Object. But is not the door of mercy shut against some before they die?
Answ. Yea; and God forbids that prayers should be made to him for them (Jer 6:16; Jude 22).
Quest. Then, why may I not doubt that I may be one of these?
Answ. By no means, if thou art coming to Jesus Christ; because when God shuts the door upon men, he gives them no heart to come to Jesus Christ. “None come but those to whom it is given of the Father.” But thou comes, therefore it is given to you by the Father.
Be sure, therefore, that if the Father has given you a heart to come to Jesus Christ, the gate of mercy still stands open to you. For it stands not with the wisdom of God to give strength to come to the birth, and yet to shut up the womb, (Isa 66:9); to give grace to come to Jesus Christ, and yet shut up the door of his mercy upon thee. “Incline your ear,” saith he, “and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David” (Isa 55:3).
Object. But it is said, that some knocked when the door was shut.
Answ. Yes; but the texts in which these knockers are mentioned, refer to the day of judgment, and not to the coming of the sinner to Christ in this life. See the texts, Matthew 15:11, and Luke 13:24,25. These, therefore, concern you nothing at all, that art is coming to Jesus Christ, thou art coming now! “Now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Cor 6:2). Now God is upon the mercy seat; now Christ Jesus sits by, continually pleading the victory of his blood for sinners; and now, even as long as this world lasts, this word of the text shall still be free, and fully fulfilled; “And him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.”
Sinner, the greater sinner thou art, the greater need of mercy thou hast, and the more will Christ be glorified thereby. Come then, come and try; come, taste, and see how good the Lord is to an undeserving sinner!
Object. 6. But, says another, I have fallen since I began to come to Christ; therefore, I fear I did not come aright, and so consequently, Christ will not receive me.
Answ. Falls are dangerous, for they dishonor Christ, wound the conscience, and cause the enemies of God to speak reproachfully. But it is no good argument, I am fallen, therefore I was not coming right to Jesus Christ. If David, Solomon, and Peter, had thus objected against themselves, they had added to their griefs; and yet, at least they had as much cause as you. A man whose steps are ordered by the Lord, and whose goings the Lord delights in, may yet be overtaken with a temptation that may cause him to fall 11 (Psa 37:23,24). Did not Aaron fall; yea, and Moses himself? What shall we say of Hezekiah and Jehosaphat? There are, therefore, falls and falls; falls pardonable and falls unpardonable. Falls unpardonable are falls against light, from the faith to the despising of, and trampling upon Jesus Christ and his blessed undertakings (Heb 6:2-5; 10:28,29). Now, as for such, there remains no more sacrifice for sin. Indeed, they have no heart, no mind, and no desire to come to Jesus Christ for life, therefore they must perish. Nay, says the Holy Ghost, “It is impossible that they should be renewed again unto repentance.” Therefore these God had no compassion for, neither ought we; but for other falls though they are dreadful, and God will chastise his people for them, they do not prove thee a graceless man, one not coming to Jesus Christ for life.
It is said of the child in the gospel, that while “he was yet a coming, the devil threw him down, and tare him” (Luke 9:42). Dejected sinner, it is no wonder that thou hast caught a fall in coming to Jesus Christ. Is it not rather to be wondered at, that thou hast not caught before this a thousand times a thousand falls? considering, 1. What fools we are by nature. 2. What weaknesses are in us. 3. What mighty powers the fallen angels, our implacable enemies, are. 4. Considering also how often the coming man is benighted in his journey; and also what stumbling blocks do lie in his way. 5. Also his familiars, who were so before, now watch for his halting and seek by what means they may to cause him to fall by the hand of their strong ones.
What then? Must we, because of these temptations, incline to fall? No. Must we not fear falls? Yes. “Let him that thinketh he stands take heed lest he fall” (1 Cor 10:12). Yet let him not utterly be cast down; “The Lord uphold all that fall, and raised up those that are bowed down.” Make not light of falls! Yet, hast thou fallen? “Ye have,” said Samuel, “done all this wickedness; yet turn not aside from following the Lord,” but serve him with a perfect heart, and turn not aside, “for the Lord will not forsake his people,” and he counted the coming sinner one of them, “because it hath pleased the Lord to make you his people” (1 Sam 12:20-22).
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