thou hast done they might have looked long enough before they had found themselves coming to Jesus Christ. Besides I will tell thee That the greatness of Sense of Sin the hideous Roarings of the Devil yea and abundance of Revelations will not prove that God is bringing the Soul to Jesus Christ As Balaam Cain Judas and others can witness Further Consider that what thou hast not of these things now thou mayst have another time and that to thy Distraction Wherefore instead of being discontent because thou art not in the Fire because thou hearest not the Sound of the Trumpet and Alarum of War Pray that thou enter not into Temptation Yea come boldly to the Throne of Grace and obtain Mercy and find Grace to help in that time of need Psal. 88. 15. Matth. 26. 40 41. Heb. 4. 16. Poor Creature Thou criest If I were Tempted I could come faster and with more Confidence to Jesus Christ Thou sayest thou knowst not what What sayes Job With-draw thy Hand from me and let not thy Dread make me afraid Then call thou and I will answer or let me speak and answer thou me Job 13. 21. It is not the over-heavy Load of Sin but the Discovery of Mercy not the Roaring of the Devil but the Drawing of the Father that makes a Man come to Jesus Christ I my self know all these Things True sometimes yea most an end they that come to Jesus Christ come the Way that thou desirest the Loaden Tempted Way But the Lord also leads some by the Waters of Comfort If I was to chuse when to go a long Journey to wit Whether I would go it in the Dead of Winter or in the Pleasant Spring though if it was a very profitable Journey as that of coming to Christ is I would chuse to go it through Fire and Water before I would lose the Benefit I would chuse to go it in the Pleasant Spring because the Way would be more Delightsome the Dayes longer and Warmer the Nights shorter and not so Cold. And it is observable that that very Argument that thou usest to weaken thy Strength in the Way that very Argument Christ Jesus useth to incourage his Beloved to come to him Arise saith he my Love my Fair One and come away Why For lo the Winter is past the Rain is over and gone the Flowers appear in the Earth the time of the Singing of Birds is come and the Voyce of the Turtle is heard in our Land The Fig-Tree putteth forth her Green Figs and the Vine with her tender Grapes give a good Smell Arise my Love my Fair One and come away Song 2. 10 11 12 13. Trouble not thy self therefore Coming-Sinner If thou seest thy lost Condition by Original and Actual Sin if thou seest thy Need of the spotless Righteousness of Jesus Christ if thou art willing to be found in him and to take up thy Cross and follow him Then pray for a fair Wind and good Weather and come away Stick no longer in a Muse and Doubt about Things but come away to Jesus Christ Do it I say lest thou tempt God to lay the Sorrows of a Travelling Woman upon thee Thy Folly in this thing may make him do it Mind what follows The Sorrows of a Travelling Woman shall come upon him Why He is an unwise Son so he should not stay long in the Place of the breaking forth of Children Hos. 13. 13. Seventhly Thy Fears that Christ will not Receive thee may arise from those Decayes that thou findest in thy Soul even while thou art coming to him Some even as they are coming to Jesus Christ do find themselves grow worse and worse And this is indeed a fore Tryal to the poor Coming-Sinner To explain my self There is such an one a coming to Jesus Christ who when at first he began to look out after him was Sensible Affectionate and broken in Spirit but now is grown Dark Sensless Hard-hearted and inclining to neglect Spiritual Duties c. Besides he now finds in himself Inclinations to Unbelief Atheisme Blasphemy and the like Now he finds he cannot Tremble at God's Word his Judgements nor at the Apprehensions of Hell-fire Neither can he as he thinketh be sorry for these Things Now this is a sad Dispensation The Man under the Sixth Head complained for want of Temptations but thou hast enough of them Art thou glad of them Tempted Coming-Sinner They that never were Exercised with them may think it a fine thing to be within the Range but he that is there is ready to sweat Blood for Sorrow of Heart and to howl for Vexation of Spirit This man is in the Wilderness among the wild Beasts here he sees a Bear there a Lyon Yonder a Leopard a Wolf a Dragon Devils of all sorts doubts of all sorts Fears of all sorts Haunt and Molest his Soul Here he sees smoak yea feels fire and brimstone scattered upon his secret places he hears the sound of an Horrible Tempest O! My friends even the Lord Jesus that knew all things even He saw no pleasure in Temptations nor did He desire to be in them Wherefore one Text saith he was led and an other he was driven of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the Devil Mat. 4. 1. Mar. 1. 12. But to return Thus it happeneth sometimes to them that are coming to Jesus Christ. A sad hap indeed one would think that he that is flying from Wrath to come has little need of such Clogges as these And yet so it is and wofull experience proves it The Church of old Complained that her enemies over-took her between the straights Just between hope and fear Heaven and Hell Lam. 1. This man feeleth the infirmity of his flesh he findeth a proneness in himself to be desperate now he chides with God Flings and Tumbles like a Wild Bull in a net and still the guilt of all returns upon himself to the Crushing of him to peices Yet he feeleth his heart so hard that he can find as he thinks no kind falling under any of his Miscarriages Now he is a lump of confusion in his own eyes whose Spirit and Actions are without order Temptations serve the Christian as the Shepheards dogs serveth the silly sheep that is coming behind the flock he runs upon it pulls it down worry it wound it and grievously bedabbleth it with dirt and wet in the lowest places of the Furrows of the field And not leaving it untill it is half dead nor then neither except God rebuke Here is now room for fears of being cast away Now I see I am lost sayes the sinner This is not coming to Jesus Christ sayes the sinner such a desperate hard and wretched heart as mine is cannot be a gracious one saith the sinner And bid such an one be Better he sayes I cannot no I cannot Quest. But what will you say to a Soul in this condition Answ. I will say that Temptations have attended the best
an one that hath set up Gods Enemy in opposition to him and that continueth in such acts of defiance and what his end without a new birth will be the Scripture teacheth also But we will pass this Secondly Is it so Is coming to Christ by the gift promise and drawing of the Father then let Saints here learn to ascribe their coming to Christ to the gift promise and drawing of the Father Christian man bless God who hath given thee to Jesus Christ by promise and again bless God for that he hath drawn thee to him And why is it thee Why not another O that the glory of Electing love should rest upon thy head and that the glory of the Exceeding grace of God should take hold of thy heart and bring thee to Jesus Christ. Thirdly Is it so that coming to Christ is by the Father as aforesaid then this should teach us to set an high esteem upon them that indeed are coming to Jesus Christ I say an high esteem on Them for the sake of him by vertue of whose grace they are made to come to Jesus Christ. We see that when men by the help of humane abilities do arrive to the Knowledge of and bring to pass that which when done is a wonder to the World how he that did it is esteem'd and commended Yea how are his wits parts industry and unweariedness in all admired and yet the man as to this is but of the World and his work the effect of natural ability The things also attained by him end in vanity and vexation of Spirit Further perhaps in the pursute of this his Accheivement he sins against God wasts his time vainly and at long run loses his Soul by neglecting of better things Yet he is admired But I say if this mans parts labor diligence and the like will bring him to such applause and esteem in the World what esteem should we have of such an one that is by the Gift promise and power of God coming to Jesus Christ. First This is a man with whom God is in whom God works and walks a man whose motion is Governed Steared by the mighty hand of God and the effectual working of his power Hear 's a Man Secondly This man by the power of Gods might which worketh in him is able to cast a whole World behind him with all the lusts and pleasures of it and to Charge through all the difficulties that Men and Devils can set against him Hear 's a Man Thirdly This man is Travelling to Mount Zion the Heavenly Jerusalem The City of the living God And to an innumerable company of Angels And the Spirits of Just men made Perfect to God the Judge of all and to Jesus Hear 's a Man Fourthly This man can look upon death with comfort can laugh at destruction when it cometh and longs to hear the Sound of the last Trump And to see his Judge coming in the Clouds of Heaven Hear 's a Man indeed Let Christians then esteem each other as such I know you do it but do it more and more And that you may consider these two or three things First These are the Objects of Christs esteem Mat. 12. 