Fathers end would be frustrate For the Fathers will is that of all that he hath given him he should lose nothing but should raise it up at the last day in order next unto himself Christ the first-fruits afterwards those that are his at his Coming 1 Cor. 15 But this cannot be done if there should fail to be a work of grace effectually wrought though but in any one of them But this shall not fail to be wrought in them even in all that the Father hath given him to save All that the Father hath given me shall come to me c. But to speak more distinctly to the words They shall come Two things I would shew you from these words First What it is come to Christ. Secondly What force there is in this promise to make them come to him First I would shew you first what it is to come to Christ This word come must be understood spiritually not carnally for many came to him carnally or bodily that had no saving advantage by him multitudes did thus come unto him in the days of his flesh yea innumerable companies There is also at this day a Formal customary Coming to his Ordinances and ways of Worship which availeth not any thing I shall not now medle for they are not intended in the Text. The Coming then intended in the Text is to be understood of the Coming of the 〈◊〉 unto him even the moving of the heart towards him I say the moving of the heart towards him from a sound Sense of the absolute want that a man hath of him for his Justification and Salvation This Description of Coming to Christ divideth it self into two heads First That coming to Christ is a moving of the mind towards him Secondly That it is a moving of the mind towards him from a Sound Sense of the absolute want that a man hath of him for his Justification and Salvation To speak to the first That it is a moving of the mind towards him This is evident because coming hither or thither if it be voluntary is by an act of the will so coming to Christ is through the inclining of the will Thy people shall be willing Psal. 110. 3. This willingness of heart is it which sets the mind a moving after or towards him The Church expresseth this moving of her mind towards Christ by the moving of her bowels My beloved put in his hand by the hole of the door and my Bowels were moved for him Song 5. 4. My bowels the passions of my mind and affections which passions of the affections are expressed by the yerning and sounding of the bowels The yerning or passionate working of them the Sounding of them or their making an Noise for him Gen. 43. 30. 1 King 3. 26. Isa. 16. 11. This then is the coming to Christ even a moving towards him with the minde And it shall come to pass that every thing that liveth which moveth whithersoever the water shall come shall live Ezek. 47. 9. The water in this Text is the Grace of God in the Doctrine of it the living things are the Children of men to whom this Grace of God by the Gospel is preached now saith he Every living thing which moveth whithersoever the waters shall come shall live Now see how this word moveth is Expounded by Christ himself in the Book of the Revelations The Spirit and the Bride say come And let him that heareth say come And let him that is athirst come And whosever will that is willing let him take the water of life freely Revel 22. 17. So that to move in thy mind and will after Christ is to be coming to him There are many poor souls that are coming to Christ that yet cannot tell how to believe it because they think that coming to him is some strang and wonderfull thing and indeed so it is but I mean they overlook the inclination of their will the moving of their mind and the sounding of their bowels after him and count these none of this strang and wonderful thing when indeed it is a work of greatest wonder in this world to see a man who was sometimes dead in sin possessed of the devil an enemy to Christ and to all things spiritually good I say to see this man moving with his minde after the Lord Jesus Christ is one of the highest wonders in the world Secondly It is a moving of the minde towards him from a Sound Sense of the absolute want that a man hath of him for his Justification and Salvation Indeed without this Sense of a lost condition without him there will be no moving of the mind towards him a moving of their mouth there may be with their mouth they shew much love Ezek. 32. Such a people as this will come as the true people cometh that is in shew and outward appearance and they will sit before Gods Ministers as his people Sit before them and they will hear his words too but they will not do them that is will not come inwardly with their mindes for with their mouth they shew much love but their heart or minde goeth after their Covetousness Now all this is because they want an effectual sense of the misery of their state by nature for not till they have that will they in their minde move after him Therefore thus it is said Concerning the true Commers At that day the great Trumpet shall be blown and They shall come which were ready to perish in the Land of Assyria and the out-casts of the land of Egypt and shall worship the Lord in his Holy Mountaine at Jerusalem Isa. 27. 13. They are then you see the out casts and those that are ready to perish that indeed have their mindes Effectually moved to come to Jesus Christ. This sense of things was that which made the three thousand come that made Saul come that made the Jaylor come and that indeed makes all others come that come Effectually Acts 2. Chap. 8 and 16. Of the true coming to Christ the three Leapers were a famous Semblance of whom you read in 2 King 7. 3 c. The famine in those days was sore in the Land there was no bread for the people and as for that Sustinence that was which was Asses Flesh and Doves Dung that was only in Samaria of these the Leapers had no share for they were thrust without the City Well now they sat in the Gate of the City and hunger was as I may say making his last Meal of them and being therefore half dead already what do they think of doing why first they display the dismal colours of death before each others faces and then resolve what to do saying If we say we will go into the City then the famine is in the City and we shall die there if we sit sti here we die also now therefore 〈◊〉 and let us fall into the Host of the Syrians if they save us alive we shall live if they
