The Unbelievers Preparing for Christ, Treatise · Sermon 1

The Unbelievers Preparing for Christ · Treatise · Sermon 1

THE VNBELEEVERS PREPARING FOR CHRIST.

LVKE 1.17.

To make ready a people prepared for the Lord.

By T. HOOKER

LONDON, Printed by The Cotes for Andrew Crooke, and are to be ſold at the Blacke Beare in Saint Pauls Churchyard. 1638.

Severall Treatiſes of this AVTHOVR.

1. THE Vnbeleevers preparing for Chriſt, out of,

Revelations 22.17.

1 Corinth. 2.14.

Ezekiel 11.19.

Luke 19.42.

Matthew 20.3, 4, 5, 6.

Iohn 6.44.

2. The ſoule Preparation for Chriſt, or a Treatiſe of Contrition, on Acts 2.37.

3. The Soules Humiliation, on Luke 15. Verſes 15, 16, 17, 18.

4. The Soules Vocation, or Effectuall Calling to Chriſt, on Iohn 6.45.

5. The Soules Vnion with Chriſt, 1 Cor. 6.17.

6. The Soules benefit from union with Chriſt, on 1 Cor. 1.30.

7. The Soules Iuſtification, eleven Sermons on 2 Corinth. 5.21.

8. Sermons

on I…dges 10.23.

on Pſalme 119.29.

on Proverbs 1.28, 29.

on 2 Tim. 3.5.

p. 1PREPARING FOR CHRIST.

REV. 22.17.

Whoſoever will, let him taſte of the water of life freely.

BEfore the ſoule of a man can partake of the benefits of Chriſt, two things are required: Firſt, that the ſoule bee prepared for Chriſt. Secondly, that the ſoule bee implanted into Chriſt. Concerning preparation, there hath beene two doctrines handled out of Luke, 1.17. The firſt of which, That the ſoule of a poore ſinner muſt bee prepared p. 2for the Lord Ieſus Chriſt, before it can receive him, and comfort from him. The ſecond doctrine was, That a powerfull Miniſtry is the ordinary meanes that the Lord hath appointed to prepare the ſoule of a poore ſinner ſoundly for Chriſt. Now we are to proceede in this preparation, and in the handling of this generall preparation, two things are to be conſidered. Firſt, the generall circumſtances that pertaine to preparation: And ſecondly, the ſubſtantiall parts of preparation. For the generall circumſtances which are moſt remarkeable in preparation, they are twofold; ſome on Gods part, and theſe are, Firſt, the freeneſſe of the offer of his grace. Secondly, the univerſality of this offer of grace, To all. And thirdly, the eaſineſſe of the condition whereupon he offereth it, Whoſoever will may receive it, and that freely. On mans part, two things are to be conſidered. Firſt, he muſt conſider that his owne corruption doth oppoſe this grace of God. And ſecondly, he muſt conſider, that God hath appointed to worke this grace in man, and to take away man as corruption which oppoſeth the ſame. So that there bee five things conſiderable in preparation,Five things in Prepatation. as generall circumſtances thereof, before we come to the ſubſtantiall parts of it. The firſt is this,111. namely, That the offer of grace, that God propounds to his,222. and will worke in his is free. Secondly, the condition of grace and Gods offer is this, That a man muſt will to receive Chriſt and grace, before hee can receive Chriſt and grace. 333.Thirdly, H… that doth truly will to receive Chriſt and grace, ſhall have Chriſt and grace. 444.And fourthly, That no man of himſelfe naturally p. 3can will that hee may receive Chriſt. Laſtly, That God will work a will in his ſervants to receive the Lord Ieſus Chriſt,555. and then hee will beſtow him upon them. And theſe are the five paſſages which are generall circumſtances of preparation. And three of theſe points which are the three firſt, we have in this text, Every man that will let him take freely of the water of life; here is the free offer of Gods mercy and goodneſſe. Here alſo we ſee that a man muſt will Chriſt and grace before hee can have Chriſt. And thirdly, that he that doth truly will Chriſt ſhall have him, and grace and ſalvation by him.

Wee will open a word or two in the text, and ſo proceede. Firſt, wee muſt ſee what is meant here by water. Secondly, what is meant by water of life. Firſt, what is meant by water: by water is meant here the Spirituall grace of God, together with the immediate aſſiſtance of his holy Spirit in the working of the ſame upon the ſoule of man.

In water here wee may conclude two things, not onelyonly the grace which God doth convey to the ſoules of his people, but alſo the aſſiſtance of the Spirit working the ſame in the ſoule; looke for the truth of this, the 7. of Iohn 38, 39. He that beleeveth on me (ſaith the text) as the Scripture ſaith, out of his belly ſhall flow rivers of living water. Now what are theſe waters here ſpoken of; in the next verſe the text ſaith, This ſpoke our Saviour of the Spirit, which they that beleeved on him ſhould receive from him, that is, the working aſſiſtance of his Spirit. So that we ſee in this place of S. Iohn, this phraſe is expounded, p. 4and ſo the 4. of Iohn the 10. verſe, the like phraſe is uſed. There our Saviour replieth to the woman of Samaria after this manner. If thou kneweſt the gift of God, and who it is that ſaith to thee, give me to drinke, Thou wouldeſt have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water. And ſo in the 14 verſ. Whoſoever drinketh of the water that I ſhall give him, ſhall never thirſt, but the water that I ſhall give him, ſhall be in him a well of water, ſpringing up into everlaſting life. That is, hee that receiveth the grace of Gods Spirit, and the aſſiſtance thereof, It ſhall be a well of water to him, ſpringing up into everlaſting life. Hence it is that Chriſt is called, The fountaine of the garden: and a well of living water, Can. 4.15. Ier. 2.14. He is called, The fountaine of living waters; My people (ſaith the text) have forſaken the fountaine of living waters, and have hewen unto them Ciſternes, even broken Ciſternes that can hold no water. So that Chriſt Ieſus is the fountaine; the grace of God are the rivers, and the operation of the Spirit, as the ſtreames, which make glad the City of God: or elſe, Chriſt is the Conduit, the graces of God the cocke, and the operation of the Spirit is the drawer of the water which comes into the ſoules of his ſervants. So that we ſee plainly, that by water is meant the graces of Gods Spirit, which God is pleaſed to convey and worke in the ſoules of his ſervants. The ſecond phraſe in the text is water of life: and wee muſt ſee what is meant by that, it is as much as if a man ſhould ſay quickning grace: and that is ſaid to be the water of life in two regards, p. 5Firſt, becauſe it is that which begets a ſpirituall life in us; a man is dead without the Lord Ieſus, and the graces of his Spirit, Without me you can doe nothing, ſaith our Saviour: but looke as it is with the graft which is out of the Stocke, it proſpereth not, nor bringeth forth fruite, but withereth away; So thoſe that are not engrafted into Chriſt, which have not the power of Chriſt to aſſiſt them, they are dead in treſpaſſes and ſinnes; but when this grace and Spirit comes, it is a lively grace, and a quickning Spirit; it begets life in the ſoule of a man. In the 47 of Ezech. verſ. 9. the Prophet there diſcovering the time of the Goſpell, and the offer of ſalvation therein, he ſaith there, Every thing ſhall live whitherſoever this river commeth: The rivers there are nothing elſe but the rivers of grace and ſalvation; when Chriſt ſhall come, abundance of grace ſhall be offered and wrought in the ſoules of Gods people, and whereſoever this grace commeth, thoſe that be dead ſhall be quickned. Secondly, they are ſaid to bee waters of life, in regard of the continuance of them, for whereſoever this grace is truly wrought, it never ceaſeth; ſo ſaith our Saviour, Ioh. 4.14. Whoſoever drinketh of the water that I ſhall give him, ſhall never thirſt. This water is not like a pit or ſtanding poole, that in the heate of ſummer is dryed up, but it runneth amaine continually. So that the frame of the words runne thus; Whoſoever will, let him come and take living water, living and quickning grace from Ieſus Chriſt freely, whereby a ſoule may be quickned and ſaved: here p. 6is a proclamation, Whoever will, let him come, and take the Lord Chriſt, and grace and ſalvation by him freely, he will not repine at the favour he vouchſafes unto us; take more hope, more faith, more ſanctification; come, and come freely, and the more oftener ye come, the more welcome ſhal you be: This is the ſubſtance of the words in the text; wherein wee have theſe three points formerly ſpoken of. Firſt, here wee have the freeneſſe of Gods mercy, Whoever will, let him take of the water of life freely: as who ſhould ſay, ſhall any man bring money with him and buy grace? no, no, let him take the Spirit freely. Secondly, A man muſt will Chriſt, before he can receive Chriſt and grace from him, and this is the ſecond thing in the text. The third is, That every man that doth truly will Christ and grace, ſhall have Chriſt and grace from him. Men thinke that they would be ſaved, every man will be ready to ſay, I would have Chriſt rule in me, but this ſame willing of Chriſt is a hard matter; whoſoever doth will heartily to receive Chriſt, ſhall have him and ſalvation by him: but wee ſhall finde it a hard matter to bring our hearts to this willing of Chriſt, as wee ſhall here hereafter; and thus wee ſee the three points that ariſe out of the text, and by this time we are entred into our worke, let us proceede with the purſuite of the firſt point, which is this, The offer of grace from God is altogether free. There is nothing but onelyonly Gods will that moves him, nothing but his owne good pleaſure that perſwades him to ſhew mercy to a poore ſoule, there is nothing out of p. 7God that can move him, or purchaſe this favour from him, but it is from out of the goodneſſe of his nature, and the freeneſſe of his will, he will have it ſo. In the 21 of the Revel. 6. there is a marvelous pregnant place for this purpoſe, there ſaith the text, I will give unto him that is a thirſt, of the fountaine of the water of life freely. There are three things or phraſes conſiderable. Firſt, God will give him to drinke, and what is freer than gift; nay, that we may know that he will not give it us upon any conſideration, he will give it freely; nay, marke further, hee will give it to every one that thirſteth: though a man deſireth it earneſtly, even as a man that is a thirſt deſireth drinke, though he doe what he can to obtaine it, though hee uſe all meanes for the procuring of it, yet God will give it him, and that freely; and this cuts the throates of merit-mongers the Papiſts, that ſtand ſo much upon their merits, and therefore it is obſerveable in the 4. of Zach. 7.9. in the building of the materiall Temple, the text ſaith, That Zerubbabels hands which had layd the foundation thereof, ſhould finiſh it. The ſame hand which layd the firſt ſtone, ſo the ſame hand ſhould lay the laſt: the meaning of the place is this; when the poore people of Iſrael were to build the Temple in time of perſecution, they had no ability of themſelves to do it, yet the Lord bids them go on cheerefully, for I will diſpoſe of all things, for the gold and ſilver is mine: and hereby the Lord doth quippe at a ſecret …onceite of theirs; they might thinke with themſelves, alaſſe, wee have no gold, wee have no ſilver, p. 8how ſhall we bring this worke to paſſe; the Lord he anſwers this ſecret objection of theirs, and tels them the gold is mine, the ſilver is mine, the hands of Zeru…babell that hath layd the firſt ſtone, ſhall bring forth the headſtone thereof, and what is the ground of all this, the reaſon is rendered in the 7. verſ. All the people ſhall cry grace, grace; as if they had ſaid, Grace hath ſent meanes, grace hath continued means, grace hath given us hearts to uſe the means, all is grace, nothing but grace and mercy hath done it; thus the people admired at Gods great goodneſſe, that did ſo helpe them, and ſhouted crying, grace, grace: And as it was thus in the materiall Temple, ſo it is here in the building of the ſoule a Temple for the Lord. The beginning of grace, the receiving of grace, the continuing of grace, all is grace grace: from the beginning of election, to the end of glorification; from the beginning of converſion, to the end of ſalvation, all is grace and mercy; nothing but grace that doth all, workes all, prepares all for the good of Gods people. Gods grace and mercy is altogether free, and the freedome of it appeareth in theſe three particulars. It is free, Firſt, …nregard of the preparation of the meanes of grace that God hath invented; the meanes of ſalvation which God hath invented for his people being fallen in Adam, was altogether free, for when Adam had forſaken God and hearkned to the enemy, had left the way of holineſſe, and went into the way of confuſion, it was free with God whither he would helpe him or no; when Adam had ſpent p. 9the patrimony which God had given him, it was free whether God would ſet him up againe or no, free it was in God the Father, which appointed the Sonne as the meanes; free it was in Chriſt Ieſus, that tooke the taske upon him; and free in the holy Spirit, that wrought grace and ſalvation in the hearts of Gods people; God out of his free will gave his Sonne to redeeme mankinde, and Chriſt gave himſelfe freely, and the holy Ghoſt doth freely worke comfort in the hearts of Gods choſen: it was free with God to appoint Chriſt for the meanes, free with Chriſt to be the meanes, free with the Spirit to worke the meanes.

