A57963:261
Christ Dying and Drawing Sinners to Himself
Christ dying and drawing sinners to himself, or, A survey of our Saviour in his soul-suffering, his loveliness in his death, and the efficacy thereof in which some cases of soul-trouble in week believers ... are opened ... delivered in sermons on the Evangel according to S. John Chap. XII, vers. 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 ... / by Samuel Rutherford.Christ dying and drawing sinners to himself, or, A survey of our Saviour in his soule-suffering, his lovelynesse in his death, and the efficacie thereof in which some cases of soule-trouble in weeke beleevers ... are opened ... delivered in sermons on the Evangel according to S. John Chap. XII, vers. 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 ... / by Samuel Rutherford.
London: printed by J.D. for Andrew Crooke, 1647
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
2. The way to be warm at a painted fire, such as is the immediate ⟨p. 103⟩revealing of Christ to an unconverted sinner, never humbled, nor despairing of himself, which is the Libertines dead faith, is not the way to be warmed, nor are we to believe in Christ, but in Christs own way and order: and its safe to call in question, whether such a painted fire be fire; nor are we to go on in this believing, till we be persuaded that we believe, truly this is no Gospel-secret.
2. The way to be warme at a painted fire, such as is the immediate ⟨p. 103⟩revealing of Christ to an unconverted sinner, never humbled, nor despairing of himselfe, which is the Libertines dead faith, is not the way to be warmed, nor are we to beleeve in Christ, but in Christs owne way and order: and its safe to call in question, whether such a painted fire be fire; nor are wee to goe on in this beleeving, till wee be perswaded that we beleeve, truely this is no Gospel-secret.
If Libertines say, its unpossible to believe, but we must despair in our selves. I answer, So I believe; but then must it follow, that Libertines deceive, and are deceived, when they teach, that sinners as sinners are to believe, because sinners despairing of salvation in themselves, must be fewer in number, then sinners as sinners; for sinners as sinners, comprehendeth Pharisees, and all secure and malicious slaves of hell; but self-despairing sinners include not any such, far less include they all sinners, they be only such sinners as are half sick, looking a far off, with half an eye to Jesus Christ, not daring fully to make out to Jesus Christ; proud Pharisees despair not of salvation in themselves, for then they should not be proud Pharisees in so far; but Libertines teach us, that Pharisees remaining Pharisees, without any preparations going before, are immediately to believe in Christ, if they say, Self-despair is an essential part of Faith, not a preparation going before faith; they err: Judas, Cain, despair of salvation both in themselves and in Christ, yet have they not any essential part of saving faith, nor can any essential part of saving faith be in such, nor can any come to Christ, and believe in him, while first they know sin by the law, and their mouth be stopped, that the law cannot justify nor save them, Rom. .19 20, 21. An M. Eaton and the Antinomians that are not mere Familists, and Enthusiasts rejecting all written Scripture, do also grant this; then it must be unpossible, that any can believe, but some preparation fore-going there must be; and because all sinners as sinners have not such preparation, all sinners as sinners are not at the first clap, to believe in the soul Physician Christ, but only such as in Christs order are ploughed, ere Christ sow on them, and self-condemned ere they believe in Christ.