gave him Grace and would give him Glory Hence it is that he saith in Psal 84.11 Grace and Glory will he give and no good thing will hee withhold Well I have grace and I shall have more grace and I have a humane glory I am a King and a Prophet and shall have greater glory I shall have glory in the highest heavens So that you see its true of David Christ is the root of his Nature the root of his Grace and the root of his Glory Now this will appear for the general That hee is the root of Nature and Grace and Glory First It will appear that Christ is the root of Nature How it appears that Christ is the root of Nature from the Creation and making of all things He that makes all things must needs bee the Lord and the Root and the author and fountain of Nature Heb. 1.2 By whom also he made the worlds why the world was made by Christ Christs right hand Christs arm was at work in the making of all the creatures The world was made by him therefore he is the Lord of Nature that hath made all Secondly It appears he is the root of Nature because he can blast nature at his pleasure what saith Christ to the Fig-tree Never fruit grow more upon this tree did it not presently wither away Christ dryed up all the moysture dried up the sap dried up the very root of the tree why he is the very Root and the Lord of Nature Thirdly Farther it appears in regard that he hath the command of all Diseases he cured and healed them What Disease was there ever presented to Christ that he could not cure He cast out Devils cured Leprosies and all manner of diseases the woman that had spent all her estate with Physitians and could do no good the man that lay at the Pool of Bethesday and could not be cured yet Christ cures all Diseases He is the root of Nature Fourthly So likewise it appears from his raising of the dead when men are upon dissolution and nature going downward the breaths gone the soul is gone the body putrified it matters not saith Christ to Martha Thou shalt see the glory of God thou shalt see that I am the root of Nature that I am the root of all that I can call both the soul and breathe breath into him and raise him up These are evidences that hee is the Root and Lord of Nature Secondly Christ hee is the root of Grace Christ the root of Grace all Grace is from him Luke 4.18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he hath anointed me to preach the Gospel To preach it to the poor he hath sent me to heal the broken hearted to preach deliverance to the Captives and recovering of sight to the blind to set at liberty them that are bruised to preach the acceptable year of the Lord Is not here Grace in all these Yes and all comes from Christ Hee was annointed with the Spirit of the Lord to do these things And more fully in Joh. 1.14 16 17. The word was made flesh and dwelt among us full of Grace and Truth but for whom was this Grace and for whom was the Truth saith John And of his fulness have all we received and Grace for Grace Hee had a fulness of Grace hee was the Author the Root of Grace the Fountain of Grace the God of Grace and this Grace was to be communicated and derived unto others Of his fulness have we all received Grace for Grace For the Law was given by Moses but Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ The Lord Christ is the root of Grace Rom. 5.20 21. Where sin abounded Grace did much more abound That as sin hath reigned unto death even so might Grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord Sin abounded I but Grace doth superabound how comes it to superabound by Jesus Christ our Lord Grace must reign as sin hath reigned and it must reign by Christ this Grace will send out so much Grace that Grace will reign and out-reign sin bring under sin So then Christ he is the root of Grace Lastly Christ the rooâ— of Glory Christ he is the root of Glory there is none let into heaven but by Christ none made glorious but by Christ 1 Cor. 2.8 he is called the Lord of Glory They crucified the Lord of Glory The Lord of Glory because he was a glorious Lord in himself The Lord of Glory because he hath all Glory to dispose of The Lord of Glory because he advances whom he pleases to Glory he will advance his Church unto Glory all beleevers unto Glory So that you see now Christ he is the root of Nature the root of Grace and the root of Glory Now what remains but that we should make some use of this point and there are several things which will be observable Use First If Christ be the Root of Nature of Grace and Glory then we may all make use of that which David doth upon this account in Ps 138.8 Thy mercy O Lord indures for ever forsake not the works of thine own hand why may not every one say Lord I am the work of thy hands thou hast made me a creature Thou art the root of my nature Lord do not forsake me but Lord make me gracious as well as to have nature bee the root not only of a natural life to mee but the root of a spriritual life unto me and be the root of Glory unto me why thy hand hath made me Thou hast made me a man given me an immortal soul indued me with understanding and some wisdome and knowledge Lord do not forsake me leave mee not to the Devil to the world to my self But Lord seeing thy hand hath made me a man so Lord let it make me a new man as I have a Natural life so let me have another life a Spiritual life so every one when they are in straights and troubles in darkness and afflictions and think they are left of God and Christ let them use this Argument in Prayer I am the work of thine hands what wilt thou leave the work of thy own hands why men will not desert the work of their own hands thou hast not deserted the Creation the Sun Moon and Stars Night and day Summer and Winter why Lord I am the work of thine own hands do not leave me nor forsake me 2 Is Christ the root of Nature of Grace and of Glory then whatsoever difference you see in men as men in men as Christians what difference soever you read of men in glory it is all from the Lord Jesus Christ it is from the root You know that one Tree is higher than another it is from the root that one tree or branch is higher or bigger than another it is from the root of the Tree that the differences are in the branches and arms and boughes of the tree
