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
Man also was far gone He took a Man's Wife and Kill'd her Husband and endeavoured to cover all with wicked dissimulation he did this I say after God had exalted him and shewed him great favor wherefore his Transgression was greatned also by the Prophet with mighty aggravations yet he was accepted and that with gladness at the first step he took in this returning to Christ for the first step of the back-sliders return is to say sensibly and unfeignedly I have sinned But he had no sooner said this but a pardon was produced yea thrust into his bosom And Nathan said unto David the Lord hath also put away Thy sin Secondly As the person of the back-slider is mentioned by Name so also is his Sin that if possible thy Objections against thy returning to Christ may be taken out of thy way I say it is mentioned and mixed as mentioned with words of grace and favor I will heal their backsliding and love them freely Hos. 14 4. What sayest thou now back-slider Thirdly Nay further thou art not only mentioned by name and thy sin by the nature of it but thou thy self who art a returning back slider put First Among Gods Israel Return O back-sliding Israel saith the Lord and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you For I am mercifull saith the Lord and will not keep anger for ever Jer. 3. 12. Secondly Thou art put among his Children among his Children to whom he is married Turn O back-sliding Children for I am married unto you vers 14. Thirdly Yea after all this as if his heart was so full of Grace for them that he was pressed untill he had uttered it before them he adds Return ye back-sliding Children and I will heal your back-slidings Fourthly Nay further the Lord hath considered that the shame of thy sin hath stopped thy mouth and made thee almost a prayer-less man and therefore he saith unto thee Take with you words and turn unto the Lord and say unto him take away all iniquity and receive us graciously See his grace that himself should put words of incouragement into the heart of a back-slider As he saith in another place I taught Ephraim to go taking him by the Arms. This is teaching him to go indeed to put words into his mouth to hold him up by the Arms by the Chin as we say Hos. 14. 1 2 3 4. Chap. 11. 3. From what hath been said I conclude even as I said before that the Him in the Text And him that cometh includeth both these sorts of Sinners and therefore both should freely come Question But where doth Jesus Christ in all the words of the New Testament Expresly speak to a returning back-slider with words of Grace and Peace For what you have urged as yet from the New Testament is nothing but Consequences drawn from this Text. Indeed it is a full Text for carnal ignorant sinners that come but to me who am a back-slider it yeeldeth but little relief Answ. First How but little incouragement from the Text when it saith I will in no wise cast out What more could have been said what is here omitted that might have been inserted to make the promise more full and free Nay take all the promises in the Bible all the freest promises with all the variety of expressions of what nature or extent soever and they can but amount to the expressions of this very promise I will in no wise cast out I will for nothing by no means upon no account however they have sinned however they have back-sliden however they have provoked cast out the coming sinner But Secondly Thou sayst where doth Jesus Christ in all the words of the New-Testament speak to a returning backslider with words of Grace and Peace that is under the name of a backslider Answ. Where there is such plenty of examples in receiving back-sliders there is the less need of Express words to that intent one promise as the Text is with those Examples that are annexed are instead of many promises And besides I reckon that the Act of receiving is of as much if not of more incouragement than is a bare promise to receive for receiving is as promise and the fulfilling of it too So that in the Old Testament thou hast the promise and in the New the fulfilling of it and that in divers examples 1 In Peter Peter denyed his Master once twice thrice and that with open oath yet Christ receives him again without any the least hesitation or stick Yea he slips stumbles falls again in down right Dissimulation and that to the hurt and fall of many others but neither of this doth Christ make a bar to his Salvation but receives him again at his return as if he knew nothing of the fault Gal. 2. Secondly The rest of the disciples even all of them backslide and leave the Lord Jesus in his greatest straights Then all the Disciples forsook him and fled they returned as he had fore-told every one to his own and left him alone but this also he passes over as a very light matter not that it was so indeed in it self but the abundance of grace that was in him did lightly role it away for after his Resurrection when at first he appeared unto them he gives them not the least check for their perfidious dealing with them but salutes them with words of Grace saying All hail be not afraid Peace be to you All Power in Heaven and Earth is given unto me True he rebuked them for their unbelief for the which thou also deservest the same for 't is unbelief that alone puts Christ and his benefits from us Mat. 26. 