wayes and yet thinke that they have water of life that they are living Christians But 't is with them as with the Church of Sardis They have a name to live but they are dead indeed What reviling are there of one another what reproaching what backbiting and slandering what drunkennesse vvhat whoredome vvhat oppression vvhat defrauding vvhat contention is there brother against brother seeking to eate up one another and to undoe one another by ill language by seeking to get one from another and yet desirous to come to the Sacrament whereas when men live in hatred and strife they are murderers in the Scripture account A dreadfull thing when those that are of the same family flesh and blood walke in those wayes and pretend that they are Christians and would have the ordinances and yet will not lay downe their malice revenge and humours no not for Christ not for waters of life not for any of his ordinances All are not true Christians that thinke so all have not tasted of the waters of life that thinke so all have not Grace that imagine they have The five foolish virgins afterwards they got oyle as they thought and they came and knock at the gate of heaven but they were deceived they had not true oyle they would have been let in then That 's the first Secondly This serves for reproofe and reproofe of many that say they would gladly have waters of life they are willing and would faine have Christ Grace and the Spirit but it 's evident there is no such thing because they never prize them so as to see them better then their earthly sensuall and sinfull injoyments then their outward estates what ever is deare unto them of that nature because they never make a reall and actuall claime of them nor use the meanes to attaine them Corne wine and oyle they prize they close with and make out after and bestirre themselves so in the pursuit of them that they hazard their soules eternally for them but as for the waters of life they care little for them they have some sluggish desires after them but no strong no lasting indeavours Math 19.16 17 18 c. Luke 13.24 Therefore 't is not enough for men and women to say they would have waters of life there are many wishers and many woulders in the world but few doe truly and really will they come not up to a prizing of them to a choosing of them and to an using of all meanes for them they give not diligence to adde Grace to Grace to worke out their salvation to shake off security and sloathfulnesse and put forth themselves as a matter of life and death as indeed it is a matter of life and death to get these waters of life Thirdly If the willing man shall have the waters of life then here God is excused and justifiable in the destruction of sinners The Lord he holds out waters of life freely he saith whosoever will whosoever is willing let him take the waters of life let him live and be blessed whosoever is willing now if men perish where is the fault who is to be blamed God hath provided Christ he hath provided Gospel and ordinances provided his Spirit he holds out the promises and saith whosoever will whosoever is willing come come without money here 's water of life freely for you now if men perish where 's the fault Revel 3.20 Behold I stand at the doore and knock if any man will open I will come in And what if you will not open the doore if Christ doe beate downe the house and the doore and destroy him that is in it who is in the fault the fault is yours you are not willing that Christ should come in In the 19 of Luk 27. Those mine enemies that would not that I should reigne over them bring hither and slay them before me Those mine enemies that would not have me to reigne over them I come and tell them that I will cast out their enemies and I will reigne sweetly and lovingly in them and I will doe them good I will save them give them waters of life cordiall comforts and they will not vvhat then Bring those mine enemies and slay them before my face In the 23 of Math How often would I have gathered thee even as a hen doth her chickens and ye would not had ye been willing ye should have eate the fatt and dranke the sweete But ye would not now is your house left desolate Mans destruction is of himselfe and God is to be justifyed and cleer'd he makes such tenders of Grace and mercy and that freely he comes and waites upon men and calls upon them and yet they will not You have a remarkeable place 2 Thes 2.10 11 12. Because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved Marke the truth was sent forth the truth came and the truth wooed them but they would not receive the Love of the truth But they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved for this Cause God shall send them strong Delusions that they should beleive a lie and this is made good in our dayes exceedingly for the truth hath come and knockt at the hearts of men and women and it hath not been received with the love of it Therefore God hath sent them strong Delusions that they should beleive a lie That they all might be damned who beleived not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousnesse men and women have pleasure in unrighteousness and therefore they will not receive the truths of God And then God gives them over to strong Delusions that they might be damned would they have received the truth they should not have been damned nor had strong Delusions so that here God will be excusable and justifiable in the destruction of sinners at the last Joh 3.19 This is the Condemnation that light is come