a matter of so great necessity, you wrong your own soul
and dishonour him. Know this, that God is in Christ reconciling the world
to himself. Therefore thou condemned sinner mayest come to God in Christ.
If you ask any warrant, we think there should be no such questioning, when
you are in so great necessity. If a man were starving without a city, and
it were told him there is plenty within, were he not a fool that would
make any more business, but labour to enter in? This is enough to cross
all your objections; you are in extreme necessity, and like to perish
within yourself; "he is able to save to the uttermost all that come to
him." What would you more? Let there be then a closure between absolute
necessity and sufficient ability to save. Will you yet stand disputing
without the city, when the avenger of blood is above your head? If you
will yet press for some more ground and warrant of believing,--then I will
tell you all that I know is in the word for a ground of faith. You have
great misery and necessity within you,--that you grant, and it is your
complaint. Christ hath mercy and sufficiency of grace in him; he is able
to save to the uttermost,--that you cannot deny. But I do add this third,
he is also willing to save thee, whoever will be saved by him; nay, he is
more willing than thou art. If you question this, I desire you but to
consider the whole tenor of the gospel. How many invitations! How many
persuasions! How many promises to those who come! Yea, how many commands,
and that peremptory, to believe on him! Yea, how many threatenings against
you, if you will not come to him to have life! Hath he given himself for
the sins of the world, and will he not be willing that sinners partake of
that he was at so much pains to purchase? Think you that Christ will be
content his death should be in vain? And it should be in vain, if he did
not welcome the worst sinners; yea, it should be in vain if he did not
draw them to him, and make them willing. But besides this, he hath
promised so absolutely, and freely, and fully, as there should be no
exception imaginable against it; "him that cometh to me, I will in no wise
cast out," John vi. 37. Why do you imagine any case where Christ hath made
none? Why do you sin against your own souls? Oh, if I were in Christ, say
you, I would be well! and oh, that he would welcome such a sinner! Christ
answers thee in express terms; "whosoever will, let him take and drink
freely." Thou decl