The Riches of Grace Displayed, Sermons · Sermon 1
THE Serm. 1.RICHES Of GRACE DISPLAYED.
Revel. 3. 20.
Behold, I ſtand at the door and knock, if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him and will ſup with him and he with me.
THeſe words conteine in them three parts.
1. The gracious behaviour of Chriſt towards poor ſinners; where you have,
1. The matter of it: twofold,
1. He ſtands at the door.
2. He knocks at the door.
2. The wonder of it (Behold, I ſtand, &c.)
2. The dutiful behaviour of ſinners, delivered by way of ſuppoſition or condition.
1. If any man hear my voice.
2. And if any man open the door, both theſe may be amplified by,
1. The conjunction of the duties, Hear and open; Not hear only.
2. The indefiniteneſſe of the ſubject, If any man, no ſinner is excluded by Chriſt, but he who excludes himſelf.
3. The comfortable event upon this hearing and opening. Expreſt in three particulars,
1. Chriſt will come in to him.
2. He will ſup with him.
3. And ſuch a perſon ſhall ſup, or feaſt with Chriſt.
Before I inſiſt on any Propoſition, two things muſt be touched, viz.
1. The Explication of the words, which are all along metaphorical.
2. The reſolution of a ſcruple or two.
For the Explication: Theſe queſtions muſt be unfolded.
Queſt. What door is in this place meant.
Sol. A door (properly) is an entring into, and a paſſage out of an houſe, ſuch was the door at which Peter knockt, Acts 12. 13.
But Metaphorically. It is applied, ſometimes
1. To Christ, Joh. 10. 1. I am Oſtium Vitae.the door. Heaven is our Palace, Chriſt Jeſus is the doore, his merits are the key to open it.
2. To the Goſpel, Acts 14. 27. God Oſtium Gratiae.hath opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles: By the Goſpel there is a mutual paſſage made for Chriſt to enter into us, and for us to enter into Chriſt.
3. To the heart of man: As in Oſtium Animae.this place: Now this door is in different reſpects, an open doore, and a ſhut door.
In reſpect of ſinne and Satan, This door ſtill ſtands open; ſinful luſts freely come out, and ſinful ſuggeſtions freely come in at it.
But in reſpect of Chriſt and Grace, It is a ſhut door lockt up by ignorance, and barred up by hardneſſe, and infidelity: ſo that conſider any man in his meer natural condition, Chriſt is not within him, but without him: He is not a gueſt, but a ſtranger, the door is ſhut againſt Chriſt.
Queſt. 2. What is meant by Chriſts ſtanding at this door, and knocking?
Sol. I anſwer, Three things are meant by them.
1. Chriſts willingneſſe to do a ſinner good; to have entrance, to be admitted. Chriſt is a thouſand times more willing to come to thee, then thou art to come to Chriſt: He is at the doore before e're you think of him.
2. Chriſts earneſt deſire, his active paines with a ſinful ſoule. He doth not only come to the door, but knocks at the door, ſo that oft-times he breaks open the doore; coming and calling will not be heard, and therefore he knocks.
3. Chriſts patient expectation of a ſinners opening. He doth not come and go away preſently; Nor ask, and go away preſently; nor call, and go away preſently; no, nor knock, and go away preſently; But he ſtands and knocks: His ſtanding at the door notes his continuing patience, and his continuing ſtudy of our ſalvation; his knocking, notes his earneſt importunity.
Queſt. 3. What the knocking at the door implies.
Sol. In the general, it is ſome preventing, previous, evengelical, and potent work of Chriſt towards and upon a ſinner, making way for his gracious entrance, and admiſſion into to the ſoul.
It is a work wherin Chriſt ſtands alone; a beginning work, and a work towards and upon a ſinner. God (ſaith one) works many things in us, without us, in which we are only patients, and with us, in which we are made agents.
The will is made good, and joynes with God, being firſt joyned to him, but this knocking whatſoever it be, it is none of ours, it is Chriſts work, his … upon us and within us.
