COME and WELCOME TO JESUS CHRIST. (7)

Anſw. Indeed, this Age is an Age of Errors, if [gap]ver there was an Age of Errors in the World, [gap]ut yet the Gift of the Father, ſaid claim to, by [gap]he Son in the Text, muſt needs eſcape them▪ & [gap] Concluſion come to him. There are a com [gap]any of ſhall comes in the Bible that doth ſecure [gap]hem. Not but that they may be aſſaulted by [gap]hem; yea, and alſo for the time, entangled & [gap]etained by them from the Biſhop of their Souls; [gap]ut theſe Shall comes will break thoſe Chains & [gap]etters, that thoſe given to Chriſt are entangled [gap], and they ſhall come, becauſe He hath ſaid, [gap]hey ſhal[gap] come to Him.

Indeed, Errors are like that Whore of whom [gap] of in the Proverbs, that ſitteth in her ſea[gap], [gap] [gap]e High Places of the City, to call Paſſengers, why [gap] right in their Way, (Prov 9 13, 14.) But the [gap], that by the Father are given [gap]o the Son to ſave them, are ſit one time or [gap]the[gap], to be ſe[gap]u[gap]ed by ſhall come to me.

And therefore of ſuch it is ſaid, God will

guide them with his Eye, with his Counſel, his Spirit, and that in the way of Peace; by Springs of Water, and into all Truth, Iſal. 8. Pſal. 73.24. Joh. 16.13 Luk 1.79. Iſa. 47 10, then, He that hath ſuch a Guide, (and all▪ the Father giveth to Chriſt ſhall have it) ſhall eſcape thoſe Dangers, he ſhall not e[gap] the way; yea, though he be a Fool, he [gap] not err therein. (Iſa 35.) for of every ſuch one it is ſaid, Thine ears ſhall hear a Word b[gap] thee, ſaying, This is the Way, walk in it, when ye t[gap] the Right Hand, and when ye turn to the Left, Iſa 3[gap]

There were Thieves & Robbers before Ch[gap] Coming, as there are alſo now; But ſait[gap] the Sheep did net hear them.

And why did they not hear them; But be [gap] they were under the Power of Shall come; [gap] abſolute Promiſe, that had the Grace in i[gap] to beſtow upon them, as could make the[gap] rightly to diſtinguiſh his Voice, My Sh[gap] my Vioce: But how came they to hear it? [gap] to them it is given to know & to hear, & diſtinguiſhly, Joh. 10.8, 16. ch. 5.25 Eph. 5.14.

Father] The very plain Sentence of the makes Proviſion againſt all theſe things; ſaith it, All that the Father giveth me, ſhall to me; that is, ſhall not be ſtopped, or be red to take up any where ſhort of me; nor they turn aſide to abide with any beſides m[gap]

Shall come (to me.)

To me.] By theſe Words there is farther [gap] nuated (though not expreſſed) a double [gap] of their coming to him.

Firſt, There is in Chriſt a Fulneſs of All [gap] ficiency of all that, even of all that which is [gap] ful to make us happy.

Secondly, Thoſe that indeed come to him, do [gap]erefore come to him, that they may receive it [gap] his Hand.

For the firſt of theſe, There is in Chriſt a [gap]ulneſs of All-ſufficiency of all that even of all [gap]at which is needful to make us happy Hence [gap] is ſaid, For it pleaſed the Father, that in him [gap]uld all Fulneſs dwell. And again, Of his Fulneſs [gap] have all received, and Grace for Grace, Col. 1.19. [gap]h 1.16. It is alſo ſaid of him, that his Riches [gap]e unſearchable; The unſearchable riches of Chriſt, [gap]oh. 3.8. Hear what he ſaith of Himſelf; Riches [gap]d Honour are with me, even durable Riches and [gap]ghteouſneſs: My Fruit is better than Gold; yea, [gap]an fine Gold, and my revenue than cho[gap]ce Silver: I [gap]d in the way of righteouſneſs, in the midſt of the [gap]ht of Judgment, that I may cauſe them that love [gap] to inherit ſubſtance. And I will fill their cre[gap]

[gap]es, Prov. 18.19.

This in General. But more particularly.

Firſt, There is that Light in Chriſt, that is [gap]fficient to lead them out of, and from all that [gap]arkneſs in the midſt of which all others, but [gap]em that come to him ſtumble, and fall, and [gap]riſh; I am the Word ſai[gap]h he; He that fol [gap]weth me, ſhall not abide in Darkneſs, but [gap]all have the light of life, Joh. 8 12 Man by Na [gap]re is in Darkneſs, and walketh in Darkneſs, & [gap]o[gap]eth not whither he goes, for Darkneſs hath [gap]i[gap]ded his eyes; neither can any thing, but [gap]ſus Chriſt, lead Men out of this Darkneſs: [gap]atural Conſcience cannot do it; the Ten [gap]ommandments, though in the Heart of Man, [gap] [gap]o it. This Prerogative belongs only [gap] J[gap]ſus Chriſt.