Secondly, as it is free in regard of the appointing the meanes, ſo likewiſe in regard of the Revelation of the meanes to any ſoule, it was free with God, whether he would enlighten any mans eyes, and bring Salvation unto him; why doth God raine upon one Citty and not upon another? that is, why doth the dew of the Goſpell raine upon one place, and not upon another? it is for nothing but becauſe it is Gods will it ſhould be ſo; in the 4 of Luke the 25. the place is very pregnant for this purpoſe, There ſaith the text many widdowes were in Iſrael, in the dayes of Elias, when the heavens were ſhut up three yeares and ſixe moneths, but to none of them was Elias ſent, ſave unto Sarepta a City of Sidon, unto a woman which was a widdow; and this was onelyonly out of Gods free grace: he may take the meanes from one man, and give it to another, he may ſend his Goſpell and the meanes of Salvation to one p. 10poore ſoule, to one poore towne in a Shire or County, and not to another, according to his owne good pleaſure, for his mercy is free, looke into the 17 of the Acts the 30. together with the 6 of the Acts the 1. for thoſe two places interpret one another, in the 17 of Acts the 30. the text ſaith, And the times of this ignorance God winked at, now the word winked as is the ſa…e with the word neglected Act. 6.1. there ſaith the text, There aroſe a murmuring of the Grecians againſt the Hebrewes, becauſe their widdowes were neglected in the dayly miniſtration, the word in the Originall, ſignifies not to regard a thing, and the ſame doth the word winked at …ignifie, in Acts 17.30. The Lord winked at this ignorance, as if he ſhould ſay, the Lord over-looked and regarded it not: the heathen they never had the knowlede of his lawes, he neglected the heathen, and had an eye onelyonly upon the lewes; he vouchſafed his grace, and ordinary meanes of Salvation to them onelyonly, and why was this? it was of his free mercy, of his owne good pleaſure, and for the others, the abuſe of their knowledge: and as the freedome of Gods grace and mercy appeareth in the appointing of the meanes, and in Revelation of the meanes; ſo

Thirdly, it appeares in the bleſſing of the meanes, it is in the free mercy of God, that any meanes of Grace and Salvation are bleſſed unto men, and that they worke upon the ſoules of men, 1 Cor. 1.21. there ſaith the text, after that in the wiſdome of God, the world by wiſedome knew not God, it p. 11pleaſed God by the fooliſhneſſe of Preaching, to ſave them that beleeve: how comes it to paſſe, that men beleeve and are ſaved? why? it is becauſe it pleaſeth God, it is not becauſe men could procure this, but it is of Gods meere good will, of his free goodneſſe and mercy; and this was the cauſe of our Saviour Chriſts great thankeſ-giving, Math. 11.25, 26. many poore ſoules were converted by the Preaching of his Apoſtles, and therefore ſaith Chriſt, I thanke thee O Father Lord of heaven and earth, becauſe thou haſt hid theſe things from the wiſe and prudent, and haſt reveal'd them unto babes, even ſo father, for it ſeemed good in thy ſight; the reaſon why God did this, was becauſe it was his good pleaſure; ſo then the point ſtandeth faire, in regard of explication; Namely that the offer of grace is free, free in regard of the meanes that God hath appointed free in regard of the Revelation of the means appointed, free in regard of the bleſſing of the meanes revealed. But you will ſay, what is the reaſon of this? by what argument can you proove that the offer of grace is thus free? The reaſons briefely are three: Firſt, this offer of grace muſts needes be free, becauſe there is nothing in man that can purchaſe this, in the 8 of the Acts 19.20. when Simon Magus ſaw that the Apoſtles by laying on of hands conveyed the grace of the Spirit into mens ſoules, he thought to have gotten a booty, and have done ſo alſo, and offered money, that he might receive that gift, but marke how Saint Peter tooke him up with indignation, Thy money periſh with thee, becauſe p. 12thou haſt thought that the gift of God may be purchaſed with money, thou haſt neither part nor lot in this matter. It was a marvelous fearefull ſin, and therefore the Apoſtle Peter, bad him pray that if it were posſible, the thought of his heart might bee forgiven him. It is a vaine thing to conceive, and a great ſinne to thinke or imagine, that grace can be purchaſed from God by any thing that we have received; for there muſt be ſome proportion betweene the price, and the thing that is bought in common reaſon, but in the 3. of the Prov. 14, 15. Salomon ſaith, That the Merchandize of Wiſedome (that is, of the wiſedome of God, wrought by the Spirit of God) is better than the Merchandize of ſilver, and the gaine thereof than fine gold, ſhee is more pretious than Rubies, and all the things thou canſt deſire, are not to bee compared unto her. There is no proportion between any thing and this wiſedome; no, no; they that thinke that God loves them any whit the better, becauſe they are rich and learned, and honourable, let them know, that all thoſe things are dung in regard of the graces of Gods Spirit. If any thinke to buy grace they ſhall periſh, and their money with them; for the offer of grace is free.

And ſecondly, as there is nothing that can purchaſe grace, ſo wee can do nothing that can merit grace, for ſome man may ſay; however I have no money to purchaſe it, yet I can worke it out, as poore men uſe to ſay to thoſe for whom they worke, when they would have any commodity of them, they tell them they have no money to pay p. 13them for it, but they will worke it out by their handy labour. But alaſſe, there is nothing that can bee done of the ſinfull ſonne of man, that can procure any thing from God this way, as we may ſee, Rom. 9.16. It is not in him that willeth, nor in him that runneth, but in God that ſheweth mercy. It is not our willing, our working, our running, what ever wee have, or can doe, is nothing for the procuring of grace in this kinde; it is God alone that ſheweth mercy. Thus he will have mercy on whom hee will have mercy, and compasſion on whom hee will have compasſion, and whom he will he hardneth, Rom. 9.18. If thou ſhouldeſt marke what is done amiſſe, (ſaith the Prophet David) who could abide it. If God ſhould enter into judgement with any poore ſoule upon the earth, there were no living for him, hee could expect nothing but death, and the fierce anger of God continually to purſue him; and therefore farre it is from man to have any thing that can procure grace at the hand of God.

Thirdly, a man naturally hath no ground whereby he can challenge this by way of promiſe from the Lord, no naturall man hath any promiſe in this kind, The promiſes are Yea and Amen, to them that are in Chriſt; to them that are called, and converted and brought home to Chriſt, to thoſe they are all, yea, confirmed; and amen, concluded; yea, made; and amen, performed: but a man by nature can claime nothing at Gods hands but hell and damnation, and therefore all the plagues and puniſhments that befall wicked men, are the fruits of their owne labours, p. 14they are their owne, they have the fruit of their owne tree; ſo Iudas is ſaid, to goe to his owne place. In the 3. of Eſay, the 9. there ſaith the text, Woe unto the wicked, for they have rewarded evill to their owne ſoules, the reward of their hands ſhall bee giver them, for they ſhall eate the fruite of their doings. They can challenge confuſion and everlaſting deſtruction, this is their owne; Iudas went to his owne, hee had his owne ſhare, and his owne condem…ation, they were his owne, his owne ſinnes procured them: but as for the obtaining of Chriſt, and of grace and ſalvation, there is nothing that can doe it, it is of the free mercy and goodneſſe of God Godlineſſe …s great gaine, ſaith the Apoſtle, it hath the promiſe of this life, and of the life to come: but an ungodly man there is no promiſe at all made unto him, hee can challenge nothing from God by way of promiſe, ſo that by this time wee have the proofe of the point; namely, That the offer of grace is altogether free: for we have nothing can purchaſe grace, wee can do nothing that can procure grace, wee have no right whereby wee may challenge grace by way of promiſe naturally, and therefore the caſe is cleare, That we have grace freely from the hand of God. We ſee the point cleared, the doctrine confirmed and eſtabliſhed.

The uſe of it is two fold, partly to the Saints of God that have received grace: partly to thoſe that want grace.

Firſt, for the Saints of God that have received grace, I beſeech you thinke of it, it is a truth that p. 15cannot be denied, proved by reaſon ſtrong, and Scripture plaine; that whatſoever wee have from the beginning of converſion, to the end of ſalvation, is free grace. Why, mee thinkes your hearts ſhould anſwer, we ought to be ſtirred up, the more to magnifie the mercy of God, and ſo much the more to bee thankefull unto him for this mercy which our poore ſoules have received at his hands: the freer the grace of God is which hee offereth unto us, the greater our thankſgiving, the greater the acknowledgement of the goodneſſe of the Lord ought to bee: thoſe whom God hath given any aſſurance of ſound grace; that Chriſt is there, that ſalvation is there, they doe not know how much beholding they are to God for the ſame, for this proceedeth altogether of his free mercy, looke up therefore unto God, and bleſſe God for it, this is that which did drive the Prophet Micah to a ſtand, Mica. 7.18, 19. there faith he, Who is a Godlike unto our God, that pardoneth iniquities, and paſſeth by the tranſgreſsion of the remnant of his people, he retaineth not his anger for ever, becauſe he delighteth in mercy, he will turne againe, he will have compaſsion upon us, he will …ubdu… our iniquities, and thou wilt caſt all our ſinnes into the bottome of the ſea; as who ſhould ſay, here is a God indeed, who is like our God, who hath pardoned all our ſinnes, why? becauſe his mercy pleaſed him, becauſe hee delighteth in goodneſſe, no God like Iehovah, no Redeemer like Chriſt, no Comforter like the Spirit, all ſins pardoned, & all iniquities p. 16caſt into the bottome of the Sea; but what is the ground of all, becauſe his mercy pleaſed him; as if hee had ſayd, Men will doe no good unto us unleſſe they ſee good in us, unleſſe they expect ſome good and profit from us, but who is like our God, no man is like unto him, hee hath paſſed by our tranſgreſſions, and ſubdued our iniquities, and given us the graces of his ſpirit, not becauſe wee pleaſed him, or did any thing that could deſerve this at his hands, but it was his free mercy that moved him, all our peeviſhneſſe, all our looſeneſſe, all our careleſneſſe, all our ſinnes ſubdued, and thruſt into the bottome of the Sea and pardoned, and why? becauſe wee pleaſed God? no, becauſe his mercy pleaſed him; this is God full of grace, full of mercy, full of goodneſſe and compaſſion, no God like our God, no mercy like this; no grace, no goodneſſe, no compaſſion, like unto this, and therefore you poore Saints that have received any grace from the hand of the Lord, goe into ſome ſecret place, and ſay unto your ſoules, and plead with your owne hearts, and provoke your ſoules to thankeſgiving, for Gods mercy towards you: reaſon with thy heart, and provoke thy ſpirit to take notice of Gods mercy, and ſay, How is it Lord, that many that have lived in the ſame towne, in the ſame family, nay the ſame man that is under the ſame miniſtry that I am, that heares the ſame Sermons that I doe, and ſits in the ſame ſeate with me, how is it that ſuch a poore man or woman is ſtill in the gall of bitterneſſe, in the p. 17bond of iniquity, ſtill in the ſnare of death, and under the power of Satan; Father how comes it? why is it that my mind is enlightned? why was my heart humbled? why didſt thou give me any care to walke with thee, and to forſake my ſinnes, and abandon my former luſts and corruptions, why is this Lord, it was of thine owne free mercy Lord, for I had nothing which could purchaſe this at thy hands; I could doe nothing that might procure it; I could claime no promiſe naturally from thee in this kinde: if thou canſt thinke thus, and ſay thus, goe thy wayes and be as thankefull as thou canſt to ſuch a God, that hath done this for thee, and plead with the Lord, as the Prophet David did, What is man that thou ſhouldſt be ſo mindfull of him, and what is the ſonne of man, that thou ſhouldſt regard him; why Lord? thou mindfull of me when I forgot my ſelfe, when I ranne headlong into all wickedneſſe, as prophane as ever any ſoule was, oh! thoſe dayes which I now remember with griefe of ſoule, when my heart roſe up againſt thee and thy miniſters, and yet thou Lord, mindfull of ſuch a ſinfull wretch as I am, that forgot my ſelfe and my owne ſalvation, why what am I Lord, and what is this poore ſoule of mine, that thou ſhouldeſt remember me; oh! doe thus and thinke of this, and remember that our Saviour Chriſt when the Apoſtles Preached the Goſpell, here was a poore man on one ſide converted, and a poore woman on another, when the Lord Ieſus ſaw this, why I bleſſe thee Father ſaith he Lord of heaven and earth, that thou haſt p. 18revealed theſe things to the poore of the world, and denyed them to great ones; take this to your hearts, the poore receive the Goſpell, the rich they are ſo full and ſo delighted in theſe earthly things, here below, that they have no roome for any ſpirituall grace; but you that are Saints of God, that have received any grace, thinke of this, let your ſoules bleſſe God, even extraordinarily, and ſay, I thanke thee Father, that that thou haſt hid theſe things from the wiſe, and from the rich, and from the noble, and haſt revealed them unto babes, that thou haſt taught me, a poore ſilly creature, that thou haſt wrought upon my heart, and ſhewed me Chriſt Ieſus, when as moſt in the world have not ſeene him, nor ſalvation, many great ones, and mighty ones thou haſt ſent packing to hell, but me a blind creature, out of a poore cottage, out of a corner of hell, thou haſt plucked and given me ſalvation: Father I bleſſe thee for this, for it was of thy free mercy. I beſeech thee to give me a free hear… to bleſſe thee for this thy wonderfull mercy vouchſafed unto me, and to walke worthy of thee. What, ſhalt thou give thy ſelfe freely for my poore ſoule… and ſhall not I give thee a good action freely? thus ſtirre up your owne hearts to bleſſe God for this his great mercy: the greater the grace is which he vouchſafeth unto you, the greater your thankfulneſſe ought to be: and ſo much for this uſe, it ſhould ſtirre up every poore ſoule that hath received any grace, to go into a comer, and looke up to heaven, and be amazed at Gods great mercy, and ſay, Father p. 19I have received grace, and why I… there is no reaſon Lord for it, but becauſe thy mercy pleaſed thee.

The ſecond uſe is to the wicked themſelves, thoſe that yet want this mercy, to thoſe that are yet in the gall of bitterneſſe, is it ſo that Gods grace and mercy is altogether free; then this may bee a ground of incouragement unto them to ſeeke after this mercy: they may thinke with themſelves thus, why, the offer of grace is free, and therefore why may not I come to have ſome of this mercy as well as another; though they are yet in the ſnare of Satan, under the power of ſinne, and in the bond of iniquitie, yet the freeneſſe of Gods mercy may incourage them to ſeeke to God for this grace, and to ſuſtaine their hearts in ſome hope that they may obtaine it. Why, it is a free mercy, and therefore why mayſt not thou have it as well as another, it is freely given, and why mayſt not thou receive it as well as another, it is worth the while to ſeeke after grace and mercy, for there is ſome hope and expectation to attaine it; This was the ground why the Prophet Eſay did perſwade all people to come unto the Lord Ieſus, Eſay, 55.1. Why ſaith he, Every one that thirſteth come yee to the waters, and he that hath no money, come yee, buy and eate, yea, come, buy wine and milke without money, and without price: Come you that have no money, ſaith the text; the people might make a cavill, and ſay, Why? wee want money to buy, to what end therefore ſhould we come; the text anſwers this and ſaith, Come you p. 20that have no money, and buy without money: What is the meaning of this, that is, you that have no ſufficiency to procure grace and ſalvation, though you have no ability of your ſelves to purchaſe this, yet come and come freely, and buy without money, as if he ſhould ſay, If you will but come and take grace, this is all God lookes for, all that the Lord expects and deſires, you may have it for the taking, you may receive grace for the carrying of it away, though your weakneſſe be great, and your infirmities many, yet if you have but ability to take grace and carry it away, this is enough, this is all that God requires at your hands; and this is that which makes the Saints of God in the 14. of Hoſ. 3. to goe unto God, and renounce all others, there ſaith the text, A ſhur ſhall not ſave us, wee will not ride upon horſes, neither will we ſay any more to the workes of our hands, Ye are our gods; and what is the ground of all this, for with thee, the fatherleſſe findeth mercy: ſo that, haſt thou a deſolate ſoule, why, bee of good comfort, and be incouraged to go to God for helpe, for hee doth not ſuccour men becauſe they have ſtrength, but hee helpeth thoſe that are ſuccourleſſe.

