The Riches of Grace Displayed, Sermons · Sermon 2
Rev. 3. 20.Serm. 2.
Behold, I ſtand at the doore 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.
THe readineſſe and willingneſs of Chriſt to come in to a ſinners heart, and ſave him (of which you heard much in a former Sermon) is particularly declared by two things in the Text, viz.
His patient expectation, (I ſtand at the door.)
His vehement ſolicitation, (and knock.)
I ſhall wrap them both up in one propoſition, which is this,
Doct. That Jeſus Chriſt waits long upon ſinners, and earneſtly labours with them for entrance or admiſſion (he ſtands at the door and knocks.)
Thirty years did Chriſt in perſon wait upon the Jews, and preached, and wrought miracles. Fourty years did he by his Spirit waite upon them in the Wilderneſſe, and teſtified unto them by ſignes and wonders. One hundred and Gen. 6.twenty years did he by the preaching of N…ah and others wait upon the world and did ſtrive with them. Theſe one thouſand ſix hundred years hath he waited upon the Gentiles, that the fulneſſe of them may come in. Theſe eighty years (well neer) hath he waited upon England. Twenty years (ſometimes) he waits upon one ſinner. Fourty years upon another ſinner. Theſe ſixty years hath he waited upon us. How often hath he ſaid to us, as to the Church in Cant. 5. 2. Ʋp…n to me, Dilectus ſtat ad oſti um vocife rans & pulſans quaſi morae impatiens, B…rnard. in loc.my ſiſter, my love, my dove, my undefiled, for my head is filled with dew, and my locks with the drops of the night.
Mat. 23. 37. How often would I have gathered thy children, &c. Rom. 10 21. All the day long he ſtretched forth his hand to a rebellious and gain-ſaying people. Mat. 22. 2. A marriage feaſt is prepared. Ver. 2. Servants are ſent forth to bid men to the wedding: And then ſervants are ſent forth to call them that were bidden. Ver. 4. Then he ſends forth other ſervants to acquaint them that all was ready.
What do theſe paſſages hold forth, but the great love of Chriſt, the long expectation of Chriſt, the earneſt importunity of Chriſt with ſinners to come and be happily conjoyned with him.
But I ſhall more fully demonſtrate the truth of the aſſertion by ſome particulars.
1. Chriſt gives …t ſinners over though they have giv…n him no Awake thou that ſleepeſt, Eph. 5. How long wilt thou ſleep O ſluggard? … rov 6. 9.anſwer at all: when they have been drowſie and ſleepy, lying careleſſe in the bed of ignorance, and ſecurity, (not at all minding the dignity of his perſon, nor heavenlineſſe of his voice, nor excellency of his ſalvation, nor tender of his grace,) yet ſtill hath he ſtood at their doors and knockt: He hath called the louder, and knockt the harder, perhaps by ſome affliction or croſſe to awaken them, and make them to heare and open. Rom. 13. 11. It is high time to awake out of ſleep. Ver. 12. The day is far spent, the night is at hand, &c.
2. Chriſt hath continued knocking, and calling, although ſinners Luke 14.have made light of his invitations; As they in the Parable, who did prefer their Oxen and Farmes before the Feaſt: yea, although ſinners have expreſſed an extream backwardneſſe, yet hath Chriſt followed them, and put them forward, as in the other Parable, he ſent other ſervants, Matth. 22. 4. He hath renued his motion.
3. Chriſt hath continued at the door of ſinners when they have made dilatory anſwers, would have put him off with excuſes and delays, as if he would take no denial.
Austin delayed in his youth, yet Chriſt followed and overcame him. Cant. 5. 2. Open to Auguſtin. in confeſſ Modo, modo cras, cras, ſine Paululum. Auſtin. ut ſupra.me, &c. Ver. 3. I have put off my coat, how ſhall I put it on: I have waſhed my feet, how ſhall I defile them. Ver. 4. Yet for all this Chriſt did put in his hand by the hole of the door. How often hath Chriſt overcome a ſinner in his Age, who would not hearken unto him in his youth.
