A Cordial for a Fainting Soul, Sermon 4
SERM. IV.
LUKE 17. 5.
Lord increaſe our Faith.
I Am diſcovering to you upon what grounds many Chriſtians think they have no warrant to beleeve, and reſt upon Jeſus Chriſt, and labouring to ſatisfie ſuch poor Chriſtians in ſuch caſes and under ſuch perplexities of ſpirit. I have ſhewed you already two uſuall cauſes: Firſt, A too irregular eying of preparatory qualifications, thinking that they are not humbled enough: Or ſecondly, A too unwarrantable prying into Gods ſecrets, conceiving they are not elected, and upon this ſcore utterly refuſing to obey that great Goſpel command, Beleeve; to both theſe I have ſpoke ſomething already, to the latter the laſt day. I am intended by the bleſſing of God, and as he ſhall inable me to ſpeak ſomething this day, to a third cauſe commonly alledged by Chriſtians, why they conceive they ought not to beleeve, viz. Becauſe of their own unworthineſſe, in reſpect of the greatneſſe, and multitude of their ſins, that have ſtained, and poſsibly do yet pollute their ſoul: Alas! (ſaith a poor ſoul) would you have me lay hold on Ieſus Chriſt? what with my filthy hands? what can ſuch a rotten ſinner that hath been ſo auncient in ſin, can I (think you) have warrant? whe… I have given the Devill my youth, to beleeve Ieſus Chriſt will take the fag end of my life? No no, call to the young perſon to beleeve, that is not yet withered and rotten with ſin, call to thoſe that have lived honeſtly and civilly, not to ſuch profane wretches as I have been. Now, to anſwer this cavill, Let me bend my diſcourſe at this time, and propound certain conſiderations, which duly weighed, may comfort a ſoul under this trouble, and put it upon its work and duty of beleeving, and convince it that it is its duty.
Cap. 4.
How to ſatisfie a poor ſoul doubting whether it may beleeve or no, becauſe of its many and great ſins paſt, or its continuing corruptions, and ſo deemeth it ſelf unworthy.
FIrſt of all conſider, Gods grace is enough for thee, This ſcruple of thy ſpirit, ariſeth from ſcant, & ſtreightned thoughts of rich incomprehenſible grace: Be convinced therefore, that there is a fulneſſe enough in the ocean of infinite grace to ſwallow up thy ſoul, however loaded with a burthen of ſin; obſerve but how the Scripture ſetteth out infinite love, take one place for all, Eph. 3. 17, 18, 19. That Chriſt may dwell in your hearts by Faith, that you being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all Saints, what is the bredth, and length, and depth, and heigth; and to know the love of Chriſt, which paſſeth knowledge, that you might be filled with the fulneſſe of God. Mark how the Apoſtle expreſſeth free grace, by all dimenſions; are thy ſins in the heighth? there is an heighth of love; are they in the depth? there is a depth of love; are they long, broad? are they all? yet there is mercy enough in this Chriſt, for ſuch is his love that it paſſeth knowledge; are they a mountain? why who art thou (O great mountain before Zerubbabell) thou ſhalt be made a plain; do thy ſins cry up to heaven? his mercies are above the heavens; are thy ſins more in number then the haires of thy head, his mercies are more in number then the ſand which lieth on the ſea ſhore. Now this is eaſie to be conceived, if we do but conceive, and know that the mercies of God are infinite; God is an infinite God, and every mercy of his, is as inconceivable as himſelf is. His love paſſeth all underſtanding (ſaith the Apoſtle;) have no low thoughts (Chriſtian) of the heighth of free grace which reacheth up to the heavens, yea, and above the heavens; Is the filthy garments of thy wickedneſſe of a larger extent thinkeſt thou, then the long white robe of his righteouſneſſe, Who was made for thee righteouſneſſe, wiſdom, ſanctification, and redemption. Is the fountain ſet open for Iudah, and Ieruſalem, for ſin, and for uncleannes ſo ſhallow that thou canſt not bath in it? Miſtake not (Chriſtian) it is a bath of capacity to hold all filthy ſouls, be their uncleanneſſe what it will, if they will but come and waſh, and be clean; thoſe that have the rotteneſt wounds, the fil…hieſt ſores, the moſt unſound …arkaſſes, may fetch balm from Gilead enough to heal their wounds. When Chriſt was upon the earth, the Evangeliſt tells us, Matth. 