48. chap. 15. 22 23 24 25 26 27 28. Luk. 7. 9. Secondly These are the Objects of the esteem of Angels Dan. 9. 22. chap. 10 11. chap. 12. 4. Heb. 1. 14. Thirdly These have been the Objects of the esteem of Heathens when but convinced about them Dan. 5. 10. Acts 5. 13. 1 Cor. 14. 24 25. Let each of you then esteem other better than themselves Philip. 3. 2. Fourthly Again Is it so that no man comes to Jesus Christ by the will wisdom and power of man But by the Gift Promise and Drawing of the Father Then this shews us how horribly ignorant of this such are who make the man that is coming to Christ the Object of their contempt and rage These are also unreasonable and wicked men men in whom is no faith 1 Thes. 3 2. Sinners did you but know what a blessed thing it is to come to Jesus Christ and that by the help and drawing of the Father they do indeed come to him You would Hang and Burn in Hell a Thousand years before you would turn your spirit as you do against him that God is drawing to Jesus Christ and also against the God that draws him But faithless Sinners let us a little Expostulate the matter What hath this man done against thee that is coming to Jesus Christ why dost thou make him the Object of thy scorn doth his coming to Jesus Christ offend thee Doth his pursuing of his own Salvation offend thee Doth his forsaking of his sins and pleasures offend thee Poor Coming man Thou Sacrificest the abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes and will they not stone thee Exod. 8. 26. But I say why offended at this is he ever the worse for coming to Jesus Christ or for his loving and serving of Jesus Christ Or is he ever the more a fool for flying from that which will dround thee in Hell fire and for seeking Eternal life Besides pray Sirs consider it this he doth not of himself but by the drawing of the Father Come let me tell thee in thine ear thou that will not come to him thy self and him that would thou hindrest First Thou shalt be judged for one that hath hated maligned and reproached Jesus Christ to whom this poor sinner is coming Secondly Thou shalt be judged too for one that hath hated the Father by whose powerful drawing this sinner doth come Thirdly Thou shalt be taken and judged for one that has done despite to the Spirit of Grace in him that is by its help coming to Jesus Christ. What sayst thou now Wilt thou stand by thy doings wilt thou continue to contemn and reproach the living God Thinkest thou that thou shalt weather it out well enough at the day of Judgement Can thy heart indure or can thine hands be strong in the day that I shall deal with thee saith the Lord. Joh. 15. 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26. Jude 14. 14 15. 1 Thes. 4. 8. Ezek. 22. 14. Fifthly Is it so That no man comes to Jesus Christ by the will Wisdome and power of man but by the gift promise and drawing of the Father Then this sheweth us how it comes to pass that weak means is so powerful as to bring men out of their sins to a hearty pursute after Jesus Christ When God bid Moses speak to the people he said I will speak with thee Exod. 19. When God speaks when God works Who can let it None none Then the work goes on Elias threw his Mantle upon the Shoulders of Elisha and what a wonderful work followed When Jesus fell in with the crowing of a Cock what work was there O when God is in the Means then shall that Means be it never so weak and contemptible in it self work wonders 1 Kings 19. 19.
Hos. 11. 10 11. When God Roars as oft-times the Coming Soul hears him Roar what Man that is coming can do otherwise than Tremble Amos 3. 8. But Trembling he comes He sprang in and came Trembling and fell down before Paul and Silas Act. 16. Should you ask him that we mentioned but now How long is it since you began to fear you should miss of this Damosel you Love so The Answer would be Ever since I began to Love her But did you not fear it before No nor should I fear it now but that I vehemently Love her Come Sinner let us apply it How long is it since thou begannest to Fear that Jesus Christ will not Receive thee Thy Answer is Ever since I began to desire that he would save my Soul I began to Fear when I began to Come And the more my Heart burns in Desires after him the more I feel my Heart fear I shall not be Saved by him See now Did not I tell thee That thy Fears were but the Consequence of strong Desires Well fear not Coming-Sinner Thousands of Coming-Souls are in thy Condition and yet they will also get safe into Christ's Bosom Say sayes Christ to them that are of a fearful Heart Be strong fear not Your God will come and Save you Isa. 35. 4. Chap. 63 1. Thirdly Thy Fear that Christ will not Receive thee May arise from a Sense of thine own Unworthyness Thou seest what a poor sorry wretched worthless Creature thou art And seeing this thou fearest Christ will not Receive thee Alas say'st thou I am the Vilest of all Men a Town-Sinner a Ring-leading Sinner I am not only a Sinner my self but have made others two-fold worse the Children of Hell also Besides Now I am under some Awakenings and Stirrings of Mind after Salvation even now I find my heart Rebellious Carnal Hard Treacherous Desperate prone to Unbelief to Despair It forgetteth the Word it wandreth it runneth to the Ends of the Earth There is not I am perswaded one in all the World that hath such a desperate wicked Heart as mine is My Soul is careless to do Good but none more earnest to do that which is Evil Can such an one as I am Live in Glory Can an Holy a Just and Righteous God once think with Honour to his Name of Saving such a Vile Creature as I am I fear it Will he shew Wonders to such a dead Dog as I am I doubt it I am cast out to the loathing of my Person yea I loath my self I stink in mine own Nostrils How can I then be accepted by an Holy and Sin-abhorring God Psal. 38. 5 6 7. Ezek. 16. Chap. 20. 42 43 44. Saved I would be and Who is there that would not were they in my Condition Indeed I wonder at the Madness and Folly of others when I see them so Merry in their Chains while I see them Leap and Skip so carelesly about the Mouth of Hell Bold Sinner How darest thou tempt God by Laughing at the Breach of his Holy Law But Alas They are not so bad one way but I am worse another I wish my Self were any Body but my Self And yet here again I know not what to wish When I see such as I believe are coming to Jesus Christ O I bless them But am confounded in my self to see how unlike as I think I am to every good Man in the World They can Hear Read Pray Remember Repent be Humble and Do every thing better than so Vile a Wretch as I. I Vile Wretch am good for nothing but to burn in Hell-Fire and when I think of that I am confounded too Thus the Sense of Unworthyness creates and heightens Fears in the Hearts of them that are coming to Jesus Christ But indeed it should not For who needs the Physitian but the Sick Or who did Christ come into the World to Save but the Chief of Sinners Mar. 1. 17. 1 Tim. 1. 