which no man could number of all nations c. So that the Lord Jesus Christ he hath a Seed he hath a Generation a Posterity that cannot be numbered a Generation that cannot be declared how many they are so that this hinders nothing nor contradicts what is delivered here That he is the Off-spring of David The words being thus opened I shall draw forth some Conclusions from them Observ The first Conclusion is this That if Jesus Christ be the Off-spring of David then Christ was and is true man and this is or ought to be an Article of your Faith To know the Lord Jesus Christ to be true man You know the Off-spring of any thing is of the same nature of the thing from whence it comes The Off-set or the Off-spring of the tree is of the same nature with the tree So now if Christ be the off-spring of David he must be of the same nature with David else he could not be his Off-spring If David therefore were a true man had flesh and blood and spirit and bones so must the Lord Jesus Christ be of the same nature with him Some have denied Christ to be Man as well as some have denied him to be God and I may trouble you with the Authors but I forbear that I say some have denied him to be man but he was the Off-spring of David and the Scripture is plain enough for it Joh. 1.14 The word was made flesh Flesh and dwelt among us And Heb. 2.14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood he also himself took part of the same he was flesh and blood as we are and therefore he is called man 1 Tim. 2.5 There is one Mediator between God and man the Man Christ Jesus He was subject to the same infirmities that we are I do not mean sinfull infirmities but natural infirmities subject to the same temptations he was subject to hunger and thirst â—old and heat to weariness and sleep and the like He was true Man not a man imaginary or notional but a real true Man Hence saith Christ in Luk. 24. when they said behold a Spirit no saith he touch me handle me I have flesh I have bones which is more than any spirit hath And it was necessary that Christ should be true Man not to trouble you with all the Arguments that might be given you upon that account but upon these two grounds First That he might have the right of redemption Man was fallen and man needed a Redeemer and had not Christ been man he had not had the right of Redemption Lev. 25.25 If thy Brother be waxen poor and hath sold away some of his possession and if any of his Kin come to redeem it then shall he redeem that which his Brother hath sold c. Well we had lost our possession lost our selves and now if we have any Brother that can come to redeem us it is his right but we had none and were not able to redeem our selves we had no friend no brother that could do it for us onely Jesus Christ comes and becomes Man takes flesh of our flesh and bone of our bone and so the right of redemption belonged to him and therefore he was man that he might have the right of Redemption Secondly Christ must needs be true man that so he might be capable of dying for us of conquering our enemies of satisfying the Law and Justice and obtaining such mercies as we stood in need of it was needful hee should bee man that so hee might be capable of death c. Heb. 2.14 For as much then as the Children are partakers of flesh and bloud he also himself likewise took part of the same that through death hee might destroy him that had the power of death that is the Devil Had not Christ been true Man he could not have dyed and had not he dyed he could not have destroyed him that had the power of Death the Devil but saith he He was partaker of flesh and bloud that through death hee might destroy him that had the power of death that is the Devil So that Christ must needs be true Man that he might dye and destroy the Devil who had the power of death And he must needs be true Man and dye that so he might satisfie the Law and Justice of God In the day that thou eatest thou shalt dye the death thou thy self or thy Surety for thee now one of the same nature must dye The Law being broken by Man Man must dye to satisfie the Law and to satisfie Justice and man must dye to obtain remission of sin Heb. 9.22 Without shedding of bloud there is no remission Had not Christ been true Man and had bloud in him as we have and that bloud shed too there had been no remission of sins no purchasing of an inheritance for us as in vers 12. Neither by the bloud of Goats and Calves but by his own bloud he entred in once into the holy place having obtained eternal Redemption for us so that it was necessary Christ should be of the Off-spring of David true Man that hee might destroy Death satisfie Law and Justice and obtain Remission and eternal Redemption for us Vse Now this serves for our comfort and for our comfort two ways First That Christ being true Man is sensible of our miseries of our inâ—rmities of our weaknesses and of our temptations had he not been Man he had