Whilst, however, " we call heaven and earth to record this day" respecting these things, let it not be supposed that we are not conscious of innumerable short-comings and defects in our
«" Acts xx. 20, 26, 27. ° Gal. v. 11. p Gal. vi. 14.
Q Mark xvi. 15, 16. r Ezek. xiii. 10, 18, 22.
■ 1 Pet. ii. 2. and 2 Cor. ii. 17. l 1 Thess. ii. 4, 5.
u 2 Cor. iii. 12. x 1 Cor. i. 17. and ii. 4, 5.
ministrations : for we are filled with nothing but shame and confusion of face in the review of them, God knoweth : but as far as respects the fidelity of them, we can, and do, appeal both to God and man, that, like Moses, we have faithfully and invariably " set before you life and death, blessing and cursing," according as they are revealed in the Gospel, and as they shall be awarded to those who receive or reject the Gospel.]
And now let me call your attention to,
II. The advice he founds upon it —
" Choose life ;"
A free choice is given to every one amongst you —
[The Gospel is freely preached to you all: and you are all at liberty to embrace or to reject it. Almighty God is sin- cere when he says, that " he would have all men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth?." Never did he reprobate any man, till that man had brought that sentence upon himself by his own wilful obduracy. The whole Scrip- ture bears testimony to this truth. If this be not true, how can we ever explain that solemn oath of Jehovah ; " As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of a sinner, but rather that he turn from his wickedness and live. Turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways : for why will ye die, O house of Israel2?" There is not a human being that is excepted from the invitations of the Gospel, or from its blessings, if he accept them. " Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth! for I am God: and there is none else*." And " him that cometh unto me, (whoever he be, or whatever he may have done,) I will in no wise cast outb." Moreover, the fault of rejecting these overtures is always imputed to the sin- ner himself: " Ye will not come unto me, that ye might have life c." If any could have been supposed to have been repro- bated from all eternity, it was the persons who were given up to reject their Messiah, and to crucify the Lord of glory: yet over them did our blessed Lord mourn, saying, " How often would I have gathered you, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, but ye would not*1." That we have a bias towards corruption, is certain: but there is no com- pulsion. That Satan also is permitted to tempt us, is certain: but he cannot compel any man. We are perfectly free agents in all that we do, whether it be good or evil. If it be said, that God " draws men," it is true : but he " draws them with the cords of a man, and with the bands of lovee." And, if he
y 1 Tim. ii. 4. and 2 Pet. iii. 9. z Ezek. xxxiii. 11.
a Isai. xlv. 22. b John vi. 37. c John v. 40.
d Matt, xxiii. 37. e Hos. xi. 4.