A MOST GLORIOUS REPRESENTATION OF THE INCOMPARABLE FREE GRACE OF CHRIST, Faithfully, fully, and freely offering himself, at all times, by all manner of means, to all sorts of Sinners, under the sound of the GOSPEL.  
Answering all Objections, of all sorts of men, which formerly kept them from coming to Him.  
Stating the Question about universal Redemption, in an unusual way, whereby to escape the rocks on both sides, on which many have split: Confuting them that do deny Justification by Faith; and others assertion of eternal actual Justification, before men do believe.  
settling many Cases of Conscience that arise in a perplexed Soul about his inward spiritual condition.  
AND LASTLY Prescribing several divine Soliloquies, and Soul-wrastlings with Christ, whereby to fall in, and fully close with him by faith.  
Lisenced by authority.  
LONDON: Printed by M: Symmons. 1650.   

CHRIST HIS Full and free Offer of himself To poor SINNERS.  JOHN 6.37. 
Him that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out.  

CHAP. I The footing and meaning of the main Proposition of Christs offer of himself cleared.  
BEhold here a wonderful chapter; this is part of the zodiac, that line of heavenly gospel, in which the sun of righteousness moves, therefore the Climat below in the Church, to seeing men, must needs be full of wonderful light and glory. Here is nothing but miracula aut miranda, miracles, or marvels: the former setting off the latter; the latter preferred afore the former.  
1 Here is a miraculous Epulation; a feeding five thousand with five barley loves, and two small fishes; and that unto such satiety and alacrity, as if feasted with plenty, and dainties, verse 9, 10, 11, 12. &c. See what brown bread with the Gospel is, when the Provision is but little, and little worth, but the Gospel is come, and become the sauce, there is great cheer, Acts 2.46. Continuing daily in the Temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they eat their meate with gladness and singleness of heart.  
2. A miraculous evasion, or escape of Christ, from being made King by force. marvelous not onely in regard of his power, but of his will He was a King, he professeth himself to be a King, and that to that end he was born, and for that cause he came to bear witness to the truth, and therefore to that truth, John 18.37. Yet here when he perceived that they would come, and take him by force, and make him a King, he departed into a mountain himself alone. He would not be a King, that he might be a King. He disclaimed Civill pompous Royalty, that he might be proclaimed a Spiritual King. The world from their earthly principles infer their earthly conclusions: the Heathens( as have the Jews,) wrote those for Gods that were eminent authors eorum quae ad victum conducunt of husbandry, victualling of kingdoms, &c. The Egyptian Apis was invented on some such occasion; and perhaps( as some think) in after times upon Josephs saving Egypt in the time of famine. But Christ intends in that miracle of bread, in the miracles of healing diseases, to led them to consider him as a spiritual Physician, 
Matth. 8.17. compare Isay 53.4.  to suggest to them that he was the true spiritual bread, ver. 48. And therefore waves the offer of a crown for his breaden exploit, and although with violence they would have put it on, he without violence escapes it, and them.  
3 A miraculous perambulation; he walks on the sea, verse 19. not so much to invite a Peter to ask power to do so too,( and Peters design in part miscarried, to the fear of his life,) but to cause men to look higher, viz. that he that now walks on the fluid floods, is he that came down from heaven, God in human flesh, 
1 Tim. 3.16.  ( O the great mystery) and would walk up thither again upon the non feather-bearing air, as upon solid ground, Acts 1. So ver. 38. of this 6. of John I came down from heaven, ver. 39. That I should raise them that the Father hath given me, that so they may be where he should be. Chap. 14.2, 3.  
But all these are but corporal miracles, they did tend immediately but to the body; but intended to in●scate the bodily sences to guide them thence, and guide the soul towards spiritual maervells; As  
1 To those marvelous Expressions, what Christ is. From ver. 22. to the Text. viz. That he is not a cook or Kitchen-Christ for the body, but the soule-saving Christ, for a mans spirit.  
2 To that marvellous Protestation, who shall have him, and be the better for him spiritually, in the Text: namely, Him that cometh to him, he will in no wise cast out.  
Him that cometh] {αβγδ} The or that coming man, who or whatsoever he be, noted by an emphatical article, Quam pulchrum est digito monstrari dicier hic est: What a blessed thing is it to be pointed out with the finger who shall be welcome to Christ: and with such a facile, and low condition or note: namely coming; The Gospel definition of the weakest true faith, Mat. 11.28. Come unto me all ye that labour and a●e heavy laden, &c. Heb. 7.25. He will save to the utmost them that come to God by him, Rev. 22.17. Let him that is a thirst come, and whosoever will come. So here, Him that cometh will I in no wise cast out; 
A lively proof that by coming, Christ means believing is joh. 7.37.38. v. 37. If any thirst let him come, and v. 38. He that beleeve●h on me out of his belly shall slow rivers.  He saith, not him that believeth in express terms, as namely faith in all its latitude,( which is strong as well as weak,) and including all its acts which sometimes exults, as well as adhers; least thus he should have amazed a poor sinner, that but now is turning the first look towards Christ, moving the first step towards Christ: but names the lowest act of faith, that he is some how nestling towards Christ. Christ saith not him that is running, for that imports speed and clearness in believing and moving towards Christ, which many a poor sinner hath not in a long time. He saith not Him that is skipping, which imports joy and triumph; which are hide from many a poor soul most of his life time. But him that is coming, though but tumbling in the dust of his own unworthiness, rolling on Gods footstool the earth towards the throne of grace,( as faith, yea the faith of Christ is described, Psal. 22.8. 
In the Hebrew it is {αβγδ} role,& it's spoken of Christ in his agony or desertion on the cross, Psa. 22.1, 2. &c. yet called saith {αβγδ} Mat. 27.42. And therefore likely h●re R●wling is by our Tra●slators r●●●red ●rusting. ) Him that is coming, though lamenting, doubting, disputing, but coming; there are some things, some actings of faith of adherence and recumbence, though yet not of assurance.  
add this [ Him that cometh] is but in the participle, viz coming, and that too of the present tense or time, now coming, the first noting continuance of motion, and not to give a start forward, and then go back, as ver. 66. after the Text. But is still coming onwards towards Christ; he is rolling towards Christ,( as Christ in his desertion towards God, Psal. 22.) though not yet restend on Christ. The second noting his instantaneous and presentness of spirit now at the first real discoveries of Christ that he cannot come too soon, before Christ is ready and willing to receive him. add, that it is spoken in the singular number, and of a single person.  
In the former part of the verse, the expression is a constrain of multitude, and in a most collective way, {αβγδ}( not {αβγδ}) all, as if all things, or( as mark 16.15.) every creature, that the Father giveth me, shall come to me; but here in the Text the expression intimates a single person. So that though our poor lonely person in a place, come towards Christ, he comes not by example in in the crowd, as others in this chapter; yea though they dishearten him, yet he hearkens to Christ; he thinks to find favour with Christ, though others will not countenance him in it: this is according to Christs mind and heart, he will bid him welcome. Him, that is never so lonely, wondered at of all his neighbours, if he make towards me, he will in no wise refuse.  
Yea, note further, that the expression, him that cometh, is every way indefinite; as it is not expressly universal, so it is not explicitly particular, but left unlimited. But you will object, that it is limited in the beginning of the verse, saying, All that the Fatber giveth me, shall come unto me. So that none can come but whom the Father giveth; Now it is a question, whether the Father hath given me to Christ, and so whether ever he will give Christ to me? To which a word now, more anon, that this doth no more import any limitation in Gods mind, in regard of election, then in the Text of Gods promulgation, and offer of Christ to thee. For as this offer of Christ is expressed indefinitely in the T●xt, so also is election expressed indefinitely in the Context: All that the Father giveth, and so thou hast no more warrant to exclude thyself from the one, then from the other; when God doth express no exclusion of thee from either. Yea, thou hast reason to include thyself within the election, when thou comest to Christ, upon this or the like promulgation. For thou hast here a demonstration that thou art elected, because thou comest. As Christ intends to prove that these Jews that refuse Christ, are not elected because they come not. If thou come saith Christ, I shall in no wise cast thee out: therefore thou art one of the elect. It being a sure sign of one within the election, that he is taken, affencted and drawn with the doctrine as election, to venture his soul upon it, as others now in heaven have done; and this persuasion drawing him savable, to Christ to be saved; the conclusion in the Text is beyond all peradventure, That Christ will not cast such a soul off, no by no means; as it follows.  
In no wise] The greek, for emphasis and vehemency of expression, to import the certainty of the thing, and the affection of Christ, useth two negatives, {αβγδ}( as the best French translate Ne point,) as we say in English, No by no means. It is usual with God-Christ when he speaks of some great thing to men; that it may not seem to be too good to be true, that he use more then one negative, in Text two, in Heb. 13: 5. The last clause, I will not forsake thee, is in the greek, as in the Text, with a double negative, {αβγδ} I will by no means forsake thee; 
{αβγδ}.  yea in that fift verse and the whole of the latter part are five negatives in the Greek, as if he should say, I will not, not leave thee, yea I will not, not, not forsake thee. Christ like a true hearted wooer makes many promises in one full sentence, in one breath, that he will be faithful to the soul. He will not, he will not( as it follows)  
Cast out] who ever comes, comes by the Fathers power, 
Compare. ver. 44.  so in the Context, therefore the son will not take upon him the authority to cast him out. The Father sends him, therefore the son in love to the Father, cannot find in his heart to refuse him. He that comes is a gift of the Father, bestowed on Christ, therefore Christ cannot but accept. He will not cast out, that is, he also will receive him in. As by the Fathers donation sent to Christ, so by Christs acceptation taken into himself and into the Church into mystical union. And all this Christ protesteth in the future tense, 
Bez. Piscat.  or time, and that indicatively, though some red it potentially, and as in the present tense, I may by no means cast out: And th● reason of this varying is because the body of the greek word in the present time and the future in subjunct▪ mood is all one.[ {αβγδ}] the difference is onely in the Accent( a late invention) {αβγδ} is in the present time. {αβγδ} is in the future, but more safe to take it in the future tense,( as the Syriac doth {αβγδ} I will not cast out, and the best French translate it ne i etteray point, I will in no case cast out.) For Christs words import, those that are coming to him from time to time in succeeding ages: and therefore must make the plaster commensurate to the soare. Besides the future tense is comprehensive, and includes all tenses, 
That which will or shall be must needs include is or hath been.  which is the reason why the Holy Ghost so often useth in the Old-Testament, the future time, for the past or present. And as thus Christ engageth himself for time, so for degree: he would not cast him out and out: So the greek {αβγδ} Though Christ may cast him out of help sometime: yet not out and out not out of help and out of hope too. Though out of deliverance, yet not out of support too. Though out of sense and feeling of Christs power in him, yet not out of Christs safety and preservation of him. Christ will hold the child whiles it doth cry, till it suck and be stilled.  
So that all things considered, we have cleare-footing for this summary position touching Christs offer of himself to sinners, That Christ doth most freely and fully hold forth himself to receive his, and not cast out any that come to him. 
The main Proposition.  Freely, in regard of affection, Fully, in regard of his expression, will in no wise. Our Saviour seems to speak in opposition to the manner of the Jews, who for a trifle would cast out a man; yea for well-doing, John 9.35. But saith Christ, I will in no wise cast out any comers to me. Or in way of intimation of a reproof of the world, that cast out the Saints names for nought, Luke 6.22. But( saith Christ) I will in no wise cast out them that come. Or by way of aggravation of the sin of the Jews in neglecting Christ, that they perished voluntarily, if not obstinately, John 5.39, 40.   

CHAP. II. Christs free and full offer of himself to fainting sinners, by four Votes of Scripture duly extended, each harmoniously clearing the other, and all sweetly cheering the doubting soul.  
THis sole-soule-saving point of Christs free and full offer of himself to sinners is much darkened by the doctrines of men, and dedignified by the doubting souls that are invited by it; and therefore much is spoken for it in the Scripture; especially four scriptures fully vote it a law for faith:( as evermore Christ is most tender of his tender ones to repeat and inculcate comfort for them, under the notions of heavy, laden, Mat. 11.28. Hungerers, Mat. 5. Bruised reedes, Mat. 12. lambs, John 21.15.) I say four Scriptures most amply enact and set forth this Proposition of Christs offer of himself, as the onely law of faith.  
1 Script. John 3.7, 8. Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come to me, and drink: He that believeth on me, out of his belly shall flow rivers.  
2 Script. Rev. 22.17. Let him that is a thirst, come, and whosoever will let him take of the water of life freely.  
3 Script. The Text, John 6.37. Him that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out.  
4 Script. Isai. 55.1. Ho every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money, come ye, buy and eat, yea come buy wine, and milk, without money and without price.  
We have ordered them for a poor souls best advantage. For, as all the places have the same expression come: and the first place expounds both what is coming, v●z. at most believing with the least true faith, and what a●e the waters, namely Christ; So they all have some peculiar expressions to explain, and clear one another, and do lie in a just method: The second to answer for the first: The third for the second, &c.  
The first place proclaims, If any man thirst, let him come to Christ, &c.  
Object. Saith the distressed soul; I dare not, or do not thirst, at least as I should.  
Answ. Therefore the second place Revel. 22.17. proclaims, whosoever will, let him come and take of the water of life freely: It adds a Quicunque vult, a whosoever will, to explain thirst.  
Object. But saith the poor selfe-vilifying sinner; I have no will, I rather fear then hope in coming.  
Answ. Therefore the third Scripture, the Text John 6.37. proclaims, That every one that comes, whether voluntate plena, or semi-plena, whether with a will, or an unwilling will,( like the Merchants will to throw his goods into the tempestuous sea to save his life,) so as he comes after Christ, though fear puts in the caveat, if he may be so bold, and some doubting puts in a Quaere, whether so great a sinner may lay claim, him will Christ Jesus in no wise cast out.  
Object. But saith the sinner poor in spirit, unbottomed utterly from himself: I cannot come: I have no power, no grace, nothing; I stand so as to look on, but cannot come.  
Answ. Therefore the fourth Scripture Isai. 55.1. proclaims, And he that hath no money: come ye and buy: come eat: come buy wine and milk,( cherishment and nourishment,) without money, and without price: without money, or monyes-worth.  
Quest. But how can one be said to buy without any thing?  
Answ.( As Aug. excellently,) the meaning is, Sell thyself, thine own wit, reason, selfe-worth: Part with thyself, and that is all Christ desires. Say not thou art unworthy,( which implies thou lookest for a worthiness in thyself,) Christ dyed for ungodly, for sinners, for enemies, Rom. 5. Say not thou canst not see any reason, why Christ should save thee,( which imports as if thou wouldst make faith to be grounded on human reason, or that thou wouldest Arminian-like reason thyself into faith,) for if any man will be wise, he must become a fool, that he may be wise, 1 Cor. 3.18. Faith and fight are opposite, 2 Cor. 5.7. We must rest upon this, that Gods thoughts are above our thoughts, Isaiah 55.8, 9.  
Thus these four places answer for one another, and to the perplexed sinner, unto full satisfaction in the thing, if the soul be not at present taken and satisfied; which must be Gods inward work, upon a souls waiting on God, for which there is a sure promise, Isai. 55: 10. And it is a close of an answer to many scruples of the doubting sinner: As the rain comes down from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and makes it bring forth: so shall my word be; that is, my answers, for satisfaction of thy doubts, at last shall effectually satisfy thee.  
I say thus these four places clear each other. Yea each place of these four is wise enough to answer for itself.  
The first place, John 7.35. saith, Every one that is thirsty, let him come.  
If it be objected, by the poor soul, he cannot be thirsty as he would.  
Ans. This place answereth, that by thirst, it means the lowest single desire of Christ, namely to be sensible of ones need of Christ. For first it is spoken to the Jews that came to the feast, restend in the Jewish ceremonies, Jer. 7: 4. or at most in searching the Scriptures, John 5: 39, 40. But not on Christ, and therefore called those that were righteous in their own eyes, justifiers of themselves, such as need no repentance; that is, in their own opinion. Therefore thirst here signifies in the lowest step; a neediness of Christ. Secondly, Thirsting, and coming are put together: so that such a desire as moves on from ones former standing still, towards Christ must needs be here included.  
The sin of presumption, yea the sin against the Holy Ghost doth not exclude a man from salvation, as sins, but as they are such sins, as think they have no need of Christ. One would think indeed that despair were sensible enough of a need of Christ; but this sin is such a sin as doth unChrist Christ; Though the despairer need somewhat to save him, yet he doth not think Christ to be sufficient: but counts his guilt to be greater then Christs merit and efficacy. Therefore despairing Traitor Judas perished: when as the coming crucifiers, that came toward Christ by the preaching of Peter were saved, Acts 2.  
The s●cond place, Rev. 22: 17. Whos●●ver will, let him come.  
If it be objected by the poor soul, he hath no will.  
This place answers that voluntas semiplena est voluntas, an half will, an incompleate will, an unwilling will, is a will, for as it nils, so it wils too, Rom. 7: 15. That which I do I allow not, but what I would that do I not: Yea God rich in mercy is sometimes pleased to entertain any instinct or inclination in a man, by which he comes and looks towards Christ, though for present, being dim, he looks to him sinistrously. As when sometimes a man goes to a Sermon to hear the word of Christ; but can hardly give himself a distinct account: why? He hath a mind to go, and yet he is about to stay, and yet at last he goes, and yet is something unwilling while he goes,( as Israel went out of Egypt, but unwillingly, if we look on all passages.) The soul perhaps goes to a Sermon at first, rather nilling something that is not Christ,( yet such as Christ must remove,) as disgrace of sin, the horror of conscience, or &c. then distinctly willing Christ.( As a maid gives her consent to a wooer, to be rid of a worse, rather then for love of him as yet,) so that a man sometimes comes to an ordinance,( and so somewhat towards Christ,) rather by a common providence, or by occasions; then by a distinct, entire, moral act of his own will. Augustine went( as he confesseth) to hear Ambrose his eloquence of words, but is catched with the power of his matter. So that I say God rich in mercy, is sometimes pleased to entertain a mean will, cherish that inclination which can hardly be called a moral act of the will: so that according to interpretation by divine providence whomsoever will, may signify, but as much as quemlibet, whomsoever, any how coming, nearer towards Christ where he will be found mark 16: 15. Preach the gospel to every creature; be his will, more or less; direct, or indirect and obliqne.  
The third place, John 6: 37. Him that comes, &c.  
If the poor soul object, he cannot come.  
This place answers that all coming must be included, though yet he cannot move with a distinct act of faith; for till Christ doth radiat on the soul, there is no act of seeing: nor can he yet labour spiritually for Christ. For he cannot make bricks till straw be given him: But he comes to an ordinance,& becomes a waiter on this ordinance: he looks towards a Saviour in an ordinance, by that common knowledge he learns at an ordinance. As many looked to the brazen serpent, who at first had not faith to be healed. If Christ must look on converted Peter, before he can repent of that particular failing in denying his Master, then sure Christ must look on unconverted Paul, before he can believe.  
The fourth place, Isai. 55.1. He that hath no money, nor price, let him come and buy: let him sell himself, and he shall buy Christ.  
If the poor soul object here, that he a poor non-convert cannot sell himself, part with his own wit, reason and seeming righteousness, &c.  
This place answers, First, That he may legally, though not evangelically: As thirst imports in part a heat& drought of the soul by the doctrine of the fiery law 
Deut. 32.2.  as the Scriptures call it. Secondly, That by attending to the doctrine of the gospel, he shall be wrought to an evangelicall thirst after Christ. That is, this text and the like propounding Christ in his excellencies, as under the notions of milk, wine, fatness, and dainties, they shall make the palate or mouth of the poor soul water after Christ, for his lovelynesse sake. So that as thirst makes thee come: so he that propounds Christ to the thirsty will make thee thirst.  
So that we conclude with this general answer for all the four places jointly drawn out of them. That as all these places are Christs word: so they import that this Doctor or Teacher of the Churches must be he that works in his Disciples or Scholars to thirst, to will, to come, to sell ones self. For grace is wrought by the word. Faith comes by hearing. The word is the word of life. While Peter spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on them all which heard, Acts 10.44. So that Christ that makes these conditions, makes thee so conditioned, Phil. 2.13. For it is God that worketh in you to will and to do of his good pleasure. Whiles he preacheth the condition, he makes the impression: when by common preparing grace, Christ makes thee coming off of thyself, he is coming towards thee; Christ approaching, thou art made to be effectually coming.   

