Then & Now · 42 of 44
3. Want of Preparation
3. Want of Preparation
BY ſuggeſting to them the want of958 ſuch and ſuch preparations, and qualifications: ſaith Satan, thou art not prepared to entertain Chriſt; thou art not thus and thus humbled and juſtified; thou art not heart-ſick of ſin▪ thou haſt not been under horrors and terrours as ſuch and ſuch, thou muſt ſtay till thou art prepared, and qualified to receive the Lord Jeſus, &c.
- 958. 3 Device. [dropped from the edition]
BY suggesting to them the want of such and such preparations, and qualifications: saith Satan, thou art not prepared to entertain Christ; thou art not thus and thus humbled and justified; thou art not heart-sick of sin; thou hast not been under horrors and terrors as such and such, thou must stay till thou art prepared, and qualified to receive the Lord Jesus, etc‸.
THe firſt Remedie againſt this Device959 of Satan, is, ſeriouſly to conſider, that ſuch as have not been ſo and ſo prepared and qualified, as Satan ſuggeſts have received Chriſt, believed in Chriſt, and being ſaved by Chriſt. Mathew960 was called, ſitting at the receipt of cuſtome, and there was ſuch power went along with Chriſts call, that made him to follow. We read not of any horrors or terrours, &c. that hee was under before his being called by Chriſt. Pray what preparations and qualifications were found in Zacheus, Paul, the961 Jaylor, and Lydia, before their converſion. God brings in ſome by the ſweet and ſtill voyce of the Goſpel, and uſually ſuch that are thus brought in to Chriſt, are the ſweeteſt, humbleſt, cho iſeſt, and fruitfulleſt Chriſtians. God is a free agent to worke by Law or Goſpel; by ſmiles or frownes; by preſenting hell or heaven to ſinners ſoules God thunders from Mount-Sinai upon ſome ſouls, & conquers them by thundering p. 370 God ſpeaks to others in a ſtill voyce, and by that conquers them. You that are brought to Chriſt by the Law, do not you judge and condemn them that are brought to Chriſt by the962 Goſpell: and you that are brought to Chriſt by the Goſpel, do not you deſpiſe thoſe that are brought to Chriſt by the Law. Some are brought to Chriſt by fire, ſtorms, and tempeſts, others by more eaſie and gentle gales of the Spirit. The Spirit is free in the works of963 converſion, and as the wind, it blows when, where, & how it pleaſes. Thrice happy are thoſe ſouls that are brought to Chriſt, whether it be in a winters night, or in a ſummers day.
The first remedy against this device of Satan, is, seriously to consider, that such as have not been so and so prepared and qualified, as Satan suggests have received Christ, believed in Christ, and been saved by Christ. Matthew763 was called, sitting at the receipt of custom, and there was such power went along with Christ’s call, that made him to follow. We read not of any horrors or terrors, etc‸. that he was under before his being called by Christ. Pray what preparations and qualifications were found in Zacchaeus, Paul, the764 Jailer, and Lydia, before their conversion. God brings in some by the sweet and still voice of the gospel, and usually such that are thus brought in to Christ, are the sweetest, humblest, choicest, and fruitfulest Christians. God is a free agent to work by law or gospel; by smiles or frowns; by presenting hell or heaven to sinners’ souls. God thunders from Mount-Sinai upon some souls, and conquers them by thundering. God speaks to others in a still voice, and by that conquers them. You that are brought to Christ by the law, do not you judge and condemn them that are brought to Christ by the765 gospel: and you that are brought to Christ by the gospel, do not you despise those that are brought to Christ by the law. Some are brought to Christ by fire, storms, and tempests, others by more easy and gentle gales of the Spirit. The Spirit is free in the works of766 conversion, and as the wind, it blows when, where, and how it pleases. Thrice happy are those souls that are brought to Christ, whether it be in a winter’s night, or in a summer’s day.