Art thou fatherleſſe, and caſt off of the world; haſt thou a fatherleſſe ſoule, a motherleſſe ſoule; that is, a hopeleſſe and a helpeleſſe ſoule, that hath no ability to procure mercy, or to purchaſe grace; why, with God the fatherleſſe findeth mercy; and therefore ſay, Lord, with thee the fatherleſſe findeth mercy, I am ſuch a one, therefore Lord I expect p. 21mercy from thee. If a great rich man ſhould proclaime, that at ſuch a time every one that will come, may receive dole from him; if this dole now were to bee purchaſed with money, none but the rich could receive it, but when he ſaith he will give to every one that comes a dole freely, then the poore may have it as well as the rich, when the dole commeth not to be purchaſed, but onelyonly to be received, then the begger may have it as well as he that hath money, for the dole is not to bee bought, but to bee received, and therefore every one that hath but a bagge to put it in, and ability to carry it away, may have it; conſider this ye that God hath not called home, there is a dole of mercy to be given you from God, and God doth not intend to ſell his mercy to you, but to beſtow it freely upon you, and therefore if you will but come & receive it, and carry it away, you may have it, God requirs nothing elſe of you; and therefore comfort your ſelves and ſay, Why, this mercy of God is free, others have it, and why not I Lord. Come therefore and waite upon God in his ordinances, thinke with thy ſelfe that the dole of mercy is to be given at ſuch a place, at ſuch a ſermon, and therefore reſolve to goe thither, and ſay, If wiſedome, or goodneſſe, or underſtanding, would purchaſe any thing at Gods hand, then miſerable creature that I were, for I have none of thoſe, but the mercy of God is free, there is a dole of mercy freely to be given, and ſuch and ſuch have had it beſtowed upon them, and therefore why may not I have it as well as others. And therefore p. 22naturall men that are burthened with abhominations, and full of ſinne and corruptions, let them reaſon with their ſoules, and ſay, Why, did God convert Saul, call Abraham, and humble Manaſſes, why? God did this freely, of his free mercy and goodneſſe, did hee? and why then may not I receive this mercy from the hand of the Lord alſo? and when your owne weakeneſſes trouble you, and your ſinnes and infirmities lye ſore upon you, why, then helpe your owne ſoules in this kinde, and ſay, I can doe nothing that can procure grace, no more could David, I have nothing that can purchaſe favour and mercy at Gods hands, no more had Saul, and yet God was mercifull to them: why, hee is as mercifull now as he was then, his goodneſſe is not diminiſhed, nor his mercy abated. Lord thou that ſhewedſt mercy to theſe, ſhew mercy to mee alſo; thou that didſt bleſſe theſe Lord, bleſſe mee, even me alſo. Lord thou beſtoweſt thy mercy freely, I beſeech thee therefore beſtow one drop upon my poore ſoule. Aye, but ſome may cavill now and ſay, Gods mercy is free, and therefore hee may as well deny it mee as beſtow it upon mee. I anſwer, this is true, hee may deny it thee as well as give it thee, and he may alſo as well give it thee as deny it thee; it is as poſſible that thou mayeſt receive mercy, and therefore try all meanes poſſible to obtaine it. In the 3. of Ionah, the 9. verſ. there the people of Niniveh ſay, Who can tell if God will turne and repent, The Lord there had ſent the Prophet Ionah, to prophecy againſt Niniveh, That within forty p. 23dayes it ſhould be deſtroyed, When the people heard this, there was a faſt proclaimed, and every man was commanded to put on ſackcloth and cry mightily to the Lord, for who can tell if God will turne and repent, and turne away from his feirce anger, that we periſh not: as if they ſhould ſay, We have deſerved that this judgement ſhould come upon us, and our ſinnes have procured it, but yet who can tell whither God will turne away from his feirce anger, for the Lord is mercifull, and freely mercifull: and thus doe thou, and ſay, I confeſſe God may confound me for my ſinnes, but who can tell whither God will have mercy upon me; I confeſſe that God may harden me, but who can tell whither he will humble mee, I will therefore waite upon him in his ordinances, and try if hee will bee mercifull to my poore ſoule.

The third uſe is an uſe of Exhortation to all poore creatures, that are burthened with the burthen of their ſinnes, and are under the power of them, as to bee incouraged to ſeeke for mercy, and to have ſome hope to obtaine it, ſo alſo with patience to waite and ſtay the time of the Lord; this ſhould exhort them to come continually into the Congregation of Gods Saints, and waite patiently when, and what God will beſtow upon them, according to his good will and pleaſure. The mercy and grace which God beſtoweth upon any, is a free gift, and therefore if you come into the Aſſemblies of Gods people, to heare Gods word; if thou waite upon God in his ordinances one day, and p. 24have not grace granted unto you, nor mercy vouchſafed towards you, if you come the next day and yet have it not, you muſt ſtill waite and expect becauſe it is a free gift, and therefore as God may give it to whom he will, ſo alſo when he will, and therefore murmure not, nor ſay what ſhall I come ſo often, and waite ſo long, and pray ſo much, and yet nothing? why? aye it is a free gift, in the 3 of Lament. 25.26. the text ſaith, The Lord is good unto them that waite for him, it is good that a man ſhould both quietly hope, and waite for the ſalvation of the Lord, as it is with the ſea, when it ebbes the water goeth backe, when it flowes and is at the maine it commeth againe: now a man that is to take a journey by ſea, if the comming of the tide be not for his turne, and is gone backe, hee muſt waite untill it commeth againe; ſo it is with God in this kinde, there is a flow of grace and mercy with him, now ſometimes God withdraweth his grace from his poore creatures, but yet let them cry ſtill, and pray ſtill, and reſolve ſo to doe ſtill; doe not ſay, If God will not ſuccour me, and beſtow mercy and grace upon me, now ſeeing I have waited ſo long, I will pray no more, I will expect no longer; & will you not ſo? why? alas who ſhal have the worſt, you will be ſure to have the worſt of it: you that will be ſo ſturdy, that becauſe God heares not, and helpes not when you will, and when you call, therefore you will pray no more, nor expect no longer; you that ſay, you have waited thus long and have not had grace nor mercy vouchſafed unto p. 25you, and therefore to what end, to what purpoſe ſhould we waite any longer, or attend any more? why if it be thus with you, you may depart if you pleaſe; who thinke you, ſhall have the worſt of it… beggers muſt not be chooſers, this is not begging of mercy but commanding of mercy at Gods hands; this is not to deſire that God would give you mercy, but that he would follow you with mercy. Some man may ſay, What ſhall I uſe the meanes ſo long, pray ſo often, and heare Sermons ſo often, and ſtill waite? aye and bleſſe God that thou mayſt waite, bleſſe God that thou haſt not beene long ſince confounded, that God hath not long before this time ſent thee packing to hell, but that thou haſt ſtill opportunities, that thou ſtill haſt peace and the meanes of Salvation afforded thee: ſhalt thou waite? aye, and bleſſe God that thou mayſt waite, before thou goest hence, and hee no more ſeene, Pſal. 69.3.Pſal. 69.3.Ps 69:3 there ſaith the Prophet David, I am weary of my crying, my throat is dryed, mine eyes faile while I waite for my God; as if he had ſayd, I have looked this day and heard thy Word, this day I have looked up to heaven in prayer and have not …ound thee; I wept this day, and mourned this day, I have uſed all meanes, my eyes even faile with waiting for my God: did David waite thus that was a King? and why mayſt not thou waite? why mayſt not thou ſtay looking for the ſalvation of the Lord, ſhut downe thoſe proud hearts and lofty ſpirits of yours which think themſelves too good to waite the Lords leiſure, and p. 26reaſon with your own ſoules, & ſay, why is not my heart humbled? why are not my corruptions ſubdued and abated, as well as others? checke and ſubdue all thoſe bublings of Spirit in the beginning; ſee what Paul did, when his heart began to grapple with God, why, who art thou O man, ſaith he, that thou lifteſt up thy ſelfe againſt God, as if hee had ſayd, Art not thou a damned creature, ſinfull duſt and aſhes, why, who art thou O man that thou ſhouldeſt doe thus? ſo when thy heart beginnes to riſe againſt God, ſuppreſſe thoſe diſtempers, and ſay, who art thou damned ſinnefull ſoule, that darſt thus ſtand againſt God? what if I had gone to hell long before this? why, I had had my portion, if I had beene confounded long ſince, and ſent roaring to hell, my ſinnes had merited it, and therefore well may I waite for mercy, and thanke God that I may waite: downe with thoſe proud imaginations and lofty thoughts that ariſe in mans heart, and reſolve with David to waite for the Salvation of the Lord, with God is the gate of mercy, & the fountaine of mercy, and this mercy is free, & therefore uſe the meanes ſtill though God heare not, pray ſtill though he accept not, reſolve though thy heart fails, and thy eyes faile, yet to roule in the duſt, and call for mercy, and ſay Lord thy mercy is free, therefore bleſſe me Lord even me alſo.

The 2 concluſion in the text is, that not withſtanding this mercy of God is free, yet a man muſt have a will to receive grace and mercy, before he can have it, for ſaith the text, whoſoever Will let him p. 27take of the water of life freely, and heere we have the reaſonableneſſe of the condition, together with the univerſality of it, it is not a great thing that God calleth for, but if a man will have mercy, and grace and Salvation, he ſhall have it. Firſt; a man muſt will mercy before hee can have mercy, and whoſoever doth will it ſhall have it, and herein is the univerſality of the condition; ſo that the doctrine which ariſeth naturally out of the text, and which is the ſecond generall circumſtance of preparation is this, viz. that the ſoule muſt bee willing to receive Chriſt and grace, before it ſhall have Chriſt and grace; God will not ſave a man againſt his will, Rev. 3.20. there ſaith the text, Behold I ſtand at the doore and knocke, if any man heare my voyce, and open the doore, I will come in to him, &c. the doore is the heart, & the knocking is the ſtriving of the Lord in the uſe of the means, God ſtands this day & knocks at this and all other the like opportunities, the Lord knockes this day, and will come and knocke againe the next Sabbath, and the next, the next Lecture, and the next opportunity, when the miniſter comes God comes, when he perſwades God perſwades, when hee threatens God threatens, when he reprooves God reprooves, ſometimes the Lord knocketh at the doore, ſometimes hee pickes the locke, thus every way ſtriving to come in, ſtands thus knocking, and intreating, exhorting, perſwading, he knocks with much patience and long ſuffering, if any man will but open, here is all the Lord p. 28requires, all that he expects and lookes for, the opening of the doore that is all; the doore is the heart, the opening of the doore is the enlarging of the heart to entertaine Chriſt; if any man will but open now, here is all the Lord deſires, hee will come and ſuppe with that man, and he with him, and in the 16.Mat. 16.24.Matt 16:24 of Mat. 24. there ſaith our Saviour; If any man will come after me, let him deny himſelfe, and follow me; what a ſtrange phraſe is this, If he will follow me let him, it is a pretty collection of Divines out of that place, that a man muſt will to follow Chriſt before he can follow him, the truth is, the will never commeth after the following of God, but if a man hath a heart that way, a will to the buſineſſe, then hee may follow him, then all goes forward cheerefully, this will is the great wheele that turnes all, and the power of the ſoule, that workes all in this caſe, and we may obſerve when the Lord is pleaſed to prepare a people for ruine, hee then ſhutts up the doore of their hearts,Acts 28.27.Acts 28:27 in the Acts 28.27. there ſaith the text, The heart of this people is wa…ed groſs;e, and their eares are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they cloſed, leaſt they ſhould ſee with their eyes, and heare with their e…es, and underſtand with their hearts, and ſhould be converted, and I ſhould heale them, in the 24. verſe ſaith the text, ſome beleeved and ſome beleeved not, how comes this to paſſe now, that ſome beleeved not, the reaſon is …endred in the 27 verſe, the heart of this people is waxen fat, or gros;s;e, leaſt they ſhould be converted, and I ſhould hedle them; if p. 29a ſoule will be converted, then God will heale it, but if the heart of the people be ſtopped up, if the heart be fatted up with ſinne and corruption, then the Lord will never heale, he will never have mercy upon that ſoule; eating and ſleeping makes a man naturally to be fat and groſſe, ſo it is with the ſoule, when a mans heart feedes upon his corruptions, when a man lyes ſecurely in his ſinnes this fats the ſoule, and this is the fore-runner of confuſion, ſome beleeved and ſome beleeved not, why their hearts were fatted up, they had no will to receive Chriſt and Salvation by him, and therefore looke as it was with the cure of the Lame man Iohn 5.6. our Saviour ſaith unto him,Iohn 5.6.John 5:6 wilt thou bee made whole ſo it is in ſpirituall things, the Lord will have a man to will mercy and Salvation by Chriſt, before he will beſtow it upon him, and therefore in the 5 of Iohn the 40. the text ſaith Ye will not come to me that you may have life, and this is the reaſon that they had not life, and that they were not ſaved, You would not come that you might have life, as who ſhould ſay, You muſt will to come before you can come to have life, and when you have once got this will, then there is hope that there is life coming; but a man muſt firſt will life, before he can have life: ſo that then the point is cleere and evident, namely that a man muſt will to receive the Lord Ieſus and grace, before he ſhall have the Lord Ieſus and grace, and Salvation by him: for the further opening of the point, we muſt obſerve two paſſages; firſt, what is meant by the will? p. 30ſecondly, wherein this will diſcovers it ſelfe, and by that time we ſhall have ſomewhat to hold our ſelves unto. And firſt for the former, what is meant by will in this place, we muſt underſtand that this word will, it carryeth a double ſignification with it. And firſt it diſcovers that naturall power and faculty wherewith every man is endued to will, but this is not meant here, viz. the very faculty and power wherby a reaſonable man is enabled to will, for then every man ſhould have life and ſalvation, for every man hath this naturall will, for it is with the ſoule, as with a clocke that runneth the wrong way, and ſtriketh falſe, it hath the ſame wheeles like other clocks, but it doth not ſtrike true as other clockes doe, and herein lies the difference, ſo it is with the nature of man fallen from God, the wheele of his will, that is, the power of his underſtanding remaineth ſtill, the nature of the ſoule ſtill exiſteth, but the quality of it is altered, this naturall faculty of the will is not meant here, for then the devils ſhould be ſaved, for they have a naturall will, and therefore in the ſecond place, by will in Scripture, we muſt underſtand the actions and operations, which proceed from the natural faculty of this will which God hath wrought in us, it implyeth any act iſſuing from this faculty upon any object; by object is meant any thing that is preſented to the ſoule, and this diſcovers it ſelfe generally thus, when the face of the ſoule turnes it ſelfe to a thing, and openeth it ſelfe to receive a thing, to cloſe with, and to catch up a thing, as it is with the hand of the p. 31body ſo it is with the will, which is the hand of the ſoule, every man hath hands, but if theſe hands of his be bound together, he is not able to lay hold on any thing, but as a man hath a hand that he may lay hold of a thing, ſo he muſt have his hands at liberty, and he muſt open them, that ſo he may take hold of it, or elſe he cannot lay hold upon it, ſo it is with the hand of the ſoule, this will is the hand of the ſoule, a man muſt therefore turne his will towards a thing and open it ſelfe, the hand of the ſoule muſt be open before it can cloſe with and faſten upon a thing, and this is meant here; when the heart which is turned towards grace, and when the ſoule opens the hand thereof to catch at grace, and lay hold thereupon, then it wils to receive grace, when as wee are unwilling to receive a thing, wee then turne away our hearts from the thing, as children uſe to ſpeake, if you preſſe any thing upon them, which they doe not like, but is diſpleaſing unto them, they ſay, they will not have it, they will not, the ſoule ſhuts it ſelfe againſt that thing, it turnes away from that thing, and ca…teth out that thing which is diſpleaſing unto it, ſo it is with that will of the ſoule, when the ſoule is unwilling to receive any thing, it ſhuts it ſelfe againſt that thing, and will by no meanes receive it, Exodus the 7. Chapter, 13, 14. verſes,Exo. 7.13, 14.Exod 7:13Exod 7:14 There the Text ſaith, The Lord hardened Pharaohs heart, that he harkened not unto them, as the Lord had ſaid, and the Lord ſaid unto Moſes, Pharaohs heart is p. 32hardned, he refuſeth to let the people goe, he hardned his heart, that is, he ſhut his ſoule againſt the commandment of the Lord, and againſt the advice of Moſe…, and he would not let the people goe, hee would not take hold of the Command of God to performe it, hee claſped his heart together as it were, that his heart might not faſten upon Gods Commandment, ſo that by will here is meant, not onelyonly the bare power and faculty of the naturall will, but alſo the act of this power, when the ſoule is towards grace, when the hand of the ſoule is turned towards God, when it opens it ſelfe to entertaine grace; this is meant by will in phraſe of Scripture.

