20 Behold I stand at the door, [and knock,] &c
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Chriſt will not loſe at last whathe pursued ſo long; hethat waited ſo many years for thy foul, will never caſt it awaynow he hath ſeated himself inthe poffeſſion of it.
* * SERMON V.
REV. iii. 20. Behold I stand at the door, [and knock] &c.
INthe formerpointwe have ſeen theRedeemer's poſture, a poſture of condeſcending humility, rather the poſture of a ſervant than the Lord of all; Behold Istand at the door.
We now come to conſider his action, ormotion forentrance, I ſtand and knock : This metaphorical action ofknocking, ſignifies nothing else but the motions madebyChriſt for entrance into the : fouls of finners; and affords us this fifth obſervation.
Doctrine 5. That every conviction of conscience, and motion upon the affections offinners, isaknock ofChristfrom heaven for entrance into theirfouls.
This action of knocking is aſcribed ſometimes to the foul, and is expreſſive ofitsdefires tocome into thegracious prefence and communion ofGod ; fo Mat. vii. 7. " To him that knocks
" it ſhall be opened," i. e. to him that ſeeks by importunate prayer, fellowſhip andcommunion with theLord: But here it is applied to Chriſt, and is expreſſive of his importunate defire tocome intounion and communion with the fouls of ſinners.
Here I ſhall open toyou the following particulars :
1. What are the doors of the foul atwhich Chriſt knocks.
2. What his knocking at theſedoors implies.
3. By what inſtruments he knocks at them.
4. Inwhatmanner he performs this action .
First, What are the doors of the foul atwhich Chriſt knocks.
You allknow that term, Chriſt here uſeth, cannot be proper butmeraphorical ; it is a figurative ſpeech, thedoor is that part which is introductive into the houſe, and whatever is introductive into the foul, that is the door of the foul. Now in the foul of man there are many powers and faculties that have this ufe, and are of an introductive nature, to let things into the foul of man.
Some are more outward, as we may ſpeak comparatively; andſome more inward, as the doors of our houſes are.
Chriſt knocks orderly at them all, one after another, for the operations of the Spirit diſturb not the order of nature.
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1. The firſt door that opens and lets into the foulis the understanding : nothing paſſes intothe foul, but itmust firſt come through this doorof the understanding; nothing cantouch the heart, or move the affections, but what hath firſt touched the underſtanding. Hencewe read ſoofteninſcripture oftheopeningof the underſtanding, that being, as it were, the fore-door of the foul.
2.Within this is the royal gate of the foul, viz. The willof man, that noble and imperial power.
Many things may paſs intothe mind, or understanding of aman, and yet be able to get nofurther; the door of the willmaybe ſhut against them.
Therewere manyprecious truths ofGod let into the underſtandings ofthe Heathens,bythe light of nature, but could never get further, their hearts and wil's were locked, and ſhut up against them; as you may fee, Rom. i. 18. " They held
" the truths of God in unrighteousness;" that is, they bound and imprisonedthoſecommon notices thelawofnature impreſſed upon theirminds,concerningthebeing and nature ofGod, and thedutiesof both tables.
Theſe truths could get no further intotheir fouls, and,which is of fad anddreadful confideration,
Chrift himself ſtands betwixt theſe two doors, inthe fouls of many perfons; he is got into their underſtandings, and conſciences, they are convinced of the poſſibility, and neceffity of obtaining Jefus Chriſt, but still thedoor of their will is barred against him, which drew from him thatſad complaint, John v. 40. " You will not come unto me thatyou might have life."
When this door of the will is once effectually opened, then all the innerdoorsof the affections are quicklyſet open to receive, and welcome him ; defire, joy, delight, and all the reſt, ſtand open to him: Theſe are the doors at which the Redeemer knocks.
Secondly, Nextwe must conſiderwhat is meant by Chriſt's knocking at theſe doors, and what that action implies.
Inthe general, knocking is nothing elſebut anaction fignificativeof the defires of one that is without, to come in; it is a fign appointed tothat end : And what is Chriſt's knocking, but a fignification to the foul of his earnest defires to come into it; a noticegivento the foul of Chriſt's willingness to pofſſeſs itfor his own habitation ? And it is asmuch as if Chriſt ſhould fay, foul, thou art thehouſe thatwas builtby my hand, purchased, and redeeined by my blood ; I have an unquestionable right to it, and now demand entrance. More particularly, there are diversgreatthings impliedinthis gracious act of Chrifl's knocking at the doorof the foul.
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1. It implies the ſpecial favour, and distinguiſhing grace, andgoodness ofJesus Chrift, that he will ſtand, and knock at our doors, whenhe paſſes by ſo great a part of the world, nevergiving oneſuch knock, or call, at other men's doors; it is certainly a moſt glorious, and admirable condeſcenſion, and favourofheaven, and wherever it is ſucceſsful, it ſpeaks aman highly favoured of God. O thatwhen Chriſt paſſes by the fouls of thousands, and millions, that would certainly afford him as comfortable anhabitation as our fouls cando, and will
: notgiveone effectual knock, or call, at their doors, allthedays of their life; that he will pleaſe toturnaſide to thy foul, and wait, and knock there for entrance : I ſay, here is one of the greatest acts of favour thatcanbe ſhewn to the foul ofa finner.
How many fouls bethere in the world, equal in naturaldignity toyours, and of ſweeter natural tempers, whom yet the Lord
Jeſus lets alone, in the quiet poſſeſſion offatan, Luke xi. 21 .
There is a deep filence, and ſtilneſs in their confciences, no ſtirrings, nor disturbancesbyconvictions, but, through a dreadfuljudgmentofGod, they are left in adeep ſleep; and if their confciences at anytime begin togrumble, how foon are they huſhed, andquieted again, byfatan?
What the conditionof the world was in former ages, we may fee in Acts xiv. 16.
" Who in times paſt ſufferedall nations towalk in their own way." O ! it is the greatest mercy in theworld for the fleepy confcience of a ſinner to be rouzed by convictions, becauſe it is introductive to all other ſpiritual mercies.
I confess this act of grace is little apprehended by the ſons anddaughters of men; much rather would poor finners be let alone, than be thus difturbed by troubleſome convictions; andwhen Chriſt diſturbs their reſt, how do they ſtartle at the knocks of his Word and Spirit ? How angry be they that they cannot be let alone to enjoy their quiet ſleep in fin, till the flames of hell awaken them ?
Mr. Fenner, that great and eminent inſtrument ofGod in this work, tells us, in one of his fermons, how it fared with acertainman that came tohearhim preach : It seems the word hadgot entrance intohis confcience,andgave ita terriblealarm, and as he was going home, ſome that followedhim, heardhim thus blaming and bemoaning himself: ' O what a fool, what abeaſt was I, to come under this fermon to-day ?
I ſhall • never have peace and quietneſs any more.' And what is the reaſonthat fmooth and general preaching is ſo much applauded and affected in theworld,and cloſeconvincingdoctrine ſomuch ſhunnedandhated, but this, that ſinners are very loath tobe diſquieted, and have their confciences thoroughly awakened?
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Well, whatever your apprehenfions be, certainly it is anunſpeakable mercy for Chriſt to knock, and diſquiet the ſouls of finners by his calls.
That is the firſt thing.
2. The next thing implied in this action of Chriſt, is this, That the firſt motions towards the recovery and ſalvation of finners begin not in themselves, but in Chriſt : We never knock at heaven's door byprayer, till Chriſt hath firſt knocked.. at our doors by his Spirit: Did not Chriſt move firſt, there wouldbe no motions after him in our hearts ; we move towards him, becauſe he hath firſt moved upon our fouls. Chriſt might fit long enough unfought, and undefired, did he not make the firſt motion. Allour motions are ſecondary, and conſequential motions.
Ifa. lxv. 1. " I am found of them that fought me " not."
As we lovehim becauſe he firſt loved us, ſo we ſeck after himbecauſe he firſt ſought us. Alas ! poor ſinners are as well ſatisfied, as any people in the world can be, to lie faſt aſleep in the devil's arms . When the Spirit of Godgoes forth with the word of conviction, he finds the fouls of men in the veryfamepoſture whichthe angels, that had ſurveyed theworld, reported the whole earth to be in.