CHAP. III. Of the proportion and equal latitude of Election, and Redemption.  
FOr further clearing of what hath been said, thi Question would be solved, whether Election and Redemption are not some-how opposite? for election is expressed but of some, redemption is offered to all. To which we answer, though we touched it afore. That though redemption itself, be in the first act larger then election: viz. in Christ drying in the common nature of man, not in that of Angels,& thereby brings human nature nearer to salvation, then the common nature of all Angels; so that mans nature in general, is savable, whereas wicked Angels are not( For verily he took not on him the nature of Angels, but he took on him the seed of Abraham, Heb. 2.16. which is but the renewing of that covenant with Adam, Gen. 3.15.) For otherwise men under the gospel, could not be justly damned for unbelief, but would be threatened for not believing a ly, namely that Christ died for them, when as in no sort he did. But this distinction of Christs dying for the common nature, solves that difficulty, shows what interest all men have in Christs redemption, and the fault of them to whom it is made known, in not claiming it and closing with it: I say though in this first act, redemption seems of a greater latitude then election, yet in the last and ultimate act they are equal; which last act is to make particular persons,( that are onely savable in in the common nature,) to be actually saved in their particular persons: which is done by Christ special act of mediatorship, viz. intercession, John 17.20. I pray for them which shall believe on me: whereas the other of saveablenesse is done by Christs common act of mediatorship of making atonement by death. 
Rom. 5.8, 9, 10.  So that evenly to an hair those onely that are elected, are actually redeemed. For though in Gods election there be no necessity of compulsion: yet there is in it a necessity of infallibility; of infallibility else God should not know what would befall his own purposes. Yet not of compulsion; and therefore we must not charge that upon election which belongs not to it. As that non-election doth effect and force us out of salvation. We must not confounded Gods decree, and the execution of his decree, or cut off the rest of the links of Gods predestination, namely vocation, justification, comformation to Christ, &c. Rom. 8. from the first act of Election choosing of some, and so on the contrary. For non-election cannot dammne us, unless we refuse vocation, &c.  
And as thus, election and redemption in themselves, in the thing, are of equal latitude, so also in the promulgation or off●r in the Doctrine of the gospel. The gospel holding out election indefinitely to us,( though determinated with God,) The Lord knoweth them that are his, 2 Tim. 2.19. And that THEM, to be a great many, though defines not to us how many: of J●ws, 144000.( a certain number for an uncertain,) but of all Jews and Gentiles, a great multitude which no man could number, Revel. 7.4.9. And redemption indefinitely that Christ died for ungodly, for sinners, for enemies. For men void of grace, ordinary sinners, and extraordinary, that had opposed him, Rom. 5.  
So that as redemption under an indefinite notion is offered to all, so election is held forth under the same notion to all, especially to all to whom the doctrine of these doth come: So that as faith must look to the indefinite promise of redemption, so love must look to the indefinite expression of Gods election. Men must throw themselves down under the indefinite expression of election, lie under the beams of the doctrine thereof, to see if it beget a loving opinion in them, that God is willing to save sinners,( and so them) having purposed it from all eternity: and throw themselves under the powerful sound of the promises of redemption, to wait till they work a believing persuasion, that God hath actually redeemed them: therefore thoughts of election, if right thoughts, do not beate a soul off from redemption, but makes way, and puts him on, being the foundation of all. And who ever hath the first, hath the last, or hath the last, hath the first. And though neither of them are absolutely of all; yet their indefinite doctrine and tender should in our eye that live under the gospel, seem more wishly to look towards, and intend us( unless we refuse) and to conceive more rationally, that the non-elect, and non-redeemed are those to whom the gospel never came, or was never by them entertained. For God hath not expressly excluded, nor doth he utterly cast thee off, till thou cast him off, 2 Chron. 36.15, 16. They mocked the messengers of God, and despised his word, till the wrath of the Lord came upon them, and there was no remedy, Prov. 29.1. He that being often reproved hardened his neck, shall come to destruction without remedy. And in the New-Testament onely for the sin of refusing Christ all along is damnation pronounced, unpardonablenesse pronounced. Thou oh man demurrest about Gods decree, and reprobation, but who gave thee leave to meddle with the secret things of God: hear his revealed things which he saith belongs to thee; God doth not actually cast thee off beyond all remedy, till thou actually cast off him; and so casts thee off, not for original sin, but actual sin, and that to not for every actual sin, but for those that cast off the remedy, namely the word of Christ, and Christ the word.   

CHAP. IIII. The bottom dived into: Christs heart looked into, for security to a poor soul, that Christ can find in his heart thus freely and fully to offer himself to him.  
THus we have presented you with high expressions of Christs good will to sinners: but because man as man, is hardly drawn to be confident on bare dictates of words; we dare refer the point to the dint of divine reason.  
First, Christ is God, therefore most naturally good: goodness is his essence, mercy, compassion, &c. His essence, Christ is God, therefore infinitely good: he cannot be God, and be limited of goodness: because good therefore communicative of himself: first, because naturally good, therefore his offer of himself to do good to a sinner is free, Psal. 119. Thou art good, and dost good. And Rom. 3.24. Being justified freely by his grace. Things and persons of the noblest natures are most freely bountiful of themselves. The sun to communicate light, and life to the world, men of great birth and breeding of a free, 
2 Sam. 24.23.  frank spirit, like Araunah: therefore the Hebrew word 
{αβγδ} liberaliter ad dandum moveri {αβγδ} voluntarius, liberalis, munificus, princeps.  that signifies a noble man, signifies free, or voluntary, or bountiful. God is essentially that of which there is but an impress upon the creature. And because Christ as God is good enough of himself, he for his part needs no causes from the creature, to pump up& draw out his goodness: Christ will be sought unto that men may own his goodness, Ezek. 36. John 14.13, 14. But it was of Christs goodness to prompt us with this rule: and when he suckles us, he gives the milk of the breasts of consolation freely himself, Isai. 66.11, 12. Secondly, because Christ as God is infinitely good, therefore the offer of himself is full. The sea being full of water, streams in fountains, Eccles. 1. and flows in rivers, offering itself to the adjacent Countries.  
Secondly, Christ is Jesus, a Saviour: so called and anointed, that he might save his people from their sins, Matth. 1.21. As he will answer to his name, will not betray his trust, be faithful to him that put him in trust with the office of mediatorship, he must save them his Father gives him to save: So it immediately follows the Tex, as arguing the assertion of the Text. Those that come to me, I will in no wise cast out, for I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me: and this is the will of him that sent me, that every one that seeth the son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life. So that if it were possible, that Christ did not love us, but loved the Father onely to be obedient unto him that loveth us; this would be sufficient to offer himself to comfort us. So Christ argue●, John 16.26, 27. I say not I will pray the Father, for the Father himself loveth you. So that if Christ love the Father, and the Father us: he will for the Fathers sake do any thing for us.  
Thirdly, Christ as God and man must needs aim at his own and his Fathers glory. The salvation of man is great. A soul is more worth then a world: therefore great is Gods glory in saving a soul, 1 Cor. 1. two last. Now as God is infinite in lovelynesse, so Christ as God must needs infinitely love himself, and as man love his father: and therefore must needs be full, yea infinite in desire to advance the glory of the God-head: and so must needs be free& full in his offer to promote that advancing Gods honor.   

CHAP. V. until men come to Christ by faith, they are out of Christ, unreconciled to God, and not justified, contrary to the doctrine of eternal justification, as it is held forth by some.  
FRom the main position before laid down, we are instructed and informed, that till men according to the sense of the Text, come to Christ, and are received into Christ by the spirit of faith, they are without Christ, yea without God, yea many ways without, John 5.39, 40. Ye search the Scriptures,( for so it should be red indicatively, not imperatively:) For in them ye think to have eternal life, and( indeed saith Christ,) they are they that testify of me, and( or but) ye will not come unto me,( that is by faith,) that ye might have life; so Ephes. 2.12. That in times past ye were without Christ, being aliens from the Commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenant of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world. And therefore God cannot be actually reconciled to them that are not in Christ by faith. For within and without cannot be all one. But( saith the Text) men are without till they come to Christ by faith: when they come by faith, so in that they shall not be cast out. So that place of Ephes. 2.12. Having teld them, ver. 8. Ye are saved by grace through faith, he adds in the 12 verse, that formerly afore Christ came, they were without Christ, and so without God, and shows how, viz. being strangers from the covenant of promise, the Ground of faith. If God hath decreed, that Christ dwells in us by faith, Ephes. 3. That we are justified by faith, Rom. 4. Rom. 5. Then that decree of God must be executed ere we can be saved; and therefore we are not to rest and rely on Gods bare decree. For as God doth not decree contradictions, namely, for a man to be within and without in the same instant, in the same respect: Reconciliation or justification being that same WITHIN; and not to be in Christ by faith is to be WITHOUT. So twice together, Rom. 8.29, 30. Whom he foreknew he predestinated to be made conformable to his Son; whom he predestinated, them he called: whom he called, them also he JUSTIFIED. So that if God himself doth not rest satisfied in a mere purpose without performance, then may not we rest in Gods mere purpose of reconciliation, without his act in& through Christ. As God is actually offended with sin, so there must be actual reconciliation, in the actual death of Christ, actually ours, by actual faith. Else why is it said, Joh. 3. last, He that believeth not the Son, shall not see life: but the wrath of God abides on him. Tis true that Gods purpose is an act of Gods mind in himself, but not an action upon his creature without him: no more then purpose of creation is creation. Or else you must say the world was actually eternal, and not created in the beginning. So that as actual creation is not eternal; so nor actual reconciliation, or justification: there being no more of this eternal, then the act of Gods purpose, in time to justify. Yet this argues no alteration in God, being onely the progression and proceeding of his unchangeable purpose, to effect according to that purpose. Which purpose is not( in Gods ordinary way) performed without many actions to be done in time. 1. Creating or generating man, by his special concurrence, especially in regard of the soul. Psal. 102.18. 2. Preserving man till he grow up to a perfect understanding. 3. Teaching him by his word. So that to rest for justification in Gods mere purpose, were to make voided most of Gods actions, and ordinances. But to perceive Gods actual entering into atonement with us in the application of Christ, is to see ourselves exceedingly more engaged to God in love, praise and duty; as well for his actions upon us, and in us, as for his purpose towards us.   

CHAP. VI. A man is justified by faith. Contrary to Samuel Richardson his opinion, denying faith to have any thing to do in our justification; In his book, entitled, JUSTIFICATION BY CHRIST ALONE. Printed by M. S. 1647.  
IT follows also from that text, Joh. 6.3. and the main Position thence inferred, that faith hath an hand in receiving Christ, and being received into Christ; and consequently according to the many express votes of the Scriptures, hath an hand in our justification. As, Phil. 3.9. And be found in him,( that is, in Christ) not having mine own righteousness, which is of the Law, but that which is through faith,( THE, is not in the original) of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith. twice, you see, it is expressed, that we have righteousness by means of faith in two several expressions, viz: By faith, and through FAITH of Christ, or concerning Christ, that procured that righteousness, we apply by faith. Rom. 3.28. Therefore we conclude, a man is justified by faith, without the works of the Law. Now the works of the Law are not opposite to Christ as in him. For Christ fulfilled the works of the Law for us( as the Scriptures frequently tell us) but in us, the works of the Law are opposite to faith in point of justification. And therefore it is said, we are justified by faith, believing that Christ satisfied the Law for us, that we might be justified gratis, as it is in that 3d. to Rom. v. 24. Being justified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. Christ payed a price of redemption for it. But we have it freely. Gal. 2.16. Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law, but by faith of Jesus Christ,( no article in the Greek to intimate any THE). Faith of Christ or,( which is all one) belief of Christ( crediting his promises, and resting in his satisfaction) signifies believing into Jesus Christ, as it follows in this verse. Even as we have believed in Jesus Christ,( Greek {αβγδ}, &c. INTO) that we might be justified, BY FAITH of Christ,( so the Greek) that is, by faith, concerning, in, upon into Christ, as is aforesaid. Gal. 3.8, 9, 11, 13, 14. red the place, and ponder it. As also, Rom. 4. throughout the whole Chapter, giving instances in Abraham and David; that justification is by faith. Upon which the Apostle infers in the next Chap. Rom. 5.1. Being justified by faith, we have peace with God. So that vain is the shift of the Adversaries to this Doctrine to say, that the point in that place, Rom. 5.1. should be removed thus: Being justified, by faith we have peace. For the other pointing thus, Being justified by faith, we have peace, doth directly answer to the Apostles dispute in the former Chapter. Besides what peace doth faith bring, but the peace of justification. It first lays hold on justification, or it can speak no peace. Lastly, that pointing, Being justified by faith, to be the right, is put out of all doubt in those places before quoted in Rom. Galat. &c. where the Apostle having largely disputed the point of justification, makes it his great conclusion, that a man is justified by faith.  
Obj. Say the Adversaries: The whole work of our salvation was accomplished upon the cross.  
Answ. Not his resurrection. Yet he arose for our justification. Not his intercession, yet by that we are saved: Heb. 7.25. And to the point in hand. Though on the cross he paid the price of our redemption; yet, Joh. 17.20. he prayed that we might believe. Subordinate things are not contrary, but subservient. It is true, the Carpenter built the house, but it is as true, that he built it with his ax, saw, hammer, and other tools. It is certain that James payed such moneys to John; but then it is as certain, John received that money. Sure we are, Christ dyed for our justification; but it is as sure, that we are justified by faith in the death of Christ. Christ payed the price of our debt to God the Father on the cross. But the assignment of it to us as payed for us is by faith; as is the meaning of the Scriptures, saying, we are justified by faith.  
We say not we are justified by faith as it is a quality. So it is sanctification. Gal. 5.22. And we are not justified by holinesse. Nor by it as a mere act, a working quality; so we should be justified by a work. By somewhat we do. Nor by faith, as merely appointed and instituted of God for that end, as to be an instrument in our justification. For then God should justify us without real amends to his justice. He should pay himself really offended, with an opinion that faith of itself should repay him. But we say, that we are justified by faith as an hand taking Christ. It is not the hand of itself justifies, but Christ in the hand.  
Qu. Doth not then sanctification in order of nature go before justification; Faith being a grace of sanctification?  
Answ. Our notion of it, with submission to more light, when it shall be discovered is this. That Christ having payed for our justification in suffering for us, he comes with his Spirit, and represents the same in an immediate thought put upon our spirits by his Spirit, that this satisfaction of Christ is ours, and after that in order of nature created that thought into a standing permanent habit of faith.  
But to return to the opposers of justification by faith. They object, Its said by Christ on the cross▪ It is finished.  
Ans. The paying is finished, not the praying. Heb. 7.25. That he doth yet continually; part of which intercession is that we may believe. Joh. 17.  
Obj. Where ever it is said, we are justified by faith, by faith is understood Christ.  
Ans. This is not so. witness Phil. 3.9. Gal. 2.16. Gal. 3.14. where there is mention of Christ and faith too, as both concurring in our justification.  
To conclude. Sure the opposers of justification do think, at least in part, that we are justified by faith; because they are ever and anon upon several occasions ready to say so in effect. witness these expressions in the book called [ Justification by Ch●ist alone, by S. R.] namely, p. 8. Jesus Christ by once offering the sacrifice of himself on the cross put an end to sin. O what a fountain of consolation is here to all THAT believe. Who now may say, once sin was mine, then it was laid on Christ, and NOW they are neither mine nor his; and NOW Christs righteousness is mine. P. 9. Faith is given us, that by it we may live out of ourselves in another, even the Lord Jesus, &c. P. 10. Christs RESURRECTION doth declare us to be just who believe in him. P. 15. The elect are visibly in their sins till they believe. See more of this, of the interest of faith in Justification in the Antidote to antinomianism. To which the Author never replied that I know. But Mr. Richardson did endeavour it a little at the end of his said Book [ Justification by Christ alone.] But so slenderly, in the judgement of the ordinary Readers, as hath been confessed to me by them, that I omit to make any Duply or Answer to them.   