15. Wherefore the more thou feest thy Sins the faster fly thou to Jesus Christ. And let the Sense of thy own Unworthyness prevail with thee yet to go faster As it is with the Man that carrieth his broken Arm in a Sling to the Bone-setter still as he thinks of his broken Arm and as he feels the Pain and Anguish he hastens his Pace to the Man And if Satan meets thee and asketh Whether goest thou Tell him Thou art Maimed and art going to the Lord Jesus If he objects thine own Unworthiness Tell him That even as the Sick seeketh the Physitian and as he that hath broken Bones seeks him that can Set them So thou art going to Jesus Christ for Cure and Healing for thy Sin-sick-Soul But it oft times happeneth to the Coming-Soul as it happeneth to him that flies for his Life He despairs of Escaping and therefore delivers up himself into the Hand of the Purfuer But up up Sinner be of good chear Christ came to Save the Unworthy Ones Be not Faithless but Believe Come away Man the Lord Jesus calls thee saying And him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out Fourthly Thy Fear that Christ will not Receive thee may arise from a Sense of the exceeding Mercy of being Saved Sometime Salvation is in the Eyes of him that desires it so great so huge so wonderful a thing that the very Thoughts of the Excellency of it ingenders Unbelief about obtaining it in the Heart of those that unfeignedly desire it Seemeth it to you said David a Light thing to be a King's Son-in-Law 1 Sam. 18. 23. So the Thoughts of the Greatness and Glory of the Thing propounded as Heaven Eternal Life Eternal Glory to be with God and Christ and Angels These are great Things Things too Good saith the Soul that is little in his own Eyes Things too Rich saith the Soul that is truly poor in Spirit for me Besides the Holy Ghost hath a way to greaten Heavenly things to the understanding of the coming sinner yea and at the same time to greaten too the sin and unworthiness of that sinner Now the Soul staggeringly wonders saying What! to be made like Angels like Christ To live in Eternal bliss joy and felicity This is for Angels and for them that can walk like Angels If a Prince a Duke or Earl should send by the Hand of his Servant to some poor sorry beggarly scrub to take her for his Master to wife and the Servant should come and say My Lord and Master such an one hath sent me to thee to take thee to him to wife he is rich beautiful and of excellent qualities he is Loving Meek Humble Well-spoken c. What now would this poor sorry beggarly Creature think what would she say or how would she frame an answer When King David sent to Abigail upon this account and though she was a rich woman yet she said Behold Let thine hand maid be a Servant to wash the feet of the Servants of my Lord. 1 Sam.
I am coming and that I could not be but that the Father draws me and I am coming to such a Lord Jesus as will in no wise cast me out Further Satan were I not elect the Father would not draw me nor would the Son so graciously open his bosom to me I am perswaded that not one of the non-elect shall ever be able to say no not in the day of judgement I did sincerely come to Jesus Christ. Come they may feignedly as Judas and Magnus did But that is not our question Therefore O thou honest-hearted coming sinner be not afraid but come As to the Second part of the Objection about sinning the sin against the Holy Ghost The same argument overthrows that also But I will argue thus First Coming to Christ is by vertue of a special gift of the Father but the Father giveth no such gift to them that have sinned that sin therefore thou that art coming hast not committed that sin That the Father giveth no such gift to them that has sinned this sin Is evident 1. Because such have sinned themselves out of God's Favour They shall never have Forgiveness Matth. 12. 32. But it is a special Favour of God to give unto a Man to come to Jesus Christ because thereby he obtaineth Forgiveness Therefore he that cometh hath not sinned that Sin 2. They that have sinned the Sin against the Holy-Ghost have sinned themselves out of an Interest in the Sacrifice of Christ's Body and Blood There remains for such no more Sacrifice for Sin But God giveth not Grace to any of them to come to Christ that have no share in the Sacrifice of his Body and Blood Therefore thou that art coming to him hast not sinned that Sin Heb. 10. 26. Secondly Coming to Christ is by the Special Drawing of the Father No Man cometh to me except the Father which hath sent me draw him But the Father draweth not him to Christ for whom he hath not alotted Forgiveness by his Blood Therefore they that are coming to Jesus Christ have not sinned that Sin because he hath alotted them Forgiveness by his Blood Joh. 6. 44. That the Father cannot draw them to Jesus Christ for whom he hath not alotted Forgiveness of Sins is manifest to Sense For that would be a plain Mockery a Flam neither becoming his Wisdom Justice Holyness nor Goodness Thirdly Coming to Jesus Christ lays a Man under the Promise of Forgiveness and Salvation But it is impossible that he that hath sinned that Sin should ever be put under a Promise of these Therefore he that hath sinned that Sin can never have Heart to come to Jesus Christ. Fourthly Coming to Jesus Christ lays a Man under his Intercession For he ever Liveth to make Intercession for them that come Heb. 7. 25. Therefore he that is coming to Jesus Christ cannot have sinned that Sin Christ has forbidden his People to pray for them that have sinned that Sin and therefore will not pray for them himself But he prays for them that come Fifthly He that hath sinned that Sin Christ is to him of no more Worth than is a Man that is Dead For he hath Crucified to himself the Son of God Yea and hath also counted his Precious Blood as the Blood of an Unholy Thing Heb. 6. chap. 10. Now he that hath this low Esteem of Christ will never come to him for Life But the Coming-Man has an high Esteem of his Person Blood and Merits Therefore he that is coming has not Committed that Sin Sixthly If he that hath sinned this Sin might yet come to Jesus Christ then must the Truth of God be overthrown which saith in one Place He hath never Forgiveness and in another I will in no wise cast him out Therefore that he may never have Forgiveness he shall never have Heart to come to Jesus Christ. It is impossible that such an one should be Renewed either to or by Repentance Heb. 6. Wherefore never trouble thy Head nor Heart about this Matter He that cometh to Jesus Christ cannot have sinned against the Holy Ghost Sixthly Thy Fears that Christ will not Receive thee may arise from thine own Folly in Inventing yea in thy Chalking out to God a way to bring thee Home to Jesus Christ. Some Souls that are coming to Jesus Christ are great Tormentors of themselves upon this account They conclude that if their Coming to Jesus Christ is right they must needs be brought Home thus and thus As to instance 1. Sayes one If God be bringing of me to Jesus Christ then will he load me with the Guilt of Sin till he makes me Roar again 2. If God be indeed a bringing of me home to Jesus Christ then must I be assaulted with dreadful Temptations of the Devil 3. If God be indeed a bringing of me to Jesus Christ then even when I come at him I shall have wonderful Revelations of him This is the way that some Sinners appoint for God But perhaps he will not walk therein yet will he bring them to Jesus Christ But now because they come not the Way of their own Chalking out therefore they are at a loss They look for Heavy Load and Burden but perhaps God gives them a Sight of their lost Condition and addeth not that heavy Weight and Burden They look for fearful Temptations of Satan but God sees that yet they are not fit for them Nor is the Time come that he should be Honoured by them in such à Condition They look for great and glorious Revelations of Christ Grace and Mercy But perhaps God only takes the Yoke from off their Jaws and lays Meat before them And now again they are at a loss yet a-coming to Jesus Christ I drew them saith God with the Cords of a Man with the Bands of Love I took the Yoke from off their Jaws and laid Meat unto them Hos. 11. 4. Now I say if God brings thee to Christ and not by the Way that thou hast appointed then thou art at a loss and for thy being at a loss Thou mayst thank thy self God hath more ways than thou knowst of to bring a Sinner to Jesus Christ But he will not give thee before-hand an Account by which of them he will bring thee to Christ Isa. 40. 13. Job 33. 13. Sometimes he hath his Way in the Whirlwind but sometimes the Lord is not there Nah. 13. 1 King 19. 11. If God will deal more gently with thee than with others of his Children grudge not at it Refuse not the Waters that go softly lest he bring upon thee the Waters of the Rivers strong and many even these two smoaking Fire-brands the Devil and Guilt of Sin Isa. 8. 6 7. He said to Peter Follow me And what Thunder did Zacheus hear or see Zacheus come down said Christ and he came down sayes Luke and Received him Joyfully But had Peter or Zacheus made the Objection that thou hast made and Directed the Spirit of the Lord as