4. He hath not gone away from the door of ſinners although they have given him▪ harſh and ſomewhat churliſh anſwers. Cant. 5. 9. What is thy beloved more then another beloved? ch. 6. 13. What will ye Who is the ſon of …ſſe? Who is the Lord, ſaid Pharaoh, yet Moſes is ſent again.ſee in the Shulamite? John 1. 46. Can any good come out of Nazareth? ſo Nathaniel replies to Philip; and after this comes Chriſt and beſpeaks Nathaniel, ver. 48, 49.
John 4. 9. Then ſaith the woman of Samaria, How is it, that thou being a Jew, askeſt drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? yet Chriſt goes on with his diſcourſe, and offers to her the water of life who churliſhly denied him a little ordinary water to drink.
5. Nay, he hath not given over ſinners, although they have been ſo far from opening to him, that they have opened their mouths againſt him, by reviling him, and lift up their hands againſt him to perſecute and kill him. When the Phariſees went about to kill him, yet even then he ſtood and cried, If any man thirſt, let him come to me and drink, John 7. 25, 27.
6. Yea, though ſinners have actually imbrued their hands in the murthering of his Meſſengers, nay, of himſelf, yet hath he ſtood at their doores knocking.
1. Of his Meſſengers, though they kill the ſervants, yet he ſent his Sonne to the husbandmen.
Mat. 23. 37. O Jeruſalem, Jeruſalem, Thou that killest the Prophets, and ſtoneſt them that are ſent to thee! How often would I have gathered thy children, &c.
2 Of himſelf.
Acts 2. 36. Let all the houſe of Iſrael know aſſuredly that God hath made that ſame Jeſus whom ye have crucified both Lord and Chriſt: yet to theſe doth Chriſt (in his Apoſtle Peter) preach and begs of them to repent and to ſave themſelves, and aſſures them by promiſe of pardon if they would come in, ſee verſes 38, 39, 40.
7. Obſerve the multiplicity of his calls without and motions within. How often hath he been thruſting in at the Port or Haven of a ſinners heart, and then you muſt confeſſe that he waits and labours much to get into a ſinners ſoul. As to the Jewes of old he preached to them, wrought miracles, prayed for them on the croſſe, afterwards ſent Apoſtles to them. As Moſes to the Iſraelites, Exod. 4. 8. If they will not beleeve thee, nor hearken to the voice of the firſt ſigne, they will beleeve the voice of the latt… ſigne.
If you could know all the prayers, which a faithful Miniſter (whom Chriſt ſets over you) puts up every day to heaven for you, and all his tears, beſide his cares and ſtudies. If you could number all the Sermons which have been preached unto you, (ſuch a day of the week, every Lords day) and the thouſands of Exhortations, not to ſtand out againſt Chriſt, not to refuſe his ſalvation, to be perſwaded to give way to Jeſus Chriſt.
If (beſide all theſe) it were poſſible for you to fetch back and preſent to your own eyes, the millions of internal motions, in the ſpace of many years, the number of thoſe ſecret parlies, and and touches of Jeſus Chriſt at your hearts: You would then ſay, Chriſt indeed hath ſtood at your doors and knockt; And perhaps be aſhamed that you have held out Chriſt ſo long. If a beggar ſhould ſtand at your doors but one day, for one penny, men would cry ſhame on you! and yet thou haſt held out Chriſt theſe twenty years ſtanding at thy door. Chriſt hath ſtood at thy doors, with commands in one hand, and with entreaties in an other hand, he hath ſtood at thy doors with promiſes in his mouth, and with teares in his eyes; he hath ſtood at thy door with heaven in his fingers, and ſorrow in his ſoul; with armes of mercy to claſp thee, if thou openeſt; with flouds of compaſſion to bewaile thee, if thou refuſeſt.
