Sermons of Christ, Sermon 9
Chriſt's willingneſs to ſave ſinners.
Reve: 22.17.
Let him that is athirſt come.
12ly ANother evidence of Chriſts willingneſs to ſave ſinners that will come unto him is, The Lord doth venture and hazard the looſing many, by making knowne his free Grace and willingneſs to ſave ſinners, for when ſinners doe heare that Chriſt is willing to ſave them, and very deſirous alſo, many they abuſe his free grace, this rich mercy, this willingneſs of Chriſt to doe their ſoules good: If Chriſt be ſo willing, ſay they, wee will ſtay a while, it will ſuffice hereafter. In the 4th of Jude, it's ſaid, They turne Grace into wantonneſs, and thouſands of ſcorners turne Grace into wantonneſs; when they heare Chriſt dyed and ſhed his blood for ſinners, that he is willing ſinners ſhould come in, that he waites for them, that he intreats, and preſſes them to come to him; they take advantage from hence to ſin more freely, to ſtay it out to the uttermoſt. And thus the Lord runs a hazard of looſing many, by making knowne the riches of his Grace, the freedome of his mercy and loving kindneſs, which ſhews there a very ſtrong deſire in Chriſt to ſave ſinners.
Thirteenthly, It is evident that Chriſt is very deſirous of ſinners ſalvation, in that he takes ſinners when they are at the worſt of all, at the height of wickedneſs. If a Prince will take into his family thoſe that are ſick of the plague, of the Leproſie, and of the worſt diſeaſes, 'tis an argument he hath a minde to have them live in his family, and that he is deſirous of their company: the Lord Jeſus Chriſt he takes ſinners when they are at the very worſt; Saul he was at the height of his blaſphemy, at the height of murder, at the height of perſecution; and Chriſt ſaith, Saul, Saul, why perſecuteſt thou me, thy blaſphemies rage, and perſecutions are come up to heaven; and Paul ſaith in the 1 Tim: 1. he was a perſecutor, a blaſphemer, and an injurious perſon, but I obtained mercy, even when I was ſo great and notorious a ſinner, Chriſt came and tooke him in; it's an argument then that Chriſt is very deſirous of the ſalvation of ſinners, that he will take ſinners when they are in the height of their wickedneſs. When the Prodigall had run out from his fathers houſe, and had ſpent yeares in wicked practiſes, in whoredome, drunkenneſs, gameing, and running in the wayes of the world, when he had ſpent all, and ſpent himſelfe; now when he was in this height of wickedneſs, it pleaſes God and Chriſt to call him, to bring him home, and to receive him againe: had not Chriſt been deſirous of the ſalvation of ſinners, he might have ſhut the doore againſt the Prodigall, and ſaid, you ſhall never come in adores againe: had not the Father been deſrous for the Sons ſake to have ſav…d ſinners, he would not have entertain'd the Prodigall; there is not a velleitie but a ſtrong efficacious deſire in God and Chriſt to ſave ſinners. The Jewes when they were at the worſt, when they had put that innocent one to death, when they had ſaid, His blood be upon us and upon our Children, when they had mockt him, reviled him, and accuſed him even after all this, Chriſt takes in many of them; three thouſand of them converted at one Sermon by Peter; Him whom ye have Crucifyed with bloody hands hath God raiſed; here is a cleere evidence of the earneſt deſire of the Lord Jeſus to ſave ſinners; he takes them when they are at the worſt, when they have done the uttermoſt miſcheife & ſpite they can againſt him, and againſt his wayes.
