None but Christ, Sermon

None but Christ · Sermon

None but CHRIST. A Diſcourſe On JOHN VI. 67, 68. Preach'd Privately, TO A RELIGIOUS SOCIETY in SAY-BROOK.

By Azariah Mather, A.M. Paſtor of the Church there.

Joh. xiv. 6.

I am the Way, and the Truth and the Life.

Acts iv. 10, 12.

Be it known unto you all, and to all the People of Iſrael, that by the Name of JESUS CHRIST of Nazareth— Neither is there Salvation in any Other: for there is none other Name under Heaven given among men whereby we muſt be Saved.

New-London, Printed & Sold by T. Green, 1722.

p. 1None but CHRIST.

JOHN VI. 67, 68.

Then ſaid JESƲS unto the Twelve, Will Ye alſo go away?

Then Simon Peter anſwered Him, LORD, TO WHOM SHALL WE GO? Thou haſt the Words of Eternal Life.

WE find in the 66th. Verſe of this Chapter, That many of CHRIST's followers forſook him, and went away; they turn'd their backs upon him & became Apoſtates; The occaſion thereof we find in the foregoing Verſes; they ſtumbled at his Doctrine: p. 2they were prejudiced at his Sermon: He had told them in the foregoing Verſes, that He was the Bread of life; and that unleſs they ate His Fleſh and drank His Blood, they had no life: That is, they neither had any Spiritual Life then, nor ſhould they have Eternal Life hereafter. They taking theſe words to be meant Carnally & Literally, not Spiritually, ſtumbled thereat. And when Jeſus ſaw that ſome of His own Diſciples miſunderſtood him, He proceeds to Enlighten them, v. 61. telling 'em He meant eating of His Fleſh & drinking of His Blood, to be after a Spiritual manner, Ver. 63. That it is the Spirit that quickneth and not the Fleſh; and His words were Spiritual, i. e. to be underſtood after a Spiritual manner. After which He told them he knew well that there were ſome that did not receive the Truth, and would not Believe, Ver. 64. And in Ver. 65. He gives one reaſon of it, viz. It was not given them of the Father; telling them if the mighty Power of God did not Enlighten their Underſtanding, quicken their dead Souls, draw them with a ſweet, yet holy Violence (as it were) they would not, could not come unto the Son; which was farther offenſive ſtill, as the like Doctrine is to Arminians to this Day. Upon this they Revolted, and this was the occaſion of their Backſliding; therefore it is ſaid, From p. 3that time many of His Diſciples went back and walked no more with Him; forſook Him, and never returned to follow Him any more.

Upon this the Lord JESUS took occaſion to ſpeak to His Diſciples, that is the Twelve (being full of Pity and Compaſſion,) He ſeeing many turn their backs, turned about to thoſe who remained; and in a very pathetical Heart-affecting manner, ſaith, Will ye go away alſo? Ye that are my Diſciples! It is no great wonder to ſee ſuch and ſuch go away, but will YE alſo go away that have been ſo near and ſo dear to me? Will ye go away from Me that am your Saviour and Redeemer? Simon Peter, partly being a forward man to ſpeak, partly becauſe the Lord's words reached & deeply affected him, makes Reply, Lord, whither ſhall we go? The words note a Vehemency, and imply,

(1) That they would not go.

(2) That they had no where elſe to go.

As if they ſhould ſay; Lord, We have no where elſe to go; we cannot better & mend our ſelves, therefore we will not go: Whither ſhall we poor needy Sinners go for help, if we ſhould leave and forſake Thee?

DOCT. That there is no help to be had for poor needy Sinners, but in JESUS CHRIST. Act 4.12. Salvation is to be had in no other.

p. 4There are Two PROPOSITIONS.

PROP I. Sinners are Poor Needy Creatures. I intend Unconverted Sinners: All men are ſuch by Nature; the condition of all and every man by Nature is, POOR, MISERABLE, BLIND, AND NAKED.

