him united to him and are in him and so no condemnation to them that are in Christ and therefore they must needs have a large supply and communication from Jesus Christ Suppose that a man were in the Sun the very fountain of light if he be near the Sun he hath much light but if he be in the Sun then a more large fulness of light and so they that come unto Christ they are neer Christ they are nigh unto him John 6.56 He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I in him He abides in me and dwells in me The Soul therefore that comes to Christ must needs haâ—e a full supply Again This full supply that is given out unto Believers it is given out not only fully but freely Saith Christ I do not ask any thing at all but whosoever comes he shall have his fill he shall have a full supply and that freely he shall drink and that freely only do but come and you shall drink and thy soul shall live Revel 22.17 And Whosoever will let him come and drink of the water of life freely And so Isa 55.1 Ho every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters and he that hath no money come ye buy and eat yea come buy wine and milk without money and without price Without any price at all it is only coming and that to every one that comes to him it 's most free You have had two or three Demonstrations I shall but briefly name them and so proceed to shew and satisfy your hearts in this that Jesus Christ requireth nothing of any soul that comes to him for the giving out of a large supply 1. If Christ should require any thing and should not give out freely there is not a soul that ever was in the World or ever shall be in the World that had or hath wherewith to purchase any thing or any one drop of the water of life For we cannot as much as will or think or speak of our selves not so much as to have a good thought And 2. Jesus Christ will have it so because it is his pleasure and delight 3. It must needs be so because of that Invitation that Jesus Christ doth here make unto poor souls that come unto him Thus far I have proceeded Before I come to the Application there is only one thing would be cleared as an Objection by the way and that is taken from the Saints Objection Do we say there is such a fulness in Jesus Christ and will he give out a large and full supply unto all that come to him and that freely How can this stand with the experience of them that are true believers that truly come unto Jesus Christ They are so sensible of their own wants weaknesses and their own defects of grace as what more frequent complaints and who do more frequently complain than true believers And there is never a true believing soul that comes to Jesus Christ but is sensible of some defect or want or other and hath not attained to perfection and the more and nearer he comes to Christ still the more sensible of his defects and wants O! none so weak as I am none so poor in grace as I am none so weak in faith so wanting in love in humility in patience and in meekness as I and O! none hath such a cold heart such a dead heart such an unfruitful heart as I have You will say where is this same full supply then Shall all that come to Christ have a full supply how can these things be What shall we say then that those that make such complaints as these are not true believers no God forbid Or shall we say that this Truth that Jesus Christ hath spoken is not truth why where is then this same full supply how can this stand to be a truth that all that do come to Jesus Christ shall have a full supply and shall drink abundantly and shall drink freely when he saith Every one that cometh unto me shall drink of the water of life and that freely Do not many believers fear that their sins will be their ruine and fear condemnation sometimes Now how doth this stand with this full supply which is to be had in Christ I shall clear this by answering to two or three things Answer 1. First Every believing soul that comes to Jesus Christ hath drunk such a draught of this same water of life that he is freed for ever from condemnation He shall never dy or perish or be condemned for sin no he is freed from all condemnation the poorest the weakest the meanest hath drunk a full supply that it shall never perish by its sins it is passed from death to life there is no condemnation none unto them now that they are in Christ Jesus no condemnation to the poorest and meanest believer and now all their sins are forgiven there is a full forgiveness those sins shall never be laid to their charge And as the Holy Ghost saith I will be merciful unto their unrighteousness their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more And the blood of Jesus Christ is able to cleanse us from all our sins It 's true indeed a believer that hath drunk of this same water of life and that is freed from all his sins he may be possibly be exercised with fears and possibly his Assurance and his Apprehension of his Justification to himself may have some cloud upon it he may be excercised with clouds may fear his going down into the pit though there is no real ground of it for indeed he is freed from all the guilt of these for he is now passed from death to life John 11.26 