2. 13. chap. 26. 24. Poor ignorant sinner canst thou judge better VVhat Is sitting alone pensive under Gods Hand Reading the Scriptures and hearing of Sermons c. the way to be undone The Lord open thine Eyes and make thee to see thine Error Thou hast set thy self against God thou hast despised the Operation of his Hands thou attemptest to Murther Souls VVhat canst thou give no better Counsel touching those whom God hath VVounded than to send them to the Ordinances of Hell for help thou biddest them be merry and lightsome but dost thou not know that The heart of Fools is in the House of Laughter Eccles. 7. 4. Thou bidest them shun the hearing of Thundring Preachers But is it not better to hear the Rebuke of the wise than for a man to hear the Song of Fools verse 5. Thou bidst them busy themselves in the things of this VVorld but dost thou not know that the Lord bids First seek the Kingdom of God and the Righteousness thereof Matt. 6. 36. Poor ignorant sinner hear the Counsel of God to such and learn thy self to be wiser If any be afflicted let him Pray is any merry let him sing Psalms Blessed is he that heareth me and hear for time to come Save your selves from this untoward Generation search the Scripture give attendance to Reading It is better to go to the House of Mourning than to the House of Feasting Jam. 5. 13. Prov. 8. 32 33. Acts 2. 40. Joh. 5. 39. 1 Tim. 4. 13. Eccles. 7. 1 2 3. And wilt thou judg him that doth thus art thou almost like Elemas the Sorcerer that sought to turn the Deputy from the Faith thou seekest to pervert the right ways of the Lord take heed lest some heavy judgment overtake thee Acts 13. 8 9 10 11 12 13. What! Teach men to quench convictions take men off from a serious consideration of the evil of sin of the Terrors of the world to come and of how they shall escape the same VVhat Teach men to put God and his VVord out of their minds by running to merry Company by running to the VVorld by Gossipping c. This is as much as to bid them say to God Depart from us for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways Or what 's the Almighty that we should serve Him Or what profit have we if we keep his Ways Here 's a Devil in Grain What bid men walk according to the course of this world according to the Prince of the Power of the Air the Spirit that now worketh in the Children of Disobedience Ephes. 2. Object But we do not know that such are comming to Jesus Christ truly we wonder at them and think they are Fools Answ. First Do you not know that they are coming to Jesus Christ then they may be coming to him for ought you know and why will you be worse than the Brute to speak evil of the things ye know not What! are ye made to be taken and destroyed must ye utterly Perish in your own Corruptions 2 Pet. 2. 12. Secondly Do you not know them let them alone then If you cannot speak good of them speak not bad Refrain from these Men and let them alone for if this Council or this Work be of men it will come to nought but if it be of God ye cannot overthrow it lest haply ye be found even to fight against God Acts 5. 38 39. Thirdly But why do you wonder at a work of Conviction and Conversion know you not that this is the Judgment of God upon you ye despisers To behold and wonder and perish Acts. 13. 40 41. Fourthly But why wonder and think they are Fools Is the way of the just an abomination to you see that passage and be ashamed He that is upright in the way is an Abomination to the wicked Pro. 29. 27. Fifthly Your wondring at them argues that you are strangers to your selves to conviction for sin and to hearty desires to be saved as also to coming to Jesus Christ. But how shall we know that such men are coming to Jesus Christ Ans. Who can make them see that Christ has made blind Joh. 9. 39. Nevertheless because I endeavor thy Conviction Conversion and Salvation Consider 1. Do they cry out of Sin being burdened with it as of an exceeding bitter thing 2. Do they fly from it as from the Face of a deadly Serpent 3. Do they Cry out of the insufficiency of their own Righteousness as to justification in the sight of God 4. Do they Cry out after the Lord Jesus to save them 5. Do they see more Worth and Merit in one drop of Christs Blood to save them than in all the sins of the VVorld to Damn them 6. Are they tender of sinning against Jesus Christ 7. Is his Name Person and Undertakings more precious to them than is the Glory of all the VVorld 8. Is his VVord most Dear unto them 9. Is Faith in Christ of which they are convinced by Gods Spirit of the want of and that without it they can never close with Christ Precious to them 10. Do they savor Christ in his VVord and do they leave all the VVorld for his Sake and are they willing God helping them to run all hazzards for his Name for the love they bear to him 11. Are his Saints precious to them If these things be so whether thou seest them or no these men are coming to Jesus Christ Rom. 7. 