not known what weakness means what hunger and thirst means what death and temptations mean but being true Man the Off-spring of David he knew as well as David or any that were of the seed of David hee knew what infirmities and weakness meant Heb. 2.17 Wherefore in all things it behooved him to bee made like unto his Brethren that he might be a merciful and faithful High Priest ver 18. For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted he is able to succour them that are tempted The Lord Christ is sensible of our infirmities when therefore Saul did persecute the Church of God saith he Saul Saul why persecutest thou me I am of their flesh and of their bloud and of their Nature and I feel the blows that they have This now is strong consolation to us that the Lord Jesus the Off-spring of David sits in Heaven and is sensible of our temptations of our weaknesses and frailties 2 It is matter of comfort to us in regard of this That we may with boldness and confidence now go to God having Christ who is of our Nature standing between God and us Heb. 4.15 Wee have not an High Priest which cannot bee touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in all points tempted like as wee are yet without sin Let us therefore come boldly to the Throne of Grace that we may obtain mercy and finde grace to help in time of need Do you need Grace and Mercy Do you need pardon of Sin and Grace against
you may see how they sparkle and send out their beams whereby they do dispel darkness so Christ having hid in him all the treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge he doth sparkle and send out his beams of Light whereby he doth dispel darkness and herein he is like to the Stars now Christ he sparkles and expels darkness by his Doctrin by his Miracles and by his Conversation First in his Doctrin the Lord Christ had the Spirit above measure and was full of Wisdom full of Grace full of Knowledge and hee gives out Divine truths sparkling truths truths that are very glorious he gave out the Gospel 2 Cor. 4.4 Lest saith he the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ the Gospel is glorious and full of light and it shines why it is the Gospel of Christ and in 1 Joh. 2.8 The darkness is past and the true Light now shines Christ is the true Light and he gave out the true Light the Gospel and saith he the darkness is past that is dispelled and driven away and the true Light shines Christ is a Star now upon this account that he sparkles in his Doctrin and dispels darkness Christ doth dispel the darkness of ignorance Matth. 4.16 The people which sate in darkness saw a great light when Christ came they saw â—â—en the darkness of ignorance and now this Star scattered the darkness and they saw a great light Hee scatters the darkness of wickedness of malice of corruption and sin in the hearts of men and women and in their lives Ephes 5.11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness but rather reprove them Here is light now brought to scatter the darkness of wickedness and of sin He scatters the darkness of death Luk. 2.29 Lord now lettest thou thy Servant depart in peace according to thy Word for mine eyes have seen thy Salvation saith old Simeon Now I fear no death nor the darkness of death Mine eyes have seen thy salvation Christ he came and he being the Salvation and the Consolation of Israel the darkness of death was no darkness unto Simeon He scatters the darkness of Afflictions 2 Cor. 4. For our light afflictions which is but for a moment worketh for us a farre more exceeding and eternal weight of glory While we look not at the things which are seen but at the things that are not seen when we look at Christ and the glory of Christ afflictions are no afflictions unto us so in 1 Cor. 5. for as the Sufferings of Christ abound in us so our Consolation abounds by Christ afflictions are no afflictions where this Light comes where this Star shineth so that Christ he gives in his Doctrin and expels darkness Christs Doctrin is a convincing Doctrin He shall convince men of sin of righteousness and of judgement so in Mat. 22. there he convinc'd them stop'd their mouthes Give unto Caesar the things that are Caesars and unto God the things that are Gods and they were all amazed at his Doctrin and Wisdom Christs light it was a distinguishing light Joh. 3. Verily verily I say unto you except a man be born again he cannot enter into the Kingdom of heaven so in Joh. 8. If Abraham were your Father you would do the works of Abraham but you are of your Father the Devil and his lusts you will do It is distinguishing Light His Doctrin is quickning and converting Joh. 6. The words that I speak are spirit and life His Doctrin is a comforting Doctrin full of comfort and consolation why this Star doth sparkle in the Gospel and there is abundance of glory and light therein so that Christ he is a Star upon that account So Secondly in his Miracles how did this Star sparkle there and fill the world with glory and light there Matth. 4.23 Jesus went about all Galilee teaching in their Synagogues and preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people and his same went throughout all Syria and they brought unto him all sick people c. His fame went throughout all Galilee and Syria and all the Countries round about And in Matth. 