CHAPTER VIII.

MISERY OF THOSE WHO DO NOT COME.

Now, we have yet to inquire into two things that lie in the words, to which there hath been nothing said: As, I. What it is to cast out; II. How it appears that Christ hath power to save, or to cast out.

For the first of these, What it is to cast out. To this I will speak, 1. Generally; 2. More particularly.

1. To cast out, is to slight, and despise, and contemn; and as it is said of Saul's shield, it was 66 vilely cast away," that is, slighted and contemned; thus it is with the sinners that come not to Jesus Christ. He slights, despises, and contemns them; that is, "casts them away." 2 Sam. i. 21.

Things cast away are reputed as menstruous cloths, and as the dirt of the street. Isa. xxx. 22; Psalm xviii. 42; Matt. v. 13; xv. 17. And thus it shall be with the men that come not to Jesus Christ, they shall be counted as menstruous, and as the dirt in the streets.

To be cast out, or off, is to be abhorred, not to be pitied, but to be put to perpetual shame. Psalm xliv. 9; Psalm lxxxix. 38; Amos. i. 11.

But, to come to the text: The casting out here mentioned, is not limited to this or the other evil; therefore it must be extended to the most extreme and utmost misery. Or, thus: -He that cometh to Christ, shall not want any thing that may make him spiritually happy in this world, or that which is to come; nor shall he, that cometh not, want any thing that may make him spiritually and eternally miserable. For the things that are now. It is to be cast out of the presence and favor of God. Thus was Cain cast out; "Thou

hast driven (or cast) me out this day; from thy face (that is, from thy favor) shall I be hid." A dreadful complaint! But the effect of a more dreadful judgment! Gen. iv. 13, 14; Jer. xxiii. 39; 1 Chron. xxviii. 9.

To be cast out, is to be cast out of God's oversight. God will look after them no more, care for them no more; nor will he watch over them any more for good. 2 Kings xvii. 20; Jer. vii. 15. Now they that are so, are left like blind men, to wander and fall into the pit of hell.

This therefore is also a sad judgment! Therefore here is the mercy of him that cometh to Christ. He shall not be left to wander at uncertainties. The Lord Jesus Christ will keep him as a shepherd doth his sheep. Psalm xxiii. "Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out."

To be cast out, is to be denied a place in God's house; and to be left as fugitives and vagabonds, to pass a little time away in this miserable life, and after that to go down to the dead. Gal. iv. 30; Gen. iv. 13, 14; xxi. 10. Therefore here is the benefit of him that cometh to Christ, he shall not be denied a place in God's house. They shall not be left like vagabonds in the world. "Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out." See Prov. xiv. 26; Isa. lvi. 3-5; Eph. ii. 19-22; 2 Cor. i. 3, 21, 22.

In a word, To be cast out, is to be rejected as are the fallen angels: for their eternal damnation began at their being cast down from heaven to hell. So then, Not to be cast out, is to have a place, a house and habitation in heaven; and to have a share in the privileges of elect angels.

These words, therefore, "I will not cast out," will prove great words one day, to them that come to Jesus Christ. 2 Pet. ii. 4; Luke xx. 35, 36.

And more particularly:

1. Christ hath everlasting life for him that cometh to him, and he shall never perish; for he will in no wise cast him

out. But for the rest, they are rejected, cast out, and must be damned. John x. 27, 28.

2. Christ hath everlasting righteousness to clothe them with, that come to him, and they shall be covered with it as with a garment. But the rest shall be found in the filthy rags of their own pollutions, and shall be wrapped up in them, as in a winding-sheet, and so bear their shame before the Lord, and also before the angels. Dan. xii. 2; Isa. lvii. 2; Rev. iii. 4, 18; xvi. 15.

3. Christ hath precious blood, that, like an open fountain, stands free for him to wash in that comes to him for life; "And he will in no wise cast him out." But they that come not to him are rejected from a share therein, and are left to ireful vengeance for their sins. Zech. xiii. 1; 1 Pet. i. 18, 19; John xiii. 8; iii. 36.