Fourteenthly, It's an argument that the Lord Jeſus is very deſirous to ſave ſinners, If you confider, that the Lord takes ſinners at the laſt caſt, at the end of their dayes, when they have no time left to ſerve him, he t…kes them at the very firſt intreaty and begging of mercy. The Theefe you know that had liv…d wickedly all his dayes, when he came to the laſt caſt, and was upon the Laddar, or nail'd to the Croſſe, and ready to breath out his laſt breath, ſaith he, Lord remember me when thou comeſt into thy kingdome; Chriſt might have ſaid, Remember thee, why ſhould I remember thee, thou haſt bin a bloody wretch, a Theefe and a murderer all thy dayes, and thou deſerveſt nothing now but death and damnation, and why ſhould I remember thee,, No, the Lord Chriſt ſaith not ſo but he ſaith, This day ſhalt thou be with me in Paradiſe: now when there was no time left for him to honour Chriſt, and to ſerve Chriſt, he onelyonly now intreats this favour of him, being on the Croſſe, ſaith Ch…iſt, This day ſhalt thou be with me in Paradiſe. And doubtleſs though we have but this one Inſtance, and ſo men ſhould not preſume to put off Repentance till it be too late, yet I doe beleive, many a ſoule hath met with mercy, when they have been at the gates of death: I ſay, many a poore ſoule that hath been burdened with ſin, aſſlicted in Conſcience, and ready to ſinke, in the gates of death they have lookt up to Chriſt, and intreated him to remember them, & Chriſt hath ſhewne them mercy, which ſhews the forwardneſs and willingneſs of Chriſt to ſave ſinners: Yet let not any preſume to doe ſo, for likely late Repentance is ſeldome true, a deathbed Repentance uſually is a dead Repentance, when feare of hell ſhall drive men to look after heaven, they may thanke hell for looking after God and Chriſt, but that by the way.
Fiſteenthly and laſtly, It is cleerely evident that the Lord Chriſt hath a ſtrong Inclination to ſave ſinners, by his giving out of Scripture in that way and manner as he hath done; the Lord Chriſt hath given out Scripture ſo as to Anſwer the objections of men and women, to Anſwer all the eavills of their hearts, all the plea…s of corruption, and of a guilty Conſcience, and of the Devill himſelfe: The Lord hath given out Scripture ſo as to Anſwer all that might hinder their coming in unto him. In the 12 of Math: All manner of ſins and Blaſphemies ſhall be forgiven to the ſons of men: — What hath a ſinfull heart here to ſay, what canſt thou object againſt this? he tells thee, All manner of ſins ſhall be forgiven, all manner of ſin and blaſphemy ſhall be forgiven, Are thy ſins beyond blaſphemy, are they ſuch as come not within the compaſſe of all manner of ſin? Let thy ſins be ſlight or great, let them be old or new, let them be againſt Law, againſt Goſpel, againſt promiſes, all manner of ſins ſhall be forgiven: — Chriſt ſaith, The ſin againſt the Holy-Ghoſt ſhall not be forgiven: But if thou have a heart to look to Chriſt for mercy, it's an argument thou art free from that ſin, for where that is, there's impenitency, there…s hardneſs of heart, no thinking of Repentance nor coming to God: But all manner of ſin and blaſphemies ſhall be forgiven: Is not here incouragement enough unto poore ſinners: — So here in the next words, Whoſoever will let him come and drinke of the water of life freely: It…s laid downe ſo as to anſwer all your objections, and to take away all your plea's you have to ſtave you off from Chriſt. So then you ſee cleere evidences that Chriſt is willing to ſave ſinners.
But why is Chriſt ſo willing to ſave ſinners?
Firſt, Why Chriſt is ſo willing to ſave ſinners?from his owne experience and ſence of what it is to be under the diſpleaſure of God, he was once tempted he was once forſaken, he cryed out in that condition, and he knew what the wrath and diſpleaſure of God meant: And now being full of compaſſion, he pitties all thoſe that are under the diſfavour of God; he knows ſinners have broken the Law, deſerved the curſe, the wrath of God, eternall death, and now his compaſſions being ſtirr'd within him, his Bowels yearne, he deſires that ſinners may come to him; if any thirſt let him come, let him come, he ſhall be freed from the wrath of God, from the curſe of the Law, from guilt and condemnation, it's a ſad condition, I am ſenceable of it; I was in the ſhare and round of ſinners, and I know what it is to be in ſuch a condition.
