The Riches of Grace Displayed, Sermons · Sermon 4
Rev. 3. 20.Serm. 4.
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.
YOu have heard already (out of theſe words) the gracious behaviour of Chriſt towards ſinners, and ſomething of the dutiful behaviour of ſinners towards Chriſt, viz. (that they ought to heare and open to him.)
I now proceed to handle the indefiniteneſſe of perſonal admittance with a little relation alſo to Chriſts further inſureance (If any m…n open, &c. I will come in to him.)
O Sirs, read over the words again; are they not like the yeare of Jubile, in which any ſervant might (if he would) have his freedome? when Chriſt was betrayed upon his ſpeech, one Diſciple an anſwers, Is it I? and another, Is it I? But when Chriſt offers himſelf himſelf and ſalvation to us, there is no cauſe for ſuch a reply, doth he mean me, or thee, or another? O no, herein is a haven open to any ſhip; a Saviour ready to entertaine any ſinner: (If any man hear my voice, I will come in to him.)
Whence obſerve.
Doct. 2. That whatſoever the former condition of any ſinner hath been, and whatſoever his preſent condition is; yet if he will open unto Chriſt, Chriſt will be his.
Theſe Laodiceans (of whom the text expreſſely ſpeaks) they were poor, and blind, and naked, and wretched, and miſerable, yet for none of theſe doth Chriſt except againſt them; Though they had no riches of worthineſſe, no eyes of knowledge, no garment of righteouſneſſe; yea, though they were ſo wretched, and miſerable, that they had no ability to buy theſe, but ſtood before his eyes as meer, impotent, undiſcerning objects, yet he calls to them, and offers himſelf to them, to all of them, to every one, he excepts not a man; but if any man will, &c.
In Luke 14. 21. The Maſter of the houſe ſaid to ſervant, go out quickly into the ſtreets and lanes of the City, and bring in hither the poore, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blinde; Here's not a man of quality, of any dignity, of any ſelf-ſufficiency, but a company of indigent, impotent, deformed, wounded ſinners; yet th…ſe are by Chriſt envited and welcome, Iſa. 55. 1. Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money, come ye, buy and eat, yea come, buy milk and honey without money, and without price.
There is in Chriſt, water to cleanſe, milk to nouriſh, bread to ſtrengthen, Honey to comfort, a full good for a ſinner, all good for a ſinner: And the ſinner is called upon to come, yea, the ſecond time to come; yea, the third time to come. And the ſinner is every ſinner; Ho, every one that thirſteth, every ſinner who feels his want, and ſees his need, and deſire Chriſt.
Object. But what if he hath no deſire, nothing to lay down?
Sol. Why let him come (and he that hath no money, come.)
Object. But ſomething elſe at leaſt muſt be brought.
Sol. No (buy milk, and honey without m…ny, and without price▪) as if he ſhould ſay, I ſell for nothing, I was ſold for a price, but I ſell my ſelf without price. Thirſt, and come, be but willing to open, to take, and all is yours. Paralel to this are thoſe two other places in John 7. 37. Jeſus ſtood and cried, if any man thirſt, let him come to me and drink. Rev. 22. 17. Let him that is athirſt come, and whoſoever will, let him take the water of life freely.
For the further confirmation of this point, I will demonſtrate two things,
1. The foreign: That it is a divine truth.
2. The foreign: Why it is ſo.
1. The quod ſit, that it is a truth.
Which I think will appeare if five things can be proved.
1. Though the perſon hath been very ſinful.
2. Though the ſinner be not able to make ſatisfaction
3. Though his humblings be very ſmall.
4. Though his worthineſſe be none at all.
5. Though holineſſe be altogether wanting, yet if he will open to Chriſt, Chriſt will be his.
1. Though the perſon hath been very ſinful, yet if he will open his heart to Chriſt, Chriſt will be his. Sinne may be conſidered two ways either,
Abſolutely, in reſpect of its filth and guilt.
Relatively, in reſpect of affection and ſervice: I confeſſe that former ſinfulneſſe reſolutely affected, and bound up with the chief deſire, and complacence of the will, is utterly offenſive and incompatible with Chriſt; neither will or can he heart of a perſon, (thus conſidered) open to Chriſt, nor will Chriſt (with ſuch a corrival) ſtep into the heart.
