occasion they can of setting themselves against their own mercies they cannot endure the Lord to speak as it were one word more And therefore choaking him as soon as they can they run presently into a Refuge of lies good fellowship drinking musick some pastime or other to stop the mouth of conscience which would be convincing them of sinne of righteousnesse of judgement to come and by arguments drawn from thence would stagger them at their sinful courses but none of that I thank you their sins and they cannot part company so easily and therefore the Spirit of God is looked upon by them as their enemy because it tels them the truth and will not flatter them nor suffer them to run so quietly to their own destruction With some perhaps he gets a little faiter quarter they will hear the reproofs consider the terrors of Gods judgements which are threatned spiritually to their inward man to reclaim them from their sins but when they have heard all they think to make up all with a little humiliation a few tears a little rugging and striving to cry to God for mercy and if upon a duty of praier or humiliation they finde a little peace and quietnesse though Gods intention in giving it be but barely to bear up their hearts under soul affliction untill the times of a more full and more gracious dispensation comes then up they get upon their tiptoes presently their afflictions are all vanished or banished in a moment God is their God now sure for say they he hath heard our supplications he hath forgiven our sinnes herein miserably mistaking a little arbitrary consolation which God grants in a designe of supporting the soul till it be fit for a more gracious dispensation for a sure signification of forgivenesse of sins the groslenesse of which mistake I shall clear upon some occasion or other in Gods good time and it may be before I have ended my meditations upon this Text. Some the Spirit of God prevails so farre with that 1. They are willing to be reproved and chidden for their sins but from thence are too apt to conclude a sure estate of soul 2 The work of conviction being strong upon their souls they are apt to make many fair promises many strong engagements that they will do so no more 3. But then thirdly when Gods back is but turned as I may say or that they think him but out of sight they start aside like a broken bow and neither promises Covenants or any other obligations prevail with them at all but they turn with the dog to their own vomit and with the sow to the wallowing in the mire and if the motions of Gods Spirit presse them to consider their breach of vowes and Covenants and their promises of better obedience they either heal their hurt slightly with a few prayers and teares and then they think all is well as I observed before or secondly by a long practise of such ungodly eourses they come at length to such a desperate hardnesse of heart that they conclude there is no hope and so conceive it to no purpose to strive any more to pray any more to be humbled any more to hearken to the motions of Gods Spirit any more the finall conclusion is as they throw off all hope so they throw off all duty and let Christ by his Spirit say what he will they think all is to no purpose to hear him or obey him and this last and worst part of this character hath been my own case for almost this nine years or thereabouts till within this year and a half about which time apprehending some abatement of those judgements which my apprehensions had been long terrified with for my grievous sins especially for hiding my little Talent which I looked upon as given me by God not to hide but to publish I was about a year and half since resolved to submit my self to be at Gods disposing and to serve God as well as I could though I looked for nothing but hell as my portion for ever only I hoped it would be hell mitigated and me thought I had strange kinde of hopes that in hell I should finde a little comfort and a little strength to endure it and to dwell with everlasting burnings because I was willing to submit but these strange hopes soon vanished and became nothing for about a quarter or half a year after I was thrown down again into the dreadfullest apprehensions of Gods eternall judgements that ever were presented to any mortall man upon Gods earth since the creation of God or that the world began with this heavy load of apprehensions I walked for above half a year together viz. all this last summer and some little part of the beginning of winter but at length the spring is come and the chirping of Birds hath been heard by me there was never such mercy shewed such compassion manifested to any soul in the world I am alive and the loving kindnesse of God hath appeared to me But I tell you my brethren and friends my rebellion against Jesus Christ my standing out against the motions of Gods good Spirit hath cost me dear and so dear I would not for a hundred thousand worlds endure the like horrors again It would amaze you all nay almost affright you out of your wits to tell you what I have seen but God in Jesus Christ I trust hath delivered me for ever and God strengthning me I will praise him for it yea I will magnifie him as long as I have my being And now my dear friends I am set forth to you as an example of Gods terrors and judgements if ye shall rebell against Christ and perpetually resist the motions of Gods