fear and horror do so prevail in my Soul I am not able to bear up under the same my Heart fails me and my Spirit is gone Why now one glimps of Christ one taste of his Goodness a sense of his Love will revive and exhilerate the Soul and disperse all these Clouds these Darknesses and Storms There is no condition a Person can be in but if Christ will dart into him a Ray of his special Love he will thence receive mighty even inexpressible support and comfort The continued Love of Christ is the most sovereign Cordial in every Estate and Condition We may go through Fire and Water we may adventure upon any suffering for the Name of Christ being assured of his Love O! what an excellent chearing Scripture is that of the Epistle to the Romans Chap. 8. v. 35 to the end What would the Scripture be to us how should we be effectually excited and encouraged to a course of Piety Or what could support us under Burthens and Troubles if Christ did not continue his Love to Sinners 2ly In the second place we are to consider the extraordinary strangeness of the thing it self We commonly take as particular notice as we can of strange and unwonted Occurrences How do People view and observe Comets and Blazing Stars How do they flock to see any strange sort of Beast when exhibited to be seen We admire and wonder at things which are considerable only by reason of their strangeness and rarity Things which are not of any great worth nor cannot produce us any profit and real advantage O! therefore let us be so wise as to turn all our admiration unto that which is truly strange and equally advantagious and comfortable The Love of Christ to Sinners is the strangest thing that ever was Without controversy great is the Mystery of Godliness God was manifest in the Flesh justified in the Spirit seen of Angels preached unto the Gentiles believed on in the World and received up into Glory 1 Tim. 3.16 This is a thing so strange even in the first Instances of it the blessed Angels stand amazed at it and desire to look into it 1 Pet. 1.12 If a Prince the only Son of a King or Emperor should condescend to take notice of a mean traiterous Wretch ready to have all the Torments and Punishments his Treason deserved inflicted on him and plead for this Person yea deny himself all the Pleasures Honours and Satisfactions in his Father's Court yea submit himself to all manner of Indignities for many Years together to procure the other's Pardon And being at last received to Court again and living in the greatest pomp and splendour should come to this Person whose Life he had saved at the forementioned rate and entreat and beseech and court him to be reconciled to him and that an intimate familiarity and correspondence may be setled betwixt them promising him all the Entertainments and Satisfactions he doth participate of himself Would not this be looked on by all as a most prodigious Instance of Affection and Love But alas what is this to that we are now discoursing of Here is the Son of God who is equal with God God blessed for ever who is the Brightness of his Father's Glory and the express Image of his Person whose Name is Wonderful Counsellor The mighty God The Everlasting Father The Prince of Peace This is the Person who condescended to take on him our Nature who lived for many Years together a Life that was very mean and to outward appearance very contemptible What Indignities did he suffer from Men how deep did he drink of the Cup of God's Wrath when groaning and praying and sweating Blood in the Garden when expostulating so earnestly with his Father on the Cross He submitted to Death yea he became obedient to Death even the Death of the Cross The most painful the most lingering the most ignominious and cursed sort of Death then known in the World And all this was to reconcile Sinners and Enemies unto God and to save them from that eternal Misery and Damnation they could no other way be saved from And after all this having raised himself to Life and being received into Glory he continues his Love to these Sinners and many ways importunes and sollicites them to accept of the Mercy and Blessings which cost him so dear and to yield themselves up into the Bonds of Friendship that a constant mutual correspondence may be maintained betwixt them Is not this an incomprehensible astonishing Prodigy of Love what can be compared unto it What Heart so hard such Condescention such Love such passionate courting will not soften and overcome What so strange what so obliging as this that the Son of God should entreat and beseech Rebels to accept of Pardon should court and make so much ado be so importunate and keep such a stir with us who are only held by his Hand from falling into Hell to accept of Heaven There is nothing so strange as this unless it be that cursed Heart which is too obdurate and stubborn to be overcome and won by so kind so winning and so mighty a Force as this is Applic. What care now should we take to be throughly instructed and setled in this great Truth Do not labour only to be acquainted with it in the Theory but endeavour and pray that a saving Knowledg and Belief of it may be wrought in you by the Spirit of God This is a Matter concerns thee much thy Salvation depends upon it If thou lose thy Soul thou losest all If thou art ignorant of the Love of Christ if this Love have no influence on thee thou art miserable indeed All true Comfort is wrap'd up in this Acts 4.12 O study this great Truth and do not desist or leave off till it have its proper influence on thy Affections Heart and Life Let the Love of Christ constrain thee Resolve to know nothing but Jesus Christ and him crucified Admire and adore the Love of Christ Improve the knowledg and consideration of it to fix and promote thy Faith thy Love thy Hope thy Patience and every other Grace But I will not insist any longer on this first word which is introductory and should lead us attentively unto that which followeth The rest of the Verse acquaints us with our blessed Saviour's seeking for and endeavouring to get admittance with us and the Priviledges which shall accrue to those who hearken to him and receive him I shall confine my self now unto the first of these which is represented to us in these words I stand at the Door and knock Though in discoursing of this I shall have occasion to acquaint you with the main Importance of some of the following words viz. If any Man hear my Voice and open the Door Our Saviour's seeking and endeavouring to get admittance with us is here exprest by three words 1. Standing 2. Knocking 3. The word Door The Person or rather the Heart of the Person