CHAP. VII. until men come to Christ by faith, they have not actually any saving benefit by Christs death. Where is stated and discussed the Question about Universall Redemption, of the true intent and extent thereof.  
TO further clear our in-being in Christ, this Question must be handled. Two extremes of opinions there are about the extent and intent of Christs death and satisfaction, that widen the difference. Which we shall now speak to( as God shall assist) for the clearing of the point in hand; and I shall not be wholly singular, but keep company with some late learned. The one extreme of opinion extendeth and violently stretcheth the death and satisfaction of Christ so much too far, as that it thinks that thereby God for his part is actually reconciled to all men, and doth really discharge every man living from all his sins, and that before faith comes. Onely they confess, that they for their parts perceive not that benefit by it, whiles they have no faith to believe that God doth so love them. Now from this extreme opinion it would follow, that God should be actually reconciled to man before he did put on Christ; And that God should forgive a mans sins( which is justification) before he believed. Whereas the very elect themselves before their effectual calling are said to be a people not beloved. Rom. 9.25. And whiles they are without Christ to be without hope; as we heard afore out of Ephes. 2.12.  
The other extreme opinion contracteth the riches of Christs satisfaction into too narrow a compass, as if none had any interst any way therein, but such as were elected from the foundation of the world, though by the Gospel every one be charged to receive the same. Now from this extreme it would follow, that a man under the Gospel should be bound in conscience to believe that which is untrue, and charged to take and receive that with which he hath nothing to do, namely, to believe, and take Christ as dying for him, when as Christ did not die for him; nor did he belong to Christ in that respect.  
Some, to take away this difficulty, answer thus. That it follows onely from this argument, that some under the Gospel are bound to believe an impossible thing.  
Ans. This solves not the knot. For, 1. I ask, will God condemn a soul for not believing that which is impossible to be had? 2. Why, say I, is it impossible for them to have Christ, but because as these men say, Christ never intended, or extended his death so far?  
Others answer to this difficulty thus. That though under the Gospel that shall never have Christ, are not bound by the voice of the Gospel to believe that Christ dyed for them; nor are they condemned for not believing that Christ dyed for them.  
Answ. The contrary seems to be evident, Joh. 3.16. God so loved the WORLD, that he gave his onely begotten Son, that whosoever believeth IN HIM should not perish. Greek, INTO HIM. and v. 18. He that believeth on him, Gr. INTO HIM, is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because be hath not believed IN( Gr. INTO) the name of the onely begotten Son of God. See how God, 1. propounds his Son more generally, as sent to the WORLD, and as it is in v. 17. He sent not his Son into the WORLD to condemn the world, but that the WORLD might be saved. Then, 2. requires men particularly to believe IN or INTO his Son: as HE that believeth in him, &c. Therefore to avoid both these rocks, the word of truth, by which faith is begotten, Ephes. 1.13. must be sought into, to find a middle way, wherein to go safely, and not to split against either of the said two rocks of ab●urdities.  
For the better and readier finding out this middle and safer way, we must be careful in the business of our redemption, clearly to distinguish between the satisfaction of Christ, absolutely considered, and the application of the same relatively to men in particular. The differences are; 1. That satisfaction absolutely considered, was once, and at once done for All; but the application of it to man, is still in doing. 2. Satisfaction absolutely considered, bringeth with it sufficiency to discharge all mens whole debt; The application of it adds unto it efficiency to make it effectual. 3. The satisfaction of Christ makes the sins of mankind onely pardonable, fit for pardon, else Gods justice could not put up the wrong done to him by sin. The particular application maketh the sins of those to whom it is applied to be pardonned, actually and solemnly to be acquitted by pardon. So that in sum thus. Though all sins of all men are mortal in regard of the stipend due to them by the Law; yet all do not actually bring forth eternal death; because the gracious promise of the Gospel holding forth Christ inhibits, supercedes, and stays the execution. So that all the sins of mankind are become venial in respect of the price payed by Christ unto his Father; so that in showing mercy to all, if such were his pleasure, his justice should be no loser. But all do not obtain actual remission of sin, because most offenders do not take out, nor pled their pardon, as they ought to do. Ezek. 36. For all this will I be sought unto. And Isa. 55. Call upon the Lord while he is near: and then it follows, He will abundantly pardon. If Christ had not assumed our nature, and therein made satisfaction for the injury offered by us to God, God would not have come to a treaty of peace with us,( as it is said, Isa. 1. Come now let us reason together,) no more then with the fallen Angels, whose nature his Son Christ did not assume: Hebr. 2. and so were finally rejected. But this way being made through the flesh of Christ( as the Apostle speaks, Hebr. 10.20.) God holdeth out unto men the golden sceptre of his Gospel; and thereby not onely signifieth his pleasure of admitting them into his presence; and accepting their submission( which is a wonderful grace, and favour) but also sendeth an ambassage unto them, entreating them that they would be reconciled unto him. 2 Cor. 5.20.  
Hence is inferred against the first extremity of opinion( of which see before) that by virtue of Christs satisfaction in our nature, God is made appeasable unto our nature; but is not actually appeased towards any mans person, until he hath received his Son, and put on him the Lord Jesus Christ.  
Hence also is inferred against the 2d: extremity of opinion( of which afore) that all may be said to have a common interest in the merits of Christ: howsoever all do not enjoy the benefit thereof, because they do not take it. The well spring of life is set open to all, freely. Revel. 22.17. Wh●soever will, let him take of the water of life freely. But many fetch not, having nothing to draw with, and the Well is deep. Faith is the onely vessel whereby we are to draw all virtue from Christ; and that is to be fetched from the hearing of the word of truth, the Gospel of our salvation. Ephes. 1.13. Rom. 10. which holdeth forth this bottom for every one to build his faith upon, thus.  
What Christ hath provided for me, and the Gospel offers to me, that I ought with all thankfulness to accept, and apply to my comfort.  
But Christ by his death, and obedience, hath provided a sufficient remedy for the taking away of sin, and the Gospel offereth it.  
Therefore I ought to accept it, and apply it to the comfort of mine own soul.  
Now many hearing this Gospel of salvation, do either not regard it, or not believe it; or if in a sort believe it, that is the truth of it, yet embrace it not; but are so wedded to their sins, that they have no desire to be divorced from them: and therefore neglect the taking to themselves, and applying to their own souls this gracious offer made unto them.  
Notwithstanding which neglect on their parts, we may truly say,[ That good things were provided for them on Christs part,] and that a rich price was put into the hand of a fool, howsoever he had no heart to use it: Prov. 17.16. Our Saviour by that which he performed on his part hath procured a jubilee for all the sons of Adam: Luk. 4.18, 19. And the Gospel is the trumpet whereby he doth proclaim liberty to the captives, and preacheth the acceptable year of the Lord. If( as Levit. 25.24. Exod. 21.5. Deut. 15.16.) for all this some are so well pleased with their captivity, that they desire no deliverance; this derogateth nothing from the generality of the freedom annexed unto that year. If one say to his sin, or love of the world, his old master, I love thee, I will not depart from thee, I will not go out free, then he shall be( as the servants so saying in the aforesaid texts) bored in the ear for a slave; and serve for ever. But that slavish disposition of his, maketh the extent of the privilege of that year not a whit the straighter; because he was included within the general grant as well as others, howsoever he was not disposed to take the benefit of it. The King of heaven( saith our Saviour, Matth. 22.2.) is like unto a certain King that made a marriage, that is, a marriage feast, as the Syriack {αβγδ} signifies) for his Son, and sent forth his servants to those that were bidden to that marriage-feast with this message,[ Behold I have prepared my dinner, my oxen, and fatlings are killed, and all things are ready, come to the wedding: v. 4.] But if we look to the event, They which were bidden made light of the invitation, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise: v. 5. yet this neglect of theirs doth nothing falsify the word of the King which we have in the 4th. verse, namely, That the dinner was prepared, and those unworthy guests were hidden thereunto. For( saith the Apostle, Rom 3.4.) What if some did not believe? shall their unbelief disannul the faith and truth of God? God forbid. Yea let God be true, and every man a liar: as it is written, That thou mayest be justified in thy sayings, and overcome when thou judgest. Just as the Lord speaketh by the Prophet,( Ezek. 18.29, 30.) Let not the house of Israel say, the way of the Lord is not equal. For when he cometh to judge them every one according to his ways, Ezek. 33. 20. the inequality of the way will be found on their sides, and not on his. Oh house of Israel, are not my ways equal; or are not your ways unequal, saith the Lord. So in that Ezek. 18. The Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works. Psal. 145.17. All the ways of the Lord are mercy and truth. Psal. 25.10. When we were in our sins, it was of his infinite mercy, that any remedy should be provided, for our recovery. And when the medicine is prepared, we are never the nigher to actual salvation, unless he be pleased out of his free mercy to apply the same unto us; that so the whole praise of our redemption from the beginning to the end, may be entirely attributed to the riches of his mercy, and nothing may be left to sinful flesh wherein to glory. The freeing of the people of the Jews from the captivity of Babylon,( Isa. 45.1, &c.) was a type of Christs great deliverance of us wrought by him. Cyrus King of Persia( who was Christus Domini, the Christ, or the anointed of God, and herein but a type or shadow of him that is Christus Dominus, Christ the Lord, the author of our redemption) publisheth his general proclamation in this manner,[ Who is there among you of all the people? The Lord his God be with him, and let him go up. 1 Chron. 26.33.] Now it is true that they alone did follow this calling, whose spirit God had moved to go up. Ezra 1.5. But could they therefore, that remained still behind in Babylon( 1 Chron. 4.23.) justly pled that the Kings Grant was not large enough? or that they were excluded from going up, by any clause contained therein? Just so the matter of our redemption purchased by our Saviour Christ, lieth open to all, all are invited to it, none that hath mind to accept it, is excluded from it. The beautiful feet of them that bring glad tidings of the Gospel of peace, do bring good news of great joy into every house wherein they tread.( Luk. 1.79 Luk. 10.5. Rom. 10.15.) The first part of their message being this, Peace be to this house. But unless God be pleased out of the abundance of his mercy to guide our feet into the way of peace, the rebellion of our nature is such, and so great, we run headlong into the ways of destruction and misery, and the ways of peace we do not know.( Rom. 3.16, 17. They have not all obeied the Gospel, saith the Apostle, Rom. 10.16. All are not apt to entertain the message of peace. And therefore though Gods ambassadors make a true tender thereof to all to whom they are sent, yet the peace restend only upon the sons of peace. But if they meet with such as will not listen to this motion, their peace doth return again unto themselves. Luk. 10.6. The proclamation of the Gospel, Rev. 22.17. runs thus: Let him that is athirst, come. For him this peace especially is provided, because none but he will take the pains to come. But lest we should think this did any way abridge the largeness of that offer, a Quieunque vult is added in these words: And whosoever will, let him come and take of the waters of life freely. Yet withall, we must hold this, That it is God that worketh in us to will and to do of his good pleasure. Phil. 2.13. And though the call be never so loud, and so large, yet no man can come effectually, except God the Father draw him: as it is Joh. 6.44. For the universality of the satisfaction, nothing derogateth from the necessity of Gods special grace in the application of it. Neither doth this seventy of grace in the application any whit abrogate the generality of the satisfaction.  
And therefore when men urge that argument out of Joh. 17.9. Christ prayed not for the world, therefore he paid not for the world; there are many considerable things may be replied unto.  
For the consequence may be excepted against upon many good reasons. For though Christ did not pray for the world, yet he might pay for the world. Because this paying is a more general or common act, of satisfaction; his praying a more special and choice act of intercession: so that though both acts agree in this, that they be acts of Christs Priesthood, yet in other respects are widely distinguishable. 1. Paying, that is, giving satisfaction, doth properly give content to Gods justice( as hath been shewed); Praying, that is, intercession, doth solicit Gods mercy. 2. This paying satisfaction containeth a preparation of the plaster or potion necessary for mans salvation; But praying by way of intercession, is the means of application of that remedy to the malady. 3. The paying satisfaction belongs to the common nature of mankind which Christ assumeth: when as praying intercession is a special privilege vouchsafed to such particular persons onely as the Father hath given to his Son Christ.  
And therefore I think we may safely conclude from all these premises, That the Lamb of God offering up himself( clothed with human nature) a sacrifice for the sins of the whole world, intended by giving satisfaction sufficiently to Gods justice, to make the nature of man( which he assumed) savable, a fit subject for mercy, and to prepare a sovereign medicine for the sins of the whole world, which should be denied to none that mind to take the benefit thereof; howsoever he intended not, by applying this all sufficient sacrifice, or satisfaction to every one in particular, to make it effectual unto the salvation of all, or to procure thereby, at the hands of the Father, actual pardon for the sins of the whole world. He applies this onely effectually to them who making claim to the satisfaction, by promise suing for the spirit and faith upon other promises, in prayer waiting for a gracious return until they have it. So that in one respect Christ may be said to die for all: and in another respect, not to die for all. Yet so as in respect of his merit, he may be accounted a kind of universal cause of the restoring of our nature, as Adam was of the depraving of it. So that, to conclude, as far as I can discern one did curiously hit the nail on the head, 
Mors Christi est quasi quaedam universalis causa salutis, sicut peccatum primi hoins fuit quasi universalis causa damnationis. Oportet autem universalem causam applicari ad unumquemque specialiter, ut effectum universalis causae ille percipiat Effectus peccati primi hoins pervenit ad unumquemque per carnis originem; effectus autem mortis Christi pertingit ad unumquemque per spiritualem regenerationem, per quam homo Christo quodamodo conjungitur,& incorporatur.  when he determined this matter on this wise. The death of Christ is as it were a certain universal cause of salvation; as the sin of the first man was as it were an universal cause of damnation. But an universal cause must be applied to every one in special, that he may partake of the effect of the universal cause. The effect of the sin of the first man came upon every man by the original of corrupt flesh; and the effect of Christs death reacheth to every one( whom it reacheth) by spiritual regeneration, by which, man is after a sort conjoined and incorporated to Christ. So he. We will onely add this. That as the sin of Adam was an universal cause of eternal death unto mankind in general; but not to every particular man, unless original corruption were derived to him, as Christs human nature in the very conception was exempted. So the satisfaction of Christs death is for all mankind, but is not effectual to any particular man, but to him to whom Christs grace is derived.  
Upon all it follows. That though the fallen Angels have no encouragement at all to harken to the Gospel, there being nothing at all for them: yet all men to whom the Gospel shall come, have much encouragement to harken to it in this, That Christ took upon him the common nature of mankind, made it savable, brought it nearer to salvation then the nature of lapsed Angels. And more particularly that it is said indefinitely, Christ dyed for sinners, for ungodly, for enemies. And yet more particularly in the text, that him that cometh to him he will in no wise cast out. I say they have encouragement to attend to the Gospel there to find an effectual testimony of Christs dying for them, by drawing them to believe it; and not to stand off, or fall on, upon notions of their own( of Christ dying FOR ALL, or if not for ALL, then NOT FOR ME) before we consult with the effectual voice of the word of the Gospel. It is not left with, or to, or in our wit and endeavours to dispute ourselves into Christ by syllogisms, yea groundless syllogisms, but we waiting on the Gospel Christ effectually draws us, and takes us into himself. Sure enough Christ dyed for that soul that hangs upon this breast of the Gospel without separation, that Christ dyed for sinners.   

