But now when men will not submit thus far to Christ: 1. They can do nothing, but will not come to him, on whom God hath laid salvation; you say, you cannot understand, nor edify by the Sermons ye hear, and you cannot part with your lusts. Ay, but now this is thy condemnation, thou wilt not go to a Saviour that he may teach thee and help thee, when men will not have the Lord Jesus to reign over them: or 2. If men do come▪ they will not come to him where he may be found; but say, I can do nothing; Christ must do all, and so neglect the means wherein he will be found: or 3. Will submit and come in means to him, but not then at the special time when He is to be sought, and may be found, viz. in time of temptation. But then forget and forsake him, and cry not Hosanna: Lord, now save, now help me against this lust: When temptation comes, when passion and pride come, do you now go to Jesus Christ? When the world begins to draw thy heart away; dost thou say thus, Lord I have prayed this day against this sin, and Lord I have no strength against it, now Lord help me? but here is the misery of the soul, it doth not go to Christ, and by this means live in complaints all their life-time. 4. If lastly any thing be to be done, they will do it themselves; as Paul, Gal. 1. 12. Not but that a Christian should put forth himself, a Christian is not a dead-hearted Christian at all times, but the grace of God which comes from Christ, doth act the soul in a continual dependence on Christ; and where Christ acts not, there Satan doth. Now I say the Kingdom of God is come, when the soul doth thus submit to the stream of the blessed Spirit of the Lord, that the Lord may guide it. Oh beloved, here is the skill, that poseth the Angels how to tell you; so to yield your selves to Christ, as that Christ may come, so to abide in the stock, that all your fruit may be from him: ⟨p. 28⟩So to lye under the Lord, as that the stream of the Spirit of life may fall on thee; so to be implanted in the Lord, as to fetch life from him, and bring forth fruit to him. But try this course, submit to the will of the Lord Jesus, be nothing in thy own eyes; and if the Lord do give thee any thing, bless the Lord for it; if any strength against thy sin, be vile in thy own eyes, and try and see if ye find not the Kingdom of God, the glory of Heaven come into thy soul.
But now when men will not submit thus far to Christ: 1. They can do nothing, but will not come to him, on whom God hath laid salvation; you say, you cannot understand, nor edifie by the Sermons ye hear, and you cannot part with your lusts. Ay, but now this is thy condemnation, thou wilt not go to a Saviour that he may teach thee and help thee, when men will not have the Lord Jesus to reign over them: or 2. If men do come▪ they will not come to him where he may be found; but say, I can do nothing; Christ must do all, and so neglect the means wherein he will be found: or 3. Will submit and come in means to him, but not then at the speciall time when He is to be sought, and may be found, viz. in time of temptation. But then forget and forsake him, and cry not Hosanna: Lord, now save, now help me against this lust: When temptation comes, when passion and pride come, do you now go to Jesus Christ? When the world begins to draw thy heart away; dost thou say thus, Lord I have prayed this day against this sin, and Lord I have no strength against it, now Lord help me? but here is the misery of the soul, it doth not go to Christ, and by this means live in complaints all their life-time. 4. If lastly any thing be to be done, they will do it themselves; as Paul, Gal. 1. 12. Not but that a Christian should put forth himself, a Christian is not a dead-hearted Christian at all times, but the grace of God which comes from Christ, doth act the soul in a continuall dependance on Christ; and where Christ acts not, there Satan doth. Now I say the Kingdome of God is come, when the soul doth thus submit to the stream of the bles•ed Spirit of the Lord, that the Lord may guide it. Oh beloved, here is the skill, that poseth the Angels how to tell you; so to yield your selves to Christ, as that Christ may come, so to abide in the stock, that all your fruit may be from him: ⟨p. 28⟩So to lye under the Lord, as that the stream of the Spirit of life may fall on thee; so to be implanted in the Lord, as to fetch life from him, and bring forth fruit to him. But try this course, submit to the will of the Lord Jesus, be nothing in thy own eyes; and if the Lord do give thee any thing, blesse the Lord for it; if any strength against thy sin, be vile in thy own eyes, and try and see if ye find not the Kingdome of God, the glory of Heaven come into thy soul.