1. Men ſtand in need of Pardoning Mercy. They have need to have their Sins Pardoned. Sins are called Debts, Mat. 6.12. What Luke calls Treſpaſſes or Sins, in Luk. 11.4. Matthew calls Debts; to note that Sin is a Debt. How many Sins a man is guilty of, ſo many are his Debts: and poor Man is miſerably Bankrupt, and not able to pay ſo much as one of the leaſt of them! So likewiſe man is a poor guilty Criminal & Malefactor, Condemned to die; Joh. 3.18. He that believeth not is condemned already. And there is no way to eſcape but by Pardoning Mercy: They ſtand in need of Juſtifying Grace to Abſolve, Acquit and Diſcharge them.

2. Men ſtand in need of Renewing & Sanctifying Grace. Natural men are Carnal, Corrupt, Unholy ones, ſuch as God can have no pleaſure in, Jer. 44.4. Sin is abominable in the ſight of the Lord; God hates it, & man becauſe of Sin is ſuch in the ſight of God too, Job 15.6. — Much more abominable is man. Hence they ſtand in need of Cleanſing and p. 5Purifying, which is done by Converting and Sanctifying Grace; which is wrought by the Operation of the Spirit & Application of the Blood of Chriſt Therefore you read of being waſhed in His Blood, Rev. 1.5 Unto Him that loved us, and waſhed us from our Sins in His own Blood. And 1 Joh. 1.7, 9. He not only Forgives, but Cleanſes from Sin. This is done by the Blood of Jeſus Chriſt the Son of God. Men ſtand in need of being Purified & made Holy, without which they cannot enter into the Beatifick Preſence of God; Heb. 12.14. For without Holineſs no man ſhall ſee the Lord. As it was of old, a man Ceremonially Unclean might not enter into the Camp and Congregation of God's People, Deut 23.10. So men Spiritually Unclean cannot enter Heaven, Eph. 5.5. No unclean thing enters there.

3 Sinners ſtand in need of Peace, true Peace & Comfort. A Peace and Security many of them have; Amos 6.1. Sinners in Zion are at eaſe: they cry, Peace, peace to themſelves: but this is a Peace that they were better without than with: Tis a falſe Peace, a carnal Peace;

Peace that muſt be broken and taken away from them, elſe Wo to them; Tis a Peace that's from a ſpirit of Self-flattery & from Satan, (he blinds mens Eyes and keeps them under Deluſion) and not a Peace that comes p. 6from God. GOD is angry with them, (Pſal. 7.11.) and ſaith, that there is no Peace for them, Iſa. 57 ult. There is no true Peace & Comfort but what is from God, and is a fruit of the Spirit; Joh. 14.27 My Peace (ſays our Saviour) I give you; who ſends the Comforter to ſpeak Peace. Chriſtleſs Souls can have no good well-grounded Peace, Joh. 16. ult. Iſa. 57.19 God cauſes Peace, but God never ſpeaks Peace to ſuch who are Unconverted, Impenitent Unbelieving Sinners. Sinners, many of them don't need Eaſe and Security, but they need Peace: Peace they have, but then not a ſound, ſolid, durable & laſting, Peace.

4. Men ſtand in need of the Precious Indwelling Preſence of the Spirit of God.

(1) This is needful to Enlighten and Teach them the way they ſhould go. Men are naturally Blind, Rev. 3.17. Full of Spiritual Darkneſs and Ignorance, Eph 4 18 Having their understandings darkned through the ignorance that is in them. Eph. 5.8. They are Darkneſs it ſelf, having no Spiritual light & knowlege▪ 1 Cor. 2.14. They neither do no can diſcern Spiritual things, becauſe they are Carnal; nor do they underſtand the way to Jeſus Chriſt. When men fall under Convictions and Awakenings, they are wont to calculate and lay out to themſelves the way p. 7to Converſion, the way to Peace with God; but they are at length made to ſee that their wiſdom is but fooliſhneſs. God is wont to let them try, & they try one method & find that fails them, & another & that fails; till at laſt the Soul comes to ſee it ſelf Loſt & Bewildred: Oftentimes the Sinner is brought to a ſtand, he is non-pluſh'd, knows not whether to look or what to do! He finds the way quite contrary to what he expected, he finds 'tis not with him to direct his own ſteps. Much ſo is it with men after Converſion: they are many times ſenſible that they muſt ſink and periſh if God undertakes not for them; if they have no higher wiſdom than their own they ſhall ſurely fail of Salvation, miſs the Harbour & Haven of Reſt, and ſo Periſh for ever. Mans own wiſdom will not guide him aright one ſtep: Therefore you read, Iſa. 42.16. GOD leads the blind in ways that they little thought of, makes darkneſs to become light, &c. quite contrary to what they once expected. The Pſalmiſt was ſenſible of his own darkneſs & want of wiſdom, which made him Pray, as in Pſal. 25.4, 5 Shew me thy ways, O Lord; teach me thy paths. Lead me in thy truth, & teach me.