into the world and men love darknesse rather then light because their deeds are evill This will be their Condemnation they will shut their eyes against the light they will not let truth enter and if they doe they withhold the truth in unrighteousnesse and imprison the truth as Herod did John Fourthly This serves for Exhortation Whosoever will let them take of the waters of life freely Shall all that are willing have water of life freely let us labour for this willingnesse it is a matter of great concernment it concernes your soules and bodies for the present and to all eternity to see that there be this willingness in you willingnesse to have water of life for all are not willing nay vvhen it comes to the tryall hardly one of a hundred will be found really willing to have waters of life therefore give your selves no rest night nor day till you finde a reall willingnesse to have waters of life to have Christ and the Spirit of Christ to have Grace salvation peace pardon to your soules give your selves
said of John likewise that hee was a burning and a shining light Anso It is granted Saints are Stars and Angels are Stars and they may bee morning Stars too and yet this doth not at all disadvantage Christs being here a bright and morning Star for 1 These Stars their light is Derivative it is derived from Christ and derived from God both what Angels have and what the Saints have it is borrowed the Angels are the Creatures of God and of Christ they made the Angels and so they had their light whatsoever it is from them And the Saints Ephes 5.8 Yee were darkness but now are yee light in the Lord they have their light from the Lord from Christ and from God so that this is no disadvantage unto Christ Christs light it is essential unto him it is no derived light 2 Their light is diminutive a little light it is Candle light they do understand little to what Christ doth In him are all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge in him is all the fulness of God which is not so in any of these these Stars the Brethren of Joseph had but a little light and Angels have but little light to God and Christ What is the light of a Torch to the light of the Sun such is the light of these to the light of God and Christ 3 The light of these is dependent light If God and Christ with-draw their influences a little how dark are they Psal 103.20 The Angels stand hearkening what God will say to them they do not know what to do but God must give them out a word of command and give them light and they depend upon him for light and so all the Saints depend upon God and Christ for light and if God do but with-draw his influences how dark are Saints and Angels so that you see the light of these is no way derogatory to the light of Christ hee is a bright and a morning Star Quest But now a Question here If Christ be a bright and a morning Star why do so few follow the light of this Star and so many follow Sathan who is the Prince of darkness and Antichrist who is darkness it self Ans The only and great Answer to this is because men are darkness themselves and love darkness Joh. 3.20 Every one that doth evil hateth the light neither cometh to the light lesh his deeds should be reproved And in vers 19. Men love darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil they love darkness they hate light and love darkness if men hate light they care not for the light of Christ that is convincing light reproving light condemning light now they hate the light and they love darkness and if the Devil and Antichrist turn themselves into Angels of Light sometimes yet that light is but darkness and they love that darkness they love Delusions love Errors love Heresies and Lyes 2 Thes 2.10 because men receive not the truth with the love of it therefore God sends them strong delusions and gives them up to beleeve the lyes of Sathan and the lyes of Antichrist that pretend light but they are lyes and they are darkness no marvel then that they follow the Beast and follow Sathan and follow the World and run the contrary way Thus you see the Point opened 1 If Christ be a bright and morning Star Application then surely it is evil and their end will be fearful and dreadful that will not follow after light but go on in sin and works of darkness whereas the very rising of this Star and shining of this Star was to dispel darkness and to shew unto men the way they should walk in Tit. 2.11 12. The grace of God that bringeth Salvation hath appeared to all men this Star is risen hath appeared to the whole World full of grace And to what end hath it appeared To bring Salvation and to teach men to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live soberly righteously and godly in this present world Now if men will not see this light but will live ungodly unrighteously unjustly wickedly If men will follow the courses of the World then they refuse this light and what will be the issue of it 2 Cor. 4.4 If our Gospel be hid saith he it is hid to them that are lost If they will not see this light now that is so bright the Gospel is hid and Christ is hid and the Star is in a Cloud and the Devil hath cast a mist before their eyes and before their mindes and they are lost and undone Creatures and in Joh. 3.19 This is the Condemnation this will be the Condemnation That light is come into the world the morning Star is up the glorious Gospel is gotten out but men love darkness rather than light they love Sin they love Antichrist they love Sathan they love their Lusts