persecutions falls and all things for good unto this people Rom. 8. Now these things thus concluded on do shew us also the great and wonderful love of the Father in that he should chuse out one every way so well prepared for the work of mans Salvation Herein indeed perceive we the love of God Huram gathered that God loved Israel because he had given them such a King as Solomon 2 Chro. 2. 11. But how much more may we behold the love that God hath bestowed upon us in that he hath given us to his Son and also given his Son for us All that the Father giveth me shall come In these last words there is closely inserted an answer unto the Fathers end in giving of his Elect to Jesus Christ. The Fathers end was that they might come to him and be Saved by him and that sayes the Son shall be done They shall come to me and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out Here therefore the Lord Jesus positively determineth to put forth a sufficiency of all Grace that shall Effectually perform this promise They shall come That is he will cause them to come by infusing of an effectual blessing into all the means that shall be used to that end As was said to the evil Spirit that was sent to perswade Ahab to go and fall at Ramah Gilead Go Thou shalt perswade him and prevail also go forth and do so 1 King 22. 22. So will Jesus Christ say to the means that shall be used for the bringing of those to him that the Father hath given him I say he will bless it effectually to his very end it shall perswade them and shall prevail also Else as I said the
kill us we shall but die Here now was necessity at work and this necessity drove them to go thither for life whether else they would never have gon for it Thus it is with them that in truth come to Jesus Christ Death is before them they see it and feel it he is feeding upon them and will eat them quite up if they come not to Jesus Christ and therefore they come even of necessity being forced thereto by that Sense they have of their being utterly and everlastingly undone if they find not safety in him These then are they that will come indeed these are they that are invited to come Come unto me all ye that Labor and are Heavy Laden and I will give you rest Matt. 11. 28. Take two or three things to make this more plain to wit that coming to Christ floweth from a sound sense of the absolute need that a Man hath of him as afore 1. They shall come with Weeping with Supplication will I lead them I will cause them to walk by the Rivers of Waters in a plain way wherein they shall not stumble Jer. 31. 9. Mind it they come with Weeping and Supplication they come with Prayers and Tears Now Prayers and Tears are the effects of a right Sense of the need of Mercy Thus a senseless Sinner cannot Come he cannot Pray he cannot Cry he cannot come sensible of what he sees not nor feels In those Days and at that time the Children of Israel shall come they and the Children of Judah together going weeping they shall seek the Lord their God they shall ask the way to Zion with their Faces thitherward saying come and let us joyn our selves to the Lord in a perpetual Covenant that shall not be forgotten Jer. 50. 4 5. Secondly This coming to Christ it is called a running to him as flying to him a flying from Wrath to come By all which Termes is set forth the sense of the man that comes to wit That he is affected with the sense of his sin and the Death due thereto that he is sensible that the avenger of Blood pursues him and that therefore he is cut off if he makes not speed to the Son of God for Life Mat. 3. 7. Psal. 143. 9. Flying is the last work of a man in danger all that are in danger do not Fly No not all that see themselves in danger flying is the last work of a man in danger all that hear of danger will will not fly Men will consider if there be no other way of escape before they Fly Therefore as I said flying is the last thing When all Refuge fails and a man is made to see that there is nothing left him but Sin Death and Damnation unless he flyes to Christ for Life then he flies and not till then Thirdly That the true coming is from a sense of an absolute need of Jesus Christ to save c. is evident by the Out-cry that is made by them that come even as they are coming to him Lord save or I perish Men and Brethren what shall we do Sirs what must I do to be saved and the like This Language doth sufficiently discover that the truly coming Souls are Souls sensible of their need of Salvation by Jesus Christ and moreover that there is nothing else that can help them but Christ. Fourthly It is yet further evident by these few things that follow it is said that such are pricked in their Hearts that is with the sentence of Death by the Law and the least prick in the Heart kills a Man Acts 2. 37. such are said as I said before to Weep to Tremble and to be astonished in themselves at the evident and unavoidable danger that attends them unless they fly to Jesus Christ Acts 9 chap. 16. Fifthly Coming to Christ is attended with an honest and sincere forsaking of all for him If any Man come to me and hate not his Father and Mother and Wife and Children and Brethren and Sisters yea and his own Life also he cannot be my Disciple And whosoever doth not bear his Cross and come after me cannot be my Disciple Luk. 14. 26 27. By these and the like expressions elsewhere Christ describeth the true Commer or the man that indeed is coming to him he is one that casteth all behind his Back he leaveth all he forsaketh all he hateth all things that would stand in his way to hinder his coming to Jesus Christ. There are a great many pretended Commers to Jesus Christ in the World And they are much like to the man that you read of in Matt. 21. 