(2.) They need the Spirit of God to quicken and ſtrengthen them unto Duty. Naturally men are without ſtrength, as well as light, Rom. 5.6. p. 8Not one Duty but the poor Soul … in need of aid and the help of the Spirit, in order to the right diſcharge of it; he an't able to move one ſtep aright towards Mercy, nor take one ſtep in the way to Heaven; nay, not ſo much as to receive Mercy, when and though offered and held out in the Offers & Tenders of the Goſpel. Men are by nature not only void of ſtrength, but deal in treſpaſſes and Sins, (Eph. 2.1.) and need therefore to be Enlightened and Quickned And after Converſion they need daily Influences from the Spirit, Pſal. 80.18. … 119.25. Cant. 1.4. Draw not, we will ran after this, —

PROP. II. There is no help to be bad for poor needy Sinners, but in and through JESUS CHRIST. He and He only can deliver the Needy, the Poor, and him that hath no Helper. Pſal. 72.12.

For,

1. … can't help them. Some men have … dependance upon Means; but …, they do depend upon broken Reeds. Miniſters can't help; they are but Inſtruments in God's Hands: And all the Efficacy of the Inſtrument is from the Principal Cauſe, 1 Cor. 4.7 They are but …, and have nothing but what God the … p. 9himſelf may Plant, and Apollos Water, and yet be unſucceſsful, if God deny His Bleſſing Many lay the fault of their being not Converted upon the Means, and think if they had better Means, they ſhould be and do better. Alas! had they the Means and Advantages that ſuch & ſuch have. Oh! If they did but ſit under ſuch and ſuch a Miniſters, they think they ſhould do well—When alas, Miniſters cannot Convert men & & Save them: They may Pray for them, and Weep over them; They may tell them their Miſery and their Duty, but they cannot Convert men. Multitudes live and die in their Sins, and are not ſo much as throughly Convinced under a Painful and Faithful Miniſtry: Iſa. 53.1. Who hath believed our report? and to whom in the arm of the Lord revealed? If Miniſters could Save their Hearers, they would not ſuffer ſo much as One to Periſh and go to Hell; not one ſhould go out of the Aſſembly before they are Converted.

2. Godly Friends and Relations cannot Save. All that they can do is to Inſtruct, Teach, Counſel, Direct, Warn, & Pray for them.

3. Hence the Word of God alone cannot Save. Pſal 19.11. The Commandments of the Lord is pure, enlightning the eyes. It has a Convincing Power & Efficacy, but not in it ſelf, only as it is in the hand of God, Heb. 4.12. 'Tis p. 10the Sword of the Spirit, Eph. 6.17. But if it be not wielded by the Spirit of God, it is like a Sword in the Scabbard, that neither wounds nor pierces; it is as the Spirit and mighty Power of God makes it. Hence multitudes who fit all their Days, live and die under the moſt likely Means and Advantages, ſuch as Preaching of the Word, go to Hell when they Die & ſo Periſh for ever notwithſtanding all: They did ſo of old in the Days of the Prophets, in the Days of John the Baptiſt, under the Miniſtry of our SAVIOUR Himſelf, and in the Days of the Apoſtles likewiſe, and ever ſince even to this Day. We muſt indeed attend to the Word, but after all look to GOD, who alone gives Succeſs.

