Sermons of Christ, Sermon 8
Chriſt's willingneſs to ſave ſinners.
Reve: 22.17.
Let him that is athirſt come.
LEt him that is athirſt, come, come. Chriſt doth not ſay here, Let him that is athirſt ſeek out, and yet that had been humanity and courteſie: Chriſt doth not ſay, Let him that is athirſt goe to Jordan, Chriſt doth not ſend them to Moſes, nor to any of the brooks or Ciſterns, but Chriſt ſaith, Let him that is athirſt come; and, whither ſhould he come, or to what ſhould he come: The meaning is, let him come to me; Let him come to me for drinke, for ſatisfaction, let him that is athirſt come: here's exceeding kindneſs, choice love, peculiar mercy, let him that is athirſt come: Come unto me, as it's ſaid in the 7th of John, and Drinke: I have drinke for him, water of life for him, as it's in the next words, And whoſoever will, let him take of the water of life freely.
To open this word unto you; what's meant by come? 'tis not meant come bodily: ſo you all know what coming is, when the body removes out of one place and goes to another; But it is meant ſpiritually; 'tis not the feete of the body but the feete of the ſoule are required; and by coming in Scripture is meant beleiving: unbeleife is departing from God; Heb: 9.12. Take heed Brethren, leaſt there be in any of you an evill heart of unbeleife in departing from the living God: An heart of unbeleife is a heart departs from God, and goes away from God: So in the 10th Chap: The Juſt ſhall live by Faith, but if any man draw backe, my ſoule ſhall have no pleaſure in him: An unbeleiving heart, is a heart draws back, and departs from God: Now to come to God is to beleive, and to come to Chriſt is to heleive.
And this beleiving, it is not an aſſent onelyonly unto a truth; An aſſent unto this that Chriſt is the Meſſiah, that Chriſt is the Saviour of the world; 'tis not onelyonly to aſſent, for ſo Devills doe beleive, ſo Antichriſt beleives, ſo many that periſh…doe beleive, they aſſent to the truth — Neither is it an aſſurance, as ſome doe make Faith a full perſwaſion, or a through perſwaſion of the heart that it is ſo and ſo: — No, Aſſurance is not Faith: Aſſurance is a conſequent, or an effect of Faith, and not of the nature and eſſence of Faith: many ſhall be ſav'd that never had Aſſurance, and many are Juſtified that have no Aſſurance: — What then is this Faith? what is this Coming?
There is aſſent unto Truth, an aſſent unto Scripture, which is in the underſtanding: and ſo is Aſſurance, Aſſurance of underſtanding. But Faith is in the Underſtanding, and in the Will alſo; when upon cleere underſtanding of a truth, my will comes to chooſe and cloſe with that truth.
This is to beleive: ſome call it a Reſting, a Rouling, a Depending, a Relying, which are all metaphoricall expreſſions; But if you will have it in the proper nature and ſence: Faith is the Aſſent of the underſtanding unto truth, and, unto Chriſt, and the wills chooſing of Chriſt; It chooſes Chriſt for its Righteouſneſs, for its ſalvation, for grace, for life, for peace, for all. This is coming, when the will puts forth an act that carries forth the ſoule to chooſe Chriſt: ſaith Chriſt here, Let him that thirſteth come.
By this it ſhould ſeeme then, that there is a power in man to come.
What power was there in Lazarus to come forth of the grave, when Chriſt ſaid, Lazarus come forth; there was as much power in Lazarus to come forth of the grave when Chriſt ſaid come forth, as there is in man now to come to Chriſt, when he ſaith come: There was none in Lazarus to come forth, neither is there any in Man naturally to beleive. John 6.44. ſaith Chriſt there, No man can come to me, except the Father which hath ſent me draw him. Chriſt ſaith, No man can come unleſs the Father draw him.
What is in the drawing of the Father?