In particular Chriſt knocks, either,
1. Revelando, by preaching and publiſhing the accompliſhment of our ſalvation by himſelf, and the capacity and poſſibility of any ſinners intereſt in it, and alſo the methods and wayes for the ſinner partake thereof.
2. Vocando, by offering this acquired or purchaſed ſalvation upon the moſt gracious termes, even ſuch as nothing can hinder the ſinner from it, but his own ſtoubborneſſe and careleſſneſſe.
3. Irradiando, by letting fall ſo much light as to ſee, both the divine beauty of it, and the ſinners neceſſity to accept of it. You know who and whence I am, ſaid Chriſt unto the Phariſees.
4. Inſpirando; by conveighing ſome things which work upon the will of a ſinner, to deſire and embrace this Chriſt and his ſalvation.
5. Increpando, by threatning the ſinning ſoule if it will withſtand, if it will not be gathered, if it will not open: yov ſhall die in your ſinnes, the wrath of God will abide on you. Your houſe ſhall be left deſolate.
6 Immutando, which Auſtin calls, vocationem Altiſſimam, and Driedo calls ſuaſionem exaltiſſimam; In this there is not only the Immiſſion of a good thought, but alſo the Immutation of a bad and rebellious will; the Divine mercy in and by this, hath ſo touched and affected the will of a ſinner, that he now comes to himſelf with compunction and diſpleaſure, and flies unto that grace of God in Chriſt, which a little before he minded not, or contemned.
Queſt. 4. What is meant by hearing his voice, and opening of the doore?
Sol. I conceive three things alſo in this.
1. A liſtning to what Chriſt ſpeaks, and offers to treat with us about.
2. A belief of him in what he ſpeaks, with an approbation of himſelf and offer.
3. A conſent of the will, yeilding to let Chriſt come into the heart, and to give him a real welcome.
Now to the ſcruples.
Caſe 1. Whether theſe words do not ſet up the liberty and power of a natural will, that it is able of it ſelf to open the doore to Chriſt.
Sol. I anſwer: No, the words are Metaphorical, and their ſcope keeps only this Analogy, That as when a door is ſhut, if a man will have entry, there muſt be knocking by the one party, and opening by the other party; ſo if we will be ſaved by Chriſt, as there muſt be a knocking on Chriſts part, ſo there muſt be opening of the heart on our part.
2. But to give a further anſwer, know that this and the like Exhortations,
1. Are inſtances of our duty, not teſtimonies of our ſelf-ability, they ſhew what we ſhould do, not what we can do.
2. Are conveiances of ſtrength, not cognizances of our own power. Chriſt by commanding us to do, helps us to do. Evangelical Exhortations are a power, as well as a letter. And they are verba operativa, as well as praeceptiva.
3. Are Items for our prayers, Jubet Deus quae non poſſumus ut Noverimus, quid ab ipſo pete…e d…bemus. …e Grat. & …. A…bit. c. 16.not …ints of our ſufficiency, God commands ſuch things as we cannot do, that we might know what to ask of him. Austin ſaid well: Gods Commands exceed our ſtrength, becauſe we ſhould pray to him whoſe ſtrength exceeds his commands
And therefore the ſame Father ſummes up all exactly, Oh man, in the Command know what thou oughteſt to do; in the Reproof know that it is through thy Homo i… praeceptione, cognoſſe quid debeas habere incorruptione cognoſſe, tuo te vitio no… habere, in oratione cognoſſe unde accipias quid vis habere, de… orrupt. & Grat. …. 3own fault thou canſt not do it; in Prayer know whether thou receiveſt ſtrength to perform.
4. Are platformes of our conjunction, not evidences of our inclination: (that is) They do not ſhew what the will of man can do of it ſelf, but rather what is done when the ſoule and Chriſt come to be united (namely) that he is willing to enter, and we are willing to admit, to receive, to entertaine him.
Caſe 2. Whether there be an univerſal and ſufficient grace afforded to all, becauſe, here it is ſaid, If any, &c.