He that believeth in me shall never dy that is his very temporal death shall be but as a sleep to him the sting is taken out and he shall never die eternally And so therefore to clear this Objection there is never a believing soul that is come to Christ but hath drunk such a draught of the water of life that he is passed from death to life and shall never see death or condemnation That is one Answer 2. Secondly Every Soul that is come to Christ though in respect of his Sanctification of sanctifying and saving grace he is not perfect he hath not drunk such a draught but he desires more and may desire more yet notwithstanding that draught that he hath drunk is such a draught as he shall never be thirsty more so as to be wholly destitute of this same water of life as he was before Christ saith John 6.35 He that cometh to me shall never hunger he that believeth on me shall never thirst He shall be carried on as he shall never decrease so as to be destitute but shall grow up as the grain of mustard seed Christ makes use of by way of Parable likening the Kingdom of Heaven to a grain of mustard seed and to a little Leaven which never
God and yet the justice of God not suffer here is the infinite wisdom of God set on work to find out this way Brethren there was a great deal of the Wisdom of God seen in the contrivance of the World and of the creatures framing of the Creation Saith the Psalmist speaking of the creatures In Wisdom hast thou made them all Psal 104.24 Ay there is much of the Wisdom of God seen in the creation of the World The Heavens declare the Glory of God Ay but Brethren in the work of the redemption of lost man shewing grace and favour and kindness to poor undone creatures as we are herein appears the manifold Wisdom of God Eph. 3.10 To the intent that now unto the Principalities and Powers in heavenly places might be made known by the Church the manifold Wisdom of God Here was Wisdom and manifold Wisdom Wisdom upon Wisdom to find out a way for God to shew kindness and favour to poor condemned creatures as we are And then 3. Consider further that you may see the kindness of God about the salvation of man Consider that God should make it known that he is freely and fully willing to save undone creatures that he is willing to save any poor sinner that is willing to venture on Christ to lay hold on him by Faith it was the great intendment of God in sending his Son from Heaven to be made a man and to be made under the Law and to suffer the wrath and Curse of God for the transgression of the Law to make peace and attonement for sinners here is now the manifold Wisdom of God the wonderful Wisdom of God and that God should reveal this and make this known unto poor sinners that God is freely willing and fully willing that poor sinners find grace in his sight that they might have pardon and reconciliation whosoever they be that will believe on Christ and accept of him And not only so But 4. Consider that God should send his Servants and Messengers about up and down the World for that end that he might shew favour and kindness to poor sinners he sends them in his name to publish and proclaim his Grace to make known his everlasting Gospel unto poor sinners Go saith Christ Mark 16.16 Preach the Gospel and tell them He that believeth shall be saved and he that believeth not shall be damned There will be his punishment Now Brethren put all these together here is kindness and grace indeed that God should have favour for poor undone sinful creatures as we are that are sentenced to eternal death and that he should come and offer it and tender it as he doth Now consider what a sin it is not to receive it not to embrace it and accept of it but to slight it and refuse and despise it as every unbeliever doth God comes and offers eternal life and salvation in the Gospel if you will receive it you shall be saved if you do venture your souls upon it you shall be eternally saved now for poor creatures as it were to kick this away with the foot to spurn at this grace and kindness of God to cast it behind your back as not worthy the regarding you will say certainly this cannot be but a very great and high provocation As now suppose the King should send a pardon to a poor condemned Malefactor and he should take the pardon and cast it behind his back you will say this mans case is very sad This is the case of every unbelieving soul the pardon that God offers in the Gospel he makes a very wisp of it and casts it behind his back Now consider if this be not a sin doth not this deserve condemnation with a witness This is the condemnation That is the third 4. Let me name one more that if the Lord please to open our Eyes we may see a little more into the evil of this sin of unbelief Our not believing on Christ is the highest Contempt put upon the eternal Son of God that can be In refusing and slighting of Christ we trample upon the Blood of the infinite and eternal and beloved Son of God You will say that is a sin with a witness indeed if a man should have taken the Blood of Christ that ran out of his side and stampt it under his feet in disdain and contempt you will say that mans sin is a very great sin Brethren