LARGE PRINT SERIES. CHRIST'S WELCOME TO ALL COMERS. No. I. THE UNCLEAN LEPER. "Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out."-JOHN vi. 37. LONDON: WARD & CO., 27, PATERNOSTER ROW. BOD LIBRARY CHRIST'S WELCOME TO ALL COMERS. THE UNCLEAN LEPER. Matt. viii. 1-4; Luke v. 12-16; Mark i. 40 to end. "Come unto me." This is the common appeal of Christ. It is reiterated by all Christian preachers, "Come unto Jesus"! But how many disregard the gracious summons, and neglect to come to Jesus. Are you of this number, reader? Are you "without Christ"? What is the reason? Do you not believe in Christ? Do you not know how to come to Christ? Do you fear to be rejected if you should come to Christ? Do you hope you have come to Christ, and yet doubt your acceptance? Suffer me to try, in this series of Lectures, to reason with you. I prefer to use facts and examples, rather than unassisted arguments and appeals. The New Testament supplies some exquisite narratives of various characters who applied to Christ when he was on earth. To encourage and instruct you by illustrating these, under the Divine blessing, is my present object. I want you to realize these scenes as if you saw them. I wish to make clear and inviting to all my readers Christ's welcome to all comers !! In the course of the brief illustration of these Gospel stories, we shall see the blessed Lord approached by a vast variety of persons. Some will come for bodily cure, some for mental ease, some for the solution of their doubts, and some for the answer to different requests. We shall see how Christ receives them all. We cannot fail to be struck with the reflection, that if he welcomed so readily those who sought temporal relief, he will much more concern himself for our aid, if we come seeking spiritual salvation, since he gave his sacred life to procure for us this blessing. Numerous and striking will be the scenes presented to the imagination. We shall see the father bringing his dear son-children leading their parents to the ད Saviour-the lame, the blind, the possessed, the leprous, invoking his compassion-the very dead brought to his feet, and not in vain-the Jewish doctor and ruler coming secretly by night-noblemen and soldiers calling in his power-weak women and children touching his virtuous robe-and vast multitudes kept from starving, and fed liberally by his Divine bounty. We shall see none rejected. As we stand in this crowd, so well representing the universal wants of humanity, and are spectators of the wondrous mercy by which Christ meets every case, it can hardly be but that we also shall be impelled to draw near to him. Our case will seem so like one or other of those described. Reader, may you be constrained to cry, "Blest Saviour, heal me too!" If but such a whisper should be drawn from you, rest assured it will not be neglected or fruitless. May the Lord deign to countenance this effort to set his mercy forth. May he draw many hearts, and prove his promised "welcome to all comers" in the experience of every soul. It will be desirable in each case to open the New Testament, and read the passages from the various Gospels, so as to compare one with the other, before entering on the comments and suggestions offered upon them. Now, mark the first comer, the Leper. "And behold there came a leper, a man full of leprosy." Ah, loathsome, pitiable object! Blessed be God, leprosy is almost unknown in these regions. Once there were hospitals in Europe for 9,000 lepers, but now the disease has nearly vanished. There he stood. His features were disguised by spots and ulcers. His breath was fetid. He was weak, tottering, and hideously disfigured. His limbs were disjointed, his body seemed falling in pieces, and sadly mutilated. As he drew nigh, all stood aghast, or gave way, and covered their eyes from the stricken of God. As Jews, they recalled Moses' wise though stern provisions. (Lev. xiv. 35.) They feared to sin by intercourse with him, and felt that such a case none could cure but God. Poor man, he had been used to all this. Long, long years of dreadful misery |