have you ever been awakened by the Spirit of God to see your undone sinful miserable Estate But do not mistake me I do not mean that meer trouble for Sin is a sufficient Evidence of your coming to Christ No Cain and Judas were troubled for Sin but never came to Christ but when your trouble for Sin drives you to Christ Matth. 11.28 2. Such as have ever come to Christ and believed in him have seen the Glory Excellency Fullness and Perfections that are in Christ There is indeed all manner of Glories in Christ but a Carnal Eye sees them not the Eye of Faith only discovers the Excellencies that are in him Cant. 5.4 The Spouse had had a sight of the Fullness of Christ and therefore her Soul was in pursuit after him Now have you seen Christ's Excellency 2 Cor. 3.18 It may be you have heard of Christ you have read of Christ but have you seen him by Faith 3. Those that did ever come to Christ were drawn to him by the Ministry of the Word Rom. 10.17 Faith comes by hearing 1 Cor. 1.21 It pleased God by the foolishness of Preaching to save them that believe Now examine You think you have Faith how came you by it did you always believe that 's a sign you did never believe but have you found the Ministry of the Word to be the Power of God to your Salvation Rom. 1.16 Examine 4. All those who have ever yet come to Christ have divorced all their old Acquaintance I mean Sins with which the Sinner is as intimate as a Man with his Friend Isa 28.15 The Sinner is in League and Covenant with his Sins Tit. 3.3 nothing sweeter to the Sinners taste Job 20.12 13 14. But now when a Sinner comes to Christ he casts all his Sins away there 's now an absolute Breach between the Sinner and his Sins and not only gross and scandalous but hid and secret Sins he hates vain Thoughts Psal 119.113 He forsakes both the way of Sin and also the Thoughts of Sin Isa 55.7 The Wicked forsakes his Ways and the unrighteous Man his Thoughts Now examine is it so with you 5. Such account it a singular Honour to be employed in the Service of Christ Eph. 3.8 Vnto me who am less than the least of all Saints is this Grace given that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable Riches of Christ What an Honour did David count it to be but a Door-keeper in the House of God Now examine Do you indeed esteem it your great Priviledg that you may come and hear the Word preached that you may pray that you may sit down at the Lord's Table are these things counted greater Honours and Priviledges by you than if you had the Prince's Ear 6. Such who have ever come to Christ count an Interest in Christ and Relation to Christ their chiefest Treasures Christ is to them that Pearl of great Price which they value more than ten thousand Worlds 1 Pet. 2.9 To you that believe he is precious Do you see an Excellency in Christ Do your Souls above all things thirst for an Interest in him Relation to him Likeness to him 7. Such who ever did in a right manner come to Christ they take as much pains for Heaven in a way of Holiness and Obedience as if there were no Saviour no Mediator but Heaven were to be gained by works and yet after all live as entirely by Faith upon Christ as if they never had performed one Duty or done one good Work This you may see in St. Paul never any after Conversion did more than he did much in Prayer Fastings and Sufferings for Christ and yet never any lived more by Faith than he did Phil. 3.8 9. I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledg of Christ Jesus my Lord for whom I have suffered the loss of all things and do count them but Dung that I might win Christ And be found in him not having my own righteousness which is of the Law but that which is through the Faith of Christ the righteousness which is of Christ by Faith Now examine Do you work out your Salvation with Fear and Trembling Do you give all Diligence to make your Calling and Election sure Do you labour to be holy in all manner of Conversation denying all Ungodliness and Worldly Lusts and living soberly righteously and godly in this present evil World Do you take up every Duty in point of performance but lay them down in point of dependance living only by Faith upon Christ III. Vse shall be of Exhortation to persuade every one of us to come to Christ It was the Work of these Servants in this Parable to invite Persons to Christ And 't is my Work this Day to persuade you to invite you to come to Christ O that I could tell what Words to use to prevail with you to come You are invited not only to the Marriage of the Son of God but to marry with the Person of the Son Christ is offered you in that sweet Relation of a Spiritual Husband Come my Brethren will you have Christ Do you see your need of Christ Do not your Souls long for a sight of Jesus Christ Come if you are but willing have but a Spiritual Thirst You may come and be welcome Christ doth not expect you should bring any price in your Hands Isa 55.1 Ho every one that thirsteth come ye to the Waters and he that hath no Money come ye buy and eat buy Wine and Milk without Money and without price So Rev. 22.27 it may be you