John Bunyan :: Observation Second: Comers Oftimes Afraid That Christ Will Not Receive Them

OBSERVATION SECOND: COMERS OFTIMES AFRAID THAT CHRIST WILL NOT RECEIVE THEM

I come now to the second observation propounded to be spoken to—to wit, that they that are coming to Jesus Christ are ofttimes heartily afraid that Jesus Christ will not receive them.

I told you that this observation is implied in the text; and I gather it—

First, From the largeness and openness of the promise, "I will in no wise cast out." For had there not been a proneness in us to fear casting out, Christ needed not to have, as it were, waylaid our fear, as he doth by this great and strange expression, "in nowise;" "and him that cometh to me I will in nowise cast out." There needed not, as I may say, such a promise to be invented by the wisdom of heaven and worded at such a rate, as it were on purpose to dash in pieces at one blow all the objections of coming sinners, if they were not prone to admit of such objections to the discouraging of their own souls. For this word, in nowise, cut the throat of all objections; and they were dropped by the Lord Jesus for that very end, and to help the faith that is mixed with unbelief. And it is, as it were, the sum of all promises; neither can any objection be made upon the unworthiness that thou findest in thee that this promise will not assoil [archaic: read as 'absolve, pardon' - BLB Ed.].

But I am a great sinner, sayest thou.
"I will in no wise cast out," says Christ.
But I am an old sinner, sayest thou.
"I will in no wise cast out," says Christ.
But I am a hard-hearted sinner, sayest thou.
"I will in no wise cast out," says Christ.
But I am a backsliding sinner, sayest thou.
"I will in no wise cast out," says Christ.
But I have served Satan all my days, sayest thou.
"I will in no wise cast out," says Christ.
But I have sinned against light, sayest thou.
"I will in no wise cast out," says Christ.
But I have sinned against mercy, sayest thou.
"I will in no wise cast out," says Christ.
But I have no good thing to bring with me, sayest thou.
"I will in no wise cast out," says Christ.

Thus I might go on to the end of things and show you that still this promise was provided to answer all objections, and doth answer them. But I say, what need it be if they that are coming to Jesus Christ are not sometimes, yea, oftentimes, heartily afraid, "that Jesus Christ will cast them out?"

Second. I will give you now two instances that seem to imply the truth of this observation.

• In the 9th of Matthew, at the second verse, you read of a man that was sick of the palsy, and he was coming to Jesus Christ, being borne upon a bed by his friends; he also was coming himself, and that upon another account than any of his friends were aware of—even for the pardon of sins and the salvation of his soul. Now, so soon as ever he was come into the presence of Christ, Christ bids him "be of good cheer." It seems, then, his heart was fainting, but what was the cause of his fainting? Not his bodily infirmity, for the cure of which his friends did bring him to Christ, but the guilt and burden of his sins, for the pardon of which himself did come to him: therefore he proceeds, "Be of good cheer, thy sins be forgiven thee" (Mat 9:2). I say, Christ saw him sinking in his mind about how it would go with his most noble part, and therefore first he applies himself to him upon that account. For though his friends had faith enough as to the cure of the body, yet he himself had little enough as to the cure of his soul; therefore Christ takes him up as a man falling down, saying, "Son, be of good cheer, thy sins be forgiven thee."
  
  

• That about the Prodigal seems pertinent also in this matter: "When he came to himself he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise now and go to my father." Heartily spoken, but how did he perform his promise? I think not so well as he promised to do; and my ground for my thoughts is, because his father, so soon as he was come to him, fell upon his neck and kissed him; implying, methinks, as if the prodigal at this time was dejected in his mind, and therefore his father gives him the most sudden and familiar token of reconciliation. And kisses were of old time often used to remove doubts and fears. Thus Laban and Esau kiss Jacob; thus Joseph kissed his brethren; and thus also David kissed Absalom. Gen 31:55; Gen 33:1-4; Gen 48:9-10; 2Sa 14:33. It is true, as I said, at first setting out he spake heartily, as sometimes sinners also do in their beginning to come to Jesus Christ, but might not he, yea, in all probability he had, (between the first step he took and the last by which he accomplished that journey,) many a thought, both this way and that, as whether his father would receive him or no? As thus: "I said, I would go to my Father. But how if when I come at him he should ask me, Where I have all this while been? What must I say then? Also if he ask me, What is become of the portion of goods that he gave me? What shall I say then? If he ask me, Who have been my companions? What shall I say then? If he also shall ask me, What hath been my preferment [promotion or appointment to a position or office -BLB Ed.] in all the time of my absence from him? What shall I say then? Yea, and if he ask me, Why I came home no sooner? What shall I say then?" Thus, I say, might he reason with himself; and being conscious to himself that he could give but a very bad answer to any of these interrogatories, no marvel if he stood in need first of all of a kiss from his father's lips. For had he answered the first in truth, he must say, I have been a haunter of taverns and alehouses; and as for my portion, I spent it in riotous living; my companions were whores and drabs; as for my preferment, the highest was, that I became a hogherd; and as for my not coming home till now, could I have made shift to stay abroad any longer I had not been at thy feet for mercy now.

I say, these things considered, and considering again how prone poor men are to give way, when truly awakened, to despondings and heart-misgivings, no marvel if he did sink in his mind between the time of his first setting out, and that of his coming to his Father.

Third. But, thirdly, methinks I have, for the confirmation of this truth the consent of all the saints that are under heaven—to wit, that they that are coming to Jesus Christ are ofttimes heartily afraid that he will not receive them.

Question. But what should be the reason? I will answer to this question thus:

• 1. It is not for want of the revealed will of God that manifesteth grounds for the contrary, for of that there is a sufficiency; yea, the text itself hath laid a sufficient foundation for encouragement for them that are coming to Jesus Christ: "And him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out."
  