The ſecond Remedie againſt this Device964 of Satan, is, ſolemnly to dwel upon theſe following Scriptures which do clearly evidence, that poor ſinners which are not ſo and ſo prepared, and qualified to meet with Chriſt, to receive and embrace the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, may notwithſtanding that believe in Chriſt, and reſt and lean upon him for happineſſe and bleſſedneſſe, according to the Goſpel. Read the firſt of the Proverbs, from verſ. 20. to the end, and the 11. firſt verſes of the 8. of the Proverbs, and the ſix firſt verſes of the 9. of the Proverbs, and the 14. firſt p. 371 verſes of Ezek. chap. 16. and the 3. of John 14, 15, 16, 17, 18. 36. verſes, and the 3. of the Revelations, verſ. 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20. Here the Lord Jeſus Chriſt ſtands knocking at the Laodiceans door, he would faine have them to ſup with him, and that he might ſup with them; that is, that they might have intimate communion and fellowſhip one with another.
- 964. 2 Remedie. [dropped from the edition]
The second remedy against this device of Satan, is, solemnly to dwell upon these following Scriptures which do clearly evidence, that poor sinners which are not so and so prepared, and qualified to meet with Christ, to receive and embrace the Lord Jesus Christ, may notwithstanding that believe in Christ, and rest and lean upon him for happiness and blessedness, according to the gospel. Read the first of the Proverbs, from vers. 20. to the end, and the 11. first verses of the 8. of the Proverbs, and the six first verses of the 9. of the Proverbs, and the 14. first verses of Ezek. chap. 16. and the 3. of John 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 36. verses, and the 3. of the Revelations, vers. 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20. Here the Lord Jesus Christ stands knocking at the Laodiceans’ door, he would fain have them to sup with him, and that he might sup with them; that is, that they might have intimate communion and fellowship one with another.
Now pray tell me, what preparations or qualifications had theſe Laodiceans to entertain Chriſt? ſurely none; for they were luke-warm, they were neither cold nor hot; they were wretched, and miſerable, and poore, and blind, and naked; and yet Chriſt to ſhew his free grace, and his condeſcending love, invites the very worſt of ſinners to open to him, though they were no wayes ſo or ſo prepared or qualified to entertain him, &c.
Now pray tell me, what preparations or qualifications had these Laodiceans to entertain Christ? Surely none; for they were luke-warm, they were neither cold nor hot; they were wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked; and yet Christ to show his free grace, and his condescending love, invites the very worst of sinners to open to him, though they were no ways so or so prepared or qualified to entertain him, etc‸.
The third Remedie againſt this Device965 of Satan, is, ſeriouſly to conſider, that the Lord does not in all the Scripture require ſuch and ſuch preparations966 & qualifications before men come to Chriſt, before they believe in Chriſt, or entertaine, or embrace the Lord Jeſus Chriſt. Believing, believing in Chriſt is the great thing that God preſſes upon ſinners throughout the Scripture, p. 372 as all know, that know any thing of Scripture.
The third remedy against this device of Satan, is, seriously to consider, that the Lord does not in all the Scripture require such and such preparations767 and qualifications before men come to Christ, before they believe in Christ, or entertain, or embrace the Lord Jesus Christ. Believing, believing in Christ is the great thing that God presses upon sinners throughout the Scripture, as all know, that know any thing of Scripture.
- 767. Rom‸ 4:‸5. God justifies the ungodly.
1. That though the invitation be to ſuch that labour and are heavy laden, yet the promiſe of giving reſt, its made over to coming to believing.
1. That though the invitation be to such that labour and are heavy laden, yet the promise of giving rest, it’s made over to coming, to believing.
