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
SERMONS OF CHRIST HIS Last Discovery of Himself Of The Spirit and Bride The Waters of Life And His free Invitation of Sinners to come and drink of them From Revel 22.16 17. By WILLIAM GREENHILL an unworthy Servant of the Lords He that refuseth instruction despiseth his own soul Prov. 15.32 The heart of the prudent getteth knowledge and the ear of the wise seeketh knowledge Prov. 18. â—5 LONDON Printed by R. I. for Livewell Chapman at the Crown in Popes-head-Alley 1656. TO ALL His Christian Friends More especially To those the Author of these Sermons walks with in the Fellowship of the Gospel doth he Dedicate the same TO THE READER THat these Sermons see the Light is more from the Auditours than the Author of them Some being affected in hearing were importunate to have them published urging they might bee of use not only to doubting Saints and desponding Christians but also to those were dead in Sins and Trespasses Hereupon after some struglings in my spirit I was willing to expose my self to Censure rather than to grieve my Friends by a denial and with-hold those Truths by which possibly some poor Soul or other might gain some little Spiâ—iâ—ual advantage Reader although these Sermons were taken by the Pen of a ready Writer and printed as they were taken yet look not for that Spirit Power and Life was in them when Preached The Press is a dead thing to the Pulpit A Sermon from thence is like Meat from the Fire and Milk from the Brest but when it is in Ink and Paper it 's only cold Meat and Milk it hath lost its lively taste though it may nourish and become a standing Dish to feed upon daily There is this benefit in Printing that when the Preacher is absent or dead the thing printed may bee at hand and serviceable Reader if thou lookest for high Notions quaint Expressions new Opinions strong Lines inticing words of mans Wisdom or any thing to please a fleshly mind I must say to thee as Peter did to him in the Acts Such silver and gold have I none but what I have I give unto thee viz. plain and naked Truths according to the simplicity of Christ and the Gospel Wouldest thou know what is to be had here If thou be shaken in these staggering times here thou maist see what a Root Christ is bearing up all If thou stumble at Christs meanness in the World here thou shalt understand of what Royal Descent he was If thou be in the dark and know not the right way here maist thou behold Christ a glorious Star to direct thee If thou be dull and sad here mayest thou hear the sweet Voyces of the Spirit and Bride to quicken and comfort thee If thou bee thirsty here is water and Water of Life prepared for thee If thou be sinful and so sinful as thou fearest Christ will not save thee here shalt thou finde many clear demonstrations how willing Christ is to save sinners If thou finde not a willingness in thee to have Water of Life here is discovered how that willingness may be wrought in thee If thou bee secure and sleepy here are tidings of Christs coming of what concernment that is and what preparation thou art to make for it which may help to awaken thee In a word here thou hast the last discovery the Lord Christ gave forth of himself and of his miâ—d He had oft before discovered himself what he was as to be the Messiah Joh. 4.25 26. to be the Resurrection and the Life Joh. 11.25 to bee the Bread of Life Joh. 6.35 to be the Light of the World Joh. 8.12 to be the good Shepherd Joh. 10.11 to be the true Vine Joh. 15.1 to be the Way Truth and Life Joh. 14.6 to be Alpha and Omega and here he saith I am the Root and Off-spring of David c. which being the last declaration of himself doubtless hath something considerable in it as will appear in the Work it self William Greenhil Stepney the fifth of the ninth Month. 1655. TO His dearly beloved Brethren and Fellow Members of that Body the Church at Stepney of which Christ is the Head Grace Mercy and Peace from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord be multiplied unto you Brethren YOu are here presented with that in Print which before you have heard Preached unto you but I hope the impression of it is not only in these Papers but that it is already in your hearts It was a glorious commendation that Paul gave of his Corinthians 2 Epist 3.2 Yee are our Epistle written in our hearts known and read of all men for as much as yee are manifestly declared to be the Epistle of Christ ministred by us written not with Inke but with the Spirit of the living God not in Tables of Stone but in fleshy tables of the heart What is the end of our faithful Pastors Preaching and of our Hearing but that we may be the Epistles of Christ You have here presented to your view some of the last words of Christ wherein you have a Declaration of what he is the Root and the Off-spring of David Davids root in regard of his Diety and his Off-spring in regard of his Humanity we have need to hear of these Truths again and again especially in such days of Apostacy and falling away from the Faith as we live in many denying the Lord that bought them by which wee may see the Scripture fulfilled that saith In the latter days many shall depart from the Faith and in 2 Pet. 2.1 2. the Apostle plainly speaks that as there were false Prophets of old so there should be false Teachers that should creep in who privily should bring in damnable Heresies even denying the Lord that bought them and many should follow their pernicious ways by reason of whom the way of truth should be evil spoken of You have here likewise a sweet and blessed in vitation of the Lord Jesus to poor thirsty Sinners that they would come and take of the Water of Life freely O therefore let us not stand off but come although we have no mony for little do we think what prejudice our Soâ—uls do receive because we go no freelier to Jesus Christ to receive of the things that hee hath purchased and is ready to give out unto us you are called out of the World even to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ You are the Members of Christ 1 Corinth 6.15 yee are the Temples of the holy Spirit 2 Cor. 6.16 you stand in near relation to God and Christ as being his Friends his Brethren his Children his Spouse Yee are his Portion his Jewels his peculiar Treasure his Vine-yard his pleasant Plant his Glory Isa 4.5 1 Pet. 2.9 Yee are a chosen Generation a Roval Priesthood a holy Nation a peculiar People It being thus what flows from hence or what doth this call for at our hands but that we labour to shew forth the Praises of