  

• 2. It is not for want of any invitation to come, for that is full and plain. "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" (Mat 11:28).
  
  

• 3. Neither is it for want of a manifestation of Christ's willingness to receive, as those texts above named, with that which follows, declare: "If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink" (Jhn 7:37).
  
  

• 4. It is not for want of exceeding great and precious promises to receive them that come: "Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And I will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty" (2Co 6:17-18).
  
  

• 5. It is not for want of solemn oath and engagement to save them that come: "For - because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself - that by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation who have fled for refuge, to lay hold upon the hope set before us" (Heb 6:13-18).
  
  

• 6. Neither is it for want of great examples of God's mercy that have come to Jesus Christ, of which we read most plentifully in the Word.

Therefore, it must be concluded, it is for want of that which follows:

What it is that prevents the coming to Christ.

First. It is for want of the knowledge of Christ. Thou knowest but little of the grace and kindness that is in the heart of Christ; thou knowest but little of the virtue and merit of his blood; thou knowest but little of the willingness that is in his heart to save thee; and this is the reason of the fear that ariseth in thy heart, and that causeth thee to doubt that Christ will not receive thee. Unbelief is the daughter of Ignorance. Therefore Christ saith, "O fools, and slow of heart to believe" (Luk 24:25).

• Slowness of heart to believe, flows from thy foolishness in the things of Christ; this is evident to all that are acquainted with themselves, and are seeking after Jesus Christ. The more ignorance, the more unbelief; the more knowledge of Christ, the more faith. "They that know thy name will put their trust in thee" (Psa 9:10). He, therefore, that began to come to Christ but the other day, and hath yet but little knowledge of him, he fears that Christ will not receive him. But he that hath been longer acquainted with him, he is strong, and "hath overcome the wicked one" (1Jo 2:13).
  
  

• When Joseph's brethren came into Egypt to buy corn, it is said, "Joseph knew his brethren, but his brethren knew not him" (Gen 42:8). What follows? Why, great mistrust of heart about their speeding well; especially, if Joseph did but answer them roughly, calling them spies and questioning their truth and the like. And observe it, so long as their ignorance about their brother remained with them, whatsoever Joseph did, still they put the worse sense upon it. For instance, Joseph upon a time bids the steward of his house bring them home to dine with him, to dine even in Joseph's house. And how is this resented by them? Why, they are afraid. "And the men were afraid, because they were brought unto" (their brother) "Joseph's house." And they said, "He seeketh occasion against us, and will fall upon us, and take us for bond-men, and our asses (Gen 43:18). What! afraid to go to Joseph's house? He was their brother; he intended to feast them—to feast them, and to feast with them. Ah! but they were ignorant that he was their brother, and so long as their ignorance lasted, so long their fear terrified them. Just thus it is with the sinner that but of late is coming to Jesus Christ: he is ignorant of the love and pity that is in Christ to coming sinners, therefore he doubts, therefore he fears, therefore his heart misgives him.
  
  

• Coming sinner, Christ inviteth thee to dine and sup with him: he inviteth thee to a banquet of wine, yea, to come into his wine-cellar, and his banner over thee shall be love. Rev 3:20; Sgs 2:4-5. But I doubt it, says the sinner; but it is answered, He calls thee, invites thee to his banquet, flagons, apples, to his wine, and to the juice of his pomegranate. "O, I fear, I doubt, I mistrust, I tremble in expectation of the contrary!" Come out of the man, thou dastardly ignorance! Be not afraid sinner, only believe; "He that cometh to Christ he will in no wise cast out."
  
  

• Let the coming sinner, therefore, seek after more of the good knowledge of Jesus Christ, press after it, seek it as silver, and dig for it as for hid treasure. This will embolden thee, this will make thee wax stronger and stronger. "I know whom I have believed," I know him, saith Paul; and what follows? Why, "I am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him, against that day" (2Ti 1:12). What had Paul committed to Jesus Christ? The answer is, he had "committed to him his soul." But why did he commit his soul to him? Why, because he knew him. He knew him to be faithful, to be kind: he knew he would not fail him, nor forsake him; and therefore he laid his soul down at his feet, and committed it to him, to keep against that day. But—

Second. Thy fears that Christ will not receive thee may be also a consequent of thy earnest and strong desires after thy salvation by him. For this I observe, that strong desires to have are attended with strong fears of missing. What man most sets his heart upon, and what his desires are most after, he (ofttimes) most fears he shall not obtain. So the man, the ruler of the synagogue, had a great desire that his daughter should live; and that desire was attended with fear that she should not: therefore, Christ saith unto him, "Be not afraid" (Mark 5:36).

• Suppose a young man should have his heart much set upon a virgin to have her to wife: if ever he fears he shall not obtain her it is when he begins to love. Now, thinks he, somebody will step in betwixt my love and the object of it: either they will find fault with my person, my estate, my condition, or something. Now thoughts begin to work: She doth not like me, or something. And thus it is with the soul at first coming to Jesus Christ; thou lovest him, and thy love produceth jealousy, and that jealousy ofttimes begets fears.
  
  

• Now thou fearest the sins of thy youth, the sins of thine old age, the sins of thy calling, the sins of thy Christian duties, the sins of thine heart, or something; thou thinkest something or other will alienate the heart and affections of Jesus Christ from thee; thou thinkest he sees something in thee for the sake of which he will refuse thy soul.
  
  

• But be content; a little more knowledge of him will make thee take better heart; thy earnest desires shall not be attended with such burning fears; thou shalt hereafter say, "This is my infirmity" (Psa 77:10).
  