us we are not only to cast away our Lusts and Sins but our Hearts must be fitted and disposed to receive him by the powerful Operation of his Holy Spirit beautifying and enriching them with Divine and Heavenly Qualifications And therefore it will concern us to be earnest in our Prayers that the good Spirit of God may come down upon us and make our Hearts and Souls meet Temples for the Son of God to dwell in IV. Go forth unto Christ by the actings of Faith upon all occasions Let Christ dwell in your Hearts by Faith Ephes 3.17 according to every alteration in your condition and according to all the diversities of Providence do you look unto Christ exercise Faith on him and by Faith fetch supplies of Grace from him V. Meditate much and often on the Love of Christ to Sinners Read over the Gospel the several Apostolical Epistles and the many Prophecies concerning Christ especially Isa 63. take notice of the many remarkable Passages there relating to Christ declaring his Condescention and Love weigh them seriously and press them upon thy own Soul and Conscience dwell on these Matters in thy Thoughts and expostulate with thy self about them What hath the Son of God taken my Nature has the King of Glory condescended to live here in the form of a Servant did he patiently undergo all the unjust Affronts and Contempts of lewd and prophane People did he bear the weight of God's Wrath and actually lay down his Life in the most open scandalous cursed linguering and painful kind of Death then known in the World and was all this for my sake O incomprehensible Love What shall I return unto my Saviour for all this I can never love Christ enough may I never cease admiring the many Instances wherein his Love hath broke forth unto me may I so wonder at and be affected with all these things that love to Christ may shine through all the passages of my Life May I never be at rest till I do arrive at the full enjoyment of my Saviour in his own Kingdom What has the Lord Jesus Christ done so much for me has he revealed such Truths made such Promises suffered such Sorrows submitted to such a Death as are recorded in the Holy Scriptures are so many glorious and wonderful Things related concerning him Doth he now reign in Heaven and hath he purchased such blessed Inheritance and satisfying Treasures for poor Sinners Nay doth he still importune and entreat me to accept of Him and his Benefits God forbid that I should oppose his Motions and resist his Love any longer Shall the King of Glory be slighted and excluded still by me Shall I wilfully cast away my own Soul and stubbornly neglect this great Salvation God forbid Shall it be writ on my Grave Here lies the sturdy ungrateful Wretch that did wilfully resist Jesus Christ the Wretch that resolved to force his way to Hell through all the Impediments and Discouragements infinite Justice and infinite Mercy had laid in his way that vile unpitiable Miscreant that would damn himself in spite of Love it self VI. Converse much with those who are experienced Christians and have much acquaintance with Christ He that walketh with wise Men shall be wise but a Companion of Fools shall be destroyed Prov. 13.20 Such People will very much assist thee in thy closing with Christ by their Discourses Exhortations and Practice They can tell thee such things concerning Christ from their own experience as will warm and melt thy Heart and inflame thy Affections They will contribute much to thy help by their advice and counsel by the accounts they can give thee off their own experiences by their watchfulness over thee and by their fervent effectual Prayers for thee VII Labour to be acquainted with and to observe all the Motions and Workings of Christ towards Sinners and close with and improve every one of them when he is pleased to exert any of them towards thy self Take notice of the Calls he doth give thee in his Word and the awakening visits he doth make thee by his providential Occurrences and improve these to put thee on a more diligent search and close walking after him and to excite and quicken in thee more fervent desires after Communion with him VIII Conscientiously frequent those Ordinances wherein Christ hath promised his more especial Presence Prepare thy self carefully to meet thy Lord and come with passionate Desires and confident Expectations grounded on his Faithfulness Word and Promise that he will exhibit himself unto those Souls that sincerely long and wait for him IX Lastly Faithfully resign and give up thy self to Christ When thy Heart is affected truly with a sense of Christ's Love then desire him by fervent Prayer that he will be pleased to take thee into Covenant with himself and make a hearty faithful entire resignation of thy self unto him O Blessed Jesus most Holy Saviour I am unworthy I acknowledg to make use of thy Name I have often resisted and sinned against thy constraining Love but I am heartily sorry now that ever I did so O compassionate and tender-hearted Saviour