15. the Woman of Canaan comes to him and he healed her daughter and vers 30 31. Great multitudes came unto him having with them those that were Iame blinde dumb maimed and many others and cast them down at Jesus feet and he healed them insomuch that the multitude wondred when they saw the dumb to speak the maimed to be whole the lame to walk and the blinde to see and they glorified the God of Israel Here is the Lord Christ now sparkling in his power and Miracles and shewed himself to be a bright morning Star to be God indeed Thirdly Christ sparkles in his Conversation O how did this morning Star sparkle there 1 In his Humility how did hee shine there in the thirteenth of John Christ washes his Disciples feet and wipes them when hee had done Go saith he and do as I have done I that am your Lord and Master I have humbled my self to set you down and to wash your feet and to wipe them with a towel here is an example of Humility for you go and do as I have done 2 In his Meekness and Patience O how patient was Christ when they wronged him and abused him every way He was dumb as a sheep before the Shearer and opened not his mouth Matth. 11.29 Learn of me for I am meek and lowly 3 He sparkled in his Self-denial when they came to make him a King he would be no King he refused Honour and Greatness and Glory when they would have trumpeted his Fame hee forbad them and commanded them silence and to say nothing when they would have him to have divided the Inheritance among the Brethren he would not but denies himself yea he denied his own greatness in heaven 4 So likewise in his Obedience There he was a sparkling Star indeed never such obedience as the obedience of Christ Phil. 3. Hee humbled himself to the death of the Cross hee bare our infirmities he bare our sins he bare the wrath of God he was made an open shame and scorn O never such Humility as was in Christ he humbled himself to obey things contrary to flesh and bloud who would have obeyed as Christ obeyed when he had power in his hand and could have commanded twelve Legions of Angels yet he obeys unto death 5 So Christ he sparkles in his love to Mankind was there ever such love as Christ shews to the World Gods Love is set out with a So he loved the world and so hath Christ loved the world so as to dye for it Rev. 1.5 He hath loved us and washed us in his own bloud Did ever any Mother love the Childe so as to wash it in her own bloud Did there ever any Prince love his People so as to wash them in his own bloud But Christ hath so loved us as
evil the thoughts of the heart As God is just and will punish sin so God is powerful to do it God he hath a strong Arm and when he comes to punish he can do it to purpose See what Job saith in chap. 16.12 I was at ease but he hath broken me asunder he hath also taken me by my neck and shaken me to peeces and set mee up for his mark c. Did God deal thus with holy Job what will hee do with sinners Is not God a consuming fire Is not God terrible in righteousness Can any escape the hands of God Yee sinners in Sion can yee escape the hands of God What will yee do in the day of Visitation when God comes Can yee stand it out against the Almighty can yee plead with God and bring forth your Arguments to justifie your selves God will Condemn you he will shake you to peeces God will break your bonâ—s hee will make your reâ—es speak bitter things unto you Now the consideration of Gods Purity of Gods Justice of Gods Power sould make you thirst after Christ who may make you holy and free you from his Justice and from his Power that he might not destroy you The Law Secondly Consider the Law of God the Law of God is in few words in the Ten Commandements there is much forbidden and many things commanded he that is angry without cause he that saith unto his Brother Racha or thou fool is in danger of Hell fire Hee that looks upon a Woman and lusts after her hath committed Adultery and Adulterers shall be shut out of the Kingdom of Heaven you think Thoughts are free and lust free but what saith Paul When the Commandement came sin revived and I dyed the Commandement slew me and if the Law once enter and seize upon your heart it will drink up the moysture of your spirit it will make you restless night and day it will be as an Arrow in your Liver as a hot burning Iron Paul thought himself once that he was righteous blameless civil just and that no man should be saved sooner than himself but he was deceived when the Law came he saw what a sinner he was what vild thoughts vild lusts and practices he had been guilty of and the Law slew him The Law pronounces a Curse over your heads and James tells you He that breaks one is guilty of all therefore do not you see a need of Christ now Have you no thirsting desires after Christ who shall deliver you from the Law who shall free you from the Curse if you have not Christ to do it you will stand and fall by the Law and you cannot be justified the Jews would be saved as it were by the Law but they perished seeking righteousness by the Law and so will all that go that way Sin Again consider something of Sin are you not sinners If there be any here that saith he is not a sinner let him depart but if we be all sinners let us consider the nature of Sin O how doth sin defile us how doth sin black us what ugly loathsome Creatures doth sin make us what Black-a-mores are wee and those that are in their bloud in their filth those that dye in their sin wo bee to them well let us then lay to heart the evil of our sin and I am perswaded there is not one here that hath any understanding about it but sees a great deal of evil at one time or other in sin it is the offence of God it is the death of the Soul it is the breach of the Command Sin is that that separates between God men now what you have in the notion bring it down and reallize it in your