  

• Thou art sick of love, a very sweet disease; and yet every disease has some weakness attending of it; yet I wish this distemper, (if it be lawful to call it so) was more epidemical. Die of this disease I would gladly do: it is better than life itself, though it be attended with fears. But thou criest out, I cannot obtain: well, be not too hasty in making conclusions. If Jesus Christ had not put his finger in at the hole of the lock, thy bowels would not have been troubled for him. Sgs 5:4. Mark how the prophet hath it: "They shall walk after the Lord: he shall roar like a lion: when he shall roar then the children shall tremble from the west, they shall tremble as a bird out of Egypt, and as a dove out of the land of Assyria" (Hos 11:10-11). When God roars (as ofttimes the coming soul hears him roar), what man that is coming can do otherwise than tremble? (Amo 3:8). But trembling he comes: "He sprang in and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas" (Act 16:29).
  
  

• Should you ask him that we mentioned but now, How long is it since you began to fear you should miss of this damsel you love so? The answer will be, Ever since I began to love her. But did you not fear it before? No, nor should I fear it now, but that I vehemently love her. Come, sinner, let us apply it: How long is it since thou began to fear that Jesus Christ will not receive thee? Thy answer is, Ever since I began to desire that he would save my soul. I began to fear when I began to come, and the more my heart burns in desires after him, the more I feel my heart fear I should not be saved by him. See now, did not I tell thee that thy fears were but the consequence of strong desires? Well, fear not, coming sinner; thousands of coming souls are in thy condition, and yet they will get safe into Christ's bosom: "Say," says Christ, "to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not! Your God will come and save you" (Isa 35:4; Isa 63:1).

Third. Thy fear that Christ will not receive thee may arise from a sense of thine own unworthiness. Thou seest what a poor, sorry, wretched, worthless creature thou art. And seeing this, thou fearest Christ will not receive thee. Alas! sayest thou, I am the vilest of all men; a town sinner, a ringleading sinner. I am not only a sinner myself, but have made others twofold worse the children of hell also. Besides, now I am under some awakenings and stirrings of mind after salvation, even now I find my heart rebellious, carnal, hard, treacherous, desperate, prone to unbelief, to despair: it forgetteth the Word; it wandereth; it runneth to the ends of the earth. There is not, I am persuaded, one in all the world that hath such a desperate wicked heart as mine is. My soul is careless to do good, but none more earnest to do that which is evil.

• Can such a one as I am, live in glory? Can a holy, a just, and a righteous God once think (with honour to his name) of saving such a vile creature as I am? I fear it. Will he show wonders to such a dead dog as I am? I doubt it. I am cast out to the loathing of my person, yea, I loath myself: I stink in mine own nostrils. How can I then be accepted by a holy and sin-abhorring God? Psa 38:5-7; Eze 11; Eze 20:42-44. Saved I would be; and who is there that would not, were they in my condition? Indeed, I wonder at the madness and folly of others when I see them leap and skip so carelessly about the mouth of hell. Bold sinner, how darest thou tempt God by laughing at the breach of his holy law? But alas! they are not so bad one way, but I am worse another: I wish myself were anybody but myself; and yet here again I know not what to wish. When I see such as I believe are coming to Jesus Christ, oh I bless them. But I am confounded in myself, to see how unlike, as I think, I am to a very good many in the world. They can read, hear, pray, remember, repent, be humble, do everything better than so vile a wretch as I. I, vile wretch, am good for nothing but to burn in hell-fire, and when I think of that, I am confounded too!
  
  

• Thus the sense of unworthiness creates and heightens fears in the hearts of them that are coming to Jesus Christ; but indeed it should not; for who needs the physician but the sick? or who did Christ come into the world to save but the chief of sinners? Mark 2:17; 1Ti 1:15. Wherefore the more thou seest thy sins, the faster fly thou to Jesus Christ. And let the sense of thine own unworthiness prevail with thee yet to go faster. As it is with the man that carrieth his broken arm in a sling to the bone-setter, still as he thinks of his broken arm, and as he feels the pain and anguish, he hastens his pace to the man; and if Satan meets thee, and asketh, Whither goest thou? tell him thou art maimed, and art going to the Lord Jesus. If he objects thine own unworthiness, tell him, that even as the sick seeketh the physician; as he that hath broken bones seeks him that can set them; so thou art going to Jesus Christ for cure and healing for thy sinsick soul. But it ofttimes happeneth to him that flies for his life, he despairs of escaping, and therefore delivers himself up into the hand of the pursuer. But up, up, sinner; be of good cheer; Christ came to save the unworthy one; be not faithless, but believe. Come away, man; the Lord Jesus calls thee, saying, "And him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out."

Fourth. Thy fear that Christ will not receive thee, may arise from a sense of the exceeding mercy of being saved. Sometimes salvation is in the eyes of him that desires so great, so huge, so wonderful a thing, that the very thoughts of the excellency of it, engenders unbelief about obtaining it in the heart of those that unfeignedly desire it. "Seemeth it to you, (saith David) a light thing to be a king's son-in-law?" 1Sa 18:23. So the thoughts of the greatness and glory of the thing propounded, as heaven, eternal life, eternal glory, to be with God, and Christ, and angels, these are great things, things too good, (saith the soul that is little in his own eyes,) things too rich, (saith the soul that is truly poor in spirit,) for me.

• Besides, the Holy Ghost hath a way to greaten heavenly things to the understanding of the coming sinner, yea, and at the very same time to greaten too the sin and unworthiness of that sinner. Now the soul staggeringly wonders, saying, What! to be made like angels, like Christ, to live in eternal bliss, joy, and felicity! This is for angels, and for them that can walk like angels! If a prince, a duke, an earl, should send (by the hand of his servant) for some poor, sorry, beggarly scrub, to take her for his master to wife, and the servant should come and say, My lord and master Such-a-one hath sent me to thee, to take thee to him to wife: he is rich, beautiful, and of excellent qualities; he is loving, meek, humble, well-spoken, etc., what now would this poor, sorry, beggarly creature think? What would she say? or how would she frame an answer? When King David sent to Abigail upon this account, and though she was a rich woman, yet she said, "Behold, let thine handmaid be a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my lord" (1Sa 25:40-41). She was confounded, she could not well tell what to say, the offer was so great, beyond what could in reason be expected.
  
