him both in his understanding, will, affections, judgment, and
conscience (Eph 2:12; 4:18). (2.) He is far from Jesus Christ, who is
the only deliverer of men from hell fire (Psa 73:27). (3.) He is far
from the work of the Holy Ghost, the work of regeneration, and a second
creation, without which no man shall see the kingdom of heaven (John
3:3). (4.) He is far more righteous, 19 from that righteousness that
should make him acceptable in God’s sight (Isa 46:12,13). (5.) He is
under the power and dominion of sin; sin reigneth in and over him; it
dwelleth in every faculty of his soul, and member of his body; so that
from head to foot there is no place clean (Isa 1:6; Rom 3:9-18). (6.)
He is in the pest-house with Uzziah and excluded the camp of Israel
with the lepers (2 Chron 26:21; Num 5:2; Job 36:14). (7.) His “life is
among the unclean.” He is “in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond
of iniquity” (Acts 8:28). (8.) He is “in sin,” “in the flesh,” “in
death,” “in the snare of the devil,” and is “taken captive by him at
his will” (1 Cor 15:17; Rom 8:8; 1 John 3:14; 2 Tim 2:26). (9.) He is
under the curse of the law, and the devil dwells in him, and hath the
mastery of him (Gal 3:13; Eph 2:2,3; Acts 26:18). (10.) He is in
darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knows not whither he goes; for
darkness has blinded his eyes. (11.) He is in the broad way that
leadeth to destruction; and holding on, he will assuredly go in at the
broad gate, and so down the stairs to hell.
2. What is he that cometh not to Jesus Christ?
[Answ.] (1.) He is counted one of God’s enemies (Luke 19:14; Rom 8:7).
(2.) He is a child of the devil, and of hell; for the devil begat him,
as to his sinful nature, and hell must swallow him at last, because he
cometh not to Jesus Christ (John 8:44; 1 John 3:8; Matt 23:15; Psa
9:17). (3.) He is a child of wrath, an heir of it; it is his portion,
and God will repay it him to his face (Eph 2:1-3; Job 21:29-31). (4.)
He is a self-murderer; he wrongeth his own soul, and is one that loveth
death (Prov 1:18; 8:36). (5.) He is a companion for devils and damned
men (Prov 21:16; Matt 25:41).
3. Whither is he like to go that cometh not to Jesus Christ?
[Answ.] (1.) He that cometh not to him, is like to go further from him;
so every sin is a step further from Jesus Christ (Hosea 11). (2.) As he
is in darkness, so he is like to go on in it; for Christ is the light
of the world, and he that comes not to him, walketh in darkness (John
8:12). (3.) He is like to be removed at last as far from God, and
Christ, and heaven, and all felicity, as an infinite God can remove him
(Matt 12:41). But,
Second, This doctrine of coming to Christ informeth us where poor
destitute sinners may find life for their souls, and that is in Christ.
This life is in his Son; he that hath the Son, hath life. And again,
“Whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the Lord”
(Prov 8:35). Now, for further enlargement, I will also here propound
three more questions: 1. What life is in Christ? 2. Who may have it? 3.
Upon what terms?
1. What life is in Jesus Christ?
[Answ.] (1.) There is justifying life in Christ. Man by sin is dead in
law; and Christ only can deliver him by his righteousness and blood
from this death into a state of life. “For God sent his Son into the
world, that we might live through him” (1 John 4:9). That is, through
the righteousness which he should accomplish, and the death that he
should die. (2.) There is eternal life in Christ; life that is endless;
life for ever and ever. “He hath given us eternal life, and this life
is in his Son” (1 John 5:11). Now, justification and eternal salvation
being both in Christ, and nowhere else to be had for men, who would not
come to Jesus Christ?
2. Who may have this life?
I answer, Poor, helpless, miserable sinners. Particularly, (1.) Such as
are willing to have it. “Whosoever will, let him take the water of
life” (Rev 22:17). (2.) He that thirsteth for it. “I will give unto him
that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life” (Rev 21:6). (3.)
