at the Last Day Oh ye vain Temporizers that are for the Love and Favour of Men more then the Love of Christ Oh ye besotted blind secure Ones that are setled on your Lees see not your need of this Christ What will become of you Are there not many that see no Need of him no Beauty in him that they should desire him that say of him as the Daughters of Jerusalem to the Spouse What is thy beloved more than another beloved They see no such Excellency and Glory in him as hath been shewn We may say of them as is said of the Children of Israel Our fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt c. Psal 106. 7. Great and Wonderful Things the Lord did for them but they saw no Glory therein Wonderful Things have been spoken of the Love of Christs but they see no Glory in it Their Hearts are not taken with it Oh how shall we be able to lament their Misery that are not taken with this Love of Christ It was a Saying of one of the Fathers If all the World were turn'd into Tears they were not sufficient to lament the Misery of that Soul that sees not Excellency in Jesus Christ I may say here If all the World from the Earth to the Empyrean Heaven were full of Tears yea Tears of Blood they were not sufficient to lament the Misery of your Souls that have not an Interest in this lovely Jesus We are not able to express your Misery Words will not bear it the Tongue of Men and Angels cannot declare it If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ let him be Anathema Maran-atha 1 Cor. 16. 22. Let him be accursed with the greatest Curses The dreadfullest Curses that Law or Gospel can denounce are the Portion of Unbelievers therefore when our Saviour would denounce the greatest Torments he saith Let them have their portion with the hypocrites and unbelievers This is the condemnation that light is come into the world and men love darkness rather than light c. Joh. 3. 19. Christ hath brought Light into the World the Light of Grace and Glory but the generality of Men love Darkness dark Company dark Practices Ways live in Darkness and this is the Condemnation The Condemnation What is that Oh! we are not able to express that how great Condemnation it is how dreadful Condemnation it is Oh that Sinners might dread it before they feel it 1. It is Dreadful because Wilful Sinners Wilfulness will add to the Dreadfulness of it Ye will not come to me that ye might have life Joh. 5. 40. Oh how will this torment I might have had Christ but would not Grace and Glory but would not I would not Pray I would not Mourn for my Sins I would not be Godly I would have my Lusts I would be Damn'd Oh! my Wilfulness hath brought me to this Place of Torment 2. Your Condemnation will be inexcusable and therefore dreadful Friend how camest thou hither without the wedding-garment And he was speechless Mat. 22. 12. Sinners Tremble to think of this You will be speechless you will have no Excuse You cannot say Christ was not offer'd you Now we Ministers come to deal with you we offer you Christ we beseech you to come to him but you have many Excuses as Luk 14. 16 17 18. they were called to the Supper viz. Christ and his Benefits but they made their Excuses to the Servant But when the Lord himself comes to deal with you as Mat. 22. 11. Friend how camest thou hither without the wedding-garment How comest thou to be without a Christ Was he not offer'd thee Then he will call his Servants his Ministers and ask the Question Did not you offer Christ to this Man Then they will answer Yes Lord I was earnest with him I did beg of him as on my Knees and labour with all my might to bring him in but could not persuade him Oh then you will be speechless you will not have one word to say How will this torment 3. Your condemnation will be intolerable and therefore dreadful Luk. 13. 28. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you see Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of Heaven and your selves thrust out There shall be gnashing of teeth it speaks their intolerable Torment Oh how will this torment to see the Husband taken into Heaven and the Wife shut out the Wife taken into Heaven and the Husband shut out the Child taken into Heaven and the Parent shut out the Servant taken into Heaven and the Master shut out your Neighbour taken into Heaven and your selves shut out This will cause gnashing of Teeth I had the same Means and Opportunities as they I had Christ offer'd me as well as they I sate under the same Sermons I had the same Calls but I would not come in The Refusals of Christ will make Damnation intolerable 4. Your Damnation will be Eternal therefore Dreadful Mat. 25. 41. Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire Oh Dreadful Fire the Lake of Fire Rev. 20. 