COME and WELCOME TO JESUS CHRIST. (8)

Moſes of whom we ſpake before, was n[gap] when he was thus taken with the be[gap] Glory of his Lord; he was Forty Years [gap] ſo conſequently was able, being a Man [gap]

[gap]iſdom and O[gap]portunity as he was, to make [gap]e beſt judgment of the things, & of the Good [gap]ſs of them that was before him in the Land of [gap]ypt. But he, even he it was, that ſet that low [gap]eem upon the Glory of Egypt as to count it [gap]t worth the m[gap]dling with, when he had a [gap]ht of this Lord Jeſus Chriſt. This wicked [gap]orld thinks, that the Fancies of a Heaven, and Happineſs hereafter, may ſerve well enough [gap] take the Heart of ſuch as either have not the [gap]orld's good things to delight in; or that are [gap]ols, and know not how to delight themſelves [gap]rein: But let them know again, that we have [gap] Men of all Ranks, and Qualities, that have [gap]n taken with the Glory of the Lord Jeſus, & [gap]e left all to follow him: As Abel, Seth, Enoch, [gap]h, Abraham, Iſaac, Jacob, Moſes, Samuel, David, [gap]mon, and who not, that had either Wit [gap] Grace to favour heavenly things? Indeed, [gap]e ſtand off from Him, nor any longer [gap]d out againſt Him, to whom he reveals [gap] glory of his Grace.

And him that cometh to me, (I will in no wiſe caſt out.)

[gap]y theſe Words, our Lord Jeſus doth ſee [gap]h yet more amply, his great Goodneſs of [gap] Nature towards the coming Sinner. Be [gap] he ſaid, They ſhall come; and he declares [gap] with Heart and Affections he will re [gap]e them. But by the way, let me ſp[gap]ak [gap] Word or two to the ſeeming Conditio [gap] [gap] of this Promiſe, wi[gap]h [gap]hich I have [gap] to do. [And h[gap]m tha[gap] cometh [gap]o me, I [gap]an no wiſe caſt out] Where it [gap] evident, [gap]y ſome ſay) that Chriſt's receiving us [gap]orcy depends upon our coming, and ſo

our Salvation by Chriſt is conditional. If [gap] come, we ſhall be received; if not, we ſh[gap] not; ſo that is fully intimated by the word[gap] The Promiſe of Reception is only to hi[gap] that cometh. And him that cometh I anſwe[gap] that the Coming in theſe words mention'd, [gap] a condition of being received to life, is t[gap] which is promiſed, yea, concluded to be [gap] fected in us by the Promiſe going befor[gap] In thoſe latter Words, coming to Chriſt, [gap] implicitly requir'd of us; and in the Wor[gap] before, that Grace that can make them co[gap] is poſitively promiſed to us [All that [gap] Father giveth me, ſhall come to me, and [gap] that cometh to me, I will in no wiſe caſt out] He[gap] we come to Chriſt, becauſe it is ſaid, We [gap] come; becauſe it is given us to come So [gap] the Condition which is expr[gap]ſſ[gap]d by Chri[gap] theſe latter Words, is abſolutely promiſed [gap] the Words before. And indeed, the co[gap] here intended, is nothing elſe but the effect [gap] Shall come to me. They ſhall c[gap]me, and I [gap] not caſt them out.

(And him that come[gap]h)

He ſaith not, and him that is come, but [gap] that cometh.

To ſpeak to theſe Words,

• 1. In General.

• 2 More Particularly.

In General: They ſuggeſt unto us [gap] Four things:

F[gap]rſt, Th[gap] Jeſus Chriſt doth build up[gap] that ſince the Father gave his People to [gap] [gap] be enabled to come unto him. [gap] [gap] cometh: As who ſhould ſay, I [gap] [gap]nce they are given to Me, they ſh[gap]

enabled to come unto Me. He ſaith not, if they come, or I ſuppoſe they will come; but, and him that cometh. By theſe words therefore he ſhews us that he addreſſ[gap]th himſelf to the receiving of th[gap]m whom the Father gave to hims to ſave them: I ſay, He addreſſeth himſelf or prepareth himſelf to receive them: By which, as I ſaid, He concludeth or buddeth [gap]pon it, that they ſhall indeed come to Him. He looketh that the Father ſhould bring them [gap]nto his Boſom, and ſo ſtands ready to em [gap]race them