He that is weary of his sins. “This is the rest wherewith ye may cause
the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing” (Isa 28:12). (4.) He
that is poor and needy. “He shall spare the poor and needy, and shall
save the souls of the needy” (Psa 72:13). (5.) He that followeth after
him, crieth for life. “He that followeth me shall not walk in darkness,
but shall have the light of life” (John 8:12).
3. Upon what terms may he have this life?
[Answ.] Freely. Sinner, dost thou hear. Thou mayest have it freely. Let
him take the water of life freely. I will give him of the fountain of
the water of life freely. “And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly
forgave them both” (Luke 7:42). Freely, without money, or without
price. “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” (Isa 55:1). Sinner, art thou thirsty?
art thou weary? art thou willing? Come, then, and regard not your
stuff; for all the good that is in Christ is offered to the coming
sinner, without money and without price. He has life to give away to
such as want it, and that hath not a penny to purchase it; and he will
give it freely. Oh what a blessed condition is the coming sinner in!
But,
Third, This doctrine of coming to Jesus Christ for life, informeth us,
that it is to be had nowhere else. Might it be had anywhere else, the
text, and him that spoke it, would be but little set by; for what
greater matter is there in “I will in no wise cast out,” if another
stood by that could receive them? But here appears the glory of Christ,
that none but he can save. And here appears his love, that though none
can save but he, yet he is not coy in saving. “But him that comes to
me,” says he, “I will in no wise cast out.”
That none can save but Jesus Christ, is evident from Acts 4:12:
“Neither is there salvation in any other;” and “he hath given to us
eternal life, and this life is in his Son” (1 John 5:11). If life could
have been had anywhere else, it should have been in the law. But it is
not in the law; for by the deeds of the law, no man living shall be
justified; and if not justified, then no life. Therefore life is
nowhere to be had but in Jesus Christ (Gal 3).
[Quest.] But why would God so order it, that life should be had nowhere
else but in Jesus Christ?
[Answ.] There is reason for it, and that both with respect to God and
us.
1. With respect to God.
(1.) That it might be in a way of justice as well as mercy. And in a
way of justice it could not have been, if it had not been by Christ;
because he, and he only, was able to answer the demand of the law, and
give for sin what the justice thereof required. All angels had been
crushed down to hell for ever, had that curse been laid upon them for
our sins, which was laid upon Jesus Christ; but it was laid upon him,
and he bare it; and answered the penalty, and redeemed his people from
under it, with that satisfaction to Divine justice that God himself
doth now proclaim, That he is faithful and just to forgive us, if by
faith we shall venture to Jesus, and trust to what he has done for life
(Rom 3:24-26; John 1:4). (2.) Life must be by Jesus Christ, that God
might be adored and magnified, for finding out this way. This is the
Lord’s doings, that in all things he might be glorified through Jesus
Christ our Lord. (3.) It must be by Jesus Christ, that life might be at
God’s dispose, who hath great pity for the poor, the lowly, the meek,
the broken in heart, and for them that others care not for (Psa 34:6;
138:6; 25; 51:17; 147:3). (4.) Life must be in Christ, to cut off
boasting from the lips of men. This also is the apostle’s reason in
Romans 3:19,27 (Eph 2:8-10).
2. Life must be in Jesus Christ with respect to us.
(1.) That we might have it upon the easiest terms, to wit, freely: as a
gift, not as wages. Was it in Moses’ hand, we should come hardly at it.