8. Conſider how ſtrongly he follows his ſuite? If eaſier knockings will not prevaile, he knocks ſo that all the houſe rings of him. He ſteps from other doors to that of the conſcience, and (volens nolens) in deſpite of the ſinner breaks it open, and ſets that to calling and knocking too. As the ſervants of Pharaoh, knoweſt thou not that all Egypt is deſtroyed, Let the people go? Moſes cries out, and all his ſervants cry to him; ſo Chriſt cries out, and conſcience cries out; doth conſcience ſpeak, and hack, and ſmite, and wound, and diſtreſſe the ſinner, and print hell on him: And wilt thou hold out? wilt thou not yet part with thy ſinnes? wilt thou not yet open to Chriſt? As in Acts 2. Peter preached, ver. 36. and conſcience preached. ver. 37.
And when conſcience knocks And all the ſoul cries out.at the doore, beleeve me, all the ſoul will be awakened, and be in an uprore; the memory will fetch up all former ſinnings, the judgement will ſee the wrath by them, and the heart will feele the burden of them, and amongſt all other ſinnes, theſe, of keeping Chriſt at the door, will lie moſt at the doore.
O brethren, if Chriſt might open our door with the Golden Key of his Mercy, it were beſt for us, but rather then he will looſe a ſinner, he will break open the door with the …ron bar of the Law: if men will not open, he will compel them (ere he hath done with them) to ſet open all their gates unto him.
9. Laſtly, obſerve one thing more, that many times he never gives over knocking, till he hath not only knockt down the ſinner, but knockt him alſo quite off He will force him to yeild and open.from all other hopes, and helps within himſelf, and without himſelf, that he muſt either certainly periſh, or elſe be conſtreined to open unto Chriſt. When Chriſt knocks thus at a ſinners door for entrance, the ſinner thinks of ſeveral courſes, ere ever he will open to him.
Sometimes he thinks to outthink theſe knocks of Chriſt, by engaging his minde with much worldly employment: But this puts not off the knockings of Chriſt.
Sometimes he thinks to forget the ſins repreſented to him, but then perhaps more ſins come up knocking afreſh.
Sometimes he thinks that a few prayers ſhall be the anſwer given to ſtill all theſe knockings of conſcience, but they ſhall not do it: The poor wretch muſt know that there is ſomething elſe in this knocking, beſides the confeſſion of his ſinnes and prayer for pardon.
Sometimes he thinks that hearing of Godly Miniſters ſhall quiet all theſe knockings, nor will Chriſt be put off ſo, for as he would have his Miniſters to be heard, ſo (ultimately) he muſt have the door opened, for himſelf to be received.
Sometimes he thinks to help all, by ſurveighing the rich mercy of God, and his gracious promiſes; but neither ſhal theſe ſtick on the ſoul, unleſſe it will ſtoop and come down and open the door and ſubmit to receive Jeſus Chriſt himſelf, in whom all the promiſes of God are Yea, and Amen: ſo that neither word, nor prayer, nor duty, nor promiſe, nor mercy, nor free grace, ſhall help until we receive Chriſt.
Queſt. But now you may demand the reaſons, why Chriſt ſhould thus wait and thus knock at a ſinners doore for entrance.
Sol. The cauſes are theſe of a double ſort, ſome
1. On Chriſts part.
2. On the ſinners part.A merciful high Prieſt Heb. 2. 17.
1. On Chriſts part.
1. Chriſt is God, and becauſe he is God, he is therefore merciful, willing to ſhew mercy to ſinners in miſery, and unwilling to deſtroy them: How ſhall I give thee up O Ephraim. He is long-ſuffering: Hoſea 4God is a long-ſuffering God, and ſo is Chriſt; He is a much-ſuffering Chriſt, and a long-ſuffering Chriſt. 2 Pet. 3. 9. The Lord is long-ſuffering to us-ward, not willing that any ſhould periſh, but that all ſhould come to repentance.
It is the greatneſſe of mercy to be willing to pity or pardon ſinners, and it is the greatneſſe of goodneſſe, to offer help unto them; And it is the greatneſſe of patience to waite long upon them.