are willing to have Christ a Saviour but you must have him a Lord also Many like Christ to bring them to Heaven but they are not willing to part with their Sins Now that I may prevail with you to come to Christ I will endeavour to do these three things First Shew you the excellency of the Person you are invited to marry with Secondly The Advantages that you will gain by coming to Christ Thirdly The danger of not coming 1. To invite you to come to Christ Consider what an excellent Person Christ is Had you but a sight of those incomparable Glories that are in Christ it would raise your Hearts in admiration of him and beget in you earnest desires of acquaintance with Him In Cant. 5.8 You have the Churches Sickness for a Sight of Christ In Ver. 9. The Daughters of Jerusalem wonder at her What is thy Beloved more than anothers Beloved This is the usual Language of a carnal Person You talk of the Beauty and Glory of Christ What is there in him more than in another To this the Spouse answers ver 10. My Beloved is white and ruddy the chiefest of ten thousand White in respect of his Divinity being God blessed for ever and Ruddy in respect of his Humanity Ver. 15. He is altogether lovely Search all the World there 's none to be found like Christ beautiful in his
for ever And this cannot be better expressed than in the Words of that Learned and Godly Divine Mr. William Pemble in his Book called Vindiciae Gratiae For the habit of Grace in the Regenerate we affirm that it is constant abiding for ever in them in whom it is once planted so that he that is once converted cannot so shake off the Grace of his first as to need a second Conversion and a Sinner once raised from Death unto Christ through the infusion of spiritual Life he dies no more but lives for ever to the Glory of God As appears from that of the Apostle 1 Pet. 1.2 3. What is this Seed by which we are born again 't is not the Word either alone or principally considered because that is the Instrument no it 's by the power of the Spirit without which the Word is but a dead Sound So then this Seed is the Power or Vertue of the Holy Ghost But why is this Seed called incorruptible in respect of itself it is so but it 's so stiled in this place in respect of the effect it produces quatenus Semen it produceth Fruit like it self incorruptible and immortal We are not born of corruptible Seed for that perisheth and what is born of it but of incorruptible that lives and endures for ever and so what ever is born of it is immortal this quickning Power of the Spirit lives for ever not only in it self but in us also therefore a Soul once in Christ by renewing Grace can never finally fall away 3. Others say That the Apostle speaks here only by way of Supposition If these fall away it 's impossible to renew them c. but they can never fall away But 4. Others say These were but the common workings of the Spirit upon the Hearts of Hypocrites and these come nearest to the Sense and it must be confest Hypocrites may go a great way in Religion and have even some Taste and Relish of the Things of God in their Spirits as appears in the Stony-ground-Hearers take heed Reader thou beest not an Hypocrite Mat. 13.20 they are said to receive the Word with Joy and yet not any saving Grace in their Souls But 5. Others expound this Scripture of those extraordinary Gifts of the Spirit Christians had in the Apostles days such as the Gift of Healing speaking with Tongues c. These extraordinary Gifts were from the Spirit And no doubt such as had any of these miraculous Gifts were much pleased and delighted with them and many that had them perished as may appear from comparing these Scriptures Mat. 7.21 22 23 24. Gal. 3.3 4. And this I humbly conceive to be the Sense of this Scripture O it 's dreadful to sin against Light against Convictions to live under a Gospel-Ministry and get no good by it But now these excepted Jesus Christ is offered to all in the visible Church and all are freely invited to come in as in the Text. Now these free and general Offers see in these two Scriptures Isa 55.1 2 3. Ho every one that thirsteth come ye to the Waters and he that hath no Mony come ye buy and eat yea come buy Wine and Milk without Mony and without Price c. and Rev. 22.17 The Spirit saith Come and the Bride saith Come and whoever is athirst and will let him come and take of the Water of Life freely 5thly But in a peculiar manner tho Jesus Christ be offered in general to all yet he is particularly offered to such as are wounded and afflicted in Soul for Sin and these alone are the Persons that will welcome a Saviour Luke 5.31 32. The whole need not a Physician but those that are sick 't is the wounded Soul that needs a Plaister the sick Soul that needs a Physician the Prisoner that needs a Redeemer the lost Sinner that needs a Saviour Now if there be in this Congregation any trembling bleeding wounded Spirits that are with the Jaylor crying What shall I do to be saved O ten thousand Worlds if I had them for a Christ c. To such is the Word of this Salvation sent Poor Soul here 's a Christ for thee be