4. 24. They brought unto him all ſick people, that were ſick of divers diſeaſes and torments, and thoſe which were poſſeſſed with devils, and he healed them. When vertue went out from Chriſt, to heal the poor woman … …ouched the hemme of his garment, it went … …im as light goeth out of the ſun, that there is … for what goeth out. Chriſt never had any vertue went out of him, ſo as by ſuch emiſſion he loſt any. How many Saints think you, ſince old Abrah…m (who was the father of the faithfull) to this day, have touched the hemme of his garment? vertue went out and healed every one, and yet his garments are all oily with mercy and grace ſtill. How many drops of blood have thirſty Saints had from Davids time to this hour, and yet the fountain of cleanſing blood, hath not a drop leſſe in it? Grace in Chriſt is like the heat of the fire, or light of the ſun, take how much you will of either, you ſhall not rob either; narrow, not the breadth of incomprehenſible love; when thou haſt meaſured for beleevers ten thouſand yards, there ſhall not be a nail leſſe on the piece of free-grace. The ſea, though a thing infinite, will hardly be meaſured out by quills, much leſſe ſhall the unfadomable ocean of infinite love, be meaſured by drops for the waſhing poor ſouls from the ſtains and filth of their ſins. The boy could tell the father, he would have done emptying the ſea into an hole with a ſpoon, before he ſhould have opened the Doctrine of the Trinity; And ſooner ſhalt thou get all the light out of the body of the ſun, and hear out of the fire, then put Jeſus Chriſt to pant for his breath of free-grace. Oh, that ſinners had but as willing leggs as he hath capacious arms; we ſee hands are waſhed every day, and have been theſe thouſands of years, now how long can we think it would yet be, ſhould we get the dirtieſt hands we could make, before all the ſeas, rivers, fountains, and ſtreams in the world, would be exhauſted; yea, though they ſhould waſh ſeven times a day? infinitely ſooner (Chriſtian) then the fountain of free-grace ſhall be exhauſted, with all the buckets that come to draw the water of life from it. Seeſt thou a ſteeple, as Pauls in London, or the like, of a very great heighth; ſeeſt thou the higheſt mountain that ſeems to have married the clouds, and ſit in their lap: Suppoſe now that mountain or ſteeple in the deepeſt place of the ocean, how much wouldſt thou ſee on it? nay, were another on the top of that, there would not be a ſpier of graſſe, nor a grain of duſt diſcernable; were thy mountain of ſins, that with their heighth ſeem not to threaten the clouds at all, but God himſelf, were I ſay, that, yea and another, and a third, thouſands of them piled up and thrown into the ocean of infinite love, the bottomleſſe depth of his meritorious blood, the waters of free grace would ſtill be as much higher, as the heavens are higher then the earth, yea, infinitely higher then the higheſt planet is above the loweſt ſpring. O the depth! Suppoſe thou ſaweſt the higheſt Cedar in Lebanon, the higheſt Pyramide upon the earths Make thy ſelf a ladder of ten thouſand ſtaves if thou canſt, and rear it up, how much higher would the ſun be thinkeſt thou? infinite higher are the mercies of thy Saviour, Chriſtian, above the heighth of thy tranſgreſſions. There is mercy enough, thats the firſt—But this is eaſie enough to be evinced, a Chriſtian will tell you he cannot, dare not, doth not doubt this, he doubteth not of the power, but of the will of God.
