DOCTRINE.

That Jeſus Chriſt waits and calls long upon Sinners, and earneſtly labours with them for Admiſſion: He ſtands at the Door and knocks.

An Hundred and twenty Years waited he upon the old World; thirty Years upon the Jews; forty Years in the Wilderneſs by Signs and Wonders; theſe one hundred Years well nigh hath he waited upon England. Twenty Years he waits upon one Sinner, forty Years upon another. How often doth he ſay to us, Open to me, my Siſter, my Love, my Dove, my Undenied; for my Head is filled with the Dew, and my Locks with the Drops of the Night, Cant. 5.2. Mat. 23.37. How often would I have gathered thy Children as a Hen gathereth her Chickens, but ye would not? What doth theſe Paſſages hold forth but the Love of Chriſt? But to enlarge a little,

Friſt, Chriſt gives not Sinners over, tho' they have given him no Anſwer at all, tho' they lie in the Bed of Ignorance, and mind not the Dignity of his Perſon, nor the Heavenlineſs of his Voice, nor the Excellency of his Salvation, and tho' he call louder and louder, and knock harder and harder, (Rom. 3.11) It is high Time to awake out of Sleep, the Night is far ſpent, the Day is at hand; yet Chriſt waits ſtill to be gracious.

Secondly, Chriſt hath continued knocking and calling tho' Sinners have made light of his Invitations. Tho' the Soul be lazy, and hath put off his Coat, and cannot put it on, and hath waſhed his Feet, and is loth to defile them; yet for all this, Chriſt puts his Hand in by the Hole of the Door.

Thirdly, Chriſt hath not given over knocking, tho' Sinners have opened their Mouths againſt him, and reviled him yet he ſtands thruſting at the Poſt of the Sinners Hearts, and he waits and labours much to reconcile the Soul to God. He ſends his Miniſters who intreat and exhort, tho' all to no Purpoſe.

But to give you the Reaſons why Chriſt is thus gracious to ſuch graceleſs Souls.

Reaſon I. Chriſt continues knocking at the Sinners Heart, that he might glorify his free Grace and Love in converting ſome poor Soul to himſelf. That the Soul might be brought to ſee the tender Care of Chriſt and his vehement Deſire to beſtow himſelf upon him: That he might at Length ſee the free Bounty of Chriſt in his long calling, Open to me, Open to me: That it might ſee Salvation to be had no where elſe. That the Heart at length ſees it muſt open to Chriſt or elſe it muſt periſh; that it might ſee its loſt Condition without Chriſt: That it might ſee Chriſt's Travellings, and Sufferings, Torments and Tortures, and all to redeem and ſave them which was loſt and undone forever without him.

Reaſon II. Chriſt continues knocking and inviting that in the End he might gain the Soul to eſteem him as the only and deſirable Object in the World. That the Sinner at length may confeſs it is better to let Chriſt in, than keep Chriſt out. That the Soul may ſee him whom he hath reviled, yea, crucified, all his Life, ſee him to be the ſweeteſt Saviour, livelieſt Man in the World, and delight in him, and as it were be raviſhed with his Excellencies.

Reaſon III. Chriſt knocks long at the Door of the Sinners Hearts, that thereby he might magnify the Glory of his Juſtice, in their meer Ruin and Deſtruction. For, O Soul, wilt thou be left without Excuſe? Thou ſtout Rebel, that ſtood'ſt it out againſt the Lord, that tho' he called again and again, thou waſt reſolved thou would not hear, tho' Mercy were upon his Knee before thee, and beg'd thee to give Admiſſion to the Lord of Life; yet Impenitent thou wert, and Impenitent thou would'ſt be; ay, and miſerable wert, and miſerable, thou wouldeſt be.

Therefore will he magnify the Glory of his Juſtice upon thee, and make thee ſmart to Purpoſe, becauſe thou would'ſt not hear the Voice of the Charmer, tho' he charmed never ſo wiſely. Now you have no longer any Cloak for your Sins, now take what falls, and expect a Reward according to your Works; For the righteous Lord loveth Righteouſneſs, but the Wicked his Soul hateth: As it is in Pſalm 11.5, 6, 7. Verſes, No marvel now if the Lord rain Fire and Brimſtone, and an horrible Tempeſt; for this ſhall be the Portion of their Cup, who have deſpiſed the rich Grace of GOD, and abuſed his Patience and Long-ſuffering towards them: Mal. 4.1. For the Day is coming that ſhall burn as an Oven, and all the Proud, yea, and all that do wickedly ſhall be as Stubble; and the Day cometh that ſhall burn them up, ſaith the Lord; and ſhall leave them neither Root nor Branch.

