Quest.

Anfw.

Object.

Anfw.

Ye have read that the Lord Chrift is a fuccouring Chrift: fhall I need to invite you to come unto him? Ye have read how able he is: and willing he is to fuccour. His heart is bent to fuccour you, his arms ore open, his bofom is open, his heart is open to poor tempted fouls that they may receive fuccour from him. Oh! therefore, you that are tempted, Come unto Jefus Chrift that you may be fuccoured by him, Come unto Chrift, Come unto Chrift alone.

You will fay, But does be fuccour all that are tempted? why then are any damned?

Some men will not come unto him: Te will not come unto me, that ye may have life. Some com: unto him, but make an half Chrift of him: They won't come under great temptations, then they are afraid, and then they despair: They won't come under fmall temptations, then they defpife: But for middleing temptations, thofe they will come to Chrift for fuccour in; and thus they make a half Chrift of him. Some come to him as to a Mofes, make a conditional Chrift of him: they must have their own Preparations, and Humiliations before they come unto him, or else they will not come unto him. But beloved! ye know what the Apostle faies, in the 7. of the Hebrews: He is able to fave unto the uttermost those that come to God by him. Those that come to God by Him: if you come unto Him, he will faccour.

But my temptation is an Old temptation,an Ancient temptation; I bave gone undes fears, and temptations for many years together, 1 may fay, almoft my whol life: and will Jefus Chrift fuccour such a one as I am?

Pray what think you of the verfe that goes before the text? reade it, and confider it: the 14. and the 15. verses. He bim felf took part of the fame, that through death he might defroy him that had the power of death, that is, the Devil. And (at the 15. verfe) Deliver them from Satan that were all their life time fubject to bondage. That he might deliver them from Satan, that were all their life time fubje&t to bondage: in

fear

fear of death, and all their life time fubje& to bondage.

Art thou therefore, a man or woman, that hath gone up and down all thy daies, in fear of death, and fear of Hell, and been in bondage all thy life time? See, he came to deliver fuch fouls, fuch tempted fouls as thefe are Chrift came to deliver.

Ob! But my temptation is not a bare temptation, there's much Object. affliction that is mixt withal: and will be deliver those?

Yes, you know how it was with Jacob: Jacob uled indirect means to get the bleffing; Efan's heart rofe against him: Jacob flies for it; when he was in the field, in the night, then Chrift appears to him: A Ladder, whofe top was in Heaven (the Deity) the bottom on Earth (the Humanity) and Angels afcending and defcending. All the while he was in his fathers houfe, he never had this Vision of Christ, but now, when he lay in the open field, Chrift appears for his fuccour by his Angels thus.

Anfw.

Ob! but my temptation is not fuch; but my temptation is mixt Object. with much Corruption; Ihave a Proud heart, an Unclean heart, afroward beart: Will the Lord Jefus Chriftlay fuch a wretched beart as mine is in his bofom? Ob! will be fuccour fuch a foul as I

am?

For anfwer to this, I pray confider thefe Three things with me. The Lord Jefus Chrift is a fuccouring Christ have read: And

ye

First, He will fuccour tempted finners moft, when they are most tempted. When the Child is fick, and when the Child is moft fick, then the mother comes forth and fuccours it, then love fits upon the bed-fide, then love laies the Child in her bofom. And (faies he) in the 66. chapter of Efay, and the 13. verfe: As one whom his mother comforteth, fo will I comfort you.

Again, He will not only fuccour thus: But he will fuccour you that are tempted, when you cannot fuccour your felves ; when your own thoughts cannot fuccour you, when your own thoughts dare not fuccour you, or when your own thoughts trample upon your Evidences, and when your

Answ.

I.

2.

3.

own thoughts fhall make a Mutiny in your hearts, and fet al on fire: In the multitude of my thoughts thy word comforts my Soul. The Lord knows how to deliver in the time of temptation, though you do not know; and when you do not know it, then he knows, and then he will deliver when you know not. Reade again the fame place, the 13. verfe of the 66. of Efay. As one whom his mother comforteth fo will I comfort you. Who are those? (faies he) at the 5. verfe. Hear the word of the Lord, ye that tremble at his word, and you that are caft out by your brethren: As one whom his mother Comforteth, fo will I comfort you you that lie and tremble before the promife, and dare not draw neer unto it, As a mother comforteth, fo will I comfort you.

