Autumn Preaching 2009 Online

Sermons preached by Rev. Dewi Higham at the second Crosslanes Chapel Autumn Preaching meeting are now available for listening online:

The gospel statements of Psalm 103
The marks of God's workmanship (Ephesians 2 v 10)

A selection of psalms that were sung at the meetings is also available: Psalm 19 v 7-11 (Andrew), Psalm 67 (Franconia), Psalm 86 v 9-13 (Wallace) and Psalm 89 v 5-8 (Winchester).

The latest online sermon by the Rev. Aaron Lewis is Suffer the little children to come unto me (Mark 10 v 14).

Autumn Preaching 2009

God willing, the second Autumn Preaching meeting at Crosslanes Chapel will be held at 6pm on Saturday 31st October, at the church.

The preacher will be the Rev. Dewi Higham, minister of Tabernacle Cardiff.

Refreshments will follow the service.

Rev. Higham will also preach on the Sabbath (1st November) at 11am and 6pm.




Advance notification: God willing, the Church Anniversary services in 2010 will be held on the 22nd and 23rd May. Rev. Harry Woods of Beauly Free Church will be the preacher.

Latest online sermon: On the way to heaven (Psalm 23 v 6) preached on the evening of Wednesday 20th August 2009.

New link to the Bible League Trust

Under Links we have added the Bible League Trust.

The Bible League Trust aims to:

* Encourage belief in the inspiration and sufficiency of the Word of God
* Resist the varied attacks made upon Scripture
* Promote the reverent study of the Bible

The Bible League Trust is highly recommended by Rev. Aaron Lewis.

Latest online sermons:
The great sinner meeting with the Great Saviour, preached on Sabbath evening 14th June 2009
Faith and Peace, preached on Sabbath morning 5th July 2009
Walking in the Valley, preached on Wednesday evening 8th July 2009

Church Anniversary 2009 Online

The sermons preached by Rev. John J. Murray at the 158th Anniversary of Crosslanes Chapel are now available for listening online:

The Lord and his dwelling place (Isaiah 57 v 15)
Christ the vine (John 15 v 5)
Christ suffering the just for the unjust (1 Peter 3 v 18)

The latest online sermon by the Rev. Aaron Lewis is The forgiveness of sins (Luke 7 v 47), a gospel sermon preached on the Sabbath evening, 17th May 2009.

Church Anniversary 2009

God willing, the 158th Anniversary of Crosslanes Chapel will be marked by a Service at 6pm on Saturday 2nd May, at the church.



The preacher will be the Rev. John J. Murray, minister of the Free Church of Scotland (Continuing).

Refreshments will follow the service.

Rev. Murray will also preach on the Sabbath (3rd May) at 11am and 6pm.

Latest online sermons:
Christ the Mediator: Humiliation and Exaltation preached on the evening of Wednesday 18th March 2009.
Christ the Mediator: Exaltation preached on the evening of Wednesday 25th March 2009.
Rejoicing over the King preached on the Sabbath evening 22nd March 2009.
Knowing and following Christ and making Him known preached on the Sabbath evening 5th April 2009.

The Proclaimer, Spring 2009

"Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another, and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching"

Standing for prayer (part 2)
Special Meetings
Quotes from Thomas Watson's Body of Divinity (2)
News of the fellowship
Book reviews
The Free Offer of the Gospel by Ebenezer Erskine
This is my friend
Metrical Psalm 5
Spurgeon on Tribulation

Latest online sermon: Christ the Mediator: King preached on the evening of Wednesday 4th March 2009.

