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the evil which is in the world? Were I called, at this moment, to recline my head on the pillow of death, could I indulge the comforting assurance that the advocate within the vail, whom the Father heareth always, would present on my behalf the request, Father, I will that he whom thou hast given me be with me where I am,' and that, in answer to this prayer, my disembodied spirit should be ushered, in perfect holiness, into the immediate and unclouded presence of my covenant God, and into all the glories of the heavenly kingdom? These are solemn questions. Let no one neglect to put them to himself, or hesitate to press them, till, if no favourable answer can be candidly returned, at least such convictions have been awakened, as no occupation can dissipate, no exercise allay, but a believing appropriation of the blood and advocacy of the great High Priest of our profession. May the Spirit of all grace, whose prerogative it is to take the things of Christ and show them unto men, be pleased to grant, that the perusal of these sheets may thus prove the means of salvation to many; and to the only wise God, our Saviour, be all the glory. Amen!

THE END.

GRACIOUS INVITATION

TO THE

LABOURING AND HEAVY LADEN.

BY A. ALEXANDER. D. D.

PHILADELPHIA:

PRESBYTERIAN BOARD OF PUBLICATION.

of

Entered according to Act of Congress u the year 1835, by Dr. A. W. Mitchell, in the Office of the Clerk of the District Court of the Eastern Distri Pennsylvania.

CHRIST'S INVITATION.

COME UNTO ME ALL YE THAT LABOUR AND ARE HEAVY LADEN AND I WILL GIVE YOU REST.-As a stream of living water to a traveller perishing with thirst, as a skilful physician to one sick with a dangerous disease, as a reprieve to a condemned criminal, such is the voice of mercy to the miserable, self-condemned sinner—such, in ten thousand instances, have been these blessed words to heavy laden, weary souls. These are words which can never lose their interest by age or repetition. As food is equally relished by the hungry appetite after having been eaten a thousand times as at first, so the precious promises of God bring the same refreshment to the soul, however often they may have been received by faith. The Christian does not desire novelties; all he wants is a heart to embrace and relish the same truths which have stood on the sacred page from the beginning. There is no penury in the Divine word. All fulness and riches are included in this treasure, if we are only in possession of the key of faith to unlock the ark in which it is contained. One great excellence of the sacred Scriptures is, that they never lose their power and sweetness. After the lapse of ages, God's promises to believers are as firm and consolatory as when first made; and Christ's invitations to sinners are as full and as free to those who now hear the Gospel, as when first uttered.

If Christ, while upon earth, had spoken no more than these few words, they ought to be esteemed infinitely more precious, than all the golden sayings of all the heathen sages. Let us then be truly thankful for such a gracious invitation, proceeding from the lips of Him who always spake as never men spake; and let us lift up our hearts to the Father of lights, to open our eyes and prepare our hearts to understand and appreciate the grace which is exhibited in these divine words of our Redeemer.

But who are the persons here addressed by the Saviour? What class of persons are designated by the " labouring and heavy laden?" As the Gospel is directed to be preached to "every creature," and as this call contains the essence of the Gospel, there is no reason why we should not consider all who hear the invitation, as included; especially, as our Lord complains of the conduct of the most proud and unbelieving of his hearers for refusing to come to him; "Ye will not come unto

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me that ye may have life." All men are miserable; all men are "by nature children of wrath;" all men are labouring in the vain pursuit of earthly happiness; all therefore may consider themselves invited. None need feel themselves excluded from Christ's invitation. And the giving this universal latitude to the call, harmonizes with parallel passages of Scripture, especially with that remarkable invitation, in Isaiah lv. 1—3. 'Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money: come ye, buy and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money, and without price. Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread, and your labour for that which satisfieth not? Hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. Incline your ear and come unto me; hear, and your soul shall live." And the gracious invitation of the Spirit, in Rev. xxii. 17, is equally free and universal; "And the Spirit and the bride say come. And let him that heareth say come. And let him that is athirst come; and whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely." And the same extent ought to be given to Christ's public invitation at Jerusalem, on the last day of the feast of tabernacles; "In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, if any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink." John vii. 37.

But while we think, that this kind invitation ought not to be restricted, we readily admit that it is more applicable to some of our race than others. The poor, the oppressed, the diseased, the persecuted, the halt, the blind, the friendless among men, may have been more particularly in the eye of the blessed Redeemer; for it was given as one characteristic of his being the Messiah, that was to come, that the blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the Gospel preached to them." Matt. xi. 5.

But there is another class to whom the Saviour's address may be considered as still more appropriate; I mean convinced sinners, labouring under a sense of guilt and almost sinking under a burden too grievous to be borne. Surely Christ had respect to these, for He came not "to call the righteous but sinners to repentance;" "to seek and save the lost;" to heal those that are sick, namely, such as are sensible of their mortal maladies. And even they who are groaning under the burden of a blind mind and hard heart, and think that they have no conviction; even these, who are so prone to exclude themselves, are of the number invited. Yes, Christ speaks to you-he speaks to you more particularly than unto others. Do not therefore put away

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