come to him, for that fpiritual life, which was the beginning of, and would be confummated in, eternal life. Thus for firft propofition.

PROP. 2. When this call of Chrift to finners is made effectual, they will then run unto Fefus Chrift. This external call of Christ to finners is not always attended with fuch a divine power and fpecial influence, as to render it effectual. Yet fometimes it is. And when it is fo, then finners will run to Chrift. They will run to him, in that way of duty whereunto he calls them. They will run to him in the way of faith, of repentance, and holy obedience. ...- They will alfo run to him for a participation in those benefits, whereunto he calls them. They will run to him for fpiritual peace, for communion with himself, for eternal life and glory. Here it may be enquired,

Quest. What is meant by the finner's running to Christ ?

Anfw. 1. Negatively, It does not mean any local or bodily motion towards Chrift. Indeed, when he was here on earth, thofe whom he called, came to him in a way of bodily motion. Mar. i. 20. And ftraitway be called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the bip with the hired fervants, and went after him. When Chrift was thus bodily prefent with finners, they might upon his call, come to him and follow him as to their bodies. But no fuch thing can be now, when Chrift is in glory.

Anfw. 2. Affirmatively, It means the foul's going out to Chrift, in a way analogous to, or refembling, that motion of the body which is termed running. And thus it comprises several things in it.

1. The foul's going out to Chrift with speed. We know, running is not a flow, but a fwift and fpeedy motion. So when finners are effectually called, they make hafte to Chrift. As the man-flaver haftned to the city of refuge; so does the effectually called finner haften unto Jefus Chrift. He makes no delays, but immedi ately betakes himself to Jefus Chrift for falvation. He

fees

fees his abfolute need of Chrift; he fees an all-fulness of fufficiency in Jefus Chrift; he fees a gracious rea dinefs in Jefus Chrift to receive and relieve him now thefe views put him upon making the flight of faith, and quicken him in his motion towards Chrift. --- He fees an infinite evil in fin, the dreadful destruction it expofes him to; and this moves him fpeedily to repent of it, and forfake it, and to feek to Chrift for pardon' of it, and prefervation from it. He fees a beauty and excellency in holiness, which moves him to make hafte, and not delay, to keep the commandments of Chrift. Thus the effectually called finner, not merely goes, but flies for refuge, to Jefus Chrift, in the way of the gospel.

2. It denotes the foul's going out to Chrift with earnestness.In running, a perfon puts out his ftrength and vigour of body. So when the call of Christ to finners is made effectual, their fouls do with zeal and ardency go out to Chrift. They have fuch a fenfe of the infinite malignity of fin, as it appears in the glass of Chrift's fufferings, that they earnestly repent them of it, and lament after the Lord, running to him with their penitent confeffions. And they run to Chrift in the exercife of faith, with vigour and earneftnefs of fpirit. They are strongly perfuaded of his ability and willingnefs to fave them, and of their abfolute need of him; and therefore they run to him in the lively exercise of faith. And they run to him with fervent affections ; bent to cleave to him with purpose of heart, and determin'd never to cease from following after him. Their love to him is ftrong. Cant. i. 7. O thou whom my foul loveth! They love him more than father or mother, more than all other perfons and things in the world. Their defires after him are ftrong. Nothing fo much defired by them as Jefus Chrift. Pfal. lxxiii. 25. Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none on earth that I-defire befides thee. Ifai. xxvi. 8, 9. The defire of our foul is to thy name.---With my foul have I defired thee in the night. Their efteem for Chrift is great. They fet the highest price and value upon him. He is to them the

pearl

pearl of greatest price; to purchafe which, they will part with every thing elle. (Matth. xiii. 46.) They count all things but lofs, and dung, that they may win Christ. Phil. ii. 8. They fee all excellency, and every degree of excellency, and nothing but excellency, in Jefus Chrift; and therefore do prize him above all things.

In a word, their fouls do follow hard after Chrift. Pfal. Ixiii. 8. The main ftrength of their fouls is put forth in their purfuit of Jefus Chrift, as their all, whom they are not willing to mifs of. They run to him for all his benefits, and run after him in all his ways. They run the way of bis commandments, with zeal and conftancy. They run with patience the race fet before them, looking unto Fefus.

APPLICATION.