9 10 11 12 13 14. Psal. 38. 3 4 5 6 7 8. Heb. 6. 18 19 20. Isa. 64. 6. Phil. 3. 7 8. Psal. 54. 1. Psal. 109. 26. Acts 16. 30. Psal. 51. 7 8. 1 Pet. 1. 18 19. Rom. 7. 24. 2 Cor. 5. 2. Acts. 5. 41. Jam. 2. 7. Phil. 3. 7 8. Song 5. 10 11 12 13 14 15. Psal. 119. Joh. 13. 35. 1 Joh. 4. 7. chap. 3. 14. Joh. 16. 9. Rom. 14. 23. Heb. 11. 6. Psal. 19. 10 11. Jer. 15. 16. Heb. 11. 24 25 26 27. Acts. 20. 22 23 24. chap. 21. 13. Tit. 3. 15. 2 Joh. 1. Ephes. 4. 16. Phil. 7. 1 Cor. 16. 24. The Second Observation I come now to the Second Observation propounded to be spoken to to witt That they that are coming to Jesus Christ are oft-times heartily afraid that Jesus Christ will not receive them I told you that this Observation is implyed in the Text and I gather it from the largeness and openness of the Promise I will in no wise cast out For had there not been a proneness in us to fear Casting out Christ needed not to have as it were way-laid our fear as he doth by this great and strange Expression In no wise And him that Cometh to me I will in no wise cast out There needed not as I may say such a Promise be invented by the VVisdom of Heaven VVorded at such a Rate as it were on purpose to dash in peeces at one blow all the Objections of Coming Sinners if they were not prone to
Come Welcome TO JESUS CHRIST OR A plain and profitable Discourse upon the Sixth of John 37 Vers. Shewing the Cause Truth and Manner of the Coming of a Sinner to Jesus Christ with his Happy Reception and Blessed Entertainment Written by J. Bunyan And they shall come which were ready to Perish Isa. 27. 13. LONDON Printed for B. Harris at the Stationers Arms in Swithings Rents in Cornhil by the Royal Exchange 1678. Come Welcome TO JESUS CHRIST John 6. 37. All that the Father giveth me shall come to me and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out A Little before in this Chapter you may read That the Lord JESUS walked on the Sea to go to Capernaum having sent his Disciples before in a Ship But the Winds was contrary by which means the Ship was hindred in her Passage Now about the fourth watch of the night Jesus came Walking upon the Sea and overtook them at the sight of whom they were afraid Note When Providences are black and terrible to Gods People the Lord Jesus shews himself to them in wonderful manner the which somtimes they can as little bear as they can the things that before were terrible to them They were afraid of the Wind and the Water they were also afraid of their Lord and Saviour when He appeared to them in that State But He said be not afraid it is I. Note That the End of the appearing of the Lord Jesus unto his people though the manner of his appearing be never so terrible is to alay their fears and perplexities Then they received him into the Ship and immediately the Ship was at the Land whether it went Note When Christ is absent from his people they go on but slowly and with great difficulty but when he joyneth himself unto them Oh! how fast they stear their course how soon are they at their Journies end The people now among whom he last preached when they saw that both Jesus was gon and his Disciples they also took shipping and came to Capernaum seeking for Jesus And when they had found him they wonderingly asked him Rabbi when camest thou hither But the Lord Jesus slighting their complement answered Verily Verily ye seek me not because ye saw the Miracles but because ye did eat of the Loaves and were filled Note A People may follow Christ far for base ends as these went after him beyond Sea for Loaves a mans belly will carry him a great way in Religion yea a mans belly will make him venture far for Christ. Note again They are not feigning complements but gracious intentions that crowns the work in the eye of Christ Or thus It is not the toyl and business of professors but their love to him that makes him approve of them Note again When men shall look for friendly entertainment at Christ's Hand if their hearts be rotten even then will they meet with a check and rebuke Ye seek me not because ye saw the Miracles but because ye did eat of the Loaves and were Filled Yet observe again He doth not refuse to give even to these good counsel he bids them Labor for the meat that endureth to eternal Life O how willingly would Jesus Christ have even those Professors that come to him with pretences only come to him sincerely that they may be saved The Text you will find is after much more discourse with and about this people and it is uttered by the Lord Jesus as the conclusion of the whole and intimateth that since they were Professors in pretence only and therefore such as his soul could not delight in as such that he would content himself with a Remnant that his Father had bestowed upon him As who should say I am not like to be Honoured in your Salvation but the Father hath bestowed upon me a people and they shall come to me in Truth and in them will I be satisfied The Text therefore may be called Christ's repose in the fulfilling whereof he resteth himself content after much Labor and many Sermon spent as it were in vain As he saith by the Prophet I have Labored in vain I have spent my strength for nought and in vain Isa. 49. 