and is it not a grievous thing that this Star should shine among us which the Jews have not and we should be worse than Jews that Heathens have not we should be worse than Heathens for Drunkenness for Swearing for deceiving and for defrauding one another and for all manner of wickedness O this will be the Condemnation It will be easier for Jews and Turks that have not the Gospel neither own it han for Christians that have this light this bright morning Star shining among them and walk not after it 2 If Christ be a bright and a morning Star then let us all look unto this Star for light for direction It is not good to be in the dark if you have but a little light in the dark you account it a great matter this World is full of darkness now let us look to this Star and the light of this Star You that are Mariners when you are at Sea if you can see but a Star especially the Pole-Star you think it a great priviledge and know where you are and how to steer your course and to avoyd Sands and Rocks and dangers this World is a sea of trouble a sea of sin and of affliction and wil you not look to this Pole-Star If you will look to this Star this bright and morning Star you will sayl safely you will avoyd Shipwrack you will avoyd the losing of your Souls which is the greatest loss of all O look to this Star to direct you and to guide you over the sea of this World that you may go safely to the Haven of Happiness if you sayl not by this Star you will never get to Heaven It is not sayling by your own Lusts your own Wills Humours and fancies and to live as you please If you will not live according to the light that hee hath given you out you are undone Creatures look to it wee are all sailing either down to Hell or towards Heaven well let us take our directions from this bright and morning Star and wee shall never sail the wrong way 3 If Christ bee the bright
the Canticles she is espoused unto Christ 3 A Bride she hath her Ornaments and Jewels about her she is trim'd Isa 61.10 so the Church hath Ornaments and Jewels about her she is trimmed and deckt with the Graces of the Spirit with the righteousness of Christ White Linnen in the Revelation is said to bee the righteousness of Saints the Church hath her Ornaments her Jewels and Graces Canticles 4.9 4 Lastly The Bride you know expects Marriage of such a Person so the Church looks to be married unto Christ she waites for the day she is espoused already and waites for to be married unto the Lamb Rev. 19. so then you see upon what account the Church is called a Bride Now the Point to be handled is this Doct. That both the Spirit of God and the whole Church are desirous of Christs coming And the Spirit and the Bride say come To speak a little to the Spirit of God the Spirit of God is said in Scripture to intercede for us and the Spirit of God lusts against the flesh and here the Spirit desires the coming of Christ The Spirit saith come And the Spirit desires the coming of Christ Why the Spirit desires the coming of Christ because it having received from Christ all truth and having given it out unto Apostles and unto John and so to the Church it would gladly have the Church see the accomplishment of what is given out by the Spirit which will not all bee done till the coming of Christ all truth will not be accomplished Prophesies or Promises will not be fulfilled till the coming of Christ and the Spirit having received of Christ and given them out the Spirit desires the accomplishment of them that the Church might see it 2 The Spirrt desires Christs coming for the honour of Christ it is said in 2 Thes 1.10 Christ shall come to be admired this shall bee the honour of Christ to bee admired by the Church to be admired by the World especially he shall bee admired of the Saints and of those that do beleeve and the more admirable will Christ be when they shall see all Truths fulfilled and made good that he gave out by his Spirit It is said Isa 44.26 God is a God that confirmeth the word of his Servant and performeth the counsel of his Messengers so Christ he will confirm the word of his Spirit and confirm the word of his Messenger the Spirit brought it from Christ to John John gives it out to the Church and when Christ comes he will confirm the word and make it all good and so both Christ shall bee honoured the Spirit honoured and the Instruments that gave out the word be honoured 3 The Spirit desires the coming of Christ that so it self may be no more grieved no more quenched So 1 Thes 5. Quench not the Spirit in Eph. 4.30 Grieve not the Spirit whereby yee are sealed unto the day of redemption The Spirit hath sealed up men unto the day that is this day of Christs coming unto the day of redemption Now saith the Spirit come come that I may be no more grieved I am grieved in the hearts of Saints daily I am troubled by them they do many things that are contrary to my Nature contrary to my Holiness the Spirit is a tender thing and soon grieved now saith the Spirit Come come then when Christ comes the Spirit shall no more be grieved there shall be a course taken with enemies Here then we may see that this is a matter of weight and worthy of consideration the coming of Christ for the very Spirit of Christ desires it But so much for that The whole Church also desires it even the Church Triumphant desires it I might insist upon that first In Rev. 6.9 10. The Church triumphant desires Christs coming And when he had opened the fifth Seal I saw under the Altar the souls of them that were slain