of good chear arise he calls thee hear what he saith unto thee Mat. 11.28 Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest Thirdly What is it to come to Christ to believe in Christ to receive and accept him upon Gospel-Terms This coming to Christ 't is not a meer dogmatical and opinionative Faith a meer Perswasion of the truth of Scripture to believe the Articles of your Creed and profess your selves Christians this is very common but this coming to and believing in Christ it is a saving Grace wrought in the Hearts of Persons by the Word and Spirit of God whereby being awakened to see their Sin and Misery that Hell and Wrath due to them for Sin they despair in themselves and all other Creatures and speedily fly from their Sins and themselves to Jesus Christ resting on him alone for Justification Pardon and Eternal Life This is coming to Christ and not a Person under Heaven that hath not such a particular Faith as is here described did ever yet come to Christ 1. You have here the nature of it it is a saving Grace i. e. not what is common to Believers and Unbelievers but peculiar to Believers only there is a common Faith a common Love a common Repentance and common Obedience which Hypocrites may have and there 's a special saving Faith a heavenly new-distinguishing Work of the Holy Spirit on the Heart which is peculiar to a Saint and none but a Saint hath it you have both these expressed in that one Scripture Heb. 10.39 We are not of them which draw back to Perdition but of them which believe to the saving of the Soul Here 's first common Faith Some that draw back i. e. were unsound rotten-hearted Professors who had a common Faith enough to make them profess and own Christ in time of Peace but not enough to go through with their Profession and here 's a saving Faith a belieVing to the saving of the Soul O look to it that your Grace be more than what 's common 2. Here 's the necessary Preparation to it and that is the Heart awakened and humbled and broken for Sin this Brokenness of Heart for Sin it is not Faith nor coming to Christ but it is a necessary Preparative to it an unbroken Heart unhumbled Soul will never come to Christ Luke 5.31 32. The whole need not a Physician but they that are sick 'T is Necessity that drives Men to Christ when they see themselves undone ready to drop into Hell the Law curses them and they are beset on every side like those Acts 2.37 when they were pricked at the Heart then they cried out What shall we do to be saved now ver 38. the Apostle directs them to Christ the Sinner must first despair in himself
before he will come to Christ People cry out against spiritual lively quick preaching but why O this drives People to Despair There 's two sorts of Despair 1. To despair of getting to Heaven in a state of Sin while a Man is unregenerate unsanctified and truly such a Despair as this we do preach I tell you from the Lord Jesus Christ that every one of you living and dying in a Christ-less State you will be as surely damned as if you were in Hell already Joh. 3.3 Except you are born again you cannot see the Kingdom of God 2. There 's another kind of Despair and that is when Men despair of ever obtaining Mercy tho they do repent and leave their Sins We do not preach any such Despair as this But on the contrary do all we can to draw and to encourage Men to come to Christ with an assurance of Pardon Isa 55.7 Let the Wicked forsake his Way and the unrighteous Man his Thoughts and turn to the Lord and he will have Mercy upon him and to our God for he will abundantly pardon 3. There 's the Instrumental Cause of this blessed Work upon the Soul and that is the Word of God Rom. 10.17 Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God If you would be drawn to Christ wait upon a Gospel-Ministry 4. There is the Efficient of this Heavenly Work the blessed and holy Spirit of God Ephes 2.8 Faith is the Gift of God The holy Spirit is called the Spirit of Faith 2 Cor. 4.13 because the Spirit by the Word can draw a Soul to Christ Therefore wait on the Ministry but beg as the Church doth the Drawings of the Spirit Cant. 1.4 Draw me 5. Here is the Terminus à quo or what a Man flies from in the day when he thus comes to Jesus Christ 1. He flies from Sin Now the Wicked forsakes his Way and the unrighteous Man his Thoughts Isa 55.7 Now is the time when a Man hath right Apprehensions of the hellish destructive nature of Sin he sees Sin now to be worse than Plague Famine Sword or any Temporal Evils and therefore flies from it as Lot out of Sodom or the Jews out of Egypt he hastens now as for his Life to cleanse his Hand and his Heart from all Pollution both of Flesh and Spirit now Sin appears what it is in it self he flies from Heart-Sins secret Sins vain Thoughts as well as open Sins Psal 119.113 Psal 139.23 2. He flies from himself Whatever high Thoughts he might have of himself formerly he now sees himself one of the filthiest and loathsomest Creatures under Heaven and this especially in the Vileness of his Heart and Nature by reason of that Fountain of Original Sin and Corruption which