4. But as there he saith my Judgment is with the Lord and my work with my God So in the Text he saith All the Father giveth me shall come to me and them that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out By these words therefore the Lord Jesus comforteth himself under the consideration of the dissimulation of some of his followers He also thus betook himself to rest under the consideration of the little effect that his Ministry had even in Capernaum Corazin and Bethsaida I thank thee O Father said he Lord of Heaven and Earth because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them to babes even so Father for so it seemed good in thy sight Matt. 11. 25. Luke 10. 21. The Text in the general standeth of two parts and hath special respect to the Father and the Son As also to their joynt management of the Salvation of their People All that the Father giveth me shall come to me and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out The first part of the Text as is evident respecteth the Father and his gift the other part the Son and his reception of that gift First For the gift of the Father there is this to be considered about it to wit The gift it self and that is a gift of certain persons to the Son The Father giveth and that gift shall come And Him that cometh The gift then is of Persons the Father giveth Persons to Jesus Christ. Secondly Next you have the Sons reception of this gift and that sheweth it self in these particulars 1. In his hearty acknowledgment of it to be a gift The Father giveth me 2. In his taking notice after a solemn manner of All and every part of the gift All that the Father giveth me 3. In his resolution to bring them to himself All the Father giveth me shall come to me 4. And in his determining that not any thing shall make him dislike them in their coming And him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out These things might be spoken to at large as they are in this method presented to view but I shall chuse to speak to the words 1. By way of Explication 2. By way of Observation First By way of Explication All that the Father giveth me This word All is often used in Scripture and is to be taken more largely or more strictly even as the Truth or argument for the sake of which it is made use of will bare wherefore that we may the better understand the mind of Christ in the use of it here we must consider that it is Limited and Restrained only to those that shall be Saved to wit to those that shall come to Christ even to
Heb. 3. And therefore this Man is counted worthy of more glory than Moses even upon this account because more Faithful than he as well as because of the dignity of his person Therefore in him and in his truth and faithfulness God rested wel pleased and hath put all the government of this People upon his shoulders Knowing that nothing shall be wanting in him that may any way perfect this design And of this He to wit the Son hath already given a proof for when the time was come that his Blood was by Divine Justice required for their Redemption Washing and Changing he as freely poured it out of his Heâ—â—t as if it had been Water out of a vessel not sticking to part with his own Life that the life which was laid up for them in Heaven might not fail to be bestowed upon them And upon this account as well as upon any other it is that God calleth him his righteous servant Isa. 53. For his righteousness could never have been compleat if he had not been to the uttermost faithful to the work which he undertook It is also because he is faithful and true that in Righteousness he doth Judge and make Work for his peoples deliverance He will faithfully perform this trust reposed in him The Father knows this and hath therefore given his Elect unto him Thirdly The Fathers giving of them to Him to save them declares unto us that he is and will be gentle and patient towards them under all their provocations and miscarriages It is not to be imagined the tryals and provocations that the Son of God hath all along had with these people that have been given to him to save them indeed he is said to be a tryed stone for he has been tryed not only by the devil guilt of sin death and the curse of the Law but also by his peoples ignorance unruliness falls into sin and declining to errors in life in Doctrine Were we but capable of seeing how this Lord Jesus has been tryed even by this people ever since there was one of them in the world we should be amazed at his Patience and gentle Carriages to them It is said indeed the Lord is very pitiful slow to anger and of great mercy and indeed if he had not so been he could never have indured their manners as he has done from Adam hitherto Therefore is his pitty and bowels towards his Church preferred above the pitty and bowels of a mother towards her Child Can a woman forget her sucking Child that she should not have Compassion on the Son of her Womb yea they may forget yet will I not forget thee saith the Lord Isa. 49. 15. God did once give Moses as Christs Servant an handful of this people to carry them in his bosom but no further than from Egypt to Canaan and this Moses as is said of him by the Holy Ghost was the Meekest man that was then to be found in the Earth yea and he loved the people at a very great rate yet neither would his meekness nor love hold out in this work he failed and grew pationate even to the provoking of his God to Anger under this work that God had laid upon him And Moses said unto the Lord wherefore hast thou afflicted thy Servant But what was the affliction Why the Lord had said unto him carry this people in thy bosom as a nursing father beareth the sucking child unto the Land that he sware unto their fathers Not I sayes Moses I am not able to bear all this people because it is too heavy for me if thou deal thus with me kill me I pray thee out of hand and let me not see my Wretchedness Numb 11. 