Zech. i. 11. "Behold all " the earth ſitteth ſtill, and is at reſt."
Every man ſettled, and fatisfied in his ownway.
What a ſtrange ſtilneſs, and midnight filence is there amongſt ſinners ? Not a figh, not a cry to be heard for fin : So the Pfalmiſt, Pfal.xiv. 2. repreſents the cafe of ſinners.
" The Lord looked down from heaven " upon the children of men, to fee if there were any thatdid
" underſtand, and ſeekGod. They are all gone aſide," &c.
There is one thing that is admirably ſtrange in this cafe, that even thoſe men and women, whoſe rattles of earthly pleaſures and delights, which brought them into this ſleep and ſecurity, are taken away from them by the hand of Providence, I mean their eftates, health, children, &c. yet they awake not; there are no ſtirrings afterGod. O what a dead ſleep hath ſin caft the fouls of finners into !
You have anotable ſcripture tothis purpoſe, inJob xxxv. 9, 10. they are the wordsof Elihu, concerning men and women under grievous oppreſſion, perſons ſqueezed andground by the cruel hands of wicked men: "By " reaſonofthe multitude ofoppreffions they make the oppreſſed
" to cry; they cry out by reaſon of the arm of the mighty :
" Butnone faith, where isGod my Maker, who giveth ſongs " in the night? i. e. Succour, comfort, and refreshment to the afflicted.
Here aremen turnedoutoftheir eſtates,thrown into priſons, caſtupon all extremities, and miſeries; andwhat
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1dotheſepoorcreatures do? Why, faith he, theycryby rea fon of their oppreffion : O my father, or my mother, my wife my child, my eftate, my liberty; but none faith, where is my
God ? O my fin, or my miferyby reaſon of fin! "Where is "he thatgiveth fongs in the night? "
The people ofGod when they lie muſing upon their beds under affliction, they have their " fongs in the night;" in the midst of the multitude of their troubled thoughts within them, the comforts of God delight their fouls. These aretheir fongs in the night, butnofuchword, or thought, in carnal men. How plain is it, thatall the firſt motions of falvation have their firſt ſpring, and rife, inGod, and not in us ? That is the ſecond thing im plied in Chrift's knocking.
3. Chriſt's knocking at the door of the heart, implies the method of the Spirit inconverfion tobe congruous, and agreeable, to the nature of man's foul.
Mark Chriſt's expreſſion in the text; he doth not ſay, "Behold I come to the door," and break it open by violence; no,"Chriſt makes no forcible entries, whether finners will or no; he will come inbyconſent of the will, or not at all.
I ſtand and knock ; if anymanopen thedoor, I will come in tohim.
There is a greatdifference betweena friendly admiffionby conſent, and a forcible entrance :
Inaforcible entrance bars of iron are brought tobreak open thedoor; but in a friendlyadmiſſion oneknocks, andthe other opens.
Forcible actions are unfuitable to the nature of the will, whoſe motions are free and ſpontaneous; therefore it is faid, Pfalm cx. 3. " The people shall bewillingin the day of " thy power."
It is true, the power ofGod is upon thewill ofman in the day of his converfion, or elſe itwould never open toChrift ; butyet that power ofGoddoth not act against the freedom of man's will, by co-action and force; no, butof unwilling he makes it willing; taking away the obſlinacy, and reluctancy of the will by the efficacy of his grace, which fome divines call victrix delectatio, a ſweet and pleasant victory ; and ſo the door of the will still opens freely.
Hofea xi. 4. " Idrew " them with the cords of a man, with the bands of love."
drew them, there is almighty power; but how did this powerdraw them ? with the cords of aman, i. e. with rational arguments, convincing the judgment.
Beafts are driven, and forced, but men are drawn by reaſon, and will not move without it, if they act like themselves.
It mustbe confefſed, that when the day of God's power is come for thebringing homeof a poor finner to Chriſt, he cannot refift the powerof
God'sSpirit, thatdraws him effectually: " Every one thathath
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" heard and learned of the Father, cometh unto me;" yet ſtill the foul comes freelyby the conſent of his will ; for this is the method of Chrift in drawing fouls to him.
There is in the day of a finner's converfion a kid, an offer made for the will, both by fatan and Chriſt; fatan bids riches, honours, and pleafures, with eaſe and quietneſs to the flesh, in the enjoyment of them: Abide where thou art, faith fatan, remain with me, andthou shalt eſcape all the perfecutions, loſſes, and troubles of theworld, which confcience entangles other men in; thou ſhalt draw thy life through peace and pleaſure, to thy dying day. O, faith the fleſh, this is a good motion, what canbe better for me ?
But then faith Chriſt, doft thou not confider that all theſe enjoyments will quickly be at an end, andwhat ſhall become of thee then?
Behold, I offer thee the free, full, and final pardon of thy fins; peace and reconciliation with God, treaſures inheaven, all theſe ſhall be thine, with troubles, reproaches, and perfecutions in this world.
The underſtanding, and confcience of a ſinner, being convinced of the vanity ofearthly things, andthe indiſpenſable neceſſityof pardon and peacewithGod; I ſay, when aconvincedjudgment hath duely balanced theſe things, and laid them before the will, and the Spirit of God puts forth his power in the renovation of it ; it moves towards Chrift freely, and yet cannot, according to its natural order, act otherwise than itdoth .
And, doubtless, this isthe true meaning of that expreffion, ſo often mistaken and abuſed, in Luke xiv. 23." Compel them tocome in."
What ! byforcingmen against the light of their confciences ? No, no ; tothe ſhame of many Proteſtants let us hear the gloſs of Stella, a Popiſh commentator upon the place.
Chriſt (faith he) com. pels men tocome in, by ſhewing to their will ſuch an excelling good as it cannotbut embrace :
For voluntas naturaliter fertur in bonum, the will is naturally carried to the beſt good. And thus the Spirit works upon the foulharmoniously, and agreeable to its own nature.
That is the third thing im plied in Chriſt's knocking.
: 4. Chriſt's knocking at the door of the foul, manifeſtly implies the immediate acceſs of the Spirit ofGod unto the foul of man; that he can come to the very innermoft door of the toul athis pleaſure, and make what impreſſion upon it he pleaſeth.
As for other inſtruments uſed in this work, they have no ſuch privilege, or power; Miniſters can but knock at the external doorof the ſenſes.
Thine eyes ſhall fee thy teachers, we can fee their perfons and hear their voices ; we can reaſon with :
England'sDuty. finners, andpleadwith their fouls ; but awakenthemwe can not, open their hearts we cannot; we canonly lodge our meffages intheir ears, and leave it to the Spirit ofGod tomake it effectual.
This is aroyalty belonging unto the Spirit ofGod, incommunicable to angels, or men; if an angel from heaven were the preacher, he could not give one immediate ſtroke to the confcience, much leſs canman; we have nodominionover your confciences.
The key of the doors of your fouls hang not at our girdles, but are in the hands of Chriſt, Rev. iii. 7.
" He hath the key of David, he openeth, andno man ſhutteth; " and he ſhutteth, and no man openeth."
The confcience, and all the faculties lie naked and open to the ſtroke of God's Spirit ; he can wound them and heal them, and make what impreſſions he pleaſeth upon them.
Learnhence what need there is, both for miniſters and people, before they enter upon the folemn ordinances ofGod, to lift up theirhearts by prayer for the bleffing, and power of the Spirit upon them.
Lord, fend forth thy Spirit, pour itforthupon, andwith thyword.
Ah! howmany fermons have we preached,andyou heard, and yet there is no opening ! Theſe are the four things implied in Chriſt's knocking atthe door, viz. condeſcendinggrace : All firſt motions being inGod, the motions of his Spirit are congruous, and agreeable to the nature of the foul; and thathis
Spirit can have immediate acceſs tothe innermost faculties, and powers of the foul, athis pleaſure. Now in the next place let us confider, Thirdly, By what inſtruments Chriſt knocks at the doors, that is, the judgment, confcience, and willof a finner.
And theſe are two, viz.
1. His word.
2. His providence.
Here my work will be to ſhewyou how the Spirit of God makes uſe both of the word and works of God, to rouze and open the confciences and hearts of finners. Theſe are the two hammers or inſtruments of the Spirit, by which he knocks at thedoor of the heart.