2. Chriſt knows the price of a The price of a ſoul is a great price.ſoul; though the ſinner knows it not; He knows, that a ſoul coſt the ſhedding of his blood, and could never have been ranſomed without it: And therefore Chriſt will wait and work to get a ſoul: If he were at coſt to offer up his ſoul to redeeme our ſouls, he ſtands not upon ſome paines to apply that redemption unto our ſouls. Iſa. 55. 3. Incline your eare and come unto me, hear and your ſoul ſhall live.
3. He knows the ſad conſequences which will befal the ſoul that will not open to him. For inſtance, the ſoul will be loſt, and the conſequence of this is very ſad in regard of,
(1) The fulneſſe of miſery; the puniſhment of loſſe; ſuch a ſoule ſhall never ſee God and the puniſhment of ſenſe, the wrath of God ſhall abide on that ſoul. See John 3 36. The loſſe of the ſoul is a great loſſe, no loſſe like this loſſe.
(2) The hideouſneſſe of miſery, John 3. 19. This is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men love darkneſſe rather them light: Infidelity is a ſin that bindes on all our ſinnes, ſuch a ſinner is condemned by the mercy-ſeat, as well as by the judgment-ſeat.
(3.) The inevitability of all this: There being no name under heaven given amongſt men whereby they muſt be ſaved, Acts 4. 12. The onelyonly plaiſter, the only Phyſician, the onelyonly Mediatour, the onelyonly Saviour is Chriſt.
(4.) He knows our neceſſities and the excellency of his o… ſalvation. Though we think to be and do well enough without Chriſt, as the Laodiceans thought themſelves rich and Rev. 3. 17increaſed, and to ſtand in need of nothing, yet he knows that we are blinde, and poor, and miſerable, and naked: that we periſh without him, are loſt without him, are demned without him.
Again, he knows that himſelf is the proper good, the chiefeſt good, the fitteſt good, the happieſt good to a ſinners ſoul, that Luk. 19. 42 Joh. 17 3the knowing of him,
Is the knowing of the things which concern our peace.
Is eternal life.
5. He knows whereof we are made, he knows our conditions, and diſpoſitions to be ſuch, as a ſhort and light work, will not do the work with us. Exod. 32. 9. I have ſeen this people; and behold it is a ſtiff necked people. Acts 7. 51. Ye stiff necked and uncircumciſed in heart and eares, ye do alwayes reſiſt the holy Ghoſt. Ezek. 2. 3. And he ſaid unto him, Son of man, I ſend thee to the children of Iſrael, to a rebellious Nation. Verſ. 4. They are impudent children and ſtiff-hearted.
2 On the ſinners part.
There are three things which Chriſt fore-knows in a ſinner, and therefore he ſtands and knocks.
1. The deep ſleep into whi…h he is fallen: there is a ſp…rit of ſlumber, a drouſineſſe of conſcience ſeazed on him, and much muſt be done ere this drouſie ſinner will open his eyes or eares.
2. The thick ignorance and blindneſſe in him: Who is the Lord ſaith Pharaoh? I know not the Lord: Had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory: Father forgive them for they know not what they do.
3. The ſtrange reſiſtance in a ſinful heart, it will hold out againſt Chriſt to the laſt, and will never yeild till it be overpowered with the Almighty operations of his ſpirit: As he in the ſtory held the ſhip with his hands and teeth.