Say ſome, It is this thirſting begotten in the ſoule; but ſurely that cannot be the thing; for Chriſt ſaith, Let him that is athirſt come: a man may be athirſt; and yet not come to Chriſt; Let him that is athirſt come: — But this drawing then of the Father, is a working of that power in the ſoule, as to goe out to Chriſt: It may ſee a need of Chriſt from ſin, and wrath and the like, yet till God doth work a power in the ſoule to goe out to Chriſt, it doth not come to Chriſt; and therefore you will finde in the 6th of John, that what is ſaid in the 44. v: No man can come to me except the Father which hath ſent me draw him; Gods drawing in the 65 v: is ſaid to be Gods gift: Therefore ſaid I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of the Father: that is, unleſs God doth give him power to come to me, to beleive in me: So that the Fathers drawing, is putting in that virtue and power into a thirſty ſoule as to cloſe with Chriſt.
But then it will be ſaid, ſurely theſe Invitations are in vaine, if a man cannot come when he is Invited, to what end are they?
The Sun ſhines upon the Rock, and the raine falls upon the Rocks, yet no man lookes that the Sun ſhould melt the Rocks, or the raine ſhould make the Rocks fruitfull; But the adjacent parts and feilds have the benefit; and ſo, though Invitations fall upon Rocks, yet the adjacent perſons, other perſons may have the benefit.
But ſecondly, Generally in theſe Invitations the Lord doth convey this power, the Lord doth worke this Faith in their ſoules, and gives them this power to cloſe with Chriſt: Lazarus come forth, together with the Invitation, the power was given to Lazarus to come forth. You have an obſervable place in the 2 Ezek: 1. And he ſaid unto me, Son of Man, ſtand upon thy feete, and I will ſpeake unto thee: marke, And the Spirit entered in to me when he ſpake unto me, and ſet me upon my feete. Ezekiel was ſmitten ſo downe with the ſight of Glory, that he was not able to riſe; Now, ſaith he, Son of man ſtand upon thy feete, but he could not ſtand up: But the Spirit entered into me when he ſpake unto me, ſaith Ezekiel, and ſet me upon my feete:— So when Chriſt ſaith here, come, with Chriſts ſpeaking, the Spirit may be, and is many times conveyed and cauſes a man to come: There is that life, that Grace communicated to the ſoule, together with the Invitation, as makes a man to doe the thing, and inables him thereunto: ſo that Invitations are not in vaine: and ſo much for opening of the word come: — The poynt that I ſhall commend unto you is this.
Doct: 1. That the Lord Chriſt is very deſirous that ſinners, thirſty ſinners ſhould come to him for releife, that they ſhould be ſaved, that they ſhould have refreſhing virtue from him, Grace, pardon, peace, and whatſoever will doe their ſoules good. Let him that is athirſt come.
Now becauſe it lies in the hearts of all ſinners to queſtion the willingneſs of God and Chriſt to ſave them, and to doe them good; Therefore I ſhall inſiſt the more upon this and make it out fully to you.
You know the Leper in the Goſpel ſaid, Maſter if thou wilt thou canſt make me cleane: I know thou haſt power, but if thou wilt, there lies the ſticke, and here lies that which ſticks with ſinners, to queſtion the willingneſs of God and Chriſt: Now the Lord Chriſt is very willing that ſinners ſhould come unto him; and this I ſhall make out ſeverall wayes.
Firſt, Of Chriſts willingnes for ſinners to come unto him.from the Conſideration of Chriſts laying downe his greatneſs, and his Glory, which would dant and diſcourage ſinners, when one appeares in majeſtie; when a Judge comes into the Country with his greatneſs, it makes your Delinquents and Malifactors afraid; But now Chriſt lays downe his Majeſtie, and his greatneſs and Glory, and whatſoever is dreadfull and terrible unto us. Joh: 17.5. And now ô Father, Glorifie thou me, with thine owne ſelfe, with the Glory which I had with thee before the world was; Chriſt had laid aſide his Glory when he came downe into the world, & he came in the forme of a ſervant, in a meane and low condition; When a Prince ſhall lay aſide his greatneſs, and come and converſe with beggars and ſinners, then they can the more freely come unto him, and ſpeake to him: the Lord Jeſus Chriſt hath laid aſide his Glory and greatneſs, and came and converſt with finners here in the world, which is a great Argument that he was willing to doe ſinners good, that they ſhould come unto him and be ſav'd by him.
