applied to the Bleeding Wounds of Afflicted Saints 12 o. A Sermon Preached at the Publick Thanksgiving Feb. 14. 1689. for Englands Deliverance from Popery Books Printed for Matthew Wotton Smith's David's Repentance Great Assize David's Blessed Man. Dent's Plain Man's Pathway to Heaven Farnaby's Rhetorick Inet's Devout Christian in Three Parts first Prayers for a single Person secondly Prayers for a Family thirdly A Discourse on and Prayers at the Sacrament Winchester's Phrases Markham's Master piece 4 o. English Gardner 4 o. Salmon's Dispensatory Doron Medicum or Supplement to the Dispensatory Baker's Arithmetick York's Arithmetick Lucian's Dialogues Greek and Latin. ERRATA Si accentus Comma Colon Periodus omittantur vel id genus lelevior a occurr ant festinantis preli 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tuam rogatam velim indulgentiam graviora quod attinet exhibeo tibi indicem ut videre est In the Latin Epistle PAge 5. line 9. after ita add neque ib. read Regimen p. 7. l. 6 for r. ut and l. 18. r. aperuit p. 10. l. 12. r. iniquiratum p. 13. l. 6. for quam quâ—â— p. 15. l. 4. r. judicium l. 23. for aliis r. alies p. 25. l. 7. for atques r. aqtue l. 19. r. Cognitionem Dilectionemque In the Book it self Correct thus Page 17. l. 23. r. how To. p. 26. l. 3. r. Co extended p 39. l. ult for but r. and. p. 40. l. 15. r. Angel of God p. 41. l. 14 for World r. Word p. 53. l. 4. r. a point p. 57. l. 24. r. the Doctrine of Free Grace p. 65. l. 23. for though r. because p. 95. l. 4. r. fell p. 142. l. ult r. home p. 159. l6 r. Four. p. 177. l. 19 for too r. some p. 192. l. 21. r. the Curse p. 216. l. 28. r. your p. 227. l. 21. r. hold p. 246. l. 1. r. once p. 251. l. 26. for by r. for p. 256. l. 20. r. Thousands p. 264. l. 9. for seem r. serve p. 268. l. 17. r. which p. 269. l. 17. dele the. p. 270. l. 29. r. scared p. 275. l. 23. for that r. the. p. 278. l. 1â— song p. 281. Marg. for est r. p. 284. l. 22. for have r. hear p. 291. l. 23. dele and. p. 305. l. 19. r. Word p. 311. l. ult r. strikes p. 312. l. 19. r. you p. 318. l. 7. for means r. signs p. 322. l. 5. r. Christ's p. 326. l. 17. r. gaining p. 329. l. 25. add not p. 342. l. 20. for in r. with p. 394. l. 7. r. to sit p. 414. l. 17. r. believers p. 417. l. 14. r. hides and l. 28. r. poured out P. 445. l. 3. r. first is this the. l. 19. dele a. In the Appendix Page 17. line 11. add to p. 41. l. 13. r. when it p. 54. 1. 27. r. by their p. 62. l. 18. r. abeneus SERMON I. Revel 3. 20. Behold I stand at the door and knock if any man hear my voice and open the door I will come in to him and sup with him and he with me THis day hath our compassionate Redeemer opened unto us a door of liberty liberty to us to preach and liberty for you to hear the glad tydings of the Gospel This is a day few looked for how often have I said in the years that are past God hath no more work for me to do and I shall have no more strength and opportunities to work for God And how often have you said in your hearts we have sinned our Ministers out of their Pulpits and our eyes shall no more behold those our Teachers But lo beyond the thoughts of most hearts a wide and I hope an effectâ—al door is now opened in the midst of us Oh! that it might be to us as the Valley of Achor was to Israel for a door of hope Hosea 2. 15. i. e. not only making the troubles they met with in that Valley an Inlet to their mercies as ours have been to us but giving them that Valley pignoris nomine as a pledge of greater mercies intended for them Upon the first appearance of this mercy my next thoughts were how to make the most fruitful improvement of it amongst you lest we should twice stumble at the same stone and sin our selves back again into our old bondage In the contemplation of this matter the Lord directed me to this Scripture wherein the same hand that opened to you the door of liberty knocks importunately at the doors of your hearts for entrance into them for union and communion with them It will be sad indeed if he that hath let you in to all these mercies should himself be shut out of your hearts But if the Lord should help you to open your hearts now to Christ I doubt not but this door of liberty will be kept open to you how many soever the Adversaries be that envy it and will do their uttermost to shut it up Ezech. 39. 29. The mercies you enjoy this day are the fruits of Christs intercession with the Father for one tryal more if we bring forth fruit well if not the Ax lyeth at the Root of the Tree Under this consideration I desire to Preach and even so the Lord help you to hear what shall be spoken from this precious Scripture Behold I stand at the door and knock c. These words are a branch of that excellent Epistle dictated by Christ and sent by his servant John to the Church of Laodicea the most formal hypocritical and degenerate of all the seven Churches yet the great Phisitian will try his skill upon them both by the rebukes of the rod ver 19. and by the perswasive power of the word ver 20. Behold I stand at the door and knock c. This Text is Christs wooing voice full of Heavenly Rhetorick to win and gain the hearts of Sinners to himself wherein we have these two general parts 1. Christs suit for a Sinners heart 2. The powerful Arguments enforcing his suit First Christs suit for a Sinners heart wherein we have 1st the solemn Preface ushering it in behold 2dly the suit it self The Preface is exceeding solemn for beside the common use of this word behold in other places to excite attention or exaggerate and put weight into an affirmation it stands here as a Judicious Expositor notes as a term of notification or publick record wherein Christ takes witness of the most gracious offer he was now about to make to their souls and will have it stand in perpetuam rei memoriam as a testimony for or against their souls to all Eternity to cut off all excuses and pretences for time to come 2. The suit it self wherein we have 1. The Suitor Jesus Christ. 2. His posture and action I stand at the door and knock 3. The suit it self which is for opening If any man open 1. The Suitor Christ himself I stand I that have a right of Sovereignty over you I that have shed my invaluable blood to
he hath spared and pashover you This comparative consideration calls upon you in the Apostles language Rom. 11. 22. Behold the goodness and severity of God on them which felt severity but towards thee goodness if thou continue in his goodness otherwise thou also shalt be cut off Some sinners have been cut off in the beginning of their days many in the very acts of sin and those not greater than thy sins they are gone to their own place and thou still left for a Monument of the Patience and Forbearance of God. The sin of Achan was not a greater sin than thy Coveteousness and the Earthliness of thy Heart is The sin of Nadab and Abihu in offering up strange fire than thy superstition and offering up uncommanded Services to God yet the Hand of God fell upon them and smote them dead in the place in the day and place wherein they sinned they perisht they were taken away in their iniquities but thou reserved Oh that it might be for an instance and example of the riches of Divine Patience which may at last lead thee to repentance Thus I have given you seven Evidences of the wonderful Patience of Christ who hath stood and still doth stand at the door and knock Next we will enquire into the grounds and reasons of this marvelous Patience of Christ this astonishing long-suffering of God towards sinners and there are divers obvious reasons of the long-suffering of God towards Men. First The exercise of his Patience is a standing testimony of his reconcilable and merciful nature towards sinful Man. This he shewed forth in his Patience toward Paul a great example of his merciful Nature for a pattern to them that should hereafter believe on him 1 Tim. 1. 16. The long-suffering of God is a special part of his manifestative glory and therefore when Moses desired a sight of his glory Exod. 34. 6. he proclaims his Name The Lord the Lord God merciful and gracious long-suffering and abundant in goodness and truth He would have poor sinners look towards him as an atoneable Deity a God willing to be reconciled a God that retaineth not his anger for ever but if poor sinners will take hold of his strength and make peace with him they may have peace This long-suffering is an attribute very expressive of the Divine Nature he is willing sinners should know whatever their provocations have been there is room for pardon and peace if they will yet come in to accept the terms This patience is a Diadem belonging to the Imperial Crown of Heaven the Lord glories in it as what is peculiar to himself Hos. 11. 9. I will not execute the fierceness of my anger for I am God and not Man. q. d. Had I been as Man the holyest meekest and mortifiedst man upon Earth I had consumed them long ago but I am god and not Man my Patience is above all created Patience no Husband can bear with his Wife no Parent with his Child as God hath born with you that 's one reason of Christs waiting upon trifling sinners to give proof of his gracious merciful and reconcilable nature towards the wrost of sinners Secondly The Lord exercises this admirable Patience towards sinners with design thereby to lead them to repentance that 's the direct aim and intention of it The Lord desires and delights to see ingenuous relentings and brokenness of Heart for sin and there is nothing like his Forbearance and Patience promotes such an Evangelical Repentance All the terrors of the Law will not break the Heart of a sinner as the Patience and Long-suffering of God will do therefore it is said Rom. 2. 4. That the Goodness Forbearance and Long-suffering of God leads Men to Repentance these are fitted to work upon all these principles of humanity which incline Men to Repentance Reason Conscience Gratitude feel the influences of the goodness of God herein and melt under it Sauls Heart relented in this case 1 Sam. 24. 17. Is this thy voice my Son David and Saul lift up his voice and wept And he said to David Thou art more righteous than I for thou hast rewarded me good where as I have rewarded thee evil Thus the Goodness and Forbearance of God doth as it were take sinner by the Hand leads him into a corner and saith Come let thou and I talk together thus and thus Vile hast thou been and thus and thus Long-suffering and Merciful have I been to thee thy Heart hath been full of sin the Heart of thy God hath been gull of pity and mercy This puts the sinner into Tears breaks his Heart in pieces if any thing in the World will melt a hard Heart this will do it Oh how good hath God been to me How have I tryed his Patience to the uttermost and still he waiteth to be gracious and is exalted that he may have compassion the Sobs and Tears the ingenuous Thaws and Relentings of a sinners Heart under the apprehensions of the sparing Mercy and Goodness of God is the Musick of Heaven Thirdly The Lord excercises this long-suffering towards sinners to clear his Justice in the damnation of all the obstinate refusers of Chirst and Marcy Christ waits at our doors now that he may be clear in his sentence against us hereafter This Patience of Christ takes away all Apologies and Pleas out of the Mouths of impenitent sinners the more Christ's Patience hath been the less defence or plea they will have for themselves Think with thy self sinner what wilt thou answer in the great day when Christ shall say Did not I stand at thy door from day to day from Sabbath to Sabbath from year to year calling woing perswading thee to be reconciled and accept Pardon and Mercy in the proper season of them and thou wouldst not Rev. 2. 21. I gave her space to repent and she repented not Well the Lord gives you time now a space of repentance such a space as millions of Souls gone out of Time into a miserable Eternity never had With whomsoever Christ hath been quick and severe to be sure he hath not been so with you This time of Christ's Patience will be evidence enough to clear Christ and condemn you Men and Angels shall applaud the sentence as dreadful as it is and say Righteous art thou O Lord in Judging thus Fourthly The Lord draws forth and exercises his admirable Patience towards sinners for the continuation and propagation of the Church The Church must be continued and propagated from Age to Age and if God should be quick in cutting off sinners as soon as ever they provoke him whence shoul the elect of God rise in this World There are thousands of God's Elect in the Loins of God's Enemies Many that will heartily embrace Christ must rise from such as reject him Now if God should cut off these in the beginning of their provocations how should the Church be continued Where had good Abijah and Hezekiah
will try what that will do go Poverty and blast his Estate and see what that will do go Sickness and smite his Body and shake him over the Graves mouth I will see what that will do Thus God sends to sinners as Absolom sent to Ioab who refused to come near him till he set fire to his field of Corn and then away comes Ioab 2 Sam. 14. 29 30 31. And thus the Lord opened the Heart of the Iaylor by putting him into a fright a panick fear of Death Acts 16. 27. And thus doth the Lord devise means to bring back his banished II. As God makes use of the Hammer of Judgments so he makes use also of Mercies to make way for Christ into the Hearts of Men. Every Mercy is a call a knock of God and truly if there be any ingenuity left unextinguished in the Heart one would think Mercy should prevail more than all the Judgments in the World Rom. 2. 4. Knowest thou not that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance q. d. Dost thou not see the Hand of Mercy stretched out to lead thee into a corner there to mourn over thy sins committed against so gracious and merciful a God By every Mercy you receive Christ doth as it were â—ee you to open your Hearts to him they are so many gifts sent from Heaven to make way for Christ into your Hearts It would be an endless task to enumerate all the Mercies bestowed to this end upon the unregenerate but surely this is the errand of them all and the Lord takes it very ill when his end is not answered in them hence is that complaint Ier. 5. 24. Neither say they in their Heart Let us now fear the Lord our God that giveth us rain both the former and the latter in his season Some of you have been marvelously preserved in times of common Contagion and Death when thousands have fallen at your right-hand and left then have you been preserved or recovered according to that Exod. 15. 26. I will put none of those Diseases upon thee for I am the Lord that healeth thee I am Iehovah Rophe the Lord the Phisitian many of you have been at the Graves mouth in many Diseases others upon the Deeps yet the Hand of Mercy pulled you back and suffered you not to drop into the Grave and Hell in the same moment O what a knock was here given by the Hand of Mercy at thy hard Heart Certainly if Men would but observe they might see a strange marvellous working and moulding of things by the Hand of providence for the production of thousands of Mercies for them and if Mercy would do the work and win you over to Christ many rods had been spared which your obstinacy hath made necessary O ungrateful sinners Doth your Redeemer thus woo and fee you by so many gifts of Mercy and yet will you shut him out Do ye thus requite the Lord O foolish people and unwise For which of all his benefits do your ungrateful Souls shut the door upon him III. You see what Christ's knocking at the Soul of a sinner implies and by what instruments it is performed In the last place we will consider the manner how this action is performed in the Ten following Particulars wherein much of the mistery of Conversion will be opened the Lord grant your experience may answer them VVe cannot indeed exactly describe and mark all the footsteps of the Spirit in this VVork upon the Souls of Men yet these things seem eminently observable 1. The knocks of Christ at the sinners Heart are silent and secret to all persons in the VVorld except the Soul it self at whose door he knocks here be many hundreds of you this day under the VVord if the Lord shall this day knock by Conviction at any Man's Heart none will hear that knock but that Man only for it is a knock without sound or noise to any but the particular Soul concerned in it It was fore-prophesied of our Redeemer and of this very act of his Isa. 4. 2. 2. He shall not cry nor lift up nor cause his voice to be heard in the Street The Kingdom of God cometh not into the Souls of Men with publick observation you read in 1 Cor. 2. 11. No Man knoweth the things of a Man saving the Spirit of a Man that is in him None knows what Convictions another Man's Conscience feels until he himself shall discover them you hear the same sound of the Gospel but you hear not the inward stroaks it gives to another Man's Conscience Christ's approaches to the Soul make no noise little do we know what the Spirit of Christ whispers in the Ear of him that sits next us 'T is said of the inward comforts of the Spirit I will give him the hidden Manna which no Man knows but he that eateth of it This is true also of inward terrors and troubles Christ's knocks by Conviction are but a secret whisper of his Spirit in the Ear of a sinner saying Thou art the Man this is thy case That is the first thing in the manner of Christ's knocking 't is a silent knock without publick sound 2ly These silent inward knocks of the Spirit of Christ though they are heard by none but the Soul it self yet do they greatly differ as to the terror or mildness of them in different subjects Some hear them with more terror and astonishment others in a mild and gentle manner when the Lord knockt at the Iaylors Conscience Acts 16. 29 30. it was a terrible stroak he called for a light and sprang in like a Man distracted and trembling and astonied fell down at the Apostles feet crying Sirs what must I do to be saved Here was a terrible knock indeed which almost affrighted his Soul out of his Body it is as if he had said Tell me for the Lord's sake and tell me quickly whether there be any way of Salvation and where it lies for I am a lost Man an undone Soul. But when the Lord opened the Heart of Lydia there were no such terrors the Lord spake to her in a more mild and gentle voice as you see verse 14. the Spirit of God varies his method according to the temper of the Soul he worketh on Knotty pieces need greater wedges and harder blows to rive them asunder and as he directs his Ministers Iude 22. to make a difference to deal tenderly and compassionately with some but others to save with fear so he himself observeth like different methods 3ly Some knocks of Christ are succesful and obtain the desired effect He knocks and the Soul opens but others are insuccessful he knocks once and again by Convictions which may cause the Conscience for the present to startle a little but there is no opening to Christ by Faith. O friends this is of dreadful consideration Prov. 1. 24. I called and you refused I stretched out my Hand and no Man regarded There 's a call without an answer a
to plead it to the same end the Devil doth to lay a confederacy and joyn with your mortal enemy in a plot against the honour of Christ and Salvation of your own Souls take heed what you do seal not Satans conclusions do you think it is a small matter to be confederate with the Devil Certainly this is his design he magnifies your sins on purpose to discourage you from faith while you were secure and carnal the Devil never aggravated but diminished your sins to you but now the Lord hath opened your Eyes and you are come near to the door of hope mercy and pardon now he magnifies them hoping thereby to ham-string and lame thy faith that it shall not be able to carry thee to Christ. 5. If thy sin be really unpardonable then God hath somewhere excepted it in the Gospel grant He hath somewhere said The Man that hath committed this sin or continued so many years in sin shall never be forgiven but now in the whole Gospel there is but one sin that is absolutely excepted from the possibility of pardon and that such a sin as thy sorrows and desires after Christ do fully acquit and clear thee from the guilt of this sin indeed is excepted Matth. 12. 31. But the sin against the Holy Ghost shall never be forgiven This is that which the Scripture calls a sin unto death Let Apostate Professors transformed into Persecutors Scoffers and Haters of godliness and the Professors of it look to themselves the dreadful symptoms of this sin seem to appear upon such But the humbled thirsty Soul after Christ stands clear of the guilt of that sin 5. If there were no forgiveness with God for great sinners then great sinners had never been invited to come to Christ. The invitations of the Gospel are no mockeries but things of most awful solemnity Now such sinners are called and invited under the encouragement of a pardon consult Isa. 1. from vers 10. to 17. and see the horrid aggravations of that peoples sins and yet at vers 17 18. you may read the gracious invitations of God with conditional promises of a plenary remission so in Ier. 3. from 1. to 13. what a sad Catalogue of sins with their horrid aggravations do you find there and yet it said vers 12. Go and proclaim these words towards the North and say Return thou backsliding Israel and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you for I am merciful 6. If thy sins had not been capable of remission God would never have given thee conviction and compunction for sin nor have drawn forth the desires of thy Heart in this manner after Christ. He hath tact remission to repentance Acts 5. 31. a blessing to gracious desires and hungerings Matth. 5. 6. There is therefore hope that when God hath given the one he will not long withhold the other This very wounding of thy Heart by compunction and drawing forth thy Will by inclination shew that remission is not only possible but even at the door 7. And lastly Let this be thine encouragement whatever Satan or thine own Heart suggests to discourage thee that great Sinners are moving in the way of repentance and faith to a great Saviour who hath merit enough in his Blood and mercy enough in his Bowels to save to the uttermost all that come unto God by him Heb. 7. 25. The Lord open to the Eyes of your Faith that rich Exchequer of Free Grace Exod. 34. 6 7. and give you a sight of that plenteous Redemption and forgiveness that is with God Psal. 130. 4 7. that you may not at once cast reproach upon the most glorious Attribute of God impeach the precious Blood of Christ and stab your own Soul with a death-wound of desperation which is that the Devil designs and the whole strain of the Gospel designs to prevent III. Inference If the vilest of sinners stand as fair for pardon and mercy upon their closing with Christ by faith as the least of sinners do then certainly the pardon and salvation of sinners is not built upon any righteousness in themselves but purely and only upon the Free Grace of God in Iesus Christ. Dont think God hath set the Blood of Christ to sale and that those only are capable of the benefits of it who have lived the strictest and soberest lives No no though sobriety morality and strictness in Religious Duties be things commanded and commended in the Gospel yet no Man by these things can purchase a pardon for the least sin Rom. 11. 6. And if by grace then it is no more of Works otherwise grace is no more grace but if it be of works then is it no more grace otherwise work is no more work See how these exclude one another thus Titus 3. 5. Not by works of righteousness which we have done but according to his mercy he saved us No Man can satisfie God by any thing himself can do or suffer not by doing for all we do is mixt with sin Iob 14. 4. and that which is sinful can be no attonement for sin all we do or can do is due debt to God Luke 17. 10. and one debt cannot satisfie for another Nor yet by suffering for the sufferings awarded by the Law are everlasting and to be ever satisfying is never to satisfie So then by the works of the Law shall no flesh living be justified in his sight The Saints in all generations have fled to mercy for remission Psal. 130. ult the two debtors Luke 7. 43 44 45. though there were a vast difference in the debts yet of the lesser as well as of the greater it s said they had nothing to pay nothing but the satisfaction of Christ can quit your scores with God. IV. Inference If the grace of Christ be thus free to the greatest of sinners then it is both our sin and folly to stand off from Christ and draw back from believing for want of such and such qualifications which we yet find not to be wroâ—ght in our Hearts Poor convinced Souls think O if they had more humility tenderness love to God spirituality of mind this would â—e some encouragment to believe but because they have no such ornaments to dress up their Souls withal they are not fit to go to Christ. Now to remove this great mistake let two things be considered 1. That such a conceit as this crosses the very stream of the Covenant of Grace where nothing is sold but all freely given this is the very Spirit of the Covenant of Works fain we would find something in our selves to bring to God to Procure his favour and acceptance but the Gospel tells us we must come naked and empty handed to be justified freely by his grace Rom. 2. 24. We must be justified as Abraham was who believed in him that justifieth the ungodly Rom. 4. 5. But to him that worketh not but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly his faith is counted
Adam which are as the Sand upon the Sea shore that not only so many persons but all that they have done must come into Judgment even the very thoughts of their Hearts which never came to the knowledge of Men their Consciences to be interrogated all other Witnesses fully heard and examined how great a day must this day of the Lord then be The Second Vse But the main Use of this Point will be for Exhortation that seeing all the offers of Christ are recorded and witnessed with respect to a day of account every one of you would therefore immediately embrace the present gracious tender of Christ in the Gospel as ever you expect to be acquitted and cleared in that great day take heed of denials nay of delays and demurs For if the word spoken by Angels were stedfast and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward how shall we escape if we neglect so great Salvation Heb. 2. 2 3. The question is put but no answer made How shall we escape The wisdom of Men and Angels cannot tell how to enforce this Exhortation I shall present you with Ten weighty Considerations upon the matter which the Lord follow home by the blessing of his Spirit upon all your Hearts I. CONSIDERATION Consider how invaluable a mercy it is that you are yet within the reach of offered Grace The mercies that stand in offer before you this day were never set before the Angels that fell no Mediator was ever appointed for them Oh astonishing mercy that those Vessels of Gold should be cast into everlasting Fire and such Clay Vessels as we are thus put into a capacity of greater happiness than ever they fell from Nay the mercy that stands before you is not only denied to the Angels that fell but to the greatest part of your fellow Creatures of the same rank and dignity with you Psal. 147. 19 20. He sheweth his Word to Jacob his Statutes and his Iudgments unto Israel he hath not dealt so with any Nation and as for his Iudgments they have not known them praise ye the Lord. A mercy deservedly celebrated with a Joyful Allelujah What vast Tracts are there in the habitable World where the name of Christ is unknown T is your special mercy to be born in a Land of Bibles and Ministers where it is as difficult for you to avoid and shun the Light as it is for others to behold and enjoy it II. CONSIDERATION Consider the nature weight and worth of the mercies which are this day freely offered you Certainly they are mercies of the first Rank the most ponderous precious and necessary among all the mercies of God. Christ the first born of mercies and in him pardon peace and eternal Salvation are set before you it were astonishing to see a starving Man refusing offered bread or a condemned Man a gracious pardon Lord what compositions of sloath and stupidity are we that we should need so many intreaties to be happy III. CONSIDERATION Consider who it is that makes these gracious tenders of pardon peace and Salvation to you even that God whom you have so deeply wronged whose Laws you have violated whose mercies you have spurned and whose wrath you have justly incensed His patience groans under the burden of your daily provocations he loses nothing if you be damned and receives no benefit if you be saved yet the first motions of Mercy and Salvation to you freely arise out of his Grace and good pleasure God intreats you to be reconciled 2 Cor. 5. 20. The blessed Lord Jesus whose blood thy sins have shed now freely offers that blood for thy Reconciliation Justification and Salvation if thou wilt but sincerely accept him ere it be too late IV. CONSIDERATION Reflect seriously upon your own vileness to whom such gracious offers of Peace and Mercy are made Thy sins have set thee at as great a distance from the hopes and expectations of pardon as any sinner in the World. Consider Man what thou hast been what thou hast done and what vast heaps of guilt thou hast contracted by a life of sin and yet that unto thee Pardon and Peace should be offered in Christ after such a life of Rebellion how astonishing is the mercy The Lord is contented to pass by all thy former Rebellions thy deep died Transgressions and to sign an Act of Oblivion for all that is past if now at last thy Heart relent for Sin and thy Will bow in obedience to the grâ—at commands and call of the Gospel Isa. 55. 2. 1. 18. V. CONSIDERATION Consider how many offers of mercy you have already refused and that every refusal is recorded against you How long you have tried and even tired the patience of God already and that this may be the last overture of Grace that ever God will make to your Souls Certainly there is an offer that will be the last offer a striving of the Spirit which will be his last striving and after that no more offers without you no more motions or strivings within you for evermore The Treaty is then ended and your last neglect or rejection of Christ recorded against the day of your account and what if this should prove to be that last tender of Grace which must conclude the Treaty betwixt Christ and you what undone wretches must you then be with whom so gracious a Treaty breaks off upon such dreadful terms VI. CONSIDERATION Consider well the reasonable mild and gracious nature of the Gospel terms on which Life and Pardon are offered to you The Gospel requires nothing of you but Repentance and Faith Acts 20. 21. Can you think it hard when a Prince pardons a Rebel to require him to fall upon his Knees and stretch forth a willing and thankful Hand to receive his Pardon Your Repentance and Faith are much of the same nature Here is no legal satisfaction required at your Hands no reparation of the injured Law by your doings or sufferings but an hearty sorrow for sins committed sincere purposes and endeavours after new obedience and a hearty thankful acceptation of Christ your Saviour and for your encouragement herein his Spirit stands ready to furnish you with Powers and Abilities Prov. 1. 23. Turn ye at my reproof behold I will pour out my Spirit unto you I will make known my Words unto you and Isa. 26. 20. Lord thou hast wrought all our Works in us VII CONSIDERATION Again consider how your way to Christ by Repentance and Faith is beaten before you by thousands of sinners for your encouragement You are not the first that ever adventured your Souls in this path multitudes are gone before you and that under as much guilt fear and discouragement as you that come after can pretend unto and not a man among them repulsed or discouraged here they have found rest and peace to their weary Souls Heb. 4. 3. Acts 13. 39. Here the greatest of sinners have been set forth for an ensample to you
