The Fountain Opened, Part 1 · Doctrine 2
DOCTRINE. II. Jeſus Chriſt is an Opened fountain in the days of the Goſpel.
OUR Prophet is ſpeaking of, and predicting about Goſpel times, and tells us, that in that day there ſhall be a fountain Opened. Under the former Doctrine we had Chriſt commended to us as a fountain of ſaving good, whoſe fulneſs of all Grace and Goodneſs may invite the poor and needy Soul to repair to him, to have all its wants ſupplied: In this we have a farther commendation given him by the Epithet added, viz. That he is a Fountain Opened, which mightily adds to the encouragement of indigent ones to come to him. Under the former Metaphor he was exhibited as an All ſufficient Saviour, and by this he is ſet forth as a free, ready and willing Saviour; that ſhews what he is in himſelf; this tells us what he▪ is willing to be to us, if we would ſo make uſe of him.
In purſuit of this Doctrine we may enquire,
1. What is included in the opening o… this Fountain?
2. How it comes to be thus opened?
3. In what reſpect it is ſaid to be opened in the days of the Goſpel?
1. What is included in the opening of this Fountain?
A. Opening and ſhut…ing are contraries; and when it is opened, it ſuppoſeth that before it was ſhut: either it was not known, or it was inacceſſible. There is therefore a double opening of this fountain which is here inten… ed, viz
1. By Revelation, or Diſcovery. A thing that is hidden or ſecret, is ſaid to be ſhut, but when it is publiſhed or made known, then it is opened; and it is to be obſerved, that the diſcovery of this fountain is by Revelation: all the wiſdom and underſtanding of Angels and men, which they had in them by nature, could never have found this out; natures light afforded not a key▪ to unlock this myſtery: When it lay in the Cabinet of God's Eternal Counſel, it was a ſealed thing, & there was no meer Creature that could open it; but God hath made known this glorious fountain, and ſet it forth manifeſtly before us. Now the things which God hath opened to us by it, are;
1. That there is ſuch a fountain provided for mans uſe. God had fore-appointed it in th… days of Eternity, and made it ready in th… fulneſs of time; but theſe things were in themſelves ſecret, nor had man ever known that there is ſuch a ſupply laid in for him, if God ha… not told him of it. Gods counſel about it wa… in his own breaſt, and the way in which he effected it was ſo obſcure, that man underſtood it not till he declared it. Who ſhould tell man that God had ſo much good will for him, as to provide Salvation for him by a Redeemer when he had deſtroyed himſelf by ſin? Go… only knew his own thoughts, and none coul… have gues'd at them by any rational arguing… if he had not told them. When God ſait… concerning the ſinful creature, as Job 33. 24 Deliver him from going down to the pit, I hav… found a ranſome. He then opens this Fountain…
2. Where it is; and this is a further degree o… the opening of it. There is ſome ſupport afforded to us, in being told that there is ſuch … thing; but then the proper enquiry will be Where is it? Except we be determined about our Object, we are ſtill at a loſs: but God hath pointed us here alſo, and told us who is the fountain, viz. Jeſus Chriſt. He hath aſſured us where it is not, and given us the character of all the broken ciſterns that we are ready to take up at, and told us where only the waters of life are to be had. Notwithſtanding all the predictions which had been of Chriſt before, yet when he came he was not known; the World were prejudiced at him, yea and his own were at a loſs about him; Iſa. 52. 14. As many were aſtoniſhed at thee; his viſage was ſo marred more than any man, and his form more than the ſons of men; and 53. 2. He hath no form or comelineſs, and when we ſhall ſee him, there is no beauty that we ſhould deſire him: And Luke 24 21. We trusted that it had been he that ſhould have redeemed Iſrael. He hath therefore pointed out the very perſon, and given us the characters in his Word whereby he may be known, and aſſured us that all Salvation is limited to him, Acts 4. 12. Neither is there Salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we muſt be ſaved.