4. Dependance on a mans own Righteouſneſs, that cannot Save a man. All that a man can do, cannot recommend him to God's Favour, or lay God under any Obligation to take Pity on and Save him. Such as build their Hopes upon their Doings, build but upon the Sand. Man cannot Merit at the Hands of God, any thing but Miſery. Mans Righteouſneſs is but as filthy Rags, Iſa. 64.6. Therefore does pollute and defile him: They do but Condemn him being imperfect and ſinful. The Phariſee had his dependance upon his own Righteouſneſs, but what got he by it▪ he loſt his Life, Luk. 18 from Ver. 9 to the 15th. p. 11Men are wont to have a great deal of dependance upon their Repentance and Reformation, their Prayers & their Tears, and really think God is bound to have regard for them. Hence they are oft times wont to have hard thoughts of God, when they don't find expected Succeſs in performing Duty, Iſa. 58.3. Wherefore have we Faſted, ſay they, and thou ſeeſt not? — Tis in vain to ſerve God, Mal. 3.14 Job 21.15. To what purpoſe and to what profit is it to Pray to God? All this is the Language of a Self jusſtifying Sinner and Merit-monger. But, alas! he that has no better Foundation to build upon, is ſure to ſink: Such a dependance won't keep men out of Hell, Pſal. 49.7, 8 None can by any means redeem a Soul, nor give to God a Ranſom for him: For the Redemption of the Soul is precious, and it ceaſeth for ever. The Price neceſſary for the Redemption of the Soul out of the Hands of God's Juſtice, is ſo great, that for all a man can do, there is no hope of Redeeming it; Iſa. 40.16 Lebanon is not ſufficient to burn, nor the beaſts thereof ſufficient for a burnt-offering. Thouſands of Rams, or ten thouſands of Rivers of Oil, nay the Fruit of the Body, tho' it ſhould be the Firſt-born, cannot appeaſe the Anger of God & Redeem the Soul, Mic. 6.7. Could we water our Couch, & weep tears of Blood, it wou'd not commend us to God or give ſatisfaction to injured Juſtice.

p. 125 There is us depending upon Abſolute Mercy▪ neither. To look to that and think that Mercy ſhall ſave us without Goſpel-conditions, & complying with the Terms, Offers, and ſenders of Grace, is but the ready way to Perdition. Yet men muſt depend on Abſolute Mercy to work Goſpel-conditions in them. This is the caſe of abundance of men. Ask them, Do they hope to be Saved? … Hell? They'll ſay, Oh! Yes. Ask them, Why do you hope ſo? Why, ſay they, GOD is a Merciful God! That's true, and that's no more than the Damned in Hell may ſave Tis a precious truth, GOD is rich in Grace, abundant in Mercy, plenteous in Redemption: Read Pſal 86.15. Thus, O Lord, are a God full of Compaſſion, Gracious, & Long ſuffering. And Pſal 130.7. With the Lord is Mercy & plenteous Redemption. But notwithſtanding this, multitudes Periſh for ever. God never beſtows Mercy upon any, but in and through Jeſus Chriſt. And ſuch as look not for the Grace of Faith, Repentance, and Holineſs, here, are ſure to Periſh notwithſtanding all the Proviſion that Mercy has made for Poor Sinners. Tis in vain to plead Mercy, if Mercy don't win us over to a Compliance with Goſpel Terms, it will not ſave us at laſt from Hell.

p. 13In a word, There is no Help to be had, no Salvation but in & through Jeſus Chriſt, That He alone is the Saviour of mankind, Appears;

(1) Becauſe … is Appointed of God to ſave Sinners. He it is that God the Father has appointed for the Work of Saving Sinners; it is He that God the Father has Exalted with His own Right Hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, to give Repentance unto Iſrael & Forgiveneſs of Sins Act. 5 31. His Name is called JESUS, which ſignifies Saviour; Mat. 1.21. Thou ſhalt call His name Jeſus, for He ſhall ſave His People from their Sins. It is He that God ſpeaks of, in Pſal. 89.19. Where God ſays. I have laid help upon One that is mighty, — Iſa 61.1.2, 3. Jeſus Chriſt … ſaid … it Anointed (as the High Prieſt was of old) to note His ſolemn Appointment of the Father and Deſignation to the Office of Mediator & Redeemer, and this Excluſive of all others. It appears,

