Now then, fince he concludeth any coming Him, it must be concluded, that he can fave to the uttermoft Sin, any coming Him.

Do you think I fay, that the Lord Jefus did not think before he fpake? He speaks all in Righteoufnefs, and therefore by his Word we are to judge how mighty he his to fave, Ifa.. 63. 1. He fpeaketh in Righteoufnefs, in very Faithfulness, when he began to build this bleffed gofpel Fabrick; he first fet down, and counted the Coft; and knew he was able to finish it! What, Lord, Any him! Any him! that cometh to thee! This is a Chrift worth looking after, this is a Chrift worth coming to.

This then should learn us diligently to confider the natural Force of every Word of God; and to judge of Christ's Ability to fave, not by our Sins, or by our fhallow Apprehenfions of his Grace; but by his Word, which is the true Meafure of Grace.

And if we do not judge thus, we fhall difhonour his Grace, lofe the Benefit of his Word, and needlefly fright ourselves into many Difcouragements, through coming to Jefus Chrift. Him, Any him that cometh, hath Sufficient from this Word of Chrift, to feed himself with Hopes of Salvation. As thou art therefore coming, O thou coming Sinner, judge thou, whether Chrift can fave thee, by the true Senfe of his Words: judge coming Sinner, of the Efficacy of his Blood, of the Perfection of his Righteoufnefs, and of the Prevalency of his Interceffion by his Word. And him, : faith he, that cometh to me, I will in no wife caft out. In no wife, that is, for no Sin: Judge therefore by his Word, how able he is to fave thee: It is faid of God's Sayings to the Children of Ifrael, There failed not aught of any good Thing which the Lord had spoken to the House of Ifrael; all came

to

o pass. And again, Not one Thing hath failed of all he good Things which the Lord your God Spake conerning you, all are come to pass unto you; and not one Thing bath failed thereof, Joh.21.45. chap.23. 14. Coming Sinner, what Promise thou findeft in he Word of Chrift, strain it whether thou canst, o thou doft not corrupt it, and his Blood and Merits will anfwer all, what the Word faith, or any true Confequence that is drawn therefrom, hat we may boldly venture upon: As here in the Text, he faith, And Him that cometh, indefinitely; without the leaft Intimation of the Rejection of any, though never fo great, if he be a coming Sinner. Take it then for granted that thou, whoever thou art, if coming, art intended in thefe Words; neither fhall it injure Chrift at all, if, as Benhadad's Servants fervedAhab, thou fhalt catch him at his Word. Now, faith the Text, The Man did diligently obferve whether any Thing would come from him, to wit, any Word of Grace; and did haftily catch it. And it happened that Abab had called Benhadad his Brother. The Man replied therefore, Thy Brother Benhadad! Catching him at his Word, 1 Kings, 20. ver. 33. Sinner, coming Sinner, ferve Jefus Chrift thus, and he will take it kindly at thy Hands. When he in his Argument called the Canaanitish Woman Dog, the catcht him at it, and faid, Truth Lord, yet the Dogs eat of the Crumbs that fall from their Mafter'sTable.I fay, the, catcht him thus in his Words, & he took it kindly, faying, OWoman, great is thy Faith; be it unto thee even as thou wilt, Mat. 15. 16. Catch him, coming Sinner, catch him in his Words, furely he will take it kindly, and will not be offended at thee.

Secondly, The other Thing that I told you is fhewed from thefe Words, is this; The Willingness of Chrift's Heart, to impute his Mercies for Life, to the great, if coming Sinner. And him that cometh to me, I will in no wife caft out. E 2

The

The awakened coming Sinner doth not fo eafily Question the Power of Chrift, as his Willingness to fave him: Lord if thou wilt, thou canft, faid one, Mark 1. 40. He did not put the If upon his Power, but upon his Will: He concluded he could, but he was not as fully of Perfuafion that he would. But we have the fame Ground to believe he will, as we have to believe he can ; and indeed, Ground for both, is the Word of God, If he was not willing, Why did he Promife? Why did he fay, he would receive the coming Sinner? Coming Sinner, take Notice of this, we ufe to plead Practices with Men, and why not with God likewife? I am fure we have no more Ground for one than the other; for we have to plead the Promife of a faithful God. Jacob took him there: Thou faidft, faid he, I will furely do thee Good, Gen. 32. 12. For, from this Promife he concluded, thatit followed inReafon, He must be willing,

