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
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
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
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
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