1. The word written or preached, but eſpecially preached ; to this Chriſt gives the preference above all other inſtruments employedabout this work; and, anſwerably, the word is called
God'shammer, Jer. xxii. 29. " Is not my word like fire, and " as thehammerwhich breaketh the rocks inpieces ? " By this hammer Chriſt raps at the door ofafinner's foul, to give warning thathe is there.
The Spirit of God can openthe heart immediately if he pleaſeth; but he will honour hisword in this work. And therefore, when Lydia's heart was to be
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opened, Paul, thegreatgoſpel-preacher, muſtbe invited, even by an angel, to come over to Macedonia, and aſſiſt in thatblefſed work, Acts xvi. 9.
Lydia was to be converted, her heart muſt be opened to Chriſt ; the angel could not do it, butcalls for the help oftheApoſtle,God's appointed inſtrument to carry onthat work.
" I have made thee (faithGod to Paul) a mi- " niſter and a witneſs to open their eyes, and turn them from " darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God,"
Acts xxvi. 13. Now there be three ways in which the Spirit uſes the word, as his hammer, in knocking at the door of the foul.
(1.) He knocks by the particular convictions of theword upon the confcience; this knock, by conviction, rings and founds through all the rooms and chambers of the foul ; particular and effectual conviction woundstothe very centreof the foul. Ah, whenthe word ſhallcome homeby the Spirit's particular application, like that of Nathan's to David, Thou art theman ; then all the powers ofthe foul are rouſed and alarmed; now it pierces as a two-edged ſword, Heb. iv. 12. divides the fouland ſpirit, the ſuperior and inferior faculties ofit; cuts downby the back-bone, lays open the ſecret guilt and innermoſt thoughts ofa man's heart, before which the ſinner cannot ſtand.
The ſecrets ofhis heart are made manifeſt ; and falling down on his face he muſt acknowledge thatGod isin the word of a truth, 1 Cor. xiv. 24.
O theſe convictions ofthe word are ſuch a rap, ſuch aknock at thedoor of the confcience, as willneverbe forgotten, nonot in heaven, to alleternity.
(2. ) Chriſt knocks in the word by its terrible comminations and awful threatenings, menacing the foul that opens not with eternal ruin; theſe are dreadful knocks : O finner, faith Chrift, wilt thou not open ? Shall all the tenders ofmy grace made to = thee be invain ? Know then that this thy obſtinacy ſhall be thy damnation.
Thus the word denounces ruin, in the name of the great and terribleGod, to all wilful impenitents and obſtinate unbelievers, John iii. 36. " He that believeth not the Son,
" ſhall not fee life; but the wrath ofGod abideth on him." O dreadful found ! like unto which is that, John viii. 24. " If ye
" believe not that I am he, ye ſhall die in your fins :" q.d.
Thy mittimus for hell ſhallbe madeand ſigned.
Willyou not come tome thatyou might have life ? Then will I foretelwhat death you ſhall die, you ſhall even die inyourfins. O it were better for thee to die anykind ofdeath, than todie in thy fins.
Theſe are loud knocks of the word, terrible ſounds, yet no
England'sDuty. more than needs to ſtartle the drouſy confciences of finners.
Andthen, (3.) The ſpirit knocks by the gracious invitations of the word, the ſweetallurements and gracious infinuations of it; and without this no heartwould ever open to Chriſt.
It is not froſt and snow, ſtorms and thunder, but the gentle diſtilling dews, and cheriſhing fun-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 finner's heart.
The obdurate flint will fooner fly when ſmitten upon the ſoft pillow, thanupon the anvil. Now the goſpel aboundswith alluring invitations todrawthe will, andopen the heart of a ſinner; ſuch is that, Mat. xi. 28. " Come unto me
" all ye that labour, and are heavy laden; and I willgive you " reſt." O what a charming voice is here ! he that conſiders it, maywellwonder what heart in the world can refift it : like unto this is that in Iſa. Iv. 1. " Ho, every one that shirſteth, come ye to the waters; and he thathath no money let him come; yea, let himcomeand buy wine and milk without moneyand without price." q. d. Come, finner, come ; though thouhave no qualifications, nor worthiness, nor righteouſneſs ofthyown; though thoubebut a heapof fin and vileneſs, yet come: mygrace is a gift, not afale : and fuch is that in John vii. 37. " Inthe last day, the greatday of the feast, Jeſus ſtood
" up and cried, If anyman thirſt let him come to me and " drink." q. d. My grace is not a fealedfountain, it is free and open to the greatestof ſinners; if they thirst, they are invit-
" ed tocome and drink.
This is that oil of the gofpel grace which makes thekey turn ſopleasantly, and effectually, amongst all the croſs wards of man's will. And thus you fee how the word preached becomes an inſtrument, in the Spirit's hand, to open the door of a finner's heart, at which it knocks by its mighty convictions, dreadful threats, and gracious invita.ions.
2. We next come tothe ſecond hammer, by which the Spirit knocks at the ſinner's heart, and that is the providential works ofGod.
Theſe, in ſubſerviency to the word, are of excellentuſe to awaken ſinners, and make them open their hearts to Chriſt. God hath magnified his word above all his name; yetthere are ſome of the providential works ofGod greatly ferviceable in this cafe; the word fanctifies providences, andprovidences aſſiſt the word, and make it work. Now there are two fortsof providential diſpenſations which the Lord Jefus makes uſe of to gain entrance for him into the hearts ofmen, viz .
(1.) Judgments.
(2.) Mercies.
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(1.) Judgments andafflictions : thewordofGodmanytimes works not till fome ſtroke ofGodcome to quicken and affiſt it; thusdid the Lord openthe heartofthat monster ofwickedneſs,
Manaffeh, the word would not work alone, but a ſmart rod quickened its operation : 2 Chron. xxxiii. 10, 11, 12. " And "the Lord ſpake to Manaſſeh, and tohis people; but they
"would not hearken.
Wherefore the Lord brought upon "them the captains of the hoft of the king of Affyria, which "tookManaſſeh among the thorns, and bound him with fet- *ters, and carriedhim to Babylon. Andwhen hewas in afflic- "tion, he befought the Lord hisGod, and humbled himself
"greatly before theGod of his fathers."
Thus the heart of this man relented under the word aſſiſted by the rod. Ah, it isgood thatGod takes ſucha courſewith fome finners, elſe the word would do them no good: and to this purpoſe is that inJob xxxvi. 8, 9, 10. " And if theybe
"bound in fetters, andholden in cords of affliction; thenhe " ſheweth them their work and their traſgreffion, that they
" have exceeded; and openeth their ears todiſcipline."
This is that rough courſe the obſtinacy of mens hearts makes neceffaryfor their recovery, and therefore it is very obſervable, that fome words ofGod have lain dead in ſome finners hearts for years together,and at laſt have begun towork under fome finart andcloſe rod.
Alas, while all things are pleasant and profperous about us, theword hath but little operation and effect :
Jer. xxii. 21, 22. " I ſpake unto thee in thy profperity, but " thou ſaidſt I will not hear this hathbeen thy manner from " thy youth, that thou obeyedſt not my voice.
The wind " ſhall eat up all thy paſtures, and thy lovers ſhall gointocap66 tivity; furely then ſhalt thou be ashamed and confounded for " all thy wickedneſs." q. d. Your eyes are ſo dazzled with the beautiful flowers, and your ears to charmed with the Syren fongs or earthly delights, that my windcan take noplace upon you.
Let an east-wind blow, and wither up theſe flowers ; thentheword ſhall work, and confcience reſent the concernments of eternity.
This courte God is fain to take with manyof you; bere you fit from fabbath to'fabbath under the word, andnothing takesplaceupon your hearts.
Will you not hear the voice of my word ?? Go, death, faithGod, ſmite thatman's child dead, I will try what that will do ; go poverty, and blaſt his eftate, and ſee what that willdo; go ſickness, and ſmite his body, and ſhake him over the graves mouth, I will feewhat that will do.
ThusGod ſends to finners, that Abfalom fent toJoab, who refused tocome near him, tillhe fet
England'sDuty. fire tohis fieldofcorn, andthenawaycomes Joab, 2Sam. xiv, 29, 30, 31. Andthus the Lord opened theheartof theJaylor, by putting him into a fright, a panic fear ofdeath, Acts xvi.