2 For … but Jeſus is able to help & …. He only is Qualify'd to … and go through the great Work of Redemption. Such a one muſt be GOD as well as Man … none other is a fit Perſon to Mediate between an Offended GOD and the Offending Sinner. He muſt be GOD, that a Value may be put upon the Price that He p. 14Paid down for the Debtor. The Sufferings of one that is GOD renders the Price Valuable in the fight of God. He muſt be GOD that He may be able to bear the Weight of all the Sins of the Elect which were laid upon Him, Iſa. 53.6 That He might endure the ſhocking Stroke of Divine Juſtice, and bear the inſupportable Weight of God's Wrath, when He pours out the Vials thereof upon Him; a few Drops whereof is more than enough to conſume the poor Sinner. His Blood alone is able to quench the Flames of God's burning Ire, which otherwiſe burns down to the loweſt Hell. Again, He muſt be Man, that ſo He might be able to Suffer; for God only ſuffers in the Humane and not Divine Nature. He muſt be Man as well as God, that He might be fit to become the Redeemer of man. Man Sinned, and Man muſt Die. You read, under the Law in caſe a man Sold himſelf, and was not able to work his own Redemption, then he muſt be Redeemed by a Brother, or of one near of Kin. See Lev. 25 47.48. Which was to ſignify, that the Redeemer was to be near or Kin, our Brother, true Man as well as very God. Such a Perſon as JESUS CHRIST only can Save.

3 Thither and thither alone, bare the Saints in all Ages fled for help, and there alone found it. p. 15They built their Hopes of finding Mercy with God upon Jeſus Chriſt; unto Him did they look, and in Him was their Confidence And ſuch as look not for Salvation in and by Him, and upon Goſpel Terms, miſs of it & miſcarry for ever. Of old the Brazen Serpent was a Type of Jeſus Chriſt And we read expreſly that Jeſus Chriſt is the Saints Hope, Col. 1.27. — Chriſt in you the Hope of glory. 1 Tim. 1.1. The Lord Jeſus Chriſt, which is our Hope.

APPLICATION.

USE, I. By way of INFORMATION and INSTRUCTION.

Learn hence the dangerous Error of ſuch as hope to be Saved, yet reſt ſhort of Jeſus Chriſt, & live without God & Chriſt in the world; ſuch as never go to Him, never look to Him. Some hope to be Saved, and eſcape Hell when they die, yet have a deep ſilence about JESUS CHRIST and Salvation by Him, and the Terms of the Goſpel. Oh! how deceived are ſuch as theſe? There is Safety of appearing before God only in Jeſus Chriſt. Some build their expectation upon one thing, ſome upon another; but they are deceitful Foundations they build upon; called Refuges of Lies, becauſe they do but deceive men and p. 16bring fearful Diſappointment in the end, Iſa. 28.15, 17, 18 Which ſhall be ſwept away as a Spiders Web. Oh! that deluded Self-flattering Sinners would ſeriouſly Conſider of it before it be too late, elſe they'll find it a dreadful thing to be deceiv'd at laſt.

USE, II. Of EXHORTATION.

Oh! Be Perſwaded to flee to Jeſus Chriſt for Help, in all your ſtraits and difficulties. Tho' one wou'd think there is no need of Motives to Quicken men other than the Doctrine, yet I ſhall here endeavour to open and ſet before you ſundry things for Awakening, Quickning, and Encouraging.