  

• But suppose this great person should second his suit, and send to this sorry creature again, what would she say now? Would she not say, You mock me? But what if he affirms that he is in good earnest, and that his lord must have her to wife—yea, suppose he should prevail upon her to credit his message and to address herself for her journey—yet, behold, every thought of her pedigree confounds her, also her sense of want of beauty makes her ashamed; and if she doth but think of being embraced, the unbelief that is mixed with that thought whirls her into tremblings; and now she calls herself fool for believing the messenger, and thinks not to go: if she thinks of being bold, she blushes; and the least thought that she shall be rejected when she comes at him makes her look as if she would give up the ghost.
  
  

• And is it a wonder, then, to see a soul that is drowned in the sense of glory and a sense of its own nothingness to be confounded in itself, and to fear that the glory apprehended is too great, too good, and too rich, for such an one? That thing, heaven and eternal glory, is so great, and I that would have it, so small, so sorry a creature, that the thoughts of obtaining it confounds me.
  
  

• Thus, I say, doth the greatness of the things desired, quite dash and overthrow the mind of the desirer. O, it is too big! it is too big! it is too great a mercy! But, coming sinner, let me reason with thee. Thou sayest, It is too big, too great. Well, will things that are less satisfy thy soul? Will a less thing than heaven, than glory and eternal life, answer thy desires? No, nothing less, and yet I fear they are too big and too good for me ever to obtain. Well, as big and as good as they are, God giveth them to such as thou; they are not too big for God to give; no, not too big to give freely; be content; let God give like himself: he is that eternal God, and giveth like himself. When kings give, they do not use to give as poor men do. Hence it is said that Nabal made a feast in his house like the feast of a king; and again, "All these things did Araunah, as a king, give unto David" (1Sa 25:36; 2Sa 24:23). Now, God is a great King, let him give like a king; nay, let him give like himself, and do thou receive like thyself. He hath all and thou hast nothing. God told his people of old that he would save them in truth and in righteousness, and that they should return to and enjoy the land which before, for their sins, had spewed them out; and then adds, under the supposition of their counting the mercy too good, or too big, "If it be marvellous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these days, should it also be marvellous in mine eyes? saith the Lord of hosts" (Zec 8:6).
  
  

• As who should say, They are now in captivity and little in their own eyes; therefore they think the mercy of returning to Canaan is a mercy too marvellously big for them to enjoy; but if it be so in their eyes, it is not so in mine; I will do for them like God, if they will but receive my bounty like sinners. Coming sinner, God can give his heavenly Canaan and the glory of it unto thee; yea, none ever had them but as a gift, a free gift. He hath given us his Son, "How shall he not with him also freely give us all things?" (Rom 8:32).
  
  

• It was not the worthiness of Abraham, or Moses, or David or Peter, or Paul, but the mercy of God, that made them inheritors of heaven. If God thinks thee worthy, judge not thyself unworthy, but take it, and be thankful. And it is a good sign he intends to give thee if he hath drawn out thy heart to ask. "LORD, thou hast heard the desire of the humble; thou wilt prepare their heart; thou wilt cause thine ear to hear" (Psa 10:17).
  
  

• When God is said to incline his ear, it implies an intention to bestow the mercy desired. Take it therefore; thy wisdom will be to receive, not sticking at thy own unworthiness. It is said, "He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory" (1Sa 2:8). Again, "He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth the needy out of the dunghill, that he may set him with princes, even with the princes of his people" (Psa 113:7-8). You see also when God made a wedding for his Son, he called not the great, nor the rich, nor the mighty; but the poor, the maimed, the halt, and the blind (Mat 12; Luk 14).

Fifth. Thy fears that Christ will not receive thee may arise from the hideous roaring of the devil, who pursues thee. He that hears him roar must be a mighty Christian if he can at that time deliver himself from fear. He is called a roaring lion (1Pe 5:8); and then to allude to that in Isaiah, "If one look" into them, they have "darkness and sorrow, and the light is darkened in the heavens thereof" (Isa 5:30).

• Two of the Devil's objections. There are two things, among many, that Satan useth to roar out after them that are coming to Jesus Christ—1. That they are not elected. Or, 2. That they have sinned the sin against the Holy Ghost. To both these I answer briefly—
  
  

• 1. Election. —Touching election, out of which thou fearest thou art excluded. Why, coming sinner, even the text itself affordeth thee help against this doubt, and that by a double argument.

  • (1.) That coming to Christ is, by virtue of the gift, promise, and drawing of the Father; but thou art a-coming; therefore God hath given thee, promised thee, and is drawing thee to Jesus Christ. Coming sinner, hold to this, and when Satan beginneth to roar again, answer, But I feel my heart moving after Jesus Christ; but that would not be if it were not given by promise and drawing to Christ by the power of the Father.
    
    

  • (2.) Jesus Christ hath promised "that him that cometh to him he will in nowise cast out." And if he hath said it, will he not make it good, I mean even thy salvation? For as I have said already, not to cast out is to receive and admit to the benefit of salvation. If then the Father hath given thee, as is manifest by thy coming, and if Christ will receive thee, thou coming soul, as it is plain he will, because he hath said, "He will in no wise cast out," then be confident, and let those conclusions, that as naturally flow from the text as light from the sun, or water from the fountain, stay thee.
    