27. Andthus doth the Lord deviſe means to bring back his baniſhed.
(2.) AsGodmakes use of thehammer ofjudgments, ſo he makesuse of mercies to makeway for Chriſt intothe 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 would prevail more than allthe judgments inthe world, Rom. ii. 4. " Knoweſt thou not that the good- " neſsofGodleadeth thee torepentance ?" q. d. Doſt thou not ſee the hand of mercy ſtretched out to lead thee into a corner, there to mourn over thy fins committed againſt ſogracious and merciful aGod ? By every mercy you receive, Chriſt doth, as itwere, fue you to open your hearts to him; they are ſomany gifts ſentfromheaven to make way for Chriſt into your hearts.
Itwould be an endleſs taſk to enumerate all the mercies beſtowedto 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, Jer. v. 24.
" Neither ſay they in theirheart, 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 marvellouſly preſerved intimes ofcommon contagion and death, when thouſands have fallen at your right handand left: then haveyou been preferved or recovered, according to that, Exod. xv. 26. " I will put
" none of thoſe diſeaſes upon thee, for I am the Lord that " healeth thee."
I am Jehovah Rophe, the Lord the phyſician ; many of you have been at the graves mouth, in many difeaſes, othersupon thedeeps; yet thehandofmercy pulledyou back, and ſuffered you not todrop into the grave and hell in the fame moment.
O what a knock was here given by the handof mercy at thy hard heart ! Certainly ifmenwouldbut obſerve, they might fee a ſtrange, marvellous working, and moulding of things by the handofprovidence, for the productionof thousands of mercies for then: and ifmercy would do the work, and win you over to Chriſt, many rods had been ſpared, which your obſtinacyhath made neceſſary. O ungrateful finners! doth your Redeemer thus woo and fee you by fo many gifts of mercy, and yet willyou that him out ? Do ye thus requite the Lord, O foolish people andunwife? For which of allhis benefits doyour ungrateful fouls ſhut the doorupon him ?
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(3.) You seewhat Chriſt's knocking at the foulofa finner implies, andby what inſtruments it isperformed.
In the laſt place, we willconfiderthe manner how this action is performed inthe ten following particulars, wherein much ofthe myfteryofconverfion will be opened; the Lord grant your experiencemay anſwer them.
We cannot indeed exactly deſcribe andmark all the footsteps ofthe Spirit, in this work, upon the fouls of men; yet theſe things ſeem eminently obſervable.
1. The knocks of Chriſt at the finner's heart are filent and fecretto allperſons in the world, except the foul itſelf atwhoſe door he knocks; here be many hundreds ofyou thisday under the word; ifthe Lord ſhall this dayknock by conviction at any man's heart, none will hear that knock, but that man only ; for it is a knock without found or noiſe toany but the particular foul concerned in it. It was fore-prophefiedofour Redeemer, and ofthis very act ofhis, Ifa. xlii. 2. " He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cauſe his voice to be heard in the ſtreet."
The kingdom ofGod cometh not into the fouls of men with public obſervation : you read in 1 Cor. ii. 11. " No man know- ** eththe things ofa man, ſave the ſpirit of a man that is in " him."
None knows what convictions another man's conſcience feels, untilhe himself malldiscover them; you hear the famefound ofthe gospel, but you hear not the inward ſtrokes itgives to another man's confcience.
Chriſt's approaches to the foul make no noiſe; littledoweknow whatthe ſpirit ofChrift whiſpers in the ear of him that fits nextus.
It is faid of the inward comforts ofthe ſpirit, Iwillgive 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 fecret whiſper of his ſpirit inthe ear of a finner, ſaying, thou art the man, this is thy caſe.
That is the firſt thing inthe manner of Chriſt's knocking, it is a filent knock without public found.
2. Theſe filent inward knocks ofthe ſpiritof Chriſt, though they areheardby none but the foul itſelf, yet do they greatly differ as to the terror, or mildness ofthem indifferent ſubjects .
Somehear them with more terror and astonishment, others in amild and gentle manner. When the Lord knocked at the Jaylor's confcience, Acts xvi. 29, 30. it was a terrible ſtroke ; he called for a light, andſprang in like aman diſtracted; and trembling and aftoniſhedfelldown at the apostles feet, crying,
" Sirs, what muſt Ido tobe ſaved ?" Here was a terrible knock indeed, which almoſt affrighted his foul out of his body; it is
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England's Duty. as if he had faid, tell me, for the Lord's fake, and tell me quickly, whether there be any way of ſalvation, and where it lies, for I am a loſt man, an undone foul.
But when the Lord opened the heart of Lydia, there were no ſuch terrors, the Lord ſpake to her in a more mild andgentle voice; as you fee ver. 14.
The ſpirit ofGod varies his method according to the temper ofthe foul he worketh on.
Knotty pieces need greater wedges and harder blows to rive them aſunder, and as he directs his minifters, Jude 22. to make a difference, to deal tenderlyand compaſſionately with ſome; but others, to ſave with fear; fohe himself obſerveth like different methods.
3. Some knocks of Chriſt are fuccefsful, and obtain thedefired effect.
He knocks, and the foul opens ; but others are unſucceſsful; he knocks once, and again,by convictions, which may cauſe the confcience, for the preſent, to ſtartle a little, but there is no opening to Chriſt by faith. O friends ! this is of dreadful confideration; Prov. i. 24. " I called, and you refuf- " ed; I ſtretched out myhand, and noman regarded." There is a call without an anſwer, a knock, and no opening ; and theſe things are very common, eſpecially among the unconverted, that live under a lively goſpel-rouſing miniftry.
Of this Chriſt complains, Mat. xvi. 17. " Whereunto ſhall I liken this generation ? They are like unto children fitting in the market-place, andcalling to their fellows, ſaying, We have pip- "eduntoyou, and youhave not danced; we have mourned
" unto you, but you have not lamented:" q. d. Neither the delicious airs, and melody of goſpel-grace, nor the mournful, and dreadful threats of damnation to unbeliever , avail any thing to open your hearts to embrace me; no voices from " mountGerezim, or mount Ebal, will prevail with you.
Ah ! how many fad witneſſes unto this truth have I now before mine eyes ! but God forbid it ſhould be thus all round: no, no, therebe fome fouls who hear, and open, even every one that hathheard, and learned of the Father, John vi. 45. when the fpirit of God puts forth his power with theword, then, and not till then, itbecomes ſucceſsful.
4. Sometimes Chriſt knocks with a thick fucceffion of convictions, a quick repetition of his calls. Some men have had thousands of convictions in a few years; for in this cafe the Lord faith, as it is Exod. iv. 8. " If they will not hearken to " thevoice of the firſt ſign, yet they may believe the voice of " the latter fign." And yetſometimes neitherthe former, nor the latter avail any thing. "How oft would Ihave gathered
66 thy children, andye would not?" Mat. xxiii. 37. How often
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Intimating themanycalls Chriſt gave Jerufalem tocome unto him, yet all invain. Obſtinate ſinners, Chriſt hathbeenknocking, and calling at fome of your confciences, from your very childhood; thousands of convictions have been tried upon fome of you, andyet, to this day, your fouls are ſhut faſt against him.
The Lord hath waited, from year to year, for your anfwer, by this ſignifying howloath he is to part with you ; ſuch a time thou waſt upon a fick bed, nigh unto death ; at fuch atime under ſuch a fermon, and then Chriſt knocked at thy foul : if all this be invain, ſomany convictions asyou have ſtifled, ſomany faggots you carry withyou to hell, to increaſeyour flames, and torments. Yetcommonlythoſequick repetitions, and redoublings of the ſtrokes of convictions end well; and it is agood ſign, whenoneconviction revives another, and the Lord keeps the foul ſtill waking.
But O take heed, and try not his patience too long, left the next ſtroke be more dreadful than all the former ; not toopen your hearts, but ſmite dead your hopes for heaven.
5. Sometimes Chriſt knocks intermittingly, knocking and ſtopping, a call andfilence, and that at a confiderable time and diſtance: aconviction this day, and, itmay be, not another in many months.