Sol. I will not canvaſe this difficulty in this Auditory, only in a word thus.
1. There is an Ʋniverſality,
Of propoſition: this in ſome ſenſe granted.
Of collation: this is denied.
2. There is a ſufficiency ſo as to leave men inexcuſable, and there is a ſufficiency to converſion, this latter only to a few, the former is more general.
3. If you ſpeak of all men absolutely, that have been, are, or ſhall be in the world, the Propoſition is denied.
If you ſpeak of all in the evangelical world (that is) to whom the Goſpel is preached, It is granted that the tender is indefinitely univerſal, and enough is offered if men did accept of it.
There are five propoſitions principally obſerveable out of the text.
1. That Chriſt is exceeding willing to come in to ſinners and to ſave them.
2. That Jeſus Chriſt waites long upon ſinners and earneſtly labours with them for entrance.
3. That the door of the heart muſt be opened to Chriſt, and then he will enter in.
4. That whatſoev…r any ſinners condition hath been and is, yet if he open to Chriſt, Chriſt will be his.
5. If the ſoul will give entrance to Chriſt, there ſhall enſue a ſweet communion 'twixt it and Chriſt.
Obſerv. 1. That Jeſus Chriſt is exceeding ready and willing to come in to ſinners and to ſave them, Behold, I ſtand at the doore and knock.
There are five things in the Text, and from the precedent part of this Epiſtle to the Church of Laodicea, which plainly demonſtrate the truth of the propoſition.
1. If you obſerve firſt the quality of the perſons, at whoſe doors Chriſt did ſtand and knock.
1. They were a meer formal people, there was little or no power of godlineſs at all in them (ver. 15. Thou art neither hot nor cold) A company of meer hypocrites, or at leaſt of formal profeſſors.
2. They were a proudly conceited people (verſ. 17. Thou ſayeſt I am rich, and increaſed with goods, and have need of nothing.)
3. They were (in reſpect of all ſpirituals) a moſt deſtitute people: not a doit of goodneſſe, nor any one ragge of grace; nor good in any one part, (ver. 19. Thou art wretched, and miſerable, and poor, and blinde, and naked. They could bring nothing at all to Chriſt, there was not any one thing conſiderable in them; nay, every thing which might raiſe diſtaſte and diſregard.) And all this miſerable condition, was the more miſerable, becauſe they were thus miſerable and knew it not.
4. They were ſo provokingly ſinful, that Chriſts ſtomack had much ado to beare with them. He could hardly forbear to ſpew them out of his mouth, (verſe 16.)
Yet at their doores does Chriſt ſtand and knock, He begs at the doore of beggers, mercy begs to miſery, happineſs begs to wretchedneſſe, riches begs to poverty, light begs to blindneſſe, and alſufficiency begs to nakedneſſe, and beſeeches thoſe poor and miſerable ſinners to take gold from him, thoſe naked ſinners to take rayment from him, and thoſe blinde ſinners to take oyntment from him, (v. 18.)
2. If you conſider the motions of Chriſt towards them.
1. In the order of motion: one would think that the poor ſhould have come to the rich mans door, & the ſick man have come or ſent for the Phyſician; but behold! here the rich man comes to the poor mans door, and the Phyſician comes to the ſick mans houſe. They came not firſt to Chriſt, but Chriſt came firſt to them. Chriſt came not only to ſave, but alſo to ſeek that which was l…ſt: Chriſt prevents ſinners with his kindneſſe, and with their ſalvation.
2. In the degrees of motion, he comes to the door, and then he calls at the doore: (verſe 18. I councel thee to buy of me gold tryed in the fire) and then he ſtands; (He doth not take every ſilence, nor every neglect of offer for an anſwer) and then he knocks at the doore by ſome louder and ſtronger operation of his ſpirit, and all this is, that they would once hearken and open the door unto him, that he might enter.