30. that said at his Fathers bidding I go Sir and went not I say there are a great many such Commers to Jesus Christ they say when Christ calls by his Gospel I come Sir but still they abide by their Pleasures and carnal Delights They come not at all only they give him a Courtly Complement but he takes notice of it and will not let it pass for any more than a Lie He said I go Sir and went not he dissembled and lied Take heed of this you that flatter your selves with your own deceivings words will not do with Jesus Christ coming is coming and nothing else will go for coming with him Before I spake to the other Head I shall answer some Objections that usually lie in the way of those that in Truth are coming to Jesus Christ. Objection I. Though I cannot deny but my mind runs after Christ and that too as being moved thereto from a sight and consideration of my lost Condition For I see without him I perish yet I fear my ends are not right in coming to him Quest. Why what is thine end in coming to Jesus Christ Answer My end is that I might have Life and be saved by Jesus Christ. This is thy Objection well let me tell thee that to come to Christ for Life and to be saved though at prethou hast no other end is a lawful and good coming to Jesus Christ. This is evident because Christ propoundeth Life as the only Argument to prevail with sinners to come to him and also blameth them because they come not to him for Life And ye will not Come to me that ye might have Life Joh. 5. Besides there are many other Scriptures whereby he allureth Sinners to come to him in which he propoundeth nothing to them but their safety As He that believeth in him shall not perish he that believeth is passed from Death to Life He that believeth shall be Saved He that believeth on him is not condemned And believing coming are all one So that you see to Come to Christ for Life is a lawful coming and good And let me add over and above that for a man to come to Christ for Life though he comes to him for nothing else but Life he gives much honour to him First He Honoureth the Word of Christ and consenteth to the Truth of it and that in
And Jesus saw all the Workings of his honest Heart at that time Joh. 1. 47 48. Zacheus also had some secret Movings of Heart such as they was towards Jesus Christ when he ran before and climbed up the Tree to see him and the Lord Jesus Christ had his Eye upon him Therefore when he was come to the Place he looked up to him bids him come down For to Day said he I must abide at thy House To wit in order to the further Compleating the Work of Grace in his Soul Luk. 19. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8. Remember this Coming-Sinner Secondly As Jesus Christ has his Eye upon so he hath his Heart open to receive the Coming Sinner This is verified by the Text And him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out This is also discovered by his preparing of the Way in his making of it Easie as may be to the Coming-Sinner which Preparation is manifest by them Blessed Words I will in no wise cast out Of which more when we come to the Place And while he was yet a great way off his Father saw him and had Compassion on him and ran and fell on his Neck and kissed him Luk. 15. 20. All these Expressions do strongly prove that the Heart of Christ is open to receive the Comming Sinner Thirdly As Jesus Christ has his Eye upon and his Heart open to receive so he hath resolved already that nothing shall alienate his Heart from receiving the Coming-Sinner No Sins of the Coming-Sinner nor the Length of the Time that he hath abode in them shall by any Means prevail with Jesus Christ to reject him Coming Sinner thou art coming to a loving Lord Jesus Fourthly These Words therefore are dropt from his Blessed Mouth on purpose that the Coming Sinner might take Encouragement to continue on his Journey until he be come indeed to Jesus Christ. It was doubtless a great Encouragement to Blind Bartlimeus that Jesus Christ stood still and called him when he was crying Jesus thou Son of David have Mercy on me Therefore 't is said He cast away his Garment Rose up and Came to Jesus Mark 10. 46 c. Now if a Call to come hath such Encouragement in it what is a Promise of Receiving such but an Encouragement much more And observe it though he had a Call to come yet not having a Promise his Faith was forced to work upon a meer Consequence Saying He calls me and surely since he calls me he will grant me my Desire Ah! but Coming-Sinner thou hast no need to go so far about as to draw in this Matter Consequences because thou hast plain Promises And him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out Here is full plain yea what Encouragement one can desire For suppose thou was admitted to make a Promise thy self and Christ should attest that he would fulfil it upon the Sinner that cometh to him Couldest thou make a better Promise Couldest thou invent a more full free or larger Promise A Promise that looks at the first Moving of the Heart after Jesus Christ A Promise that declares yea that ingageth Christ Jesus to open his Heart to receive the Coming-Sinner Yea further A Promise that Demonstrateth that the Lord Jesus is resolved freely to receive will in no wise cast out nor means to reject the Soul of the Coming sinner For all this lieth fully in this Promise and doth naturally flow there-from Here thou needest not make use of far-fetcht Consequences nor strain thy Wits to force encouraging Arguments