CHRIST KNOCKING AT THE DOOR, OR, The Substance of a SERMON Intended to be Preached in PAUL'S upon the Sabbath Day which fell upon the Fifteenth Day of April last: But not Preached, by reason of a sudden Obstruction of that Liberty which was promised him, being indeed unworthy to be the Servant of Jesus Christ in any such ministration for ever. Published by the Author PHILIP TANNY commonly TANDY. London, Printed by A.M. and are to be sold by Giles Calvert at the Black Spread-Eagle at the West end of Paul's, and Simon Miller at the Sign of the Star. 1655. To his Highness OLIVER Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland. May it please your Highness: IT is now almost nine years, since I appeared in a Pulpit, except once only at London-stone, where, I thank God, through his blessing, I did not wholly lose my labour. I did endeavour before that to have preached at Paul's upon a Sabbath day in the afternoon, in Dr Burgess his substitutes room; but he being surprised on a sudden, with some strange relations touching me, (wherein it may please God at length to vindicate me, to the shame of all my enemies,) (for I account my professed friends, by reason of their injurious actions towards me little less,) on a sudden; when I came with intention to go into the Pulpit, to deliver the substance of what is herewith printed, with some enlargements, as my affections should have dictated; I was to the wonder, I think of many, I am sure of divers, who came to hear me with honest affections, I doubt not, denied the liberty which was very civility promised me. May it please your Highness, I thank God I can say truly (and my heart and conscience bears me witness to my own integrity in saying so) that I can be content to become a spectacle to God, Angels and men, since he hath been pleased most strangely and unexpectedly, to find out a way to show compassion to such a sinner as I am: of which I was so hopeless for a long time together (though I must confess at the beginning of my despair, I received the greatest support by your Highness speaking to me, that ever I had from any man living,) that I must needs say, that for almost, if not full out nine years together, I never clearly hoped for the reconciled face of a loving God again: For this reason, I say once again, I can be content, through the goodness of God, to become a spectacle to God, Angels and men for Jesus Christ's sake, who I trust hath had mercy on my soul, and hath pardoned my transgressions, there having been never such a sinner in the world as I have been. Such a compassion being showed to such a sinner, the like I say again, was never yet in the world, it hath begotten in me a suitable, and I hope I may say, a Christianlike resolution, to pass by such wrongs and injurious transactions used towards me, as I may truly affirm, that, all circumstances considered, there were yet never the like of them in the world done to any private man, in a peaceable government: God continue this government upon your Highness' shoulders, and make them strong for their service, which is very great, nay greater than you are ware of, if I know any thing of God, or of Jesus Christ aright. The reason why I have troubled the Press with my affectionate meditations, upon the action of Christ knocking at the doors of our hearts for the entertaining of his mercies, is, because 1. By this I shall revive in my memory the many transactions which Christ in his patience hath used toward myself, and be humbled for my own disobedience and rebellion. 2. That it might appear to all, that I am no sour of sedition, there being nothing more affectionately springing in my soul, than my longing desire to see this poor Nation, wherein I was born, and have lived (I thank God honestly towards man, though sinfully towards God) the larger half of my days (in humane reason,) settled and established in truth righteousness and peace. I put truth first, for if our intellectuals be not better principled touching many differences that are amongst us, I am certain we cannot be established in righteousness, and if we be not established in righteousness; I am as sure and certain, that we cannot be established in any true and truly comfortable peace. I am not without hope, notwithstanding all difficulties, yet to see such a peace. And indeed to speak truth, one reason of my hope is, that I see generally in all men's expectations, so little hope of it. For, do not men's hearts say within themselves, How can these things be? shall a Nation be born in a day? It may be it will; for when the Lord returns the captivity of his people, shall they not be like them that dream? Who knows what a day may bring forth? We have long looked for a day generally heretofore, but of late men have laboured in the very fire, and yet expected no good, but to live, and not to be slaves. Bear up yet a little longer, O England, it may be thy Saviour will yet pity thy long; thou seest no help, 'tis the more likely, that help is nigh at hand: me thinks I see a little, which though appearing but like the palm of a hand, may yet increase to a great cloud, which