CHAP. VIII. No man living under the sound of the Gospel, can have any true and just reason of standing still, or standing off, from coming to Christ.  
IF Christ open his heart so freely, and spread his arms so wide, as to receive all ●●●●rs unto him; then why do not all that hear this come to him? There are too many if God pleased( as we may say after the manner of men) left among the Heathens without the bounds of the Gospel, to perish as reprobates. We that are within the sound of such invitations, as the text, &c. should conclude, that they do as surely, and directly belong to us, as they are spoken to us. And that we are as clearly included within the generality of the propositions made to us; as undoubtedly they do not in the least expression exclude us. Why then should we exclude ourselves? what can we scruple, or object, but here it is fully answered? dost question whether thou mayest be so bold as to present thyself before Christ for mercy? lo Christ offers himself. The King woes the beggar. We as ambassadors for Christ, beseech you to be reconciled. 2 Cor. 5.20. dost doubt whether he means thee? See Christ most fully holds forth himself to thee. As fully, as to the thousands of souls that are now in heaven by the same Gospel-promises. What shall I do more to my vineyard? We cannot prescribe what more God should say, and speak, so as to Juit with a speech made to all that ever shall hear the Gospel. But sayest thou, are there not conditions on my part, which I am not able to perform? No, it is said he holds forth himself most freely. If any condition be included in coming, he works it in the ministry that bids us come. Its a Gospel-creating word. So all comes freely to us. You have beside the free consent of the bridegroom, the Bride, and the orderer and master of the wedding feast, and of all the friends of the bridegroom. Revel. 22.17. Christ saith( for it is his revelation to John, Chap. 1.1.) Come, in all those comes there. None could speak that, unless Christ first spake it. And the Spirit( the Architriclinus: that Master of the feast) saith, Come. And the Bride, the Churches, all the Saints converted, out of their own sweet experience of coming to Christ say, Come. And let him that heareth, every Minister that hears the Church says so, that hath his commission or call from Christ by the Church, saying, Come. And what do they all say? Let him that is athirst, come. If thou hast a will, doubt not of Christs will. His impression of willingness on thy will, is a sealed expression of his willingness. And what more? And whosoever will( whether with an hungering will, or a wishing will, or a woulding will, so that he will) let him take of the waters of life freely. He freely gives freely offers, freely invites, therefore freely, freely, freely may he take. Thou canst name no Case of Conscience to keep thee off, that hast a will to come; or comest( if it be possible) without a will. Him that cometh( saith Christ) I will in no wise, in no case cast out. Thou canst not imagine any sin, if thou comest to Christ, that can keep thee off. He doth not onely swear,( and Christ cannot be perjured) that indefinitely he desires not the death of a sinner. Ezek. 33.11. but he saith more fully, viz: universally, He is not willing that ANY should perish. 2 Pet. 3.9. Not blasphemous or persecutors, for he called Paul. Not murtherers, nor fornicators, nor idolaters, nor effeminate, nor Sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, for such had been some of the Corinthians, but God justified and sanctified them. 1 Cor. 6.9, 10. Nor such as have been possessed with the devil; for Christ called and accepted of Mary Magdalene; nor such as have been conjurers, for to such also hath Christ given repentance. Act. 19.19. So that if any stand out, and not come to Christ, Thy destruction is of thyself O man; as God said to Israel. To them under the Gospel this is the rule. All men by the least sin are damnable. Eves desiring-look on the apple, the Angels first evil thought cast them out of their blessed condition: But man by the greatest sin that is, is not damned, unless this be added, that he comes not to Christ. Joh. 3. often.  
Therefore why, O ye sons of men, stand ye still in a damnable-mistaken-doubting condition, so as not to come to Christ? Why will ye die? Ezek. 18. you need not perish, unless you will perish; no reason in Christs will, but in your will. To him that hath shall be given. You never improve the least gift to go onward towards Christ, but he prospers it to more. What would you have more, then a Christ suffering, a Christ offering, a Christ entreating that you may come. Yea,( that all pretences may be removed) a Christ interceding that you may come, and believe. Joh. 17.20. Neither pray I for these alone, ( meaning his disciples that then believed on him) but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; that is, through the preaching of the Gospel by his disciples, namely, Apostles, and Evangelists, &c. to the end of the world. This intercession of Christ is called a saving to the uttermost them that come to him. Because he ever liveth to make intercession for them. So that whereas if the death and resurrection of Christ be propounded for our salvation, we may say, those are done and past, and we are not the better, or if the word& prayer, and other ordinances be urged to us, as still in doing, we may say, those are weak, and do not over-power our spirits; the Apostle puts an emphasis on Christs intercession, to show its eminency to answer to both these replies. 1. That he ever liveth to make intercession for them that come; so that this is still in doing, to make his death and resurrection that are past and done, still to be in force, and of efficacy. 2. That whereas ordinan●es may seem weak, his intercession saveth to the uttermost them▪ that come; to obtain a power on ordinances to save, and to make up what is wanting in them.  
But to return to the point in hand, to carry on our design, of carrying thee, O sinner, home to Christ. Out of the mouth of this point proceeds Answers to all objections; satisfaction to all scruples, removal of all obstructions; and a discovery of all disputes against it to be but pretences. Let any man but weigh Christs words and method in relation to the text and point in hand, and let him object and dispute any thing to purpose if he can. Christ in that Revel. 22.17.( a notable parallel, and suitable place to the text) having in the former part of that book set forth by great promises, and glorious representations that he will come, to make men Saints, and Saints to be a glorious universal Church; in the close( in the said Revel. 22.) he proclaims, that men should meet him in their desires for the design in hand, saying, Let men say, Come; not onely the spiritual Spouse, but he( whosoever he be) that heareth, says, Come, and then presently Christ echoes, resounds twice to those two, Let him that thirsteth, come; let him that will, come: most suitable to the text. If thou dost not keep out ( whosoever thou art) Christ will not cast thee out. And therefore that of the Prophet may fitly be here applied, Thy destruction is of thyself O Israel. For the Lord is not willing that any should perish: 2 Pet. 3.9. And he doth not onely say so, who cannot lie,( Tit. 1.2.) but swears so,( Ezek. 33.11.) who cannot be perjured. As I live, saith the Lord, I d●s●●e not the death of a sinner. He swears by the choicest attribute, H●● life, that is the root of all others, and the excellency of his being; and therefore carries a great deal of weight with it, that in good earnest and most cordially God is not willing that any should perish, should die eternally. Not blasphemers( to give some instances) or persecutors, see in the calling of Paul. Not murtherers, see in the conversion of Manasses. Not adulterers, or those prevailed on by the devil, see in the taking of Mary Magdalen into grace and favour. All the least sins in themselves are damnable( the angels are damned for their first evil thoughts they had in heaven.) But the greatest sinners under the Gospel are not damned, unless they add this, they slight the offer of Christ, and do not believe in him: Joh. 3. oft. Why therefore, I say again, O ye sons of men, stand ye still in a damnable condition, and not chme in to Christ? why do you make any stay in a mistaken, doubting condition, and do not throw away all, and throw yourselves upon your Saviour? The Lord demands with much earnestness( in that Ezek. 18.31.) Why will ye die G house of Israel? can ye show, can ye imagine any reason? you need not perish, unless you will need● perish. There is no reason in God, but in your wils. All this that place holds forth. And therefore still I cry O sinners, what would you have more? you have a Christ that hath suffered for you; you have a Christ that hath offered himself to you; a God that hath sent him to you; a God that invites you to him; and if you come, you shall not be disappointed, saith the text. Joh. 6.37. Though you may put many cases, yet Christ saith, In no wise will he keep you out. All which so fully and freely declare the mind of God in Christ to poor sinners, as that nothing more can be said; as Isa. 5.4. What could have been done more unto my vineyard, that I have not done? And Hos. 6.4. O Ephraim, what shall I do unto thee? O Judah, what shall I do unto thee? Consider now O sinner, look about thee, God acquits himself; therefore the fault must lie in thee. If thou dost improve what thou hast, To him that hath, shall be given. Though Gods will doth not depend on mans, yet God will be tied to his own engagement, and do as he hath said.   

CHAP. IX. Profane men may and must come in to Christ, notwithstanding former presumptions and despairs.  
YEt for all the text and point in hand, many stand off, dispute, cavil, and come not in to Christ: As, 1. Profane men; 2. hypocritical professors. 3. Embrions, that is, imperfect, or new-conceptions of Christianity, but not yet shaped, and formed to maturity of a complete birth. But the point in hand well managed will confute them all.  
1. Profane men stand out upon two extremes. 1. Presumption. 2. Despair. And this usually follows that.  
1. Upon presumption. And why? they can( as they interpretatively think) do well enough without Christ. For they seek not after him. But if this were true, why then did Christ coming into the world, make this proposition, this offer of himself to you? It seems Christ well knows you have dear need of him. Yea and you( profane men) seem also sometimes to know that you need some such things as a Christ. For else, while you are out of Christ, why doth your conscience sometimes, for some sins give you some short and sharp bitings? why do you in your afflictions, or when you are( as you think) upon your dying pillow, so oft repeat these words, For Christs sake, O for Christ his sake? sure you think that God cannot in justice save you without satisfaction; That Christ did not die in vain, namely, there was need of him for such as you are. That Christ did not speak and pen this text in vain, but for your necessity. If you reply, you have Christ, for you profess him, and believe his word to be true; we must needs then quaere with you, how can you be said truly to have Christ, and really live in your profaneness? have you Christ, and are ye liars too? have you Christ, and are ye swearers too? Is Christ a profane Christ? If not; how shall Christ and the Belials of wickednesses dwell together?  
If you object, no man is without sin; We answer:  
1. That he that is truly in Christ, is without a will to sin. Rom. 7. 1 Joh. 3.8, 9. He cannot yield with a full will to sin. There is a strong inward reluctation against it. 2. That he is without gross sins in practise. 3. Without a custom in any known sin. 4. He continually goes to Christ to be more sanctified, and so should you.  
2. Despair sometimes keep men off from Christ. When the devil cannot keep them off in one extreme, then he labours to keep them off in another. And for this purpose he arms them with many unreasonable objections.  
Obj. 1. Saith the Despairer, my sins are too many, too great, of too long continuance to be pardonned by Christ.  
Ans: If this were true, why doth not Christ make this exception in the text? Doth he not say just the contrary, that him that cometh to him, he will in NO WISE cast out? Hath he any where excluded sins, because many or great, or of long continuance from pardon, whiles he offers it in the ordinances? Is not Christ true, and able, and willing to make good his word? Is there any sin thou hast committed which he hath not pardonned to another? might not Judas his sin have been pardonned, had he come to Christ, as well as others committing the same sin? Act. 2.36. Sure when he saith, In no wise will he cast out any that come to him, he hath an unlimited satisfaction for,& compassion to all sorts of sinners, in all sorts of sin that come to him. As Isa. 55.1, &c. If any thirst, if any will call upon him, seek to him, lay aside his own thoughts, and harken to Christs, he will have mercy, to take away all sorts of sinful miseries; he will abundantly pardon( or as it is in the Hebrew, he will multiply to pardon, to take away the numerousnesse of sins. And his thoughts are( he saith) above our thoughts, as high as the heavens are above the earth, to take away the greatness of sins. And he will make his word effectual, as the rain upon the earth to stop the continuance of sin. For indeed his mercy is infinite, as well in perpetuity as immensity. And all such high, and comprehensive expressions of mercy, are more expressly and particularly entailed on such a bleeding heart as thine is, as chirurgeons most look to the most broken, and wounded. Isa. 66.2. Isa. 57.15. Matth. 12.20. Luk. 4.18, 19. look these places in the said quotations, and consider them. If thou be wounded indeed in spirit, thou wilt turn to them, and study them.  
Obj. 2. Saith the despairer, I have so many, and so great afflictions, that God seems to signify to me by them, that he means to damn me.  
Ans. This is no good argument. For if it had; then Christ would not have said without limitation, Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out; be his afflictions never so many or great, or grim in show of signification. For indeed no man can conclude God hates him, by his affliction. Eccles. 9.1. Rather he may conclude from his affliction, that God loves him. 1 Cor. 11.32. Hebr. 12.7. And that to have no affliction, is rather a sign of Gods hate. Isa. 1.5. Hebr. 12.8.  
Obj. 3. But saith the despairer, God hath forsaken me. I cannot pray, I cannot hear as sometimes I could.  
Ans: The text doth not run upon those terms of so praying, or so hearing; or whether thou didst pray or hear formerly. The question is, whether thou dost now by praying, hearing, or any how so look after Christ as now to come, now to scrabble to him, to sigh for him, to be restless for him? such a one Christ will in no wise cast out. And for his forsaking thee; God usually doth never forsake man remedilessly, till he forsake him with refusing of the remedy. 2 Chron. 36.15, 16. Prov. 29.1. If by forsaking thou meanest a temporary partial forsaking, which we call desertion, that is, a withdrawing of assistance, and inward feeling of comfort; this condition of desertion simply in itself is not sinful: for Christ was in it. However God withdraws, in case thou perceivest it, complainest of it, grievest for it( as thy objection is here) this may be in godly persons: Isa. 63.17. say the Saints there, O Lord why hast thou made us to err from thy ways, and hardened our hearts from thy fear? And yet in the verse before they say to the Lord, doubtless thou art our Father; and in the close of the 17. verse, they pray earnestly to the Lord to return. So they that fear the Lord may be in darkness, and see no light. Isa. 50.10. And godly Jonah said, Jonah 2.4. I am cast out of thy sight. So David, Psal. 22.1.  
Obj. 4. But saith the despairing despondent soul, I am afraid I have sinned the sin against the holy Ghost.  
Ans: 1. If as in that text, Joh. 6.37. thou comest, thou hast not sinned the sin against the holy Ghost; yea thou canst not( as thou sayest in the objection) be afraid thou hast sinned it, if thou hast sinned it. For the sin against the holy Ghost is to be impenitently at defiance with the grace of Christ.  
1. The sin against the holy Ghost, is not to have or act sinful and unworthy thoughts or deeds against the Godhead of the holy Spirit. For then so to sin against God the Father( as God in pure essence of the deity) or against Christ( as God incarnate) were unpardonable; which the Scripture doth not affirm. 2. It is not to sin in thoughts, words or deeds against the holy Spirit, merely as it denotes in general, the manner or way of Gods giving forth himself operatively in spiritual effects; then every sin against knowledge were the sin against the holy Ghost, which is not so. But the sin against the holy Ghost is against the efficacy of it in us. As when a man hath been enlightened, and convinced of the truth of the word by the Spirit, and yet doth impenitently malign, and maliciously oppose this truth in others, contrary to the impressions on his own heart.   

CHAP. X. hypocritical professors, the self-deceiving Christians may, and must come in ●o Christ, and not make a stand any where, or at any wh●●, that is short of Christ, though it hath never so fair a show of salvation.  
2. FAlse professors, unsound Christians seem to look towards Christ▪ yea as it were to move towards him, but by reason of several mistakes, they make several stops at somewhat that is not Christ, and so stand off, short of Christ. These are to be dealt with in this Chapter, and to be convinced, and brought off from their mistakes, and to be drawn home to Christ himself by virtue of the text, and point in hand: which holds forth Christ himself personally, Him that comes to ME, I will in no wise east out. We must still be coming, and coming till we come to Him himself, or else all will be in vain.  
For as Christ in himself is the best thing God hath in heaven or in earth; so he is the best thing that can be had for thee sinner( of what sort soever thou art) for he is God manifested in the flesh, the Godhead dwelling bodily, Immanuel God with us:( as the Scripture tells us) so that there is nothing in Religion comparable to him, to invite thee, 'allure thee, and stay thee there, from him; without whom all Religion is but husks. To come to particulars: The condition of the mistaking professor, is like a man in a palace, going up a stately payer of stairs to speak( as he pretends) with the King. He steps up one step and there meets with the yeaman of the guard and takes him for the King, talks with him, and makes a great stay there. Anon perceiving that that is not the King, he steps a step higher, and there he meets with one of the Kings Pensioners, and here makes a stand as before. A while after, perceiving this not to be the King, he steps a step higher,& meets with the Secretary of State, then a step higher, and meets with one of the Kings Bed-chamber, then a step higher, and meets with the Prince that came out of the loins of the King, and still takes all these for the King, makes a stand to tarry with every one of them, but all this while comes not to the king himself. So the mistaking Christian stops at every thing in Religion, that is not Christ. If he go on, it is but to something that is a greater show of Christ, or to somewhat that is nearer in relation to Christ, but not to Christ himself. Now the business in the ensuing Sections of this Chapter is to undeceive these dreaming doting professors in all particulars, and draw them into the Chamber of Presence to the King himself, to Christ himself.  

SECTION I. RESTRAINT from sin is not a taking of Christ.  
1. THis hypocrite, or false professor, weighing and considering the ugly garb and foul behaviour of deboshtnesse, profaneness, and scandalousnesse of life, as odious to God and men, his natural conscience pricks him forward to go one step beyond that; and therefore he sets forth in his own moral strength of human reasonings, and resolutions, stirred by civill considerations and ends to forbear, and restrain himself from outward gross evils. Having thus done, here he stays as if he had met with Christ, or that which is as good as a Christ, so contented is he, applauding his own condition in his own heart, like the Pharisees that gloried in making clean the outside of the cup and platter.  
But O thou poor blind soul, this is not Christ, nor salvation in Christ. Thou art not yet come to Christ, and so not to any thing saving that is in or from Christ. The text and point in hand do indeed invite thee from all evil; but then to come to Christ himself. Forbearance of evil is a kind of guard about a man, that he be not entangled with gross evils to hinder him from Christ. But the guard is not the King. Those whom Christ invites here, were generally those that were free from gross offences, as Scribes and Pharisees, but these Christ calls hypocrites, six or seven times in one Chapter, mat. 23. and moralised Jews; all which yet for all that he invites to come to him, and he will not cast them out. Intimating that they were not by outward moral honesty in a safe estate, but were yet without till they come home to him. Being come to Christ, thou goest beyond any condition an unregenerate man may be found in, either of restraining grace, humbling grace, or outward reformation. For an Abimilech, or Laban may b● restrained from sin. A Cain, an Esau, and Judas may be cast down with some kind of humiliation. An Herod, and a Pharisee may do many good things. Therefore for thee to stand off in this condition, is to stand but in their condition; but to come to Christ puts thee beyond all.   