for the Word of God and for the testimony which they held And they cryed with a loud voyce saying how long how long O Lord holy and true doest thou not judge and avenge our bloud on them that dwell on the earth Here is part of the Church Triumphant crying How long O Lord afore thou comest Souls have no Tongues you must know but here by crying is meant the desires of the Soul they desire Christs day might come and so their enemies might be judged and they might have their bodies united unto their souls and be made compleat Quest But it may be said Do the Souls in Heaven and the Church in Heaven desire Christ may go out of Heaven and come down to earth that should seem strange Ans 1. Yes The very Church in Heaven desires the day of Christs coming and what if Christ do leave Heaven and come down to earth what hurt in that for they being in Heaven do see the face of the Father and beholding the face of the Father they have happiness enough there as the Angels always behold the face of my Father 2 But secondly when Christ comes they shall come with him as you may see in Jude 14. Behold the Lord cometh with ten thousand of his Saints Here is a limited number put for an illimited ten thousand that is with all his Saints so you have it in Ezek. 14.5 And the Lord my God shall come with all the Saints with him Christ shall come and all the Saints shall come with him when he comes so in 1 Thes 4.14 For if we beleeve that Jesus dyed and rose again even so them also that sleep in Jesus will God bring with him they shall come with Christ when he comes so that the very Church Triumphant are desirous of the coming of Christ But so much for that We come now to that which is more chiefly our aime and scope The Church Militant desires the coming of Christ that is the Church here in this World the Bride here doth desire the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ the Bride saith come come Lord you have it in the twentieth Verse of this Chapter He which testifieth these things saith surely I come quickly Amen even so come Lord Jesus John desires the comming of Christ in the person of the Church Come Lord Jesus and frequently in Scripture thâ—s is spoken of Tit. 2.13 Looking for the blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ The Church looks for and so desires the glorious appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ that which we look for we desire and so in 2 Pet. 3.12 Looking for and hastening unto the coming of the day of God 1 Thes 1.10 And to wait for his Son from Heaven The Thessalonians the Church there waited for the coming of Christ from Heaven and Phil. 3.20 Our conversation is in Heaven from whence also wee look for the Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ And many other places there are Rom. 8.23 And not only they but our selves also
come to God is to beleive and to come to Christ is to heleive And this beleiving it is not an assent onely unto a truth An assent unto this that Christ is the Messiah that Christ is the Saviour of the world 't is not onely to assent for so Devills doe beleive so Antichrist beleives so many that perishâ—doe beleive they assent to the truth Neither is it an assurance as some doe make Faith a full perswasion or a through perswasion of the heart that it is so and so No Assurance is not Faith Assurance is a consequent or an effect of Faith and not of the nature and essence of Faith many shall be sav'd that never had Assurance and many are Justified that have no Assurance What then is this Faith what is this Coming There is assent unto Truth an assent unto Scripture which is in the understanding and so is Assurance Assurance of understanding But Faith is in the Understanding and in the Will also when upon cleere understanding of a truth my will comes to choose and close with that truth This is to beleive some call it a Resting a Rouling a Depending a Relying which are all metaphoricall expressions But if you will have it in the proper nature and sence Faith is the Assent of the understanding unto truth and unto Christ and the wills choosing of Christ It chooses Christ for its Righteousness for its salvation for grace for life for peace for all This is coming when the will puts forth an act that carries forth the soule to choose Christ saith Christ here Let him that thirsteth come By this it should seeme then that there is a power in man to come What power was there in Lazarus to come forth of the grave when Christ said Lazarus come forth there was as much power in Lazarus to come forth of the grave when Christ said come forth as there is in man now to come to Christ when he saith come There was none in Lazarus to come forth neither is there any in Man naturally to beleive John 6.44 saith Christ there No man can come to me except the Father which hath sent me draw him Christ saith No man can come unless the Father draw him What is in the drawing of the Father Say some It is this thirsting begotten in the soule but surely that cannot be the thing for Christ saith Let him that is athirst come a man may be athirst and yet not come to Christ Let him that is athirst come But this drawing then of the Father is a working of that power in the soule as to goe out to Christ It may see a need of Christ from sin and wrath and the like yet till God doth work a power in the soule to goe out to Christ it doth not come to Christ and therefore you will finde in the 6th of John that what is said in the 44. v No man can come to me except the Father which hath