Nevertheleſſe ſinne abſolutely conſidered (as defiling and tranſgreſſing) makes not the perſon, neither uncapable of Chriſt, or un ſutable to …hriſt.
A ſick perſon is a proper ſubject for a Phyſician, (the whole need not the Phyſician, but the ſick;) a ſinner is as proper a ſubject for a Saviour; For this is a true ſaying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Jeſus Chriſt came into the world to ſave ſinners, 1 Tim. 1. 15. Take ſin how you pleaſe, either as it is a Trangreſſion againſt the Law, when the Law hath ſhut and bound up and condemned a tranſgreſſour; the Sun can ſcatter all the clouds, that Ocean ſwallow up mountains; the Goſpel can releaſe and ſet him free: God hath ſet forth Chriſt to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteouſneſſe for the remiſſion of ſinnes that are paſt, Rom. 3 25. (the Goſpel is a ſufficient remedy againſt Law.)
Or as it is a tranſgreſſion againſt the Goſpel: if yet the heart open to Chriſt, Chriſt will not reject it. Mat. 12. 31. All manner of ſin and blaſphemy ſhall be forgiven unto men. Ver. 32. And whoſoever ſpeaketh a word againſt the Son of men, it ſhall be forgiven him: Not only ſins againſt God in his holineſſe, but alſo againſt Chriſt, (here called the Sonne of man) upon repentance and beleeving, ſhall be forgiven. Manaſſes ſinned againſt the Law, and upon repentance was accepted. Paul ſinned againſt the Goſpel, and yet upon his beleeving was received unto mercy, 1 Tim. 1. 16. It is poſſible for a ſinner, who hath refuſed and oppoſed Chriſt, yet to be humbled for theſe, and to accept of Chriſt. There is a double refuſal of the offer of Chriſt.
One is total and final, which is fixed in a peculiar malice, and a permanent obſtinacy againſt Chriſt; this is hopeleſſe: 'Tis not ſins abſolutely againſt the Goſpel which excludes, but impenitencies.
Another is total but temporary, this ariſeth either from ignorance or inadvertency which Chriſt doth pity, and it doth not infallibly hinder a ſecond and further offer: Nor yet an opening and cloſure with Chriſt.
Acts 3. 17. And now brethren, I wote that through ignorance ye did it as did alſo your Rulers. Ver. 19. Rep…nt ye therefore and be converted that your ſinnes may be blotted out. Acts 4. 4. Many of them which heard the Word beleeved, and the number of the men were about five thouſand.
2. Though the ſinner be not able of himſelf to make the leaſt ſatiſfaction to divine juſtice for his ſins committed, yet if he will open unto Chriſt, Chriſt will be his. It is moſt true, that God muſt be ſatisfied, or elſe he will not be reconciled: Though he be ready to ſhew mercy, yet he is very tender of the glory of his Juſtice; we owe unto him obedience as ſuch creatures, and ſatisfaction as ſinners. But now mark if your hearts be willing to open to Chriſt, you ſhall not be rejected, although you can make no ſatiſfaction at all. Ʋpon me be thy curſe my Sonne (ſaid Rebecca to Jacob) only obey my voice, Gen. 27. 13. So ſaith Chriſt to a ſinner, upon me be thy curſe (I was made a curſe for thee, Gal. 3. 13.) onelyonly obey my voice, onelyonly open thy heart unto me. If he hath wronged thee or oweth thee ought, put that on mine account, ſaid Paul to Philemon concerning Oneſimus, Philem. v. 18. So ſaith Chriſt to the ſinner, whatſoever thou oweſt to my Father (for perfect obedience) and wherin ſoever thou haſt wronged my Father, (in thy perfect diſobedience,) put all on mine account; I will be thy ſurety, at my hands let God require them: I was made ſin for thee, that thou mighteſt be made righteous, onelyonly open to me, and all my ſatisfaction ſhall be thine.
3. Though his humblings be very ſmall, yet if he will open to Chriſt, Chriſt will be his. It is true, that humblings (for ought I know) are a neceſſary antecedent before the opening of the heart to Chriſt. The ſtinging Serpent was felt before the healing Serpent was lookt on: The ground is plowed before it is ſowen; The breaking hammer of the Law ſtrikes the conſcience, before the golden key of the Goſpel opens the will. But as Chriſt enters not after the greateſt humblings in conſcience, if the will opens not to him, ſo he will enter into the leaſt humblings in the ſoul, if the will therefore opens to receive him.