Secondly, Chriſt is ſo deſirous, that ſo he may ſee of the travaile of his owne ſoule, and that men may ſee the end of his coming to ſave ſinners, was reall for if Chriſts end was to ſeeke and ſave that which was loſt, unleſſe he deſire and uſe meanes to ſave them, you may ſay it was not reall, therefore Chriſt to make it out that it was really his end, and that he might ſee of the travaile of his ſoule in ſuffering, he deſires ſinners may come in, he gives out the Goſpel, he appoynts Miniſters he invites them extraordinarily, and ordinarily, he calls upon them and would have ſinners to come unto him to be ſaved.
Thirdly, and laſtly, Chriſt doth this that ſo the freeneſſe of Gods Grace, and of his love may appeare and may be magnified, Chriſt is wonderfull deſirous that ſinners ſhould come in, and when they doe come in, they will magnifie the riches of Grace then they will ſtand and wonder at the Love of God, and of Chriſt, and that he ſhould waite upon the beſeech, and intreat them to come and accept of mercy and favour.
Ʋſe 1. Firſt we may ſee here, that the way of the Lord Chriſt is for ſinners to come in to him, and to the Father freely; Whoſoever is athirſt let him come; he doth not ſay, let him be compelled to come forc't to come, but let him come, he holds out ſuch riches of Grace and mercy, ſuch treaſures and excellencies, that certainly if a ſoule do but conſider and well weigh them, it will come: Chriſt himſelfe came freely to us, and he would have us come freely to him. There is no forcing in the Act of Convertion, but all is free, though God puts forth a mighty power in the hearts of people, yet he overcomes them with ſweetneſſe and lovingneſſe: Let him that is athirſt come.
But it may be ſaid, they are bidden in the 14 of Luke to compell them to come in.
That is not an outward compulſion, he doth not ſpeake of force of Armes, but goe and compell them to come in with force of Argument; propound unto them ſuch motives in the Goſpel, as may compell them to come in, tell them of the Beauty of holineſſe, tell them of the Riches of Grace, tell them of the Love of God and Chriſt, tell them of the pardon of ſins, and anſwer their objections:—There's no forcing in the work of Grace; no forcing men to come unto God and Chriſt, but it's all a free worke: God draws, but he drawes with coards of love, he carries not men againſt their wills to Chriſt, and forces them to beleive in Chriſt, no, but he ſweetens their wills, and overcomes them with kindneſſe, and Truth, the Majeſtie, Glory and lovelineſs of truth overcomes their wills, ſo that men come willingly to Chriſt.
Secondly Chriſt being deſirous that ſinners ſhould come unto him, then let us not goe to any other: many ſeeke out to others, and ſay with them in the 4th Pſal: Who will ſhew us any good? there is no releife for poore ſinners in any other but in Chriſt, tis not running to Moſes, nor to David, nor to Prophets, nor to any but to Chriſt, 'tis not friends, 'tis not honours, 'tis not Riches, 'tis not gifts and Talents 'tis not any thing in the creature can releive a thirſty ſoule, but Chriſt: If any man thirſt let him come, come, whither, come to Chriſt, all other things doe proclaime unto you, 'tis not in them, ſaith the wedge of Gold, 'tis not in me, ſaith houſe and land, 'tis not in us, ſay the ſhips on the Sea 'tis not in us, and ſo ſay all other creatures, 'tis onelyonly in Jeſus Chriſt to releive a poore ſoule: Math: 11.28. Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavie laden, and I will give you reſt: he doth not ſay that mountaines can refreſh you, that Angells can refreſh you, or any creature can refreſh you, but come unto me all ye that are weary and heavie laden, and I will give you reſt. All the virtue that refreſhes a guilty ſoule, a thirſty ſoule, a ſinfull ſoule, all the virtue is in the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, he is water of life, he is a fountaine of living water, he hath to give you that which will doe your ſoules good, hee can give you his blood to quench the fire of hell, to purge away your guilt, to remove wrath to come, 'tis in Chriſt and in none other: Therefore all thoſe that goe to others, forſake their owne mercies, and imbrace lying vanities, but thoſe that come to Chriſt, they goe the right way.