Secondly, There is Life in Chriſt, that is to be

found no where elſe, Joh. 5.40 Life is a Principle in the Soul, by which it ſhall be acted [gap] enabled to do that, which thro' Him is ple[gap] [gap] to God; He that believes in, o[gap] cometh to me, [gap] He, (as the Scriptures have ſaid) out of his [gap] ſhall flow rivers of living water. Jon 7 38. With this Life a man is dead, whether he be bad, whether he is good; that is good in his own [gap] other men's eſteem. There is no true & eter[gap] Life, but what is in thee (Me) that ſpeaketh [gap] the Text.

There is Life for thoſe that come to him, [gap] he had by Faith in his F[gap]eſh and Blood; [gap] that eateth me, ſhall live by me, Joh. 4.57.

And this is a Life againſt that Death [gap] comes by the Guilt of Sin, and the Curſe of t[gap] Law, under which all men are, and for [gap] muſt be, unleſs they eat (me) that ſpe[gap] the Text; Whoſo findeth me, ſaith he, findeth [gap] Deliverance from that everlaſting Death a[gap] Deſtruction, that without me he ſhall be devoured by, Prov. 8.

Nothing is more deſirable than Life, to him that hath in himſelf the Sentence of Condemnation; and h[gap]re only is Life to be found: This Life, to wit, Eternal Life, This Life is in the Son: that is, in Him that faith in the Text, All that the Father hath given me, ſhall come to me, 1 John v. 10.

Thirdly, The Perſon ſpeaking in the Text. i[gap] He alone, by whom poor Sinners have Admittance to, and Acceptance with the Father, becauſe of the Glory of his Righteouſneſs, by, and in which He preſenteth them amiable and ſpotleſs in his ſight, neither is there any way b[gap] ſides Him, ſo to come to the Father; I am [gap]

[gap]y, (ſaith he,) the Truth and the Life; no Man [gap]eth to the Father, but by Me, John 14.6. All [gap]her ways to God are dead and damnable; the [gap]eſtroying Cherubims ſtand with flaming Swords, [gap]rn,ng every Way to keep all others from his [gap]reſence▪ (Gen 3.34) I ſay all others, but them [gap]at come by Him.

I am the Door; by me, ſaith he, if any man enter [gap] he ſhall be ſaved; John 10.9

The Perſon ſpeaking in the Text is He, and [gap]ly He, That can give ſtable and everlaſting [gap]eace; therefore, (ſaith he.) My Peace I give [gap]to you: My Peace, which is a Peace with [gap]OD, Peace of Conſcience, and that of an e [gap]erlaſting Duration. My Peace, Peace that [gap]nnot be matched. Not as the world giveth, give [gap]nto you; for the World's Peace is but carnal [gap] tranſitory, but mine is Divine & Eternal. [gap] it is called the Peace of God, that paſſeth Underſtanding.

[gap]urthly, The Perſon ſpeaking in the Text [gap] enough of all things truly ſpiritually good, [gap]tisfie the deſire of every longing Soul; [gap]eſus ſtood, and cried, ſaying,, If any man thirſt, [gap] come unto me and drink. And to him that i[gap] [gap] I will give of the Fountain of the Water▪ of [gap]ely, John 7.37. Rev. 21.6.

[gap]ly, With the Perſon ſpeaking in the Text, [gap]ver to perfect, defend and deliver thoſ[gap] [gap] come to him for Safeguard. All Power, [gap] He, in Heaven and Earth are given to Me, [gap] 28.18.

[gap]hus might I multiply Inſtances in this Na [gap]e in abundance. But,

[gap]ixthly, They that in truth do come to Him, [gap] therefore come to Him, that they may receive

it at his Hand; they come for Light, [gap] come for Eight, they come for Life, they [gap] for Reconciliation with God; they alſo [gap] for Peace, they come that their Souls may [gap] ſatisfied with ſpiritual Goods, & that they [gap] be protected by him againſt all ſpiritual [gap] eternal Damnation; & he alone is able to [gap] them all this, to the filling of their joy [gap] full, as they alſo find when they come to [gap]

This is evident;

Firſt, From the plain Declaration of thoſe [gap] already are come to him; Being juſtified by [gap] we have Peace with God through [gap]ur Lord Jeſus C[gap] by whom alſo we have acceſs with Boldneſs un[gap] Grace wherein we ſtand, and rejo[gap]ce in the Hope [gap] Glory of God, Rom 5.