Humblings may be conſidered two ways.
1. Intenſively, for high degrees
2. Congruouſly, in order to a ſucceeding work, as they occaſion a ſinner to caſt out his provoking luſts, and to be willing to let in a ſaving Chriſt. And when this is attained (whether by more or by leſſer ſtroaks,) Chriſts feet are ſtepping into the ſoule preſently.
May I ſpeak a ſtrange truth; If it were poſſible for a ſoule to be willing to be open unto Chriſt, without any one laſh or touch of antecedent trouble, or bruſing, Jeſus Chriſt would forthwith cloſe with it.
If the iron would bow and be pliable without fire or ſtroak, the impreſſion might, and would be made upon it immediately.
If the wood did cleave without a ſtroke, it were well enough, or if it doth with one ſtroke, that without the addition of any more ſufficeth.
If there accompanies ſuch an efficacy, the leaſt ſenſe of ſinne, and the loweſt ſmiting for ſinne, that the will is truly turned off from it, and turned up to Chriſt, it is enough; though thou troubleſt thy ſelf with more, yet Chriſt expects no more, the door is open and he will enter. Lydia's heart was touched, and preſently opened: The Jews were wounded, and cryed out, What ſhall we do? upon hearing the firſt part of Peters Sermon, and were opened to receive Chriſt, and they enjoyed him, upon the hearing of the next part of the Sermon at the ſame time. In one night the Jaylor ſhuts up the Apoſtles in priſon, and lets them out of priſon again; ſhuts his heart againſt Chriſt, and hath his heart opened to Chriſt, the ſame houre trembling, beleeving, rejoycing.
4. Though his worthineſſe be none at all, yet if his heart will open to Chriſt, Chriſt will be his. I am not worthy, ſaid the Centurion to Chriſt, that thou ſhouldeſt Mat. 8. 8.come under the roof of my houſe. He acknowledged Chriſt to be worthy, and he confeſſeth himſelf not worthy; Though Chriſt did not enter into the doore of his houſe, yet he entred into the door of his heart; A worthy Chriſt entred into the ſoul of an unworthy Centurion, becauſe his heart did prize Chriſt, becauſe his heart was wiling to receive Chriſt. The Prodigal childe was willing to come to his Fathers houſe again? did he plead his good behaviour, did he plead his worthineſſe? O no, I am not worthy (ſaith he) to be called thy Sonne; and yet becauſe that doore of his heart was opened, the door of his fathers affection was alſo opened; He fell on his neck and embraced him, and received him joyfully, Luke 15. 21.
There is a twofold worthineſſe.
One is Legal or Perſonal: O if you look for this, if you ſtand upon this, you will never open the door to Chriſt: The full ſoul deſpiſeth the honey comb, the ſelf-juſtifying Phariſee went home unjuſtified: you muſt be loſt in your own eyes, you muſt be nothing in your own eyes, you muſt be poor in Spirit, you muſt ſee your lives, and hopes, and helps to lie in the hands of meer mercy, or elſe you will never open to Chriſt, and Chriſt will never enter into you.
Another is Evangelical or objective. As the Father once ſpake: Domine! Merita meaſunt miſericordia tua: ſo muſt the ſinner ſay, O bleſſed Chriſt, my worthineſſe is onelyonly in thy worthineſſe. Although I am not worthy that thou ſhouldeſt enter into my heart, yet thou art worthy that my heart ſhould be opened unto thee. This is the worthineſſe, and none other but this that Chriſt inſiſts upon.
5. Though holineſſe be altogether wanting, yet if the ſinner will open unto Chriſt, Chriſt will be his. I do confeſſe that if Chriſt ſtood with a ſinner upon theſe tearms, holy you muſt be, and holy you muſt make your ſelfe to be ere I will cloſe with you; I muſt ſee every room furniſhed with grace before I will come in to you, then I am confident that no fleſh living ſhall be ſaved: For it is as impoſſible for a ſinner to ſanctifie and renue himſelf, as it is for a dead man to quicken himſelf. But Chriſt ſtands not on that, he knows that the ſinner is an empty cask, that no good dwells in him, that he lies in his blood, that all his beautifying ornaments are from above, all to be found and taken out of his ward-robe; That it is his work to refine, and ſanctifie, as well as to pardon and juſtifie, all that the humble ſoul muſt bring, is to open; as the beggar needs bring nothing but a hand to receive; and for holineſſe, which thou complaineſt is wanting, the opening ſoul muſt expect that from Chriſt; who brings this to the ſinner, not the ſinner to Chriſt.