Thirdly; Doth Chriſt invite us to come unto him, then let us examine and make inquiry, whether wee are come to Chriſt or no: I beleive here's hardly any under this roofe, but thinkes he is come to Chriſt that he is a true Chriſtian; and its worth the Inquiry then, that he may reſolve this caſe, ſo that he may not be deceived; for Chriſt ſaith in the 7th of Math: In that day many ſhall ſay, Lord, Lord have not we done thus and thus in thy preſence; but Chriſt ſhall ſay unto them, depart from me, I never knew you, you never came to me: I ſay then, it may be worth our time to make Inquiry after this caſe of Conſcience, whether wee are come to Chriſt yea or no; and I ſhall in a few particulars cleere it up unto you.
Firſt, The ſoule that is in truth come to Chriſt, hath ſeene a ſufficiency in Chriſt to releive it every way, and ſuch a ſufficiency, as hath made it to venture it ſelfe upon the Lord Jeſus Chriſt alone, and nothing elſe: — Now apply this to your owne ſoules: have you ever ſeene ſuch ſufficiency in the Lord Jeſus, as heaven and earth beſides hath not? — And ſo ſeene as to make you come off from all, and venture upon him alone; if you have cleerely ſeene the ſuffiency of Chriſt, then your owne righteouſneſſe is nothing to you, your owne civility, morality, and honeſty, are as nothing, though they are good in regard of men, yet they are nothing in regard of God, and in regard of your ſoules:— You ſee an allſufficiency in Jeſus Chriſt, and an utter inſufficiency in your ſelves; Alas, what's my righteouſneſſe ſaith the ſoule that's come to Chriſt, my righteouſneſſe is filthineſſe, and all that ever I can doe is unprofitableneſſe before God; and though I have learning and wiſdome and parts, and memory, and utterance and riches, and honours, and follow a calling, and doe good in my place, (and the like) alas all theſe are nothing, I account them but as dung ſaith the ſoule in reſpect of Chriſt, there's an alluſufficiency in Chriſt; I but theſe may damne me and ſend me to hell: now put theſe to your owne hearts, for it's ill to be deceived in matters of eternity; have you ſeene (I ſay) ſuch a ſufficiency in the Lord Jeſus, of wiſdome and ſtrength, and righteouſneſſe, (and the like) as you have laid downe all your owne, and ſee it nothing, and have ventured your ſoules nakedly upon Jeſus Chriſt. In the 45 of Iſa: 24. Verily ſhall one ſay, In the Lord have I righteouſneſſe and ſtrength, I have none in my ſelfe. It is a propheſie of the laſt times concerning Chriſt:— I have ſworne by my ſelfe, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteouſneſſe, and it ſhall not returne; that unto me every knee ſhall bow, every tongue ſhall ſware: It's ſpoken of Chriſt, and applyed to him in the Philippians, Surely ſhall one ſay, In the Lord have I righteouſneſſe and ſtrength, even to him ſhall men come; marke, in the Lord ſhall all the ſeede of Iſrael be Juſtified and ſhall Glory; unto him ſhall they come, And all that are incenſed againſt him ſhall be aſhamed: what go to Chriſt ſaith one, there's nothing in Chriſt, and men ſpeake blaſphemouſly and baſely of Chriſt in theſe dayes, but they ſhall be aſhamed: But unto HIM ſhall men come, and in the Lord ſhall all the ſeede of Iſrael be Juſtifyed and ſhall Glory; they ſhall be juſtifyed in Chriſt, therefore deale really with your owne hearts therein, there is a fundamentall truth to be taken off from your owne righteouſneſſe, and to build wholly upon Chriſt; thoſe that come to him doe ſo.
