from Chrift, is now to be expected. He no more treats with finners, in a way of immediate perfonal applica tion of himself unto them. 'Tis therefore prefump tuous folly, to defire or look for any immediate voice from Chrift in heaven, in order to our being called to the kingdom of grace and glory.

Anfw. 2. Affirmatively: Chrift calls finners mediately,. and this two ways.

1. By his written word. The fcriptures are the word of Chrift. Col. iii. 16. He is the author, as well as principal fubject and scope of them. And therefore be fpeaks in them, and by them, unto men. So that whatever calls are given to finners in the holy fcriptures, we are to look upon them as the calls of Christ unto us, when our cafe is like unto theirs. They are as really directed to us by Jefus Chrift, as if he fpake them to us with his own mouth. As now for instance: If we thirst after fpiritual bleffings, if we earnestly defire the graces of the holy Spirit; that call of Chrift is then given to us, in Fob. vii. 37. Fefus flood and cried, faying, If any man thirst, let him come to me, and drink. This call is as truly directed to us, as it was to any that then heard him.. The fcriptures do direct their speech to every perfon, in every age, as much as they did to thofe in the church of old, when they were written. Thus the apostle tells the fuffering Hebrews, that what was fpoken to the faints under the old teftament, was fpoken to them. Heb. xii. 5. And ye have forgotten the exhortation, which speaketh unto you, as unto children; My fon, defpife not thou the chaining of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him.

2. By his minifters. Gofpel-minifters are the mef fengers of Chrift, employed and fent by him, to declare his mind and will unto his people. And as long as they keep close to their commiffion, teaching all things, whatfoever Chrift has commanded, and nothing else, their words are the words of Chrift. What is fpoken by them, is as if it were spoken by Chrift himself. They represent him, and a&t in his name; and therefore all

the

the calls given by them to finners, are the calls of Chrift unto them. 2 Cor. v. 20. Now then we are Em balladors for Chrift, as though God did befeech you by us : we pray you in Chrift's ftead, be ye reconciled to God. They are in Chrift's ftead, and when they do call upon as, befeeching us to be reconciled to God, 'tis as though our Saviour did befeech us by them. Whenever therefore

any calls are given to us in the publick miniftry, which is Chrift's inftitution, we fhould look beyond the mean inftruments, and hear Chrift therein fpeaking to us from heaven. We fhould look upon them, as his fervants, fent forth to call them that are bidden to the wedding, (Matth. xxii. 3) and fo their call, to be Chrift's call.

Queft. 2. What is it, that Chrift calls finners unto? Anfw. 1. He calls them to the practice of duties: And the duties which he calls them to the performance of, are in general thefe that follow.

1. Jefus Chrift calls finners to come to himself, by faith in him. This is the first and principal thing which he calls them to. Sinners are in a loft and pefifbing condition. None can fave them out of this miferable condition, but the Lord Jefus Chrift. Befides him, there is no Saviour. Ifai. xliii. 11. Neither is there Jalvation in any other for there is no other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be faved. A&. iv. 12. The call therefore of Jefus Chrift unto finners is that in fai. xlv. 22. Look unto me, and be ye faved, all the ends of the earth. He calls them to look to him by faith, that they may be faved from fin and mifery. Sinners are apt to turn afide to other confidences, befides Jefus Christ. Some betake themselves to faints and angels. Some troft to their own works, as what may be fully, or at least in part, meritorious of their falvation. Now Jefus Chrift calls finners to relinquish thefe, and all other fuch falfe confidences; and to rest upon him alone for falvation. He reprefents himself unto them, as an alfufficient Saviour, who is able to fave to the uttermoft, by himfelf alone. And therefore he calls upon finners, to make him the alone object of

their truft for life and falvation; refting entirely upon his righteoufnefs, grace, and power, for the faving of their fouls. He would have them to look no further than to himself, in whom all fulness dwells, to fupply all the wants, and fatisfy all the defires of their fouls. And therefore Chrift complains of the unbelieving Jews, that they would not come unto him, that they might have life. Joh. v. 40. In fome fenfe, they were defirous of eternal life, but they were not willing to come to Chrift, and truft in him alone, for it. But Chrift would have finners, to make him, who is the rock of eternity, the alone foundation of their faith and hope for falvation.