Secondly, Chriſt alſo ſuggeſteth by theſe words, [gap]hat He very well knoweth who are given to [gap]im, not by their coming to Him, but by their [gap]ing gives to Him. All that the Father giveth [gap]e, ſhall come to me; and him that cometh, &c. [gap]his (Him) He knoweth to be one of them [gap]at the Father hath given Him; & therefore [gap]e receiveth him even becauſe the Father hath [gap]ven him to him. J[gap]h 10 I know my Sheep, ſaith [gap]: Not only thoſe that already have know [gap]ge of Him; but thoſe too that yet are igno [gap]t of Him. Other Sheep have I, ſaid He, that [gap] not of this Fold: Not of the Jew[gap]ſh Church; [gap]t th[gap]ſe that lie in their Sons, even the rude & [gap]barous Gentiles. Therefore, when Paul was [gap]s afraid to ſtay at Corinth, from a ſuppoſi[gap]i [gap] that ſome miſchief might befal him there; [gap] not afraid, (ſaith the Lord Jeſus to Him.) [gap] ſpeak, and bold not thy Peace, for I have much [gap]le in this City, Joh. 10.16. Acts 18 9, 10. The [gap]ple that the Lord here ſpeaks of, were not [gap]his time accounted his, by reaſon of a work [gap] Converſion that had already paſſed upon [gap]n, by virtue of the Gift of the Father, for

He had given them unto Him; therefore [gap] Paul to ſtay here, to ſpeak the word of [gap] Lord to them, that by his ſpeaking, the H[gap] Ghoſt might effectually work over the Souls, [gap] the ca[gap]ſing them to come to him, who was [gap] ready with Heart and Soul to receive them.

Thirdly, Chriſt by theſe Words alſo ſuggeſte[gap] That no more come unto Him than indeed [gap] given Him of the Father; for the Him in [gap] place is one of the (All) that by Canſt [gap] mentioned before. All that the Father giveth [gap] ſhall come to me; and every Him of that [gap] I will in no wiſe caſt out. This the Apoſtle ſ[gap]uate[gap]h, where He ſaith, He gave ſome A[gap] tles, & ſome Prophets, & ſome Evangeliſts, & [gap] Paſtors, & Teachers for the perfecting of [gap] Saints, for the Work of the Miniſtry, for the e[gap] ing of the Body of Chriſt; 'till we come i[gap] Unity of Faith, & in the Knowledge of the So[gap] God, unto a perfect Men unto the Meaſu[gap] the S[gap]ature of the Fulneſs of Chriſt, Eph. 4

Mark! as in the Text, ſo here he ſpeake[gap] (all;) Until we a I come: We (all!) All [gap] Doubtleſs all that the Father giveth unto C[gap] This is farther inſi[gap]ua[gap]ed, becauſe He [gap] this all, the Body of Chriſt, [gap]h[gap] M[gap]aſure o[gap] Stature of the Fulneſs of Chriſt: By which [gap] means, the univerſal N[gap]mber given, to wit[gap] true elect Church; which is ſaid to be his [gap] and Fulneſs, Eph 1.22 23.

Fourthly, Chriſt Jeſus by theſe Words [gap] ſuggeſteth, that He is well content with th[gap] of the Father to Him, All that the Father [gap] me, ſhall come to me; & him that cometh [gap] I will in no wiſe caſt out. I will heartily, w[gap] [gap] ly, & with a great content of mind receive[gap]

They ſhew us alſo, that Chriſt's Love in receiving, is as large as the Father's Love in giv [gap]ng, and no larger. Hence He thanks Him for his Gift; & alſo thanks Him for hiding of him & his things from the reſt of the Wicked, Mat 9.25 Luk. 10.21.

But Secondly, & more particularly, And (him) that cometh And (Him!) This Word (Him;) [gap]y it Chriſt looketh back to the Gift of the Fa [gap]her, not only in the lump and whole of the Gift, but to the very him of that Lump. As who ſhould ſay, I do not only accept of the [gap]ift of my Father in general, but have a ſpe [gap]al regard to every of them in particular; and [gap]ill ſcare not only ſome of the greateſt part, [gap]t every him, every doſt: Not an hoof of [gap] All) ſhall be loſt, or left behind. And, indeed, in this He conſenteth to the Father's [gap]ill; which is, That of (All) that He hath [gap]ven Him, He ſhou'd loſe nothing, Joh. 6 39.