Was it in the pope’s hand, we should pay soundly for it. 20 But thanks
be to God, it is in Christ, laid up in him, and by him to be
communicated to sinners upon easy terms, even for receiving, accepting,
and embracing with thanksgiving; as the Scriptures plainly declare
(John 1:11,12; 2 Cor 11:4; Heb 11:13; Col 3:13-15). (2.) Life is in
Christ FOR US, that it might not be upon so brittle a foundation, as
indeed it would had it been anywhere else. The law itself is weak
because of us, as to this. But Christ is a tried stone, a sure
foundation, one that will not fail to bear thy burden, and to receive
thy soul, coming sinner. (3.) Life is in Christ, that it might be sure
to all the seed. Alas! the best of us, was life left in our hand, to be
sure we should forfeit it, over, and over, and over; or, was it in any
other hand, we should, by our often backslidings, so offend him, that
at last he would shut up his bowels in everlasting displeasure against
us. But now it is in Christ, it is with one that can pity, pray for,
pardon, yea, multiply pardons; it is with one that can have compassion
upon us, when we are out of the way; with one that hath an heart to
fetch us again, when we are gone astray; with one that can pardon
without upbraiding. Blessed be God, that life is in Christ! For now it
is sure to all the seed. But,
Fourth, This doctrine of coming to Jesus Christ for life informs us of
the evil of unbelief; that wicked thing that is the only or chief
hindrance to the coming sinner. Doth the text say, “Come?” Doth it say,
“and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out?” Then what an
evil is that that keepeth sinners from coming to Jesus Christ! And that
evil is unbelief: for by faith we come; by unbelief we keep away.
Therefore it is said to be that by which a soul is said to depart from
God; because it was that which at first caused the world to go off from
him, and that also that keeps them from him to this day. And it doth it
the more easily, because it doth it with a wile.
[Of the Sin of Unbelief.]—This sin may be called the white devil, for
it oftentimes, in its mischievous doings in the soul, shows as if it
was an angel of light: yea, it acteth like a counsellor of heaven.
Therefore a little to discourse of this evil disease.
1. It is that sin, above all others, that hath some show of reason in
its attempts. For it keeps the soul from Christ by pretending its
present unfitness and unpreparedness; as want of more sense of sin,
want of more repentance, want of more humility, want of a more broken
heart.
2. It is the sin that most suiteth with the conscience: the conscience
of the coming sinner tells him that he hath nothing good; that he
stands inditeable for ten thousand talents; that he is a very ignorant,
blind, and hard-hearted sinner, unworthy to be once taken notice of by
Jesus Christ. And will you, says Unbelief, in such a case as you now
are, presume to come to Jesus Christ?
3. It is the sin that most suiteth with our sense of feeling. The
coming sinner feels the workings of sin, of all manner of sin and
wretchedness in his flesh; he also feels the wrath and judgment of God
due to sin, and ofttimes staggers under it. Now, says Unbelief, you may
see you have no grace; for that which works in you is corruption. You
may also perceive that God doth not love you, because the sense of his
wrath abides upon you. Therefore, how can you bear the face to come to
Jesus Christ?
4. It is that sin, above all others, that most suiteth with the wisdom
of our flesh. The wisdom of our flesh thinks it prudent to question
awhile, to stand back awhile, to hearken to both sides awhile; and not
to be rash, sudden, or unadvised, in too bold a presuming upon Jesus
Christ. And this wisdom unbelief falls in with.
5. It is that sin, above all other, that continually is whispering the
soul in the ear with mistrusts of the faithfulness of God, in keeping
promise to them that come to Jesus Christ for life. It also suggests
mistrust about Christ’s willingness to receive it, and save it. And no
sin can do this so artificially as unbelief.
6. It is also that sin which is always at hand to enter an objection
against this or that promise that by the Spirit of God is brought to
our heart to comfort us; and if the poor coming sinner is not aware of
it, it will, by some evasion, slight, trick, or cavil, quickly wrest
from him the promise again, and he shall have but little benefit of it.
7. It is that, above all other sins, that weakens our prayers, our
faith, our love, our diligence, our hope, and expectations: it even
taketh the heart away from God in duty.
8. Lastly, This sin, as I have said even now, it appeareth in the soul
with so many sweet pretences to safety and security, that it is, as it
were, counsel sent from heaven; bidding the soul be wise, wary,
considerate, well-advised, and to take heed of too rash a venture upon
believing. Be sure, first, that God loves you; take hold of no promise
until you are forced by God unto it; neither be you sure of your
salvation; doubt it still, though the testimony of the Lord has been
often confirmed in you. Live not by faith, but by sense; and when you
can neither see nor feel, then fear and mistrust, then doubt and
question all. This is the devilish counsel of unbelief, which is so
covered over with specious pretences, that the wisest Christian can
hardly shake off these reasonings.
