CHRIST's IMPORTUNITY WITH SINNERS To accept of HIM By S. Bold Rector of Steple Dorset All day long have I stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying People Rom. 10.21 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 Ezek. 3.11 London Printed for Awnsham Churchill in Ave-Mary Lane and are to be sold by William Churchill Bookseller in Dorchester 1687. THE PREFACE TO THE READER READER THE Happiness and Glory of Heaven and the Horror and Anguish of Hell are most certain stable and durable Estates We have as great as convincing and as satisfying Evidence that wicked ungodly and impenitent Sinners shall be for ever inexpressibly and unconceivably miserable as is fit for reasonable Creatures to have in this World and as Infinite Wisdom hath thought meet to afford The Evidence is such that whosoever would pretend to require more suitable more proper and more powerful discoveries were he put to invent Methods of his own for his particular fatisfaction would have as reasonable as just and as good grounds after his Humour and Fancy were gratified to continue an Infidel as before see Luke 16.30 31. He that thinks it a disparagement to his Wit or a blemish to his Courage to acquiesce in the Testimony of God as delivered in our Bibles might with greater assurance refuse his assent to the Damn'd themselves did he see them in Flames and hear their personal acknowledgments that their Vices and Sins had wrought them all that misery For why should he heed and credit them who have not trick enough to disguise or obstinacy enough to deny their Guilt The subsequent Discourse was not design'd for them whose unnatural Immoralities or studied Incredulity has given them an elevation as they conceit above conviction If nothing but particular Experience will assure them of eternal and unsufferable Torments I leave them as Persons out of the reach of Ratiocination and Discourse to what will certainly overtake them and that before they are willing And therefore intending the following Discourse especially for the plain and ordinary sort who have not lost all sense I will briefly address to them in a Stile proportionable to the plainness and familiarity used in the Discourse it self I entreat you who retain any sparks of Humanity who have a sense that your Souls are Immortal who acknowledg there is some difference between Good and Evil Virtue and Vice and whom your general Profession do own that the Scriptures are the Word of God I say I do beg and most earnestly beseech you by all that should be dear and precious unto you to think seriously a little on the following Particulars Be so just to your selves so respectful to your Maker so civil and kind to them who do most passionately desire your everlasting Happiness as to allow a few sober thoughts about Matters which be of most necessary and unspeakable importance unto you Why should you rush upon God's Wrath precipitaâ—e and heedlesly throw your selves headlong into unquenchable Burnings and grieve and wound the Hearts of those who incessantly pray and desire and long and wait for your endless Good and Comfort Be prevailed with then to consider with some sedateness and calmness these few Instances 1. Though God made Man at first a very excellent holy upright and unblemish'd Creature yet now we are all by Sin defiled and made unholy and brought under Guilt So that as long as we remain in our natural and unregenerate Estate we are obnoxious and liable to God's Curse and have a just right to all the terrible Discoveries and most dreadful Effects of Divine and Infinite Justice see Rom. 5.12 1.18 Ephes 2.1 2 3. John 3.36 2. God hath not left us remedilesly in that sad and deplorable and as to all meer Creature-relief helpless Estate into which we are sunk by Sinâ— But of his abundant rich and free Grace He hath provided us an Alsufficient Saviour and Redeemer and hath opened unto us a Door of Hope He hath given his own Son to assume our Nature and to make Peace and Reconciliation for us By and through this Son of God Pardon Peace and Mercy deliverance from Sin Guilt Misery and Eterna Damnation is to be obtained and no other way see Rom. 5.8 9 10. 1 Tim. 1.15 Gal 4.4 5. 1 John 2.1 2. Act. 4.12 3. The Lord Jesus Christ having accomplished all that Work he undertook and which was appointed him to finish upon Earth and being entred into his glorious Administration doth make most gracious Offers of himself his Love his Mercy his Spirit and Benefits unto poor Sinners and is very importunate with them to entertain and accept of the same Ephes 4.7 to 14. Act. 13.26 2 Cor. 5.19 to the end 4. Multitudes who have the Gospel and partake of the Ministry of the Word and make a profession of Religion and have these gracious Offers made unto them do not suitably entertain but despise and reject Christ and his Benefits They stubbornly refuse to submit to his Authority to comply with his Terms and imploy themselves in his Service Nay many offer him the greatest abuses and contempt they can devise see Mat. 22.1 2 c. Luke 19.14 John 5.40 Act. 13.46 And do not the Lives and Practices of multitudes professing Christianity demonstrate all this Look into your Hearts and examine the ordinary course of your Conversations Shall you not there find sufficient and full proof that hitherto you have rejected him That yet he hath no room in your Hearts