shall overspread the heavens, and bring forth rain to refresh the earth. In this Expectation I do with much comfort of heart assure my Soul, your Highness hath a great part to act, a great Stage to act upon, you know not how large: Be pleased to look to your station in Jesus Christ strongly and suddenly, if your feet shall be fixed upon that rock, and your go established in him, this Nation will have reason to bless God for you, but if your Highness falter too much, if you consult with flesh and blood too long, if your affections to Jesus Christ and his poor ones cool, or grow indifferent, or that you look too much upon principles of Policy, which are an Egyptian Reed, and will deceive you, and all the Princes in the world. You may expect a sudden hand of God's vengeance and displeasure, that shall overturn your Counsels, and bring them to foolishness, and God shall bring deliverance another way, and restore comforts to his Mourners by another hand. I beseech your Highness pardon my plain dealing, I dare not but speak the things which in some little measure I see. I have spoken herein words of soberness and honest affection to your Highness, and to this Nation wherein I live; God Almighty give you understanding in all things, which concern the public and your private peace. I am Your Highness most truly affectionate, and thankfully humble Servant. PHILIP TANNY vulgò TANDY. CHRIST KNOCKING AT THE DOOR. REV. 3. Ver. 20th. Behold I stand at the door and knock. IF we take this whole Book of the Revelations, and look upon it in a more general view, it seems to me to consist of these grand parts: First, Of several Exhortations, full of life, which St John received from Christ the author of them. Secondly, Of certain high and heavenly predictions, which represented to St John the state of the Church till the end of the world. The Exhortations are set down in the 2d and 3d Chapters: The predictions from thence to the end. Which he concludes so sweetly, as if he knew not whether he were out of the body or in the body; witness those words of ravishment, Rev. ult. ver. 18. And the spirit and the bride say come, and let him that heareth say come, and let him that is athirst come, and whosoever will let him take of the water of life freely. And those other gracious words ver. 20. He which testifieth of these things saith, surely I come quickly, Amen: even so come Lord Jesus. As for the first Chapter, I look upon it as containing principally three things: First, The Title of the whole Book in the three first verses. Secondly, The Preface or Dedication of the whole Book in the three next verses. Thirdly, A solemn and majestical description of Jesus Christ the Author of the whole Book, which I find something scattered in divers parts of the Chapter. This description seems to be in 4. fragments. One is set forth by St John in his Preface. A second is aimed at in the terribleness of his coming to judgement, ver. 7 th'. And the third comes to us in the words of Christ himself, for 8, 11, 10. A fourth is presented to St John in a vision, and in that vision to us; if we have eyes eyes to see and ears to hear: from v. 13. to v. 17. This vision was so full of amazing majesty, that when St John saw it, he fell at Christ's feet, but Christ soon lays his right hand upon him, and revives him, saying unto him, I am the first and the last, I am he that liveth and was dead, and behold I am alive for evermore, and have the keys of hell and of death. This vision being over, and St John having got to himself again, Christ gives him directions to write: 1. The things which he had seen. 2. The things which are. 3. The things which must be hereafter. That is, as Pareus in effects observes, First, Transactions which St John himself had been witness of from the first preaching of the Gospel after Christ's ascenfion, till the time of Domitian. Secondly, Things, which at the time of St john's writing were then on foot. Thirdly, Things which from thence forwards should come to pass till the end of the world. But whether some other transactions touching the condition of the Church before Christ, were not withal aimed at in some of those visions, which were represented to S. John, and are mentioned in this Book of the Revelations, I must confess I am yet to learn. But to close as fast as I can. You see the main body of the Revelations, branched by me into Exhortations and Predictions, or rather Representations. My Text you see falls out to be part of the Exhortations, being part of the third Chapter, which concludes them. These Exhortations are inscribed to the several Angels of several Churches. Touching which let me give you one note of Pareus, Caeterum non ad solos Episcopes, saith he, sed ad ipsas quoque Ecclesias spect are Epistolas, ex Epilog is intelligitur. But from the Conclusions its evident, that these Epistles (I have called them Exhortations) do not only belong to the Bishops, but also to the very Churches themselves: for each Epistle ends thus, He that hath an care to hear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the Churches. But what are