reject not an humble returning mourning Penitent embrace me the unworthiest of all others in the Arms of thy Mercy and admit me into thy favour the more stubborn and head-strong and wilful I have been the more abundantly let thy Grace be manifested toward me and bring me under the more powerful influences of thy Love Lord seize by the Power of thy Grace and take possession of this Soul Gracious Saviour whose Bowels have ever yearned over the miserable and who hast been always compassionate and gracious to the unworthy favourably accept of this poor Oblation Lord it is the purchase of thy own Blood O reject not despise not cast not away what thou hast bought at so dear a rate Lord here is my Soul my Body my Heart my Affections my Mind my Judgment my Will Lord here is all that I have Lord I resign up all unto thee without any reservation do with all as pleaseth thee best only accept of them O Lord I love thee above all I desire with my whole Soul to love thee every Day more and more Lord dwell in my Heart rule over my whole Man bring all my Powers unto a true and sound subjection unto and compliance with thee in every thing May my Soul always admire thee my Heart love thee my Tongue praise thee my Lips speak of thy Glory and Goodness May my Life glorify thee may I in every part of my practice serve and honour thee may all my Faculties and Members be ready and faithful Servants for and unto thee Lord I long to be with thee my Soul panteth after thee For me to live is Christ and to die is gain Phil. 1.21 FINIS
had long overspread it the Reformation began in rectifying Mens Judgments and Minds about this Matter of the insufficiency of our own Works and the absolute necessity of the Righteousness and Merits of Jesus Christ The high and lofty God will dwell with none but those who are of humble and contrite Spirits Isa 57.15 As long as we please our selves with fancying we have no need of Christ we have a sufficiency in our selves and can do well enough without him we shall never attend with due care to his Voice nor faithfully receive him into our Hearts We are apt to think our selves rich and increased with Goods and that we have no need of any thing without us and are very difficultly perswaded that we are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked and therefore we slight Christ and shut him out of our Hearts Rev. 3.17 There is no room for Christ in a proud self-conceited Heart 2. Infidelity or Unbelief doth keep the Heart shut against Christ Herein consists our non-acceptance of Christ Notwithstanding the Lord Jesus hath so many Witnesses and explains himself to us so fully yet do we slight and reject him And whence is all this but from our not diligently attending to his Instruction nor understanding and conceiving aright of what he doth propose to us not weighing and considering seriously the Evidence of things recommended to us not truly and really assenting to the Truths of Christ People content themselves with empty Notions and a fashionable Profession without any real firm perswasion of the Particulars they pretend to own Did we really and firmly assent to or believe the Doctrines concerning Christ his Person Natures Offices Promises Laws c. contained in the New Testament we should be thereby influenced to a holy faithful entire recumbency of Soul on Christ and to a vigorous active conformity to his Laws and following of his Example If there be no difference betwixt us and Turks or Heathens but only that we call our selves by another Name and in word pretend to another Religion we do not really believe For Faith if real will influence our Affections and Lives proportionably to the Degree of our Assent the Nature and Tendency of the Truths we do believe and the Sense we have of our concernment in them It is the great Fault of People pretending to Religion and enjoying means of Instruction that they do not take a becoming care to get their Minds possessed with right and sound Notions of the Truths and Doctrines they profess to own They do not consider what Grounds and Evidences they have for their yielding assent to the Doctrines they profess they do not labour and endeavour and strive to get the Characters of Divine Truths deeply imprinted with their full Light and Power on their Hearts And how can it otherwise be expected then but that multitudes should prove meer Hypocrites and Formalists It is Unbelief that blinds our Minds that we see no beauty or loveliness in Christ it is this that turns away our Hearts from Christ renders us uncapable of receiving any saving benefit from Christ which hardens and sears our Consciences makes them unsensible and locks and bolts our Hearts against Christ See Isa 53.2 3. Heb. 3.12 John 1.11 12. Mat. 13.58 Rom. 11.20 22 23. 3. Worldly-mindedness keeps the Heart shut against Christ When we expect too much from the World and these lower Enjoyments do set our Hearts excessively on them press after pursue and seek for earthly Things with too much vehemence and earnestness we of course grow unmindful of and unconcerned for Christ and our Souls Heaven and Spiritual Matters The Things of the World do devour our Strength and drink up all our Spirits yea they beget in us not only a regardlesness of Spiritual Things but a contempt of and opposition against them Know ye not that the Friendship of the World is Enmity with God whosoever therefore will be a Friend of the World is the Enemy of God Jam. 4.4 see 1 John 2.15 Alas when Mens Hearts are set upon the World what will they not venture for it They venture Christ and Heaven and Soul and all that is truly precious This worldly-mindedness makes the Word and Truths of Christ to be of no esteem and value with us this makes them of no use to us makes us that we reap no benefit from them Matth. 