gracious Spirit striving with you as I have done I am withall a mirrour of Gods infinite rich mercies in the pardoning of iniquities and an example of heartning to you if God shall be pleased to give you repentance from your sins and from all your ungodly courses as to me I hope in God he hath done in some measure but if having such a warning given in such grievous judgements if the riches of Christs mercies in finding a way to pardon such a sinner as I am if neither of these nor both together prevaile with you nor be a means to hearten you and to cause you to live in some hope at least that it may be the Lord will have some mercy some compassion for you as well as for me If I say thesethings will be no means to reclaim you then I must be bold to tell you that I cannot say so much as a Judge to a condemned person Lord have mercy upon your souls I must leave you to God only at present let me put you in minde of these things which follow 1. That it is a fearfull thing to fall into the hands of the living God Heb. 10.31 for our God is a consuming fire Heb. 12.29 2. That certainly you have sucked in some desperate principles touching the decree and election of God which do so poison your souls with hopelesnesse that if ye come to hear a Sermon 't is for very shame of the world lest men should account you of no religion accounting it in all other respects vain and unprofitable either to hear a Sermon or to serve God at all and the truth is I much suspect this latter it having had a strong influence into my own troublesome and dreadfull apprehensions for so long together 3. That you will finde it dangerous indeed to dally with Jesus Christ a little longer he is now coming in a solemne manner to treat about the businesse of leaving of our sinnes and turning to God and this I hope to evidence clearly as occasion shall offer it self if I can have the liberty of a publike Pulpit as I desire but if I cannot I trust Jesus Christ who is now nigh at hand in his spiritual coming will vindicate me from the charge of being guilty of other mens transgressions which God willing I will endeavour to my utmost to prevent if I may be suffered but if I alone must be hindred I hope God will regard my innocency and men will at length know my integrity and affection to their souls FINIS
CHRIST KNOCKING AT THE DOORE OR The Substance of a SERMON Intended to be Preached in PAULS upon the Sabbath Day which fell upon the Fifteenth Day of April last But not Preached by reason of a suddain Obstruction of that Liberty which was promised him being indeed unworthy to be the Servant of Jesus Christ in any such ministration for ever Published by the Authour PHILIP TANNY commonly TANDY London Printed by A.M. and are to be sold by Giles Calvert at the Black Spread-Eagle at the West end of Pauls and Simon Miller at the Signe of the Starre 1655. To his Highnesse OLIVER Lord Protector of the Common-wealth of England Scotland and Ireland May it please your Highness IT is now almost nine years since I appeared in a Pulpit except once only at London-stone where I thank God through his blessing I did not wholy lose my labour I did endeavour before that to have preached at Pauls upon a Sabbath day in the afternoon in Dr Burgess his substitutes room but he being surprised on a sudden with some strange relations touching me wherein it may please God at length to vindicate me to the shame of all my enemies for I account my professed friends by reason of their injurious actions towards me little lesse on a sudden when I came with intention to goe into the Pulpit to deliver the substance of what is herewith printed with some enlargements as my affections should have dictated I was to the wonder I think of many I am sure of divers who came to hear me with honest affections I doubt not denied the liberty which was very civily promised me May it please your Highness I thank God I can say truly and my heart and conscience bears me witnesse to my own integrity in saying so that I can be content to become a spectacle to God Angels and men since he hath been pleased most strangely and unexpectedly to finde out a way to shew compassion to such a sinner as I am of which I was so hopelesse for a long time together though I must confesse at the beginning of my despair I received the greatest support by your Highnesse speaking to me that ever I had from any man living that I must needs say that for almost if not full out nine years together I never clearly hoped for the reconciled face of a loving God againe For this reason I say once again I can be content through the goodness of God to become a spectacle to God Angels and men for Jesus Christs sake who I trust hath had mercy on my soul and hath pardoned my transgressions there having been never such a sinner in the world as I have been Such a compassion being shewed to such a sinner the like I say again was never yet in the world it hath begotten in me a suitable and I hope I may say a Christianlike resolution to passe by such wrongs and injurious transactions used towards me as I may truly affirm that all circumstances considered there were yet never the like of them in the world done to any private man in a peaceable government God continue this government upon your Highness shoulders and make them strong for their service which is very great nay greater then you are aware of if I know any thing of