3. If you conſider the eaſineſs of the termes upon which he would be theirs, as low as poſſibly Termes not of Authority but of neceſſity.could be; do but open the door and I will enter, and I will be yours. You know that in an ordinary way there can be no entring in till the doores be opened: Chriſt ſtands upon nothing with a ſinners but this—open thy heart to let me in, and to receive me, or he ſtands on no more then needs muſt.
4. If you conſider the ind…finiteneſſe of his deſire, (If any man will hear and open the door, I will come in unto him:) as if he had ſaid, I will not ſtand upon former miſcarriages, not upon former hypocriſie, pride, blindneſſe, baſeneſs, wretchedneſſe, I will not decline you becauſe of ſuch and ſuch ſins, I know that ſome of you have been more vile then others, but I will paſſe by all in every one of you. Even the greateſt ſinner amongſt you, ſhall enjoy the ſweeteſt Saviour; If he will but open the door, let him but give me entrance, and I will give him ſalvation.
5. If you conſider the ſweetneſs of his perſwading and alluring Arguments: (let me but come in, and I will ſup with him, and he ſhall ſup with me.) Zacheus did let in Chriſt, and ſalvation came thereby unto him: Chriſt will be a feaſt whereſoever he comes: If we let him in by faith, he will bring all ſpiritual life and peace and comfort with him: Chriſt ſhall come one day to Judge, but now he comes to ſave ſinners. Beſides this evidence from the Text, there are divers other things which teſtifie that Chriſt is exceeding willing to come in and ſave ſinners. As,
1. His Actions, and paſſions for ſinners.
1. He took his life to bring us life, led his life, to lead us unto life, laid down his life to ſave our ſouls.
2. He came into the world to ſave ſinners, 1 Tim. 1. 15.
3. And laid down his life for his ſheep, John 10. 15. Offered himſelf to do and ſuffer for us, Lo I come, Heb. 10. 6, 7.
4. Nay was ſtraitned till it was done, Luke 12. 50. How am I ſtraitned till it be accompliſhed: As if he had ſaid, O ſinners, I am come into the world for your ſakes! I have endured the reproaches of men, the ſcourgings of men, the Anger of God, for your ſakes I hung on the Croſſe for you, I bled out my ſoul for you, I laid in the grave for you, I roſe again for you.
2. His profeſſions, I came to ſeek that which was loſt. The whole Mat. 23. 37need not a Phyſician, but they that are ſick: How often would I have gathered your children as a he… gathereth her chicken, &c?
3. His invitations, Iſa. 55. 1. Ho, every one that thirſts, let him come, Come to me all ye that are weary and heavy laden, Mat. 11. 28. Whoſoever will, let him take the water of life freely, Rev. 22. 17.
4. His expoſtulations: why will you not come to me? why wil you die? yea, and his forcings of ſinners, compel them to come to the wedding.
5. His acceptations: never did any ſinner open to him but he entred into him; Never did any ſinner come to him, but he accepted of him, John 6. 37. Him that comes unto me, I will in no wiſe reject.
There is a rejection,
1. Negative, in paſſing by.
2. Poſitive, in hating: neither of theſe for them that come to Chriſt: There are two Negatives in the Greek, I will not, not reject him, to take off all feares and diſputes.
6. His compaſſions towards ſinners, and that both to thoſe,
1. That have ſtill ſhut the door: He wept over Jeruſalem, becauſe ſhe would not know the day of her viſitation.
2. And to thoſe that have opened the door unto him: How he ran to meet the loſt child, and fell on his neck and kiſſed him; gives him Luke 15.not one harſh word: He will not break the bruiſed reed, nor quench the ſmoaking f…ax.
7. His frequent knockings at the door, and all of them to get us to open the doore unto him: He knocks at every doore of man.