13.22 How many who have made a fair shew in the Flesh have seemed to make fair Offers for Christ have fallen off as soon as ever they have been tried as to this Point see Matth. 19.22 The love of this present World choak'd and destroy'd Demas 2 Tim. 4.10 What a cursed influence had the love of the World on Judas when he adventured on that villanous piece of Treachery to betray and sell his Lord and Master the Son of God for thirty pieces of Silver 4. Love of carnal sensual Pleasures We read of some who are lovers of Pleasures more than lovers of God 2 Tim. 3.4 Of some who make their Belly their God Phil. 3.19 Now such as have devoted themselves to their Lusts and are wholly enslaved to their Pleasures and sensual Delights are wholly indispos'd and unfit to bid Christ welcome There must be a great change wrought in them before they can receive and entertain Christ It is not meet to bring a Person of Honour and Quality into a Room that is full of Vomit and loathsom filthiness and stench Such a Person will not be entertained and treated in a Swine-stye and the Heart of him that wallows in his sinful Pleasures is no better That Soul where Christ will dwell must be cleansed from all those fleshly Lusts which war against the Soul Rom. 13.14 And as such a Heart is very unfit for Christ so there is much malignity in it against Christ Who greater Enemies to Christ and who so bitter against his Ways his Laws his Word his Government than those who do wholly addict themselves to the sensual gratifying of all their carnal Appetites Desires and Inclinations If they may not enjoy their swinish Lusts without any molestation and reproof from Christ and his Word they will either with the Gadarens desire them to be gone or else more rudely attempt to thrust and force them out of their Quarters 5. Cherishing any particular Lust or Sin in our Hearts and suffering it to have a predominant reigning Power over us Though we seem to reject and cast from us many of our former Vices and to deny our selves in several Instances in which we did before allow our selves a greater liberty yet if we yield up our selves Subjects to any one Sin though we do it never so cunningly and secretly we do thereby bid Christ defiance and renounce his Rule and Government over us If a Man make his Addresses to one he desires to have a conjugal friendship and familiarity with if that Party have preingaged her self faithfully to another Person this is a more effectual
with him where he should be John 17.24 And he still intercedes now he is in Heaven for such that they may be with him and will certainly conduct them to and possess them for ever of that Glory and Happiness which infinitely exceeds all Imagination and which is fully understood by no Creatures but those who do enjoy it A Happiness which is absolutely free from all evil and unpleasant Mixture and which is every way compleat and full of every thing that is grateful pleasant and can administer any satisfaction A Happiness that is stable sure and certain which shall last to all Eternity and never cease decay nor cloy but always entertain with raptures of Joy ravishing Pleasures and Satisfactions which arise to uninterrupted and constant Extasies These are some of the Arguments which are strongly urged to prevail with Sinners to accept of Christ But his Importunity will yet further appear if we consider the Instruments he doth imploy and make use of about this Work The Instruments are many which are employ'd to entreat and perswade and move Sinners to close with the gracious Tenders made them by the Son of God I will name but four 1. The Holy Spirit is appointed to be Christ's Advocate and is employ'd to plead Christ's Cause with Sinners This Holy Spirit hath not only in a miraculous way convinc'd the World of Sin of Righteousness and of Judgment but he doth plead often with particular Persons Sometimes he works pious Inclinations and desires in the Soul sometimes he affects with a penetrating apprehension of the wretchedness of a natural Estate Sometimes he convinces powerfully of a necessity of looking after Christ sometimes he moves and perswades the Soul to close with Christ and accept him upon his own terms The Spirit of God works variously secretly and powerfully on the Heart and doth often testify of Christ even to those who do a long time nay it may be finally stand out and refuse to close heartily with him But it is a great aggravation of a Person 's Sin to grieve the Spirit of God Ephes 4.30 and to quench the Spirit 1 Thess 5.19 To take no notice of Christ but stubbornly oppose and resist him when he comes to us and pleads with us and entreats us by his Spirit to accept of him O to what a height doth our Guilt ascend when Christ sends his Spirit to treat with us and we despise or take no notice of the workings and witnessings of this Holy Spirit What a heightned Crime and Wickedness is this to contemn and make light of Christ after that the Holy Spirit hath been treating with us and explaining to us the Dignity of Christ his unvaluable transcendent Excellencies and the necessity of a Saviour This is certainly a very great proof and demonstration of our Saviour's earnestness to be admitted by us that he pleads with us by such an one and employs his Holy Spirit to transact and manage this Business with us 2. He sends his Ministers on this Errand The Ministers of the Gospel are appointed to be the Preachers of Reconciliation unto the World They are intrusted by the Lord Jesus to plead with Sinners and endeavour to prevail with them to receive Christ and yield up themselves to him And therefore as you hear or refuse to hear them so Christ interprets your readiness or unwillingness to receive him Luke 10.16 The great Work and Business of the Ministry is to beseech you in the Name of Christ to lay down your