Secondly, 'Tis evident alſo, in that while [gap] keep their Eyes upon him, they never deſi[gap] change him for another, or to add to themſ[gap] ſome other thing, together with him, to ma[gap] t[gap]eir ſpiritual Joy; God forbid, ſaid Pa[gap]l. [gap]

[gap]ould glory, ſave in the Croſs of our Lord Jeſus C[gap] Yea, and I account all things but loſs, for the E[gap] lency of the Knowledge of Chriſt Jeſus my Lord▪ [gap]hom I have ſuffered the loſs of a[gap]l thin[gap]s, a[gap] count then but Dung, that I may w[gap]n Chriſt, an[gap] found in him, not having m[gap]ne own Righteouſ[gap] which is of the law; but that which is through [gap] [gap]aith of Chr[gap]ſt the Righteouſneſs which is of G[gap] [gap]aith, Phil 3.7.8.9.

Thirdly, 'Tis evident alſo, by their earneſt [gap] ſa[gap]es, that others might be made Partakers [gap] their Bl[gap]ſſ[gap]dneſs Brethren, ſaid Paul, my He[gap] Deſire, and Prayer to God for Iſrael is that they [gap] he ſaved. That [gap]ay that he expected to be [gap]

[gap]ed himſelf. As he ſaith alſo to the Galatia[gap]

[gap]ethren, ſaith he, I beſeech you be as I am, for I am [gap]e are; that is, I am a Sinner as ye are. Now [gap]eſeech you ſeek for Life, as I am ſeeking of [gap] as who ſhould ſay. For there is a Sufficiency [gap] the Lord Jeſus, both for me and you.

Fourthly, 'Tis evident alſo, by the Triumph [gap]t ſuch men make over all their Enemies, [gap]h bodily and ghoſtly: Now thanks be to God, [gap] Paul, who cauſeſt us always to triumph in Jeſus [gap], who ſhall ſeparate us from the Love of Chriſt [gap] Lord: And again, O Death, where is thy Sting? [gap] Grave, where is thy Victory? The Sting of Death [gap]in, and the ſtrength of Sin is the Law, but thank[gap] [gap]to God, who giveth us the Victory through our [gap] [gap]us Chriſt, 1 Cor. 2.14. Rom. 8.35. 1 Cor. 5.5[gap]

Fifthly, 'Tis evident alſo, for that they are [gap]de by the Glory of that which they have found [gap] him to ſuffer and endure what the Devil and [gap]ll it ſelf hath, or could invent, as a means to [gap]arate them from him. Again, Who ſhall fe[gap]a [gap]e us from the Love of Chriſt? Shall Tribulation, [gap] Diſtreſs, or Perſecution, or Famine, or Nakedneſs. [gap] Peril, or Sword? (As it is written, For they ſak[gap] [gap] are killed all the day long; we are accounted as [gap]eep for the ſlaughter) Nay, in all theſe things we [gap] more than Conquerors, thro' Him that loved us. For [gap] perſwaded, that neither Death nor Life, nor [gap]el[gap], nor Principalities, nor Powers, nor things [gap] [gap]ut, nor things to come, nor Height, nor Depth, [gap] other Creature ſhall be able to ſeparate [gap] the Love of God, which is in Chriſt Jeſus, [gap]. 8.

Then come (to me) O! the Heart attracting [gap]ry that is in Jeſus Chriſt, (when He is [gap]vered) to draw thoſe to Him that are [gap] to Him of the Father! Therefore thoſe

that came of old render'd this as the cauſe their coming to him. And we beheld the G[gap] of the only begotten of the Father, John 1.14. the reaſon why others come not, but peri[gap] their Sins, is for want of a ſight of his G[gap] of your Goſpel be hid, it is hid to them th[gap] l[gap]ſt; [gap]n whom the God of this World hath [gap] the M[gap]nds of them that believe not, leſt the [gap] rious Light of the Goſpel of Chriſt, who is [gap] mage of God, ſhould ſhine unto them, 2 Cor. [gap]

There is therefore heart-pulling Glory [gap] ſus Chriſt, which when diſcovered draw[gap] man to him; wherefore by ſhall come to [gap] Chriſt may mean, when his Glory is diſc[gap]

[gap]n they muſt come, then ſhall they com[gap] me. Treaſure as the true Comers come [gap] weeping & relenting, as being ſenſible of [gap] own Vileneſs; ſo again it is ſaid, that the [gap] ſom[gap]d of the Lord ſhall return & come to [gap] with Singing and everlaſting Joy upon [gap] Heads; they ſhall obtain Joy and Gladneſs▪ Sorrow, and Sighing ſhall fly away: That [gap] the ſight of the Glory of that Grace, that [gap] it ſelf to them now, in the Face of our Lord [gap] ſus Chriſt, and the Hopes that they may [gap] have of being with him in the Heavenly [gap] bernacles. Therefore it ſaith again, With [gap] neſs and [gap] ſha[gap]l they be brought; the[gap] enter into the Kings Palace, Iſa. 35 10. ch 5. Pſal. 14 15.