the names or distinctions of these Churches, to whose Angels or Bishops these Exhortations are inscribed? I will barely name them and haste to my Text. The first is the Church in Ephesus, Ch. 2. v. 1. The second the Church in Smyrna, Changed 2 v. 8. The third the Church in Pergamus, Ch. 2. v. 12. The fourth the Church in Thyatira, Ch. 2. v. 18. The fifth the Church in Sardis, Ch. 3. v. 1. The fixth the Church of Philadelphia, Ch. 3. v. 7. The seventh and last the Church of Laodiceans; or as the margin of the great Bible hath it, in Laodieca, Ch. 3. v. 14. I might give you a note here, that the Churches are called Churches in Ephesus, in Smyrna, in Pergamus, in Tbyatira, in Sardis, in Philadelphia; nor would any objection cross me in the tendency of my note, that the last Church is called the Church of Laodiceans, or in Laodicea, but I promised you the naming of the Churches only, and therefore I press not my note, but haste according to my promise. At length you see plainly and methodically, that my Text is part of those Exhortations or Epistles which were directed by Jesus Christ to the Church of the Laodiceans. Which if Mr Brightman observe aright, in making it a type of our Church here in England, it must be granted that we are the more concerned to hear what the Spirit of Christ saith unto this Church; let me cite his note, which having lately seen in his Latin edition only, I think I may give you the sense of them in english thus: But why doth he say that he stands at the door and knocks? Why doth not himself open the door? Why doth he not directly enter in? especially seeing he hath the key of David, by which he openeth nor doth any shut, as v. 7. And then he adds: These things, saith he, are most significantly spoken, pro ratione Laodicensis nostraeque Ecclesiae, with a suitableness to the Laodiceans and our Church in which Christ stands before the doors, but our hearing (saith he) is in a manner quite stopped or intercluded. I will not dispute here whether the Spirit of Jesus Christ intended the Church of the Laodiceans to be a type of the Church in England or not; But be it as it will, this both you and I and all of us in England must yield him, that the reproofs and accusations fastened upon this Church, are as fit to be spoken and charged upon us as upon any Church this day in the world. Let us take the words as they lie in our way, what more true than that Jesus Christ knows our works? that we are neither hot nor cold? and so because we are lukewarm, how justly may we fear, yea, fear and tremble that Jesus Christ will spew us out of his mouth, if ever we were in it? for we are generally so wicked that it may be questioned. How justly may Christ charge us as the Laodiceans, that we say, We are rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing, and know not that we are wretched and miscrable, and poor, and blind, and naked. How fit are we in some sense, viz. in respect of our condition, for that heavenly and spiritual counsel of Christ, v. 18? I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayst be rich, and white raiment, that thou mayst be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness doc not appear, and anoint thine eyes with eye salve, that thou mayst see. Being such sinners, such lukewarm professors, how suitable is it, that we should be put in mind of afflictions, and of the chastenings of the Lord, especially if he shall be pleased to rebuke and chasten us in love. To conclude: How exactly seasonable and agreeable is the exhortation to repentance immediately before my Text, be zealous therefore and repent? How doth the fire of God's judgements, and his late judgements of fire, conspire as it were to set on this Exhortation to repentance? but if Jesus Christ do not set it on too by his own powerful spirit, all is to no purpose. But for this end, I hope we shall find Jesus Christ knocking at the doors of our souls, as heretofore he did at the hearts of the Laodiceans; and happy are we if we hear him knocking and open our door; for if any man hear his voice and open his door, Christ will come in to him and will sup with him and he with Christ. Behold I stand at the door and knock, this is my Text, and you see how I am come to it, be pleased to observe in it: First, A note of preparation, Behold. Secondly, A declaration of an action which Christ did to this Church of the Laodiceans, he stood at their doors and knocked. The note of preparation fixeth us upon two Considerations: First, That the thing which follows after it, is worth the marking, and therefore Mr. Perkons calls it a note of Attention. Pareus to the like purpose saith thus; Ecce ex: itantis particula, pulsat aures & corda ut dict is attendant; This behold, saith he, is a particle of stirring up, it forcibly strikes upon the ears and heart, that they should attend to those things that are spoken: both agree in one, that the words of Christ here spoken, werr diligently to be headed by the Laodiceans, for they were written to them: and that they are diligently to be heeded by us likewise, for I suppose we take it for granted, that