3. The fulneſs of ſufficiency which there is in this fountain, and how he came by it. He hath declared all the vertues of it, and the efficacy there is in them: how Jeſus Chriſt came to be a compleat Saviour, and able to ſave to the uttermoſt, Heb. 7. 25. He is for this end laid forth in his Natures, in his Offices, and the whole work of Redemption which was wrought out by him; in the Covenant Engagements which there paſt between his Father and him; and in the ſuitableneſs of what he hath done and undergone, for the anſwering of all that was requiſite in order to our Salvation, and the acceptance which it found with the Father on this accoun… Theſe were dark and dubious things to the wi… ſeſt of men, but he hath opened them clearly to us; 1 Cor. 1. 23, 24. We preach Chriſt Crucified, to the Jews a ſtumbling block, and to the Greeks fooliſhneſs, but to them which are called▪ Chriſt the wiſdom of God, and the power of God▪
4 The way wherein we may come at, and partake in this fountain We muſt come to it, i… ever we obtain life from it; hence that complaint, Joh. 5. 40. Ye will not come to me, that you might have life. There is therefore a way in which …e may ſo come, and this mans reaſon and light could not have given him any direction about: it is therefore a great piece… of the natural mans miſery, Rom. 3 17. The way of p…ace have they not known. This God hath opened to us in the New Covenant, by publiſhing the terms of it, viz Faith and Repentance, and ſhewing us the fallacy of all the other ways which vain men have taken to obtain it, and miſſed in the end; Mic. 6. 8 He hath ſhewn thee, O man, what is good. Now the way in which God hath diſcovered all this is in the Goſpel, and by the O…dinances of it, 2 Tim. 1 10▪ Hath brought life and immortality to light by the G…ſpel. So that men need no longer to be a… a loſs, nor … from mountain to hill, ſeeking reſt and finding n…ne▪
2. By the Offers that are made of it, and the invitations given to men to come to it, whereby▪ they have a freedom of acceſs. A thing is then ſaid to be ſhut up, when it is encloſed, and there is no liberty of coming at it; when therefore it is exhibited and laid open, and all encouragement is offered to repair to it, it is then opened: ſo is this Fountain.
Here let us obſerve.
1. That God, together with diſcovering it, maketh large and univerſal offers of it to men He not only hath told us that there is ſuch a thing, but hath invited men to come to it; hath told them what it is deſigned for, and bidden every one that hears of it, and is ſenſible of his own need, to come to it and partake of it, …he offer of it is univerſal, Iſa. 55. 1. Ho, every …ne that thirsteth, come to the waters; he excep…eth none that are willing to come; nay, he …ath put in to prevent diſcouragement in ſuch …s may be afraid by reaſon of aggravated ſin …nd guilt, Iſa. 1. 18. Though your ſins be as …arlet, they ſhall be as white as ſnow 55. 7. Let …he wicked forſake his way, &c. and turn to the …ord for he will have mercy, and to our God, for …e will abundantly pardon.
2 He ſends his Ambaſſadours to plead with …en, & that with all urgency, that they will come … it. He enjoyns them to uſe all arguments …ith men, to ſhew them their abſolute need …f it, that they muſt needs periſh without it; … beg and pray them to accept of the Recon…iliation; and to follow them from time to time with utmoſt impo…tunity, according to 2 Cor. 5. 20. We are Ambaſſadours for Chriſt, … though God did beſeech you by us: …e pray you … Chriſts ſtead be ye reconciled to God. Nor are they to be diſcouraged in the work, but to re… new the Treaty though ſinful men do all they can to break it off.
3. He makes the largeſt Promiſes to ſuch as … come. How welcome he will make them how readily he will entertain them, and that notwithſtanding all they have been and don… to provoke him to deal contrary with th…m they ſhall not lo…e their labour, but have ful… ſatisfaction given them, Mat 11. 28. Come u… to me, &c and I will give you reſt, Rev. 3. 20. I will come in, and ſup. with him, and he wi… me; and he hath ſ…d, that he will never caſ… them out, Joh. 6. 37.
