3. It presseth you again to a like readiness in Christ's service as the Lord Christ showed in the service of our souls. Why should we be so backward to come to the throne of grace, when Jesus Christ was not backward to go to the cross ? We go grudgingly when he went so willingly to suffer for us. When the business was propounded to him, he said, Ps. xl. 7, 8, ' Lo, I come ; in the volume of the book it is written of me, I delight to do thy will, 0 my God.' So when there is a warm suggestion upon your hearts : Ps. xxvii. 8, ' Thou saidst. Seek my face ; my heart said unto thee, Thy face. Lord, will I seek.'' * Lord, what wilt thou have me to do ? ' said Paul when he surrendered him- self up to God, Acts ix. 6. If Christ was longing. When will the world be made, and the bounds of their habitation fixed, that I might dwell with them ? Oh ! we do not long for heaven as Christ longed for earth. He could expect nothing but hard usage, grief, and death ; he came to taste the vinegar and gall, and we do not long to taste of the feast of love. If love brought down Christ to us, why cannot it carry us up to God ? When you are backward to believe and pray, let it shame you that Christ was so willing. And in the Lord's supper, let it shame us that we have less appetite to feast our souls with the benefits of the cross than Christ had to endure the death of the cross. Can we say with Christ, ' With desire have I desired to eat this pass- over ? ' Here is a cup of consolation tempered with Christ's hand, and we have no earnest groans after it. Christ could say, ' It is my meat to do the will of God ; ' and certainly it should be so to us. In the Lord's prayer, ' Thy will be done,' immediately goes before a petition for daily bread, to show it should be more desirous %r us to do God's will than to eat our daily bread. Christians, when will you learn of Christ ? We plead and stand disputing every inch with God. When you feel any reluctancy and regret of spirit, remember Christ offered up himself willingly. Christ's work was sad work, but he did not say, It is a hard work, and is like to cost me dear, and I shall meet with an unthankful world, and my doctrine is like to be despised among the nations ; he pleaded none of these discouragements. Oh ! when shall we learn to do as Christ, not to reason, but run the ways of God's com- mandments ? Ps. cxix. 10, ' With my whole heart have I sought thee." It is not obedience if it be not willing : Ps. ex. 3, ' Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power.' When difiiculties arise, consider Christ's torment and suffering abated nothing of his love : John xiii. 1,
^ That is, ' desirable.' — Ed,
250 SEKMONS UPON TITUS II. 11-14. [SeR. XX.
' Having loved his own that were in the world, he loved them unto the end.' In the midst of his agonies he still said, Luke xxii. 42, ' Not my will, but thine be done.' Let us be content not only to do but to suffer : 2 Sam. xv. 26, ' Behold, here I am ; let him do to me what seemeth good unto him.'
Use 3. Here is encouragement in believing.
1. In troubles of conscience. Christ willingly offered up himself ; he went as a lamb to the slaughter, therefore he is ' the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world,' John i. 29. Willing sacrifices are acceptable to the Lord ; he loveth a cheerful giver. God had no respect to Cain because he offered, with a grudging mind. The sacri- fice that came to the altar struggling was counted unlucky ; if the beast did roar, or bleat much, or showed much reluctation, it was an omin- ous sign. More particularly the great aggravation of sin is the will- ingness of it ; not the grossness of the act so much as the propension and bent of the will. If thou hast been a willing sinner, and. art now troubled about it, here is a willing saviour ; he suffered as earnestly, and with as much strength of desire, as ever you committed sin: Luke xxii. 15, ' With desire have I desired to eat this passover with you be- fore I suffer.' Stop the mouth of conscience by considering the burn- ing desires of his hearty good-will, with what desire, haste and speed, with what vehemency he did long to suffer.
2. In your prayers and addresses for mercy. He that gave himself for us will he not give us anything ? He that was ready to die, will be ready to help ; ' Lo, I come,' Ps. xl. 7. So when we call upon him : Isa. Iviii. 9, ' Thou shalt call, and the Lord shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say. Here I am ; ' Eev. xxii. 12, ' Behold, I come quickly.' He giveth the same answer to our requests as to the Father's commands. Wait with hojje. Christ, that gave himself for us, will give himself to us.