56. Joh. 16. 32. Mat. 28. 9 10 18. Luk. 24. 36. Mar. 16. 14. Thirdly The man that after a large profession lay with his Fathers Wife committed a high Transgression even such an one that at that day was not heard of no not among the Gentiles Wherefore this was a desperate backsliding yet at his return he was received and accepted again to Mercy 1 Cor. 5. 1 2. 2 Cor. 2. 6 7 8. Fourthly The Thief that stole was bid to steal no more not at all doubting but that Christ was ready to forgive him this Act of backsliding Ephes. 4. 28. Now all these are Examples particular instances of Christs readiness to receive the Backsliders to Mercy and observe it examples and proofs that he hath done so are to our unbelieving hearts stronger incouragements than bare Promises that so he will do But again the Lord Jesus hath added to those for the incouragement of returning Backsliders to come to him First A Call to come and he will receive them Revel 2. 1 2 3 4 5 14 15 16 20 21 22. Chap. 3. 1 2 3 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22. Wherefore New Testament Backsliders have incouragement to come Secondly A Declaration of readiness to receive them that Come as here in the Text and in many other places is plain Therefore Set
Psal. 19. 3. Psal. 27. 4 5 6. Job 9. 4. Joh. 17. 2. Mat. 8. 29. Luk 8. 28. Jam. 2. 19. Eighthly Coming-Sinner The Jesus to whom thou art coming is Lowly in Heart He despiseth not any 'T is not thy outward Meanness nor thy inward Weakness 't is not because thou art Poor or Base or Deformed or a Fool that he will despise thee He hath chosen the Foolish the Base and despised Things of this World to confound the Wise and Mighty He will bow his Ear to thy Stammering Prayers he will pick out the Meaning of thy inexpressible Groans he will respect thy weakest Offering if there be in it but thy Heart Mat. 11. 29. Luk. 14. 21. Prov. 9. 4 5 6. Isa. 38. 14 15. Song 5. 16. Joh. 4. 27. Mark 12 33 34. Jam. 5. 11. Now Is not this a Blessed Christ Coming-Sinner Art thou not like to fair well when thou hast Embraced him Coming-Sinner But Secondly Thou hast yet another Advantage by Jesus Christ that art coming to him For he is not only Full but Free He is not sparing of what he has he is open hearted and open-handed Let me in a few Particulars shew thee this First This is evident because he calls thee He calls upon thee to come unto him the which he would not do was he not Free to give Yea he bids thee when come Ask Seek Knock And for thy Encouragement adds to every Command a Promise Seek and ye shall find Ask and ye shall have Knock and it shall be opened unto you If the Rich Man should say thus to the Poor would not he be reckoned a Free-hearted Man I say Should he say to the Poor Come to my Door Ask at my Door Knock at my Door and you shall Find and Have Would he not be counted Liberal Why thus doth Jesus Christ Mind it Coming-Sinner Isa. 55. 3. Psal. 50. 15. Mat. 7. 7 8 9. Secondly He doth not only bid thee Come but tells thee He will heartily do thee Good Yea he will do it with Rejoycing I will rejoyce over them to do them Good with my whole Heart and with my whole Soul Jer. 32. 41. Thirdly It appeareth that he is Free because he giveth without Twitting He gives to all men Liberally and upbraideth not Jam. 1. 5. There are some that will not deny to do the Poor a Pleasure but they will mix their Mercies with so many Twitts that the Persons on whom they bestow their Charity shall find but little Sweetness in it But Christ doth not do so Coming-Sinner He casteth all thine Iniquities behind his Back Thy Sins and Iniquities he will remember no more Isa. 38. 17. Heb 8. 12. Fourthly That Christ is Free is manifest by the Complaints that he makes against them that will not come to him for Mercy I say he complains saying O Jerusalem Jerusalem How often would I have gathered thy Children together as a Hen gathereth her Chickens under her Wings and ye would not Matth. 23. 37. I say he speaks it by way of Complaint He saith also in another place But thou hast not called upon me O Jacob but thou hast been weary of me O Israel Isa. 43. 