God or of Jesus Christ aright The reason why I have troubled the Press with my affectionate meditations upon the action of Christ knocking at the doores of our hearts for the entertaining of his mercies is because 1. By this I shall revive in my memory the many transactions which Christ in his patience hath used toward my self and be humbled for my own disobedience and rebellion 2. That it might appear to all that I am no sower of sedition there being nothing more affectionately springing in my soul then my longing desire to see this poor Nation wherein I was born and have lived I thank God honestly towards man though sinfully towards God the larger half of my days in humane reason setled and established in truth righteousnes and peace I put truth first for if our intellectuals be not better principled touching many differences that are amongst us I am certain we cannot be stablished in righteousnesse and if we be not stablished in righteousnesse I am as sure and certaine that we cannot be stablished in any true and truly comfortable peace I am not without hope notwithstanding all difficulties yet to see such a peace And indeed to speak truth one reason of my hope is that I see generally in all mens expectations so little hope of it For do not mens hearts say within themselves How can these things be shall a Nation be born in a day It may be it will for when the Lord returns the captivity of his people shall they not be like them that dreame Who knows what a day may bring forth We have long looked for a day generally heretofore but of late men have laboured in the very fire and yet expected no good but to live and not to be slaves Bear up yet a little longer O England it may be thy Saviour will yet pity thy longings thou seest no help 't is the more likely that help is nigh at hand me thinks I see a little which though appearing but like the palme of a hand may yet increase to a great cloud which shall overspread the heavens and bring forth rain to refresh the earth In this Expectation I do with much comfort of heart assure my Soul your Highnesse hath a great part to act a great Stage to act upon you know not how large Be pleased to look to your station in Jesus Christ strongly and suddenly if your feet shall be fixt upon that rock and your goings stablished in him this Nation will have reason to blesse God for you but if your Highness falter too much if you consult with flesh and bloud too long if your affections to Jesus Christ and his poor ones cool or grow indifferent or that you look too much upon principles of Policy which are an Aegyptian Reed and will deceive you and all the Princes in the world You may expect a sudden hand of Gods vengeance and displeasure that shall overturn your Counsels and bring them to foolishnes and God shall bring deliverance another way and restore comforts to his Mourners by another hand I beseech your Highness pardon my plain dealing I dare not but speak the things which in some little measure I see I have spoken herein words of sobernesse and honest affection to your Highness and to this Nation wherein I live God Almighty give you understanding in all things which concern the publike and your private peace I am Your Highness most truly affectionate and thankefully humble Servant PHILIP TANNY vulgò TANDY CHRIST KNOCKING AT THE DOORE REV. 3. Ver. 20th Behold I stand at the doore and knock IF we take this whole Booke of the Revelations and looke upon it in a more generall view it
will deceive your own souls if you think so but to come to St Johns Vision again His Countenance is said to be as the Sun shineth in his strength In a word his Majesty was so great so amazing and so full of astonishment that when St John saw him he fell at his feet as dead His friend his servant fell down dead at the sight of his Majesty what shall his enemies do If the green tree be thus shaken how shall the dry tree stand when Jesus Christ shall appear in his glorious and terrible Majesty to judge the world in righteousnesse If the righteous if a Saint be thus terrified What shall lukewarm Hypocrites and ungodly sinners do when he cometh with clouds as v. 7. tels you he will If we go on with that verse we shall fee what they will do Behold he cometh with clouds and what then Then every eye shall see him and they also which pierced him as you do spiritually when you desperately stand out against his workings of loving kindenesse unto your souls even ye which shut him out of doors shall see him or feel him some way or other to your shame to your sorrow for it is said in the next words and all the kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him All ye then that are the kindreds of the earth whose hearts are set upon earth and earthly things for as for the godly they are more properly the kindreds of heaven for a like reason in the contrary See what will come on you if you go on in your rebellions against the Lord Christ and his Kingdom that is now coming towards you you will not sea him you will not take notice of him now but when he cometh with clouds shall ye not see him then how can ye avoid him Ye shall not then only see him or feel him or both but ye shall waile because of him nay and your wailing shall be for ever To conclude this If ye refuse his mercies now if whilest he stands at your doors and knocks ye will bid him be gone and shall say to him as those