The General Nature of the Effectual Application of Christ to Men

‘“But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption.” 1 Cor. 1: 30.

He who inquires what is the just value and worth of Christ, asks a question which puts all the men on earth and angels in heaven to an everlasting nonplus.

The highest attainment of our knowledge in this life, is to know that hiniself and his love pass knowledge. Eph. 3: 19.

But how excellent soever Christ is in himself, what treasures of righteousness soever lie in his blood, and whatever joy, peace, and ravishing comforts spring up to men out of his encarnation, humiliation, and exaltation, they all give down their distinct benefits and comforts to them, in the way of effectual application.

For never was any wound healed by a prepared, but unapplied plaster; never any body warmed by the most costly garment made, but not put on; never any heart refreshed and comforted by the richest cordial compounded, but not received; nor from the beginning of the world was it ever known that a poor decewed, condemned, polluted, miserable sinner, was actually delivered out of that woful state, until of God Christ was made unto him wisdom and righteousness, sanctification and redemption.

For as the condemnation of the first Adam passes not to us, except as by generation we are his; so grace and remission pass not from the second Adam to us, except as by regeneration we are his. Adam’s sin hurts none but those that are in him; and Christ’s blood profits none but

.those that are in him. How great a weight therefore does there hang upon THE EFFECTUAL AppLicaTion of Christ to the souls of men! And what is there in the whole world so awfully sclemn, so greatly important as this? Such is the strong consolation resulting from it, that the apostle, in the context, offers it to the believing Corinthians as a superabundant recompense for the meanness of their outward condition in this world, of which he had just before spoken. In the text we have,

1, An enumeration of the chief privileges of believers, “ansdom, righteousness, sanctrfication, and redemption:” mercies of inestimable value in themselves, and which respect a fourfold misery lying upon man, namely, ignorance, guilt, pollution, and the whole train of miserable consequences and effects let in upon him by sin.

Lapsed man is not only deep in misery, but grossly ignorant, both that he is so, and how to recover himself: sin has left him at once senseless of his state, and at a perfect loss about the true remedy. Christ is made to men wisdom, not only by employing the treasures of wisdom in himself, for the benefit of souls united to him as their head; but by imparting his wisdom to them by the Spirit of illumination, whereby they come to discern both their sin and danger, and the true way of their recovery from both, through the application of Christ to their souls by faith.

But alas, simple illumination does but increase our burden and exasperate our misery, as long as sin in the guilt of it is either imputed to our persons unto condemnation, or reflected by our consciences in a way of accusation. Christ is therefore made of God unto us righteousness, complete and perfect righteousness, whereby our obligation to punishment is dissolved, and a solid foundation for a well-settled peace of conscience firmly established.

But though the removing of guilt from our persons and consciences be an inestimable mercy, yet alone it cannot make us completely happy; for though a man should never be damned for sin, yet what is it less than hell upon earth, to be under the dominion and pollution of every base lust? To complete the happiness of the redeemed, Christ is made of God unto them not only wisdom and righteousness, the one curing our ignorance, the other our guilt; but he is made sanctification also, to relieve us against the dominion and pollution of our corruptions. He comes both by water and by blood, not by blood only, but by water also, 1 John 5:63; purging as well as pardoning. How complete and perfect a cure is Christ!

But yet something is required beyond all this to make our happiness perfect and entire, wanting nothing; and that is, the removal of those doleful effects and consequences of sin which still lie upon the souls and bodies of illuminated, justified, and sanctified persons.. For even with the holiest of men what swarms of vanity, what deadness and unbelief daily appear and oppress their souls, imbittering all the comforts of life! And how many diseases and pains oppress their bodies, which daily moulder away till they fall into the grave by death, even as the bodies of other men do who never received such privileges from Christ.. For if ‘Christ be in us, the body is dead, because of sin.” Rom. 8:10. Sanctification exempts us not from mortality.

From all these, and whatsoever else, the fruits and consequences of sin, Christ is also redemption to his people. This seals up the sum of mercies; this so completes the happiness of the saints that it leaves nothing to desire.

These four, wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption, include all that is necessary to make a soul truly and perfectly blessed.

