had not been accused there had been no need of an Advocate or Intercessor We were accused 1. By Satan Rev. 12.10 The Accuser of our Brethren is cast out he accused Job and Joshua the High Priest 2. We are accused by our own Consciences Heb. 2.14 3. The Word of God so far as we violate any of its Precepts accuseth us Joh. 5.45 46. Think not saith Christ I will accuse you to the Father there is one that accuseth you even Moses in whom ye trust i. e. The Scriptures that Moses writ 4. The wicked World they accuse the People of God cry out against them for their Holiness Strictness Heavenliness 1 Pet. 3.16 They speak evil of you as Evil-doers and falsly accuse your good Conversation in Christ Now Christian art thou sensible of these several Accusations O then a Christ to speak for thee will be exceeding welcome Well here he is tender'd to thee if thou hast felt the Cries and Accusations of Conscience against thee then the Tidings of an Advocate will be welcome 5. Jesus Christ is a King and Lord and as such he is offered to us Rev. 17.14 King of Kings but particularly he is King of his Church A King is to govern so Jesus Christ he gives Laws to his People and he will see that his Laws are executed Isa 33.22 The Lord is our Law-giver the Lord is our King he will save us And herein Christ has the Preheminence above all earthly Kings their Laws and Government reaches but to the outward Man but the Government of Jesus Christ is over Hearts he rules in the Souls of his People Psal 110.3 Thy People shall be a willing People in the day of thy Power Sirs are you willing to be Christ's Subjects to let him rule in your Hearts it is the sweetest Government in the World Mat. 11.28 29. Come unto me my Yoke is easy and my Burden is light But none will come to Christ in this respect but only they who are sensible of their own unruly Passions and Carnal Affections that they are in no-wise able to rule and govern themselves which was St. Paul's case Rom. 7.23 But I see another Law in my Members rebelling against the Law of my Mind and leading me into Captivity to the Law of Sin and Death And finding it thus with him he flies to Christ who by his Kingly Power was able to rule and subdue them ver 24 25. O wretched Man who shall deliver me from this Body of Sin and Death Ver. 25. I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord Chap. 8.2 The Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the Law of Sin and Death 6. Jesus Christ is a Priest and as such offered to us in the Gospel The High-Priest under the Law was a Type of Christ as likewise all those Offerings and Oblations were typical of Christ and his offering up himself to the Father Heb. 2.17 In all things it behoved him to be made like unto his Brethren that he might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God that he might make Reconciliation for the Trangressors Now who amongst you are willing to have Jesus Christ as a Priest None but those who see their Sin and Misery for the Work of Christ as a Priest is to make Reconciliation O Sinner dost thou see Sin and that the Breach between God and thy Soul is so great that none but Christ can make God and thee Friends He must bear thy Sins Isa 53.5 6. 2 Cor. 5.21 He himself is both Altar Priest and Sacrifice if so then Christ will be welcome to thee 7. And lastly Jesus Christ is the Spiritual Husband and Bridegroom of his Church so he is held out in this Parable We are not only invited to the Marriage of the Son but we are invited to come and marry with the Son not as Bride-maids only to wait on the Son but to be the Spiritual Bride to come and marry with and lie in the Bosom of the Son Thus as the Churches Spiritual Husband the Lord Jesus Christ is often so spoken of as in the Parable of the ten Virgins Mat. 25.1 So Ezek. 16.8 Now when I passed by thee and looked upon thee behold thy time was a time of Love and I spread my Skirt over thee and covered thy Nakedness yea I swear unto thee and entered into a Covenant with thee and thou becamest mine So throughout the Book of Canticles Christ and Believers convene in this sweet Relation Christ owns the Church for his Spouse Cant. 2.16 My Beloved is mine and I am his these are the Churches words owning her Relation to Christ And Cant. 4.8 9 10 11. in these four Verses the Church is four times called Spouse tho the World disowns the Believer Jesus Christ owns him Here 's a sweet a heavenly Match Christ and the Believer are married And this is not a forced Match no Jesus Christ accepts of sincere Souls in this Relation with a glad Heart Cant. 3.11 Go forth O ye Daughters of Zion and behold King Solomon i. e. Christ of whom Solomon was a Type with the Crown wherewith his Mother i. e. the Church crowned him in the day of his Espousals to his Elect in a Holy Gracious Heavenly Union and in the day of the Gladness of his