from the Text. Comming-Sinner the Words are plain And him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out And Him that Cometh There are two Sorts of sinners that are coming to Jesus Christ. First Him that hath never while of late at all began to come Secondly Him that came formerly and after that went back but hath since bethought himself and is now coming again Both these sorts of sinners are intended by the Him in the Text as is evident because Both are now the coming Sinners And Him that cometh c. For the first of these the sinner that hath never while of late began to come his way is more easie I do not say more plain and open to come to Christ than is the other those last not having the Clog of a guilty Conscience for the sin of Back-sliding hanging at their Heels But all the incouragement of the Gospel with what invitations are therein contained to coming sinners are as free and as open to the one as to the other so that they may with the same freedom and liberty as from the word both alike claim interest in the promise All things are ready All things for the coming back-sliders as well as for the others Come to the Wedding And let him that is a thirst come Mat. 22. 1 2 3 4. Revel 22. 17. But having spoken to the first of these already I shall here pass it by and shall speak a word or two to him that is coming after back-sliding to Jesus Christ for life Thy way O thou sinner of a double dye thy way is open to come to Jesus Christ I mean thee whose heart after long back-sliding doth think of turning to him again Thy way I say is open to him as is the way of the other sorts of Comers as appears by what follows First Because the Text makes no Exception against thee it doth not say And any him But a back-slider any him But him The Text doth not thus object but indifinitively openeth wide its Golden Arms to every coming soul without the least Exception Therefore thou maist come Secondly Nay the Text is so far from excepting against thy coming that it strongly suggesteth that thou art one of the souls intended O thou coming back-slider Else what need that Clause have been so inserted I will in no wise cast out No as who should say though those that come now are such as have formerly back-sliden I will in No wise cast a way the Fornicator the Covetous the Railer the Drunkard or other common Sinners nor yet the Back-slider neither Thirdly That the Back-slider is intended is evident First For that he is sent to By Name Go tell his Disciples and Peter Mark 16. 7. But Peter was a Godly Man True but he was also a Back-slider yea a desperate Back-slider He had Denyed his Master once twice thrice Cursing and Swearing that he knew him not If this was not Back-sliding if this was not an High and Eminent Back-sliding yea a higher Back-sliding than thou art capable of I have thought amiss Again When David had back-sliden and had committed Adultery and Murder in his Back-sliding he must be sent to by Name And saith the Text the Lord sent Nathan to David And he sent him to tell him after he had brought him to unfeigned Acknowledgment of his Fact The Lord hath also put away or forgiven Thy Sin 2 Sam. 12. 1. This
come For because he could swear by no Greater he swore by Himself That by Two Immutable Things in which it was impossible that God should Lie we might have a strong Consolation who have fled for Refuge to lay hold on the Hope set before us Heb. 6. 15 16 17 18. Sixthly Neither is it for want of great Examples of God's Mercy that have come to Jesus Christ of which we Read most plentifully in the Word Therefore it must be concluded It is for want of that which follows First It is for want of the Knowledge of Christ Thou knowest but little of the Grace and Kindness that is in the Heart of Christ Thou knowest but little of the Vertue and Merit of his Blood Thou knowest but little of the Willingness that is in his Heart to save thee And this is the reason of the Fear that ariseth in thy Heart and that causeth thee to doubt that Christ will not receive thee Unbelief is the Daughter of Ignorance Therefore Christ saith O Fools and slow of Heart to Believe Luk. 24. 25. Slowness of Heart to believe flows from thy Foolishness in the Things of Christ This is evident to all that are acquainted with themselves and that are seeking after Jesus Christ The more Ignorance the more Unbelief the more Knowledge of Christ the more Faith They that know thy Name will put their Trust in thee Psal. 9. 10. He therefore that began to come to Christ but the other day and hath yet but little Knowledge of him he fears that Christ will not receive him But he that hath been longer acquainted with him he is Strong and hath over-come the Wicked One 1 Joh. 2. VVhen Joseph's Brethren came into Egypt to buy Corn it is said Joseph knew his Brethren but his Brethren knew not him What follows Why great Mistrust of Heart about their speeding well specially if Joseph did but answer them Roughly calling them Spies and questioning their Truth and the like And observe it So long as their Ignorance about their Brother remained with them whatsoever Joseph did still they put the worst Sense upon it For instance Joseph upon a time bids the Steward of his House bring them Home to Dine with him to Dine even in Joseph's House And how is this resented by them Why they were afraid And the men were afraid because they were brought into their Brother Joseph's House And they said He seeketh occasion against us and will fall upon us and take us for Bond-men and our Asses Gen. 42. Chap. 43. What! Afraid to go to Joseph's House He was their Brother He intended to Feast them to Feast them and Feast with them Ah! but they were ignorant That he was their Brother And so long as their Ignorance lasted so long their Fear terrifyed them Just thus it is with the Sinner that but of late is coming to Jesus Christ He is ignorant of the Love and Pity that is in Christ to Coming-Sinners Therefore he doubts therefore he fears therefore his Heart mis-gives him Coming-Sinner Christ inviteth thee to Dine and Sup with him He inviteth thee to a Banquet of Wine yea to come into his Wine-Cellar and his Banner over thee shall be Love Revel 3. 