hearts follow it with meditation and let meditation bring in the evil of sin bring in the Indictment I am guilty of this and that and the other sin and let Conscience now sit as Judge in you and speak out Conscience will Condemn you and say O thou hast sinned against my Lord and Master I am his Deputy and I sit as a petty god in thy Soul and I tell thee Thou art a Damned lost Creature now when things are brought home thus then will yee thirst after a Pardon then will you look out for Salvation then will you see Christs Bloud Christs Intercession and Christs Merits to bee precious Stout-hearted Sinners and High-way Men when the Sentence of death hath been pronounced over their heads and they have seen that they are Condemned men then they have fallen down upon their knees and have begged mercy so many stout-hearted Sinners if they would but follow home their sin by Meditation and bring the Notion home to their hearts they would see themselves to have need of Christ and to have Mercy and Grace through him Our own Lives Again Consider your own Lives have you any Lease of your Lives as Hezekiah had Do you know you shall live another week another year another night or day Are not your Lives uncertain your breath in your Nostrils Do we not finde in Scripture and in daily experience how suddenly men and women are pulled away by some hand of God or other Senacheribs Army smitten all in a night one hundred fourscore and five thousand men fifty thousand Bethshemites smitten for peeping into the Ark Herod eaten up with Worms the Tower of Shilo fell upon eighteen two Bears out of the Wood tare forty two Children And have we not examples in our days How many are blown up with Powder how many are burnt with fire how many drop down in the streets as they go Why do not you thirst after Christ and his Righteousness There is no way for you but by Christ it is Christ alone that will secure your Souls therefore can you be too early hie forward upon this account If Christ be not yours and you dye wo to you you shall dye in your sins saith Christ This were a sad Sentence to be pronounced over your head to be written upon your doors or hearts Man Woman thou shalt dye in thy sins it had been better thou hadst never been born now unless you get interest in Christ you must dye in your sins Eternity Lastly consider Eternity here you have a being but for a little time but what comes after there is an eternal condition of bliss or wo and the most go the wrong way there is a possibility for thee for eternal Happiness and the way is to thirst after Christ sit down and consider with thy self whosoever thou art that art in the gall of bitterness and hast deluded thy Soul hitherto with an out-side or form of godliness Consider ere long I must go hence and there are thousands go to Hell for one that goes to Heaven well it is time for me now to look to my self I may be gone before next day before next year and is Christ mine what a Swearer a Drunkard a Worldling a Whore-master one that doth rail slander and
unto me heare and your soules shall live and I will make an everlaesting Covenant with you even the sure mercies of David Is not here Incouragement enough now to come to Christ Incline your eare and come unto me and your soules shall live you shall have everlasting mercies and everlasting comforts Joh 3.16 God so loved the world that he gave his onely begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life Here 's life and death set before you Come thou poore sinner and beleive in the Lord Jesus close with him here 's life for thee everlasting life for thee Refuse to doe it there 's everlasting death for thee thou shalt perish how peremptory is the Lord here In the 16 Mark 15 16. Goe ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature he that beleiveth and is baptized shall be saved but he that beleiveth not shall be damned how round is the Gospel he that beleiveth he that comes to Christ that 's the meaning he that beleiveth shall be saved saved from all his sinne saved from the power of death saved from the wrath of God saved from hell-fire saved from the guilt of his owne Conscience he that beleiveth shall be saved over and over and over he that beleiveth not shall be damned how doth he press men now to come to him If there be any weight in heaven or hell it 's laid all upon this your coming to Christ or refusing Christ if you come to Christ all heaven is yours all the glory all the joy all the comfort all the blessings all the happiness there is yours If you will not come to Christ all the terrors of hell are yours all the darkness all the mournings all the howlings all the gnashings of teeth all the misery there will be yours Therefore see how willing the Lord Jesus is that sinners should come and that they should be saved Christ's willingness to save sinners Reve 22.17 Let him that is athirst come 12ly ANother evidence of Christs willingness to save sinners that will come unto him is The Lord doth venture and hazard the loosing many by making knowne his free Grace and willingness to save sinners for when sinners doe heare that Christ is willing to save them and very desirous also many they abuse his free grace this rich mercy this willingness of Christ to doe their soules good If Christ be so willing say they wee will stay a while it will suffice hereafter In the 4th of Jude it 's said They turne Grace into wantonness and thousands of scorners turne Grace into wantonness when they heare Christ dyed and shed his blood for sinners that he is willing sinners should come in that he waites for them