Evidence 2. The truth of this assertion further appears from the encouraging promises made by Christ unto all who are thus made willing to come unto him. All the promises ^vith one mouth, assure the willing sinner of a welcome with Christ ; so doth that glorious promise, to which so many thousand souls have been beholden for encouragement and help at their first coming to Christ ; John vi. 37, 38. " All that the Father giveth me, shall " come to me ; and him that cometh to me, I will in no wise *' cast out : For I came down from heaven not to do mine own will, " but the will of him that sent me." Note here, (1.) That this is not a promise made to them that are already in Christ, that they shall never be cast out by apostasy, or final desertion ; but it is a promise made to coming souls, to such as are moving towards Christ, under great discouragements, fears and tremblings. When a poor sinner looks to Christ, sees his fulness and suitableness, and sees the pinching need and want of him ; O, saith he, that I had an interest in him, though I should beg my bread in desolate places ! But looking into his own heart, and seeing such a heap of guilt and un worthiness there, then saith he, how can I think that ever Jesus Christ will come into such a heart as this ? These are the persons upon whom this promise casts an encouraging aspect. (2.) And because the fears of such poor creatures are dou- ble to the fears that others have, Christ hath put a double negative into this promise for the souPs encouragement ; " I will not, in " no case, or at any hand, cast out such a soul as this." (3.) And to put all out of doubt, he doth not only assure the soul that he will not, but condescends to give it the reason why he will not cast it out, ver. 38. " I came down from heaven not to do mine own " will, but the will of him that sent me." As if he should say,
this was the very errand upon which I came down from heaven ; it was my great business to receive all that were made willing to embrace me ; for this I had my Father's commission^ Isa. Ixi. 1. «< To preach good tidings to the meek ; and to bind up the broken- «' hearted ; and to comfort all them that mourn.'*' I cannot be faithful to the trust committed to me by my Father, should I shut the door upon such souls. How can Christ comfort the soul that mounis, but by opening his arms of mercy to receive it ? If Christ should say to the convinced mourning sinner, hold thy peace, soul, I will give thee riches, honours, and pleasures in the world ; but as for me, thou canst not have union with me. I say, this would never comfort the heart of a convinced sinner ; it is Christ, and none but Christ, can quiet it. Like unto this, is that testimony and promise made on purpose for the encouragement of willing souls, Acts X. 44. " To him give all the prophets ^vitness, that " through his name, whosoever beheveth on him shall receive re- *' mission of sins.'' This you see is a truth confirmed by the testi- mony of all the prophets, who foretold what his gracious readiness to receive poor broken-hearted sinners should be ; and sure they neither did, nor could conspire to deceive the world. These gra- cious assurances and promises cut off all pleas against faith, from the greatness of sin ; and why should we except, where God hath not excepted ? Had Christ said, all sinners of such a size and de- gree may come unto me, but let all others stand back, the case had been otherwise ; but this promise assures us, that all the sincerely willing, shall be truly welcome to Jesus Christ. Moreover, these universal promises take away all fear and doubt of presumption in coming to Christ. That is the case of many a poor soul. I am afraid I am running out of despair into presumption ; I doubt I am an imbidden, and therefore shall be an unwelcome guest to Christ. All this is prevented and cut off by these sweet universal terms in- serted on purpose in these promises for our encouragement. That is the second evidence of this truth.
Evidence 3. The willingness of Christ to receive the willing soul, how many and great soever its sins and unworthiness be, appears from the actual gTants of pardon and mercy, even to the vilest sin- ners that ever were upon the earth, when they thus came unto him. Here you see how the waters of free-grace rise higher and higher. An invitation is much ; a promise of welcome is more ; but the actual grant of mercy is most satisfying of all. Come on, poor trembling soul, do not be discouraged, stretch out the small weak arms of thy faith to that great and gracious Redeemer ; open thy heart wide to receive him ; he Avjll not refuse to come in. He hath sealed thousands of pardons to as vile wretches as thyself; he never yet shut the door of mercy upon a willing, hungering soul. It is a