    

  • If Satan therefore objecteth, But thou art not elected, answer, 'But I am coming, Satan, I am coming; and that I could not be but that the Father draws me; and I am coming to such a Lord Jesus, as will in no wise cast me out. Further, Satan, were I not elect the Father would not draw me, nor would the Son so graciously open his bosom to me.' I am persuaded that not one of the non-elect shall ever be able to say, no, not in the day of judgment, 'I did sincerely come to Jesus Christ.' Come they may, feignedly, as Judas and Simon Magus did, but that is not our question. Therefore, O thou honest-hearted coming sinner, be not afraid, but come.
    
    

• 2. Of the sin against the Holy Ghost. —As to the second part of the objection, about sinning the sin against the Holy Ghost, the same argument overthrows that also. But I will argue thus:

  • (1.). Coming to Christ is by virtue of a special gift of the Father; but the Father giveth no such gift to them that have sinned that sin; therefore thou that art coming hast not committed that sin. That the Father giveth no such gift to them that have sinned that sin is evident—

    • (a.) Because such have sinned themselves out of God's favour, "they shall never have forgiveness" (Mat 12:32). But it is a special favour of God to give unto a man, to come unto Jesus Christ, because thereby he obtaineth forgiveness. Therefore he that cometh hath not sinned that sin.
      
      

    • (b.) They that have sinned the sin against the Holy Ghost, have sinned themselves out of an interest in the sacrifice of Christ's body and blood; "There remaineth [for such] no more sacrifice for sin." Heb 10:26. But God giveth not grace to any of them to come to Christ, that have no share in the sacrifice of his body and blood. Therefore, thou that art coming to him, hast not sinned that sin.
      
      

  • (2.) Coming to Christ is by the special drawing of the Father; "No man can come to me except the Father which hath sent me draw him." Jhn 6:44. But the Father draweth not him to Christ for whom he hath not allotted forgiveness by his blood; therefore they that are coming to Jesus Christ have not committed that sin, because he hath allotted them forgiveness by his blood. That the Father cannot draw them to Jesus Christ, for whom he hath not allotted forgiveness of sins, is manifest to sense; for that would be a plain mockery, a flam,¹⁷ neither becoming his wisdom, justice, holiness, nor goodness.
    
    

  • (3.) Coming to Jesus Christ lays a man under the promise of forgiveness and salvation; but it is impossible that he that hath sinned that sin should ever be put under a promise of these. Therefore, he that hath sinned that sin can never have heart to come to Jesus Christ.
    
    

  • (4.) Coming to Jesus Christ lays a man under his intercession, "for he ever liveth to make intercession for them" that come (Heb 7:25). Therefore, he that is coming to Jesus Christ cannot have sinned that sin. Christ has forbid his people to pray for them that have sinned that sin; therefore he will not pray for them himself; but he prays for them that come.
    
    

  • (5.) He that hath sinned that sin, Christ is to him of no more worth than is a man that is dead; "for he hath crucified to himself the Son of God;" yea, and hath also counted his precious blood as the blood of an unholy thing" (Heb 6:6; Heb 10:29). Now, he that hath this low esteem of Christ will never come to him for life; but the coming man has an high esteem of his person, blood, and merits. Therefore, he that is coming has not committed that sin.
    
    

  • (6.) If he that has sinned this sin might yet come to Jesus Christ, then must the truth of God be overthrown; which saith in one place, "He hath never forgiveness;" and in another, "I will in no wise cast him out." Therefore, that he may never have forgiveness he shall never have heart to come to Jesus Christ. "It is impossible that such an one should be renewed, either to or by repentance" (Heb 6:4-6). Wherefore, never trouble thy head nor heart about this matter; he that cometh to Jesus Christ cannot have sinned against the Holy Ghost.
    
    

  Sixth. Thy fears that Christ will not receive thee may arise from thine own folly in inventing, yea, in thy chalking out [archaic; read as"giving your plan - telling" - BLB Ed.] to God, a way to bring thee home to Jesus Christ. Some souls that are coming to Jesus Christ are great tormentors of themselves upon this account; they conclude that if their coming to Jesus Christ is right, they must needs be brought home thus and thus; as to instance:

  • 1. Says one, If God be bringing of me to Jesus Christ, then will he load me with the guilt of sin till he makes me roar again.
    
    

  • 2. If God be indeed bringing me home to Jesus Christ, then must I be assaulted with dreadful temptations of the devil.
    
    

  • 3. If God be indeed bringing me to Jesus Christ, then, even when I come at him I shall have wonderful revelations of him.
    
    

  • This is the way that some sinners appoint for God, but, perhaps, he will not walk therein; yet will he bring them to Jesus Christ. But now, because they come not the way of their own chalking out, therefore they are at a loss. They look for heavy load and burden; but perhaps God gives them a sight of their lost condition, and addeth not that heavy weight and burden. They look for fearful temptations of Satan, but God sees that yet they are not fit for them, nor is the time come that he should be honoured by them in such a condition. They look for great and glorious revelations of Christ, grace, and mercy; but, perhaps God only takes the yoke from off their jaws, and lays meat before them. And now again they are at a loss, yet a-coming to Christ. "I drew them," saith God, "with cords of a man, with the bands of love; I took the yoke from off their jaws, and laid meat unto them" (Hos 11:4).

    Now, I say, If God brings thee to Christ, and not by the way that thou hast appointed, then thou art at a loss; and for thy being at a loss thou mayest thank thyself. God hath more ways than thou knowest of to bring a sinner to Jesus Christ, but he will not give thee beforehand an account by which of them he will bring thee to Christ (Isa 40:13; Job 33:13). Sometimes he hath his ways in the whirlwind, but sometimes the Lord is not there (Nah 1:3; 1Ki 19:11). If God will deal more gently with thee than with others of his children, grudge not at it; refuse not the waters that go softly, lest he bring upon thee the waters of the rivers strong and many, even these two smoking firebrands, the devil and guilt of sin (Isa 8:6-7). He saith to Peter, "Follow me" (Jhn 21:19-22). And what thunder did Zaccheus hear or see? "Zaccheus, Come down," saith Christ; "and he came down," (says Luke,) "and received him joyfully" (Luke 19:5-6).