There be ſome aged ſinners that have not had more thanone or two remarkable rouzings ofconfcience in fifty or fixty years time, and then no more; do not think that the Lord will make his ſpirit always strive with men, Gen. vi.
3. no, there is a time whenGod faith to the word, convict the confcience of that manor woman no more, not a ſtroke more, by way of conviction, but henceforth be thou for obduration, not to open, but to ſhut himup, Ifa. vi. 10.
Reader, bethink thyſelf, how longwas it ſince thyconfcience was rouſed, and awakened ? O faith one, ſeven or ten years ago I heard fuch a ſermon which tore my confcience to pieces ; I fell under ſuch a providence, which rouſed and awakened all my fears ; but fince thattime allhath been ſtill, and quiet; the Lordgive a ſecond awakening, left you awake with the flames of God's wrath about you .
I obſerve, it is uſual, when God works upon any very early, he knocks thus intermittingly : now the confcience is active, and full of trouble, then the vanities of youth extinguiſh theſe convictions again, but the Lord follows his deſign, and at laſt the conviction fettles, and ends in converfion.
6. Chriſtſometimes knocks with both hands at once, with theword, and with the rod together; the latter inſubſerviency
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England'sDuty. to the former ; andifever thefoulbe liketoopen, itwill open then, when ordinances and afflictions work together. The word ſmites the confcience with conviction, and at, or about the fame time, providence ſmites the outward manwith fame affliction, to make the word work effectually; or, under fome fmart affliction, a fuitable word is ſeaſonablydirected to theconſcience: and thusjunctajuvant, the one aſſiſteth theother, and both together produce the defired effect.
Thus the Lord wrought upon the Theſſalonians, I Thef. i. 6. " And ye became followers ofus, and of the Lord, having received the " word in much affliction " Achild dies, aneſtate is loft, or a fickneſs ſeizeth, at the timewhenconfcience isprepared by a conviction fromthe word, or afflictions have prepared it for the word: the roduponthe back helps the word to work upon the heart, and ifboth theſe working in fellowship, will not do the work, there is little hope that any thingwilldo it.
7. Every knock of Chriſt diſturbs the finfulreſt ofthe foul; it rouſeth guilt in the conſcience, and puts theinner man into great diſtreſs, and trouble.
BeforeChriſt comes, and knocks at the door of the heart, allis stilland quietwithin; the foul is in a quiet fleep offinful ſecurity, no fears or troubles moleſt its reſt.
Luke xi. 21. " When a ſtrong man armed keepeth his " palace, his goods are in peace; butwhena ſtronger thanhe
" ſhall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from " him all his armour wherein he truſted."
The armour which Satanputs into thehandsof finners, todefendthemſelves againſt the convictive ſtrokes of the word, are the general mercy of God, the outward duties of religion, partial reformations, &c.
But when Chriſt comes by effectual conviction, he diſarms the finner of all theſe pleas, and then the foul fees what broken reeds it leaned upon. "Whenthe commandmentcame, (faith
" Paul) fin revived, and I died," Rom. vii. 9. i. e. all myvain hopes expired; no artifice of Satan can any longer quiet the finner's confcience; he apprehends himself in a miferable condition, meditates an eſcape; farewel now to found and quiet leep : no peace, till out ofdanger.
8. Every effectual knock of Chriſt gives an alarm to hell, and puts Satan toall his ſhifts, and arts, to fecure the poffeffion of theconvinced ſinner. The devil is ajealous ſpirit, andwhen his intereſt is indanger, he beſtirs himself to purpoſe; the timeof conviction is anhour of temptation. " We wrestle not with fleſh
" and blood, (faith the apostle) but against principalities, a46 gainft powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this
" world, againſt ſpiritual wickedness, (or wicked ſpirits) in
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501.
"high-places," or aboutheavenlies,Eph. vi. 12. The ftrife betwixtfatan and thefoul,isnow forno less than the prize ofeternal life; it is now for all, or none; for life or death, for heaven orhell : The powers ofhell arenowall in arms todeſtroyconvictions, and ſecure the poffeffion of the foul against Chriſt ; as when agranado falls into a garrifon, the firft care ofthedefendants is, to ſtifle, and choak it before it break.
Whilst Chrift isſpeakingbyhis Spirit in one ear, thedevil is whispering inthe other; and the things he whispers to quench convictions, are ufuallyfuch as theſe: It is time enough yet, what need ſuch hafte? Enjoythy pleaſuresa little longer,thou mayeft come to Chrift, andbe faved at last. Ifthat will notdo, thenhe changeth his voice: To what purpoſe wilt thou go to Chriſt ? It is now too late, the time of grace is over; hadſt thou come to him in thy youth, and obeyedhis firſt call, it hadbeenfomewhat, but now it is to no purpoſe.
If this will not quiet the foul, thenhe faith,Thy fins aretoogreat to be pardoned, there is nohope for fuch a prodigious finner as thou art. If the Lord helpthe foul to overcome this, by discovering to it the riches
ofmercy, pardoning the greatest of ſinners; then he repreſents the multitudes which are in the fame cafe with the convinced finner ; Come, fear not, if itgo ill with thee, it willbe as bad for millions of men andwomen; ifthou go to hell, thouſands will gowith thee: But if the foulbe loath to be damned for company, then he bids it lookupon the train of troubles and afflictions that come alongwith Chriſt, and will certainly followhim, if thedoor be open to lethim in: If Chriſt come in, reproaches, loſſes, and fufferings, will certainly come in with him; troops of miſeries and calamities follow him; himself hath told thee fo, and artthou mad, to ruin allthy comforts in theworld, and plunge thyself into a fea of trouble forwhat thine eyes never faw ? But if the foul reply, theſe are more tolerablethandamnation,bettermy fleſh ſuffer for a time, than my foul be caſt away for ever; then he repreſents the infuperabledifficulties of religion, what ahard thing itis to be ſaved, how manypainful duties and acts of mortificationthe foul muſt paſs through.
Thus you ſee what an alarm conviction gives tothe powers of hell .
19. Every effectual knock of Chriſt is followed on, and new convictions revive old and former ones, and the Lord never leaves knocking till the door be opened; if one fermonwill notdo, another ſhall ; if one wound be plantered andhealed bythe art offatan, a freſh wound ſhall be made ; if a former conviction vanish, the next ſhallbe fealeduponthe foul; and
England's Duty. whenthe Spiritof the Lord ſealetha conviction upon the conſcience, raze it out who can ?
And here is the differencebetwixt ſpecial and common convictions ; common convictions come and go, they put the ſoul in a fright for a day or a month, and then trouble it no more for ever ; but ſpecial convictions will be continued, one thing backs another; for Chriſt is in pursuit of the ſoul, and will give it chaſe, till at laſt he overtake, and come up with it.
10. Lastly, All the knocks of Chriſt ceaſe and end, when the ſinner's day of grace is ended; this is ofdreadful confideration ; when the time of mercy is over, no more strivings of the Spirit with a man, after that.
Chriſt ſaith to the drowſy ſinner, as he ſpake to the drowſydiſciples inthe garden, Sleep on now, and take your rest.
So here, I called thee in ſuch a fermon, but thou heardeſt not; by ſuch a providence, but thou obeyedſt not; ſleep on now and take thy reſt : "My people would not hearken to my voice, and Iſrael would
none of me; fo I gave them up to their own hearts luſt, to " walk in their own counſels," Pfal.lxxxi. 11 , 12. q. d. Ihave
" done with them, the treatyis ended, I will make no more eſſays towards their converfion and falvation.
So I gave them up.
Methinks it ſounds as much as this, take them ſin, take them devil, I will have no more to do with him.
So Hoſea iv. 17.
" Ephraim is joined toidols, lethim alone.". His heart is glued faſt to fin, he is enamoured upon other lovers, let him alone.
Obeloved, it is adreadfulthing forGod to ſay, let this man alone in his formality, and that man in his carnal ſecurity.
Let not this be miſapplied by poor, trembling fouls under conviction : I know the fear ofthisjudgment is upon their hearts, nothing makes them tremble more than left the day of grace be ended with them.
But there is no ground for this fear, whilſt the Spirit continues convincing, andthe ſoul trembling left his convictions ſhould prove ineffectual. Thus much of the nature, inſtruments,and manner of Chriſt's knocking at the door ofa ſinner's heart. Our way is now opened to a fruitful applicationofthis point, which I willwind up indivers neceſſaryuſes.