is in him he now sees the Plague of his Heart 1 Kings 8.38 And hence he now loaths himself condemns and judges himself in the sight of God Rom. 7.28 O wretched Man that I am who shall deliver me from this Body of Death 6. Here is the Terminus ad quem that to which the poor awakened Sinner flies and that is to Jesus Christ Indeed Faith in general looks to the whole Word of God and believes whatever is revealed therein to be true upon the Divine Authority of the Word it self yielding hearty Obedience to every Command trembling at the Threatnings Isa 57.15 * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 miser ego homo infelix ego homo Montan. Aerumnosus ego homo Beza Ah me miserum quis me liberabit ab hac dira servitute It signifies one that is wearied with troublesome and continual Combats like as a Champion striving a long time is like a last to be overcome 't is the Voice of one breathing after Deliverance Calv. But the principal and especial Act of saving Faith is a receiving Christ and a resting upon him alone for Justification Sanctification and Eternal Life And altho this special Act of Faith as leaning resting hanging upon and trusting in Christ crucified be so much exploded in this corrupt Age by Men of corrupt Minds yet it is and ever will be a sweet and heavenly Truth prized by the Church of Christ more than all the World besides and clearly proved from the holy Word of God Joh. 1.12 As many as received him to them gave he Power to become the Sons of God Cant. 8.5 Who is this that cometh up from the Wilderness leaning upon her Beloved So Ephes 1.13 In whom also ye trusted after that ye believed This leaning trusting resting upon Christ is the proper Act of justifying Faith and it hath three degrees Adherence Recompence Assurance 1. Adherence which singles out Christ and holds him and as it were by the hand of Faith takes him by the hand for the Stay and Support of the Soul The poor Sinner seeing his own Nothingness he flies to Christ hangs on him cleaves to him looks to him in every Strait when he has no-whither else to look nor none else to trust to 2 Chron. 20.12 We know not what to do but our Eyes are unto thee 2. Recombence which is an acquiescence on Christ the Soul resolves to rest upon Christ let the Issue be what it will as Job Chap. 13.15 Tho he slay me yet will I trust in him Or as Hester Ch. 4.16 I will go in unto the King and if I perish I perish So saith the Believer I will hang upon Christ's Skirts believe in him follow after him if I perish I perish tho he frown upon me I will not leave him tho he kill me yet will I trust in him Psal 37.5 Commit thy way unto the Lord wait patiently for him and he will bring it to pass 3d. Degree of Faith is the Faith of Assurance this is rare and but few Christians have it When the Spirit of God so shines in upon his own Work in the Soul as to inable a Christian to speak triumphingly with the Church Cant. 2.16 My Beloved is mine and I am his Or with the Apostle 2 Cor. 5.1 We know that when this Earthly House is dissolved we have an House in Heaven Now poor complaining Soul thou hast not this Faith of Assurance yet if thou hast the Faith of Adherence and Recombence thy case is good Assurance is not essential to justifying Faith APPLICATION Is this so that God thus freely offers Jesus Christ to all that are willing to come to him then we shall make a fivefold Use of this Truth A Use of 1. Information 2. Examination 3. Exhortation 4. Direction 5. Consolation I. Vse shall be of Information in six things 1. If this be so then this informs us of the desperate Madness and Folly of the greatest part of Men in the World who wilfully reject Jesus Christ thus freely offered in the Gospel Should you see a poor Maid begging her Bread from Door to Door cloathed in nasty Rags and ready to perish with Hunger and Cold and a great Prince should offer his Son in Marriage to
THE BEST MATCH OR The Believer's Marriage with Christ A SERMON On the Parable of the Marriage of the King's Son Mat. 22.1 2 c. Preached at Potters Pury in Northamptonshire September the 29th 1690. By MICHAEL HARRISON Minister of Casfield in Bucks To which is added four Hymns I. An Hymn of Praises to God for giving Christ II. To Christ for redeeming us III. To God for the Gospel IV. The Believer's Groans for Sion's Deliverance I Joh. 5.12 He that hath the Son hath Life and he that hath not Son of God hath not Life London Printed for Nathanael Ranew at the King's-Arms in St. Paul's Church-Yard 1691. THE PREFACE THIS Heavenly Sermon invites Souls to come to Christ that Spiritual Feast that best of Feasts costly to the Provider free to the Comer Christ was crucified to make a Feast for us but it crucifies him afresh that many who are affectionately invited will not come They will be starv'd before they will come to this Feast They will be damn'd before they will come to Christ Alas that they should perish when Life is so near But they that do come find by blessed Experience that his Flesh is Meat indeed and his Blood Drink indeed There is 1. Calling 2. Coming 3. Vnion 4. Communion Calling