By all which it evidently appears that nothing ſhall hinder the ſinner, any ſinner, if he be once willing to open to Chriſt.
2. The Cur ſit▪
Queſt. Why is it that Chriſt deals thus? that any ſinner (whatſoever his condition and courſe hath been) may yet have him, if he will but open unto him.
Sol The Reaſons are theſe.
1. Chriſt is made ours only by beleeving: This is that which immediately, and fully draws up Joh. 3. 16.the match 'twixt a ſoule and Chriſt, and faith excludes no ſinner: If any ſinner can beleeve he ſhall have Chriſt. Indeed if Chriſt did offer himſelf to be ours upon the legal condition of inherent perfection; (habitual and actual) then every precedent tranſgreſſion, and every preſent defect or want of rectitude, would have rendred us uncapable of his perſon and union. The Law receives no ſinner to mercy. But becauſe he tenders himſelf onelyonly upon beleeving, now no ſinner is pre-judged, the way is open and free to any one. Chriſt doth not deal with us at all (in this opening work) but as abſolute ſinners; nor doth faith (herein) deal with Chriſt, but as with an abſolute Saviour: He knows that we are caſt by the Law, and therefore addreſſes himſelf to us in the way of the New Covenant, which requires nothing in the world from us, but onelyonly beleeve, onelyonly come, onelyonly open to me. The leaſt ſinner cannot have Chriſt any other way, and the greateſt ſinner may enjoy him upon theſe termes.
2. Chriſt doth come to the ſo…l in a gracious way upon free, not upon mercinary termes: I will love them freely, ſo the Prophet, H…ſea 14. 4. Being juſtified freely, ſo the Apoſtle, Rom. 3. 24. He is ours for his own ſake, not ours for our own ſake. Now where a benefit is collated in a gracious way, according to the latitude of that graciouſneſſe, there is an indefinite acceſſe opened to perſons. Suppoſe a Prince proclaimes that if any offender will but come to him, he ſhall have pardon and promotion: Or a rich man, if any poor man will come to my houſe, he ſhall have an almes, why! no offendor needs to diſpute, doth the King mean me? nor needs any poore man to except, ſurely he means not me? If thou be a poor man, the alms is as free, and as ready, and as ſure for thee as any one that cometh: So when Chriſt is to be beſtowed, he is a rich alms amongſt a company of poore ſinners; He ſaith to one, come and I will be thine, and to another come, and to every one come, if thou be a poore needy ſinner, come, drink of the waters of life freely; ſinfulneſſe is no exception, for I beſtow my ſelf on none but ſinners: It is an exception to meriting, but not to receiving: Though the poore man muſt not challenge, yet he muſt open his hand.
3. Jeſus Chriſt comes to the ſoul as an al-ſufficiency, and and therefore he looks not to finde any thing in us, and needs nothing from us, but will bring all with himſelf to us: He comes to a ſinner, as an agent to give, not as a patient to receive, as the Sun to the world, to enlighten, not to be enlightened; As a founder to lay a building, not as a buyer to ſurvey and finde out a building; as a fountain to ſupply us with good, not as a ciſtern to take any good from us: When he comes to the ſoul, he comes to create a new work in it: (therefore are we ſaid to be created in Chriſt Jeſus, Eph. 2. 10. and in him to be new creatures, 2 Cor. 5. 17.) now in Creation, the thing created was nothing before it was created: The firſt creature was the meer effect of Gods power, and the new creature is the meere effect of Gods mercy. When he comes to any ſinner, he comes as a Phyſician to a ſick man: In the ſick man there are nothing but corrupt humours, but aches, and faintings, and groanings, and impotencies, It is the Phyſician who brings all the healing ſalves, and medicines, and recoveries. In a word, when man to except, ſurely he means not me? If thou be a poor man, the alms is as free, and as ready, and as ſure for thee as any one that cometh: So when Chriſt is to be beſtowed, he is a rich alms amongſt a company of poore ſinners; He ſaith to one, come and I will be thine, and to another come, and to every one come, if thou be a poore needy ſinner, come, drink of the waters of life freely; ſinfulneſſe is no exception, for I beſtow my ſelf on none but ſinners: It is an exception to meriting, but not to receiving: Though the poore man muſt not challenge, yet he muſt open his hand.
