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Oh how willing are they to accept a cure, a benefit, a remedy, for any thing but their fouls! You fee then that finners cannot, (should they study all their days to do themfelves a mifchief), take a readier courfe to undo themselves, than by rejecting Christ in his gracious offers,

Surely the fin of Sodom and Gomorrah is less than this fin. Mercy itself is exafperated by it, and the damnation of fuch as reject Chrict, (fo prepared for them, with whatever they need, and so seriously and frequently offered to them upon the knee of gofpel entreaty), is juft, inevitable, and will be more intole rable than any in the world befide them. It is juft, for the fin ner hath but his own option, or choice: he is but come to the end which he was often told his way would bring him to. It is inevitable, for there is no other way to falvation, but that which is rejected. And it will be more intolerable than the damnation of others, because, neither Heathens nor devils, ever aggravated their fins by fuch an horrid circumftance, as the wilful refufing of fuch an apt, offered, and only remedy.

Infer. 4. What a tremendous symptom of wrath, and sad cha racter of death, appears upon that man's foul, to which no ef fectual application of Chrift can be made by the gofpel.

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Chrift, with his benefits, is frequently tendered to them in the gofpel; they have been befeeched once and again, upon the knee of importunity, to accept him, thofe entreaties and per fuafions have been urged by the greatest arguments, the command of God, the love of Chrift, the inconceivable happiness or mi fery which unavoidably follow the accepting or rejecting of those offers, and yet nothing will affect them all their pleas for infidelity have been over and over confuted, their reafone and confciences have stood convinced; they have been speechless, as well as Christlefs: not one found argument is found with them to defend their infidelity: they confefs in general, that fuch courfes, as theirs are, lead to deftruction. They will yield them to be happy fouls that are in Chrift; and yet, when it comes to the point, their own clofing with him, nothing will do; all arguments, all entreaties, return to us without fuc cefs.

Lord! what is the reafon of this unaccountable obftinacy? In other things it is not fo: if they be fick, they are so far from rejecting a phyfician that offers himself, that they will fend, and pray, and pay him too. If they be arrested for debt, and any one will be a furety, and pay their debts for them, words can hardly exprefs the fenfe they have of fuch a kindness: but though Christ would be both a physician and furety, and what

ever else their needs require, they will rather perifh to eternity, than accept him. What may we fear to be the reason of this, but because they are not of Christ's sheep, John x. 26. The Lord open the eyes of poor finners, to apprehend not only how great a fin, but how dreadful a fign, this is.

Infer. 5. If Chrift, with all his benefits, be made ours, by God's Special application, what a day of mercies then is the day of converfion! what multitudes of choice bleffings vifit the converted foul in that day!

"This day, (faith Christ to Zaccheus, Luke xix. 9.), is fal"vation come to this house. In this day, Chrift cometh into the foul, and he comes not empty, but brings with him all his treasures of wisdom, and righteousnefs, fanctification and redemption. Troops of mercies yea, of the best of mercies, come with him. It is a day of fingular gladness and joy to the heart of Chrift, when he is efpoufed to, and received by the believing foul; it is a coronation-day to a king. So you read, Cant. iii. 11. "Go forth, O ye daughters of Zion, and behold king Solomon with the crown wherewith his mother crowned him in "the day of his espousals, and in the day of the gladness of his "heart."

Where, under the type of Solomon in his greatest magnificence and glory, when the royal diadem was fet upon his head, and the people shouted for joy, fo that the earth did ring again, is fhadowed out the joy of Chrift's heart, when poor fouls, by their high eftimation of him, and confent to his government, do, as it were, crown him with glory and honour, and make his heart glad.

Now, if the day of our efpoufals to Chrift, be the day of the gladaefs of his heart, and he reckons himfelf thus honoured and glorified by us, what a day of joy and gladness should it be to our hearts, and how should we be tranfported with joy, to fee a King from heaven, with all his treasures of grace and glory, bestowing himself freely, and everlastingly upon us, as our por tion! No wonder Zaccheus came down joyfully, Luke xix. 6.; that the eunuch went home rejoicing, Acts viii. 39.; that the jaylor rejoiced, believing in God with all his houfhold, Acts xvi. 34.; that they that were converted, did eat their meat with gladnefs, praifing God, Acts ii. 41, 46.; that there was great joy among them of Samaria, when Chrift came among them in the preaching of the gospel, Acts viii. 5, 8. I fay, it is no wonder we read of fuch joy accompanying Chrift into the foul, when we confider, that, in one day, fo many bleffings meet to

gether in it, the least of which is not to be exchanged for all the kingdoms of this world, and the glory of them. Eternity itself will but fuffice to blefs God for the merciss of this one day.

Infer, 6. If Christ be made all this to every foul, unto whom he is effectually applied, what cause then have thofe fouls, that are under the preparatory work of the Spirit, and are come nigh to Chrift, and all his benefits, to stretch out their hands. with vehement defire, to Chrift, and give him the most importunate invitation into their fouls!

The whole world is distinguishable into three claffes, or forts of perfons: such as are far from Chrift; fuch as are not far from Chrift; and fuch as are in Chrift. They that are in Chrift, have heartily received him. Such as are far from Chrift; will not open to him; their hearts are fast barred by ignorance, prejudice, and unbelief against him: But thofe that are come under the preparatory workings of the Spirit, nigh to Chrift, who fee their own indifpenfible neceffity of him, and his fuit. ableness to their neceffities, in whom alfo encouraging hopes begin to dawn, and their fouls are waiting at the foot of God for power to receive him, for an heart to close fincerely and univerfally with him; Oh what vehement defires! what ftrong pleas! what moving arguments fhould fuch perfons urge, and plead to win Chrift, and get poffeffion of him! they are in fight of their only remedy; Chrift and falvation are come to their very doors: there wants but a few things to make them blessed for ever. This is the day in which their fouls are exercifed between hopes and fears: Now they are much alone, and deep in thoughtfulness, they weep and make fupplication for a heart to believe, and that against the great difcouragements with which they encounter.