Enmity which you have unjustly conceived against him and hearken unto his wholsom saving Advice and Counsel even to accept of him that he may dwell with you and you with him Now then we are Ambassadors for Christ as though God did beseech you by us we pray you in Christ's stead be ye reconciled unto God 2 Cor. 5.20 Now how often and with how much earnestness have you been entreated this way to embrace Christ and his Gracious Offers Were not Christ very importunate for admittance what need would there be that a particular sort of People should be appointed and set apart for this very Business to invite and perswade and intreat People to accept of Christ and his Benefits Ephes 4.11 c. 3. Jesus Christ doth importune you by his Word When you read or hear the Holy Scriptures what urgings and entreatings have you there from Christ to accept of him It is Peoples great Sin that they slight the Scriptures as they do Ministers and Ordinances and are not willing to observe Christ speaking in them But O what a zeal and earnestness doth Christ manifest there in beseeching and calling Sinners to embrace and accept of him Consider and weigh these few Particulars amongst the many you may meet with in reading the Word of God which plainly shew how much Christ is concerned for your closing with his gracious Tenders 1. His free and solemn Invitations What frank and liberal Promises doth he make to all who will but comply with his Call Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest Matth. 11.28 Ho every one that thirsteth come ye to the Waters and he that hath no Mony come ye buy and eat yea come buy Wine and Milk without Mony and without Price Wherefore do ye spend Mony for that which is not Bread and your Labour for that which satisfieth not Hearken diligently unto me and eat ye that which is good and let your Soul delight it self in Fatness Incline your Ear and come unto me hear and your Soul shall live and I will make an everlasting Covenant with you even the sure Mercies of David Isa 55.1 2 3. You see here that he excepts none and that he assures of the best the most useful the choicest and most valuable Blessings 2. His vehement and affectionate Protestations He swears by Himself that his Love is cordial and sincere He importunes us often and condescends to argue and expostulate with us As I live saith the Lord God I have no pleasure in the death of the Wicked but that the Wicked turn from his way and live turn ye turn ye from your evil ways for why will ye die O house of Israel Ezek. 33.11 Cast away from you all your Transgressions whereby ye have transgressed and make you a new Heart and a new Spirit for why will ye die O House of Israel For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth saith the Lord God wherefore turn your selves and live ye Ezek. 18.31 32. 3. His passionate Lamentation over those who do stubbornly reject him and will not accept of him notwithstanding he pleads with them thus earnestly He wept over them of Jerusalem after he had long importuned them in vain How does he express by groans and sighs his mournful sorrowful Resentments on the account of the destruction they were wilfully drawing on themselves O Jerusalem Jerusalem thou that killest the Prophets and stonest them which are
sent unto thee how often would I have gathered thy Children together even as a Hen gathereth her Chickens under her Wings and ye would not Matth. 23.37 4. Christ doth importune us for admittance by every Mercy and Judgment How often are we brought to some sense of our need of Christ and to some kind of resolutions to yield and open to him by the straights and exigencies and sufferings we are involved in though it is our very great Fault that we are apt to forget all as soon as our pain is over But what is the true end of every Affliction but to make us see more of the Excellencies of Christ and to endear him unto our Souls O happy Sufferings might they all have such an influence on us And what is the end of all God's Mercies but to lead us to Repentance and bring us to Christ Why are you thus long preserved out of Hell Why are you not at this time tormented and frying in eternal Burnings Is any reason to be assigned why you should enjoy the Gospel yea the common Mercies of your Lives but only this that Christ is still waiting to be gracious to you and that by these means he is inviting and importuning you to accept of him and fly from that Damnation which doth not slumber but is hastning apace upon the whole World of ungodly Sinners God could as easily have dismissed you to the Regions of Darkness the Places of most dreadful and insupportable Horror many Years ago as any others who are now in Torments All the Mercies and all the time you have had in the World were the Fruits of Christ's Love Testimonies of his Patience and Instances of his pleading with you to accept of him and not ruin and undo your selves How small a thing would it be for Christ to send thee to Hell to say unto thee Go thou cursed Alas one frown from him would immediately sink thee into the Earth into the bottomless Pit And what is it that preserves thee but the tenderness of thy Saviour And for what end doth he express so much regard unto thee but to try whether his Patience and Lenity and his allowing thee so much time strength and so many Mercies will prevail with thee to prize and receive thy Saviour II. I am now in the second place to shew you what our receiving Christ into our Hearts doth import But before I speak positively to this I will take notice of two or three things with which People do too commonly falsly please and satisfy and consequently deceive themselves We should observe these as Mariners do the Rocks and Shelves where others have suffered Shipwrack before them 1. This receiving Christ doth not consist