those that have Jesus Christ offered and tendered to them as Jesus Christ is tendered and offered to every sinner that sits under the Gospel there is his Blood offered and tendered to us now if we refuse it we do as it were trample upon the very Blood of the Son of God 'T is the expression of the Apostle Heb. 10.29 Who have trodden under foot the Son of God They trample the very Blood of the Son of God under their feet Brethren Jesus Christ in the Gospel comes and tenders himself he tenders his Blood the price and merit of his Blood here is peace here is pardon and reconciliation with God here is eternal life and salvation the very price of my Blood Now for us to make nothing of all this to make no more of the Blood of Christ than we would do of the Blood of a Beast certainly this cannot but be a very high Provocation I remember the Parable Mat. 21. of a Vineyard that was let out to Tenants so the Master of the Vineyard sent in season for the fruit of his Vineyard well 't is said v. 31. The husbandmen took his Servants and beat one and killed another and stoned another at last saith the Master of the Vineyard I will send my Son they will reverence my Son and at v. 38. When they saw the Son they used him as despitefully and shamefully as the other What shall become of those husbandmen that instead of reverencing his Son they cast him out of the Vineyard and slew him 'T is said v. 40. When the Lord of the Vineyard comes he will miserably destroy those husbandmen Why Brethren this is the case of every unbelieving soul the Son of God comes and tenders his Blood here is my hearts blood the price of my Blood which I have shed he tenders it to us to accept of it to accept of peace and pardon and salvation which is the price of my Blood and we make no account of it is not this a high provocation and do we not deserve to be miserably destroyed So now you have seen the second thing opened That unbelief is not only a sin but it is a great sin one of the greatest sins of all others And O! that we had eyes to see it But then 3. Thirdly To shew you that it is the work of the Spirit in order to Conversion to convince a Soul as of other sins so especially of this great sin of unbelief I shall briefly name two or three things to shew you what the Spirit doth in order to the
it did before as possibly through some dread or terror anguish or fear possibly the Soul hath been amazed through some eminent danger which he hath been in possibly he hath been sick to death nigh to the grave and hath seen the door of Eternity to stand open to receive him he hath been amazed and now if the Lord please he may have his life he will turn a new man and forsake those evil ways and courses he formerly lived in or if he be in some sudden danger or accident that he is amazed and affrighted O now he will never do as he hath done but now when the danger is over and the fear is vanished he is the same man he was before I could give you a sad story of this but that I would not take up time that way now you know how it was with Balaam when Balak sent to him to curse Israel Balaam met with a message from God to the contrary Do not go with him saith he for it will cost you your life when the Messenger came saith Balaam If Balak would give me his house full of gold and silver I cannot go beyond the Commandment of my God yet Balaam had an eye to the wages of unrighteousness and he would try to go and at last ventures to go he might be restrained a while but he was not really convinced of Sin and on he would go he would venture at last Just as it is with two Lovers two young people fall in love and their Parents are against their proceedings and their Parents threaten them and charge them to come no more at one another but so long as their affections hold they will find some way or other to come together and though they may for a time be restrained yet they will take some occasion or other to come together again Thus it is with a sinner so long as his affections are not taken off from sin and till a Soul be convinced of sin his affections remain to it and though it may be affrighted and restrained for a time yet it will return again Just as it is with a Bowl it will run on so long as the force of the hand remains but it will return again to its natural Bias so it is with a sinner possibly he may be under some restraint through some fright and amazement by some eminent danger it is in but when that fear or fright is over as long as the affections hold and were never disingaged and broken off from sin the sinner will return and be as eager and as violent upon his sins as before but when a Soul comes to be really convinced of his sin and hath it set home upon him as suppose it be the prophanation of the Sabbath or suppose it be disobedience to Parents or suppose this or that sin if a Soul come to be really convinced of it its affections towards it are broken off and then it will be ready to say with Ephraim Hos 4. ult What have I to do any more with Idols he had been convinced of it and now What have I to do any more with Idols This is the fourth Argument whereby it doth appear that this work of Convincing of sin is necessary in order