15. and that for ever to be burning and ever burning where the worm dies not and the fire is not quenched Mark 9. 44. The Christless Sinner shall burn and roar and roar and burn and that for ever after you have been as many thousands of millions and millions of thousands of Years Ages as as there are Hairs on your Head Piles of Grass on the Earth Stars in the Sky Sands in the Sea Drops in the Ocean you will be no nearer coming out than at the beginning O Eternity Eternity Eternity This will cut to the Heart Then you shall seek Death and shall not find it O Death whither art thou gone Oh come and end this doleful Life Oh that these Pains would break my Heart and end my Being Oh that I might once die Oh that I had been a Dog or Toad Oh that I had never had a Being Oh Sinner lay 〈◊〉 to heart Remember Everlasting Torment is dreadful Torment 〈◊〉 Time is almost gone Eternity is ready â—o swallow you up 〈◊〉 haste Make haste to the City of Refuge before the Avenger 〈◊〉 Blood overtake you Use 2. For Exhortation to come in to Christ Sinners Come lay in for a share in this Love Oh what infinite Pity it is that any poor Soul should miss of this Love 1. God is earnest for your Coming He would never have sent his Son else Joh. 3. 16. God so loved the world that he sent his only begotten Son that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life God so loved it was so great a Love that we cannot express Ezek. 33. 11. As I live saith the Lord God I take no pleasure in the death of sinners but that they turn and live Turn ye turn ye why will ye die The God of Truth swears it doubles the Call Turn ye turn ye expostulates the Case with you Why will ye die If you come not you
die I would not have you that if you die it is because you will die God is so earnest that he entreats you to come and live God offers Reconciliation in his Son and sends his Embassadors to beseech you to come and accept 2 Cor. 5. 19 20. Oh how earnest is he You are Guilty Condemned Malefactors and will ye not accept of a Pardon You are under Wrath and will ye not accept of Free Love How shall ye escape if ye neglect so great salvation 2. Christ is willing so willing that he took our Nature and died Heb. 10. 5 6 7. compared with Psal 40. 6 7 8. It is spoken of Christ Christ delighted in Dying and bearing the Wrath of God for poor Sinners lo I come and I delight in it lo I must take your Nature and I delight in it and if I take your Nature I must take your Sins too and I delight in it lo I must take your Curse and Wrath and I delight in it lo I must endure your Death and Hell and I delight in it I must have the Curse that you may have the Blessing I must have the Wrath that you may have the Love I must die that you may live I must have the Hell that you may have Heaven and I delight in it Oh how willing is Christ to save poor Sinners Ah Sinners do you not find your Hearts taken with this Love When Christ was in the World did he cast away any one that came to him for Bodily Healing He came to save Souls will he then refuse Souls that come to him He sate among Sinners he wept over Sinners When he was near the Cross he saith I have a baptism to be baptized with and how am I straitned till it be accomplished Luk. 12. 50. He means his Passion as if Christ had said I must endure a bitter Agony in the Garden sweat Drops of Blood and how do I long I am to die a shameful painful cursed Death upon the Cross at Jerusalem and how do I long till it be accomplished When he was upon the Cross he pray'd for his Murdereâ—s when he was risen he sends his Apostles to preach the Gospel and offer the Benefits of his Death first at Jerusalem Act. 3. 14 15 16. O Love indeed They who shed his Blood must have the first Offer of his Blood And when he was ascended he appears to John at Patmos and gave him Commission to write to the Churches Rev. 1. 11. And what does he write Even a Call to Sinners to come and partake of the Salvation he hath wrought out Rev. 22. 17. 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 take the water of life freely How earnest Christ is Come Sinners Come Come Come take me and my Benefits freely Christ is willing and art not thou willing Sinner consider how this will aggravate thy Damnation Oh that every Soul that hears or reads these lines may come 1. Labour tosee your Need of Him You have infinite Need of him whether you see it or no and your Misery is the greater that do not see it Christ is offer'd to you and to the greatest of Sinners but you must see your Need before you will come Let a Physician come to two Men the one well and the other sick the Well-Man doth not regard him the Whole need not a Physician but the Sick-Man is glad of him to have his Directions and follow his Prescriptions 2. Take heed of putting off this work of Believing any longer Delays are dangerous Come in to Christ speedily Make haste the Judge standeth behind the Door the Avenger of Blood is at your Heels If you will have a Christ take him now to Morrow may be too late This Night thy Soul may be required of thee Art thou Young Consider that Text Prov. 27. 