Secondly, Conſider therefore, That there is will enough in the God of mercies, as well as power enough to ſave thee, if thou wilt but beleeve in him. It is a note of Pious Maſter Rutherford, That none can doubt, or ſay they doubt of Gods will, Rut. triall of Faith, p. 128.but they must really doubt of Gods power; for if thou beleeveſt his power, thou muſt at the ſame time beleeve his will; But for this it is eaſie enough to evince the good will of God, to ſave the greateſt of ſinners. Where ſhall we finde his will but in his word? and how ſhall we judge of it but by his acts?☜ It is a known and certain rule, That the Goſpel ſhuts none out of heaven, but thoſe that by unbeliefe, lock the gate againſt themſelves; Enquire but into Gods promiſes, is there the leaſt parentheſis of any exception in all the pages of free grace? Iſai. 1. 18. Come now (ſaith God) Let us reaſon together, Though your ſins be as ſcarlet, I will make them as ſnow; though they be red like crimſon, they ſhall be white as wooll. There is no ſinners ſin that is died in grain, but ſuch as have ſinned the ſin againſt the Holy-ghoſt; haſt thou been a murtherer? thy ſin is yet but a ſcarlet die, I will make it as ſnow (ſaith God;) haſt thou been a blaſphemer? All ſin and blaſpemy ſhall be forgiven (ſaith Chriſt) Mat. 12. 31. Haſt thou been an idolater? an unclean wretch? I will ſprinkle clean water upon you (ſaith God) and you ſhall be clean, from all your filthineſſe, and from all your idols will I cleanſe you, Eze. 36. 25. What? haſt thou abuſed Chriſt, and ſpoken againſt him? who is thy onelyonly ſalvation? Whoſoever (ſaith Chriſt) ſpeaketh a word against the Son of man, it ſhall be forgiven him, Matth. 12. 32. Heark (Chriſtian) is there not as much infiniteneſſe in thy Chriſts will (thinkeſt thou) as in his power?
Secondly, Nay, conſider, his will is not onelyonly full enough of power, but there is an earneſtneſſe of deſire in his will to ſave the greateſt of ſinners, that leaving their ſins, will turn to him; this will be eaſily enough evinced from his expreſſions and actions, tending to that end; He ſpeaks, he ſwears, he pleades, he e…poſtulates, he weeps, he invites, he comes, he dies.
1. He ſpeaks, that you have heard, he ſaith, I will ſave ſcarlet, crimſon, ſinners; I will ſay to them that are in their blood, live, I will powre out water upon the unclean.
2. He ſwears, and hath bid us to tell you his oath, Ezek. 33. 61. ſay unto them, As I live (ſaith the Lord) I deſire not the death of a ſinner, but had rather that he ſhould turn from his wickedneſſe and live. Lo, he could ſwear by no greater, he ſwears by himſelf. O happy creatures (ſaith Tertullian) for whom God is pleaſed to put himſelf to his oath; O unbeleeving wretches, if we will not truſt our God ſwearing. Yet further,
3. He pleades, Turn ye, turn ye from your evill ways, why will ye die O ye houſe of Iſrael? Micah 6. 3. O my people! what have I done to thee? and wherein have I wearied thee? teſtifie againſt me. He expoſtulates, Iſai. 5. 4. What could I have done more, for my vineyard then I have done. Wherefore when I looked that it ſhould bring forth grapes brought it forth wilde grapes.
4. He appeals to the mountains and foundations of the earth, Mic. 6. 1, 2, 3. to the ſinners themſelves, Iſa. 5. 3, 4. Iudge now O ye inhabitants of Iudah and Ieruſalem.
5. He wiſhes groaning, Deu. 5. 29. O that there were ſuch an heart in them that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments alwayes, that it might be well with them, and their children for ever. And again, Deut. 32. 29. O that they were wiſe, that they underſtood this, and would conſider their latter end.
6. He profeſſeth he knoweth not how to deſtroy them. Hoſea 11. 8.Hoſ. 11. 8. How ſhall I give thee up Ephraim? How ſhall I deliver thee O Iſrael? How ſhall I make thee as Admah? How ſhall I ſet thee as Zeboim, my heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together.
