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
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
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
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
lose your Lands be rob'd of your Mony have your Houses and Goods all burnt about your Ears and yet not be undone nor irreparably miserable But if you are ignorant of Christ and regardless of his Visits and destitute of an Interest in his Love you are poor deluded miserable unhappy Wretches whatever Portion you have of the Wealth and Honour and Applause of this World Indeed too many slight Christ and make no account of his Love People who are sunk in their Lusts whose Understandings Satan hath blinded in whom Satan rules and by whom they are hurried away headlong towards Hell as the Gadarens Swine were into the Deep But O! let us take heed we do not tread in their Steps lest we drink of their Cup and partake of their Portion The Apostle tells you It is a faithful Saying and worthy of all acceptation that Jesus Christ came into the World to save Sinners 1 Tim. 1.15 What is it then that after all his Sufferings and being ascended into Glory he doth still continue to express and testify as great Love as ever to us Shall we despise the choicest offers of his Love Shall we despise or take no notice of such a Truth as this that Christ doth stoop to visit us and importunes our acceptance of him O what vile what unworthy what ungrateful Persons shall we then approve our selves In how forlorn and deplorable a State are all the stubborn and obstinate despisers and contemners of Christ Heb. 2.3 O Sirs did you understand the worth of those precious Souls you are intrusted with were you truly sensible of the sad and miserable Estate you are in by Nature this Love express'd but by Piety and Obedience If ye love me keep my Commandments John 14.15 Ye are my Friends if ye do whatsoever I command you John 15.14 What an incouragement is it to a Holy Life when we can truly say we are hereby testifying our Love to our dear Saviour in such a way as he doth most approve Whom should we serve whom should we obey if not him who hath and doth love us still in so extraordinary a manner We are 't is true too prone to serve Satan and our Lusts but what reason have we to do so Is Damnation and Hell so sweet and so obliging we should drudg and toil all our time for such a Purchase Can you seriously think Satan who tempts and sollicites you to Sin hath any love for you And will you serve him who seeks your eternal ruin so industriously before the Lord Jesus Christ who hath given you so many convincing Testimonies of his Love It is an amazing and very sad thing to observe how People do prefer the drudgery and vassalage of Satan before the liberty and freedom their Saviour hath purchased for them That notwithstanding Christ doth love them so affectionately yet Satan should have so many to run violently after him to Hell and Christ should have so few to follow him to the Mansions of Bliss and Glory It is a sad but yet too just a representation of Man's Folly Ingratitude and Wickedness which St. Cyprian makes when he brings in the Devil boasting against Christ and insulting over People in this manner Ego pro istis nec sanguinem fudi c. Serm. de Elymos I have not shed one drop of Blood for any of all these my Followers I never took any pains to do them any good my study and care and diligence hath ever been and ever shall be to bring them to Death and Damnation and yet notwithstanding all this Tuos tales demonstra mihi Christe Shew me O Christ so many such busy such painful and such dutiful Servants of thine any where as I can shew thee every where of mine Shall the Envy and Malice of Satan be more powerful with you to draw you into Damnation than the prodigious Love of the Son of God to win you unto Holiness and Glory O! were we but duly affected with the Love Christ bears to us we should not be able to resist its Charms O what pious exemplary praising Christians would this make us Who ever hath a true and real sense of this Love in his Heart will be transformed by it into the likeness of him who doth thus love him The reason why we are no better that we resemble Christ so little is because we are ignorant of his Love tho we may know somewhat of it notionally so as to tincture and adorn our Discourse yet our Hearts are not touched with it and brought under its Efficacy and Power Were our Hearts but melted with the consideration and sense of this Love O how powerfully would it engage us in the Ways and Work of our Saviour With what vigour and delight should we be carried through the whole course of Christian Duty and new Obedience 3. It is of exceding great use for our support and comfort under Trials Temptations Sufferings and Troubles in the World and when we are exercised with deep apprehensions of our own sinfulness and vileness Affliction doth try Friends A Man whilst he doth prosper and flourish in the World shall have many pretended Friends who will fall from and disown him in Adversity We are subject to Trials and Temptations under which all those things that flatter our Senses and which People court and labour for with all their might will either take their flight from us or at best lie by us as insipid useless things Nothing but a sense of Christ's Love will then befriend us And I know not any sort of People more exposed to Trials and Assaults in the World than the People of God nor are there any whom Satan doth ordinarily set upon with fiercer violence than poor Sinners when first beginning to look out after and listen unto Christ And as these are liable to such Calamities so God provides for their support and comfort under them If it be a great relief to a Person under outward trouble that he hath a Friend to stand by him and counsel him and appear for him what is it to a true Believer to be assured of the Love of Christ That he hath one on his side who is alsufficient for him be his Circumstances what they will and who will never fail him nor forsake him What tho I be poor and miserable and destitute and afflicted in the World What tho I be made as the filth and the off-scouring of all things Christ loves me never the less for that Nay suppose I have great Doubts in my Mind and my Soul is full of heaviness for my Sins and I am ready to cry out O! my Sins are not ordinary and usual Sins they have been aggravated above measure I cannot see any thing in my self but impurity filth and guilt I do not perceive how any thing but Damnation can belong to me O my Misery O my Unhappiness O my Guilt I am so laden with Sin my Guilt lies so heavy upon my Spirit Terror and amazement