2. We have here the method by which believers come to be invested with these excellent privileges: ‘‘ Who of God is made unto ws;” in which expression four things are to be observed:

(1.) Christ and his benefits are zseparable: we can have no saving benefit apart from the person of Christ. Many would willingly receive his privileges who will not receive his person; but it cannot be: nay, we must accept his person first, and then his benefits; as it is in the marriage covenant, so it is here.

(2.) Christ with his benefits must be personally applied to us before we can receive any actual, saving privilege by him; he must be made wnto us, as a sum of money becomes, or is made the ransom and liberty of a captive, when it is not only promised, but paid down in his name, and legally applied for that use and end. When Christ died, the ransom was prepared in his own blood; but yet the elect continue in sin and misery, till by effectual calling it be actually appled to their persons, and then they are made free, reconciled by Christ’s death, by whom ‘‘we have now received the atonement.” Rom. 5:10, 11

(3.) This application of Christ is the work of God, and not of man: ‘‘ Of God he is made unto us.” The same hand that prepared it must also apply it, or else we perish, notwithstanding all that the Father has done in contriving, and all that the Son has done in executing and accomplishing the design thus far. And this actual application is the peculiar work of the Spirit.

(4.) This expression imports the suitableness of Christ to the necessities of sinners: what they want he is made to them. As money answers all things, and is convertible into meat, drink, raiment, medicine, or whatever else our bodily necessities require; so Christ is virtually and eminently ad, that the necessities of our souls require: bread to the hungry and clothing to the naked. In a word, God prepared and furnished him on purpose to answer all our wants. The sum of all is,

That the Lord Jesus Christ, with all his precious benefits, becomes ows by God’s special and effectual applocation. There is a twofold application of our redemption: one primary, the act of God the Father, applying it to Christ our surety, and virtually to us in him; the latter secondary, the act of the Holy Spirit, personally and actually applying it to us in the work of conversion. This personal and actual applocation of redemption to us by the Spirit in his sanctifying work, I am engaged here to discuss.

1. The application of Christ to us, not only comprehends our justification, but all those works of the Spirit which are known to us in Scripture by the terms regeneration, vocation, sanctification, and conversion,

Regeneration expresses those supernatural, divine, new qualities imparted by the Spirit to the soul, which are the principle of all holy action. Vocatzon expresses the terms from which and to which the soul moves when the Spirit works savingly upon it, under the gospel call. Sancetzfication denotes a holy dedication of heart and life to God: our becoming the temples of the living God, separate from all profane and sinful practices to the Lord’s only use and service. Conversion denotes the great change itself, which the Spirit causes upon the soul, turning it by a sweet, irresistible efficacy, from the power of sin and Satan to God in Christ.

Now all these are included in the application of Christ to our souls; for when once the efficacy of Christ’s death and resurrection are applied to the heart of any man, he then turns from sin to God, and becomes a new creature, living and acting by new principles and rules. So the apostle says to the Thessalonians, speaking of the effect of this work of the Spirit upon that people: ‘‘ Our gospel came not to you in word only, but in power, and in the Holy Ghost ’”” — there was the effectual application of Christ to them. ‘And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord” — there was their effectual call. ‘‘And ye turned from dumb idols to serve the living and the true God” — there was their conversion. ‘So that ye were ensamples to all that believe” — there was their life of sanctification or dedication to God. 1 Thess. 1: 5-9. So that all these are comprehended in effectual application.

2. The application of Christ to the souls of men is the great design of God for the accomplishment of which all the ordinances and all the officers of the gospel are appornted.

This the gospel expressly declares to be its direct end, and the great business of all its officers. “And he gave some apostles, and some prophets, and some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers; till we all come in the unity of the faith, and the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ,” Eph. 4: 11, 18; that is, the great aim of all Christ’s ordinances and officers is to bring men into union with Christ, and so build them up to perfection in him; or to unite them to, and confirm them in Christ: and when it shall have finished this design, then shall the ° whole frame of gospel ordinances be taken down, and all its officers be disbanded: the kingdom, that is, this present economy, manner, and form of government, shall be delivered up. 1 Cor. 15:24. What are ministers but the Bridegroom’s friends, ambassadors for God, to beseech men to be reconciled? When therefore all the elect are brought home in a reconciled state in Christ, when the marriage of the Lamb is come, our work and office expire together.

3. Sach is the importance of the personal application of Christ to us by the Spirit, that whatsoever the Father has done in the contrivance, or the Son in the accomplishment of our redemption, it is all unavailable and wmeffectual to owr salvation without this.