they are written for our instruction. Oh then let's hear him, let's hear him; pity it is we should turn the deaf care upon him for ever: we have refused him enough already, have we not? ask your own consciences, common with your own hearts upon the point and be still, and I am confident they must say, they will say, we have, we have refused him enough, but shall we refuse him still? is that fit? is it reasonable? What? shall we keep Jesus Christ out of doors, though perhaps his head be filled with dew, and his locks with the drops of the night; shall we let him knock till his heels ache, as we say? nay till his heart ache? rill his provocations arise to such a height that he will be gone and leave us; hath Christ deserved this of our souls? or do our souls stand in no more need of Christ, then thus to serve him, thus to set him packing, with a construction of unkindness, that we would not so much as open doors to him? Doth this sound well, or will it sound well in our ears, to be charged with this at the day of judgement? Is it well for Christ, or well for us, or well for any, but particularly is it well for our Children, that we should be so disobedient, so gainsaying, so mad? not well for Christ sure; for what friend can but take it unkindly to be so dealt with? Not well for us neither, for being so dealt with, what can we expect, but that Christ being thus denied, thus refused, thus driven away, as I may say, he should resolve to do with us, since the times of the Gospel, as God did in the old Testament, before the times of the Law, My spirit shall not always strive with man? In a word, what can we look for, but that he should call no more, knock no more, wait no more? and than may we not justly say unto our souls? Woe unto us for we have exceedingly sinned. When Christ was dealt unkindly with by the Spouse, Cant. 5. (Consider the passage and you will see how nearly it concerneth us) you will find what pains it cost the Spouse before she and her Beloved met again. At the 2d verse we find she sleepeth but my heart awaketh; saith she, that's well, her awaking heart heard the voice of her Beloved, It is the voice of my Beloved that knocks, saying, Open to me my Sister, my Love, my Dove, my Undefiled; Oh how sweet are these words! how heavenly these transactions! how ravishing are these passages to such as understand them and the loving kindness of Jesus Christ in them; Well, Christ doth not only knock and call, and it may be these or such like were the words which Jesus Christ used to the Church of the Laodiceans, notwithstanding their wickedness, (and indeed I am apt to think so by an inclination of my spirit, which seems rationally to lead me this way, and that is the reason, that whensoever I shall have ended my Sermons upon this Text, I shall follow them with these words of Christ in this 5th of Cant. v. 2. and the middle part only, and then return to this 3● of Revelations, and the residue of this 20th verse) But this by the way. To return where I was, Jesus Christ doth not only knock and call as I said, for he would fain come in, but he reason's the case, and pleads for entrance, Open, open, my Beloved, for my head is filled with dew, and my locks with the drops of the night, as much as if Jesus Christ should have spoken in other words thus, Pray thee my Spouse, my Love, my Sister, my Undefiled, my Dove, my Delight, my any thing, my every thing that is delectable and sweet to me, Pray thee open door, thou little thinkest what pains I have taken to come to thee to night; Alas, I am wet, I do not say all over, but my head is filled with dew, and my locks are full likewise of the drops of the night, thou knowest not, but I may catch cold with thy staying; Open quickly, my dear sweet friend, my Sister, my Love, if thou lovest me that am thy husband, open and let me stay no longer: Well, you see the plea, but doth it prevail, a man would think it should, 'tis strange it should not, but it doth not; The Spouse reasons Christ away, and in reasoning him away reasons herself into sorrow, as you may see by what follows: Jesus Christ being dealt unkindly with withdraws himself, and it gone, the Spouse than gets up when 'twas too late, it seems that he had pleaded so long that she was just rising as I may say, when he was going; It seems likewise that directly at parting he spoke a word for a farewell that pierced her to the very heart and soul, it may be 'twas no more than in one word, Farewell, or I am gone, I will stay no longer, you use me coarsely, unkindly, as if you loved me not: What ere the words were 'tis sure they stung, for she saith expressly, her soul failed when he spoke; Well, but what follows, sad work, Christ knows and your souls know too, if you have any acquaintance with Christ, I sought him but I could not find him, I called him but he gave me no answer, No! what? Christ give no answer when a poor afflicted soul calls, that's sad, my brethren, but thank yourselves for it, he calls oft, and you will not answer him, and therefore it is but just with him, that when ye call he likewise should not answer you; 'twas so