DISCOURSE XXXIII.

THE PATTERNS OF MERCY.

1 TIM. XV. 16.

This is a faithful faying and worthy of all acceptation, that Chrift Jefus came into the world to fave finners, of whom I am chief; howbeit for this caufe I obtained mercy, that in me firft Jefus Chrift might fhew forth ail long-fuffering, for a pattern to them which fhould hereafter believe on him to everlasting life.

IN

N St. Paul's epiftle to Timothy, wherein he reprefents the great doctrines of godlinefs, as became a perfon in his high office and place of truft, and which he delivers now into his fucceffor's care to keep for Chrift's fake, he feveral times fpeaks after this manner: "This is a faithful faying, &c." and this was not done as if any part of the fcriptures or this his charge were of lefs authority or truth, but as Mofes often renewed his meffage and errand to the Ifraelites, with, "All these words the Lord thy God commanded;" or, as the prophets very often repeated, "Thus faith the Lord;' and Jefus himfelf, when he delivered doctrines of the utmost importance and things neceffary to our eternal happiness, generally began with, "Verily, verily, I lay unto you: Thus does the apostle in the text, when he writes to another great minifter

of

of Chrift, and indeed all who labour in God's vineyard, that with boldnefs and courage they might propagate fuch confirmed doctrines with all their might, and give more heed to the divine charges delivered in fo extraordinary and in fo fo- lemn a manner.

way.

The time will not allow me to speak of the many bleffed doctrines handed down to us in this I fhall therefore fpeak chiefly of this main doctrine of the apoftle, and upon which all the hopes of poor men are grounded, namely, our Saviour's coining from heaven into the world to fave finners. "This is a faithful faying, and worthy of all acceptation,. that Jefus Chrift came into the world to fave finners. This doctrine is properly the fubitance of the whole gofpel, and is every where taught us in the New Teftament, both from our Lord himself and by all who heard him, and were fent by him to bear the glad tidings, through the earth, to every land and nation, and to invite and befeech < finners to be reconciled to God, and come back to Jefus the Shepherd and Bifhop of their fouls, that they might be faved. This (however flighted by fo many, and though by fome even fcorned and defpifed, especially by all the oppofers of falvation by grace alone) is a true doctrine, and worthy to be heard and believed, it is worthy the acceptation of all men.

If an offer of life and pardon could be made to > rebels in diftrefs and chains, or if the news of liberty and redemption fhould be brought to the flaves in the gallies, or fuch as fpend their melancholy days in prifon or banishment, or fhould the moft wretched and poor perfon in the world be offered a full receipt from all his creditors, and a fine eftate befides for the longest term, all would think the offers worthy of their acceptance, and leap for:

L-55

joy

joy at the good news; but fhould the news of liberty come to his ears who thinks himself in no danger, or fhould the tidings of a general release be fent to freemen, or bread be brought to the exceeding rich, and to fuch as fare delicately every day, it would have no fuch effect, and it is no other than a falfe conclufion of their being fafe, good enough, not fallen from God, or fo defperately wicked and in danger of perifhing as they really are, that makes the gofpel to be heard fo coldly and indifferently by more than half the world. Could a preacher tell his auditors where every one fhould find treasure hid, or how they might enfure to themselves a vaft fortune, or could he teach them how to free themselves of every pain and ficknefs at once, and in what way they could be immenfely rich, O how would people flock to hear him! there would be searce room for the concourfe any where, and he would not be able to make his voice reach to the least part of his hearers; but when a meffenger of the King of faints comes and brings the news of the kingdom of God opened, and preaches free grace, redemption from death and hell, eternal life, and all the bleffings of the world to come, into which all fhould prefs eagerly, how coldly is he heard? When he speaks of "the treasure hid in the field," how few believe the report? And when he declares how near our Saviour is to justify and help the finner, how willing he is to pardon all fin, and to come with his Father in to them and there make his abode, how very few open the door and look for him? and in how exceeding few is "the arm of the Lord revealed?" The enemy of fouls, the god of this world, fucceeds amazingly even in chriftian countries, in keeping men ignorant of Jefus and his love to finners; and when his divinity is only flightly con

feffed,

feffed, and his eternal redemption confidered but fuperficially and at a distance, it is no wonder that the bleffed news is fo indifferently entertained.

When Jefus entered Simon the Pharifee's house, he got no kifs, no hearty welcome, no water to wafh his feet, no oil for his head, no incense burnt before him, and no precious ointment perfumed his chamber; the reafon was, he did not know his guest, he did not feel how much he wanted a Saviour ; but the finner, the harlot Mary, who was called by him out of her fins and invited to the kingdom of heaven, thought fhe could never make enough of the Lord, the embraced his feet, kiffed them, washed them with tears, and broke her alabaster box of fpikenard upon them, and loved much. Thus is it now:-while men deceive themselves and fancy they are good churchmen, pious and religious enough, and that there is no danger of their future ftate; there a few prayers, a little alms or fome acts of felf-denial and mortification lull to fleep the ftirring confcience, and make the poor heart at peace without Chrift. To fuch, as well as to the wanton, the profane, the worldling, the refolutely wicked and lover of pleasure, the gofpel of falvation feems unworthy their acceptance, and is neglected to the very laft; but an awakened foul, a man who feels his own finfulness as an intolerable burden, and who wants to be faved, but trembles at the word of God, has many fears about his condition, &c. he hears that God our Saviour came from heaven, out of mere pity and compaffion, to fave undone fouls, to help poor people and to undertake for them and be their Saviour, and this is the best news to fuch an heart. Deep humility and a folid conviction and confcioufnefs of his fin and whole corrupted nature, makes him only willing to know, if Jefus can receive fuch a wretch

L 6

as

as he has been? And when he can be perfuaded of this, O'how entirely does he leave all his old and darling fins! With what joy does he receive our Saviour's offer of forgivenefs, and is glad in his falvation! His heart leaps and bounds in him for joy when the Holy Spirit within whispers the word of reconciliation; and then he thinks upon inviting others to the fame grace, and is ready every where to tell how worthy of all mens' acceptation this good doctrine is, that "Chrift Jefus came into the world to fave finners, of whom (he thinks) he is chief."

It is indeed a glorious gospel; it is a privilege bestowed upon men beyond all hopes and wifhes, and which makes all who accept it happy and bleffed for ever; and all who flight or reject or delay the clofing in with fo gracious an offer, thereby make themselves of all men the most miserable. But then who is Jefus that is coming into the world that is of fuch importance? He is the eternal God! he is that Lord, that Creator' and divine Being, against whom all had finned, and who out of tender mercy to the world came from his throne and majesty, and was incarnate, a man, a fervant, and whose whole painful life, forrowful and fhameful death, was endured by him with this fole and pure view, to fave finners. He had no design but fingly and entirely to help them out of their condemnation and flavery, and to bring them in peace back to him. He would have been glorious and high the fame, if we had been left in our guilt and fuffered hell eternally; but as he loved all his works and chofe not the death of a finner, and as he knew hell was not made for man but for the devil and his angels, he pitied us when we were funk into their ruin and come under their judgment, and before all his innumerable company of angels