The ſecond thing conſiderable is, how this act of the Will? how this opening of the ſoule doth diſcover it ſelfe? how a man ſhall come to know when he wills grace?

I anſwere, that this ſame turning of the Soule to grace, diſcovers it ſelfe in three particular paſſages; the firſt is this: A man is then ſayd to will a thing, when he apprehends the price of a thing, and hath a high eſteeme of a thing, according to the price of the thing, and the excellency which is in the thing; for it is a rule in naturall Philoſophy, and reaſon telleth us thus much, that no man wills a thing, unleſſe he apprehends the thing w^ch he willeth to be good, either good indeed, or elſe ſeemingly good; for no man willeth his own hurt, for if he did nature would deſtroy it ſelfe, every thing therefore deſires the preſervation of it ſelfe, and therefore p. 33whatſoever is ſuggeſted as evill unto the ſoule of man it will not cloſe with that evill, but turneth from this evill, if it apprehend it as an evill, hence it is that a proud heart loveth proud courſes, a covetous heart covetous courſes, a malicious heart malicious courſes and practiſes, namely becauſe the ſoule apprehends theſe as good though in themſelves they be evill, yet the ſoule takes them to be beſt for it, now as the ſoule muſt apprehend ſome good in a thing before it can will and deſire it, ſo it muſt apprehend the excellency of it before it can will it truely, this is that which carryeth the will of a man unto a thing, the will will never otherwiſe entertaine a thing. The 2^d. thing wherein the act of the will is ſeene, and wherein it makes knowne it ſelf is this, when the ſoule ſeeth the good which is in a thing, and apprehends the excellency thereof, ſo the ſecond thing wherein this act of the will is diſcovered is this, the ſoule chooſeth that good which before it hath ſeene, and the excellency of the thing which it hath apprehended, anſwerable to the nature of the good, and the excellency thereof, the ſoule it chooſeth that good which before it hath eſteemed, it takes it to it ſelfe, as who ſhould ſay, I wil have this thing not another, & mark when the ſoule chooſeth any good, it maketh ſuch choyſe of it, as may be anſwerable to the nature of the good which it eſteemeth, as things of greater worth, a man chooſeth with greater affectiō, things of leſſer worth, with leſſer affection, he will chooſe the beſt things in the firſt place, and thoſe of leſſe p. 34value in the ſecond, as ſuppoſe a man chooſe a woman to be his wife, if he doth not chooſe her for her grace & for her goodnes, ſo much as for beauty or wealth, he doth not now chooſe the woman upon the point, but her beauty and wealth, becauſe he chooſeth them in the firſt place, and with greater affection; ſo that a man is then ſayd to will a thing, when he doth not onelyonly ſee and apprehend a thing to be good and excellent, but alſo makes choyſe of that thing, according to the goodneſſe and excellency thereof.

Thirdly, he that truely willeth a thing, doth not onelyonly apprehend the goodneſſe and the price of the thing which he willeth, and chooſeth it according to the price and excellency thereof, but in the third place, the heart giveth up it ſelfe unto that thing which it hath choſen. A man chooſeth a wife a right, he will have the woman whom hee hath choſen, take that poſſeſſion of his heart as becommeth a wife in that caſe, otherwiſe if a man ſay, be chooſe ſuch a man to be king over him, and will not give up his obedience unto him, nor ſuffer him to exerciſe authority over him, this man doth not chooſe him as a king, but rather as a ſervant; ſo that to gather up all, a man is then ſayd to will a thing, when he apprehends the goodneſſe and excellency of the thing, when hee chooſeth that thing anſwerable to the goodneſſe and excellency of it. Thirdly, when the heart giveth up it ſelfe to that thing; now to applyth particulars, when is am an ſayd to Will Chriſt, and grace, and Salvation p. 35by him, a man muſt will grace, before he can have grace: but how ſhall a man come to know when he wills grace? I anſwere, firſt when the ſoule of a poore Chriſtian ſeeth an excellency in Chriſt, when he holdeth the Lord Ieſus at a high rate, when he hath him in an high eſtimation, anſwerable to the worth of him, when a poore ſoule can put a price upon the Lord Ieſus, anſwerable to the ſufficiency that is in him, and agreeable to the grace and goodneſſe that is in him, then the ſoule doth partly Will the Lord Ieſus, and grace and Salvation by him; when the ſoule is able to ſee a greater good in the Lord Ieſus, and have a greater eſteeme of the grace which is in him, when it can ſet a higher rate upon the goodneſſe which proceedes from him, than upon any thing elſe in the world whatſoever, when he hath the Lord Ieſus in higher eſtimation than riches, or honour, or preferment; than of riches that may advance him, or of honour that may promote him, when hee eſteemes Chriſt above any thing that the world can afford, or the heart deſire, then he partly willeth Chriſt and grace, the ſoule will never will a thing truely, but when he ſeeth ſome good in the thing, and hath an high eſtimation of it according to the goodneſſe thereof, Col. 3.11.Col. 3.11.Col 3:11 there ſaith the text, Chriſt is all in all, when a ſoule can ſay that Chriſt is all in all, that it deſires nothing elſe, then this is the value of him; many will be content to have Chriſt, but they doe not court him worth a great price, but they that will truely will Chriſt p. 36muſt know and apprehend the excellency that is in Chriſt, and eſteeme him anſwerably thereunto, as you may ſee in the third chap. of the Lament. and 24. verſe, there ſaith the text, The Lord is my portion, therefore will I hope in him, now a mans portion is his chiefeſt good, and David alſo ſaith, thy Commandements have I choſen as mine inheritance, that is, as the chiefeſt good that could befall me, or be received of me: So when the ſoule can truely apprehend that Chriſt is the better part, when the ſoule can ſay it is not neceſſary to bee rich, it is not neceſſary to be learned, it is not neceſſary to be honourable, nor to have pleaſure or delight, but it is neceſſary to have Chriſt, it is neceſſary to have grace, it is neceſſary to have ſinnes pardoned, when wee can ſay Chriſt is our portion and our inheritance, when we can ſee the excellency that is in him, and can ſet a price upon him anſwerable thereunto, then we are ſayd to will Chriſt in the firſt place.

The ſecond thing whereby a man may know whether he wills Chriſt or no, is this, when the ſoule ſeeth as the Church in the Canticles, that all pleaſantneſſe is in Chriſt, when it ſeeth that he is better than friends, better than riches, better than health and liberty, when the ſoule, as it ſetteth an high price upon Chriſt: So in the ſecond place can chooſe Chriſt anſwerable to that price it ſets upon him, when it can chooſe him above all things; let the world goe, that takes Chriſt to it ſelfe, p. 37let friends goe, that takes Chriſt to it ſelfe, that chooſeth Chriſt above all things, when the ſoule can doe this, then it may be ſayd to will the Lord Ieſus; the Phraſes of Scripture are very ſweete in this kind, in the 37 Pſalme, the Prophet David there is troubled with the things here below, and his ſoule almoſt ſtaggered when he ſaw the wicked proſper in the world, and increaſe in riches, In vaine ſaith he have I waſhed my hands in innocency, for the wicked they have what they can deſire, their eyes ſtart out with fatneſſe, and they have more than heart can wiſh, but all the day long I have beene plagued and chaſtened every morning, but when hee went into the Sanctuary, and knew their end, how God did ſet them in ſlippery places, and did caſt them downe into deſtruction, when he ſaw that his portion was better than theirs, then hee cryes out; Whom have I in heaven but thee, and who is there in earth, that I deſire in compariſon of thee, as who ſhould ſay, take your gold give mee Chriſt, take your pel…e give mee grace, Whom have I in heaven but thee, then the heart chooſeth God, when it thinketh better of God than of all other things whatſoever, Who have I in heaven but thee, and who is there in earth as I deſire in compariſon of thee, and therefore in the laſt verſe of that Pſalme hee ſaith, It is good for me to draw nigh to God, as who ſhould ſay let the covetous man have his money and pelfe, and let the ambitious man have his honours and proferments, but it is good for my ſoule to draw name p. 38to the Lord,Heb. 11.24.Heb 11:24 and therefore it is ſayd, Heb. 11.24. that Moſes when he was come to yeares, he refuſ…d to be called the Sonne of Pharoahs daughter, chouſing rather to ſuffer affliction with the people of God, than … enjoy the pleaſures of ſinne for a ſeaſon, as who ſhould ſay, Let me ſuffer perſecution, let me have neither coate to my backe, nor meate to my belly, let me dye in priſon, let me undergoe any croſſe or calamity, give me but Chriſt and I care not whatſoever becomes of me, this is to will Chriſt Ieſus, when a man cares not what becomes of all other things whatſoever, ſo he may but enjoy Chriſt; he wils a good truely that wils a good in order, as if it be the chiefeſt good, if I will will it truely I muſt will it and deſire it in the firſt place: ſo when I can hold Chriſt at a high value, above all things, and my ſoule can chooſe him above all things, then I am ſayd to will Chriſt, in the 10. of Luke and laſt verſe, there faith our Saviour, Martha is troubled about many things, but Mary hath choſen the better part, ſhe choſe this and let all other things alone: he that chooſeth a wiſe, he is not ſaid to chooſe her, unleſſe he chooſe her to be in that place which beſt befits her, he that ſaith hee chooſeth a wife, and keepesa whore, he maketh not her his wife, truely ſo it is with the ſoule, though it ſee an excellency in Chriſt, yet if it chooſe not Chriſt in ranke and order, as the chiefeſt good, and in the firſt place, it doth not truely will Chriſt Ieſus, and this is the ſecond thing, wherein the willing of Chriſt is diſcovered, namely when the ſoule p. 39chooſeth Chriſt in the firſt place, anſwerable to the excellency that is in him.

Thirdly, when the ſoule hath prized Chriſt above all, and choſen him above all, ſo in the third place, if the ſoule truely will Chriſt Ieſus, it will be carryed towards Chriſt, to cloſe with him, never to ſever from him againe, for he is ſaid to wil a thing that cloſeth with it, and will never part from it, as for example, he that will buy houſe and land, and make it his owne for ever, he firſt chooſeth that houſe and land, and then hee reſolves to keepe it for ever, and never part with it againe, and if hee part from it, or ſell it againe, then he is ſayd to refuſe it, as well as to chooſe it, and the ſtomach that chooſeth meate, when it hath ſuch liking to any dyer, that it openeth it ſelfe and receiveth it, and cloſeth with it; then we are ſayd to will and chooſe Chriſt, when we ſee the worth of Chriſt, and take him before all, and faſten upon him to make him our owne for ever, when wee take ſuch delight in him, that we will not be freed from him, but deſire that he may be for our ſoules, and our ſoules for him forever, this is to will the Lord Ieſus. So then to gather up all, when the ſoule priſeth Chriſt as the chiefeſt of all, when it chooſeth him above all, when the ſoule anſwerablely giveth up it ſelfe to Chriſt, that Chriſt may take poſſeſſion of it, and never ſever from it, then a man doth will Chriſt Ieſus heartily: So that by this time we ſee the nature of the point, and the Engliſh of the Doctrine is thus much, the ſoule that ſeeth the p. 40worth of Chriſt, and chooſeth him above all things, and cloſeth with him, that ſoule willeth Chriſt Ieſus: But now heere a queſtion may ariſe, you may aske mee whether a man can will Chriſt and grace, thus naturally out of the power of nature? I anſwere no, it is beyond the power of man, to will Chriſt and grace naturally, it is the free gift of God; as it is the Lord which muſt give grace, ſo it is the Lord that muſt give the will to receive grace; what availeth all the water in the Sea, if we have no veſſell to receive it? what avayleth it to have meate, if wee have no ſtomach to digeſt it? what avayleth it to have the fountaine of grace ſet open unto us, if we have no veſſels, no hearts to receive it, if we have no ſtomach to digeſt it? all is worth nothing, & therfore the doctrine of the Scripture is compared to raine, the raine which falleth upon a rock remaineth not, but preſently ſlides off; ſo it is here, the fountaine of grace is ſet open to every one that heareth the Word this day, but if you have no veſſels to receive, no wills to embrace it, no heart to entertaine it, all this mercy of God, grace of God, love of God, will fall downe at your feete, you may carry away ſome words in your mouthes, but unleſſe you have a will to receive grace, it will never dwell in your hearts, it is impoſſible that the ſoule ſhould receive grace and Salvation by the Lord Ieſus, unleſſe it hath a will to entertaine him, for common ſence telleth us, that thoſe actions that have relation one to another cannot bee done p. 41one without the other; no man can buy, unleſſe another will ſell; no man can take or receive any thing, unleſſe another will give it and beſtow it upon him: Chriſt cannot be beſtowed upon us, and given unto us, unleſſe wee have a will to receive him; there is no giving of a thing, unleſſe there bee a taking and receiving of it: Chriſt will not be a gueſt with us, unleſſe he bee entertained by us. If a man ſhould come unto an Inne and aske for lodging, if the Hoſt of the Inne tell him that the Inne is full, and there is no roome for him, and thereupon hee goes his way, this man cannot be ſayd to be a gueſt unto that Inne, but that hee onelyonly offered himſelfe to bee a gueſt; ſo it is here, there is no ſoule that ever can or ſhall receive Chriſt as a gueſt to himſelfe, unleſſe he be content to make roome for Chriſt, and bee a receiver of him, Chriſt will never come with ſalvation or comfort unto thy heart, unleſſe thou haſt a will to entertaine him: if our willing of Chriſt bee that which makes roome for Chriſt, then it muſt go before the entertaining of Chriſt; but the willing of Chriſt is that which makes roome for Chriſt, and therefore it muſt goe before the entertaining of him. So then the caſe is cleare, and the point evident, that a man muſt will to receive Chriſt before hee ſhall have Chriſt and grace and ſalvation by him.