7. He weeps when he came nigh Jeruſalem, he wept over it and ſaid, O Ieruſalem, Ieruſalem—how oft would I have gathered thee, as an hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, Mat. 23. 37, 38.but thou wouldst not? Mat. 23. 37, 38. Chriſt would, but the ſinner would not.
8. He invites, Iſa. 55. 1, 2, 3.Iſai. 55. 1, 2, 3. Ho, every one that thirſteth come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money come ye buy and eat without money, and without price; and again, verſ. 3. Incline your ear and come unto me, and your ſoul ſhall live; Heark how he calls Mat. 11. 29.Mat. 11. 29. Come unto me all ye that are weary, and heavy laden and I will eaſe you. The Father ſaith come, the Son ſaith come, the Spirit ſaith come, you that are in the hedges come, he ſends out his ſervants to highway-people, Mat. 22. 9.Matth. 22. 9. To as many as are found there; why ſtay you diſputing his will, when he ſo often ſaith come,Rev. 22. 17. come? Rev. 22. 17. The Spirit and the Bride ſay come, and let him that heareth ſay come, and let him that is a thirſt come, and whoſoever will let him drink of the water of life freely. Is not all this enough to let thee know God is willing, and Chriſt is willing to receive thee? Lo, Chriſt will come to thee.
9. See that eſſence of glory, bowing the heavens and coming down, laying aſide his robes of Majeſty, and putting on thy filthy garments, ſee him tiring himſelf in going about from place to place, upon no other errand then this, to cry at the markets, Oh, if any ſinners love life, happineſſe, if any will go to heaven, let them come to me, I will ſhew them the way to my fathers boſome, and endear them to my fathers heart. Read his Sermons, obſerve his pains, thou wilt finde a willing Saviour, not excepting Publicans, and Harlots, from the Kingdom of God.
10. Wouldſt thou have more tokens of his will yet?Mat. 21. 31. See him dying, hanging upon the croſſe, dropping out his last blood, breathing out his laſt breath, ſtretching out his dying arms, to encircle ſinners ſhould run into him, breathing out the breath of free-grace i… his very laſt act upon a theefe, that had not an hour to live; Who ſhall diſpair? who ſhall ſay Chriſt is not willing to ſave him, and not blaſpheme eternall love? ſpeak truth! corrupt heart ſay thou art not willing to be ſaved.
11. Is not this yet enough? Obſerve him ſetting Miniſters in his Church, left thou ſhouldſt not reade, and none ſhould tell thee the truth of his eternall love, to ſpeak out his good will in thine ears: All our errand is nothing but this, ſinners Chriſt is willing to ſave you, And as Embaſſadours for Chriſt as though God did beſeech you by us, we pray you in Chriſts ſtead be ye reconciled to God, 2 Cor. 5. 20.2 Cor. 5. 20. Why canſt thou not beleeve his will? Conſider in thy Saviours will, there is not onelyonly a latitude for, but an eagerneſſe of thy eternall ſalvation: Why therefore doeſt thou ſay, my ſins are ſo great that God will not pardon me? Beleeve, O blaſpheme not the God of infinite goodwill.