in a bare notional knowledg of him A Man may by common instruction and ordinary diligence and study acquire from the Holy Scriptures such Notions concerning Christ as Men do usually obtain by study and diligence in any Point of Philosophy But this is only such a knowledg as doth float in the Head and may be in that Person who hath not any love and affection to Christ Such may have a knowledg of Christ so as to give a plain account of the common sense or ancient use of the Words wherein the Doctrines concerning Christ are communicated and conveighed unto People They may give an account of the Grammatical meaning and sense of the words as well as any others and yet these People may not entertain Christ They may not understand nor cannot dive into the Spiritual meaning of those Doctrines 1 Cor. 2.14 Julian knew a great deal concerning Christ and so did Colsus but they were great Enemies to Christ The only Principle which enableth a Man for the right judging and discerning of Heavenly Things is the Grace of God's Spirit which the natural Man wanteth and hence it followeth that as a Man cannot live without a Soul nor see without an Eye nor hear without an Ear because these are the Grounds and Principles from which Life and Sight and Hearing do flow So no Man can know and serve God aright without God's Spirit enlightning and enabling him by his Grace because this is the Principle from which all both spiritual Actions and Abilities do spring Mason of Hearing and Doing p. 328. 2. It doth not consist in an outward professing to own the Faith of Christ Alas how many make a general Profession of Christianity and of embracing the particular Doctrines of the Gospel who take no care to depart from Iniquity The very Devils have made as honourable a Profession of Christ's being the Son of God as any meer words we can devise will amount unto Luke 4.41 3. It doth not consist in a bare performance of some Duties in the Name of Christ Performing Duties in the Name of Christ and speaking honourably and much of Christ are very good and commendable when they proceed from a right Principle and spring from a real and very ardent Affection to Christ But we must take heed lest we content our selves with these things whilst they may have a false Original or are used to improper Ends. However we must be sure we do not stay here without proceeding further People have used the Name of Christ to very ill purposes Acts 19.13 Many pretend to perform Duties with earnestness in his Name for whom he hath no respect and who did never truly bid him welcome into their Hearts Mat. 7.22 23. Indeed where Christ is received aright there will be all these things in some degree and measure but these will not be all which will be there There must be some knowledg of Christ tho not that which doth only soar aloft in the Head and evaporate and manifest it self only at the Mouth but such as will influence the Heart and Life Many who receive Christ aright may not be able to express and discover their knowledg to others in such apposite free and voluble Expressions as some others can who have nothing of the true Spiritual sense of Divine Truths or the saving Knowledg of Christ The one sort are more beholden to their natural or acquired Abilities the other to the inward and effectual workings of the Holy Spirit Every Person who hath a true sense and firm perswasion of Spiritual Matters hath not the Gift of Utterance There is no necessity a true and sound Believer should be eloquent or have a voluble Tongue Much Knowledg and Memory and Utterance and lively Affection as a worthy reverend Person hath said are all very desirable but you must judg your Estate by none of those for they are all uncertain And who-ever truly receives Christ will acknowledg and profess his owning of Christ For as Men believe with the Heart so with the Mouth confession is made unto Salvation Rom. 10.10 But now I come to speak more positively to this Point Our receiving of Christ is expressed in my Text by these words If any Man hear my Voice and open the Door So that two
Blessed Jesus my only and most beloved Saviour here is my whole Heart I resign it entirely unto thee I desire no greater nor no other happiness than that thou wilt be pleased to make it thy Temple the place of thy gracious Residence It is my earnest request and shall be my diligent endeavour to have it cleansed and made pure from every Affection and Inclination which is any way contrary to thy Purity and Holiness O do thou be pleased to give in thy assistance dispose and prepare my Soul to thy own mind and blessed Lord take full possession of me dwell in my Heart and rule over my whole Man Canst thou truly say Lord Whom have I in Heaven but thee and there is none upon Earth I desire besides thee Psal 73.25 Do'st thou not desire to know any thing but Jesus Christ and him crucified 1 Cor. 2.2 Do'st thou love Christ more than all the World more than all thy Relations more than all those things which are commonly esteemed the great Endearments of this World yea more than Life it self Luke 14.26 Jesus Christ is very precious unto them who believe 1 Pet. 2.7 Now canst thou for the sake of Christ deny thy Lusts thy Self thy best and most religious Performances Canst thou live for Christ and canst thou suffer yea die for Christ and is Christ above all in thy Heart Thus you have some little account what kind of reception it is the Lord Jesus doth call for or what our receiving Christ doth import It would be too great a digression here to insist on such Considerations as are proper to evince it to be our Interest and that we are under indispensible Obligations to yield up our selves in this manner unto him Much might be said to this purpose from the Excellencies of our Saviour how precious he is in himself how wonderful