Spurgeon on Tribulation

"In the world ye shall have tribulation." --John 16:33

Art thou asking the reason of this, believer? Look upward to thy heavenly Father, and behold Him pure and holy. Dost thou know that thou art one day to be like Him? Wilt thou easily be conformed to His image? Wilt thou not require much refining in the furnace of affliction to purify thee? Will it be an easy thing to get rid of thy corruptions, and make thee perfect even as thy Father which is in heaven is perfect? Next, Christian, turn thine eye downward. Dost thou know what foes thou hast beneath thy feet? Thou wast once a servant of Satan, and no king will willingly lose his subjects. Dost thou think that Satan will let thee alone? No, he will be always at thee, for he "goeth about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour." Expect trouble, therefore, Christian, when thou lookest beneath thee. Then look around thee. Where art thou? Thou art in an enemy's country, a stranger and a sojourner. The world is not thy friend. If it be, then thou art not God's friend, for he who is the friend of the world is the enemy of God. Be assured that thou shalt find foe-men everywhere. When thou sleepest, think that thou art resting on the battlefield; when thou walkest, suspect an ambush in every hedge. As mosquitoes are said to bite strangers more than natives, so will the trials of earth be sharpest to you. Lastly, look within thee, into thine own heart and observe what is there. Sin and self are still within. Ah! if thou hadst no devil to tempt thee, no enemies to fight thee, and no world to ensnare thee, thou wouldst still find in thyself evil enough to be a sore trouble to thee, for "the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked." Expect trouble then, but despond not on account of it, for God is with thee to help and to strengthen thee. He hath said, "I will be with thee in trouble; I will deliver thee and honour thee."

Metrical Psalm 5

Notes by John Brown of Haddington.

To the chief Musician, upon Nehiloth, A Psalm of David.

Here, (1.) The man according to God's heart, in the assured faith of God's hearing his prayers, and hating his sins, fixeth a daily, an early, an earnest, a steady, a grace- founded correspondence with God, in his ordinances of meditation, prayer, praise, etc., ver. 1-7. (2.) Behold him humbly requesting God's special direction in duties which his enemies had rendered difficult to perform; supplicating and predicting the ruin of his implacable foes; and, in the assured faith of obtaining it, imploring comfort and prosperity to his fellow saints, ver. 8-12.

While I sing, let my heart and flesh cry out, and my soul pant and wait for the Lord. In the firm faith of infinite mercy to forgive all my crimes, and wash out all my sinful stains, let me blush at, and detest my own abominations. Let me cultivate the closest familiarity with the Lord my God. Let my prayers correspond with his promises, and with the particular condition of myself or others.

1 Give ear unto my words, O Lord,
my meditation weigh.
2 Hear my loud cry, my King, my God;
for I to thee will pray.

3 Lord, thou shalt early hear my voice:
I early will direct
My pray'r to thee; and, looking up,
an answer will expect.

4 For thou art not a God that doth
in wickedness delight;
Neither shall evil dwell with thee,
5 Nor fools stand in thy sight.

All that ill-doers are thou hat'st;
6 Cutt'st off that liars be:
The bloody and deceitful man
abhorred is by thee.

7 But I into thy house will come
in thine abundant grace;
And I will worship in thy fear
toward thy holy place.

8 Because of those mine enemies,
Lord, in thy righteousness
Do thou me lead; do thou thy way
make straight before my face.

9 For in their mouth there is no truth,
their inward part is ill;
Their throat's an open sepulchre,
their tongue doth flatter still.

10 O God, destroy them; let them be
by their own counsel quell'd:
Them for their many sins cast out,
for they 'gainst thee rebell'd.

11 But let all joy that trust in thee,
and still make shouting noise;
For them thou sav'st; let all that love
thy name in thee rejoice.

12 For, Lord, unto the righteous man
thou wilt thy blessing yield:
With favour thou wilt compass him
about, as with a shield.

Book Reviews

A View of the Covenant of Grace by Thomas Boston
Brown's Dictionary of Bible Characters edited by Geoffrey Stonier

Brown's Dictionary of Bible Characters ed Stonier

John Brown was born in 1722, and, by the will of God became an eminent Bible theologian. His Dictionary is Christ centred, and covers practically everything, making it useful for gospel preachers.

From this Dictionary, Geoffrey Stonier, (International Director of Preacher's Help), has extracted the most significant Bible names, to produce this helpful volume. After a comprehensive memoir, (43 pages long, by John Brown's grandson), Mr. Stonier begins with Aaron and ends with Zuph.

Hundreds of Bible names are helpfully arranged in alphabetical order, and once we start to dig into these pages, they will light up with spark and fire. Names perhaps previously skimmed over begin to develop special spiritual relevance.

John Brown's Dictionary demonstrates to us that we can so easily miss priceless information which could make our knowledge of God's grace in redemption so much the more vibrant.