But thirdly, Conſider, That Gods eye of free-grace hath looked fauourably upon, and Chriſts blood hath waſhed as filthy and polluted creatures, as thou art or canst be. Chriſt hath planted in the wilderneſſe, The ſhittah tree, Eſa. 41. 19.the mirtle, and the oil-tree, and hath ſet in the deſert the fir-tree, and the box, and the pine tree; He hath made as bad crab-ſtocks,Eſa. 51. 13. as thy ſoul is, bring forth pleaſant and delitious fruits. It is a note of Maſter Rutherfords, That the dew of grace, hath ordinarily faln upon the moſt graceleſſe ſouls. Poſſibly thou mayeſt ſee and finde preſidents of actuall ſinners, born as black as the Ethiopian, and that have made it their work to colly themſelves with the ſoot of ſins, as much as thou haſt, and that have dried in ſin with as long cuſtomary continuance, as thou haſt done; yet Chriſt took them and waſhed them milk-white; haſt thou been an idolater? a perſecutor? ſo was Manaſſes; haſt thou been unclean? ſo was David; haſt thou crucified Chriſt? ſo had they that were converted at Peters Sermon;Act. 2. haſt thou denied Chriſt? ſo did Peter himſelf; haſt thou been a blaſphemer? ſo was Paul, yea, the chiefeſt of ſinners, yet received to mercy; haſt thou had ſeven devils? ſo had Mary Magdalen, yet purged and diſpoſſeſt; haſt thou put off all to the laſt caſt? ſo did the theefe upon the croſſe. Lo here! ſouls all mire and dirt, that nothing could be diſcerned in them but filth and putrefaction; their faces were ſo mired with ſin, that nothing of goodneſſe could be diſcovered, yet theſe are now in heaven, all purified Saints, in whom there is no blemiſh, no ſpot, all crowned ſpotleſſe heirs of glory, without the leaſt ſpeck of the ink of ſin upon them. Haſt thou ſinned beyond theſe thinkeſt thou? it is hardly credible, but ſuppoſe that free-grace hath not (ſo far as thou canſt finde) any where ſet a ſtamp of love upon a ſoul ſo actually wicked as thou art before God; Yet ſecondly, There is never a Saint this day in glory, that was not as ſeminally and habitually wicked, as thou art or canſt be, And free-grace looked upon him in reſtraining the corruptions of his heart, and preventing him, otherwiſe he had run with thee to the ſame exceſſe of riot and wickedneſſe; David was as filthy a wretch, when he wallowed and tumbled in his naturall blood, as thou art or canſt be. But to paſſe on to a fourth conſideration, which will hang upon a chain with this.
Fourthly, If thou couldſt ſuppoſe that infinite free-grace, never yet did ſo great a work, as to waſh and ſave ſuch a ſinfull ſoul as thine is, yet this could not in reaſon be a juſt hinderance to thy Faith; becauſe, the depth of infinite love and free-grace, was never yet ſounded. Though thou couldſt truely ſay, God never manifeſted his power and good will, in pardoning ſuch a creature of hell, as I am; yet what would follow? Therefore God cannot pardon me, or therefore God will nor pardon me: Did ever God do his utmoſt, Chriſtian? thouſands of thirſty, filthy creatures, ſince the world began, have been bringing their buckets, and diving into the infinite depth of eternall love, but did ever any Ethiopian ſoul, dive ſo low as to bring up a ſtone from the bottome? was ever any ſinfull ſoul, that was brought to the ſtreams of free mercy, ſuch a capacious bucket, that it could not be filled without grating upon the bottome of unfadomable love? nay, did ever any carry away ſo much for their own wants, that they left the living fountain at a low water? Paul brought as large a bucket, as any, and had as much need of a great meaſure of free-grace: Well, he plungeth himſelf in, but doth he dive to the bottome, or doth he not, almoſt drowned in that depth of eternall ſweetneſſe, turn head, and come up again with his belly and throat, and mouth, full of living waters, from the ſprings of eternall love?Rom. 11. 33. And cries out foreign, O the depth of the riches, &c. mark how he puts all the children of love upon diving into the depth, but puts them out of hope of finding the bottome or top of that height, and depth, and length, and breadth of love, Eph. 3. 17, 18, 19,Eph. 3. 17, 18, 19. which paſſeth knowledge. It is not ſo much to thee whom God hath pardoned, as whom God will pardon; is not the fountain of his love dry? are the ſprings yet running? nay, can he pardon beyond the meaſure of his former mercies? then how can thy ſins be too great to be pardoned? were there never ſuch ſinners pardoned?Eſa. 43. 18, 19. Behold (ſaith God) I will do a new thing in the earth, I will make a way in the wilderneſſe, and rivers in the deſert; therefore remember not the former things, conſider not the things of old, not to ſtint the Lord by them; What? do you tell me (ſaith God) what I have done? I can do more then ever I yet did; I am not tied to preſidents, I can make them.