that he intreats and presses them to come to him they take advantage from hence to sin more freely to stay it out to the uttermost And thus the Lord runs a hazard of loosing many by making knowne the riches of his Grace the freedome of his mercy and loving kindness which shews there a very strong desire in Christ to save sinners Thirteenthly It is evident that Christ is very desirous of sinners salvation in that he takes sinners when they are at the worst of all at the height of wickedness If a Prince will take into his family those that are sick of the plague of the Leprosie and of the worst diseases 't is an argument he hath a minde to have them live in his family and that he is desirous of their company the Lord Jesus Christ he takes sinners when they are at the very worst Saul he was at the height of his blasphemy at the height of murder at the height of persecution and Christ saith Saul Saul why persecutest thou me thy blasphemies rage and persecutions are come up to heaven and Paul saith in the 1 Tim 1. he was a persecutor a blasphemer and an injurious person but I obtained mercy even when I was so great and notorious a sinner Christ came and tooke him in it 's an argument then that Christ is very desirous of the salvation of sinners that he will take sinners when they are in the height of their wickedness When the Prodigall had run out from his fathers house and had spent yeares in wicked practises in whoredome drunkenness gameing and running in the wayes of the world when he had spent all and spent himselfe now when he was in this height of wickedness it pleases God and Christ to call him to bring him home and to receive him againe had not Christ been desirous of the salvation of sinners he might have shut the doore against the Prodigall and said you shall never come in adores againe had not the Father been desrous for the Sons sake to have savâ—d sinners he would not have entertain'd the Prodigall there is not a velleitie but a strong efficacious desire in God and Christ to save sinners The Jewes when they were at the worst when they had put that innocent one to death when they had said His blood be upon us and upon our Children when they had mockt him reviled him and accused him even after all this Christ takes in many of them three thousand of them converted at one Sermon by Peter Him whom ye have Crucifyed with bloody hands hath God raised here is a cleere evidence of the earnest desire of the Lord Jesus to save sinners he takes them when they are at the worst when they have done the uttermost mischeife spite they can against him and against his wayes Fourteenthly It 's an argument that the Lord Jesus is very desirous to save sinners If you confider that the Lord takes sinners at the last cast at the end of their dayes when they have no time left to serve him he tâ—kes them at the very first intreaty and begging of mercy The Theefe you know that had livâ—d wickedly all his dayes when he came to the last cast and was upon the Laddar or nail'd to the Crosse and ready to breath out his last breath saith he Lord remember me when thou comest into thy kingdome Christ might have said Remember thee why should I remember thee thou hast bin a bloody wretch a Theefe and a murderer all thy dayes and thou deservest nothing now but death and damnation and why should I remember thee No the Lord Christ saith not so but he saith This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise now when there was no time left for him to honour Christ and to serve Christ he onely now intreats this favour of him being on the Crosse saith Châ—ist This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise And doubtless though we have but this one Instance and so men should not presume to put off Repentance till it be too late yet I doe beleive many a soule hath met with mercy when they have been at the gates of death I say many a poore soule that hath been burdened with sin asslicted in
Conscience and ready to sinke in the gates of death they have lookt up to Christ and intreated him to remember them Christ hath shewne them mercy which shews the forwardness and willingness of Christ to save sinners Yet let not any presume to doe so for likely late Repentance is seldome true a death-bed Repentance usually is a dead Repentance when feare of hell shall drive men to look after heaven they may thanke hell for looking after God and Christ but that by the way Fisteenthly and lastly It is cleerely evident that the Lord Christ hath a strong Inclination to save sinners by his giving out of Scripture in that way and manner as he hath done the Lord Christ hath given out Scripture so as to Answer the objections of men and women to Answer all the eavills of their hearts all the pleaâ—s of corruption and of a guilty Conscience and of the Devill himselfe The Lord hath given out Scripture so as to Answer all that might hinder their coming in unto him In the 12 of Math All manner of sins and Blasphemies shall be forgiven to the sons of men What hath a sinfull heart here to say what canst thou object against this he tells thee All manner of sins shall be forgiven all manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven Are thy sins beyond blasphemy are they such as come not within the compasse of all manner of sin Let thy sins be slight or great let them be old or new let them be against Law against Gospel against promises all manner of sins shall be forgiven Christ saith The sin against the Holy-Ghost shall not be forgiven But if thou have a heart to look to Christ for mercy it 's an argument thou art