But behold, he doth again begin to see his own
nakedness, and he perceives that the law is whetting his axe: as for
the world, he perceives it is a bubble; he also smells the smell of
brimstone, for God hath scattered it upon his tabernacle and it
begins to burn within him. "Oh," saith he, "I am deluded; Oh, I am
ensnared. My first sight of things was true. I see it so again." Now
he begins to be for flying again to his first refuge: "O God," saith
he, "I am undone; I have turned from thy truth to lies; I believed
them such at first, and find them such at last: have mercy upon me,
O God."
This, I say, is a testimony, a second testimony by the same man.
"And him that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out." I shall
here speak a word or two to him that is coming, after backsliding,
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 long backsliding, doth
think of turning to him again. Thy way, I say, 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 one but a backslider; any one but him." The text doth
not thus object, but indefinitely openeth wide its golden arms to
every coming soul, without the least exception.
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