20. Song 2. Chap. 5. But I doubt it sayes the Sinner But 't is answer'd He calls thee invites thee to his Banquet to his Flaggons Apples to his Wine and to the Juyce of his Pomgranate O I fear I doubt I mistrust I tremble in Expectation of the contrary Come out of the Man thou Dastardly Ignorance Be not afraid Sinner only Believe He that cometh to Christ he will in no wise cast out Let the Coming Sinner therefore seek after more of the good Knowledge of Jesus Christ Press after it Seek it as Silver and dig for it as for hid Knowledge This will embolden thee This will make thee wax Stronger and Stronger I know whom I have Believed I know him said Paul And what follows Why And I am perswaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed to him against that Day 2 Tim. What had Paul committed to Jesus Christ The Answer is He had committed to him his Soul But why did he Commit his Soul to him Why because he knew him He knew him to be Faithful to be Kind He knew he would not fail him nor forsake him And therefore he laid his Soul down at his Feet and committed it to him to keep against that Day But Secondly Thy Fears that Christ will not receive thee may be also a Consequent of thy earnest and strong Desires after thy Salvation by him For this I observe That strong Desires to have are attended with strong Fears of missing What a Man most sets his Heart upon and what his Desires are most after he oft-times most fears he shall not obtain So the Man the Ruler of the Synagogue had a great desire that his Daughter should live and that Desire was attended with Fear that she should not Wherefore Christ saith unto him Be not afraid Mark 5. 36. Suppose a Young Man should have his Heart much set upon a Virgin to have her to Wife If ever he Fears he shall not Obtain it is when he begins to love now thinks he some body will step in betwixt my Love and the Object of it either they will find Fault with my Person my Estate my Conditions or somthing Now thoughts begin to work she doth not like me or something And thus it is with the Soul at first Coming to Jesus Christ thou lovest him and thy love produceth Jealousy and that Jealousy oft-times beget Fears Now thou fearest the Sins of thy Youth the Sins of thine old Age the Sins of thy Calling the Sins of thy Christian Duties the Sins of thy Heart or somthing thou thinkest somthing or other will alienate the Heart and Affections of Jesus Christ from thee thou thinkest he sees somthing in thee for the sake of which he will refuse thy Soul But be content a little more Knowledge of him will make thee take better heart thy earnest desires shall not be attended with such burning Fears Thou shalt hereafter say This is mine Infirmity Psal. 77. Thou art Sick of Love a very sweet Disease and yet every Disease has some weakness attending of it yet I wish this Distemper if it be lawful to call it so was more Epidemical Dye of this Disease I would gladly do 't is better than Life it self though it be attended with Fears But thou cryest I cannot obtain Well be not too hasty in making Conclusions If Jesus Christ had not put his Finger in at the Hole of the Lock thy Bowels would not have been troubled for him Song 5. Mark how the Prophet hath it They shall walk after the Lord he shall Roar like a Lyon When he shall Roar the Children shall Tremble from the East They shall Tremble like a Bird out of Egypt and as a Dove out of the Land of Assyria
I am coming and that I could not be but that the Father draws me and I am coming to such a Lord Jesus as will in no wise cast me out Further Satan were I not elect the Father would not draw me nor would the Son so graciously open his bosom to me I am perswaded that not one of the non-elect shall ever be able to say no not in the day of judgement I did sincerely come to Jesus Christ. Come they may feignedly as Judas and Magnus did But that is not our question Therefore O thou honest-hearted coming sinner be not afraid but come As to the Second part of the Objection about sinning the sin against the Holy Ghost The same argument overthrows that also But I will argue thus First Coming to Christ is by vertue of a special gift of the Father but the Father giveth no such gift to them that have sinned that sin therefore thou that art coming hast not committed that sin That the Father giveth no such gift to them that has sinned this sin Is evident 1. Because such have sinned themselves out of God's Favour They shall never have Forgiveness Matth. 12. 32. But it is a special Favour of God to give unto a Man to come to Jesus Christ because thereby he obtaineth Forgiveness Therefore he that cometh hath not sinned that Sin 2. They that have sinned the Sin against the Holy-Ghost have sinned themselves out of an Interest in the Sacrifice of Christ's Body and Blood There remains for such no more Sacrifice for Sin But God giveth not Grace to any of them to come to Christ that have no share in the Sacrifice of his Body and Blood Therefore thou that art coming to him hast not sinned that Sin Heb. 10. 