Evidence 5. The truth of this conclusion will also evidently appear from the innate characters and properties of the gi'ace and pardoning mercy of God towards penitent and hungering sinners. Now there are three glorious characters of Divine grace, which do all assure such sinners of welcome to Christ, whatever they have been or done. The grace of God shines forth in scripture in three illus- trious characters.
1. As superabounding grace,
3. As grace exercised with delight.
1. It is superabounding grace. Waters do not so abound in the ocean, nor light in the sun, as grace and compassion do in the bow- els of God towards broken-hearted and hungry sinners, Isa. Iv. 6. " Let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon " him ; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon." The compassions of our God inserted that word on purpose to relieve poor souls, fainting under the sense of their abounding iniquities. Here is abundant pardon for abounding guilt ; and yet, lest a des- ponding sinner should not find enough here to quiet his fears, the Lord goes yet farther in the expression of his grace, Rom. v. 20. " Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound."" It over- flowed all the bounds, it rose quite above the high-water mark of sin and guilt ; but these overflowings of grace run only through that channel of all grace, Jesus Christ, to broken-hearted and obedier^t sinners.
2. The grace of God to such souls is free ; every way free ; k is the very design of the gospel to exhibit it in this its glory. It costs you nothing but acceptance ; it is free without merit ; yea, free against merit. You can desei*ve nothing of God, therefore his grace is iree without merit ; yea, you have deserved hell a^ oi-
ten as you have sinned against him, and so it is free against merit, If a pardon were to be purchased by us, we want a stock for such a purchase ; neither can we borrow from men or angels a sufficient sum for such a purchase ; blessed be God therefore, that it flows freely to us without money and witliout price, Isa. Iv. 2.
3. Grace glories in another property also, which is very encou- raging to the soul of a drooping sinner, viz. That it is the darling attribute which God greatly delights to exercise. The tender mother draws not out her aching breast with such delight to her hungry crying child, as the Lord doth his mercy and compassion to broken-hearted and hungry sinners. In this attribute, and in this property of it, his people therefore admire him, Micah vii. 18. " Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and pas- " seth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage ? he re- '* taineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy." You cannot put Jesus Christ upon a more delightful employment, than to bind up the wounds, and set the broken bones of poor con- vinced humbled sinners. Let every such soul come to Christ and welcome ; for he greatly delights in such employments.
Evidence 6. Such sinners need not doubt a welcome reception with Christ ; for should he reject, and turn back such as these, then none can have the benefit of his blood ; and, consequently, it must be shed in vain, as water spilt upon the ground. The blood of Christ is invaluably precious, and it cannot be lost ; it were a desperate impeachment of the wisdom and goodness of God to think so ; yet so it must be, if broken-hearted and willing souls be rejected and turned back from him. There are but two sorts in all the world, viz. hardened, and broken-hearted sinners ; willing and unwilling sinners. The whole world falls into these two ranks. As for impenitent, hardened, and obstinate sinners, it is certain they can have no benefit by the blood of Christ ; they shall die in their sins; the gospel cuts them off (so continuing) from all expecation of pardon and mercy. Now there is but one sort of sinners more left in the world, and they are convinced and humbled sinners, who are made heartily willing to receive Christ upon his own terms ; who stretch forth the hands of their desires to him, and pant after an interest in him. Should Christ reject these also, who then shall receive the benefit of his blood ? did Christ die in vain ? or can the counsels of heaven prove abortive ? No ; fear not therefore to go to Christ, thou broken-hearted sinner, thou poor panting, longing soul ; fear not, he will not cast thee out.
Evidence 7. Moreover, for the encouragement of all such souls, mercy and pardon are designed for, and bestowed upon, the great- est and vilest of sinners ; to enhance and raise the ^ovy of free
grace to the highest pitch. God picks out such sinners as you are, on purpose to illustrate the glory of his grace in and upon you : he knows that you, to whom so much is forgiven, will love much, Luke vii. 47. Ye that have done so much against his name and glory, will excel others in zeal and obedience, 1 Cor. xv. 9, 10. You will go beyond others in service for God, as you have done in sinning against him. All these things laid together make up a full demonstration of the point. That Jesus Christ zvill not refuse to come into the soul of the vilest sinner, when once it is made heartily willing to open ufito him : which was the thing to be proved ; and now our way is open to the application of the point, which will be exceeding useful for information, exhortation, and consolation,
I. Use, for Information,
Infer. 1. Learn hence, what an invaluable mercy it is to enjoy the gospel in its light and liberty, which is so great a relief to the distressed consciences of sinners.