Come and Welcome to Jesus Christ, Part 5
The Second Use; a Use of Examination.
WE come now to a Use of Examination. Sinner, Thou hast heard of the Necessity of Coming to Christ; also, Of the Willingness of Christ, to Receive the Coming-Soul: Together, with the Benefit, that They by him shall have, that indeed come to Him. Put thy self now upon this Serious Enquiry; Am I, indeed, come to Jesus Christ?
Motives, plenty, I might here urge, to prevail with thee to a Conscientious Performance of this Duty: As,
1. Thou art in Sin, in the Flesh, in Death, in the Snare of the Devil, and under the Curse of the Law; if thou art not coming to Jesus Christ.
2. There is no way to be delivered from these, but by coming to Jesus Christ.
3. If thou comest, Jesus Christ will Receive thee, and will in no wise cast thee out.
4. Thou wilt not Repent it in the Day of Judgement, if now thou comest to Jesus Christ.
5. But thou wilt surely Mourn at last, if now thou shalt refuse to come: And,
6. Lastly, Now thou hast been invited to come; now will thy Judgment be greater, and thy Damnation more fearful, if thou shalt yet Refuse, than if thou hadst never heard of Coming to Christ.
Object. But we hope, we are come to Jesus Christ?
Answ. 'Tis well, if it proves so. But lest thou should speak without Ground, and so fall unawares into Hell Fire; Let us Examine a little.
First, Art thou, indeed, come to Jesus Christ? What hast thou left behind thee? What didst thou come away from, in thy Coming to Jesus Christ?
When Lot came out of Sodom, he left the Sodomites behind him; Gen. 19.
When Abraham came out of Chaldea, he left his Country and Kindred behind him; Gen. 12. Acts 7.
When Ruth came to put her Trust under the Wings of the Lord God of Israel; she left her Father, and Mother; her Gods, and the Land of her Nativity behind her; Ruth 1. 15, 16, 17. Chap. 2. 11, 12.
When Peter came to Christ, he left his Nets behind him; Mat. 4. 18.
When Zacheus came to Christ, he left the Receipt of Custom behind him; Luk. 19.
When Paul came to Christ, he left his own Righteousness behind him; Philip. 3. 7, 8.
When those that used Curious Arts came to Jesus Christ, they took their Curious Books, and burned them; though in another Man's Eye, they were counted worth Fifty-Thousand Peices of Silver: Acts 19. 18, 19, 20.
What say'st thou, Man? Hast thou left thy Darling Sins, thy Sodomitish Pleasures, thy Acquaintance, and vain Companions; thy unlawful Gain, thy Idol Gods, and Righteousness, and thy unlawful Curious Arts, behind thee? If any of these be with thee, and thou with them, in thy Heart and Life, thou art not yet come to Jesus Christ.
Secondly, Art thou come to Jesus Christ? Prethee tell me, VVhat moved hee come to Jesus Christ? Men do not usually come, or go, to this or that Place, before they have a Moving Cause; or rather, a Cause moving them thereto: No more do they come to Jesus Christ, (I do not say) before they have a Cause; but before that Cause moveth them to come: What say'st thou? Hast thou a Cause moving thee to come? To be at present, in a State of Condemnation, is Cause sufficient for Men to come to Jesus Christ for Life: But that will not do, except that Cause move them; the which, it will never do, until their Eyes be opened, to see themselves in that Condition. For it is not a Man's being under Wrath, but his seeing it, that moveth him to come to Jesus Christ. Alas! All Men by Sin. are under Wrath; yet but few of that All, came to Jesus Christ: And the Reason is, because they do not see their Condition. Who hath warned you, to flee from the Wrath to come, Mat. 3. 7. Until Men are warned, and also, receive the VVarning, they will not come to Jesus Christ.
Take three or four Instances for this:
1. Adam and Eve came not to Jesus Christ, until they Received the Alarum; the Conviction of their Undone State by Sin: Gen. 3.
2. The Children of Israel cryed not out for a Mediator, before they saw themselves in danger of Death by the Law; Exod. 20. 18, 19.
3. Before the Publican came, he saw himself lost and undone; Luk 18. 13.
4. The Prodigal came not, until he saw Death at the Door, ready to devour him: Luk. 15. 17, 18.
5. The Three-Thousand came not, until they knew not what to do, to be Saved; Acts 2. 37, 38, 39.
6. Paul came not, until he saw himself lost and undone; Acts 9. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. 11.
7. Lastly, Before the Jayler came, he saw himself undone; Acts 16. 29, 30, 31. And I tell thee, It is an easier thing to perswade a Well-Man to go to the Physitian for Cure, or a Man without Hurt, to seek out for a Playster to Cure him; than it is to perswade a Man, that sees not his Soul-Disease, to come to Jesus Christ. The Whole have No need of the Physitian: Then, Why should they go to him? The full Pitcher can hold no more; then, Why should it go to the Fountain? And, if thou comest full, thou comest not aright; and be sure, Christ will send thee Empty away: But he healeth the Broken in Heart, and bindeth up their Wounds, Mar. 2. 17. Psal. 147. 3. Luk. 1. 53.
Thirdly, Art thou Coming to Jesus Christ? Prethee tell me, What seest thou in him, to allure thee to forsake all the VVorld, to come to him? I say, VVhat hast thou seen in him? Men must see something in Jesus Christ, else, they will not come to him.
1. VVhat Comlyness hast thou seen in his Person? Thou comest not, if thou seest no Form, nor Comlyness in him; Isa. 53. 1, 2, 3.
2. Until those mentioned in the Song, were convinced, that there was more Beauty, Comlyness, and Desirableness in Christ, than in Ten-Thousand; they did not so much as ask, VVhere he was, nor incline to turn aside after him; Song 5. Chap. 6.