to Conversion and Salvation 5. Convincing of Sin is necessary in order to Salvation Because unless a Soul be really convinced of sin that Soul can never love Jesus Christ never prize Jesus Christ Vnto them that believe saith the Apostle he is precious 1 Pet. 2.7 That is to you who have been convinced of Sin and brought off from Sin by the power of the Spirit convinced of Sin and drawn to Christ by faith and be ieving through the Spirit now to you Jesus Christ is precious O when a Soul comes to be sensible what a lost creature it is how undone it is in it self it will think how much it is engaged and beholden to Christ O this is he that I am bound to love for ever this is he that hath done so much for me if it had not been for Christ I had perished for ever The Soul when it hath been convinced of Sin and brought off from the love of Sin and brought to lean upon Christ by Faith now Jesus Christ is lovely and precious to him and hence you may see what is the reason that many Professors that have made a great shew in the world and a great noise in the Churches and yet they have little love to Christ and Jesus Christ is not very precious to them And possibly many complain of it O that I could love Jesus Christ more and it is a good complaint I confess O that he were more precious to me and what is the reason that Jesus Christ is more precious to our Souls and that the Soul can love the Lord Jesus Christ no more O! here is one great reason possibly the Soul was never really and truly convinced of Sin the more really the Soul hath been convinced of Sin the more dear and precious will Jesus Christ be to that Soul 6. And lastly The last Ground and Respect for which it is so necessâ—ry that a Soul should be convincâ—d of sin in order to Salvation Because else if a Soul be n t really convinced of sin that Soul notwithstanding all his Profession will be very unstable in its Faith and Comforts It will be tottering and wavering that Soul will never be rooted and grounded but its Comforts will be up and down it will be like a house that is built upon a sandy foundation a light foundation that hath no depth and you see the danger of that house that is built upon the Sands that hath a shallow slight foundation it is in danger to tumble especially when storms come and great Winds blow as Christ speaks Mat. 7. to our present purpose saith he He that heareth my Words and doth them not I will liken him to a Builder that built his house upon the Sands And saith he When the Wind blew and the Rain beat upon the house it fell because it wanted a good Foundation Truly so a Soul that hath no sure Foundation that is that was never really convinced of sin of his need of Christ that Soul will be like a house without a Foundation it will meet with temptations storms and tempests to try what ground it stands on and hence it is that it comes to be so often tottering and shaking I remember a speech of a holy eminent Servant of Christ to set out the necessity of Conviction of sin saith he The less Fine a man pays for his house when he enters the more Rent he must pay afterward He meant thus the less Conviction a man hath of sin at first that is the Fine the less his Fine is the more Rent he must pay afterward his meaning was this the more he will be subject to Troubles and Doubts and Scruples afterwards A Soul that hath not a real conviction of sin upon
leaves spreading till it hath spread all over and the grain of mustard seed it grows and springs up further and further till it become a tree for the fowls in the air to lodge in so our inward man is renewed day by day as it will spring up increase and grow more and more though yet he that hath drunk of the Spirit hath not the full perfection of it at once but may desire more yet notwithstanding he hath so much as he shall never be dry again that is wholly destitute but shall grow up and increase and spring And let me add only a third thing Answer 3. You will say The Saints have not a full draught and full supply because they complain I answer that though here they be in a state of imperfection and stand in need of a daily supply being sensible of their own defects and weaknesses Yet every believing soul hath drunk so much of the water of life as now he hath right and title unto the Inheritance of Glory where there is such fulness of joy as he shall be satisfied and shall not be able to desire any more Psal 16.11 Thou wilt shew me the path of life in thy presence is fulness of Joy and at thy right hand are pleasures for evermore They shall have joy as much as they can hold every vessel shall be filled with glory so full as it can hold no more they shall enjoy as much as ever they are able to hold or containe every vessel shall be full of glory The beginnings of eternal life are here and though possibly they may be made to drink tears here in abundance yet notwithstanding they have the beginnings of eternal life and glory and when they come once to enjoy the consummation of it they shall not be able to desire one draught one jot more so He that believeth on me out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water springing up unto eternal life So much for that Objection