It is confessedly true, that God’s good pleasure appointing us from eternity to salvation, is, in its kind, a sufficient impulsive cause of our salvation, and every way able — for so much as it is concerned — to produce its effect. And Christ’s humiliation and sufferings are a most complete meritorious cause of our salvation, to which nothing can be added to make it more able to procure our salvation than it already is; yet neither the one nor the other can actually save any soul without the Spirit’s application ‘of Christ to it. The Father has elected, and the Son has redeemed; but until the Spzrzt has wrought his part also, we cannot be saved. For he comes in the Father’s and in the Son’s name and authority, to complete the work of our salvation, by bringing all the fruits of election and redemption home to our souls in this work of effectual vocation. Hence the apostle, noting the order of causes in their operations for the bringing about of our salvation, thus states it: “Elect, according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience, and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ.” Here you find God’s election and Christ’s blood the two great causes of salvation, and yet neither of these alone, nor both together, can save us: there must be added the sanctification of the Spirit, by which God’s purpose is executed; and the sprinkling, that is, the personal applrcation of Christ’s blood, as well as the shedding of it, before we can have the saving benefit of either of the former causes.

4, The application of Christ to souls, by the regenerating work of the Spirit, makes the first internal difference and distinction among men.

It is very true, that in respect to God’s foreknowledge and purpose, there is a distinction between one man and another; and Christ laid down his life for the sheep, he prayed for them, and not for the world; but as to any relative change of state, or real change of temper, they are upon a level with the rest of the miserable world. The elect themselves are “by nature the children of wrath, even as others.” Eph. 2:8. And to the same purpose the apostle tells the Corinthians, when he had given in that black bill, describing the most lewd, profligate, abominable wretches in the world, men whose practices might make the more sober heathen blush, “Such were some of you; but ye are washed,” etc. 1 Cor.6:11. The work of the Spirit makes us new creatures. ‘If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” 2 Cor. 5:17.

5, The application of Christ, by the work of regeneration, yields to men all the refreshment and joy they have m Christ, and in all that he has done for sinners.

An unsanctified person may relish the sweetness of nature, as well as he that is sanctified; he may also seem to relish and taste some sweetness in the promises and discoveries of the gospel, by a misapplication of them to himself. But this is like the joy of a beggar dreaming he is a king, who awakes and finds himself a beggar still. The rational, solid, and genuine delights and comforts of religion no man tastes till this work of the Spirit is wrought upon his soul: it is an enclosed pleasure, a stranger intermeddles not with it. The white stone and the new name, denoting the pleasant results and fruits of justification and adoption, no man knows but he that receives them. Rev2ne

The unsanctified soul does not appropriate Christ to itself, Luther was wont to say, that the sweetness of the gospel lay mostly in pronewns, as me, my, thy. ‘ Who

* loved me, and gave himself for me;” “Christ Jesus my

Lord;” “Son, be of good cheer; thy sins are forgiven.” The unsanctified soul has neither the evdence requisite to joy and comfort, nor yet the temper of spirit required; for how can Christ be sweet to that man’s soul whose thoughts repel so holy and pure an object?

6. The application of Christ to the soul effectually, though it be so far wrought in the first saving work of the Spirit as truly to unite the soul to Christ, and save it from the danger of perishing, 2s a work gradually advanang in the believer’s soul while it abides on this side heaven and glory.

It is true indeed, that Christ is perfectly and completely applied to the soul in the first act for righteousness. “Justification being a relative change,” says Ames, “properly admits no degrees, but is perfected at once in one only act; though as to its manifestation, sense, and effects, it has various degrees.” But the applicateon of Christ to us, for wisdom and sanctification, is not perfected in one single act, but rises by many ‘and slow degrees to its just perfection. Though we are truly said to come to Christ when we first believe, John 6: 35, yet the soul after that is still coming to him by further acts of faith. 1 Pet. 2:4. “To whom coming, as unto a living stone:” the expression denotes a continued motion, by which the soul gains ground,-and still gets nearer and nearer to Christ; growing still more inwardly acquainted with him. The knowledge of Christ grows upon the soul as the morning light, from its first dawn to the perfect day. Prov.4:18. Every grace of the Spirit grows, if not sensibly, yet really; for it is in discerning the growth of sanctification as in the erowth of plants, which we perceive rather to have grown than to grow. And as it thrives in the soul by a deeper rooting of the habits, and more promptitude and spirituality in acting; so Christ and the soul proportionably, are united more and more inwardly and efficaciously, till at last it is wholly swallowed up in Christ’s full and perfect enjoyment.