2. How it comes to be thus opened?
A. We may come at this in the following particulars.
1. This fountain was provided on purpoſe for th… Salvation of undone Sinners. It was for the advancement of the riches of his Grace that Go… contrived it before time; and it was becauſe ſin had made man to ſtand in abſolute need o… it that God revealed it to him in time, hence tha… Rom 5 6. When we were without ſtrength, in due tim… Chriſt died for the ungodly; Gal. 4. 4. When th… fulneſs of time was come, God ſent forth his So… &c. Had not. man plunged himſelf into m… ſery, and helpleſsneſs in himſelf, or in the whole Creation, there had been no occaſion for it. Hence we have Chriſt himſelf declaring the deſign of his coming in our nature, Mat. 9. 13. I am not come to call the righteous, but ſinners to repentance; and our Prophet acquaints us what the Blood of the Covenant was for, Zech. 9. 11. By the Blood of thy Covenant, I have ſent forth thy priſoner… out of the pit, where there is no water; and that blood was no other than what our Text and Doctrine call a fountain.
2. That Sinners may obtain Salvation by it; they muſt partake in it. There muſt not only be a remedy ſuitable and ſufficient provided, but there muſt be an application made of it, if ever the Creatures miſery be removed by it. Let there be never ſo full a fountain, never ſo much plenty of living waters, yet if the▪ man do not drink of them, his thirſty Soul will not be ſatisfied therewith, but he muſt periſh for all. It is not enough that there is a Chriſt who is able to give eternal life, who is able to ſave to the uttermoſt; but we muſt have him if we live by him, 1 Joh. 5. 12. He that hath the Son hath life, and he that hath not …he Son hath not life: Except the man drink of theſe waters they will never profit him; what elſe is the reaſon why ſo many periſh, tho there be enough in Chriſt to ſave the whole world? Chriſt himſelf hath told us a reaſon of it in regard of ſuch as live under the Goſpel, viz. they will not come to him that they may have life, Joh. 5. 40. For it is by participation in it, that the vertue of Chriſt's Redemption becomes ours.
3. It is by being united to Chriſt by faith that they come to partake in him. Union with Chriſt is the foundation of Communion with him, and faith is the bond of that Union on our part: he muſt dwell in us, in order to his communicating of his ſaving benefits to us, and how that is we are told, Eph. 3. 17. That Chriſt may dwell in your hearts by faith. Hence the Apoſtle propounds that ſolemn caſe, 2 Cor. 13. 5. Know you not your own ſelves, how that Chriſt is in you, except ye are reprobates? It is by faith that we receive Chriſt; unbelief ſhuts him out, and ſo hinders us of all ſaving good by him; if we believe not in him, we ſhall never receive the wa…ers of li…e from him.
4. That they may thus believe in him, they muſt have him Opened to them. Faith is the act of a reaſonable creature, and ſo it muſt have a ground for it, Paul can ſay. I know whom I have truſted, 2 Tim 1. 12 Hence,
1. He muſt be opened by Revelation. There muſt be a diſcovery m…de o… him to and in… the Soul, by which it may be certified of his fulneſs and ſuitableneſs; that he is able to anſwer the Souls wants, and to ſupply its needs, to fill its cravings, and remedy its miſeries: what elſe ſhould move it to adventure its all upon him? it is therefore ſaid, Pſal. 9. 10. They that know thy name will put their truſt in thee; and in Rom 10. 14. How ſhall they believe in him of whom they have not heard?
2. He …uſt alſo be Opened by Encouragement. Sin hath brought Guilt and a Curſe upon the Sinner, the awakened Sinner apprehends the Wrath of God that is out againſt him, and how ſhall he believe that God will ſhew him mercy, or that, though he be able, yet he is willing to apply this power to him for his Salvation? Certainly there muſt be a free offer, an earneſt invitation, or elſe he will never dare to adventure to come to him, whom he apprehends to be a conſuming fire: here lieth the encouragement, Mat. 10. 49. Be of good comfort; riſe, he calleth thee.
