Englands duty under the present gospel liberty from Revel. III, vers. 20

III. Evidence.

The willingness of Christ to receive the willing Soul, how many, and great, soever its sins and unworthiness be, appears from the actual grants of Pardon and Mercy, even to the vilest sinners that ever were upon the Earth, when they thus came unto him. Here you see how the Waters of Free Grace rise higher and higher; an Invitation is much, a Promise of welcome is more; but the actual grants of Mercy is most satisfying of all. Come on poor trembling Soul, don't be discouraged, stretch out the small weak Arms of thy Faith to that great and gracious Redeemer; open thy Heart wide to receive him, he will not refuse to come in; he hath sealed thousands of pardons to as vile Wretches as thy self; he never yet shut the door of Mercy upon a willing, hungering Soul. It is a great matter to have the Way beaten, and the Ice broken before thee, in thy way to Christ. If thou wert the first sinner that had cast his Soul upon Christ, I confess I should want this encouragement I am now giving thee; but when so many have gone before thee, and all found a welcome beyond their expectation, What encouragement doth this breath into thy trembling discouraged Heart, to go on and venture thy self upon Christ as they did? what an Example have we in Manasseh, 2 Chron. 33. from vers. 3. to 12. An Idolater, one that used Enchantments and Divinations, familiar Spirits, shed innocent Blood in the Streets of Jerusalem? a Man might rake the World, and hardly bring •o sight a viler Wretch, a greater Monster in sin ⟨p. 245⟩and wickedness; yet his Heart being broken, and his Will bowed, this Man found Mercy. How great a sinner was Mary, that came to Christ in the House of Simon the Pharisee, Luke 7. 39. So notorious a sinner, that Simon took offence at Christ, for suffering so vile Wretch to come into his presence. If this Man were a Prophet, saith he, he would have known who, and what manner of Woman this is that toucheth him; for she is a sinner. Yet Mary's Heart being broken for sin, and made willing to accept of a Saviour; what a gracious demonstration of welcome did Christ give her, and to all other sinners a singular encouragement in her Example? Once more, you have an eminent Example of the abundant welcome of another sinner to Christ, who owned himself for the greatest of Sinners, a Persecutor, a Blasphemer Injurious; but, saith he, I obtained Mercy,