7. Although the several privileges and benefits men-. tioned are all truly and really bestowed with Christ upon believers, yet they ave not communicated to them in one and the same manner, but diversely, as their respective natures require.

The four illustrious benefits mentioned in this text, are conveyed from Christ to us in three different ways and methods: his righteousness is made ours by zmputateon; his wisdom and sanctification by renovation; his redemption by our glorification.

I know the communication of Christ’s righteousness to us by imputation, is not only denied, but scoffed at by papists; who own no righteousness but what is, at least, confounded with that which is inherent in us. The doctrine they regard as most absurd, everywhere endeavoring to load it with such absurdities as these: That if God imputes Christ’s righteousness to the believer, and accepts what Christ has performed for him, as if he had performed it himself, then we may be accounted as righteous as Christ — we may be the redeemers of the world. False and groundless consequences! As if a man should say, my debt is paid by my surety, therefore I am as rich as he. “We think not,” says Bradshaw, ‘that the righteousness of Christ is made ours according to its universal value, but according to our particular necessity; not to make others righteous, but to make us so; not that we have the formal intrinsic righteousness of Christ in us as it is in him, but a relative righteousness, which makes us righteous, even as he is righteous — not as to the quantity, but as to the truth of it: nor is it imputed to us as though Christ designed to make us the causes of salvation to others, but the subjects of salvation ourselves.” Thus the Redeemer became sin for us, and thus we are made the righteousness of God in him. 2 Cor.5:21. In this way Abraham, the father of believers, was justified, and in this way all believers, the children of Abraham, must be justified. Rom. 4:22-24. Thus is Christ’s righteousness made ours.

But in- conveying and communicating his wisdom and sanctification, he takes another method; for this is not wmputed, but really imparted to us by the illuminating and regenerating work of the Spirit: these are graces really inherent in us: our righteousness comes from Christ as a surety, but our holiness comes from him as a quickening head, sending vital influences into all his members.

Now these gracious habits being formed in the souls of poor imperfect creatures, whose corruptions abide and work in the very same faculties where grace has its residence, it cannot be that our sanctification should be perfect and complete as is our justification which inheres only in Christ. Gal. 5:17.

But redemption, that is, absolute and plenary deliverance from all the sad remains and consequences of sin, both upon soul and body, is made ours, or Christ is made redemption to us, when we are glorified: then, and not before, are these miserable effects removed; we put off these together with the body. So that as justzfication cures the gut of sin, and sanctification the dominion of sin, so glorification removes, together with its existence and being, all those miseries which it let in as a flood upon our whole man. Eph. 5:26, 27.

Inrerence 1. Learn from hence, what a naked, destrtute, and empty thing a poor sinner is, in his natural wnregenerate state. He is one that naturally and inherently has neither wisdom nor righteousness, sanctification nor redemption: all these must come from without himself, even from Christ, who is made all this to a sinner, or else he must eternally perish. As we are born more weak and helpless than any other creature, so all our spiritual excellencies are borrowed excellencies, and we have nothing of which to boast. ‘What hast thou that thou didst not receive? Now, if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?” 1 Cor.4:7. What intolerable insolence and vanity would it be for a man that wears the rich and costly robe of Christ’s righteousness, in which there is not one thread of his own spinning, to pride himself as if he had made it, and were beholden to none for it. O man, thine excellencies, whatever they are, are borrowed from Christ; they oblige thee to him, but he can be no more obliged to thee who wearest them, than the sun is obliged to him that borrows its light, or the fountain to him that draws its water for his use and benefit.

It has ever been the care of holy men, when they have viewed their own gracious princples, or best performances, still to disclaim themselves, and own free-grace as the sole author of all. Thus holy Paul, viewing the principles of the divine life in himself, the richest gift bestowed upon man in this world by Jesus Christ, how doth he renounce himself, and deny the least part of the praise and glory as belonging to him: ‘‘ Now I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me,” Gal. 2:20; and so for the best duties that ever he performed for God — and what mere man ever did more for God? — yet when, in a just and necessary defence, he was constrained to mention them, how carefully is yet not I presently added. ‘I labored more abundantly than they all; yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.” 1 Cor. 15:10. Let then the sense of your own emptiness by nature humble and the more increase your sense of obligation to Christ, from whom you receive all you have.