3. Jeſus Chriſt comes to the ſoul as an al-ſufficiency, and therefore he looks not to finde any thing in us, and needs nothing from us, but will bring all with himſelf to us: He comes to a ſinner, as an agent to give, not as a patient to receive, as the Sun to the world, to enlighten, not to be enlightened; As a founder to lay a building, not as a buyer to ſurvey and finde out a building; as a fountain to ſupply us with good, not as a ciſtern to take any good from us: When he comes to the ſoul, he comes to create a new work in it: (therefore are we ſaid to be created in Chriſt Jeſus, Eph. 2. 10. and in him to be new creatures, 2 Cor. 5. 17.) now in Creation, the thing created was nothing before it was created: The firſt creature was the meer effect of Gods power, and the new creature is the meere effect of Gods mercy. When he comes to any ſinner, he comes as a Phyſician to a ſick man: In the ſick man there are nothing but corrupt humours, but aches, and faintings, and groanings, and impotencies, It is the Phyſician who brings all the healing ſalves, and medicines, and recoveries. In a word, when Chriſt comes to us, he comes as life to a dead man, as pardon to a condemned man, as finding to a loſt man; as riches to a poor man, as pity to a miſerable man, as help to a diſeaſed man. To give, to give all, to give himſelf, to give his blood, to give his Spirit, to give his righteouſneſſe, to give his peace. To give us heaven, to give us all which muſt fit us for heaven; now any ſinner (being in theſe conditions) may come.
4. Chriſt will keep a proportion 'twixt the Application of Redemption, and the Work of our Redemption. When Chriſt was to perform the work of mans Redemption, he ſtood alone in his own excellencies, and in his own perfections, and in his own worthineſſe. He did not ſtand before God, (then) with any mans great birth, or with any mans great parts, nor with any mans graces: Indeed he took upon him our ſinnes, but there was no holineſſe of ours, which he could or did bear: All our ſins were charged on, and he alone went through the work of ſatisfaction for them, and without any concurrent dignity of ours, did he accompliſh our redemption and reconciliation. And thus doth he carry himſelfe towards us, in the Application of that Redemption: he will ſtand alone in this alſo; He beholds nothing but ſins, but wants, but miſeries, he ſees nothing in one ſinner more then in another, and therefore ſtands upon nothing with any of them, but let any one open the doore and I will come in unto him.
5. Laſtly, He thus indefinitely tenders himſelf inſiſting on nothing, but letting of him in, that no ſinner might deſpaire, nor yet glory in any thing but in Chriſt.
If his offers were reſtreigned to ſome kinde of ſinners, then the reſt muſt periſh without hope. Haſt thou but one bleſſing O my Father?And if any thing beſides the opening of the door did conduce as invitation of him, then the poore ſinner would ſoon be a proud ſinner: He would bleſſe his own worthineſſe as much, if not more, then Chriſts goodneſſe.
Ʋſe 1. The firſt Uſe ſhall be of encouragement to every brokenhearted and trembling ſoul, who feares he is the perſon againſt whom Chriſt onelyonly takes exception. Many are apt to plead thus againſt themſelves.
Obj. Others may be received to mercy, but not I; others may be claſped by Chriſt, but he will have none of me; he will enter in at the door of any one elſe, into my ſoul (O I fear) he will never enter.
Sol. To theſe I would addreſs a few words, much like thoſe of God to his people in Iſa. 40. 27. Why ſayeſt thou oh Jacob, and ſpeakest O Iſrael, my way is hid from the Lord, and my judgment is paſſed over from my God. So ſay I to you, why have you ſuch hard thoughts of a good Chriſt; what is he? what hath he ſaid? what hath he done unto you? what occaſion have you to be ſo jealous in queſtioning of his intentions and reſpects unto you? why will you diſpute his willingneſſe to ſave you; when you muſt confeſs his readineſſe to ſuffer and die for you? Why do you cavil at his intention to enter, when your hearts have felt ſo many of his knockings to open; did he die for thy ſoul in earneſt, and thinkeſt thou that now he knocks in jeſt? Are not his commands ſerious, and all his promiſes faithful? why will you diſtinguiſh your ſelves from Chriſt, when Chriſt hath not diſtinguiſhed you from himſelf? if Chriſt doth not except againſt you, why will you except againſt him or your ſelves?