no influences on your Practices O what Ignorance what Rancor Malice Revenge Hatred Wrath unmortified powerful Lusts what Covetousness Earthly-mindedness Carnality Pride Hypocrisy what backbiting lying slandering evil-speaking prophane and common Swearing vain frothy foolish unedifying Words and Discourse what common constant neglect of the Worship and Service of God in Families and in Private What sleighting and contemning God's Word and Ordinances nay what ridiculing and making a sport of all serious Religion what Drunkenness and Whoredom Intemperance and Wantonness Oppression Injustice Violence and innumerable other most notorious and abominable wickednesses may multitudes of pretended Christians every where observe in and justly charge themselves with Now are these the Fruits of Christ's gracious and holy Presence Was Christ of such a Mind Did He do such Things Does he any where countenance and allow of such things Can those Hearts which cherish such Lusts and from which such polluted streams and corrupt Fruits do proceed be a Temple for the Holy Jesus to dwell in Are not these the Fruits of the Flesh which shut the Heart against Christ and exclude those who cherish and practise them out of the Kingdom of Heaven Gal. 5.19 20 21. Rev. 21.8 1 Cor. 6.9 10. Ephes 4.29 31. 5. All those who enjoying the Gospel do stubbornly and finally reject
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
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
Christ and his gracious Offers as their Guilt doth unmeasurably exceed other Peoples who have not the Light and Means the Calls and Offers they have so they may justly expect that their Damnation Misery and Torment will exceedingly outweigh and be increased beyond other Peoples O Sirs who can think of your Danger your Misery that dreadful Portion which is in store for you without Tears and Groans without Trembling and Fainting of Heart and Soul read with attention Prov. 1.24 c. Heb. 12.25 Matth. 11.21 to 25. 6. Those who do truly receive and entertain Christ and close with his gracious Offers are very much changed and altered from what they themselves were and all are by Nature It is not a change of Name or a change of Opinion or a change from a Party or a change as to any thing which is purely External which will serve turn to prove that you have indeed closed with Christ It must be a real change of the Heart a change of Principles of Ends and Purposes a change of the whole bent and exercise of all the Faculties and Powers of the Soul and a change of Life and course of Conversation He that truly receives Christ loves him with all his Heart gives him the preheminence in every thing delights in his Laws resigns up himself entirely to his Disposal and Government depends and relies on his Merits Alsufficiency and Faithfulness rejoices in his Comforts and acquiesces in a patient expectation of his coming and the accomplishment of his Promises Gal. 6.14 15. 2 Cor. 5.17 Rom. 8.8 9. Tit. 2.11 12 13 14. Tit. 3.4 to 9. Now do you think on these things seriously especially examine search and consider diligently the Scriptures you are referr'd unto and apply them faithfully and impartially to your own Consciences and Lives Make no delay stand not out in opposing Christ any longer Do not deceive and flatter your own Souls Remember that God is True and Faithful and Just That the Blood and Love and calls of Christ will not be lost but if they be not carefully improved and closed with they will bring Vengeance upon you to the uttermost Remember that Christ's Invitations and Intreaties will not be very much longer continued unto you It will not be long before you must lie down in the Dust 't will be but a little time more that you shall hear these Calls and Intreaties In a little while you will be past reading the Scriptures hearing Sermons having Opportunities to cry and pray for Mercy and Grace with Hope O how fearful will your Estate be if you resist all Christ's Calls to accept of Him and Grace till he withdraws himself in anger and resolves he will never speak a word more of Peace or Incouragement unto you or entertain a favourable thought towards you You must before long quit all you set your Hearts on here Riches Applause carnal Delights Sports and Merriments will in short time take their leave and fly away from you Alas get what you can here if you are without Christ you are miserable comfortless helpless E're long you will see Death and Judgment and Hell plainly before you now what will relieve and support you then O what Trifles what Torments will your Lusts and all worldly Enjoyments and Entertainments appear and be then What will you do if you persist to deny Christ admittance when the Lord Jesus shall come in flaming Fire c. 2 Thess 1.7 8 9. O what a dreadful Spectacle will Christ in Glory be to all the obstinate Despisers Contemners and Sleighters of Him his Grace his Spirit his Word his Ordinances his People his Messengers How full of horror amazement and terror will the appearance of Christ be to all those against whom his Blood will rise and plead for Vengeance Press these things on your own Hearts shew some love now at last to your own Souls Build not your Hopes and Confidence on your belonging to any Congregation or Party nor on the enjoyment of outward Gospel-priviledges but hasten to Christ indeed and never