3. Because without this your coming to him is but feigned. Jer. 3.10. They return to me not with their whole heart, but feignedly. To cleave to Christ and a lust, to Christ and a proud heart, cannot be unfeigned faith; to go to your lusts in time of peace, and fly to Christ in times of extremity, is damnable hypocrisy. When conscience troubles you, you then go to Christ to ease you; and when ⟨p. 185⟩your unruly wills and lusts trouble you, you go to the world to ease you, and so your hearts are divided, and you come not wholly and only unto Christ for rest. Believe it, it is such a faith by which you may as Samuel did on Sauls garment, take hold of him, but the Lord will never take hold of you. Set a branch in the stock, if it stays loosely in it, and is not set very near to it, it will wither in time; and this is the great cause of withering Christians, and of so many Apostates in these evil times. Those that came to Christ, John 6. and followed him for a time, but afterward fell away, v••se 66. what was the reason of their fall? viz. when they were offended at Christ, they knew whither to go from Christ; but what saith Peter? Lord, Whither should we go? ver. 68. If you lay the pipes that are to convey water from a full fountain, but one foot or one inch short of it, there cannot be any water derived from thence. Oh beloved, what is the reason that many a mans faith doth him no good, derives no life, spirit, blood, efficacy, peace, power from the Lord Jesus? is it because Christ is a dry Christ, and unwilling to communicate? No, no, the wound is in their faith, that pipe is laid but half way to him, they fall one foot short of him, their souls come, but their whole souls do not come to him, and hence they never reach ⟨p. 186⟩Christ, they lye not in Christ, and therefore receive not from Christ. Christ is precious, (here their soul comes) but not exceeding precious, preciousness it self, as the word is, 1 Pet. 2.7. (here the whole soul doth not come) they cleave to Christ, and rest upon Christ, (here their souls come) but they cleave not to Christ only,1 (thus their whole souls do not come.)
3. Because without this your comming to him is but faigned. Ier. 3.10. They return to me not with their whole heart, but faignedly. To cleave to Christ and a lust, to Christ and a proud heart, cannot be unfaigned faith; to goe to your lusts in time of peace, and fly to Christ in times of extremity, is damnable hypocrisie. When conscience troubles you, you then goe to Christ to ease you; and when ⟨p. 185⟩your unruly wills and lusts trouble you, you goe to the world to ease you, and so your hearts are divided, and you come not wholly and onely unto Christ for rest. Beleeve it, it is such a faith by which you may as Samuel did on Sauls garment, take hold of him, but the Lord will never take hold of you. Set a branch in the stock, if it stayes loosely in it, and is not set very neare to it, it will wither in time; and this is the great cause of withering Christians, and of so many Apostates in these evill times. Those that came to Christ, Iohn 6. and followed him for a time, but afterward fell away, v••se 66. what was the reason of their fall? viz. when they were offended at Christ, they knew whither to goe from Christ; but what saith Peter? Lord, Whither should we goe? ver. 68. If you lay the pipes that are to convey water from a full fountaine, but one foot or one inch short of it, there cannot be any water derived from thence. Oh beloved, what is the reason that many a mans faith doth him no good, derives no life, spirit, blood, efficacy, peace, power from the Lord Jesus? is it because Christ is a dry Christ, and unwilling to communicate? No, no, the wound is in their faith, that pipe is laid but halfe way to him, they fall one foot short of him, their soules come, but their whole soules doe not come to him, and hence they never reach ⟨p. 186⟩Christ, they lye not in Christ, and therefore receive not from Christ. Christ is precious, (here their soule comes) but not exceeding precious, preciousnesse it selfe, as the word is, 1 Pet. 2.7. (here the whole soule doth not come) they cleave to Christ, and rest upon Christ, (here their soules come) but they cleave not to Christ onely,1 (thus their whole soules doe not come.)
- 1Psal. 62.5.