Saint Auſtine in his troubles of ſpirit, thought he heard a voice ſaying. Tolle & Lege, Tolle & Lege; Take up and read, take up and read; He thereupon took up his Bible and read, and the place he lighted on was Rom. 13. 11, 12, 13, 14. verſes, on which he ſeriouſly muſed and was converted. I would ſay the like to you, Take up the Bible and read; reade this one paſſage of the Text, read it againe, and conſider ſeriouſly of it, (If any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in unto him.) There is enough in them (if God will breath his bleſſing) to anſwer all thy fears, to remove all thy doubts, to take off all thy exceptions, to encline thy heart to open, to aſſure thy heart of Chriſts preſent intention to come in to thee.
Obj. Will you ſay, that Chriſt will not at all have to do with a ſinner?
Sol. Read the Text, He ſtands and knocks at their doors, and for this end, to come in.
Obj. Will you ſay, he intends that for other ſinners, but not for you?
Sol. Read the Text again, If any man open, I will come in to him: If you be not out of the number of ſinners, you are not out of the reach of the duty, nor out of the compaſſe of his promiſe.
Obj. Will you ſay, if we had opened when he knockt, then indeed he would have entred?
Sol. Read the text again, Beh…ld I ſtand at the door and knock, if any man will open, &c The hope of entring is not over while the door is opening, and the time of opening is not paſt whileſt the ſeaſon of knocking doth continue.
Obj. Will you ſay (what will you ſay) If I had any goodneſſe in my ſelf, any worthineſſe in my ſelf?
Sol. What then? then you would open, nay, then you would not open to Chriſt; Had you any thing of your own to live upon, you would never live upon Chriſt? nay then you could not open to Chriſt, for he will come in onelyonly to the empty ſoul: But peruſe the text, If any man will open, I will come in: He looks for no more, but open the doore and I am thine; if you will beleeve Chriſt at his word, opening is all that he expects.
O that God would ſet thee at liberty? O that one word of his omnipotency would command thy heart to beleeve and open.
O that, as the Spirit ſaid come, and the Bride ſaid come; ſo Chriſt (this day) would ſay unto thee, come; and thy heart could ſay, O Chriſt I come: As Chriſt ſaith, open, ſo thy heart would anſwer, O Chriſt, I open to thee: Since thou doeſt not except againſt my ſinfulneſſe, ſince thou wilt paſſe by all my unworthineſs ſince thou aſſureſt me of thy preciouſneſſe and of thy fulneſſe, I am overcome, I yeild, I come, I open to thee, have pitty on me the miſerableſt ſinner one earth; Thou wilt finde me a wicked creature, O make me a new and holy creature; I can bring guilt, O Chriſt bring pardon with thee; I ſhall bring miſery, but O Chriſt, bring thou mercy, I ſhall bring wants, but do thou bring fulneſſe; I take thy perſon, O be thou my Redeemer; I take thy merits, O let them be my ſatiſfaction; I take thy righteouſneſs, O let it be my cloathing; I take thy Spirit, O let it be my cleanſing; I take thee at thy promiſe, O let it be faithfulneſſe unto me.
Is it ſo ſaith Chriſt? doeſt thou open thy heart indeed unto me? well, be of good cheere, thou never heardeſt a quarter of that goodneſſe, which I will do for thee; I am thine O poor ſoule; thy ſins (which are many) are forgiven; thy heart which was ſo polluted ſhall be cleanſed; Grace, mercy, peace, ſtrength, every good, enter ye, and dwell in this beleeving ſoul for ever.
Ʋſe 2. The next Uſe ſhall be for exhortation to every one of us to ſtand out no longer, but to ſet open our hearts that Chriſt may come in unto us.