Secondly, Conſider how the Lord Chriſt hath fitted himſelfe to releive ſinners, Chriſt hath indured a great deale of hardſhip, ſuffered heavie things, he trod the wine-preſs of his Fathers wrath alone. You know Corne that makes bread and drinke, indures the heate & the cold, indures the ſlale, and the Mill to be Ground, and ſo the bread and the drinke are made thereof.
The Lord Chriſt hath indured all that the Father required of him, that ſo he might be bread of life, and water of life to us, he hath ſuffered bitter things, an accurſed death: in the 12th of Luke ſaith Chriſt, I have a Baptiſme to be baptized with, and how am I ſtreightened till it be accompliſhed? I have a Baptiſme of Blood to be baptized with, and how am I ſtreightened till it be accompliſhed? I thirſt to lay downe my blood that it may be drinke for the world, as much as any in the world doe thirſt for my blood, and to drinke of that; I and more then all the world. The Lord Jeſus hath ſuffered Circumciſion, hee hath ſuffered whipping, crowning with Thornes, ſpitting upon, reproaches, revilings, curſing, ſuffered the diſpleaſure of his Father, diſſertions, temptations by Satan, ſuffered Death, and all that he might be fit, and fitted to ſave us, that he might be bread for us, and drinke for us, releife for us; Is not Chriſt willing thinke you now, that you ſhould eate of his fleſh, and drinke of his blood, that you ſhould come to him, and have the benefit of his ſufferings? I am ſtreightened, ſaith he, till it be accompliſhed; I thirſt, ſaith Chriſt upon the Croſſe, and now its finiſhed.
Thirdly, From the very end of Chriſts coming, it is evident that Chriſt is very willing and deſirous that ſinners ſhould come unto him, and be ſaved by him, and be refreſht by him: what was the ends of Chriſts coming, Mat: 18.11. For the Son of man is come to ſave that which was loſt: were not all loſt in Adam, are not all ſinners, are not all under the curſe of the Law, are not all children of wrath by nature, are not all enemies of God through wicked workes in their mindes? The end now of Chriſts coming was to ſave that which was loſt: and in Luk: 10.10 you have it more fully; For the Son of man is come to ſeeke and to ſave that which is loſt: It might have been ſaid, It's true, Chriſt will ſave that which is loſt, if it will come to him; I but Chriſt is come to ſeeke out them, to ſeeke and to ſave that which is loſt; this is the good Shepherd that goes and ſeekes out the loſt ſheepe, and takes it up upon his ſhoulders & brings it home: A Shepherd when his ſheepe are ſcattered, ſome in one lane, ſome upon one common, ſome in one feild, ſome in another, he goes and ſeekes out the ſheepe and brings them home: ſo the Lord Chriſt came for that very end, to ſeeke out, and to ſave that which was loſt; art thou a poore thirſty, ſinfull ſoule, art thou loſt in thine owne apprehenſion, art thou at the gates of death and hell, the Lord Chriſt came to ſave thee, and ſeeke out thee, he is willing, forward, ready to doe it, he came for that very end.
Fourthly, Chriſts willingneſs and readineſs to this worke will appeare, if you conſider the Cures that he wrought when he was here in the world; did not Chriſt heale all diſeaſes, the blinde, the lame, the ſicke, the dumb, the deafe, the poſſeſt with Devills? did not Chriſt ſhew compaſſion towards them all and heale them; Mark: 4.23. And Jeſus went about all Galile, teaching in their Synagogues, and preaching the Goſpel of the kingdome, and healing all manner of ſickneſs, and all manner of diſeaſes among the people; And his fame went through all Syria, and they brought unto him all ſicke people that were taken with divers diſeaſes and torments, and thoſe which were poſſeſt with Devills, and thoſe which were Lunatick, and thoſe which had the Palſie, and he healed them. Is not Chriſt willing and ready to doe good to ſinners, he doth not forbid them to come to him, let the diſeaſe be what it will, and the party diſeaſed be what he will:-And its conceived when Chriſt heald their bodies, he heald their ſoules too, Chriſt heald all diſeaſes. In Math: 8. you have two or three remarkeable paſſages; there comes a Leper to Chriſt, and ſaith, Lord if thou wilt, thou canſt make me cleane; he did not come beleivingly, but he came doubtingly to Chriſt; and what followes; Jeſus put forth his hand and touched him, ſaying, I will, be thou cleane; why doeſt thou queſtion my will, ſaith Chriſt I am more willing to heale thee then thou art deſirous of it, I will, ſaith he, be thou cleane; here Chriſt preſently ſhews his willingneſs, and cures the man with a word; with a word and a touch he healed him.