I. Ufe, for Information.
And first, The point before uswillbeuseful for information, inthe following inferences, anddeductions.
Infer. 1. Intohow deep a fleep hath fin cast the fouls offinners, that Christ must standso long, andgivefuch loud repeated knocks, before it will awake and open to him?
There is the ſpirit of a deep ſleep fallen upon men, like that into which God caftAdam; God ſpeaks once, yea, twice, but man re
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gards itnot; itisthe hardest thing in the world to rouze and awaken a man out of his carnal ſecurity.
Look over fatan's kingdom, and you ſhall find a general ſtilneſs, and quietneſs amonghis fubjects; there is no trouble for fin, no ſtrivings after falvation, nocryings out, " What ſhall we do tobe ſaved?"
Go into the crowds of carnal men and women, and you ſhall findthem all intent and busyabout other matters. How long ſhall you be in their company, before you hear one groan for fin, or ſee one tear ſlide from their eyes on that account ?
Oh!what a marvelious thing is here ! do not their confciences know the guilt that lies upon them ?
Are they not aware of a dayof reckoningwhich approacheth ?
Yes, yes, theſe things are not hid from their contciences :
What art then is uſed to keep them ſo ſtill and quiet ? Why, there are divers rattles to ſtill the conſciences of finners, and they do it effectually.
There are four cauſes, and occafions of this wonderful ſtilneſs inthe fouls of finners.
/ 1. Ignoranceofthe nature of regeneratinggrace, taking that for regeneration, which is none of it; thus did the Jews,
John viii. 25. confidently affirmGod to be theirGod, and yet theydid not know him. How many poor ignorant creatures think there is no need of any other work of regeneration, but what paſſed upon them in baptifm ?
Theywere born, and baptized Chriſtians, and that is enough, they think, to ſave them.
Matth. iii. 9. " We have Abraham to our father. "
They thought it fufficient thatAbraham's blood ran in their veins, though there were not a ſpark of Abraham's faith kindled in their fouls : The Lord forgive the fin of thoſe men that lead poor fouls intoſuch fatal mistakes. O if men were butawareofthe neceffity ofagreater, andfartherwork to paſs upon their fouls than their baptifm, commonpowerleſs profefſion, or thefimilarworks which appearupon formal hypocrites, heavenand earth would ringwith their cries. But ignorance of thenature andneceffityof ſpecial regenerating grace, like a doſe of opium, cafts the confciences of many into thisdeep fleep.
2. Freedom from groffer fins andpollutions of theworld, ſtills and quiets the confciences of thousands; they have hadacivil, fober, and fair education; andthough therebeno grace and regeneration, yet what faintsdo they ſeem to themſelves, being adorned with fobrietyand civility !
This ſtilled theconfcience of the Pharifee, Luke xviii. 11. " God, I thank " thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust,
" adulterers, or even as this publican."
Thus, like delicate Agag, they ſpruce up themſelves with moral homilitical virtues,
England's Duty. wherein many thousand Heathens were more gay than them ſelves; butjuſticewillhewthem to-pieces asAgagwas, for all their moral ornaments and endowments.
3. The ſtrict performance of the externalduties of religion quiets the conſciences of many; they queſtion not but thoſe that do ſo well ſhall farewell, and thatGod will neverdamn men andwomen that keep their church, and ſay their prayers as they do.
Thus the carnal Jews deluded themselves, crying, " The templeofthe Lord,thetempleoftheLord : " Asmalefactors, inſomeofour neighbouringkingdoms, fly to the church fromthehand ofjustice, ſodotheſe; butGod will pluck them from thehorns of the altar, and convincethem that the empty name of religion is no ſecurity from damnation.
4. Manyconfciences are ſtill and quieted inanatural finful ſtate, by miſinterpreting the voices of Providence ; it maybe
God proſpers your earthly affairs, fucceeds and ſmiles upon 'your undertakings; and this you conclude muſt be a token of his love and favour: But, alas! this is a great miſtake, the Lord give you better evidences of his love than theſe; for who profper more inthe world thanwicked men ? And who are more croffed thanthe people ofGod ? Read Job xxi. and Pfal.lxxiii. andcomparebothwithEccl. ix. 1.andyou will quicklyfind the vanity of allhopes builtupon ſuch a foundation.
However, by fuch things as theſe are, the god of this world blinds the eyes of multitudes.
Infer. 2. If every conviction be aknock of Christ, how deeply areallfouls concerned in the fuccefs and iſſue of them?
Conviction is an embryo of the new creature; if it go out its fulltime, andcome to a perfect new birth, it brings forth falvation toyour fouls ; if it miſcarry finally, you are finally loft.
It is of infinite concernment therefore to every man and woman to be tender over thoſe convictions of their confciences .
It is true, conviction andconverfion are two things ; there may be conviction without converfion, though there canbe no converſionwithout conviction. The bloſſoms uponthe trees inthe ſpring of the year cannot properly be called fruit, they are rather the rudiments of fruit, or fomething in order to fruit: If theyopen kindly, and knit or fet firmly, perfect fruit follows them ; but if a blast or froſty morning killthem, no fruit is to be expected.
Thus it is here,great care therefore ought tobe takenaboutthe preſervationand ſucceſs of convictions,bothby
1. The foul itſelf that is under them.
2. Andby all others that are concerned about them.
1. Whatcare ſhould the foul itſelf have, uponwhom con-
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victions are wrought: have a care friendshow you quench them, divert orhinder the operations ofthem, left you hinder as much as inyou lies, the very conception ofChrift in your fouls by them.
I remember it is faid, Exod. xxi. 22 .
" Ifmen strive and hurt a woman with child, and mischief " follow, life shall be givenfor life."
The life ofyour fouls ' is bound up in the life ofyour convictions.
Iknow it ishard for men and women to dwell with their own convictions ; guilt and wrath are ſad fubjects for mens thoughts to dwell upon; butyet it is far better todwellwith thethoughts offin andwrath here, than to lie ſweltering under them in hell for ever. You may be rid ofyour convictions andyour falvation together ; be nottoo eager after peace, a good trouble is better than a falſe peace. And on the other fide, beware thatyour convictions and troubles turnnot into diſcouragements to faith; this will croſs the proper interion ofthem : they are Chriſt's knocks for entrance, and were never intended tobe bars or ſtumbling-blocks inyour way tohim ; not ſtops, but ſteps in yourwaytoChrift.
2. Let all others that are concerned aboutconvincing ſouls, beware what counſels theygive,and what rules they preſcribe, left they renderthem abortive, and destroy all in the bud.
There are two errors too commonly committed, one in excess, perfuading fouls under trouble of confcience that there is no coming for them to Chriſt, unless theybe fo and ſo prepared, humbledjuſt at ſuch adegree; this is dangerous counſel, it overheats the troubles ofconfcience, and keeps the foul from its properpreſent dutyandremedy.
I am fure Paul and Silas took no fuch courte with the convincedjaylor,nor Peter with the three thousand wounded confciences, Acts ii.
Nor do IfindwhereGod hath ſtated the time anddegree of ſpiritual troubles, fo that there must be no addreſſes to Chriſt in the way of faith, until they have fufferedthem ſo long, and to fuch anheight: if they have imbittered fin tothe foul, and made it ſeethe neceffity of a Saviour, I think theycannot move too foon after Chriſt in the way offaith.
Let no man fetboundswhere God ſets none...
There is another error committed in defect, when promifes andcomforts are preſently applied, before the nature offaith is known, or one act of recumbency put forth towards Chrift : theſehaſty comforts come to nothing ; they will not, they cannot ſtand.
It is a dangerous thing to apply goſpel-cordials,andpourouttheprecious ointment of the promifes upon VOL. IV.
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"కరర England's Duty. them that were never heart-fick for fin ; when upon every flight trouble, which isbut an earlydew, the peculiar confo lations ofpenitent and believing ſouls are hand over-head appliedto them : how many fuch unſkilful emperics are there in every place ? fuch as the prophet Jeremy complains of "Theyhave healed the hurt of the daughter of my people
" flightly, crying peace, peace, where there is no peace."