desperate wicked ones in Job Depart from us for we desire not the knowledge of thy waies What is the Almighty that we should serve him and what profit should we have if we pray unto him If we serve him thus or not serve him at all or bid him be gone as I said Christ will pay us with a Lex talionis he will have a Be gone for us as broad and as long as ours to him Go ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his Angels nay your own personal miseries and Judgements will not be all God will lay up your iniquities for your Children be will reward you and ye shall know it Job 21.19 he will reward you nay he will reward your children your sweet babes do not your bowels earn at this for your wickednesse What else can the meaning of that threarning be He will visit the iniquities of the Fathers upon the Children I have done with the first Consideration which makes it wonderful that Christ should thus stand and knock The second thing in him which improves the wonder is this that he is the party offended My Brethren my Brethren we have wounded him by our transgressions we have broken him by our sins and yet he is so willing to be friends he longs so much to be reconciled to be at one with us that he stands at our doors and knocks cals cries and he seeks entrance and reconciliation though he be the party offended What a Christ is this what sinners are we and yet it may be we think we do not sin against Christ at all but doubtlesse we do when we sinne against the motions of Gods Spirit pressing the riches of Gods goodnesse upon us and striving by it to leade us to repentance do we not sin against Christ indeed some of us know we doe but should we do so still Shall we sin against him offend him for ever What so good a Christ so ill entreated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God forbid my Brethren saith St James in another case These things ought not so to be 3. There is yet one Consideration more which raiseth the wonder and that is the concernment of this rich mercy if Jesus Christ will be pleased to stand at the doores of our souls and knock My Friends do ye rightly consider what Christ is doing when he is knocking at your doors I doubt ye do not But I will tell you he is striving to make us Kings and Priests and Prophets to our God that with him we may reign for evermore he is striving to come in that he may shew us that the Father hath forgiven us our sins he is striving to come in that he may reign over our corruptions and subdue our sins to us that he may tread Satan under our feet shortly and are these concernments of no value with us Beleeve it beleeve it the Lord Jesus Christ it may be will never knock at your doores if you make no estimation of these things but if you prize these things he will knock he will call yea he will wait to be gracious dut I beseech you put him not to wait too long especially when he comes to you in the night I mean in the night of your soul afflictions Alas when he comes then remember his head is full of dew and his locks are filled with the drops of the night What shall we keep him out in the cold far be it you see how it concerns you to open and make him welcome Open Open ye poor souls let him come in he will do you no harm yea he will do you all good and he will ease you of that burthen that troubles you most that is your sins why else doth he call you so eagerly so affectionately Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden and I will ease you Will Christ say it and will he not do it What will not the Amen say Amen to his own promises ye wrong him yea ye do him one of the worst of injuries to think it to beleeve it I have done with these 3 Considerations that render it wonderful that Christ should stand at any mans doors and knock but I have not yet wholly done with his transaction of knocking I have a little application behinde and if I on the behalf of Jesus Christ can make any knocking work upon your souls I shall blesse my God that ever I was born that have long been afraid that Christ had knockt me off for ever because being a Minister I have been so long silent and held my peace but God hath heard my praiers and he hath had mercy on me even because he had a favour unto me And now I hope I shall speak God willing and God I hope will help me to speak to his glory and the good of your souls From the Person then declaring
himself for you see who 't is 't is I 't is I saith Christ Here is 1. Comfort to the drooping soul 2. Terrour to the rebellious I begin first with Comfort to the drooping soul and indeed 't is pity but these should first be comforted before the other be terrified 't is for these mourners sakes amongst others and those others that shall be brought to this condition that the world stands for if once the number of Gods Jewels shall be compleated God will then go to gathering up of his Jewels Jews and Gentiles together and they shall be mine saith the Lord in the day when I make up my Jewels To you then let me first speak you see who stands at the door and from whom those motions of Gods Spirit come whereby your hearts are at any time wrought upon whether terrifyingly in the work of conviction upon your souls for sin by the right preaching and application of the Law or comfortably by the sweet strivings and wooings of the Preparations to the Gospel whether at this or at other times from whom come all these