Reader, if this be the case of thy foul, it will not be the least piece of fervice I can do for thee, to fuggeft fuch pleas as in this cafe are proper to be urged for the attainment of thy defires, and the closing of the match between Christ and thee.

First, Plead the abfolute neceffity which now drives thee to Christ: Tell him thy hope is utterly perithed in all other refuges. Thou art come like a ftarving beggar to the last door of hope. Tell him thou now beginneft to see the abfolute ne ceffity of Chrift. Thy body hath not fo much need of bread, water, or air, as thy foul hath of Chrift; and that wildom and righteousness, fanctification and redemption, that are in him.

Secondly, Plead the Father's gracious defign in furnishing and fending him into the world, and his own design in accepting the Father's call. Lord Jefus, waft thou not "anointed to preach

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"good tidings to the meek, to bind up the broken-hearted, and "to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound?" Ifa. lxi. 1, 3. Behold an object fuitable to thine office whilft I was ignorant of my condition, I had a proud rebellious heart, but conviction and felf-acquaintance have now melted it: my heart was harder than the nether inill-ftone, and it was as eafy to diffolve the obdure rocks, as to thaw and melt my heart for fin; but now God hath made my heart foft, I fenfibly feel the mifery of my condition. I once thought myself at perfect liberty, but now I fee what I conceited to be perfect liberty, is perfect bondage; and never did a poor prifoner figh for deliverance more than I, Since then thou haft given me a foul thus qualified, though ftill unworthy, for the exercise of thine office, and execution of thy' commiffion; Lord Jefus, be, according to thy name, a Jefus unto me.

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Thirdly, Plead the unlimited and general invitation made to fuch fouls as you are, to come to Chrift freely. Lord, thou haft made open proclamation; "Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters." Ifa. lv. 1.; and Rev. xxii. 17. “Him "that is a-thirst come." In obedience to thy call, lo, I come; had I not been invited, my coming to thee, dear Lord Jefus, had been an act of prefumption, but this makes it an act of duty and obedience.

Fourthly, Plead the unprofitableness of thy blood to God, Lord, there is no profit in my blood, it will turn to no more advantage to thee to deftroy, than it will to fave me; if thou fend me to hell, (as the merit of my fin calls upon thy justice to do), I fhall be there dishonouring thee to all eternity, and the debt I owe thee never paid. But, if thou apply thy Christ to me for righteoufnefs, fatisfaction for all that I have done, will be laid down in one full, complete fum; indeed, if the honour of thy juftice lay as a bar to my pardon, it would stop my mouth; but when thy juftice, as well as thy mercy, shall both rejoice together, and be glorified and pleased in the fame act, what hinders but that Christ be applied to my foul, fince, in fo doing, God can be no lofer by it?

Fifthly, and Laftly, Plead thy compliance with the terms of the gofpel: tell him, Lord, my will complies fully and heartily to all thy gracious terms. I can now fubscribe a blank: let God offer his Christ on what terms he will, my heart is ready to com ply; I have no exception against any article of the gospel. And pow, Lord, I wholly refer myself to thy pleasure; do with me what feemeth good in thine eyes, only give me an interest in Jefus Chrift: as to all other concerns I lie at thy feet, in full re

fignation of all to thy pleasure. Never yet did any perish in that posture and frame; and I hope I fhall not be made the first inftance and example.

Infer. 7. Laftly, If Chrift, with all his benefits, be made ours, by a fpecial application; how contented, thankful, comfortable, and hopeful, fhould believers be, in every condition which God cafts them into in this world!

After fuch a mercy as this, let them never open their mouths any more to repine and grudge at the outward inconveniencies of their condition in this world. What are the things you want, compared with the things you enjoy? What is a little money, health, or liberty, to wisdom, righteousness, fanctification, and redemption? All the crowns and fceptres in the world, fold to their full value, are no price for the least of these mercies. But I will not infist here, your duty lies much higher than content

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Be thankful, as well as content, in every ftate. "Blessed be "God, (faith the apostle) the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, "who hath bleffed us with all [fpiritual bleffings] in heavenly "places in Chrift:" O think what are men to angels, that Chrift fhould pass by them to become a Saviour to men! And what art thou among men, that thou shouldst be taken, and others left! And among all the mercies of God, what mercies are com parable to these conferred upon thee? O blefs God in the lowest ebb of outward comforts, for fuch privileges as these.

And yet you will not come up to your duty in all this, ex. cept you be joyful in the Lord, and rejoice evermore, after the receipt of fuch mercies as thefe, Phil. iv. 4. " Rejoice in the "Lord ye righteous, and again I say rejoice." For hath not the poor captive reason to rejoice, when he hath recovered his li berty? The debtor to rejoice when all scores are cleared, and he owes nothing? The weary traveller to rejoice, though he be not owner of a fhilling, when he is come almost home, where all his wants fhall be fupplied? Why this is our cafe, when Christ once becomes yours: you are the Lord's freemen, your debts to justice are all fatisfied by Chrift; and you are within a little of compleat redemption, from all the troubles and incon veniences of your present state.

Thanks be to God for Jefus Chrift.

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