if my Covenant be not with Day and Night and if I have not appointed the Ordinances of Heaven and Earth then will I cast away the Seed of Jacob. But Heaven can not be measured not the Foundations of the Earth searched out beneath his Covenant is also with day and night and he hath appointed the Ordinances of Heaven therefore he will not cast away the Seed of Jacob who are the coming ones but will certainly save them from the dreadful Wrath to come Jer. 33. 25 26. chap. 50. 4 5. By this therefore it is manifest that it is not the greatness of sin nor thy long continuance in it no nor yet thy back-sliding nor the pollution of thy Nature that can put a bar in against or be an hinderance of the Salvation of the coming sinner For if indeed this could be then would this solemn and absolute Determination of the Lord Jesus of its self fall to the ground and be made of none effect But his Counsel shall stand and he will do all his pleasure That is his pleasure in this for this promise this irreversible conclusion ariseth of his Pleasure and he will stand to it and will fulfil it because it is his pleasure Suppose that one man had the sins or as many sins as an hundred and another should have an hundred times as many as he yet if they come this word I will in no wise cast out secures them both alike Suppose a man hath a desire to be saved and for that purpose is coming in truth to Jesus Christ but he by his debauched Life has damned many in hell why the dore of hope is by these words set as open for him as it is for him that hath not the thousandth part of his Transgressions And him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out Suppose a man is coming to Christ to be Saved and hath nothing but sin and an ill-spent life to bring with him Why let him come and welcome to Jesus Christ And he will in no wise cast him out Luk. 7. 41. Is not this Love that passeth knowledg is not this Love the wonderment of Angels and is not this Love worthy of all acceptation at the hands and hearts of coming sinners Secondly That which is implyed in the words is First The coming Souls hath those that continually lie at Jesus Christ to cast them Secondly The coming Souls are afraid that these will prevail with Christ to cast them off For these words are spoken to satisfie us and to stay up our Spirits against these two dangers I will in no wise cast out First For the First Coming Souls have those that continually lye at Jesus Christ to cast them off And there are three things that thus bend themselves against the coming sinner First There is the Devil that Accuser of the brethren that accuses them before God day and night Revel 12. 10. This Prince of Darkness is unwearied in this work he doth it as you see day and night that is without ceasing He continually puts in his Caveats against thee if so be he may prevail How did he ply it against that good man Job if possible he might have obtained his destruction in Hell fire He objected against him that he served not God for nought and tempted God to put forth his Hand against him urging that if he did it he would Curse him to his face and all this as God witnesseth He did without a Cause Job 1. 9 10 11. chap. 2. 4. 5. How did he ply it with Christ against Joshua the high Priest And he shewed me Joshua said the Prophet the high Priest standing before the Angel of the Lord and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him Zech. 3. To resist him that is to prevail with the Lord Jesus Christ to resist him Objecting the uncleanness and unlawful Marriage of his Sons with the Gentiles for that was the Crime that Satan laid against them Ezra 10. 18. Yea and for ought I know Joshua was also guilty of the fact but if not of that of Crimes no whit inferior for he was Cloathed with filthy Garments as he stood before the Angel neither had he one word to say in vindication of himself against all that this wicked one had to lay against him But notwithstanding that he came off well but he might for it thank a good Lord Jesus because he did not resist him but contrariwise took up his cause pleaded against the Devil excused his infirmity and put justifying Robes upon him before his Adversaries Face And the Lord said unto Satan The Lord Rebuke thee O Satan even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem Rebuke thee Is not this a Brand pluckt out of the Fire And he answered and spake to those that stood before him saying Take away the filthy Garments from him and to him he said Behold I have caused thine iniquities to pass from thee and will Cloath thee with chang of Raiment Again how did Satan ply it against Peter when he desired to have him that he might sift him as Wheat that is if possible sever all Grace from his heart and leave him nothing but flesh and filth to the end he might make the Lord Jesus loath and abhor him Simon Simon said Christ Satan hath desired to have you that he might sift you as Wheat But did he prevail against him No But I have prayed for thee that thy Faith fail not As who should say Simon Satan hath desired me that I would give thee up to him and not only thee but all the rest of thy Brethren for that the word you imports but I will not leave thee in his hand I have prayed for thee thy saith shall not sail I will secure thee to the Heavenly Inheritance Luk. 22. 