with the Spouse and ha●h been so with us, if we have any experimental knowledge of Christ as a Beloved. The Spouse under this transaction finds things go sadly with her, afflictions come tumbling on her like waves one upon the neck of another, and truly no wonder seeing Christ is gone, Woe unto you when I depart from you. But see how she is put to it, she hunts after her Beloved when he was gone, she now seethe 'twas better rising before; as she hunts and seeks about, she lights upon the watch and the watch upon her, she was catched abroad at unseasonable hours, after midnight belike, it may be about four of the Clock in the morning, but how did the Watch serve her? they smote her, and the blows were no small ones, we use not to strike children so; 'tis said they wounded her, nay, it should seem they left her dead, else 'tis like they would have carried her to prison, but by them she is left belike, and then she falls into worse hands, at least not better, for the Keepers of the Walls light upon her, and they take away her Veil; Beaten, Wounded, Robbed, you see she is, this was great affliction, hard usage, but all this is nothing to the loss of her Beloved; it was he, 'twas he that was gone that had withdrawn himself, her soul failed when she spoke, for him she is sick, sick at heart, sick of love; and I tell you my Brethren and Sisters, love-sickness is heavy sickness, What sickness like it? 'Tis an affliction greater than beating, wounding, robbing, especially if spiritual, the Spouse tells you that plainly, for though beaten, wounded, robbed, and ●ob'd by those that should have comforted her, yet all her complaint seems to be, that her Beloved was gone, that he had withdrawn himself that she could not find him, and therefore being wearied with searching, she seems to sit her down, panting under her affliction, and as if she were able to do no more, she cries out to the Daughters of Jerusalem, (by which I think you may understand such afflicted souls as are beginning to look after Christ, and being young do groan like little young children after him) To these I say she cries out, (as being most probably likely to tell her some news of Christ, because of his tenderness to such souls, as being perpetually ready to secure them) And how doth she cry out to them? truly she speaks as if she were now fainting, and could do no more for herself; I charge you O ye Daughters of Jerusalem, that if she find my Beloved, ye tell him I am sick of Love; And what think ye now (my sweet Friends) is it good slieghting of Christ? Is it good refusing of him? Doth the Sppuse think so? No. And What can you think so that have heard this experiment? Take need, Take heed, my Brethren, what ye do; You see what it cost her, you know not what it may cost you, if you deal unkindly with him; If ye refuse to hearken and to yield up your affections as well as your ears to the words which he speaks, what know you whether he will speak again for ever? You cannot say absolutely, but that the spirit of Jesus Christ may be speaking to you in me now, at this very time, season, and moment, I say nothing whose I am, God in due time will bear me witness, and bear witness with me, if I am his; Fly not like the moth too busily about the Candle of your own Consciences; If you sleight the burning light of that Candle, yet consider betime, that 'tis too great a boldness, to play and dally with the Spirit of God, who is a consuming fire: Oh kiss the Son lest he be angry, if he be angry, yea but a little, blessed are all they that put their trust in him. For God's sake, for Christ's sake, for the Conversion of Souls sake, for your children's sake, methinks these concernments should have some prevalency with you; By all these, and all the mercies of God, if ever Christ knocks, deal but as civilly with him as generally we do with strangers, ask him, Who's at door? he will answer you doubtless, 'Tis I, 'Tis I, Pray you open and let me come in, for this he knocks, calls, cries. But what will he do when he comes in? He will do any thing that is good for us, he will sweep the house, cleanse our hearts, wash away our sins, wash our garments, or cloth us at least with clean white linen; These things done, he will make ready a Feast for us, a Feast of fat things, and when all is ready he will sit down with us, he will sup with us, nay, his Father will sup with us too, he with him, both with us, we with them; Come, Come, my hearts, I am again your Petitioner, for Christ's sake, for your Soul's sake, for your children's sakes, little do you think how much they are concerned in the account of your yielding; yield, yield, great hearts, throw down the bars, away with your oppositions, your lusts, your sins; Let me break open doors at this time with those words of the Psalmist, Psa. 24.7, 8, 9, 10. Lift up your heads, O ye gates, and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors, and the King of glory shall come in. Who is the King of glory? the Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O ye gates, even lift them up, ye everlasting doors, and