Motive 1. JESƲS CHRIST is a Mighty Saviour. Let your Wants be what they will, never ſo many, great, and mighty, He can help. Is your Heart hard as a Neither Milſtone, and wants to be broken? Why Jeſus Chriſt is able to melt it, mould it, & break it, for you. Tho' none elſe can, yet He can. He that at His Death made Rocks to rend, Earth to quake, the Graves to open, the Dead to riſe, can break that hard Heart of thine. All Hearts are in His Hand, Prov. 21.1. Are your Sins many and aggravated▪ Are your Tranſgreſſions of a deep Dye and crimſon Colour? Yet there is Vertue enough p. 17in Chriſt's Blood to waſh them all away. Read Iſa. 1.18. & 1 Joh 1.7. He is a God of infinite Wiſdom, He ſees all your Difficulties, knows all your Wants; nothing is hid from Him, and his Wiſdom is more than a match for all. When a Perſon is ſick, many times Phyſicians are called, but they are non-pluſh'd, know not what the Malady is; and when they do, it may be, cannot help. A Parent can ſtand and weep over a Sick and Dying Child, & cannot relieve it. Oh! But JESUS CHRIST is an alſufficient Phyſician, Saviour, and Redeemer; Heb. 7.25 He can Save to the uttermoſt. Oh! What Encouragement is there then to go to Him, ſince He can, and none other can, help you.

Motive. 2. He is a Ready & a Willing Saviour. He is as willing as He is able: He is more ready to help poor Sinners, than they are to be helped by Him. Mercifulneſs is one of the Glory's of God's Nature. We reckon it a very Amiable thing in man to be Pitiful: And this doth more abound in the Lord, than in any Creature whatſoever. There is no man in the world (as Dr Preſton Expreſſes it) ſo ready to forgive as GOD is. If our Sins be exceeding many & exceeding great, yet the Lord is Merciful & exceeding ready to forgive. He graciouſly invites men to come, Mat. 11.28, 29. Come to Me, poor, burthened, p. 18tyred Soul. Rev. 22.17. Come: The Spirit ſays Come, and the Bride ſays Come. And whoſoever will let him (come and) take of the Water of Life freely. Joh 6.37. He that comes I will in no wiſe caſt out, ſays the Lord. Iſa. 45.22. Look unto me, and be ye ſaved all the ends of the Earth. Why do you Object your own Unworthineſs? Iſa. 55.1. Come and buy without money, — Tho' you have no Worthineſs, yet come. If Naked go to Him for Cloathing, Read Rev. 3.18. You think your wants are too great to be ſupplied! why go freely, and ask liberally: You cannot ask too great Bleſſings. Pſal. 81.10. Open thy mouth wide, & it ſhall be filled. Be not ſtrait-handed in asking, if you would have God liberal in beſtowing. You ſee the readineſs of God to accept Penitent, Returning Prodigals. In the Parable of the Prodigal, Luk. 15.20. The Father ſaw him afar off & ran to meet him. You don't read that the Son ran to meet the Father; but that the Father he ran to meet his Son. All which is to ſhew the Readineſs of God to receive and help poor needy Souls; His Arms are ſtretch'd out, He ſtands with open Arms ready to receive the Sinner, Job. 6 36, 37. Oh! Be perſwaded to fly to Jeſus Chriſt for help for thy poor needy Soul.

Motive 3. Conſider the great Neceſſity you lie under. If you don't go, you Periſh, if you fit p. 19ſtill you are ſure to Die: As they ſaid, 2 King. 7.4. If we fit ſtill we die. So I ſay, JESUS CHRIST is the City of Refuge, thither you may flee and be ſafe; but if you fit still you muſt die; and it will be a great aggravation of your Miſery, to fit ſtill & die, when there is help to be had, eſpecially having ſo great Encouragement to ſeek it.

Motive 4. Your Time is ſhort & uncertain too. Therefore don't delay; nor don't dally and trifle; up and be doing; be in good earneſt and maſte haſte; Fly, fly, Oh! Flee to the City of Refuge; Heb 6.18. Flee for refuge to lay hold on the hope that is ſet before you. It has reference to the City of Refuge, of old appointed for Man-ſlaughter; but not to ſave wilful Murderers: And if the Man-ſlayer was ſlow, ſlack, negligent, the Avenger of blood might overtake him, and ſo he Periſh; therefore he was to flie and make haſt. So ſays the Apoſtle here. Man muſt flie as from an Enemy, flie as a Bird from the Fowler or Hawk; flie as for Life; make haſte, left the Juſtice of God (the Avenger of blood) overtake you. Give your ſelves no reſt till you have got into the City of Refuge; if you fall ſhort and ſit down, tho' at the gate, tho' at the door of Heaven, yet you'l Periſh. You may go far, yet you'l Periſh for ever, if you reſt ſhort of Jeſus Chriſt.

p. 20To Conclude with ſome Directions.