and is not this matter of singular consolation If Salvation be not what is No wonder that the Eunuch went home rejoycing when he had received Christ by Faith Acts 8. 39. That the Iaylor rejoyced with all his House Acts 16. 34. Neither blame nor wonder at Men for rejoycing for 't is the day of their Salvation 'T is true their Salvation is not finished that day there be many things yet to be done and suffered by them before the compleating of it but it is begun that day the foundation is layed in the Soul that day and the Top-stone shall be set up with shouting in due time crying Grace Grace unto it VI. Consolation The opening of a sinners Heart to Christ makes joy in Heaven a triumph in the City of our God above Luke 15. 7. I say unto you likewise that joy shall be in Heaven over one sinner that repenteth more than over ninety and nine just persons which need no repentance As when a young Prince is born all the Kingdom rejoyceth the Conduits run with Wine all demonstrations of joy and thankfulness in every City and Town 't is much more so in Heaven when a Soul is born to Christ under the Gospel 't is a satisfaction to the Heart of the Lord Jesus who now beholds more of the travel of his Soul and to all the Angels and Saints that another Soul is espoused to him Beloved when the Gospel is effectually brought home by the Spirit to the Heart of a sinner and wounds him for sin sends him home crying oh sick sick sick for sin and sick for Christ the news thereof is presently in Heaven and sets the whole City of God a rejoycing Christ never rejoyced over thee before thou hast wounded him and grieved him a thosand times but he never rejoyced in thee till now and that which gives joy to Christ may well be matter of Joy to thee that 's the Sixth Consolation VII Consolation And then Seventhly That day thy Heart is unlockt unbarr'd and savingly opened by Faith that very day an intimate spiritual and ever lasting union is made betwixt Christ and thy Soul from that day Christ is thine and thou art his Christ is a great and glorious person but how great and glorious soever he be the small and feeble Arms of thy Faith may surround and embrace him and thou maist say with the Church My beloved is mine and I am his for mark what he faith in the Text If any Man open to me I will come in to him That Soul shall be my habitation there will I dwell for ever that Christ may dwell in your Hearts by Faith what Soul feels not it self advanced by this union with the Son of God Hereby the Believer becomes a Member of his Body Flesh and Bones this is an honour bestowed upon thy Soul above and beyond all that honour that ever God bestowed upon any Angel in Heaven to them Christ is an Head by way of Dominion but to thee by way of vital influence Angels are as the Barons and Nobles of his Kingdom but the Believer his Spouse and all the Angels of Heaven ministring Spirits unto such That 's the seventh Consolation VIII Consolation And then in the Eighth place The opening of thy Heart to Christ brings thee not only into union with his Person but into a state of sweet Soul enriching communion with him So he speaketh in the Text If any Man open the door I will sup with him and he with me Poor Soul thou hast lived many years in the World and never hadst any communion with God till this day Christ and thy Soul have been strangers till now 'T is true thou hast had communion with Ordinances and communion with Saints but for communion with Christ thou couldst know nothing of it till thou receivedst him into thy Soul by Faith. Now thou maist say Truly my fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Iesus Christ 1 John 1. 3. And thenceforth thy communion with Men is pleasant and desirable IX Consolation The opening of a Mans Soul to Christ by Faith is a special and Peculiar mercy which falls to the share but of a very few God hath done that for thee which he hath denied to Millions Who hath believed our report and to whom is the Arm of the Lord revealed i. e. to how small a remnant in the World Isa. 53. 1. And the Apostle puts the work of Faith among the great mysteries of Godliness among the wonders of Religion 1 Tim. 3. 16. Preached unto the Gentiles believed on in the World. The found of the Gospel is gone forth into the World Many are called but few are chosen There were many Widows in Israel in the days of Elias but to none of them was Elias sent save unto Sarepta a City of Sidon unto a Woman that was a Widow Luke 4. 25 26. To allude to this there were many hundreds that sat under the same Sermon which opened thy Heart to Christ but it may be unto none of them was the Spirit of God sent that day to open their Hearts by Faith but unto thee thou wilt freely acknowledge thy self as unlikely and unworthy as the vilest sinner there Oh astonishing mercy X. Consolation And then lastly In the same day thy Heart opens by Faith to Christ all the treasures of Christ are unlockt and opened to thee In the same hour God turns the key of Regeneration to open thy Soul the key of Free-grace is also turned to open unto thee the unsearchable riches of Christ then the righteousness of Christ becomes thine to Justifie thee the wisdom of Christ to guide thee the holiness of Christ to sanctifie thee in a word he is that day made of God unto thee wisdom and righteousness Sanctification and redemption 1 Cor. 1. 30. All is yours for you are Christs and Christ is Gods 1 Cor. 3. ult And thus I have shewn you some of those great things God doth for those Souls that will but do this one thing for him Viz. open their Hearts to receive Christ upon the tenders and terms of the Gospel SERMON IV. Revel 3. 20. Behold I stand at the door and knock c THE verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here rendred I stand is of the praeter tense and would strictly be rendred I have stood but being joyned with a verb of the present tense is here rendred I do stand a frequent Hebraism in Scripture and it notes the continued patience and long suffering of Christ. I have stood and still do stand exercising wonderful patience towards obstinate sinners Which gives us this fourth Observation IV. DOCT. That great and admirable is the patience of Christ in waiting upon trifling and obstinate sinners Thus Wisdom i. e. Christ expresses himself Prov. 1. 24. I have called and ye refused I have stretched out my Hand and no Man regarded Here you have not only Christs â—arnest calls but suitable gestures also to gain attention The stretching out
of me for I am meek and lowly You are going to Meekness and Mercy it self he is the Lamb of God that is his name go on then poor trembling sinner dont stand any longer at shall I Shall I with Christ but make a bold but necessary adventure of Faith try him once and then report what you find im to be Certainly if he exercises such Patience towards the Vessels of wrath whilst they are sitting to destruction as he doth Rom. 9. 22 he will not want Patience for a Yessel of Mercy preparing by Humiliation and Faith for Christ and Glory Doth he forbear those that stand out in defiance and will he fall upon those that are mourning to him upon the Knee of submission Shall a damnede wretch that is preparing for Hell find so much forbearance and a poor broken hearted sinner none It cannot be If Jesus Christ forbare thee when thy Heart was as hard as a Rock and could not yield one Tear one Sigh for sin will he execute his Wrath upon thee will he shew thee no Mercy when thy Heart is broken all to pieces with sorrow and filled with loathing and detestation against sin and thy self for sin Did he forbear thee when sin was thy delight And will he destroy thee now it is thy burden It cannot be Moreover if the Lord Jesus had not a mind to shew Mercy to thy poor Soul Now now that thine Eyes are opened and thy heart touched to the quick why hath he forborn the execution of his wrath so long He might have taken his own time to cut you off when he would he might have made any day the execution day But sure among all the days of thy life the day of thy Humiliation the day of thy Faith is not like to prove that day Again as great and vile sinners as thy self have adventured upon the Grace of Christ and sound it infinitly beyond their expectation These the Lord Jesus hath set forth as incouraging examples to all the broken hearted sinners that are coming after that they seeing how it hath fared with their forerunners to Christ might be incouraged to come on with the more confidence 1 Tim 1. 16. But I obtained mercy that in me first Christ might shew forth all long-suffering for a pattern for them that should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting Well then shut your Ears against all the whispers of Satan entertain no evil reports of Christ the Devil loves to draw a false picture of Christ and represent him in the most discouraging form to poor trembling sinners but you will not find him so What can Christ say more to convince and satisfie Souls than he hath done He hath left the bosom of the Father he hath taken union with thy Nature he hath poured out his Soul unto Death he hath told us Those that come unto him he will in no wise cast out Thousands are gone before us in the paths of Repentance and Faith and found it according to his Word you have been spared all your Life to this day of Mercy O do not stand off now upon such weak objections III. Inference The long-suffering of Christ toward Sinners instructeth and teacheth his Ministers to imitate their Lord in a Christ-like Patience and Long-suffering Christ is our pattern of Patience if he wait much more may we we think it much to stand from Sabbath to Sabbath Woing Pleading and Inviting and are apt to be discouraged when we see no fruit follw The want of success is apt to cast us under Ieremiahs temptation To speak no more in his Name and to lament with Isaiah That we have laboured in vain 't is a hard case to Study Pray and Preach and see all our labours return in vain 'T is not so much the expending as the returning of our labours upon us in vain that discourageth our Hearts Ministers would not dye so fast saith one of them nor be gray-headed so soon did they see the fruit of their labours upon their people But let us look to our pattern in the Text Behold I stand at the door and knock If the Master wait let not the Servants be weary The Servant of the Lord must not strive but be patient towards all wasting if at any time God will give them repentance 2 Tim. 4. 24. Though the beginnings be small our latter-end may greatly increase though we now fish with Angles and take but now one and then another the time may come and we hope is at the door when we shall spread our Nets and inclose multitudes Aretius a pious Divine comforted himself thus under the insuccessfulness of his Labours Dabit posterior aetas tractabiliores fortasse animas mitiora pectora quam nostra habent tempora Future days will afford more tractable Spirits and easier tempers of Mind than our present times afford Beside the fruit of our labours may spring up to a blessed harvest when we are gone Iohn 4. 37. One Man soweth and another reapeth but if not our reward will not be measured by the success but the sincerity of our designs and labours Our zeal for conversion of Souls to Christ will be accepted but our discouragement in his service will certainly displease him If Israel be not gathered yet shall we be glorious in the Eyes of the Lord. However let this be a caution to you that hear us that you cast not our Souls under such discouragements If I may speak the sense of others from my own experience then I can assure you that the fixedness of your Hearts in the ways of sin and your untractableness to the calls of God are a greater burden and discouragement to us than all the sufferings we have met withal from the World yet are we contented to Pray in hope and Preach in hope incouraging our selves the Lord grant it be not without ground that a crop shall yet spring up which shall make the Harvest-men laugh IV. Inference From the Patience and Long-suffering of Christ we may learn the invaluable preciousness of Souls and the high esteem Christ hath for them Though your Souls be cheap in your own Eyes and you are contented to sell them for a trifle for a little sensual pleasure and ease some of you will hazard them for a Shilling yet certainly Jesus Christ hath an high asteem of them else he would never stand knocking with such importunity and waiting with such wonderful patience for the Salvation of them Christ knows their worth though you do not he accounts and so should you one of your Souls more worth than the whole World Matth. 16. 26. The Soul of the poorest Child or meanest Servant that hears me this day is of greater value in Christ's Eye than the whole World and he hath given three great evidences of it 1. That he thought it worth his Heart Blood to redeem and save it 1 Pet. 1. 19. You were not redeemed with Silver and Gold but with the precious Blood of
the cries of such Souls will be heard above the cries of all the other miserable wretches that are cast away 'T will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah than for Capernaum Matth. 11. 23. Oh Friends you little know the smart reflections of Conscience in Hell upon such hours as you now enjoy such wooing charming voices and allurements to Christ as you now hear There are many thousands of Souls in Hell that came thither out of the dark heathenish parts of the World where they never heard of Christ but your misery will be far beyond theirs your reflections more sharp and bitter Therefore delay no longer lest you perish with peculiar aggravations of misery 3ly Try the Patience of Christ no further I beseech you for as much as you see every day the Patience of Christ ending towards others Patience coming down and Justice ascending the Stage to triumph over the abusers of Mercy You dont only read in Scripture of the finishing and ending of God's Patience with Men but you may see it every day with your own Eyes If you look into Scripture You may find the Patience of God ended towards multitudes of Sinners who possibly had the same presumptions and vain hopes for the continuance of it that you now have If you look into 1 Pet. 3. 19 20. you shall there find that Christ went and preached to the Spirits in prison which sometimes were disobedient when once the long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah The meaning of it is this that in the days before the Flood Christ by his Spirit strove with disobedient and rebellious sinners in the Ministry of Noah who then were living Men and Women as now we are but now are Spirits in prison i. e. damned Souls in Hell for their disobedience And truly Brethren you may frequently behold the glass of Patience run down the very last sand in it spent upon others Whenever you see a wicked Christless Man or Woman dye you see the end of God's Patience with that Man or Woman and all this for a warning to you that you adventure not to trifle and dally with it as they did 4ly Lastly Do not try God's Patience any longer if you love your Souls for this Reason because when Men grow bold and incourage themselves in sin upon the account of God's forbearance and long-suffering towards them there cannot be a more certain sign that his Patience is very near its end towards that Soul. 'T is time for God to put an end to his Patience when it is made an encouragement to sin God cannot suffer so vile an abuse of his glorious Patience nor endure to see it turned into wantonness This quickly brings up sin to its finishing act and perfection and then Patience is just upon finishing also That Patience is thus abused appears from Eccles. 8. 11. and when it is so abused look for a suddain change O therefore beware of provoking God for now the day of Patience is certainly near its end with such sinners Prov. 1. 24 25 26. Because I have calledâ— and ye refused I have streâ—ched out my Hand and no Man regarded But ye have set at nought all my counsel and would none of my reproof I also will laugh at your calamity and mock when your fear cometh When your fear cometh as desolation and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind Ah when sinners scolt and mock at the threatnings of God and bear themselves up upon his Patience as that which will never crack under them then look out for a whirlwind a suddain Tempest of wrath which shall hurry such Souls into Hell. Then misery comes like a storm blowing furiously from all quarters Well the Heavens are yet clear over you but a storm is nigh and may be certainly presaged from such vite abuses of the glorious Patience of Christ towards you That 's the first Exhortation try not the Patience of Christ by any further delays II. Exhortation Secondly Admire Christ's Patience and forbearance of you until now that he hath not cut you off in your sin but lengthned out his Patience unto this day and brought about your Salvation by his long-suffering towards you Here now I must change my voice and turn it unto those whose Hearts the Lord hath opened Stand amazed at the riches of his Grace towards you and see that you account this long-suffering of God to be your Salvation for in plain Truth it is so your Salvation was bound up in Christ's forbearance if Christ had not born as he did you had not been where you are I could heartily wish that all the time you can redeem from the necessary employments you have in the World may now be spent in an humble thankful admiration of this admirable Grace and Patience of Christ and answerable duties to the intentions and ends thereof To this end I shall subjoyn divers weighty Considerations which methinks should melt every Heart wherein the lest drachm of saving Grace is found Bethink your selves of the great and manifold provocations you have given the Lord to put an end to all further Patience towards you not only in the days of your vanity and unregeneracy but enen since your reconciliation to him Do you not believe thousands of sinners are now in the depths of Hell who never provoked the Lord at an higher rate than you have done Were you not herded once among the vilest of sinners 1 Cor. 6. 11. And such were some of you as vile as the vilest among them yet you are washed in the Blood of Christ and your companions roaring in the lowest Hell or if your lives were more clean sure your Hearts and Natures were as filthy as theirs And certainly your sins since the time of Reconciliation have had special aggravations in them enough to put an end to all further mercies towards you Light and Love have aggravated these sins and yet the Lord will not cast you off How often have you been upon the very brink of Hell in the days of your unregeneracy Every sickness and every danger of life which you escaped in those days was a marvelous escape from the everlasting wrath of God. Had thy Disease prevailed one degree further thou hadst been past hope and out of the reach of Mercies Arm now Doubtless some of you can remember when in such and such a Disease you were like a Ship riding in a furious storm by one Cable and two or three of the strands of that Cable were snapt asunder So it hath been with you the thread of life how weak soever hath held till the bonds of union betwixt Christ and your Souls are fastned and the eternal hazard over This is admirable Grace How often hath Death come up into your Windows entred into your Houses fetcht off your nearest Relations but had no commission to carry you out with them because the Lord had a design of Mercy upon your Souls This cannot but affect a
the Earth bringing Pardon and Salvation with him to stand so long unanswered let who will cry up the goodness of Nature I am sure we have reason to look upon the vileness of it with amazement and horror You could not have found in your Hearts to have made the poorest beggar wait so long at your door as you have made Christ to wait upon you VII Exhortation Seventhly and Lastly Let us all bless and admire the Lord Jesus for the continuation of his Patience not to our selves only but to that whole sinful Nation in which we live We thought the Treaty of Peace had been ended with us many good Men looking upon the iniquities and abominations of these times considering the vanities and backsliding of Professors the Heaven-daring provocations of this Atheistical age concluded in their own Hearts that God would make England another Shiloh Many faithful Ministers of Christ said within themselves God hath no more Work for us to do and we shall have no more opportunities to work for God. When lo beyond the thoughts of all Hearts the merciful and long-suffering Redeemer makes one return more to these Nations renews the Treaty and with compassions rolled together speaks to us this day as to Ephraim of old How shall I deliver thee Look upon this day this unexpected day of Mercy as the fruit and acquisition of the intercession of your great Advocate in Heaven answerable to that Luke 13. 7 8 9. Well God hath put us upon one Tryal more if now we bring forth fruit well if not the ax lyes at the root of the Tree Once more Christ knocks at our doors the voice of the Bridegroom is heard those sweet voices Come unto me Open to me your opening to Christ now will be unto you as the Valley of Achor for a door of hope But what if all this should be turned into wantonness and formality what if your obstinacy and infidelity should wear out the remains of that little strength and time left you and that former Labours and Sorrows have left your Ministers Then actum est de nobis we are gone for ever then farewel Gospel Ministers Reformation and all because we knew not the time of our Visitation What was the dismal doom of God upon the fruitless Vineyard Isa. 5. 5. I will take away the hedge thereof and it shall be eaten up and break down the wall thereof and it shall be troden down I will also command the Clouds that they rain not upon it The hedge and the wall are the Spiritual and Providential presence of God these are the defence and safety of his People the Clouds and the Rain are the sweet influences of Gospel Ordinances If the hedge be broken down God's pleasant Plants will soon be eaten up and if the Clouds rain not upon them their Root will be rottenness and their Blossom will go up as dust Our Churches will soon become as the Mountains of Gilboa therefore see that you know and improve the time of your Visitation III. Vse of Consolation I shall wind up this Fourth Doctrin in two or three words of Consolation to those that have answered and are now preparing to answer the design and end of Jesus Christ in all his Patience towards them by the compliance of their Hearts with his great design and end therein O blessed be God and let his high-praises be for ever in our Mouths that at last Christ is like to obtain his end upon some of us and that all do not receive the Grace of God in vain And there be three Considerations able to wind up your Hearts to the height of Praise if the Lord have now made them indeed willing to open to the Lord Jesus I. Consideration The Faith and Obedience of your Hearts makes it evident that the Lords waiting upon you hitherto hath been in pursuance of his design of Electing Love. What was the reason God would not take you away by death though you passed so often upon the very brink of it in the days of your unregeneracy And what think you was the very reason of the revocation of your Gospel-liberties when they were quite out of sight and almost out of hope why surely this was the reason that you and such as you are might be brought to Christ at last Therefore though the Lord let you run on so long in sin yet still he continued your Life and the means of your Salvation because he had a design of Mercy and Grace upon you And now the time of Mercy even the set time is come Praise ye the Lord. II. Consideration You now also see the Sovereignty and freeness of Divine Grace in your vocation your Hearts resisted all along the most powerful means and importunate calls of Christ and would have resisted still had not Free and Sovereign Grace over-poured them when the time of Love was come Ah it was not the tractableness of thine own Will the easie temper of thy Heart to be wrought upon the Lord let thee stand long enough in the state of Nature to discover that there was nothing in Nature but obstinacy and enmity Thou didst hear as many powerful Sermons melting Prayers and didst see as many awakning Providences before thy Heart was opened to Christ as thou hast since yet thy Heart never opened till now and why did it open now Because now the Spirit of God joyned himself to the Word victorious Grace went forth in the Word to break the hardness and conquer the rebellions of thy Heart The Gospel was now preached as the Apostle speaks 1 Pet. 1. 12. With the Holy Ghost sent down from Heaven which things saith he the Angels desire to look into Ah Friends it is a glorious sight worthy of Angelical observation and admiration to behold the effects of the Gospel preacht with the Holy Ghost sent down from Heaven to see when the Spirit comes along with the Word the blind Eyes of sinners opened and they brought into a new World of ravishing objects to behold Fountains of Tears flowing for sin out of Hearts lately as hard as the Rocks to see all the Bars of Ignorance Prejudice Custom and Unbelief fly open at the voice of the Gospel to see Rebels against Christ laying down their Arms at his Feet come upon the Knee of submission crying Lord I will rebel no more to see the proud Heart centered and wrapt up in its own righteousness now striping it self naked loading it self with all shame and reproach and made willing that its own shame should go to the Redeemer's glory These I say are sights which Angels desire to look into Certainly your Hearts were more tender and your Wills more apt to yield and bend in the days of your youth than they were now when sin had so hardned them and long continued custom riveted and fixed them yet then they did not and now they do yield to the calls and invitations of the Gospel Ascribe all to Sovereign Grace and
the Word shall come whom by the Spirits particular application like that of Nathans to David Thou art the Man then all the powers of the Soul are rouzed and allarmed now it pierces as a two-edged Sword Heb. 4. 12. divides the Soul and Spirit the superiour and inferiour Faculties of it Cuts down by the back-bone lays open the secret guilt and innermost thoughts of a Man's Heart before which the sinner cannot stand The secrets of his Heart are made manifest and falling down on his Face he must acknowledg that God is in the Word of a Truth 1 Cor. 14. 24. O these convictions of the Word are such a rap such a knock at the door of the Conscience as will never be forgotten no not in Heaven to all Eternity 2ly Christ knocks in the Word by its terrible comminations and awful threatnings menacing the Soul that opens not with eternal ruine these are dreadful knocks O sinner saith Christ wilt thou not open Shall all the tenders of my Grace made to thee be in vain Know then that this thy obstinacy shall be thy damnation Thus the Word denounces ruine in the name of the great and terrible God to all wilful impenitents and obstinate unbelievers Iohn 3. 36. He that believeth not the Son shall not see life but the wrath ef God abideth on him O dreadful sound like unto which is that Iohn 8. 24. If ye believe not that I am he ye shall dye in your sins q. d. Thy Mittimuâ— for Hell shall be made and signed will you not come to me that you might have life then I will foretel what death you shall dye you shall even dye in your sins Oh it were better for thee to dye like a Dog in a ditch than to dye in thy sins These are loud knocks of the Word terrible sounds yet no more than needs to startle the drousie Consciences of sinners And then 3ly The Spirit knocks by the gracious invitations of the Word the sweet allurements and gracious insinuations of it and without this no Heart would ever open to Christ. It is not frost and snow storms and thunder but the gentle distilling dews and cherishing Sun-beams that make the flowers open in the Spring The terrors of the Law may be preparative but the grace of the Gospel is that which effectually opens the sinners Heart The obdurate flint will sooner fly when smitten upon the soft pillow than upon the anvil Now the Gospel abounds with alluring invitations to draw the Will and open the Heart of a sinner such is that Matth. 11. 28. Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest O what a charming voice is here He that considers it may well wonder what Heart in the World can resist it like unto this is that in Isa. 55. 1. Ho every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters and he that hath no money let him come yea let him come and buy Wine and Milk without money and without price q. d. Come sinner come though thou have no qualifications no worthiness nor righteousness of thy own though thou be but a heap of sin and vileness yet come my grace is a gift not a sale and such is that in Iohn 7. 37. In the last day the great day of the feast Iesus stood up and cried If any Man thirst let him come to me and drink q. d. My grace is no sealed Fountain 't is free and open to the greatest of sinners if they thirst they are invited to come and drink This is that Oyl of Gospel grace which makes the Key turn so pleasantly and effectually amongst all the cross wards of Man's Will. And thus you see how the Word preached becomes an instrument in the Spirit 's Hand to open the door of a sinners Heart at which it knocks by its mighty Convictions dreadful Threats and gracious Invitations Secondly We next come to the Second Hammer by which the Spirit knocks at the sinners Heart and that is the providential Works of God. These in subserviency to the Word are of excellent use to awaken sinners and make them open their Hearts to Christ. God hath magnified his Word above all his Name yet there are some of the providential Works of God greatly serviceable in this case the Word sanctifies Providences and Providences assist the Word and make it work Now there are two sorts of Providential Dispensations which the Lord Jesus makes use of to gain entrance for him into the Hearts of Men. Viz. 1. Judgments 2. Mercies 1. Judgments and Afflictions the Word of God many times works not till some stroak of God come to quicken and assist it thus did the Lord open the Heart of that Monster of wickedness Manasseh the Word would not work alone but a smart rod quickned its operation 2 Chron. 33. 10 11 12. And the Lord spake to Manasseh and to his people but they would not hearken Wherefore the Lord brought upon them the Captains of the host of the King of Assyria which took Manasseh among the thorns and bound him with fetters and carried him to Babylon And when he was in affliction he besought the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his Fathers Thus the Heart of this Man relented under the Word assisted by the Rod. Ah 't is good that God take such a course with some sinners else the Word would do them no good and to this purpose is that in Iob 36. 8 9 10. And if they be bound in fetters and holden in cords of affliction then he sheweth them their work and their transgression that they have exceeded and openeth their Ears to discipline This is that rough course the obstinacy of Men's Hearts makes necessary for their recovery and therefore it is very observable that some words of God have lain dead in some sinners Hearts for years together and at last have begun to work under some smart and close Rod. Alas while all things are pleasant and prosperous about us the Word hath but little operation and effect Ier. 22. 21 22. I spake unto thee in thy prosperity but thou saidst I will not hear this hath been thy manner from thy youth that thou obeyedst not my voice The wind shall eat up all thy pastures and thy lovers shall go into captivity surely then shalt thou be ashamed and confounded for all thy wickedness q. d. Your Eyes are so dazled with the beautiful Flowers and your Ears so charmed with the Syren Songs and Lullabies of earthly delights that my Word can take no place upon you Let an East-wind blow and wither up these Flowers then the Word shall work and Conscience rescent the concernments of Eternity this course God is feign to take with many of you here you sit from Sabbath to Sabbath under the Word and nothing takes place upon your Hearts Will you not hear the voice of my VVord go Death saith God and smite that Man's Child dead I