Fathers end would be frustrate For the Fathers will is that of all that he hath given him he should lose nothing but should raise it up at the last day in order next unto himself Christ the first-fruits afterwards those that are his at his Coming 1 Cor. 15 But this cannot be done if there should fail to be a work of grace effectually wrought though but in any one of them But this shall not fail to be wrought in them even in all that the Father hath given him to save All that the Father hath given me shall come to me c. But to speak more distinctly to the words They shall come Two things I would shew you from these words First What it is come to Christ. Secondly What force there is in this promise to make them come to him First I would shew you first what it is to come to Christ This word come must be understood spiritually not carnally for many came to him carnally or bodily that had no saving advantage by him multitudes did thus come unto him in the days of his flesh yea innumerable companies There is also at this day a Formal customary Coming to his Ordinances and ways of Worship which availeth not any thing I shall not now medle for they are not intended in the Text. The Coming then intended in the Text is to be understood of the Coming of the 〈◊〉 unto him even the moving of the heart towards him I say the moving of the heart towards him from a sound Sense of the absolute want that a man hath of him for his Justification and Salvation This Description of Coming to Christ divideth it self into two heads First That coming to Christ is a moving of the mind towards him Secondly That it is a moving of the mind towards him from a Sound Sense of the absolute want that a man hath of him for his Justification and Salvation To speak to the first That it is a moving of the mind towards him This is evident because coming hither or thither if it be voluntary is by an act of the will so coming to Christ is through the inclining of the will Thy people shall be willing Psal. 110. 3. This willingness of heart is it which sets the mind a moving after or towards him The Church expresseth this moving of her mind towards Christ by the moving of her bowels My beloved put in his hand by the hole of the door and my Bowels were moved for him Song 5. 4. My bowels the passions of my mind and affections which passions of the affections are expressed by the yerning and sounding of the bowels The yerning or passionate working of them the Sounding of them or their making an Noise for him Gen. 43. 30. 1 King 3. 26. Isa. 16. 11. This then is the coming to Christ even a moving towards him with the minde And it shall come to pass that every thing that liveth which moveth whithersoever the water shall come shall live Ezek. 47. 9. The water in this Text is the Grace of God in the Doctrine of it the living things are the Children of men to whom this Grace of God by the Gospel is preached now saith he Every living thing which moveth whithersoever the waters shall come shall live Now see how this word moveth is Expounded by Christ himself in the Book of the Revelations The Spirit and the Bride say come And let him that heareth say come And let him that is athirst come And whosever will that is willing let him take the water of life freely Revel 22. 17. So that to move in thy mind and will after Christ is to be coming to him There are many poor souls that are coming to Christ that yet cannot tell how to believe it because they think that coming to him is some strang and wonderfull thing and indeed so it is but I mean they overlook the inclination of their will the moving of their mind and the sounding of their bowels after him and count these none of this strang and wonderful thing when indeed it is a work of greatest wonder in this world to see a man who was sometimes dead in sin possessed of the devil an enemy to Christ and to all things spiritually good I say to see this man moving with his minde after the Lord Jesus Christ is one of the highest wonders in the world Secondly It is a moving of the minde towards him from a Sound Sense of the absolute want that a man hath of him for his Justification and Salvation Indeed without this Sense of a lost condition without him there will be no moving of the mind towards him a moving of their mouth there may be with their mouth they shew much love Ezek. 32. Such a people as this will come as the true people cometh that is in shew and outward appearance and they will sit before Gods Ministers as his people Sit before them and they will hear his words too but they will not do them that is will not come inwardly with their mindes for with their mouth they shew much love but their heart or minde goeth after their Covetousness Now all this is because they want an effectual sense of the misery of their state by nature for not till they have that will they in their minde move after him Therefore thus it is said Concerning the true Commers At that day the great Trumpet shall be blown and They shall come which were ready to perish in the Land of Assyria and the out-casts of the land of Egypt and shall worship the Lord in his Holy Mountaine at Jerusalem Isa. 27. 13. They are then you see the out casts and those that are ready to perish that indeed have their mindes Effectually moved to come to Jesus Christ. This sense of things was that which made the three thousand come that made Saul come that made the Jaylor come and that indeed makes all others come that come Effectually Acts 2. Chap. 8 and 16. Of the true coming to Christ the three Leapers were a famous Semblance of whom you read in 2 King 7. 3 c. The famine in those days was sore in the Land there was no bread for the people and as for that Sustinence that was which was Asses Flesh and Doves Dung that was only in Samaria of these the Leapers had no share for they were thrust without the City Well now they sat in the Gate of the City and hunger was as I may say making his last Meal of them and being therefore half dead already what do they think of doing why first they display the dismal colours of death before each others faces and then resolve what to do saying If we say we will go into the City then the famine is in the City and we shall die there if we sit sti here we die also now therefore 〈◊〉 and let us fall into the Host of the Syrians if they save us alive we shall live if they
Christ and when he shall see him there is no Beauty that he should desire him But he lies This he speaks as having never seen him But they that stand in his House and looks upon him through the Glass of his Word by the Help of his Holy Spirit they will tell you other things But we say they all with open Face beholding as in a Glass the Glory of the Lord are changed into the same Image from Glory to Glory 2 Cor. 3. 17 18. They see Glory in his Person Glory in his Undertakings Glory in the Merit of his Blood and Glory in the Perfection of his Righteousness yea Heart-affecting Heart-changing Glory Indeed his Glory is veiled and cannot be seen but as discovered by the Father Matth. 11. 27. It is veiled with Flesh with Meanness of Descent from the Flesh and with that Ignomy and Shame that attended him in the Flesh but they that can in God's Light see through these things they shall see Glory in him yea such Glory as will draw and pull their Hearts unto him Moses was the Adopted Son of Pharoah's Daughter and for ought I know had bin King at last had he now conformed to the present Vanities that was there at Court but he could not he would not do it Why what was the matter Why he saw more in the worst of Christ bear with the Expression than he saw in the best of all the Treasures of the Land of Egypt He refused to be called the Son of Pharaoh's Daughter choosing rather to suffer Affliction with the People of God than to enjoy the Pleasures of Sin for a Season Esteeming the Reproach of Christ greater Riches than the Treasures in Egypt for he had respect to the Recompence of Reward He forsook Egypt not fearing the Wrath of the King But what emboldened him thus to do Why he endured for he had a Sight of the Person speaking in the Text He endured as seeing Him who is Invisible But I say would a Sight of Jesus have thus taken away Moses's Heart from a Crown and a Kingdom c. had he not by that Sight seen more in Him than was to be seen in them Heb. 11. 