be at rest till savingly united unto him Do not only read but practise good Books Be not only hearers but doers of the Word lest you deceive your own Souls Jam. 1.22 If you get any good by this Discourse give God all the Praise and Glory And when you have got an interest in Christ make use of it at the Throne of Grace not only for your self but to further the spiritual Happiness and eternal Salvation of him who earnestly desires and prays for your everlasting Walfare S. B. REVEL iii. 20. Behold I stand at the Door and knock if any Man hear my Voice and open the Door I will come into him and will sup with him and he with me THE Condescention of our Blessed Saviour to poor Sinners is very extraordinary and miraculous That reiterated Affronts and multiplied Provocations do as it were but only lengthen out his Patience and add warmth and earnestness to his Importunity is indeed the highest demonstration imaginable of astonishing Kindness and a Love which cannot be parallel'd But this is not to encourage our Obstinacy and Refractoriness It should overcome our Sturdiness and conquer and master our Stubborness it should soften and make us tractable and compliant O the hardness of that Heart the searedness of that Soul and Conscience which will not be melted into a remorse for Sin and a joyful unfeigned closure with the Offers of Salvation and Mercy at the earnest Entreaties and passionate Courtings of the Eternal and Almighty God! What shall we say then shall we continue in Sin because Grace doth abound God forbid Rom. 6.1 2. How shall we who are thus solicited from Heaven thus importuned by the Blessed Jesus live any longer in a contradiction unto him The Love and Condescention of Christ is such and doth so eminently appear in many Instances especially in these mentioned in the Text our Blessed Saviour himself seems to be almost transported at the consideration of the same That the Son of God who thought it no robbery to be equal with God should take such notice of Enemies forlorn despicable Wretches miserable Sinners who at best whilst in their natural Estate can lay claim to nothing but Wrath and Damnation as to stand before them come unto them and use all manner of earnestness with them to prevail with them to yield him admittance into their Hearts that by this means they may be advanced and have Communion and Fellowship with him is so strange so unheard of a piece of Condescention so wonderful so surprizing so amazing an Instance of Love our Saviour himself at the mentioning of it seems to be in a kind of rapture He doth Preface it with a Note of Admiration Behold If we should look upon it as a mighty Condescention in a great Prince or Emperor to descend from his Throne and come personally to visit some poor Subject who has no habitation or place of Aboad but some
some Application of the whole I. I shall say something concerning Christ's waiting to be gracious to Sinners and importuning them for admittance into their Hearts These two things are both implied in and signified by these words I stand at the Door and knock The one argues his Patience and the stay he makes to be gracious unto us This is the word Stand I stand at the Door Now how long hath Christ stood at your Doors how long and often hath he been calling unto you for admittance and as yet to no purpose Indeed some receive him very early Happy they who bid so worthy so desirable so good a Guest welcome betimes They who are from their early Years acquainted with Christ with whom they constantly keep a correspondence and who hath long reigned in their Hearts are happy People indeed These are truly Heaven's Favourites But I am afraid the number of such is not very great Alas Christ is a great while slighted and contemned before he is in any tolerable measures taken tice of and hearkned unto in the World O the Patience that Jesus Christ doth exercise towards Sinners How many Days and Weeks yea Months and Years doth he stand waiting before we will hear his Voice and open unto him It is our great fault and unhappiness too that after we are in some measure acquainted with Christ we are prone to neglect our Watch and suffer our love to him to abate and almost die So that when he makes his fresh Approaches to us and calls for admittance into our Hearts we are ready to make excuses till we force him to withdraw and hide himself from us Cant. 5.2 3. But alas how many Years together do many stand out and resist him tho he use never so many methods to win and bring them to a compliance Nay Christ doth not only wait all this time but he manifests extraordinary patience on the account of their demeanour towards him Were there any one who had done us an injury and we should go to and promise him we will pass by the wrong and entreat him that we may be Friends and that Party should refuse to let us into his House should set us at defiance and revile and reproach us and do us greater Injuries than before how would our Blood boil how would our Passions flame how unreconcileable should we be to him for the future But Jesus Christ doth otherwise to us He comes to us when in a state of Rebellion against him He is ready to pardon us pleads with us to accept his Favours and demonstrates how real and hearty he is He does as it were lay before us his Sufferings and tell us that all these Calamities Pressures and Sorrows were