free from that sin for where that is there 's impenitency thereâ—s hardness of heart no thinking of Repentance nor coming to God But all manner of sin and blasphemies shall be forgiven Is not here incouragement enough unto poore sinners So here in the next words Whosoever will let him come and drinke of the water of life freely Itâ—s laid downe so as to answer all your objections and to take away all your plea's you have to stave you off from Christ So then you see cleere evidences that Christ is willing to save sinners But why is Christ so willing to save sinners First Why Christ is so willing to save sinners from his owne experience and sence of what it is to be under the displeasure of God he was once tempted he was once forsaken he cryed out in that condition and he knew what the wrath and displeasure of God meant And now being full of compassion he pitties all those that are under the disfavour of God he knows sinners have broken the Law deserved the curse the wrath of God eternall death and now his compassions being stirr'd within him his Bowels yearne he desires that sinners may come to him if any thirst let him come let him come he shall be freed from the wrath of God from the curse of the Law from guilt and condemnation it 's a sad condition I am senceable of it I was in the share and round of sinners and I know what it is to be in such a condition Secondly Christ is so desirous that so he may see of the travaile of his owne soule and that men may see the end of his coming to save sinners was reall for if Christs end was to seeke and save that which was lost unlesse he desire and use meanes to save them you may say it was not reall therefore Christ to make it out that it was really his end and that he might see of the travaile of his soule in suffering he desires sinners may come in he gives out the Gospel he appoynts Ministers he invites them extraordinarily and ordinarily he calls upon them and would have sinners to come unto him to be saved Thirdly and lastly Christ doth this that so the freenesse of Gods Grace and of his love may appeare and may be magnified Christ is wonderfull desirous that sinners should come in and when they doe come in they will magnifie the riches of Grace then they will stand and wonder at the Love of God and of Christ and that he should waite upon the beseech and intreat them to come and accept of mercy and favour Vse 1. First we may see here that the way of the Lord Christ is for sinners to come in to him and to the Father freely Whosoever is athirst let him come he doth not say let him be compelled to come forc't to come but let him come he holds out such riches of Grace and mercy such treasures and excellencies that certainly if a soule do but consider and well weigh them it will come Christ himselfe came freely to us and he would have us come freely to him There is no forcing in the Act of Convertion but all is free though God puts forth a mighty power in the hearts of people yet he overcomes them with sweetnesse and lovingnesse Let him that is athirst come But it may be said they are bidden in the 14 of Luke to compell them to come in That is not an outward compulsion he doth not speake of force of Armes but goe and compell them to come in with force of Argument propound unto them such motives in the Gospel as may compell them to come in tell them of the Beauty of holinesse tell them of the Riches of Grace tell them of the Love of God and Christ tell them of the pardon of sins and answer their objections There 's no forcing in the work of Grace no forcing men to come unto God and Christ but it 's all a free worke God draws but he drawes with coards of love he carries not men against their wills to Christ and forces them to beleive in Christ no but he sweetens their wills and overcomes them with kindnesse and Truth the Majestie Glory and loveliness of truth overcomes their wills so that men come willingly to Christ Secondly Christ being desirous that sinners should come unto him then let us not goe to any other many seeke out to others and say with them in the 4th Psal Who will shew us any good there is no releife for poore sinners in any other but in Christ t is not running to Moses nor to David nor to Prophets nor to any but to Christ 't is not friends 't is not honours 't is not Riches 't is not gifts and Talents 't is not any thing in the creature can releive a thirsty soule but Christ If any man thirst let him come come whither come to Christ all other things doe proclaime unto you 't is not in them saith the wedge of Gold 't is not in me saith house and land 't is not in us say the ships on the Sea 't is not in us and so say all other creatures 't is onely in Jesus Christ to releive a poore soule Math 11.28 Come