Now for the Application of the Point Vse 1. You see what Christ saith in the Text That man that comes unto me shall drink My drift in this Application shall be to press this Invitation of Jesus Christ Be it known unto you Men and Women young men and old and children that are capable of knowledge Know it that Jesus Christ doth invite every one of you that stands before him in this Ordinance to come unto him and draw water out of this Well of salvation It is a strong invitation that whosoever comes to him shall drink of this water of life Let me say unto you as Moses said unto the Children of Israel Deut. 32.46 And he said unto them Set your hearts unto all the Words that I testify among you this day Set your hearts to this Invitation of Jesus Christ to the Word that is now sounding in your ears for it is your life Jesus Christ doth bring eternal life to your doors to your hearts do not look upon them as if they were words of course and wind as if there were no truth or reality in them Brethren I suppose now if a friend should invite you to a Dinner or a Supper you would believe that he were real and you are ready to accept of his invitation because you think he means as he saith Why so now be it known unto you that Jesus Christ doth make an invitation to all here every one in the Congregation this day to come unto him and you shall have a supply of this water of life Suppose now that Jesus Christ were here present speaking these words as he did with his own mouth in the hearing of thousands and suppose now that if Jesus Christ were here in his bodily presence do you not think you should believe and give entertainment to what he spake behold Jesus Christ now speaks in his Word to all that are here present as he spake to all that were present then and makes proclamation saying Is any man athirst is there any that do desire this water of life that do desire to have their sins pardoned and forgiven them that do desire to be freed from condemnation that do desire to be adopted Sons and Daughters of God to have peace with God to have comfort and consolation in life and death and to have everlasting eternal glory when life shall be no more Know Jesus Christ holds forth all this whatsoever is requisite to eternal life Jesus Christ doth invite you to this and holds forth and promiseth to give a full draught of it to all that ever will come to him Therefore let no poor soul lay impediments and blocks in its own way to hinder him from coming unto Jesus Christ Objection But may one say I am afraid that I should presume if I should come unto Christ and therefore I dare not venture Answer O! let not any soul think so nor say so to hinder any of your souls from coming Know it that if Jesus Christ had made no invitation to you to come then you might very well say it 's presumption indeed for me to come but Jesus Christ invites thee himself in his Word and Promises that if you do come you shall have of this water of life and that freely Suppose a great rich man should invite a poor man to his Table and he comes being invited will ye say this is presumption when he spake to him himself and if he should not come 't is rather a slighting and despising his favour and love Why Jesus Christ holds forth a free invitation tenders it and promises it to any one soul that will come unto him upon his invitation and therefore let nothing stave thee off seeing he hath made a full and free invitation unto every one to come indeed Objection But alas I do not know that I am invited Christ invites me what me I am altogether unworthy to be invited to partake of this water of life alas so poor a creature so ignorant and so blind and so without strength as I am unable to perform any duty no strength and nothing at all to commend me unto the Lord or why the Lord should give me the least drop of the water of life and therefore certainly it is not to me Jesus Christ doth not invite me Answer I say Let not this Impediment ly in thy way because we have no strength or ability to do or to please or to serve him in any way why alas do you think now that Jesus Christ calls for any price invites people and then they must bring money in their hands No Brethren you are much mistaken Jesus Christ doth invite to come without money or without any price Whoever you be though you be never so weak and unable to perform any duty or service and never did any thing for the Lord yet you should come And Brethren the more unfit we are in our selves and the less we have of our selves and the more sensible we are of our own