Fifthly, There is as much reaſon on thy part for Ieſus Chriſt to receive thee, though thou beeſt (as thou ſayeſt) the worſt of ſinners, as ever there was in Noah, Daniel, or Job, for him to receive them. This is Maſter Rutherfords note,Rut. triall of Faith, p. 20. What internall cauſe was there thinkeſt thou, in any ſpotleſſe Saints of glory, why Jeſus Chriſt gave them Faith here, and hath now crowned them with a crown of glory? was there any? Eſa. 43. 25.Eſa. 43. 25. I (ſaith God) am he that blotteth out tranſgreſsions for mine own names ſake. God for his own ſake elected them, therefore Chriſt died for them; Chriſt of his own good will powred out his blood for them, therefore he gave them power to beleeve, and come to him; here is all the cauſe (ab extra) from without ſtill. And is there leſſe cauſe in Chriſt for thee, then there was for them? look in his Goſpel promiſes; or is there leſſe cauſe in thee, then a mere nothing? But I ſhall make this more full in a ſixth poſition, which I ſhall commend to thy conſideration, which is this.
Sixtly, That God never received any ſoul, becauſe it had a portion to ſet it off. Thou ſayeſt, O I cannot beleeve, &c. why I am not worthy of ſalvation, I am a great ſinner, I have been an auncient ſinner. Well then, ſuppoſe that thou never hadſt to thy knowledge committed actuall ſins, but wert (as thou thinkeſt) clean, and ſpotleſſe, then thou couldſt come to Jeſus Chriſt, and think he would accept of thee. Thy money periſh with thee; doeſt thou think that Chriſt, that gift of God, can be purchaſed with the money of thy merits? Doth Chriſt take any ſouls, becauſe they are worthy? or doth he therefore take them, that he might make them worthy? doth Chriſt therefore take a filthy mired ſinner, becauſe it is unclean? or that he might waſh it from it uncleanneſſe? God gives his Son, thou miſtakeſt if thou thinkeſt he can be bought of thee, either for love, or money? canſt thou make Chriſt rich with the coblers ends of thy righteouſneſſe? thinkeſt thou he that hath the inexhauſtible treaſury of righteouſneſſe, doeſt thou think he cares for thy farthings? wilt thou bring thy drops to the bottomleſſe ocean of his bloody merits? Your penny-worths cannot roll about that everlaſting wheele of free-grace, the decree of election, nor bow, nor break Chriſts free-heart to ſave you more then another. The Garden of free-grace (Chriſtian) hath never a weed of humane merit in it; no nor yet is there a ſpace to ſet it in. The Robe of Chriſts righteouſneſſe is rich, and full enough, and needeth not the dunghill patches of thy merits? That new-cloth will not endure to be patched with thy old rags. Chriſt is a Noble-Bride-groom, that would take a portion with his ſpouſe, if ſhe could bring a proportion for him; Adam, if he could have got it up, might have been married to God with a dowry. But for as much as now that cannot be, perfection is not attainable. Chriſt ſcorns thou ſhouldſt ſay, Thou haſt brought him a farthing. The men of the earth ſhall not make him rich. The firſt marriage-contract God made with man, he demanded a portion, and proffered the jointure of glory: But when man with all his ſcrapings could not pay it, Come, ſaith Chriſt, I will take thee with nothing then. Do all, or take all, is Chriſts Dilemma to the children of men.
Laſtly, Conſider, That by how much the greater and more abominable ſinner thou art, by ſo much ſhall the Lord Chriſt attain his ends more fully which he aims at, in ſaving any ſouls. Doeſt thou ask what that is? It is his own glory, the glory of his free-grace. God when he declares his free-grace to any ſoul, makes a particular Proclamation, Come, let all the world ſee the power of my mercy, and the good will that is in my bowels, that I can waſh ſuch a ſtained ſoul that is nothing elſe but ſin, that I will pardon ſuch an old inveterate ſinner; Now by how much thy ſins are more and greater, by ſo much God more ſets out the vertue of his balm, in healing ſuch old putrified ſtinking wounds.