Conſider,
1. The amplitude of Chriſts goodneſſe towards us: There is not a ſinner this day in this place, but Jeſus Chriſt ſaith unto him, if thou wilt heare and open, I will come in unto thee, and be thine, I know well enough what thou haſt been, and what thou haſt done, I know thou haſt been a blaſphemer, or a whore-monger, or a drunkard, or a thief, or a Sabbath-breaker, or a ſcorner, or a hard-hearted ignorant wretch; yet at thy doore I ſtand this day, and knock, I will receive thee unto mercy, I will forgive thee all theſe ſinnes, I will accept, I will heal, I will ſave thy ſoul, if thou wilt open thy heart this day unto me and let me in. O Brethren, for Chriſt his ſake refuſe not Chriſt, do not reject, nor neglect ſo great ſalvation, ſo ample a ſalvation, ſo every ſoul enviting a ſalvation.
2. The neceſſity you have of Jeſus Chriſt; Give me children, or elſe I die, ſaid Rachel: Give me Chriſt or elſe I periſh for ever: Can you be ſaved without Chriſt? and if you cannot be ſaved without Chriſt, and you may have a Chriſt but for opening of the door, then while it is called to day heare and open to him; If the door of grace ſhould be ſhut becauſe the door of thy heart will not be opened, thou art ſhut up for ever.
3. The inexcuſableneſſe of thy ſoul, if yet thou wilt harden thy heart and not open. Why, what wilt thou? what canſt thou plead for thy ſelf at the day of judgment? Wilt thou ſay, the Goſpel never offered me Chriſt? Why, thou haſt heard this day that it ſaith, If any man will hear and open, &c.
Wilt thou ſay? I would have opened my heart had it not been for the love of one ſinne, or the love of a little earth, and eaſe, and liberty, and ſafety, and honours, or to pleaſe ſome friends and company: O how will men and Angels hiſſe at thee? This is a perſon who for a luſts ſake forſook his mercies, who for a little vanity rejected his own ſalvation. O how wilt thou curſe thy ſelf, that for nothing, for that which is worſe then nothing; thou haſt put off Chriſt and his ſalvation. And therefore Men, Fathers and Brethren hearken unto me, as Moſes once to the Iſraelites, ſo do I propound this day unto you, bleſſing and curſing, life and death; ſalvation if you will open to Chriſt, and damnation if you will refuſe Chriſt. O chuſe not curſing but bleſſing, chuſe not death but life, chuſe not hell but heaven, chuſe not ſin but Chriſt, although you have formerly ſlighted, if yet you will regard; though you have formerly contemned, if yet you will prize; though you have formerly reſiſted, if yet you will yeild, if yet you will conſent, if yet you will become willing to open unto Chriſt, Chriſt will be yours, Mercy will be yours, and Salvation will be yours.
Ʋſe 3. The laſt Uſe ſhall be for direction: for me thinks ſome ſoul is touched and wrought upon this day, and ſecretly crys out, O what ſhall we do? what courſe may we take, that our hearts may be made willing to open unto Chriſt, and to let him in.
The helpful directions which I would preſcribe, are theſe:
1. The minde muſt be opened if ever you would get your wills to be opened: I may here aptly make uſe of that ſcholaſtical diſtinction of neceſſitas conſequentiae, and of neceſſitas conſequentis: Although there be not a neceſſity of conſequence, that if the minde be enlightned, then the will is opened, yet there is a neceſſity of conſequent, for the will cannot be opened, unleſſe the minde be firſt enlightened. For there is neither any particular object, for the will to tend to, nor any motive to affect and draw the will, till light diſcovers and apprehends them: Now this light or knowledge in the minde, which is repreſentative and affective, muſt be twofold.
Reflexive, that you are ſinful and loſt, and ſtand in need of mercy and ſalvation, more then the moſt pining beggar doth of a bit of bread to ſave his life.
Direct, That Jeſus Chriſt is by God the Father ſet forth to be a Saviour, and that this is a goodneſſe ſutable to your condition, and poſſible for your fruition. A ſenſe of miſery, and then an apprehenſion of a good every way helpful, and of which one may be capable, is neceſſarily apt to draw and incline the will: If there were a good, but then it is of another kinde, and anſwered not my neceſſity; or if it did anſwer my neceſſity, but then there were an impoſſibility for me to obtain it. It would not ſtirre the will at all; Therefore ſtrive for ſuch a knowledge as diſcovers your ſoules to be loſt, and onelyonly reparable by Jeſus Chriſt, 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, &c.