24 25 26. Therefore when he saith Shall come to Me he means They shall have a Discovery of the Glory of the Grace that is in Him and the Beauty and Glory of that is of such Vertue that it constraineth and forceth with a Blessed Violency the Hearts of those that are given to Him Moses of whom we spake before was no Child when he was thus taken with the Beauteous Glory of this Lord He was Forty Years old and so consequently was able being a Man of that Wisdom and Opportunity as he was to make the best Judgement of the Things and of the Goodness of them that was before him in the Land of Egypt But he even he it was that set that low Esteem upon the Glory of Egypt as to count it not worth the medling with when he had a Sight of this Lord Jesus Christ. This wicked World thinks that the Fancies of a Heaven and a Happiness hereafter may serve well enough to take the Heart of such as either have not the Worlds good Things to delight in or that are Fools and know not how to delight themselves therein But let them know again that we have had Men of all Ranks and Qualities that have been taken with the Glory of our Lord Jesus and have left All to follow Him As Abel Seth Enoch Noah Abraham Isaac Jacob Moses Samuel David Solomon and who not that had either Wit or Grace to savour Heavenly things Indeed none can stand off from Him nor any longer out against Him to whom he Reveals the Glory of his Grace And him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out By these Words our Lord Jesus doth set forth yet more amply the great Goodness of his Nature towards the Coming Sinner Before he said They Shall come and here he declareth That with Heart and Affections he will receive them But by the way let me speak one Word or two to the Conditionality of this Promise with which now I have to do And him that cometh to Me I will not cast out Where it is evident may some say That Christ's Receiving us to Mercy depends upon our Coming and so our Salvation by Christ is Conditional If we Come we shall be Received if not we shall not for that is fully intimated by the Words The Promise of Reception is only to him that Cometh And him that cometh I Answer That the Coming in these Words mentioned as a Condition of being Received to Life is that which is promised yea concluded to be effected in us by the Promise going before In those latter Words Coming to Christ is implicitly required of us and in the Words before that Grace is positively promised to us It is as if he should say All that the Father giveth Me shall come to Heaven and him that cometh to Heaven I will in no wise cast out thence We come to Christ because it is said We Shall come because it is given to us to Come So that the Condition which is expressed by Christ in these later Words is absolutely promised in the Words before And indeed the Coming here intended is nothing else but the Effect of Shall come to Me. And him that cometh To speak to these Words 1. In general 2. More particularly In general They suggest unto us these four Things First That Jesus Christ doth build upon it that since the Father gave his People to him they shall be enabled to Come unto him And him that cometh As who should say I know that since they are Given to Me they shall be enabled to Come unto Me. He saith not If they come or I Suppose they will Come but And him that cometh By these Words therefore he shews us that he addresseth himself to the Receiving of them whom the Father gave to him to save them By which as I said he concludeth or buildeth upon it that they shall indeed Come to Him Secondly Christ also suggesteth by these Words That he very well knoweth who are given to him not by their Coming to him but by their being Given to him All that the Father giveth Me shall come to Me And him that cometh c. This Him he knoweth to be one of them that the Father hath Given him and therefore he Receiveth him even because the Father hath Given him to Him I know my Sheep saith he Not only those that already have Knowledge of him but those too that yet are ignorant of him Other Sheep have I said he which are not of this Fold Not of the Jewish Church but those that lie in their Sins even the Rude and Barbarous Gentiles Therefore when Paul was afraid to stay at Corinth from a Supposition that some Mischief might befal him there Be not afraid said the Lord Jesus to him but speak
if my Covenant be not with Day and Night and if I have not appointed the Ordinances of Heaven and Earth then will I cast away the Seed of Jacob. But Heaven can not be measured not the Foundations of the Earth searched out beneath his Covenant is also with day and night and he hath appointed the Ordinances of Heaven therefore he will not cast away the Seed of Jacob who are the coming ones but will certainly save them from the dreadful Wrath to come Jer. 33. 25 26. chap. 50. 4 5. By this therefore it is manifest that it is not the greatness of sin nor thy long continuance in it no nor yet thy back-sliding nor the pollution of thy Nature that can put a bar in against or be an hinderance of the Salvation of the coming sinner For if indeed this could be then would this solemn and absolute Determination of the Lord Jesus of its self fall to the ground and be made of none effect But his Counsel shall stand and he will do all his pleasure That is his pleasure in this for this promise this irreversible conclusion ariseth of his Pleasure and he will stand to it and will fulfil it because it is his pleasure Suppose that one man had the sins or as many sins as an hundred and another should have an hundred times as many as he yet if they come this word I will in no wise cast out secures them both alike Suppose a man hath a desire to be saved and for that purpose is coming in truth to Jesus Christ but he by his debauched Life has damned many in hell why the dore of hope is by these words set as open for him as it is for him that hath not the thousandth part of his Transgressions And him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out Suppose a man is coming to Christ to be Saved and hath nothing but sin and an ill-spent life to bring with him Why let him come and welcome to Jesus Christ And he will in no wise cast him out Luk. 7. 41. Is not this Love that passeth knowledg is not this Love the wonderment of Angels and is not this Love worthy of all acceptation at the hands and hearts of coming sinners Secondly That which is implyed in the words is First The coming Souls hath those that continually lie at Jesus Christ to cast them Secondly The coming Souls are afraid that these will prevail with Christ to cast them off For these words are spoken to satisfie us and to stay up our Spirits against these two dangers I will in no wise cast out First For the First Coming Souls have those that continually lye at Jesus Christ to cast them off And there are three things that thus bend themselves against the coming sinner First There is the Devil that Accuser of the brethren that accuses them before God day and night Revel 12. 10. This Prince of Darkness is unwearied in this work he doth it as you see day and night that is without ceasing He continually puts in his Caveats against thee if so be he may prevail How did he ply it against that good man Job if possible he might have obtained his destruction in Hell fire He objected against him that he served not God for nought and tempted God to put forth his Hand against him urging that if he did it he would Curse him to his face and all this as God witnesseth He did without a Cause Job 1. 9 10 11. chap. 2. 4. 5. How did he ply it with Christ against Joshua the high Priest And he shewed me Joshua said the Prophet the high Priest standing before the Angel of the Lord and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him Zech. 3. To resist him that is to prevail with the Lord Jesus Christ to resist him Objecting the uncleanness and unlawful Marriage of his Sons with the Gentiles for that was the Crime that Satan laid against them Ezra 10. 