30 31 32. Secondly As Satan so every sin of the coming-sinner comes in with a Voice against him if perhaps they may prevail with Christ to cast off the Soul When Israel was coming out of Egypt to Canaan how many times had their sins thrown them out of the mercy of God had not Moses as a Type of Christ stood in the breach to turn away his VVrath from them Psal. 106. 23. our Iniquities testify against us and would certainly prevail against us to our utter rejection and Damnation had we not an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous 1 Joh. 2. 1 2. The sins of the old World cryed them down to Hell the sins of Sodom fetched upon them Fire from Heaven which devoured them the sins of the Egyptians cryed them down to Hell because they came not to Jesus Christ for Life Coming-sinner thy sins are no whit less than any Nay perhaps they are as big as all theirs VVhy is it then that thou livest when they are dead and that thou hast a promise of Pardon when they had not Why thou art coming to Jesus Christ and therefore sin shall not be thy ruin Thirdly As Satan and
admit of such Objections to the discouraging of their own Souls For this VVord in no wise cutteth the Throat of all Objections and it was dropt by the Lord Jesus for that very end and to help the Faith that is mixed with Unbelief And it is as it were the sum of all Promises neither can any Objection be made upon the unworthyness that thou findest in thee that this Promise will not asoile But I am a great sinner sayst thou I will in no wise cast out sayes Christ. But I am an old sinner sayst thou I will in no wise cast out sayes Christ. But I am a hard hearted sinner sayst thou I will in no wise cast out sayes Christ. But I am a back-sliding sinner sayst thou I will in no wise cast out sayes Christ. But I have served Satan all my dayes sayst thou I will in no wise cast out sayes Christ. But I have sinned against Light sayst thou I will in no wise cast out sayes Christ. But I have sinned against mercy sayst thou I will in no wise cast out sayes Christ. But I have no good thing to bring with me say'st thou I will in no wise cast out sayes Christ. Thus I might go on to the end of things and shew you that still this promise was provided to answer Objections And doth answer them But I say what need it be if they that are coming to Jesus Christ are not sometimes yea oft-times heartily afraid that Jesus Christ will cast them out I will give you now two instances that seem to imply the truth of this observation In the Nineth of Matthew at the Second Verse you read of a man that was sick of the Palsie and he was coming to Jesus Christ being born upon a bed by his Friends He also was coming himself and that upon another account than any of his friends was aware of even for the pardon of sins and the Salvation of his Soul Now so soon as ever he was come into the presence of Christ Christ bids him be of good chear it seems then his heart was fainting but what was the cause of this fainting but the guilt and burden of his sins therefore he proceeds Be of good chear thy sins are forgiven thee I say Christ saw him sinking in his mind about how it would go with his most Noble part and therefore first he applies himself to him upon that account For though his friends had Faith enough as to the cure of the Body yet he himself had little enough as to the Cure of his Soul Therefore Christ takes him up as a man falling down saying Son be of good Cheer thy Sins are forgiven thee That about the Prodigal seemes pertinent also to this matter When he was come to himself he said how many hired Servants of my Father have Bred enough and to spare and I perish for Hunger I will arise now and go to my Father Heartily spoken But how did he perform his Promise I think not so well as he promised to do And my ground for my Thoughts is because his Father so soon as he was come at him fell upon his Neck and Kist him Implying methinks as if the Prodegal by this time was dejected in his mind and therefore his Father gives him the most sudden and familiar token of Reconciliation And Kisses were of old time often used to remove Doubts and Fears Thus Laban and Esau Kiss Jacob. Thus Joseph Kissed his Brethren and thus also David Kissed Absolom Gen. 31. 