2. Hence we see that none can claim benefit by imputed righteousness, but those that live in the power of inherent holiness. To whomsoever Christ is made 7ighteousness, to him he also is made sanctificateon. The gospel has not the least favor for licentiousness. It is every way as careful to press men to their duties as to instruct them in their privileges: “This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works.” Tit. 3:8. It is a loose principle, divulged by lbertenes, to the reproach of Christ and his gospel, that sanctification is not the evidence of our justification. And Christ is as much wronged by them who separate holiness from righteousness — as if a sensual vile life were consistent with a justified state — as he is in the contrary extreme, by those who confound Christ’s righteousness with man’s holiness in the point of justification; or who own no other righteousness but what is inherent in themselves. The former opinion makes him a cloak for sin, the latter a needless sacrifice for sin.

It is true, our sanctification cannot justify us before God; but what then, can it not evidence our justification before men? Is there no necessity or use for a holy life because it avails not in our justification? Is the preparation of the soul for heaven, by altering its frame and temper, nothing? Is the glorifying of our Redeemer, by a life of faith in the world, nothing? Does the work of Christ render the work of the Spirit needless? God forbid: he came not by blood only, but by water also. 1 John 5:6. When the apostle says, ‘Unto him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness,” Rom. 4:5; the scope of it is not to characterize and describe the justified person as one that is slothful and has no mind to work; nor as rebellious and refractory, refusing obedience to the commands of God; but to represent him as a humbled sinner, who is convinced of his inability to work out his own righteousness by the law, and sees all his endeavors to obey the law fall short of righteousness, and therefore is said, in a law-sense, not to work, because he does not so work as to answer the purpose and end of the law, which accepts of nothing beneath perfect obedience. And when the ungodly are said to be justified, that character describes not the temper and frame of their hearts and lives after their justification, but what it was before; not as it leaves, but

as it found them.
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3. How unreasonable and worse than brutish is the sin of infidelity, by which the sinner rejects Christ, and with him all those mercies and benefits which alone can relieve and cure his misery! He is by nature blind and ignorant, and yet he refuses Christ, who comes to him with heavenly light and wisdom; he is condemned by the terrible sentence of the law to eternal wrath, and yet rejects Christ, who tenders to him complete and perfect righteousness; he is wholly polluted and plunged into the pollutions of nature and practice, yet will have none of Christ, who would become sanctification to him. He is oppressed in soul and body, with the deplorable effects and miseries sin hath brought upon him, and yet is so in love with his bondage that he will neither accept Christ nor the redemption he brings to sinners.

O, what monsters, what beasts has sin turned its subjects into! ‘Ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.” John 5:40. Sin has stabbed the sinner to the heart, the wounds are all mortal, eternal death is before him; Christ has prepared the only remedy that can heal his wounds, but he will not suffer him to apply it. He acts like one in love with death, and that judges it sweet to perish. So Christ tells us, “All they that hate me love death,” Prov. 8:36; not in itself, but in its causes, with which it is inseparably connected. They are loath to burn, yet willing to sin; though sin kindles the everlasting flames. So that in two things the unbeliever shows himself worse than brutish: he cannot think of damnation, the effect of sin, without horror, and yet cannot think of sin, the cause of damnation, without pleasure; he is loath to perish to all eternity without remedy, and yet refuses and declines Christ as if he were an enemy, who only can and would deliver him from that eternal perdition.

How do men thus act as if they were in love with their own ruin! Many poor wretches now in the way to hell, how hard do they struggle to cast themselves. away!

Christ meets them in the ordinances, where they studiously shun him; or checks them in their way by convictions, which they strive to overcome and conquer. Oh,

‘ how willing are they to accept a cure, a benefit, a remedy

for any thing but their souls! You see, then, that sinners cannot, should they study all their days to do themselves a mischief, take a readier course to ruin themselves than by rejecting Christ in his gracious offers. Surely the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah is less than this sin. Mercy itself is exasperated by it, and the damnation of such as reject Christ, so seriously and frequently offered to them, is just, inevitable, and will be more intolerable than to any in the world besides. Neither heathens nor devils ever aggravated their sins by the wilful refusing of such an appropriate, offered, and only remedy.

