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caused his sons to pass through the fire; he gave himself to witchcraft and sorcery; he made Judah to sin more wickedly than the heathen did, whom the Lord destroyed before the children of Israel; he caused the streets of Jerusalem to run down with innocent blood; O what a devil incarnate was he in his actings, yet when he humbled himself and sought the Lord, the Lord was entreated of him, and heard his supplication, and brought him to Jerusalem, and made himself known unto him, and crowned him with mercy and loving-kindness, as you may see in 2 Chron, xxxiii. So Paul was once a blasphemer, a persecutor, and injurious, yet he obtained mercy. So Mary Magdalene was a notorious sinner, one out of whom Christ cast seven devils, yet she is pardoned by Christ and dearly beloved of Christ. Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils, Mark xvi, 9. Jansenius on the place says, 'It is very observable that our Saviour after his resurrection first appeared to Mary Magdalene and Peter, who had been grievous sinners, in order that even the worst of sinners may be comforted and encouraged to come to Christ, to believe in Christ, to rest and stay their souls upon Christ for mercy here and glory hereafter. That is a very precious word for the worst of sinners to hang upon in Psalm lxviii. 18. The psalmist speaking of Christ, says, Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive, thou hast received gifts for men, yea, for the rebellious also, that the Lord God might dwell among them. What though thou art a rebellious child, or a rebellious servant? what, though thou art a rebellious swearer, a rebellious drunkard, a rebellious sabbath-breaker? yet Christ has received gifts for thee, even for the rebellious also. He has received the gift of pardon, the gift of righteousness, yea, all the gifts of the spirit, for thee, that thy heart may be made a delightful house for God to dwell in.

The

Bodin has a story concerning a great rebel who had made a strong party against a Roman emperor. emperor makes proclamation, that whoever could bring the rebel dead or alive, he should have a great sum of money. The rebel hearing of this, comes and presents

himself before the emperor, and demands the sum of money. Now,' says the emperor, if I should put him to death, the world would say I did it to save my money.' And so he pardons the rebel, and gives him the money. Ah, sinners, shall a heathen do this, who had but a drop of mercy and compassion in him; and will not Christ do much more, who has all fulness of grace, mercy, and glory, in himself? Surely his bowels do yearn towards the worst of rebels. Ah, if you still but come in, you will find him ready to pardon, yea, one made up of pardoning mercy. O the readiness and willingness of Jesus Christ to receive to favour the greatest rebels. The Father of mercies did meet, embrace, and kiss that prodigal's mouth, who came from feeding swine and riotous living.

Ephraim had committed idolatry and was back-slidden from God; he was guilty of luke-warmness and unbelief; yet said God, Ephraim is my dear Son, he is a pleasant child; my bowels are troubled for him; I will surely have mercy, or rather as it is in the original, I will have mercy, mercy, upon him, saith the Lord, Jer. xxxi. 20.

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'Well,' says God, though Ephraim is guilty of crimson sins, yet he is a son, a dear son, a precious son, a pleasant child. Though he is black with filth and red with guilt, yet my bowels are troubled for him. I will have mercy upon him.' Ah, sinners, if these bowels of mercy do not melt, win, and draw you, justice will be a swift witness against you, and make you lie down in eternal misery, for kicking against the bowels of mercy. Christ hangs out still, as once that warlike Scythian did, a white flag of grace and mercy to returning sinners who humble themselves at his feet for favour; but if sinners stand out, Christ will put forth his red flag, his bloody flag, and they shall die for ever by the hand of justice. Sinners, there is no way to avoid perishing by Christ's iron rod, but by kissing his golden sceptre.

Rem. 4. Consider that Jesus Christ has no where in all the scripture excepted against the worst of sinners that are willing to receive him, to believe in him, to rest upon him, for happiness and blessedness. Ah, sinners, why should you be more cruel and unmerciful to your own souls, than Christ is? Christ has not excluded you from mercy, why