SECT: II. Bare performance of DUTIES is not a taking of Christ.  
2. IF this mistaken false professor be by divine providence often affrighted in this condition, and so sees that still he is in an unsafe condition; then out of self-love for his own security, he steps a 2d: step further, and higher, and fals upon much performance of duty, as hearing, praying, fasting, &c. But here is the mistake, and the making the stand: that he thinks that by these performances to hammer out a salvation to himself. Yea makes these his Christ, as the Papists do the number of their prayers and fastings. And the Pharisees did their outward performance and observations of their enlarged phylactaries, parchments of moral traditions.  
But, O poor soul, still harken to the text and point, that thou must come to Christ. Thou must come to him to take him in, and by performances; not to stand off, and make a stay in duties from Christ, to love the duty and not apply Christ; to rest in the performance, rather then to trust in Christ; to make perhaps a sound of Christ, but not have a sense an● feeling of Christ in thee: rather naming Christ for the duty sake, then to do the duty for Christs sake. And therefore mind it O poor soul, that to stay in performances, is but to do as the Kings Pensioner, stand at the door in attendance with a lance or, &c. but is not in the room with the King. mind it, mind it, thou must in and through all duties and performances come to Christ, as the sum, and end, and perfection of all. So the text: so John 5.39, 40. If men never so much search the Scriptures, and do in them think to find eternal life, yet if they do not consider them as testifying of Christ, and so by them come to Christ, they cannot be saved. A place, and thing much to be weighed. And therefore to stand off in duty under a general notion and conceit, that this is the way to please God, and not distinctly to mind that this is onely the way to Christ, and not mind and intend this as the design, it is the way neither to please God, nor to come to Christ, nor to appease their own unquiet heart, but the ready course to obstruct and hinder all three. In this way of toiling in ordinances thou hast onely thy labour for thy travail; religious working in this way becomes not a reward, but a drudgerie.   

SECT: III. Common GRACES are not Christ.  
3. AFter a while perhaps this mistaken creature being wearied with his pains-taking in performances, by reason that he finds no inward comfort, he perceives no oil to come out of these flints, he casts about, and hearing of a thing called grace, he steps a 3d: step higher, and never rests till he hath attained to some common graces, of illumination, conviction, legal humiliations, &c. and with these dresseth forth his profession to some plausible trimnesse, to talk religiously, to confer with good Ministers, to company with some of the best professors.  
But here is thy miserable mistake, poor soul, that here again thou stoppest, as if thou hadst somewhat of Christ, and so dost not come to Christ himself. Thou hast met with the Secretary that doth somewhat set forth what the King is, but thou hast not the King himself. Therefore heed it, heed it, that the text and point do not invite thee merely to some retinue of Christ, but to Christ himself, Common graces, outward profession, and religious privileges do tell thee( as John the Baptist speaks of himself) they are not the Christ, they confess, and deny it not, that they are those that onely cry, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, &c. and that the Kingdom of heaven is at hand; that there is one that comes after us to be preferred afore us; that he must increase, and we decrease in that thine opinion& esteem. Be not therefore undone in a pleasant dream, as the foo●ish virgins, Matth. 25.1, &c. that went ten degrees beyond the profane; in name virgins, in company keep with the wise, in blaze of profession had lamps in sitting in the kingdom of heaven of ordinances, in general notions of Christ, some expectation and waiting for Christ, in some skill to distinguish the noise of his coming, in some preparations for him, they went about to trim their lamps, they in a sort go out to meet Christ; but they fall short near ten degrees of the wise; for it was not with them as with the wise; to have the Kingdom of ordinances within them,( as Christ saith, The Kingdom of God is within you) to be wise, not onely to be with the wise, to see all safe afore they be secure; to have oil in their vessels, the anointing of the Spirit of faith in the heart, to unite to Christ( the principal verb, the main of all,) to be sensible of wants afore it be too late; to look to ones own spiritual provisions, and not to rely on borrowing of others; as to think to go to heaven by others goodness, or outward privileges, to enter in with Christ by virtue of oil in the vessel, faith applying Christ; not to rely upon bare prayer and words, Lord, Lord, without urging any divine interest. To be known and acknowledged of Christ, by inward persuasion of the heart by faith, as well as to know Christ. To have the oil of grace that will hold out to the last, &c. You see here the loss of Christ, is the loss of all. And sure enough those graces, those actings, those performances that are from, and stirred by Christ, will tend to Christ, sand us to Christ.   

SECT. IIII. Brain knowledge of promises is not real taking of Christ.  
4. IN process of time this self-deceiving soul hearing such a noise in the ministry of the word of Christ, and believing that Christ dyed for sinners, he steps and ascends another step higher, so as to have some promises whereby to believe that Christ dyed for sinners; and when he hath one or two of these to settle his judgement that Christ dyed for sinners, when he hath got these tidings into his head, he thinks he hath Christ, and there he stays; too long. But O soul to be pitied, come on further yet. There is a wide difference between coming to a promise, and coming to Christ through a promise: promises are of the Kings Bed-chamber, but are not the King. The text is a promise, a precious one; but we are not onely to come to the sound of that, and receive the sense of that into the head, but we are invited by it to come to Christ himself. The stony ground catched the promise, and ran away with it with joy, but took not Christ crucified, though he suffered with him, and for him. And thou poor soul, thou dost not take the promise as a ticket or warrant from God the Father to challenge and own Christ, and therein to have the full truth and substance of the promise( as it is said notably, 2 Cor. 1.20.) But thou takest the promises as the history of Christ crucified, neglecting to apply the mystery of Christ crucified to thyself, as thine, as if crucified for thee, if for no other.   

SECT. V. A RESOLUTION upon our own STRENGTH to believe in Christ, is an hindrance of coming to Christ.  
5. THerefore this poor deceived soul, finding by some experience of the decay of his sudden joy,& how deeply he is oft plunged in sorrows, and fear by every affliction, he thinks( upon further information) that he must step one step higher, and that is to take Christ, and rest upon him by faith.  
But here is thy sad mistake O poor soul, that yet keeps thee from Christ, that thou thinkest to do this by thine own strength. Faith indeed is the Prince, but it is born from the loins of Christ. That faith that gives Christ, is given of God through Christ, Ephes. 2.8. The text saith, thou must come to Christ, meaning, that effectually thou comest by faith; but then it is in the context, thou canst not come, unless God the Father draw thee. Yea Christ must draw thee: Cant. 1: 4. It is he that speaketh to thee to come, must make thee by that word( spirited) to come. Thou must as well wait on the word to be wrought to a faith in Christ, as to look upon that word to be directed and invited to come. Thou must not think to believe by thine own power or resolution. It must be the same God that gives Christ to thee, to give thy heart to Christ. And so thou art to wait on the same God in the same promises to give unto thee both light and life, will& power, to lay hold on Christ. Thou must consider that a● Christ hath purchased by his death and resurrection a pardon for thy soul, so by the same he hath purchased Gods efficacy to bring thee in to him by faith. And therefore thou dost obtrude thyself, and art an intruder, if thou goest to Christ in thine own strength. It is true, no man coming to Christ can be said to be an intruder upon Christ, as if Christ were not extended to him; or that he came too soon, or was too forward to be welcome to him, for according to the texts indefinitenesse, and unlimitednes, none( without exception) can come too much, or come too soon to Christ to be welcome. But if thou come in thine own power to believe, bearing thyself up upon thine own rational considerations, and peremtorie resolutions, that thou wilt believe, because thou wilt believe; then thou dost plainly obtrude thyself on Christ, art an intruder upon salvation. So that if you wilt avoid this imputation, thou must fix the eye of thy expectation on God, to give Christ to thee, and to see the free and kind gift, and by Christs Spirit as the only efficacy to work faith in thee to receive him. And then come and welcome Fly not off as they, Joh. 6.65▪ 66. because Christ saith, None can come to him, except God the Father draw him: but therefore the rather come on, seek that power of God; it is to be had, and it will do the thing; thy power is nothing; or if any thing, it will not do the dead. Christ saith in the context, we that come are given to Christ. And v. 65. that it is given to us of God to come to Christ. It should seem both are intended for a gift; and therefore God will give them. Ask and have. And if you that are evil can give good things to your children, how much more will God give the Spirit to them that ask it? When Christ saith in the text emphatically I, even I will in no wise cast out, he means that He, even he must receive in. As he saith, Isa. 43.11.25. I, even I am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for my own sake. I, even I, am the Lord, and beside me there is no Saviour. God in Christ is all in all in satisfaction, and in efficacy. We come to the Bethesda of ordinances; but Christ the Angel of his presence,( as Isaiah calls him) stirs the waters.  

PARAGRAPH I. A soul must not come towards Christ, but for Christ himself.  
IN sum, the text holds forth a right coming to Christ upon the design of believing, to consist in two ●hings. 1. That a poor soul must not come for any by end but for Christ, for the excellency of Christ, to have Christ, Him that cometh to ME, saith the text, that is, to have me, desire me for my self. A man comes not of mere necessity, and self-love, to avoid something that is not Christ, as hell, or the like; but is drawn with the amiableness of Christs excellency. That if there were no Hell of torment, yet he would prise Christs excellency to deliver him from the hell of sin, that is, the power, filth, and vexation of it.   

PARAGRAPH II. A s●ul sincerely coming to Christ, feels and tastes something of him before he seems to come at him.  
2. THat a poor soul coming towards Christ, finds his heart drawn with some inward motions and workings of Christ on it, in the way of inward content, and more satisfaction of spirit whiles he is coming, and making to Christ then ever before. Though as yet he cannot comprehend Christ, grasp him in his arms; yet he feels, while he is coming, a sweetness ore-flowing his spirit; and his good hope, that one day he shall have him more fully, is a great soul-satisfaction, and quietation of his spirit the mean while   

PARAG. III. We must come to ordinances, duties, &c. but through them to Christ.  
UPon all that hath been said, let the poor soul observe two directions. That though any real coming towards, or looking for Christ in the ordinances, be a part of the meaning of the text; yet  
1. Let him not take hold of any thing, but of Christ, or in relation to Christ. Rest in nothing but him. But be coming to him, in as many ordinances, duties, performances as thou wilt. O consider that the sins of men do not more displease Christ( if so much) as their falling in love with the handmaids of Christ, more then with Christ himself; with any thing that leads to Christ, to loiter there instead of coming and abiding with Christ.   

PARAG: IIII. We must take whole Christ.  
2. AS he must not contentedly lie in a state of sin; so not to be contented with the preparations to, or pieces of Christ( as a man is wont to think he may carve this or that of Christ to himself, and leave the rest) but to desire& reach after totum Christum,& totum Christi. Somewhat of all in Christ, and of all that thou maiest have in Christ, in this life.  
I say, stay not in preparations to Christ: as in humiliations. It is not said by Christ, Him that is weary and heavy laden I will ease: But him that is weary and heavy laden, if he COME to me, I will ease. Matth. 11.28.     

CHAP. XI. The embryo professors, those that are but a new conception of, or a real disposition to christianity; for all their fearing, whining, pining and complaining, may, and must come in to Christ.  
THe 3d: sort that stand off too much, and do not come roundly and fully on to Christ, are the embryo Christians. That is, such as in whom there is young conception of, or real disposition to true good in them, but we can hardly say they are a new birth. Or if we may say they are in the birth; we cannot well say they are actually born; but lie in the very birth, they have more pain then pleasure spiritually. They are as in a swown or trance; they do not know how it is with them; but sprawl and struggle for life. We have oft instances of such Christians as these in the world; they dare not go back to Egypt, yet go not forward cheerily towards Canaan, but stand as in a wilderness complaining. They dare not return to sin, and they dare not boldly to claim Christ; and so stand weeping as in the valley of Bacha between both. Yea they cannot part with Christ, and yet they are afraid to take him. They are like a man fallen into the Sea, a ship coming by, he catcheth hold, is towed and drawn after it, hanging onely on the out-side, he dares not let go, lest he be drowned; and he dares not climb up into it, lest he should miss of his purpose. These Christians I speak of, are in some degree the smoking flax( Matth. 12.) they have some weak soul-ascendings like pillars of smoke, up from the wilderness of this sinful world( Cant. 3.6.) when no flaming or fire of graces appear to give clear light and sight, what is in them. They are as babes that cry for milk, yet the breast drops into their mouth, cry still and do not take the breast to suck. They have a spiritual being begun, but come not off freely to Christ for a well-being. They cannot rest in themselves, or their present condition, yet they have not for present the art and heart so wholly, and fully, and distinctly to rest on Christ. They stand looking out, sighing, wishing for the remedy, and the comfort of it, but do not clearly and closely come and close with it.  
The lets that hinder a while this creature from coming home and wholly to Christ, are four. He thinks, 

1. That Christ is too good for him.  
2. Himself too bad for Christ.  
3. The work of coming impossible for him to do.  
4. Improbable for Christ to do.    
These four are as the quaternion of souldiers that kept Peter in prison, till the Angel of the Lord came and delivered him. So spiritually. As some men have tied their own hands and feet, and then put their feet through between their arms, and so seem to have been bound hands and feet by others, when it is by themselves; so this kind of poor soul through darkness, and perplexity of spirit thinks other outward things hinder him from Christ, when as it is he himself that perplexeth himself.  
All these pretended hindrances are to be removed by this point.  

SECT. I. The first let, that Christ is too good for them REMOVED.  
THese thus urge against themselves. 1. That Christ is holy; holy God-man; and the pure onely shall see God; but we( say they) have no purity. 2. Those Saints that have to do with Christ, are full of holy meditations, holy enlargements in desires and prayers, full of holy graces and gracious actings; now had we some holinesse, some graces, some enlargements in desire, and prayer, and some such gracious actings, we might with some boldness come to Christ.  
To this the text and doctrine replies, that there is no such condition in them; Christ did never bid them speak thus conditionally; he never by them prescribed this method. But command his word to tell this sort of Christians that in this objection, you put the cart before the horse. If you could be holy afore you come to Christ, you had no need of Christ; if Gods or Christs purity should hinder coming, nor you, nor any else should be saved. The fire is made to burn that which is not fire. The Sun is appointed to shine upon the world, because that of itself is dark. Christ is holy, for the purpose to make the unholy to be holy, Heb. 2. to shine upon their darkness, 2 Cor. 4. Is there any such clause in the new Covenant, that we must be holy before we come to partake of it? N●, it doth not find us, but makes us pure, Ezek. 36. The text saith not the holy that comes, but him that comes. The new Covenant finds us in our blood, not in holinesse. Ezek. 16.6. Christ blesseth them that are thirsty and poor, Matth. 5. compare Luk 1.53. Not the worker, but the willer is called; whosoever will, let him come: Not he that can greatly obey, but he that heareth. Revel. 22.17.  
In old time husbands gave portions for their wives. Christ comes and buys us with his blood, makes us rich with his grace, doth not find us so. He that hath nothing( saith the Prophet) even let him come. The poor woman when she is wooed hath nothing but her self. The poor patient hath nothing but misery to move pity, so are we at first, to Christ.  
Qu. But may not a man so unholy and unworthy be said to presume, whiles he so boldly comes to Christ?  
Answ. For a soul wholly to go out of himself, and by the promise to venture himself nakedly on naked Christ, is rather an holy despair in his own righteousness, then a presumption. Rather an obedience to Christs invitation, then an over-boldnesse. A man will mary onely that women that will leave father and mother,& trust her self with her husband, cleave to him, to go, and fare, and be where, and how he is and doth. So Christ us spiritually. The Scriptures all along speak very carefully to take us off of ourselves. As Joh. 1.12. and many other places. The act of giving Christ to us, and of us to Christ; and conveighances, decrees, faith, ordinances, and their effectual workings, are all of God. We are in the effectual act onely passively to receive, having nothing of our selves. To the woman in debt as long as she had but vessels to receive, the oil ran. Why art thou then so sad O soul, why so cast down? The poorer spiritually, the nearer Christ. As nothing in us coming to Christ can make us worthy of Christ: so nothing in us can make us unworthy. If any thing, sin; and he came to call not the righteous, but sinners.   