1. Get pinched with the ſenſe of your Wants. The Prodigal never comes to any ſerious Thoughts of returning to his Fathers houſe, till pinched with Hunger, Luke XV. So here, Whatever men thinks of it, they will never be truly willing to go to Chriſt for help in a right way, till they are ſtarved out of houſe and home. So long as they can live without Chriſt, they will. Oh! Study your own Hearts, Reflect upon your Lives, dwell much in Meditation upon your Natural miſerable State and Condition, till you feel that ſenſe That there is no Hope, you'l never go to Chriſt for help upon Goſpel Terms, Mat. 9.12 The Iſraelites look'd not to the Brazen Serpent, till they found themſelves ſtung by the Fiery Serpents. Now, Oh! Now 'tis that a Saviour is Precious! Men that before ſlight Jeſus Chriſt and the Offers of Mercy, when they come to feel themſelves ſinking, Oh! What would they give for a Saviour? A drop of that Blood which once they could trample under foot, is more worth than the whole World to them now. Senſe of Sin, Miſery, Danger, & Fear of Hell, will make a ſaviour Precious.

2. Go Humbly if you would go Acceptably. Go Poor, & Wretched, and Empty. Oh! Don't think to carry any thing with you that will Recommend you to God: Iſa. 55.1. Go without p. 21Money & Price. Go Empty, that ſo you may Receive freely. Go Empty, ſenſible that you are ſo, and then you'l be Welcome. Be willing to ſet the Crown upon the Head of Jeſus Chriſt, that He ſhou'd have all the Praiſe and Glory of your Salvation.

3. Look earneſtly to God to Prepare & Lead you. If He don't undertake and lead you, you'l never find the way to Jeſus Chriſt, Iſa. 42.16 Tell the Lord, He can do it, He has done it for others, and He can do it for you. Plead hard Night & Day: 'Tis a matter of greateſt Moment, higheſt Conſequence. Your poor Souls and all lies at ſtake. Don't think that God will beſtow Grace upon the Negligent and Careleſs Sinner, or upon the Cold▪ and Indifferent Seeker. The little Pains that ſome men take, is an Argument that they are like to miſs of God's Grace & Mercy.

4. Wait on GOD in the diligent Ʋſe of all Means. Neglect no Duty, beware of all Sin, Eph. 4.30 Don't do any thing wilfully that may grieve the Spirit of God, leſt you provoke Him and He forſake you Have you waited long? Yet be not diſcouraged, but hold out and wait ſtill. A Ship that beats long upon the Coaſt, may at laſt arrive ſafe in the Harbour: So a Soul that has many Years been Seeking and Waiting, may at laſt obtain Mercy.

p. 225. Laſtly, Realize the Advantage that you will gain by a Goſpel Compliance with Duty If you once get ſafe into Jeſus Chriſt, you are made for ever: It will make you rich amends for all your Pains. You will never Repent, & ſay that you have been too Speedy, or too Early, or too Painful, nor for the whole World be out of Jeſus Chriſt again, ſo much as for one Hear. Oh! Believe it, It would be worth a while to ſwim through whole Seas of Blood to get to JESƲS CHRIST: (As one ſaid.) When you come to Heaven, one Hour in the Preſence of GOD, where is fulneſs of Joy unſpeakable, (Pſal. 16 ult.) will ſwallow up and make you forget your Sorrows and your Tears, here. Oh! It is well worth your while to be at utmoſt, yea at all Pains, to … an Intereſt in JESUS CHRIST. Amen.

FINIS.

End of the text · Azariah Mather, None but Christ (1722)