Heart Now my dear Friends here 's an offer for you an Heavenly Husband O be not so unkind and cruel to your selves as to deny Christ I am one of these Servants I have a Commission from Christ yea and from the Father also to assure you that if you are willing Christ is yours this is my business the Errand I come on to invite you to come to Christ Come all things are ready on Christ's part he has died made his Soul an Offering for Sin Will you not come will you be damn'd rather than part with your Sins O come Rev. 22.17 The Spirit saith Come and the Bride saith Come whoever will let him come But I shall speak further to this when I come to a Use of Exhortation Thirdly Wherein or by what means doth God offer Christ to lost Souls in the Gospel The Law requires perfect Obedience and curses every one that continueth not in all things Gal. 3.10 Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things written in the Book of the Law to do them This is terrible News for where is the Person under Heaven that has continued in all things that hath fulfilled the Law and may expect Eternal Life upon Law-Terms Who ever kept one Commandment of God No we have all sinned and come short of the Glory of God So that by the works of the Law or by our Obedience to God's Law or keeping his Commandments shall no Flesh be justified in his sight Rom. 3.20 Therefore we are all by Nature under the Curse of the Law the Law speaks nothing to the Sinner but Wrath and Terrour it brings the Sinner to the Bar
a cordial closure with Christ tho some may quarrel the Author hath his End and God shall have the Glory The Believer's Marriage with Christ OR A SERMON On the Parable of the Marriage of the King's Son Mat. 22.2 The Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a certain King which made a Marriage for his Son 3. And sent forth his Servants to call them that were bidden to the Wedding and they would not come 4. Again he sent forth other Servants saying Tell them which are bidden Behold I have prepared my Dinner my Oxen and my Fatlings are killed and all things are ready come unto the Marriage 5. But they made light of it and went their ways one to his Farm another to his Merchandise And so on to the 14th Verse HEre is a Parable spoken by our dear Lord Jesus Christ himself and therefore calls for an hearing Ear and an understanding Heart in every one here present And for our better understanding the Mind of Christ herein let us answer five or six Queries Query 1. What are we to understand by the Kingdom of Heaven Answ There is a threefold Kingdom of Heaven 1. That blessed everlasting Life the Saints shall live in the next World Matth. 5.3 Blessed are the poor in Spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven 2. There 's the Kingdom of Grace or the Divine Life in the Hearts of the Elect in whose Hearts Jesus Christ hath set up his Spiritual Kingdom Mat. 13.31 The Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a Grain of Mustard-Seed See ver 32. This and the following Parable of the Leaven as a * Pareus in locum Learned Man observes signifies the Power and Divine Efficacy of the Gospel in and on the Hearts of the Elect in the day when they are inwardly renewed by the Spirit 3. The visible Church comprehending both good and bad is sometimes called the Kingdom of Heaven as in the Parable of the Draw-Net Mat. 13.47 The Kingdom of Heaven is like to a Net that was cast into the Sea and gathered of every kind i.e. The visible Church by the Ministry of the Word gathers into it not only such as are truly sanctified but all that visibly own Jesus Christ And in this sense I humbly conceive this Parable of the Marriage is to be understood The Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a King c. i. e. The great God of Heaven in calling Men unto and directing them how to attain Eternal Life doth as Kings use to do at Marriage-Feasts who having prepared all things ready send out their Servants to invite the Guests so God hath provided a Gospel-Banquet and sends out the Ministers of his Word to invite Men to come to Christ Query 2. Who is this King Answ The great God of Heaven who did originally contrive the glorious Work of Salvation as appears in these Scriptures Isa 42.1 2 3 4 5 6 7. these are the Father's words to Christ calling him forth to undertake the great Work of Redemption Had not the Father contrived a way of Salvation for lost Sinners our Condition had been for ever hopeless Jesus Christ is the Father's Gift Joh. 3.16 God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son to die Query 3. Here is a Wedding but who is the Bridegroom the Son here spoken of Answ The Lord Jesus Christ the eternal Son of God who is the Churches Spiritual Bridegroom and as such often spoken of in Holy Scripture Psal 19.5 Which is as a Bridegroom coming out of his Chamber the ancient