Secondly, God knows, ſuch ſinners once pardoned and changed, will more glorifie him. They that have much forgiven, will love much.
Thirdly,Luk. 7. 47. God ſhall have glory from ſuch a ſinner, in that others by his example, ſhall be kept from deſpair, and quickned to leave their ſins, and truſt in Gods mercy, Pſal. 34. 6. and 51. 13. Come therefore, beleeve, reſt on Chriſt, Let not thy unworthineſſe, thy great, thy many ſins, keep thee from Chriſt. Euſebius in his third book of Eccleſ. Hiſt. cap. 20. hath a ſtory of Iohn the Apoſtle, who at Epheſus finding a young man of a goodly body, gracious face, and ſervent minde, commended him to one of the Biſhops or Elders to take care of him; The Elder accordingly did inſtruct him, and at length baptized him; This young man afterwards became very wicked, and diſſolute, ſeduced by wicked companions: Firſt, became a companion of their feaſts, and cups, and then of their theeving, and robberies, at laſt grew to a very great heigth of diſorder and outrage, and became a robber on the mountains.Euſch. Eccleſ. hiſt. l. 3. c. 20. Iohn returning to Epheſus, enquiring for the young man of the Elder, hears this news; Saint Iohn after rebuking the Elder for his negligence, rode to the mountain, which this young man (now grown to be a Captain of robbers) kept, Saint Iohn being taken of the theeviſh watch, deſired to be brought to their Captain, and accordingly was; when he ſaw him coming, and knew it was Iohn, he was ſtricken with ſhame, and fled away; Saint Iohn purſueth after him crying, My ſon, why flyeſt thou from thy father? O ſon, tender my caſe, be not afraid, as yet there remaineth hope of ſalvation, I will undertake for thee with Chriſt, I will dye for thee if need be, as Chriſt dyed for us, I will hazard my ſoul for thine, truſt to me, Chriſt hath ſent me. He hearing this, ſtood ſtill, trembled, and wept, embraced Saint Iohn, and wept bitterly. The Apoſtle, when he had promiſed, and proteſted to procure pardon for him of our Saviour, prayed upon his knees, kiſſed him, and brings him to the Church, preacheth to him, faſts with him, and leaves him not, before he had reſtored him a penitent beleever. Is this thy condition Chriſtian? haſt thou been well principled? and haſt thou forget all the Sermons and admonitions, given or preacht to thee, and art thou turnd diſſolute, diſorderly, guilty of all wickedneſſe? and now in ſtead of coming to Chriſt by Faith, doeſt thou, wouldſt thou fly from him? See▪ thy Chriſt purſuing thee, calling, inviting, Ah, why doeſt thou fly from me, that dyed for thee? turn, turn, beleeve, be not afraid, as yet there remaineth hope of ſalvation in my merits, I will under-take with my father for thee, I have dyed for thee, I will hazzard my favour with my father, for thine; truſt to me, O now ſtand ſtill, tremble, weep, pray, turn, truſt in the Lord Ieſus Chriſt: Thou art unworthy, but Chriſt is worthy, he hath grace ſufficient for thee; He hath a good will to ſave thee, yea, eagerly bent to thy ſalvation; he perſwades, he ſwears, he pleades, he appeals, he wiſhes groaning, he profeſſeth he knows not how to deſtroy thee; he weeps over thee, he invites thee, he comes from heaven to call thee, he dies for thee, he ſends meſſengers to invite thee, he hath waſhed as filthy wretches as thou art; If he hath not, yet he can, he never ſhewed the utmoſt of his free-grace, he hath as much reaſon to ſave thee, as ever he had to ſave any of his Saints, for themſelves. He never took penny-worth of merit with any; He ſhall have the more glory, by how much thou art more unworthy; Free-grace ſhall more ſhew it ſelf; Thou (if once forgiven) wilt love him the more; Other great ſinners will be ready to truſt in him from thy example. Come now, turn, beleeve, eſchew evill; do good, Though your ſins were as ſcarlet, they ſhall be as ſnow, Though as crimſon, they ſhall be white as wooll.