Use 2

USE. II.

Let this serve to encourage such as have long lived barren in God's vineyard. It is no new device or stratagem of Satan, that great enemy of souls, when he can no longer nourish security in men's hearts, and thereby animate them in their delaying to entertain the calls of the Gospel; but they begin to have touches upon their hearts and their consciences reflect on them conviction of their sin and danger, and rouse them up to return and seek after God in earnest, now to lay matter of discouragement before them, and drive them off from repentance, by persuading them that there is now no hope for them, it is too late, they have sinned beyond a pardon, such sinners as they have nothing now to expect but ruin, there is no mercy to be expected from God by them: and thus from presumption he would precipitate them into desperation. This doctrine in hand, will speak a word of hope to any such, and help their sinking souls with something to catch hold upon to support them, and to answer all their doubts and fears, which Satan and a misgiving heart are ready to oppress them withal; and there are these considerations which will stop the mouth of them all.

1. That if God were not willing to accept of you returning to him, he would not continue to call you. You say, I am afraid that if I should seek to God he will not accept of me; but every new call that is offered to you is a contradiction to such a suspicion. What God's servants speak to you in his name, and according to his word, that he says, now they say to you in his name, if after all you will hearken to his invitation, and yield yourselves up to him you shall live, and not die. And they have his warrant so to say; they received a command to make such a proclamation to you. God does not dissemble with you if he says return and they that do so shall live: if he incites you to come and you do come he will in no wise cast you out. He is in earnest; he never said to the house of Jacob, seek me in vain.

2. That if your hearts do incline to accept of his call, it is his Spirit that has done this in and for you. It therefore is an evidence that his day is not done; for as long as God strives with sinners, their day is not over. Your natural inclination was to have withstood all calls and counsels for ever: it is a great work that is wrought by God in the soul, when it is turned so as to be willing that he should do the work for it, and to desire that he would do it. If your barrenness be your burden, and you are made to groan under it, and long to be delivered from it, it takes off all reason of doubting whether God be willing or no: for it practically says in you, that he does desire it, and gives you reason to believe that he is doing it for you, how else came you by this?

3. That there is merit enough in the satisfaction of Christ to answer for all your sins and provocations. Though you have heightened them by your contumacy and long resistance of God; yet Justice is fully atoned, there is a complete payment made to it by the blood of Christ, and therefore read (Matthew 12:31). Yes, and by the accepting and pardoning of such an one as you are, there will be abundant evidence of the great extent of the virtue of these merits of his: it will appear to the glory of Christ, how wondrous a Savior he is, what a treasure there is laid up in his satisfaction; and therein will God also be glorified.

4. That God, angels, and good men, will greatly rejoice at this: How glad was the Father of the Prodigal, that his son was returned after his profuseness? What joy is there in heaven at the conversion of a lost sinner? And how much are the hearts of God's people refreshed, when they see one that has been a long time dishonouring of God, by bringing forth the works of darkness, now to honor him, by bearing the fruits of repentance? And the way for you to further this joy is to make haste, and use no more delays; now to come over to Christ, and seek his grace. There are none that will be grieved at it; but devils and ungodly men, and the more they are enraged the better. Be not then discouraged, though you have done all this wickedness, yet at the last give yourselves up in an everlasting covenant, to God, and bring forth the holy fruits of true obedience to him; and so shall your repentance be unrepentable.