5. That he might accommodate this to their nature;
1. He hath revealed theſe truths to men extraordinarily inſpired. As they are to come to us by Revelation, ſo God choſe ſuch to whom he would make it; and by whom he would communicate it to others; and on this account we read, 2 Pet. 1. 21. Holy men of God ſpake as they were moved by the Holy Ghoſt, and 2 Tim 3. 16. All Scripture is given by inſpiration of God.
2. He hath recorded them in his written Word. In that he hath commended his mind to us, and hath bidden us to Search the Scriptures, as we hope to have Eternal L…e, and hath given us this reaſon why we ſhould thus do, becauſe they teſtifie of him, J…h. 5. 39. And it is evident, that whatſoever God would have to be known concerning Chriſt, and the way to life by him, in this life, is recorded in the Scriptures, and there are we to ſeek for it, and no where elſe.
3. He hath appointed the Ordinances of the Goſpel in which theſe truths are to be diſpenſed. He hath inſtituted the Preaching of the Goſpel, and ſent his Ambaſſadors Commiſſioned by him for this very end, and that is the great buſineſs which they are to intend, and nothing elſe but what is in ſubordination to this, Cor. 2. 2. I determined to know nothing among you, but Jeſus Christ, and him Crucified; and how doth Paul glory in this, Eph 3. 8. Unto me, who am leſs than the leaſt of all Saints, is this grace given that I ſhould preach among the Gentil▪s the unſearchable riches of Chriſt. They are to declare this …ountain, and to commend it unto me…, and pray them to come to it; and thus i… ſtands open for all that will repair to it.
3. In what reſpect it is ſaid to be opened in the days of the Goſpel?
A We are by the days of the Goſpel to underſtand all that time from Chriſt's having appeared in the Fleſh, and accompliſhed the work of Redemption, till the day of Judgment: which is called the Goſpel day, in oppoſition to the times of the diſpenſation of the Law of Moſes: elſe it is certain that it hath been a Goſpel day, ever ſince the Revelation which was made to our Firſt Parents, of the womans ſeed breaking the head of the Serpent, Gen. 3. 15. And here we may obſerve three things.
1. It is clear from the Word of God, that this fountain was opened to man, before Christ came in our Fleſh. There was a way of Salvation diſcovered unto man, preſently after he had undone himſelf by ſin; and there were a great many ſaved by the vertue of this fountain in the times of the Law: there were then holy men, who were the Friends of God, men after his own heart, men that truſted in him, and waited for his Salvation. There were Propheſies and Predictions about Chriſt from the beginning, and thoſe that then believed on him as their Redeemer, they ſaw his day and were glad, they prayed in his name, they had an eye to …im in all the Types and Figures which were of him: for that was a truth from the beginning, Acts 4. 12. Neither is there Salvation in any other.
2. There was a peculiar opening of it after ſuch time as Chriſt had wrought out the work of Redemption for us. The word of God is wont to make mention of things as if they were new, when there is a new manner of the Diſpenſation of them, or when there are very eminent degrees of the manifeſtation of them unto men: Now, with reſpect to the opening of this fountain, it was thus after Chriſt had finiſhed the great affair of ſatisfying the Juſtice of God for us, and went to his glory; and that in two regards;
1. In reſpect to the Clearneſs of the diſcovery. Thoſe manifeſtations which were made of Chriſt under the Law, were very obſcure; almoſt all that was there ſpoken about him, was under Types and Figures, and Ceremonies. Every thing then had a vail upon it, and few were able to ſee through it; and ſo they were exceeding ready to tarry at and take up with the ſhad…ws inſtead of the ſubſtance; and by that Law, which was given to be a School maſter to lead them to Chriſt, to fortify themſelves againſt him and his Righteouſneſs, Rom. 10. 2, 3. They have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge, for being ignorant of Gods Righteouſneſs, and going about to establiſh their own Rightcouſneſs, they have not ſubmitted to the Righteouſneſs of God. So that this fountain was then in a great meaſure covered, but now it is diſcovered gloriouſly, and every thing concerning Chriſt and Salvation by him is ſpoken plainly; 2 Cor. 3. 1…. We all with open face beholding as in a glaſs the glory of the Lord, are changed into the ſame Image, from glory to glory.