unfitness this should rather be so far from hindering and discouraging us as that it should encourage us to come why because that having nothing and Christ being the fulness of all we should go unto Christ for all as Rev. 3.18 saith Christ Thou art poor and naked blind and miserable and hast nothing wherefore come to me I counsel thee to come to me for Ey salve and for rayment gold and treasure and riches Why here now is Christs argument on the contrary Why Brethren he fills the hungry and the empty with good things and they are to come to Christ Jesus Christ invites such poor souls as have nothing at all no ability at all a poor blind creature if one be more blind and unable and more ignorant than another here is the invitation that Jesus Christ doth make this day to such a poor soul that he shall if he come he shall drink and he shall have of this Water of Life Objection But another Objection is Alas I am a poor old creature an old man or an old woman that have lived without God and without Christ all this time and have slighted the offers of grace and all the invitations of Christ in his Gospel And also a poor old sinner and will Jesus Christ invite me I possibly have been a drunkard and an old drunkard and a swearer and a blasphemer of the name of God and the ways of Christ and can I think that ever Christ should entertain me when I come Answer Why now mark what I say unto you in a word from the Lord Let not any one here except himself and exclude himself if Jesus Christ do not except and exclude him look into the invitation doth Jesus Christ exclude and say Let every one come to me except he be an old drunkard or an old swearer no he doth not say so he excludes none See how the Words run if any man will come he shall drink if any man without exception can you have it spoken more full or in plainer terms If any man will come unto me he shall drink John 6.35 36 37. saith Jesus there I am the Bread of life he that cometh unto me shall not hunger and he that believeth on me shall never thirst but I said unto you that ye also have seen me and believe not All that the Father giveth me shall come to me and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out Let him be what he will whatsoever he be never such an old sinner and therefore why should a poor soul make this exception in his coming to Christ Now know it if there be any such a soul in the Congregation that hath lived so many years and all his life long hath been in sinful courses the invitation is to him and to all others that If any come to me saith Christ I will give him the water of life Objection But to object further Alas I have no strength nor power and I am unworthy to come and therefore it is but a folly to make such an invitation unto me and I have no power Answer You have heard before what it is to come to Christ viz. To venture and cast your self upon Christs invitation in his promise and the soul now venturing to lean upon Christs word and to trust Christ upon his word and to expect what Christ holds forth in his word this is a coming unto Christ you know what the Prodigal was and when the Lord sees a poor soul afar off he meets him and strengthens him and encourageth him and leadeth him by the hand and upholdeth him Objection Ay but you will say Alas I am willing to come to Christ but I have no word and a soul cannot come to Christ unless the Lord gives out some promise secretly to draw the heart to Christ and I cannot remember that ever the Lord spake to me whereby I should ever come Answer Well Suppose you cannot remember that ever you had any word or promise given out to draw or perswade your heart to cast it self and to adventure upon Christ yet behold here is a word from the Lord this day which he causes to be proclaimed in your hearing Jesus Christ holds forth unto you this day whoever you be that comes he shall drink and shall drink abundantly and most freely drink of the waters of life and shall never perish but shall live for ever and therefore from this time forward let not any soul say well the Lord hath not this day holden forth any word to me know it the Lord speaks to you even to one and to another this day If any man be athirst let him come unto me and drink Have you any thing more to object think with your selves what it is Objection Ay you will say there is one thing more and that is here in the Text If any man be athirst let him come and I cannot say I am athirst There are two things in answer to this Answer 1. The Promise that Christ makes here of giving the water of life is not so much to the thirsty as to the comer Whoever he be that comes to me shall drink 't is true indeed he saith every one that thirsts let him come to me and drink Why ordinarily men and women poor sinners are not ready to come to Christ without they be made very thirsty and see their necessity ay but notwithstanding saith Christ If any man do but come whoeuer he be if he doth but come and so Whosoever will whosoever he be let him come and take of the water of life freely The Promise is made not to thirsters only but to comers and be sure if you come he will give you to drink fully and freely Rev. 22.17 And the Spirit and the Bride say Come and let him that heareth say Come and let him that is a thirst come and whosoever will let him come and drink of the water of life freely Remember the Promise is not to the thirsty alone but unto the comer therefore venture to come and you may be sure Jesus Christ will give you to drink of the water of life Answer 2. But then again you say you do not thirst Can any soul here before the Lord say that you have no need of the water of life that you have no need of nor desire everlasting life that you have no need to have your sins pardoned is there any soul in the Congregation that can say that there is no need then you may stand off and say there is no invitation made to me but I dare say for every one in the congregation that he would willingly dy the death of the righteous and therefore let every poor soul know whatsoever is spoken to one is spoken to every one Jesus Christ hath made this invitation if any man do but come to Christ do but venture upon Christ that is the way he shall drink of the water of life and what shall I say more for the