[Qualities of unbelief as opposed to faith.]—But to be brief. Let me
here give thee, Christian reader, a more particular description of the
qualities of unbelief, by opposing faith unto it, in these twenty-five
particulars:—
1. Faith believeth the Word of God; but unbelief questioneth the
certainty of the same (Psa 106:24).
2. Faith believeth the Word, because it is true; but unbelief doubteth
thereof, because it is true (1 Tim 4:3; John 8:45).
3. Faith sees more in a promise of God to help, than in all other
things to hinder; but unbelief, notwithstanding God’s promise, saith,
How can these things be? (Rom 4:19-21; 2 Kings 7:2; John 3:11,12).
4. Faith will make thee see love in the heart of Christ, when with his
mouth he giveth reproofs; but unbelief will imagine wrath in his heart,
when with his mouth and Word he saith he loves us (Matt 15:22,28; Num
13; 2 Chron 14:3).
5. Faith will help the soul to wait, though God defers to give; but
unbelief will take huff and throw up all, if God makes any tarrying
(Psa 25:5; Isa 8:17; 2 Kings 6:33; Psa 106:13,14).
6. Faith will give comfort in the midst of fears; but unbelief causeth
fears in the midst of comfort (2 Chron 20:20,21; Matt 8:26; Luke
24:26,27).
7. Faith will suck sweetness out of God’s rod; but unbelief can find no
comfort in his greatest mercies (Psa 23:4; Num 21).
8. Faith maketh great burdens light; but unbelief maketh light ones
intolerably heavy (2 Cor 4:1; 14-18; Mal 1:12,13).
9. Faith helpeth us when we are down; but unbelief throws us down when
we are up (Micah 7:8-10; Heb 4:11).
10. Faith bringeth us near to God when we are far from him; but
unbelief puts us far from God when we are near to him (Heb 10:22;
3:12,13).
11. Where faith reigns, it declareth men to be the friends of God; but
where unbelief reigns, it declareth them to be his enemies (John 3:23;
Heb 3:18; Rev 21:8).
12. Faith putteth a man under grace; but unbelief holdeth him under
wrath (Rom 3:24-26; 14:6; Eph 2:8; John 3:36; 1 John 5:10; Heb 3:17;
Mark 16:16).
13. Faith purifieth the heart; but unbelief keepeth it polluted and
impure (Acts 15:9; Titus 1:15,16).
14. By faith, the righteousness of Christ is imputed to us; but by
unbelief, we are shut up under the law to perish (Rom 4:23,24; 11:32;
Gal 3:23).
15. Faith maketh our work acceptable to God through Christ; but
whatsoever is of unbelief is sin. For without faith it is impossible to
please him (Heb 11:4; Rom 14:23; Heb 6:6).
16. Faith giveth us peace and comfort in our souls; but unbelief
worketh trouble and tossings, like the restless waves of the sea (Rom
5:1; James 1:6).
17. Faith maketh us to see preciousness in Christ; but unbelief sees no
form, beauty, or comeliness in him (1 Peter 2:7; Isa 53:2,3).
18. By faith we have our life in Christ’s fullness; but by unbelief we
starve and pine away (Gal 2:20).
19. Faith gives us the victory over the law, sin, death, the devil, and
all evils; but unbelief layeth us obnoxious to them all (1 John 5:4,5;
Luke 12:46).
20. Faith will show us more excellency in things not seen, than in them
that are; but unbelief sees more in things that are seen, than in
things that will be hereafter;. (2 Cor 4:18; Heb 11:24-27; 1 Cor
15:32).
21. Faith makes the ways of God pleasant and admirable; but unbelief
makes them heavy and hard (Gal 5:6; 1 Cor 12:10,11; John 6:60; Psa
2:3).
22. By faith Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob possessed the land of promise;
but because of unbelief, neither Aaron, nor Moses, nor Miriam could get
thither (Heb 11:9; 3:19).
23. By faith the children of Israel passed through the Red Sea; but by
unbelief the generality of them perished in the wilderness (Heb 11:29;
Jude 5).
24. By faith Gideon did more with three hundred men, and a few empty
pitchers, than all the twelve tribes could do, because they believed
not God (Judg 7:16-22; Num 14:11,14).