2. In reſpect to the Extent of the offer that is made of it. Before the Goſpel times, Chriſt was in ſome reſpects a fountain ſhut up, and ſealed; he was opened, only to the Nation of the Jews, and ſuch as were Proſelyted to them; and that alſo obſcurely: the Law of Ordinances was a partition wall between the …ews and other people, ſo that this was their peculiar priviledge and prerogative; Rom. 3. 2. To them. were committed the Oracles of God; Chap. 9. 4. 5. Who are Iſraelites, to whom pertaineth the Adoption, & the Glory, & the Covenants, & the giving of the Law, &c. And hence we have that of Chriſt himſelf, in Joh. 4. 22. Salvation is of the Jews. Hence the Goſpel was to be firſt offered to them, and on their rejecting it, to be carried to the Gentiles. Acts 13. 46. But now the partition wall is pulled down, the Law of Ordinances is removed, and there is a way opened for others to come to him, and have peace in him, Eph. 2. 14, 15. He is our peace, having made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us▪ &c. Chriſt therefore, when he was to aſcend to Heaven, Commiſſioned his Apoſtles to go into all, the world, and Preach the Goſpel to every Creature, Mark 16. 15. The Apoſtle therefore tells us, Rom. 10. 18. Their ſound went into all the earth, and their words into the ends of the world.
3. There is yet a more glorious opening of this reſerved for the day when the Jews ſhall be called. There is ſuch a Calling to be expected; there are Propheſies in the Word of God concerning ſome Articles in the Goſpel day, which have not as yet been fulfilled, according to the ſtately predictions about them; and th… we wait for till God ſhall bring that Nation back to himſelf. The Gentiles were very great Gainers by the cutting off of the Jews but they ſhall be far greater by the graffti… of them in again, Rom. 11. 15. Then ſhall th… knowledge of God cover the earth; then ſha… Chriſt reign gloriouſly among his Ancients; the… ſhall his Kingdom be wondrouſly exalted then ſhall that have an eminent accompliſhment, in Pſal. 55. 6. When God bringeth back the Captivity of his people, Jacob ſhall rejoyce and Iſrael ſhall be glad. But this will be more inſiſted on in a following Obſervation.
USE I▪ For Information in two particulars.
1. Learn hence what reaſon we have to bleſs God that we live in times and places of Goſpel light. Out of doubt the great advantage o… ſinful men is to have Chriſt made known to them. The Apoſtaſy had brought us all into a wilderneſs, a dry and thirſty land wherein there was no water: and had not this fountain been broken up to us, we muſt needs have periſhed. Had we lived in the days of the Law? if we had then been of the Nation of Iſrael, it had been a great priviledge, and a ſingular favour: however, they were dark times then compared with ours; but if we had been born of and among the Gentiles, we had been ſhut out from that Garden in which this fountain was made to ſpring up. It is propheſied concerning the Gentiles, with what reſentments they ſhall receive the Goſpel, Jer. 16. 19. The Gentiles ſhall come unto thee from the ends of the earth, and ſhall ſay, ſurely our fathers have inherited lies, vanity, and things wherein there is no profit: How far then is our condition better than theirs was? let us then be thankful to God, tha… the Wells of Salvation are opened to us, and we may draw waters out of them; that Chriſt is preached and offered to us, and we are invited to come to him to have our thirſty Souls ſatisfied; that theſe rivers run before our doors: this is not the priviledge of all the world at this day. Think then how highly we are favoured hereby, and let God have the whole glory of it.