18. Yea and for ought I know Joshua was also guilty of the fact but if not of that of Crimes no whit inferior for he was Cloathed with filthy Garments as he stood before the Angel neither had he one word to say in vindication of himself against all that this wicked one had to lay against him But notwithstanding that he came off well but he might for it thank a good Lord Jesus because he did not resist him but contrariwise took up his cause pleaded against the Devil excused his infirmity and put justifying Robes upon him before his Adversaries Face And the Lord said unto Satan The Lord Rebuke thee O Satan even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem Rebuke thee Is not this a Brand pluckt out of the Fire And he answered and spake to those that stood before him saying Take away the filthy Garments from him and to him he said Behold I have caused thine iniquities to pass from thee and will Cloath thee with chang of Raiment Again how did Satan ply it against Peter when he desired to have him that he might sift him as Wheat that is if possible sever all Grace from his heart and leave him nothing but flesh and filth to the end he might make the Lord Jesus loath and abhor him Simon Simon said Christ Satan hath desired to have you that he might sift you as Wheat But did he prevail against him No But I have prayed for thee that thy Faith fail not As who should say Simon Satan hath desired me that I would give thee up to him and not only thee but all the rest of thy Brethren for that the word you imports but I will not leave thee in his hand I have prayed for thee thy saith shall not sail I will secure thee to the Heavenly Inheritance Luk. 22. 30 31 32. Secondly As Satan so every sin of the coming-sinner comes in with a Voice against him if perhaps they may prevail with Christ to cast off the Soul When Israel was coming out of Egypt to Canaan how many times had their sins thrown them out of the mercy of God had not Moses as a Type of Christ stood in the breach to turn away his VVrath from them Psal. 106. 23. our Iniquities testify against us and would certainly prevail against us to our utter rejection and Damnation had we not an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous 1 Joh. 2. 1 2. The sins of the old World cryed them down to Hell the sins of Sodom fetched upon them Fire from Heaven which devoured them the sins of the Egyptians cryed them down to Hell because they came not to Jesus Christ for Life Coming-sinner thy sins are no whit less than any Nay perhaps they are as big as all theirs VVhy is it then that thou livest when they are dead and that thou hast a promise of Pardon when they had not Why thou art coming to Jesus Christ and therefore sin shall not be thy ruin Thirdly As Satan and
Matt. 26. 74 75. Mar. 14. 71 72. Luk. 22. 60 61 62. The World understand not nor believe that the walls of Jerico shall fall at the Sound of Rams Horns but when God will Work the means must be effectual A word weakly spoken spoken with difficulty in Temptation and in the midst of great contempt and scorn works Wonders If the Lord thy God will say so too Sixthly Is it so doth no Man come to Jesus Christ by the Will Wisdom or Power of Man but by the Gift Promise and Drawing of the Father Then here is room for Christians to stand and admire to stand and wonder at the effectual working of Gods Providences that he hath made use of as means to bring them to Jesus Christ. For although Men are drawn to Christ by the Power of the Father yet that Power putteth forth it self in the use of means and that means is Divers somtimes this somtimes that for God is at liberty to work by which and when and how he will but let the means be what it will and as Contemptible as may be yet God that Commanded the Light to Shine out of Darkness and that out of Weakness can make Strong can nay doth oft-times make use of very unlikely means to bring about the Conversion and Salvation of his People Therefore you that are come to Christ and that by unlikely means stay your selves and wonder and wondering magnifie all mighty Power by the working of which the Means hath bin made effectual to bring you to Jesus Christ. What was the providence that God made use of as a Means either more remote or more near to bring thee to Jesus Christ Was it the Removing of thy Habitation the change of thy Condition the Loss of Relations Estate or the like was it thy casting of thine Eye upon some good Book thy hearing of thy Neighbours talk of Heavenly Things the beholding of Gods Judgments as executed upon others or thine own Deliverance from them or thy being strangly cast under the Ministry of some Godly Man O take notice of such providence or providences They were sent and managed by mighty Power to do thee good God himself I say hath Joyned himself unto this Chariot Yea and so blessed it that it failed not to accomplish the thing for which he sent it God blesseth not every one his Providences in this manner How many Thousands are there in this world that pass every day under the same Providences but God is not in them to do that work by them as he hath done for thy poor Soul by his effectual working with them O! That Jesus Christ should meet thee in this Providence that Dispensation or the other Ordinance This is Grace indeed At this therefore it will be thy Wisdom to admire and for this to bless God Give me leave to give you a tast of some of those Providences that have been effectual through the Management of God to bring Salvation to the Souls of his People First The first shall be That of the Woman of Samaria It must happen that she must needs go out of the City to draw Water not before nor after but just when Jesus Christ her Saviour was come from far and set to rest him being weary upon the Well What a blessed Providence was this Even a Providence Managed by Almighty Wisdom and Almighty Power to the Conversion and Salvation of this poor Creature For by this Providence was this Poor Creature and her Saviour brought together that that blessed Work might be fulfilled upon the Woman according to the purpose afore determined by the Father Joh 4. Secondly What a Providence was it that there should between a Tree in the way for Zachus to climb thereby to give Jesus an opportunity to call that Chief of the Publicans home to himself even before he came down there-from Luk. 19. Thirdly was it not also wonderfull that the Thief which you read of in the Gospel should by the providence of God be cast into prison to be condemned even at that Sessions that Christ himself was to die Nay and that it should happen too that they must be hanged together that the Thief might be in hearing and observing of Jesus in his last words that he might be converted by him before his death Luk. 23. Fourthly What a strang providence was it and as strangly managed by God that Onesimus when he was run away from his Master should be taken and as I think cast into that very prison where Paul lay bound for the word of the Gospel that he might there be by him converted and then sent home again to his Master Philem. Behold all things work together for Good to them that love God to them who are the called according to his purpose Rom. 8. Nay I have my self known some that have been made to go to hear the Word preached against their wills others have gone not to hear but to see and be seen nay to jear and flout others again to catch and carp at things Some also to feed their adulterous eyes with the sight of beautifull Objects and yet God hath made use even of these things even of the wicked and sinfull proposals of sinners to bring them under that grace that might save their souls Seventhly Doth no man come to Jesus Christ but by the drawing c. of the Father then let me here caution those poor sinners that are spectators of the change that God hath wrought in them that are coming to Jesus Christ not to attribute this work and change to other things and causes There are some poor sinners in the VVorld that plainly see a change a mighty change in their Neighbors and Relations that are coming to Jesus Christ But as I said they being ignorant and not knowing whence it comes and whither it goes For so is every one that is Born of the Spirit John 3. 8. Therefore they Attribute this Change to other Causes as 1. To Melancholy 2. To sitting alone 3. To overmuch Reading 4. To their going to too many Sermons 5. To too much studying and musing on what they hear Also they conclude on the other side First That it is for want of merry company Secondly For want of Physick and therefore they advise them to leave off Reading going to Sermons the company of sober People and to be merry to go a Gossipping to busie themselves in the things of this VVorld not to sit musing alone c. But come poor ignorant sinner let me deal with thee it seemes thou art turned Counsellor for Satan I tell thee thou knowest not what thou dost Take heed of spending thy judgment after this manner thou judgest foolishly And saist in this to every one that passeth by that thou art a Fool. VVhat count Convictions for sin mournings for sin and Repentance for sin Melancholy This is like those that on the otherside said These men are Drunk with new Wine c. as he that said Paul was Mad Acts