The uſe of the point is threefold, the firſt is for reproofe, muſt a man have a will to receive Chriſt and grace, before hee can receive Chriſt and grace, then this condemneth that carnall conceit of a p. 42company of poore deluded perſons in the world that thinke they may receive grace upon other conditions than the word hath revealed, upon other conditions than Chriſt ever made agreement with them; this conceit it is mervailous common, it is a generall fault in all carnall profeſſors, they thinke to goe to heaven, nay, they make no doubt of it, they thinke they have grace, and why? becauſe they ſay ſo, and profeſſe ſo, and therefore it muſt needs be ſo; becauſe a man can ſay hee beleeves, and would have grace, and wils to receive Chriſt, therefore out of all queſtion it muſt needes be ſo, grace muſt needes be given them, they cannot be without grace, becauſe they ſay they have it; and if a man preſſe upon them, and ſay, the truth is, the world knowes it, that you live in baſe courſes, a common ſwearer you are, a covetous wretch, a baſe uſurer, that loves your money more than God; true ſay they, all fleſh is graſſe, and in many things we ſinne, the Lord give us of his grace, and for give us our ſinnes, and I hope he will doe ſo, and this will make up the breach preſently, nothing but repent, and ſay Lord have mercy upon us, and then all will be well, it is true, if you can but truely repent, all will be well indeede, your ſinnes ſhall bee forgiven you; but now you talke of coſt, you muſt do more than ſay ſo, you muſt do ſo likewiſe; but thus a thouſand poore ſoules goe to hell hood-winckt after this faſhion, they have invented a ſhorter cut to heaven, they have invented a new way, a backe doore to heaven and happineſſe more p. 43than the word ever diſcovered. But let any ſoule make this conceit good in Scripture, and then I will beleeve them, but if it be ſo that they cannot make it good by the word of God; then know that if you continue in it, your ſoules will be damned. Is it thus in the word, hee that ſaith hee hath grace hath grace, if a man profeſſe grace he cannot bee without grace, no, no, it is not thus in Scripture, the text ſaith, He that wils grace, that is hee that hath a heart to receive grace, he ſhall have grace, not hee that ſaith and profeſſeth that he hath grace, but hee that wils it: you muſt not bring your tongues to talke of grace, and your heads to thinke of grace, but you muſt bring your hearts to will grace, otherwiſe you never ſhall, you never can receive grace; and yet notwithſtanding, what is that which carryeth away men in the world; they are naught and wicked, reprove them for it, they heale all, and make up all preſently, they beleeve in Chriſt, and they repent them of their ſinnes, and ſhall not they bee ſaved? They ſay indeede that they doe beleeve, and they doe repent, but the text ſaith, they doe not ſo, and the Lord in his word ſaith, it is not talke, it is not wiſhes, but it is the willing of Chriſt and grace that will obtaine grace. In the 15 of Mathew, Mat. 15.8, 9.Matt 15:8Matt 15:9and the 8, and 9, verſes, there ſaith the text, In vaine doe theſe men worſhippe mee, for they draw nigh unto mee with their mouth, and honour mee with their lippes, but their heart is farre from me, they draw neere Chriſt with their lippes, that is, they p. 44ſpeake as good words as can bee, they ſay they are ſinners, and that the Lord came to ſave ſinners, and they are humbled for their ſinnes, and attend their Church diligently, and hurt no body, But their hearts are from me, ſaith the text, why, becauſe that hearts are ſtill upon their ſinnes; they are as proud as ever, as ignorant as ever, as vaine as ever, their hearts ſtill runne after ſinfull courſes, and wicked practiſes, and therefore away with this talke, and ſuch vaine pretences as men make in this caſe, unleſſe your hearts goe together with your words, all is worth nothing: what a fond imagination is this, that a man ſhould thinke his words ſhould doe him good, when his heart goeth againſt them; when their mouthes profeſſe Chriſt, and their hearts oppoſe Chriſt: Thou ſayeſt thou prizeſt Chriſt above all things, and yet thou wilt not loſe a baſe ſinne for Chriſt, thou wilt not forſake any wicked luſt or corruption for Chriſt; you will ſay you prize Chriſt above all, and yet many of your prophane drunkards will not loſe a cup for Chriſt; nay, you will not loſe any baſe cuſtome for Chriſt, you were prophane and you will be ſo ſtill, you were proud and you will bee ſo ſtill; thy heart and thy words doe not goe together, and therefore never thinke that thy words will ſave thee: Thou ſayeſt thou beleeveſt, but thy heart ſaith the contrary: thou profeſſeſt thou haſt grace, but thy heart denieth it; and therefore it is a very ſottiſh conceit to thinke thy words will doe thee any good, when thy … denieth what thy tongue profeſſeth: goe p. 45home therefore and examine your owne hearts, and thinke thus with your ſelves; I have talked much, and I have ſaid that I had faith and grace, but oh wretch that I am! my heart ſaith the contrary. What a wretch am I, doe I thinke that God will have mercy on mee, becauſe I ſay and profeſſe that I am a ſinner, and becauſe I ſay that I pray unto God for the forgiveneſſe of my ſinnes; no, no, thoſe very words will condemne me, becauſe my heart goes not with my words, it had beene farre better for theſe men that they never had ſpoke theſe things, for theſe very words will riſe up in judgement againſt them, nay theſe words will keep them from the true willing of grace, for they thinke they have it already, becauſe they ſay they have it, this is a very dangerous conceit, and therefore know that words will not carry all away, to ſay we repent and beleeve and have grace, theſe doe us no good at all, wee muſt will grace before wee ſhall have grace, but this is not a willing but onelyonly a talking of grace.

The ſecond uſe is a word of terror, to ſhake the hearts of all wretched ſinfull creatures under heaven, thoſe whom wee may condemne out of their owne mouthes, they profeſſe they will not have grace, and therefore wee may conclude they never ſhall have grace, their owne words will witneſſe againſt them; for when the Miniſters liſt up their voyces like a Trumpet, and cry night and day, and cal upon them, this is the good and ancient way walke in this way, in the way of faith and repentance; what p. 46anſwer doe men give, they openly profeſſe they will not doe this, they will not walke in this way: The Lord tendereth grace, happineſſe, and ſalvation unto us, and yet many do profeſſe they will not come, they will not attend upon God in his ordinances, they will not embrace, nor they will not entertaine Chriſt and grace and ſalvation, they will not come to the meanes of grace and therefore they ſhall never have grace, they never ſhall bee made partakers of it. A man muſt will grace, before he can have grace, but you will it not, you deſire it not, and therefore as ſure as the Lord liveth, you cannot have it.

Another generation there is, that come to the houſe of God, and ſit as Gods people do, and heare as Gods people doe, but their hearts runneth after their covetouſneſſe; when in your ſoules you can ſay, our bodies are here indeed, but our hearts are after our luſts and corruptions, after our profits and pleaſures; if it be thus with you, then ſtill you reſolve that your hearts ſhall not will the grace of God, and therefore it is cleare and evident, that you have not yet received grace. Men reſolve to doe as they did in the 18 of the Prophecy of Ieremie, verſe, Ier. 18.12.Jer 18:1212. They ſaid, there is no hope, but wee will walke every one after our owne devices, and doe the imaginations of our evill heart. When the Lord called upon them to walke in the good way, oh they would none of that! but they would walke after the imaginations of their hearts. And did theſe ſpirits thinke yee dye in thoſe times, are not p. 47ſome ſuch now among us in theſe times, wherein men ſay, wee will not reforme our families, nor wee will not pray with them, wee will not keepe the Sabbaths, nor wee will not leave our ſwearing and our ſwaggering, our pride and our covetouſneſſe; no, all the Miniſters under heaven ſhall not perſwade us, wee will take up our owne lewd and wicked courſes, we will bee prophane ſtill, and wee will ſweare ſtill, wee will not amend our lives, nor reforme our families, in what a miſerable accurſed damnable eſtate are thoſe men, they will not leave and forſake their lewd practiſes, and therefore they cannot will grace, and if they cannot will it, then we may certainely conclude, they ſhall never obtaine it. But you will ſay, you would leave your wicked courſes, and reforme your families if you could doe it, but you cannot. I anſwer, is it nor in your power to plucke your children and your ſervants into the Lords houſe on the Sabbath day, is it not in your power to uſe the meanes whereby you may reforme your lives? you can doe it, but you will not doe it, you will take up your owne wayes, and your owne practiſes, and therefore the caſe is plaine, you will not take Chriſt, and therefore you ſhall never have him, and Salvation by him, there is alſo a curſed kinde of Hypocrites which profeſſe ſaire, and much, they ſay they will doe for the Lord Ieſus,Ier. 24.20.Jer 24:20 but they are like unto thoſe in the 42. of Ieremy, the 20. verſe, marke what the p. 48text ſaith there, Yee diſſembled in your hearts, whe… you ſent me to the Lord our God, ſaying, Pray for us unto the Lord our God, and according unto all that the Lord our God ſhall ſay, ſo declare unto us, and wee will doe it. So there are many that make a faire outſide, and will take up holy duties, and they will be profeſſing, and talking of God, but there muſt be more than this, there muſt be a willing of grace beſides a profeſſing of grace; you pretend faire, and promiſe this, and purpoſe that, but when it commeth to you, you fly off, and you will have your owne liberty, your heart is double, you ſay you will reforme your wayes, and yet you will be idle ſtill, and looſe ſtill, and therefore you never yet willed Chriſt, you never yet prized him aright, you never truely choſe him, and therefore as ſure as the Lord liveth Chriſt is not yours; if the condition bee not performed by you, you ſhall never bee made partakers of that which is promiſed upon the performance of that condition: if you will Chriſt and grace, then indeed you have Chriſt and grace, but you never willed Chriſt, and therefore it is evident, you never had Chriſt.Deut. 29.4.Deut 29:4 In the 29. of Deut. 4. verſ. there ſaith the text, The Lord hath ſhewed you great w…nders, and diſcovered many mercies unto you, and you the Lord hath not given you a heart to perceive, and eyes to ſee, and eares to he…re, unto this very day, and therefore go home and mourne for yourſelves, and reaſon with your ſoules, and ſay, what, after all ou… profeſſion, bearing, praying, talking; after all the coſt and care that God hath beſtowed upon us, p. 49have we not yet a heart to will grace and deſire the Lord Ieſus, many mercies have beene vouchſafed unto us, many judgements removed from us, there is no nation that God hath dealt ſo mercifully with, as with us; we have peace yet, and the Goſpell yet, and proſperity yet, and yet for all this to this very day, God hath not given us a heart to receive grace, and the things belonging to our everlaſting peace, and therefore wives mourne for your husbands in ſecret, and ſay, oh my husband, what hath not God yet given thee a heart to feare him, and fathers mourne for your children, that are not yet in the ſtate of grace, and ſay oh my ſonne not yet a heart that God hath given thee to ſanctifie a Sabboth, and to leave off thy wick…d courſes; and friends mourne you alſo one for another, and ſay, oh my friend what not yet a heart to humble thy ſelfe, and to feare the name of God, thus mourne in ſecret, and ſay, God hath done this and this for thee, and haſt thou not yet a heart, not yet a will to entertaine Chriſt the world carries al, pleaſure carries all, profit beares all away, malice carries away all: The promiſes and Commandements of God are deſpiſed, and haſt thou not yell a heart to beleeve the promiſes, and prize the Lawes of …od above liberty and peace profit and pleaſure; there is nothing wanting on Gods part, hee gives peace ſtill, and the Goſpell ſtill, and yet not a heart all this while to feare God, and keepe his Commandements; thou haſt a good houſe and good land, and many mercies are vouchſafed unto p. 50thee and not yet a good heart what a miſery is this not yet a will to embrace Chriſt, and receive grace; why what a lamentable condition is this? and therefore in the laſt place it is a word of Exhortation to every ſoule here preſent, to labour now to begin at the right end, and take a right courſe, and follow the path that God hath chalked out unto us, in a word, we ſee it is come to this paſſe that all is grown to an outſide, every man muſt be a Chriſtian & go to heaven, and all the argument is this, becauſe a man can talke well of religion; but this is not the right way, the willing of grace muſt goe before the receiving of grace, and therefore go home and examine your ſelves whether grace bee truely wrought and faſhioned in you or no, and reaſon thus, with your owne hearts, and ſay, it is not enough to bring my mouth and profeſſion to the Word of the, Lord but heart what ſayſt thou? in the meane time, I can talke of religion and many good matters, but will what ſayſt thou? in the meane time, doſt thou prize Chriſt above all things, doſt thou chooſe Chriſt and grace above all other things in the world whatſoever? heart what ſayſt thou? doſt thou open thy ſelfe and cloſe with him, and doſt thou purpoſe never to forſake him?Deut. 32.42.Deut 32:42 in the 32 of Deut. 42. there ſaith Moſes to the people, Set your hearts to all the words which I teſtifie among you this day, for it is not a vaine thing for you becauſe it is your life, and through this thing you ſhall prolong your dayes, ſo ſay I ſet your hearts to the word, labour to ſet your ſoules to the word p. 51of God, for it is not a vaine word, it is your life and length of your daies, it is not talking of Chriſt, but it is the willing of Chriſt, from the heart that will obtaine Chriſt and Salvation by him.