Fathers understood this of Christ the Rex ille est Deus Pater sponsus est Filius Dei Sponsa pauci electi Nuptiae disponsatio copulatio Ecclesiae cum Christo Pareus in loco Spiritual Bridegroom of the Church * Corpus suum assumptum ex Virgine ipse tanquam sponsus Ecclesiae toties promissus per Prophetas c. Psalterium Paraph. who assumed Human Nature in the Womb of the Virgin thence appeared as the Churches Heavenly Bridegroom in the World and so he is held out to us in the Parable of the ten Virgins Mat. 25.1 2 3 4. as a Heavenly Husband that comes to consummate a Spiritual Marriage with his Church Query 4. But who is the Bride Answ The Church of Christ and especially the Elect. Jer. 3.14 I am married unto you Rev. 19.7 The Marriage of the Lamb is come and his Wife the Church hath made her self ready O the Honour given to a Believer to be married to Jesus Christ Query 5. What is meant by the Feast Answ That glorious Provision God hath made for poor undone Sinners in Christ as Union and Communion with God and Christ all the Benefits purchased by the Death of Christ such as Pardon Justification Sanctification Adoption and the like these are the Heavenly Dishes served up at this Gospel-Feast for Believers to feed upon And it 's very usual in Scripture to represent Heavenly Things by Temporal and particularly by Feasting Isa 25.6 And in this Mountain i. e. Sion the Church and a Type of Heaven shall the Lord of Hosts make unto all People a Feast of fat things a Feast of Wines on the Lees of fat things full of Marrow of Wines on the Lees well refined i. e. In that day that an elect Soul is married to Jesus Christ there 's an Heavenly Banquet in that Heart Rev. 3.20 Behold I stand at the Door and knock if any Man hear my Voice and open to me I will come in and sup with him and he with me Query 6. Who are the Servants sent out to invite the Guests to the Wedding Answ The Servants * Primi Servi fuerunt Patriarchae posteriores Moses Prophetae Pareus in loco are God's Ministers both of the Old and New Testament the first were Patriarchs then Moses and the Prophets and last of all the Apostles and their Successors So I that am now preaching to you am one of these Servants come to invite you to come to Christ the Jews they refused now the Gospel is preached to the Gentiles whose Offspring we are Having thus explained the Parable we come now to the Observation and tho this pregnant Text might afford many yet I shall content my self one which comprehends the very Heart and Marrow of the Text. Doct. God in and by the Gospel freely offers Jesus Christ with all the Banefits of his Death to all that are willing to come to him and receive him upon Gospel-Terms In speaking to this Heavenly Truth I shall endeavour these five things First Shew who it is that makes this Offer to Sinners God the Father Secondly What is offered Jesus Christ Thirdly Wherein is Christ offered viz. in the Gospel Fourthly To whom doth God offer Christ viz. To all that are willing to come to him Fifthly What is it to come to and receive and accept of Christ Q. First Who it is that offers Christ and Salvation to Sinners Ans It is the
Divine Nature as God Heb. 1.3 Being the brightness of his Father's Glory the express Image of his Person Beautiful as Man Psal 45.2 Thou art fairer than the Children of Men. Beautiful in his Offices of Prophet Priest and King Though a carnal Eye sees nothing yet Faith discovers Wonders in Christ Phil. 3.8 9. the Spouse discribes him Cappapè Cant. 5.10 to 15. Ver. 11. His Head viz. his Spiritual Headship over his Church Col. 1.18 Nothing in Christ but is beautiful his very Locks Eyes Cheeks Lips Hands Legs c. are all beautiful Ver. 11 12 13 14 15. Understand these Epithets Spiritually and Chirst will appear a glorious and excellent Person O Christians labour to see and know Jesus Christ if you did know him better you would desire him more Secondly To provoke you to look out after an Interest in Christ consider what you shall gain by coming to Christ 1. If you will heartily come to and believe in Christ you shall have Redemption and Deliverance from the power and guilt of Sin and the Tyranny of Satan Eph. 1.7 In Christ we have Redemption through his Blood even the forgiveness of Sins he will make you free of the new Jerusalem which is above Rom. 8.1 2. There is therefore now no Condemnation to those that are in Christ Jesus The Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ hath made them free from the Law of Sin and Death 2. Come to Christ and all your Temporal Maladies shall be sanctified to you and all your Spiritual Maladies shall be cured your Temporal Maladies shall all be sanctified to you such as Sickness Poverty Disgrace Reproaches c. all shall work for your good Rom. 8.28 And your Spiritual Maladies shall be cured such as Infirmities Backsliding Ignorance Hardness of Heart Blindness of Mind c. Hosea 14.4 I will heal their Backslidings and love them freely Ezek. 36.25 26 27. I will pour clean Water upon you and you shall be clean from all your Filthiness and Abomination will I cleanse you a new Heart also will I give you and a new Spirit will I put within you I will put my fear into your Hearts and cause you to walk in my Ways 3. Come to Christ and you shall stand related in the nearest dearest and sweetest Relations to God and Christ you shall be his Sons and Daughters 1 John 3.1 Behold what manner of Love the Father hath bestowed on us that we should be called the Sons of God 2 Cor. 6. 