is twofold Outward Inward Outward Calling is by the Gospel and Gospel-Ministry Inward Calling is twofold Ineffectual Effectual The inward ineffectual Call leaves the Soul in worse state than it found it The quenching of the Sparks of Heaven is the kindling the Flames of Hell And they fall deepest into Hell that fall backwards into Hell The inward effectual Calling is when a Soul comes to Christ that is believing Joh. 6.35 This Coming or believing determins effectual Calling and begins Vnion This Vnion is the ground of Communion which on the Soul's part is a partaking of all such spiritual good things as are purchased by the Blood of Christ for Believers There is nothing that the corrupt Nature of Man is more averse to than Christ and Faith in Christ There are no Quarrels commenc'd by the World Flesh and Devil against any Grace so much as against justifying Faith nor against any Ordinance so much as that which Faith comes by which is the sound and plain preaching of the Gospel Rom. 10.17 Through Self-Fulness and Spiritual Distempers it comes to pass that there is no Appetite in the Soul after Christ but this Spirital Feast is loathed By others Christ is respected only as a remote cause of Salvation They will not allow Justification by Faith in Christ's Blood without the Deeds of the Law they will not come to Christ unless they can make him a Present As if it were not enough to be Joynt-Heirs with Christ unless they might be Joynt-Purchasers also But the Word saith Come for all things are now ready i. e. in Christ Luk. 14.17 Come without Money and without Price Isa 55.1 Only Come Q. Is not this presuming A. Nothing is more contrary to Presumption that this For 1. It is the greatest piece of Self-denial There is no Humility like Faith 2. It is taking the Lord at his Word Obj. This believing is a slight matter Answ It is a senseless and a vile Objection And to speak as the truth is People do but trifle in Soul-matters till they are effectually humbled and chastised by the Spirit of Bondage It is a great thing for a Man with the Heart to believe unto Righteousness Such a poor Creature is made first to know himself to be a very miserable lost undone helpless sinking perishing Wretch and so to know himself as to abhor himself and so to abhor himself as to deny himself and so to deny himself as to cast himself into the saving Arms of an only Saviour which were stretched upon the Cross and are spread wide open in the Promises of the Gospel to embrace any wretched Sinner as will fall into them This is done by Divine Light and Power The Spirit convinces the Father draws And Oh how the Soul cries pants yearns after Christ O nothing but Christ Nothing but Christ It can never be satisfied till it come into that blessed Bosom where the weary are at rest This breeds Repentance secures Obedience The Repentance is evangelical that Obedience filial The Terrors of the Law break the Heart into hard pieces the Love of Christ melts it and makes it flow like Water And the Soul that hath learned Christ to be her Righteousness finds him to be her Strength also Isa 45.24 In a word Christ is all He hath done all he hath suffered all and he must have the Glory of every part of our Salvation God will have his Son honoured Sinners Sinners Come to Christ Know that there is no Salvation but by Christ neither is there any Salvation by Christ but in Christ Israel shall be saved in the Lord with an everlasting Salvation Isa 45.17 Let nothing come between the Graff and the Stock Touch close upon the Foundation Let the whole weight of your Salvation lie upon that Foundation which God hath laid and not Man You are lost and undone come as such to Christ Come to a Saviour as to a Saviour he will receive you joyfully Will you not come O Come confess your Sins and that you are guilty to Vnexcusableness O Lord I cannot answer for what I have done I cannot bear what I have deserved But I appeal to the Blood of Christ Thy Justice might be glorified in mine eternal Destruction but it could never be satisfied but the Blood of Christ hath both glorified and satisfied thy Justice O let Christ's Blood go for mine Oh sprinkle my Conscience with the Blood of Christ Lie in Dust and Ashes and cry for the Blood of Sprinkling O Lord revive among us the Doctrine of free Grace the work of Conversion the Power of Religion and the Spirit of Brotherly-Kindness and Charity And now may we see the King of Kings and Lord of Lords sitting upon a Throne high and lifted up and his Train filling the Temple Now let him be exalted and extolled and be very high Now let him be great to the Ends of the Earth And blessed be the Lord God the God of Israel who only doth wonderous things And blessed be his glorious Name for ever and let the whole Earth be filled with his Glory Amen and Amen The Author's Advertisment to the Reader THe Reader is desired to take notice that the following Sermon was preached to a Country-Congregation without the least design of ever being made publick But some of the then Hearers being very earnest for a Copy of the Author's Notes with leave to print it the Author who was at first unwilling having no desire to be seen in Print yet at last condescended to give a Copy leaving it to their choice whether to make it publick or no. The Subject is Christ the very Subject of the Gospel If the Lord please to bless it to win over any Souls to
