2. More pafticularly —
[Three blessings in particular I will specify, as granted hy our Lord Jesus Christ unto all who come unto him ; namely, pardon, and holhiess, and glory.
The Lord Jesus will in the first place bestow the pardon of our sins. He is said by the prophet to be " the Fountain opened for sin and for uncleanness ^ :" and all who come to wash in that fountain are cleansed from all their sins. In it even " sins of a crimson dye" are made " white as snow ' :" as it is said, " The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sinV
For the purposes of sanct'ification also shall this gift be bestowed : for, by the prophet Ezekiel, he says, " I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean : from all yoiu* filthiness and from all your idols will I cleanse you. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and to keep my judgments to do them '."
Eternal glory also will he confer upon them : for, when they have " washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb, he will lead them unto living fountains of waters '"," and will cause them to " drink of the rivers of pleasure which are at God's right hand for evermore "."]
Let us now turn our attention to, IL The invitation itself —
Here we cannot but notice the very peculiar ur- gency and freeness of it —
1 . The urgency, to overcome reluctance —
[" The Spirit says. Come." The Holy Spirit of God has undertaken the office of revealing Christ to men, and of bringing sinners to Christ for the remission of their sins". He descended visibly on the day of Pentecost for these ends ; and by the Ministry of the Apostles, as also by his operation on the souls of men, wrought powerfully upon multitudes, w horn he " made willing in the day of his power," and eftec- tually subdued to the obedience of faith. Thus at this time also is he carrying on the work that has been assigned him in the economy of Redemption. \n the written word, he speaks to us : by the Ministry of his servants, he ])leads with us : by the convictions which he fastens on our mind and conscience, he strives with us individually ; if by any means he may con- strain us to accept the blessings offered to us in the Gospel.
His
' Zech. xiii. 1. 'Isai. i. 18. " I John i. /.
'Ezok. xxxvi. 25 — 27. '" Rev. vii. 1-J, \6. "Ps, \x\vi. 8. 8: \vi. U. ".Tolm \vi 8, II.
1220.] INVITATION TQ COME TO CIIllIST. 421
His voice to us every clay and hour is, "^Come," come to Christ as the Saviour of your soul.
" The Bride also says, Come." The Bride is the Church, " the Lamb's wife," who has experienced in her own person' all the blessedness of that salvation which she is so desirous of imparting to all around. lier. The Church of old addressed her Lord, saying, " Draw me, and we will run after thee i';" that is, ' Draw me, and I will not come alone : I will surely la- bour to the utmost of my power to make known to otiiers the wonders of thy love, that they also may be partakers of my felicity, and unite with me in honouring and adoring thee.' Thus the Church does in every age. She is " the pilUir and ground of the truth •!," supporting it firmly in the world, and exhibiting, as by public inscriptions that are visible to all, the glory and excellency of the Gospel salvation. She then unites with the Spirit of God in saying to all around her, " Come :" Come to Jesus and see what a Saviour he is. See in me what he both can and will do for you also ; however far off you may now be, you may draw nigh to him with a fidl assurance of acceptance with liim ; and though now " aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, you may become fellow-citizens with the saints and of the household of God ""."