26. Secondly Coming to Christ is by the Special Drawing of the Father No Man cometh to me except the Father which hath sent me draw him But the Father draweth not him to Christ for whom he hath not alotted Forgiveness by his Blood Therefore they that are coming to Jesus Christ have not sinned that Sin because he hath alotted them Forgiveness by his Blood Joh. 6. 44. That the Father cannot draw them to Jesus Christ for whom he hath not alotted Forgiveness of Sins is manifest to Sense For that would be a plain Mockery a Flam neither becoming his Wisdom Justice Holyness nor Goodness Thirdly Coming to Jesus Christ lays a Man under the Promise of Forgiveness and Salvation But it is impossible that he that hath sinned that Sin should ever be put under a Promise of these Therefore he that hath sinned that Sin can never have Heart to come to Jesus Christ. Fourthly Coming to Jesus Christ lays a Man under his Intercession For he ever Liveth to make Intercession for them that come Heb. 7. 25. Therefore he that is coming to Jesus Christ cannot have sinned that Sin Christ has forbidden his People to pray for them that have sinned that Sin and therefore will not pray for them himself But he prays for them that come Fifthly He that hath sinned that Sin Christ is to him of no more Worth than is a Man that is Dead For he hath Crucified to himself the Son of God Yea and hath also counted his Precious Blood as the Blood of an Unholy Thing Heb. 6. chap. 10. Now he that hath this low Esteem of Christ will never come to him for Life But the Coming-Man has an high Esteem of his Person Blood and Merits Therefore he that is coming has not Committed that Sin Sixthly If he that hath sinned this Sin might yet come to Jesus Christ then must the Truth of God be overthrown which saith in one Place He hath never Forgiveness and in another I will in no wise cast him out Therefore that he may never have Forgiveness he shall never have Heart to come to Jesus Christ. It is impossible that such an one should be Renewed either to or by Repentance Heb. 6. Wherefore never trouble thy Head nor Heart about this Matter He that cometh to Jesus Christ cannot have sinned against the Holy Ghost Sixthly Thy Fears that Christ will not Receive thee may arise from thine own Folly in Inventing yea in thy Chalking out to God a way to bring thee Home to Jesus Christ. Some Souls that are coming to Jesus Christ are great Tormentors of themselves upon this account They conclude that if their Coming to Jesus Christ is right they must needs be brought Home thus and thus As to instance 1. Sayes one If God be bringing of me to Jesus Christ then will he load me with the Guilt of Sin till he makes me Roar again 2. If God be indeed a bringing of me home to Jesus Christ then must I be assaulted with dreadful Temptations of the Devil 3. If God be indeed a bringing of me to Jesus Christ then even when I come at him I shall have wonderful Revelations of him This is the way that some Sinners appoint for God But perhaps he will not walk therein yet will he bring them to Jesus Christ But now because they come not the Way of their own Chalking out therefore they are at a loss They look for Heavy Load and Burden but perhaps God gives them a Sight of their lost Condition and addeth not that heavy Weight and Burden They look for fearful Temptations of Satan but God sees that yet they are not fit for them Nor is the Time come that he should be Honoured by them in such à Condition They look for great and glorious Revelations of Christ Grace and Mercy But perhaps God only takes the Yoke from off their Jaws and lays Meat before them And now again they are at a loss yet a-coming to Jesus Christ I drew them saith God with the Cords of a Man with the Bands of Love I took the Yoke from off their Jaws and laid Meat unto them Hos. 11. 4. Now I say if God brings thee to Christ and not by the Way that thou hast appointed then thou art at a loss and for thy being at a loss Thou mayst thank thy self God hath more ways than thou knowst of to bring a Sinner to Jesus Christ But he will not give thee before-hand an Account by which of them he will bring thee to Christ Isa. 40. 13. Job 33. 13. Sometimes he hath his Way in the Whirlwind but sometimes the Lord is not there Nah. 13. 1 King 19. 11. If God will deal more gently with thee than with others of his Children grudge not at it Refuse not the Waters that go softly lest he bring upon thee the Waters of the Rivers strong and many even these two smoaking Fire-brands the Devil and Guilt of Sin Isa. 8. 6 7. He said to Peter Follow me And what Thunder did Zacheus hear or see Zacheus come down said Christ and he came down sayes Luke and Received him Joyfully But had Peter or Zacheus made the Objection that thou hast made and Directed the Spirit of the Lord as