undergone for our sakes And tho all this prove unsuccesful we still refuse to hearken to him and do proudly and contemptuously turn away from him he doth not desist but still stands and waits to see whether we will come to our selves whether we will become more calm and wise and at last accept of the gracious Offers he doth make us O! what a number of Affronts and Provocations doth the Lord Jesus Christ patiently bear and pass by whilst waiting to be gracious to his Enemies How do Sinners set him at nought and offer him the greatest contempt they can and still he bears all and stands waiting at their Doors Sinner Thou that livest in known Sins under the Ministry of the Gospel and a profession of the Faith of Christ thou hast had Christ waiting on thee a long while Thou hast as it were heard him tell thee It was Sin even thy Sins that made him a Man of Sorrows and occasioned his being reckoned amongst Transgressors that thy Sins contracted on him that load and burthen which made him sweat drops of Blood under the weight of it That thy Sins nailed him to the Cross That thy Drunkenness thy Intemperance thy Wantonness thy Prophaneness thy Swearing thy Worldly-mindedness thy Sabbath-breaking and thy other Sins made him when on the Cross cry out with so much apprehension and earnestness My God my God why hast thou forsaken me And doth Christ after all this wait on thee and importune thee to receive him and wilt thou dare after all to reject him Thou canst not however but acknowledg that if after all this he continues thee the tenders of his Love that his Patience is wonderful thou must needs own that to refuse him admittance and despise his Offers is very disingenuous O! what stubbornness do many testify towards Christ after he hath been long treating with them in this manner Has not Christ told thee these things in his Word Has he not as it were come to thee and said Behold Sinner these Hands and these Feet which were nailed to the Cross on thy account to testify my Love to thee See how I was forsaken by all what I suffered for thy Sins how I was treated in what manner my extraordinary Grief did vent it self And now behold I come to thee desiring to be received of thee and entreating thee to accept the Benefits I have purchased by all my grievous Sufferings And wilt thou still reject him Wilt thou chide and rate thy Saviour away after so many testimonies of incomprehensible Kindness Patience and Love Wilt thou by thy carriage towards him manifest that thou approvest what the Jews did unto him Wilt thou by a continued repeating of thy old Wickedness discover how desirous thou art to crucify him again and what pleasure thou takest in trampling his precious Blood under thy Feet O how great then is thy Guilt how is thy Wickedness aggravated What mayst thou well expect will become of thee How dreadful is thy State how great is thy Danger But now if after all this Christ doth still wait and make thee new tenders of Mercy how astonishing must thou needs acknowledg his Love and his Patience to be The Patience of Christ doth most signally appear in bringing home at last those Sinners who have been very notorious and who have laboured against him and stood out against and resisted him a great while O! let this prevail with you all to yield up your selves speedily to Christ You have resisted him too long already take heed of repeating your Affronts against him seeing he hath born with you so patiently hitherto Surely he hath waited long enough O delay him no longer The Fruit and Effect may be dreadful if you resist any farther the Lord will not always be trifled with Though the Offers of Grace may be long continued they will not last for ever if you go on stubbornly to despise and reject them Take heed of refusing to receive and entertain Christ once more when he comes unto thee lest thou shouldst provoke him to depart from thee with resolution never to make thee a gracious visit or see thee with favour any more Do not thou provoke him to swear in his Wrath thou shalt never enter into his Rest
Canst thou endure the eternal Displeasure of Almighty God Canst thou bear up under the direful and astonishing Punishments which contemned Grace and abused Patience and Goodness expose to Canst thou dwell with everlasting Burnings O let the Long-suffering the Patience and the Goodness of thy Saviour lead thee to Repentance and prevail with thee to accept of and close with him and his gracious Offers This shall serve at this time concerning Christ's waiting to be gracious unto Sinners I proceed to say something II. In the second place of his importuning Sinners for admittance This is noted by the word knock Jesus Christ doth not only wait long but useth much importunity and is very earnest to get admittance with Sinners He knocks and knocks again he repeats his Entreaties and often renews his earnest Sollicitations that we will not reject and despise him but admit him into our Hearts and bid him welcome Now what Condescention is this that the Son of God should court and perswade us with so much warmth and fervour That he who cannot receive any advantage from us should thus importune us for our own advantage Indeed this doth plainly manifest our baseness and stupidity in that we are so hard to be wrought on and affected with our most important Interests And it doth as certainly and