the fame as ever, and we have the same kind command and invitation to come, with those that have gone before; when the Lord waiteth to be gracious, Ifa. xxx. 18. and calls them all bleffed that waits for him, that watch daily at wisdom's gates, and wait at the posts of her doors, Prov. viii. 34. where he commandeth the blessing, Pf. cxxxiii. 3. and is wont to be found: what abundant reafon is given to hope from fuch confiderations as thefe, that the regenerating spirit may yet be had, by which, whatever be our state at prefent, it shall be effectually and savingly changed, and the dead in fin made alive to God, and the objects of his love? The spirit is of efficacy fufficient for this, and obtainable in order to it. As to this therefore there is yet room. (4.) There is yet room in the covenant of grace. The grant of pardon and life, through Jefus Chrift, to every one that repents and believes. Wherever the gospel comes, the great God thus calls by it to the children of men, Come out from among them and be ye separate, faith the Lord, 2 Cor. vi. 17, 18. quit the practice of fin and the company of finners, and yield yourselves to God: and then the promife follows, I will receive you, and will be a father to you, and ye shall be my fons and daughters, faith the Lord Almighty, Rom. vi. 13. This is the invitation and offer he continues to make, and the answer he expects is, Behold we come unto thee, thou art the Lord our God, Jer. iii. 22. By repentance and faith we are to enter into a covenant state, and the command for these is yet standing, Repent ye, and believe the gospel, Mark Mark i. 15. And every penitent believer shall find the promifes of remiffion of fin, and eternal falvation, still as ready to be made good to him, as to any that have been before received to mercy. The gospel of the grace of God is faid to be everlasting, Rev. xiv. 6. as in every age, it will be the duty of all that live under it, to turn from fin, and accept of Christ, Acts xx. 24. and as to all such, there shall be an everlasting connexion between the duties it enjoins, and the bleffings it promises. No fincere penitent shall be shut out from mercy, no found believer sent to hell. God fo loved the world, that he gave bis only begotten fon, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have everlasting life, John iii. 16. And there is no time limited, so as that it can be faid to any, whilft on earth; "If after fuch a "day or month, or year, you should heartily "close with an offer'd Saviour, it is too late: fo long you may come to God and Christ and be "accepted, but after that, tho' your life may go farther, repentance and faith, however fincere, will do you no good." We have no warrant to fay any such thing; but the contrary : whilft there is life there is hope. Whilst the foul is in the body, the covenant is tendered, and we are required, and 'tis our duty to take hold of it: and all that do so, at what time foever, shall have the bleffing of it sure. Tho' it be commonly faid, and there is reason to fear, that late repentance is feldom true; it must be added, that true repentance is never too late. We are indeed commanded, and 'tis our pre fent duty to turn to God; and great fin and great 2 folly folly not to do so, as every day or moment, and so every call may be with us the last: but whilft finners are within hearing, we are still to invite, and may affure all that are truly willing to be the Lord's, that he is also willing to be theirs, yea more willing than they can be; and so a covenant may be made between God and their fouls, a perpetual one that shall not be forgotten, Jer. 1. 5. There are arguments enough, that ought to constrain us to a present choice of God to be ours, and a present dedication of ourselves to him to be bis; and happy they with whom this is speedily and early done: but we are not to tell any, who may be found strangers to God and Christ even at the eleventh hour, that now nothing is left them but to defpair: no, but to invite them in, and affure them there is room, and that if they come, they shall be received, and entertained, and faved still. As ambaffadors for Chrift, we continue to pray you to be reconciled to God; and you are to look upon it, as tho' God did beseech you by us, to come to an agreement with him. And there's no ground to say to any that should now be willing, which none could be without his grace, that God would not accept of them. It can't be imagin'd, that he would follow any foul with the folicitations of his spirit, till he gain its unfeigned confent, that when throwing itself into the arms of his mercy, he might fill it with the greater confufion, in rejecting and cafting it off. God is most fincere in his offers and calls, and all that will make trial shall find him fo. He 2 will not be mocked himself, nor does he mock or trifle with any. The invitation comes from his heart, and is of equal force as if but now given out. Ho, every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money, come ye, buy and eat; yea come, buy wine and milk without money, and without price. And again, incline your ear, and come unto me : bear and your foul shall live, and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, and thereby fettle upon you the greatest blessings, even the fure mercies of David, Ifa. lv. 3. The mercies promised to David as a believer, shall, thro' Christ the son of David, and Mediator of the covenant, be sure to all that take hold of it in the way prescrib'd. All the promises of God in him are yea, and in him amen, 2 Cor. i. 20. And none shall be excluded the benefit of them, who do not reject, and so judge themselves unworthy of the bleffings they contain. Whosoever has a will, has a warrant to come, and the greatest encouragement, let him take of the water of life freely, Rev. xxii. 17. In the last day of the feast, after several spent, our Lord delivers the invitation in the present time, as noting the way ftill open, and he does it with the greatest earnestness, In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, if any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink, John vii. 37. And the promise stands firm that he had before given, Him that cometh to me, I will in no wife caft out, John vi. 37. I am sensible of the objection, the concerned finner may be here ready to make, namely, Do not minifters often speak of a day of grace, and that that it may be past before life is ended? That this is a poffible case, tho' the most dreadful on this fide hell, the foul being irrecoverably loft, by whom the happy feason has been outstood? To this I anfwer; the day of grace is to be taken, 1st, As it fignifies a time of light and influence from above, denoted by day: a season wherein, by the ftrivings of the spirit, in and with the gofpel; external calls and convictions impress'd, and for a while kept alive within; finners may be faid to have a fair opportunity, and great advantages, for knowing and complying with the things of their peace. Such a season as this may doubtless be over, and the things of their peace bid from their eyes : Thus the day of grace may be past; that is, God may withdraw his spirit from such as go on to refift and do despite unto him, and leave them under the power of fin, which they will not let go, refolving never to give them that grace they have despis'd and forfeited, without which no faving change can be made. In this respect, fome may be forsaken and given up, while their lives are continued; but who they are, as to particular persons, cannot be said. There are symptoms that speak the cafe of fome more dangerous than others, as making nearer approaches to it : as when convictions once felt are gone, and leave those on whom they were impress'd more fenfeless and secure; unmov'd under the most lively ministrations of the word, and the great things threatned and promised in it: when hereupon they cast off duty, and make bold |