25. By faith Peter walked on the water; but by unbelief he began to
sink (Matt 14:28-30).
Thus might many more be added, which, for brevity’s sake, I omit;
beseeching every one that thinketh he hath a soul to save, or be
damned, to take heed of unbelief; lest, seeing there is a promise left
us of entering into his rest, any of us by unbelief should indeed come
short of it.
USE SECOND. The second use—A USE OF EXAMINATION.
We come now to a use of examination. Sinner, thou hast heard of the
necessity of coming to Christ; also of the willingness of Christ to
receive the coming soul; together with the benefit that they by him
shall have that indeed come to him. Put thyself now upon this serious
inquiry, Am I indeed come to Jesus Christ?
Motives plenty I might here urge, to prevail with thee to a
conscientious performance of this duty. As, 1. Thou art in sin, in the
flesh, in death, in the snare of the devil, and under the curse of the
law, if you are not coming to Jesus Christ. 2. There is no way to be
delivered from these, but by coming to Jesus Christ. 3. If thou comest,
Jesus Christ will receive thee, and will in no wise cast thee out. 4.
Thou wilt not repent it in the day of judgment, if now thou comest to
Jesus Christ. 5. But thou wilt surely mourn at last, if now thou shalt
refuse to come. 6. And lastly, Now thou hast been invited to come; now
will thy judgment be greater, and thy damnation more fearful, if thou
shalt yet refuse, than if thou hadst never heard of coming to Christ.
Object. But we hope we are come to Jesus Christ.
Answ. It is well if it proves so. But lest thou shouldst speak without
ground, and so fall unawares into hell-fire, let us examine a little.
First, Art thou indeed come to Jesus Christ? What hast thou left behind
thee? What didst thou come away from, in thy coming to Jesus Christ?
When Lot came out of Sodom, he left the Sodomites behind him (Gen 19).
When Abraham came out of Chaldea, he left his country and kindred
behind him (Gen 12; Acts 7). When Ruth came to put her trust under the
wings of the Lord God of Israel, she left her father and mother, her
gods, and the land of her nativity, behind her (Ruth 1:15-17; 2:11,12).
When Peter came to Christ, he left his nets behind him (Matt 4:20).
When Zaccheus came to Christ, he left the receipt of custom behind him
(Luke 19). When Paul came to Christ, he left his own righteousness
behind him (Phil 3:7,8). When those that used curious arts came to
Jesus Christ, they took their curious books and burned them; though, in
another man’s eye, they were counted worth fifty thousand pieces of
silver (Acts 19:18-20).
What sayest thou, man? Hast thou left thy darling sins, thy Sodomitish
pleasures, thy acquaintance and vain companions, thy unlawful gain, thy
idol-gods, thy righteousness, and thy unlawful curious arts, behind
thee? If any of these be with thee, and thou with them, in thy heart
and life, thou art not yet come to Jesus Christ.
Second, Art thou come to Jesus Christ? Prithee tell me what moved thee
to come to Jesus Christ?
Men do not usually come or go to this or that place, before they have a
moving cause, or rather a cause moving them thereto. No more do they
come to Jesus Christ—I do not say, before they have a cause, but—before
that cause moveth them to come. What sayest thou? Hast thou a cause
moving thee to come? To be at present in a state of condemnation, is
cause sufficient for men to come to Jesus Christ for life. But that
will not do, except the cause move them; the which it will never do,
until their eyes be opened to see themselves in that condition. For it
is not a man’s being under wrath, but his seeing it, that moveth him to
come to Jesus Christ. Alas! all men by sin are under wrath; yet but few
of that all come to Jesus Christ. And the reason is, because they do
not see their condition. “Who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to
come?” (Matt 3:7). Until men are warned, and also receive the warning,
they will not come to Jesus Christ.