SECT: II. The second let or hindrance that keeps off the new conception equivocation Christian from throwing himself wholly on Christ, thinking himself too bad for Christ; removed.  
SEcondly, this embryo or young conception objects he is too bad for Christ. To which we answer, that as there are degrees of goodness; and accordingly a weak Christian would not onely have some goodness, but much goodness before he comes to Christ( which is impossible): so there are degrees of badness, and accordingly, if a little badness doth not dismay him, yet much doth. And thereupon, most commonly he cries out, he is to bad for Christ; and so unworthy, as not fit to touch the promises. The grounds on which he pronounceth himself too bad for Christ are, 1. the greatness of his sins, O( saith he) my sins are great in number; more( as the Psalmist speaks) then the hairs of mine head. Or great in guilt through many and manifold aggravating circumstances. Or great in bulk, as Davids sins, Psal. 51. Or great in length; an old sinner, a sinner of many yeers standing; that hath almost sinned away all his daies. To this ground of his objection, the text and doctrine answer. Him that cometh, Christ will in no wise cast out. Him who comes off of himself,( as Isa. 55.1, &c.) though he hath nothing wherewith to buy any thing of Christ, yet if he will come to Christ, Him will Christ in no wise cast out. For he that most apprehends his sin in a self-detestation, is nearest to that coming off of himself. Phil. 3.9, 10. Men talk much of self-denial; but here is the root, and first life-act of self-denial, 
The main farthel.  to deny all our own worth, and worthiness, and to profess our neediness of Christ. And such Christ invites to follow him. If any man will deny himself, let him follow me. The text and doctrine thence, make no distinction of greater, and lesser sins, or sinners, magis& minus, more and less, do not alter the kind or case. 
Not sins small. All sins small.  In regard of Gods justice, Heavens joy, Hels torments, the souls excellency, there is no little sin, or small sinner. But in regard of Gods mercy, Christs satisfaction, and the power of the holy Spirit, so all sins in comparison are as nothing. For between finite, and infinite, there is no proportion. Isa. 55.8. View the place, it is a precious one. And the text and doctrine intimate, that him who is worthy to be cast out, and thinks so of himself,( for the two negatives are put to give satisfaction to great doubtings) yet HIM coming to Christ with that sight, and that appetite, that Christ hath given him by this and the like invitations, will Christ in no wise cast out. So the whole current of the Gospel. Matth. 5. Matth. 11. Matth. 12. And as in these invitations Christ doth not in the least hint any difference of sinners, so nor of number of sins. If God blot out sin, merely for his own sake, Isa. 43.25. and justifies freely by his grace; then not for the numbers sake, nor for times sake, because a man hath sinned but a little while. Nullum tempus occurrit regi: Against divine forgiving mercy no time can pled prescription. The pardon may come to one at the eleventh and last hour of the day,( as to the thief on the cross) when he sees a need of Christ. This is good for meditation, after much time is past, but not before to neglect time. He sees not truly a need of Christ, that can willingly neglect him. Therefore lay aside this objection touching the greatness of thy sins. It may be thy sins are not now more then others, but since thou heardst of infinite mercy, and infinite satisfaction to pardon sin, thou seest more of sin, and more in sin. Thy condition is no other then what hath been the condition of other Saints, who have been troubled for the number, yea of secret sins. Psal. 19. and with the nature but of the smallest sort of sins, namely, of concupiscence. Rom. 7. But in case thy sins be, and thou seest them to be greater then others, what follows but this, that thou shalt the more honour God in believing, Joh. 3.33. and hast cause to admire Gods mercy. 1 Tim. 1.15.  
Another ground of thinking himself to be too bad for Christ, is his ungrateful slighting the means of salvation. I have( saith he) heard many Sermons, and have not been convinced. Or affencted oft, but not reformed.  
Ans. The text saith, the coming man shall not be cast out. Though he be going and coming, like a little child playing to and fro with the parent; yet still hath more affection to stay, then to depart quiter; he will be a reteiner to Christ; he hath an affection to, at least an appretiation of this master more then of others, Christ will not cast him out, Christ was willing to treat with those that were worse then this poor creature we speak of. In Isa. 1. v. 3, 4. see their badness, In v. 18. see Christs treaty. Yea the Church unkindly neglecting Christ, Christ stands at the door till his locks were wet with the due of the night. That is, he in his person did, and in his Ministers still doth suffer much opposition from men, whiles he stands woeing souls to come to him. And Christ is very patient towards that lukewarm and much corrupted Church Laodicea. Revel. 3.20. He stands at the door and knocks; and if at last any open unto him, he will come in and sup with them. He will cheer them, and be cheerful with them in their hearts. Christ in the first 9 Chapters of the Proverbs under the name of wisdom, and notion of a suitor woes souls from sin; whiles sin under the name of an harlot endeavours to woe them from him. wooers are contented if they win the affections at last.  
Ob. There is a refusal that is dangerous. Psa. 95. God swore they should not enter into his rest.  
An. The refusal is dangerous, if it be long, and also obstinate, as in that 95. Psalm, compare 2 Chron. 36.15, 16. Prov. 29.1. But if a soul hath some remorse, and meltings of heart after the Lord Christ; his beams have been upon that heart, and will ere long appear. 1 Sam. 7.2. The house of Israel lamented after the Lord. They put away their idols, Samuel prays for them, and the Lord shewed favour to them. In all those Psalms, wherein David pants after God, as the Hart after the water brooks, and his heart thirsts after him; God ere the Psalm be at an end, manifests himself to Davids soul. The Spouse, Cant. 5. having sent Christ away with her neglect of him, and after seeking of him, being sick of love for him, in Chap. 6. she sweetly finds him. add to all, Hos. 14.4, 5. I will heal( saith the Lord) their back-slidings, and love them freely, I will be as a due to Israel, he shall grow up as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon. Though we have our back-slidings, yet God hath his pursuings after us, and his healings for us.   

SECT: III. 3d: Let or hindrance that keeps the poor young conception from full closing with Christ, thinking it impossible for him to come to Christ removed.  
I Have, saith he, neither will nor power either to do, or to be humbled for not doing.  
Ans. 1. Concerning will thus. God shows mercy first, and originally, not because thou hast a will, but because he hath a will. He will have mercy, on whom he will have mercy. Rom. 9.15, 16. Yea the text is plain, All that the Father gives to Christ shall come to him. add Mich. 7.18. Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage▪ he retaineth not HIS ANGER FOR EVER, because he DELIGHTETH IN MERCY? See here the ample expression of his mercy, and the original cause of it, namely, in him himself, not in thee. God sheweth mercy directly, naturally and intentionally. So that Mich. 7.18. But he executeth judgement as it were accidentally, occasionally, and consequentially, in case that men refuse mercy, first offered to them. Matth. 10.13, 1●, 15. Again we answer further. After God of his own free will hath cast his love upon us, and from that original writes a copy in our hearts to be willing to embrace his love; in this, It is he that works in us to will, and to do of his good pleasure. Phil. 2.13. It is said, All shall work together for good to them that love God. Rom. 8. And how come we to love him? John shows us. 1 Ep. Ch. 4. v. 19. We love him, because he loved us first. It is a plain sign of a will in us to believe, and receive Christ, when we wait upon God alone to work on that will in us. So the man in the Gospel: Lord I believe, help mine unbelief.  
2. Concerning power, our Answer is this. The text and doctrine doth not say, him that cometh by his own power, shall not be cast out, but him that cometh, though by anothers power, namely, by the gift of the Father. So Ephes. 2. Ye are saved by grace, through faith, and that( to wit, that faith) is not of yourselves, but it is the gift of God. The mother indeed calls the child to take the breast, while it cannot go( as we say) on high loan. But when all is done, the mother is fain to led the child by the hand, or take it up, and pull out the breast for it. It is the mighty power of God to make so proud a creature as man, to see he hath no power in himself. And it is the special virtue of Christ, to make a man whose thoughts are so opposite to Christ, to desire to come to Ch●ist if he could.  
To the 3d. thing concerning humiliation, for not doing as he ought, complaining that his heart is not tender enough; not broken enough; we return this Answer: That the text and doctrine do not say, him that is humbled so much, or broken so much, but him that cometh he will in no wise cast out. Yea him that is but coming. So that though he be not broken to pieces, yet in whole he is broken off from all things that before tangled him from coming to Christ. And to this is the promise made in the text. Therefore lay not too much stress upon sensible humiliations. Take heed of undue considerations of sorrow for sin. As thou must not( as some have) make sorrow for sin, A SIN, through immoderate despondency and drooping doubts of mercy; so thou must not make it a saviour, by reliance on it, rather then on free grace through Christ. Water may carry a ship to the ocean, and so to the rich Ports and islands in it; but water is no part of the frait of the ship. Do not hoist so many sails of self-condemnings, so as to overhear the ship of thy soul so as to sink it. Dost feel the untowardnes of thine own heart? it is softness of heart to feel the hardness of heart. And there is a seeming hardness in desertion that is rather from desertion, then from willing corruption; in the midst whereof, the inclinations and strugglings of heart towards God, are the heart meltings that proceed from the inward workings of God upon the heart. Isa. 63.17.19. v. 17. O Lord why hast thou made us to err from thy ways? yet it followeth in the same verse, Return for thy servants sake. And verse 19. a clear confession of faith, We are thine. If when we are afflicted, our God is afflicted, so in the 9. ver: of that same Chapter, then surely he will put an end to our afflictions as his afflictions, as soon as may be most expedient. Jer. 31.18, 19. I have surely heard( saith the Lord) Ephraim bemoaning hmself thus: Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised, as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke: Turn thou me, and I shall be turned, for thou art the Lord my God. Surely after that I was turned, I repented, and after that I was instructed, I smote upon my thigh; I was ashamed, yea even confounded, because I did bear the reproach of my youth. Then the Lord echoes to him thus: Is Ephraim my dear son? is he a pleasant child? For since I spake against him, I do earnestly remember him still. Therefore my bowels are troubled for him, I will surely have mercy upon him. And of all afflictions God will soonest remove them that are most prejudicial to a souls coming to Christ. Those afflictions that are sent to move us out of our drowsy sitting still, shall not lie an hour, if less will do the thing. See the thief on the cross, and the Converts, Act. 2. God soon gladded the mournful crucifiers of Christ, when once they were pricked at the very heart.   

SECT. IIII. 4th. Let or hindrance that retards a spiritual young conception from a free and full laying hold of Christ, namely, The improbability( as he thinks) of Christs doing any thing for him to make him come to him, removed.  
SAith he, I have waited thus long in ordinances, yet find I little wrought in myself. My heart seems to be worse then the publicans, then the souldiers, Luk. 3. Then the gaolers, Act. 16. Worse then that in persecuting Paul. Act. 9. Worse then the hearts of those that crucified Christ. Act. 2. For all these relented, and came into Christ. Yea worse in some sort then the devils, for they believe and tremble. Jam. 2. But my heart is an hell of sin.  
Ans. The text and doctrine set not down the precise point of time when, or how soon a man must come, or else he forfeits Christs receiving him; but when ever a soul is coming though a good while in coming, Christ will receive him. Yea while he is coming, he hath received of Christ. It is Christ that drew thee, or thou couldst not set one step forward. Cant. 1.4. Yea God the Father draws thee. None c m come to me( saith Christ,) Joh. 6.44. except God the Father draws him. Thou poor soul, judgest thyself. But God alone is the judge of conscience, and according to rules in his word doth he judge. Therefore unless thou takest his word whereby to judge, thy thoughts of thyself are not judicious, but a sinful phantasy. Martyr Bradford said his heart was hell when he was coming fully to enjoy Christ as fast as he could, like Elijah, in cha●iots of fire; and had an heaven of grace, and apprehensions of glory in his heart. More particularly we answer.  
1. Christ hath set certain houres, wherein he will powerfully manifest his effectual call of men; the 3d: 9th. &c. to the twelfth hour. It may be he hath allotted thee the 10th. or 11th. hour. Happy is he that after long waiting is saved at last. It argues much grace, patiently to attend upon Christ in ordinances, all the while( be it more or less) till Christ will be pleased to give fuller incomes of grace. Psal. 43.5. Psal. 130.6. Turn to the places, and red them.  
2. Thy trouble for not profiting under ordinances, is the kindly working of ordinances upon thee. physic works well, when it makes us a little sick. Though ordinances call for attendance on ordinances, yet it is their proper effect to turn pride of performances into despair, to the end that we may know that our services, are not our Saviours; and therefore to rely on Christ, and not on them. When Christ hath brought us to find the means to be no mediators, then usually Christ comes in through means. Christ is a physician that comes not for his fee, but when we feel our need of him, even of him, then he comes.  
3. A soul may truly stay on God in ordinances, when he cannot triumphantly joy in God by ordinances. Isa. 50.10. He that is in darkness, and sees no light, yet let him trust in the Lord, and rely upon the God of his salvation. Still therefore thou seest the text and point bear down all objections afore them. Therefore, O thou poor soul, lay down thy weapons of dispute, and come in to Christ. As it is said, Isa. 5. What could the Lord do more for his vineyard; so here, What could the Lord say more to his vineyard? Therfore take heed of wilful disputings, especially of pride, compliments, or sullenness of spirit. Psal. 77. And Psal. 73. when thou hast said and done all in objecting against coming in to Christ; thou must be glad of him, whom for present thou indeavourest to put off.    

CHAP. XII. A pressing invitation of all sinners, all men, all kinds of tempers of spirit to come in to the out-stretched arms of mercy of Christ Jesus, upon the ground of his PROMISE.  
BY authority of the main and grand Position, this Chapter as the crier in the court of Christs mercy, makes a loud, and shrill Oyees to all manner of men, at all times, by all manner of means, to come away to Christ, lest they forfeit their recognisances, that is, the injunctions, offers, and evidences of salvation. Hear it O ye sons of men. For Christ is the most excellent thing in heaven. He is God in our nature. 1 Tim. 3.16. Immanuel, Matth. 1.( which is applied for your entire salvation against all opposition, Rom. 8.31.) The Gospel is the most excellent thing on earth. Tis a ministry of the Spirit. 2 Cor. 3. which takes of Christ and shows it unto us, and makes him glorious in our apprehensions. Joh. 16.14. And our text and position is the picked flower, the choice rarity, the nonesuch of the Gospel. Therefore come away, come away. For, 1. here is a promise, therefore come upon, and by this promise. 2. Here is a protestation with this promise, that Christ will in no wise cast you out. Therfore pled with Christ, for Christ, upon this protested promise. And 3. there is in this protested-promise a most positive proposition and assertion, that if you come, you shall be received in. Therefore adhere to it, and own it.  

SECTION I. Of Naked coming to Christ.  
1. HEre being a promise( as we said but now) in the general of the text and position, let men come to Christ. And, 1. Nakedly to Christ, because the promise is free. 2. Entirely to Christ, because the promise is full. 1. Come nakedly to Christ. As one said notably out of experience, Ego nudus nundum sequor Christum. I nakedly follow naked Christ. A soul must take naked Christ; pure single Christ; Christ for himself, not for by-ends. The person is better then the portion; and so to take him, is better far then otherwise. And a soul naked, stripped of his own righteousness, and self-considerations of worth; and clothed with his own shane; ashamed of his own vileness, must thus take Christ. These things must not discourage, but quicken us to come to Christ. Though, poor soul, thou art never so naked and vile in thine own eyes, come to Christ. More care is to be taken, that thou evangelically see thy nakedness, then to fear thy nakedness. So Christ labours with thee; namely, that thou really see thy nakedness, and thereupon to come to him. Revel. 3.17, 18. Thou art wretched, and miserable, and blind, and naked. I counsel thee to buy of me white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, &c. Therefore though thou art naked, a mere poor sinner; so in essence, so in appearance; yet come away naked, bring nothing with thee but thy miserable self. As Joseph in egypt inviting his father down to him, said, Regard not your stuff. We are proan to bring our own stuff with us; something of our own to commend us to Christ. But this must not be. It mars all.  