11 12 13 14. God gave them to Moses that he might carry them in his bosom that is that he might shew gentleness and patience towards them but he failed in the work he could not exercise because he had not that sufficiency of patience towards them But now it is said of the person speaking in the Text That he shall gather his Lambs with his arm shall carry them in his bosom and shall gently lead them that are with young Isa. 40. 10 11. Intimating that this was one of the qualifications that God looked for and knew was in him when he gave his Elect to him to save them Fourthly The fathers giving of them to him to save them declares to us that he hath a Sufficiency of wisdom to wage with all those difficulties that would attend him in his bringing of his Sons and Daughters unto glory He hath made him to us to be Wisdom yea he is called Wisdom it self and God saith moreover that he shall deal prudently And indeed he that shall take upon him to be the Saviour of the people had need be Wise because their adversaries are subtile above any Here they have to incounter with the Serpent who for his Subtilty out-witted our Father and Mother when their wisdome was at highest Gen. 3. But if we talk of Wisdom our Jesus is wise wiser than Solomon wiser than all men wiser than all the Angels he is even the Wisdom of God Christ the Wisdom of God 1 Col. 1. And hence it is that he turneth sin temptation persecutions falls and all things for good unto this people Rom. 8. Now these things thus concluded on do shew us also the great and wonderful love of the Father in that he should chuse out one every way so well prepared for the work of mans Salvation Herein indeed perceive we the love of God Huram gathered that God loved Israel because he had given them such a King as Solomon 2 Chro. 2. 11. But how much more may we behold the love that God hath bestowed upon us in that he hath given us to his Son and also given his Son for us All that the Father giveth me shall come In these last words there is closely inserted an answer unto the Fathers end in giving of his Elect to Jesus Christ. The Fathers end was that they might come to him and be Saved by him and that sayes the Son shall be done They shall come to me and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out Here therefore the Lord Jesus positively determineth to put forth a sufficiency of all Grace that shall Effectually perform this promise They shall come That is he will cause them to come by infusing of an effectual blessing into all the means that shall be used to that end As was said to the evil Spirit that was sent to perswade Ahab to go and fall at Ramah Gilead Go Thou shalt perswade him and prevail also go forth and do so 1 King 22. 22. So will Jesus Christ say to the means that shall be used for the bringing of those to him that the Father hath given him I say he will bless it effectually to his very end it shall perswade them and shall prevail also Else as I said the
and hold not thy peace for I have much People in this City Joh. 10. 16. Act. 18. 9 10. The People that the Lord here speaks of were not at this time accounted His by reason of a Work of Conversion that already had passed upon them but by Vertue of the Gift of the Father for he had given them unto him Therefore was Paul to stay here to speak the Word of the Lord to them that by his Speaking the Holy Ghost might effectually work out their Souls to the causing them to Come who was also ready with Heart and Soul to receive them Thirdly Christ by these Words also suggesteth That no more came unto Him than indeed was given him of the Father For the Him in this place is one of the All that by Christ was mentioned before All that the Father giveth Me shall come to Me and every Him of that All I will in no wise cast out This the Apostle insinuateth where he saith He gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry for the edifying of the Body of Christ Till we All come in the Unity of the Faith and of the Knowledge of the Son of God unto a Perfect Man unto the Measure of the Stature of the Fulness of Christ Ephes. 4. 11 12 13. Mark As in the Text so here he speaketh of All Untill we All come We All All who Doubtless All that the Father giveth to Christ. This is further insinuated because he calleth this All The Body of Christ the Measure of the Stature of the Fulness of Christ By which he means the Universal Number given to wit The true Elect Church which is said to be his Body and Fulness Ephes. 1. 22 23. Fourthly And Christ Jesus by these Words further suggesteth That he is well content with this Gift of the Father to him All that the Father giveth Me shall come to Me and him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out I will heartily willingly and with great Content of Mind receive him They shew us also that Christ's Love in Receiving is as large as his Father's Love in Giving and no larger Hence he thanks him for his Gift and also thanks him for hiding of Him and his Things from the rest of the Wicked Mat. 11. 25. Luk. 10 21. But Secondly and more particularly And him that cometh And him This word Him By it Christ looketh back to the Gift of the Father not only in the Lump and whole of the Gift but to every Him of that Lump As who should say I do not only accept of the Gift of my Father in the General but have a special Regard to every of them in Particular and will secure not only some or the greatest part but Every Him every Dust Not an Hooff of all shall be lost or left behind And indeed in this he consenteth to his Father's Will which is That of All that he hath given him he should lose Nothing Joh. 6. 