55. chap. 33. 1 2 3 4 5 6. chap. 48. 9 10. 2 Sam. 14. 33. 'T is true as I said at first setting out he spake heartily as sometimes Sinners also do in their beginning to come to Jesus Christ But might not he yea in all probability he had between the first step he took and the last by which he accomplished that journey many a thought both this way and that as whether his Father would receive him or no As thus I said I would go to my Father but how if when I come at him he should ask me Where I have all this while bin VVhat must I say then Also if he asks me What is become of the portion of Goods that he gave me VVhat shall I say then If he asks me Who have bin my Companions VVhat shall I say then If he also shall ask me What hath bin my Preferment in all the time of mine absence from him VVhat shall I say then Yea and if he ask me Why I came home no sooner What shall I say then Thus I say might he reason with himself And being Conscious to himself that he could give but a bad Answer to any of these Interogatories no marvel if he stood in need first of all of a Kiss from his Fathers Lips For had he answered the first in Truth he must say I have bin a haunter of Taverns and Alehouses and as for my Portion I spent it in Riotous Living my Companions were Whores and Drabs As for my preferment the highest was that I became a Hoggard and as for my not coming home till now Could I have made shift to have staid abroad any longer I had not lain at thy Feet for Mercy now I say these things considered and considering again how prone poor man is to give way when truly awakned to despondings and heart-misgiveings no marvel if he sink in his mind between the time of his first setting out and that of his coming to his Father 3. But Thirdly methinks I have for the confirmation of this Truth the consent of all the Saints that are under Heaven to witt That they that are Coming to Jesus Christ are oft-times heartily afraid that he will not receive them Quest. But what should be the Reason I will Answer to this Question thus First It is not for want of the revealed VVill of God that manifesteth grounds for the Contrary for that there is a sufficiency of yea the Text it self hath laid a sufficient Foundation for incouragement for them that are Coming to Jesus Christ. And him that Cometh to me I will in no wise cast out Secondly It is not for want of an Invitation to Come for that is full and plain Come unto me all ye that Labor and are heavy Laden and I will give you Rest Mat. 11. 28. Thirdly Neither is it for want of a manifestation of Christs willingness to receive as those Texts above named with that which follows declareth If any man Thirst let him come unto me and drink Joh. 7. 37. Fourthly It is not for want of exceeding great and precious Promises to receive them that Come Wherefore come out from among them and be ye separate saith the Lord and touch not the unclean thing and I will receive you and I will be a Father unto you and ye shall be my Sons and Daughters saith the Lord Almighty 2 Cor. 6. 17 18. Fifthly It is not for want of Solemn Oath and Ingagement to save them that
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
Eternal Hence it is called the peace of God and That passeth all understanding Fourthly The person speaking in the Text hath enough of all things truly Spiritually good to satisfie the desires of every longing Soul And Jesus stood and Cried saying If any man thirst let him come unto me and drink And to him that is athirst I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely Joh. 7. 37. Rev. 21. 6. Fifthly With the person speaking in the Text is power to perfect and defend and deliver those that come to him for safegard All power saith he in heaven and earth is given unto Me Mat. 28. 18. Thus might I multiply instances of this nature in abundance But Secondly they that in truth do come to him do therefore come to him that they may receive it at his hand They come for light they come for life they come for reconciliation with God they also come for peace they come that their Soul may be satisfied with Spiritual good and that they may be protected by him against all Spiritual and Eternal damnation and he alone is able to give them all this to the filling of their joy to the full as they also find when come to him This is evident First From the plain declaration of those that already are come to him Being Justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ by whom also we have access with boldness into this grace wherein we stand and rejoyce in hope of the glory of God Rom. 5. Secondly 'T is evident also in that while they keep their eyes upon him they never desire to change him for another or to add to themselves some other thing together with him to make up their Spiritual Joy God forbid said Paul that I should Glory save in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Yea and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord for whom I have suffered the loss of all things and do count them but dung that I may win Christ and be found in him not having mine own Righteousness which is of the Law but that which is thorough the faith of Christ the righteousness which is of God by faith Philipians 3. 