There be many Things on this side Heaven, that Can and Do, carry away the Heart; and so will do, so long as thou Livest, if thou shalt be kept blind, and not be admitted to see the beauty of the Lord Jesus.
Fourthly, Art thou come to the Lord Jesus; what hast thou found in him, since thou camest to him?
Peter found with him the words of eternal life, Joh. 6. 68.
They that Peter makes mention of, found him a Living stone, even such a living stone as Communicated life to them, 1 Pet. 2.
He saith himself, they that come to him, &c. Shall find rest unto their Souls; hast thou found rest in him, for thy Soul? Mat. 11.
Let us go back to the times of the Old Testament.
First, Abraham found that in him, that made him Leave his Countrey for him, and become for his sake a Pilgrim, and stranger in the earth, Gen. 12. Heb. 11.
Secondly, Moses found that in him, that made him forsake a Crown, and a Kingdome for him too.
Thirdly, David found so much in him, that he counted, to be in his house one day, was better than a Thousand; yea, to be a door keeper there-in, was better, in his esteem, than to dwell in the Tents of wickedness, Psal. 84. 10.
Fourthly, What did Daniel, and the three Children find in him, to make them run the hazzard of the Fiery Furnance, and the Den of Lyons, for his sake, Dan. 3. chap. 6.
Let's come down to Martyrs.
First, Stephen found that in him, that made him Joyfully and quietly, yeild up his life for his name, Acts 7.
Secondly, Ignatius found that in him, that made him, Chuse to go through the Torments of the Devil, and Hell it self; rather than not to have him, Acts and Mon. vol. 1. pag. 25.
Thirdly, What saw Romanus in Christ, when he said to the rageing Emperor, who threatned him with fearful Torments; Thy Sentence O Emperor, I Joyfully imbrace, and refuse not to be Sacrificed—by as Cruel Torments as thou canst invent, pag. 116.
Fourthly, What saw Menas the Egyptian in Christ, when he said under most Cruel Torments; Ther eis nothing in my mind, that can be compared to the Kingdome of Heaven; neither is all the World, if it was weighed in the ballance, to be conferred with the price of one Soul; who is able to separate us from the Love of Jesus Christ our Lord; and I have Learned of my Lord, and King not to fear them, that kill the body, &c. pag. 117.
Fifthly, What did Eulalia see in Christ, when she said, as they was pulling her one Joynt from another; Behold O Lord, I will not forget thee: what a pleasure is it for them O Christ! that remember thy Tryumphant Victories, pag. 121.
Sixthly, What, think you, did Agnes see in Christ, when rejoyceingly she went to meet the Souldier, that was appointed to be her Executioner: I will willingly (said she) receive into my Paps, the length of his Sword, and into my Breasts will draw the force thereof even to the hilts; that thus I, being married to Christ my Spouse, may surmount and escape all the darkness of this World, pag. 122.
Seventhly, What do you think did Julitta, see in Christ, when, at the Emperors telling of her; that, except she would worship the Gods, she should neither have Protection, Laws, Judgements, nor life: She replied, Fare-well life, Welcome Death: Fare-well Riches, Wel-come poverty. All that I have, if it were a Thousand times more, would I rather lose, than to speak one wicked and blasphemous word against my Creator, pag. 123.
Eightly, What did Marcus Arethusius, see in Christ, when after his enemies had cut his flesh, anointed it with honey, and hanged him up in a basket, for flies and bees to feed on, he would not (give to up-hold Idolatry) one half penny to save his life, pag. 129.
Ninethly, What did Constantine, see in Christ, when he used to kiss the wounds of them that suffered for him. pag. 135.
Tenthly, But what need I give, thus, particular instances of words, and smaller actions, when by their lives their blood, their induring hunger, sword, fire, pulling a sunder, and all Torments that the Devil, and Hell could devise, for the love they bare to Christ, after they were come to him.
What hast thou found in him sinner?
What! come to Christ, and find nothing in him (when all things that are worth looking after, are in him; or if any thing, yet not enough to wean thee from thy sinfull delights, and fleshly lusts: Away, away: thou art not come to Jesus Christ.
He that is come to Jesus Christ, hath found in him, that, as I said, that is not to be found any where else. As,
First, He that is come to Christ, hath found God in him reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses to them: And so God is not to be found in Heaven and earth besides, 2 Cor. 5. 19, 20.
Secondly, He that is come to Jesus Christ, hath found in him a fountain of grace, sufficient, not only to pardon sin, but to Sanctifie the Soul, and to preserve it from falling in this evil World.
Thirdly, He that is come to Jesus Christ, hath found vertue in him: That vertue, that if he does but touch thee with his Word; or thou, him by Faith: Life is forthwith conveyed into thy Soul: It makes thee wake as one that is waked out of his sleep: it awakes all the powers of thy Soul. Psal. 30. 11, 12. Song. 6. 12.
Fourthly, Art thou come to Jesus Christ? thou hast found glory in him, glory that Surmounts, and goes beyond: Thou art more glorious than the mountaines of pray, Psal. 76. 4.
Fifthly, What shall I say? thou hast found Righteousness in him; Thou hast found rest, peace, delight, Heaven, glory and eternal life. Sinner, be advised, Ask thy heart again, saying; Am I come to Jesus Christ? For, upon this one question, Am I Come, or, am I Not, Hangs Heaven and Hell, as to thee. If thou canst say, I am come; and God shall approve that saying; Happy, Happy, Happy man art thou! but if thou art not come, what can make thee happy: Yea what can make that man Happy, that for his not coming to Jesus Christ for life, must be damned in Hell?