sent me draw him Gods drawing in the 65 v is said to be Gods gift Therefore said I unto you that no man can come unto me except it were given unto him of the Father that is unless God doth give him power to come to me to beleive in me So that the Fathers drawing is putting in that virtue and power into a thirsty soule as to close with Christ But then it will be said surely these Invitations are in vaine if a man cannot come when he is Invited to what end are they The Sun shines upon the Rock and the raine falls upon the Rocks yet no man lookes that the Sun should melt the Rocks or the raine should make the Rocks fruitfull But the adjacent parts and feilds have the benefit and so though Invitations fall upon Rocks yet the adjacent persons other persons may have the benefit But secondly Generally in these Invitations the Lord doth convey this power the Lord doth worke this Faith in their soules and gives them this power to close with Christ Lazarus come forth together with the Invitation the power was given to Lazarus to come forth You have an observable place in the 2 Ezek 1. And he said unto me Son of Man stand upon thy feete and I will speake unto thee marke And the Spirit entered in to me when he spake unto me and set me upon my feete Ezekiel was smitten so downe with the sight of Glory that he was not able to rise Now saith he Son of man stand upon thy feete but he could not stand up But the Spirit entered into me when he spake unto me saith Ezekiel and set me upon my feete So when Christ saith here come with Christs speaking the Spirit may be and is many times conveyed and causes a man to come There is that life that Grace communicated to the soule together with the Invitation as makes a man to doe the thing and inables him thereunto so that Invitations are not in vaine and so much for opening of the word come The poynt that I shall commend unto you is this Doct 1. That the Lord Christ is very desirous that sinners thirsty sinners should come to him for releife that they should be saved that they should have refreshing virtue from him Grace pardon peace and whatsoever will doe their soules good Let him that is athirst come Now because it lies in the hearts of all sinners to question the willingness of God and Christ to save them and to doe them good Therefore I shall insist the more upon this and make it out fully to you You know the Leper in the Gospel said Master if thou wilt thou canst make me cleane I know thou hast power but if thou wilt there lies the sticke and here lies that which sticks with sinners to question the willingness of God and Christ Now the Lord Christ is very willing that sinners should come unto him and this I shall make out severall wayes First Of Christs willingnes for sinners to come unto him from the Consideration of Christs laying downe his greatness and his Glory which would dant and discourage sinners when one appeares in majestie when a Judge comes into the Country with his greatness it makes your Delinquents and Malifactors afraid But now Christ lays downe his Majestie and his greatness and Glory and whatsoever is dreadfull and terrible unto us Joh 17.5 And now ô Father Glorifie thou me with thine owne selfe with the Glory which I had with thee before the world was Christ had laid aside his Glory when he came downe into the world he came in the forme of a servant in a meane and low condition When a Prince shall lay aside his greatness and come and converse with beggars and sinners then they can the more freely come unto him and speake to him the Lord Jesus Christ hath laid aside his Glory and greatness and came and converst with finners here in the world which is a great Argument that he was willing to doe sinners good that
Conscience and ready to sinke in the gates of death they have lookt up to Christ and intreated him to remember them Christ hath shewne them mercy which shews the forwardness and willingness of Christ to save sinners Yet let not any presume to doe so for likely late Repentance is seldome true a death-bed Repentance usually is a dead Repentance when feare of hell shall drive men to look after heaven they may thanke hell for looking after God and Christ but that by the way Fisteenthly and lastly It is cleerely evident that the Lord Christ hath a strong Inclination to save sinners by his giving out of Scripture in that way and manner as he hath done the Lord Christ hath given out Scripture so as to Answer the objections of men and women to Answer all the eavills of their hearts all the pleaâ—s of corruption and of a guilty Conscience and of the Devill himselfe The Lord hath given out Scripture so as to Answer all that might hinder their coming in unto him In the 12 of Math All manner of sins and Blasphemies shall be forgiven to the sons of men What hath a sinfull heart here to say what canst thou object against this he tells thee All manner of sins shall be forgiven all manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven Are thy sins beyond blasphemy are they such as come not within the compasse of all manner of sin Let thy sins be slight or great let them be old or new let them be against Law against Gospel against promises all manner of sins shall be forgiven Christ saith The sin against the Holy-Ghost shall not be forgiven But if thou have a heart to look to Christ for mercy it 's an argument thou art free from that sin for where that is there 's impenitency thereâ—s hardness of heart no thinking of Repentance nor coming to God But all manner of