Ʋſe 1. Doth Chriſt ſo importunately knock, and ſo patiently wait? then be informed,
1. Of the pride and ſtubbornneſs, and rebellion which lie in the will of ſinful man: The Poelagians of old, and the Arminians of late, talk much of the ſovereignty, and virginity, and liberty of mans will; What ſhip-wrack it alone, hath eſcaped in the fall of man, and of the ſufficiency of a moral ſwa…ion, to mans converſion, as if God needed to do no more to ſave us, then devil doth to damne us. Yea, and you ſhall finde the hearts of ignorant people generally leaven'd with this proud errour, though we know not ſo much as others, and fall ſhort of them in ability, yet we have as good a will as the beſt. O poor ſinner, if thy will be ſo good, why haſt thou held out Chriſt all this while? why doeſt thou not open the door to Chriſt? No, no! of Corruptio optimi eſt peſſima.all the faculties in thy ſoul, Thy will is the worſt; Here lies thy greateſt miſery and hell, thou wilt not come to Chriſt, thou wilt not be gathered, thou wilt not (with Babylon) be healed, thou wilt not part with thy ſins for a ſaving Chriſt.
2. Of the juſt cauſe of a ſinners damnation: It is of and from himſelf: never lay it on Gods decrees, or want of means and helps. What could I have done more for my vineyard, &c? Iſa. 5. So what could Chriſt do more? he calls, and crys, and knocks, and entreats, and waits, and weeps, and yet you will not accept of him, nor of ſalvation by him.
Thou muſt thank thy ſelf for all thy miſeries; Thou wilt confeſſe one day I might have had mercy; I was offered Chriſt and grace, I felt him knocking by his ſpirit, but I ſlighted him, grieved him, rejected him, and now it is juſt with God to ſhut the doore of mercy againſt me, as it hapned to that King who ſtayed to drink a cup of water, but loſt his Kingdom by it.
Ʋſe 2. The ſecond Uſe which I will make of this point ſhall be for Humiliation of us this day. That Jeſus Chriſt hath ſtood at our doors ſo long, and knockt, and yet we have not opened unto him.
For this let me ſpeak three things,
1. The evidence which may be given in againſt us.
2. The cauſes why we deale thus with Chriſt of which we may be aſhamed.
3. The peculiar aggravations of this.
1. The evidence to prove this inditement againſt us.
1. The Goſpel, which you have 3. Inditements.heard ſo long a time, challenges you this day; where is the Chriſt which I have ſo cleerly revealed, ſo freely offered, ſo ſtrictly commanded you to receive, ſo ſeriouſly beſeeched you to let in: whoſe doors have been ſet open, ſince this door hath been ſet open, &c?
2. The Miniſters of the Goſpel come in againſt you: Lord Jeſus ſay they, we have been Embaſſadours ſent from thee, and we have preached thee to our people; We have told them that thou art the Sonne of God, the Prince of peace, the Lord of glory, the Phyſician of ſouls, the Saviour of ſinners; that thou cameſt to ſeek that which is loſt, that thou wouldeſt have all the ends of the earth to look after thee; That it is the duty of ſinners to open their hearts, and to give up all thei… houſe unto thee; that they ſhall periſh, if they keep thee out; that they ſhall live for ever, if they will let thee in. We have told them how able thou art, and willing to anſwer for their ſins, to make their peace, to cloath them with righteouſneſſe; But Lord, who hath beleeved our report? we are (after all) ſlighted, deſpiſed, grieved, vexed, reproached, oppoſed. O cryes out one Miniſter with tears, I have lived amongſt a people and preached to them theſe twenty yeares, and I hardly ſee one man in all my Pariſh looking towards Chriſt; O cryes out another, my heart is almoſt broken to ſee the deſperate ſpirits of my people, they caſt dung into the face of Chriſt, and trample him (in his Ordinances) under their feet.
3. The conſciences of men, teſtifie againſt them that they will not let in any power of Jeſus Chriſt; any ſaving vertue of Chriſt. O ſaith conſcience, thou ſetteſt open thy door and letteſt in ſuch company as Chriſt will never endure; And when Chriſt ſpeaks, thou turneſt away thine eares; and when his Spirit treats, thou quencheſt his motions, grieveſt him, reſiſteſt him, and uſually offereſt deſpite unto him.
