N02531:812
Come and welcome to Jesus Christ. Or, A plain and profitable discourse on John VI. verse xxxvii. Showing, the cause, truth and manner of the coming of a sinner to Jesus Christ; with his happy reception, and blessed entertainment. / Written by John Bunyan, author of the Pilgrim's progress. ; [Two lines from Isaiah]Come and welcome to Jesus Christ. Or, A plain and profitable discourse on John VI. verse xxxvii. Shewing, the cause, truth and manner of the coming of a sinner to Jesus Christ; with his happy reception, and blessed entertainment. / Written by John Bunyan, author of the Pilgrim's progress. ; [Two lines from Isaiah]
Boston, : Reprinted, and are to be sold by Nicholas Boone at the Bible in Cornhill., 1728
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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.
Qu. But why would God so order it, that Life should be had no where else, but in Jesus Christ.
Ans. There is reason for it, and that with respect to God and us
First. With respect to God.
first, That it might be in way of Justice, as […] as Mercy. And in a way of Justice it could • have been if it had not been by Christ, because • and he only, was able to answer the Demand of • Law; and give for Sin, what the Justice there• required. All Angels had been Crushed down • Hell for ever, had that Curse been laid upon •em for our Sins, which was laid upon Jesus Christ, but 'twas laid upon him, and he bare it, •d answered the Penalty, and redeemed his Peo••e from under it with that satisfaction to Divine justice, that God himself doth now proclaim, •ut he is faithful and just to forgive us, if by •aith we shall venture to Jesus, and trust to •hat he has done for Life, Rom 3.24, 25, 26. Joh. •.9.
•irst, That it might be in way of Justice, as 〈…〉 as Mercy. And in a way of Justice it could • have been if it had not been by Christ, because • and he only, was able to answer the Demand of • Law; and give for Sin, what the Justice there• required. All Angels had been Crushed down • Hell for ever, had that Curse been laid upon •em for our Sins, which was laid upon Jesus •hrist, but 'twas laid upon him, and he bare it, •d answered the Penalty, and redeemed his Peo••e from under it with that satisfaction to Divine ••stice, that God himself doth now proclaim, •ut he is faithful and just to forgive us, if by •aith we shall venture to Jesus, and trust to •hat he has done for Life, Rom 3.24, 25, 26. Joh. •.9.
Secondly, Life must be by Jesus Christ, that God might be adored and magnified, for finding •ut the Way. This is the Lord's doings, that in •ll things he might be glorified through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Thirdly, It must be by Jesus Christ, that Life •ight be at God's dispose who hath great Pity for •he Poor, the Lowly, the Meek, the Broken in heart, •nd for them that others care not for, Psal. 34 6.
Fourthly, Life must be in Christ to cut off Boasting from the Lips of Men. This also is the Apostle's Reason, Rom 3.20, 27.
Fourthly, Life must be in Christ to cut off Boas•ing from the Lips of Men. This also is the Apostle's Reason, Rom 3.20, 27.
Fifthly, Life must be in Jesus Christ, with respect to us.
Fifthly, Life must be in Jesus Christ, with •espect to us.
First, That we might have it upon the easiest Terms, to wit Freely; as a Gift, not as Wages: was it in Moses's hand, we should come hardly at it. Was it in the Pope's hand, we should pay soundly •or it. But thanks be to God, it is in Christ laid •p in him, and by him to be communicated to •••ners upon easy Terms, even so receiving, ac••pting▪ and embracing with Thanksgiving, as the Scripture plainly declare, Job. 1.11.
First, That we might have it upon the easiest Terms, to wit Freely; as a Gift, not as Wages: was it in Moses's hand, we should come hardly at it. Was it in the Pope's hand, we should pay soundly •or it. But thanks be to God, it is in Christ laid •p in him, and by him to be communicated to •••ners upon easie Terms, even so receiving, ac••pting▪ and embracing with Thanksgiving, as the Scripture plainly declare, Job. 1.11.
Secondly, Life is in Christ for us, that it might ••at be upon so b••ttle a Foundation, as indeed it •ould, ••d i• been any where else. The Law it ⟨p. 172⟩self is weak, because of us to this; but Christ is tr• ed Stone, a sure foundation one that will not fa•• to bear thy Burden, and to receive thy Soul, coming Sinner.
Secondly, Life is in Christ for us, that it might ••at be upon so b••ttle a Foundation, as indeed it •ould, ••d i• been any where else. The Law it ⟨p. 172⟩self is weak, because of us to this; but Christ is tr• ed Stone, a sure founda•ion one that will not fa•• to bear thy Burthen, and to receive thy Soul, coming Sinner.