clearing of this do you not think that Jesus Christ saith true or that he is to be believed in what he speaks never an one surely but will say that Jesus Christ is to be believed and that they do believe that he speaks truth why then Jesus Christs invitation is to every one in this Congregation to come unto him and therefore why should any stand back and hold off from coming unto Christ If the Lord would perswade your hearts to come unto Christ it would be the happiest day that ever your eyes saw in this World if the Lord would perswade your hearts hereto you should find that Jesus Christ would be as good as his word that you shall drink of this water of life and partake of it for ever and ever and shall never see death eternal death Objection There is one thing more Possibly you will say I do not very well understand how I may come to Christ in a way of faith and believing how or which way doth the soul come to Christ in a way of faith and believing as that the soul shall certainly have of this water of life and that Christ will give of this water of life Answer To open this a little This same coming to Christ I would speak it as plainly as possibly I could and not as a riddle or fancy or notion 'T is an hearkening to Christ in a Word of Promise and the soul is therein to venture it self and rely on or upon him in that Word which he holds forth and when the soul doth venture and close with all this is now a coming unto Christ when the Lord gives out an invitation a gracious Promise which holds out mercy and eternal life and in the hearing of it the Lord perswades the soul of the truth and reality of it it is perswaded to trust in it to rely upon it and to expect an accomplishment and performance of it And because I would not speak it as mine own words alone I speak it as the Virgin Mary did when the Angel came to her Luke 1.38 Then said Mary Behold the Servant of the Lord be it unto me according to thy Word This was now a believing a trusting and a relying on the Word of the Lord she was a Virgin and the Angel answered her in that as she had no more to say but to rely upon the Word of Promise Behold the Handmaid of the Lord be it unto me according to thy Word whence was it it was from this speech the holy confidence and expectation of the fulfilling of that promise to her And so effectual calling is an hearkening unto the Lords call the soul being perswaded to receive the Word closing with returning answer to the Word then the soul is effectually called So also there is an ineffectual Call unto which the soul doth not answer but looks upon the Word of the Lord by his Servants as words of wind and words of course but as this same accepting of this gracious invitation and promise which he holds forth is effectual calling why so the neglecting of these I say is a refusing to hear him that speaks from Heaven Take heed that you do not refuse him that speaks from Heaven that is now when the Lord speaks in his invitation by gifts and outward calling this invitation being propounded and made and men make light of it is an ineffectual calling so now when upon the invitation of the call of the Lord in his promise there is an yielding obedience unto that call in faith it 's called the obedience of Faith Rom. 16.26 When the soul doth yield unto the Lord in the voice of the Promise close withal and receive and embrace it looking upon it as worthy of all acceptation receiving it with both hands as it were when the soul doth thus venture to rely upon the Word venturing it self upon the Lord in his Promise that if I perish I will perish there I will venture my self upon the Lords Word and Faithfulness This is effectual Calling 2 Tim. 1.12 I know saith Paul in whom I have believed and I am perswaded that he will keep that good thing which I have committed unto him against that day I have committed my soul concernments unto him and I trust them in his armes When the soul doth venture thus upon the gracious Word of invitation doth receive it and committeth it self unto the Lord in it this is a closing with Christ and the anwer of the heart unto the Lords call and this is a coming unto Christ So that when you venture upon the Lord in his Word you close with him in it it is soon said yea soon done the soul may come and close with Christ in the Promise and that soon too so pass from death unto life Therefore ask your own hearts in the Presence of the Lord seeing Jesus Christ doth make such a gracious Invitation for to come unto him and venture upon him in his Word whether it can be free and ready to say now Lord let it be according to thy Word to me say in this manner as in the presence of the Lord Lord upon this gracious invitation of thine in the Gospel I desire to rest and