There is therefore, Heart attracting G[gap] the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, which when diſ[gap] ſubjects th[gap] Heart to the Word, and ma[gap] come to Him.

'Tis ſaid of Abraham, that when he dwel[gap] Meſopotamia, the God of Glory appeared [gap]

[gap], (Acts 7.2) ſaying, Get thee out of thy [gap]ntry. And what then? Why, away he [gap]t from his Houſe and Friends, & all the [gap]rld could not ſtay him. Now as the Pſal. [gap] ſays, Who is the King of Glory? He [gap]wers, The Lord mighty in Battel. And [gap] was that but He that ſpoiled Principalities [gap] Powers, when he did hang on the Tree, [gap]mphing over them thereon? And who was [gap], but Jeſus Chriſt, even the Perſon ſpeaking [gap]he Text, Therefore he ſaith of Abraham, He [gap] his Day; Yea ſaith he to the Je[gap]s, your Fa [gap] Abraham rejoyced to ſee my day, and he ſaw it, [gap] was glad, Pſal. 24 8 Col 2 14 Ja. [gap].8 J[gap]h 8 56. [gap]ndeed the carnal man ſays (at leaſt) in his [gap]rt, Iſa 53 2. there is no form or comelineſs [gap] Chriſt; and when we ſhall ſee him, there is [gap] Beauty that we ſhould deſire him: But he [gap]; thiſ he ſpeaks, as having never ſeen him, [gap] they that ſtand in his Word, by the he[gap]p of [gap] holy Spirit, they will tell you other things. [gap] we, ſay they, all with open face, beholding [gap] a Glaſs, the Glory of the Lord, are chan [gap] in the ſame Image, from glory to glory, [gap]. 3 18 They ſee glory in his Perſon, glory [gap]is Undertakings, glory in the Merit or his [gap]od, and glory in the Perfection of his Righ [gap]uſneſs; yea, heart affecting, heart ſweetning, [gap] heart changing glory

[gap]ndeed his Glory is vail'd, & cannot be ſeen, [gap] as diſcover'd by the Father, Mat. 11.27 It [gap]a[gap]l'd with Fleſh, with meanneſs of Deſcent [gap]n the Fleſh, and with that Ignominy and [gap] we that attended him in the Fleſh, but they [gap] can, in God's Light, ſee thro' theſe things, [gap] ſhall ſee glory in him, yea, ſuch glory

as will draw and pull their Hearts unto [gap]

Moſes was the adopted Son of Pharoah's D[gap] ter, and for ought I know, had been Kin[gap] laſt, had he then conformed to the preſent [gap] nities that was there at Court; but he [gap] not, he would not do it. Why, what wa[gap] matter? Why, he ſaw more in the wo[gap] Chriſt, (bear with the Expreſſion) than h[gap] in the beſt of all the Treaſures of the La[gap] Egypt. He refuſed to be called the Son o[gap]

[gap] roah's Daughter; chuſing rather to ſuffer [gap] tion with the People of God, than to enjo[gap] Pleaſures of Sin for a ſeaſon; eſteemin[gap] reproach of Chriſt greater riches than the [gap] ſures of Egypt: For he had reſpect to th[gap] [gap] compence of Reward. He forſook Egyp[gap] fearing the wrath of the King. But wha[gap] boldened him thus to do? Why, he e[gap] (for he had a fight of the Perſon ſpeak[gap] the Text) he endured, as ſeeing him [gap] inviſible. But I ſay, would a ſight of [gap] have thus taken away Moſes's Heart fo[gap] Crown, a Kingdom, had he not by that [gap] ſeen more in him, than was to be ſe[gap] them? Heb 11.24.

Therefore when he ſaith, Shall come [gap] he means they ſhall have a diſcovery [gap] Glory of the Grace that is in him; [gap] Beauty and Glory of that, is of ſuch [gap] that it conſtrains and forces with that [gap] Violence, the Hearts of thoſe that are [gap] him.