39. And him Christ Jesus also by his thus dividing the Gift of his Father into Hims and by his speaking of them in the Singular Number shews what a particular Work shall be wrought in each one at the time appointed of the Father And it shall come to pass in that Day saith the Prophet that the Lord shall beat off from the Channel of the River to the Stream of Egypt and ye shall be gathered one by one O ye Children of Israel Isa. 27. 12. He shews also hereby That no Lineage Kindred or Relation can at all be profited by any Outward or Carnal Union with the Person that the Father hath given to Christ. 'T is only Him the Given Him the Coming Him that he intends absolutely to secure And him There are divers sorts of Persons that the Father hath given to Jesus Christ They are not all of one Rank of one Quality Some are High some Low some are Wise some Fools some are more Civil and Complying with the Law some more Profane and averse to Him and his Gospel Now since those that are given to him are in some sense so divers and again since he yet saith And Him that cometh c. He by that doth give us to understand that he is not as Men for picking and choosing to take a Best and leave a Worst but he is for Him that the Father hath given him and that cometh to him He will not alter nor change it a Good for a Bad or a Bad for a Good Levit. 27. 9 10. There is many a sad Wretch given by the Father to Jesus Christ but not one of them all is despised or slighted by him It is said of those that the Father hath given to Christ That they have done worse than the Heathen That they were Murderers Thieves Drunkards Unclean Persons and what not But he has Received them Washed them and Saved them A fit Emblem of this Sort is that wretched Instance mentioned in the Sixteenth of Ezekiel that was cast out in a Stincking Condition to the loathing of its Person in the day that it was Born A Creature in such a wretched Condition that no Eye pittied to do any of the Things there mentioned unto it or to have Compassion upon it No Eye but his that speaketh in the Text. And Him Let him be as red as Blood let him be as red as Crimson Some men are blood-Red sinners Crimson sinners Sinners of a double die dipt and dipt again before they come to Jesus Christ. Art thou that readest these Lines such an one speak out man Art thou such an one and art thou now coming to Jesus Christ for the Mercy of Justification that thou mightest be made white in his Blood and be covevered with his Righteousness Fear not for as much as this thy coming betokeneth that thou art of the number of them that the Father hath given to Christ for he will in no wise cast thee out Come now saith Christ and let us reason together though your sins be as scarlet they shall be as white as snow though they be as Red as Crimson they shall be as wooll Isa. 1 18. And him There was many a strange him came to Jesus Christ in the days of his flesh but he received them all without turning any away Speaking unto them of the Kingdom of God and Healing such as had need of healing Luk. 9. 11. Chap. 4. 40. These words And him are therefore words to be wondered at That not one of them who by vertue of the Fathers gift and drawing are coming to Jesus Christ I say that not one of them what ever they have been what ever they have done should be rejected or set by But admitted to a share in his saving grace 'T is said in Luke that the people wondred at the gracious words that proceeded out of his mouth Luk. 4. 22. Now this is one of his
gracious words these words are like drops of honey as it is said Pleasant words are as an honey-Comb sweet to the Soul and health to the bones These are gracious words indeed even as full as a faithful and a merciful High Priest could speak them Luther saith When Christ speaketh he hath a mouth as wide as Heaven and Earth That is to speak fully to the incouragement of every sinfull him that is coming to Jesus Christ. And that his word is certain hear how himself confines it Heaven and Earth saith he shall pass away but my word shall not pass away Isa. 63. 1. Mat. 24. 35. It is also confirmed by the testimony of the Four Evangelists who gave faithful relation of his loving reception of all Sorts of coming sinners whether they were publicans harlots thieves possessed of Devils Bedlams and what not Luk. 19 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8. Mat. 21. 21. Luk. 15. Chap. and Chap. 23. 41 42. Mark 19. 9. Chap. 5. 1 2 3 to 9. This then shews us First The greatness of the merits of Christ. Secondly The willingness of his heart to impute them for Life to the great if coming sinners First This shews us the greatness of the Merits of Christ for it must not be supposed that his words are bigger than his worthyness He is Strong to execute his word he can Do as well as Speak He can do exceeding abundantly more than we ask or think even to the uttermost and out side of his word Ephes. 3. 