Come & welcome to Jesus Christ, or, A plain and profitable discourse upon the…

Answ. It may be for several causes.

First, 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. Joh. 13. 36, 37, 38. Mark. 14. 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72.

First, Some that are coming to Christ, cannot be perswaded, untill 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. Joh. 13. 36, 37, 38. Mark. 14. 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72.

Secondly, Some that are coming to Jesus Christ, are too much affected with their own graces, and too little taken with Christs 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 me, said he, with snow-water, and make my self never so clean, yet wilt thou plunge me in the ditch, and mine own clothes shall abhor me,