slightly crying Peace peace where there is no peace Remember the foundation is now laying for Eternity and that this is the time of deep consideration Men and Women must ponder the terms and count the cost and deliberately accept and close with Christ before the Consolations of the Promises can be regularly administred to them III. Inference What a singular blessing is a rouzing faithful Ministry among the people By such a Ministry Christ knocks powerfully this is one of the greatest blessings God can bestow upon a people next to the saving effects of it when he sends among them Powerful Judicious Preachers of the Gospel under whose Ministry their Consciences cannot sleep quietly These are the proper Instruments Christ knocks at Men's Hearts by and as for those Prophets that sow pillows for drowsie sinners to sleep quietly upon the Lord owns them not for his Lam. 2. 14. Thy Prophets not mine but thine have seen vain and foolish things for thee they have not discovered thine iniquity 'T is true those Ministers that give Men no rest nor quietness in their sins must expect but little rest and quietness themselves What is it for Ministers to preach home to the Consciences of others but to pull down the rage of the World upon their own Heads But certainly you will have cause to bless God to Eternity for casting your lot under such a Ministry and the Lord accounts such a mercy sufficient to recompense any outward affliction that lyes upon you Isa. 30. 20. You fare richly under such Doctrine though the Lord should feed you with the bread of Affliction and give you the waters of Adversity to drink this makes amends for all Thine Eyes shall behold thy Teachers and they shall be driven no more into corners O blessed be God that Englands corners are this day emptied that its Pulpits may be filled with laborious faithful Ministers O that the knocks of Christ might this day be heard in all the Cities Towns and Villages of this Nation the Kingdom of God is come nigh unto us this mercy is invaluable pray that the Lord would continue it and make all your Ministers and Means whether more publick or private successful IV. Inference And then Lastly let all Men beware of those things that deafen their Ears and drown the sound of Christs knocks and calls in the Gospel What pernicious Enemies to the Souls of Men are all those persons and things that turn away Men's Ears from attending to the knocks and calls of Christ in his Word Such are 1. Prophane wicked Men who like Elimas the Sorcerer make it their buisness by wicked insinuations flouts and jeers to turn away Men's Ears from the Gospel Acts 13. 10. O full of all subtilty and all mischief thou child of the Devil thou enemy of all righteousness wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord All opposition of godliness hath a spice of Devilishness and no Child more resembles his Father than a scoffing Enemy resembles his Father the Devil But blessed be God for that good Providence which in a great measure hath stopt the Mouths both of the Father and his Children this day 2. Take heed of carnal and ungodly Relations which discourage and threaten their Children Servants and all that depend on them from attending upon on the means or giving way to the Convictions which God by them hath set on upon their Hearts Cruel Parents who had rather see their Children turned into their Graves than turning to the ways of serious godliness O that any should dare to quench the beginnings of Spiritual life in those to whom they were instruments to convey natural life 3. Take heed of the World its distracting cares and charming pleasures What a din what a confused buz and noise do these things make in the Ears of Men Mark 4. 19. The cares of this World choak the Word and it becometh unfruitful Tell not them of getting Christ they must study how to get bread These are some of those distracting and diverting sounds which drown the voice of Christ's knocks and calls in the Gospel As you value your Souls beware of them II. Vse for Exhortation Christ is now come near us in the Gospel Behold he stands at the door and knocks And I am here this day to demand your answer and in his name I do solemnly demand it What shall I return to him that sent me What sayst thou sinner Wilt thou open to Christ or wilt thou shut him out And with him thy own Pardon Peace and Salvation Once more let me try the force of a few more arguments upon your Hearts and refute your vain pleas to the contrary methinks no Heart should be able to resist such Motives and rational Perswasions as these following will be found to be First You are in exream need of Christ you want him more than Bread or Breath many things are convenient for your Bodies but Christ is the one thing necessary for your Souls Luke 10. 9. One thing is necessary Necessity is an Engine that will open any thing in the World that can be opened necessity will make all fly before it Now there is a plain present absolute necessity lying upon every one of you to open your Hearts to Christ and that without delay Necessity goes before the face of Christ to open the way for him into the Heart thou must have him or be lost for ever Christ and Faith are not among the may bees but the must bees to the happiness of thy Soul. A Man may be poor and happy reproached and blessed but he cannot be Christless and safe nor Christless and comfortable you must have Christ or you cannot have life Iohn 3. 36. You must have Christ or you can have no hope Col. 1. 27. Christ and life Christ and hope go together no Christ no life no Christ no hope sinner thou must have Christ or thou canst have no pardon for Christ and pardon are undivided Ephes. 1. 7. In a word you must have Christ or you can have no Salvation Acts 4. 12. Well then if thou canst have no life nor hope no pardon nor Salvation without Christ then a plain necessity goes before Christ to open his way into thine Heart methinks thou shouldst now say Then will I open to Christ whatever the terms be Come sufferings losses reproaches yea death it self all is one Christ I must have and Christ I will have necessity is layed upon me and my Heart is opened to Christ by it wo to me for ever if I miss of Christ. Secondly The Lord Jesus is this day come nigh to every one of your Souls I may say to you as Christ did to them Luke 10. 9. The Kingdom of God is come nigh unto you The Lord grant he be not as nigh to some of you as ever he shall be for he must come nearer or else you are lost for ever It is not Christ among you in the Means of
Grace but Christ within you by the Work of Grace which must be unto you the hope of Glory Colos. 1. 27. He is not only among you in respect of external Means but he is come into your Understandings and Consciences Yea some motions of his you may feel upon your affections there wants but a little more to make you eternally Happy O what would one effectual touch upon your Wills be worth now The Head-Work is done but O that the Heart-Work were done too You are almost saved but to be almost saved is to be wholly and eternally Lost if it go no further 'T is a sad thing for a Man that hath one Foot in Heaven to slide from thence into Hell. 'T is sad to be Shipwreckt at the Harbours mouth Thirdly Jesus Christ hath an unquestionable right to enter into and possess every one of your Souls Satan is but an Usurper Christ is your lawful Owner and Proprietor thy Soul sinner hath not so full a Title to thy Body as Christ hath to thy Soul. Satan keeps Christ out of his right Christ knocks at the door of his own House he built it and therefore may well claim admission into it it is his own Creature Col. 1. 16. By him were all things made whether they be visible or invisible Bodies or Souls The invisible part thy Soul is his Workmanship a stately Structure of his own raising He hath also a right by Redemption Christ hath bought thy Soul and that at the invaluable price of his own Blood. Who then can dispute the right of Christ to enter in to his own House But alas he cometh to his own but his own receive him not Fourthly Open the door to Christ for a train of blessings and mercies comes in with him a troop of privileges follow him In the same day and hour that Christ comes into thine Heart by a full consent and deliberate choice a pardon comes with him of all the sins that ever thou committedst in Thought Word or Action Will such a pardon be welcome to thy Soul Then let Christ be welcome for where Christ comes pardon comes if you open to Christ you open to peace and who would shut the door of his Soul against Peace If peace be welcome let Christ be welcome for peace follows faith in Christ Rom. 5. 1 Where Christ comes liberty comes Iohn 8. 36. If the Son therefore shall make you free then are you free indeed Are you in love with Bonds and Fetters Satans Laws are written in Blood Christs yoak is easie and his commands not grievous If you love liberty love Christ. In a word where Christ comes Salvation comes for he is the Author of eternal Salvation to all them that obey him If therefore you love Pardon Peace Liberty and Salvation shut not the door against Christ for all these follow him where-ever he goes Fifthly Christ this day solemnly demands entrance into thy Soul he begs thee to open to him 2 Cor. 5. 20. He commands thee to open to him 1 Iohn 3. 23. He denounceth eternal Damnation to those that refuse him entrance Now consider well here is entrance demanded under pain of the eternal Wrath of God this demand is filed and recorded in Heaven at your own peril be it if you shut the door against him only this I will say in my Redeemers behalf if you refuse bear witness Heaven and Earth this day that Christ solemnly demanded entrance into thy Soul and was refused bear witness that the door was shut against the only Redeemer who intreated commanded and threatned eternal Damnation to the rejecters of him O methinks that Scripture Prov. 1. 24. 25. is able to strike terror into the very center of that Soul that refuses the offers of Christ. Sixthly And so I have done my Masters errand if you now refuse the knock of Christ at your Hearts he may never knock more and where are you then There is a knock which will be the last knock a call which will be his last call and after that no more knocks or calls but an eternal Silence as to any overture of Mercy or Grace But if I do open to Christ he will never come into such a filthy polluted sinful Soul as mine is Who saith so Who dare affirm so impudent a falshood in the very face of the Text If any Man open unto me I will come in to him If I open to Christ I must bid farewel to ease and rest in this World reproaches sufferings losses follow him If Christ Pardon and Salvation be not worth the enduring and suffering these small things sure thou valuest Christ and thy Soul at a low rate Oh who can sufficiently bewail the ignorance and folly of Unbelievers that will fell their Souls and hopes of Heaven for such trifles And if Christ and thy Soul must part upon these terms then hear me sinner and let it sink into thy Heart thy Damnation will be both 1. Just and Righteous 2. Unavoydable and sure 1. Thy Damnation will be Just for thou hadst thy own choice and deliberately preferredst the insignificant trifles of this World before Christ and Salvation It was plainly told thee what the issue of thy rejecting Christ would be and yet after sufficient warning thou adventuredst upon it whatever other sinners will plead I know not but as for thee thou must be speechless Matth. 22. 12. If thou dye Christless thou must appear at his Bar speechless and the day of Judgment will be the day of the revelation of the righteous Judgment of God Rom. 2. 5. 2ly It will also be Unavoidable for there is no other way to Salvation but this Acts 4. 12. No Christ no Heaven no Faith no Christ How shall we escape if we neglect so great Salvation Heb. 2. 3. Mercy it self cannot save thee out of Christ for all the saving Mercy of God is dispensed to Men through him Iude vers 21. 'T is to no purpose to cry Mercy Lord Mercy when Christ in whom all the Mercies of God are dispensed to Men is rejected by thee III. Vse for Consolation This Point winds up in Consolation to all such as hearing the knocks of Christ have opened or are now resolved to open their Hearts unto him and that nothing henceforth shall keep Christ and their Souls asunder To such I shall address the following grounds of Comfort I. Consolation An opening Heart to Christ is a work wholly and altogether Supernatural A special work of the Spirit of God never found upon any but an elect Soul. There are common gifts of the Spirit such as Knowledge vanishing Convictions c. but the opening of the Heart by Faith is the special saving and peculiar work of the Spirit Iohn 6. 29. This is the work of God that ye believe Yea it is the effect of the Almighty Power of God the exceeding greatness of his Power is exerted in the work of Faith Eph. 1. 19. it
injuries thou hast done against him that 's a very considerable Scripture to this purpose in Isa. 55. 7 8 9. Let the wicked for sake his way and the unrighteous Man his thoughts and let him return unto the Lord and he will have mercy upon him and to our God for he will abundantly pardon For my thoughts are not your thoughts neither are your ways my ways saith the Lord. For as the Heavens are higher than the Earth so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts Man lies under a double misery one by reason of Affliction another by reason of Transgression concerning both these Gods thoughts are not as ours but far above what we can think either 1. with simple cogitation i. e. we cannot think such thoughts to others under misery in themselves or under transgression against us as God doth towards as Or 2. by way of reflexive comprehension i. e. we cannot conceive what those thoughts of God are towards us when we are under misery or sin just as he thinks them still his thoughts will be above ours as the Heavens are above the Earth such is the altitude of Heaven above the Earth that the vast body of the whole Earth is but a small inconsiderable point to it the highest Cedars Mountains Clouds cannot reach it Gods thoughts are infinite ours finite his thoughts are continued ours interrupted and at a stand his are immutable ours changable his are intuitive ours discursive therefore never measure his by your own the thoughts of pardoning Grace in him are rich plenteous and glorious but when our unbelieving Hearts have practised upon them they are quite another thing Thou saist how can such a Wretch as I obtain mercy Thou knowest not but the Lord knoweth O if we could take in such a proper Idea and apprehension of the mercy and goodness of God as he hath given of them himself in Exod. 34. 6 7. this would bring you to Christ with much incouragement VIII Direction Eighthly Be not discouraged in the work of Faith though no peace or comfort should come in by the first act of it Nay though there should be an increase of trouble for the present the first saving act of Faith certainly puts you into a state of peace but it may not presently produce the sense of peace you may after you have believed and really closed with Christ meet with some discouragements which may make you question whether Christ have received you or no Whether he have any love for your Souls or no Yet held on whether comfort come or come not though Christ and comfort are inseparable yet Christ and the sense of comfort are not so think not that all your troubles shall be over as soon as ever you believe because it is said Heb. 4. 3. We which have believed do enter into rest That Scripture speaks of a state of rest and not of the present or continued sense of rest the Woman of Canaan in Matth. 15. 26 27. did really believe in Christ yet met with sore tryals under the first act of her Faith yet this took her not off from the work of Faith but rather quickned and inflamed her the more she was glad of a word from Christ and she expected deeds O but the words were discourageing It is not meet to take the Childrens bread and give it to Dogs yet this beats not off her Faith the Dog belongs to the Family and crumbs to the Dog. O Woman saith Christ great is thy Faith. If you resolve for Christ you must not be discouraged a resolute Faith overcomes all difficulties You pray you believe and yet no comfort well the vision of Peace is for an appointed time at the end it will speak and not lye IX Direction Ninthly In your treating with Christ have a care of all secret reserves that will spoil the bargain betwixt Christ and you If I regard iniquity in my Heart God will not hear my prayer saith David If there be but a reserve of one lust that reserve will break off the Treaty be honest with Christ and say not of any sin the Lord be merciful to me in this and be sure there be no secret purpose or reserve in thy Heart for a retreat in time of danger but imbark thy self with Christ for Storms and Tempests Troubles and Afflictions as well as Peace and Prosperâ—ty Christ bestows himself wholly upon you and he expects the same from you give up all or you will get nothing from him X. Direction Tenthly Close up your Treaty with Christ by a solemn Covenant with him ingage your selves to be the Lords One shall say I am the Lords and another shall subscribe with his Hand to the Holy One of Israel Here you have two things to do 1. To give your selves up to Christ according to that expression 2 Cor. 8. 5. You gave your selves to the Lord Make over Soul and Body Time and Talents henceforth to be dedicated things to his Service 2. Take Christ in both his Natures and in all his Offices to be yours and to this Covenant you are to stand to the last breath whatever times or troubles shall come this consent of thy Heart to be Christs this choice of thy Will in taking him for thine is but the eccho of Christs choice of thee and I would rather have such an evidence of my interest in him than a voice from Heaven to assure me that Christ is mine SERMON VII Revel 3. 20. Behold I stand at the door and knock if any Man hear my voice and open the door I will come in to him and will sup with him and he with me If any Man. THIS expression extends the gracious offer of Christ and brings it home to every hearer 'T is a Proclamation with a Si quis If any Man as if Christ should say I will have this offer of my Grace to go round to every particular person if thou or thou or thou the greatest the vilest of sinners of what quality or condition soever old or young prophane or hypocritical wilt hear my voice and open to me I will come in to their Souls And hereby all objections are obviated as for Example I am the greatest of sinners saith one I have been a self couzening hypocrite saith another I have resisted Grace too long and doubt the time of Mercy is past saith a third the ground of all these and a thousand more objections is taken away by the gracious extent of Christs offer in the Text For who is he that can limit where Christ doth not This gives us a Seventh profitable and comfortable Observation which is this VII DOCT. That Iesus Christ will not refuse to come in to the Soul of the vilest sinner when once it is made heartily willing to open to him If any Man open I will come in to him It is not unworthiness but unwillingness that Bars any Man from Christ thousands have mist of
thee also that hast broken asunder the bonds of mercies vows and warnings provided thou wilt now hear the voice of Christ and thy Will open to him with an hearty firm consent Isa. 55. 4. You are great and heinous sinners but I shew this day a Great and Almighty Saviour One that is able to save to the utmost all that come unto God by him Hebr. 7. 25. There is a Sacrifice laid out and appointed for these sins O bless God for that They are no where excepted from the possibility of forgiveness Nothing but the impenitency of thy heart and obstinacy of thy Will can bar thee from a full and final pardon Jesus Christ can save thee to the uttermost Say not within thy self Can the virtue of his Blood extend it self to the remission of this or that sin He can save to the uttermost Look round about thee to the uttermost Horizon of all thy guilt and Christ can save thee to the uttermost that the Eye of thy Conscience can discern yea and beyond it too but then thou must come unto him You speak of the greatness of sin and you have cause to have sad thoughts about it but in the mean time you consider not that your Unbelief by which you stand off from Christ your only Remedy is certainly the greatest of all the sins that ever you stood guilty of against the Lord. This is the sin that binds the guilt of all your other sins upon you Let me therefore address my self 1 To you who cry out of the greatness of sin and that discourages you from going to Christ 2 To lesser sinners who because they are clear of great Enormities see not their need of Christ. 1. This Exhortation speaketh to you whose Consciences are â—eared with the horrid and hideous aggravations of your sins by reason whereof your own misgiving hearts assisted by the policy of Satan discourage you from all Attempts to gain Christ and Pardon in the way of Repentance and Faith. Let me at this time hint three or four Considerations to you by way of Encouragement 1 The sparing goodness of God till now gives some encouragement that God may have a reserve of mercy for so great and vile a sinner as thou art O what a mercy is it that thy life hath been spared hitherto Many of thy Companions in sin are beyond hope and mercy whilst thou art left I confess this is no sure sign of Gods gracious intention to thee unless the goodness and forbearance of God did lead thee to Repentance then the gracious intention of God in prolonging thy life would evidently appear But however it is in it self a very great mercy because without it no spiritual mercy could be expected 2ly 'T is matter of encouragement and hope That though your Disease be dreadful yet it is not desperate and incurable The Text takes it within the compass of mercy O bless God for that If any man c. 3ly As great sinners as you have been have found mercy 1 Tim. 1. 16. and God would have it to be recorded for your encouragement If now the Lord shall make thy heart to break and thy Will to bowe whatever thy sins have been they shall not bar thee from mercy and forgiveness But if thou resolve to go on in sin or sit down desponding or discouraged and wilt not come in at the Invitation and Call of Christ then thy wound is incurable indeed and there is but one way with thee thy Mittimus is already made for Hell and that Scripture in 1 Cor. 6. 9. will tell thee whither thou art going But God forbid that this should be the Issue of Christs gracious invitations to thee and forbearance of thee Seeing mercy is tendred to any man that will accept it upon Christ's terms exclude not thy self when he hath not excluded thee 2. I will close up this Use of Exhortation to another sort of persons who are not of the notorious infamous rank of profane Sinners but their lives have been drawn more smoothly through a course of Civility These have as great need to be prest to Repentance and Faith as the most notorious Sinners in the world These are a Generation that bless themselves in their own eyes and thank God with the Pharisee Luke 18. 11. That they are not as other men They acknowledge Conversion to be the duty of the profane that such Sinners as I last dealt with stand in apparent need of it But as for themselves they scarce know where to find matter for Repentance nor do they feel any need of Christ. Now I would lay three Considerations before such persons to convince them that their Case is as sad and hazardous yea and in some respect more hazardous than the state of the most notorious Sinners in the world and that a Change must also pass upon them or else it had been good for them they had never been born I. Consideration Let the civilized part of the world lay this thought close to their hearts That though their sins be not so gross and horrid to appearance as other mens are yet continued in they will prove as mortal and destructive as those greater Abominations of other men No sin absolutely considered is small Every sin is mortal and damning without Christ Rom. 6. ult The wages of sin is death 'T is no great odds if a man be killed whether it were by a broad Sword or by a small Penknife The least sin violates the whole Law Iames 2. 10. He that offendeth in one point is guilty of all The least transgression of the Law pulls down the guilt and curse of the whole Law upon the Sinners head And this is your misery that are out of Christ and stand under the rigorous terms of the first Covenant Moreover the Law of God is violated grosly and externally or spiritually and more internally Thus every unchast thought is Adultery And the very inward burnings of Malice and Anger in the heart is Murther Now if the Lord shall bring the spiritual sense of the Law home to your Consciences as he did to Paul's Rom. 7. 9. You will certainly give up that plea that you have not so much need of conversion as other Sinners have There are sins of greater infamy and sins of deeper guilt There may be more guilt in those sins that are stifled in thy heart and never defamed thee than there may be in some sins that make a louder noise in the world II. Consideration You are guilty of one sin how civil and blameless soever your lives are which is certainly more great and heinous than any outward act of sin can ordinarily be and that is your trusting to your own Righteousness as the Pharisees did Luke 18. 9. He spake this Parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous and despised others Here 's an Idol of Jealousie set up in the room of Christ 'T is true this sin makes not so loud a noise
Satan to God. So Luke 11. 21 22. When a strong man armed keepeth his pallace his goods are in peace But when a stronger than he shall come upon him and overcome him he taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted and divideth his spoil Fourthly Thy present vileness and unworthiness can be no bar to Christs entrance into thy Soul because Christ never yet objected to any man his unworthiness but his unwillingness to come unto him Iohn 5. 40. You will not come unto me that you might have life And again Matth. 23. 37. How oft would I have gathered thy Children and ye would not Indeed you find something like a repulse from Christ to that poor Canaanitess Mat. 15. 24 26. Lord help me said that poor distressed Soul but he answered and said It is not meet to take the childrens bread and cast it to dogs However harshly and discouragingly these words sound yet certainly it was none of Christs intent to damp and discourage her faith but to draw it forth to a more excellent and intense degree which effect it obtained vers 27. Fifthly Neither would Christ have made the tenders of mercy so large and indefinite had he intended to have shut out any Soul upon the single account of personal unworthiness provided it be but willing to come unto him Cast thine Eye poor discouraged Soul upon Christs invitations and proclamations of grace and mercy in the Gospel and see if thou canst find any thing beside unwillingness as a bar betwixt thee and mercy harken to that voice of mercy Isa. 55. 1. Ho every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters and he that hath no money come ye buy and eat come buy wine and milk without money and without price i. e. without personal desert or worthiness So again Rev. 22. 17. The Spirit and the bride say come and let him that is athirst come and whosoever will let him take the water of life freely Here you see personal vileness and unworthiness is no obstacle in the way of Christ. Once more see Iohn 7. 37. In the last day that great day of the feast Iesus stood and cried saying If any man thirst let him come to me and drink Thus you see what Christs coming into the Soul is and what evidences there are that when once the Soul is made truly willing Christ will certainly come into it and no former vileness or present unworthiness shall be a bar to obstruct his entrance Thirdly In the next place I shall shew you That when Christ comes into the Soul he will not come empty handed 'T is Christs marriage day and he will make it a good day a festival day bringing such comforts along with him as the Soul never tasted before he spreads as it were a Table furnishes it with the delicates of Heaven I will sup with him saith the Text What those Spiritual mercies are which Christ brings a long with him to the opening willing Soul comes next in order to be spoken to And 1. When Christ comes into the Soul of a sinner he brings a Pardon with him a full a free and a final pardon of all the sins that ever that Soul committed This is a feast of it self good cheer indeed Christ thought it to be so when he told the poor Palsey-man Matth. 9. 2. Son be of good cheer thy sins are forgiven thee He doth not say Be of good cheer thy Palsey is cured thy body recovered from the grave but be of good cheer thy sins are pardoned O how sweetly may the pardoned Soul feed upon this And this is not any peculiar mercy designed for some special favorites but what is common to all believers Acts 13. 43. By him all that believe are justified from all things Christ and pardon come together and without a pardon no other mercy would relish no feast no musick no money or honour have any favour or comfort with them to a condemned man but the comfort of a pardon reaches to the very Heart Isa. 40. 1 2. Comfort ye comfort ye my people saith the Lord Speak comfortably to Jerusalem or as in the Hebrew Speak to the heart of Jerusalem But what are the ingredients of that cordial that will comfort Ierusalems Heart Why Say unto her that her iniquities are pardoned that carries along with it the Spirit of all consolation And there are four things in the pardon of sin that make it the sweetest mercy that ever the Soul tasted comfort which is impossible to be communicated to another with the same sense that the pardoned Soul hath of it Rev. 2. 17. First That which makes the pardon of sin ravishingly sweet is the trouble that went before it The labourings and restless tossings of the troubled Soul which were antecedent to this pardon make the ease and peace that follows by it incomparably sweet As the bitterness of Hell was tasted in the sorrows of sin so the sweetness of Heaven is tasted in the pardon of it Secondly The nature of the mercy it self is incomparably sweet for it is a mercy of the first rank Pardon is â—uch a mercy as admits no comfort to come before it nor any just cause of discouragement can follow after it If God have not spoken pardon to the Soul it can have no fetled ground for joy Ezek. 33. 10. And if he have there can be no just ground for dejection whatever the troubles be that lye upon it Isa. 33. 24. The inhabitants shall not say I am sick the people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquities Thirdly The third thing that makes this mercy delicious and ravishingly sweet to the Soul are the properties of it which are four 1. God writes upon thy pardon frank 't is a free mercy which cost thee nothing Rom. 3. 24. Being justified freely by his grace Thou hast bought me no sweet Cane with money yet I even I am be that blotteth out thy transgression for my own names sake 2. God writes upon thy pardon full as well as free the pardon extends to all the sins that ever thou committedst Acts 13. 43. By him all that believe are justified from all things The sins of thy nature and practice the sins of thy youth and age great sins and lesser sins are all comprehended within thy pardon Thou art acquitted not from one but from all Certainly the joy of Heaven must come down in the mercy of remission O what a feast of fat things with marrow is this single mercy a pardon free without price full without exception And then 3. its final without revocation the pardoned Soul never more comes into condemnation Thine iniquities are removed from thee as far as the East is from the West as those two opposite points of Heaven can never meet so the pardoned Soul and its pardoned Sins can never more meet unto condemnation Psal. 103. 12. 4. God writes upon the pardon another word as sweet as any of the rest and that is sure 'T