1. At the eare of man that firſt wicket; by the preaching of the Word.
2. At the fore-door, the minde of man; by enlightning it to ſee its vile and loſt condition without him.
3. At the Chamber-door, the conſcience of man by ſtrong troubles and deſpair of ſelf-deliverance.
4. At the cloſet-door, the will Open to me. 1. Per legem 2. Per crucem. 3. Per lucem. 4. Per concilium. 5. Per afflatum & auxilium. in l….and affections of man, by notable excitations to ſtand out no longer, but to yeild and to receive him: Hearken unto me, and your ſoules ſhall live.
Or as Viega, or Pareus, &c. on this place; He knocks at the door by the Law, by the Croſſe, by light ſhining in the Goſpel, by Councels, by the breathing, and aid of the Spirit.
8. His patient expectation; if anſwer be not preſently given, yet he doth repeat his ſtroaks, nay, though denial be many times given, yet he aſſayes ſinners again and again, waites after three yeers, one yeer more, on the fig-tree; ſtretches out his hand to a gainſaying people, (that is) to them that have ſaid him nay, and that all the day long, Rom. 10. 21. and of Jeruſalem, he ſaith, How often would I have gathered thee, Mat. 23. 37.
How many Sermons by one Miniſter to wooe us to open our hearts to Chriſt? and when he is dead or gone, how many more by another? He hath ſtood at our doores more then one day or night, more then one week or two, more then one yeare or two, more then one twenty years or two. Would he do thus if he were not willing to come in and ſave us?
9. His retorical and ſoul-drawing Arguments: Partly,
1. Privative, ye ſhall not periſh if ye will open to him.
2. Poſitive, ye ſhall have ever laſting life if you will open to him, John 3. 15, 16. the words are doubled, whoſoever beleeveth in him, he ſhall not periſh he ſhall not periſh, but he ſhall have everlaſting life. Your ſinnes (you feare) will damn you, but open to me and I will be your ſurety, I will undertake to ſatisfie God for them, and will aſſuredly deliver you from his wrath, and from damnation.
Your ſinnes (you feare) will ſhut heaven againſt you: O fear it not: open the heart to receive me, and my blood ſhall open heaven to receive you.
10. His gracious Articles, he requires no more but open the door unto me.
1. He doth not ſay, If I find Not on merit.deſert in you, then I will enter: O no, he hath entred into the moſt undeſerving hearts: That woman in John 4. 7, &c. was a very undeſerving creature, In reſpect of worſhip, ſhe was an ignorant and ſuperſtitious perſon, ver. 22. In reſpect of morals ſhe was a common where, verſe 18. In reſpect of preſent diſpoſition ſhe was an hard hearted wretch, ſhe would not give Chriſt ſo much as a cup of cold water, verſe 9. nay a mocking ſinner; almoſt at every word that Chriſt ſpake, and yet Chriſt ſtood not upon any of theſe.
And ſo for Paul, he was a blaſphemour, he was injurious, he was a perſecutor, &c.
2. Nor doth he ſay, if I finde Not on holineſſe.any holineſſe or comelineſſe in you, then I will enter, Ezek 6. 8. When I paſſed by thee, and looked upon thee, Behold thy time was the time of love, and I ſpread my skirt over thee, and covered thy nakedneſſe, yea, I ſware unto thee, and entred into a Covenant with thee, ſaith the Lord God, and thou becameſt mine. Verſe 6. When I paſſed by thee, and ſaw thee polluted in thine own blood, I ſaid unto thee, when thou waſt in thy blood, live, yea, I ſaid unto thee, when thou wast in thy blood, live: O note, Live, live, live, and this was when thou waſt in thy blood, in thy blood, in thy blood. All the condition that Chriſt ſtands on, is this, do but come, do but open to me, do but receive me.
And he is willing to work in you this condition too, for he hath appointed the Miniſtery of the Goſpel upon hearing to be a word of faith, Rom. 10. 17. yea, he did open the door in Lydia upon the hearing of Paul, Acts 16. 14.
11. The opening of the doore unto him, makes Chriſt,
1. Exceeding joyful: when the loſt child came back; what rejoycing was there? It was meet (ſaid his father, Luke 15. 32.) that we ſhould make merry and be glad, For this thy brother was dead, and is alive again, and was loſt, and is found.