1. that is the Young Man's Text Boast not thy self of to morrow for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth Heb. 3. 7 8. To day if you will hear his voice harden not your hearts If you do not take him and take him to day it is the Hardness of your Heart Art thou an Old Man Consider that Text Hos 7. 9. 10. that is the Old Man's Text it is said of Ephraim Strangers have devoured his strength and he knoweth it not yea gray hairs are here and there upon him and he knoweth not Yet they do not return to the Lord nor seek him for all this Oh this is a sad case What an Old Man and a Christless Man an Old Man and a Prayerless Man an Old Man and not turn to the Lord nor seek him for all this Many will be for putting off the Work till Sickness or Death Take heed of it then God may justly seal you up to Destruction Now Satan will say Repent at Death but then he will say It is too late There was a Man that in Sickness cried out When I was well I would not go to God but now I have no God to go to then the Devil bid me repent at death but now he tells me It is too late Take heed that this be not your Case 3. Consider the danger of neglecting this gracious Offer of a Christ If you go away and wallow in your Sins then Condemnation will come upon you to the uttermost Mat. 11. 22 to 24. Christ is there upbraiding the Cities where he had made the Offers of his Grace and they refused And see how dreadful he declares their Case to be how many Woes he pronounces against them he tells them It shall be worse with them then with Sodom at the Day of Judgment Worse than with Sodom certainly this must needs be a dreadful Condition indeed for Sodom must needs be a very wicked People We read Genesis 19. 24. That the Lord rained Brimstone and Fire from Heaven upon them Yet you that refuse Christ shall have a hotter Hell than they more dreadful Torments then Sodom and Gomorrah O tremble Sinners to think of missing of Christ Souls why should you be worse for Christ Christ that is the greatest Mercy that ever came into the World It will be the greatest Mercy that ever was to you if you get into him but if you miss of him you will be infinitely and eternally the worse for him In some Countries where they burn their Malefactors they pour Oil into the Flames to make them more grievous O fear and tremble to miss of Christ for this will be as Oil to the Flames Every Offer of Christ will be Oil to the Flames in Hell every Sermon will be as Oil to the Flames every Sabbath and Soul-opportunity will be as Oil to the Flames in Hell What say'st thou Sinner Dost thou find these things affect thee Dost thou find thy Heart coming O away to Christ go and cry for a Christ and wrestle for a Christ and be restless for
and to be with Christ Moriar Domine ut te videam nolo vivere volo mori August Let me die Lord that I may see thee I will not live I will die Make haste my Beloved and be like to a roe or hart on the mountains of spices Cant. 8. ult Come Lord Jesus Come quickly Note Because I would not discourage the weakest Believer You may take notice That Love may be consider'd in the spark or in the flame and that this last Particular speaks Love rather in the flame 5. A true Lover of Christ thinks nothing too much to doe nothing too much to suffer for Christ 1. Nothing too much to doe for Christ Lovers think they can never doe too much for one another Gen. 29. 20. Jacob served seven Years for Rachel and they seemed but as a few Days for the Love he had to her A Beloved of Christ thinks he can never Pray too much Hear too much Doe too much in the Work of Christ Is it not otherwise with thee Thou think'st thou can'st never doe too much for the World Is not this thy Character we read of Eccles 4. 8 There is no end of all his labours for the World Plowing Sowing Riding Running Carking Caring for the World early and late thou never thinkest this too much but thou takest little Pains for Christ If one hour will not serve for the World thou wilt rise sooner But I appeal to thy own Heart when did'st thou an hour the earlier for Prayer to cry to God for a Christ Thou art soon weary of these and thinkest it more adoe than needs This speaks little Love to Christ 2. Nothing too much to suffer for Christ 1. He thinks not too much to suffer Reproaches for Christ Heb. 11. 26. He accounts them his Riches Glory 1 Pet. 4. 