It was Austin's Complaint in his Time of many of his Hearers, that Christum assequi, to have Christ was pleasing to them; but sequi Christum, to follow Christ, this was heavy. To close with Christ's Person, is sweet to many; but to close with his Will, and to come to him that he would give them a Heart to lie under it, this Benefit they desire not. All Christ is useless and needless; but something from Christ is precious to them: For the Lord Jesus sake, Beloved, take heed of this Delusion. If any Thing have been bought for us at a dear Rate, and cost much; if the Man should offer to hold any Part of it back, we will not abate him any Thing, we will have it all, because it cost dear: I tell you, Pardon of Sin, Peace with ⟨p. 155⟩God, the Adoption of Sons, the Spirit of Grace, Perseverance to the End, the Kingdom of Glory, the Riches of Mercy, have been bought for you by a dear and great Price, the precious Blood of Christ; and therefore if the Justice of God should hold back any Thing, or thy own Belief tell thee these are too great and many for so vile a Creature as thou art to enjoy, yet abate the Lord nothing; say thou art vile, yet Christ's Blood that bought not some, but all these, is very precious, and therefore take them all to thy self, as thy Portion for ever, and bless the Lord, as David doth, Psal. 16.7. that gave thee this Counsel. Whiles you are in Peace, it may be you may neglect so great Salvation; but the Time of Distress and Anguish may come wherein you may feel a Need of all, even of those hidden Depths of Mercy above your Reach and Reason; and therefore, as Bees gather in your Honey in Summer Time, and with Joseph lay up in these Times of Plenty, wherein the exceeding Riches of Grace is opened and poured out at your Heels, for those Times of approaching Famine, and for those many Years of spiritual Desertion and Distress, wherein you may think, Can it stand with the Honour of God to save such a poor sinful Creature as I am? What Iron Heart is not drawn by this Love, for the Lord to invite you to possess all or nothing? Dives in Hell was desirous of a Drop to cool his Tongue, and behold the very Depths and Seas of Grace are opened for thee to come in and partake of, if the Lord Jesus should be offered unto thee to pardon some Sins, but not all; to pardon all Sins, but not to heal thy Nature also; or to heal some Backslidings, but not all;
It was Austin's Complaint in his Time of many of his Hearers, that Christum assequi, to have Christ was pleasing to them; but sequi Christum, to follow Christ, this was heavy. To close with Christ's Person, is sweet to many; but to close with his Will, and to come to him that he would give them a Heart to lie under it, this Benefit they desire not. All Christ is useless and needless; but something from Christ is precious to them: For the Lord Jesus sake, Beloved, take heed of this Delusion. If any Thing have been bought for us at a dear Rate, and cost much; if the Man should offer to hold any Part of it back, we will not abate him any Thing, we will have it all, because it cost dear: I tell you, Pardon of Sin, Peace with ⟨p. 155⟩God, the Adoption of Sons, the Spirit of Grace, Perseverance to the End, the Kingdom of Glory, the Riches of Mercy, have been bought for you by a dear and great Price, the precious Blood of Christ; and therefore if the Justice of God should hold back any Thing, or thy own Belief tell thee these are too great and many for so vile a Creature as thou art to enjoy, yet abate the Lord nothing; say thou art vile, yet Christ's Blood that bought not some, but all these, is very precious, and therefore take them all to thy self, as thy Portion for ever, and bless the Lord, as David doth, Psal. 16.7. that gave thee this Counsel. Whiles you are in Peace, it may be you may neglect so great Salvation; but the Time of Distress and Anguish may come wherein you may feel a Need of all, even of those hidden Depths of Mercy above your Reach and Reason; and therefore, as Bees gather in your Honey in Summer Time, and with Joseph lay up in these Times of Plenty, wherein the exceeding Riches of Grace is opened and pour'd out at your Heels, for those Times of approaching Famine, and for those many Years of spiritual Desertion and Distress, wherein you may think, Can it stand with the Honour of God to save such a poor sinful Creature as I am? What Iron Heart is not drawn by this Love, for the Lord to invite you to possess all or nothing? Dives in Hell was desirous of a Drop to cool his Tongue, and behold the very Depths and Seas of Grace are opened for thee to come in and partake of, if the Lord Jesus should be offered unto thee to pardon some Sins, but not all; to pardon all Sins, but not to heal thy Nature also; or to heal some Backslidings, but not all;
