.. ~ -4~):_6 __ - - ---:latgbt 10urgatorp.- . ·-- R.Cvel.tt. Ma.ttJt. 11,28. 1{atth.r J. 28, Rev. 21. 6. Efzy S?• IS. love the world better than J~(u> Chrift; a third, I •wll not part witb my eafie and g · [.I! trade ofV~tfury for the treaji.re hide in the field; and fo on; fo that upon the matte;'" 11 mutt needs all confdfc that you hereby judge your felves unworthy of everlalting' ff 0 that y~lU'are wilful bloody murthercrs of your ovvn fouls: nay, and if y<>u go on vvit~~ out repentance, you may expect that the hclltfh gnawing of Confcicncc for this fin of rcfufing Chrifl may perhaps hold fcale with the united horroursof all the~~~ wh"tfocver. 0 then make halt out of fin, and come, come to Chrilt, fo freely of. fercd unto ym,l! Heark how he c~lls, Com.e unto ~ne, alt firmcrs; f(e my armes fprc,:rd my heart ~per~ : ? how gladly would I cntertamyou,tfyou n•ouid come umo mt!here is a e~ ncral invitatiOn mdccd; all men, all finners, of all cltatcs, of all kinds, of all cond~tions, wh<>foevcr you arc, he keeps open houfe for you, Come and welcome. Sccc>ndly, they offend on the other fide, who after invitation come not, through a kmde of unmannerly modell:y, or a bafhful dcfpmr: Some there are, that may perha s go fo ~arrc as to acknowledge their fins, and to confeffc thatwithout Chrill: they arc Jr. rer~y undone, and evcrlaltmgly damned; that may be rav1fht with the thoughts and apprehcnfions ofth1s mv1tat1on of Chnl1,& would ever think themfelves happy if they had their l:Ju~gry fouls filled with Chnft ]efus; but yet fo it is, that (confidering their mamfold g;1evousfins, fins of a fcarlet d1e, of an humd ll:am, ogainll: knowledge, a– gamft confctencc,und that wh1ch troubles them moll:,for all thefefim,their forrow being ,fo little, and poor, and fcant, and in no proportion anfwerablc ~o them) they cannot, dare not, wdl not meddle With any mercy, or belteve that Chr!lt Jefus in any wayes belongs unto the111:. To thefe I fpeak, or rathq let them hear our Saviour himfelf fpeak to them : Wbofoever JVtll,(faith he) let him come,and drmk._ofthis water oflifefreely: yea thofe th::.t think themfclves furthefl off, he bids them como, Come, all rhm are wearj and het~vy-l11den: if they find fin a burthen, then Chrilt invites them, they (whofoever they arc) that ll:and at the llaffes end,he defires them to lay-afide their weapons& come in, or if they will not do it, he !ayes his charge on them, for this is his Commandmmt, that we Jhottld believe on the Name of his Son Jefw Chrift: gay, he counts it a fin worfe than the fin of Sodom, a crying fin, not to come in when the Gofpcl is proclaimed; and therefore let them never pretend their fins arc great and many, but rather, becaufe of his ofrer,invitation, & command,it being without any refhaint of perfon,or fin,(except that againft the holy Ghofl:) if they will not come in, and call thcmfdves upon Chrill let them fay, it is not the greatneffe of their fin, but a willingnefs to be fli!! in their jim, which hinders them; or otherwife let them know, that ji11s when men are ta1ly fenfible of them, fhould be the greatefl: cncouragment, (rather than difcouragemcnt) to bring thcm•in to our Saviour. Tho(c that aro 1vhole need riOt a Phyficirm, bm they tlw are ftck.., is it not for the honour of a Phyfician to cure great difeafes? a mighty God and Saviour loves to do mighty things, therefore in any cafe let them come in, and the greater fin– ners they are, no quell:ion the greater glory fhall Chrill: have by their coming. And in– deed to take away all fcruple, it is a Maxime moll: true, That he which "truly 1vearyo[ his fins, hath a found, jellJonable, and conifortable calling to lay hold 11pon CIJJ ift, Do they feel the heavy load of their fin? jull:_then is Chrilt ready to nke offthe btmhm ; do they thirfl: after righteoufnefs? jull: then IS the fottma:n_cf rbe w.11er of itfe frt w1de open unto them : are they contrite and humble m fpmt? JUfi then are they become thornes forth<high and lofty one th4t inhabittth etcrmty to dwell inf or ev<r. 0 then come and welcome! Chrifl: excepts none that wtll not except themfdvcs. He dudfor all, and he would have all men to be (avcd. . . . . But yet let us be Cautclous : fecondly' herrged ultr fins, and ,ours] With a lumtatto•; the ufe ofPhyfick (we fay) confifrs in apphcatiO}l; and howfoever our Savwur hath p 11 rged oJtr fins; yet this pwgc of his IS nothmg benefic1al to us, unlefs there be fome means to apply it. As then it is in all other Phyfick, fo m th1s; we mull: firll: taks tt; fecondly, k§ep it. • . . . . 1 • Taks tt; for !S the befi pla1fl:er, tf not lard to, can cure nb wound: fo Clmfr himfelf, and all his precious merits are of no vertue to hun thnt wlll not apply tl/em by faith: when you hear the Gofpcl preached, beheve 1t on your parts; behve Chnfl1s yours; believe that he lived, and died, and farrowed, and fulfered, and allth1s.for you, to pitr.(e yours fuuls of your fins. . . . 1 2. But having taksn tt, you mull: fecondly ksep >t; .as men take Phyfi.k, not on Y in belief that it will do them good but in hope to keep 1t by the venue en:! ftrength of the retentive parts· fo we take Chrift by faith, but we retain hi1n by I oliJ:Cffe; thefe ' tWO
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=