The Text alfo gives fome Ground for us to draw the fame Conclufion. And him that cometh to me I will in no wife caft out. Here is his Willingness afferted, as well as his Power fuggested. It is worth your Obfervation, that Abraham's Faith confidered rather God's Power, than his Willingness; that is, he drew his Conclufion, I Jhall have a Child, from the Power that was in God to fulfil the Promife to him: For he concluded he

was willing to give him one, elfe he would not have promifed one. He ftaggered not at the Promife of God through Unbelief, but was strong in Faith, giving Glory toGod; being fully perfuaded that what he had promifed he was able to perform, Rom. 4. 20, 21. But was not his Faith exercifed or tried, about his Willingness too? No, there was no Shew of Reafon for that, because he had promifed it: Indeed had he not promifed it, he might lawfully have doubted it; but fince he had promifed it,

there

there was left no Ground at all for doubting, be caufe his Willingness to give a Son was demonfrated in his promifing him a Son. These Words therefore are fufficient Ground to encourage any coming Sinner, that Christ is willing to his Power to receive him; and fince he hath Power alfo to do what he will, there is no Ground at all left to the coming Sinner, any more to doubt; but to come in full Hope of Acceptance, and of being received unto Grace and Mercy. And him that (cometh.) He faith not, And him that is come; but, And him that cometh; that is, and him whofe Heart begins to move after me, who is leaving all for my Sake; him, who is looking out, who is on his Journey to me. We must

therefore diftinguish betwixt coming, and being come to Jefus Chrift. He that is come to me, has attained of him more fenfibly what he felt before he wanted, than he has that but yet is coming to him.

A Man that is come to Chrift, hath the Advantage of him that is but coming to him, and that in feven Things.

First, He that is come to Chrift, is nearer to him than he that is but coming to him: For he that is but coming to him, is yet in fome Senfe, at a Distance from him; as it is faid of the coming Prodigal, And while he was yet a great Way off, Luke. 15. Now he that is nearer to him, hath the beft Sight of him, and fo is able to make the beft Judgment of his wonderfulGrace and Beauty, as God faith, Let them come near, and let them fpeak. And as the Apostle John faith, And we have feen, and do teftify, that God fent his Son to be the Saviour of the World, Ifa. 41. 1. 1 John 4 14. He that is not yet come, though he is coming, is not fit, not being indeed capable to make that Judgment of the Worth and Glory of the Grace of Chrift, as he is that is come to him, and h

feen and beheld it. Therefore, Sinner, fufpend thy Judgment till thou art come nearer.

Secondly, He that is come to Chrift has the Advantage of him that is but coming, in that he is eafed of his Burthen: For he that is but com ing, is not eafed of his Barthen, Mat. 11. 28. He that is come, has caft his Burthen upon the Lord: By Faith he hath feen himself releafed thereof; but he that is but coming, hath it yet as to Senfe and Feeling, upon his own Shoulders. Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, implies, that their Burden, though they are com ing, is yet upon them, and fo will be till indeed they are come to him.

Thirdly, He that is come to Chrift, has the Advantage of him that is but coming, in this alfo, namely, He hath drank of the fweet and foul-refreshing Water of Life: But he that is but coming hath not: If any Man thirst, let him come unto me and drink.

Mark, He must come to him before he drinks; according to that of the Prophet, Ho! every on that thirfteth, come ye to the Waters. He drinketh not as he cometh, but when he is come to the Water, John 7. 37. Isa. 45. 1..

Fourthly, He that is come to Chrift hath the Advantage of him that as yet is but coming, in this alfo, to wit, He is not terrified with the Noife, and as I may call it, Hue and Cry, which the Avenger of Blood makes at the Heels of him that yet is but coming to him. When the Slayer was on his Flight to the City of his, Refuge, he had the Noife or Fear of the Avenger of Blood at his Heels; but when he was come to the City, and was entered thereinto, the Noife, ceased: Even fo it is with him that is coming to Jefus Chrift: He heareth many a dreadful Sound in his

Ear;