sin and blasphemies shall be forgiven Is not here incouragement enough unto poore sinners So here in the next words Whosoever will let him come and drinke of the water of life freely Itâ—s laid downe so as to answer all your objections and to take away all your plea's you have to stave you off from Christ So then you see cleere evidences that Christ is willing to save sinners But why is Christ so willing to save sinners First Why Christ is so willing to save sinners from his owne experience and sence of what it is to be under the displeasure of God he was once tempted he was once forsaken he cryed out in that condition and he knew what the wrath and displeasure of God meant And now being full of compassion he pitties all those that are under the disfavour of God he knows sinners have broken the Law deserved the curse the wrath of God eternall death and now his compassions being stirr'd within him his Bowels yearne he desires that sinners may come to him if any thirst let him come let him come he shall be freed from the wrath of God from the curse of the Law from guilt and condemnation it 's a sad condition I am senceable of it I was in the share and round of sinners and I know what it is to be in such a condition Secondly Christ is so desirous that so he may see of the travaile of his owne soule and that men may see the end of his coming to save sinners was reall for if Christs end was to seeke and save that which was lost unlesse he desire and use meanes to save them you may say it was not reall therefore Christ to make it out that it was really his end and that he might see of the travaile of his soule in suffering he desires sinners may come in he gives out the Gospel he appoynts Ministers he invites them extraordinarily and ordinarily he calls upon them and would have sinners to come unto him to be saved Thirdly and lastly Christ doth this that so the freenesse of Gods Grace and of his love may appeare and may be magnified Christ is wonderfull desirous that sinners should come in and when they doe come in they will magnifie the riches of Grace then they will stand and wonder at the Love of God and of Christ and that he should waite upon the beseech and intreat them to come and accept of mercy and favour Vse 1. First we may see here that the way of the Lord Christ is for sinners to come in to him and to the Father freely Whosoever is athirst let him come he doth not say let him be compelled to come forc't to come but let him come he holds out such riches of Grace and mercy such treasures and excellencies that certainly if a soule do but consider and well weigh them it will come Christ himselfe came freely to us and he would have us come freely to him There is no forcing in the Act of Convertion but all is free though God puts forth a mighty power in the hearts of people yet he overcomes them with sweetnesse and lovingnesse Let him that is athirst come But it may be said they are bidden in the 14 of Luke to compell them to come in That is not an outward compulsion he doth not speake of force of Armes but goe and compell them to come in with force of Argument propound unto them such motives in the Gospel as may compell them to come in tell them of the Beauty of holinesse tell them of the Riches of Grace tell them of the Love of God and Christ tell them of the pardon of sins and answer their objections There 's no forcing in the work of Grace no forcing men to come unto God and Christ but it 's all a free worke God draws but he drawes with coards of love he carries not men against their wills to Christ and forces them to beleive in Christ no but he sweetens their wills and overcomes them with kindnesse and Truth the Majestie Glory and loveliness of truth overcomes their wills so that men come willingly to Christ Secondly Christ being desirous that sinners should come unto him then let us not goe to any other many seeke out to others and say with them in the 4th Psal Who will shew us any good there is no releife for poore sinners in any other but in Christ t is not running to Moses nor to David nor to Prophets nor to any but to Christ 't is not friends 't is not honours 't is not Riches 't is not gifts and Talents 't is not any thing in the creature can releive a thirsty soule but Christ If any man thirst let him come come whither come to Christ all other things doe proclaime unto you 't is not in them saith the wedge of Gold 't is not in me saith house and land 't is not in us say the ships on the Sea 't is not in us and so say all other creatures 't is onely in Jesus Christ to releive a poore soule Math 11.28 Come
unto me all ye that are weary and heavie laden and I will give you rest he doth not say that mountaines can refresh you that Angells can refresh you or any creature can refresh you but come unto me all ye that are weary and heavie laden and I will give you rest All the virtue that refreshes a guilty soule a thirsty soule a sinfull soule all the virtue is in the Lord Jesus Christ he is water of life he is a fountaine of living water he hath to give you that which will doe your soules good hee can give you his blood to quench the fire of hell to purge away your guilt to remove wrath to come 't is in Christ and in none other Therefore all those that goe to others forsake their owne mercies and imbrace lying vanities but those that come to Christ they goe the right way Thirdly Doth Christ invite us to come unto him then let us examine and make inquiry whether wee are come to Christ or no I beleive here 