after an Interest in thofe Bleffings which he offers to you and then you may hope that Chrift will open the Treafures of his Grace to you. USE III. Is Chrift's Invitation to thirsty Souls most earneft? This then may yet further encourage them to go to Chrift for fpiritual Bleffings. The Earneftness in the Invitation is a marvellous Encouragement. For, -- 1. It fhews Chrift's great Defire, that they should come to him for fpiritual Bleffings. We are ready to quef tion, whether Jefus Chrift be really defirous, that we fhould betake ourselves to him for fuch great Bleffings; whether he be hearty in his Invitations to us, to come to him. But the earneft Manner in which he makes the Invitation, evidently fhews the Heartinefs of Jefus Chrift therein. Doth not Wifdom cry? and Understand ing put forth her Voice? Prov. viii. 1. What can be more expreffive of the ardent Defires of Chrift, that thirsty Souls fhould come to him, than his crying and putting forth bis Voice ? His loud Calls to them, teftify the Ve hemency of his Defires, that they fhould come to him. for needed Bleflings. For he is one of Truth and Uprightness, in whofe Heart there is no Guile. He is not like deceitful Men, who give others ftrong Invita tions, and yet defire not in their Hearts, that they fhould come, but with rather that they would stay away. No, no, Jefus Chrift is not a Man, that he should lie and diffemble. He does not make a Shew of that which is not in his Heart. When he earnestly invites Sinners to come to him, he does as earnestly defire in his Heart, that they would come unto him. O then be encouraged to go to Chrift for fpiritual Bleffings: for there is nothing which he more defires, than that you fhould fo do. 2. It fhews Chrift's great Readiness to bestow fpiritual Bleffings on them. We are ready to think, that if we do go to Chrift for fpiritual Bleffings, he will not beftow them on us. We are apt to fufpect, whether there be a ready Difpofition in him to grant the Blef fings we go to him for. But the Earneftnefs of his Invitation, evidently fhows the gracious Inclination of his Heart, to fatisfy the Defires of our Souls. He is not like flattering Ferfons, that feem urgent in inviting others to come to them, and yet when they do come, give not welcome Entertainment to them. No, no, if we go to Chrift upon his Invitation, we fhall find that his Heart and Hand will be enlarged and opened to us. When the Prodigal went to his Father, he gave him the best Entertainment. He ordered the best Robe to be put upon him, and a Ring on his Finger, and Shoes on his Feet, and the fatted Calf to be killed, and. entertained him with Joy and Gladness, Luk. xv. 22, 23. If we go to Chrift hungring and thirsting, he will not fend us empty away, but will fatisfy our Defires. Luk. i. 53, He bath filled the Hungry with good Things. He will pour Water on the thirty Soul, Ifa. xliv. 3. O then let thirsty Souls be encouraged to go to Chrift upon his Call, being fully affured that he will with the greatest Readiness entertain and bless them. He will in no wife, upon no Account whatfoever, caft out them that come unto him, Joh. vi. 37. USE IV. Is Chrift's Invitation to thirty Souls repeated? This may ftill yet further encourage them to go to Chrift for fpiritual Bleffings. The Repetition of his Invitations, is a wonderful Encouragement. For, 1. This fhews how unwilling Chrift is to take a Denial, He might content himself with giving only one Invitation. And if that were not readily complied with, he might juftly refufe to give any further Invitation. But this is not the Manner of Chrift's Dealing with us. If we do not hearken to the firft Call, he notwithstanding renews his Calls to us. He fends to us one Servant after another, to invite us to the Feaft of fat Things. This fhews how unwilling he is to be refufed. He waits upon us that he may be gracious to us, Ifa. xxx. 18. Were he not heartily willing to entertain us and bestow Bleffings on us, he would not thus follow us with his Calls to come unto him, one Sabbath after ano ther, and in one Ordinance after another. O then be encouraged to go to him. 2. This fhews, that if Sinners now come to him, they fhall be entertained by him, although they have not complied with former Invitations.It may be, through Slothfulness or groundless Fears, you have not hearkened to the Calls of Chrift, and have neglected to go to him in Prayer and other Ordinances: hereupon you may be ready to think, that he will not receive you, though you fhould now come unto him. Because you have difnegarded many Invitations, you may think that he will now reject you, if you go unto him. But this fhould be no Difcouragement to keep you away from Chrift. For he renews and repeats his Calls to you; and if you have the leaft Defires in you of Mercy and Grace, you shall be welcome to him. You read in Rom. x. 21. All Day long I have ftretched forth my Hands unto a difobedient and gainfaying People. Though they were Difobedient and Gainfaying, yet God ftretched forth his Hands of Mercy to