of Gods people I will say that Temptations come to do us good and I will say also that there is a difference betwixt growing worse and worse and thy seeing more clearly how bad thou art There is a man of an ill-favoured countenance who hath too high a conceit of his beauty and wanting the benefit of a glass he still stands in his own conceit at last a Limner is sent unto him who draweth his ill-favoured face to the life now looking thereon he begins to be convinc't that he is not half so handsome as he thought he was Coming sinner thy Temptations are these painters they have drawn out thy ill-favoured heart to the life and have set it before thine eyes and now thou seest how ill favoured thou art Hezekiah was a good man yet when he lay sick for ought I know he had some what too good an opinion of his heart and for ought I know also the Lord might upon his recovery leave him to a Temptation that he might better know All that was in his heart Compare Isa. 38. 1 2 3. with 2 Chron. 32. 31. Alas we are sinfull out of measure but see it not to the full untill an hour of Temptation comes But when it comes it doth as the Painter doth it draweth out our heart to the life Yet the sight of what we are should not keep us from coming to Jesus Christ. There are two ways by which God lets a man into a sight of the Naughtyness of his heart One is by the light of the Word and spirit of God and the other is by the Temptations of the Devil But by the first we see our naughtiness one way and by the second another By the Light of the Word and Spirit of God thou hast a sight of thy naughtyness as by the light of the Sun thou hast a sight of the spots and defilements that are in thy house or raiment Which light gives thee to see a necessity of cleansing but maketh not the blemishes to spread more abominably But when Satan comes when he tempts he puts life and rage into our sins and turnes them as it were into so many devils within us Now like prisoners they attempt to brake through the prison of our body they will attempt to get out at our eyes mouths ears any ways To the Scandal of the Gospel and Reproach of Religion to the darkning of our evidences and damning of our souls But I shall say as I said before this hath oft times been the Lot of Gods people And No Temptation hath over-taken thee but such as is common to man and God is faithfull who will not suffer thee to be tempted above what thou art able 1 Cor. 10. 13. See the Book of Job the Book of Psalms and that of the Lamentations And remember further that Christ himself was tempted to blaspheme to worship the devil and to Murder himself Mat 4. Luk. 4. Temptations worse then which thou canst hardly be over-taken with But he was sinless That is true And he is thy Saviour and that is as true Yea it is as true also that by his being tempted he became the Conqueror of the tempter and a succourer of those that are tempted Col. 2. 14 15. Heb. 2. 17. chap. 4. 15 16. Quest. But what should be the reason that some that are coming to Christ should be so Lamentably cast down and buffetted with Temptations Answ. It may be for several causes First Some that are coming to Christ cannot be perswaded untill the Temptation comes that they are so vile as the Scripture saith they are True they see so much of their wretchedness as to drive them to Christ but there is an over and above of wickedness which they see not Peter little thought that he had had Cursing and Swearing and Lying and an inclination in his heart to deny his Master before the Temptation came But when that indeed came upon him then he found it there to his sorrow Joh. 13. 36 37 38. Mark 14. 36 37 38 39 40 68 69 70 71 72. Secondly Some that are coming to Jesus Christ are too much affected with their own graces and too little taken with Christs person wherefore God to take them off from doteing upon their own Jewels and that they might look more to the person undertaking and merits of his Son plunges them into the ditch by Temptations And this I take to be the meaning of Job If I wash me said he with snow-water and make my self never so clean yet wilt thou plung me in the ditch and mine own clothes shall abhor me Job 9. 30 31. Job had been before a little too much Tampering with his own graces and setting his excellencies a little too high as these Texts make manifest Job 33. 8 9 10 11 12. chap. 34. 5 6 7 8 9. chap. 35. 2 3. chap. 38. 1 2. chap. 40. 1 2 3 4. chap. 42. 3 4 5 6. But by that the Temptation was ended you find him better taught Yea God doth oft-times even for this thing as it were take our graces from us and so leave us almost quite to our selves and to the tempter that we may learn not to love the Picture more than the person of his Son See how he dealt with them in the Sixteenth of Ezek and the Second of Hosea Thirdly Perhaps thou hast been given too much to Judge thy brother to condemn thy brother because a poor tempted man And God to bring down the pride of thy heart letteth the tempter loose upon thee that thou also mayest feel thy self weak For pride goeth before destruction and an haughty spirit before a fall Pro. 16. 18. Fourthly It may be thou hast dealt a little too roughly with those that God hath this way wounded not considering thy self lest thou also be tempted and therefore God hath suffered it to come unto thee Gal. 6. 1. Fifthly It may be thou wast given to slumber and sleep and therefore these Temptations were sent to awaken thee You know that Peters Temptation came upon him after his sleeping then instead of watching and praying then he denyed and denyed and denyed his Master Mat. 26. Sixthly It may be thou hast presumed too far and stood too much in thine own strength and therefore is a time of Temptation come upon thee This was also one cause why it came upon Peter Though all men forsake thee yet will not I. Ah! that 's the way to be tempted indeed Joh. 13. 36 37 38. Seventhly It may be God intends to make thee wise to speak a word in season to others that are afflicted and therefore he suffereth thee to be Tempted Christ was tempted that he might be able to succour them that are tempted Heb. 2. 18. Eighthly It may be Satan hath dared God to suffer him to tempt thee promising that if he will but let him do it thou wilt curse him to his face Thus he obtained leave against Job wherefore take heed tempted soul lest
thou hast found glory in him glory that Surmounts and goes beyond Thou art more glorious than the mountaines of pray Psal. 76. 4. Fifthly What shall I say thou hast found Righteousness in him Thou hast found rest peace delight Heaven glory and eternal life Sinner be advised Ask thy heart again saying Am I come to Jesus Christ For upon this one question Am I Come or am I Not Hangs Heaven and Hell as to thee If thou canst say I am come and God shall approve that saying Happy Happy Happy man art thou but if thou art not come what can make thee happy Yea what can make that man Happy that for his not coming to Jesus Christ for life must be damned in Hell The Third Use a Use of Encouragement COming Sinner I have now a word for thee be of good comfort He will in no wise cast out Of all men thou art the blessed of the Lord the the Father hath prepared his Son to be a Sacrifice for thee and Jesus Christ thy Lord is gone to prepare a place for thee Joh. 1. 