Secondly, The ſoule that is come unto Chriſt, it doth ſtay it ſelfe upon him, and reſts upon him, and goes not out from him; as it ventures it ſelfe upon Chriſt, ſo it reſts it ſelfe content with Chriſt. You know a Woman when ſhee hath choſen a Man for her husband, ſhe reſts content in him above all the men in the world; and the ſoule that hath choſen Chriſt, and come to Chriſt, and beleives in Chriſt in truth, reſts content with the Lord Jeſus above all in heaven and earth. In the 6th of John Chriſt puts a Queſtion to Peter; Jeſus ſaid unto the twelve, will ye alſo goe away? Then Simon Peter anſwered him, Lord, to whom ſhall we goe, Thou haſt the words of eternall life; Lord, to whom ſhould we goe, we are ſatisfied with thee, we reſt content with thee, we looke not beyond thee, we have enough in thee and from thee to bring us to eternall life: — ſo that a ſoule that's truly come to Chriſt will joyne nothing with Chriſt, but reſts ſatisfied with him alone; try your ſelves thereby.
Thirdly, A ſoule that is come to Chriſt in truth, doth accept of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt upon his owne termes; many they will accept of Chriſt but it ſhall be upon their termes, ſo I may have Chriſt and the world ſaith one, I will be content to be a Chriſtian, ſo I may have Chriſt and honours ſaith another, ſo I may have Chriſt and my luſts ſatisfied, and injoy them, I will come to him, ſaith a third; ſo I may live and take my eaſe and goe to heaven at laſt I will have Chriſt, ſaith a fourth man. Thus men will have Chriſt upon their termes, but a ſoule that is thirſty and comes to Chriſt in truth, takes the Lord Chriſt upon his owne termes; If any man, ſaith Chriſt, will be my Diſciple he muſt deny himſelfe, and take up his Croſſe: Theſe are Chriſts termes, a man muſt lay aſide his owne wiſdome, a man muſt be content to bare a Croſſe, to meete with reproach, priſons, temptations, perſecutions, hard meaſure, Chriſt and a Croſſe, Chriſt and a priſon, Chriſt and hunger, and nakedneſs, and perill, and temptations, or whatſoever God will; For we are ſlaine all the day long for thy ſake, in the Pſa: and in the 8 Rom: ſo that a ſoule that doth come to Chriſt in truth, takes Chriſt upon his owne termes, Chriſt and mortification of your luſts, Chriſt and death to the world, Chriſt and death to ſin, theſe goe together; but men would have Chriſt and live to the world, and live to ſin, and live unto vanity, but theſe cannot ſtand together: he that is Chriſts, he hath crucifyed the fleſh with the affections and luſts thereof, he hath crucifyed them, and accepts of Chriſt upon his owne termes.
Fourthly, Where the ſoule doth truly come to Chriſt and cloſe with him, there it gives up it ſelfe to Chriſt to be diſpoſed of: As a woman when ſhe is married, ſhe leaves her fathers houſe, her mothers houſe, and ſhe gives up her ſelfe to be guided by the Guide of her youth, by her husband. Therefore in the 45 Pſalme ſaith he, Hearken ô daughter and conſider, and incline thine eare, Forget alſo thine owne people and thy Fathers houſe, ſo ſhall the King greatly deſire thy beauty; For he is Thy Lord, and worſhip thou him: Forget thine owne people, and thy Fathers houſe: ſo a ſoule gives up it ſelfe to Chriſt, and forgets all former Ingagements, former cuſtomes, practiſes, and wayes it walkt in, and gives up it ſelfe to be ruled now by Chriſt, and by his Lawes; ſaith the ſoule I am come into a Kings Family, I am come into a great Court, I muſt now be ruled by the Lawes of this King, by the Lawes of his houſe; and therefore ſaith Chriſt, My ſheepe heare my voyce: If I am one in the Fould of Chriſt, and a ſheepe of Chriſt, I will heare his voyce, and a ſtranger I will not heare, a ſtranger I will not follow.
Now how is it with you, doe you follow the voyce of the world, of the fleſh, of hell, you have not given up your ſelves to Chriſt, if you had, you would follow him, and heare him, and not ſtrangers. In the 14. Revel: The 144. thouſand follow the Lamb whither ſoever he goes; they doe not follow the Lyons of the world, but follow the Lamb whither ſoever he goes: Chriſt is their head, Chriſt is their Lord, Chriſt is their Guide; ſo the ſoule that's come to Chriſt is guided and led by Chriſt, and followes Chriſt; try your ſelves there.