Rememberthe foundation is now laying for eternity, and that isthe time ofdeep confideration ;men andwomenmuſtponderthe terms, and count the cofſt, and deliberately accept and cloſe with Chrift, before the confolations ofthe promiſes can be regularly adminiftred to them.
Infer. 3. What a fingular bleſſing is a rouzingfaithful ministry among the people? By fuch a miniſtry Chrift knocks powerfully; this is one of thegreatest bleflingsGod canbeſtowupon apeople, next to the ſaving effects ofit, when he fends among them powerful,judicious preachers of the goſpel, under whoſe miniſtry their confciences cannot fleep quietly.
Theſe are the proper inſtruments Chriſtknocks at mens hearts by: andas forthoſe prophets that fow pillows for drowſy finners to fleep quietly upon, the Lord owns them not for his,
Lam. ii. 14. " Thy prophets (notmine, butthine) have ſeen " vain and foolish things for thee, theyhave not difcovered
" thine iniquity."
Itis true, thoſeminifters thatgivemen no reſtnorquietness in their fins, muſt expect but little reſt and quietneſsthemſelves.
What is it for miniſters topreachhome to the conſciences ofothers, but topulldown the rage ofthe world upontheirheads ? Butcertainlyyouwillhave caufeto bleſsGod toeternity, for cafting your lot under ſuch a miniſtry; and the Lord accounts fuch a mercy ſufficient torecompenſeany outward affliction that lies upon you, Ifa. xxx. 20.
You fare richlyunder ſuch doctrine, though the Lord ſhould feedyou with the bread of affliction, andgiveyou the waters ofadverfity to drink ; this makes amends for all,
Thine eyes ſhall "beholdthy teachers, andthey ſhall bedriven no more into " corners." O bleſſed be God that England's corners are this day emptied,that its pulpits maybe filled with laborious, faithful minifters. O that the knocks of Chriſt might this daybeheard in allthe cities, towns, and villages ofthisnation! the kingdom of God is come nigh unto us, this mercy istinvaluable; pray that the Lord would continue it, and make allyour minifters and means, whether more public ors private, ſucceſsful.
England's Duty.
Infer. 4. Andthen, laſtly, let allmen beware of those things that deafen their ears, and drown thefound ofChrist's knocks andcalls in the gospel.
What pernicious enemies tothe fouls ofmenare thoſeperſons, 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 forcerer, make it their buſineſs, bywicked infinuations, flouts, andjeers, to turn away men's ears from the gofpel.
Acts xiii. 19. "O " full of all fubtilty, and all miſchief, thou childof the devil,
*" thou enemy of all righteousness ; wilt thou not ceaſe to " pervert the rightways ofthe Lord?" Alloppofition ofgodlineſs hath a ſpice of devilishness, and no child more refembleshis father, than a ſcoffing enemy reſembles his father, the devil.
But bleſſedbe God for that good providence which, in agreat meaſure, hath ſtoptthe mouths both of the father andhis children, this day.
(2.) Take heed of carnal, and ungodly relations, which discourage andthreaten their choſen ſervants, and all that depend on them, from attending uponthe means, orgiving way tothe convictionswhichGod bythem hath ſetupontheir hearts.
Cruel parents, who had rather ſee their childrenturned into theirgraves, than turning to the ways of ferious godliness. O that any ſhould dare to quench the beginnings ofſpiritual life, in thoſetowhom 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 inthe ears ofmen! Mark iv. 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, whichdrown the voice of Chriſt's knocks and calls in the goIpel. As you value your fouls, bewareofthem.
H. Ufe, 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 inhis name I do folemnly demand it; what ſhall I return to him that fent me ? What ſayeſt thou, ſinner ? Wilt thou open toChrift, or wilt thou ſhut him out; andwithhim thyown pardon, peace,and falvation ? Once more let metry the force ofa few more arguments upon your hearts, and refute your vain pleas to the contrary ; methinks
Sff2
England's Duty. noheartſhouldbe able to refiftſuch motives,andrationalperfuafions, as theſe followingwill be found to be.
Motive 1. You are in extream need of Chriſt, you want him more thanbread, or breath ; manythings are convenient for your bodies, but Chriſt is the one thing neceſſary for your fouls. Lukex. 9. " One thing is neceffary."
Neceflity is anengine thatwillopenanything in the worldthatcan be opened; neceffity will make all fly before it. Now there is a plain, preſent, abſolute neceffity lying upon every one of you to open yourhearts to Chriſt, and that withoutdelay.
Neceflity goes before the face ofChrift, to open the way for him into the heart; thou must have him, or be loft for ever.
Chriſtand faith are not among themay bees, but the must bees, to thehappiness ofthyfoul. Aman may be poor, andhappy ; reproached, and bleſſed ; but he cannot be chriſtleſs, and ſafe; nor chriſtleſs and comfortable: you must have Chrift, or you cannot have life, John iii. 36. you must have Chriſt, or you can haveno hope, Col. i. 27.
Chriſt and life, Chriſt and hope, go together: No Chriſt, no life; no Chriſt, na hope: Sinner, thou must have Chriſt, or thou canst have no pardon ; for Chriſt andpardonare undivided, Eph. i. 7.
In aword, you must have Chriſt, oryou canhave no falvation, Acts iv. 12.
Well, then, if thou canst have no life nor hope, no pardon nor falvation without Chriſt ; then a plain neceffity goes before Chriſt, to open hiswayintothine heart: methinks, thou ſhouldſt now ſay, then will Iopen to Chrift whatever the terms be. Come fufferings, loſſes, reproaches, yea, death itſelf, all is one; Chriſt I must have, and Chrift
Iwill have; neceſſity is laidupon me, andmyheart is opened to Chrift byit : woe to me for ever if I miſs of Chrift.
Motive2. The Lord Jesus is this day come nigh to every oneofyour fouls.
I maysay to you as Chriſt did to them, Lukex. 9. " The kingdom ofGod is come nigh unto you."
TheLordgranthebe not as nigh to ſome ofyou as ever he ſhall be; forhe must come nearer, or elseyou are loft for ever.
It is not Chriſt among youin themeans ofgrace,but Chriftwith inyou by the work of grace, which must be unto you thehope of glory, Col. i. 27. He is not only among you in reſpect ofexternal means, but he is come into your understandings andconfciences ; yea, ſome motions ofhis you may feel upon your affections, there wants but a little more tomake you e ternallyhappy.
O whatwould one effectual touch uponyour willsbeworth now ! thehead-work is done, but O that the heart-work were done too. You are almostfaved,but to be
England'sDuty.
almoſt ſaved, is to be wholly, and eternally loſt, if it go no further.
It is afadthing for aman that hath one foot inheavento ſlide from thence intohell; it is fad to be ſhipwrecked at theharbour's mouth.
Motive 3. Jeſus Chriſt hath unquestionable right to enter into, and poffefs every one ofyour fouls : Satan is but anufurper: Chriſt is yourlawful owner and proprietor; thy foul, finner, hath not ſofulla title to thy body, as Chrift hath to thy foul : Satan keeps Chriſt out ofhis right.
Chriſt knocks atthe door ofhis own houſe; he built it, and therefore may well claim admiffion into it; it is his own creature.
Col. 1. 16.
" By him were allthings made, whetherthey be viſible, or in- " viſible ;" bodies or fouls.
The inviſiblepart, thy foul, is his workmanſhip, a ſtately ſtructure ofhis own raiſing.
He hath álſo aright by redemption, Chriſt hath bought thy foul, and that at the invaluable price ofhis own blood. Who then can diſpute the right of Chrift to enter into his own houſe ? But alas! hecometh to his own,but his own receive him not.
Motive 4. Openthe door toChrift, for a train ofbleffings and mercies come inwith him ; atroop ofprivileges follow him.
Inthe ſame day andhour that Chriſt comes into thine heart, bya full conſent and deliberate choice, a pardon comes withhim ofall the fins that everthou committedſt in thought, word, or action.
Will ſuch a pardonbe welcome to thy foul ?
Then let Chrift be welcome, Eph. i. 7. forwhere Chriſt comes, pardoncomes.