29. Heb. 10. Joh. 14. What shall I say to thee thou comest to a full Christ thou canst not want any thing for Soul or body for this World or that to come but it is to be had in or by Jesus Christ As it is said of the Land that the Dannits went to possess So and with much more truth it may be said of Christ He is such an one with whom there is no want of any good thing that is in Heaven or earth A Full Christ is thy Christ. First He is full of Grace Grace is sometimes taken for love and take it so here He is full of love never any loved like Jesus Christ. Jonathans love went beyond the love of Women but the love of Christ passes knowledge It is beyond the love of all the Earth of all Creatures even of Men and Angels His love prevailed with him to lay aside his Glory to leave the Heavenly place to cloth himself with flesh to be born in a Stable to be laid in a Manger to live a poor life in the World to take upon him our sicknesses infirmities sins curse Death and the Wrath that was due to man And all this he did for a base undeserving unthankfull people yea for a people that was at Enmity with him For when we were yet without strength in due time Christ died for the ungodly For scarcely for a righteous man will one die yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die But God commended his love towards us in that while we were yet sinners Christ dyed for us Much more then being now justified we shall be saved by his life For if when we were Enemies we were reconciled to God by the Death of his Son much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his life Rom. 5. 6 7 8 9 10. Secondly He is full of Truth Full of grace and truth Truth that is faithfulness in keeping promise even this of the Text with all other I will in no wise cast out Hence it is said that his words be true and that he is the faithfull God that keepeth covenant And hence it is also that his promise is called Truth Thou wilt fulfill thy truth unto Jacob and thy mercy to Abraham which thou hast sworn unto our Fathers from the days of old Therefore it is said again that both himself and words are Truth I am the Truth the Scriptures of Truth thy Word is Truth thy Law is the Truth and my mouth aith he shall speak truth Joh. 14. 6. Dan. 10. 21. Joh. 17. 17. 2 Sam. 7. 28. Pro. 8. 7. Psal. 119. 142. Eccles. 12. 10. Isa. 25. 1. Mal. 2. 6. Acts 26. 25. 2 Tim. 2. 12 13. Now I say his word is truth and he is full of truth to fulfill his truth even to a Thousand Generations Coming sinner he will not deceive thee come boldly to Jesus Christ. Thirdly He is full of Wisdome He is made unto us of God Wisdome Wisdome to manage the affairs of his Church in general and the affairs of every coming sinner in particular And upon this account he is said to be head over all things 1 Cor. 1. Ephes. 1. Because he manages all things that are in the world by his Wisdom for the good of his Church all mens Actions all Satans Temptations all Gods Providences all Crosses Disappointments all things what ever are under the hand of Christ Who is the Wisdom of God and he ordereth them all for good to his Church And can Christ help it and be sure he can nothing shall happen or fall out in the world but it shall in despite of all opposition have a good tendency to his Church and people Fourthly He is full of the Spirit to communicate it to the coming Sinner he hath therefore received it without measure that he may communicate it to every member of his body according as every mans measure thereof is allotted him by the Father Wherefore he saith that he that comes to him Out of his belly shall flow rivers of Living water Joh. 3. 34. Tit. 3. 5 6. Acts 1. Joh. 7. 31 32 34 35 36 37 38. Fifthly He is indeed a store-house full of all the graces of the Spirit Of his fulness have all we received and grace for grace Here is more Faith more Love more Sincerity more Humility more of every Grace and of this even more of this he giveth to every Lowly Humble Penitent coming Sinner wherefore coming Soul thou comest not to a barren wilderness when thou comest to Jesus Christ John 1. 16. Sixthly He is full of Bowels and Compassion And they shall feel and find it so that come to him for Life He can bear with thy Weaknesses he can pity thy Ignorance he can be touched with the Feeling of thine Infirmities he can affectionately forgive thy Transgressions he can heal thy Back slidings and Love thee Freely His Compassions fail not And he will not break a bruised Reed nor quench the smoaking Flax He can pity them that no Eye pities and be afflicted in all thy Afflictions Mat. 26. 41. Heb. 5 2. Chap. 2. 18 19. Mat 9. 2. Hos. 14. 4. Ezek. 16. 5 6. Isa. 63. 9. Psal. 78. 38. Psal. 86. 15. Psal. 111. 4. Psal. 112. 4. Lam. 3. 22. Isa. 42. 3. Seventhly Coming Soul the Jesus that thou art coming to is full of Might and Terribleness for thy Advantage He can suppress all thine Enemies He is the Prince of the Kings of the Earth He can bow all Men's Designes for thy Help He can break all Snares laid for thee in the Way He can lift thee out of all Difficulties where-with thou may'st be surrounded He is Wise in Heart and Mighty in Power Every Life under Heaven is in his Hand yea the Faln Angels tremble before him And he will save thy Life Coming-Sinner 1 Cor. 1. 24. Rom. 8. 28. Mat. 28. 18. Rev. 15.
abide to come because thy Deeds were Evil But being now Illuminated and made to see what and where thou art and also what and where thy Saviour is Now thou art coming to Jesus Christ. Blessed art thou Simon Bar-Jona for Flesh and Blood hath at Revealed it unto thee said Christ but my Father which is in Heaven Matth. 16. 15 16. Thirdly Art thou coming this is because God has Inclined thine heart to come God hath called thee illuminated thee and inclined thy heart to come and therefore thou comest to Jesus Christ. It is God that worketh in thee to Will and to come to Jesus Christ. Coming sinner bless God for that he hath given thee a Will to come to Jesus Christ. It is a Sign that thou belongest to Jesus Christ because God has made thee willing to come to him Psal. 110. 3. Bless God for slaying the enmity of thy mind had he not done it thou wouldest as yet have hated thine own Salvation Fourthly Art thou coming to Jesus Christ it is God that giveth thee Power power to pursue thy Will in the matters of thy Salvation is the gift of God 'T is God that worketh in you both to Will and to Do Phil. 2. 13. not that God worketh Will to come where he gives no power but thou shouldest take notice that power is an aditional Mercy The Church saw that will and power were two things when She cried Draw me we will run after thee Song 1. 4. and so did David too when he said I will run the ways of thy Commandments when thou shalt enlarge my Heart Will to come and power to pursue thy will is a double Mercy coming Sinner Fifthly All thy strange passionate sudden rushings forward after Jesus Christ coming Sinners know what I mean they also are thy helps from God Perhaps thou feelest at sometimes more than at others strong stirrings up of heart to fly to Jesus Christ now thou hast at this time a sweet and stiff gale of the Spirit of God filling thy sails with the fresh gales of his good Spirit and thou ridest at those times as upon the wings of the wind being carried out beyond thy self beyond the most of thy prayers and also above all thy fears and temptations Sixthly coming Sinner hast thou not now and then a kiss of the sweet lips of Jesus Christ I mean some blessed word droping like an Honey-Comb upon thy Soul to revive thee when thou art in the midst of thy dumps Seventhly Does not Jesus Christ sometimes give thee a glimps of himself though perhaps thou seest him not so long a time as while one may tell twenty Eighthly Hast thou not sometimes as it were the very warmth of his wings over-shadowing the face of thy Soul that gives thee as it were a gload upon thy Spirit as the bright beams of the Sun do upon thy body when it suddenly breaks out in the midst of a cloud though presently all is gone again Well all these things are the good hand of thy God upon thee and they are upon thee to constrain to provoke and to make thee willing and able to come coming Sinner that thou mightest in the end be Saved FINIS ERRATA PAge 17. Line 30. for given Read giver p 19. l. 6. f. his r. this p. 20. l 8. f. my r. may p. 22. l. 22. f. those r. these p. 23. l. 27. f. Satan r. some p. 24. l. 25. f. me r. one p. 27. l. 5. f. changing r. cleansing p 32. l 12. f. his r. this p 33. l. 1. after is add to p. 33 l. 15. after medle r. with these p. 43. l. 8. f. pre r. present p. 78. l 2. after force r. to come p. 116. l. 7. before give r. to p. 138. l. 13. f. above r. alone p. 183. l. 14. after not r. to p. 184. l. 19. f. between r. be p. 187. l. 22. after Judge r. no.