is with one that can pity pray for pardon yea multiply pardons It is with one that can have Compassion upon us when we are out of the way with one that hath an heart to fetch us again when we are gone astray with one that can pardon without upbraiding Blessed be God that life is in Christ For Now 't is sure to all the seed But Fourthly This Doctrine of coming to Jesus Christ for life informs us of the evil of Unbelief that wicked thing that is the only or chief hindrance to the coming sinner Doth the Text say 〈◊〉 Doth it say And him that cometh I will in no wise cast out Then what an evil is that that keepeth sinners from coming to Jesus Christ And that evil is unbelief For by faith we come by Unbelief we keep away Therefore It is said to be that by which a Soul is said to depart from God because it was that which at first caused the world to go off from him and that also that keeps them from him to this day And it doth it the more easily because it doth it with a wile This sin may be called The White Devil for it often-times in its Mischievous doings in the Soul shews as if it was an Angel of Light Yea it Acteth like a Counsellor of Heaven Therefore a little to discourse of this evil disease First It is that sin above all others that hath some shew of reason in its attempts For it keeps the Soul from Christ by pretending its present unfitness and unpreparedness as want of more sense of sin want of more repentance want of more humility want of a more broken heart Secondly It is the sin that most Suiteth with the Conscience the Conscience of the coming sinner tells him that he hath nothing good that he stands inditable for Ten Thousand Tallents that he is a very ignorant blind and hard-hearted sinner unworthy to be once taken notice of by Jesus Christ And will you says Unbelief in such a case as you now are presume to come to Jesus Christ Thirdly It is the sin that most Suiteth with our Sense of feeling The coming sinner feels the workings of sin of all manner of sin and wretchedness in his flesh He also feels the Wrath and Judgement of God due to sin and oft-times staggers under it Now sayes unbelief you may see you have no grace for that which works in you is corruption You may also perceive that God doth not love you because the Sense of his Wrath abides upon you Therefore how can you bear the face to come to Jesus Christ Fourthly It is the sin above all others that most Suiteth with the Wisdom of our flesh the Wisdom of our flesh thinks it prudence to question a while to stand back a while to hearken to both sides a while and not to be rash sudden or unadvised in too bold a presuming upon Jesus Christ And this Wisdom Unbelief falls in with Fifthly It is that sin above all other that continually is whispering the Soul in the ear with mistrusts of the faithfulness of God in keeping promise to them that come to Jesus Christ for life It also suggesteth mistrust about Christs willingness to receive it and save it And no sin can do this so Artificiently as Unbelief Sixthly It is also that sin which is always at hand to enter an Objection against this or that Promise that by the Spirit of God is brought to our heart to comfort us and if the poor coming sinner is not aware of it it will by some evasion slite trick or cavil quickly wrest from him the Promise again and he shall have but little benefit of it Seventhly It is that above all other sins that weakens our Prayers our faith our love our diligence our hope and expectations It even taketh the heart away from God in duty Eightly Lastly This sin as I have said even now it appeareth in the Soul with so many sweet pretences to safety and security that it is as if it were Counsel sent from Heaven Biding the Soul be wise wary considerate well advised and to take heed of too rash a venture upon Believing Besure first that God loves you take hold of no promise untill you are forced by God unto it neither be you sure of your Salvation doubt it still though the testimony of the Lord has been often confirmed in you live not by faith but by sense and when you can neither see nor feel then fear and mistrust then doubt and question all This is the Devilish counsel of Unbelief which is so covered over with specious pretences that the wisest Christian can hardly shake off these reasonings But to be brief Let me here give thee Christian Reader a more particular description of the qualities of Unbelief by opposing Faith unto it in these Twenty five particulars First Faith believeth the word of God but Unbelief questioneth the certainly of the same Psal. 106. 24. Secondly Faith believeth the word because it is true but Unbelief doubteth thereof because it is true 1 Tim. 4. 3. Joh. 8. 45. Thirdly Faith sees more in a promise of God to help than in all other things to hinder But Unbelief notwithstanding Gods promise saith How can these things be Rom. 4. 19 20 21. 2 King 7. 2. Joh. 3. 4 12. Fourthly Fourthly Faith will make thee see love in the heart of Christ when with his mouth he giveth reproofs But Unbelief will imagine wrath in his heart when with his mouth and word he saith he loves us Mat. 15. 22 23 24 25 26 27 28. Numb 13. 2. chap. 14. 3. Fifthly Faith will help the Soul to wait though God deferres to give but Unbelief will take snuff and throw up all if God make any tarrying Psal. 25. 5. Isa. 8. 17. 2 King 6. 33. Psal. 106. 13 14. Sixthly Faith will give comfort in the midst of fears but Unbelief causeth fears in the midst of comfort 2 Chro. 20. 20 21. Mat. 8. 26. Luk. 24. 36 37. Seventhly Faith will suck sweetness out of Gods rod but Unbelief can find no comfort in his greatest mercies Psal. 23. 4. Numb 21. 5. Eighthly Faith maketh great burdens light but Unbelief maketh light ones intollerably heavy 2 Cor. 4. 13 14 15 16 17 18. Mal. 1. 2 13. Ninethly Faith helpeth us up when we are down but Unbelief throws us down when we are up Mich. 7. 8 9 10. Heb. 4. 11. Tenthly Faith bringeth us near to God when we are far from him but Unbelief puts us far from God when we are near to him Heb. 10 22. Chap. 3. 12 13. Eleventhly Where Faith reigns it declareth Men to be the Friends of God but where Unbelief reigns it declareth them to be his Enemies Jam. 5. 23. Heb. 3. 18. Rev. 21. 8. Twelfthly Faith putteth a Man under Grace but Unbelief holdeth him under Wrath Rom. 3. 24 25 26. Chap. 4 16. Ephes. 2. 8. Joh. 3. 36. 1 Joh. 5. 10. Heb. 3. 17. Mark 16.