But to proceed to the APPLICATION which is the main Thing intended. The USES I ſhall make are theſe:

Firſt, Exhortation to Sinners.

Secondly, Terror and Affrightment.

Thirdly, Encouragement. And then cloſe all with ſome Directions.

USE I. Of EXHORTATION, to exhort and ſtir up, if poſſible every ſecure Sinner to ſtand it out no longer, but to ſet open your Hearts, that the King of Glory may enter in. O Sinner, now Chriſt is ſtanding and calling to thy Soul, If thou hear and open, I will come in unto thee. Now Chriſt is ſaying, I know thy Work, I know well enough what thou haſt been, and what thou haſt done. I know thou haſt been a Blaſphemer, or a Drunkard, or a Whore-monger, or a Thief, or a Liar, or a Sabbath-breaker, or a Scorner: Yet I ſtand at the Door this Day, and knock, I will receive thee unto Mercy, I will forgive thee all thy Sins, I will accept, I will heal, I will ſave thy Soul, if thou wilt open thy Heart this Day unto me, and let me in. O Brethren, for Chriſt's Sake refuſe not Chriſt, Do not reject, nor neglect ſo great a Salvation, ſo ample a Salvation, ſo waiting a Salvation, leſt you periſh.

1. Conſider, The Neceſſity you have of him, 'Give me Children or elſe I die,' ſaith Rachel: O give me Chriſt, or elſe I periſh forever. Can you be ſaved without Chriſt? And if you may have Chriſt, but for opening the Door; Then while he is calling to day, hear and open to him. If the Door of Grace ſhould be ſhut, thou would'ſt be ſhut up with a Vengeance forever.

2. Conſider, What Anſwers thou wilt be able to make at the great Day if thou wilt harden thy Heart and not open. Why, what wilt thou? Why, what canſt thou plead for thy ſelf at the Day of Judgment? Wilt thou ſay, the Goſpel never offered thee Chriſt? Why thou haſt heard this Day, If any Man will hear and open, I will come in and ſup with him. Wilt thou ſay, I would have opened my Heart, had it not been for the Love of Sin, or for Eaſe, or Liberty, or Honour, or Friends, or Companions! Oh! how will Men and Angels hiſs at thee This is the Perſon who for Luſts Sake, forſook his Mercies! Who for a little Vanity, rejected his own Salvation! O how wilt thou curſe thy ſelf for Nothing: Nay, for that which is worſe than Nothing: Thou haſt put off Chriſt and his Salvation; therefore Men and Brethren and Fathers, hearken unto me. As Moſes ſaid to the Iſraelites, ſo this Day I propound unto you Bleſſings and Curſings, Life and Death; Salvation if you open to Chriſt, and Damnation if you refuſe Chriſt.

For the Lord's Sake, chuſe not Curſing, but Bleſſing; chuſe not Death but Life; chuſe not Hell, but Heaven, chuſe not Sin, but Chriſt. Tho' you have formerly ſlighted him, if you will now regard, tho' you have formerly contemned him, yet if you will now praiſe him; tho' if you have formerly reſiſted, if yet you will yield, if yet you will conſent, if yet you will become willing to open unto Chriſt, Chriſt will be yours, Mercy will be yours, and Salvation will be yours.

And what would you have more? What, will not this do? Will not Mercy allure you? Will not Love conſtrain you: Then give me leave to reprove you, and affright you, (if it be poſſible) out of thoſe Depths of Satan, unto which you are fallen. However, I am reſolved whether you will or no; and the Lord faſten it upon your Souls.

USE II. Of TERROR, To you who have no Communion with Chriſt, that have refuſed to let in the King of Glory. Oh! ſeriouſly lay to Heart your unſpeakable Miſery forever.

And here I know not how to begin; If Non-Communion with the Church of God, be ſo direful a Curſe, that makes Cain cry out; Thou haſt driven me out this Day from the Face of the Earth, and from thy Face ſhall I be hid, I ſhall be a Fugitive and a Vagabond on the Earth; and every one that finds me ſhall ſlay me, Gen. 4.14. Oh; then, what is Non-Communion with Jeſus Chriſt? Luther did profeſs, that he would not be in Heaven if God were not there, but he would rather chuſe to dwell in Hell if God were there.

