CHAPTER VI.

BACKSLIDERS ALSO MUST COME.

"AND him that cometh." There are two sorts of sinners

that are coming to Jesus Christ. 1. Him that hath never, until of late, at all begun to come. 2. Him that came formerly, and after that went back; but hath since bethought himself, and is now coming again.

Both these sorts of sinners are intended by the "him" in the text, as is evident: because both are now the coming sinners.

For the first of these. The sinner that hath never, until of late, begun to come, his way is more easy (I do not say, more plain and open), to come to Christ than is the other; not having the clog of a guilty conscience for the sin of backsliding, hanging at his heels. But all the encouragement of the gospel, with what invitations are therein contained to coming sinners, are as free and as open to the one as the other; so that they may with the same freedom and liberty, as from the word, both alike claim interest in the promise. "All things are ready (all things for the coming backsliders, as well as for the others), come to the marriage. "And let him that is athirst come.' .” Matt. xxii. 1–5; Rev. xxii. 17.

But having spoken to the first of these already, I shall here pass it by; and shall speak a word or two to him that after backsliding, is coming to Jesus Christ for life.

Thy way, O thou sinner of a double dye, thy way is open to come to Jesus Christ. I mean thee, whose heart, after backsliding, doth think of turning again. Thy way, I say,

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is open to him, as is the way of the other sorts of comers; as appears by what follows.

1. Because the text makes no exception against thee. It doth not say, 'And any him, but a backslider; any him, but him.' The text doth not thus object, but indefinitely openeth wide its golden arms to every coming soul, without the least exception. Therefore thou mayst come. And take heed that thou shut not that door against thy soul by unbelief, which God has opened by his grace.

2. Nay, the text is so far from excepting against thy coming, that it strongly suggesteth, that thou art one of the souls intended, O thou coming backslider. Else what need that clause have been so inserted, "I will in no wise cast out?" As if he should say, Though those that come now, are such as have formerly backslidden. I will in no wise cast away the fornicator, the covetous, the railer, the drunkard, or other common sinners, that come to me for mercy, nor yet the backslider neither.

3. That the backslider is intended, is evident, moreover, for that he is sent to by name. "Go, tell his disciples, and Peter." Mark xvi. 7. 'But Peter (say you) was a godly man.' True, but he was also a backslider, yea, a desperate backslider: he had denied his Master once, twice, thrice, cursing and swearing that he knew him not. If this was not backsliding, if this was not a high and eminent backsliding, yea, a higher backsliding than thou art capable of, I have thought amiss.

Again, when David had backslidden, and had committed adultery and murder in his backsliding, he must be sent to by name. "And," saith the text, "the Lord sent Nathan to David." And he sent him to tell him, after he had brought him to unfeigned acknowledgment, "The Lord hath also put away," or forgiven, "thy sin." 2 Sam. xii. 1, 13. This man also was far gone: he took a man's wife, and killed her husband, and endeavored to cover all with

wicked dissimulation. He did this, I say, after his God exalted him, and showed him great favor: wherefore his transgression was greatened also by the prophet with mighty aggravations. Yet he was accepted, and that with gladness, at the first step he took in his returning to Christ. For the first step of the backslider's return is to say, sensibly and unfeignedly, "I have sinned:" but he had no sooner said thus, but a pardon was pronounced, yea, thrust into his bosom. "And Nathan said unto David, The Lord hath also put away thy sin."

As the person of the backslider is mentioned by name, so also is his sin, that, if possible, thy objections against thy returning to Christ, may be taken out of the way. I say, thy sin also is mentioned by name; and mixed, as mentioned, with words of grace and favor. "I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely." Hos. xiv. 4. What sayst thou now, backslider?