Psal. 19. 3. Psal. 27. 4 5 6. Job 9. 4. Joh. 17. 2. Mat. 8. 29. Luk 8. 28. Jam. 2. 19. Eighthly Coming-Sinner The Jesus to whom thou art coming is Lowly in Heart He despiseth not any 'T is not thy outward Meanness nor thy inward Weakness 't is not because thou art Poor or Base or Deformed or a Fool that he will despise thee He hath chosen the Foolish the Base and despised Things of this World to confound the Wise and Mighty He will bow his Ear to thy Stammering Prayers he will pick out the Meaning of thy inexpressible Groans he will respect thy weakest Offering if there be in it but thy Heart Mat. 11. 29. Luk. 14. 21. Prov. 9. 4 5 6. Isa. 38. 14 15. Song 5. 16. Joh. 4. 27. Mark 12 33 34. Jam. 5. 11. Now Is not this a Blessed Christ Coming-Sinner Art thou not like to fair well when thou hast Embraced him Coming-Sinner But Secondly Thou hast yet another Advantage by Jesus Christ that art coming to him For he is not only Full but Free He is not sparing of what he has he is open hearted and open-handed Let me in a few Particulars shew thee this First This is evident because he calls thee He calls upon thee to come unto him the which he would not do was he not Free to give Yea he bids thee when come Ask Seek Knock And for thy Encouragement adds to every Command a Promise Seek and ye shall find Ask and ye shall have Knock and it shall be opened unto you If the Rich Man should say thus to the Poor would not he be reckoned a Free-hearted Man I say Should he say to the Poor Come to my Door Ask at my Door Knock at my Door and you shall Find and Have Would he not be counted Liberal Why thus doth Jesus Christ Mind it Coming-Sinner Isa. 55. 3. Psal. 50. 15. Mat. 7. 7 8 9. Secondly He doth not only bid thee Come but tells thee He will heartily do thee Good Yea he will do it with Rejoycing I will rejoyce over them to do them Good with my whole Heart and with my whole Soul Jer. 32. 41. Thirdly It appeareth that he is Free because he giveth without Twitting He gives to all men Liberally and upbraideth not Jam. 1. 5. There are some that will not deny to do the Poor a Pleasure but they will mix their Mercies with so many Twitts that the Persons on whom they bestow their Charity shall find but little Sweetness in it But Christ doth not do so coming-Coming-Sinner He casteth all thine Iniquities behind his Back Thy Sins and Iniquities he will remember no more Isa. 38. 17. Heb 8. 12. Fourthly That Christ is Free is manifest by the Complaints that he makes against them that will not come to him for Mercy I say he complains saying O Jerusalem Jerusalem How often would I have gathered thy Children together as a Hen gathereth her Chickens under her Wings and ye would not Matth. 23. 37. I say he speaks it by way of Complaint He saith also in another place But thou hast not called upon me O Jacob but thou hast been weary of me O Israel Isa. 43. 22. Coming-Sinner See here the Willingness of Christ to Save See here how Free he is to communicate Life and all good Things to such as thou art He complains if thou comes not he is displeased if thou callest not upon him Hark Coming-Sinner once again When Jerusalem would not come to him for Safe-guard He behold the City and wept over it saying If thou hadst known even thou at least in this thy day the Things that belong to thy Peace but now they are hid from thine Eyes Luk. 19. 41. Fifthly Lastly He is open and Free Hearted to do thee Good as is seen by the Joy and Rejoycing that he manifesteth at the coming home of poor Prodigals He receives the lost Sheep with Rejoycing the lost Groat with Rejoycing Yea when the Prodigal came home what Joy and Mirth what Musick and Dancing was in his Father's House Luk. 15. Thirdly Coming-Sinner I will add another Encouragement for thy Help First God hath prepared a Mercy-Seat a Throne of Grace to Sit on that thou may'st come thither to him and that he may from thence Hear thee and Receive thee I will Commune with thee saith he from above the Mercy-Seat Exod. 25. 22. As who should say Sinner When thou comest to me thou shalt find me upon the Mercy Seat where also I am alwayes found of the Undone Coming Sinner Thither I bring my Pardons there I Hear and Receive their Petitions and Accept them to my Favour Secondly God hath also prepared a Golden Altar for thee to offer thy Prayers and Tears upon A Golden Altar It is called a Golden Altar to shew what Worth it is of in God's Account For this Golden Altar is Jesus Christ This Altar sanctifies thy Gift and makes thy Sacrifices acceptable This Altar then makes thy Groans Golden Groans thy Tears Golden Tears and thy Prayers Golden Prayers in the Eye of that God thou comest to Coming Sinner Rev. 8. Mat. 23. 19. Heb. 10. 10 15. 1 Pet. 2. 