Now the Lord Jesus stretcheth wide his arms to receive you. He beseecheth you by us. How movingly, how meltingly, how pitifully, how passionately he calleth! The Church is put into a sudden ecstasy upon the sound of his voice, The voice of my beloved! Cant. 2. 8. O wilt thou turn a deaf ear to his voice! it is not the voice that breaketh the Cedars, and maketh the mountains to skip like a Calf, that shaketh the Wilderness and divideth the flames of fire, it is not Sinai's Thunder; but the soft and still voice. It is not the voice of Mount Ebal, a voice of cursing, and terror; but the voice of Mount Gerizim, the voice of blessing, and of glad tidings of good things. It is not the voice of the Trumpet, nor the noise of War, ⟨p. 207⟩but a message of peace from the King of peace, Eph. 6. 15. 2. Cor. 5. 18, 20. Methinks it should be with thee as with the spouse; My soul failed when he spake, Cant. 5. 6. I may say to thee, O sinner, as Martha to her sister, The Master is come, and he calleth for thee, John. 11. 28. Oh now, with Mary, arise quickly, and come unto him. How sweet are his invitations! He crieth in the open concourse. If any man thirst let him come unto me and drink. John. 7. 37. Prov. 1. 21. He broacheth his own body for thee. Oh come and lay thy mouth to his side. How free is he! he excludeth none. Whosoever with, let him come and take the water of life freely, Rev. 22. 17. Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither. Come, eat of my bread, drink of the wine which • have mingled. For sake the foolish, and live, Prov. 9. 4, 5. 6. Come unto me, &c. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me, and ye shall find rest unto your souls. Mat. 11. 28, 29. Him that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out. Joh. 6. 37. How doth he bemoan the obstinate refuser? O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, how often would I have gathered thy Children, as a Hen gathereth her Chickens under hot wings, and ye would not. Mat. 23. 37. Behold me, behold me: I have stretched out my hands all the day to a rebellious people. Isaiah. 65. 1, 2. O be persuaded now at last, to throw your selves into the arms of love.
Now the Lord Jesus stretcheth wide his arms to receive you. He beseecheth you by us. How movingly, how meltingly, how pitifully, how passionately he calleth! The Church is put into a sudden extasie upon the sound of his voice, The voice of my beloved! Cant. 2. 8. O wilt thou turn a deaf ear to his voice! it is not the voice that breaketh the Ceders, and maketh the mountains to skip like a Calf, that shaketh the Wilderness and divideth the flames of fire, it is not Sinai's Thunder; but the soft and still voice. It is not the voice of Mount Ebal, a voice of cursing, and terror; but the voice of Mount Gerizim, the voice of blessing, and of glad tidings of good things. It is not the voice of the Trumpet, nor the noise of War, ⟨p. 207⟩but a message of peace from the King of peace, Eph. 6. 15. 2. Cor. 5. 18, 20. Methinks it should be with thee as with the spouse; My soul failed when he spake, Cant. 5. 6. I may say to thee, O sinner, as Martha to her sister, The Master is come, and he calleth for thee, Iohn. 11. 28. Oh now, with Mary, arise quickly, and come unto him. How sweet are his invitations! He cryeth in the open concourse. If any man thirst let him come unto me and drink. Iohn. 7. 37. Prov. 1. 21. He broacheth his own body for thee. Oh come and lay thy mouth to his side. How free is he! he excludeth none. Whosoever with, let him come and take the water of life freely, Rev. 22. 17. Whoso is simple, let him turn in hith•r. Come, eat of my bread, drink of the wine which • have mingled. For sake the foolish, and live, Prov. 9. 4, 5. 6. Come unto me, &c. Take my yoak upon you, and learn of me, and ye shall find rest unto your souls. Mat. 11. 28, 29. Him that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out.