The volume ends with a helpful index of some sixty three authors quoted in Brown's Dictionary.

Publisher: Christian Focus Publications (March 2009)
ISBN-10: 1845502663
ISBN-13: 978-1845502663

A View of the Covenant of Grace by Thomas Boston

Thomas Boston, a truly prolific Puritan writer, lived only to the age of 56 years. He was licensed to preach in 1697, and was ordained to the gospel ministry at Simprin in 1699. “With joy”, he says, “I saw myself in Simprin as in a nest, under the shadow of Christ's wings”.

His volume, “A View of the Covenant of Grace”, is thoroughly Scriptural, (as are all his works), and to read it is a spiritually enriching experience. It is undoubtedly one of the best books on the Covenant of Grace, and it ought to be read more widely than it is. Boston emphasises the importance of the Covenant of Grace, as it underlies the theme of the whole of Scripture. The doctrine is strongly Trinitarian, emphasising the sovereignty of God, preserving the truth of human responsibility, affording the possibility of true experimental religion, guaranteeing the believer's perseverance in grace, and his eternal security.

It is the Covenant of Grace that establishes the unity and the continuity of the true Church. Hebrews 9:15, “And for this cause He is the Mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance”.

This book is in print as part of Volume 8 (which also includes "Human Nature in its Fourfold State") of the Works of Thomas Boston.

Publisher: Sovereign Grace Publishers (September 2001)
ISBN-10: 1589602064
ISBN-13: 978-1589602064

It is also available online at Google Books.

News of the fellowship

It was a great encouragement to have Rev William Macleod from Glasgow come to preach for us last Autumn. Although the heavy rain had caused flooding in the area, we were pleased to see a good number come, and felt the Lord's presence with us.

We were all very pleased to hear of the safe arrival of Isabel Lani Adamson born on November 17th, we rejoice with Emma & John and pray that they will continue to know God's grace & blessing upon their family.

On December 1st Nathanael James Lewis was born to our Pastor & wife Sharon, what a joy it is to see babies & children being brought to God's House.

Our Annual Luncheon was a very enjoyable time, with friends gathering from the village and other churches around. Our Pastor spoke on the words; “Christ liveth in me”.

In January we were very pleased to welcome Mr Chris Main into membership and pray he and his family will know God's richest
blessing. They have already been a great encouragement and help to us.

Quotes from Thomas Watson's Body of Divinity (2)

God's mercy is free. To set up merit is to destroy mercy. Nothing can deserve mercy, because we are polluted in our blood; nor force it. We may force God to punish us, but not to love us. 'I will love them freely'.

What cause have we to be thankful, that we have the knowledge of the only true God! How many are brought up in blindness! God is to be trusted when His providences seem to run contrary to His promise.

Admire the love of Christ our Mediator; that He should humble Himself, and take our flesh, that He might redeem us.

See your need of Christ's teaching. Go to Christ to teach you. Jesus Christ is very willing to teach us.

Let those admire God's free grace who were once under the power and tyranny of Satan.

Christ took our flesh upon Him, that He might take our sins upon Him

Let the wind and storms be up, and the church almost covered with waves, yet Christ is in the ship of the church, and there is no danger of shipwreck.

Standing for Prayer (continued)

The teaching of the Word of God, beyond all dispute, appoints standing as the most appropriate posture for public prayer.

Objections

It is written in 2 Samuel 7: 18 that King David went in, and “sat before the LORD” (cf. 1 Chronicles 17:16). This may mean no more than that he sat back while on his knees; but the Hebrew word here translated “sat” conveys the basic idea of “remaining” or “continuing” (as in Genesis 24:55 and 29:19), without any allusion to a particular posture. David spent time before God. That is not in dispute. But that he actually “sat” when in the exercise of prayer cannot be proved from this verse.

In the New Testament, Acts 2:1–2 records that “when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.” On the basis of this scripture, some have argued for sitting, rather than standing, in public prayer. But what is said here is only that when the Holy Spirit came, in that extraordinary and miraculous way, the disciples were sitting. It is important to notice that it is not said that they were praying. It may well have been that they were singing psalms or, more likely, that they were listening to Peter.