    But had Peter or Zaccheus made the objection that thou hast made, and directed the Spirit of the Lord as thou hast done, they might have looked long enough before they had found themselves coming to Jesus Christ. Besides, I will tell thee that the greatness of sense of sin, the hideous roaring of the devil, yea, and abundance of revelations, will not prove that God is bringing thy soul to Jesus Christ, as Balaam, Cain, Judas, and others, can witness.

    Further, consider that what thou hast not of these things here thou mayest have another time, and that to thy distraction. Wherefore, instead of being discontent, because thou art not in the fire, because thou hearest not the sound of the trumpet and alarm of war, "pray that thou enter not into temptation;" yea, come boldly to the throne of grace, and obtain mercy and find grace to help in that time of need. Psa 88:15; Mat 26:41; Heb 4:16.

    Poor creature! thou criest, If I were tempted I could come faster and with more confidence to Jesus Christ. Thou sayest thou knowest not what. What says Job?—"Withdraw thy hand from me, and let not thy dread make me afraid. Then call thou, and I will answer, or let me speak, and answer thou me" (Job 13:21-22). It is not the over-heavy load of sin, but the discovery of mercy, not the roaring of the devil, but the drawing of the Father, that makes a man come to Jesus Christ; I myself know all these things.

    True, sometimes, yea, most an end,¹⁸ they that come to Jesus Christ come the way that thou desirest, the loading, tempted way; but the Lord also leads some by the waters of comfort. If I was to choose when to go a long journey—to wit, whether I would go it in the dead of winter or in the pleasant spring, (though if it was a very profitable journey, as that of coming to Christ is, I would choose to go it through fire and water before I would choose lose the benefit;)— but I say, if I might choose the time I would choose to go it in the pleasant spring, because the way would be more delightsome, the days longer and warmer, the nights shorter and not so cold. And it is observable that the very argument that thou usest to weaken thy strength in the way, that very argument Christ Jesus useth to encourage his beloved to come to him: "Arise," saith he, "my love, my fair one, and come away; (why?) for, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone, the flowers appear in the earth, the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in the land. The fig tree putteth forth her green figs, and the vine, with her tender grapes, giveth a good smell. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away" (Sgs 2:10-13).

    Trouble not thyself, coming sinner; if thou seest thy lost condition by original and actual sin, if thou seest thy need of the spotless righteousness of Jesus Christ, if thou art willing to be found in him, and to take up thy cross and follow him, then pray for a fair wind and good weather, and come away. Stick no longer in a muse and doubt about things, but come away to Jesus Christ. Do it, I say, lest thou tempt God to lay the sorrows of a travailing woman upon thee. Thy folly in this thing may make him do it. Mind what follows: "The sorrows of a travailing woman shall come upon him." Why? "He is an unwise son; for he should not stay long in the place of the breaking forth of children" (Hos 13:13).
    
    

  Seventh. Thy fears that Christ will not receive thee may arise from those decays that thou findest in thy soul, even while thou art coming to him. Some even as they are coming to Jesus Christ do find themselves grow worse and worse; and this is indeed a sore trial to the poor coming sinner.
  

  • Fears that we do not run fast enough. To explain myself: There is such an one coming to Jesus Christ who, when at first he began to look out after him, was sensible, affectionate, and broken in spirit, but now is grown dark, senseless, hard-hearted, and inclining to neglect spiritual duties, etc. Besides, he now finds in himself inclinations to unbelief, atheism, blasphemy, and the like; now he finds he cannot tremble at God's word, his judgments, nor at the apprehension of hell-fire: neither can he, as he thinketh, be sorry for these things. Now this is a sad dispensation. The man under the sixth head complaineth for want of temptations, but thou hast enough of them; art thou glad of them, tempted, coming sinner? They that never were exercised with them may think it a fine thing to be within the rage, but he that is there is ready to sweat blood for sorrow of heart and to howl for vexation of spirit.
    
    

  • This man is in the wilderness among wild beasts. Here he sees a bear, there a lion, yonder a leopard, a wolf, a dragon; devils of all sorts, doubts of all sorts, fears of all sorts, haunt and molest his soul. Here he sees smoke, yea, some fire and brimstone, scattered upon his secret places; he hears the sound of an horrible tempest. O my friends, even the Lord Jesus, that knew all things, even he saw no pleasure in temptations, nor did he desire to be with them; wherefore, one text saith, "he was led," and another, "he was driven," of the Spirit into the wilderness, to be tempted of the devil (Mat 4:1; Mar 1:12).
    
    

  • But to return: Thus it happeneth sometimes to them that are coming to Jesus Christ. A sad hap [archaic use; read luck; fortune - BLB Ed.] indeed! One would think that he that is flying from wrath to come has little need of such clogs as these; and yet so it is, and woeful experience proves it. The Church of old complained that her enemies overtook her between the straits, just between hope and fear, heaven and hell (Lam 1).
    
    

  • This man feeleth the infirmity of his flesh; he findeth a proneness in himself to be desperate. Now, he chides with God, flings and tumbles like a wild bull in a net, and still the guilt of all returns upon himself, to the crushing of him to pieces. Yet he feeleth his heart so hard, that he can find, as he thinks, no kind falling under any of his miscarriages. Now he is a lump of confusion in his own eyes, whose spirit and actions are without order.
    
    

  • Temptations serve the Christian as the shepherd's dog serveth the silly sheep; that is, coming behind the flock, he runs upon it, pulls it down, worries it, wounds it, and grievously bedabbleth it with dirt and wet in the lowest places of the furrows of the field, and not leaving it until it is half dead, nor then neither, except God rebuke.
    