unto me all ye that are weary and heavie laden and I will give you rest he doth not say that mountaines can refresh you that Angells can refresh you or any creature can refresh you but come unto me all ye that are weary and heavie laden and I will give you rest All the virtue that refreshes a guilty soule a thirsty soule a sinfull soule all the virtue is in the Lord Jesus Christ he is water of life he is a fountaine of living water he hath to give you that which will doe your soules good hee can give you his blood to quench the fire of hell to purge away your guilt to remove wrath to come 't is in Christ and in none other Therefore all those that goe to others forsake their owne mercies and imbrace lying vanities but those that come to Christ they goe the right way Thirdly Doth Christ invite us to come unto him then let us examine and make inquiry whether wee are come to Christ or no I beleive here 's hardly any under this roofe but thinkes he is come to Christ that he is a true Christian and its worth the Inquiry then that he may resolve this case so that he may not be deceived for Christ saith in the 7th of Math In that day many shall say Lord Lord have not we done thus and thus in thy presence but Christ shall say unto them depart from me I never knew you you never came to me I say then it may be worth our time to make Inquiry after this case of Conscience whether wee are come to Christ yea or no and I shall in a few particulars cleere it up unto you First The soule that is in truth come to Christ hath seene a sufficiency in Christ to releive it every way and such a sufficiency as hath made it to venture it selfe upon the Lord Jesus Christ alone and nothing else Now apply this to your owne soules have you ever seene such sufficiency in the Lord Jesus as heaven and earth besides hath not And so seene as to make you come off from all and venture upon him alone if you have cleerely seene the suffiency of Christ then your owne righteousnesse is nothing to you your owne civility morality and honesty are as nothing though they are good in regard of men yet they are nothing in regard of God and in regard of your soules You see an allsufficiency in Jesus Christ and an utter insufficiency in your selves Alas what 's my righteousnesse saith the soule that 's come to Christ my righteousnesse is filthinesse and all that ever I can doe is unprofitablenesse before God and though I have learning and wisdome and parts and memory and utterance and riches and honours and follow a calling and doe good in my place and the like alas all these are nothing I account them but as dung saith the soule in respect of Christ there 's an allusufficiency in Christ I but these may damne me and send me to hell now put these to your owne hearts for it 's ill to be deceived in matters of eternity have you seene I say such a sufficiency in the Lord Jesus of wisdome and strength and righteousnesse and the like as you have laid downe all your owne and see it nothing and have ventured your soules nakedly upon Jesus Christ In the 45 of Isa 24. Verily shall one say In the Lord have I righteousnesse and strength I have none in my selfe It is a prophesie of the last times concerning Christ I have sworne by my selfe the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousnesse and it shall not returne that unto me every knee shall bow every tongue shall sware It 's spoken of Christ and applyed to him in the Philippians Surely shall one say In the Lord have I righteousnesse and strength even to him shall men come marke in the Lord shall all the seede of Israel be Justified and shall Glory unto him shall they come And all that are incensed against him shall be ashamed what go to Christ saith one there 's nothing in Christ and men speake blasphemously and basely of Christ in these dayes but they shall be ashamed But unto HIM shall men come and in the Lord shall all the seede of Israel be Justifyed and shall Glory they shall be justifyed in Christ therefore deale really with your owne hearts therein there is a fundamentall truth to be taken off from your owne righteousnesse and to build wholly upon Christ those that come to him doe so Secondly The soule that is come unto Christ it doth stay it selfe upon him and rests upon him and goes not out from him as it ventures it selfe upon Christ so it rests it selfe content with Christ You know a Woman when shee hath chosen a Man for her husband she rests content in him above all the men in the world and the soule that hath chosen Christ and come to Christ and beleives in Christ in truth rests content with the Lord Jesus above all in heaven and earth In the 6th of John Christ puts a Question to Peter Jesus said unto the twelve will ye also goe away Then Simon Peter answered him Lord to whom shall we goe Thou hast the words of eternall life Lord to whom should we goe we are satisfied with thee we rest content with thee we looke not beyond thee we have enough in thee and from thee to bring us to eternall life so that a soule that 's truly come to Christ will joyne nothing with Christ but rests satisfied with him alone try your selves thereby Thirdly A soule that is come to Christ in truth doth accept of the Lord Jesus Christ upon his owne termes many they will accept of Christ but it shall be upon their termes so I may have Christ and the world saith one I will be content to be a Christian so I may have Christ and honours saith another so I may have Christ and my lusts satisfied and injoy them I will come to him saith a third so I may live and take my ease and goe to heaven at last I will have Christ saith a fourth man Thus men will have Christ upon their termes but a soule that is thirsty and comes to Christ in truth takes the Lord Christ upon his owne termes If any man saith Christ will be my Disciple he must deny himselfe and take up his Crosse These are Christs termes a man must lay aside his owne wisdome a man must be content to bare a Crosse to meete with reproach prisons temptations persecutions hard measure Christ and a Crosse Christ and a prison Christ and hunger and nakedness and perill and temptations or whatsoever God will For we are slaine all the day long for thy sake in the Psa and in the 8 Rom so that a soule that doth come to Christ in truth takes Christ upon his owne termes Christ and mortification of your lusts Christ and death to the world Christ and death to sin these goe together