If we would have warrant for any given practice, we must make very sure that it is clear and certain warrant – and not just mere surmise or conjecture.

Testimony

In the history of the Christian Church, many believers have faithfully held to the biblical teaching on posture and therefore have maintained the practice of standing in public prayer.

Justin Martyr (AD 155) observed that, after the minister had concluded his sermon, ‘they (the Christians of his day) rose up and offered their prayers to God’.

Origen, born around eighty-five years after the time of the Apostles, said at the close of one of his sermons, “Wherefore, standing up, let us beg help from God that we may be blessed of Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever, Amen”. At the close of another, he said, “Wherefore, rising up, let us pray to God that we may be made worthy of Jesus Christ, to whom be glory and dominion for ever and ever, Amen.”

Cyprian (died AD 258) exhorts that “when we stand to pray, we should watch and join in the prayers with our whole heart.”

Chrysostom (AD 347-407) refers to the form of the expression used when calling to prayer: “Let us stand in a becoming manner.”

Augustine (AD 354-430) wrote, “We pray standing, which is a sign of the resurrection”.

John Climacus (AD 570-640) writes, “Stand trembling during this prayer...”

In AD 325, The Council of Nice ordered that the churches everywhere should conform to the custom of standing in prayer: “That all things may be uniformly performed in every parish...it seems good to the holy synod that prayers be made to God standing.”

Joseph Hall, the godly Anglican (1574-1656), said, “God is Lord of my body also: and therefore challengeth as well reverent gestures inward devotion. I will ever, in my prayers, either stand, as a servant, before my Master; or kneel, as a subject, to my Prince.”

John Willison, the Scottish Minister, wrote in 1712 or 1713: “If weakness of nature require(s) a person to sit in time of public prayer, I do not quarrel it, but, when no just cause can be pleaded for it, I cannot say that it is a suitable posture at public worship. A lazy, sluggish posture in prayer tends to bring on sleep and drowsiness, and makes us forget what we are about; whereas, when we stand up, and universally change our position when public prayer begins, it helps to awaken people to think upon the solemn addresses they are making to the great God.”

Isaac Watts, the eighteenth century Independent Minister, taught in his book, “A Guide to Prayer”, that “standing is a posture not unfit for worship”, and he added that “standing seems to have been the common gesture of worship in a large and public assembly, 2 Chronicles 20:4,5, 13”. “I cannot think” says the Doctor, “that sitting, or other postures of rest and laziness, ought to be indulged in solemn seasons of prayer.”

Samuel Miller, an American Presbyterian and a Professor at Princeton Seminary, wrote in one of his books about “standing” in Prayer, and he said: ‘this it is well known, was the posture in the Church of Scotland; by our fathers, the Puritans, in England; and by the descendants of both on this side of the Atlantic. There is much to recommend this posture. We spontaneously rise in the presence of a superior. It is expressive of respect and reverence.”

Francis Wayland, a nineteenth century Baptist, makes mention of both kneeling and standing in prayer; but then he adds, “To stand is expressive of reverence, when we approach into the presence of God. To sit listlessly gazing around, when we profess to be offering up our supplications to God, can surely be justified neither by religion nor good taste.”

The practice has been retained in many congregations in Scotland and Ireland, but, sadly, in England, along with other departures, standing for prayer has for some time been discontinued. However, and thankfully, there are signs in some quarters of a growing concern for the purity of worship and, in consequence, there has been a return to the biblically recognized posture for public prayer. It is our prayer that other churches will follow the lead given and that soon we shall see a general reformation in this area.

Conclusion

Thomas Watson wrote, “posture in worship is too often imposture.” This, of course, is true, and great care should therefore be taken to ensure that when praying together we really do seek His face. It would be a very serious fault indeed if we glorified God with our bodies only, and not with our spirits (as required of us in 1 Corinthians 6:20).

Let us resolve to worship in a way that is pleasing to Him, being mindful of the counsel He has given in His Word. If He has taught us to stand, then we should stand in prayer. Of course we are mindful of the aged and the infirm who, although they might wish to stand with the congregation, cannot do so by reason of their physical weakness. They may sit, assured that the Lord accepts the “will” for the “deed”, “for if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted...” (2 Corinthians 8:12). To such the Lord says, as He once said to David, “thou didst well that it was in thine heart” (1 Kings 8:18).