    

  • Here is now room for fears of being cast away. Now I see I am lost, says the sinner. This is not coming to Jesus Christ, says the sinner: such a desperate, hard, and wretched heart as mine is, cannot be a gracious one, saith the sinner. And bid such an one be better, he says, I cannot; no, I cannot.
    
    

  Why temptations assail God's people.

  Question.

  • But what will you say to a soul in this condition?

  Answer.

  • I will say, That temptations have attended the best of God's people. I will say, that temptations come to do us good; and I will say also that there is a difference betwixt growing worse and worse, and thy seeing more clearly how bad thou art.

  There is a man of an ill-favoured countenance, who hath too high a conceit of his beauty, and wanting the benefit of a glass, he still stands in his own conceit; at last a limner [archaic: a painter, especially of portraits or miniatures - BLB Ed.] is sent unto him, who draweth his ill-favoured face to the life [true to life - BLB Ed.]; now, looking thereon, he begins to be convinced that he is not half so handsome as he thought he was. Coming sinner, thy temptations are these painters; they have drawn out thy ill-favoured heart to the life and have set it before thine eyes, and now thou seest how ill-favoured thou art.

  Hezekiah was a good man, yet when he lay sick (for aught I know) he had somewhat too good an opinion of his heart; and, for aught I know also, the Lord might upon his recovery leave him to a temptation, that he might better know all that was in his heart. (Compare Isa 38:1-3 with 2Ch 32:31).

  Alas! we are sinful out of measure, but see it not to be the full until an hour of temptation comes. But when it comes, it doth as the painter doth, draweth out our heart to the life: yet the sight of what we are should not keep us from coming to Jesus Christ. There are two ways by which God lets a man into a sight of the naughtiness of his heart: one is, by the light of the Word and Spirit of God, and the other is, by the temptations of the devil. But by the first we see our naughtiness one way and, by the second, another. By the light of the word and Spirit of God thou hast a sight of thy naughtiness, and by the light of the sun, thou hast a sight of the spots and defilements that are in thy house or raiment; which light gives thee to see a necessity of cleansing, but maketh not the blemishes to spread more abominably. But when Satan comes, when he tempts, he puts life and rage into our sins, and turns them, as it were, into so many devils within us. Now, like prisoners, they attempt to break through the prison of our body: they will attempt to get out at our eyes, mouth, ears, any ways, to the scandal of the gospel and reproach of religion, to the darkening of our evidences, and damning of our souls.

  But I shall say, as I said before, this hath ofttimes been the lot of God's people. And, "There hath no temptation overtaken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able" (1Co 10:13). See the Book of Job, the Book of Psalms, and that of the Lamentations. And remember, farther, that Christ himself was tempted to blaspheme, to worship the devil, and to murder himself, (Matt 4; Luke 4; temptations worse than which thou canst hardly be overtaken with.) But he was sinless, that is true. And he is thy Saviour, and that is as true. Yea, it is as true also that by his being tempted he became the conqueror of the tempter and a succourer of those that are tempted (Col 2:14-15; Heb 2:15; Heb 4:15-16).

  Question.

  • But what should be the reason that some that are coming to Christ should be so lamentably cast down and buffeted with temptations?

  Answer.

  • It may be for several causes.

  • 1. Some that are coming to Christ cannot be persuaded until the temptation comes that they are so vile as the Scripture saith they are. True, they see so much of their wretchedness as to drive them to Christ, but there is an over and above of wickedness which they see not. Peter little thought that he had had cursing, and swearing, and lying, and an inclination in his heart to deny his Master, before the temptation came, but when that indeed came upon him, then he found it there to his sorrow (Jhn 13:36-38; Mar 14:36-40; Mar 14:68-72).
    
    

  • 2. Some that are coming to Jesus Christ are too much affected with their own graces, and too little taken with Christ's person; wherefore God, to take them off from doting upon their own jewels, and that they might look more to the person, undertaking, and merits of his Son, plunges them into the ditch by temptations. And this I take to be the meaning of Job. "If I wash myself," said he, "with snow-water, and make my hands never so clean, yet wilt thou plunge me in the ditch, and mine own clothes shall abhor me" (Job 9:30). Job had been a little too much tampering with his own graces, and setting his excellencies a little too high; (as these texts make manifest: Job 33:8-13, Job 34:5-10; Job 35:2-3; Job 38:1-2; Job 40:10-15; Job 42:3-6). But by that the temptations were ended, you find him better taught.

    Yea, God doth ofttimes, even for this thing, as it were, take our graces from us, and so leave us almost quite to ourselves and to the tempter, that we may learn not to love the picture more than the person of his Son. See how he dealt with them in the 16th of Ezekiel [Eze 16], and the second of Hosea (Hos 2).
    
    

  • 3. Perhaps thou hast been given too much to judge thy brother, to condemn thy brother, because a poor tempted man. And God, to bring down the pride of thy heart, letteth the tempter loose upon thee, that thou also mayst feel thyself weak. For "pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall" (Pro 16:18).
    
    

  • 4. It may be thou hast dealt a little too roughly with those that God hath this way wounded, not considering thyself lest thou also be tempted; and therefore God hath suffered it to come unto thee (Gal 6:1).
    
    

  • 5. It may be thou wast given to slumber and sleep, and therefore these temptations were sent to awake thee. You know that Peter's temptation came upon him after his sleeping; then, instead of watching and praying, then he denied, and denied, and denied his Master (Mat 26).
    
    

  • 6. It may be thou hast presumed too far and stood too much in thine own strength, and therefore is a time of temptation come upon thee. This was also one cause why it came upon Peter: "Though all men forsake thee, yet will not I." Ah! that is the way to be tempted indeed (Jhn 13:36-38)!
    