Fifthly, A ſoule that is come to Chriſt in truth, is daily made more and more like unto Jeſus Chriſt, the more it is conformed to Chriſt daily; when once it comes to Chriſt, the ſoule ſees ſuch beauty, ſuch glory, ſuch excellency in Chriſt, ſuch wiſdome in Chriſt, that it's willing to be conformed to Chriſt in every thing, not my will but thy will Lord Jeſus, not my thoughts but thy thoughts; ſaith the Apoſtle, we have the very minde of Chriſt, and not onelyonly the minde of Chriſt, but the life of Chriſt; for in the 2 Gal: 20. I live not, ſaith he, but Chriſt lives in me; ô I am conformed to Chriſt, I live the very life of Chriſt; ſo that a true Chriſtian, a true beleiver, is conformed by the renewing of his minde into the Image of Chriſt, into the life of Chriſt, into the minde of Chriſt, into the Graces of Chriſt, he is more and more changed into Chriſt, ſo that in a ſence he may be called Chriſt, as the Church is 1 Cor: 12.12. The Church is called Chriſt, becauſe the Church is transformed into the Image of Chriſt; ſo every true beleeving ſoule is tranſformed more and more into Chriſt daily. 2 Cor: 3. laſt, But we all with open face beholding as in a Glaſſe the Glory of the Lord, that is, of the Lord Jeſus, are changed into the ſame Image, from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. Now then beloved, reflect upon your ſelves, and deale impartially with your own ſoules, and if you finde theſe things, there's abundance of comfort will be to you, and you will have abundance of peace when you come to dye. And if it be not ſo with you, labour to have it ſo, and doe not ſuffer Satan, nor the fleſh, nor any thing to delude and deceive you in a buſineſs of ſo great concernment; ſaith Chriſt, If any thirſt, let him come, come to me; and ſo much for that uſe.
Fourthly, The laſt uſe is a uſe of Exhortation.
Seeing the Lord Chriſt invites us to come, let us come unto him: why Lord, doeſt thou ſay come, here I am, here I am, I come Lord, I come, with my whole heart I deſire it, I am ſorry I have ſtaid ſo long from thee: I come ô Lord, I come I come: — how would this delight the Lord to ſee ſuch a frame of ſpirit in a Congregation, that ſinners would come unto him. You have heard how deſirous Chriſt is of it, and why he is ſo deſirous, ô well, let us come to the Lord Jeſus, and to propound ſome things to promote this exhortation.
Firſt, Firſt of all Conſider our owne condition, what we are out of Chriſt, what are we without Chriſt, are we not all like men of blood? You read in the Law of Cities of Refuge, and when a man-ſlayer was purſued by the Avenger, unleſs he got to the Citie of Refuge, he was a dead man: why all the men in the world are in that caſe, all murderers; we by ſinning in Adam fell from God, and have murdered our owne ſoules, and we are purſued by the Devill, & there is no Citie of Refuge but Chriſt, that's the meaning of it; The Cities of Refuge were types of Chriſt; and as they flying to the Cities of Refuge were preſerved alive, ſo poore ſinners flying to Chriſt, ſhall be preſerved from Satan that ſeekes to murder us to all eternitie. Therefore conſider what you are without Chriſt, and out of Chriſt: — we are men ſick and ſick unto death, and there's no Phycitian can cure us but Chriſt; we are men that have a Leproſie, and it cleaves ſo to us that it will be our death, unleſs we have the blood of Chriſt to clenſe this Leproſie: — we are blinde, and unles we have a Guide we ſhall fall into the ditch, into the ditch of hell, out of which there is no Recovery; Therefore come to Chriſt, he is a Guide, he will Guide you in the way everlaſting; he will lead us ſo as we ſhall never fall into the ditch, ô come unto Chriſt; we are all under the Law, we are accurſed creatures, curſed ſaith the Law is every man and woman that fullfills not all things in the Law to doe the ſame: Curſed be every one that thinks but a vaine thought, that ſpeaks but an idle word; curſed is every man that hath done amiſſe, that hath deceived his neighbour, &c. Now who muſt take off the curſe, none but Chriſt, who was made a curſe by hanging upon the tree; ô therefore come to Chriſt, chooſe Chriſt, cloſe with Chriſt, venture your ſoules upon Jeſus Chriſt, truſt in him, and him alone, reſigne up your ſelves wholly to him.