We have ſpoken already of the reaſonableneſſe of the condition, whoſoever will may receive grace, and that freely; and now we come to the univerſality of it, the work of the Spirit is tendered to every one, whoſoever will give way thus unto it grace is ſet open to all, and proclamed to all that will take it upon thoſe tearmes before ſpoken of, & therfore ſaith the Text, Whoſoever will, let him take of the water of life, the word in the originall is, every willing man, there is no man exempted, no man debarred, no man hindred to take grace upon thoſe tearmes, if he will condiſcend to Gods conditions, be he what he will be naturally, either in regard of ſins and corruptions, or in regard of poverty, or infirmities, whatſoever his naturall condition be, yet if he wil but agree to Gods conditions, if he will but chooſe and prize Chriſt above all other things, …he ſhall receive him, and grace, and ſalvation by hi… ſo that the doctrin is this, Whoſoever in truth doth will to have Chriſt ſhall receive him, and ſalvation by him, the Text doth not ſay, Whoſoever ſaith Lord, Lord, ſhall have Chriſt and grace, but the willing ſoule, he ſhall have him, not the tal…eing man, nor the preſuming man, nor the glorying man, but the willing man, ſo that this is the point, Whoſoever in good earneſt and in truth will have Chriſt, ſhall receive Chriſt and ſalvation by him, in the 10. of Luke ver. 5, 6. Luke 10. ….Luke 10when our Saviour p. 46Chriſt ſent out his Diſciples to prepare way for himſelfe, he ſaith, into what houſe ſoever ye enter, ſay first, peace be unto this houſe, and if the ſonne of peace be there, your peace ſhall reſt upon it, if not, it ſhall turne to you againe, By peace is meant here, all proſperity whatſoever, all good, temporall and eternall, it was the manner of the …lutation of the Hebrews to ſay, Peace be unto you, therin including all good things whatſoever, now ſaith the Text, if the houſe be worthy, that is, if the houſe be truely diſpoſed if the ſon of peace be there, that is, he which hath a ſoule ſo diſpoſed towards peace, as a Son is towards his Father, that is, he that deſires peace, upon that Soule peace ſhall reſt, a bleſſing ſhall be upon that ſoule, but if the houſe be not worthy, that is, if the heart will not receive the Goſpell of Salvation, if the Sonne of peace be not there, if he be a rebell againſt God, and againſt peace in this kind, then let your peace returne to you againe, there is no footing for Salvation in the ſoule of that man that refuſeth the Goſpell, and the meanes of Salvation which God hath tendered, and as our Saviour Chriſt, before he comes in doth knocke at the doore that he may come in, ſo whenſoever the doore is opened,Reve. 3.20.Rev 3:20 he will come in, Reve. 3.20. there ſaith the Text, Behold I ſtand at the doore and knocke, if any man will heare my voice and open the doore, I wil come in to him, and ſuppe with him, and he with me. The doore is the heart, if the doore be opened, if the will be opened to prize and entertaine Chriſt, then Chriſt and his Father will come into that ſoule, and dwell with it for ever, and refreſh it with p. 43all ſpirituall comfort, and in the 15. of Luke, Luk. 15.17.18.Luke 15:17Luke 15:18the 17, and 18, verſes, when the Prodigall ſonne was returning to his Father, when hee ſaw that hee was in miſery, and how the caſe ſtood with him, no body ſuccoured nor releeved him, he returned to himſelfe ſaith the text, and reaſoneth thus with himſelfe, How many hired ſervants in my fathers houſe have bread enough and to ſpare, but I periſh with hunger, as who ſhould ſay, Now I know what it is to be …n a fathers family, here no man conſiders mee… no man regards me or reſpects me; and though I bee … ſonne, yet there are many in my fathers houſe which are but ſervants, which have bread enough, …ut I though a ſonne, have want of all things, and …m ready to famiſh; here is the prize now that hee …utteth upon a fathers houſe, hee thinkes now it is good to be in a fathers houſe; hee thinks now, oh …he proviſion and love of a father! happy are they that have it, bleſſed are they that doe enjoy it; and when hee had ſet this prize upon his fathers houſe, Then he ariſeth and ſaith, I will go to my Father, and ſay, Father I have ſinned againſt heaven and againſt thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy ſonne, make me as one of thy hyred ſervants. Then the ſoule doth put a prize upon Chriſt, and returneth to him, when it ſeeth the excellency that is in him. The father of the Prodigall ſonne, when he ſaw this, that his ſonne returned unto him, and humbled himſelfe, and confeſſed his fault, he made much of him. The Prodigall had a purpoſe, a will, a deſire to come to his father, And aſſoone as his father ſaw him afarre p. 46duplicate page p. 43duplicate page p. 54off, he went out to meete him, and fell on his necke and kiſſed him, and made much of him, and commanded to bring forth the beſtr…be & put it on him, & put a ring… on his hand, and ſhooes on his feete. The Prodigall is a ſinner, and hee that is enlightned ſo farre forth as to ſee his wretchedneſſe, and is able to ſet a prize upon the mercy of Chriſt; hee that hath runne away from God, the baſe ſinfull wretch that never made any account of the word if the Lord hath awakned his h…rt, ſo farre forth as that he… can ſet a high prize upon the word, and ſay, I wondered heretofore … ſee men runne to ſermons ſo faſt, and make ſuch haſt to the houſe of God when the bels rnuge, woe is me I could never doe ſo! but oh happy are they … and bleſſed are they that did ſo … oh one promiſe now is worth a world, now the aſſurance of the forgiveneſſe of ſinnes is worth all the world beſides; when the ſoule of a poore ſinner begi… thus to prize Chriſt, and reſolves to go to Chriſt, and expects mercy from him, then the Lord ſeeth this ſoule a farre off, and is reſolved to give entertainement to it, & to afford comfort thereunto. But you will ſay, what is the reaſon of it, that if a ma… wils Chriſt and ſalvation he ſhall have it. I anſwer, the reaſons hereof are three. The firſt is this, becauſe the Lord requires no more at the hands of a poore ſinner, nay, the Lord Ieſus is fully contented when the ſoule commeth to give entertainment to him, this alone will give contentment wholy to the Lord Ieſus Chriſt. It is the meaning of that ſpeech of the Wiſeman, in the Prov. My p. 55ſonne, give me thy heart: by heart in that place, is not meant the ſubſtance of the ſoule as it was created of God, this is not that which God looketh for, but My ſonne, give me thy heart, that is, let the actions of thy heart bee ſet upon mee; prize mee, and chooſe me, this is that with which the Lord is contented, nay, it is the maine thing with which the Lord is fully pleaſed. In the 5. of Deut. 29.Deut. 5.29.Deut 5:29 when the people heard the voyce of Moſes, and were …eſolved to yeeld obedience to Gods Commandements, they ſayd, Whatſoever the Lord hath ſpoken by thee, that will we doe: when the Lord heard that …hey would attend and obey his word which hee …oke by his ſervant Moſes, theſe are very good words, ſaith the Lord, But oh that there were ſuch a …eart in them to feare mee and keepe my Commandements alwayes, that it might bee well with them, and with their children for ever. God hee tooke their outward profeſſion and appearance in good part, but oh that there were ſuch a heart: this ſtrikes all dead, this gives God full content, and therefore we ſhall obſerve, that when all other things are weake in us, though there be many failings, and many diſtempers in a poore ſoule, yet when the heart is ſound and ſincere, that is that which giveth the Lord full contentment, hee goeth away fully ſatiſfied, with that. In the 2. of Chron. 15.17.2 Chron. 15.172 Chr 15:17 there the text ſaith of Aſa, that hee did not take away the high places out of Iſrael, nevertheleſſe the heart of Aſa was perfect all his d…yes: though he failed in many things, yet his heart was perfect and upright, and this the Lord accepted.

p. 42Secondly, as God onelyonly requires this, namely, the willing and chooſing and prizing of Chriſt, ſo alſo▪ by this worke of the ſoule, a poore ſinner comes to bee inabled to cloſe with God; it is the will that is the maine thing whereby wee are fitted to cloſe and lay hold of God, and to faſten with the Lord Ieſus, for it is a rule which we have i… turall cauſes, that all good properly is the object o… the will of a man, truth is the object of the underſtanding, but the object of the will is good; looke as it is with the body of a man, it hath ſeverall ſences, and thoſe ſences have ſeverall operations about which they are exerciſed; as the eye, that ſe…th colours; the eare heareth ſounds, and the tongue that reliſheth the meate a man eateth; now all theſe have ſeverall things about which they are exerciſed, and they are not able to reach one unto the worke of another, as the eye cannot heare ſounds, nor the eare diſcerne of colours, and neither of theſe can taſte or reliſh any goodneſſe in that which a man …ateth; but the eye that ſeeth, and the …are that heareth, and the tongue that onelyonly is exerciſed about taſting; every one of theſe have ſeverall operations; ſo it is here, all things are made for man, the body for the ſoule, the underſtanding for the will, and the will for God; the underſtanding that ſeeth truths, and diſcernes the excellency that is in God, but there is nothing that reliſheth and taſteth the goodneſſe which is in God but the will: ſo that, looke as the eye cannot heare, not the care ſee, and neither of theſe can reliſh any p. 57goodneſſe in the meate a man eateth, but this is proper to the tongue onelyonly, ſo there is nothing in a man that is able to reliſh and receive the goodneſſe or the mercy of the Lord, but the will of a man, all things are made for man, the body for the ſoule, the underſtanding for the will, and the will for God; the underſtanding is the Councell…r that ſeeth all, but the will is the Queene of the ſoule, that taketh all that good which the underſtanding ſeeth and diſcerneth, and which is offered and tendred unto it. In the 2 of Hoſea, and the beginning, this was the ground why the repentant Church came home to God, it is in the 2 of Hoſ. 7. there ſaith the text, She ſhall follow after her lovers,Hoſea 2.7.Hos 2:7 but ſhall not overtake them, and ſhe ſhall ſeeke them, but ſhe ſhall not finde them, then ſhall ſhe ſay, I will returne unto my firſt husband, for it was better with me than, than it is now: ſhe would returne to her first husband, ſhe would give entertainement to the Lord, why, what is the reaſon of this? why ſaith ſhe, it was better with me than, than it is now; when the ſoule can ſee that it is better to performe the holy ſervices which God requires, than enjoy all the things of the world, when it can ſay it is better to be with God than any where elſe, then it returneth to Chriſt, and this is the reaſon, why a reaſonable creature onelyonly is able to receive grace and ſalvation, reaſonable creatures onelyonly can receive it, becauſe they onelyonly have to receive it, ſo that we ſee the willingneſſe of the ſoule is the heart, whereby we lay hold upon the Lord Ieſus, p. 58whereby our ſoules are inabled to cloſe with the graces and goodneſſe of God.

The third reaſon is this, becauſe the want of this ſame willingneſſe and heart to receive and embrace Chriſt and grace, is that which breaketh the match betweene God and the ſoule; it is a point of ſome weighty conſideration, there is no lacke on Gods part, there is no failings on Gods ſide which may hinder or debarre a poore ſoule from receiving the Lord Ieſus Chriſt; the fault is our owne and lyeth at home, for God commandeth all to believe in Chriſt, nay he beſeecheth and intreateth them that they would receive the Lord Ieſus Chriſt and comfort and ſalvation by him; nay it cannot be, becauſe God is juſt and holy, but he muſt will that the ſoule ſhould receive the Lord Ieſus and beleeve in him, and bee willing to give entertainement to him in this caſe: So that it is evident that there is no backwardneſſe on Gods part, God doth freely will that every ſoule that heareth the Word of God and hath Chriſt offered, that they ſhould receive the Lord Ieſus and benefit thereby, and comfort there from to their ſoules; but the failing is onelyonly in our part, wee have not a will to receive Chriſt Ieſus when hee is offered, and give entertainement to him, and this is that which breedeth the jarre betweene God and our ſoules, it is not want of obedience to the Commandements of God that will condemne, if the ſoule be but contented to receive Chriſt and entertaine the worke of grace, but p. 59this is that which breaketh the match, and maketh a ſeparation betweene the ſoule and God, becauſe men will not entertaine that grace nor embrace that faith which ſhould procure the forgiveneſſe of their ſinnes. A man may be ſaved though hee doe not keepe the Commandements of God ſo perfectly as God required Adam ſhould doe, for God ſayd unto Adam, Doe this and live, but though a man doe not ſo now he may live, but a man cannot live unleſſe hee beleeve in Chriſt, and have a will to receive Chriſt Ieſus. The firſt covenant that God made with Adam was doe and live, becauſe he created him after his owne Image, in righteouſneſſe and true holineſſe, and made him able to performe obedience to all his commandements, but though we have never ſo many weakneſſes, never ſo many infirmities and ſins, yet if wee will but be content to receive Chriſt Ieſus and grace from him, all our weakneſſes ſhall be ſtrengthned, our wants ſupplied, and our ſinnes pardoned, but when a man commeth to this paſſe that hee is naught in himſelfe, and will not take Chriſt to be made better, then hee muſt needs periſh and come unto everlaſting deſtruction; and this is that which breaketh the match and breedeth the oppoſition betweene God and the ſoule,Matth. 23.37.Matt 23:37 Matth. 23.37, 38. there ſaith our Saviour, O Ieruſalem Ieruſalem, thou which killeſt the Prophets and ſtoneſt them that are ſent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a Hen gathereth h…r Chickens under her wings, and yee would not; Behold therefore your houſe is left unto you deſolate. p. 60the fault was on their parts, the Lord woed them, and ſtrived with them; hee would have gathered them as a henne doth her chickings, but they would not, and this cauſed the jarre betweene the Lord and them, and therefore their houſe was left unto them deſolate. So Pſal. 81.13. there ſaith the text,Pſal. 81.13.Ps 81:13 Oh that may people Iſrael had hearkned unto me! and had walked in my wayes, I ſhould ſoone have ſubdued their enemies, and turned my hand againſt their adverſaries: but my people would not hearken unto my voyce, and Iſrael would none of me, ſo I gave them up unto their owne hearts luſt, and they walked in their owne counſels. Iſrael would none of me, there was the breach. So that, that which breaketh the match betweene God and us, is, becauſe wee will not receive mercy, and grace, and ſalvation, offered unto us, that ſo our ſinnes may bee pardoned, and our perſons accepted for our everlaſting comfort and ſalvation. Looke as it is with a woman to whom a man maketh love, and would marry her; if ſhe ſpeake him faire, and uſe great complements, and bid him wellcome, and all this while reſolve that ſhee will not bee marryed unto him; all her other outward behaviour the man regardeth not, but counteth it as nothing, becauſe her heart is not with him, (and as the phraſe is) if ſhe do not grant him her good will, all is worth nothing. In this caſe juſt ſo it is here, all other outward complements and performances, God taketh them as matters of …o conſe quence or worth, if this beleeving in Chriſt, and willing of grace bee wanting. If a p. 61man ſhall come and heare the word of God ſpeaking unto him, and ſhall receive Chriſt into his family, & pray unto him, and make a great profeſſion of him, all this I muſt confeſſe is very good; but if the ſoule doe not will Chriſt, if the heart doth not prize Chriſt, and chooſe him, and cloſe with him, and faſten unto him, it is worth nothing. If men wil profeſſe faire to Chriſt, and ſay, he is welcome, and all this while doe not give Chriſt their ſoules and good wils, the Lord Ieſus doth take himſelfe as deſpiſed, and counts himſelfe as rejected in this kinde, and therefore we ſhall obſerve that God regards not any of our performances,2 Chron. 25.2.2 Chr 25:2 if they bee not done from the heart. 2 Chron. 25.2. there ſaith the text of Amaziah, He did that which was right in the ſight of the Lord, but not with a perfect heart, and therefore what is this to the marriage in the meane time: ſo that to gather up all, if it be ſo, that this hearty willing is that which God requireth of us, if it bee that whereby wee are able to cloſe with Chriſt, if the want of this breaketh the match betweene God and the ſoule, then the caſe is cleare, that whoſoever hath this will ſhall have Chriſt and ſalvation by him; but this willing of Chriſt doth fully ſatisfie and content God, it doth enable us to faſten and lay hold upon Chriſt; the want of this doth breake the match betweene Chriſt and the ſoule, and therefore he that hath this will, ſhall ſ…rely have Chriſt, and ſalvation by him. This contents God, by this we lay hold upon God; and the want of this cauſeth the breach betweene God p. 62and us, and therefore hee that hath this ſhall have Chriſt.