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
presents to the Sons of Men would bee drunk off by them To the hungry Soul every bitter thing is sweet so to the thirsty Soul every bitter thing is sweet for a man to love his enemies to bless them that curse him to pray for them that persecute him to do good to them that hate him this is very hard to flesh and bloud but a Soul that is athirst after Christ drinks down these truthes and findes sweetness in them 5 Another effect of this Spiritual thirst is this That it doth extinguish in a great measure if not wholly the thirst after other things it doth extinguish all sinful thirst and doth correct and moderate all other thirsts thirsting after the Creature you know the light and heat of the Sun puts out the light and heat of the fire and doth abate it in a great measure when the Sun shines upon it so where this thirst comes after Spiritual things and is in truth it doth abate and extinguish the thirst after unlawful things and doth abate very much your desires after other things saith Christ unto the Woman in John 4.14 Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst shall never thirst as he had done before shall never have such strong desires after Creatures saith Paul in the Philippians those things which before seemed goodly and excellent and were great priviledges and prerogatives to him saith he I account all loss and dung now for the excellencie of the knowledge of Christ Jesus I have another thirst begotten in me now and this thirst hath abated my thirst to the World my desires after Creatures and delights in them I have a thirst that carries me after more high and excellent things than they are so in Gal. 6.14 God forbid that I should glory save in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ by whom the world is crucified unto me and I unto the world I thirst no more after the world saith he it is Crucified to me and I am Crucified to it it is Christ I thirst after to know the power of his Death and Resurrection to know Christ more this did abate and cool his desire and affections towards all externals and the glory of the world 6 Again where this Spiritual thirst is the more you drink the more it is increased and this seems strange where this thirst is other thirsts are abated but this increases the more you drink still the more you thirst the more Grace any man retains the more eager after Grace still the more thirsty after Christ this day the more the next this thirst begets thirst it makes a man to see his need of Christ more and of Grace and God and of Spiritual things more and more and inlarges his desire As Lime when you throw water upon it it makes the Lime burn the more so when the Soul thirsts and God gives it water of life it thirsts more therefore saith God Open your mouth wide and I will fill it In time God will fill it but Grace doth stretch our desires and makes men more vigorous in pursuit of heavenly things than over before that man or woman that can sit down content with a little knowledge with a little measure of Grace with a little degree of Faith with a little portion of the Spirit that man in truth hath none for it is the nature of Grace to make more hungry more thirsty more desirous it will draw out the Soul more strongly after Christ the Spouse was never so affected with Christ as after she had tasted of the love of Christ 7 Again Where this thirst is in truth it breeds in the Soul a conformity to the thirst that is in God and in Christ Quest Why are they thirsty Ans Yes God himself is thirsty and Christ is thirsty Psal 81.13 O that my people had harkened unto me and Israel had walked in my way Here is Gods thirst O that there were such a heart in this people saith God where there is a true Spiritual thirst there is a conformity in the heart unto God Psal 119.5 saith David there who had this thirst O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes Lord this is thy desire that men should keep thy Statutes Lord this is my desire O that I could keep thy statutes Here is a conformity now between God and the Soul that is athirst saith God in Psal 27. Seek yee my face my heart answered saith David thy face Lord will I seek Here is a conformity between Gods desire and mans desire so in the Canticles saith the Spouse there My beloved is mine and his desire is towards me And in another place I am my Beloveds and my Beloved is mine Doth Christ desire me why I desire Christ saith the Spouse so that this Spiritual thirst breeds a conformity between the heart and God that look what God desires it desires 8 Again This Spiritual thirst doth cause men to thirst after God for himself and Christ for himself many do thirst after God not for himself but for themselves they thirst after the Loaves they thirst after the Gifts of God as many seek to be in great Services to bee in great mens Houses and Courts that they may have their Livery that they may eat and drink of the best that they may live at ease and not out of love to the Person Shimei comes to David and to Solomon but not out of love to David or Solomon but to save his life so many come to God that they may be saved from Hell and Damnation but they would live in their lusts have their wills have their ease and bear Gods Livery some outward profession but they come not to God for love of God for love of Holiness for love of Truth for love of Jesus Christ it is for themselves but not for Gods Self but this Soul that is truly athirst must have God himself and for himself he knows all other things will come in after If I have God I have all if I have not God I have nothing will do me good 9 Lastly Where this true Spiritual thirst is it is that a man may be satisfied and that a man may be fruitful as the earth why is the Earth dry and thirsteth after the Rain and gapes sometimes as if it would swallow up the very Heavens that it may bee satisfied with the Rain and bee much fruitful so a Soul that hath this Spiritual thirst desires to receive from God that so it may be fruitful O it cannot bring forth good fruit and that is a burthen to it and it longs to bee fruitful and thirsts to receive some influences of Grace some dews from Heaven that so being watered and moystned it may grow and yeeld good fruit and thus you see some effects and fruits of this Spiritual thirst and so to know the truth of it whether you have this thirst or no. Quest Here now a Question may arise may some say I
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
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