2. The Cauſes of this, are Ignorance ſelf-confidence. They are whole.either,
1 The ignorant confidence in the mindes of men. All this while they ſee not any need of opening unto Jeſus Chriſt, they heare that the ſoules of men are loſt, but what that meanes they know not; For their parts, they thank God they are as well as ever they were in their lives, and What is thy beloved? Cant. 5. So John 4. 10 If thou kneweſt the gift of God.hope to be ſaved as well as the beſt.
From hence is it that they prize not the wells of ſalvation, diſcern not the height, and depth, and breadth of the love of God towards us in Chriſt; make nothing of the pearle, and ſlight the bread of life, &c.
2. If any light breaks in upon the minde, yet the judgement of the ſinner likes not Chriſts conditions: what, ſaith he, and muſt I
Hazard all my eſtate now, be willing on a ſudden to let all (that I and mine have taken pains for) go?
Nay, muſt I hazard mine own life too, (the deereſt of all outward comforts,) yea, and in the mean time ſubmit to ſuch truths as will cruſh down all my profits, and to ſuch wayes as will caſhire all my ſinnes; muſt I become a foole to be wiſe, deny my ſelf and truſt in another?
Nay verily, if Chriſt thinks that I want Reaſon, and know not what is good for one; or ſees not when I am well, if he will not come in and take part with the world, and with an infirmity too, and with a little liberty, I muſt be pardoned if I keep houſe alone.
O Chriſtians, there are three chaines which hold the ſinner that he will not open the doore to Chriſt.
1. The chain of ſinful pleaſures, this held the young man, Eccleſ. 11. 9.
2. The chaine of ſinful profits, this held the young man in the Goſpel.
3. The chain of ſelf eaſe. Theſe will hold thee till thou art bound up in chains of everlaſting darkneſſe, unleſs God be the more merciful to thee.
Theſe are the things which make men either totally to ſtand out, or onelyonly Hypocritically (in a fit) to pretend that they will open unto Chriſt; the love of a ſinne makes them ſhut the door again, and ſo doth the love of the world, and the love of their eaſe, and liberty and reſpects, &c.
3. The proud and irrational perverſneſſe of the will, this is many times a ſpecial cauſe why Chriſt is made to ſtand long and knock.
Either men will not (after all) be perſwaded: Though their judgements be diſarmed of all carnal cavils and objections, though they be convinced of that infinite happineſſe in Jeſus Chriſt, yet they cannot abide the holineſſe of Chriſt, they will not hearken: As they anſwered in the Parable we will not come, Mat. 22.ye will not come to me, ye would not, &c.
Or they will capitulate with Chriſt, to enter in their way and manner, unto which Chriſt will never yeild: For inſtance, they will open and receive Chriſt,
If they may finde ſome holy change in their hearts firſt, or
If they might finde ſome worthineſſe in themſelves, or
If they they might have ſome Aſſurance that their ſinnes were pardoned, and they stood in favour with God, and were in Covenant, or
If they might have him come in juſt at that time as they pleaſe, in the deſires of mercy, or
If they might have ſuch meaſures of his grace and love.
O Chriſtian, what doeſt thou meane to make and impoſe articles on thy Chriſt, who alone is to propoſe articles unto thee; why doeſt thou require that of, and in thy ſelf, which Chriſt (when he comes at firſt to enter the ſoule) never required of it. Theſe are after works, and not previous conditions, thy work is only to open the doore, and it is then Chriſts work to furniſh the houſe; let him but in, and let him alone to bring with him mercy to thee, grace to ſanctifie, aſſurance to comfort and eaſe thee.
3. The humbling aggravations from all this,
1. The incomparable abſurdity and indignity; why doeſt thou make Chriſt thus to ſtand and wait at thy door? wouldſt thou deal ſo
With thy friend? what man amongſt Luk. 11. 5, 6, 7, 8.you, if his friend came to the door and was importunate, would he not ariſe and open the door? as Chriſt ſpake.
Or with a beggar, who knocks and is importunate: would ye not riſe and open and give him an almes? will you open the doors to a beggar, and not to a Saviour? to one who may receive an almes of bounty from you, and not to a Chriſt from whom your ſelves may receive the almes of everlaſting mercy?
