love. With whatever measure of penitence or faith we may profess to return to him, "it will be in vain to cry, Lord! Lord! if we do not the things which he commandsp."]
Whilst we listen to our Saviour's invitation, it will be well to consider,
II. The motive with which he enforces it.
He might well have enforced it with the most ter- rible denunciations of his wrath in the event of our refusal. But he rather reminds us of the great things he has done for us ;
1. As a call upon our gratitude —
[Think what I have done for you, in leaving my Father's bosom, in assuming your fallen nature, in bearing your sins upon the cross, and in effecting your reconciliation with your offended God. Does all this love call for such a return at your hands ; and " is it right for you to requite" it as you are now doing? Is it well for you to abide at a distance from me, and to " trample upon my blood as an unholy thing," and to " crucify me afresh by continuing in your sinsq?" Had I never shewn such mercy to you, your wickedness in departing from me would have been comparatively light : but " now you can have no cloak for your sin1:" nay, you must stand utterly condemned in your own minds. But if you will duly contemplate the love which I have shewn to you, it will surely generate in your hearts somewhat of a corresponding love to me, and " constrain you to live unto him, who has so lived and died for yous."]
2. As an encouragement under our fears —
[In despite of all that the Lord Jesus has done and suffered for us, we are prone, under a deep conviction of our sins, to doubt whether he will receive such sinful creatures as we. But let us suppose, that, immediately after his resurrection, he had met many of his murderers, and told them, that the very blood which they had shed should cleanse them from the guilt of shedding it ; could they have doubted his willingness to save their souls ? Now it is in this very way that he meets us at this time. Our sins were the true cause of all his sufferings : and in his viord he meets us at this very hour, and says to every one of us individually, " I have redeemed thee ; O return to me ; for I have redeemed thee." Dismiss then your fears, whatever you may have been, or whatever you may have done: for his blood will cleanse from all sin*," nor shall any soul perish that believes in him11. Let the most unrighteous man in the
P Luke vi. 46. i Heb. vi. 6. and x. 29. r John xv. 22.
s 2 Cor. v. 14. 4 1 John. i. 7. " John iii. 16.