22. Coming-Sinner See here the Willingness of Christ to Save See here how Free he is to communicate Life and all good Things to such as thou art He complains if thou comes not he is displeased if thou callest not upon him Hark Coming-Sinner once again When Jerusalem would not come to him for Safe-guard He behold the City and wept over it saying If thou hadst known even thou at least in this thy day the Things that belong to thy Peace but now they are hid from thine Eyes Luk. 19. 41. Fifthly Lastly He is open and Free Hearted to do thee Good as is seen by the Joy and Rejoycing that he manifesteth at the coming home of poor Prodigals He receives the lost Sheep with Rejoycing the lost Groat with Rejoycing Yea when the Prodigal came home what Joy and Mirth what Musick and Dancing was in his Father's House Luk. 15. Thirdly Coming-Sinner I will add another Encouragement for thy Help First God hath prepared a Mercy-Seat a Throne of Grace to Sit on that thou may'st come thither to him and that he may from thence Hear thee and Receive thee I will Commune with thee saith he from above the Mercy-Seat Exod. 25. 22. As who should say Sinner When thou comest to me thou shalt find me upon the Mercy Seat where also I am alwayes found of the Undone Coming Sinner Thither I bring my Pardons there I Hear and Receive their Petitions and Accept them to my Favour Secondly God hath also prepared a Golden Altar for thee to offer thy Prayers and Tears upon A Golden Altar It is called a Golden Altar to shew what Worth it is of in God's Account For this Golden Altar is Jesus Christ This Altar sanctifies thy Gift and makes thy Sacrifices acceptable This Altar then makes thy Groans Golden Groans thy Tears Golden Tears and thy Prayers Golden Prayers in the Eye of that God thou comest to Coming Sinner Rev. 8. Mat. 23. 19. Heb. 10. 10 15. 1 Pet. 2. 5. Thirdly God hath Strowed all the way from the Gate of Hell where thou wast to the Gate of Heaven whither thou art going with Flowers out of his own Garden Behold How the Promises Invitations Calls and Encouragements like Lillies lye round about thee Take heed that thou doest not tread them under foot Sinner With Promises did I say Yea he hath mixed all those with his Own Name his Sons Name also with the Name of Mercy Goodness Compassion Love Pity Grace Forgiveness Pardon and what not that may encourage the coming Sinner Fourthly He hath also for thy En-couragement laid up the Names and set forth the Sins of those that have been Saved In his Book they are fairly written that thou through Patience and Comfort of the Scriptures mightst have Hope 1. In this book is Recorded Noah's Name and Sin and how God had Mercy upon him 2. In this Record is fairly written the Name of Lot and the Nature of his Sin and how the Lord had Mercy upon him 3. In this Record thou hast also fairly written the Names of Moses Aaron Gidion Sampson David Solomon Peter Paul with the Nature of their Sins and how God had Mercy upon them And all to Encourage thee Coming-Sinner Fourthly I will add yet another Encouragement for the Man that is coming to Jesus Christ. Art thou coming Art thou coming indeed Why 1. Then this thy Coming Is by Vertue of God's Call Thou art Called Calling goes before Coming Coming is not of Works but of him that Calleth He went up into a Mountain and called to him whom he would and They came to him Mark 3. 13. Secondly Art thou coming This is also by Vertue of Illumination God has made thee see and therefore thou art coming So long as thou wast Darkness thou lovedst Darkness and couldst not
Sin so the Law of Moses as it is a Perfect Holy Law hath a Voice against thee before the Face of God There is one that accuseth you even Moses's Law Jo. 5. Yea it accuseth all Men of Transgression that have sinned against it for as long as Sin is Sin there will be a Law to accuse for Sin But this Accusation shall not prevail against the Coming-Sinner because 't is Christ that dyed and that ever lives to make Intercession for them that Come to God by him Rom. 8. Heb. 7. 25. These things I say do accuse us before Christ Jesus yea and also to our own Faces if perhaps they might prevail against us But these words I will in no wise cast out secureth the Coming-Sinner from them all The Coming-Sinner is not saved because there is none comes in against him but because the Lord Jesus will not hear their Accusations will not cast out the Coming-Sinner When Shimei came down to meet King David and to ask for Pardon for his Rebellion up starts Abishai and puts in his Caveat saying Shall not Shimei dye for this This is the Case of him that comes to Christ He hath this Abishai and that Abishai that presently steps in against him saying Shall not this Rebel's Sins destroy him in Hell Read further But David answered What have I to do with you ye Sons of Zeruiah that you should this day be Adversaries to me Shall there any Man be put to Death this Day in Israel for do not I know that I am King this Day over Israel 2 Sam. 19. 