According to this rule, the Lord dealt with the Pharisee and the publican; and so will he deal with you, as you are like the one or the other, in your approaches to, and pleadings at the throne of grace.

but the rich he hath sent empty away.

Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

I DID take up this exhortation, as containing an answer to

four considerable questions that usually are in the hearts of them that draw near to God seriously. 1. Where may we find him? On a throne of grace. Seek him no where else; for no where else is he to be graciously found. 2. How shall we come to this throne? Boldly, with confidence. 3. What is the ground of this boldness? It had need be a great and solid ground on which a sinner may build boldness in his approaching to God. This ground is hinted by the apostle in the word therefore. Wherefore? Because of our great High Priest, the Son of God, in heaven, ver. 14, 15. Though there be nothing more commonly said and owned, than that all men are sinners, and that all the acceptance of a sinner with God is through Jesus Christ; yet I can assure you, that when a person sees and knows what it is to be a sinner, and know what God is, it is a wonderful difficulty to believe, that it is possible that such a sinner and such a God should ever meet in peace, People's dry notions and opinions of Jesus Christ, if there be no more, will soon be blown away, with a deep sight of the sinfulness of sin, and of the majesty of God provoked thereby. 4. The last question is, What shall we get by coming? and what should we come for? The greatest blessings; mercy and grace. These

blessings are comprehensive of all things needful to make a sinner happy.

To the first of these I began to speak last day, That God hath erected a throne of grace in the gospel, to which men are invited to come. What this throne of grace is, is spoke to; and that this throne of grace is to be distinguished from all other thrones of God spoken of in the word. The throne of his essential glory is unapproachable by all creatures. The throne of his justice is dreadful to all sinners. We should pray against our coming before this throne, Psalm cxliii. 2. He must be a proud ignorant fool that would offer to come and plead at its bar; for here all acts and sentences pass according to strict law and justice; and the law is an everlasting condemner of all sinners. There is also the throne of the Judge at the last day. But this throne is not yet set, though it will surely be; and we know not how soon, and should prepare for our appearing before it, 2 Cor. v. 9,

10.

But this throne of grace is the gracious manifestation of God in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, 2 Cor. v. 18, 19. This is the light of the glory of God's grace shining in the face of Jesus Christ, 2 Cor, iv. 6. And to coming to this throne of grace, and to God in Christ dispensing his grace from it, we are here exhorted and encouraged.

In pursuing of this exhortation, I would,

I. Prove that all should come.

II. Show who will come.

III. And who shall be specially welcome.

I. That all ought to come to the throne of grace. All sinners that hear of it, should improve this great privilege, and seek the enjoyment of God's grace and mercy in Jesus Christ.

1. Because God is not otherwise approachable by men in accepted worship. No man cometh unto the Father but by me; saith Christ, John xiv. 6. The light of nature teacheth all men in some measure, that there is a God, and somewhat of his eternal power and god-head, Rom. i. 20.; and that this

God should be worshipped. Therefore some sort of wor ship is performed by all sorts of heathens, who are yet without Ged, and that because without Christ, and therefore without hope in the world, Eph. ii. 12. Never was there, nor will there be, nor can there be, any gracious approach unto God, nor any address received favourably by God, but at this throne of grace. Therefore whatever may be said of the zealous devotion, and of the moral principles and practices of the heathens, yet never any of them did, nor could offer up an acceptable prayer unto God, nor obtain a gracious answer from him; not only because they worshipped an unknown God, Acts xvii. 23. Gal. iv. 8. but mainly because they worshipped not at this throne of grace; for there can be no communion with God, there can be nothing graciously given by God to men, nothing done by men that can be accepted of God, but at this throne of grace.