As Samuel Miller once observed, “It is, undoubtedly, desirable that there be uniformity in our habits of worship. This uniformity is not likely to be attained or established without the employment of means for the purpose. Every Pastor is responsible for much in this respect, and has much in his power. Let him drop a hint in the pulpit, and let him impart a suggestion, now and then, to the young and old in his parochial visits, and he may generally arrest undesirable practices in the bud, and keep most external habits in the a state of decorum and order”.

Reformation is urgently needed, and some measure of uniformity is most desirable: therefore let us all consider the Scriptures, and then be found to be as the “doers of the word”. Whatever is done in the worship of Almighty God must never be done on account of preference, but always on account of obedience to His revealed Will. Although sitting for prayer is contemporary practice, standing is evidently required by the clear teaching of God’s written Word.

[ This article is a continuation of Standing for Prayer; both articles have been published in a single booklet. ]

Rejoice in the Lord

Dear friend,

Let me begin by asking you, what do you think about the Lord Jesus Christ? Well the Bible makes it clear He is a great and glorious Saviour. He came into this world, that is, He took human nature, in order to save sinners. In 1 Timothy 1: 15 we read, “This is faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.” Many have no time for this wonderful gospel, they have no desire to hear it, let alone rejoice over it. In contrast however, the true Christian, that is, one who has come to Jesus by way of believing and repented of their sins, loves to hear the gospel over and over again and rejoices in it; for it tells of their wonderful Saviour and Friend.

Oh what a joy it is to know Him, and then further to think, that because of what He has done for me, I will one day see Him and be with Him in heaven above. There in heaven, uninterrupted joys and pleasures are known and enjoyed by those who departed this world at death trusting in the Lord Jesus, however here below, because of sin there is much sorrow and misery. Now there are certain things which bring joy and happiness, for instance; the birth of baby, a wedding, or a family get together, yet we only have to read the newspapers or listen to the news and we are reminded there is much sorrow and misery to be found in this world. However, I tell you of a truth, and by experience, there is much joy to be found in knowing the Lord Jesus Christ. It is my prayer that you would know the precious Saviour and what it is to rejoice in Him.

Latest online sermons:
The doctrine of the Providence of God (Genesis ch 24 v 27), preached on the evening of Wednesday 14th January 2009
Follow that which is good (3 John v 11), preached on the evening of the Sabbath 25th January 2009
Psalm 117 (Rev. Jeremy Brooks), preached on the morning of the Sabbath 8th February 2009
Psalm 119 (Rev. Jeremy Brooks), preached on the evening of the Sabbath 8th February 2009
Life through Christ (Revelation 1 v 18), preached on the evening of the Sabbath 15th February 2009

Special Meetings at Crosslanes Chapel in 2009

The Lord willing, the following special meetings are planned for 2009:

158th Church Anniversary, May 2nd and 3rd



The Rev. John J. Murray of the Free Church of Scotland (Continuing) will preach at 6pm on the Saturday and at 11am and 6pm on the Sabbath.




2nd Autumn Preaching Meeting, October 31st and November 1st



The Rev. Dewi Higham, minister of Tabernacle, Cardiff will preach at 6pm on the Saturday and at 11am and 6pm on the Sabbath.


Latest sermon online from Crosslanes Chapel: Giving an invitation (John ch 1 v 45-46), preached on the evening of Wednesday 31st December 2008 by Rev. Aaron Lewis.

Bless the LORD O my soul

On Sabbath mornings at Crosslanes Chapel we are going through Psalm 103.

The first two sermons in the series are available online:

Blessing God for His Favours (verses 1 and 2)
The Forgiveness of sins (verse 3)

Autumn Preaching 2008 Online

The sermons preached by Rev. William Macleod at the first Crosslanes Chapel Autumn Preaching meeting are now available for listening online:

Christ in the garden of Gethsemane (Luke 22 v 42)
Running the race (Hebrews 12 v 1)
Trusting in the Lord (Ruth 2 v 12)

A selection of psalms that were sung at the meetings is also available: Psalm 146 v 7-10 (Orlington), Psalm 19 v 7-13 (Andrew) and Psalm 22 v 23-27 (Ayrshire).