2. Exceeding thankful, See Mat. 11. 25. I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, becauſe thou haſt revealed theſe things unto babes: as if he had ſaid, O my Father, this is ſuch a mercy as my heart cannot conteine it ſelf, I muſt needs acknowledge this, &c.
Queſt. But why ſhould Chriſt be thus willing to enter into the hearts of ſinners, and to ſave them?
Sol. The Reaſons briefly are theſe. Becauſe,
1. Not only that Philanthropy in him above all other creatures, His bowels of mercy and compaſſion.
2. Not only his perfection of obedience to his Fathers Will, whoſe Will he came down from heaven to do, John 6 38. And this is the will of him that ſent me, that every one who hath the ſonne, and beleeveth on him, may have everlaſting life, ver. 40▪
3. But alſo it is the very end of his Mediatorſhip: The conjunction of the divine and humane nature in his perſon, was to conjoyne us and God, to declare the name of his Father and his love. Joh. 17. 25The qualifications of him with the grace of union, and with the grace of unction, was to perfect our Redemption and Salvation. John 17. 4. I have glorified thee on earth, I have finiſhed the work which thou gaveſt me to do.
4. It is the glory of Chriſt to do this, John 17. 10. All mine are thine, and thine are mine, and I am glorified in them. He glorifies all his attributes by it, of mercy, and kindneſſe, and truth, and power.
He glorifier all his Offices by it: His Prieſtly Office, in that he is able to ſave to the utmoſt, Heb. 7. 2, 25, 26.
His Prophetical office, that he can reveal the way of ſalvation, not only to the ears, but hearts of ſinners. And his Regal office, that he can open the doors and come in as a King of glory, Pſal. 24.
2 Cor. 8. 23. If any enquire of Titus or our brethren, they are the Meſſengers of the Churches, and the glory of Chriſt. Beleeving and converted and ſaved ſinners, they are the glory of Chriſt as ſo many lame diſeaſed men cured, are the glory of a Phyſician.
Ʋſe 1. The firſt uſe ſhall be of reproof unto all ſuch who do ſhut the doors againſt Jeſus Chriſt, againſt a willing Chriſt, a ſaving Chriſt, a Chriſt that ſtands and knocks, who ſtand out and will not hearken to his calls, nor open to his knocks; they are guilty of the greateſt ſin in the world; they deſpiſe the greateſt, the kindeſt, yea, the onelyonly ſalvation of their ſouls. This is as if a ſick man ſhould bolt the doors againſt his Phyſician; or as if a traytor ſhould bar the door againſt his Princes pardon. O think of this you who have had Chriſt knocking at your doors ſo many yeares and would not open, the time is coming that you (like thoſe fooliſh Ʋirgins) ſhall knock at his doore too and he will not open to you.
Hearken to this, you who can open your doors to every ſinful temptation, to every ſinful luſt, to every call of the the world, but have never opened your doors to let in Jeſus Chriſt.
You ſhall have your will a while, and God will have his Will on you after a while: He will break open the doors of your conſciences, and he will ſet open the doores of Hell for thoſe ſinners who will ſet open the doors for ſin, but will ſhut their doors againſt Chriſt; the ſick man doth deſervedly periſh who refuſeth both the Phyſician and medicine too: why yelleſt thou in hell O damned ſoul? was there not a Chriſt offered to thee on earth to ſave thee?
Ʋſe 2. For ſenſible and broken hearted ſinners, and loſt in their own eyes, my exhortation is to you, Strive to beleeve that Jeſus Chriſt is willing to enter into your hearts, and ſhut the doores no longer againſt him: but get thy heart opened that Chriſt may enter in to wipe off thoſe teares, to anſwer thoſe doubts, to cl…anſe that houſe; to purifie and pacifie that troubled conſcience of yours.
O remember! It is Jeſus Chriſt,2. Things.