PARAG: I. The hindrance of naked coming to Christ by reason of A SINFULL SEEING OF ONES SELF, removed.  
TWo things usually hinder a soul from this naked coming to Christ. 1. A sinful seeing of ones self. 2. A sinful censure of ones self.  
1. A sinful seeing of ones self. For this useful duty of seeing our sins may be done very sinfully. As when a man doth poor so much, and so amiss upon his sins, and sinful condition, that he is afraid or loathe to come to Christ. So fallen Adam. This is like the ecclipss of the Sun; A little spotted Moon, to attempt to shadow the oeean of light in the vast Sun: one mans finite sins, imagined to be able to cloud infinite mercy in God; which is unpossible. Divines deliver this as a safe and sweet rule; 
☜  That sight and sorrow for sin that puts us off from coming to Christ, is a sinful sight and sorrow for sin. This kind of sorrow is in likeness a kind of Antichrist. For it seems to be for Christ( as the word in Greek may be taken) but is indeed against Christ, as the practise of it is. As the Heathens feigned, that the bright Sun was every night drowned in the Sea, whiles the world was dark; so by our legal Christ-declining floods of tears we drown our apprehension of Gods glorious mercy. The devil transforms himself sometimes into an Angel of light; and sometimes appears as he is, an angel of darkness,( 2 Cor. 11.) He sometimes walks in dry places,( Matth. 12.43.) as well as at other times in wet, when in the swine he went into the Sea. My meaning is, he endeavours to make a poor soul environed with his sins to see and weep over them too little or too much. So as he can make this soul neglect Christ in either extreme, to a perishing, he cares not. But thou, O soul, that wilt be wise to salvation, 
☜  never judge that temper of heart to be grace, to be good, or a friend to thee, or to Christ, that retardeth thy coming to Christ. 
{αβγδ} Arias mount. renders it In●quitie.  I suppose thou wouldst be loathe in the least to be like Cain. This hindrance of which we speak, is a spice of his disease, who said, My Evil( so the Hebrew word) is greater then I can bear; and WENT out from the presence of the Lord. 
*  And Judas was not damned immediately, and precisely for his furthering of the crucifying Christ( for 3000. guilty of the same sin, upon faith and repentance are saved: Act. 2.) but for despairing of the mercy of God. Therefore, O drooping souls, consider how ill you do, when you make a stand, looking on your rotten sins, rather then to run to a living Christ. God made known to you your sins, not to drive you from believing, but to believing. Rom. 3.19, 20, 21, 22, 23, to 27. Gal. 3.22, 23, 24. Therefore take heed of this despondencie, as having a show of endeavouring to frustrate God of his design. Tis an odious comparison, to equal thy ragged regiment of sins with the host of Gods mercies; to compare thy little earthly globe, and sands of sins with the stars, and spheres, and heavens of Gods free grace. Take heed of seeming to out-vote God; who saith, Isa. 55.7, 8. Let the wicked man return to the Lord, and he will have mercy on him, &c. and abundantly pardon( Hebr. will multiply to pardon) For my thoughts are not your thoughts; neither are your ways my ways: but as the heavens are higher then the earth, so are my ways, and thoughts higher then yours. If you leave the promise of comfort, and stand off from Christ, your sore may run long enough: Psal. 77.2. The Psalmist did in a sort seek God, yet because he refused comfort, his sore ran, and ceased not. When the promises and consolations of God seem small( as tis said in Job) our sins will seem great. But on the contrary, when we admire the immense magnitude of divine mercy, sin will melt to nothing before it. When we put away promises of support, the horror of sin will tyrannize. When the Sun is down out of sight, the Moon will seem great; and when she is farthest off in a just opposition to the Sun, then she is at the full, and then most efficacious in the increase of diseases. Tis easy to apply this. Let not that Sun, Malach. 4.2. be far from us; let not us be far from those his healing wings. Let us do as Abraham. God said, he should have seed. He was aged. Therefore here was a proper place for hope. Sarahs womb was dead, as in relation to bearing of children, therefore Abraham in hope believed against hope. Rom. 4.18, 19, 20. As long as the promise, and promiser is alive, do not as Martha, Joh. 11. go about to dispute the soul into doubtings. But as the woman in the Gospel, cry after Christ, and go a step; dispute with him, and step another. Stil follow.  
Qu. Would you not have me look on my sins. Yea, but not so as to look off of thy Saviour. Let thy left eye be on sin, but the right on Christ. See sin, and see it indeed, but to its disadvantage, not to the prejudice of thy coming to Christ. The more sin, the more need of Christ. To see sin to the disadvantage of sin, is thus to fee it. 1. To see its impiety, and pollution, and therefore the more to loathe it. 2. Its cozenage, at first it flattered thee to act it; and now it terrifies thee. What reason hast thou to stand still, to hear that rail at thee, when peace may be had in Christ? No wise malefactor, but would rather run to the King for a pardon, if he may, then stand to hear witnesses, Jury and Judge against him. King Jesus calls thee to come for pardon; and none can hinder thee if thou wilt come. 3. Its insufficiency to help itself. One sin cannot acquit another. sinful despairing sorrow is but a sorry plaster to all our sins. It adds to a malefactor sin, that refuseth to red for his life, when the mercy of the book is offered him. 4. Its necessitousnesse of a Saviour; as consequentially as all diseases interpretatively call for the physician. Thy sorrowing for sin therefore should be to sorrow thyself from staying with sin, unto a forwarding thee to Christ. Doth thy heart tremble at sin, with an humble eye to God? there will God dwell to be thy settlement. Isa. 57.15. Chap. 66.2. Doth any as Ephraim bemoan themselves for sin, breathing desires to God, God will echo graciously to such, you are my dear sons. Jer. 31.18, 19, 20.   

PARAG: II. Another hindrance of naked coming to Christ, by reason of A SINFULL CENSURING OF ONES SELF, removed.  
THe 2d. thing that hinders many a poor soul from a clear coming off to Christ, a naked coming to Christ is his sinful self-censuring. That is, he censures himself without any divine rule, and sometimes besides the truth of former experience. To sentence ones self as some do; that God hath reprobated me▪ or God utterly forsaken me, is to judge without any divine rule. And many charge themselves heavily, that they are great, if not the greatest sinners; and that though they have been great hearers, yet( they say) they have nothing wrought in them; which is untrue upon former experience. For I ask such a one; Who gave thee this light in the knowledge of thyself? who put upon thee those impressions to hear so much? And how comest thou by those desires of more to be wrought in thee, or else thou shouldst account all nothing? can these come from any but from God? And is it nothing to see ones own nothingness? Is it not much to be poor in spirit, to mourn, to be hungry for more? Matth. 5. Take heed O soul, by such rash charges against thyself thou mayst in a kind break all the Commandments, 
☞  and so add sin to sin. As, 1. to make God no God, if thou thinkest him not to be merciful. 2. To commit idolatry, in advancing thy sins above Gods will and power to pardon. 3. To take Gods name in vain, to profess the Gospel, and yet dispute against the promises. 4. To profane the Lords day in keeping a rest for coming to Christ in ordinances, and yet not to come to Christ. 5. To despise the Ministers of Christ. While they preach, thou dost impeach. Whiles they dispute, thou endeavourest to confute those comforts they bring out of the word. 6. To murder thy soul. 7. To commit spiritual adultery, going a whoring after thine own imaginations. 8. To steal spiritually: as to rob God of his due honour of his mercy. And to rob thyself of that peace that he offers thee, and consequently to rob others of those sweet experiences thou mightest hold out to others, if thou didst come in to Christ. 9. To bear false witness against thyself. And, 10. to give way to concupiscence against Gods complacency, and willingness to save thee in Christ. Paul would not do so, Rom. 7. His concupiscence bread in him a coveting after Christ. If thou seest six evils in sin, to wit, folly, guilt, filth, power, bastardy, and sorrow, behold there are 6000. that is, innumerable mercies in God, and merits, and excellencies enough in Christ, to heal all: viz: wisdom to deliver from the folly of sin; justification from the guilt of sin, sanctification from the filth of sin, Redemption from the power of sin; Adoption from the bastardy of sin, and all to make thee glory in the Lord, against the sorrow of sin: 1 Cor. 1.30, 31. Gal. 4.5, 6. Therefore hy to God in Christ. If he will keep thee there by his power through faith, 
{αβγδ}.  as in a garrison( so the Greek) 1 Pet. 1.5. do not thou keep garrison against faith, 
{αβγδ}.  by the strong holds of thy carnal reasonings, notions, &c. 2 Cor. 10.4. If God pitch his tabernacle of ordinances near thee; and kindle in it a sacred fire, to give thee spiritual light and heat; do not thou kindle a strange fi●e, and delight in the sparks thereof, in pleasing thyself in thy wilful sullennes, lest thou lie down in sorrow. Isa. 50.11. by comparing the former v: this sense of this 11. v: will appear to be to our purpose. But if thou wilt obey the comforts of God through the redemption in Christ, he will sell thee cheap, Isa. 55.1. &c. Tis but( as Austin well) to sell thyself, thine own wit and will, and wholly be ruled by the Lord, and thou shalt have it.    

SECT: II. Of coming entirely to Christ, and removing the impediments.  
WE must not onely come nakedly to Christ,( as we have heard) but we must come entirely. That which hinders, is a lending one ear to Satan; whereas we should not change one word with him by way of assent. It was Eves sin that she did. We should, as James adviseth, Resist the devil, and then he will fly. That is, resist him at first motion, and resist him fully. Honour him not with the least attention, otherwise then to defy his temptations. If he object thou art not elected; Answer, where doth Gods word tell me so? But rather the contrary: Rom. 8.26. Ephes. 1. first 6. verses. If he say the time is past. Answer, as long as thou art alive the eleventh hour is not past. And that God still calls to day: Psal. 95. And the Now is the acceptable time: 2 Cor. 6.2. And thou hast some desires to answer to these. If he suggest, that God passeth sentence against such as thou art in his word. Answer, thy condition is not such but thou mayest do as Jonah, chap. 2. v. 4. I am cast out of thy sight, yet will I look towards thine holy temple. And mayest claim thy right in that, 1 Cor. 11.31. If we judge ourselves, we shall not be judged of the Lord. But if Satan make thee fly upon thyself, saying, Thou art so bad, that it is above thy thoughts how God can pardon thee: Then mind what the word of God tells thee, that it is Gods proper prerogative to pardon that which is above thy thoughts: Isa. 55. Therefore O thou poor soul, come away to Christ, leave all, and fly to him in the promises. God saith, Come. Christ saith, Come. The Spirit saith, 
Rev. 22.17. Isa. 55.1. Matth. 11.28. 2 Cor. 5.20.  Come. The Word saith, Come. The Ministers say, Come. Saints prayers cry, Come. Saints practise show thou must come. Come, and thou shalt be welcome now as in the text. And at last entertained with, Come ye blessed, &c.    

CHAP. XIII. An incitation of all to pled with Christ, for Christ, upon the PROTESTATION in the promise of the text; that he will IN NO WISE cast out them that come to him.  
WE have heard of the O yes making proclamation in the court of Christs Gospel for all, of all sorts to come in to him. There wants but vous a vec, the appearance of men to this, saying as young Samuel, Speak Lord, for thy servant heareth. To effect this, we carry on the other two of the three heads before propounded. The 1. was for all men to come in to Christ, upon the ground of the PROMISE in the general of the text,( of which we heard in the 1●th. Chap.) The 2. is to pled with Christ, to attain Christ, upon the PROTESTATION in the particular expression of the text, {αβγδ}, I will by no means cast out. The 3d: follows in the next chapter. The 2d. is the business of this chapter. When the Law hath pleaded with thy conscience, convincing and breaking thy heart for sin; pled thou in the Gospel with Christ for healing. The Lord likes it. Isa. 1.18. Come let us reason together. He pleads with thee, Ezek. 18.31. And in the text. And Christ pleads for thee to his Father. Joh. 17.20. &c. If thou askest me how thou shouldst pled? I answer, tell Christ that this his protested promise, as other in the Gospel, is general, free, full, and earnest: say unto him; O Christ thy promise is general, to all that come, to all that are weary of staying away. Others have been bold to come in upon the generality of the promise, and were accepted. Act, 10.44. Therefore I that find no rest in staying away, coming to thee upon the same ground, let me be accepted. Thou hast not excluded me by name more then others. If thou wouldest have damned me, thou mightest have done it long since. Thou sayest, thou acceptest a willing mind. I cry as the man in the Gospel; Lord I desire to believe, help mine unbelief. And thy promise is FREE. Who but thine own self could make thee make this promise? whiles it was not in thine own power? when it was in thy thoughts, it was onely thine, to make it; now made and uttered, it is mine to take it. Art not thou God? Therefore thou canst as well cease to be God, as cease to be good. As the Sun and fountains cannot cease to shine, and run. This makes thee free; thou needst no creature-perfection to make thee more perfectly willing. And therefore thou dost not except, but accept of ungodly, sinners, enemies. Rom. 5. And therefore though I am one of the worse of these, it is not what I am( that thou lookest to) but where I am, namely, whether I stand off, or whether I come in to thee. Joh. 5.39.40. compared with this, Joh. 6.37. Thy promise also is FULL. Full of thy presence. Thou speakest in it. Thou offerest thyself in it. Thou art the kernel of it.( 2 Cor. 1.20.) Thou art entailed upon a poor soul by the promise. And tis full in the expression; Thou wilt in no wise cast out him that comes. And well mayest thou say so; for thou hast sworn, both negatively that thou desirest not the death of a sinner:( Ezek. 33.11.) and affirmatively, that in the seed Christ( Gen. 22.17, 18.) compared with Gal. 3.16.) all the nations of the earth shall be blessed. And applied with double emphasis to all that shall believe. Heb. 6.17, 18. Can God-Christ be false or perjured? Thou hast said, Heb 6. tis impossible for thee to lie. And elsewhere, that Heaven and earth shall pass away, rather then an iota of thy word. If a thousand come not to thee; thou wilt be true to any one poor soul that comes. Rom. 3.3. Thou joyest, ten to one, in the lost groat found; yea ninety nine to one in the lost sheep brought back again. Lastly, thy promise is EARNEST, saying, I will not, I will not,( as tis in the language of thy Spirit) cast out him that comes to me. As if thou didst direct y answer to my doubts of heart. If that say, Christ will cast me out; thou sayest, I will not. If that say again, I fear he will cast me out. Thou sayest again, I will not: as intimating, I need not fear. Sure dear Christ thou art in earnest, thou art so earnest, in that so long after this promise in the text, thou comest a wooing to my unworthy soul: 2 Cor. 5.20. Now we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us, we pray you in Christs stead be ye reconciled to God. Though man fall off; be dull to come, grow could, and worse, as Laodicea, Revel. 3. yet there, at such a ones ear and heart thou standest knocking. Sweet Christ; though I have been a poor Laodicean, yet now I come.  
Whiles thou thus pleadest in meditations, prayers, ejaculations, and disputations of soul, sure it cannot be( if thou persist) but the Spirit of Christ the mean-while pleads in thee for thee. Rom. 8.26. For these words are the Scripture language of the Spirit. And these desires( if cordial) cannot but be the breathings of the Spirit. And Christ will know the mind of his own Spirit. And when thou hast thus pleaded; observe what answers Christ gives. Weigh that well. Psal. 85.8. For that is the issue of a plea. v. 1. And when Christ hath answered by letter or tokens, by words or deeds, look to 4. things.  

SECT. I. Look to Christs IMPRESSIONS upon thy spirit, namely, whether thy heart be the epistle of Christ, written with the Spirit of the living God.  
WHether thou receivest of Christs fullness grace for grace. Joh. 1.16.( though not with such brightness and clearness of impression, yet with reality& truth of ingraving)& whether to the heart motions of Christ, there be due ecchoings of thy spirit? as Psal. 27.8.( in manner of an echo repeating the last word) Thou saidst, Seek my face: my heart said, Thy face Lord will I seek. And as Peter, Joh. 21. when Christ asked him, Peter loves thou me? He answers, Lord thou knowest I love thee. And thou hast in this discerning of thyself, warrant to take thyself at thy best, and in thy general good purposes of thine heart( for so Christ takes Peter there, and so thee) not at some worse particular ill fit. As David( a man of great weaknesses) so looks on himself, Psal. 119.6. Then shall I not be ashamed when I have RESPECT to( though I cannot EFFECT) all thy Commandments. And, Act. 11.23. He exhorted them with PVRPOSE of heart to CLEAVE to the Lord. Thus God-Christ looks on all his: he takes them at the best, mentioning their excellences, being silent of their weaknesses. So he mindes Abraham, Rom. 4. Sarah, 1 Pet. 3.6. Job, and Elijah, Jam. 5. Christ is thy judge; thou must judge of thyself as he judgeth. If in a court of justice, onely the evil of the cause should be pleaded, what cause would prevail? so in the court of conscience. Psal. 130.3. If thou Lord shouldst mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand? But sure God doth not condemn all. And therefore it follows, But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayst be feared. Thou sayest thou art dim, and dull, but what breaths the desire of thy soul? Haply that saith, O that I were any thing but sin. O that I suffered any change, so as my heart were changed. If so; then( as one said) turn the palm, not the back of thine hand to this staff of comfort. That is, instead of flirting it off, grasp it to stay thyself. If a man shall give to a beggar, and being importuned by him to give more, shall ask the beggar, did I give thee nothing afore? and the beggar shall say, nothing, because a small thing; were not this a just provocation to the Donor, to give no more? To aclowledge thankfully what Christ hath given, is the effectual way to come by more. 
*  As tis sin to have no grace; so tis sin to say we have no grace when we have.   

SECT: II. Look to the PACIFICATION of Conscience.  
HAth Christ quieted thee in all the dark clouds of all thy failings, with that Aurum-potabile Antidote? Rom. 3.24, 28. Being justified FREELY by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, we conclude a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the Law. Then bring thou, at all times of appearance of any guilt, thy sins under this general pardon. Thus agree with all thy adversaries. And when thy conscience comes to yield to Gods free grace, and to acquiesce in it as sufficient and benevolent to pardon all, then hast thou recorded thy evidence. And therefore when thou canst not see thy evidence, go to the records. 1 Joh. 3.19▪ 1 Joh. 5.8, 9.   

SECT. III. 3. Look to the SUBJECTION of thy will.  
HAth Christ brought down, and subjected to thy consideration all his good will towards thee? See what subjection of will is in thee to close with him. Be it far from thee to have a gainsaying will. A Rachel-like disposition is most prejudicial to thee. She would not be comforted. She might but would not. And far be it from thee to compliment off thy comfort, as Peter did, Christs washing of his feet: Joh. 13. His obedience not checking his modesty, Christ sharply checked him. But it may be thou dost not subject, because yet thou canst not, If this be the case, stand still, harken diligently what God saith; for he will effect it in thee whiles he is speaking: Isa. 55.11. Act. 10.45. 2 Cor. 3.6. weigh the places. If thou hearkenest to thy untoward will; it will be like a wrangling adversary, who, when thou hast had thy cause heard at Common Law( the law moral) and there Christ hath been the end of the law to thee for righteousness by faith. Rom. 10.4. And at Can●n law of the Gospel of Christ( as tis said, Gal. 6.16. {αβγδ}, by this Canon) that assures thee Christ is given to thee; and at the Chancery and Court of Requests, God proceeding with thee according to equity, in relation to Christs satisfaction and Gospel orders, and hears thy requests, prayers, and supplications, and at all these Courts hast procured thy p●ace; yet still( as long as some corruption in it, and thats for all thy life) it will be still troubling thee, to put thy assurance to ●rbitration, between flesh and blood, &c. But when Christ thy King, and his Law is satisfied, what needest thou to regard any accuser whatsoever. Therefore conclude this thus; I will believe God, I will believe in Christ, though I perish. If I perish, I perish.   