The latest online sermon by the Rev. Aaron Lewis is The doctrine of God and the Holy Trinity (2).

Autumn Preaching 2008

God willing, the first Autumn Preaching meeting at Crosslanes Chapel will be held at 6pm on Saturday 1st November, at the church.

The preacher will be the Rev. William Macleod, minister of Thornwood (Glasgow) Free Church of Scotland (Continuing).

Refreshments will follow the service.

Rev. Macleod will also preach on the Sabbath (2nd November) at 11am and 6pm.

Edit: the sermon The doctrine of God and the Holy Trinity (1) preached by Rev. Aaron Lewis is now online.

The free offer of the gospel

“Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.” Luke 2: 10 -11

My dear friends, the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ is the most joyful message that has ever been heard in this world, the good news from the far country of heaven is like none other. Now many will agree that the gospel is to be preached to all men, however some will then disagree with what is called the ‘free offer of the gospel’. These men do not believe that Jesus Christ is to be freely offered to the sinner in the gospel. I myself wholeheartedly and unreservedly believe in the free offer of the gospel. Consider for a moment again those words of the angel. “Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people". Now if Christ be not freely offered to the sinner as one who is willing and able to save them, how can the gospel be a message of great joy for them personally? The sinner needs to be persuaded that it is a joyful message for them, therefore Christ must be freely and sincerely offered to them.

Ebenezer Erskine was born in Dryland, Scotland, in 1680. In his life he battled hard for, and also passionately wrote on the free Offer of the Gospel. Below is a helpful extract from; ‘The beauties of Ebenezer Erskine’, concerning arguments to urge sinners to Embrace Christ. May the gospel minister, like Ebenezer Erskine, be unashamed of the free offer of the gospel, and urge sinners to embrace Christ in the gospel.

1. Consider the absolute need ye have of this Christ whom we offer unto you. Without Him ye are condemned already; without Him ye are without God in the world; God is angry with you every day; the law and justice of God, like the avenger of blood, is pursuing you. And therefore, O sinners, flee to a Saviour, “Turn ye to your strong-hold, ye prisoners of hope”, Zechariah 9:12.2.

2. Consider the matchless excellency of that Saviour whom we call you to embrace. Angels and men are at an everlasting stand to speak of His worth and glory; He is best known by His own or His Father's testimony concerning Him: and if ye would know the record of God concerning Him, search the Scriptures, for these are they that testify of Him; it is in this glass that “we behold His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth”, John 1:14. I despair that ever a sinner will embrace Christ, till there be an up-taking of His personal excellency, as Immanuel God-man. There is a seeing of the Son, which, in order of nature, although not in order of time, goes before the soul's believing in Him, John 6:40.3.

3. Consider the ability and sufficiency of this Saviour whom we call you to embrace. Take the Father's testimony of His ability, Psalm 89:20, “I have laid help upon one that is mighty”. Take His own testimony, Isaiah 63:1, “I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save”. Take the Spirit's testimony, in the mouth of the apostle Paul, Hebrews 7:25, declaring Him “able to save them to the uttermost, that come unto God by Him”. Thus ye have the three that bear record in Heaven, attesting the sufficiency of the Saviour. O then, “set to your seal, that God is true, by believing the record that God gives of His Son”, John 3:33; for if ye do not, your unbelief gives the lie unto a whole Trinity, 1 John 5:10,11.4.

4. Consider that this sufficient Saviour is “the sent of God”. This is a designation given to Christ thirty or forty times in the gospel according to John, and the ordinary argument with which Christ persuades sinners to embrace and receive Him. And nothing could have greater influence than this designation, if the weight of it were but duly weighed. O consider in what quality and capacity His Father hath sent Him: shall not God's Ambassador-extraordinary get a hearing among a company of condemned rebels? He is sent as a Redeemer to liberate captives; and shall not captives embrace Him? He is sent as a Surety; and will not bankrupts embrace a cautioner? He is sent as Physician; and will not the wounded and diseased sinner embrace Him, and His healing balm?

