When he holdeth out his golden Sceptre, if thou takest hold on it, thou art safe; otherwise thou art a dead man: thou canst not have a greater security; all the point is, Faith is a drawing near unto Christ, and Unbelief is a going from him; The Gospel is preached to those that are afar off, and to those that are near. Eph. 2.17. He came to preach peace to you that are afar off, and to them that are nigh. Who were they that were afar off? they were those that had uncircumcision in the flesh, without Christ, Aliens to the Commonwealth of Israel, [Greek or Hebrew], those that had no hope; to these Christ came; these that were afar off, by faith drew near: that expression is a singular one, Heb. 10.38. Now the just shall live by faith; What is that? but if any man draw back, that is, if any man be an Unbeliever, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. Faith makes a man come, and draw near to Christ. It's a shame-faced bashfulness, that makes a man draw back; its unbelief, if any draw back, and to believe, is to go on with boldness; We are not of them which draw back unto perdition, but of them, &c. What an excellent encouragement is this, to come with boldness unto the Throne of Grace, that we may find help in time of need? So that now let thy estate be what it will; if thou wilt not hold off, but dost entertain Christ, though thy sins be as red as scarlet, be not discouraged, they shall be made as white as wool, Isa. 1.18. The very sinner against the Holy Ghost is invited; and why is that unpardonable? Can any sin be so great, as to over-top the value of Christ's blood? There is not so much wretchedness in the heart of man, as there is Grace, Goodness and Mercy in Christ: But then it is unpardonable; Why? Because it is the nature of the disease, that will not suffer the plaster to stick on. It counts the blood of the Covenant, wherewith we should be sanctified, an unholy thing, Heb. 10.29. If this sinner would not pluck off the plaster, and tread it under foot, he should be saved: but this is it, when God is liberal, and Christ is free, we have not the heart to take him at his word, and come. To open this Word, this is the point of all, this is the free preaching of the Gospel indeed; when a man hath nothing desirable in him, but is stark naught, and stark dead, and is not worth the taking up; that yet he may challenge Christ, and be sure of all.
When he holdeth out his golden Sceptre, if thou takest hold on it, thou art safe; otherwise thou art a dead man: thou canst not have a greater security; all the point is, Faith is a drawing near unto Christ, and Unbelief is a going from him; The Gospel is preached to those that are afar off, and to those that are near. Eph. 2.17. He came to preach peace to you that are afar off, and to them that are nigh. Who were they that were afar off? they were those that had uncircumcision in the flesh, without Christ, Aliens to the Commonwealth of Israel, 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, those that had no hope; to these Christ came; these that were afar off, by faith drew near: that expression is a singular one, Heb. 10.38. Now the just shall live by faith; What is that? but if any man draw back, that is, if any man be an Unbeli•ver, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. Faith makes a man come, and draw near to Christ. It's a shame-faced bashfulness, that makes a man draw back; its unbelief, if any draw back, and to believe, is to go on with boldness; We are not of them which draw back unto perdition, but of them, &c. What an excellent encouragement is this, to come with boldness unto the Throne of Grace, that we may find help in time of need? So that now let thy estate be what it will; if thou wilt not hold off, but dost entertain Christ, though thy sins be as red as scarlet, be not discouraged, they shall be made as white as wool, Isa. 1.18. The very sinner against the Holy Ghost is invited; and why is that unpardonable? Can any sin be so great, as to over-top the value of Christ's blood? There is not so much wretchedness in the heart of man, as there is Grace, Goodness and Mercy in Christ: But then it is unpardonable; Why? Because it is the nature of the disease, that will not suffer the plaister to stick on. It counts the blood of the Covenant, wherewith we should be sanctified, an unholy thing, Heb. 10.29. If this sinner would not pluck off the plaister, and tread it under foot, he should be saved: but this is it, when God is liberal, and Christ is free, we have not the heart to take him at his word, and come. To open this Word, this is the point of all, this is the free preaching of the Gospel indeed; when a man hath nothing desirable in him, but is stark naught, and stark dead, and is not worth the taking up; that yet he may challenge Christ, and be sure of all.