them, and that all Day long, as being ready to embrace them and take them into his Favour, had they been willing. If therefore you are fenfible of your Sin and Folly in delaying to hearken to the Invitations of Jefus Chrift, and are now at laft defirous to come unto ,him, you may be fatisfied that he will receive you kindly, and bless you abundantly. For he ftill calls upon you, and is ftriving with you; elfe you would not be under Concern, whether you should find Acceptance with him. Tis his boly Spirit, that thus convinces you of Sin in neglecting to comply with former Calls, and that awakens you to any Concern about your fpiritual Condition. O then give not Way to any Difcouragement for it is ftill an accepted Time, it is ftill a Day of Salvation. DocT. III. There is a fufficient Fulness in Jefus Chrift, to apply the Wants and fatisfy the Defires of all fuch as fpiritually thirst.This is intimated to us, in that Variety Variety of good Things, which thofe that thirst are in, vited to come to Chrift for; here metaphorically termed, Waters, Wine, and Milk. Under thefe Metaphors is reprefented to us, all that Good which may fatisfy, revive, and nourish the hungry and thirsty Soul. What ever Good they want or can defire, is to be found in Jefus Chrift. Whatever tends to their fpiritual Life and Comfort in this World, and their full Satisfaction and Bleffedness in the World to come, may be had in and from Jefus Chrift. He is a most full Fountain, from whence they may receive all fuitable and fufficient Supplies. Col. i. 19. For it hath pleafed the Father, that in bim all Fulnefs fhould dwell. There is in him a Fulnefs. Not merely an Abundance, but a Plenitude, And not a limited Fulnefs only, but an universal Ful nefs, an All fulness. All kinds of Fulnefs, and all degrees of Fulnefs, without any deficiency. And this All-fulness, dwells in him. 'Tis not in him tranfiently or for a Time only, but constantly it has its fixed Abode, its everlasting Refidence in his Perfon. There is then in Jefus Chrift an All-fulness of every Thing that is good, excellent, and defirable. There is nothing that can be thought of or defired, but it is lodged in Jefus Chrift. It is impoffible fully to fet forch the All-fulness of Jefus Chrift. Yet fome Things may here be mentioned, which are plainly revealed in the Word of God. Wherefore, 1. There is an All-fulness of the Deity, which dwells in Jefus Chrift. Thus it is faid in Col. ii. 9. In him dwelleth all the Fulness of the Godhead bodily. The entire Godhead, with all its Attributes and Perfections, belongs to, and dwells in the Person of the Son, in perfonal Union with whom the human Nature fubfifteth. So that Jefus Chrift is true God and true Man in one Perfon. Hence there is in him, who is our Mediator and Redeemer, a divine and infinite Fulnefs. This is that Fulnefs of his which renders him mighty to fave, and able to fave unto the uttermoft, in the Execution of his mediatory Office. For now, as Mediator, he does, with the Confent of the Father and Holy Ghost, employ and make ufe of all the divine Attributes for the accomplishing our Redemption and Salvation. 'Tis by the Improvement of the divine Perfections, that he fuccefsfully carries on and perfects the Work of faving Sinners, which he has undertaken. Were he not poffeffed of all divine Excellencies, and did he not exert them in the Difcharge of his faviourly Office, he could never obtain and effect eternal Redemption for So that this divine Fulnefs of his, is the Foundation of his mediatory Fulnefs, whereby he goes thorough with the Work of Mediation, unto the compleat Salvation of them for whom he mediates. And from this divine Fulness of his, flows all that further Fulness, which will presently be mentioned. Now, inafmuch as there is fuch an All-fulness of the Godhead dwelling in Chrift Jefus, what Wants can there be in Sinners, which he is not able to fupply? what Defires can there be in them, which he is not able to fatisfy? If the Allfufficiency of the Deity be able to do thefe Things for them, then Jefus can do them; for he is God All-fufficient.. 2. There is an All-fulness of the Spirit, that dwells. in Jefus Chrift. The Gifts and Graces of the Holy Spirit were in the most plentiful Manner conferred upon the human Nature of Jefus Chrift. It is thereføre faid of him, that he was full of Grace, Joh. i. 14. The Spirit of Grace was abundantly poured out upon him, inconceivably beyond what it is upon any Man, or all Men together. Pfal. xlv. 7. God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the Oil of Gladness above thy Fellows. He was fuperabundantly replenished with all the Gifts and Graces of the Holy Ghoft, in utmoft Perfection. There is in the Man Chrift Jefus an unmeafurable Fulness of the Spirit. Job. iii. 34. For God giveth not the Spirit by Meafure unto him. He has the Spirit in fuch a large Degree, as Men or Angels are not capable of, nor can fully comprehend. The human Nature of Chrift, being fonally united to the Divine, has fuch a Communication of |