We all know what is implied in one man's making a sincere offer to another; and we must suppose, that precisely the same things are implied in God's making sincere This leads me offer to sinners. to observe, 1. That God always has the good to bestow, which he offers to sinners in the gospel. No man can be sincere in offering that to another, which he does not possess and has no right to bestow.Satan was not sincere in offering all the kingdoms of the world to Christ, because they were not his property and he had no right to offer what he did not possess. And if God had not the good to bestow which he offers to sinners in the gospel, there could be no sincerity in his offers. But he has the good he offers, when he invites them to accept it. "My oxen and my fatlings are killed; come, for all things are now ready." God has given his Son to taste death for every man, and to be a propitiation for the sins of the whole world. He has made ample provision for the salvation of all, and therefore he may consistently and sincerely invite all to accept it, in this respect. God says to every one without distinction, "Ho, every one that thirsteth, come and drink. Ho, every one that is poor, come, and and buy wine and milk without money and without price." Come for all things are now ready. You may have every thing only for accepting And whosoever will, let him come, vnd take of the water of life freely. We cannot conceive that any good should be offered to any person upon any lower terms, than his being willing to accept it. And upon this condition God offers salvation to sinners and to all sinners, without distinction. He requires no more of one than of another; and be requires no more of any, than they are perfectly able to perform, in any situation or circumstances of life. The rich, the poor, the sick, the blind, the lame, are all equally able to accept the terms of salvation. If God made his offers upon hard, difficult, or impossible conditions, they would appear to be insincere and insulting. If he required the poor to be rich, the sick to be well, the blind to see, the deaf to hear, or the lame to walk, as the terms of salvation, it would be out of our power to perceive the sincerity of his offers. But when he offers all good upon no other condition, than a bare willingness to accept it, it is equally out of our power to perceive any insincerity in this respect, in his most gracious invitations. This leads me 2. The good, which God offers to sinners in the gospel, he offers upon the easiest terms that any good can be offered. This appears from the terms themselves, which are adapted to the character, state and circumstances of every person in the world. to observe, 3. That God is heartily willing affection to all the son of Adam, that sioners should enjoy the great and consequently be as willing to good which he offers to them in forgive one as to forgive another ; the gospel. This is essential to to save one as to save another; his sincerity in his offers, and this and to admit one to heaven as to sinners are most apt to distrust.-- admit another. We cannot see For in this respect, mankind are the least ground of distinction in most apt to be insincere in their his benevolent affections towards offers to one another. It is very the whole fallen, sinful race of common among all classes of peo- men. Or if there be any ground ple to make offers of favours, of distinction, it must arise from which they do not desire should the difference there is among sinbe accepted. And how often do ners, in respect to greater degrees they actually bestow favours upon of guilt. But God, in his offers, those, who, they regret, should en- and in his conduct, pays no regard joy them? This is insincerity. And to this difference. He makes the if God were not heartily willing same offers to great, that he makes that sinners should enjoy all the to less sinners, and he actually good he offers to them, we could saves some of the most guilty and see no sincerity in any of the ap- ill-deserving of the human race. parently and professedly kind in- Add to this, he graciously forevitations in the gospel. But he warns them of the serious conseis willing, and has given the most quences of their accepting or reindubitable evidence, that he is jecting his merciful proposals.-beartily willing that sinners should He assures them that their eterenjoy all the spiritual blessings nal happiness depends upon their which he offers to them in the accepting the terms of salvation, gospel of his grace. For he has and their eternal destruction deprovided salvation for all, and pro- pends upon their final refusal.vided it at the infinite expense of He urges them in the most endearthe death and suffering of the Son ing and affectionate manner to of his love. And we cannot con- choose life instead of death. And ceive why he should, in such a to establish the truth of his decmarvellous manner provide salva- larations, he confirms it by an oath tion for all, if he were not most "As I live, saith the Lord, I bave heartily willing that all should en no pleasure in the death of the joy it. Besides, God stands in the wicked, but that the wicked turn same relation to all mankind, as from his way and live; turn ye, the Father of their spirits the turn ye from your evil ways; for former of their bodies, and pre- why will ye die?" This is the server of their life and existence. most solemn assurance he can He must have the same paternal give, that he is heartily willing, that all men should enjoy all the good which he offers to them in the gospel. Nay more, he has decreed from eternity who shall, and who shall not, accept the offers he makes Let us now lay all the circum- to sinners in the gospel. So he stances together which have been expressly tells us in his word. mentioned. God has the good to "For many are called, but few are bestow which he offers to sinners. chosen." In answer to this, I God offers the good he has to would ask, What difference does bestow upon sinners, on the low. God's decree make in this case? est, and easiest terms. And he Does it alter the terms of salvais heartily willing that the should tion? Does it destroy the power actually enjoy all the good which of sinners to accept? Or does it he bas provided for them, and alter the feelings of God towards offers to them. Does not this sinners? God is willing, simply amount to a moral demonstration considered, that all men should be that he is sincere in his offers and saved. He is as willing that the invitations to all sinners? Can non-elect should be saved, as that any thing more than this be im the elect should, simply considered. plied in any sincere offers? If It is as disagreeable to him, that any man should offer another, a the non-elect should be destroyed, large estate that is his own prop- as