Nay farther, thou art not only mentioned by name, and thy sin by the nature of it; but thou thyself who art a returning backslider, put amongst God's Israel. "Return, thou backsliding Israel, saith the Lord, and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you: for I am merciful saith the Lord, and will not keep anger for ever." Jer. iii. 12. Thou art put among his children; among his children to whom he is married. "Turn, O backsliding children; for I am married unto you." Jer. iii. 14. Yea, after all this, as if his heart was so full of grace for them, that he was pressed until he had uttered it before them, he adds, “Return, ye backsliding children, and I will heal your backsliding." Nay, farther, the Lord hath considered, that the shame of thy sin hath stopped thy mouth, and made thee almost a prayerless man: and therefore he saith unto thee, "Take with you words and turn to the Lord: and say unto him, take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously.” See his grace, that himself should put words of encourage

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ment into the heart of a backslider. As he saith in another place, "I taught Ephraim to go, taking him by the arms." This is teaching him to go indeed, to hold him up by the arms, by the chin, as we say. Hos. xiv. 1–4.

From what hath been said, I conclude, even as I said before, that the "him" in the text, "and him that cometh," includeth both these sorts of sinners, the newly awakened and the backsliders, and therefore both should freely come.

Quest. But where doth Jesus Christ, in all the words of the New Testament, expressly speak to a returning backslider with words of grace and peace? for what you have urged as yet, from the New Testament, is nothing but consequences drawn from this single text. Indeed it is a full text for carnal ignorant sinners that come; but to me who am a backslider, it yieldeth little relief.'

Answ. 1. How! but little encouragement from the text, when it is said, "I will in no wise cast out!" What more I could have been said? What is here omitted that might have been inserted, to make the promise more full and free? Nay, take all the promises in the Bible, all the freest promises, with all the variety of expressions of what nature or extent soever, and they can but amount to the expression of this very promise. "I will in no wise cast out," that is, 'I will for nothing, by no means, upon no account, however they have sinned, however they have backslidden, however they have provoked, cast out the coming sinner.' But,

2. Thou sayst, where doth Jesus Christ, in all the words of the New Testament, speak to a returning backslider with words of grace and peace; that is, under the name of a backslider?

Answ. Where there is such plenty of examples in receiving backsliders, there is the less need for express words to that intent. One promise, as the text is, with those examples that are annexed, is instead of many promises.

And besides, I reckon that the act of receiving is of as

much, if not of more encouragement, than is a bare promise to receive; for receiving is as the promise, and the fulfilling of it too; so that in the Old Testament thou hast the promise, and in the New, the fulfilling of it; and that in divers examples.

1. In Peter. Peter denied his Master, once, twice, thrice, and that with an open oath: yet Christ receives him again without any the least stick or hesitation. Yea, he slips, stumbles, falls again, in downright dissimulation, and that to the hurt and fall of many others; but neither of this doth Christ make a bar to his salvation, but receives him again at his return, as if he knew nothing of the fault. Gal. ii.

2. The rest of his disciples, even all of them, did backslide and leave the Lord Jesus in his greatest straits. “Then all the disciples forsook him and fled;" they returned (as he foretold) "every one to his own, and left him alone." But this also he passes over as a very light matter: not that it was so indeed in itself, but the abundance of grace that was in him did lightly roll it away; for after his resurrection, when first he appeared unto them, he gives them not the least check for their perfidious dealings with him, but salutes them with words of grace, saying, "All hail; be not afraid; peace be to you; all power in heaven and earth is given unto me." True, he rebuked them for their unbelief (for which also thou deservest the same): for it is unbelief that alone puts Christ and his benefits from us. Matt. xxvi. 56; John xvi. 32; Matt. xxviii. 9-11; Luke xxiv. 39; Mark xvi. 14.

3. The man that, after a large profession, had his father's wife, committed a high transgression, even such a one that at that day was not heard of, no not among the Gentiles. Wherefore this was a desperate backsliding; yet, at his return he was received, and accepted again to mercy. 1 Cor. v. 1, 2; 2 Cor. ii. 6–8.

4. The thief that stole was bid to steal no more; not at