in his Condescension unto us and what unvaluable Benefits and Advantages do accrue unto Believers from Christ c. But having on other Occasions discoursed of these Matters more distinctly I wave the consideration of them now hastning to what I promised to take notice of in the third place Only by the way we may observe there is not any thing impli'd in what I have said concerning our receiving of Christ which can in the least countenance our refusal or justly discourage us from complying with his Calls and Entreaties And what shall the Eternal God our only Saviour importune us with all earnestness and we harden our selves against him resist and reject him in doing so we shall be uncivil ungrateful to the highest degree impious against God inhumane and barbarous to our power against Christ and actually so to our own Souls we shall be guilty of all that 's Evil of all that can deserve an hateful an ignominious reproachful Name Indeed if Mens ordinary practices did not fully and undeniably evidence that they have no real value for Christ and that they do stubbornly refuse to close with his Calls we might when meditating on this Subject be very apt to imagine and conclude that none could be so undutiful or so forgetful of themselves or so foolish so distractedly-fond and ambitious of Damnation as to purchase it by a stubborn hardening themselves against the powerful affectionate perswasions of the Son of God and a contemptuous despiteful throwing the gracious Offers the very Blood and tenderest Mercies of a loving compassionate Divine Saviour back into his own Face But alas People every where give too many and too frequent Demonstrations in the course of their Lives of their disaffection to Christ and how little influence his Love hath on them For this is certain where Jesus Christ doth reside by his gracious Presence there will be a vigorous and active Principle of Grace and Holiness which will manifest it self in the outward Conversation When Christ is received into the Heart doth settle his Abode there and doth command and govern there that Person with whom it is thus will be possessed with such a lively working Principle of Purity Righteousness and Goodness as will have a most powerful influence on all the parts of his Life It is indeed a very deplorable thing that amongst so many pretenders to Christianity with which the World doth abound is even throng'd and crowded there should be so few who give any serious real attendance to the Voice of Christ who give any tolerable discovery that they have opened their Hearts to receive him III. Let us now therefore in the third place enquire after some of those lets and hindrances which keep our Hearts shut against Christ Many might be mentioned but I will only take a brief notice of these few 1. Carnal Pride and Spiritual Self-conceitedness People are generally very unwilling to believe their condition so bad and helpless as naturally it is It goes against Mens Spirits and Stomachs to think so meanly of themselves as not to be able to do any thing to recover secure and save themselves They would fain find some prop or other in themselves to lean upon Indeed they would be their own Physicians and their own Saviours and are very difficultly driven out of their carnal selfish Confidence They will either please themselves with an opinion that they have no Wound or if they must own that they will find a Plaister for it at Home they cannot in this case endure to go abroad for help Corrupt Nature is very proud we are hardly brought to deny our Selves and to think so meanly of our Selves our Works our Performances our religious Duties as to be willing to be saved purely by free Grace We would fain have some share in this great Work our selves we would have our own Wings to carry us to Heaven At least we would have our own Works and Religious Performances to have some portion of the Glory Men would be contented to have Christ's Hand and Arm to help them out of the Ditch provided they may come out with some credit that though there was a fall and some dirt in the case yet vigor and strength continued and they were able with a very little help to recover themselves Their Power as they will have it was sufficient they only wanted a Staff or Cord to hold by that so they might exert that ability and strength they had in themselves As Pride did at first put Man upon aspiring to be as God so now it doth tempt him to usurp the Honour belonging to the Son of God Man would be his own Saviour yea his own God He cannot endure to stoop to drink of the Waters of Life But as God and Mammon Light and Darkness so Christ and carnal proud Self cannot dwell and agree together When the Gospel was first preached about in the World it was pride and selfishness which did most oppose it and resist Christ Rom. 10.3 They were all for establishing their own Righteousness When the Christian Religion was first recovered from the Superstitions and Darknesses which