    

  • 7. It may be God intends to make thee wise to speak a word in season to others that are afflicted, and therefore he suffereth thee to be tempted. Christ was tempted that he might be able to succour them that are tempted (Heb 2:18).
    
    

  • 8. It may be Satan hath dared God to suffer him to tempt thee, promising himself that if he will but let him do it thou wilt curse him to his face. Thus he obtained leave against Job; wherefore take heed, tempted soul, lest thou provest the devil's sayings true (Job 1:11).
    
    

  • 9. It may be thy graces must be tried in the fire, that that rust that cleaveth to them may be taken away, and themselves proved, both before angels and devils, to be far better than of gold that perisheth; it may be also, that thy graces are to receive special praises, and honour, and glory, at the coming of the Lord Jesus (to judgment) for all the exploits that thou hast acted by them against hell and its infernal crew, in the day of thy temptation (1Pe 1:6-7).
    
    

  • 10. It may be God would have others learn by thy sighs, groans, and complaints, under temptations to beware of those sins for the sake of which thou art at present delivered to the tormentors.

  But to conclude this: put the worst to the worst, (and then things will be bad enough;) suppose that thou art to this day without the grace of God, yet thou art but a miserable creature, a sinner that hath need of a blessed Saviour; and the text presents thee with One as good and kind as heart can wish, who also for thy encouragement saith, "and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out."

  Application of Observation Second.

  To come, therefore, to a word of application. Is it so that they that are coming to Jesus Christ are ofttimes heartily afraid that Jesus Christ will not receive them? Then this teacheth us these things: —

  1. That faith and doubting may at the same time have their residence in the same soul. "O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?" (Mat 14:31). He saith not, O thou of no faith! but O thou of little faith! because he had a little faith in the midst of his many doubts. The same is true even of many that are coming to Jesus Christ: they come, and fear they come not, and doubt they come not. When they look upon the promise or a word of encouragement by faith, then they come; when they look upon themselves or the difficulties that lie before them, then they doubt. "Bid me come," said Peter; "Come," said Christ. So he went down out of the ship to go to Jesus, but his hap [archaic use; read 'luck; chance' - BLB Ed.] was to go to him upon the water; there was the trial. So it is with the poor desiring soul. Bid me come, says the sinner; Come, says Christ, and I will in no wise cast thee out. So he comes, but his hap [archaic use; read 'luck; chance' - BLB Ed.] is to come upon the water, upon drowning difficulties; if therefore the wind of temptation blows, the waves of doubts and fears will presently arise, and this coming sinner will begin to sink if he has but little faith.

  But you shall find here in Peter's little faith a twofold act—to wit, coming and crying. Little faith cannot come all the way without crying. So long as its holy boldness lasts, so long it can come with peace, but when it is so it can come no farther, it will go the rest of the way with crying. Peter went as far as his little faith would carry him: he also cried as far as his little faith would help, "Lord, save me, I perish!" And so, with coming and crying, he was kept from sinking, though he had but a little faith. "Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith! wherefore didst thou doubt?" (Mat 14:31).

  2. Is it so, that they that are coming to Jesus Christ are ofttimes heartily afraid that Jesus Christ will not receive them? Then this shows us a reason of that dejection, and those castings down that very often we perceive to be in them that are coming to Jesus Christ. Why, it is because they are afraid that Jesus Christ will not receive them. The poor world, they mock us, because we are a dejected people—I mean, because we are sometimes so—but they do not know the cause of our dejection. Could we be persuaded, even then when we are dejected, that Jesus Christ would indeed receive us, it would make us fly over their heads, and would put more gladness into our hearts than in the time in which their corn, wine, and oil increases (Psa 4:6-7). But,

  3. It is so, that they that are coming to Jesus Christ are ofttimes heartily afraid that he will not receive them? Then this shows that they that are coming to Jesus Christ are an awakened, sensible, considering people, for fear cometh from sense and consideration of things. They are sensible of sin, sensible of the curse due thereto; they are also sensible of the glorious majesty of God, and of what a blessed, blessed thing it is to be received of Jesus Christ. The glory of heaven, and the evil of sin, these things they consider and are sensible of. "When I remember I am afraid." "When I consider, I am afraid" (Job 21:6; Job 23:15).

  These things dash their spirits, being awake and sensible. Were they dead, like other men, they would not be afflicted with fear as they are; for dead men fear not, feel not, care not, but the living and sensible man, he it is that is ofttimes heartily afraid that Jesus Christ will not receive him. I say, the dead and senseless are not distressed: they presume, they are groundlessly confident. Who so bold as blind Bayard? These indeed should fear and be afraid because they are not coming to Jesus Christ. O! the hell, the fire, the pit, the wrath of God, and torment of hell that are prepared for poor neglecting sinners! "How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation" (Heb 3:3)? But they want sense of things, and so cannot fear.

  4. Is it so, that they that are coming to Jesus Christ are ofttimes heartily afraid that he will not receive them? Then this should teach old Christians to pity and pray for young comers. You know the heart of a stranger; for you yourselves were strangers in the land of Egypt. You know the fears, the doubts, the terrors that take hold of them, for that they sometimes took hold on you. Wherefore pity them, pray for them, encourage them; they need all this: guilt hath overtaken them; fear of the wrath of God hath overtaken them. Perhaps they are within the sight of hell-fire, and the fear of going thither is burning hot within their hearts.

  You may know how strangely Satan is suggesting his devilish doubts unto them, if possible he may sink and drown them with his multitude and weight of them. Old Christians, mend up the path for them, take the stumbling-blocks out of the way, lest that which is feeble and weak be turned aside, but let it rather be healed (Heb 12:12-13).

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  ¹⁷ "A flam;" a fable, an imposition.

  ¹⁸ "Most an end;" continually, perpetually.