her and this poor Creature should refuse and prefer her Rags and Shame before such an Honourable State would you not count this a stupid foolish Creature Why this is the case Sinners by Nature are in a woful miserable State hanging over the very brink of Hell and ready every moment to drop into it starving for want of a Christ to save them Dead in Sin Ephes 2.1 2 3. filthy loathsome Creatures as Ezek. 16.1 to 11. Now God freely offers Jesus Christ to poor undone miserable Sinners to be their Saviour to wash them from their Filth Ezek. 36.25 I will poor clean Water upon you and you shall be clean i.e. tho you are black with Sin I 'll make you white by washing you in my Son's Blood * Aspergam vos aqua munda id est Sanguine Christi Sanguis Christi est quasi aqua munda cujus Aspersione mundantur Electi à sordibus peccatorum Asperguntur autem hac aqua corda electorum per fidem qua credunt Sanguinem Christi pro ipsis effusum esse in crucae in remissione peccatorum Piscator in locum from all your Filthiness and from all your Abominations will I cleanse you I 'le open your Prison Doors and bring you into the glorious Liberty of the Sons of God Accept of my Son saith God and with him you shall have Pardon and Life Grace and Glory and every good Thing And yet Sinners will not come to Christ here 's the wonder that Men should prefer Earth before Heaven a base Lust before Christ that a sick Man should refuse Health a Prisoner Liberty a condemned Sinner Pardon and Life And yet this is the case we that are Christ's Embassadors come in the Name of Christ we pray you be ye reconciled to God 2 Cor. 5.20 Come to Christ but 't is now as it was here in the Parable they make light of it and go away one to his Farm another to his Merchandize nay sometimes abuse the Servant for offering them Christ and begging of them to accept of him O what stupendious madness is this this is to be more brutish than the Beasts that perish Isa 1.2 3. Hear O Heavens and give ear O Earth for the Lord hath spoken I have nourished and brought up Children and they have rebelled against me The Ox knoweth his Owner and the Ass his Master's Crib but Israel doth not know my People do not understand Object Perhaps some may be ready to say they do not believe that Persons are thus unwilling to come to Christ Are we not all Christians and do we not believe Christ to be the Son of God the Saviour of the World Is there any Body but are willing to have Christ and Salvation by him Answ The greatest part of Men and Women in the World will not come to Christ as the Scripture testifies here in this Parable they were invited but they would not come And Joh. 5.40 You will not come to me that you might have Life Q. But who are they that will not come to Christ A. 1. Those who were never throughly humbled for Sin will never come to or accept of Jesus Christ Luke 5.31 32. The whole need not a Physician but those that are sick I came not to call the righteous but Sinners to Repentance Look abroad how few ever had any humbling work upon their Hearts 2. Such as know not what it is to come to Christ to believe in him can never come to him Rom. 10.14 How shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard Now what gross Ignorance aboundeth almost every where 3. Such will never come to Christ as think to be saved by something in themselves its meer necessity that drives Persons to Christ Now many People ask them how they hope to get to Heaven their answer is by their good Works they pray and keep their Church wrong no Body like that young Man Mat. 19.16 What good thing shall I do that I may have Eternal Life There is no getting to Heaven by our own Duties and Graces Rom. 3.20 By the works of the Law shall no Flesh be justified in his Sight 4. Such as do not heartily approve of Christ's terms but have secret Grudges and Heart-quarrels against Christ Matth. 11.6 Blessed is he who shall not be offended in me The Jews quarrelled at every thing Christ did or said at his Birth Sermons c. And is it not so now with many Persons How frequently do Men quarrel with the Word as too pure Commands too strict Threatnings too severe c. 5. Such who although they are convinced 't is their Duty to come to Christ to repent believe yet delay procrastinate such as are mentioned Luke 9.59 61. Christ bids them follow him they do not deny but it 's their Duty so to do yet they would put it off till another time one would go and bury his Father another bid them farewel at his House But this is a Duty that admits of no delay 6. Some would have Christ to receive them but not upon his but their own terms they would have him as a Saviour but not as a Lord Matth. 