the exercises of our grace in Religious duties 3. In his various Providences In all these the Saints have communion with them First There is a sweet and sensible communion betwixt God and his people in the contemplation of the divine Attributes and the impressions God makes by them upon our Souls whilst we mediâ—ate on them As for instance 1. Sometimes the Lord discovers and manifests to the Souls of his people his immense greatness the manifestation of which Attribute makes an awful humbling impression upon the Soul makes them seem as nothing to themselves Thus when Abraham that great believer considered the greatness of that God with whom he had to do that sight of God seemed to reduce him to his first principles to crumble him as it were into dust and ashes again Gen. 18. 27. I that am but dust and ashes have taken upon me to speak unto God. He now looks upon himself as an heap of vileness and unworthiness so David Psal. 8. 12. When I consider thy Heavens the work of thy hands the Moon and the Stars which thou hast made from whence he inferr'd the greatness of the Creator Lord what is man that thou art mindful of him q. d. When I consider what a great God the Creator of the World is I am justly astonished that ever he should set his Heart upon so vile a thing as Man. When men compare themselves among themselves and measure themselves by themselves their Spirits are apt to swell with pride but would they look up to God as these holy men did they would admire his condescension And this is communion with God in the meditation of his immense greatness Secondly The representations and meditations of the purity and holyness of God working shame and deep abasement in the Soul for the pollutions and sinful filthiness that is in it This is communion with God and an excellent way of fellowship with him Thus when a representation of God in his holyness was made unto the Prophet Isa. 6. 3 4 5. There were the Seraphims covering their faces with their wings and crying one to another saying Holy holy holy is the Lord God Almighty the Earth is full of his glory The effect this produced or the return made by the Prophet to this manifestation of God in his holiness was deep abasement of soul for his unsuitableness to so holy a God vers 5. Then said I wo is me for I am undone because I am a man of unclean lips c. And this is real communion with God in his holiness Thus Iob who had stifly defended his own integrity against men yet when God enters the lists with him and he saw what a great and holy God he had to do with cryed out Iob 40. 4 5. Behold I am vile what shall I answer thee I will lay my hand upon my mouth Once have I spoken but I will not answer yea twice but I will proceed no further q. d. I have done Lord I have done I could answer men but I cannot answer thee thou art holy but I am vile Thirdly There are sometimes representations of the goodness and mercy of God made unto the Souls of his people When these produce an ingenuous thaw and melting of the Heart into an humble thankful admiration of it and an answerable care of pleasing him in the ways of obedience then have men communion with God in his goodness The goodness of God runs down to men in a double channel his goodness to their bodies in external providences his goodness to their Souls in spiritual mercies When the goodness of God either way draws forth the love and gratitude of the Soul to the God of our mercies then have we real communion with him Thus Iacob Gen. 32. 9 10. And Jacob said O God of my Father Abraham and God of my Father Isaac which saidst unto me Return unto thy Country and to thy kindred and I will deal well with thee I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies and of all the truth which thou hast shewed unto thy servant for with my staff I passed over this Jordan and now I am become two â—ands Ah Lord I see a multitude of mercies round about me and the least of them is greater than I So David 1 Chron. I7 I6 I7 And David the King came and sat before the Lord and said Who am I O Lord God and what is mine house that thou hast brought me hitherto And yet this was a small thing in thine eyes O God c. what can David speak more to thee You see in these instances what effects the goodness of God even in inferiour outward mercies useth to produce in sanctified hearts But then if you come to spiritual mercies and ponder the goodness of God to your Souls in pardoning accepting and saving such vile sinful creatures as you have been this much more affects the heart and overwhelms it with an holy astonishment as you see in Paul 1 Tim. 1. 16. The grace of our Lord was abundant I was a persecutor a blasphemer yet I obtained mercy So Mary that notorious sinner when pardoning grace appeared to her into what a flood of tears into what transports of love did the sight of mercy cast her Soul She wept and washt her Saviours feet with tears of joy and thankfulness Luke 7. 44. No terrors of the Law no frights of Hell thaw the heart like the apprehensions of pardoning mercy Fourthly Sometimes there are special representations of the veracity and faithfulness of God made unto his people begetting trust and holy confidence in their Souls and when they do so then have men communion with God in his faithfulness Thus Heb. 13. 5 6. I will never leave thee nor forsake thee There is a discovery of the faithfulness of God and what follows upon this See vers 6. So that we may boldly say The Lord is our God we will not fear what man can do unto us Here 's faithfulness in God producing trust and confidence in the believer This is that reciprocation that sweet fellowship and communion betwixt God and a believer with respect to his fidelity Behold God is my salvation I will trust and not be afraid Isa. I2 2. And truly friend this is what the Lord justly expects from thee even thy trust and confidence in him thy steady dependance on him in return to all the discoveries of his faithfulness to thee both in his Word and Providences Fifthly There are manifestations of the anger and displeasure of God by the hiding of his face from them and the frowns of his providence when these produce repentance and deep humiliation for sin an unquietness a restlesness of Spirit till he restore his favour and manifest his reconciliation to the Soul even here also is real communion betwixt God and the Soul Psal. 30. 7. Thou hidest thy face and I was troubled Nor will a gracious Soul rest there but will take pains to sue out a fresh pardon
and from enslaving fears The Spirit of Life which is in Christ Iesus hath made me free from the law of Sin and Death Rom. 8. 2. And here is freedom indeed If the Son make you free then are you free indeed John 8. 36. And here is freedom from fears Luke 1. 74 75. Those that will not endure any restraint from their lusts they will have their freedom to sin a freedom they shall have such as it is Rom. 6. 20. When ye were the servants of sin ye were free from righteousness Let none therefore be prejudiced at the ways of Duty and strict Godliness The law of Christ is the perfect law of liberty James 1. 25. Not liberty to sin but liberty from sin XVII Excellency 'T is a Mercy purchased by the blood of Christ for Believers and one of the principal Mercies setled upon them by the new Covenant grant A peculiar mercy which none but the Redeemed of the Lord partake of a mercy which cost the blood of Christ to purchase it I do not deny but there are thousands of other mercies bestowed upon the unregenerate they have Health Wealth Children Honours Pleasures and all the delights of this Life but for communion with God and the pleasures that result therefrom they are uncapable of these No supping with Christ upon such excellent privileges and mercies as these till the heart be opened to him by faith you cannot come nigh to God until you be first made nigh by reconciliation Eph. 2. 13. Heb. 10. 19 20 21 22. What would your lives Christians be worth to you if this mercy were cut off from you There would be little sweetness or savour in all your outward mercies were it not for this mercy that sweetens them all And there is this difference among many others betwixt this mercy and all outward mercies You may be cut off from the enjoyment of those you cannot from this no prison can keep out the Comforter O bless God for this invaluable Mercy XVIII Excellency 'T is Natural to the new Creature the inclination and instinct of the new Creature leadeth to Communion with God. 'T is as natural to the new Creature to desire it and work after it as it is to the new-born babe to make to the breast 1 Pet 2. 2 As new born babes desire the sincere milk of the Word that ye may grow thereby There is a law upon the regenerate part which inwardly and powerfully obliges it to acts of Duty and converse with God in them Communion with God is a thing that riseth out of the principles of grace You know all Creatures in this lower World act according to the Laws of Nature the Sun will rise and the Sea will flow at its appointed time and the gracious Soul will make towards its God in the times and seasons of Communion with him They are not forced on to those Duties by the frights of Conscience and the fears of Hell so much as by the natural inclination of the new Creature Two things demonstrate Communion with God to be co-natural to the regenerate part called the inner-man and the hidden-man of the heart viz. 1. The Restlesness of a gracious Soul without it Cant. 3. 2. The Church in the first verse had sought her beloved but found him not doth she sit down satisfied in his absence No no I will rise now and go about the City in the streets and in the broad ways I will seek him whom my Soul loveth 2. The Satisfaction and Pleasure the rest and delight which the Soul finds and feels in the enjoyment of Communion with God plainly shews it to be agreeable to the new Nature Psal. 63. 5. My Soul shall be satisfied whilst I think on thee And when it is thus then Duties become easie and pleasant to the Soul 1 Iohn 5. 3. His commandments are not grievous Yea and such a Soul will be constant and assiduous in those Duties That which is natural is constant as well as pleasant what 's the reason Hypocrites throw up the Duties of Religion in times of difficulty but because they have not an inward principle agreeable to them The motives to Duty lie without them not within them XIX Excellency 'T is the Occupation and trade of all sanctified persons and the richest Trade that was ever driven by men This way they grow rich in Spiritual Treasures the Revenues of it are better than Silver and Gold There be many of you have Traded long for this World and it comes to little and had you gained your designs you had gained but trifles This is the rich and profitable occupation Phil. 3. 20. Our conversation is in Heaven Our Commerce and Trade lies that way so that word signifies There be few Christians that have driven this Soul-enriching Trade any considerable time but can shew some Spiritual Treasures which they have gotten by it Psal. 119. 50. This I had because I kept thy precepts As Merchants can shew the Gold and Silver the Lands and Houses the rich Goods and Furniture which they have gotten by their succesful Adventures abroad and tell their Friends so much I got by such a Voyage and so much by another So Christians have invaluable treasures though their humility conceals them which they have gotten by this heavenly Trade of Communion with God. Their Souls were weak and by Communion with God they have gotten strength Psal. 13 8. 3. I cryed and thou strengthnedst me with strength in my Soul. They have gotten peace by it a treasure inestimable Psal. 119. 165. Great peace have they that love thy Law and nothing shall offend them They have gotten purity by it Psal. 119. 3. They do no iniquity that walk in thy ways O what rich returns are here Nay they get sometimes full assurance by it The riches of both the Indies will not purchase from a Christian the least of these mercies These are the rich rewards of our pains in the Duties of Religion In keeping thy Commandments there is great reward XX. Excellency 'T is Oyl to the Wheels of Obedience which makes the Soul go on chearfully in the ways of the Lord Psal. 119. 32. Then will I run the ways of thy Commandments when thou shalt enlarge my heart Non tardat uncta rota Oyled Wheels run trig and nimble How prompt and ready for any Duty of Obedience is a Soul under the influences of Communion with God! Then as Isaiah having gotten a sight of God Here am I Lord send me Isa. 6. 8. Now the Soul can turn its hand to Duties Of 1. Active And 2. Passive Obedience I. Hereby the Soul is prepared and fitted for the Duties of Active Obedience to which it applies it self with pleasure and delight Psal. 43. 3 4. Then will I go unto the Altar of God unto God my exceeding joy or as it is in the Hebrew the gladness of my joy It goes to prayer as an hungry man to a feast or as a covetuous man to his
his paths are peace Prov. 3. 17. Now you know where to go and unload any trouble that presseth your Hearts whatever prejudices and scandals Satan and his instruments cast upon Religion this I will affirm of it that that man must necessarily be a stranger to true pleasure and empty of real comfort who is a stranger to Christ and the duties of Communion with him 'T is true here 's no allowance for sinful pleasures nor any want of Spiritual pleasures Bless God therefore for converting grace you that have it and list up a cry to Heaven for it you that want it V. Inference Lastly If there be so much delight and pleasure in our imperfect and often interrupted Communion with God here O then what is Heaven What are the immediate visions of his face in the perfect state 1 Cor. 2. 9. Eye hath not seen nor Ear heard neither have entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him You have heard glorious and ravishing reports in the Gospel of that blessed future state things which the Angles desire to look into You have felt and tasted joys unspeakable and full of glory in the actings of your faith and love upon Christ yet all that you have heard and all that you have felt and tasted in the way to glory falls so short of the perfection and blessedness of that state that Heaven will and must be a great surprize to them that have now the greatest acquaintance with it Though the present comforts of the Saints are sometimes as much as they can bear for they seem to reel and stagger under the weight of them Cant. 2. 5. Stay me with flagons comfort me with apples I am sick of love Yet I say these high tides of present joy are but shallows to the joys of his immediate presence 1 Cor. 13. 12. And as they run not so deep so are they not constant and continued as they shall be above 2 Thes. 4. ult Ever with the Lord. And thus much for Information I. Vse for Exhortation The last improvement of this Point will be by way of Exhortation 1. To Believers 2. To Vnbelievers First Is the privileged state into which all believers are admitted by Conversion Then strive to come up to the highest attainment of Communion with God in this World and be not contented with just somuch grace as will secure you from Hell but labour after such an hight of grace and communion with God in the exercise thereof as may bring you into the suburbs of Heaven on Earth Forget the things that are behind you as to satisfaction in them and press towards the mark for the prize of your high calling 'T is greatly to your loss that you live at such a distance from God and are so seldom with him Think not the ablest Ministers or choicest Books will ever be able to satisfie your doubts and comfort your hearts whilst you let down your Communion with God to a so low a degree O that you might be perswaded now to hearken obediently to three or four necessary words of Counsel I. Counsel Make Communion with God the very level and aim of your Souls in all your approaches to him in the Ordinances and Duties of Religion Set it upon the point of your compass let it be the very thing your Souls design let the desires and hopes of Communion with God be the thing that draws you to every Sermon and Prayer Psal. 27. 4. One thing have I desired of the Lord that will I seek after that I may see the beauty of the Lord and enquire after him in his Temple That was the mark David aimed at And Mens success in Duty is usually according to the Spiritual aims and intentions of their Hearts in them both sincerity and comfort lye much in mens ends II. Counsel In all your approaches to God beg and plead hard with him for the manifestations of his love and further Communications of his grace Hear O Lord when I cry with my voice have mercy also upon me and answer me When thou saidst Seek ye my face my heart said unto thee Thy face Lord will I seek Hide not thy face far from me put not thy servant away in anger Psal 27. 7 8 9. How full and thick of pleas and arguments for Communion with God was this prayer of David Lord I am come in obedience to thy command thou saidst Seek ye my face thou bidst me come to thee and wilt thou put away thy servant in anger Thou hast been my help I have had sweet experience of thy goodness thou dost not use to put me off and turn me away empty III. Counsel Desire not comfort for comforts sake but comforts and refreshments for service and obedience sake that by it you may be strengthned to go on in the ways of your duty with more chearfulness Psal. 119. 32. Then will I run the ways of thy commandments when thou shalt enlarge my heart As if he should say O Lord the comforts thou shalt give me shall be returned again in chearful services to thee I desire them as Oyl to the Wheels of obedience not food for my pride IV. Counsel As ever you expect to be owners of much comfort in the ways of your Communion with God see that you be strict and circumspect in the course of your Conversations 'T is the loosness and carelesness of our hearts and lives which impoverishes our Spiritual comforts A little pride a little carelesness dashes and frustrates a great deal of comfort which was very near us almost in our hands to allude to that Hosea 7. 1. When I would have healed Israel then the iniquity of Ephraim was discovered So here just when 〈◊〉 desire of thy heart was come to the door some sin stept in the way of it your iniquities saith God have separated between you and you God and your sins have hid his face from you Isa. 59. 2. The Comforter the holy Spirit is sensible and tender he hath quick resentments of your unkindnesses and offences As ever therefore you expect comfort from him beware of him and grieve him not Secondly In the last place this Point speaks necessary counsel and advice to Vnbelievers to all that live estranged from the life of God and have done so from the Womb Psal. 58. 3. To you the voice of the Redeemer sounds a summons once more Behold I stand at the door and knock Oh that at last you might be prevailed with to comply with the merciful terms propounded by him Will you shut out a Saviour bringing Salvation Pardon and Peace with him Christ is thy rightful owner and demands possession of thy Soul if thou wilt now hear his voice thy former refusals shall never be objected If thou still reject his gracious offers mercy may never more be tendered to thee there is a call of Christ which will be the last call and after that no more Take heed what
you do if you still demur and delay your damnation is just inevitable and unexcusable Hear me therefore you unregenerated Souls in what rank or condition soever providence hath placed you in this World whether you be rich or poor young or old Masters or Servants whether there be any stirrings of conviction in your Consciences or not For however your conditions in this World differ from each other at present there is one common misery hanging over you all if you continue in that state of unbelief you are now fixed in And first Harken to the voice and call of Christ you that are exalted by providence above your poorer neighbours you that have your Heads Hands and Hearts full of the World men of trade and business I have a few solemn questions to ask you this day I. You have made many gainful bargains in your time but what will all profit you if the agreement be not made betwixt Christ and your Souls Christ is that treasure which only can enrich you Matth. 13. 44. Thou art a poor and miserable wretch whatever thou hast gained of this World if thou have not gained Christ thou hast heaped up guilt with thy riches which will more torment thy Conscience hereafter than thy estate can yield thee comfort here 2ly You have made many assurances to secure your floating Estates which you call Policies but what assurance have you gotten for your Souls Are not they exposed to eternal hazards O impolitick man To be so provident to secure trifles and so negligent in securing the richest treasure 3ly You have adjusted many accounts with men but who shall make up your accounts with God if you be Christless What shall it profit a man to gain the whole World and lose his own Soul Matth. 16. 26. Say not you have much business under your Hands and cannot allow time you will have space enough hereafter to reflect upon your folly Secondly You that are poor and mean in the World what say you Will you have two Hells one here and another hereafter No comfort in this World nor hope for the next Your expectations here laid in the dust and your hopes for Heaven built upon the sand O if you were once in Christ how happy were you though you knew not where to fetch your next bread Poor in the World but rich in faith and heirs of the Kingdom which God hath promised James 2. 5. O blessed state If you had Christ you had then a right to all things I Cor. 3. 22 23. You had then a Father to take care for you but to be poor and Christless no comfort from this World nor hopes from the next this is to be truly miserable indeed Your very straights and wants should prompt you to the great duty I am now pressing on you and methinks it should be matter of encouragement that the greatest number of Christs friends and followers came out of that rank and order of men to which you belong Thirdly You that are Seamen floating so often upon the great deeps you are reckoned a third sort of persons between the living and the dead you belong not to the dead because you yet breath and scarcely to the living because you are continually so near death What think you friends have you no need of a Saviour Do you live so secure from the reach and danger of death Have your lives been so pure righteous and innocent who have been in the thick of temptations in the World abroad Ponder that Scripture I Cor. 6. 9 10. Be not deceived neither Fornicators nor Idolaters nor Adulterers nor Effeminate nor Abusers of themselves with man-kind c. Ponder it I say and think whether you have not as great and pressing a necessity of Jesus Christ as any poor Souls under Heaven You have had many temporal Salvations from God great and eminent deliverances and will these satisfie you Is it enough that your bodies are delivered from the danger of the Sea though your Souls sink and perish in the Ocean of Gods wrath for ever If you will yet accept Christ upon his terms all that you have done shall be forgiven Isa. 55. 2. The Lord now calls to you in a still voice if you hear his voice well if not you may shortly hear his voice in the tempestuous storms without you and a roaring Conscience within you Poor man think what an interest in Christ will be worth wert thou now as shortly thou maist be floating upon a piece of wreck or shivering upon a cold and desolate rock crying mercy Lord mercy Well mercy is now offered thee but in vain wilt thou expect to find it if thou continue thus to despise and reject it Fourthly You that are aged and full of days hearken to the voice of Christ God hath called upon you a long time When you were young you said 't is time enough yet we will mind these things when we are old and come nearer to the borders of Eternity Well now you are old and just upon the borders of it will you indeed mind it now you have left the great concernments of your Souls to this time this short very short time And do the temptations of your Youth take hold upon your Age what delay and put off Christ still as you were wont to do Poor Creatures you are almost gone out of time you have but a short time to deliberate what you do must be done quickly or it can never be done Your night is even come upon you when no man can work Fifthly You that are young in the Bud or Flower of your time Christ is a Suiter for your first Love he desires the kindness of your youth your Spirits are vigorous your Hearts tender your Affections flowing and impressive you are not yet entred into the incumbrances and distracting cares of the World hereafter a crowd and thick succession of earthly employments and engagements will come on sin will harden you by custom and continuance now is your time you are in the convertible Age few that pass the season of youth comparatively speaking are brought over to Christ afterwards 'T is a rarity the wonder of an Age to hear of the conversion of aged Sinners besides you are the hopes of the next Generation Should you be Christ-neglecting and despising Souls how bad soever the present Age is the next will be worse Say not we have time enough before us we will not quench the sprightly vigour of our Youth in melancholy thoughts Remember there are Sculls of all sizes in Golgotha Graves of all lengths in the Church-yard You may anticipate those that stand nearer the Grave than you seem to do O you cannot be happy too soon As young as you are did you but tast the Comforts that be in Christ nothing would grieve you more than that you knew him no sooner Behold he standeth at thy Door in the morning of thy Age knocking this day for admission into thy Heart Sixthly You that