Thirdly, He will not only fuccour thus: but he will fuccour poor tempted fouls with a Notwithstanding; Notwithstanding all their failings, Notwithstanding all their infirmities. Jofeph, a Type of Chrift, his brethren fold him away, he indured much mifery: Afterward his brethren came to want; and they go down to Egypt to him; and when they came there, Jofeph fuccours them, Notwithstan ding all their former unkindneffe; I am your brother JoSeph, I am Jofeph your brother; 'tis true, you fold me, and thus and thus you dealt by me; but you are come for fuccour, and I will fuccour you with a Notwithstanding. So fates the Lord Jefus Chrift; Poor tempted foul, I know how thou haft dealt by me, how thou haft fold me, how thou haft neglected me, how thou haft crucified me but I will fuccour thee with a Notwithstanding, Notwithstanding all thy guilt, and all thy fear, I will fuccour thee with a Notwithstanding

Three great fuccours that the fewes had in the wilderneß: Succour from the Rock, that gave out water: Succour against their Thirft. Succour from the Mannab that came down from Heaven fuccour against their Hunger. Succour from the Brafen-ferpent: from the fiery ferpents that stung them. All thefe Three were great Types of Christ. And the Rock was Chrift, faies the Apoftle. And faies Chrift

himfelfe:

himself: I am the bread, (fpeaking of the Mannah.) And when I am lifted up, (Speaking of the brafen ferpent, alluding to it.) Now look into the ftory and you will find; God did not give out thefe fuccours to them till they murmur; in the 15. of Exodus there they murmur, and murmur, and murmur, and then God opened the rock, and God gave them water notwithstanding. And in the 16 of Exodus, there he gives them bread. And in the 17. there he opens the rock but firft they murmered; the Lord gave them thefe fuccours with a Notwithstanding. The thing that I mean is this: Will the Lord give them a Typicall Chrift for their fuccour, with a Notwithstanding ? and will he not give poor tempted fouls the Real Chrift with a Notwithstanding, Notwithstanding all if they do come unto him, if tempted fouls do but come unto him? Oh! what a mighty incouragement is here unto all poor tempted fouls to come unto Jefus Chrift? Oh! you, Come unto Jefus Chrift, you that never came unto Jefus Christ, Come unto Jefus Chrift, you fhall find him a fuccouring Christ.

Secondly, If this Doctrine be true what ground of ftrong Confolation is here unto all the Saints? Oh! you that are the fervants of God, children of God; you that are Saints, will you ever doubt of Chrifts love again? will you ever fuffer your hearts to lie under the preffure of defpondent fears again? Doubting arifes from ignorance, mistakes of Chrift; we put Efau's cloathes upon him; we make him an Angel of darknefs and then we fear him. Ye don't look upon him as a fuccouring Chrift, and therefore you are fo full of Doubtings: or if you do, you don't a&uate your confiderations, and your notions on him.

Beloved! Either there is a truth in this Doctrine; or elfe there is not. If there be not, what mean all the proofs that ye have had? And if there be a truth, if the Lord Je fus Chrift be a fuccouring Chrift to tempted fouls; why then should you not triumph in him? aud fay, Well, nothing shall feparate me from the love of God in Jefus Christ:

2.

Quest.

Anfw.

Quest.

Answ.

1

I am perfwaded, I am perswaded, that neither death, nor life, nor Angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things prefent, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to feparate me from the love of God which is in Christ Jefus our Lord. Thus Paul reafoned in the 8. of the Romans. And I pray mark it; Who then fball separate us? (faies he at the 35.verfe) fball tribulation, or diftreß, or perfecution, or famine, or nakedneß, or peril, or sword? Nay in all these things we are more than Conquerers, through him that loved us. I am perfwaded, that neither death, nor life, &c. Whence did arife this perfwafion? (at the 33. verfe) Who fball lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect? it is God that justifieth. (Mark) He does not fay, 'Tis God that juftifies me; but only in the general, 'Tis God that juftifieth: Who is be that condemneth? It is Cbrift that died. He does not say, 'Tis Chrift that died for me but 'cis Chrift that died.

You will fay, I, indeed, if I could fay, That God juftifies me; and Chrift died for me; then I would fay with Paul, That nothing Shall feparate.

Paul raifes his perfwafion thus; 'Tis God that juftifies, and'tis Chrift that died.

I but, was there any temptation, in any of all these that Paul Speaks on?

Yes fure: Why does he fay elfe, That in all these things we are more than conquerers? There is an adverfarys power in this. And what think you when he faies, That neither life, nor death, nor Angels, nor principalities, and powers? Does not the Devil come in there, under principalities and powers? Neither does he fay thas; I'le hope well now, That becaufe Chrift dies, and 'tis God that juftifies; l'le hope well: No, but Iam perfwaded, none of all thefe fhall feparate me from the love of God in Chrift. Though I have feared, I will fear no more. Thus he makes his Triumph. Oh! what ftrong confolation is here to all the Saints? You that are the tempted Saints of God, do not your hearts burn, and glow within you with love to Jefus Chrift? and will you queftion his love to you? Did Chrift come and

fuccour