2. The judgement muſt be opened, if you would have your wills opened: A light meerly apprehenſive, is nothing ſo working on the will, as that which is diſcurſive: A ſudden carrying of a candle through the roome enables us not to ſo full a ſurvey as if you ſtood a while with it and ſeriouſly beheld the objects: A double work of judgement is neceſſary to affect the will to Chriſt.
One is conſiderative, which is a ſ…rious and full weighing of the ſoules condition as wanting Chriſt, or as enjoying of him; I am but a dead man if I refuſe Chriſt; If I embrace him, I am bleſſed, in the one ſcale is eternal miſery, in the other ſcale is eternal felicity, upon the turning of either, is the turning of my ſoul, my precious ſoul. If I will not open to Chriſt upon his own conditions, my ſoul is loſt, (O my ſoul, what loſſe is the loſſe of a ſoul?) If my heart be willing to open, my ſoul is ſaved; (O the mercy, the grace, the peace, the life, the heaven in that one word!)
Suppoſe I keep my ſins and hold faſt the world, and let go the offer of Chriſt, where is the gain, what is the ſafety, whence is the comfort by this, what will be the iſſue? Suppoſe I open to Chriſt, and let go my ſinnes, and part with the world, what is my loſſe? where is my diminution? can happineſſe impoveriſh me? can alſufficiency be loſſe to me? can ſalvation diſtreſſe me? If I be not a ſinner, why do I talk of a Saviour? if I be, why do I not receive an offered Saviour? If I be a ſinner, do not I need a Saviour? If it be a tender mercy to offer, is it more then a wiſe duty to embrace him? if my body were drowning, I would catch hold of a rock; If my ſoule be ſinking, why ſhould I not lay hold of a Chriſt? I may periſh if I will, (O but who would periſh wilfully? who would periſh at all?) &c.
Another is Argumentative, which conſiſts in a divine reaſoning, either diſproving the objections of the ſoul againſt a cloſing with Chriſt, or enforcing and edging thoſe arguments drawn from free grace, from Chriſt, from the New Covenant, which tends to encline the will unto him: There …e many feares, and doubts, and jealouſies, rowling (eſpecially) in a convinced and humbled ſpirit, queſtioning ſometimes Chriſts ſufficiency, or elſe his intention and willingneſſe; ſometimes our own capacity, by reaſon of greatneſſe of ſinning, or pecularity of former refuſals, all which you ſhould do well to get reſolved and cleared, that ſo you may ſee the way ſtanding open, and free for ſuch a ſinner (as you judge your ſelf to be) to come in, and be embraced by Chriſt.
3. Faith muſt be obtained if ever you would get your hearts opened; for when all Arguments are anſwered, yet the will will not come off without a ſupernatural quality to enable and draw it: There muſt be a new quality in the will, as well as a new light in the minde; for the will cannot execute a ſupernatural act, without a ſupernatural qualification. When you put another bias on the Bowle, this will draw it another way; what is the reaſon one needle ſtarts up to the pole-ſtar, and another doth not? One is toucht with the Load-ſtone, and the other is not, Surgunt indocti (ſaith Saint Auſtine) & capiunt coelum, &c. the unlearned riſe up and take heaven, and many that are learned do not: poor people (in reſpect of parts as well as in reſpect of eſtate) receive the Goſpel, and the wiſe men of the world ſlight it. Surely the reaſon is this, becauſe God gives knowledge onelyonly to the one, but he gives faith to the other; nothing can ſee the worth of Chriſt, nor bow the will unto him but faith.
4. The Goſpel muſt be heard, for this can work that faith which opens the will, Fidas ex auditu, Rom. 10. 17. Lydia heard Paul preaching, and the Lord opened her heart, Acts 16. 14. ſo did the Jaylor in the ſame chapter, and his heart was opened.
5. Laſtly, importunate prayer muſt be uſed: the Goſpel (we ſay) is the key of the Spirit, and prayer (we ſay) is the key of heaven; and truly if it can open the eares of a God, it may quickly ſerve to open the heart of a ſinner. The heart of a man is the beſt preſent to offer to God, and it is the fitteſt object for him to work upon. O pray to the heart-maker to be the heart-opener: He works in us (ſaith the Apoſtle, Phil. 2. 13.) to will and to do; O pray to him who hath the key of David, and opens, and no man ſhuts, that your hearts may be opened to Chriſt, and never ſhut againſt him more.