USE 1. This thould teach finners, that live under the calls of Chrift, not to defpair of converfion to Christ. This call of Chrift, though it be to those whom he knew not, and who knew not him, even to thofe that feemed moft remote from Chrift; yet it may be made fo ef. fectual to them, as that they fhall run unto him. No feeming improbabilities, or impoffibilities, fhall obstruct a finner's coming to Chrift, when he fhall please to give efficacy to his calls. Let none therefore be dif couraged, and fay, that there is no hope for them, because they have been great finners, and fuch for a long time. Some Chrift effectually calls fooner, fome later, even at the eleventh hour. And when it fhall be the day of his power, whatever day of our life it be, we fhall be made willing. Pfal. cx. 3.-Let every finner then wait on the Lord, in the ufe of means, praying to him that he would draw them; then shall they run after him. Cant. i. 4.

USE 2. Let us try ourselves by this, whether the call of Chrift has been made effectual to us: Do we run to Chrift? This is a fure rule of trial. We have had

many calls from Chrift given to us; and would we know, whether they have been made effectual to us, then let us examine whether our fouls have run to Jefus Chrift. Has his divine power drawn our hearts to himself? fo as to repent and believe the gofpel, to come to God by Jefus Chrift, to trust in him, to love him, defire him, feek communion with him in ordinances, and walk with him in the careful obfervation of his` commandments. If it be thus, in any gracious meafure, then may we conclude that he has effectually called us. And if fo, then may we with comfort fit down at his boly table, (the next Lord's day,) as knowing that we have an intereft in the everlasting love of God. Fer. xxxi. 3 I have loved thee with an everlafting love, therefore хххі. with loving kindness have I drawn thee.

DOCT. III. Since the exaltation of Jefus Chrift, the effectually called are much more numerous, than they were before.It is here promifed to Jefus Chrift, that after his glorification, he fhould call nations that knew him not, and they fhould run unto him. Nations, in the plural number; denoting a great multitude of people, to whom the efficacy of the gofpel fhould extend. Before the exaltation of Jefus Chrift, it was not thus. We are told, Job. vii. 39. The Holy Ghoft was not yet (fo plentifully) given, becaufe Chrift was not get glorified. The gofpelcall had then been given to no nation or people on the earth, but the Jews. Pfal. cxlvii. 19. 20. He fkeweth his word unto Jacob, his ftatutes and judgments unto Ifrael; he hath not dealt fo with any nation; and as for his judg ments, they have not known them. Our Lord, and his apoftles, during his ftate of humiliation on earth, never went into the way of the Gentiles, to give any gracious calls to them, but limited their miniftry to the Jewish nation. So that before the refurrection and af cenfion of Jefus Chrift, the effectually called were only a fmall number of the people of the Jews, and a few Profelytes from the Gentiles, brought over to the Jewish religion. But now, after the glorification of

Our

our Lord Jefus Chrift, great multitudes were called home, and ran unto him. Thus it was even among the nation of the Jews themselves. Never was there among them fuch numerous converfions, as immediately after. the fitting down of Chrift at the right hand of God in heaven. The first fermon that Peter preached, was attended with fuch efficacy, as that three thousand fouls gladly received the word, and were baptized, and added to the church. A&t. ii. 41. Never was there any thing comparable thereto, from the beginning of the world to that day. Never fuch an effufion of the holy Spirit before. By the apostle Peter's next fermon, five thouJand were brought over to the chriftian faith ; ac leaft, fo many as added to the former number, amounted to five thousand. Act. iv. 4. Howbeit many of them which heard the word, believed; and the number of the men was about five thousand. Thus exceedingly did the gospel of Chrift prevail among the Jews. But much more prevalent and effectual was it among the Gentile nations. afterward. So mightily did the word of God grow and prevail, as that whole cities, provinces, and kingdoms, renounced their Idols and idolatrous worthip, and turned to the living God in Chrift.

Here it may be enquired,

Queft. Why was the call of the gospel made fo much more effectual after the exaltation of Chrift, than before?

Anfw. 1. To remove the offence taken at his crofs. Our Lord Jefus Chrift was crucified; he hung upon a trofs, which was as opprobrious, as hanging on a gallows among us. This ignominious death, which he underwent, as a reputed malefactor, was a ftumbling-block, and matter of offence to many. 1 Cor. i. 23. We preach Chrift crucified, to the Jews a stumbling-block.

They looked for a pompous and potent Meffiah, that fhould conquer all their enemies for them, and advance them in worldly grandeur and glory. And therefore his dying on the cross, was an offence to them, and an occafion of their difowning him to be the promised Meffiah. T 2

The