Thirdly, Life is in Christ, that it might be su• to be the Seed. Alas! the best of us▪ was Life lef• in our hands▪ to be sure we should forfeit it, over and over, and over. Or, was it in any other hand we should by our often Backsliding so offend him▪ that at last he would shut up his Bowels in everlasting Displeasure against us. But now it is in Christ it is with one that can pity, pray for Pardon yea▪ multiply Pardons. It is with one that can have Compassion upon us, when we are out of the wa• ▪ with one that hath an heart to fetch us again when we are gone astray: with one that can Pardon without upbraiding. Blessed be God that Life is in Christ! For now 'tis sure to all the Seed.
But Fourthly. This Doctrine of coming to Jesus Christ for Life, informs us of the Evil of Unbelief, that wicked thing that is the only, or chief hindrance to the coming Sinner▪ Doth the Text say, Come? Doth it say, And him that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out? Then what an Evil is that keepeth Sinners from coming to Jesus Christ? And that Evil is Unbelief. For by Faith we come. By Unbelief we keep away. Therefore it is said to be that, by which a Soul is said to depart from God, because it was that which at first caused the World to go off from him▪ and that also that keeps them from him to this day, And it doth it the more easily, because it doth it with a Wile.
But Fourthly. This Doctrine of coming to Jesus Christ for Life, informs us of the Evil of Unbelief, that wicked thing that is the only, or chief hindrance to the coming Sinner▪ Doth the Text say, Come? Doth it say, And him that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out? Then what an Evil is that keepeth Sinners from coming to Jesus Christ? And that Evil is Unbelief. For by Faith we come. By Unbelief we keep away. Therefore it is said to be that, by which a Soul is said to depart from God, because it was that which at first caused the World to go off from him▪ and that also that keeps them from him to this day, And it doth it the more eastly, because it doth it with a Wile.
This Sin may be called, The White Devil, for it oftentimes in its mischievous doing in the Soul shows as it was an Angel of Light, yet it acteth like a Counsellor of Heaven. Therefore, a little to D•• course of this Disease.
This Sin may be called, The White Devil, for it oftentimes in its mischievous doing in the Soul shews as it was an Angel of Light, yet it acteth like a Counsellor of Heaven. Therefore, a little to D•• course of this Disease.
1. It is that Sin, above all others that hath some show of Reasons in its Attempts. For it keeps the Soul from Christ, by pretending its present unfitness and unpreparedness, as want of more sense of Sin, want of more Repentance, want of more Humility, ⟨p. 173⟩want of a more broken Heart.
1. It is that Sin, above all others that hath some shew of Reasons in its Attempts. For it keeps the Soul from Christ, by pretending its present unfitness and unpreparedness, as want of more sense of Sin, want of more Repentance, want of more Hu•ility, ⟨p. 173⟩want of a more broken Heart.
2. It is the Sin that most suiteth with the Con•••ence. The Conscience of the coming sinner tells •••m, that he hath nothing Good; that he stands •••dictable for Ten thousand Talents; that he is a •y ignorant, blind, and hard hearted Sinner, unworthy to be once taken notice of by Jesus Christ. •nd will you (says Unbelief) in such a case as now •ou are, presume to come to Jesus Christ.
2. It is the Sin that most suiteth with the Con•••ence. The Conscience of the coming sinner tells •••m, that he hath nothing Good; that he stands •••dictable for Ten thousand Talents; that he is a •y ignorant, blind, and hard hearted Sinner, un•orthy to be once taken notice of by Jesus Christ. •nd will you (says Unbelief) in such a case as now •ou are, presume to come to Jesus Christ.
3. It it the Sin that most suits with our Sense of feeling. The coming Sinner feels the Working of •n▪ of all manner of Sin and Wretchedness in his flesh; he also feels the Wrath and Judgment of God due to sin▪ and ofttimes staggers under it. Now, says Unbelief▪ you may see you have no Grace for that which works in you is Corruption. You may also perceive that God doth not love you, because the sense of his wrath abides upon you. Therefore how can you bear the Face to come to Jesus Christ.
3. It it the Sin that most suits with our Sense of feeling. The coming Sinner feels the Working of •n▪ of all manner of Sin and Wretchedness in his •lesh; he also feels the Wrath and Judgment of God due to sin▪ and oftimes staggers under it. Now, says Unbelief▪ you may see you have no Grace for that which works in you is Corruption. You may also perceive that God doth not love you, because the sense of his wrath abides upon you. Therefore how can you bear the Face to come to Jesus Christ.