19.21 22. the young Man was willing to have Heaven but not on Christ's terms I leave the enlargement of these Particulars to your Thoughts at leasure Thus it 's evident that among the Crowd of the World there are but few that do truly come to or believe in Christ There are other Inferences but I omit them for Brevity II. Vse Is of Examination If this be so that God thus freely offers us Christ to be our Saviour then let us examine whether or no we did ever believe in Christ come to him and accept of him on Gospel-Terms All our Comfort lieth in having Christ 1 Joh. 5.12 He which hath the Son hath Life and he which hath not the Son hath not Life Therefore I beseech you try your own Hearts whether you did ever come to Christ or no. But how may I come to know this Take these Signs 1. All who did ever come to Christ did first see their need of Christ their undone and miserable State without Christ The whole need not a Physician but those who are sick Luke 5.31 See how it was with St. Paul before in and after the time of his Conversion Rom. 7.9 10. For I was alive without the Law once Alive †Vivus eram nempe opinio mea Pareus i. e. I was a proud conceited Pharisee thought my self a righteous Person and in my own opinion was in a happy and safe Estate as to my Soul Or as St. Augustine expresses it ‖ Vivus mihi videbar August lib. 1. cap. 9. ad Bonif. Vitam sibi arrogaret quum tamen esset mortuus Calvin I seemed to my self to live But when the Commandment came he had it before but he understood it not but now he understands the Spiritual meaning of the Law that it cursed him Now hath it been so with you
daub and flatter and heal the Wound slightly Some preach up a few dead Ceremonies cry up the Church the Church but do not preach Jesus Christ Regeneration Sanctification and Salvation by the Blood Death and Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ God owns not such Preachers but mark those Ministers that preach Christ and free-Grace not free-Will such Preachers as go to the quick Acts 2.37 Keep close to the Duty of hearing the Word preached if you slight the Ministry you will never come to Christ When you are to change your Relation or Habitation be sure to chuse and prefer Ordinances for your Souls go live under a godly Ministry hear constantly now and then or on a Lord's Day is not enough but in the Morning sow your Seed in the Evening withhold not your Hand for who knows which shall prosper this or that Object What if Ministers will not preach twice a Day Answ Such as know the worth of their own and Peoples Souls will be instant in season and out of season O if that Scripture were but writ upon Ministers Hearts it would make them vigilant for God Ezech. 3.17 and tremble for fear they should be found guilty of the blood of Souls I promised you a Fifth Vse viz. of Consolation to shew you the sweet happy blessed State such are in who are in Christ but I have already exceeded the bounds of a Sermon and therefore all I shall say is that of the Apostle which gives you an account of that happy sweet blessed Condition every Man and Woman in the World are in that are come to Christ Rom. 8.1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus FINIS An Hymn of Praise to God the Father magnifying his Love for giving us a Saviour as Psal 148. 1. YE Holy Angels bright That wait about God's Throne Enjoying fullest sight Of that Eternal One God's Praises sing Who hath from Heaven a Saviour given Jesus our King 2. You blessed Souls Above Who see your Saviour's Face Praise God for his great Love And his redeeming Grace Whereby you are Set quite and clean from Sin and Fear By your Saviour 3. You blessed Saints him praise That yet below are found Let Sion's Sons always His Holy Praises sound Yea all the Earth To this Great King high Praises sing With sweetest Mirth 4. My thankful Soul adore This Glorious Majesty Triumph thou evermore In this great God most High To him draw nigh And evermore his Name adore Eternally An HYMN of Praise to Christ our Redeemer I. WHat Love profound in Christ is found To Adam's lapsed Race That God's dear Son should Man become O freest richest Grace Ye Angels blest and Souls at rest Wonder how this could be That God most High for Love should dye Upon a cursed Tree II. When Man for Sin was almost in Easeless and endless Woe And very near Eternal Fire God's flaming Wrath also He for our sake did undertake To bear God's fiercest Wrath And all the Sin that we were in To expiate by his Death III. Adore adore for evermore Thy Saviour's precious Blood Sing Songs of Praise to him always Who ever do's thee good Do thou still hate and ' bominate Sin which caus'd him to dye Your Voices raise in Songs of Praise To him Eternally An HYMN of Praise for the Gospel offering CHRIST I. OUr Souls with Joy do magnify Jehovah our Great King Because the Lord gives us his Word We praise him for this thing While thousands yet in Darkness sit Having no Gospel Light Our dearest Lord doth us afford Sweet Visions clear and bright II. Lord we will praise thy Name always For Gospel-Light now given And humbly pray that thy Word may Raise up our Hearts to Heaven In this same Hour some quickning Power In thy Word let us find O cause encrease of Light and Peace In