5. Thirdly God hath Strowed all the way from the Gate of Hell where thou wast to the Gate of Heaven whither thou art going with Flowers out of his own Garden Behold How the Promises Invitations Calls and Encouragements like Lillies lye round about thee Take heed that thou doest not tread them under foot Sinner With Promises did I say Yea he hath mixed all those with his Own Name his Sons Name also with the Name of Mercy Goodness Compassion Love Pity Grace Forgiveness Pardon and what not that may encourage the coming Sinner Fourthly He hath also for thy En-couragement laid up the Names and set forth the Sins of those that have been Saved In his Book they are fairly written that thou through Patience and Comfort of the Scriptures mightst have Hope 1. In this book is Recorded Noah's Name and Sin and how God had Mercy upon him 2. In this Record is fairly written the Name of Lot and the Nature of his Sin and how the Lord had Mercy upon him 3. In this Record thou hast also fairly written the Names of Moses Aaron Gidion Sampson David Solomon Peter Paul with the Nature of their Sins and how God had Mercy upon them And all to Encourage thee coming-Coming-Sinner Fourthly I will add yet another Encouragement for the Man that is coming to Jesus Christ. Art thou coming Art thou coming indeed Why 1. Then this thy Coming Is by Vertue of God's Call Thou art Called Calling goes before Coming Coming is not of Works but of him that Calleth He went up into a Mountain and called to him whom he would and They came to him Mark 3. 13. Secondly Art thou coming This is also by Vertue of Illumination God has made thee see and therefore thou art coming So long as thou wast Darkness thou lovedst Darkness and couldst not
abide to come because thy Deeds were Evil But being now Illuminated and made to see what and where thou art and also what and where thy Saviour is Now thou art coming to Jesus Christ. Blessed art thou Simon Bar-Jona for Flesh and Blood hath at Revealed it unto thee said Christ but my Father which is in Heaven Matth. 16. 15 16. Thirdly Art thou coming this is because God has Inclined thine heart to come God hath called thee illuminated thee and inclined thy heart to come and therefore thou comest to Jesus Christ. It is God that worketh in thee to Will and to come to Jesus Christ. Coming sinner bless God for that he hath given thee a Will to come to Jesus Christ. It is a Sign that thou belongest to Jesus Christ because God has made thee willing to come to him Psal. 110. 3. Bless God for slaying the enmity of thy mind had he not done it thou wouldest as yet have hated thine own Salvation Fourthly Art thou coming to Jesus Christ it is God that giveth thee Power power to pursue thy Will in the matters of thy Salvation is the gift of God 'T is God that worketh in you both to Will and to Do Phil. 2. 13. not that God worketh Will to come where he gives no power but thou shouldest take notice that power is an aditional Mercy The Church saw that will and power were two things when She cried Draw me we will run after thee Song 1. 4. and so did David too when he said I will run the ways of thy Commandments when thou shalt enlarge my Heart Will to come and power to pursue thy will is a double Mercy coming Sinner Fifthly All thy strange passionate sudden rushings forward after Jesus Christ coming Sinners know what I mean they also are thy helps from God Perhaps thou feelest at sometimes more than at others strong stirrings up of heart to fly to Jesus Christ now thou hast at this time a sweet and stiff gale of the Spirit of God filling thy sails with the fresh gales of his good Spirit and thou ridest at those times as upon the wings of the wind being carried out beyond thy self beyond the most of thy prayers and also above all thy fears and temptations Sixthly coming Sinner hast thou not now and then a kiss of the sweet lips of Jesus Christ I mean some blessed word droping like an Honey-Comb upon thy Soul to revive thee when thou art in the midst of thy dumps Seventhly Does not Jesus Christ sometimes give thee a glimps of himself though perhaps thou seest him not so long a time as while one may tell twenty Eighthly Hast thou not sometimes as it were the very warmth of his wings over-shadowing the face of thy Soul that gives thee as it were a gload upon thy Spirit as the bright beams of the Sun do upon thy body when it suddenly breaks out in the midst of a cloud though presently all is gone again Well all these things are the good hand of thy God upon thee and they are upon thee to constrain to provoke and to make thee willing and able to come coming Sinner that thou mightest in the end be Saved FINIS ERRATA PAge 17. Line 30. for given Read giver p 19. l. 6. f. his r. this p. 20. l 8. f. my r. may p. 22. l. 22. f. those r. these p. 23. l. 27. f. Satan r. some p. 24. l. 25. f. me r. one p. 27. l. 5. f. changing r. cleansing p 32. l 12. f. his r. this p 33. l. 1. after is add to p. 33 l. 15. after medle r. with these p. 43. l. 8. f. pre r. present p. 78. l 2. after force r. to come p. 116. l. 7. before give r. to p. 138. l. 13. f. above r. alone p. 183. l. 14. after not r. to p. 184. l. 19. f. between r. be p. 187. l. 22. after Judge r. no.