Then afterwards in the Chapter, there comes a Centurion to him, and ſollicits him for his ſervant, and ſaith, Maſter ſpeake the word onelyonly, and my ſervant ſhall be healed: ſaith Chriſt, I have not found ſo great Faith, no not in Iſrael, as in this Centurion: and v: 12. ſaith Chriſt, Goe thy way, and as thou haſt beleived, ſo be it unto thee; here Chriſt heales one with a word.
And then thirdly, he comes to Peters houſe, and there his wives mother lay ſicke of a Feavour, and he touched her hand, and the Feavour leſt her. Chriſt did but touch her hand, and ſayes nothing, and the Feavour left her: Chriſt is willing to cure ſinners, and he can eaſily doe it, with a word, or a word and a touch, or a touch onelyonly.
Chriſt is ſo forward, that before it is deſired he doth it: In John 5. v. 6. when Jeſus ſaw the impotent man lie there, and knew that he had been now a long time in that caſe, he ſaith unto him, wilt thou be made whole? The man did not aske him the Queſtion, Lord wilt thou heale me; But Chriſt comes and finds him out, and ſaith, Man wilt thou be made whole; ô Sir, I have none to put me in, when the Angel ſtirres another ſteps in before me, ſaith Chriſt, Take up thy bed, and walke. Chriſt aske him the Queſtion, prevents him, and heales him: Oh! Chriſt is willing to doe ſinners good, & to ſave ſinners.
Fifthly, This appeares from the Command of Chriſt, when a thing is commanded, thoſe that command would faine have it done; now the Lord Chriſt commands men to come unto him, commands them to beleive: Joh: 14.1. Let not your hearts be troubled, ye beleive in God, beleive alſo in me. Beleive in me, there's eaſe, there's reſt, there's refreſhing, there's deliverance, there's ſalvation for you: Beleive in me: and in the 1 Joh: 3. latter end; This is his Commandement that we ſhould beleive in the name of his Son Jeſus Chriſt. This is the Commandement of the Father that we ſhould beleive on the name of his Son, the Lord Jeſus Chriſt; and this is the Commandement of the Son that we ſhould beleive in him When the Father commanded his Son to goe to the Vineyard and digg there; the Father was very willing the child ſhould goe and doe it: And ſo when God the Father, and Chriſt the Son, commands us to beleive, they are very willing wee ſhould. When Princes ſend out their Commands to the people to doe ſuch and ſuch things, they are very deſirous they ſhould be done: So when God gives out his Commands in the Goſpel, and Chriſt commands in the Goſpel to come, come, ſaith Chriſt, Let him that is athirſt come; I command you to beleive; It's an argument there is a ſtrong will in him for it.
Sixthly, Doth not Chriſt ſweetly invite you, uſe ſweete Invitations and allurements to draw ſinners to him, can there be more ſweete Invitations, then what you have from Chriſt upon this account: in the 11th of Math: 28. Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavie laden, and I will give you reſt: oh! you poore ſinners of the world, you poore ſinners of the earth, you that travell under the burden of your ſins, you that are heavie laden, you that are ready to ſinke into hell through feare of wrath, come unto me, come unto me; he doth not ſay why have you broken Moſes Law, why have you offended my Father, why have you liv'd ſo baſely and vilely? no, come unto me you that are weary and heavie laden, you that are ready to ſinke and periſh, and are hungry and thirſty, and know not which way to turne your ſelves now for releife, come unto me.
So in the 55 of Iſaiah, ſee what a bleſſed Invitation there is, Ho every one that thirſteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money, come ye, buy and eate, come buy wine and milke without money, and without price: Wherefore doe you lay out your money for that which is not bread, and your labour for that which ſatisfieth not; hearken diligently unto me, and eate ye that which is good, and let your ſoule delight it ſelfe in fatneſs: Is not here a ſweete, a gracious, a bleſſed Invitation now to poore ſinners, unto ſuch as we are here this day: The Lord Chriſt is a ſpeaking unto you this day, Ho every one, every onethat thirſteth, young or old, rich or poore, learned or unlearned, of whatſoever condition you be, are you athirſt, would you have mercy, peace, grace, the Spirit of Chriſt, would you have any thing to doe your ſoules good, come, come unto me, Come unto the waters.