20. Now then since he concludeth Any Coming Him it must be concluded that he can save to the uttermost Sin Any coming Him He speaketh in Righteousness in very faithfulness when he began to build this blessed Gospel Fabrick the Text It was for that he had first sat down and counted the cost and for that he knew he was able to finish it What Lord Any him Any him that cometh to thee This is a Christ worth looking after this is a Christ worth coming to This then should learn us diligently to consider the Natural force of every word of God and to judge of Christ's ability to save not by our sins or by our shallow apprehensions of his Grace but by his word which is the true measure of Grace And if we do not judge thus we shall dishonor his Grace lose the benefit of his word and needlesly fright our selves into many Discouragements though coming to Jesus Christ. Him any him that cometh hath from this word of Christ to feed himself with hopes of Salvation As thou art therefore coming O thou coming sinner Judge thou whether Christ can savethee by the true Sense of his words Judge coming sinner of the Efficacy of his Blood of the perfection of his Righteousness and of the prevailancy of his intercession by his word And him saith he that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out In no wise that is for no Sin Judge therefore by his word how able he is to save thee It is said of Gods Sayings to the Children of Israel There failed not ought of any good thing which the Lord had spoken to the house of Israel all came to pass And again Not one thing hath failed of of all the good things which the Lord your God spoke concerning you all are come to pass unto you and not one thing hath failed thereof Josh. 21. 45. Chap. 23. 14. Coming sinner what promise thou findest in the word of Christ strain it whether thou canst so thou dost not corrupt it and his Blood and Merits will answer all what the word saith or any true Consequence that is drawn there-from that we may boldly venture upon As here in the Text he saith And Him that cometh indefinitetively without the least intimation of the rejection of any though never so great if he be a coming-sinner Take it then for granted that thou whoever thou art if coming art intended in these words neither shall it injure Christ at all if as Benhadad's Servants served Ahab thou shalt catch him at his word Now saith the Text The Men did diligently observe whether any thing would come from him to wit any word of grace and did hastily catch it And it happened that Ahab called Benhadad his brother The men replyed therefore Thy brother Benhadad catching him at his word 1 King 20. 33. Sinner coming sinner serve Jesus Christ thus and he will take it kindly at thy hands When he in his argument called the Canaanitish woman Dog she catcht him at it and said Truth Lord yet the Dogs eat of the Crumbs that fall from their Masters Table I say she catcht him thus in his words and he took it kindly saying O woman great is thy faith be it unto thee even as thou wilt Mat. 15. 26. Catch him coming sinner catch him Secondly The other thing that I told you is shewed us from these words is this The willingness of Christ's heart to impute his merits for Life to the great if coming sinner And him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out The awakned coming sinner doth not so easily question the power of Christ as his willingness to save him Lord if thou wilt thou canst said one Mar. 1. 40. He did not put the If upon his power but upon his will he concluded he could but he was not as fully of perswasion that he would But we have the same ground to believe he will as we have to believe he can and indeed ground for both is the Word of God If he was not willing why did he promise why did he say he would receive the coming sinner Jacob took him there Thou saidst says he I will surely do thee Good Gen. 32. 12. For from this promise he concluded that it followed in reason He must be willing The Text also gives some ground for us to draw the same conclusion And him that cometh to me I Will in no wise cast out Here is his willingness asserted as well as his power suggested It is worth your observation that Abraham's Faith considered rather his power than his willingness that is he drew this Conclusion I shall have a Child from the Power that was in God to fulfill the Promise to him for he concluded he was willing give him one else he would not have promised one He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief but was strong in faith giving glory to God being fully perswaded that what he had promised he was able to perform Rom. 4. 20 21. But was not his faith exercised or tryed about his willingness too No there was no shew of reason for that because he had promised it indeed had he not promised it he might Lawfully have doubted it but since he had promised it there was left no ground at all for doubting because his willingness to give a Son was demonstrated in his promising him a Son These words therefore are sufficient ground to incourage any coming sinner
And Jesus saw all the Workings of his honest Heart at that time Joh. 1. 47 48. Zacheus also had some secret Movings of Heart such as they was towards Jesus Christ when he ran before and climbed up the Tree to see him and the Lord Jesus Christ had his Eye upon him Therefore when he was come to the Place he looked up to him bids him come down For to Day said he I must abide at thy House To wit in order to the further Compleating the Work of Grace in his Soul Luk. 19. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8. Remember this Coming-Sinner Secondly As Jesus Christ has his Eye upon so he hath his Heart open to receive the Coming Sinner This is verified by the Text And him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out This is also discovered by his preparing of the Way in his making of it Easie as may be to the Coming-Sinner which Preparation is manifest by them Blessed Words I will in no wise cast out Of which more when we come to the Place And while he was yet a great way off his Father saw him and had Compassion on him and ran and fell on his Neck and kissed him Luk. 15. 