The uſe of the point is threefold, it is a ground, firſt of inſtruction, here we may ſee and wonder at the riches of Gods bounty and goodneſſe in his reaſonable dealing with poore ſinners, in that God doth not exact every thing at the utmoſt of us, he doth not require every thing in the utmoſt rigour, he doth not take poore ſinners by the throat (as he did his fellow-ſervant) ſaying, Pay me that thou oweſt mee; there is no poore ſinner, but he may ſend the Devill after him to dragge him into hell, he may juſtly ſay unto every ſinfull ſoule, I gave thee perfect righteouſneſſe and holineſſe and abilitie to performe obedience to all my commandements, either give mee that I expected from thee, and thou oweſt unto me, or elſe to hell thou muſt goe, where is my ſervice and my obedience and my righteouſneſſe that I required of thee; God may ſay thus to every poore ſinner, but hee doth not deale thus in juſtice with us, but bleſſed be his name, he doth not expect that wee ſhould have all ſufficiencie in our ſelves; he doth not ſay, That he that hath no ſinne ſhall bee ſaved; let him take Chriſt, he that is able to performe obedience to all my Commandements, and doe whatſoever… require, he ſhall have Chriſt and ſalvation by him he doth not deale with us after this manner, for then woe were it with us, it is not exact obedience that Chriſt requireth of us, but the condition is this, If any poore ſoule will take mercy offered p. 63and receive grace tendered unto him, he ſhall have mercy, hee ſhall receive grace; as if God ſhould ſay, Thou art a poore ſinfull creature, many weakeneſſes are with thee, many imperfections trouble thee, many corruptions doe oppreſſe thee, I require no exaction of thee, if thou wilt take Chriſt and mercy, then Chriſt is thine, and mercy is thine; is not this marvelous mercy, is not this wonderfull goodneſſe. If there ſhould bee a poore miſerable wretched creature, one that had neither portion nor ability in any meaſure, nor any thing that could procure a husband, no friends to ſuccour her, no parents to relieve her, but were fatherleſſe and motherl…ſſe, and voyd of all comfort; if yet notwithſtanding all this, a man of place and abilitie ſhould come and offer love unto her, though ſhee have nothing, but is troubled with all weakeneſſes and infirmities, and full of all deformities, if this man now for all this ſhould regard none of theſe things, if hee ſhould looke for nothing, nor require any thing of her, but her good will and liking, if ſhee would have him then, hee would bee married unto her; you will ſay this is wonderfull love, and that nothing but love prevailed with him; ſurely hee could ſee nothing in her but that which might rather make him deſpiſe her, then ſhew any love unto her, but it was the violence of affection which cauſed him to marry her: This is our condition perfectly, nay wee are not able to expreſſe our miſerable and woefull eſtate this way, p. 64becauſe our baſeneſſe and vileneſſe and miſery is greate in reſpect of our ſinnes than any poore wretch can be in regard of any outward reſpect, and the excellency of God alſo is greater, and farre exceedeth the dignity and excellency of any man in the world, and yet notwithſtanding though we be nothing but ragges, full of corruptions and rottenneſſe, and deformities, though we have neither beauty, nor portion, nor friends, nor meanes, but are fatherleſſe and motherleſſe, and laden with abundance of all abominations, yet for all this, this is all that God requireth of us, though we have nothing, and can doe nothing, yet if wee will but have Chriſt, if we will but receive grace and mercy offered, if we will but welcome and entertaine the Lord Ieſus, this is all that God expects, the match then is made up, and the buſineſſe is fully ended, we ſhall have Chriſt and abundance of love ſhewen unto us, and this ſhould make a ſoule burſt out, and ſay is it poſſible? is it credible that if this my miſerable heart would take Chriſt, he would direct me, if this my wretched damned ſoule would give entertainement to Chriſt he would receive me? Oh! what wonderfull love, mercy and goodneſſe is herein diſcovered, there can no better way be deviſed, how God may expreſſe more love, and ſhew greater mercy toward; us, it is the Pſalmiſts phraſe, open thy mouth wide, and I will fill thee, lie doth not ſay, goe and provide for your ſelves, and feede yourſelves, no, no, the proviſion is made ready, and we need only p. 65open our mouthes wide, and God will fill them; marke here the wonderfull riches of Gods bounty, what greater care of proviſion can be expreſſed or expected than this, that a man ſhould onelyonly open his mouth, and that wide, and it ſhould be filled, it is not ſpoken of the mouth naturally, but of the ſoule ſpiritually, doe but thou open thy ſoule, and empty thy heart of all other things whatſoever, doe but get a heart willing to welcome and give entertainement to the Lord Ieſus Chriſt, and he will fill thee full of grace here, and glory for ever hereafter; this is the bounty of the Lord, it is the Lords mercy and goodneſſe, and it ſhould, it ought to be mervailous in our eyes, as the Pſalmiſt ſpeaketh in another caſe, we ought to admire the goodneſſe of the Lord, in that he is pleaſed to offer us Chriſt and Salvation, upon ſo reaſonable conditions: and this is the firſt uſe.

Secondly, the ſecond uſe is a word of terrour, 2it ſhewes in the ſecond place, the juſt and heavie condemnation of all ſuch as periſh, they are damned and goe to hell and everlaſting deſtruction, becauſe they will be damned, for if you would have had Chriſt and grace, you might have received Chriſt and Grace and Salvation by him. Every man that will, let him take of the water of life freely, let him receive mercy and grace, and Salvation, and therefore if you have not grace, it is becauſe you will not have it, and therefore if you periſh thanke your ſelves, for you would not bee ſaved: there is never a ſoule this day in hell, bu… p. 66received the fruites of his owne labour, the reward of their owne workes, and the deſire of their owne hearts, nay they have their owne will, if thou wilt not be recovered, and receive mercy offered, why then thou muſt be damned and periſh forever, he that will not receive the Lord Ieſus and entertaine grace ſo that he may goe to heaven, tis pitty but he ſhould be damned into the lowermoſt pit of everlaſting ruine and deſtruction; when men come to this paſſe once, that they are not willing to be the treaſury of God, but are weary to heare the Word of God preached unto them one houre, and notwithſtanding God hath revealed himſelfe in his Word, and that with ſome glimpſe▪ yet wicked men would not be under the power of it, becauſe they would have their profits and pleaſures, and enjoy their luſts and coruptions, they will not forſake their luſts, and abandon their abominations, and receive Chriſt and mercy; when the caſe ſtands thus with men, it is juſt with God to plunge them into everlaſting miſery, in the 8 of Prov. 36. there ſaith the text He that ſinneth againſt me wrongeth his owne ſoule,Prov. 8.36.Prov 8:36 all they that hate me love death, they that hate me ſaith the text, that is, they that hate wiſedome love death, by wiſedome there is meant the Lord Ieſus, revealing the wiſedome of the Father in the Word, now he that hateth this Word of God, he that will not be informed by this Word, he that will not be directed by it, he that will not be humbled by it, his ſoule taketh up armes againſt Gods p. 67ordinances, why he loves death both naturally and eternally, when the wrath of God ceaſeth upon him, he hath that which he loveth, you loved this, you loved death, you have it, you loved damnation, you doe enjoy it, and it is merveilous juſt with God, thus to deale with you, you cannot blame God for this but your ſelves, wicked men are deſirous to be rid of God, and freed from the Counſell of God, that may chalke them out the way to Salvation, and they deſire nothing; the knowledge of Gods lawes many wicked carnall man doth not deſire, the good and Salvation of his owne ſoule, he doth not deſire the preaching of the Word, for the reformation of his life, and the humbling of his ſoule, and directing of him in the wayes of Gods Commandements; they ſay to God, now depart from us, we care not for thy lawes, we will not walke after thy Commandements, if he at the laſt day ſay unto you, Depart from me ye workers of iniquity I know you not, then you ſhall have your deſire, when the heavens ſhall melt away with fire, and the Sunne and the Moone ſhall be darkned, when all fleſh ſhall appeare before the judgement ſeate of God, at that day men and Angels ſhall heare the dreadfull doome which ſhall paſſe upon you by the Lord, you contemned my word and ordinances, and therefore away from me ye curſed into everlaſting destruction, prepared for the devill and his Angels, you deſired not to be informed, you would not be humbled, you refuſed to be directed p. 68by my word when it was preached unto you, but you deſired to fulfill your luſts, and enjoy your profits and your pleaſures, you did not deſire to be ſaved, and therefore now you ſhall have your deſire, you ſhall be damned, and therefore depart from me, I know you not. You would have your pride when you were upon the earth, when you are in hell you may be as proud as you will, you would have your malice, when you are in hell you may have your deſire, you may have your fill of maliciouſneſſe, in hell you may have elbow roome enough to ſatiate your ſelves in your luſts and ſinfull abominations, when the ſoule of a man doth ſecretly deſire that the Word may not worke upon him, then it is juſt with God to grant that deſire of his ſoule, it were juſt with God that the Word ſhould never worke more, that the Spirit ſhould never ſtrive more, that mercy and Salvation ſhould never be offered any more, that man ſhall then have what he deſired, and he may blame himſelfe for whatſoever judgement falls upon him, in the 2 of Theſſ. 2.12. there ſaith the text,2 Theſſ. 2.12.2 Thess 2:12 that they all might be damned which beleeved not the truth, but had pleaſure in unrighteouſneſse, marke that hee ſpeakes before of thoſe that would not entertaine the truth, and the love of it, but when God made knowne his will and the way of Salvation, they did not love that niceneſſe, they cared not for that exactneſſe and holineſſe, why what doe you love then ſaith God? upon what is your love placed? upon what is the deſire of your ſoule fixed? oh p. 69ſaith the text, They tooke pleaſure in unrighteouſneſſe, in contemning, oppoſing, hindring, and deſpiſing the good Word of God, and therefore they ſhall be damned: when a man is not able to abide an admonition, when he cannot endure to be informed or councelled, exhorted or reproved; when the miniſters nor the Word of God can have any power over men, when theſe poore creatures ſhall come into hell, then they ſhall have elbow roome to fulfill their luſts and corruptions wherein they ſo much delighted, they tooke pleaſure in wickedneſſe, they would not, they could not abide the meanes of grace and ſalvation; you would have no reproofes, you would endure no admonitions, it was well with you, when you had no miniſters to checke and reproove you, but alas poore ſoule, when you are gone downe into the bottomeleſſe pit of everlaſting perdition, then you may have your full ſwing, then you ſhall never be reprooved more, then you ſhall never be councelled more, you ſhall never be admoniſhed more, you ſhall then never be prayed for any more, but be damned in hell for ever, from everlaſting to everlaſting; you ſhall then have your full pleaſure in your ſinnes, is it not juſt with God, that you who would live in wickedneſſe and prophaneneſſe, and would not receive grace and mercy when it was offerd, that God ſhould give you up to the hardnes of your owne hearts, and blindneſſe of your owne minds, & ſend you into everlaſting condemnation for ever? Firſt look as it is with a malefactor that is p. 70convicted of high treaſon for plotting ſome wicked practiſe againſt his Prince, or for proceeding into rebellion for the overthrow of his Countrey, after all the ſinnefull paſſages of his be diſcovered and made knowne, both to himſelfe and the world, if the King after this make the Proclamation, that if hee will leave of his wicked enterprizes hee ſhall be pardoned, nay if the King ſhall ſend meſſage after meſſage unto him, ſecretly to tell him, that if he now will lay downe armes, and take his pardon, he ſhall freely be remitted and graciouſly received into favour, if this Traytor ſhall rather fling away his pardon then his weapons, I appeale to your owne conſciences in this caſe, if the King ſhould …ife an army and overcome him, and take him and execute him without any pitty or mercy, is he not juſtly rewarded, what will the world ſay, they will ſay, execution and death is too good for him, ſo he had a faire offer of pardon, if hee had had a heart to receive it, hee had pardon proclamed unto him, nay the King ſent meſſenger after meſſenger, to tell him, that if he would ſtoope to him, he ſhould receive mercy and favour from him, and therefore ſeeing be refuſed and neglected ſo kinde an offer, he is executed juſtly, it is pitty but condemnation ſhould befall him, becauſe h… would not take the meanes of conſolation, this is the condition of every poore ſoule under Heaven truely we are all Rebels and Traytors againſt Heaven, by our …thes and blaſphemies we fet our mou… againſt Heaven, we have often taken p. 71up armes againſt God, and yet after all our pride and ſtubborneneſſe, and looſeneſſe, and prophaneneſſe, and contempt of Gods Word and Ordinances, and yet the Lord is pleaſed to proclame mercy ſtill, to every one that will receive it, all you that have diſhonoured my name, all you that have prophaned my Sabbaths, and contemned my Ordinances, all you curſed wretches come, come who that will, and take pardon, let them lay aſide all their weapons, and receive it and ſalvation by him when it is offered to them, and they ſhall have their ſinnes forgiven, and they ſhall be received to mercy, now if any ſoule will ſtand out againſt God and ſay, I will not have Chriſt and Salvation, but will ſhift for my ſelfe, and try it out to the laſt, I will walke in my owne wayes, and take up my owne courſes, I will be proud ſtill, I will breake Gods Sabbaths ſtill, and I will be malicious ſtill, and breake Gods Commandements ſtill, if any man ſhall be thus diſpoſed, if then the great God of Heaven and Earth ſhall come, with tenne thouſand thouſand of judgements, and execute them upon that man, if he ſhall bring a whole legion of devils, and ſay, Take him devils, and torment him devils in hell forever, becauſe he would not have mercy when it was offered, he ſhall not have mercy, becauſe he would not have Salvation when it was tendered unto him, therefore let him have everlaſting condemntion, if God ſhould thus deale with that man, the Lord ſhould be juſt in ſo doing, and he juſtly miſerable: And this is the ſecond p. 72uſe, it is an uſe of terror to all thoſe that will not receive Chriſt, and grace, and ſalvation by him.