2. This tells us how juſtly and inexcuſably they will periſh, who come not to this fountain. It is certain that all men in their natural ſtate, are in a periſhing condition, being cut off from the fountain of living waters; there is no recovering of i… again, and life by it, but in and by Chriſt, in whom it is …ored. Mans ruine had been juſt if this had never been opened to him: God ows not to the Fallen creature any hope, nor any proviſion for its recovery: But if, when God hath not only prepared ſuch a remedy, hut hath alſo opened it in the Go… pel, wooed men with all earneſtneſs to com… to, and accept of it, uſed all eadeavours wit… them to perſwade them to embrace it; an… yet they refuſe to hearken to his calls, to a… cept of his offers, put him away from the… when he comes to them, will not leave the… broken ciſterns for this fountain of living waters there remains no more hope for theſe, becauſ… there is never another fountain at which the… Souls can find refreſhment: they deſpi… Chriſt, forſake him, will none of him, an… this makes their perdition inevitable, Jer. 1… 13. They that depart from me ſhall be written i… the earth, becauſe they have forſaken the Lord the fountain of living waters; and how right… ous a thing is it that they ſhould thus ſuffer?
USE II. Let it be to encourage thirſty Soul… to come unto Chriſt for all they want. God is wont, in order to his revealing of Chriſt to, and in Sinners, to awaken in them a deep ſenſe of their miſery, and to bring them into ſore diſtreſs▪ they are made to feel themſelves periſhing in themſelves, and th…reupon their craving Souls are inquiſitive whether there be no help to be had for them. Are you then brought into ſuch a ſtrait as this is, let the following advice be acceptable to you.
1. Let your ſelt want put you upon asking after him. Before you were under the impreſſion, of theſe Convictions, you ſaw no need …hat you had of him, and that made you …o be ſo far from ſeeking after him, that when …e came and offered himſelf to you, and bad …ou to accept of him, you put him away from …ou, and bad him be gone, made it evident …hat you had no deſire of him; but now let …our enquiry be how you may come at him. Your Wells in which you before put …our …ruſt, are now ſenſibly dried up, and afford you no ſupply at all, ask then after, this foun…ain. Let this be your ſupport under your preſent diſtreſs, that you have heard of ſuch …n one, and now make it your buſineſs to enquire how you may be made to partake in it, how you may get a full draught of theſe living waters.
2. Let this fulneſs of ſufficiency be your direction to go to him and no where elſe. Every one that would partake in this benefit, and not fail of this Grace of God, muſt reſolve to forſake all the ſtreams which before they took up withal, for the ſake of the fountain; and the prime motive to this, is the apprehenſion they have of the emptineſs of every thing elſe, and his infinite fulneſs. Receive then the witneſs that is born of him in his word, and ſee how worthy he is of your truſt, who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, Eph. 3. 20. Say, I have tried other objects, and they have failed me, but I have heard that there is enough for me i… him; I will therefore go to him, and hi… only for ſupply.
3. Let his being opened be your encourageme… to prevail with you to come to him, and believ… on him. And indeed, here is that which next ly animates poor thirſty Souls to come to him It is true, if he were not a fountain of Grac… he could not anſwer our neceſſity, and mak… us happy; our cravings can be filled with nothing that is leſs; but ſtill, if this fountain were ſhut up and ſealed, and there were n… way diſcoverable by which we might com… at it, the other conſideration would afford … poor ſupport to our hope. Goodneſs indeed is the object of our deſire, but it is the communicableneſs of this goodneſs which nextly excites our hope, and that is it which muſt carry us forth vigorouſly in queſt of it: and the more fully this way of participation is manifeſted to us, and the more freely it is offered in the exhibition of it, the greater muſt the encouragement needs be. Here therefore is the great demur that ſenſible Souls are wont to make, viz. Is there any way for me to be made a partaker in all this good whereof there is ſuch an abundance in the fountain?