our Sin-darkned Mind III. Our Hearts unvail our Eyes unscale To see our selves this Day What need we have of Christ to save A Christ to us display While in this Glass of Gospel-Grace God's Glory we do view Lord from above shed down thy Love Our Souls in Grace renue The Believers Groans for Sion's Deliverance As Psalm 148. I. O Blessed Jesus who Here once was crucifi'd Thy sacred Blood did flow Wherewith the Earth was dy'd And still each day Thy blessed Name doth suffer Shame Lord Come away II. Thy Gospel is abus'd By that licentious Train Thy Prophets are misus'd Thy Threats esteemed vain But Lord how long Will 't be e're Thou holy and true Avenge this Wrong III. Thy Saints and Servants here Accounted are as mad Their Hearts are fill'd with Fear While wicked Men are glad Save thine Elect That night and Day to Thee do pray To that Effect IV. The bloody Sword abroad Drinks Blood abundantly But when wilt thou O Lord Hear Sion's mournful Cry Hasten therefore That time of Peace when Wars shall cease For evermore V. Let Babel that proud Whore Sink into deep Distress That Sion never more She may at all oppress Charge her with Guilt And that because her bloody Laws Much Blood hath spilt VI. Thy Saints rebuke O Lord Be pleas'd to wipe away And speedily afford Thy Church that glorious Day When none shall more Hurt or destroy or her anoy For evermore VII The Wicked cloath with Shame Trample on that proud Race That will not know thy Name But still despise thy Grace But Lord display Here every-where thy holy Fear We humbly pray VIII Let that bright Morning spring Let Christ that Sun appear With Healing in his Wing On all that thy Name fear That all the Earth May sing with Joy continually In Sacred Mirth IX That Evening of the Day When Sion shall have Light For it we long and pray O let her Sun shine bright And those sweet Streams Of Truth 's Divine Lord let them shine With brightest Beams X. Let Christ ascend his Throne And reign for evermore Let him be King alone Let Nations him adore Bright Day appear When Christ shall reign and his sweet Name Be own'd each where XI That Covering Lord remove From Abram's sinful Race Look on them from above Grant them converting Grace Thy Spiritual Pow'r That so they may mourn look and pray To their Saviour XII A time is drawing near When Earth's most utmost Coasts The Lord's great Name shall fear And in him make their Boasts Lord come away Begin thy Work on Pope and Turk Why dost thou stay XIII Let Satan that proud Foe Be bound by thy strong Arm Confin'd in Hell below Thy Church no more to harm That every Nation May own thy Name and all may claim Thy sweet Salvation XIV Reclaim Mens Lusts and Wrath Make Earth a holy place Let Gospel-Light break forth Lord shew thy pleased Face Thy Sion-Hill Each day increase her Light and Peace Her Joys fulfil XV. Let Ordinances be Refin'd from Dross and Tin Let All Salvation see O let that Day begin When evermore That Sun shall shine and all combine Christ to adore FINIS THE POSTSCRIPT TO THE READER NEver did God shew greater Love to the Sons of Men than when he gave the Son of his Love to die for the Sins of Men yet too many give away their Souls for nothing and tho they will not now fear for Love in the Day of Grace shall hereafter tremble for fear in the Day of Wrath and know when too late how much Prevention is better than Confusion And thou that wilt not now come to Christ by saving Faith in the Day of his Love to receive him with his Merits and Mercies to thy eternal Consolation shalt hereafter be brought to him in the day of Anger to thy eternal Damnation Now to do the one and to avoid the other remember thou art but a Pilgrim and Stranger here and that the great and chief End of Man is to glorify God and save his own Soul That thou may'st do this be admonished carefully to pursue conscientiously to peruse and constantly to practise what is contained in this Enchiridion or Pocket-Companion The Author thereof thou mayst see at the beginning His Qualifications in the Sermon wherein are many sweet sacred and Soul-saving Truths contained delivered by the Author in the Parish-Church of Potters Pury in the County of Northampton May the Wisdom of Heaven be opened and distill down such heavenly refreshing Dews upon these sweet and sacred Truths that they may make a deep Impression upon our Hearts and be seated and setled in our Minds and become fruitful in our Lives to the Honour of God the Joy of the Author and to the present Comfort future and eternal Happiness of the Hearers To conclude That thou mayst hereby know how to put off the Old Man and to put on the New Man Christ Jesus and so be made partaker of the Divine Nature and at last come to have the full Fruition of him in Glory is the earnest Desire and Prayer of Thy Friend and Servant in the Lord J. N. Minister of the Gospel at Potters Pury aforesaid Perlege Vive Vale. ADVERTISEMENT NEwly printed the Midnight-Cry a Sermon on the Parable of the Ten Virgins by J. Mason Rector of W. in the County of Bucks The second Edition with Addition of two Poems for the Coming of Christ by the same Author