2. All should come to this throne, because all men have need of the blessings dispensed at this throne of grace. Where there is an universal urgent necessity, and only one place of supply discovered, men are called to betake themselves thither. The blessings dispensed at the throne of grace, are equally needed by all. Every man, every woman, young or old, rich or poor, are equally needy, because all are unspeakably needy of the mercy and grace of God. Some indeed have a greater sight and sense of their wants than others, (and that is mercy); but the real necessity is common to all. Every unpardoned man needs a pardon at this throne of grace; but few, if any, value a pardon till they get it, or value the grace of God till they feel it. Do you feel your need of what is given and got at this throne? Come then. The law thunders and roars against you, that you may see your need of coming hither for what the law cannot give, nor hinder you from receiving, nor rob you when received. Do you think in your heart, that you are the most needy person in all the world; that you need all the grace and mercy, or more, than ever any sinner received? Then come the rather, come the sooner. The neediest soul, the hungriest sinner, the person most greedy of the grace of God, should come first to Christ's door, and beg loudest.

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Is there any not needy? Alas! many think so, but none is so. Will you come for hunger and want? A sensible hunger, a sense and sight of need, an appetite after grace and mercy, is an alms that Christ can give; and many professors want it sadly.

3. The command is universal, to all that hear it. As the apostle saith, Rom. iii. 19. These things saith the law to them that are under the law; so I may say, This saith the gospel to all under the sound of it, Come to the throne of grace. It is no indifferent thing. God commands all men to come. Believing (that is, coming) is commanded, 1 John iii. 23. Are you afraid to come? Have not I commanded you? Josh. i. 9. as God spake to the Captain of Israel. Will men own God's authority in the law, and deny it in the gospel? Is he not the same God in both? He that commands you to have no other gods besides him, doth command you to believe on his Son Jesus, who is the true God, and eternal life, 1 John v. 20. If coming to the throne of grace were not commanded, not coming to it were no sin; and who dare say so? Not believing on Jesus Christ is the great gospel-sin, because believing on him is the great gospel-duty and work, John vi. 29.

Object. But I am afraid he commands not me; others he may command, but not such a vile dead creature as I am.

Ans. Are you worse than some he hath commanded? Jer. iii. 1, 4, 5. Thou hast played the harlot with may lovers; yet rèturn again to me, saith the Lord. Such a practice in your land would greatly defile it, saith the Lord; but such acts of grace become the throne of grace. Are you worse than poor, and blind, and miserable, and wretched, and naked? Yet the king of this throne commands them to come to him, though he sweetly calls it counsel, Rev. iii. 17, 18. And in it we may join his two names, Wonderful, Counsellor, Isa. ix. 6.

Object. 2. But Christ calls and invites them that are weary and heavy laden, Matth. xi. 28. and the thirsty, Isa. Iv. 1. and I am not such; and therefore he commands not me to

Ans. 1. Do you expect any grace but at this throne of grace? Think you to work it out in yourselves, and come to him for more? or to get the beginning somewhere else,

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and then come to Christ for the rest? This bewrays your pride, and ignorance of the entire corruption of your nature, and of your impotency to any good. This frame discovers your ignorance of the nature of the grace of God, that consists in its freedom; as its glory is, in its being the original cause of all good done for us, and wrought in us, or by us.

Ans. 2. Christ never bid any man be or do any thing without him, and then come to him, and he would do more for him. Christ calls men as he finds them, and then makes them what he would have them: He begins the good work in them, and performs it, Phil. i. 6.00

Ans. 3. These and many such like calls and invitations do not limit and restrain the universality of the gospel-command, but do graciously apply it to such cases wherein they that are, are apt to think that they are specially excepted. What is more common than such arguings of unbelief: I have a vast load of sin lying on me; I have spent my time, and strength, and money, on sin and vanity; I have been wearied in the greatness of my way of departing from the Lord, and therefore the Lord will not receive me? Therefore such are named particularly by the Lord, and specially called.

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Therefore leto no man, whatsoever he hath been, or is, think, that he is not commanded to come to this throne of grace. Take the command, lay it on your conscience, give obedience to it; take the command for your warrant, and never fear but you shall be welcome. Can your soul say, Lord, no man out of hell is more needy of thy saving grace than I, no sinner more unworthy of it than I; yet, because thou commandest me to come, I come to beg, and to receive? He will sweetly receive you: Him that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out, John vi. 37. A text that hath been an anchor-hold to many a sinking sinner. >

4. All should come to the throne of, grace, because of the universality, vast extent, and indefiniteness of the promise of welcome to all that come. The command of God is a warrant and ground for our obedience, and the promise is a ground for confidence. The promise is God's great mean