Take three or four instances for this. Adam and Eve came not to Jesus
Christ until they received the alarm, the conviction of their undone
state by sin. (Gen 3) The children of Israel cried not out for a
mediator before they saw themselves in danger of death by the law (Exo
20:18,19). Before the publican came, he saw himself lost and undone
(Luke 18:13). The prodigal came not, until he saw death at the door,
ready to devour him (Luke 15:17,18). The three thousand came not, until
they knew not what to do to be saved (Acts 2:37-39). Paul came not,
until he saw himself lost and undone (Acts 9:3-8,11). Lastly, Before
the jailer came, he saw himself undone (Acts 16:29-31). And I tell
thee, it is an easier thing to persuade a well man to go to the
physician for cure, or a man without hurt to seek for a plaster to cure
him, than it is to persuade a man that sees not his soul-disease, to
come to Jesus Christ. The whole have no need of the physician; then why
should they go to him? The full pitcher can hold no more; then why
should it go to the fountain? And if thou comest full, thou comest not
aright; and be sure Christ will send thee empty away. “But he healeth
the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds” (Mark 2:17; Psa
147:3; Luke 1:53).
Third, Art thou coming to Jesus Christ? Prithee tell me, What seest
thou in him to allure thee to forsake all the world, to come to him?
I say, What hast thou seen in him? Men must see something in Jesus
Christ, else they will not come to him. 1. What comeliness hast thou
seen in his person? thou comest not, if thou seest no form nor
comeliness in him (Isa 53:1-3). 2. Until those mentioned in the Song
were convinced that there was more beauty, comeliness, and
desirableness in Christ, than in ten thousand, they did not so much as
ask where he was, nor incline to turn aside after him (Song 5, 6).
There be many things on this side heaven that can and do carry away the
heart; and so will do, so long as thou livest, if thou shalt be kept
blind, and not be admitted to see the beauty of the Lord Jesus.
Fourth, Art thou come to the Lord Jesus? What hast thou found in him,
since thou camest to him?
Peter found with him the word of eternal life (John 6:68). They that
Peter makes mention of, found him a living stone, even such a living
stone as communicated life to them (1 Peter 2:4,5). He saith himself,
they that come to him, &c., shall find rest unto their souls; hast thou
found rest in him for thy soul? (Matt 11:28).
Let us go back to the times of the Old Testament.
1. Abraham found THAT in him, that made him leave his country for him,
and become for his sake a pilgrim and stranger in the earth (Gen 12;
Heb 11).
2. Moses found THAT in him, that made him forsake a crown, and a
kingdom for him too.
3. David found so much in him, that he counted to be in his house one
day was better than a thousand; yea, to be a door-keeper therein was
better, in his esteem, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness (Psa
84:10).
4. What did Daniel and the three children find in him, to make them run
the hazards of the fiery furnace, and the den of lions, for his sake?
(Dan 3, 6).
Let us come down to martyrs.
1. Stephen found that in him that made him joyful, and quietly yield up
his life for his name (Acts 7).
2. Ignatius found that in Christ that made him choose to go through the
torments of the devil, and hell itself, rather than not to have
him.—Fox’s Acts and Monuments, vol. 1, p. 52, Anno. 111. Edit. 1632.
3. What saw Romanus in Christ, when he said to the raging Emperor, who
threatened him with fearful torments, Thy sentence, O Emperor, I
joyfully embrace, and refuse not to be sacrificed by as cruel torments
as thou canst invent?—Fox, vol. 1, p. 116.
4. What saw Menas, the Egyptian, in Christ, when he said, under most
cruel torments, There is nothing in my mind that can be compared to the
kingdom of heaven; neither is all the world, if it was weighed in a
balance, to be preferred with the price of one soul? Who is able to
separate us from the love of Jesus Christ our Lord? And I have learned
of my Lord and King not to fear them that kill the body, &c. P. 117.
5. What did Eulalia see in Christ, when she said, as they were pulling
her one joint from another, Behold, O Lord, I will not forget thee.
What a pleasure it is for them, O Christ! that remember thy triumphant
victory? P. 121.
6. What think you did Agnes see in Christ, when rejoicingly she went to
meet the soldier that was appointed to be her executioner. I will
willingly, said she, receive into my paps the length of this sword, and
into my breast will draw the force thereof, even to the hilts; that
thus I, being married to Christ my spouse, may surmount and escape all
the darkness of this world? P. 122.