And h[gap]m) Chriſt Jeſus alſo, by his thus divi [gap]ng the Gift of the Father into (him[gap]) & by [gap] ſpeaking of them in the ſingular Number, [gap]ews what a particular Work ſhall be wrought [gap] each one, at the time appointed of the Fa [gap]er. And it ſhall come to paſs in that Day, [gap]th the Prophet, that the Lord ſhall beat off from [gap] Channel of the River, to the Streams of Egypt; [gap] ye ſhall be gathered one by one, O ye Children of [gap]el. Here are the (Hims) one by one to be [gap]hered to Him by the Father Iſa. 35 [gap].

He ſhews alſo hereby, that, that no Lineage, [gap]tired, or Relation, can at all be profited [gap]y [gap] Outward or Carnal Union with the Pe[gap]n [gap] the Father hath given to Chriſt▪ 'Tis only [gap] he given him, the coming him, that the

intends abſolutely to ſecure. M[gap] make [gap] great ado with the Children of Believers! [gap] O the Children of Believers! But if the Chi[gap] of the Believer is not the Him concerned [gap] the abſolute Promiſe, it is not theſe Men [gap] great Cry, nor yet what the Parent or Chi[gap] can do, that can intereſt him in the Prom[gap] of the Lord Chriſt; this abſolute Promiſe.

And him [gap]) There are divers ſorts of Pe[gap] ſons that the Father hath given to Je[gap] Chriſt; they are not all of one Ra[gap]k, of [gap] Q[gap]ality. Some are High, ſome Low; ſo[gap] are Wiſe, ſome F[gap]ols; ſome are m[gap]re ci[gap] and complying with the Law, ſome are m[gap] and averſe to him and his G[gap]ſpel. N[gap]w ſi[gap] thoſe that are given to him▪ are in [gap] ſenſe to diverſe; and again▪ ſince he yet ſ[gap] And him that cometh, &c He by that doth [gap] us to underſtand, that he is not as Men, [gap] picking and c[gap]ſing, to take a B[gap]ſt & [gap] a Worſt; but he is for him that the F[gap] hath given him, and that cometh to him, will not alter nor change it; a Good f[gap] Bad, or a Bad for a Good, (Lev 27.9) [gap] will take him as he is, and well ſave his [gap]

There is many a ſad Wretch given by [gap] Father to Jeſus Chriſt; but not one of th[gap] all in deſpiſed, or fl[gap]ghted by Him

It is ſaid of thoſe that the Father hath [gap] to Chriſt, That they have done worſe that [gap] Heathen: That they were Murtherers, Thie[gap] Drunkards, unclean Perſons; and what [gap] But he has received them, waſhed them, [gap] ſaved them. A fit Emblem of this ſort is [gap] wretched Inſtance mentioned in the Sixte[gap] of the [gap]iel, that was caſt out in a ſtinking [gap]

[gap]ion, that no E[gap]e p[gap]tied, to do any of the [gap]ngs there mentioned unto it, or to have [gap]mpaſſion upon it: No Eye, but his that [gap]ak[gap]h in the Text.

And him) Let him be as red as Blood, let [gap] be as [gap]e[gap] as C[gap]imſon. Some Men are [gap]d[gap]red Sinners, Sinners of a double Dye, [gap]p'd and dip'd again, before they come to [gap]us Chriſt, A[gap] thou tha[gap] [gap]eadeſt theſe Lines [gap]n an one? Speak o[gap]t Man, are thou ſuch [gap] one? And a[gap] thou now coming to Jeſus [gap]iſt for the Mercy of Juſtification, that thou [gap]gh[gap]eſt be made Whi[gap]e in his Blood, and be [gap] with his Righteouſneſs? Fear not; for [gap] much as this thy coming betokeneth▪ that thou [gap] of the Number of them that the Father hath [gap] to Chriſt, ſo he w[gap]ll an no wiſe caſt thee [gap] Come now, ſaith Chriſt, and let us reaſon [gap] them; though your Sins he as ſca[gap]let, they ſhall [gap]s white as ſnow; though they be as red as [gap]ſon, they ſhall be as Wool Iſa 1 18.