's hardly any under this roofe but thinkes he is come to Christ that he is a true Christian and its worth the Inquiry then that he may resolve this case so that he may not be deceived for Christ saith in the 7th of Math In that day many shall say Lord Lord have not we done thus and thus in thy presence but Christ shall say unto them depart from me I never knew you you never came to me I say then it may be worth our time to make Inquiry after this case of Conscience whether wee are come to Christ yea or no and I shall in a few particulars cleere it up unto you First The soule that is in truth come to Christ hath seene a sufficiency in Christ to releive it every way and such a sufficiency as hath made it to venture it selfe upon the Lord Jesus Christ alone and nothing else Now apply this to your owne soules have you ever seene such sufficiency in the Lord Jesus as heaven and earth besides hath not And so seene as to make you come off from all and venture upon him alone if you have cleerely seene the suffiency of Christ then your owne righteousnesse is nothing to you your owne civility morality and honesty are as nothing though they are good in regard of men yet they are nothing in regard of God and in regard of your soules You see an allsufficiency in Jesus Christ and an utter insufficiency in your selves Alas what 's my righteousnesse saith the soule that 's come to Christ my righteousnesse is filthinesse and all that ever I can doe is unprofitablenesse before God and though I have learning and wisdome and parts and memory and utterance and riches and honours and follow a calling and doe good in my place and the like alas all these are nothing I account them but as dung saith the soule in respect of Christ there 's an allusufficiency in Christ I but these may damne me and send me to hell now put these to your owne hearts for it 's ill to be deceived in matters of eternity have you seene I say such a sufficiency in the Lord Jesus of wisdome and strength and righteousnesse and the like as you have laid downe all your owne and see it nothing and have ventured your soules nakedly upon Jesus Christ In the 45 of Isa 24. Verily shall one say In the Lord have I righteousnesse and strength I have none in my selfe It is a prophesie of the last times concerning Christ I have sworne by my selfe the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousnesse and it shall not returne that unto me every knee shall bow every tongue shall sware It 's spoken of Christ and applyed to him in the Philippians Surely shall one say In the Lord have I righteousnesse and strength even to him shall men come marke in the Lord shall all the seede of Israel be Justified and shall Glory unto him shall they come And all that are incensed against him shall be ashamed what go to Christ saith one there 's nothing in Christ and men speake blasphemously and basely of Christ in these dayes but they shall be ashamed But unto HIM shall men come and in the Lord shall all the seede of Israel be Justifyed and shall Glory they shall be justifyed in Christ therefore deale really with your owne hearts therein there is a fundamentall truth to be taken off from your owne righteousnesse and to build wholly upon Christ those that come to him doe so Secondly The soule that is come unto Christ it doth stay it selfe upon him and rests upon him and goes not out from him as it ventures it selfe upon Christ so it rests it selfe content with Christ You know a Woman when shee hath chosen a Man for her husband she rests content in him above all the men in the world and the soule that hath chosen Christ and come to Christ and beleives in Christ in truth rests content with the Lord Jesus above all in heaven and earth In the 6th of John Christ puts a Question to Peter Jesus said unto the twelve will ye also goe away Then Simon Peter answered him Lord to whom shall we goe Thou hast the words of eternall life Lord to whom should we goe we are satisfied with thee we rest content with thee we looke not beyond thee we have enough in thee and from thee to bring us to eternall life so that a soule that 's truly come to Christ will joyne nothing with Christ but rests satisfied with him alone try your selves thereby Thirdly A soule that is come to Christ in truth doth accept of the Lord Jesus Christ upon his owne termes many they will accept of Christ but it shall be upon their termes so I may have Christ and the world saith one I will be content to be a Christian so I may have Christ and honours saith another so I may have Christ and my lusts satisfied and injoy them I will come to him saith a third so I may live and take my ease and goe to heaven at last I will have Christ saith a fourth man Thus men will have Christ upon their termes but a soule that is thirsty and comes to Christ in truth takes the Lord Christ upon his owne termes If any man saith Christ will be my Disciple he must deny himselfe and take up his Crosse These are Christs termes a man must lay aside his owne wisdome a man must be content to bare a Crosse to meete with reproach prisons temptations persecutions hard measure Christ and a Crosse Christ and a prison Christ and hunger and nakedness and perill and temptations or whatsoever God will For we are slaine all the day long for thy sake in the Psa and in the 8 Rom so that a soule that doth come to Christ in truth takes Christ upon his owne termes Christ and mortification of your lusts Christ and death to the world Christ and death to sin these goe together