things My Text tels you in effect that they come from Christ and is not Christ your friend think ye why are ye afraid O ye of little faith yea perhaps I may as yet say O ye of no faith In the 14th of St. Matthewes Gospel we finde that Jesus had constrained his Disciples to get into a Ship and to goe on the other side of the sea there mentioned whilest he sent the multitude away the Disciples no doubt hoped that Christ would not be long after them nor was he for we finde that when the Ship was tossed with waves in the midst of the sea for the wind was contrary about the fourth watch of the night Iesus went to them walking on the sea The Disciples seeing this were troubled they thought they had seen a spirit and they cried out for feare but Christ quickly comforts them Be not afraid saith he be of good checre 't is I. How fitly is this applicable to your soules ye sonnes and daughters of affliction Jesus Christ hath constrained you to get into a Ship a Ship of soul-affliction let that be supposed to be the Ship in this Ship ye are tossed and tumbled with waves for the windes are contrary and ye think poor soules ye shall never come to your haven stay stay a little my sweet daughters of Hierusalem doe not droope too much loose not your Anchor hold so easily looke about you a little and perhaps you will discern Christ walking in this sea of your troubles Perhaps not knowing him when ye see him nor being well acquainted with him ye will mistake him and be troubled and think 't is a spirit that will destroy you and that he is your enemy 't was thus with the Disciples why may it not be so with you But see ver 27. Jesus straightway spake unto them saying be of good checre it is I be not afraid If ye can hear Christ saying it is I it is I be of good chear be not afraid will your afflictions trouble you then Waire then upon the Lord patiently you know not how soone Christ will shew himselfe to you I can assure you 't is now towards the fourth watch of the night and 't is not long till the morning waite comfortably under your storme your afflictions cannot last long the day-starre will arise and if Jesus Christ give you the morning-starre will it not be worth all your afflictions all your sorrowes all your tossing in these waters all the troubles you have undergone in your fears Be of good chear 't is I 't is I. Would you have more when you hear him and see him catch him in your armes and cry out with old Simeon The Lord now lets his Servant depart in peace for mine eyes have seen his salvation or as Philip which spake to Nathanael I have found him of whom Moses in the Law and the Prophets did write Jesus of Nazareth the Sonne of Joseph Ioh. 3.45 I have done with you at this time I come next to the rebellious and forgive me if professing my selfe a true Minister of Jesus Christ I come to you like Christ with clouds with the clouds of Gods indignation with clouds of darknesse and trouble upon your souls for your sinnes in suffering Christ to knock so oft to call so long to cry so loud so that it may be truly said of him as Christs mother and brethren and sisters said touching themselves in seeking Christ he hath sought you sorrowing and you have beene the cause of it for ye have many a time suffered him to strive knock call cry cry aloud and yet ye have given him no entrance he is out of doors still the door is locked still nay ye have set strong barres of opposition to keep him out nay to keep him out purposely You think perhaps you have not but I can make it apparent ye have nay and God willing I shall make it appear in a spirituall enquiry after some soule transactions before I have ended all my endeavours upon this Text. And what will ye say then touching your wickednesse must ye not will ye not say then 't is of the Lords mercy we are not consumed how ye should say lesse I know not But to prepare you herein for this Sermon will be but the shell the outside the kernell is to come be pleased to remember from that which I have already spoken that when ye sinne against the motions of Gods Spirit which I am confident hath been long strugling with you that in so doing ye sinne likewise against Christ against that Christ that it may be hath washed us from our transgressions by his own bloud and we not know it This consideration of sinning against Christ was a tender thing once with the Apostle St Paul 1 Cor. 8.12 where reproving the Corinthians for offending the consciences of the Brethren in eating things offered to Idols a thing too usuall in a spirituall sense in these daies he reproves them and terrifies them in so doing by fastening this upon them that they sinned against Christ But when ye sinne so against the Brethren and wound their weak Consciences ye sinne against Christ as much as to say and what will ye do that will ye do so indeed What we Christians sinne against Christ that hath made us so that hath washed us from our sinnes by his own bloud what we doe it Tell it not in Gath. Let others doe it if they will doe ye doe it if ye will but I tell you plainely I Paul will never doe it God willing wherefore if meat make my brother to offend I will eat no flesh whilest the world standeth lest I make my brother to offend His words by plaine and ready arguing with halfe an eye you may see to come to thus much that rather then I will sinne against Christ which I must doe if I make my brother to