SECT. IIII. 4. Look to thy adhesion, thy adhering to Christ in practise.  
THat is, wait, and attend on Christ in his ordinances; to maintain that evidence and assurance he holds out unto thee. Kings will maintain their Patents. Let not therefore men, or devils draw thee to confer with them against the word of Christ. If they will speak, and force thee to hear, answer as, Gal. 1.8, 9. If an angel of heaven bring any doctrine contrary to the Gospel, let him be Anathema. The sum of which Gospel is, God is most merciful through Christ to poor humbled sinners. Therefore if it be objected by thy adversaries, Thou hast no grace: Answer. Christ comes at first to the soul when it hath no grace. If it be objected thou must have faith. Answer: Christ brings it with him Tis his gift, Ephes. 2. And I have a will to believe, and that God accepts. If it be objected, that perhaps thou art not elected. Answer. God propounds the doctrine of election for comfort as much to thee, as to any others. And that if thou art called, thou art elected: Rom. 8. If it be objected, those that are justified, are also sanctified: Rom. 8.1. Answer; yet not so sanctified in this life, as to be free from all corruption: Jam. 3.2. If the will be sanctified, thats evidence that we are so much sanctified, as to be a seal we are justified: Rom. 7. And if we had no sin, we needed no Advocate; who is provided for us for all our lives, because we are not free from all corruption, all our lives. Thus thou seest how to pled with Christ, upon the promise, and protestation of the promise. Do it; do it; he loves these holy violences. Jacob will not let him go; therefore he will bless Jacob ere he go. The kingdom of heaven( mat. 11.12.) suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force. Christ loves this love-sicknesse of the soul. And therefore though the Spouse discontented him away by her sluggishness in her sleepiness; yet she awakened, and being exceeding sick with love, he will be found again, and not chide her; her love prevailed with his love to cover all failings: Cant. chap. 5. and chap. 6. compared together.    

CHAP. XIIII. A persuasion of all men to own, and to adhere to Christ upon the positive ASSERTION of his promise, that those that come shall be received in, which is the genuine sense of that hyperbolical meiosis, he will in no wise cast out.  
LEt every poor soul, well weighing this text, closely adhere to Christ. Although thou canst not at all times act faith of recumbence, to quietly and triumphantly acquiesce in an actual enjoyment of Christ, yet act faith of adherence, pursuing Christ, as the Evening-star doth the Sun. Herein thy work is threefold, namely, 1. catch nothing but Christ. 2. leave all that is not Christ. 3. close dexterously and pathetically with Christ.  

SECT: I. Catch nothing but Christ.  
CAtch nothing but Christ, catch at nothing but Christ; own nothing but Christ. Whatever a man may have without Christ, own it not instead of Christ. As all common graces, Heb. 6. viz: elumination, conviction, restriction, humiliation. And all the graces of the foolish virgins, Matth. 5. which we distinctly numbered afore in Chap. 10. Sect. 3. And all that was in the stony and thorny ground. All which we know by woeful experience out of the Scriptures, were had, yet Christ left behind. 
☜  Some men when they hear in the word that God is willing to pardon sinners, they say in their hearts, and not without some stony ground affection, Thats WELL, GOOD NEWS, LET HIM DO IT. And so wholly leave it to God to look to if he will save them; but they never challenge Christ to that end. But as we are enjoined in the word to hear Christ, and apply Christ there offering himself; so we must take heed of doting, and resting on, or in any thing but Christ; of embracing a bright cloud instead of the Sun of righteousness. Malach. 4.2. of embracing a shadow, instead of the substance: Hebr. 10.1. and 11.1. Which latter place, that faith is the substance of things hoped, is true both of fides quae creditur, the doctrine of faith which is believed, it containing Christ, and of fides quâ creditur, the quality of faith with which we believe, it laying hold of Christ the substance. See how Christ doth besiege thee, as well as beseech thee to yield and come in to him. In 2 Cor. 5.20. we shewed afore he doth beseech thee. In Rev. 3. he shows thy straits in which thou art without him: namely, poor and miserable, and blind, and naked. red the book of experience, how miserable men of the greatest enjoyments have been without Christ. As Dives with all his riches; Herod with all his honour; Judas with all his parts; Hypocrites with all their laboursome performances, and seeming profession. Matth. 23. All things, parts, privileges, &c. without Christ, not bringing thee to own, and be owned of Christ, will cast thee out. Matth. 7.22.23. Matth. 25.10, 11. And verse 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46. But Christ embraced by faith, will not cast thee out. So our Text and Position. Christ amid al things below, as outward mercies, or spiritual means of grace, is like the Ark in the midst of the waters, of Noahs flood, or Jordan. They that were in, or with the Ark escape drowning. No others. The word, baptism, Lords Supper, in fine prove nothing, unless they really exhibit, and thou really receive from them Christ. Ordinances the field, but Christ the treasure in that field. 
*  Matth. 13. And behold a doleful experiment in these evil times: those that many yeers have dallied with ordinances, not therein receiving Christ, now fall off of ordinances, and slight Christ: a just judgement of God. 
Qu.  If thou dost demand; when do I in all, and above all, either ordinances, promises, &c. look on, and take up Christ? 
An.  We answer: when ye look on all but as the tools, the taking of Christ the great work, and the end of that work; and yet challenge him as your own. Cant. 2.16. So that there flows thence some drawing power; some grounded peace; and some effectual and effective love. After several wooings, the heart it more drawn out, contentment increaseth, and love abounds to a conformity in manners.   

SECT. II. Leave all that is not Christ, for Christ.  
LAy by all that is not Christ, to come to Christ himself; and the things entailed on Christ. Set to the work of studying him as the Spouse in the Canticles throughout, that thy soul may be wholly taken up with admiration of him, as the Spouse was. Give thyself to the business of divine and spiritual consideration of Christ in the promise, 1. as the onely good: 2. As the onely truth. 3. As the onely efficacy of the promise.  

PARAG: I. To consider Christ as the onely GOOD of every promise.  
DOth any promise offer thee friendship, honour, riches, pleasures? All these, of the world are some contentment with Christ to relish and sauce them. But these kind of things are far more eminent in Christ. Therefore let the goodness of Christ bribe thine heart to give itself to him. The cause is more excellent then the effect. And the body of the Sun is more glorious then the beams. Therefore say to these, either help me forward to Christ, let mammon, &c. be my friends towards Christ, or else stand by, and give room for Christ who is far more worth then you all. Wisdom, saith Solomon, is good with an inheritance: or if they will not conjoin; wisdom is more excellent without an inheritance; then an inheritance without wisdom. Christ is the wisdom of God. 1 Cor. 1. And be sure the man that hath Christ hath all things. Rom. 8.32. 1 Cor. 3. three last. Or if he hath but Christ, he hath of him better then all things; and in him God( as tis there) who as better, so more then all things. We cannot say all( properly) of an infinite; but in that, we have more then all. Therefore seeing so much is in Christ, and comes with Christ, let the goodness of Christ out-bid all offerers; out-shoot the devil, and the world in their own bow. Do they tempt thee with that they call good? Tell them, nearer the fountain waters are sweeter. And the commodity is more fresh, and unbraded in the Artificers hand. And further tell them, that all promises are couched in that promise of Christ. Gen. 22.17, 18. 2 Cor. 1.20. Christ is so good he makes the promise cheap to him that leaves all for him. The Disciples had left all for Christ, yet they could not repent of it, nor tell where to be so well. Joh. 6.68. Christ is so good, that thou needest not seek about, to bring any good of thine own: Isa. 55.1. Buy without money, that is, without self-worth, or sufficiency. Thy work in the text is to see that there is no help for it, but thou must come; and coming must role thyself on him. We seeing ourselves poor; we mourn for it. We think a good match would help all. We mary a wealthy person, and so are made rich. In the same moment of time we are married, and made rich; but in order of nature we are first married, then endowed by the party we are married to. All this is true civilly; but more, and more certainly true spiritually, and is the main of my meaning. If a man in need shall presume he may borrow all requisites, and not buy, when they may be bought cheaply, but cannot be borrowed, he may starve. Still my meaning is spiritual. Compare the foolish virgins, Matth 25. and Isa. 55.1. together. And tis much at one to buy that which will not serve our turn. So in that, Isa. 55.2. In pain to cry, and walk up and down, and not come to the physician, is to little purpose. Tears, and tyrings in performances, without coming to Christ, in, and by them, is to do as good as nothing. To look for any thing in duties, without God in Christ, is a kind of borrowing, and taking, and using that which will be taken from us. But to take Christ himself in duties, by faith that worketh by love, this is according to Gods phrase, a buying of what will do us good indeed; be our own, and never be taken from us. Make not the commodity of salvation cheaper then God makes it; 
☞  as to cast off ordinances, family duties, secret devotions. These thy posture, thy duty, thy gesture in waiting on Christ. And make it not dearer then God makes it; as to say, if thou couldst first master thy sins, live a little better, then I would go to Christ. Thou must first come to Jordan, to Bethesda, &c. and then be healed there. The best repentance comes after faith in Christ. Therefore, Act. 2. there is express the double repentance of those Converts.   

PARAG: II. Consider Christ as the onely TRUTH of every promise.  
COnsider Christ so the main of every promise, that h● makes the promise true in verity, and makes the truth of the promise in the substance. Christ is THE TRUTH: Joh. 14.6. And he is THE TRUTH IN THE PROMISE: 2 Cor. 1.20. And he hath engaged God upon giving him to a man, that man a shall have all promises made good to him. Rom. 8.32. So that if we take up Christ in the promise, we have all promises fulfilled, at least originally, and virtually, till anon formally as far as is for our good. In the same, Ro. 8. For all the promises are made to the head; and all entailed on us, upon condition of having him: ibid. Rom. 8.32. As nothing is excepted from him, so he shall not be separated from us, as God is not from him: ibid. Rom. 8. Now God doth not, will not, nay cannot lie: Tit. 1.1. therefore his promises cannot, though long ere all performed. Habac. 2.3.  
Obj. But I have waited exceeding long for comfort, and more grace, and yet have it not.  
Ans: Till it come, live by faith on the promise. Then will he come that is in the promise, with his power and efficacy. The sum of all is this; make the promise thy security, thy safety, thy sanctuary. Therein thou hast Christ bound, and hast him in hold till he perform.   

PARAG: III. Consider Christ the EFFICACY of all the promises.  
WHen thou hearest the promise speak; say, The thunder, lightning, earthquake, and fire of the Law terrifying me is over; this the still voice God is here. Now Christ more immediately speaks to me. The promise is the breathing of Christ: 2 Pet. 1.21. compare Rom. 8.9. the chariot of the Spirit: 2 Cor. 3.6. The image of Christs mind, 
☜  as a word is the image of a mans mind. Say, I must not bring faith with me to the promise, but fetch faith from the promise. We cannot believe before we have the promise. Psal. 85.8. He will SPEAK: and not onely peaceable things, but the PEACE itself. Regeneration is as a 2d. Creation: 2 Cor. 4. So that the Gospel is a 2d. Genesis. We may as well imagine to see the Sun without its own beams, or reap seed without sowing seed; as to have faith before we come to consider the promise. Wait therefore on the promise, for Christ is in the promise, the efficacy of the promise. Christ enlightened and enlivened the disciples by opening to them the promises: Luk. 24. And with the promises holding forth Christ came in the Spirit: Act. 10.45. And with the promise came their joy. Act. 2.    

SECT. III. Close with Christ in the promise.  
HEre is the main thing, this comes to the quick of the business to close with Christ in the promise. That thou mayst there receive thus to do, bespeak thy Christ in these, or the like soliloquies. O Christ, all thy doings show thee a Mediator. All thy word show thee willing to be an husband to my soul, in it thou comest a wooing( Prov. 1.2, 3, &c. to 10. Chap. and Canticles throughout: and in all the new Testament) Thou hast dipped thy garments in blood to obtain me. Isa. 63.1. &c. Thou wouldest own me in order of nature and working before I owned thee. Ezek. 16.6. Thou givest thyself to me; then me to thee: Cant. 1.2. and 16. v. and 1 Joh. 4.19. Therefore my soul desireth to own thee as a Mediator, to advance thee in my heart as an Husband; to echo to thy Gospel. Thou woest my consent, I desire to give thee my good will. And thou hast said thou acceptest of the will. 2 Cor. 8.12. Yea, O Christ, thou and I in part are united; thou hast my flesh, and so nearer to me then Angels. Heb. 2. So that in a sense, We twain are one flesh. And thou hast said, we shall be one spirit. 1 Cor. 6.17. And thou hast prayed, Joh. 17.20. that I might believe, and that thou and I might be one, as thou and the Father are one: ibi: oft. And I know thee to be most excellent, and I desire to have thee, because thou art most excellent. I know thee in part, therefore I would have thee; and I would have thee, that I might more and better know thee; and seeing there is nothing good in me by nature, I know not whence these should be, unless from thy Spirit. Therefore I am emboldened to own thee as mine, or at least to be mine. Whatever thou dost, or what ever I do, I will own thee, close with thee, hold close with thee. And the more thou dost quicken, and comfort me with more hope since I made these addresses, these approaches to thee,( for since I came near thee, my soul hath been refreshed) the more I will adhere to thee,& make my reliance upon thee. I own thee, and by thy grace will own thee in all thou art, in all thou sayest, in all thou dost. I will own thee as mine, in all my hearing, in all my praying, I will own thee in all my doings, and performances; I will through thy help live and die with this in my heart and mouth, Thou Christ art mine, and I am thine; thine, and thine only. And if while I live, thou O Christ, wilt whip me with afflictions; yet now hence forward, since I have seen, and felt, and tasted in some measure what thou art, my hope is I shall not be whipped from thee. My resolution is Job's, Though thou kill me, yet I will trust in thee. If thou whip me, yet I will weep after thee. If thou strike me, yet with all instruct me, and to come still to thee, I shall believe what thou hast spoken. Psal. 94.12. that therein I am blessed, and not cursed. If, O Christ, thou shalt at any time dispute against me, as against the woman in the Gospel; I shall desire the boldness humbly to contest with thee as she did. If thou tellest me I am a dog; I will confess I am, till I meet with thee. But thou canst tranform a Serpent into a rod. And more, thou sayest we are symmorphosed,( Rom. 8.) yea metamorphosed into thine image. 2 Cor. 3. last. If thou sayest, Bread is for the children; my reply is, give me the bread, THEE the bread,( as thou hast said, Joh. 6.) and I shall be made a child. If thou frown upon me, that I cannot see one beam, onely I perceive thou art in the room in the dark, I will even follow thine own counsel. Isa. 50.10. He that feareth the Lord, and obeyeth the voice of his servant; that walketh in darkness, and sees no light, let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upn his God. If thou thunder over me with the Law; yet by grace I shall not despair, because I see Gospel in the Law. Thou art there said to be my God, that brought me out of bondage in Egypt, thou, O Christ, art he that was brought out of Egypt( mat. 2.15. According to the prophesy, Hos. 11.1.) and I in thee. Tis there said thou hast mercy for thousands of generations, of which I believe my self to be one, thy word not excluding me more then others: Thy law is but an appendix to the Gospel, and answers to the law of sacrifices, holding forth thee slain for our sins, as in the new Testament, love answers to faith. The sacrifices teach me faith in thy blood, and the moral law teacheth me love in obedience. If thou wilt not at this time say to my heart thou wilt love me; yet I resolve to love thee. If thou wilt not at any time look on me, I will look on thee. I● I cannot clearly look on thee, I will patiently look for thee. The Sun that sets, will rise. Thou art that Sun, Mal. 4.2. If thou wilt not receive me yet as a Spouse, I am contented to be thy servant. If thou wilt not do something that pleaseth me, I will endeavour to please thee; namely, I will wait upon thee. For I know thy good will is better then al works. If thou wilt not do for me that which seems good to me, do that seems good to thee. For thou canst not but do like thyself. Thou art good, and therefore thou wilt do good. Psal. 119. If I cannot joy in all thy actings towards me; I have cause to joy in thee thyself. I may well bear some sharp passages from so excellent a one as thou art. If, O Christ, thou dost at any time make my sins testify against me( as against Job) I will aclowledge my sins; but bring thy word to testify against thee that thou shalt not condemn me, nor will I despair of thy mercy; but rest upon this text, and all the other glorious promises formerly quoted to open it. And lastly, if, O Christ, thou dost at any time leave me in a desertion, that I have not such feeling apprehensions of thee; yet I will not, I cannot desert thee. If I leave thee, I loose me, looose all. I will learn of David, yea of thyself, Psal. 22.1. mat. 27. how to behave myself in desertion. If I cry once, Thou hast forsaken, I will say twice, My God, my God. And I will demand the reason why? why hast thou forsaken. For I know there is no reason thou shouldst utterly forsake me, because thou sawest reason in thine own heart of love to promise the contrary, with the greatest vehemency of expression. Hebr. 13.5. By no means will I ever leave thee; no, no by no means will I ever forsake thee: so that I have no more to think, or say, but AMEN.    
FINIS.