Or with thy dog, that ſtands without and cries to come in: Ah Lord, will you open your doors to a dogge, and not to Chriſt!
Or with the devil, who no ſooner calls, but you heare, he is opened unto before he knocks: will you open the doore to let in hell, and will you not open the doore to let in heaven? will you open the door to ſinne and death, and not to Chriſt and life? Can you ſhew a more baſe diſeſteeme of Jeſus Chriſt. Why, what is Chriſt? and what is the Sonne of God? and what would you have that you deal thus unworthily with him, and ſhut him out of your doors?
Whether you hold out Chriſt by, 1. Ignorance. 2. Or by incompliance. 3. Or by diffidence, 4. Or by impenitence, yet you and Chriſt are ſtill aſunder, you are Chriſtleſſe, and evangelical offers, though excellent, yet are tranſient.Rara hora Brevis mora.
2. The deſparate hazard you run; in the midſt of all evangelical knockings; what if death ſhould knock at your doors before you have opened to Chriſt? where are you then? your doores have been ſhut againſt Chriſt, and heaven doors will be ſhut againſt your ſouls.
Or what if Chriſt will go away from thy door, and never ſtand there, or knock there any longer? It was one of the greateſt mercies that ever God ſhewd to thee, that Jeſus Chriſt would condeſcend to come, and ſtand, and knock at thy doores, and it will prove the heavieſt judgement that ever befel ſinners; if he utterly departs from thee becauſe thou wilt not open thy doors unto him.
3. Your holding out Chriſt thus long will coſt you dear, though at length you do open to him, as it will coſt you hell if you never open to him. You that keep Chriſt (thus long) out of his own purchaſe, and out of his own poſſeſſion (for thy ſoul by right is Chriſts) perhaps thou ſhalt have Chriſt, but thou ſhalt ſet at a great fine for it, it will coſt thee dear; for thy ſins and this ſin of all the reſt will ſet hard and cloſe on thy conſcience, that thou haſt ſtood out ſo long with thy Chriſt.
Ʋſe 3. Doth Chriſt wait long and knock often at our doors before we give him entrance? then let not us think it ſtrange if we wait long, and knock often at the doors of heaven, (either for our ſelves or for the land) before God opens to us.
Beloved! the Lord is righteous in all his wayes, and wiſe too in the proportionate retributions of ſinners: we may ſee our ſinnes in the very judgements and dealings of God. The time was that we would not hear the voice of Chriſt, and now he will not hear the voice of our prayers. We have ſhut out his Son, and he ſhuts out our ſuits; we have made Chriſt to wait long, and we now are made to expect long. We did not ariſe to the knockings of Chriſt, and he will not now ariſe to the knockings and calls of our diſtreſſes. We think it much that God comes not down all this while to deliver us from the blood of warre; and God hath thought it much that we would not come down to open the doors, and to accept of the blood of his Sonne. We have made our God and Chriſt to waite upon us with ſpiritual deliverances; Is it not righteous that we ſhould wait upon him for temporal deliverances? O that we could ſtop our mouths, and ſilence and check our impatient and murmuring hearts this day! Remember, ſaith God, how ye have dealt with my Chriſt, with my Spirit, with my Goſpel, with my Offers of grace and ſalvation.
Confeſſe it, and be aſhamed and humbled this day, that you have dealt thus with your God, and with your Saviour; It is not that the Lords eare is heavy, nor is it that his hand is ſhortned! Iſa. 59. 1.that he heares not and delivers not all this while! But it is to recompence unto us our own wayes, Becauſe when he called, we would not hear, therefore Prov. 1. 24, 25.when calamities be upon us, we ſhall call upon him and not be anſwered.