hope upon the faithfulness of thy Word and to accept thereof and trust in it Can you say it in the presence of the Lord you whosoever you are that seem to be afar off though possibly you might have had some glimmering hopes hoping sometimes that the Lord would be merciful to you and presently fearing your eternal condition Well I speak it to you that are old men and women and possibly old sinners that have lived in sin all your lives long and possibly are even hopeless in your selves and ready to cast out words of despair and so in a hopeless condition in your selves to you the Lord this day calls to come in unto him and to hearken to this invitation and if you now come unto him you shall have of the water of life And you young Men and Maids I would leave out none who are capable of partaking of this water of life consider the Question again Are you willing to be saved Let your hearts speak it out between the Lord and your own souls upon this Word of thy grace unto which thou hast invited me this gracious Promise I do now commit my soul to thee and rely upon this thy Word of Grace and rely upon thy faithfulness to accomplish it to me and have your souls thus answered unto the Lord let it be unto me according to thy Word let me say it in the name of the Lord unto you This day is salvation come unto thy soul this day hath Jesus Christ given eternal life unto thy soul this day the Lord hath taken thee into Covenant with himself and hath vouchsafed thee to be his And I speak it in the authority which Jesus Christ hath given me in his word even every one that thus comes to Christ
accepting of this his gracious promise I say it thy sins are forgiven thee relying upon him in the Faithfulness of his Word and Promise I say the Lord Jesus Christ hath forgiven thy sins and you may go home and record it for a Memorial that this day at such a time the Lord hath drawn out my soul to make a close with himself and now eternal life is come unto thee the Lord hath forgiven thy sins and now thou art passed from death to life Let me make the offer again unto such poor sinners as have held out all this time and have not laid hold upon this gracious invitation made by Jesus Christ that will yet venture the Lord perswading your hearts though possibly you have been enemies and opposers and possibly might come to oppose and catch and though never so far off and lost in your selves yet notwithstanding hearken to this invitation that if the Lord doth perswade your hearts to say solemnly and seriously Lord upon this Word of thy gracious Promise and Invitation I do now desire to trust and to venture upon thy Word and do expect the performance and accomplishment of thy Word that now it may be given out to thee that so you also might be brought in unto Christ to partake of this water of life Vse 1. A Word of Exhortation to you who are come to Christ Go away now even as the Virgin Mary and say My Soul doth magnifie the Lord and my Spirit rejoyceth in God my Saviour for he hath regarded the low Estate of his poor creature It is said that the Eunuch went away rejoycing after that Philip was caught away by the Spirit and so hath every Believer cause to do Use 2. Another Word is That you would go unto God with a holy boldness as to your God and Father for such special mercies as you desire to have at the Lords hand Now as the Holy Ghost saith Seek the Lord while he may be found and draw nigh unto him while he is near The Lord is near to you do do you draw neer to him with a humble and holy boldness as to your God and Father and you may ask what you will and now beg that the Lord would establish his Work of Grace in your hearts and now ask for this and that mercy and for your relations even what you will In Gen. 17. Abraham falls down in a begging posture God having made a Covenant with him O Lord now that Ismael might live in thy sight so say I Go to God and desire some special mercy this day now while the Lord is nigh Use 3. You who are brought near unto God hath the Lord spoken to you Take heed that you do not stop your ear unto what God speaks and return again to folly Look that you do not walk as the Gentiles did in the vanity of your minds Eph. 4.17 Now you must take heed that you do not walk in the same vanities in your foolish pastimes in your vain conversations take heed you do not walk after the course of the World If the Lord hath taken you out of the World called you unto Christ you are now to walk in a diligent performance of all duties unto the Lord walk close with God in your particular Callings from the heart take heed that you walk exactly and inoffensively keeping a good Conscience Use 4. And lastly That still upon all occasions you would be coming to Christ We are not to content our selves with once coming unto Christ and there is an end but we must come daily even every day When you find your hearts out of frame when you are straitned and dead-hearted come to Christ even every day by vertue of this Promise through this Word leaning and resting upon Christ and O remember this blessed Word this blessed Word of the Lord Jesus Christ wherein he hath said If any man thirst let him come unto me and drink FINIS