Remedy (2). The second remedy against this device of Satan is, wisely to consider, That none ever received Christ, embraced Christ, and obtained mercy and pardon from Christ, but unworthy sotds. Pray, what worthiness was in Matthew, Zaccheus, Mary Magdalene, Manasseh, Paul, and Lydia, before their coming to Christ, before their faith in Christ ? Surely none. Ah, sinners ! you should reason thus : Christ hath bestowed the choicest mercies, the greatest favours, the highest dignities, the sweetest privileges, upon unworthy sinners, and therefore, O our souls, do not you faint, do not you despair, but patiently and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord. Who can tell but that free grace and mercy may shine forth upon us, though we are unworthy, and give us a portion among those worthies that are now triumphing in heaven.
Remedy (3). The third remedy against this device of Satan is, That if the soul will keep off from Christ till it be worthy, it will never close with Christ, it will never embrace Christ. It will never be one with Christ, it must lie down in everlasting sorrow, Isa. 1. 11. God hath laid up all worthiness in Christ, that the creature may know where to find it, and may make out after it. There is no way on earth to make unworthy souls worthy, but by believing in Christ, James ii. 23. Believing in Christ, of slaves, it will make you worthy sons; of enemies, it will make you worthy friends. God will count none worthy, nor call none worthy, nor carry it towards none as worthy, but believers, who are made worthy by the worthiness of Christ's person, righteous- ness, satisfaction, and intercession, &c, Rev. iii. 4.
Remedy (4). The fourth remedy against this device of Satan is solemnly to consider, That if you make a diligent search into your own hearts, you shall find that it is the pride and folly of your oivn hearts that puts you upon bringing of a tvorthiness to Christ. Oh ! you would fain bring something to Christ that might render you acceptable to him ; you are loath to come empty-handed. The Lord cries out, ' Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money : come ye, buy and eat ; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money, and without price. Wherefore do ye spend your money upon that which is not bread, and your labour for that which satisfieth not f Isa. lv. 1, 2. Here the Lord calls upon moneyless, upon penniless souls, upon unworthy souls, to come and partake of his precious favours freely. But sinners are proud and foolish, and because they have no money, no worthiness to bring, they will not come, though he sweetly invites them. Ah, sinners! what is more just than that you should perish for ever, that prefer husks among swine before the milk and wine, the sweet and precious things of the gospel, that are freely and
146 PRECIOUS REMEDIES [2 COR. II. 11.'
sweetly offered to you, &c. Well, sinners ! remember this, it is not so much the sense of your unworthiness, as your pride, that keeps you off from a blessed closing with the Lord Jesus.
The third device that Satan hath to keep poor sinners from believ- ing, from closing with a Saviour, is,
Device (3). By suggesting to them the want of such and such 'pre- parations and qualifications. Saith Satan, Thou art not prepared to entertain Christ ; thou art not thus and thus humbled and justified ; thou art not heart-sick of sin ; thou hast not been under horrors and terrors as such and such ; thou must stay till thou art prepared and qualified to receive the Lord Jesus, &c.
Now, the remedies against this device are these :
Remedy (1). The first remedy against this device of Satan is, solemnly to consider, That such as have not been so and so prepared and qualified as Satan suggests, have received Christ, believed in Christ, and been saved by Christ. Matthew was called, sitting at the receipt of custom, and there was such power went along with Christ's call, that made him to follow him, Mat. ix. 9. We read not of any horrors or terrors, &c, that he was under before his being called by Christ. Pray, what preparations and qualifications were found in Zaccheus, Paul, the jailor, and Lydia, before their conversion, Luke xix. 9, Acts xvi. 14, seq. God brings in some by the sweet and still voice of the gospel, and usually such that are thus brought into Christ are the sweetest, humblest, choicest, and fruitfullest Christians. God is a free agent to work by law or gospel, by smiles or frowns, by present- ing hell or heaven to sinners' souls. God thunders from mount Sinai upon some souls, and conquers them by thundering. God speaks to others in a still voice, and by that conquers them. You that are brought to Christ by the law, do not you judge and condemn them that are brought to Christ by the gospel ; and you that are brought to Christ by the gospel, do not you despise those that are brought to Christ by the law. Some are brought to Christ by fire, storms, and tempests, others by more easy and gentle gales of the Spirit. The Spirit is free in the works of conversion, and, as the wind, it blows when, where, and how it pleases, John iii. 8. Thrice happy are those souls that are brought to Christ, whether it be in a winter's night or in a summer's day.
Remedy (2). The second remedy against this device of Satan is, Holemnly To dwell upon these following scriptures, which do clearly evidence that poor sinners which are not so and so prepared and qualified to meet with Christ, to receive and embrace the Lord Jesus Christ, may, notwithstanding that, believe in Christ; and rest and lean upon him for happiness and blessedness, according to the gospel. Read Prov. i. 20-33, and chap. viii. 1-11, and chap. ix. 1-6 ; Ezek. xvi. 1-14; John iii. 14-18, 36 ; Rev. iii. 15-20. Here the Lord Jesus ( 'hrist stands knocking at the Laodiceans' door ; he would fain have them to sup with him, and that he might sup with them ; that is, that they might have intimate communion and fellowship one with another. Now, pray tell me, what preparations or qualifications had these Lao- diceans to entertain Christ ? Surely none ; for they were lukewarm, they were 'neither hot nor cold,' they were ' wretched, and miserable,
2 Cor. II. 11.] against satan's devices. 147
and poor, and blind, and naked;' and yet Christ, to shew his free grace and his condescending love, invites the very worst of sinners to open to him, though they were no ways so and so prepared or qualified to enter- tain him.
Remedy (3). The third remedy against this device of Satan is, seriously to consider, That the Lord does not in all the Scripture re- quire such and such preparations and qualifications before men come to Christ, before they believe in Christ, or entertain, or embrace the Lord Jesus. Believing in Christ is the great thing that God presses upon sinners throughout the Scripture, as all know that know anything of Scripture.