If you open to Chriſt, you open to peace, andwho would ſhut thedoor ofhis foul againstpeace ? Ifpeace bewelcome, let Chriſt be welcome ; for peace follows faith in Chriſt, Rom. v. 1. Where Chrift comes, liberty comes, John viii. 36. " Ifthe Son therefore make you free, then are you
" free indeed."
Are you in love with bonds and fetters ?
Satan's laws arewritteninblood.
Chriſt's yoke is eafy, and his commands notgrievous.
Ifyou love liberty, love Chriſt.
In aword, where Chriſt comes, ſalvation comes ; " for he is the " author ofeternal ſalvation to allthem that obey him."
If therefore you love pardon, peace, liberty, and falvation, ſhut not the door against Chrift; for alltheſe follow him wherever hegoes..
Mative 5. Chriſt this day folemnly demands entrance into thy foul; hebegs thee to opento him, 2 Cor. v. 20. he commandsthee toopen unto him, I John iii. 23. He denounceth eternal damnation to thoſe that refuſe him entrance. Now confider well, here is entrance demanded under pain of the eternalwrath of God: This demand, is filled andrecorded in
England's Duty. heaven; at your own peril be it ifyou ſhutthe door against him: Only thus will I ſay inmy Redeemer's behalf, ifyou refuſe, bear witneſs, heaven and earththis day, that Chriſt ſolemnly demanded entrance into thy foul, and was refuſed; bear witueſs, that the door was ſhut against theonlyRedeemer, who intreated, commanded, and threatned eternal damnation to therejectors of him. Oh, methinks, that ſcripture, Prov. i. 24, 25. is able to ſtrike terror into the verycenter ofthat foul that refuſes the offers of Chrift!
Motive 6. And fo I have done my master's errand ; ifyou now refuſe theknock ofChriſt at your hearts, he may never knockmore; andwhereareyouthen ? There isaknockwhich willbethe last knock, acallwhich will be his last call; and after that no more knocks or calls, but an eternal filence as to anyoverture ofmercy or grace.
Object. 1. But ifIde open to Christ, he willnevercome in to fuch afiltby pollutedfinfulfoul as mine is.
Answ. Who faith ſo?Who dare affirm ſoimpudent a falſehood inthe very face of the text? " Ifany man open to me, I " will come in to him."
Object. 2. If Iopen toChrist, Imust bidfarewel to easeand reft in this world; reproaches,fufferings, loſſesfollow him.
Answ. IfChriſt, pardon, and ſalvation, be not worth the enduring and ſuffering theſe ſmall things, ſure thou yalueſt Chriſt and thy foul at alow rate. O who can ſufficientlybewail the ignorance, and folly ofunbelievers, thatwill fell their fouls andhopes of heaven for ſuch trifles ! And ifChrift and thy foul muſt part upon theſe terms, then hear me, finner, and let it fink into thine heart; thy damnation will beboth, 1. Just and righteous.
2. Unavoidable and fure.
1. Thy damnation will be just; for thou hadſt thy own choice, and deliberately preferredſt the infignificant trifles of thisworldbefore Chriſt and ſalvation.
Itwas plainly told thee what the iſſue ofthy rejecting Chriſt wouldbe ; and yet, after ſufficientwarning, thou adventuredſt upon it: Whatever other ſinners will plead, I know not, but as for thee thou must be ſpeechless, Matth. xxii. 12. Ifthou die chriſtleſs, thou must appear at his bar ſpeechless ; and thedayofjudgment will be the day ofthe revelation ofthe righteous judgment ofGod.
Rom. ii. 5.
2. Itwill alſo be unavoidable, for there isno other way to falvationbut this, Actsiv. 12. No Chriſt,no heaven; no faith,
England's Duty.
5M noChrift: "How ſhallwe eſcape, ifwe neglect ſo great a fal- "vation ?" Heb. ii. 3. Mercy itſelfcannot ſave theeoutof
Chrift, for all the ſaving mercy ofGod is diſpenſed tomen through him, Jude 21.
It is to nopurpoſe tocry mercy, Lord, mercy! when Chrift, inwhom allthe mercies ofGod are difpenſed tomen, is rejected by thee.
III. Ufe, for confolation.
This pointwinds up in confolation to all fuch,as, hearing theknocks ofChriſt, have opened, or are now reſolved to open theirhearts unto him ; and that nothing henceforth fhall keep
Chrift and their fouls aſunder : To ſuch I ſhall addreſs the followinggrounds ofcomfort.
Confolation 1. 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 foul.
There are common gifts ofthe ſpirit, ſuch as knowledge, vaniſhing convictions, &c. but the opening of the heart by faith is the ſpecial,ſaving,andpeculiarwork ofthe fpirit,Johnvi. 29. " This
" is theworkofGod, thatye believe."
Yea, it is the effect of theAlmighty power of God, the exceeding greatneſs ofhis power is exerted inthe workoffaith, Eph. i. 19. Itriſes not out of nature, as common giftsdo; but ofthis it is exprefly faid,
Eph. ii. 8. " It is not ofyourſelves, it is thegift ofGod. "
Where this workis effectually wrought,we mayreaſon ſo ſolidly, as comfortably from it, bothbackward, to the electing love of God, and forward, to our eternal glorification with him,
Rom. viii. 30.
Confolat. 2. Theopening ofthyheart toChriftbyſaving faith, gives thee intereſt inChriſt the veryfame hour ; therelation is then conſtituted, theconjugal tie orbond isfaſtned betwixt him andthy foul; John i. 12. " To as manyas received him,
" tothemgavehe power, (viz. right or priviledge) tobecome " the Sons ofGod, even toas manyas believed on his name ."
You neither need, nor may expect an extraordinary meſſenger or voice from heaven totellyou that Chriſt is yours, andyou are his ; you have a better foundationinthisword andworkof faith : Formy part, ifGodwillgive methe clearand fatisfying experienceof this work upon my heart, I would neverdefire more fatisfaction on this fide heaven.
I know notbut the devilmaycounterfeit an extraordinary voice,and cheatthe foul byalying oracle; butifI reallyfeelmyheart andwill fincerely opening to Chriſt upongoſpel-terms, Iam ſurethere is no deceit inthat.
Confolat. 3.The opening ofthy hearttoChrift by faith, is
England's Duty. agood afſurance that heaven ſhall be opened tothy foul here after : Heaven is ſhut againſt nonebut thoſe that ſhut their heart againft Chriſt by unbelief.
Willyou bar Chrift out of your fouls by ignorance, and unbelief,andthencry, Lord, or pentous ? No, God will opento nonebut them that opento
Chriſt.
Eternity itſelfſhallbut ſuffice to bleſs God for this opening act of faith: " He that believeth ſhallbe faved," Mark xvi. 16.
Confolat.4. TheopeningofthyfoultoChrift byfaith, makes it Chrift's habitation for ever ; in that hour out goes fin and Satan,and incomes Chriſt and grace: " Ifanymanopenunto
" me, I will come in to him," faith the text.
Ofsuch a foul Chrift faith, as it was ſaid ofthe temple, Pfal. cxxxii. 13, 14.
" The Lord hath defired it forhis habitation. This is myreſt " for ever ; here will I dwell, for I have defired it."
The foul now becomes anhallowedtemple to the Lord: ashe hath faid, " I will dwell in them, and walk inthem,and will be
" their God, andthey ſhallbe my people," 2 Cor. vi. 16. O whataheaven upon earth is here ! Chriſt dwelling inthefoul, istheglory ofthe soul; asGod's dwelling in the temple was thegloryof thetemple.
Confolat. 5. In aword,the opening ofthe heart to Chriſt is thatworkwhich anſwers thegreatdeſignofthegoſpel. WhereforehathGodfet upordinancesand minifters,yea, wherefore is the Spirit fent forth,butto open the hearts of finners to Chriſtby faith ? When this is done,the mainendand intentionofthegoſpel is attained and anſwered; the union is effected betwixt Chriftand the foul; it is nowputout ofhazard. The wholework of the goſpel, afterthat, isbutto build up, confirm, and comfortthe foul; ripen its implanted graces, and make itmeet for glory.
And thus, through the aſſiſtance ofthe Spirit,Ihave finiſhed the fifth obſervation, That every conviction of confcience, and motion upon the affections, isa knockorcallofChristfor entrance into thefinner's heart.
The End of the Fourth Volume.
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
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