his lameness, and not in his mind. Why, poor coming sinner, thou canst not come to Christ with that outward swiftness of career,

many others do; but oth the reason of thy backwardness lie in thy mind and will, or in the sluggishness of the flesh? Canst thou say sincerely, "The Spirit truly is willing, but the flesh is weak?" (Mat.xxvi. 41.) Yea, canst thou appeal to the Lord Jesus, who knoweth perfectly the very inmost thoughts of thy heart, that this is true? Then take this for thy comfort; he hath said, "I will assemble her that halteth, I will make her that halteth a remnant, and I will save her that halteth." (Micah iv. 6, 7. Zeph. iii. 19.) What canst thou have more from the sweet lips of the Son of God? But,

Seventhly, I read of some that are to follow Christ in chains; I say, to come after him in chains: "Thus saith the Lord, the labour of Egypt, and the merchandize of Ethiopia, and the Sabeans, men of stature, shall come over unto thee, and they shall be thine they shall come after thee, in chains shall they come over, and they shall fall down unto thee: shey shall make supplication unto thee. Surely there is none else to save." (Isa. xlv. 14.) Surely they that come

after Christ in chains, come to him in great difficulty, because their steps by the chains are straitened.

And what chain so heavy as those that discourage thee? Thy chain, which is made up of guilt and filth, is heavy; it is a wretched band about thy neck, by which thy strength doth fail. (Lam. i. 14; iii. 17.) But come, though thou comest in chains, it is glory to Christ, that a sinner comes after him in chains. The chinking of thy chains, though troublesome to thee is not, nor can be, obstruction to thy salva tion; it is Christ's work and glory to save thee from thy chains, to enlarge thy steps, and set thee at liberty." The blind man, though called, surely could not come apace to Jesus Christ, but Christ could stand still, and stay for him. True, "He rideth upon the wings of the wind;" but yet he is longsuffering, and his long-suffering is salvation to him that cometh to him. (Mat. xix. 49 2 Pet. iii. 9.)

Eighthly, Hadst thou seen those that came to the Lord Jesus in the days of his flesh, how slowly, how hobblingly, they came to him, by reason of their infirmities; and also how friendly, and kindly, and graciously he received them, and gave them the

desire of their hearts, thou wouldst not, as thou dost, make such objections against thyself, in thy coming to Jesus Christ.

Objection 5.

But (says another) I fear I come too late; I doubt I have staid too long; I am afraid the door is shut.

Ans. Thou canst neve come too late to Jesus Christ, if thou dost come. This is manifest by two instances:

First, By the man that came to him at the eleventh hour. This man was idle all the day long: he had a whole gospel day to come in, and he played it all away save only the last hour thereof: but at last, at the eleventh hour, he came, and goes into the vineyard with the rest of the labourers, that had borne the burden and heat of the day. Well, but how was he received by the Lord of the vineyard? Why, when pay-day came, he had even as much as the rest; yea, had his money first. True, the others murmured at him; but what did the Lord Jesus answer them? "Is thine eye evil because mine is good? I will give unto this last even as unto thee." (Mat. xx.)

Secondly, The other instance is, The thief upon the cross: he came late also, even at an hour before his death; yea, he strayed from Jesus Christ as long as he had liberty to be a thief; and longer too; for could he have deluded the judge, and by lying words escaped his just condemnation, for aught I know, he had not come as yet to his Saviour; but, being convicted and condemned to die, yea, fastened to the cross, that he might die like a rogue, as he was in his life, behold the Lord Jesus, when this wicked one, even now, desireth mercy at his hands, tells him, and that without the least reflection upon him for his former nispent life," To-day thou shalt be with me in paradise." (Luke xxiii. 43.)

Let no man turn this grace of God into wantonness: my design is now to encourage the coming soul.

Objection.

But is not the door of mercy shut against some before they die?

Ans. Yea; and God forbids that prayers should be made to him for them. (Jer vii. 16. Jude 22.)

I

Quest. Then why may not I doubt that may be one of these?

Ans. By no means, if thou art coming to Jesus Christ; because, when God shuts the door upon men, he gives them no heart to come to Jesus Christ, "None come but those to whom it is given of the Father;" but thou comest, therefore it is given to thee of the Father.

Be sure, therefore, if the Father hath given thee a heart to come to Jesus Christ, the gate of mercy yet stands open to thee: for it stands not with the wisdom of God to give strength "to come to the birth and yet to shut up the womb." (Isa. lxvi. 9.) To give grace to come to Jesus Christ, and yet shut up the door of his mercy upon thee! "Incline thine ear, saith he, and come unto me. Hear, and your soul shall live, and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David." (Isa. lv. 3.)

Objection.

But it is said, that some knocked when the door was shut.

Ans. Yes; but the texts, in which these