liberty and efficacy of the Gospel that it may set no more in your days nor in the days of your posterity SERMON III. Revel 3. 20. Behold I Stand at the door and knock c. HAving finished Christs solemn Preface and cleared the manner of his Presence in his Churches and Ordinances I now come to a third Observation which is necessarily implied in these words Behold I stand at the door and knock and that sad Truth therein implied is this DOCTRIN That the Hearts of Men are naturally lockt up and fast barr'd against Iesus Christ their only Saviour If it were not so what need were there of all that pains and patience used and exercised by Christ in waiting patiently and knocking importunately for entrance into the Hearts of Men To keep a clear method in this point three things must be stated in the Doctrinal part 1. How it appears the Hearts of Men are thus shut up 2. What are those Locks and Bars that shut them up 3. That no Power of Man can remove these Bars First That all Hearts are naturally shut and made fast against Christ is a sad but certain truth we read Iohn 1. 11 12. He came unto his own and his own received him not c. He came unto his own People from whose stock he sprang up a People to whom he had been prefigured in all the Sacrifices and Types of the Law and in whom they might all clearly discern the accomplishment of them all His Doctrines and his Miracles plainly told them who he was and whence he came yet few discerned or received him as the Son of God. Christ found the Doors of Mens Hearts generally shut against him save only a few whose Hearts were opened by the Almighty Power of God in the way of Faith vers 12. these indeed received him but all the rest excluded and denied entrance to the Son of God. So again in Iohn 5. from 33. to 40. Christ reasons with them and gives undeniable demonstrations that he was the Messiah come to save them proves it from the testimony of Iohn vers 33. Ye sent unto John and he bare witness unto the Truth Tells them the design of his coming among them was their Salvation vers 34. shews them the great Seal of Heaven his uncontroulable Miracles vess 36. The Works that I do bear witness of me that the Father hath sent me And if that were not enough he reminds them of the immediate testimony given of him from Heaven vers 37. The Father himself which hath sent me bath born witness of me He did so at his Baptism Matth. 3. 17. And lo a voice from Heaven saying This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased And so again at his transfiguration upon the holy Mount Math. 17. 5. While be yet spake behold a bright cloud overshadowed them and behold a voice out of the cloud which said This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased hear ye him He bids them search the Scriptures and critically examine his perfect correspondence to them vers 39. Enough one would think to open the door of every Mans understanding and Heart to receive him with fullest satisfaction and yet after all behold the unreasonable obstinacy and resistance of their Hearts against him vers 40. Ye will not come unto me that you might have life Not a Soul will open with all the reasons and demonstrations in the World till the Almighty power of God be pur forth to that end If another come in his own name saith he vers 43. Him will ye receive Any body rather than the Son of God Every cheat can impose upon you easily 't is to me only your Hearts have such strong aversations Now there is a twosold shutting up of the Heart against Jesus Christ. 1. Natural 2. Judicial First Natural every Soul comes into this World shut up and fast closed against the Lord Jesus The very Will of Man which is the freest and most arbitrary faculty comeâ— into the World barr'd and bolted against Christ Rom. 8. 7. The carnal mind is enmity against God for it is not subject unto the Law of God neither indeed can be Phil. 2. 13. 'T is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of his own good pleasure This is a dismal effect of the fall who feels not strong aversations violent rebellions and obstinate resistances in his own Heart when moving towards Christ in the first weak and trembling acts of Faith Secondly There is a Iudicial shutting up of the Heart against Christ. This is a sore and tremendous stroke of God punishing former rebellions Psal. 81. 11 12. Israel would have none of me so I gave them up to their own hearts lusts This looks like a prelude of Damnation a very near preparation to ruine Israel would have none of me there 's the natural shutting up of the Heart So I gave them up there 's the judicial shutting up of the Heart they would not hear they shall not hear Oh fearful Judgment Thus the Lord gave up the Heathens Rom. 1. 26. they had abused their natural light and now their minds are judicially darkned given up to a sottish and injudicious mind not able to distinguish Duty from sin Safety from danger a mind that should elect the worst things and reprobate the best This was the reprobate mind unto which God gave them up What sadder word can the Lord speak than this unless it be take him Devil 'T is true those that God shuts up he can open and those whom Justice shuts up Mercy can set free but it is beyond all the power of Angels and Men to do it Iob 12. 14. He shutteth up a Man and there can be no opening These two closures of the Heart are not always found together in the same subject and blessed be God they are not Christ meets with many a repulse and indures with much patience the gainsayings of sinners before he pronounce that dreadful sentence upon them Isa. 6. 9 10. Go and tell this people hear ye indeed but understand not and see ye indeed but perceive not Make the heart of this people fat C. But when it comes to this once dreadful is the case of such Souls and none are in greater danger of this Spiritual Judicial stroak of God than those that have sat long under the light rebelling against it That 's the first thing The Hearts of Men by nature are lockt and shut up against Christ. Secondly In the next place Let us examine what those Locks and Bars are which oppose and forbid Christs entrance into the Hearts of poor sinners And they will be found to be 1. Ignorance 2. Unbelief 3. Pride 4. Custom in sin 5. Presumption 6. Prejudices against the ways of holiness Bars enough to secure the Soul in Satans possession and frustrate all the designs of Mercy except an Almighty power from Heaven break them asunder First Bar. The first Bar making fast
skin which are not accidental but connate as the reasonings of Men can prevail to remove the mighty power of customary sin Physitians find it a hard thing to Cure a Cakexia or ill habit of Body 'T is a grave and serious note of Seneca A teneris assuescere multum est 'T is a great matter to be accustomed this way or that from our childhood every repeated act of sin confirms and strenghtens the habit and hence it is that we see so few Conversions in old Age. It was a wonder in the Primitive times that Marcus Caius Victorius imbraced Christianity in the sixtieth year of his age take an habituated Drunkard a self-righteous Moralist lay before them the necessity of a change and you shall find it as easie to stop the course of a River with the breath of your Mouth as to stop them in an accustomed course of sinning That 's the fourth Bar to Christ. Fifth Bar. The Fifth Bar opposing and resisting Christs entrance into the Soul is the sin of Presumption this is the sin that parts Christ and thousands of Souls in the World presuming they hope and hoping they perish when Men presume their condition is safe already their Souls never make out after a Saviour This was the ruine of Laodicea Rev. 3. 17. Because thou sayest I am rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing and knowest not that thou art wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked This damning presumption is discovered in three things 1 Many think they have that grace which they have not mistaking the Similar for the saving Works of the Spirit a fatal mistake never rectified with many thousands till it be too late 2 They presume to find that mercy in God which they will never find for all the saving mercies of God are dispensed to Men through Christ in the way of Regeneration and Faith Iude vers 21. 3 They presume upon that time for Repentance and Faith hereafter which their Eyes shall never see And thus presumption locks up the Heart against Christ and leaves sinners perishing in the presence of a Saviour They make a bridge of their own shadow and so perish in the Waters Sixth Bar. The Sixth and last sin barring up the Heart against Christ is a strong prejudice against holyness and the strict duties of Religion Thus in the very infancy of Christianity the World was scared and driven off from Religion by the common prejudices that lay upon the Professors of it Acts 28. 22. As concerning this Sect we know that every where it is spoken against Thus Iustin Martyr complains that Christians were every where condemned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by common same and upon this account Christ pronounces a wo upon the World because of offences Matth. 18. 7. Alas it will be the ruine of Thousands some have suckt in such prejudicate Opinions and vile Notions of Religio◠and its Professors as makes them irreconcilable enemies to it Satan hath drest it up in their fancies in such an odious form and representation that makes them loath both name and thing These prejudices are drawn from various things sometimes from the necessary duties of Christianity which are laid as crimes upon the people of God Psal. 69. 10. When I wept and chastned my Soul with fasting that was to my reproach Sometimes the groundless and malicious slanders and inventions of the enemies of Christianity are the occasions of real prejudices to the World Ier. 18. 18. Come let us devise devices against Jeremiah and let us smite him with the Tongue Sometimes the innocent and serious Professors of godliness are censured and condemned for hypocritical professors sakes who never heartily espoused Religion And lastly the ways of holiness suffer for the slips and infirmities of weak Christians who commonly give too many occasions to disgust the World against the ways of God. By these things multitudes are kept off from attendance upon the means of Grace and multitudes more have their Hearts shut up from receiving any saving benefit under them These are the common Bars and Locks by which the strong Man armed secures his possession in the Souls of sinners and these Bars are too strong for any power beneath the Almighty power and Arm of God to remove or break t is said Acts 14. 27. That the Lord opened a door of Faith to the Gentiles The Arm of the Lord must be revealed or none will open to Christ by Faith Isa. 53. 1. 1. The iron Bar of the Law that thundering terrible Law cannot force open the Heart of an unbeliever all the dreadful curses flying out of its fiery mouth make no more impression than a Tennis ball against a wall of Marble Deut. 29. 19. You read of them that hear the words of this Curse yet bless themselves in their Heart saying they shall have peace though they walk in the imagination of their Hearts to add Drunkenness to Thirst. They play with Hell and Eternal Torments rush into iniquity as the Horse rusheth into the Battle act as men in love with their own Death as those that are at an agreement with Hell. Oh the besotting hardning infatuating power of sin 2. The Golden Key of free Grace cannot in it self remove these Bars and open mens Hearts to Christ Matth. 11. 17. We have piped unto you but ye have not danced The melodious and delicious Airs of Grace Mercy Peace and Pardon affect not the dead Hearts of unbelievers Like deaf Adders they stop their Ears at the voice of the Charmer charm he never so wisely These Gospel melodies only dispose them to a more quiet sleep in sin 3. No works of Providence are in themselves sufficient to open the Hearts of Men to Christ. 1. The Judgments of God cannot do it thousands have been made sick with smiteing that yet cannot be made sick for sin I have consumed them but they refused to receive correction they have made their Faces harder then a Rock they have refused to return Jer. 5. 3. Messengers of Judgment are abroad smiting some in their Estates scattering in one day the labour of many years and therein giving a warning blow at the Conscience to make sure of Christ and the World to come since their comfort and happiness is scattered in this World. Some are smitten in their dearest relations Death knocks at their doors and carries out the delight of their Eyes and with the same admonisheth their Souls to place their happiness in more durable comforts Some are smitten in their Bodies with Diseases giving warning of the near approach of their latter end and bidding them prepare for another habitation but all in vain 2ly No mercies of God are in themselves sufficient to open the obstinate Hearts of sinners to Christ. God hath heapt up mercies by multitudes upon many of you all these mercies of God lead you to repentance Rom. 2. 4 5. They take you in a friendly way by the Hand and thus talk with you
long-suffering le ts not loose his Hand to cut them off All sins are not of one size some have a slighter tincture and some a deeper called upon that account Scarlet and Crimson sins Isa. 1. 18. double dyed abominations sins in Grain such are sins against knowledge sins committed after Convictions and Covenants and rebukes of Providence I do not only speak of outward gross acts of sin for as the School-men well determine though outwards sins are sins of greater infamy yet inward sins may be sins of greater guilt Even those sins that never took air to defame thee in the World but whatever they be Reader whether outward or inward thy Conscience is privy to them and thy Soul may stand amazed at the Patience of God in forbearing thee all this while under such Provocations and horrid Rebellions against him especially considering how many there be this day in Hell that never provoked God by sinning with such a high Hand as thou hast done III. Evidence Thirdly It is yet a greater Evidence of the Patience of God in bearing with and forbearing us under the guilt of that special sin viz. The slighting and neglecting of Jesus Christ Here 's a sin that goes to the very Heart of Jesus Christ he can bear any other sin rather than that and yet this hath Christ born from every Soul of you You are the Men and Women that have sputned at the yearning bowels of his Mercies slighted his Grace trampled his precious Blood under Foot and yet hath he forborn you unto this day read Matth. 22. 5 and let thy Conscience answer whether thou art not equally deep in the guilt of making light of Christ with those wretches upon whom it is there charged Christ hath suffered the wrath of God in thy room brought home Salvation in Gospel offers to thy door and then to be slighted no Patience but his own could bear it Every Sermon and Prayer you have fat under with a dead Heart every motion of his Spirit which you have quencht what is this but the making light of Christ and the great Salvation Here the deepest project of infinite Wisdom and the richest gift of free-grace wherein God commends his love to Men are vilely undervalued as small things and thus have you done days without number and yet his Hand is not stretched out to cut thee off in thy Rebellion Who is a God like unto thee What Patience like the Patience of Christ IV. Evidence Fourthly The length of time the Patience of Christ hath endured thee speaks the perfection and riches of his Patience towards thee Consider sinner what Age thou art of how many Years thou canst Number and that all this hath been a time of Patience for thou wast a transgressor from the Womb Isa. 48. 8 9. yet for his Name sake hath he deferr'd his anger and hath not cut thee off How soon did the wrath of God break forth upon the Angels when they had sinned in Heaven And how long hath it born with thee whilst thou hast been provoking him on Earth Was there ever Patience like the Patience of God! Many thousands have been sent away to Hell fince thy day but thou art yet spared Oh that the long-suffering of God might be Salvation to thee V. Evidence Fifthly T is a great Evidence of the power of Divine Patience that may be drawn from the grievousness of our sins to God during the whole time of his forbearance T is true there is no proper passion in the Divine Nature no real perturbation his anger is a mild and holy flame yet the contrariety of sin to the holyness of his Nature is what makes his patience miraculous in the Eyes of Men The Scripture speaking in a condescending Language to the understanding of the creature represents God as wounded to the Heart by the sins of Men so in Ezek. 6. 9. I am broken with their whorish Heart which hath departed from me and Amos 2. 13. Behold I am pressed under you as a cart is pressed that is full of sheaves when the Axel-tree is ready to crack under the load and 2 Chron. 36. 16 't is said The wrath of the Lord arose against his people till there was no remedy his Patience would bear no longer and therefore when he executes his wrath upon provoking sinners that execution is represented in the nature of an ease or relief to his burdened Patience and Justice Isa. I. 24. Ah saith he I will ease me of my enemies and avenge me of my adversaries Yet observe it comes in with an ah with a kind of regret and reluctancy so in Isa. 1â— 25. Yet a very little while and the indignation shall cease and my anger in their destruction God could have given ease and rest this way to his anger long ago but he chuses rather still to bear with thee than on these terms to ease himself of thee VI. Evidence Sixthly The vast expences of his riches and bounty upon us during the whole time of his for bearance and patience towards us speaks him unconceivable and infinite in his long-suffering towards us Rom. 2. 4 5. Despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and long-suffering not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance q. d. Vile sinner canst thou compute the treasures of bounty and goodness thou hast been riotously spending and wasting all this while Dost thou know what vast sums Christ hath spent upon thee to preserve thee so long out of Hell There be two Treasures spending upon sinners all the time of Gods forbearance of them there 's the precious Treasure of thy Time wasted and the invaluable streams of Gospel Grace running all this while at the waste Spout thy Time is precious the Whole of thy Time which is betwixt thee and Eternity is but little and the most thereof has been wasted in sin and cast away upon vanity but that 's not all the Treasures of Gospel Grace have been wasting all this while upon thee In Zach. 4. 12. it is compared to Golden Oyl maintaining the Lamps of Ordinances so it is set forth to us in that stately Emblem Who would maintain a Lamp with Golden Oyl for wanton Children to play by yet this hath God done while thy soul hath dallied and trifled with him The Witnesses or Ministers of Christ in Rev. 11. 3 4. are compared to those Olive-Trees that drop their precious Oyl their Gifts Graces yea and their natural Spirits with them into this Lamp to keep it burning all this while the Blood of Christ hath been running in vain the Ministers of Christ preaching and beseeching in vain the Spirit of Christ striving with you in vain You burn away Golden Oyl and yet your Lamp is not gone out Oh Marvelous Patience Oh the riches of Gods Forbearance VII Evidence Lastly The riches of Divine Patience towards you are greatly heightned and aggravated by the quick dispatch the Lord hath made of other sinners whilst
been if wicked Ieroboam and Ahaz had been cut off in their first transgressions The Lord suffers many a wicked Parent to stand for a time under his Patience because Children are to spring from them who will obey and embrace brace that Christ whom their wicked Parents rejected Yea the Wicked do not only propagate the Church but are useful to preserve and defend it as the useless chass is a defence to the Wheat Rev. 12. 16. The Earth shall help the Woman Fifthly To Conclude the Lord excerciseth this long-suffering towards sinners in a gracious condescension to the Prayers of his People Were it not that the Lord had left a small remnant we had been as Sodom we had been like unto Gomorah Isa. 1. 9. The Prayers and Intercessions of the Saints are a skreen betwixt wicked Men and the wrath of God for a time Iob 22. 30. The innocent preserve the Island The World stands by the Prayers of the Saints what multitudes of rebellious Christ-despising sinners swarm this day in every part of this Nation Such as declare by their open practice they will not have Christ to reign over them Who contemn his offers despise his Messengers but blessed be God yea and let them bless him too that there are others mourning to the Lord for them beseeching his forbearance towards them Little do the wicked know how much they are beholding to the Prayers of the Saints These and such like Reasons prevail with the Lord Jesus to stand in waiting patient posture at the doors of sinners Ah. how loath is he to give them up We now proceed to the Uses of this Point by way of 1. Information 2. Exhortation 3. Consolation I. Vse And first this Point will be very fruitful for Information of our Understandings in divers great and useful Points both Doctrinal and Practical wherein every Soul among you is deeply concerned and therefore I beseech you let them be heard and pondred with an answerable attention and seriousness of Spirit and the first Inference shall be this I. Inference If the Lord Jesus do exercise such admirable Patience towards sinners Then hou much better is it for poor sinners to be in the Hands of Christ than in the Hand of the best and holiest Man in the World O sinner t is better for thee to fall into the Hands of the Meek and Merciful Jesus than into the Hand of the dearest Friend thou hast upon Earth no Creature can bear what Christ hears no Patience like the Patience of Christ t is said of Moses Numb 11. 12 Now the Man Moses was meek above all the Men upon the face of the Earth There was never such a Man born into the World for Patience Meekness and Long-suffering as Moses was and yet for all that this mirror of Meekness could not bear the Provocations of Israel You Rebels saith he must I draw Water for you out of the Rock Thus was his Spirit russled with the provocations of Israel and this lost him the Land of Canaan Ionah was a good Man a Prophet of the Lord yet because the Lord would not be so quick and severe with Niniveh as Ionah would have had him In what uncomly Language doth his angry Soul return upon his God Ionah 4. 2. O Lord saith he was not this my saying when I was yet in my Country Therefore I sled before unto Tarshish for I knew thou wert a gracious God and merciful slow to anger and of great kindness and repentest thee of the evil therefore now O Lord take I beseech thee my life from me for it is better for me to dye than to live q. d. Ah Lord I knew it would come to this I knew thy gracious nature how inclinable thou art to mercy and that upon the first appearance of their repentance thou wouldst repent of the evil and so free-grace would make me as a lyer among them Nay give me leave to speak a higher word than all this and let it not seem strange that the Patience of the glorified Saints in Heaven is nothing to the Patience of Christ towards provoking sinners upon Earth Those glorified Souls that be above though they have Patience among other Graces perfected in its kind yet still it is but Created finite Patience and it cannot bear what Christ's Patience bears take an instance of it out of Rev. 6. 9 10 11. I saw under the Altar the Souls of those that were slain for the Word of God and for the testimony which the held and they cried with a loud voice saying How long O Lord holy and true Dost thou not judge and avenge our Blood on them that dwell on the Earth And it was said unto them That they Should rest for a little season Here you see glorified Souls less able to bear the slow pace of Justice towards their Enemies than Christ was 'T is true here was no sinful impatience but yet a patience short of Christs infinite Patience Ah if you were to depend upon the Patience of any creature in Heaven or Earth you had worn it out long ago I will not execute the fierceness of my anger for I am God and not Man. Ah 't is well we have to do with a God if a Man find his enemy will he let him go well away 1 Sam. 24. 19. No no he will reckon before he part with him Sinner the Lord finds thee dayly in thy sins and yet lets thee go yet beware thou try not his Patience too far lest vengeance overtake thee at last and pay the justice of God with all the arrearages due to his Patience II. Inference Hence it follows that convinced and broken hearted sinners need not be discouraged in going to Iesus Christ for mircy seeing he exercises such wonderful Patince towards obstinate and refusing sinners This inference breaths pure Gospel it is a Cordial to chear the Heart that is moving towards Christ with fear and trembling 'T is a great artifice of the Devil to daunt and discourage courage poor convinced sinners by telling them there is no hope of mercy for them that they shall find the Arms of Mercy closed the Bowels of Compassion shut up that the Time of Mercy is now past they come too late O how busie is Satan with such suggestions as these in many of your Souls But I am come to tell you this day that these are but the artifices of the Enemy you are going to the Fountain of Mercy Patience Goodness and Long-suffering go on and you shall find abundantly more than you expect He will not cast off a Soul that comes Mourning and Panting towards him and is willing to subscribe the Gospel articles of Reconciliation No he will not shut out such a Soul whatever its rebellions and provocations have been Sinner thou art going to the meek and merciful Jesus Matth. 11. 28. Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy-laden and I will give you rest take my yoke upon you and learn
the Son of God. Had they not been precious in his Eyes he would never have shed his most precious Blood to ransom them 2. Were they not highly valuable in his Eyes he would never wait with such unwearied Patience to save them as he doth He hath born Thousands of repulses and unreasonable denials from you Sinner Christ hath knockt at thy door in many a Sermon in many a Prayer in many a sickness in all which thou hast put him off denyed him or delayed him yet still he continues knocking and waiting Thou couldst not have made the poorest Beggar in the World wait at thy door so long as thy Redeemer hath been made to wait and yet he is not gone At this day his voice sounds in thine ears Behold I stand at the door and knock Here 's clear demonstration of the preciousness of thy Soul in the Redeemer's Eyes And then Lastly When Christ ends the Treaty and gives up the Souls of Men for lost and unperswadable with what regret and sorrow doth he part with them Never did one Friend part from another with such demonstrations of sorrow as Christ parteth with the Souls of sinners The Bowels of his compassion roul together for the knows what is coming upon them and what that eternal misery is into which their wilful rejection of him will cast them In Luke 19. 22. you find the Redeemers tears wept over obstinate Ierusalend And when he came nigh to the City he wept over it and said O Jerusalem Jerusalem that thou hadst known at least in this thy day the things that belong to thy peace but now they are did from thine Eyes Like unto this is that expression Isa. 1. 24. Ah I will ease me of mine enemies c. Though it be an ease to his Justice yet he cannot give them up without an ah an interjection of sorrow so in Hosea 11. 8. How shall I give thee up Ephraim How shall I deliver thee Judah I must do it but how shall I go about it All these expressions shew the great value God hath for your Souls and did you know it also certainly you would not make Christ wait one hour longer V. Inference Hence it follows That greater is the sin and severer will be the condemnation of them that perish under the Gospel than of all other People in the World. Let me speak freely to you that hear me this day Jesus Christ hath spent more of the riches of his Patience upon you in one year yea in this very day than he hath spent upon the heathen World in all the days of their lives they never heard of Christ and the great Salvation they have had no calls to Faith and Repentance as you have had dont think God hath dealt at this rate with other Nations You have his Sabbaths Ministers Calls he hath not dealt so with other Nations and as for these things they have not known them Psal. 147. 19. God hath dealt in a peculiar way with us and these special favours will make dreadful accounts He told the Iews among whom he had preacht and wrought his Miracles It would be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorah in the day of Iudgment than for them and in his Name I will tell you this day that Barbarous Indians and Americans will have a milder Hell than you Mitius ardent and as the Lord told Ezechiel chap. 3. 5 6. Thou art not sent to a People of a strange Speech and of an hard Language whose words thou canst not understand surely had I sent thee to them they would have harkned unto thee but the house of Israel will not harken unto thee for they will not harken unto me For all the house of Israel are impudent and hard hearted Ah Brethren 't is a sad Truth that the Ministers of Christ have found more fruit of their Labours among the Salvage Americans than in England a People born and bred up under the Gospel Had heathenish People your Sabbaths your Ministers and Bibles they would not deal by Christ as you have done But look you to it for certainly the severity of his Justice will at last recompence the expence of his Patience There are two Glasses turned up this day and both almost run down the Glass of the Gospel running down on Earth and the Glass of Christ's Patience running down in Heaven Be sure of it that for every sand of Mercy every drop of Love that runs down in vain in this World a drop of wrath runs into the vial of wrath which is fitting in Heaven VI. Inference If Christ have exercised such admirable Patience and Long-suffering towards you before he could gain entrance into your Hearts then you have all the reason in the World to exercise your Patience for Christ and account all long-suffering to be your unquestionable duty Christ was not weary in waiting upon you be not you weary in waiting upon him or for him Now there are three things wherein the People of God will have much occasion to exercise their Patience with respect to Christ 1. You will need a great deal of Patience to wait for the returns and answers of your Prayers you knock and wait at the door of Mercy and no answer comes hereupon discouragement and weariness seizeth your Spirits Possibly some of you have Prayers many years agone upon the file in Heaven some upon Spiritual accounts and some upon Temporal and because the answer is not dispatcht your Eyes are ready to fail with waiting for the Lord may bear long with his own Elect Luke 18. 7. The seed of Prayer lyes under the clods and will at last spring up for he never said to the seed of Jacob Seek me in vain none seek God in vain but those that seek him vainly Now you should not be too quick and short breathed in waithing upon God for the returns of Prayer considering how long you made Christ wait upon you 2. You will have occasion to exercise your Patience in bearing the burden of reproaches and sufferings for Christ For to you it is given in the behalf of Christ not only to believe but also to suffer for his sake Phil. 1. 29. Sufferings you see are the Gifts of Christ the Comforts of sufferings is his Gift and so are the abilities to suffer-also and that which will encrease your suffering-ability will be the confideration of Christ's long-suffering towards you and the hard things he endured for you and from you 3. You will have occasion to exercise your Patience for the day of your compleat Redemption and Salvation If you love Christ fervently the time of your separation from him will be born difficultly vehement love needs the allay of Patience 2 Thes. 3. 5. The Lord direct your Hearts into the love of God and into the patient waiting for Christ. Others need much Patience to dye but such will need as much Patience to live but whatever the exercises of your Patience shall be whether in waiting for