I but I have no money; It matters not, come without money, come here's wine, here's milke, and here's bread, and marrow, and fattneſs, here's that will make your ſoules live, here's virtue in Chriſt to make your ſoules live for ever. So in the 23 Pro: 26. My ſon give me thy heart; ô my ſon, ſaith God, give me thy heart; Chriſt is the Everlaſting Father, and he ſaith, my ſon, give me thy heart, come to me. One place more in the 3d Revelation is worth your obſerving; Behold, I ſtand at the doore and knock, if any man heare my voyce and open the doore, I will come in to him and will ſup with him, and he with mee: Behold I ſtand at the doore and knock; I came downe from heaven into mine Ordinances, I knock at the doore of your hearts and conſciences, if any man will open now, if any man would have water of life from me, if any man would have bread of life from me, if any man would have communion with me, let him but open and receive me in, and I will ſup with him and he with mee: what ſweete Invitations have wee from Chriſt, how forward, how ready is the Lord Jeſus to doe poore ſinners good.
Seventhly, This appeares in that the Lord Chriſt hath Inſtituted and appointed his Officers, his Meſſengers, his Miniſters, and ſent them to wooe, intreate, beſeech, and to draw men in unto him: The Lord hath ſet up in the Church Officers purpoſely to make known his forwardneſs and readineſs to receive ſinners, and to goe forth in his Name, and to get them to come in to Chriſt; 'Tis our worke to beſeech you Brethren, to intreate you to hearken to the Lord Chriſt, to come in to him, to come and taſt of his dainties, to receive righteouſneſſe, grace, ſtrength, ſalvation, to receive pardon; this is our worke, to get men in to Chriſt, to fetch you in to the Fould. In the 14 of Luke 16. A certaine man made a great Supper, and bad many; and ſent his ſervants at Supper time to ſay unto them that were bidden, Come for all things are now ready: Chriſt is the great Man, and hee makes a Supper in the time of the Goſpel, and he ſends out his ſervants, he ſends out the Miniſters to Invite, and call men, ſaying, Supper is ready, and all things are ready. Chriſt hath ſatisfied Divine Juſtice, Chriſt hath laid downe his life, and ſhed his blood, he is riſen from the dead, he hath overcome the world, overcome the Devill, hath opened heaven, all things are ready for you to feede upon, ô come; But they all made excuſe; Then the Maſter of the houſe being angery, ſaid to his ſervants, goe out quickly into the ſtreets and lanes of the Citie, and bring in hither the poore, and the maimed, the halt, and the blinde; and the ſervants ſaid, Lord it is done as thou haſt commanded, and yet there is roome: and the Lord ſaid unto the ſervants, goe out into the high wayes, and hedges, and compell them to come in, that my houſe may be filled. Goe ye (ſaith he) my Apoſtles, my Diſciples, my Miniſters, my Servants, goe fetch in men and women from high wayes and hedges, from lanes and ſtreets, & from all parts; ô bring them in to the Goſpel, bring them into my houſe, bring them into the kingdome of heaven, tell them of the dainties there, tell them of their danger abroad. This is the great worke now of the Miniſtry: which is a cleere demonſtration that the Lord Chriſt would have ſinners ſaved, he would have his houſe filled, he ſtands not upon what they be, let them be blinde, maimed, naked, poore, wounded, bring them in ſaith Chriſt, let them taſt of the dainties of the Goſpel, let them heare of mercy through me, of pardon and forgiveneſs through me: — So in the 9 Pro: Wiſdome hath builded her houſe, ſhe hath hewn her out ſeven pillars, ſhe hath killed her beaſts, ſhe hath mingled her wine, ſhe hath alſo furniſhed her table, ſhe hath ſent forth her maidens, ſhe cryeth upon the higheſt places of the Citie, who ſo is ſimple let him come in hither, as for him that lacketh underſtanding ſhe ſaith to him, come eate of my bread, and drinke of the wine that I have mingled: For ſake the fooliſh and live, and goe in the way of underſtanding: — This is ſpoken of Chriſt, and the times of the Goſpel, and the Miniſters are ſaid to be maidens, who are ſent forth to allure and to draw poore ſoules in to Jeſus Chriſt. So that the great worke of the Miniſtry is to make knowne the willingneſs of Chriſt, and to bring ſinners unto Chriſt, that they may have mercy from him: — In the 2 Cor: 5.19, 20. God was in Chriſt, reconciling the world unto himſelfe, not imputing their treſpaſſes unto them: and hath committed unto us the word of Reconciliation; now then, wee are Ambaſſadours for Chriſt, as though God did beſeech you by us, we pray ye in Chriſts ſtead, be ye reconciled to God: Saith Paul I am an Ambaſſador of God, and God doth beſeech you by us, God doth beſeech ſinners, and therefore wee beſeech you ſaith he, we beſeech ye for the Lords ſake be ye reconciled to God, doe not ſtand out with God and Chriſt any longer, but come in to God, and come in to Chriſt, and ſo God will receive you, and Chriſt will receive you: God doth beſeech you by Miniſters, God doth intreat you. The Commiſſion was, Goe teach all Nations: he commands them for to teach all nations, to acquaint them with the riches of Grace by Chriſt, & the wonderfull love and kindneſs of God in Chriſt, and what's to be had by Chriſt, that people might come to him, and have mercy and releife from him.
Eighthly, This willingneſs of Chriſt to doe ſinners good, will appeare yet further, in that he doth accept of the leaſt, and loweſt degrees of Faith, and will not diſcourage the weakeſt ſoule that comes unto him: Math: 12.20. A bruiſed reede ſhall he not breake, and ſmoaking flax ſhall he not quench, till he ſend forth Judgement unto victory: Chriſt will be very tender of a bruiſed reede, very tender of ſmoaking flax, he will not breake one, he will not quench the other he will not deale harſhly and roughly with them, but he will ſend forth Judgement unto victory: He will give them power over all their corruptions, over all their feares & doubts: he will make them to judge all their Enemies, and be victorious over their Enemies. — So in the 45 Iſa: 22. Looke unto me and be ye ſaved all the ends of the earth: Looke unto me and be ſaved: If I have but a good looke from you, ſaith Chriſt, I will entertaine you: looke unto me but with the weakeſt eye of Faith, though it be a dim eye, be but halfe an eye, looke unto me and be ſaved: — In the 40 of Iſa: 11. He ſhall feede his Flocke like a Shepherd, he ſhall gather the Lambs with his Armes, and carry them in his boſom, and ſhall Gently leade thoſe that are with young. See how tender the Lord Chriſt, the good Shepherd will be of thoſe that are weake; Hee will gather the Lambs with his Armes, as a Shepherd when he goes abroad, and a Lamb is newly yeaned, and it's weake and feeble, and the weather is cold and froſty, hee takes up the Lamb in his Armes, and carries it home, and gives it milke; So the Lord will deale by a poore weak feeble ſoule, he will carry it in the Armes of his providence, in the Armes of his Spirit, in thoſe Everlaſting Armes of his that never faile, he will carry the Lambs in his boſom, and Gently leade thoſe that are with young: Thus will he deale with them: Hence he ſaith in the 14 Rom: Him that is weak in the Faith receive ye, but not to doubtfull diſputations: Receive him that is weake in the Faith, if there be never ſo little Faith receive him, if there be but one dram of Faith receive him.
Ninthly, The willingneſs of the Lord Chriſt to doe ſinners good appeares in this, That he ſhutts not up this water of Life, though he knowes but few will come unto him for it; and thoſe of them that doe come unto him, they doe oft abaſe it, and abaſe him too: People doe haſten more to the waters for their bodyes, to the Bath, Epſum, Tunbridge, and to new drinkes that they have now, they flock to have theſe for the body, and can magnifie them, and ſpeak wonderfully well of them, but few come to Chriſt, and when they do come, they will hardly drinke, as I have told you before; they ſpeak evill of thoſe doctrines he gives them; theſe are hard ſayings. Peter himſelfe denies Chriſt his Maſter, denies him once, twice, thrice. Thus Chriſt is dealt withall by ſinners, and notwithſtanding all this, Chriſt doth not ſhut up the water, nor lock up the water, but the waters ſtand open for any to come, let whoſoever will come, let him come and drinke of the waters of life freely. If Chriſt had not had a minde wee ſhould have theſe waters, he would have taken a courſe to deprive us of them, he could ſoone dry up the waters, dry up the Goſpel. But the waters are not dryed up, they are not taken from us, there is freedome for any to come, notwithſtanding they have abuſed the waters.
