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would fain have them sup with him, that he might sup with them; that is, that they might have intimate communion and fellowship one with another.

Now pray tell me, what preparations and qualifications had these Laodiceans to entertain Christ? Surely none; for they were luke-warm, they were 'neither hot nor cold,' they were 'wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked,' and yet Christ to shew his free grace, and his condescending love, invites the very worst of sinners to open, though they were no ways prepared or qualified to entertain him.

Rem. 3. Seriously consider, that the Lord does not in all the scripture, require such preparations and qualifications before men come to Christ, believe in Christ, or entertain, or embrace the Lord Jesus.* Believing in Christ is the great thing that God presses upon sinners throughout the scripture: as all know, who know any thing of scripture.

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Object. But does not Christ say, Come unto me all you that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest,' Mat. xi. 28.

To this I shall give these three answers:

1. That though the invitation be to such that 'Labour and are heavy laden, yet the promise

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Rom. iv. 5. God justifies the ungodly. It is a comfort that he does justify such, or there could be no hope, since all are sinners or ungodly by nature. D.

of giving rest, is made to coming, to believing souls.

2. That all that this scripture proves and shews is, that such who labour under sin, as under a heavy burden, and that are laden with the guilt of sin, and sense of God's displeasure, ought to come to Christ for rest; but it doth not prove that only such must come to Christ, nor that all men must be thus burdened, and laden with the sense of their sins, and the wrath of God, before they come to Christ.

Poor sinners, when they are under the sense of sin, and wrath of God, they are prone to run from creature to creature, and from duty to duty, and from ordinance to ordinance, to find rest; and if they could find it in any thing, or creature, Christ should never hear from them; but here the Lord sweetly invites them; and to encourage them, he engages himself to give them rest. 'Come, (saith Christ) and I will give you rest.' I will not shew you, nor barely tell you of rest, but I will give you rest.' I am faithfulness itself, and cannot lie, I will give you rest.' I that have the greatest power, the greatest will, the greatest right to give it. laden sinners, and I will give you rest.' Rest is the most desirable, the most suitable good, and to you the greatest good. Come,' saith Christ, that is, ' Believe in me, and I will give you rest.' I will give you peace with God, and peace with conscience: I will turn your storm

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'Come

into an everlasting calm. I will give you such rest, that the world can neither give to you, nor take from you.

3. I answer:-) -No one scripture expresses the whole mind of God, therefore do but compare this one scripture with those several scriptures that are laid down in the second remedy last mentioned, and it will clearly appear, that though men are not thus burdened and laden with their sins, and filled with horror and terror, they may come to Christ, they may receive and embrace the Lord Jesus Christ.

Rem. 4. Consider, that all the trouble, sorrow, shame, and mourning for sin, which is acceptable to God, flows from faith in Christ, as the stream from the fountain, as the branch from the root, and as the effect from the cause. Zech. xii. 10. They shall look on him whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him.' All gospel mourning flows from believing; they shall first look, and then mourn.

CHAPTER IV.

The fourth Device that Satan hath to keep poor sinners from believing in, and closing with a Saviour, is,

BY suggesting to them Christ's unwilling-
It is true, saith Satan, Christ is

ness to save.

able to save thee but is he willing? Surely, though he is able, yet he is not willing to save such a wretch as thou art; thou hast trampled his blood under thy feet, and hast lived in open rebellion against him all thy days, &c.-The remedy against this device of Satan, is briefly to consider these few things:

1. The great journey that he hath taken from heaven to earth, on purpose to save sinners, doth strongly demonstrate his willingness to save them. Mat. ix. 13. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance,' and 1 Tim. i. 15.

2. His divesting himself of his glory in order to the salvation of sinners, manifests his willingness to save them. He leaves his Father's bosom, he puts off his glorious robes, and lays aside his glorious crown and bids adieu to his glittering courtiers, the angels, for a season; and all that he may accomplish the salvation of sin

ners.

3. That sea of sin, of wrath, of trouble, and of blood that Jesus Christ waded through, that sinners might be pardoned, justified, reconciled, and saved, strongly evidences his willingness to save them. 2 Cor. v. 19, 20.

4. His sending his ambassadors early and late to woo and entreat sinners to be reconciled to him, doth loudly proclaim his readiness and willingness to save them.

5. His complaints against such as refuse him, and who will not be saved by him, loudly proclaim his willingness to save sinners. John i. 11. He came to his own, and his own received him not.' So in John v. 40. But ye will not come to me, that ye may have life.'

6. The joy and delight that he takes in the conversion of sinners, demonstrates his willingness that they should be saved. Luke xv. 7. I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons which need no repentance.' God the Father rejoiceth at the return of his prodigal son; Christ rejoices to see the travail of his soul; the Spirit rejoices that he hath another temple to dwell in; and the angels rejoice that they have another brother to delight in, &c.

CHAPTER V.

Here follows seven Characters of False-teachers, which let me add for a close, viz.

THAT Satan labours hard by false teachers, who are his messengers and ambassadors to deceive, delude, and destroy for ever the precious

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