should you exclude your own souls from mercy? O that you would dwell often upon that choice scripture in John vi. 37, All that the Father giveth me, shall come to me, and him that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out, or, as the original has it, I will not, not cast out. 'Well,' says Christ, if any man will come or is coming to me, let him be more sinful or less, more unworthy or less, let him be never so guilty, never so filthy, never so rebellious, never so leprous, yet if he will but come, I will not, not cast him out.' As much is held forth in 1 Cor. vi. 9—11; Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you; but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. Ah, sinners, do not think that he who has received such notorious sinners to mercy, will reject you. He is the same yesterday, and to-day, and for ever. Christ was born in an inn, to shew that he receives all comers; his garments were divided into four parts, to shew that out of what part of the world soever we come, we shall be received. If we be naked, Christ has robes to clothe us; if we be harbourless, Christ has room to lodge us. That is a choice scripture in Acts x. 34, 35; Then Peter opened his mouth and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons; but in every nation he that feareth him and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him. The three tongues that were written upon the cross, Greek, Latin, and Hebrew, to witness Christ to be the King of the Jews, do each of them, in their several idiom, avouch this singular axiom, that Christ is an all-sufficient Saviour; and a threefold cord is not easily broken. The apostle puts this out of doubt; Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost, that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them, Heb. vii. 25. Now he were not an all-sufficient Saviour, if he were not able to save the greatest, as well as the least of sinners.

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Ah, sinners, tell

Jesus Christ that he has not excluded you from mercy, and therefore you are resolved that you will sit, wait, weep, and knock at the door of mercy, till he shall say, 'Souls, be of good cheer, your sins are forgiven, your persons are justified, and your souls shall be saved.'

Rem. 5. Consider how great soever thy sins have been, the love of Christ is greater. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends, John xv. 10. He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied-by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death; and he was numbered with the transgressors, and he bare the sins of many, and made intercession for the transgressors, Isaiah, liii. 11, 12. Come now and let us reason together saith the Lord; though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool, Isa. i. 18. This makes heaven and earth to ring with his praise. If when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son; much more being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life, Rom. v. 10.

Rem. 6. Seriously consider that the longer you keep off from Christ, the greater and stronger your sins will grow. All divine power and strength against sin flows from the soul's union and communion with Christ. While you keep off from Christ, you keep off from that strength and power which only is able to make you trample down strength, lead captivity captive, and slay the Goliahs that bid defiance to Christ. It is only faith in Christ, that makes a man triumph over sin, Satan, hell, and the world. It is only faith in Christ that binds the strong man's hand and foot, that stops the issue of blood, that makes a man strong in resisting and happy in conquering. Sin always dies most, where faith lives most; the most believing soul is the most mortified soul. Ah, sinner, remember this-there is no way on earth effectually to be rid of the guilt, filth, and power of sin, but by believing in a Saviour, It is not resolving, it is not complaining, it is not mourning, but be

lieving, that will make thee divinely victorious over that body of sin that to this day is too strong for thee, and that will certainly be thy ruin, if it be not ruined by a hand of faith.

Rem. 7. Wisely consider that as there is nothing in Christ to discourage the greatest sinners from believing in him, so there is every thing in Christ that may encourage the greatest sinners to believe in him, to rest and lean upon him for all happiness and blessedness. If you look upon his nature, his disposition, his names, his titles, his offices as King, Priest, and Prophet, you will find nothing to discourage the greatest sinners from believing in him, but many things to encourage the greatest sinners to receive him, to believe on him. Christ is the greatest good, the choicest good, the chiefest good, the most suitable good, the most necessary good. He is a pure good, a real good, a total good, an eternal good, and a soul satisfying good. Sinners, are you poor? Christ has gold to enrich you. Are you naked? Christ has royal robes, he has white raiment to clothe you. Are you blind? Christ has eye-salve to enlighten you. Are you hungry? Christ will be manna to feed you. Are you thirsty? He will be a well of living water to refresh you. Are you wounded? He has a balm under his wings to heal you. Are you sick? He is a physician to cure you. Are you prisoners? He has laid down a ransom for you. Ah, sinners, tell me, tell me, is there any thing in Christ to keep you off from believing? No. Is there not every thing in Christ that may encourage you to believe in him? Yes. O then believe in him, and then though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow ; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. Nay, then your iniquities shall be forgotten as well as for given; they shall be remembered no more; God will cast them behind his back; he will throw them into the bottom of the sea, Isa. xliii. 25; Isa, xxxviii. 17; Micah vii. 19.

Rem. 8. Seriously consider the absolute necessity of believing in Christ. Heaven is too holy to hold unbelievers; their lodging is prepared in hell; The fearful and unbelieving shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone, which is the second death, Rev. xxi. 8. If ye believe not that I am he, says

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