7 8 9. Thirdly 'T is evident also by their earnest desires that others might be made partakers of their blessedness Brethren said Paul my hearts desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they might be saved that is that way that he expected to be saved himself as he saith also to the Galatians Brethren saith he I beseech you be as I am for I am as ye are That is I am a sinner as you are now I beseech you seek for life as I am seeking of it as who should say For there is a sufficiency in the Lord Jesus both for me and you Fourthly 'T is evident also by the Triumph that such men make over all their enemies both Bodily and Ghostly Now thanks be to God said Paul who causeth us always to triumph in Jesus Christ. And who shall separate us from the Love of Christ our Lord. And again O death where is thy sting O Grave where is thy victory The sting of death is Sin and the strength of sin is the Law but thanks be to God who giveth us the victory thorow our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Cor. 2. 14. Rom. 8. 35. 1 Cor. 15. 55 56. Fifthly 'T is evident also for that they are made by the Glory of that which they have found in him to suffer and endure what the Devil and Hell it self hath or could invent as a means to separate them from him Again Who shall separate us from the Love of Christ Shall tribulation or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or peril or Sword as it is written for thy sake we are killed all the day long we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter Nay in all these things we are more than Conquerors through him that loved us For I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other Creature shall be able to separate us from the Love of God which is in Christ Jesus Rom 8. Shall come to Me. O the heart attracting glory that is in Jesus Christ when he is discovered to draw those to him that are given to him of the Father Therefore those that come of old rendered this as the cause of their coming to him And we beheld his glory as of the only begotten of the Father Joh. 1. 14. And the reason why others come not but perish in their sins is for want of a sight of his glory If our Gospel be hid it is hid to them that are lost in whom the God of this world hath blinded the minds of them that believe not lest the Glorious Light of the Gospel of Christ who is the image of God should shine unto them 2 Cor. 4. 3. 4. There is therefore heart-pulling glory in Jesus Christ which when discovered draws the man to him wherefore by shall-come to Me Christ may mean when his glory is discovered then they must come then they shall-come to Me. Therefore as the True Comers come with Weeping and Relenting as being sensible of their own Vileness so again it is said That the Ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with Singing and Everlasting Joy upon their Heads they shall obtain Joy and Gladness and Sorrow and Sighing shall flye away That is at the Sight of the Glory of that Grace that shews it self to them now in the Face of our Lord Jesus Christ and in the Hopes that they now have of being with Him in the Heavenly Tabernacles Therefore it saith again With Gladness and Rejoycing shall they be brought they shall enter into the King's Palace Isa. 35. 10. Chap. 51. 11. Psal. 45. 15. There is therefore Heart-attracting Glory in the Lord Jesus Christ which when discovered subjects the Heart to the Word and Makes us Come to him 'T is said of Abraham That when he dwelt in Mesopotamia the God of Glory appeared unto him Act. 7. 2. saying Get thee out of thy Country And what then why away he went from his House and Friends and all the World could not stay him Now as the Psalmist sayes Who is the King of Glory He answers The Lord mighty in Battle And who was that but He that spoiled Principalities and Powers when he did Hang upon the Tree Tryumphing over them thereon And who was that but Jesus Christ even the Person speaking in the Text Therefore he said of Abraham He saw his Day Yea saith he to the Jews Your Father Abraham rejoiced to see my Day and he saw it and was Glad Psal. 24. 8. Col. 2. 14 15. Jam. 1. 1. Joh. 8. 56. Indeed the Carnal Man sayes at least in his Heart There is no Form or Comliness in