The Right Receiving of Christ, Preface · Chapter 7
CHAP. VII.
Falſe and groundleſſe feares, a hindrance to the receiving of Chriſt.
THere be many that goe further then in the former caſes, that doe haply 3.ſeriouſly deſire to receive Chriſt, and yet dare not, but are afraid to doe it. Not afraid, becauſe of parting with their luſts, with their profits, credit, eaſe, &c. but afraid in regard of their owne unworthineſſe. They feare that it will be over-boldly, and ſaucily done, for ſuch as they are to offer to receive Chriſt, in that guilty and unworthy condition in which they ſtand. They have been foule and filthy ſinners; what have they to doe to receive Chriſt, or to meddle with him? Surely Chriſt will never be received by ſuch hainous ſinners as they are. Theſe falſe feares keepe many a ſoule from that forwardneſſe in receiving Chriſt that ſhould be. But theſe be feares for which no ground at all: for firſt; God offers him to ſuch ſinners, and calls upon ſuch ſinners to receive him. He was offered to, and received by thoſe very men that crucified him, Act. 2. It is not humilitie to ſtand ſtraining courteſie, when God offers Chriſt. Nay, God offering Chriſt to ſuch ſinners, it is diſobedience, and not humilitie, not to receive him. It is no preſumption, no boldneſſe, no ſaucineſſe to do that which God commands us to doe. It is a faithleſſe feare, and a falſe humility to hang backe when God wills us to receive him. Secondly, Chriſt received ſinners, Luk. 15. 2. And therefore hainous ſinners may receive Chriſt. Zacheus a Publican, and ſuch a ſinner, as the people murmure at Chriſt for his ſake, Luk. 19. 7. and yet Chriſt offered himſelfe to be received, and was received by him. Thirdly, If thou be ſo unworthy, and ſo great a ſinner, the more need thou haſt to receive him. The greater thine unworthineſſe, the greater need of Chriſt to take off thine unworthineſſe. Fourthly, If none ſhould receive Chriſt till they were worthy, who ſhould ever have him? Fiftly, who ever was refuſed for his unworthineſſe that had a deſire to receive him? Therefore what ever thy ſinnes, and unworthineſſe be, I ſay unto thee as the Angel ſaid to Joſeph whileſt he was in that demur what to doe, Mat. 1. 20. Feare not, ſayes he, to take Mary thy wife; to receive her for thy wife. So I ſay, what ever thy ſinnes have been, what ever thine owne unworthineſſe be, feare not to receive Chriſt Jeſus thine husband. It is an undervaluing of Chriſt, when wee feare in this caſe to receive him; as if his worthineſſe were not ſuch as could ſwallow up all our unworthineſſe. It is ſtrange to ſee Satans fetches. It is his plot with moſt men to keep them from receiving Chriſt by a conceit of their worthineſſe, and when he ſees that men once come to ſee their unworthineſſe, and their need of Chriſt, and a deſire to receive him, then he ſtaves them of with their unworthineſſe, and would have them ſo over-mannerly, as not to receive him, becauſe of their unworthineſſe. Shall a poore, meane conditioned woman refuſe the offer of a rich husband, becauſe ſhee is poore and beggerly, or hath ſhee not the more reaſon to accept it for her poverty? In ſuch a caſe it were a fond thing to be overhumble, as to ſtand in her owne light, and hinder her ſelfe for ever. When David made the tender of marriage to Abagail, ſhee in her humility of ſpirit confeſſes her ſelfe not worthy of ſuch a match, Let thine handmaid be a ſervant to waſh the feet of the ſervants of my Lord, 1 Sam. 25. 41. But yet for all that, ſhee refuſes not the offer, but ſhee aroſe, and made haſt, and followed after the meſſengers of David, and became his wife, verſe 42. So when Chriſt offers himſelfe to be received as our Husband, let us not ſtand ſo much in our owne light, as to refuſe to receive him, becauſe of our unworthineſſe of ſuch a favour. Confeſſe wee our unworthineſſe of it, but yet riſe up, and make haſt, and follow after the meſſengers of Chriſt, and become his wife. Why ſhould wee ſtumble at that, at which Chriſt ſtumbled not? If any ſhould ſtumble at unworthineſſe, it ſhould be Chriſt himſelfe. And when he notwithſtanding our unworthineſſe offers himſelfe; why ſhould not wee receive his offer? If our unworthineſſe be no barre to his offer, why ſhould it be to our receiving? If David thinke not unworthily of Abigail, but is content and deſirous to make her his wife, why then ſhould Abigail under a pretence of unworthineſſe, refuſe to receive David for her husband?