1. Who did ſet mercy at liberty: without a Chriſt thou canſt not expect the leaſt mercy; by Jeſus Chriſt thou mayeſt hope for the greateſt mercy: Juſtice is ſatisfied, and now the mercyſeat ſtands open: This is a faithful ſaying and worthy of all acceptation, that Jeſus Chriſt came into the world to ſave ſinners, of whom I am chief, ſaid Paul, 1 Tim. 1. 15.
2. Who muſt ſet conſcience at liberty: The houſe will be full of trouble, till Chriſt comes in: As in Jairus houſe there was nothing but weeping till Chriſt came in and raiſed his daughter: Thoſe in Act. 2. 39. and he in Acts 16. 39. There was nothing but prickings and tremblings, till faith opened the doore for Chriſt to come in, and then preſently there was rejoycings by them all, the golden key of the Goſpel muſt open that which was ſhut up by the iron key of the Law.
O ſtrive to beleeve that Chriſt is willing to ſave a broken ſinner: and to help you in this conſider four things,
1. The door of a broken heart is the great doore at which Chriſt knocks. He calls to ſuch a ſinner by name, come unto me: Behold he calls thee: open thy door for a broken Saviour, O thou broken hearted ſinner! let me but come in, and I have oyle to ſupple thoſe ſores of yours, and I have balme to cure thoſe wounds of yours, and I have blood, and merits, and mercies to anſwer for thoſe ſins of yours; and I have a ſpirit to cleanſe and beautifie that ſoul of yours, you cannot need the thing which I have not, nor deſire the good which I will not freely give unto you.
2. Jeſus Chriſt hath broken through many of your doors already, to finde you out and to get within you: He hath broken through the door of your ignorance, and through the door of your ſelf-conceitedneſſe, and through the door of your conſciences, there is but one doore left, the door of your will; If you be but willing to take him, he ſtands upon no more.
3. The more able you are to beleeve that Chriſt is willing to enter your hearts, the more willing your hearts will be to open unto Chriſt.
The truth is, all that the troubled ſoul urgeth (if it be ſtrictly obſerved) is the queſtioning of Chriſts willingneſſe to ſave it; All thoſe objections of greatneſſe of ſinnings, of want of deeper humblings, and want of holineſſe, of long reſiſtances, of the variety of ſinnings, of utter unworthineſſe, &c. Ariſe from this ſuſpition, Chriſt is not willing to ſave ſinners: theſe are reaſons (we think) that Chriſt will not ſave us.
Now why doeſt thou ſtick at this? For,
If he be willing to ſave any, it is to ſave ſinners, and he never ſaved any but a ſinner, who, becauſe a ſinner, was therefore unworthy: Muſt not Chriſt ſave becauſe we deſerve not to be ſaved? muſt not he be merciful becauſe we be ſinful? Ah Lord, who then ſhould be ſaved?
Hath he not ſaved the greateſt of ſinners! the crucified thief, the blaſpheming Paul, the unclean M…gd…l…, the bloody Manaſſes▪ the Sodomitical Corinthians, the Chriſt-killing Jews.
4. Laſtly, know that all his anger is not againſt ſwearers and liers, and adulterers, aſſuredly his greateſt diſpleaſure is againſt unbeleevers: This ſin diſhonours and greives him more then all other ſinnings.
Queſt. But who can help it! can we open the door?
Sol. No, nor muſt you yet ſhut the door! There are four doors if thou didſt ſtand at more often, ſtrength would come to open the door of thy heart, viz.
1. The door of the blood of Chriſt; look upon it more, it ſpeaks good and great things for a broken ſinner.
2. The door of Gods free, and ful…, and everlaſting Covenant, ſtudy it better.
3. The door of the preaching of the Goſpel, attend it oftner.
4. The door of heaven, by continual praying and waiting O never, never ceaſe begging, O Lord, O Lord, Thou that calleſt, make me to heare, Thou that knockeſt make me to open, nay do thou by thine own ſpirit open my doors that the King of glory may come in.