fully display and upbraid our wilfulness and impiety when we stand out and finally resist Christ as it doth demonstrate the unparallel'd condescention and kindness of our Saviour O! what Demonstrations have we of the tenderness of Christ to Sinners How do his Bowels yearn over us when we are inconsiderately ruining our selves How often doth he knock and entreat us to yield to him and accept of him and his Benefits O how hard and stubborn are our Hearts what will not all the Divine Methods and Artifices win us and bring us into a compliance with him that loveth us above Life and Death I need mention but two Generals to evidence more distinctly unto you how earnest and importunate the Lord Jesus is to be received by us 1. The Arguments he doth use to perswade us to accept of him 2. The Instruments he doth imply about this Work viz. to win us to comply with his gracious Motions and offers 1. The Arguments he doth use to prevail with us to accept of Him He urgeth the strongest Arguments and presseth on us those Considerations which carry along with them the greatest force and weight imaginable And these are managed with all the heartiness and affectionateness that is possible Arguments many strong various and such as are most proper to have an influence on our Affections Judgments and Minds Were any Motions urged that had but the thousandth part of the reason the least of these hath to engage us to strike in and close with any thing for our secular Advantage how effectual would they prove No Difficulties no Straights no Discouragements would affright or dishearten us But when the greatest and most weighing Instances as the Divine Wisdom can pitch upon are urged by the Lord himself to engage us not to forsake our own Mercies to attend to and close with our only Happiness Alas how unapprehensive how unconcerned are we We are then as little moved as if the Arguments had no weight in them or we had no Souls to take care of and be saved If Satan hath a mind to draw us unto any Sin or engage us in some destructive and damning course how easily doth he prevail how soon doth he gain our Ear our Hand our Heart How suddenly doth he hurry us into what he pleaseth Yea Men like our selves can easily work upon our Affections and prevail with us to do those things which will hasten our Misery our Shame our Destruction But alas Christ may stand and call and warn and entreat us by ever so many Considerations and yet have no admittance amongst us We deal with our Saviour as the wanton and undutiful Child doth when he lets an Enemy into the House at the first word But when his Parent calls and knocks he sits unconcerned turns a deaf Ear and never takes any notice though that Relation knock never so loud and be very importunate to be let in We are ready to follow Satan and do what he would have us to do if he do but promise us a little Pleasure or Wealth c. But Christ is shut out and not hearkned unto though he is most importunate and doth urge the weightiest Arguments to prevail with us to attend unto him The Arguments he doth urge are very many It shall suffice at present to name a few of them with a brief intimation of their worth and excellency 1. He lays before us his own transcendent Excellencies and Perfections The Dignity of his Person and how wonderful his Condescention is in that he is pleased to make such Vouchsafements unto us He is the Brightness of the Father's Glory and the express Image of his Person and he upholdeth all things by the Word of his Power Heb. 1.3 He is God over all blessed for ever-more Rom. 9.5 And what shall the Eternal God be repulsed when he makes such importunate Addresses to most miserable Worms Shall we deny admittance to the high and lofty One who inhabiteth Eternity whose Name is Holy and dwelleth in the high and holy Place when he condescendeth to come to us and earnestly entreateth us to let him have his abode with us He is not a mean contemptible Person which maketh Love to us whose Favour we may lose and be never the worse whose Kindness and Love if withdrawn may be made up another way or by another Person He is God He is the Lord of Glory The Angels adore and reverence glorify and worship him He can and will make thee truly and unspeakably blessed and happy if thou hearken to his Voice and entertain him Thou must needs be unconceivably miserable without him he has Power to make thee happy or miserable If thou receive him he will conduct thee to Heaven and constitute thee perfect and unalterably blessed But if thou stubbornly and finally despisest him and tramplest under thy Feet the offers of his Love and Grace he is able to punish thee for thy contempt and he will cast thee into and burn thee in Hell to all Eternity 2. He represents unto us the miserable and undone condition we are naturally in That whilst without him we are Aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel we do not belong to the Society of those the Lord hath chosen and set apart for himself we are Strangers from the Covenant of Promise we have nothing to do with those great and precious Priviledges which are made over to them who are interested in the Divine special Love We have no hope we are in a desperate condition as to hereafter without any true and solid ground to encourage our selves to hope it shall be well with us We are without God in the World we are