And him) There was many a ſtrange him [gap]e to Jeſus Chriſt, in the Day of his Freſh, [gap]he received them all, without turning any [gap]y. Speaking unto them of the Kingdom of [gap], & healing ſuch as had need of healing, [gap] 9.11 ch. 4 40 Theſe words a [gap] him, are [gap]efore words to be wondred at. That not [gap] of them, who by virtue of the Father's [gap] and Drawing, are coming to Jeſus Chriſt; [gap], that not one of them, whatever they have [gap], ſhould be rejected, or ſet by, but admit [gap] [gap]o a Share in his ſaving Grace. 'Tis ſaid [gap]k[gap], That the People wondred at the gracious [gap] that proceeded out of his Mouth. Luke 4 12. [gap] this is one of his gracious Words; Theſe

Words are like Drops [gap] H[gap]ney, as it is [gap] Prov. 16.24. Pleaſant Words are as an Honey [gap] ſweet to the Soul, and health to the Bones T[gap] [gap]e gracious Words indeed, even as full [gap] [gap]ithfu[gap] [gap]igh Prieſt could ſpeak them. [gap] ſaith, When Chriſt ſpeaketh, he hath a Mou[gap] made a[gap] Heaven and Earth. That is, to ſpeak [gap] [gap] to the Encouragement of every ſinful [gap] [gap] coming to J[gap]ſus Chriſt. And that [gap] [gap] is certain, hear how himſelf confi[gap]m[gap] [gap]

[gap]eaven and Earth (ſaith He) ſhall pa[gap]s [gap] [gap]nd ſhall not paſs away, Iſa [gap]3 1 Mat. [gap]

It is alſo confirmed by the Teſtimony e[gap] [gap]ou[gap] Evangel[gap]ſts, who gave faithful Relatio[gap] his loving Reception of all ſo[gap]s [gap]f coming [gap]

[gap]ers whether they were Publicans, Hariots, Th[gap] poſſeſſed of Devils B[gap]ll[gap]s, and what not? [gap] [gap]9.[gap]. Mat. 21.21. Luk 15. & ch. 23.4. Mark [gap] chap. [gap] 1.

This then ſhews us,

1ſt The greatneſs of the M[gap]s of Ch[gap]i[gap]

2dly, The w[gap]llingneſs of his Heart to im[gap] them for Life to the great, if coming Sinne[gap]

3. This ſhews us the greatneſs of the [gap] of Chriſt; for it muſt not be ſuppoſed, th[gap] wo[gap]ds are bigger then his worthineſs. [gap] ſtrong to execute. He can Do as well as [gap] He can do c[gap]ceding abundantly more than [gap] or think, even to the uttermoſt and outſide [gap], Eph. [gap] 20.

Now then, ſince he concludeth any com[gap] [gap], at muſt be concluded, that he can [gap] that uttermoſt ſin, any coming to him.

Do you think, I ſay, that the Lord Jeſu[gap] [gap] before he ſpake? He ſpeaks [gap], and [gap], by his [gap]

[gap]e to judge how mighty be [gap] to ſave. Iſa 6[gap] 1. [gap] He ſpeaketh in Righteouſneſs, in very Fa[gap]th [gap]lneſs, when he organ to build his bleſſ[gap]d G[gap]ſ [gap]l Fabrick, the TEXT; it was for that he had [gap]ſt ſat down and counted the Coſt; & f[gap] [gap]at [gap] knew he was able to finiſh What, Lord, any [gap]m! Any him that cometh to Thee! This is [gap] Chriſt worth looking after; This is a Chriſt [gap]orth coming to

This then ſhould learn us diligently to conſi [gap] the natural force of every Word of God; & [gap] judge of Chriſt's Ability to Save, not by our [gap]ns, or our ſhallow Apprehenſions of his Grace, [gap] by his word which is the true Meaſure of [gap]ace. And if we do not judge thus, we ſhall [gap]horour his Grace; loſe the Benefit of his Word, [gap]d needleſly fright out ſ[gap]ves into many Diſcou [gap]gements through coming to Jeſus Chriſt Him, [gap] him that cometh, hath ſufficient from this [gap]ord of Chriſt to feed himſelf with Hopes of [gap]vation. As thou art therefore coming, Oh, [gap] coming Sinner, judge thou whether Chriſt [gap] ſave thee, by the true Senſe of his Words: [gap]ge, coming Sinner, of the Efficacy of his [gap]nd, of the Perfection of his Righteouſneſs, & [gap] the Prevalency of his Interceſſion by his Word, [gap] him, ſaith he that cometh to me, I will in [gap] w[gap]ſe caſt out. In no wiſe that is for no Sin; [gap]ge therefore by his Wor[gap], how able he is to [gap] thee. [gap] is ſaid of God's Saying to the [gap]ldren of Iſrael, There failed not ought of any [gap] thing which the Lord had ſpoken to the Houſe of [gap]; ah came to [gap]aſs And again. Not one thing [gap] failed of all the good thins which the Lord your [gap] ſpoke concerning you; all are come to paſs; and [gap] one thing has ſailed thereof, Joſh. 21.[gap]5. ch 23.