Ʋſe 4. The next Uſe ſhall be of Exhortation, to perſwade you to let in Chriſt, and not to cloſe the door againſt him any longer; but as the Apoſtle ſpake, To day whiles it is called to day, hearken to his voice, Heb. 3. 7. and to know in the day of your viſitation the things which concerne your peace: O what a mercy is it for Chriſt to come and waite upon us.
Conſider,
1. Your withſtandings of Chriſt are unſpeakably dangerous; you loſt your ſoules once by Adams wilfulneſſe, will you loſe them the ſecond time by your own? Every refuſal of Chriſt is (if mercy relieve us not) a new deſtruction of the ſoule. A contempt of Chriſt, a crucifying of Chriſt afreſh, a cruel murdering of our own ſouls.
2. All ſhall be pardoned, if yet you will hearken and open to him, mercy can pardon ſinnes againſt mercy, and Chriſt can pardon ſins againſt Chriſt: former refuſals are no prejudice to future invitations, and offers of grace; If we be humbled and they be accepted.
Acts 3. 17. And now brethren, I wote that through ignoranc… you did it, as did alſo your Rulers.
Verſe 19. Repent ye therefore and be converted, that your ſins may be blotted out.
3. What would a damned ſoul give for one opportunity more? what would a dying man give for one day more? what cuts his ſoul more then his delaying and ſlighting of Chriſt? Soul-opportunities, and Chriſt-opportunities are precious, more worth then all the world: mercy is in them, grace, glory, eternity is in them: The whole earth hangs on a point, and ſo doth heaven on an inch of opportunity.
Queſt. But what muſt be done?
Sol. Get, 1. Knowledge of your ſinful condition, and exigences, and neceſſities.
2. Knowledge of the worth and ſingularity of Chriſt to a ſinners condition, John 4. 10. If thou kneweſt the gift of God, and who it is that ſaith unto thee, give me drink. Thou wouldeſt have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.
Ʋſe 5. The laſt Uſe ſhall be of Exhortation and encouragement to diſtreſſed and laden Conſciences: Behold yet Chriſt ſtands at thy door and knocks, why doeſt thou not open unto him? why art thou afraid of a gracious Saviour? why yet holdeſt thou him at the the door with thy unbeleeving diſputes and doubts?
O that God would ſet thee at liberty; O that God would this day over-power thy heart; O that Jeſus Chriſt who hath made all ready to feaſt and welcome thy drooping heart, wo…ld by his Spirit command off thy fetters, command on his ſtrength, that thou wouldeſt open thy doors, and give one welcome to thy Saviour!
He is worthy to come in, though thou be not worthy to receive him. Once ſay, O bleſſed Chriſt! the door is open, and ſuch as I am, is thine; if thou wilt have all my heart, all is thine, welcome O Chriſt, and welcome O bleſſed Spirit of Chriſt, and welcome thou Covenant of Grace, and welcome thou free mercy of God, and welcome all the excellencies of Chriſt, and welcome all the Lawes of Chriſt, and welcome all you conditions of Chriſt.
Bleſſed Chriſt; Take the beſt Roome I have! ſet up thy ſelf and abide in my Judgement, as the moſt excellent Treaſure; In my will, as the moſt excellent happineſſe; In my affections, as the only love, deſire, joy, hope, and confidence of my poor ſoul.
Thou holdeſt me at the door, thou diddeſt not ſtand on my worthineſſe, nor except againſt me for my ſinfulneſſe! O deare Chriſt; Take me a poore miſerable ſinner, and make me another, an holy, and well-pleaſing creature! I can bring nothing to thee, but I will expect all from thee! I will truſt on thy blood for pardon, on thy merits for acceptance, on thy Spirit for holineſſe, on thy compaſſions for comforts, on thy ſelfe, thy ſelfe alone for ſalvation, on thy faithfulneſſe and fulneſſe for all. And is it ſo ſaith Chriſt? and doeſt thou ſo, ſaith Chriſt? well, be of good cheer, thy ſinnes are forgiven, I will, be thou cleane: Grace, Mercy and Peace enter into this poor ſoul for ever.