17 18. Come out from amongst them and be ye separated saith the Lord and touch no unclean Thing and I will receive you and will be a Father unto you and ye shall be my Sons and Daughters saith the Lord Almighty You shall be his peculiar Treasure 1 Pet. 2.9 A chosen Generation a royal Priesthood a holy Nation a peculiar People Jesus Christ will be to you a Friend Cant. 5.16 This is my Friend Husband Isa 54.5 A Brother Sister and Mother Mark 3.35 4. Come to and accept of Christ for your Lord and Saviour and you shall be fed with dainty Fare and shall wear glorious Apparel Isa 55.1 2. You shall eat Wine and Milk yea that which is good Jesus Christ himself shall be your Food and his Righteousness shall be your Apparel Ezek. 16 10. I clothed thee also with broidred Work and shod thee with Badgers Skin and I girded thee about with fine Linnen and covered thee with Silk v. 11. I decked thee also with Ornaments and I put Bracelets upon thine Hands and a Chain of Gold about thy Neck see ver 12 13. All signifies the Beauty of a Believer in Christ this glorious Apparel is Christ's Righteousness imputed outwardly and the Heavenly Graces of the Spirit put on inwardly in the great Work of Sanctification In a word Come to Christ and you have all in having Him Christ is Heir of all things he hath all who hath Him who is all Now if either Love or Beauty or any excellency will draw you here 's all in Christ O Sirs come to Christ I beseech you do not refuse such a Saviour Thirdly Yet once more to prevail with you to come to Christ consider what a Hell of Misery you wilfully throw your Souls into by refusing to come to him what became of these in the Parable that set light by the Invitations to come Ver. 5. They made light of it and went away one to his Farm and another to his Merchandize Ver. 7. When the King heard thereof he was wroth and sent forth his Armies and destroyed those Murderers and burnt up their City O it 's a dreadful a fearful Case to refuse Christ offered Heb. 10.28 29. He that despised Moses 's Law died without Mercy under two or three Witnesses Of how much sorer Punishment suppose ye shall he be thought worthy who hath troden under foot the Son of God c. Refuse Christ and you perish without remedy for ever O think of Hell who among you can dwell in eternal Burnings Refuse Christ and you sink without remedy into the lowest Hell And therefore I beseech you come to Christ what 's the matter you are so dead and cold to this Offer why so backward Christ is willing to receive Isa 55.1 Ho every one that thirsteth come Fourth Vse shall be of Direction Quest But how may a poor Sinner come to Christ I must now be short 1. If you desire to come to Christ then labour to see your need of Christ your undone State and Condition without Christ I 've told you 't is mere necessity that drives Persons to Christ Luke 5.31 32. You must be sick of Sin like those Acts 2.37 2. If you desire to come to Christ then you must beg and desire to be drawn to him Cant. 1.4 Draw me we will run after thee Joh. 6.44 No Man can come to me except the Father which sent me draw him Sin has so infeebled our Natures that we have no Strength nor Ability to any good Rom. 5.6 When we were without Strength Christ died for the ungodly If you would come to Christ see your own weakness see your need of the Drawings of the Spirit and beg for it 3. If you desire to come to Christ then sit under a rousing drawing Ministry Rom. 10.17 Faith comes by hearing Mark by what means so many thousands have been brought to Christ and it has been by the preaching of the Gospel as abundantly appears in these Scriptures Acts 2.37 38. Acts 16.14 Eph. 1.13 1 Thes 1.6 This is that very Ordinance that God has appointed to gather in the Elect to himself 1 Cor. 1.21 When the World by Wisdom knew not God it pleased God by the foolishness of Preaching to save them that believe And indeed this is the reason why the Devil and his Instruments do so much oppose the preaching of the Gospel O prize this Ordinance and wait daily at Wisdoms Gates Observe where the Gospel is purely preached Shun such Preachers as
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
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