This is somewhat of the word which he now speaks unto you : Why will ye die? why will ye perish? why will you not have compassion on your own souls? Can your hearts endure, or can your hands be strong, in the day of wrath that is approaching? It is but a little while before all your hopes, your reliefs, and presumptions will for- sake you, and leave you eternally miserable. Look unto me, and be saved ; — come unto me, and I will ease you of all sins, sorrows, fears, burdens, and give rest unto your souls. Come, I entreat you ; — lay aside all procrastinations, all delays; — put me off no more; — eternity lies at the door. Cast out all cursed, self- deceiving reserves ; — do not so hate me as that you will rather perish than accept of dehverance by me.
These and the hke things doth the Lord Christ continually declare, proclaim, plead, and urge on the souls of sinners ; as it is fully de- clared, Prov. i. 20-33. He doth it in the preaching of the word, as if he were present with you, stood amongst you, and spake personally to every one of you. And because this would not suit his present state of glory, he hath appointed the ministers of the gospel to appear before you, and to deal with you in his stead, avowing as his own the invitations that are given you in his name, 2 Cor. v. 19, 20.
Consider, therefore, his infinite condescension, grace, and love herein. Why all this towards you? Doth he stand in need of you? Have you deserved it at his hands? Did you love him first? Cannot he be happy and blessed without you? Hath he any design upon you,
STRANGERS TO CHRIST. 423
that he is so earnest in caUing you unto him? Alas! it is nothing but the overflowing of mercy, compassion, and grace, that moves and acts him herein. Here hes the entrance of innumerable souls into a death and condemnation far more severe than those contained in the curse of the law, 2 Cor. ii. 15, 16. In the contempt of this infinite condescension of Christ in his holy invitation of sinners to himself, lies the sting and poison of unbelief, whicli miavoidably gives over the souls of men unto eternal ruin. And who shall once pity them to eternity who are guilty of it? Yea, but, —
5. Perhaps, if you should, on his invitation, begin to look to Him, and resolve to come to him, you are greatly afraid that when it comes to the trial he will not receive you ; for no heart can conceive, no tong-ue can express, what wretched, vile, and provoking sinners you have been. That the Lord Christ will receive unto him such as we are, we have no hopes, or that ever we shall find acceptance with him. I say it is not amiss when persons come so far as to be sen- sible of what discouragements they have to conflict withal, what dif- ficulties lie in their way, and what objections do arise against them ; for the most do perish in a senseless stupidity, — they will not consider how it is with them, what is required of them, nor how it will be in the latter end ; — they doubt not but that either they do believe already, or can do so when they please. But when any come so far as to charge the failure of their acceptance with Christ on their own un- worthiness, and so are discouraged from coming unto him, there are arguments for their conviction and persuasion, which nothing but the devil and unbehef can defeat. Wherefore, that wliich is now pro- posed unto consideration in answer hereunto, is the readiness of Christ to receive every sinner, be he who or what he will, that shall come unto him. And hereof we have the highest evidences that divine wisdom and grace can give unto us. This is the language of the Gospel, of all that the Lord Christ did or suffered, which is recorded therein; — this is the divine testimony of the " three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost ; " and of the " three that bear witness in earth, the spirit, the water, and the blood:" all give their joint testimony, that the Lord Christ is ready to receive all sinners that come to him. They who receive not this testimony make God a liar, — both Father, Son, and Spirit. What- ever the Lord Christ is in the constitution of his person, — in the representation of the Father, — in his oflice, — in what he did on the earth, — in what he doth in heaven, — proclaims the same truth. No- thing but cursed obstinacy in sin and unbelief can suggest a thought unto our minds that he is not willing to receive us when we come unto him. Herein we are to bear testimony against the unbelief of all unto whom the gospel is preached, that come not unto him. Un-
424 EXHORTATION TO SUCH AS ARE
belief acting itself herein, includes a contempt of the wisdom of God, a denial of his truth or faithfulness, an impeachment of the sincerity of Christ in his invitations, making him a deceiver, and will issue in an express hatred of his person and office, and of the wisdom of God in him. Here, then, you are shut up,— you cannot from hence take any countenance unto your unbelief