4. What a tremendous symptom of wrath and sad character of death appears upon that man’s soul, to which no effectual application of Christ can be made by the gospel. Christ with his benefits is frequently tendered to men in the gospel; they have been besought to accept him; these entreaties and persuasions have been urged by the greatest arguments, the command of God, the love of Christ, the inconceivable happiness or misery which unavoidably follow the accepting or rejecting of these offers, and yet nothing will affect them. All their pleas for unbelief have been confuted; their reason and conscience have stood convinced; they have been speechless, as well as Christless: not one sound argument is found with them to defend their infidelity, and they confess in general that such a course as theirs leads to destruction. They will allow that those who are in Christ are happy; and yet, when it comes to the point, their own closing with him, all arguments, all entreaties, are unsuccessful.

Lord, what is the reason of this obstinacy? In other things it is not so. If they be sick, they are so far from rejecting a physician, that they will send, and pray, and pay him too. If they be arrested for debt, and any one will be a surety, words can hardly express the sense they have of such a kindness; but though Christ would be both a physician and surety, and whatever else their needs require, they will rather perish to eternity than accept him. What may we fear to be the reason of this, but that they are not of Christ’s sheep. John 10:26. The Lord open the eyes of poor sinners to apprehend not only how great a sin, but how dreadful a sign this is.

5. If Christ, with all his benefits, be made ours by God’s special application, what a day of mercy ts the day of conversion; what multitudes of chore blessings visit the converted soul in that day! “This day,” said Christ to Zaccheus, “igs salvation come to this house.” Luke 19:9. In this day, Christ comes into the soul, and he comes not empty, but brings with him all his treasures of “wisdom and righteousness, sanctification and redemption.” Troops of mercies, yea, of the best of mercies, come with him. It is a day of gladness and joy to the heart of Christ, when he is espoused to and received by the believing soul: it is a coronation day to a king. So you read, Sone 3:11; where is shadowed out the joy of Christ’s heart, when poor souls, by their high estimation of him and consent to his government, do, as it were, crown him with glory and honor, and make his heart glad.

Now, if the day of our espousals to Christ be the day of the gladness of his heart, and he reckons himself thus honored and glorified by us, what a day of joy and gladness should it be to our hearts, and how should we be transported with joy, to see a King from heaven, with all his treasures of grace and glory, bestowing himself freely and everlastingly upon us, as our portion! No wonder that Zaccheus came down joyfully, Luke 19:6; that the eunuch went home rejoicing, Acts 8:39; that the jailer rejoiced, believing in God with all his household, Acts 16; 34; that they that were converted did eat their meat with gladness, praising God, Acts 2:41, 46; that there was great joy among them of Samaria, when Christ came among them in the preaching of the gospel. Acts 8:5, 8. I say, it is no wonder we read of such joy accompanying Christ into the soul, when we consider that in one day so many blessings meet together in it, the least of which is not. to be exchanged for all the kingdoms of this world and the glory of them. Eternity itself will but suffice to bless God for the mercies of this one day.

6. If Christ be made all this to every soul to whom he is effectually applied, what cause have those that are under the preparatory work of the Spirit, and are come nigh to Christ and all his benefits, to stretch out their hands with vehement desire to Christ, and invite him into their souls! The whole world is distinguishable into three classes of persons: such as are far from Christ; such as are not far from Christ; and such as are in Christ. They that are in Christ have heartily received him. Such as are far from Christ will not open to him; their hearts are fast barred by ignorance, prejudice, and unbelief against him. But those that are under the preparatory workings of the Spirit are come nigh to Christ, who see their own indispensable necessity of him, and his suitableness to their necessities, in whom also encouraging hopes begin to dawn, and their souls would close sincerely and universally with him, Oh, what vehement desires, what strong pleas, what moving arguments should such persons urge and plead to win Christ and get possession of him! They are in sight of their only remedy; Christ and salvation are come to their very doors; there wants but a few things to make them blessed for ever. This is the day in which their souls are exercised between hopes and fears: now they are much alone and deep in thoughtfulness, they weep and make supplication for a heart to believe, and ‘that against the great discouragements which they encounter.

Reader, if this be the case of thy soul, it will not be the least service 1 can render thee, to suggest such pleas as are proper now to be urged for the attainment of thy desires, and the closing of thy heart with Christ.