that the elect should, simply erty, and which he heartily de- considered. This is all that God sires the person to whom he declares in his universal invitamakes the offer should possess tions to sinners, and it is all that and enjoy, upon the sole condition sincerity requires him to declare of his accepting it, could there in his invitation to them. It is be the least insincerity in his of- not necessary, that he should defer? or can we conceive of any clare his purpose, or his intention, thing more necessary to render or his determination about the his offer perfectly sincere? No, event of their accepting, or rejectsays every one in this case. But ing his offers. This is no more yet the objector may still say, necessary, than to declare his there is a difference between purpose, or his intention, or deGod's making offers to his crea- termination, whether all to whom tures, and thus making offers to he gives commands, shall actually one another. When they make obey or disobey them. His comoffers to one another, they do not mands declare what is agreeable always know beforehand, whether to him, in its own nature, but not their offers will be accepted, or what is agreeable to him, as ao erejected. But God always knows vent. When he commands all beforehand, whether his offers men to love him with all the heart will be accepted, or rejected. he does not declare that it is his - purpose, or intention, or determin- to his threatenings, if they do neg ation that all men shall love him with all the heart. He only declares that it is agreeable to him simply considered, that all men should actually love him supremely. So his invitations to sinners in the gospel, declare only what is agreeable to him, in its own nature, but not what is agreeable to him, as an event. It is the want of making this distinction, which creates all the difficulty of men's seeing the perfect sincerity of God in his universal offers of salvation to sinners. Sincerity in God requires him to make just such a declaration as he does in the text, I have determined to call all, but I have not chosen all to salvation."'Such a declaration exactly expresses his real views and feelings in respect to sinners. But still the objector may say, I am not satisfied, for God not only chooses that some should not accept his offers of salvation, but determines that they should not accept; and he treats them according to his decree, which prevents the non-elect from accepting his invitations. To which it is easy to reply, that he does not prevent their accepting his offers, if they choose to accept them. He throws no-natural difficulty, impediment, or obstruction in the way of their accepting salvation. He never advises them not to accept of his gracious offers, nor gives them the least intimation, that he will not punish them forever, according lect or refuse to accept his invitations to come to the gospel feast. But on the other hand he expressly tells them, that he has punished those who made light of his offers and rejected them. "But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers." Though they decline accepting his first calls, he calls again and again by different ser ants. It is said in the parable, he sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden: and they would not come. Again he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and fatlings are killed, and all things are ready; come unto the marriage." Now, if he lays no obstacles or impediments in the way of their coming; if he does not advise them not to come, but urges and entreats them, time after time and by different servants to come, and if they have no other excuse for refusing to come, but theit love to their farms and merchandise, and other worldly objects; then it must be owing to their own free and voluntary choice, that they make light of his offers of salvation, and not their being not chosen or elected. IMPROVEMENT. 1. If God be sincere in offering salvation to all; then sinners are inconsistent in objecting against his universal invitations. There and who can see any injustice, or is, in this case, a serious contro- inconsistency, or insincerity in versy between God and sinners, this? The willingness of some and therefore there must be an to accept of the offers of salvainconsistency on one side, or the tion, throws no obstacle in the other. God says he is sincere, way of others being willing to acbut sinners say he is inconsistent, cept the offers of salvation. Aad and consequently insincere, in of God's making some willing to ac fering salvation to all, when he cept the offers of salvation, throws has chosen only a part to eternal no obstacle in the way of others life. If God be sincere in offer accepting the offers of salvation. ing salvation to all, though he has And God's choosing from eternity chosen but a part to eternal life; to make some willing to accept then he is consistent in making the offers of salvation, throws no such a universal offer, and sinners obstacle in the way of others acare inconsistent in objecting a- cepting the offers of salvation. gainst it. But it has been shown, 2. If God sincerely offers salvathat God is consistent and sincere, tion to all; then none have the in inviting all, though he has not least excuse for neglecting to acchosen all to accept of salvation. cept his offer. If he has providFor he has provided salvation for ed salvation for all; if he has ofall; he offers salvation to all upon fered salvation to all, upon the the lowest terms; and he is wil- lowest terms; and if he is willing ling that all should accept and that all should accept and enjoy enjoy the salvation which he of the salvation he offers; then his fers to them. These three things offers of salvation to all are infirender his offers sincere and con- nitely kind and gracious, and worsequently consistent. But if there thy of the acceptation of all; so be no insincerity or inconsistency that none can justly or reasonably on God's part, it unavoidably fol- excuse themselves for despising or lows, that sinners are inconsistent, neglecting so great salvation as he in objecting against his sincerity freely offers and they stand in and consistency. All that sinners perishing need of. But we find, have to say is, that God has de- that those who were once and creed to save those, who are wil- again invited to come to the gosling to accept of salvation, and to pel feast made light of the invitadestroy all, who are unwilling to tion, and presumed to excuse accept of salvation. And who themselves for not coming, and can see any insincerity or incon- went their ways, one to his farm, sistency in this? He has decreed and another to his merchandise. to treat both the elect and non- Those who have been invited elect according to their choice, since, have generally attempted |