O Soul, where wilt thou abide after Death? Let me beg of thee to aſk thy Soul the Queſtions following.

In the Bowels of Love and Mercy let me beg thee to aſk thy Soul this Queſtion;

Q. I. How long will this Life and the Comforts of it laſt? Thy Soul is immortal and muſt never die; but it muſt have a Being ſomewhere to all Eternity.

This Worlds Happineſs is it everlaſting? No ſurely; thy Money, and thy Corn, and thy Land will do the no Good in the great Day. Oh! what haſt thou done for hereafter? what haſt thou laid up for the World to come? Is the Door of thy Heart open to Chriſt? Alas! Is thy poor Soul Un-armed all this while?

Q. II. What will become of thee when this Life and the Comforts thereof are gone? O hard hearted Sinner, this broad Way which thou walkeſt on, will never lead thee to the promiſed Land. Thy Gold and Silver Key will never open Heavens Gate for thee: Thy Care of this World's Goods will not plead for thee before the Judge; all thy careful Friends, Acquaintance, with whom thou had ſpent many joyful Hours, will ſtand thee in no ſtead.

Then thou wilt be ready to cry, O where is the Chriſt that I have deſpiſed? O where is the Jeſus which I have reſiſted? Will he plead for me? No ſurely: But go to the God's whom thou haſt choſen: Oh what will become of me? Muſt I not die? O whither will Death carry me? Into which of the Regions of the World will my Death land me? either of Light or Darkneſs? To which of theſe two Regions am I now travelling? Certainly the Way of Pleaſure, or worldly Profit, the broad Way of the World, its not the Way to tranſport me to Heaven and everlaſting Happineſs. Say, O Sinner to thy Soul, What muſt I be taken from all my Glory and Greatneſs, from all my Delights and Dalliances, and be thrown like Lucifer, Son of the Morning, from all my Brightneſs into Blackneſs and Darkneſs forever? When Death hath clos'd up my Eyes, muſt I awake in everlaſting Flames? Ay Sinner, Thou ſhalt without Remedy, unleſs thou open to the Lord Jeſus Chriſt.

Q. III. Aſk thy Soul on which Hand thou art like to ſtand in the Day of Judgment; on the Right Hand or on the left: Among the Sheep, or among the Goats? If thou wilt not hear and open now; if thou wilt not open thy Heart now, be aſſured the Devil will open Hell's Mouth for thee. What will be the End of thoſe Joys which now makes glad thy Heart; you who are in the broad Way to Deſtruction and utter Separation from God's Preſence for ever? Thy Pleaſures here we may judge of: Oh! but who can tell the Thouſand part of thoſe fiery Torments, to which thou art liable unto in the other World.

While thou liveſt here, thou art a curſed Sinner, and when thou dieſt, thou ſhalt be a damned Creature: While thou liveſt, thou art fed like a Beaſt by common Providence, and art a meer Stranger to never fading Promiſes. If thou lookeſt Upwards, God is frowning, and his Wrath is revealed from Heaven againſt thee, Rom. 1.18. The Heavens and their Hoſts are ready every Moment to diſcharge God's Curſes, like Thunder-bolts againſt thee. If thou lookeſt downwards, thou may'ſt ſee Hell gaping and opening its Mouth to ſwallow thee up quick, many Dangers attend thee every Day, many Miſeries every Moment; Legions of Devils ſtand about thee, watching for thee; and waiting only for leave from God, to drag thy Soul into the Lake of Fire.

Ah! when thou dieſt Man, what muſt thou then do? When the Captain Death ſtrikes, whole Armies of Wolves will fall upon thee. Look to, it and remember thou wert once warned; for if thou dieſt naturally, before thou liveſt ſpiritually, thou dieſt eternally. Auguſtine's Prayer was, O Lord, hack me, hew me, burn me here; but ſpare me hereafter. As long as thou refuſeſt to hear Chriſt's Voice, thou haſt a Hell upon Earth. It is not the Multitude of thy Companions that go thither, ſhall any whit leſſen thy Torments, but rather increaſe them. Thy Life that hath been full of worldly Joy, ſhall end in deadly Woe.