Thirdly, in the third place it is a word of exhortation, it ſhould ſet an edge upon your deſires, and provoke your ſoules to give no ſleepe to your eyes nor ſlumber to your eye-lids, to give no quiet to your ſoules, nor contentment to your hearts, untill you have brought your ſoules to be willing to receive Chriſt Ieſus, you are the Spouſe of Ieſus Chriſt, it is good for you therefore to conſider, and thinke of your eſtate in this kind, if you will but have Chriſt, that is all he careth for, if he can but get your good wils, he lookes for no more, and therefore you are to conſider of it, and lie at your hearts daily, you ſhould daily be perſwading of your ſoules, and never ceaſe till you have brought your hearts in ſome meaſure, to be willing to receive the Lord Ieſus, and bid him welcome, and give entertainement unto him, and the more to prevaile with you in this caſe, conſider of the reaſonableneſſe of the condition, and this may be a motive to provoke your ſoules hereunto, becauſe the offer is marveilous eaſie, as faire as can be, the tearmes of agreement are as faire as any heart can deſire, nay there is very good conſideration in the goodneſſe which the Lord hath tendred to us, and that is thus much, If we will but receive Chriſt Ieſus, all that he hath ſhall be ours, the treaſures of wiſdome, and grace, and ſalvation, they ſhall be all ours, if we will but entertaine the Lord Ieſus, let us therefore reaſon with our owne ſoules, and commune p. 73with our owne ſpirits concerning this gratious offer of ſalvation; the ſoule ſhould ſay, What, hath the Lord offered ſalvation at ſo eaſie a rate, will hee notwithſtanding what ever I have beene heretofore, full of corruptions and abhominations, though my ſoule ſtands guilty of my ſinnes and diſtempers, though I bee poſſeſſed with many weakeneſſes and infirmities, yet notwithſtanding all this, will the Lord be pleaſed to pardon all, to ſupply all, to paſſe by all, onelyonly upon this condition, if I will welcome and entertaine him; may I have Chriſt for taking of him, may I receive grace for carrying it away; why, good Lord if I will not doe this for Chriſt and grace I will do nothing; doth God require no more, why, then if grace and mercy and ſalvation bee not worth this, they are worth nothing, if I will not doe this, I will doe nothing for eternall life; this is that God expects, all that he lookes for; Every man that will, let him take grace and mercy, and that freely. In the 2 of King. 5.13. the text ſaith of Naaman the …irian, 2 King. 5.132 Kgs 5:13when hee came to Eliſha the man of God to bee healed, the Prophet ſent a meſſenger unto him, ſaying, Goe and waſh ſeven times in Iordan, and thy fleſh ſhall come againe to thee, and thou ſhalt bee cleane. Now hee being a man of authority and of ſome place, he tooke this ſomewhat in diſdaine, that hee ſhould ſend a meſſenger out unto him, and bid him waſh ſeven times in Iordan, hee was wrath and went away and ſayd, Behold, I thought hee would ſurely come out to me, and ſtand and call upon the name of the p. 74Lord his God, and stroke his hand over the place and remoove the Leper; hee did thinke the Prophet would have done ſome great matter unto him, and therefore when hee ſaw that he bid him goe waſh ſeaven times in Iordan, he went away in a kind of indignation; but then his ſervants they came neare to him in the 13.2 King. 5 13.2 Kgs 5:13 verſe, and ſaid, My father if the Prophet had bid thee, &c. As who ſhould ſay if you will not doe ſo ſmall a matter to be cured, you will doe nothing. So I ſay to every ſoule here preſent, if the Lord had required a great matter of us whereby we might attaine ſalvation; if hee had required a thouſand Rams & 10. thouſand rivers of Oyle; if he had required the firſt borne of our body for the ſinne of our ſoules, if the Lord had enjoyned every ſoule of us to live howling & crying all the dayes of our life for mercy; if hee had commanded us to goe into a Chamber ſecretly, and there to fall upon our knees and pray unto him continually for mercy untill our eyes had failed with looking up to heaven for mercy, untill our hands had beene wearied with holding them up to heaven, untill our tongues had beene hoarſe with crying for mercy, and untill our hearts failed us and fainted within us; if at the very laſt gaſpe wee ſhould be crying for mercy and did … then receive one drop of it▪ it would quit coſt, it would be worth our labour; if the Lord had required all things whatſoever of you for one drop of mercy; if you had had your eyes about you, y… would have given them, but what a wonderfull p. 75goodneſſe is this, that the Lord ſhould require nothing at our hands for Chriſt and grace and ſalvation, but a will to receive them; let me preſſe this a little further; if God had required a great thing of you, would you not have done it to have beene ſaved? how much more, when it commeth to this once, that it is at a lower rate then wee can deſire or expect it ſhould bee, onelyonly be willing to take mercy and you ſhall have it, doe but carry away grace and it is your owne for ever. I cannot conceive of any eaſier tearme, whereby God might better expreſſe his wonderfull goodneſſe towards us, wilt thou receive Chriſt and ſalvation by him… why then thou mayſt have him, nay the Lord even forceth his commodities and his favour upon us, he doth not onelyonly offer us this, but he forces it upon us in this kind, he is not onelyonly willing that we ſhould receive Chriſt if wee be but willing to take him, but the Lord himſelfe doth beſeech us that wee will be reconciled unto him, and receive mercy from him, and be bleſſed for ever. Take notice of this unmatchable and unconceiveable mercy of the Lord, in that he offereth Chriſt and the meanes of ſalvation upon ſo eaſie conditions, and at ſo low a rate; if wee can but will Chriſt wee ſhall have Chriſt and ſalvation by him, nay we ſhall not onelyonly receive Chriſt if we will entertaine him, but the Lord himſelfe doth beſeech us to take mercy at his hands; aske your owne ſoules therefore if it bee not equall that you ſhould entertaine the offer of Chriſt thus pronounced unto you. p. 76But be …les as a further motive hereunto conſider, that as the termes are equall and eaſie, ſo the commodity alſo in the ſecond place is worth the price, and this may alſo inforce our hearts to forſake all for the getting of, the poſſeſſion of this goodneſſe which wee ſtand ſo in neede of; if the commodity were not good, though the condition were caſte, and the price reaſonable, it were the… indeed ſomething, wee could thinke to mend ourſelves in another place; but here as the termes are moſt eaſie, ſo the good is farre better than can bee conceived; you cannot mend yourſelves goe whither you will, uſe what meanes you will. If you will have Chriſt, what then, will you have as men uſe to ſay, when a man hath a commodity offered him a good penny worth, and hee knowes not a good bargain… when he hath it, marke what Chapmen will ſay; Oh ſay they, you will goe further and ſpeed worſe▪ juſt ſo it is here, it is the woefull… thing under heaven for …en not to know when they have a good bargain…, and when they are we… dealt withall▪ To refuſe mercy and ſalvation when it is offered them, and that upon ſo eaſie termes, and at ſo low a rate; for what will you have if you will not have Chriſt, if you will nor have grace and ſalvation, why, what will you have, upon what will you beſtow your hearts? you will have your ſinnes and corruptions, and not grace and mercy, you will have damnation, and not ſalvation; you will have hell, you will not have heaven; you will be like the Iewes, who refuſed Chriſt, and choſe p. 77Barrabas a murtherer, for whenſoever a ſoule refuſeth the Lord Ieſus, it is certaine that he chooſeth a Barrabas: if you refuſe the one, you muſt needes receive the other, and then conſider which is beſt, you will not have Chriſt and ſalvation, what will you then have, hell, damnation, confuſion, and deſtruction; you will not bee happy, and therefore you muſt bee miſerable; and therefore this is obſerveable, the Lord hath ſent from heaven this day, and offered ſalvation and happineſſe to men, as freely as ever any man had any thing offered; I come this day from the Lord to enquire how the caſe ſtandeth, and how the match goeth forward betweene Chriſt and you: Let me therefore goe to your ſoules, and anſwer you mee unto my queſtion; the offer of grace you ſee is free, the condition is eaſie, the price is reaſonable, whither now will you have mercy and ſalvation, or no▪ you little ones, you young ones, that have beene married to profits and pleaſures, to luſts and corruptions, the Lord Ieſus is become a great ſuter to you all this day, and I am Chriſts ſpokſman to ſpeake a good word for him; be not, oh bee not ſqueamiſh and coy, and ſay afterward you will ſpeake with him, and tell him how your minde ſtands: deferre not the time, but welcome him, and give entertainment unto him now preſently, do not put him off with delayes, but preſently embrace his kinde offer, and be married unto him, for if you will not now take him, he will come in a flaming fire hereafter, to take vengeance of you all that now refuſe p. 78and reject him, and therefore I beſeech you let … get your good will for this, every man that will, let him take grace and ſalvation freely, tell m… then, will you have mercy and ſalvation? oh take heed of refuſing it, for if you do the time will come when you ſhall never have it, though you never ſo earneſtly deſire it, if you obtaine it you are made for ever, if you enjoy it not, you are for ever damned; returne therefore I beſeech you a comfortable anſwere to the demand which the Lord maketh, if you will receive grace and Chriſt and Salvation from him, then ſpeake to the Lord in this caſe, let your ſoules anſwere him cheerefully, we will Lord, the Lord ſaith, come unto me ye ſinfull ſonnes of men, and I will h…ale your rebellions; anſwere the Lord and ſay, we come Lord, for thou art our God, thinke upon this, and worke your ſoules hereunto, gra…nt Chriſt your good wills in this kind; if you will but prize him and chooſe him above all things in this world, if you be reſolved to cleave onelyonly to him, and forſake all other things in the world for him; if your ſoules be but willing to receive Chriſt, I proclaime mercy and ſalvation unto you, we are as I told you before, Chriſts meſſengers, ſent to ſpeake a good word for Chriſt, and to get your good wills for him: oh that we may have our errant from you▪ ſhall I ſay to the Lord Ieſus, all the poore ſoules that have heard the Word this day, and received the tender of Salvation this day, I have all their hands, they have all writ downe their names, that p. 79they will have Chriſt, and they will have ſalvation offered unto them, is it thus with you, if it be ſo, then I may goe and returne a chearefull anſwer to Chriſt; but doe not, doe not I beſeech you give me the deniall, doe not ſay I cannot live by grace; I muſt provide for family, for wife and children; can you not ſo, why? I muſt not take this anſwer from you, let not Gods meſſengers go drooping to heaven, and returne this uncomfortable anſwer to the Lord, in this caſe let us not ſay we offered mercy, no body would receive it, we tendred ſalvation, but no body regarded it; ſhall we returne this anſwer, no no, we muſt have another anſwer from you, and therefore I beſeech you worke yet more upon your ſoules, and turne unto us a chearefull anſwer in this caſe; for God looketh for a comfortable anſwer, he wooeth from heaven, and therefore never give her the deniall.Deut. 5.29.Deut 5:29 In the 5. of Deut. 29. Oh that there were ſuch a heart in my people to feare me and keepe my Commandements, that it may goe well with them, and with their children after them, thus hee writeth, thus wee ſpeake, what anſwer ſhall wee have from you? that you will not have Chriſt, and you will not have grace and ſalvation! Oh take heede of this, wee come for your hearts, and wee muſt have your hearts, therefore ſhut up your doores againſt all other lovers, and come and ſay cheerefully, wee will Lord, wee will cleave to thee onelyonly; goe home therefore, and whatſoever you now reſolve this way, perſevere in it, and take heed that no man inveagle you and withdraw your love from the Lord Ieſus; p. 80and when you come at home, reaſon with your owne ſoules, and ſay, Lord I have followed ra… ties heretofore, I have had profits and pleaſures do looke after, but now I care for nothing but for the Lord Ieſus, if I may but have him, I care for nothing elſe; I …are not whether I ever ſee good day againe or no: and therefore if pleaſures call, if profits entiſe, if luſts and corruptions ſtirre, then I will anſwer, I am married to Chriſt, I will have Chriſt, and I will have ſalvation, nothing ſhall make mee forſake him; thus cleave faſt unto Chriſt forever, let every ſoule reſolve that hath heard mee this day, that they will have Chriſt, and let them take heede that they never ſtart backe from him, and ſay to your ſo…es before ſo many witneſſes in the Congregation, the Lord called and asked whither I would have him? and I anſwered, I was willing, and what ſhall I now breake off my reſolution… no, never doe it for ſhame; for if you doe for ſake Chriſt, and do not keepe cloſe to your reſolution; at the laſt day, when the Angels of God, & a whole Congregation ſhall come and witneſſe againſt you, what a miſerable eſtate will you then bee in, therefore reſolve to hold f…ſt to Chriſt, and keepe this reſolution unto the end.