This will be the sooner answered, if we do but consider; what is that which makes men keep back ⟨p. 187⟩1from Christ, there are two hinderances that keep men from Christ; the first is unbelief, and the second is a neglect of Christ: unbelief that was the sin that kept men from Christ in the first age of the Church, in the Apostles times they believed not that they might be saved, that is, they would not believe that the Messiah was come in the flesh: but now in the second estate of the Church, such unbelief is not the cause that keeps men from Christ, neither which we labour most to convince men of, for they do generally believe the Gospel, but our labour now, is, to draw men from the neglect of Christ: we preach Christ generally unto all, that whosoever will, may receive Christ; but men will not receive him, till they be humbled, they think they stand in no need of Christ, they care not whether they have him or no: they prize him not, they look upon him a far off, they will not have him for the fetching: now Christ will never be received, till he be prized above all things, and this men will not do, till they be humble: humiliation if it be sound, will give a man such a sweet taste of Christ and holiness, and such a bitter taste of sin, that nothing will satisfy him but Christ: this will make his heart pant after grace, and when the heart is in this case, then Christ will be prized and not before: but this men will not I say do, till they be humbled. It is true, God can come in the still and soft wind, that is, he can give Christ and the Spirit without this condition, and he may likewise make men fit to receive the Gospel without it, but he ⟨p. 188⟩will not, therefore he will come in the rough winds, that rends the rocks: he will first humble men, and make men fit to receive the Gospel, and Christ by the Gospel, before they shall have him, and therefore it is said, that the poor receive the Gospel, that is, those that are broken hearted receive Christ tendered in the Gospel, because they are thoroughly humbled: for this cause also we Preach the Law to bring men to the sight of their sins that they may be humbled; and therefore it is called, a School-master to bring us unto Christ; 2the Law shows unto men the sinfulness of their nature and their indisposition:
This will be the sooner answered, if we doe but consider; what is that which makes men keepe backe ⟨p. 187⟩1from Christ, there are two hinderances that keepe men from Christ; the first is unbeleefe, and the second is a neglect of Christ: unbeleefe that was the sinne that kept men from Christ in the first age of the Church, in the Apostles times they beleeved not that they might bee saved, that is, they would not beleeve that the Messias was come in the flesh: but now in the second estate of the Church, such unbeleefe is not the cause that keepes men from Christ, neither which wee labour most to convince men of, for they doe generally beleeve the Gospell, but our labour now, is, to draw men from the neglect of Christ: wee preach Christ generally unto all, that whosoever will, may receive Christ; but men will not receive him, till they bee humbled, they thinke they stand in no need of Christ, they care not whether they have him or no: they prize him not, they looke upon him a farre off, they will not have him for the fetching: now Christ will never be received, till he be prized above all things, and this men will not doe, till they be humble: humiliation if it be sound, will give a man such a sweet taste of Christ and holinesse, and such a bitter taste of sinne, that nothing will satisfie him but Christ: this will make his heart pant after grace, and when the heart is in this case, then Christ will be prized and not before: but this men will not I say doe, till they be humbled. It is true, God can come in the still and soft winde, that is, hee can give Christ and the Spirit without this condition, and he may likewise make men fit to receive the Gospell without it, but hee ⟨p. 188⟩will not, therefore hee will come in the rough winds, that rends the rockes: hee will first humble men, and make men fit to receive the Gospell, and Christ by the Gospell, before they shall have him, and therefore it is said, that the poore receive the Gospell, that is, those that are broken hearted receive Christ tendered in the Gospell, because they are thorowly humbled: for this cause also we Preach the Law to bring men to the sight of their sinnes that they may be humbled; and therefore it is called, a Schoole-master to bring us unto Christ; 2the Law showes unto men the sinfulnesse of their nature and their indisposition:
- 1Answ. 1.
- 2Gal. 3. 24.