2. Jefus Chrift calls finners to return to God, by true repentance. Thus he fays of himself, Luk. v. 32. I am not come to call the righteous, but finners to repentance. Accordingly when Christ began to preach, it was with that word, Matth. iv. 17. Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. And this was the call of Chrift by the apofile, to the convinced Jews, who enquired what they fhould do. Act, iii. 38. Then Peter faid unto them, Repent. Sinners naturally love fin, delight in it, and live in the customary commiffion of it. Now Jefus Chrift calls upon finners to break off their fins by repentance. Ezek. xviii. 30. Repent, and turn your felves from all your tranfgreffions. He calls them to weeping, and mourning, and lamentation for their fins, and univerfal turning from them. He calls them to forfake, not only fome fins, but all fins, in the fincere purpofe of their hearts, and endeavour of their lives. He allows none to fleep fecurely in fin, and therefore calls them to awake out of their finful fleep. Eph. v. 14.

3. Jefus Chrift calls finners to pursue and practise univerfal holiness. As he calls them to turn from fin by repentance, fo to labour and follow after holiness. 1 The iv. 7. God hath called us unto holiness. And therefore the chriftian calling is faid to be an holy calling, 2 Tim. i. 9. and that, partly, because holiness is one end of this calling, or the thing which finners are called to. Chrift calls upon finners to be univerfally holy ;

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holy; holy both in heart and life. 1 Pet. i. 15. As he who hath called you is holy, fo be ye holy in all manner of converfation. They must be holy, not merely negatively, by abftinence from fin; but alfo pofitively, by doing good, and working righteoufnefs. And hence both are joined together in the call of Chrift to finners, i Cor. xv. 34. Awake unto righteousness, and fin not.--Thus for the first Thing, Chrift calls finners to duties.

Anfw. 2. Jefus Chrift calls finners to a participation in fpecial benefits. Firft he calls them to duty, and then to peculiar privileges: the former, in order to the latter. And here particularly,

1. Jefus Chrift calls finners to a participation in fpiritual peace. Sinners are perfect ftrangers to true, inward, folid peace. Ifai. lvii. 21. There is no peace, faith my God, to the wicked. Indeed, finners do oftentimes enjoy a false peace, through carnal fecurity, as not apprehending the danger of their condition. This arifes fometimes from curfed infidelity, either not believing that there is a God; or if there be, that he will not deftroy his creatures for fin. Sometimes, it proceeds from fenJuality, whereby men drown themselves in carnal pleafures, and become fo ftupified as to have no fenfe of their miferable state. Sometimes, it proceeds from a mif-perfwafion concerning the infinite mercy of God, as if that would fuffer none to perifh. From fuch caufes as thefe, finners many times do enjoy a fort of inward eafe and quiet. Yet, it is not always thus with them. Sometimes, while the fpirit is ftriving with them, they are under great diftrefs of fpirit, and trouble of confcience, on the account of their fins, and the wrath of God whereunto they are expofed. Fearfulness furprizes them, and deftruction from God is a ter ror to them. They feel an heavy burden of guilt lying upon them, which fills them with difquieting fears of what evils may befal them. In this condition they feek out for relief and eafe, betaking themselves to one thing and another. Now, in this cafe, Chrift calls upon perplexed, difquieted finners, to come to him for

foul

foul-reft. Matth. xi. 28. Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden; and I will give you reft. Those who are fenfible of their fin, and are burdened with it, are the perfons nextly and more immediately called, to come to Chrift for fpiritual rett.

2. Jefus Chrift calls finners to a participation in fweet communion with himfelf. The ftate of finners, naturally, is a ftate of diftance and eftrangement from Jefus Chrift. They are without Chrift, in the world. Eph. ii. 12. They are without union to him and communion with him. All their fellowship is with fatan, and the unfruitful works of darkness.Now Jefus Chrift calls them to renounce fellowship with fin and fatan, and to feek fellowship with himfelf. This fellowship with Chrift is what all faints do actually partake of. 1 Cor. i. 9. Te were called unto the fellowship of bis Son Jefus Christ our Lord. And this privilege is what all finners under the gofpel are invited to a participation of. Though they are far from Chrift, yet he calls them to draw near to him, to converfe with him, and come into holy intimate familiarity with him. An evidence of this he gave, in his ftate of humiliation here on earth. He freely converfed with Publicans and finners, fitting down and eating with them. Matth. ix. 10. This was not an approbation of their finful state and way of living; but an indication of his gracious willingness to admit them to the most familiar converfation with himself.

3. Jefus Chrift calls finners to a participation in eternal glory. Though they are by nature heirs of hell, yet he calls them to become heirs of heaven. The call and invitation of Jefus Chrift to finners, does not terminate in any thing fhort of eternal glory. 1 The. ii. 12. That ye walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory. I Pet. v. 10. The God of all· grace, who hath called us into his eternal glory by Fefus Chrift. Our Lord Jefus Chrift invites finners to come to him for life, even, eternal life. Hence that complaint of his, Fob. v. 40. Te will not come unto me, that yẻ might bave life. Which implies, that he would have them

come