Conſider then;
1. This fountain was provided on purpoſe for ſuch as you are. It was Mans miſerable neceſſity that was the occaſion of the providing …t; and but for that, it had never been heard of; we are told who are to be made ſharers …n the benefits of Chriſt, Pſal. 72. 12, 13. He ſhall deliver the needy when he crieth: the poor al…, and him that hath no helper; he ſhall ſpare he poor and needy, and ſhall ſave the Souls of the needy. Obſerve what was the very deſign of his being anointed, and you will find that was for ſuch as you, Iſa. 61. begin.
2. He ſtands open before you in the offer of the Goſpel and Ordinances. There is an offer made of him there to ſome, and who are they but ſuch whoſe condition is that which you complain of? the offer indeed is general, and hath no exception put into it, as to the perſons who hear it, provided they comply with the terms propounded. You are not exempted; why then ſhould you exempt your ſelves: …he Invitation ſaith, Whoſoever will, let him come and take of the waters of life freely, Rev. 22. 17. The greateſt Sinners are not excluded from, but included in it; Jer. 3. 2. Thou haſt played the harlot with many lovers; yet return again to me, ſaith the Lord.
3. There is a ſpecial and peculiar invitation given to all ſuch as you. Senſible Sinners, diſtreſ…ed Souls, ſuch as are pinched with thirſt, and under a feeling of their want; Iſa. 55. 1. Every one that thirſteth, Mat. 11. 28. All you that are weary and heavy laden. That which you make your diſcouragement, and ſeek to hinder your ſelves by, is the very argument of … invitation, viz. becauſe you are in diſtre… and deſpair of finding ſuccour elſewhere and concerning ſuch, if they do come up… the call, there are gracious promiſes of a kin… entertainment. How precious a word is that Iſa. 41. 17. When the poor and needy ſeek wat… and there is none, and their tongue faileth … thirſt, … the Lord will hear them, I the God Iſrael will not forſake them.
4. If you ſtand off by unbelief and deſpair, … will grieve his Holy Spirit. And well he m… be grieved. For you to ſay, there is no ho… for ſuch a vile ſinful Wretch as I am, is … make him a liar; who again, and again ha… told you that his Salvation is laid in for ſuc… and aſſures you that Sinners muſt be brought to this ſenſe in order to the application of it.
5. Know it, that if you now come to him, … will make you very welcome. He never ca… out any comer, nay, when he did but ſee th… poor Prodigal reſolving, and ariſing to go … his Father, you are told how he carried t… him, Luk. 15. 20. When he was yet a great w… off, his father ſaw him; and had compaſſion … …m, and ran, and fell on his neck and kiſſe… him.
6. The more unworthy you are, the more wi… his grace be exalted in you. Proud, inſenſibl… Sinners may and do abuſe: but ſuch as you will rightly improve that precious word, Rom. 5. 20. Where ſin abounded, grace did much more abound; if you take heart by it, and betake your ſelves to him. Come away then to the fountain, and drink your fill of it.
For Direction,
1. Come now, whiles it ſtands open, it will not do ſo always. He ſaith, 2 Cor. 6. 2. Now is the accepted time, now is the day of Salvation: Take heed of delays, they will prove your …ndoing, if you be not careful, read Luke 13. 25. When once the Maſter of the houſe is riſen …p, and hath ſhut the door, &c.
2. Come as you are, for the fountain is free, …ay not, how ſhall I purchaſe theſe waters of …fe? You are invited to them without money … price, Iſa. 55. 1. If you have but a thirſty …oul after his Righteouſneſs, you are ſuitably …ualified, and have that gracious encouragement given you, Mat. 5. 6. Bleſſed are they …at hunger and thirſt after righteouſneſs, for they …all be filled.
3. Come to have all your wants ſupplied here. Bring them all with you, and caſt them …pon him; reſolve that here is enough, and …ou ſhall be ſatisfied, be not doubting but be…eve, and rely on his word who hath ſaid, Pſal. 81. 10. Open thy mouth wide, and I will …ll it.