Plead the absolute necessity which now drives thee to Christ, tell him thy hope in all other refuges is utterly perished; thou art come like a starving beggar to the last door of hope. Tell him thou now beginnest to see the absolute necessity of Christ: thy body hath not so much need of bread, water, or air, as thy soul hath of Christ, and the wisdom and righteousness, sanctification and redemption that are in him.

Plead the Father’s gracous dengn in furnishing and sending him into the world, and jis own design in accepting the Father’s call. ‘Lord Jesus, wast thou not ‘anointed to preach good tidings to the meek, to bind up the broken-hearted, and to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound?’ Isa. 61:1 Behold an object suitable to thine office: while I was ignorant of my condition, I had a proud rebellious heart, but conviction and self-acquaintance show me my sin: my heart was harder than the nether millstone, it was as easy to dissolve the obdurate rocks as to thaw and melt my heart for sin; but now God hath opened mine eyes, I sensibly feel the misery of my condition. I once thought myself at perfect liberty, but now I see that what I thought perfect liberty is perfect bondage; and never did a poor prisoner sigh for deliverance more than I. Since then thou hast given me a soul thus prepared, though still unworthy, for the exercise of thine office and the execution of thy commission. Lord Jesus, be, according to thy name, a Jesus, a Saviour unto me.”

Plead the wnlemited and general invitation made to such souls as you are to come to Christ freely. ‘Lord, thou hast made open proclamation, ‘Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters,’ Isa. 55:1; and, ‘Let him that is athirst come’ Rev. 22:17. In obedience to thy call, lo, I come; had I not been invited, my coming to thee, blessed Lord Jesus, had been an act of presumption, but this makes it an act of duty and obedience.”

Plead the unprofitableness of thy blood to God. “Lord, there is no profit in my blood, it will turn to no more advantage to thee to destroy, than it will to save me: if thou send me to hell, as the merit of my sin calls upon thy justice to do, I shall be there dishonoring thee to all eternity, and the debt I owe thee will never be paid. But if Christ be applied to me for righteousness, the satisfaction will be complete. If the honor of thy justice lay as a bar to my pardon, it would stop my mouth; but when thy justice as well as thy mercy shall both rejoice together,. and be glorified and pleased in the same act, what hinders but that Christ be applied to my soul?”

Plead thy compliance with the terms of the gospel: tell him, ‘Lord, my will complies fully and heartily to all thy gracious terms. I can now subscribe a blank: let God offer his Christ on what terms he will, my heart is ready to comply; I have no exception against any article of the gospel. And now, Lord, I wholly refer myself to thy pleasure; do with me what seemeth good in thine eyes, only give me an interest in Jesus Christ; as to all other concerns, I lie at thy feet, in full resignation of all to thy pleasure. Never yet did any perish in that posture and frame; and I hope I shall not be made the first instance and example.”

7. If Christ, with all his benefits, be made ours by a special application, how thankful and happy should believers be, an every condition into which God casts them in this world! After such a mercy as this, let them never open their mouths any more to repine at the outward inconveniences of their condition. What are the things you want compared with the things you enjoy? What is a little money, health, or liberty, to “wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption?” All the crowns and sceptres in the world are no price for the least of these mercies.

But your duty lies much higher than contentment. Be thankful, as well as content, in every state. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.” Eph.1:3. O think what are men to angels, that Christ should pass by them-to become a Saviour to men! And what art thou among men, that thou shouldst be taken and others left? And among ali the mercies of God, what mercies are comparable to these conferred upon thee? O bless God in the lowest ebb of outward comforts, for such privileges as these.

And yet you will not come up to your duty in all this, except you be joyful in the Lord, and rejoice evermore, after the receipt of such mercies as these. ‘Rejoice in the Lord alway; and again I say, Rejoice.” Phil. 4: 4. Has not the poor captive reason to rejoice when he has recovered his liberty; the debtor to rejoice when all scores are cleared, and he owes nothing; the weary traveller to rejoice, though he be not owner of a shilling, when he is come almost home, where all his wants shall be supplied? This is your case when Christ once becomes yours: you are the Lord’s freeman, your debts to justice are all satisfied by Christ; and you are within a little of complete redemption from all the troubles and inconveniences of your present state.

Thanks be to God for Jesus Christ.