16 17 18 19 20 21 22. This is Christ's Answer by the Text to all that accuse the Coming Shimeis What have I to do with you that accuse the Coming-Sinners to me I count you Adversaries that are against my shewing Mercy to them Do not I know that I am Exalted this Day to be King of Righteousness and King of Peace I will in no wise cast them out Secondly But again These Words do closely imply that the Coming-Souls are afraid that these Accusers will prevail against them as is evident because the Text is spoken for their Relief and Succour For that need not be if they that are coming were not subject to fear and despond upon this account Alas there is Guilt and the Curse lies upon the Conscience of the Coming-Sinner Besides He is Conscious to himself what a Villain what a Wretch he hath been against God and Christ. Also he now knows by woful Experience how he hath been at Satan's Beck and at the Motion of every Lust. He hath now also new Thoughts of the Holyness and Justice of God Also he feels that he cannot forbear sinning against him For the Motions of Sin which are by the Law do work in his Members to bring forth Fruit unto Death Rom. 7. But none of this needs be since we have so Good so Tender-hearted and so Faithful a Jesus to come to who will rather overthrow Heaven and Earth than suffer a little of this Text to fail And him that comes unto me I will in no wise cast out Now We have yet to enquire into two things that lie in the Words to which there hath yet been nothing said As 1. What it is to cast out 2. How it appears that Christ hath Power to Save or to Cast out For the First of these What it is to Cast out to this I will speak 1. Generally 2. More Particularly More Generally First To cast out Is to Slight and Despise and Contemn as it is said of Saul's Shield It was vilely cast away that is Slighted and Contemned Thus it is with the Sinners that come not to Jesus Christ He Slights Despises and Contemns them that is Casts them away 2 Sam. 1. 2. Secondly Things cast away are reputed as Menstruous Cloaths and as the Dirt of the Street Isa. 3. 22. Psal. 18. 42. Matth. 5. 13. Chap. 15. 17. And thus it shall be with the Men that come not to Jesus Christ they shall be counted as Menstruous and as the Dirt in the Streets Thirdly To be cast out or off it is To be abhorred not to be pityed but to be put to perpetual Shame Psal. 44. 9. Psal. 89. 38. Amos 1. 11. But more particularly To come to the Text The Casting-out here mentioned is not limited to this or the other Evil Therefore it must be extended to the most extream and utmost Misery Or thus He that cometh to Christ shall not want any thing that may make him Gospelly Happy in this World or that which is to come Nor shall he want any thing that cometh not that may make him Spiritually and Eternally Miserable But further As it is to be Generally taken so it respecteth Things that are now and also Things that shall be hereafter For the Things that are now they are either 1. More General 2. Or more Particular First More General thus It is To be cast out of the Presence and Favour of God Thus was Cain cast out Thou hast driven or cast me out this Day from thy Presence and from thy Face that is from thy Favour shall I be hid A dreadful Complaint but the Effect of a more dreadful Judgement Gen. 4. 13 14. Jer. 23. 39. I Chron. 28. 9. Secondly To be cast out is to be cast out of God's Sight God will look after them no more care for them no more nor will he watch over them any more for Good 2 King 17. 20. Jer. 7. 15. Now they that are so are left like Blind Men to wander and fall into the Pit of Hell This therefore is also a sad Judgement Therefore here is the Mercy of him that Cometh to Christ He shall not be left to wander at Uncertainties The Lord Jesus Christ will keep him as a Shepheard doth his Sheep Psal. 23. Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out Thirdly To be cast out Is to be denyed a Place in God's House and to be left as Fugitives and Vagabonds to pass a little time away in this Miserable Life and after that to go down to the Dead Gal. 4. 30. Gen. 4. 13 14. Chap. 21. 10. Therefore here is the Benefit of him that Cometh to Christ He shall not be denyed a Place in God's House They shall not be left like Vagabonds in the World Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out See Prov. 14. 26. Isa. 56. 3 4 5. Ephes. 2. 19 20 21 22. 1 Cor. 3. 21 22 23. Fourthly In a word To be cast out Is to be Rejected as are the Fallen Angels For their Eternal Damnation began at their being cast down from Heaven to Hell So then Not to be cast out Is to have a Place a House and Habitation there and to have a Share in the Priviledges of Elect Angels These Words therefore I will not cast out will prove great Words one Day to them that come to Jesus Christ 2 Pet. 2. 4. Joh. 12. 31.