gracious Heart that God should smite so near and yet spare you Lastly This is affecting yea very transporting that God hath not only given you time beyond others but in that time the precious opportunities and means of your Salvation both external and internal there 's the very marrow and kernel of the Mercy had God lengthned out his Patience for a while but given you no means of Salvation or afforded you the means but denied you the blessing and efficacy of them at the most it could have been but a reprieve from Hell but for the Lord to give you the Gospel and with the Gospel to send down his Spirit to perswade and open thy Heart to Christ here is the riches of his goodness as well as forbearance III. Exhortation This Doctrine of the Patience of Christ exhorts all that have felt it to exercise a Christ-like Patience towards others as you have found the benefit of Divine Patience your selves see that you exercise the meekness and long-suffering of Christians towards those that have wronged and injured you Who should shew Patience more than those that have found it Dont be severe short and quick with others who have lived your selves so many years upon the long-suffering of God. We are poor short-spirited Creatures quick to revenge injuries but oh had God been so to us miserable had our condition been Christ hath made this duty the very scope of that excellent parable Matth. 18. from the 25 verse onward where the King takes an account of his Servants reckoning with them one by one and amongst them finds one which owed him Ten thousand Talents and having not to pay commands him his Wife and Children and all he had to be sold and payment to be made but the Servant falling down and begging Patience his Lord was moved with compassion and loosed him and not only forbore but forgave the debt one would think the Heart of this Man should have been a fountain of compassion towards others but see the deep corruption of Nature the same Servant finding one of his fellow-servants which owed him but an Hundred pence laid Hands on him and took him by the Throat Alas the wrongs done to us are but trifâ—les compared with our injuries done to God where others have wronged you once you have wronged God a thousand times Methinks the Patience of Christ towards you should melt your Hearts into an ingenuous easiness to forgive others especially considering that an unforgiving Spirit is a dreadful sign of an unforgiven person IV. Exhortation Burden not the Patience of Christ after your admission of him and reconciliation to him let it suffice that you tried his Patience long enough before give him no new exercises now he is come to dwell in and with you for ever There be two ways wherein God 's own People do greatly provoke him after their Reconciliation 1. By slugishness to Duty 2. By sinning against Light. 1. By slugishness and deadness of Spirit in the ways of Duty and Obedience turning a deaf ear to the calls and motions of Christ's Spirit exciting them to the sweet and pleasant Duties of Religion We have a sad instance of this in the Spouse Cant. 5. 2 3. It is the voice of my beloved that knocketh saying Open to me my Sister my Love my Dove my Vndefiled for my Head is filled with dew and my Locks with the drops of the night One would think that Christ might have opened the Heart of his own Spouse with less solicitation and importunate Arguments than he here useth what Wife could shut the door upon her own dear Husband and bar him out of his own house And yet see the lazy excuse she makes vers 3. I have put off my coat how shall I put it on I have washed my Feet how shall I defile them Oh the slugishness of Flesh even in Regenerate persons Those that have opened the door to Christ by Regeneration even they do often shut the door against Christ in the hours and seasons of Communion with him Strange that such a suiter as Christ should be put by moving and calling to such heavenly pleasant exercises as Communion with him is but flesh will be flesh even in the most Spiritual Christians little do we know what a grief this is to Christ and loss to us 2ly Many grieve Christ's Spirit and sorely try his Patience even after Reconciliation by sinning against Light and Love that caution Ephes. 4. 30. is not without weighty cause and grieve not the holy Spirit of God by which you are sealed to the day of Redemption Do we thus requite the Lord is this the return we will make him for all his admirable kindness and unparallel'd Love towards us Certainly Christ can put up a thousand injuries from his Enemies easier than such affronts from his own People did you not promise him better obedience Did you not engage to more holiness and watchfulness in the day that you sued out your pardon and made up your peace with him Are all those Vows and Covenants forgotten If you have forgotten them God hath not V. Exhortation Improve the time that remains in this World with double diligence because you made Christ wait so long and cast a way so great a part of your life before you opened your Hearts to re-receive him The morning of your life which was certainly the freshest and freest part of it was no better than time lost with many of us all the days of your unregeneracy Christ was shut out and vanity shut into your Hearts You never began to live till Christ gave you life and that was late in the day with many of you How should this provoke to extraordinary diligence in those few remains of time we have yet to enjoy It was Austin's lamentation O Lord it repents me saith he that I loved thee so late This consideration excited Paul to extraordinary diligence for Christ. It made him fly up and down the World as a Seraphim in a flame of holy zeal for Christ. Those that have much to write and are almost come to the end of their paper had need write close Friends you have something to do for God upon Earth which you cannot do for him in Heaven Isa. 38. 18 19. You that have carnal Relations have something to do for them here which you cannot do in Heaven You can now Counsel Exhort and Pray in order to their Conversion and Salvation but when you are gone down to the Grave these opportunities of service are cut off VI. Exhortation Let us all be ashamed and humbled for the baseness of our Hearts and Natures which made Christ wait at the door so long before we opened to him O what wretched Hearts have we That were no more affected with the groans of Christ's Heart than with the groans of a Beast no nor so much neither if that Beast were our own Oh the vileness of Nature to make the Prince of the King 's of
that gladed his Heart but the report brought him by the Seventy who returned with joy saying Lord even the Devils are subject to us through thy Name and he said unto them I beheld Satan as lightning fall from Heaven vers 17 18. Satans Kingdom was going down in the World and the mysteries of Salvation revealed unto Babes this made his holy Heart leap with Joy within him to behold the success of the Gospel destroying Satans Kingdom and the poorest meanest among Men inlightned and converted by it This was a Cordial to his very Soul and speaks the earnestness of his desire after union and communion with sinners V. His Sorrows and Mournings upon the account of the obstinacy and unbelief of sinners speaks the vehemency of his desire after union with them it is said Mark 3. 5. When he had looked round about on them with anger being grieved for the hardness of their Hearts c. You see from hence that an hard Heart is a grief to Jesus Christ O how tenderly did Christ resent it when Ierusalem rejected him 'T is said Luke 19. 41. That when Iesus came nigh to the City he wept over it The Redeemers tears wept over obstinate Ierusalem spake the zeal and servency of his affection to their Salvation how loath is Christ to give up sinners what a mournful voice is that in Iohn 5. 40. And you will not come unto me that you might have life How feign would I give you life but you will rather dye than come unto me for it what can Christ do more to express his willingness All the sorrows that ever toucht the Heart of Christ from Men were upon this account that they would not yield to his calls and invitations VI. This appears to be the great design of Christ by the unwearied labours he underwent Day and Night to accomplish it many weary Journies Christ took many Sermons and Prayers he Preached and poured out and all upon this design to open the Hearts of sinners to him and win the consent of their Wills to become his this was the Work which he preferred to his necessary food Iohn 4. 34. My meat is to do the will of him that sent me and to finish his work q. d. My bringing home the Elect of God and saving them from wrath to come 't is more to me than meat and drink so vehement and intense were his desires after the winning of sinners that he would lose no occasion to accomplish it If he were never so weary with his travels and labours yet if any occasion offered to save a lost Soul he would be sure to improve it you have an instance of this in Iohn 4. 6. Then cometh he to a City of Samaria called Sychar c. now Jacobs well was there Iesus therefore being wearied with his Iourney sat thus on the well c. Christ was weary with his Journy and sat on the Well for a little rest and refreshment in the heat of the day at the same time comes a Woman of Samaria to draw water a great sinner she was Christ compassionately beholding this miserable object forgets his own weariness presently falls a Preaching Repentance to this sinner and opens her Heart a greater refreshment to him than that Well could afford him by giving him a seat to sit on or water to drink VII The great and admirable Encouragements Christ always gave to coming and willing Souls plainly speaks the earnest desire of his Heart after union with them never were the like Encouragements given that Christ gave to draw the Souls of Men to him 'T is remarkable in what general terms and forms of expression he delivered them that none might be discouraged but come on in hope towards him Come unto me all ye that labour Matth. 11. 28. If any Man thirst Iohn 7. 37. All along the terms of invitation are exceeding large which speak the desires of his Heart to be so also and his practice was answerable to his invitations his mercies and compassions never failed when the vilest of sinners came to him in the way of Repentance and Faith you read in Luke 7. 41 42. that when Christ sat at meat in the House of Simon the Pharisee there came in a poor convinced sinner who had guilt enough upon her to sink Ten thousand Souls to the bottom of Hell this poor wretch comes with a great deal of humility unto Christ not presuming to come before his Face but falls down behind him kisseth his Feet washes them with Tears wipes them with the hair of her Head all demonstrations of a broken Heart And how did the merciful Iesus welcome this poor sinner Seals her pardon commends the fervour of her affection and sends her away a joyful Soul herein making good that gracious promise Iohn 6. 37. He that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out VIII The dreadful Threatnings of Christ against all that refuse him and shut the doors of their Hearts against him speak his vehement desires to prevent the loss and ruin of Souls The threats of Christ are not intended to discourage any from coming to him to fright away Souls from him no no that 's not their intention but to bring them under a blessed necessity of compliance with his terms O the dreadful threatnings which like claps of Thunder brake from the Mouth of Christ against all that should refuse or delay to come unto him If you believe not you shall dye in your sins He that believeth not shall not see life John 3. 36. What a terrible Thunder clap is that against all Unbelievers So Mark 16. 16. He that believeth not shall be damned All these and many more are warning pieces shot off from Heaven to prevent the ruin and damnation of Men the very threatnings of the Gospel carry a design of Mercy in them damnation is threatned that it may be prevented IX And then in the last place herein appears the earnestness of Christ after union with sinners that when he could be no longer a Preacher to this World in his own Person he ordained a succession of Ministers in his Bodily absence from us to gather and build the Church and to continue to the end of the World to carry on the suit that Christ had begun as long as there was one elect Soul in the World lying in the state of Sin and Nature Reader Christ could not always abide here he must dye or we could not live he must rise again or we could not be justified our buisness call'd him to another Place and State Now when Christ was to ascend to Heaven what doth he do Why he chuseth and calleth Men Men made of the same clay with our selves whose presence and appearance should not affright or discourage us who should treat with us in a familiar way about the great concerns of our Salvation in his Name and stead 2 Cor. 5. 20. We then are Ambassadors for Christ as though God did beseech you we
the sincerity of Christ in those gracious offers he makes unto coming Souls Be satisfied he speaks his very Heart in them to thee the Devil labours to sow jealousies and beget suspicions in the Hearts of poor convinced sinners that they will not find such a welcom entertainment with Christ as he seems to promise them in those encouraging Scriptures Matth. 11. 28 29. Iohn 6. 37. But that something else lies hid in those Scriptures as a mystery which they understand not and so by shaking the assenting act labours to hinder the accepting act of Faith this is a case as common as it is sad the Lord help poor Souls to avoid this snare lest in stead of honoring Christ by a resolved adherence to him they make him a lyer and impute insincerity to the God of truth For he that believeth not hath made him a lyer IV. Direction Fourthly Look up to God for power to enable you to come to Christ in this supernatural and difficult work of Faith. Dont think Faith is of the growth of thine own Heart No Man can come unto me saith Christ except my Father which hath sent me draw him There is a legal Spirit working under Evangelical pretences in many Souls they look within them to find that which is quite above them the Apostle points you to the fountain of Faith in Eph. 2. 8. It is not of your selves it is the gift of God. 'T is one of the greatest difficulties in the World to believe For if the power of God must be owned as the cause of every new degree of Faith in the greatest believers in the World as is plain Luke 17. 5. The Apostles said unto the Lord Increase our Faith. How much more is the production of Faith it self and the first vital act thereof to be ascribed to the Almighty Power of God V. Direction Fifthly Keeping thine Eye of Expectation upon that Almighty Power pray and plead with the Lord assiduously and importunately for the exerting of that Power upon thy Soul and give not over thy Suit till thou feel that Power coming upon thee The time of believing is a time of earnest pleading thine own danger and necessity and the Spirit of the Lord improving them will abundantly furnish thee with Pleas and Arguments to enforce this Suit. Such as these 1. Lord I have thy call and invitation yea I have thy command to encourage me to believe it is not presumption therefore in thy poor Creature to come after thou hast invited and commanded me hadst thou not encouraged me I durst not have moved towards thee Lord whose Word is it 1 Ioh. 3. 23. is it not thine own This makes my Faith an act of obedience 2. Yea Lord I have thy promise as well as thy command made upon no other condition but my coming to thee blessed Jesus hast not thou said Iohn 6. 37. Him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out An invitation is much but thy promise is more 3. O my God I have not only thy command making it my duty to believe and thy promise to encourage me to that duty but I have the examples of other sinners that came unto thee long ago and thou didst not reject them nor do I abuse those examples in drawing incouragement from them for it was thy very design in recording them that they might be so many patterns to all that should hereafter believe on thee 1 Tim. 1. 16. 4. O my God I am shut up under a plain necessity I have no other way to take thus stands the case with me I am beaten off from all other refuges there is no help for me in Angels nor Men in duties or self-righteousness in thee only my Soul can find rest I am shut up to thee as to the only door of hope Gal. 3. 23. here I must speed or perish my Soul is burthened and wearied I know not how to dispose of it but into thy Hands nor where to lay the burden of my guilt but upon thee if I miss here I am gone for ever 5. Lord I am willing to renounce and abandon all other hopes refuges and righteousness and to stick to and rely upon thee only Duties cannot justifie me tears cannot wash me reformation cannot save me nothing but thy righteousness can answer my end I come to thee a poor naked Creature saying as the Church Hos. 14. 3. Asshur shall not save us c. for in thee do the fatherless find mercy Thus plead it with God and still remember you are pleading for Life yea for your eternal Life VI. Direction Sixthly Labour to make a resolved adventure upon Christ amidst all those encouragements let the issue be what it will resolve to venture though you have not the least degree of assurance that you shall be accepted and pardoned This is that brave and noble act of Faith which carries the Soul to Christ much as Hester came to the King Yet will I go in to the King and if I perish I. perish Hest. 4. 16. It pities me to think how the saving act of Faith is grosely mistaken in the World the generality think it is enough for them to believe that Christ died for sinners and therefore for them as well as any other but you see Faith is another matter O there are great difficulties and mighty wrestlings in the Work of Believing 't is a great matter for a poor convinced sinner in the face of so much guilt and viâ—eâ—ess and amidst such manifold damps and discouragements from Satan to cast and adventure himself upon Christ and that upon such self-denying terms but the pinch of necessity will bring the Soul to this for now it reasons with it self as the Lepers did 2 Kings 7. 4 5. If we go to the Camp of the Assyrians we can but dye and if we abide here we must certainly dye thus here if I sit still in the state of Nature and still continue demurring and delaying my damnation is unavoidable to Hell I must go and if I cast my self upon Christ I can but be rejected but he hath said He will not cast out those that come unto him in this way of Faith there is a possibility of Salvation yea there dawns from it a strong probability this therefore is my only way To him I will go and if I perish I perish VII Direction Seventhly Never measure the grace of God nor the mercy of Christ by the rule of your own narrow conceptions and apprehensions of him but believe them to be far greater than your contracted and narrow understanding represents them to you Our casting of the pardoning power and mercy of God into the mould of our own thoughts disfigures and alters them so that they look not like themselves but with a very discouraging aspect upon our Souls by this Satan keeps off many a Soul from coming to Christ the Lord knows how to forgive thee though thou scarce knowest how to forgive thy self for the
most satisfying of all Come on poor trembling Soul dont 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 welcom beyond their expectation What incouragement 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 Ierusalem a Man might rake the World and hardly bring â—o sight a viler Wretch a greater Monster in sin 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 Maries Heart being broken for sin and made willing to accept of a Saviour what a gracious demonstration of welcom 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 welcom of another sinner to Christ who owned himself for the greatest of Sinners a Persecuter a Blasphemer Injurious but saith he I obtained Mercy 1 Tim. 1. 16. And the Example of his gracious Entertainment with Christ is recorded on purpose for an encouragement unto all that should hereafter believe How many thousands are there now in Hell that never stood guilty of greater enormeties than the Corinthians did Fornicators Idolaters Adulterers Thieves Covetous Drunkards Revilers Extortioners such were some of them yet Sanctified Washed Justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God. If ever Christ would have shut the door of Mercy upon any if ever he would have been coy and shy of coming into any Souls certainly these were the Souls he would have disdained to come near O what a demonstration is here of that comfortable Point before us That Christ will not refuse to come into the Soul of the vilest Sinner when ones it is made Heartily willing to open to him IV. Evidence A further Evidence of this comfortable Truth shall be taken from the Scripture resemblances of the abundant Grace of God and riches of Mercy in Christ towards all broken Hearted and willing Sinners There are some chosen resemblances and excellent Emblems which bring down the Grace of God before the very Eyes of Men amongst which I will single out three glorious Resemblances of Free Grace chosen by his Wisdom on purpose for the incouragement of poor drooping Sinners A Resemblance from the Heavens a Resemblance from the Sun and a Resemblance from the Sea all such as the Wisdom of Men and Angels could never have chosen for such a purpose as this is I. A Resemblance from the Heavens those vast extended Heavens that cover and compass this Earth what an inconsiderable spot is the whole Terrestrial Globe to those high and all-surrounding Heavens and yet these Heavens are not at so vast a distance above the Earth as the pardoning Grace of God is above the guilt yea and the very thoughts of poor Sinners For of the pardoning Grace of God to penitent and willing Souls that precious Scripture speaks Isa. 55. 8 9. Let the wicked for sake his way and the unrighteous Man his thoughts and let him return unto the Lord and he will have mercy upon him and to our God for he will abundantly pardon O saith the Soul I cannot think God will ever have Mercy on such a Wretch as I why saith he vers 8. My thoughts are not your thoughts and 't is well they are not but as the Heavens are higher than the Earth so are my thoughts higher than your thoughts You cannot take the height nor sound the depth of my pardoning Grace That 's one Emblem from the unconceivable height of the Heavens above the Earth II. Another is taken from the Sun in the Heavens a Creature of admirable Power and Vertue you know that anon this part of the World will be the Throne of Darkness the Sable curtains of the Night will be spread over all the beauties of this part of the Earth and it may be in the Morning a thick Fog or Mist will cover it thick and dark Clouds may darken the Heavens but behold this glorious Creature the Sun chasing before him the darkness of the Night breaking up the Mists and Fogs of the Morning scattering the dark and thick Clouds of Heaven they are all gone and there is no appearance of them Just so saith God shall it be with thy sins and thy Cloudy fears arising out of sin Isa. 44. 22. I have blotted out as a thick Cloud thy transgressions and as a Cloud thy sins Thy Soul is beclouded thy fears have bemisted thee so that thou canst not see the grounds of thine encouragement but my Grace shall arise upon thee like the Sun in the Heavens and scatter all these dismal Clouds both of guilt and fear and make a clear Heaven over thee and a clear Soul within thee Vnto you that fear my Name shall the Sun of Righteousness arise with healing under his wings Mal. 4. 2. III. Another Resemblance you have from the Sea the great Abyss that vast Congregation of Waters whose depth no line can fadom Veer out as much Line as you will you cannot touch the bottom To this unfathomable Ocean the pardoning Grace of God is also resembled Mich. 7. 18 19. Who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth iniquity and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage he retaineth not his anger for ever because he delighteth in mercy He will turn again he will have compassion upon us he will subdue our iniquities and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the Sea. If the loftiest Pyramid or highest Mountain were cast into the depth of the Sea it would never be seen more by the Eyes of Men. God hath on purpose chosen this Emblem of his Grace to obviate that common discouragement of Satan taken from the greatness and aggravation of sin and in that case thou art to make use of them and bless the Lord for them he
never designed them for encouragements to sin but for encouragements to repentance and Faith. That 's the Fourth Evidence of the Truth before us V. Evidence The Truth of this Conclusion will also evidently appear from the innate characters and properties of the Grace and pardoning Mercy of God towards penitent and hungring Sinners Now there are three glorious Characters of Divine Grace which do all assure such sinners welcom to Christ whatever they have been or done the Grace of God shines forth in Scripture in three illustrious Characters 1. As superabounding Grace 2. As Free Grace 3. As Grace exercised with delight First It is superabounding Grace Waters do not so abound in the Ocean nor Light in the Sun as Grace and compassion do in the bowels of God towards broken Hearted and hungry sinners Isa. 55. 6. Let him return unto the Lord and he will have mercy upon him and to our God for he will abundantly pardon The compassions of our God inserted that word on purpose to relieve poor Souls fainting under the sense of their abounding iniquities Here 's abundant Pardon for abounding Guilt and yet left a desponding sinner should not find enough here to quiet his fears the Lord goes yet farther in the expression of his Grace Rom. 5. 20. Where sin abounded Grace did much more abound It overflowed all the bounds it rose quite above the high-water Mark of sin and guilt but these overflowings of Grace run only through that channel of all Grace Jesus Christ to broken Hearted and obedient Sinners Secondly The Grace of God to such Souls is free every way free it is the very design of the Gospel to exhibit it in this its glory It costs you nothing but acceptance its free without merit yea free against merit you can deserve nothing of God therefore his Grace is free without merit yea you have deserved Hell as often as you have sinned against him and so it is free against merit If a pardon were to be purchased by us we want a stock for such a purchase neither can we borrow from Men or Angels a sufficient sum for such a purchase Blessed be God therefore that it flows freely to us without money and without price Isa. 55. 2. Thirdly Grace glories in another property also which is very encouraging to the Soul of a drooping sinner viz. that it is the darling attribute which God greatly delights to exercise The tender Mother draws not out her aking Breast with such delight to her hungry crying Child as the Lord doth his Mercy and Compassion to broken Hearted and hungry Sinners in this attribute and in this property of it his people therefore admire him Mich. 7. 18. Who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth iniquity and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage He retaineth not his anger for ever because he delighteth in mercy You cannot put Jesus Christ upon a more delightful imployment than to bind up the Wounds and set the broken Bones of poor convinced humbled Sinners Let every such Soul come to Christ and welcom for he greatly delights in such imployments VI. Evidence Such sinners need not doubt a welcom reception with Christ for should he reject and turn back such as these then none can have the benefit of his Blood and consequently it must be shed in vain as Water spilt upon the ground The Blood of Christ is invaluably precious and it cannot be lost it were a desperate impeachment of the Wisdom and Goodness of God to think so yet so it must be if broken Hearted and willing Souls be rejected and turned back from him There are but two sorts of Sinners in all the World viz. hardned and broken Hearted Sinners willing and unwilling Sinners The whole World falls into these two ranks as for impenitent hardned and obstinate sinners 't is certain they can have no benefit by the Blood of Christ they shall dye in their sins the Gospel cuts them off so continuing from all expectation of pardon and mercy Now there is but one sort of Sinners more left in the World and they are convinced and humbled Sinners who are made heartily willing to receive Christ upon his own terms who stretch forth the Hands of their desires to him and pant after an interest in him Should Christ reject these also who then shall receive the benefit of his Blood Did Christ dye in vain Or can the Counsels of Heaven prove abortive No no fear not therefore to go to Christ thou broken Hearted Sinner thou poor panting longing Soul fear not he will not cast thee out VII Evidence Moreover for the encouragement of all such Souls mercy and pardon are designed by bestowed upon the greatest and vilest of sinners to enhance and raise the glory of Free Grace to the highest pitch God picks out such Sinners as you are on purpose to illustrate the glory of his Grace in and upon you he knows you to whom so much is forgiven you will love much Luke 7. 47. You that have done so much against his Name and Glory will excel others in zeal and obedience 1 Cor. 15. 9 10. You will go beyond others in service for God as you have done in sinning against him All these things laid together make up a full demonstration of the Point That Iesus Christ will not refuse to come into the Soul of the vilest Sinner when once it is made heartily willing to open unto him Which was the thing to be proved and now our way is open to the Application of the Point which will be exceeding useful for Information Exhortation and Consolation I. Vse for Information Learn hence what an invaluable Mercy it is to enjoy the Gospel in its light and liberty which is so great a relief to the distressed Consciences of sinners Here only that Balm is to be found that heals your spiritual Wounds The Gospel hath been a low prized commodity in England the Lord pardon the guilt thereof to us Ah Brethren if you were in the Heathen World with your sick and wounded Consciences what would you do There are no Bibles Ministers or Promises not a breath of Christ or the Blood of sprinkling which are the true and proper remedies of sick Souls that 's a pitiful cry Mich. 6. 6. Wherewith shall I come before the Lord and how my self before the high God Shall I come before him with burnt-offerings with Calves of a year old Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of Rams or ten thousand Rivers of Oyl Shall I give my first-born for my transgression the fruit of my Body for the sin of my Soul Behold here the anguish of a destressed sin-burdened Conscience it would give up any thing in the World for peace and ease they would cast their Children their dearest Children their first-born into the burning flames if that might be an atonement for their â—ins O the efficacy of Conscience And the misery of an unrelieved Conscience But the