2. I anſwer, that all that this Scripture proves and ſhews, is, that ſuch as labour under ſin as under a heavy burden,968 and that are laden with the guilt of ſin, and ſenſe of Gods diſpleaſure, ought to come to Chriſt for reſt; but it doth not prove that only ſuch muſt come to Chriſt, nor that all men muſt be thus burthened, and laden with the ſenſe of their ſinnes, and the wrath of God before they come to Chriſt. Poor ſinners, when they are under the ſenſe of ſinne, and wrath of God, they are prone to run from creature to creature, and from duty to duty, and from Ordinance to Ordinance, to find reſt; and if they could finde it in any thing, or creature, Chriſt ſhould never heare of them. But here the Lord ſweetly invites them, and to encourage them, he engages himſelf to give them reſt. Come (ſaith Chriſt) and I will give you reſt. p. 373 I’le not ſhew you reſt, nor barely tell you of reſt, but I will give you reſt. I am faithfulneſſe it ſelfe, and cannot lye, I will give you reſt. I that have the greateſt power to give it, the greateſt will to give it, the greateſt right to give it, come laden ſinners, and I will give you reſt. Reſt is the moſt deſireable good, the moſt ſutable good, & to you the greateſt good. Come ſaith Chriſt, that is, Believe in me & I wil give you reſt. I wil give you peace with God, and peace with conſcience, I will turn your ſtorme into an everlaſting calme: I will give you ſuch reſt, that the world can neither give to you, nor take from you.
- 968. Math. 11. 28. opened and cleared.
2. I answer, that all that this Scripture proves and shows, is, that such as labour under sin as under a heavy burden,769 and that are laden with the guilt of sin, and sense of God’s displeasure, ought to come to Christ for rest; but it doth not prove that only such must come to Christ, nor that all men must be thus burdened, and laden with the sense of their sins, and the wrath of God before they come to Christ. Poor sinners, when they are under the sense of sin, and wrath of God, they are prone to run from creature to creature, and from duty to duty, and from ordinance to ordinance, to find rest; and if they could find it in any thing, or creature, Christ should never hear of them. But here the Lord sweetly invites them, and to encourage them, he engages himself to give them rest. Come (saith Christ) and I will give you rest. I’ll not show you rest, nor barely tell you of rest, but I will give you rest. I am faithfulness it self, and cannot lie, I will give you rest. I that have the greatest power to give it, the greatest will to give it, the greatest right to give it, come laden sinners, and I will give you rest. Rest is the most desirable good, the most suitable good, and to you the greatest good. Come saith Christ, that is, Believe in me and I will give you rest. I will give you peace with God, and peace with conscience, I will turn your storm into an everlasting calm: I will give you such rest, that the world can neither give to you, nor take from you.
- 769. Matt 11:‸28‸ opened and cleared.
3. I anſwer, no one Scripture ſpeaks out the whole minde of Chriſt; therefore do but compare this one Scripture with thoſe ſeverall Scriptures that are laid downe in the ſecond Remedie laſt mentioned, and it will clearly appear, that though men are not thus and thus burdened and laden with their ſins, and filled with horror and terrour, if they may come to Chriſt, they may receive and embrace the Lord Jeſus Chriſt.
3. I answer, no one Scripture speaks out the whole mind of Christ; therefore do but compare this one Scripture with those several Scriptures that are laid down in the second remedy last mentioned, and it will clearly appear, that though men are not thus and thus burdened and laden with their sins, and filled with horror and terror, yet they may come to Christ, they may receive and embrace the Lord Jesus Christ.
The 4. and laſt Remedie againſt this969 Device of Satan is, to conſider, that all that trouble for him, all that ſorrow, ſhame, and mourning, &c. which is acceptable to God, and delightfull to p. 374 God, & prevalent with God, flows from faith in Chriſt, as the ſtream doth from the fountain, as the branch doth from the root, as the effect doth from the cauſe. Zech. 12. 10. They ſhall looke on970 him whom they have pierced, and they ſhall mourn for him. All Goſpel-mourning971 flows from believing; they ſhall firſt look, and then mourn. All that know any thing, knows this, that what ever is not of faith is ſinne. Till men have faith in Chriſt, their beſt ſervices are but glorious ſins.
The 4. and last remedy against this device of Satan is, to consider, that all that trouble for sin, all that sorrow, shame, and mourning, etc‸. which is acceptable to God, and delightful to God, and prevalent with God, flows from faith in Christ, as the stream doth from the fountain, as the branch doth from the root, as the effect doth from the cause. Zech‸ 12:‸10. They shall look on770 him whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him. All gospel-mourning771 flows from believing; they shall first look, and then mourn. All that know any thing, knows this, that what ever is not of faith is sin. Till men have faith in Christ, their best services are but glorious sins.