5. Consider, that His heart and arms are open and ready to embrace all that are willing to be embraced by Him. O may the soul say, fain will I embrace Him, but I doubt of His willingness to embrace me. I tell you good news, He is more willing to embrace you by far than you are to be embraced by Him. He says He is willing, and you may believe His word, for He is “the Amen, the faithful and true witness”, Revelation 3:14, and He says, that He will cast out none that come unto Him: He swears He is willing, and will ye not believe His oath? Ezekiel 33:11, “As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live”. Pray tell me, why did He engage from eternity, and voluntarily give His hand to the Father in the council of peace, saying, “Lo, I come; - I delight to do Thy will, O My God?” Why did He assume the nature of man, and the sinless infirmities thereof? Why did He, as the great Law-giver, subject Himself unto His own law? Why did He that is the Lord of life and glory, submit to the stroke of death ignominiously upon a cross? Why doth He send out His ministers to you, with call upon call? Why doth He wait all the day long, saying, “Behold Me, behold Me?” Why doth He expostulate the matter with you? Why is He grieved at the obstinacy of your hearts, if He be not willing that ye should embrace Him? For the Lord's sake therefore consider these things, and do not reject the counsel of God against yourselves. Ye have a full, free, and unhampered offer of Him in the external call of the gospel; and this directed to every one of you without exception, Isaiah 55:1-3, Revelation 22:17, Mark 16:15 and Proverbs 8:4.

Sirs we offer a Christ to you, and the whole fullness of grace and glory, merit and Spirit, that is in Him, as the free gift of God, without the money and price of your own good works and qualifications; if ye bring any such price, to make a purchase of the pearl of great price, ye shall lose Him for ever: God loves to give His Christ freely, but He scorns to receive anything for Him. Let this then be your warrant, that Christ is gifted and offered of God in this gospel: and let it be remembered that in the matter of a gift, there is no difference between man and man; the poorest as well as the richest, may receive a gift presented unto him: a condemned malefactor has as a good a right to receive a gift presented unto Him by the king, as the greatest favourite in the court; his being a guilty criminal is no prejudice at all to his receiving a gift; yea, his being so, qualifies him for receiving the pardon. So here Christ's being the gift of God freely offered and presented, warrants the sinner to receive Him, without respect to any qualifications but that of his being a sinner. Hunger is the best disposing qualification for meat, nakedness fits a man for clothing, etc. And that Christ seeks no other qualifications is evident from His counsel to Laodicea, Revelation 3:17,18, “Thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked. I counsel thee to buy of Me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eye-salve that thou mayest see”.

Besides the command of God, ye have a promise of welcome to encourage you in believing, John 6:37, “Him that cometh to Me, I will in no wise cast out”. John 3:16, “Whosoever believeth in Him, shall not perish, but have everlasting life”. But, say ye, these promises may be to others, and not to me. I answer, The promise is indorsed to you, directed to you, in the external call and dispensation of the gospel, Acts 2:39. There the apostle is preaching to a company of men, whose hands had lately been dipped in the blood of the Son of God. He calls them to faith and repentance. By what arguement does he enforce the exhortation? Why, he tells them, “The promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call”. Where it is plain, the promise is extended, first to the Jews, and then to the Gentiles, who at that time were afar off; and then indefinitely, both to Jew and Gentile, to whom the call of the gospel should reach; the external call which is only here intended, howsoever, the Spirit of the Lord did internally concur, being the alone foundation upon which the promise is to be received, and not the internal call of one person, which can never be a warrant of believing to another. And therefore, as the apostle said to them, so say I to you, in the name of God, “the promise is unto you”, I mean, the promise of welcome: “Whosoever of you believeth, shall not perish” This promise in not made to believers exclusively of others, but to everyone that hears this gospel; for if so, we could call none to believe but such as have believed, which is most absurd.

Well then, let God's promise warrant you to believe in Christ: and if ye do not think this sufficient, take His promise of welcome, ratified with His oath, Ezekiel 33:11, these being the “two immutable things wherein it is impossible for God to lie”.

Rev. Malcolm Watts (Emmanuel Church, Salisbury) and Rev. David Silversides (Loughbrickland Reformed Presbyterian Church) have also written helpful articles on this subject.