Gospel which you enjoy leads you to the Fountain of pardon and peace Iâ—a 53. 5. By his stripes we are healed The voice of the Gospel is peace peace to every one that believeth a rational peace founded upon the full satisfaction of Christ Ephes. 1. 7. In whom we have redemption through his Blood even the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his Grace Here you see Justice and Mercy kissing each other God satisfied and the Sinner justified for Conscience demands as much to satisfie it as God demands to satisfie him if God be satisfied Conscience is satisfied O blessed are the people that hear this joyful sound Psal. 89. 15. And doubtless it is a joyful sound to every convinced humbled Soul Beautiful upon the Mountains are the Feet of them that bring good tydings that publish peace It is a Gospel worthy of all acceptation 1 Tim. 1. 15. it brings with it a fulness of blessings among the People O England O Dartmouth Provoke not thy God to extinguish this blessed light Great is our wantonness and ominous is our barrenness and ingratitude Yet a little while the light is with you walk whilst ye have the light lest darkness come upon you for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth John 12. 35. Should God blow out this light whither will you go Who shall pour in Balm to your distressed bleeding Consciences ' II. Inference Hence in like manner it follows that the greatness heinousness of past sins is no bar to believing and accepting Christ upon Gospel terms Let no sinner be dismaid by the atrocity and heynousness of sins past from coming unto Jesus Christ for remission and peace I am awar what mischievous use Satan makes of former sins to discourage Souls from the work of Faith by heaping them together he raiseth up a Mountain betwixt Christ and the distressed Soul but behold this day Christ leaping over these Mountains and skiping over these Hills Could this objection be rouled out of the way sinners would go on in hope but certainly if God have given thee a broken Heart and a willing Mind the greatness of thy sin need not discourage thee from believing For 1. thou hast sufficient encouragement from the sufficiency of the causes of pardon whatever thy particular enormities have been there is a sufficiency in the impulsive cause the Free Grace and Mercy of God Exod. 34. 6 7. Micah 7. 18 19. Isa. 55. 7 8 9. It is well there is Mercy enough in God to heal and cover all and there is no less sufficiency in the meritorious cause of pardon the Blood of Jesus Christ which taketh away all sin 1 Iohn 1. 7. 1 Iohn 29. And it must needs be so because it is Divine Blood Acts 20. 28. Neither is there any defect in the applying cause the Spirit of God who hath already begun to work upon thy Heart and is able to break it and bow it and bring it home fully to Christ and to compleat the work of Faith upon thee with power thou complainest thou canst not mourn nor believe as thou wouldst but he wants no ability to supply all the defects of thy repentance and faith Well then if the mercy of God be sufficient to pardon the sin of a Creature if the Blood of Christ the Treasures and Revenues of a King be able to pay the debts of a Beggar if the Spirit of God who works by an Almighty Power be able to convince thee of righteousness as well as sin Iohn 16. 9. I say if all the three causes of forgiveness be sufficient every one in its kind the first to move the second to purchase and the third to apply what hinders but thy trembling Conscience should go to Christ and thy discouraged Soul move onward with hope in the way of believing whatever thy former enormities have been 2. If God raises glory to his Name out of the greatness of the sins he pardoneth then the greatness of sin can be no discouragement to believing but so God doth he raiseth the glory of his Name from the multitude and magnitude of the sins he pardoneth Ier. 33. 8 9. I will cleanse them from all their iniquity whereby they have sinned against me and I will pardon all their iniquities whereby they have sinned and whereby they have transgressed against me And it shall be to me a name of joy a praise and an honour before all the Nations of the Earth which shall hear all the good I do unto them And they shall fear and tremble for all the goodness and for all the prosperity that I procure unto it As a cure performed upon a Man labouring under a desperate Disease it magnifies the Physitian and spreads his Name far and near The Devil envies God this glory and thy Soul this comfort and therefore scares thee off from Christ by the aggravations of thy sins David was willing to give God the glory of pardoning his great iniquities and with that very argument moves him for a pardon Psal. 25. 11. Pardon mine iniquitie for it is great You see there are strange ways of arguing in Scripture which are not in use among Men this is one Lord pardon my sin for it is great he doth not say Lord pardon it for it is but a small offence no but pardon it because it is great and the greater it is the greater Glory wilt thou have in pardoning it And then there is another way of arguing for pardon in Scripture which is peculiar and that is to argue from former pardons unto new pardons when Men beg their pardon one of another they use to say I never wronged you before and therefore forgive me now but here it is quite otherwise Lord thou hast signed thousand of pardons heretofore therefore pardon me again such is that plea Numb 14. 19. Pardon I beseech thee the iniquity of this people according to the greatness of thy mercy and as thou hast forgiven them from Egypt even until now 3. As great sins as those that now stare in the Face of thy Conscience have been actually forgiven to Men upon their humiliation and closing with Christ. Poor sinners under trouble of Conscience are apt to think there is no sin like theirs God forbid I should diminish and extenuate sin but certain I am that Free Grace hath pardoned as great Sinners as thou art upon their repentance and faith What think you had you had a Hand in putting Christ to Death would not that sin have been as dreadful as any that now discourages you Yea certainly you would have thought that an unpardonable sin and yet behold that very sin was no bar to their pardon when once they were pricked at the Heart and made willing to come to Christ Acts 2. 36 37 38. 4. If it be the design and policy of Satan to object the greatness of your sins to prevent the pardoning of them then certainly 't is neither your duty nor interest
word And thus much of the general nature of Christs Spiritual Internal voice but all this gives us but a remote imperfect knowledge of it Therefore Thirdly I shall endeavour to open the innate characters and special properties of this Internal Spiritual voice of Christ which must be heard or there can be no opening the door of the Heart to receive him I. Character And the first Character is this It is a secret and a still voice whereby somewhat is as it were whispered into the Ear of the Soul making a particular application of what is spoken Externally to the Ear much like that of Nathan to David Thou art the Man. This still voice sounds throughout the whole Soul yet none hear it but the Soul concerned in it it is said 1 Sam. 9. 15. The Lord told Samuel in his Ear the night before c. That is he whispered the secret into the Prophets mind so the Spirit of Christ whispers a word into the Ear of a sinner which makes his Heart to tremble after this manner This is thy very state and condition this is thy sin which is now opened by the Gospel in thine Ears This is a voice without sound or noise to any others but very intelligible to the Soul unto whom it is â—poken You read in 1 Kings 19. 11 12. when Elijah stood upon the Mount before the Lord there came a great and strong wind which rent the Mountains and brake in pieces the Rocks before the Lord but the Lord was not in the wind and after the wind an earthquake but the Lord was not in the earthquake and after the earthquake a fire but the Lord was not in the fire and after the fire a still small voice And it was so when Elijah heard it that he wrapped his face in his mantle c. So it is here Dreadful things are thundred against men by the voice of the Law the Terrours of the Lord are made known Hell and Damnation are set before the eyes of Sinners but until the Lord come in the still voice of his Spirit and apply those things to the Conscience the Sinner never covers his face with shame and confusion nor goes aside to mourn and lament his misery This voice of God sounds to the very Centre of the Soul. As for the outward voice of the Gospel alone it signifies little in hearing men hear not Matth. 13. 13. They have the voice of Man but not the voice of God They hear the sound but feel not the power of the Word What is spoken externally dyes in the ear that hears it But this still voice of the Spirit by secret passages makes its way to the heart and none knows what God speaks but the Soul to whom he speaks That is the first Character II. Character The internal spiritnal voice of Christ is a personal and particular voice speaking distinctly and particularly to the case and state of the Soul as if it were by name Ministers do and must speak in general they draw the Bow of the Gospel at an adventure not knowing to whom God will direct the Arrow but the Spirit guides it to the Mark. He applies general Truths unto particular persons so as the Soul to whom he directs it is fully convinced and satisfied the Lord intends and means it in such a convictive and threatning Expression O saith the Soul hath the Lord singled me out in special this is my very state and case You read Iohn 10. 5. that Christ calleth his sheep by name How doth he call them by name but by speaking directly and particularly to their Condition and Case as if he called them by their particular Names He doth not now in an extraordinary way as of old call Samuel Samuel or Saul Saul but he sends a Beam of convincing light into the Conscience plainly discovering this or that to be our sin danger or duty and so as to the effect it is all one as if God named him And truly till it comes to this the Word hath no saving operation upon the Soul. A man may hear ten thousand general Truths assent to them and never be the better for them How still and quiet was David's Conscience till Nathan struck the nail upon the head by an home personal application and then his Conscience startled Thus God singles out one man or woman from among a thousand in the Congregation speaks to the heart rips up the secure Conscience the rest hear the same words but feel not the same efficacy And truly 't is a choice mercy when God shall please thus to single out one person from among many after this manner to speak to his heart As Christ said in Luke 4. 25 26. Many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias c. but to none of them was Elias sent save unto Sarepta a City of Sydon unto a woman that was a widow so here Multitudes sate with you under the same Prayer or Sermon but unto none of them at that time was the Spirit sent to make a particular convictive application thereof but unto thee In this the peculiar goodness of God shines out and should for ever be admired in the eyes of that Soul. III. Character Thirdly This spiritual internal voice of Christ is distinguishable by the Soul that hears it from all other voices Iohn 10. 4. The Sheep know his voice As in the style of the Scriptures there is a weight and majesty which distinguishes it from all human composures so in this voice of Christ there is a Majesty a peculiar Efficacy a divine and awful Authority by which the Soul distinguishes it from all human voices It was said of Christ in the days of his flesh Iohn 7. 46. Never man spake like this man. The same may we say of his spiritual voice the Soul never heard such a voice before it seals the truth upon the heart so firmly that no Objections are left against it It was not so when we heard the voice of man. And there are two things in this inward voice of Christ which apparently difference it from all human voices 1. A marvellous light comes into the Soul with it which discovers all the secrets of the heart God shines into the heart the same time he speaks unto it 2 Cor. 4. 6. and now the secrets of the heart are manifest and God is acknowledged to be in that Word of Truth 1 Cor. 14. 25. 2ly A marvellous Power accompanieth this voice to make a deep and firm impression of what is spoken upon the Soul and this Power is an innate Character of the voice of God whereby the Soul receives it as his with much assurance as the Apostle speaks 1 Thess. 1. 5. Our Gospel came not to you in Word only but also in Power and in the Holy Ghost and in much Assurance They could not be more certain of any thing in the world than they were of this That it was the Lord that spake to them in that Word
'T is true at the first instant the Soul may be amazed and at a loss as Peter when he was delivered out of Prison Acts 12 11. thought at first he had seen a Vision but when he was come to himself Now said he I know of a surety that the Lord hath sent his Angel c. Thus it is with the Soul it is amazed and doubts what manner of Call or Power this is sure it is it never heard such a voice nor ever felt any thing like this before But the matter is quickly cleared up when the Soul hath reflected duly upon it and finds as it quickly doth such a wonderful change of the frame and temper of the heart following upon it I now speak not of those into whom Grace is distilled in the way of godly Education in their tender years but of adult persons and especially such as have been grosser Sinners IV. Character This spiritual internal voice of Christ is a surprizing voice altogether unexpected by the Soul that hears it I am found of them that sought me not Isai. 65. 1. Little do we foresee the designs God hath upon us in bringing us to such a place and under such a Sermon at such or such a time even as little as Saul thought of a Kingdom when he was seeking his Fathers Asses 'T is much with us as it was with the Apostles when Christ called them little did Matthew think when he sate at the Receipt of Customs or Saul think when posting unto Damascus upon the Devils errand that Christ and Salvation had then been so near them Some have come to scoff and deride the Messengers and Truths of God others to gratifie their curiosity and many in a customary course not knowing where else with peace to themselves or reputation with others to spend that hour But God's thoughts were not theirs the time of mercy was now come and whatever sinful or low ends brought them thither the Lord's design was then and there to manifest himself to them It is with such Souls in some respect as it was with the Spouse Cant. 6. 12. to whose expression I may here allude Or ever I was aware my Soul made me as the Chariots of Aminadab I went to the Congregation for Company I was fitting under the Word with a careless wandring heart as at other times when lo above all the thoughts of my heart an Arrow of Conviction was suddenly shot into my Conscience which so startled wounded and disquieted it as it is now beyond the power of any but Christ himself to settle and satisfie it V. Character Fifthly This spiritual internal voice of Christ is energetical great and mighty in power piercing the heart cleaving as it were the very reins full of efficacy to the Soul that hears it The power of God comes along with this voice of God. You read Hebr. 4. 12. The Word of God is quick and powerful and sharper than any two-edged Sword piercing even to the dividing asunder of the Soul and Spirit of the Ioynts and Marrow Now this efficacy is not inherent in the Word it self it works not thus as a natural Agent then all would feel this power that come within the sound of it No this comes from the Spirit of Christ speaking in it to the Sinners Conscience when it is the administration of the Spirit then it becomes thus efficacious You read in Psalm 29. from v. 3. to 10. of the wonderful efficacy of God's providential voice the voice of the Lord is powerful The voice of the Lord is full of majesty it breaks the Cedars divides the flames of fire shakes the wilderness maketh the Hynds to calve This the providential voice of God in the winds thunders and lightnings can do but alas what 's this to the efficacy of his spiritual voice What is the breaking of the Cedars of Lebanon to the breaking of the heart of a Sinner what is the shaking of the Trees in the wilderness to the fears of wrath to come which shake the Souls of convinced Sinners and make their very hearts to tremble Acts 16. 30. What is the dividing of the flames of fire to the dividing of a Soul from its beloved Lusts The weapons of our warfare saith the Apostle are mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth it self against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ 2 Cor. 10. 4 5. Here be the glorious effects of this voice which plainly discover from whom it comes The voice of God is no less to be admired in its magniâ—icent effects in the new Creation than in the first Creation with which the Apostles compares it 2 Cor. 4. 6. God that commanded the light to shine out of darkness hath shined into our hearts It was marvellous to see at the word of Christ Lazarus that was dead in his Grave to come forth bound in his Grave-cloths and no less to see a Soul dead in sin bound in the bonds of corruption at a word of Christ to arise and come forth with spiritual life Iohn 5. 25. The dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God and they that hear it shall live VI. Character This spiritual voice of Christ is so convictive to the Conscience of a Sinner that it puts a final end to all shifts and evasions Whilst Man only spake the Soul had a thousand shifts to evade and put off what was spoken but now all Disputes and Debates are at an end No more Subterfuges and cunning Evasions now The Spirit when he cometh he shall convince the World of sin John 16. 8. The word signifies to convince by demonstration and that is to shew a thing to be impossible to be otherwise than we represent it to be Formerly when the Terrours of God were threatned against sin the shuffling heart was wont to say This concerns me no more than others if it go ill with me it will go ill with thousands as well as me 'T is true this is my Evil and who is without them I have some evils in me but yet I have some good too But no sooner doth the Spirit speak conviction to the Conscience but all these pleas are out of doors It may be the state of the Sinner's Soul was doubtful to him before but it is not so now It had some fears of Hell but ballanced with some vain hopes of Heaven But now the Debate is ended the great Question determined Whatever I am or have whatever Duties I have done and whatsoever sins I have avoided I see I am not regenerated I am in my natural Christless state and except I be changed I must be damned This was the effect of Christs convictive voice unto Paul Rom. 7. 9. I was alive without the Law once but when the Commandment came sin revived and I died He had read the Law many a time and had the litteral
from that Sermon by which Christ spake effectual Conviction to him crying O sick sick my Soul is distressed because of sin There is indeed a great difference in the depth and degrees of this contrition and humiliation it soaks deeper into some Hearts than others and holds them longer under it but certain it is whoever hath heard the convincing voice of Christ he feels so much sorrow for sin as for ever separates him from the love of it III. Effect Thirdly This voice of Christ rouzes and awakens the careless and sluggish mind to the greatest solicitude and thoughtfulness after deliverance and escape from the danger that hangs over it Acts 16. 30. Trembling and astonished he cried out Sirs what must I do to be saved All the powers of the Soul run into solicitude and care about deliverance You shall generally observe in convinced and humbled sinners three evident signs of extraordinary solicitude about Salvation 1. There is a strong intention of their minds and thoughts they stand night and day like a Bow at the full bent their thoughts are still poring upon this matter their sleep departs for their sin and danger is ever before them 2ly It appears by their searching inquisitiveness about the way of escape the question they still carry with them from company to company where they meet with any whom they judge able to resolve or direct them is this What course shall I take What shall I do Is there any hope for such a one as I Did you ever know a Soul in my condition 3ly It appears by the little notice they take at this time of their outward troubles and afflictions which it may be are strong and sharp enough to overwhelm them at another time but now they take little notice of them Sin lies so heavy that it makes heavy afflictions lye light IV. Effect A fourth Effect of the voice of Christ is encouragement and hope puting the Soul upon the use of means in order to the attainment of Christ and Salvation for it is an inviting as well as a convicting voice and this is a remarkable difference betwixt the voice of Christ and the voice of Satan with respect to sin Satan labours to cut off all hope and strike the Soul dead under despair of mercy as well knowing that if he can cut off hope all emotions and endeavours of the Soul after Christ are effectually stopt and at a dead stand but how much convincing terrors soever there are in the voice of Christ there is always something left behind it upon the Heart to breed and support hope And truly the Soul amidst these sad circumstances hath great need of some encouragement accordingly the Lord usually after sharp convictions sets on upon the Soul such a word as that Iohn 6. 37. Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out for I came down from Heaven not to do mine own will but the will of him that sent me Wherein Christ offers the most rational satisfaction and greatest encouragement imaginable that a poor convinced sinner if he be made willing shall certainly find an hearty welcom and acceptation with Christ. For mark how he argues it on purpose for the satisfaction of such Souls I came not down from Heaven to do mine own Will but the Will of him that sent me The force of the encouragement lyes here I and my Father are one one in Will and one in Design our Wills never did nor possibly can jar and clash one with another that would be utterly repugnant to the perfect unity that is betwixt us Now saith he I came down from Heaven not only to do my own Will which must necessarily be supposed to be intently set and strongly enclined to receive and save all convinced and willing sinners this being the very end of my Incarnation and Death but also to do the Will of my Father who hath sent me to bind up the broken hearted and anointed me to preach good tydings to the meek Isa. 61. 1. and therefore no such Soul can rationally doubt of a welcom reception with me And because the fears and jealousies of a convinced Conscience are great and many and the Devil sets in with them to aggravate them beyond the hopes of mercy therefore it is usual with the Lord at such a time as this to direct the convinced and trembling sinner to such a Scripture as that Heb. 7. 25. Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him c. Making the fulness of Christs saving power to shine with a chearful beam into the dark and distressed Soul of a sinnner from such a word as that V. Effect A fifth Effect or consequent of Christs powerful voice is an attractive efficacy or sweet allicion of the Soul to Christ by that power and efficacy which it communicates to the Soul Iohn 6. 44 45. No Man can come to me except the Father which hath sent me draw him Every Man therefore that hath heard and learned of the Father cometh unto me Mark it this voice speedily puts the Soul into motion after Christ coming follows hearing When once the Soul hath heard the voice of God away it comes from all the engagements in the World all bonds and ties betwixt the Soul and sin break asunder and give way nothing can hold it from Christ. There is a strange restlesness in the Spirit of Man nothing but Christ can centre and quiet it VI. Effect And then lastly The last Effect of Christs voice or call is sweet rest and consolation to the inner Man. When once the Soul is come home to Christ by the efficacy of this heavenly call or voice it enters into peace Heb. 4. 3. We which have believed do enter into rest not only shall but do enter into rest As the first Effect of Christs voice was terror and great trouble to the Soul so the last Effect is peace it puts the Soul into the most excellent position in the World for comfort and joy it never stood upon such ground before for this vocation stands betwixt predestination and glorification Rom. 8. 30. Moreover whom he did predestinate them he also called and whom he called them he also justified and whom he justified them he also glorified See here into what a blessed Mount of vision the voice of Christ calleth the Souls of sinners where let the Soul look backward or forward from eternity to eternity there is nothing but a vision of peace before its Eyes This call of God points it backward to Gods eternal choice which by this very call it is now manifest he made of that Soul before the World was and it also points forward to that eternal glory unto which God is leading it These are the Effects of this Almighty voice of Christ and these the special instructions sealed by it upon the Hearts of Men. But now this voice of Christ is not heard at all times but in some
special season or hour as Christ calls it Iohn 5. 25. The hour cometh when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God. And elsewhere by the Apostle it is called the accepted Time the day of Salvation 2 Cor. 6. 2. And the conjunction of the Spirit of Christ with the Word Ordinances or Providences of God but especially the Word makes this blessed hour The Word alone though never so excellently preacht conduces no more to the Conviction and Salvation of a sinner than the Waters of Bethesda did when the Angel came not down to trouble them Iohn 5. 4. But when the Lord pours out his Spirit with the Word according to that promise Prov. 1. 23. I will pour out my Spirit upon you and make known my Words unto you then Christ speaks to the Heart this great conjunction of the Word and Spirit makes that blessed nick and season of Salvation The time of love the time of life Now the voice of Christ is heard with effect the Ordinances impregnated with convincing and converting efficacy There was an abundant effusion of the Spirit in the first Age of Christianity and then the voice of Christ was heard by multitudes of Souls at once There hath since been a restraint of the Spirit comparatively speaking whereas three thousand Souls were then converted at one Sermon possibly three thousand Sermons have since been preached and not one Soul effectually called This hath made the Church like a Wilderness a Land of drouth and so 't is like to remain until the Spirit be poured upon us from on high and the wilderness be a fruitful field according to that promise Isa. 32. 15. And such a time we expect Lord hasten it when the waters of the Ordinances shall be healed and every thing that liveth which moveth whithersoever the River shall come shall live And fishers shall stand upon it from Engedi even unto Eneglaim they shall be a place to spread forth nets their fish shall be according to their kinds as the fish of the great Sea exceeding many Ezek. 47. 9 10. Then Ministers shall no longer fish with Angles catching now one then another but shall spread forth their nets and inclose whole shoals multitudes of Converts in the mean time there are some signal periods and happy seasons wherein Christ uttereth his Almighty voice in the World but that season is utterly unforeknown to Man we cannot say when it will come but are to wait for it as the Man did at the pool of Bethesda Ministers must preach in hope wait in hope if at any time God will give the people repentance 2 Tim. 2. 25. We are often mistaken in our conjectures when we have made the best preparations and find a more than ordinary enlargedness of Spirit we are apt to conclude certainly this is the blessed hour wherein Christ will speak to the Heart as we do to the Ear but we oft-times find our selves mistaken yet we must wait in hope and so must our people Such a happy time may come and when it doth it will be a day for ever to be remembred because then the first actual application of Christ will be made to your Souls without which all that the Father had done in Election and the Son in his meritorious Redemption had been of no benefit or advantage to your Souls And therefore you shall find that this work of the Spirit stands betwixt both those works and makes them both effectual to our Salvation 1 Pet. 1. 2. This is that blessed hour upon which your eternal blessedness depends eternity will be taken up in blessing God for this hour it will be celebrated for ever in your praises in the World to come O what an influence hath this hour into all eternity The hearing of this voice of Christ effectually opens the Cabinet counsels of Heaven and brings to light the eternal counsels of God concerning you 1 Thes. 1. 4 5. Knowing brethren beloved your election of God for our Gospel came not to you in word only but also in power and in the Holy Ghost This gives greater assurance of the eternal love of God to a Mans Soul than the sweetest smile of providence or any oraculous voice from Heaven can do This is the time of life the day of your Spiritual Resurrection Iohn 5. 25. A greater and more glorious Resurrection by far than that of your bodies at the last day â—o much greater as the value of your Souls is above your Bodies As also because the blessedness of your Corporeal Resurrection depends upon this your Spiritual Resurrection by the voice of Christ. Dreadful will the voice of Christ be at the Resurrection of your Bodies except you first hear this vital voice of Christ quickning your Souls on Earth with spiritual life To conclude this is the great Aera or head of account from which you are to reckon and date all your spiritual sanctified mercies for as the Lord said unto the Jews Hag. 2. 19. From henceforth will I bless you So saith the Lord to you from this hour wherein you have heard and obeyed the voice of Christ will I bless you for ever with all Spiritual blessings in heavenly places in him I. Vse for Lamentation This Point presents us with abundant matter of Lamentation and mourning over the greatest part of those that sit under the sound of the Gospel but yet as Christ speaks of the Jews Iohn â— 37. who have not heard the voice of God at any time the Ministerial voice of Christ they hear dayly but this Efficacious Internal voice which makes the Ministerial voice the Word of Life and Power they have not heard The Gospel to the most of our hearers is but an empty sound this is a sad symptom 2 Cor. 4. 3. If our Gospel be hid it is hid to them that are lost in whom the God of this World hath blinded the minds of them that believe not c. This hiding of the Gospel is not opposed to the external administration of it nor yet to the understanding of the true sense and meaning of the truths delivered by it but only to that internal efficacy which is here called the hearing of Christs voice Our people are generally well satisfied when they have heard a Sermon much more if they can remember something of it though the Lord hath not spoken one truth they have heard home to their Hearts Now this is a sad case and God grant it be not that very judgment threatned Isa. 6. 9. Hear ye indeed but understand not and see ye indeed but perceive not So that hearing the meer voice of Man without feeling the power of God is all one as if we heard not Reflect sadly upon this you that sit as unconcerned under the Word as the Seats you sit upon God speaketh once yea twice but man perceiveth it not Well the eternal Decrees and Counsels of God are now executing upon the Souls of Men under the Gospel As many as