20. All these Expressions do strongly prove that the Heart of Christ is open to receive the Comming Sinner Thirdly As Jesus Christ has his Eye upon and his Heart open to receive so he hath resolved already that nothing shall alienate his Heart from receiving the Coming-Sinner No Sins of the Coming-Sinner nor the Length of the Time that he hath abode in them shall by any Means prevail with Jesus Christ to reject him Coming Sinner thou art coming to a loving Lord Jesus Fourthly These Words therefore are dropt from his Blessed Mouth on purpose that the Coming Sinner might take Encouragement to continue on his Journey until he be come indeed to Jesus Christ. It was doubtless a great Encouragement to Blind Bartlimeus that Jesus Christ stood still and called him when he was crying Jesus thou Son of David have Mercy on me Therefore 't is said He cast away his Garment Rose up and Came to Jesus Mark 10. 46 c. Now if a Call to come hath such Encouragement in it what is a Promise of Receiving such but an Encouragement much more And observe it though he had a Call to come yet not having a Promise his Faith was forced to work upon a meer Consequence Saying He calls me and surely since he calls me he will grant me my Desire Ah! but Coming-Sinner thou hast no need to go so far about as to draw in this Matter Consequences because thou hast plain Promises And him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out Here is full plain yea what Encouragement one can desire For suppose thou was admitted to make a Promise thy self and Christ should attest that he would fulfil it upon the Sinner that cometh to him Couldest thou make a better Promise Couldest thou invent a more full free or larger Promise A Promise that looks at the first Moving of the Heart after Jesus Christ A Promise that declares yea that ingageth Christ Jesus to open his Heart to receive the Coming-Sinner Yea further A Promise that Demonstrateth that the Lord Jesus is resolved freely to receive will in no wise cast out nor means to reject the Soul of the Coming sinner For all this lieth fully in this Promise and doth naturally flow there-from Here thou needest not make use of far-fetcht Consequences nor strain thy Wits to force encouraging Arguments from the Text. Comming-Sinner the Words are plain And him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out And Him that Cometh There are two Sorts of sinners that are coming to Jesus Christ. First Him that hath never while of late at all began to come Secondly Him that came formerly and after that went back but hath since bethought himself and is now coming again Both these sorts of sinners are intended by the Him in the Text as is evident because Both are now the coming Sinners And Him that cometh c. For the first of these the sinner that hath never while of late began to come his way is more easie I do not say more plain and open to come to Christ than is the other those last not having the Clog of a guilty Conscience for the sin of Back-sliding hanging at their Heels But all the incouragement of the Gospel with what invitations are therein contained to coming sinners are as free and as open to the one as to the other so that they may with the same freedom and liberty as from the word both alike claim interest in the promise All things are ready All things for the coming back-sliders as well as for the others Come to the Wedding And let him that is a thirst come Mat. 22. 1 2 3 4. Revel 22. 17. But having spoken to the first of these already I shall here pass it by and shall speak a word or two to him that is coming after back-sliding to Jesus Christ for life Thy way O thou sinner of a double dye thy way is open to come to Jesus Christ I mean thee whose heart after long back-sliding doth think of turning to him again Thy way I say is open to him as is the way of the other sorts of Comers as appears by what follows First Because the Text makes no Exception against thee it doth not say And any him But a back-slider any him But him The Text doth not thus object but indifinitively openeth wide its Golden Arms to every coming soul without the least Exception Therefore thou maist come Secondly Nay the Text is so far from excepting against thy coming that it strongly suggesteth that thou art one of the souls intended O thou coming back-slider Else what need that Clause have been so inserted I will in no wise cast out No as who should say though those that come now are such as have formerly back-sliden I will in No wise cast a way the Fornicator the Covetous the Railer the Drunkard or other common Sinners nor yet the Back-slider neither Thirdly That the Back-slider is intended is evident First For that he is sent to By Name Go tell his Disciples and Peter Mark 16. 7. But Peter was a Godly Man True but he was also a Back-slider yea a desperate Back-slider He had Denyed his Master once twice thrice Cursing and Swearing that he knew him not If this was not Back-sliding if this was not an High and Eminent Back-sliding yea a higher Back-sliding than thou art capable of I have thought amiss Again When David had back-sliden and had committed Adultery and Murder in his Back-sliding he must be sent to by Name And saith the Text the Lord sent Nathan to David And he sent him to tell him after he had brought him to unfeigned Acknowledgment of his Fact The Lord hath also put away or forgiven Thy Sin 2 Sam. 12. 1. This