All you into whoſe Hands this little Book ſhall come; O let me beg you to conſider, if you have any Bowels of Love to your own Souls, how your Hearts can endure to think of being ſhut out of Heaven, out of Bleſſedneſs for ever. Aſk your Hearts theſe Queſtions; Can I burn? Can I endure the Vengeance of eternal Fire? Will boiled Oil, burning Brimſtone, ſcalding Lead, a glowing Oven, a ſcorching Furnace be an eaſy Lodging for me? Oh! Why my Soul, wilt thou not be perſwaded to repent? Is there too much Pain in that? Thou art ready to ſay, Thou canſt not bear a Croſs, nor an Affliction, a Scoff, or a Reproach. Talk to thee of the crucifying of the Fleſh, of parting with thy Luſt, with thy worldly Companions, of entring in at the ſtrait Gate? O theſe are hard Sayings, who can bear them? But how wilt thou do to dwell with devouring Fire, how wilt thou dwell with everlaſting Burnings? Whatſoever thou thinkeſt now, think what Hell will be when the Day comes thou muſt deſcend into it? Thou mayeſt drink or laugh away the Fear of it, but what will it be to thee when thou feeleſt thy ſelf wrapped in the Flames of it, and not a Drop of Water to cool thy Tongue? Think on Hell, O Soul, and then think on Chriſt; and conſider if a Redeemer from ſuch a Miſery, be not worth the accepting of? Think on Hell, and think on Sin, and carnal Pleaſures and Delights; conſider how they will reliſh with thee, when thus ſalted with everlaſting Fire. Are theſe the Price for which thou ſelleſt thy Soul to Hell, Oh! bid theſe Luſts and Pleaſures be gone, bid your Companions and Sin be gone; and tho' you loved them well, and have ſpent your time ſinfully with them; yet tell them you muſt not burn for them; that you will not damn your Soul to pleaſe your Fleſh.

Having thus briefly as may be, laid down the Uſe of Terror, which I hope will awaken ſome poor Souls, out of the Depths of carnal Security: Now I ſhall proceed to the laſt Uſe of Encouragement; To encourage poor ſecure Sinners, to venture to lay faſt hold on Chriſt, before that it be too late.

USE III. Oh! poor Soul, haſt thou kept Chriſt out a long Time, and art thou not yet reſolved to open thy Heart to him? What ſhall I ſay to thee! Let me ſay this, Chriſt waits ſtill for thee; Chriſt is willing ſtill to receive thee. Then why wilt thou undo thy ſelf by neglecting ſo great a Salvation? Let the Conſideration of the Meſſage Chriſt brings you, of the Errand he comes on; it is not a diſmal one he brings, it is not a dreadful Errand: If Chriſt had come to deſtroy thy Soul, could he have had leſs Welcome than you give him? Oh! for your Souls Sake receive him. Oh ye Fools, when will you be Wiſe' Come unto Chriſt, and he will have Mercy on you, and heal all your Backſlidings, and love you freely.

But ſome poor Souls will be ready to ſay, I have a Deſire to come to Chriſt, but I am afraid Chriſt will never receive ſuch a wretched Sinner as I, who have ſtood it out againſt him ſo long? For Anſwer to this, give me leave to give you ſome Directions.

Direct. 1. Ah poor Soul, art thou willing to come to Chriſt? Then Chriſt will in no wiſe caſt thee out, if thou comeſt to him poor, miſerable, blind and naked. O Sinner, come not to him in thy own Strength; but come thus and ſay, O Lord, here is a poor Soul not worth a Farthing; O Lord, make me rich in Faith: O Lord, here is a miſerable Soul; Lord, ſhew Mercy to me: Here is a poor blind Soul, Lord, enlighten me from above: Here is a poor naked Wretch, O Lord cloath me with thy Son's Righteouſneſs: Lord help me, O Lord ſave me, leſt I periſh; for I cannot help myſelf.

Direct. 2. Come to Chriſt by believing in him. Ah, when the poor Soul is ſinking headlong into Hell, and thou ſeeſt no Way to eſcape the fearful Wrath of God, hanging over thy Head, catch thou then at ſuch a Time, faſt on Chriſt. Oh then apprehend and apply all his Benefits to thy poor Soul. Come this Way, and graſp him in the Arms of thy Faith; and ſay, O Lord, I believe in thee, help thou mine Unbelief: And the Anſwer which thy Lord will give thee will be thus; 'Be it according as thou wilt.' Let Chriſt be in your Hand, and the Promiſe in your Eye, and do not doubt tho' thou haſt been a Rebel and a Traitor, yet Jeſus Chriſt having received Gifts for the Rebellious, will ſhew Mercy to thee, and receive thee.