the same sense experience and knowledge of his Excellencies they have who do indeed admit him into their Hearts we should have the like Love Zeal and Affection for him which they have Those who have received him do rejoice in and love him They account him the only Joy of their Hearts they esteem him their Portion their All and their only Good Have not those who for the sake of Christ have been exposed to all kind of Sufferings Hardships and ill Usages in the World rejoiced in the same Have not they found the satisfactions accruing to them from the Faithfulness and Love of Christ so exceeding great and full of inexpressible sweetness and comfort they have almost overlook'd they have really thought all the Sufferings of this Life very little and inconsiderable especially when Faith in Christ hath mounted and carried their Souls to take a view and prospect of what Christ will hereafter advance them unto Rom. 8.18 Gold and Silver Crowns and Earthly Kingdoms are of no value more vile and contemptible than the Dung and Mire of the Streets when made use of to bribe and hire one that has received Christ into his Heart to fall off from him and reject him I have served Christ said Polycarp fourscore and six Years and he never did me any harm and do you think said he to those who would have bribed and perswaded him to renounce Christ that now I will renounce and blaspheme and dishonour my King and Saviour Do you think the glorified Saints are sorry they chose and received Christ Why they can every jot as easily be weary of Heaven as repent of their entertaining such a Guest Now do thou exercise thy Thoughts about these things with the greatest seriousness and answer these Questions distinctly and impartially unto thy Conscience and press on thy Soul such Considerations as thou findest have the greatest tendency to startle to awaken and move thee that thou mayst not continue under the dreadful guilt of slighting Christ and rejecting the gracious Motions he doth make thee of his Love And O that I knew what Words would excite thy drowsy Soul and what Arguments would influence and make some kind of impressions on thy Mind Affections and Heart I would urge them for thy good with all the life and fervency that is possible Consider Sinner doth the Son of God condescend to plead and argue with thee for thy Benefit and Comfort This is a very wonderful thing indeed the Heavens may well be called to attend and the Earth to give ear such a prodigy of Love may make impressions on the very Mountains and Rocks And what wilt thou still resist his Courtings and be the more contemptuous by how much the more importunate he is with thee O how justly may we call to the Heavens to be astonished and the Earth to be horribly afraid at the manifestation of such stupidity and ingratitude How will all the Creatures inanimate and sensless things upbraid such sottish sturdiness and finally bear witness and give in evidence against it But alas after all what signifies the Discourse of a poor Mortal Melancthon found by experience that he had reason to say The old Man in the Hearts of Sinners was too strong for young Melancthon It is not in the Minister's Power to reach the Heart But Glorious Almighty and most Gracious God thou art above all and thou canst speak to the Conscience and overcome the most perverse and stubborn Heart thou canst and dost ordinarily make thy Strength and power to appear in the weakness of thy meanest Servants Lord to thee we turn and of thee we beg that that Power and Plenty of thy good Spirit may be sent forth that poor Sinners may not walk in darkness and be held any longer in bondage by Satan and their Lusts but that they now may cast away from them their Idols may yield up themselves to Christ in the sincerity of their Hearts and not oppose and resist him any longer Lord do thou look down in thy Power and Strength and do thou mightily perswade and prevail on the Hearts of those who have hitherto stood out against the Calls and Entreaties of their Saviour exert thy Power stretch forth thy mighty Arm descend in the abundance of thy Grace and bring thy Word and Exhortations to Peoples Souls and Consciences with thy special Efficacy and then shall People hear thy Son's Voice and knock and open unto him Now Sinner if thou art at all affected with any of these Considerations and dost truly desire to receive Christ into thy Heart I will conclude all I have at this time to say unto thee by proposing a few Directions for thy help and assistance I. Labour to get a deep affectionate sense of thy own insufficiency emptiness and misery without Christ Study the Law of God how strict and punctual it is How many Duties are commanded how many Sins forbid what Curses and Judgments threatned how weak and impotent thou art how far the Law is from either communicating Strength or providing thee a Pardon How powerful and severe infinite Justice is how liable thou art and this upon innumerable accounts to all the Vengeance and Horror infinite Justice can inflict How dreadful how miserable how helpless thy state is without a Mediator Think on these things till thou art throughly sensible of thy need of Christ and how impossible it is for thee to escape any other way than by Christ We need Christ to present our best Services to God and obtain them acceptance with the Father O what need have we then of Christ to save us from our manifold Sins and from the direful Punishments they deserve Rev. 3.18 Luke 15.21 Christ will be welcome indeed when we truly see our need of him II. Strive to get thy Heart cleansed from every thing which is contrary to Christ and hath a tendency to keep him out of thy Heart Get every Sin imbittered to thy Soul that thou mayst hate every thing which is an Enemy to Christ Oppose Christ to every Lust and sinful stirring of Heart harbour no Lust nor Sin in thy Heart fight against Temptations learn to overcome Temptations and Sins by reviving in thy Mind the opposition and enmity there is betwixt Christ and Sin curb and check mortify and subdue every sinful Inclination by alleadging against it Thou art an Enemy to my Saviour to allow and entertain thee would be to fight against Christ O I will not for a World do any thing that may offend and displease the Son of God III. Pray earnestly that the Spirit of God may mould and form thy Heart into a right frame and temper for Christ When a Prince comes to take up his residence at any Place or House it is not only necessary that the Luggage and Lumber and Filth be removed and cast out of Doors but that all places be righted up and have their proper Furniture So when Christ comes to take up his abode with