cause I obtained mercy that in me first Iesus Christ might shew forth all long-suffering for a pattern to them that should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting Never was any Mans Heart bolted and made fast with stronger prejudices against Christ than this Mans was yet the Spirit of the Lord opened it O how flexible was his will Lord what wilt thou have me to do This gives great encouragement to other sinners to come in to Christ as he did and therefore when Men shall see other sinners receiving Christ and themselves continue still obstinate and unbelieving those very examples which God hath set before their Eyes put a dreadful aggravation upon their unbelief as you may see Matth. 21. 32. Iohn came unto you in the way of righteousness and ye believed him not but the publicans and harlots believed him and ye when ye had seen it repented not afterward that you might believe him q. d. Though you saw Publicans reputed the worst of Men and Harlots the worst of Women convinced humbled and brought unto faith yet these fights no way affected your Souls you never had one such reflection as this Lord have not I as much need to fly from the wrath to come and mind the Salvation of my own Soul as these Will it not be a dreadful aggravation of my misery that such as these should obtain Christ and Heaven and I shut out 5ly To conclude The opening of the Heart to Christ is the very end and errand of the Spirit of God upon whose concurrence and blessing the success of all Ordinances depend upon this design he is sent expresly from Heaven to open the understanding and consciences of sinners by conviction Iohn 16. 9. For it is not in the power of the Word alone to produce this effect thousands of excellent Sermons may be preacht and not one Heart opened by conviction He is expresly sent to this end and purpose What remains is the Application of this Point I. Vse of Information If the opening of the Heart to Christ be the great and direct intention and end of the Gospel How are they deceived that bless themselves in the attainment of some lesser ends and intentions of the Gospel whilst the great end the effectual perswasion of the Will to Christ is not at all effected upon them There are some collateral stroaks some by effects as I may call them which the Gospel hath upon Men. It would pity a wise considerate Man to see how poor Souls hug themselves with a conceited happiness in these lesser things whilst they still stick fast in the state of unregeneracy I would seign undeceive such mistaken wretches who bow down under the power of self-deceit and that in so great and important a Point in which their eternal Salvation is concorned There be two things which are excoeding apt to deceive Men in this matter viz. 1. Partial convictions on the Understanding 2. Transe it motions upon the Affections In these two things multitudes deceive themselves as if the whole design of the Gospel were accomplished upon them therein 1. Partial Convictions upon the Understanding light and knowledge breaking into the mind producing orthodoxy of Judgment this seems to be the effectual opening of the Understanding to Christ though alas to this day they never saw sin in its vileness much less their own special sin nor Christ in his suitableness and necessity People that live under the Gospel can hardly avoid the improvement of their Understandings by the light that shines upon them Knowledge grows Parts thrive these inable them to discourse and desend the Points of Religion excellently Yea it may be from the strength of these Gifts they can pray with commendable variety and largeness of expression these things beget applause from Men and confidence in your selves whilst all the while no saving influences are shed down to quicken change and spiritualize the Heart 2. There are transcient motions and touches of the Gospel upon the affections which give some Men their melting pangs and moods now and then under the Word though it never settles into a spiritual frame an habitual heavenliness of temper of such the Apostle speaks Heb. 6. 5. And this is the more dangerous because they now seem to have attained all that is essential to Religion or necessary to Salvation For when unto the light of their understandings there shall be added melting affections a Man now seems to be compleat in all that the Gospel requires unto the being and constitution of a Christian as a great Divine speaks for thus poor Souls are apt to reason If I had only light in my mind and never found any meltings of my affections I might suspect my self justly to be a hypocrite but there are times when my affections as well as my understanding seem to feel the power of the Gospel And yet these things may be where the Heart never effectually opens to Christ all this may be but a morning dew an early cloud that vanishes away as is plain in Iohn's hearers Iohn 5. 35. and in Paul's hearers Gal. 41. 14 15. For except the convictions upon the understanding be particular and effectual and the motions upon the affections setled to a heavenly habit and temper the Man is but where he was before as to the real state and condition of his Soul. Were thy understanding so convinced of the evil nature and dreadful consequences of sin and thy Affections and Will thereupon so effectually determined to choose and embrace the Lord Jesus upon a considerate and thorough examination of his own Terms and Articles propounded in the Gospel then thou mightest conclude the great design of it were accomplished upon thy Soul but to rest in general convictions and transient affections without this is but to mock and deceive thy own Soul. Alas this comes not home to the main end of the Gospel II. Inference Learn from hence the prodigious stubornness and hardness of the Hearts of Men living dayly under the Gospel which still resist it though it bear upon them in part of it You have heard how all its commands promises threatnings and examples bear directly and joyntly upon the Hearts of sinners to get open the Will to Christ. And yet how few are there comparatively that obey and answer this great design of it All these are like Heavens great Artillery planted against the unbelief and stubornness of the Hearts of Men to batter down their carnal reasonings overthrow their vain hopes and open a fair passage for Christ into their Soul 2 Cor. 10. 4 5. For the weapons of our warfare are niot carnal but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalts it self against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. If a mount be raised and many Canon planted thereon and all play'd against the wall of a Fort thousands of shots
comforts of the Spirit III. If Christ be put off and refused now you may never taste of those invaluable mercies for ever Luke 14. 24. For I say unto you That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper They were bidden invited to this feast and so are you they refused to come God grant you may not for methinks this sentence of Christ Those men which were bidden shall not taste of my supper is like the sentence upon a malefactor that is to be hanged in chains and whom the Law permits none to relieve O'twill bed readful to see the Saints sitting at the Royal feast in Heaven and your selves shut out as a company of starving beggars standing in the Streets and about the doors where the marriage supper is kept they see the lights they behold the rich dishes carried up they hear the mirth and musick of the guests but not a bit comes to their share IV. The refusal of Christs invitation as it is the greatest of all sins so it will be avenged with the forest wrath and greatest punishment 't is said of those guests that were bidden Matth. 22. 5. that they made light of it but it fell heavy upon them vers 7. He was wroth and sent forth his armies and destroyed those murderers and burnt up their City Have a care of making light of Christ. V. What light and vain things are all those pleasures of sin for the sake whereof you deprive your Souls of the everlasting comforts of Jesus Christ Deluded Soul 't is not the intent of Christ to rob thee of thy comfort but to exchange thy sinful for spiritual delights to thy unspeakable advantage 'T is true you shall have no more pleasure in sin but in stead of that you shall have peace with God joy in the Holy Ghost and solid comfort for evermore what are the sensitive or sinful pleasures of this World You have the total sum of them in 1 Iohn 2. 16 17. All that is in the World the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life is not of the Father but is of the world And the world passeth away and the lust thereof but he that doth the will of God abideth for ever But how may a poor unregenerate Soul be prevailed with to make such a blessed exchange to part with the pleasures of sin in exchange for the comforts of Iesus Christ Beside all that hath been offered before let me briefly add these three following Directions and Counsels to such a Soul. First Labour to see and feel thy need of Christ and then thou wilt quickly be willing to give up all the pleasures of sin for the enjoyment of him What makes men so tenacious of their lusts so hard to be persuaded to give up their sinful pleasures but this that they never felt the need of a Saviour Oh sinner didst thou but feel thy need of Christ wert thou but an hungry and thirsty for him thou wouldst never stand upon such trifles for the enjoyment of him We read in the famine of Jerusalem how they parted with their pleasant things for bread to relieve their Souls Jewels Rings Bracelets things which cost dear and were highly valued at another time now were willingly parted with for bread Christ is more necessary to thee than thy necessary bread Secondly Consider the spiritual and immortal nature of thine own Soul which cannot live upon material things and must over-live all temporary things Now if thy Soul cannot live upon them and must certainly over-live them what a miserable condition will it unavoidably fall into when all these sensual and sinful enjoyments are vanished and gone as thou knowest they shortly will be 1 Iohn 2. 17. These things pass away and then hath thy Soul nothing to live upon to all eternity Thirdly Hearken to the reports and experiences of the Saints who have tried both sorts of pleasures which you never did They have tried the pleasures of sin and they have tasted the pleasures of Christ and so are best able to make a true judgment upon both and they have accordingly determined That one glimps of the light of Gods countenance puts more gladness into their hearts than in the time that their corn and their wine increased Psal. 4. 7. Nay the wisest Christians upon tryal of both have rightly determined That the worst things in Religion are infinitly to be preferr'd to the best things belonging to sin the very sufferings and afflictions of the people of God have been pronounced better than the pleasures of sin for a season Heb. 11. 25. Could you but see with their Eyes and were you but capable of making a right judgment as they did there needed not a word more to be said to perswade you to let go your most pleasant and profitable lusts in exchange for Christ and his beneficial comfortable sufferings Secondly The point affords variety of Counsels and Exhortations to the Regenerate who have opened their Wills to Christ and are thereupon admitted into this comfortable state It is found in experience a difficult thing for Souls after conversion to bear and duly manage their own comforts as it was to bear and rightly manage their troubles at conversion My buisiness here is to advise Souls under their first comforts and sealings of the Spirit how to manage and improve their spiritual comforts that they may abide with them and be growing things continually in their Souls I. Advice And first See that you humbly admire and adore the condescending goodness of God to you in all the comforts of the Spirit which refresh you Oh that ever God should comfort such a Soul as thine that hath so often grieved him That Christ should be a joy to thee who hast been a sorrow unto him If you look into Eph. 1. 3. you will find the Spirit of the Apostle there fill'd with the sense and admiration of this mercy which breaks forth into this rapturous expression Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Iesus Christ who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places or things in Christ. Some there are that never enjoy an ordinary degree of earthly comforts Iob 30. 3 4 5. others enjoy abundance of earthly comforts but no spiritual comforts Psal. 17. 14. Some there are for whom God intends everlasting consolations in the World to come but are kept low as to spiritual comforts in this Wold Psal. 88. 15. O what cause have you to admire the bounty of God to you for whom there is not only fulness of joys prepared in Heaven but such precious foretasts and earnest of it communicated in the way thither II. Advice Secondly Cleave fast to Christ and those sweet and comfortable duties of Religion wherein you have found and tasted the best comforts that ever your Souls were acquainted with This is one thing God aims at in the communication of these spiritual refreshments to glue
Psal. 51. 8. Make me to hear joy and gladness that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoyce restore unto me the joys of thy salvation vers 12. I cannot here omit to detect a great mistake here even amongst Gods own people many of them understand not what communion there should be with God under the manifestations of his displeasure for sin they know that the affectionate meltings of their Souls into love praise c. to be communion with God but that the shame grief and sorrow produced in them by the manifestations of Gods displeasure I say that even in these things there may be communion with God they understand not But let me tell thee that even such things as these are the choice fruits of the Spirit of Adoption and that in them thy Soul hath as real and beneficial communion with God as in the greatest transports of Spiritual joy and comfort O'tis a blessed frame to be before the Lord as Ezra was after conviction of thy loosness carelesness and Spiritual defilements the consequents of those sins saying with him O my God I am ashamed and even blush to lift up my face unto thee Ezra 9. 6. Shame and blushing are as excellent signs of communion with God as the sweetest smiles Lastly There are representations and special contemplations of the omniscience of God producing sincerity comfort in appeals and recourse to it in doubts of our own uprightness And this also is a choice and excellent method of communion with God. 1. When the omniscience of God strongly obliges the Soul to sincerity and uprightness as it did David Psal. 139. 11 12. compared with Psal. 18. 23. I was also upright before him The consideration that he was always before the Eye of God was his preservative from iniquity yea from his own iniquity 2. When it produceth comforts in appeals to it as it did in Hezekiah 2 Kings 20. 3. Remember now O Lord that I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart So Iob 10. 7. he also appeals to this attribute Thou knowest that I am not wicked So did Ieremiah Chap. 12. 3. But thou O Lord knowest me thou hast seen me and tryed my heart towards thee 3. When we have recourse to it under doubts and fears of our own uprightness Thus did David Psal. 139. 23. Search me O God and try my heart prove me and see my reins see if there be any way of wickedness in me In all these attributes of God Christians have real and sweet communion with him which was the first thing to be opened Communion with God in the meditation of his attributes Secondly The next method of communion with God is in the exercise of our graces in the various duties of Religion In Prayer Hearing Sacraments c. in all which the Spirit of the Lord influences the graces of his people and they return the fruits thereof in some measure to him As God hath planted various graces in regenerate Souls so he hath appointed various duties to exercise and draw forth those graces and when they do so then have his people sweet actual communion with him And 1. To begin with the first grace that shews it self in the Soul of a Christian to wit repentance and sorrow for sin In the exercise of this grace of repentance the Soul pours out it self before the Lord with much bitterness and brokenness of Heart casts forth its sorrows which sorrows are as so much seed sown and in return thereto the Lord usually sends an answer of peace Psal. 32. 4 5. I said I will confess my transgression and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin Here 's a voice of sorrow sent up and a voice of peace coming down which is real communion betwixt God and Man in the exercises of repentace 2ly As there are seasons in duty wherein the Saints exercise their repentance and the Lord returns peace so likewise the Lord helps them in their duties to act their faith in return whereunto they find from the Lord inward support rest and refreshment Psal. 27. 13. I had fainted unless I had believed And oft-times an assurance of the mercies they have acted their faith about 1 Iohn 5. I4 3ly The Lord many times draws forth eminent degrees of our love to him in the course of our duties the heart is filled with love to Christ. The strength of the Soul is drawn forth to Christ in love and this the Lord repays in kind love for love Iohn 14. 21. He that loveth me my Father will love him and we will come and make our abode with him Here is sweet communion with God in the exercises of love O what a rich trade do Christians drive this way in their duties and exercises of graces 4ly To mention no more in the duties of Passive Obedience Christians are enabled to exercise their patience meekness and long suffering for Christ in return to which the Lord gives them the singular consolations of his Spirit Double returns of joy The Spirit of glory and of God resteth upon them 1 Pet. 4. 13 14. The Lord strengthens them with passive fortitude with all might in the inner-man unto all long-suffering but the reward of that long-suffering is joyfulness Col. 1. 11. This is the trade they drive with Heaven Thirdly Beside communion with God in the contemplation of his attributes and graces exercised in the course of duties there is another method of communion with God in the way of his Providences for therein also his people walk with him To give a taste of this let us consider Providence in a fourfold aspect upon the people of God. 1. There are afflictive providences rods and rebukes wherewith the Lord chastens his children this is the discipline of his house in answer whereunto gracious Souls return meek and childlike submission a fruit of the Spirit of Adoption they are brought to accept the punishment of their iniquities And herein lies communion with God under the rod this return to the rod may not be presently made for there is much stubborness unmortified in the best hearts Heb. I2 7. but this is the fruit it shall yield and when it doth there is real communion between God and the afflicted Soul. Let not Christians mistake themselves if when God is smiting they are humbling searching and blessing God for the discoveries of sin made by their afflictions admiring his wisdom in timing moderating and chusing the rod kissing it with a childlike submission and saying it is good for me that I have been afflicted that Soul hath real communion with God though it may be for a time without joy 2ly There are times wherein providence straightens the people of God when the waters of comfort ebb and run very low wants pinch if then the Soul returns filial dependance upon fatherly care saying with David Psal. 23. 1. The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want It belongs to him to provide and to me to depend I
to spend our blood for the Saints So it was in the primitive times Behold â—said the Christians Enemies how they love one another and are willing to dye one for another But that Spirit is almost extinguished in these degenerate dayes VI. Instance How many stand convinced by their own Consciences what a sin it is to spend their precious time so idly and vainly as they do When a day is lost in vanity duties neglected no good done or received at night Conscience reckons with them for it and askes them what account they can give of that day to God. How they are able to satisfie themselves to lye down and sleep under so much guilt and yet when the morrow comes the vanity of their hearts carries them on in the same Course again the next day and whilst they keep themselves in vain Company they are quiet till Conscience finds them at leisure to debate it again with them Now the things which master Conviction are 1. In some men their Ignorance and Insensibility of the Preciousness of time They know 't is their sin to spend their time so vainly but little consider that Eternity it self hangs upon this little Moment of Time and that the great work of their Salvation will require all the time they have and if it be not finished in this small allottment of time it can never be finished Ioh. 9. 4. 2. The Examples of other vain persons that are as Prodigal of their precious time as themselves and entice them to spend it as they do 3. The charming power of sensual Lusts and Pleasures Oh how pleasantly doth time slide away in Playes Alehouses in relating or hearing taking Stories News c. 4. Inconsiderateness of the sharp and terrible rebukes of Conscience for this on a Death-bed or the terrors of the Lord in the day of Judgment In all these Instances you see how common this dreadful evil of holding the truth in unrighteousness is yet these are but a few selected from among many 5. In the next place I am obliged to shew how and why the imprisoning of Convictions or holding the Truths of God in Unrighteousness so dreadfully incenseth his Wrath. And this it doth upon several accounts 1. Knowledge and Conviction of sin is an excellent means or choice help to preserve Men from falling into sin There be Thousands of sins committed in the World which had never been committed if Men had known them to be sins before they committed them Every Sinner durst not make so bold with his Conscience as you have done The Apostle tells us the reason why the Princes of this World crucified the Lord of Glory was because they knew him not 1 Cor. 2. 8. Had they known him they would not have dared to do as they did And so it is in multitudes of lower and lesser sins than that Satan mops their Eyes with Ignorance then uses their Hands and Tongues in Wickedness he is the Ruler of the darkness of the World Eph. 6. 12. But when Men do know this or that to be sin and yet venture on it here an excellent Antidote against sin is turned into a dreadful aggravation of sin which highly incenses the Wrath of God. 2. Knowledge and Conviction going before adds presumption to the Sin that follows after it and presumptuous Sin is the most provoking and daring Sin from this way of sinning David earnestly beseeches God to keep him Keep back thy servant saith he from presumptuous sins When a man sees sin and yet adventures on it in such sinning there is a despising of the Law of God A Man may break the Law whilst he approves reverences and honours it in his heart Rom. 7. 12 13. but here the Commandment is despised as God told David 2 Sam. 12. 9. 'T is as if a Man should say I see the Command of God armed with threatnings in my way but yet I will go on for all that 3. Knowledge and Conviction leave the Conscience of a Sinner naked and wholly without excuse or apologie for his sin In this case there is no plea left to extenuate the offence Iohn 15. 22. Now they have no cloak for their sin if a man sins ignorantly his ignorance is some excuse for his sin it excuses it at least a tanto as Paul tells us thus and thus I did but I did it ignorantly Here is cloak or covering an excuse or extenuation of the sin but knowledge takes away this cloak and makes the sin appear naked in all the odious deformity of it nothing left to hide it 4. Light or Knowledge of the Law and Will of God is a very choice and excellent Mercy 't is a choice and singular favour for God to make the light of Knowledge to shine into a Mans mind or understanding 'T is a Mercy withheld from multitudes Psal. 147. 19. and those that injoy it are under special engagements to bless God for it and to improve it diligently and thankfully to his Service and Glory but for a Man to arm such a Mercy as this against God to fight against him with one of his choicest Mercies this must be highly provoking to the Lord 'T is therefore mention'd as an high aggravation of Solomons sin in the 1 Kings 11. 9. that he sinned against the Lord after the Lord had appeared unto him twice 5. This way of sinning argues an extraordinary degree of hardness of heart 'T is a sign of little tenderness or sense of the evil of sin Some Men when God shews them the evil of sin in the glass of the Law they tremble at the sight of it So did Paul Rom. 7. 13. When the Commandment came sin revived and he died he sunk down at the sight of it But God shews thee the evil of sin in the glass of his Law and thou makest nothing of it O obdurate heart When the Rod was turned into a Serpent Moses fled from it was afraid to touch it but though God turns the Rod into a Serpent and discovers the venomous Nature of Sin in his Word thou canst handle and play with that Serpent and put it into thy bosome this shews thy heart to be of a strange complexion 6. To go against the convincing warning voice of Conscience violates and wounds a Mans Conscience more than any other way of sinning doth and when Conscience is so wounded who or what shall then comfort thee 'T is a true Rule Maxima violatio Conscientiae est maximum peccatum The more any sin violates a mans Conscience the greater that sin is The sin of Devils is the most dreadful sin and what makes it so but the horrid violation of their Consciences and malicious Rebellion against their own Light and clear Knowledge Iames 2. 19. They know and sin they believe and tremble 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they roar under the Tortures of Conscience like the Rote of the Sea or noise of the Rocks before a Storm O then if there be any degree of sense
have had some slight ineffectual vanishing Convictions upon you formerly the Lord Jesus once more renews his call will you now at last hear his voice 'T is an infinite mercy to have a second call I doubt not but there are many among you whilst you have sat under the Word have had such thoughts as these in your Hearts sure my condition is not right nor safe there must another manner of work pass upon my Soul or I am lost for ever External duties of Religion I do perform but I am a stranger to Regeneration Such inward convictions as these were the Knocks and Calls of Christ but they passed away and were forgotten your Convictions are dead and your Hearts the more hardned for it is in puting a Soul under Conviction as it is in puting Iron into the Fire and quenching it again which hardens it the more You have been near the Kingdom of God but the more miserable for that if you be shut out at last The quicknings of your Convictions is the right way to the saving of your Souls The Lord make you this day to hear his Voice Seventhly Such as have come hither upon vain or vile accounts for meer novelty or worse ends to catch advantages or reproach the truths of God. Scoffing at the most solemn and awful Voice of Christ. The Word that you have slighted and reproached the same shall Judge you in that great Day except the Lord give you Repentance unto Life and make the Heart tremble under it that hath scoffed at it Be not mockers lest your bands be made strong Isa. 28. 22. Eighthly To Conclude Let all whose Hearts the Lord hath opened this day for the enjoyment of the Gospel the blessed instrument of their Salvation bless the Lord that hath made it a Key by Regeneration to open the door of Salvation to your Souls And as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord so walk ye in him AN APPENDIX To the Foregoing TREATISE FROM ROMANS 1. 18. For the wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who hold the truth in unrighteousness IN all the foregoing Sermons I have been pleading and wooing for Christ. And as Abrahams Servant to win the Damsels Consent told her what Treasures his Masters Son had so have I laboured to shew you some part of the unsearchable Riches of Christ if by any means I might allure your hearts and be instrumental to close the happy Match betwixt him and you and as the Apostle speaks espouse you to one Husband even to Christ. But alas How few stir towards him The most seem to be immovably fixed in their Natural State and sinful Courses All our Arguments and Intreaties return to us again and effect nothing 'T is amazing to think what is the matter that Souls which have in them the inbred Hopes and Fears of the World to come and self reflecting Powers cannot for all this be prevailed with to quit the way of sin and to embrace the way of Holiness though their Consciences mean while stand convinced that Eternal Damnation is the issue and result of the one Life Peace and Eternal Joyes of the other This hath put me upon a serious search what may be the cause and reason of this fixed and unreasonable obstinacy and in this it seems evidently to lye with most that live in an unregenerate state under the Gospel that they put a force upon their own Consciences and do imprison and hold the Truth in unrighteousness though the Wrath of God be revealed from Heaven against all that do so If by this Discourse I can but set truth at Liberty and loose the Lords Prisoners which lye bound in your Souls I shall not doubt but the value of Christ will quickly rise among you and free Convictions will make the work of your Ministers much more easie and successful than they now find it 'T is hardly imaginable but the things you have heard must leave your Souls under Convictions but if you suppress and stifle them they produce nothing but aggravations of Sin and Misery Now in order to the free and effectual working of all your Convictions and begetting that reverence which is due to them from every Soul as to the Voice of God I have chosen this Scripture the scope and sense whereof I shall next give you The true scope and aim of this Context is to prove the Justification of Sinners to be only by the imputed Righteousness of Christ in the way of Faith. To make this evident he distributes the whole World into Gentiles and Iews the one seeking Righteousness by the dim Light of Nature or the Law written in their Hearts the other viz. the Iews by the works of the Law or External Conformity to the Law of Moses but that neither can find what they seek he distinctly and fully proves He proves it first upon the Gentiles from this verse to the 17th verse of the second Chapter and then he proves it upon the Iews also from thence to the end of the third Chapter As for the Gentiles he acknowledges that they had inbred Notions of God imprinted in their Nature they had also the Book of the Creatures before them enough to leave them without Excuse ver 20. they have no pretence of ignorance but these common Notices of God and of Good and Evil they did not obey and put in practise but acted against the very Light and Dictates of their Natural Consciences For which cause the Wrath of God was revealed from Heaven against them as the Text speaks Wherein note 1. A clear and dreadful Revelation of Divine Wrath. 2. The Object or impulsive Cause thereof Vngodliness and Vnrighteousness 3. The special aggravation of this their Ungodliness and Unrighteousness that they held the truth in unrighteousness 1. Here is a clear and dreadful Revelation of Divine Wrath the wrath of God saith the Apostle is revealed from Heaven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the indignation or vengeance of God. 'T is a word of deep and dreadful signification the Damned that feel the weight of it have the fullest sense ot it 'T is said in Psal. 90. 11. Who knows the power of thine anger according to thy fear so is thy wrath That is the fears of an incensed Deity are no vain Bug-bears Nor the effects of Ignorance and Superstition as Atheists Fancy but let mens Fears of it be what they will they shall find except they repent the Wrath of God to be according to yea and far above their Fears of it If the Wrath of a King be as the Messengers of Death what then is the Wrath of the great and terrible God This Wrath is here said to be revealed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 discovered or made manifest and so it is divers wayes it was revealed to them by the light of Nature their own Consciences gave them notice and warning of it Thus it was revealed to them by an internal Testimony