Direct. 3. Come to Jeſus Chriſt by repenting and forſaking all thy Sins. Thou can'ſt never come to the Wedding Supper, without the Wedding-Garment: The old Man muſt be done away, before all Things can be made new: Jer. 3.14. Oh! Jeruſalem, waſh thy Heart from Wickedneſs, that thou mayſt be ſaved. Ezek. 18.31. Make you a new Heart, for why will you die? Acts 16.31. Saith Paul to the Jaylor, Repent and be baptized, and thou ſhalt be ſaved and thy Houſe. Chriſt will never enter into an unclean Heart. O get thy Heart waſhed by the Tears of true and hearty Repentance, and then Chriſt will come in, and dwell with thee.

By this Time, I hope you ſee the abſolute Neceſſity of cloſing with Chriſt, and of opening the Door to him.

And having given you ſome Directions, ſuffer me now in the Concluſion, to perſuade you by all the Bowels of Love and Mercy, which Chriſt doth exerciſe towards you. If Chriſt had come to deſtroy your Souls, he could not have had leſs Welcome: Will you not believe Chriſt? Will you never believe his Meſſengers? If the Miniſters of the Goſpel had been Meſſengers ſent up from the bottomleſs Pit, to deceive Nations, to deſtroy Souls, to drag them down to everlaſting Darkneſs, there could hardly been a greater Hate and Outcry againſt them. Oh! Hath Jeſus Chriſt ſweated, groaned, travelled, laboured in Pain, and all to bring forth a Lie? Did he die to purge, cleanſe and waſh his People, and when all comes to all, is it but a Cheat? What do you mean Sinners, by your wilful Neglect? See what's the Reaſon of this Abuſe of God's Grace, Mercy and Patience; comes it not from Sin? O it is Sin that hath made Men Devils; Devils againſt God, Devils againſt one another. There is but one, and let his Wickedneſs have its full Courſe, he would do his utmoſt to damn all the World: It is SIN.

O Friends; let me beg of you, to conſider what SIN hath done: Go to Mount Calvary, and ſee what it hath done there. What was it that ſlew the Lord of Glory; that put Chriſt to Death; was it not thoſe Sins which were laid upon him? Theſe were his Betrayers, his Murtherers: Theſe were the Thorns, the Nails, the Spear, that wounded HIM. Let the Sweat, the Cries, the Groans, the Blood, the Soul that was pierced and poured out by Sin, let theſe ſpeak. Turn aſide from Mount Calvary, and go down to the Valley of Hinnom, lay your Ear to the Mount Tophet and hearken O poor Soul, what Work SIN hath done there. What is it that hath filled Hell ſo full already? What ſent down Cain, Judas, Ananias and Saphira, with thoſe Millions of dead Souls that are already tormented in thoſe Flames? Stand and admire, O thou that art not there to bear them Company! 'Tis meerly the Mercy of God that ſpareth thee: Oh therefore, Be not high-minded, but fear. Did God puniſh ſo many damned Souls for nothing, for a Trifle; inflict ſo great Torments for ſo ſmall Offence? What was it that caſt them thither? Was it their Righteouſneſs, or rather, was it not their Iniquities? If you ſtep down to thoſe Chambers of Death, and aſk thoſe wretched Creatures, 'Friends how came you hither'? What would they anſwer? Oh! It is our SINS brought us into this Place of Torment. Oh, ſays one, 'Twas my Covetouſneſs bro't me hither. Oh, ſays another Twas my Pride, my Wantonneſs, and my Slothfulneſs: Oh! SIN! SIN! SIN! This is that for which we burn, we roar, we rave, we die, we die eternally. O therefore Sinners, deſpiſe not the Riches of his Grace any longer, leaſt his Wrath break forth, and he tear you in Pieces, and there be none to Help. But let me beg of you to open the Door of your Hearts, that the King of Glory may enter in. Take the Yoke of Chriſt upon you, for that is eaſy, and his Burden, for it is light. Waſh your Hearts from your Iniquities, that you may be ſaved: Oh! How long ſhall vain Thoughts lodge within you? And my Prayer to God for you ſhall be, That the God of Peace, would ſanctify you wholly; and I pray God, That your whole Spirit, Soul and Body, may be preſerved blameleſs, unto the Coming of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt. Now the God of Peace make you perfect in every good Work, to do his Will, working in you that which is well pleaſing in his Sight; that after you have run with Joy the Race which is ſet before you, you may poſſeſs a Kingdom, and a Crown which is Incorruptible, which fadeth not away, reſerved in Heaven for you.

FINIS.