Conſider what you ſhall have by coming to Chriſt? — have, — who is able to tell you what you ſhall have by Chriſt? If a man had the tongue of men and Angells he could not ſet it out, what poore ſinners ſhall have by Chriſt.
You ſhall have pardon of all your ſins; — you ſhall have peace of Conſcience that paſſes underſtanding; — you ſhall have found Illumination and know God and Chriſt, which is life eternall; — you ſhall have Chriſts wiſdome, Chriſts righteouſneſſe, Chriſts ſanctification, Chriſt to be your Redemption; — you ſhall have the hidden Manna; — you ſhall have the white Stone; — you ſhall have the new name; — you ſhall be made a pillar in the Temple of God;—you ſhall be made a member of Chriſt; —you ſhall be made a Temple of the holy Spirit;—you ſhall have the Inhabitation of the Father, and the Son, and Spirit, everlaſtingly in your ſoules; — would you have any thing that heaven hath, that God hath, that Chriſt hath, come to Chriſt and you ſhall have it.
Againe, Conſider who it is that Invites you to Chriſt 'tis not Moſes, 'tis not Abraham, 'tis not Ahaſueruſh, 'tis not Heſter, but a greater then any of theſe, a greater then all theſe; — when Moſes ſpake to Pharaoh, he prevailed with him to let the people goe to Mount Sinai, Abraham and Lot prevailed with Angells to come in and eate and drinke with them; Ahaſueruſh prevailed with the Nobles of 127 Provinces to come and feaſt with him; Heſter prevailed with Ahaſueruſh to ſhew mercy to Mordecai and the Jewes, and to deſtroy Haman: ſhall theſe prevaile, and ſhall not the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, who is greater then all theſe prevaile? Why Chriſt was greater then Moſes, Moſes was a ſervant, but Chriſt was a Son in the houſe; Abraham rejoyced to ſee the day of Chriſt, and he ſaw it; Ahaſueruſh he was but an Earthly Prince, but Chriſt is the Prince of life, the Prince of all the Kings of the earth, an eternall Prince; Heſter a poore captive, and Chriſt is the Maſter of the marriage-feaſt: And ſhall the Lord Chriſt now intreate, Invite, and beſeech you to come in, to come to him, and will ye not hearken? Pharaoh hearkens to Moſes, will not you hearken to Chriſt? Angells hearken to Abraham and Lot, will not you hearken to Chriſt? Nobles hearken to Ahaſhueruſh, will not you hearken to Chriſt? Ahaſueruſh hearkens to Heſter, and will not you hearken to Chriſt? Let him that is athirſt come, come ſaith Chriſt, 'tis I that ſpeake to you, who am the Son of God, who am the Saviour of the world, who am the Everlaſting Father, who am the Lord of Glory, who have Heaven at my diſpoſe, come, come, ô come in then to the Lord Jeſus; let not your ſins, let not Devills, let not world, let not your luſts keepe you backe from the Lord Jeſus.
And what is it Chriſt calls you for, why doth he Invite you, is it for your hurt, is it to upbraid you for your ſin, is it to check you for your infirmities, is it to revile you, and reproach you for any miſcariages? If it were ſo, then you might demurre, then you might argue the caſe, then you might give a deniall, but 'tis for none of all theſe it is for your good, and wholly for Your good, God and Chriſt have no deſignes upon men, as here men have deſignes one upon another: If they invite you to a feaſt, they have many times a deſigne upon you, but God and Chriſt have no deſignes upon you, 'tis purely, meerly, totally for your good. The Lord Invites you that you may pertake of his righteouſneſſe, that you may have his wiſdome, his Spirit, his fullneſſe, his Grace, his Glory, that you may be happie as he is happie; Chriſt gets nothing by it, you have all the gaine, and all the benefit.