4. Christ hath precious promises, and they shall have a share in them that come to him for life; for "he will in no wise cast them out." But they that come not, can have no share in them, because they are true only in him; for in him, and only in him, all the promises are "yea and amen." Wherefore they that come not to him, are no whit the better for them. Psalm 1. 16; 2 Cor. i. 20, 21.

5. Christ hath also fulness of grace in himself for them that come to him for life: "And he will in no wise cast them out?" But those that come not unto him, are left in their graceless state; and as Christ leaves them, death, hell, and judgment, find them. "He that findeth me," saith Christ, "findeth life, and shall obtain favor of the Lord. But he that sins against me, wrongeth his own soul: all that hate me, love death." Prov. viii. 33, 34, 36.

6. Christ is an intercessor and ever liveth to make intercession for them that come to God by him.

sorrows shall be multiplied, that hasten after

But "their

other gods"

(their sins and lusts). "Their drink-offerings will he not

offer, nor take up their names into his lips. Psalm xvi. 4; Heb. vii. 25.

7. Christ hath wonderful love, bowels, and compassion, for those that come to him: for "he will in no wise cast them out." But the rest will find him a lion rampant: he will one day tear them all to pieces. "Now consider this," saith he, "ye that forget God, lest I tear you in pieces and there be none to deliver you." Psalm 1. 22.

8. Christ is known, and for his sake those that come to him, have their persons and performances accepted of, the Father: "And he will in no wise cast them out." But the rest must fly to the rocks and mountains for shelter, but all in vain, to hide them from his face and wrath. Rev. vi. 15-17.

But again, these words "cast out," have a special look to what will be hereafter, even at the day of judgment: for then, and not till then, will be the great anathema and casting out made manifest, even manifest by execution. Therefore here to speak to this, and that under these two heads: as, I. Of the casting out itself; II. Of the place into which they shall be cast, that shall then be cast out.

First, the casting out itself standeth in two things. 1. In a preparatory work. 2. In the manner of executing the act. The preparatory work standeth in these things.

It standeth in the separation of them that have not come to him from them that have, at that day. Or thus, at the· day of the great casting out, those that have not (now) come to him, shall be separated from them that have; for them that have, he will not cast out. "When the Son of Man shall come in his glory, and all his holy angels with him, then he shall sit upon the throne of his glory, and before him shall be gathered all nations, and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats." Matt. xxv. 31, 32.

This dreadful separation therefore shall then be made

THE FINAL REJECTION.

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betwixt them that (now) come to Christ, and them that come not and good reason; for since they would not with us come to him, now they have time; why should they stand with us, when judgment is come?

They shall be placed before him according to their condition; they that have come to him, in great dignity even at his right hand; "for he will in no wise cast them out;" but the rest shall be set at his left hand, the place of disgrace and shame; for they did not come to him for life.

Distinguished also shall they be by fit terms of similitude: these that come to him he calleth the sheep, but the rest are frowish goats. "And he shall separate them one from another, as the shepherd divideth the sheep from the goats: and the sheep will be set on the right hand (next heaven gate, for they came to him), but the goats on the left;" to go from him into hell, because they are not of his sheep.

Then will Christ proceed to conviction of those that came not to him, and will say, "I was a stranger, and ye took me not in," or did not come unto me. Their excuse of themselves he will slight as dirt, and proceed to their final judgment.

Now when these wretched rejectors of Christ shall thus be set before him in their sins, and convicted, this is the preparatory work. Upon which follows the manner of executing the act, both which will be done,-in the presence of all the holy angels, and in the presence of all them that in their life time came to him,-by saying unto them, "Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels." And this shall be said with the reason annexed to it: 'for you were cruel to me and mine :' “For I was a hungered, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not." Matt. xxv. 41, &c. Now it remains that we speak of the place into which