14. He thinks not too much to suffer Losses for Christ loss of Goods of Good Name Heb. 10. â—4 He believes he shall be no Loser by it Mat. 19. 29. He hath this Principle rooted in his Heart That he may lose much for Christ but shall never lose by Christ 3. He thinks it not too much to suffer Death for Christ Rev. 12. 11. They loved not their Lives unto the death Act. 21. 13. 6. A true Lover of Christ is exceedingly cast-down at the withdrawings of Christ and solaced with the returns of Christ 1. He is exceedingly cast-down at the withdrawings of Christ All his Peace and Comfort is gone when Christ is gone The Spouse lost Christ He withdrew himself And how was it with her Her Soul failed she was as swooning dying As Jacob's life was bound up in the Lad's life so is a Believer's life and all the comforts of it in Christ He saith as Absolon when shut out from his Father's Presence Let me die if I may not see his face so saith the Beloved of Christ And I have heard some Souls crying out most hideously under Divine Withdrawings Oh I cannot bear these Withdrawings I cannot live without God's Presence I had rather die a thousand Deaths than be in this Condition Woe Woe Woe is me I sojourn in Mesech and dwell in the Tents of Kedar Thou Soul that knowest not what these things mean can'st read these in thine Heart whatever thy Doubtings and Mis-givings of Heart may be about thy love to Christ thou may'st look upon them as Evidences of it let not Satan rob thee of thy peace and comfort be not faithless but believing and believing rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory But if thou that readest these lines art one that can endure distance from God you cannot bear distance from Friends and those you love but it is a great disquiet to you but you can be without God and it never troubles you let not Satan gull thee nor thy Heart deceive thee for I tell thee from the Lord That thou hast not the least spark of Saving Love to Christ 2. He is exceedingly revived rejoyced at the returns of Christ He saith as Mephibosheth Let him take all since my Lord is come back Let Worldlings take the World so I may have Christ Let Profane Ones take their Lusts so I may love Christ let Voluptuous Ones take their Pleasures so I may have Christ let Ambitious Ones take their Honours so I may have Christ I have enough The lines are fallen to me in pleasant places yea I have a goodly heritage Psal 16. 5 6. Return to thy rest O my soul for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee Psal 116. 6 7. Use 4. What Encouragement is here for poor awakened Soulâ—â— that are distressed for a Christ Oh here is a Jesus full of love matchless love away to him He is all love to coming Souls he is all wrath to Unbelievers to Sinners that stand it out against him he saith Those mine Enemies that will not come bring hither and 〈◊〉 before me But he is all love to coming souls he stands with open Arms ready to receive them his Heart is full of love Hands full of love Come poor Sinners here is my Blood my Love my Purchases my Benefits all for thee away with all your doubts and fears do not dispute your selves out of Christ Obj. Oh but I am vile so vile I dare not come Ans What if thou art never so vile if Christ hath love enough to swallow up all thy vileness then this need not hinder thy coming to Christ his love is infinite boundless bottomless thy sin is but the sin of a finite Creature his love is the love of an Infinite God Jer. 3. 12 13 14. Go and proclaim these words and say Return thou backsliding Israel saith the Lord and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon thee for I am merciful saith the Lord. God gives Commission to his Ministers to go and proclaim That if Sinners will come to him they shall have Mercy Soul this I have commission from the Lord to tell thee That if thou wilt come in to the Lord thou shalt have Mercy the Mouth of the Lord hath spoken it Obj. Oh but I am a great Sinner If I were not so great a Sinner I could hope Ans What if thy sins are never so great if the love of Christ be greater Isa 1. 18. Come saith the Lord and though your sins be as scarlet they shall be as white as snow though they be red like crimson they shall be as wool As if he had said Let your Sins be never so great of never such a Crimson dye yet if you will but come you shall have Mercy Though thy sins have weaken'd the Law and made that unable to save thee yet it hath not weaken'd Christ Rom. 8. 3. Christ came to doe that which the Law could not doe Heb. â— 25. 26 That Text tells you That he is able to the uttermost to save those that come Christ is able to the uttermost of your sins to the uttermost of your doubts and fears neither quantity nor