Tenthly, It is ſtrong Evidence that the Lord Chriſt is willing to ſave ſinners, and to doe ſinners good, In that he is greived, troubled, and affected very much, that ſinners will not come to him for theſe waters; ô Jeruſalem, Jeruſalem; ſaith Chriſt, weeping over it, how oft would I have gathered thee as a hen doth her chickens, and ye would not: ô Jeruſalem, Jeruſalem, that thou hadeſt knowne in this thy day the things that belong unto thy peace, but now they are hidden from thine eyes: — Chriſt is greived at the heart that men and women doe not come to him, though they have no money, though they have nothing to buy the water with, yet that they will not come and fetch the water, Chriſt is greived and troubled at the very heart to ſee it: ô that theſe publick places ſhould be ſo empty upon a Lords day, ſo empty upon a week day: there's water of life, and none will come and drinke the water; how oft, how oft, may Chriſt ſay, would I have ſav'd ſuch a Towne, ſuch a Nation, ſuch a people, and they would not; Chriſt weepes over ſoules and familyes, and Cities.
Eleventhly, It's wonderfull perſpicuous and cleere, that Chriſt would doe ſinners good, in that he doth preſs them with the ſtrongeſt Arguments that can be, to pertake of the good is to be had by himſelfe: What promiſes doth he make, what evills doth he threaten? There are two great Arguments that doe prevaile with all the world, yet will not prevaile here, he ſetts liſe and death before men, If you will come here's life for you, if you will not come you are dead men: people will not keepe within doores when theſe are the Arguments, my life is at the ſtake, and if I goe I am a made man, if not I am a loſt man, an undone man. Why will ye dye ô houſe of Iſrael? I am not willing ye ſhould dye, why will ye dye, why will ye dye, turne unto me and live, come unto me and live. In the 55 of Iſa: Incline your …are and come unto me, heare and your ſoules ſhall live, and I will make an everlaeſting Covenant with you, even the ſure mercies of David; Is not here Incouragement enough now to come to Chriſt, Incline your eare and come unto me and your ſoules ſhall live, you ſhall have everlaſting mercies, and everlaſting comforts. Joh: 3.16. God ſo loved the world that he gave his onelyonly begotten Son, that whoſoever believeth in him ſhould not periſh, but have everlaſting life: Here's life and death ſet before you, Come thou poore ſinner and beleive in the Lord Jeſus, cloſe with him, here's life for thee, everlaſting life for thee; Refuſe to doe it, there's everlaſting death for thee, thou ſhalt periſh, how peremptory is the Lord here. In the 16 Mark: 15, 16. Goe ye into all the world, and preach the Goſpel to every creature, he that beleiveth and is baptized ſhall be ſaved, but he that beleiveth not ſhall be damned; how round is the Goſpel, he that beleiveth, he that comes to Chriſt, that's the meaning, he that beleiveth ſhall be ſaved; ſaved from all his ſinne, ſaved from the power of death, ſaved from the wrath of God, ſaved from hell-fire, ſaved from the guilt of his owne Conſcience, he that beleiveth ſhall be ſaved over and over and over, — he that beleiveth not ſhall be damned,—how doth he preſs men now to come to him? If there be any weight in heaven or hell, it's laid all upon this, your coming to Chriſt, or refuſing Chriſt; if you come to Chriſt, all heaven is yours, all the glory, all the joy, all the comfort, all the bleſſings, all the happineſs there is yours: If you will not come to Chriſt, all the terrors of hell are yours, all the darkneſs, all the mournings, all the howlings, all the gnaſhings of teeth, all the miſery there will be yours; Therefore ſee how willing the Lord Jeſus is, that ſinners ſhould come, and that they ſhould be ſaved.