Againe, Conſider that Chriſts tendering himſelfe unto you, it is the greateſt mercy that heaven hath to tender unto poore ſinners; what hath God in heaven now to doe your poore ſoules good withall beſides Chriſt? The Spirit comes not unleſs Chriſt ſend: The Father hath promiſed him the ſending of the Spirit: But God he houlds out Chriſt to you; God ſo loved the world that he gave his onelyonly begotten Son, &c. 'tis the greateſt mercy, I ſay, that heaven hath to tender unto you: — And this day in the name of the great God, I do tender Jeſus Chriſt unto you all, come in and receive Chriſt, come in and receive Chriſt, receive the Lord Jeſus Chriſt to be your husband, to be your King, to be your Prophet, to be your high Prieſt, to be your Saviour, to be all in all unto you: — and know, that if you doe refuſe and will not receive Chriſt now offered to you, if you will not let goe your luſts, your drunkenneſs, whoredome, envie, malice, ſlandering, and the like, if you will not let goe theſe for Chriſt, your damnation will be upon your owne heads, ſalvation is brought to your doores, Chriſt is laid before you, he is held out unto you; The Golden Scepter this day is held out unto you, ô receive the Lord Jeſus Chriſt: — And if you doe not, know you provoke God more in refuſing of Chriſt, then by all the ſins that you ever committed: This will be the ſin that will be your damnation, John 3. This is the Condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men love darkneſſe rather then light, &c. They love darkneſſe, they love ſin, ſinfull wayes, ſinfull luſts, ſinfull company, and ſinfull practiſes: Theſe you love, this is The Condemnation, when men will not receive Chriſt, they make God a lyar, and what an injurie is this to God, that you will put the lie upon God, as if God did not love the world, as if God not hold out Chriſt to ſave ſinners: And if you receive him not, you doe not bare witneſs to the truth of God, and ſett to your ſeales that God is true, and ſo honour him: Therefore be perſwaded to come in and honour the Lord Jeſus Chriſt.— What will make it ſo hard with thoſe of Capernaum, with thoſe of Jeruſalem at the laſt day, but becauſe Chriſt was their Prophet, and there offered unto them, and they would none of him; We will not have this man to rule over us; This is the Heire, come let us kill him; ô therefore, it ſhall be eaſier for Sodom and Gomorrah at the day of Judgement, eaſier it ſhall be for Conſtantinoble at the day of Judgement then for Stepney, that will not leave your ſinfull courſes and fall in with Chriſt, and live as Chriſt, and looke for Glory hereafter: — Why you ſhall not be alwayes here, and then comes an eternall condition, and why will you looſe Eternitie for momentary pleaſures, and momentary riches? why will you looſe Glory, and looſe all, and have that which will a thouſand times more aggravate your miſery; for had you not liv'd where the Goſpel is preached when you come to die it would not have been ſo bad, but when as you might have had Chriſt, and might have had ſalvation and heaven, and you have neglected this, it will trouble you, and lie ſad upon you to all Eternitie: and this will ſinke you deeper into hell, That mercy is your torment, that mercy is your hell, that mercy is your damnation, and ſo it will prove to all Eternitie to all who live under the meanes, and come not in to Chriſt. Suppoſe a man is in a rotten Ba…ke at Sea, and there's a great ſtorme ariſing, and many Pirats abroad, and the Admirall of the Sea, ſeeing his condition, ſends unto him ſaying, Friend, friend, come in to me and I will ſecure you; but he refuſes, and anon he is taken by the Pirats, carried away, and put into a Dungeon; now what troubles this man, the Admiralls kindneſſe; ſo it will be with ſinners, Chriſt the Admirall of the Sea he calls to poore ſinners, come in to me, I will ſave you from the ſtorme, I will ſave ſoule and body to all Eternitie; but you refuſe, and at laſt you are taken and caſt into hell, and there you will lie with this upon your ſoules, that you might have had mercy and would not, ô therefore come in to Jeſus Chriſt, ſtand out no longer, but come and give up your ſelves to him, and live like Chriſt, and you ſhall have a Heaven here, and a Heaven hereafter.