the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? the Lord of Hosts he is this King of glory. I have done with the word Behold, as 'tis a note of Attention, but I told you it fixeth us upon two Considerations; and the second Consideration is point of Admiration, I must say something of that too. The word Behold is often used in such a tendency of signification; Behold a virgin shall conceive with child. I need not quote Texts for that which is so obvious; it is a note of Wonder, and let it be granted so to be here, for surely 'tis matter of admiration, that Jesus Christ should stand at the doors of such a wicked people, such ungodly, hypocritical professors as this Church of the Laodiceans was, we are: but behold he doth it, though it be a strange thing for us to pattern such a patience, yet 'tis not a strange thing for Christ to set us such a copy: this is the Lords doing, and 'tis marvellous in our eyes, that he is so good, so gracious, so patiented, so that we must needs look a little upon this word Behold in this sense of wonder; and truly wonderful it is, if either you consider, 1. Who it is that declares himself, 'tis I, saith Christ. 2. What he declares himself to do, he stands, Non dicit venio, sed sto, saith an honest Expositor, He doth not say, I come, and I sit, but I stand. 3. But where stands he; look and wonder I beseech you, he stands at the door, Cur non aperit, saith Mr. Brightman, Why doth he not open the doors? nay, Cur non effringat fores? Why doth he not break open doors? say I, he can if he will, but he doth not, but there he stands. But is the door open? no: the more wicked they, we, all, 'tis shut, yet he will not be gone, for my Text saith, he seeks for entrance fairly, he knocks. He knocks saith my ●ext: but if you look into the following words in this very same verse, you shall find he calls too; for 'tis said. If any man hear my voice, and open the door, etc. Surely a voice, a call, could not be heard, nor supposed to be heard, unless there were a call, unless there were a voice, both then must be yielded; he knocked, he called, he did so to them, it may be he doth so to us: Let me only put you in mind, before I come to closer examination, that it may be we shall find this true, that pulsando vocat, & vocando pulsat, imo demum effringit fores: that by knocking he calls, and by calling he knocks, nay at length breaks open the doors. You know what Christ saith to this purpose, if we rightly understand it, The hour is come, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of man, and those that hear shall live. The first point of Admiration, lies in the Consideration of the party who declares himself, 'tis I, Behold I stand at the door and knock. I, Who is that? ver. 14. tells us, Ver. 14. These things saith the Amen, the saithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God. He is called the Amen; in the Greek 'tis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, ille Amen, that Amen: and who is that Amen? the next words tell us, 'tis the faithful and true witness. And who is this fairhfull and true witness? let the Scripture tell you plainly, Rev. 1.6. Grace be unto you, and peace from him who is, and was, and is to come, and from the seven spirits which are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, described after to be him that loved us, and hath washed us from our sins by his own blood. Anselme hath a very useful note upon this very word, quia dicturus erat (scilicet Christus) rem mirabilem. quod tepidi excommunicandi & de ore suo projiciendi essent, qui ab hominibus boni credebantur (subaudi nec tamen essent) ideo promittit se veracem esse, & ut in his sibi credendum esse videatur, ideo dicitur ille Amen, or to this purpose, and very near these words, Because, saith he, Jesus Christ was to speak of a wonderful thing, viz. that lukewarm persons were to be excommunicated by Christ, and that these were to spewed out of his mouth, who were of men believed to be good, and yet were not so, he premiseth therefore that he is a teller of truth; and that in these things it might appear that he ought to be believed, therefore he calls himself the Amen, or that Amen, as much as to say, My words shall be found to be true, I warrant you, Heaven and Earth shall pass away, but one jot of my words shall not pass away; When therefore you hear Jesus Christ by his Spirit, in his Servants and Ministers, threatening to spew you out of his mouth for your lukewarmness, (for do not your consciences tell you to your faces, that you are neither hot nor cold, nay, are many of you of any Religion at all) do not think that when your consciences are told of these things Christ dallies with you, or that he will suffer himself to be dallied with for ever, or that it is nothing to be spewed out of Christ's mouth, or to take his Candlestick from you, in case you think you have it; Believe it, eleeve it Gentlemen, If Christ find you in such a condition and course of sinfulness as to do this to you, Evemere ex ere, to spew you out of his mouth, I must be bold to tell you, that it were better for you, that you had never been born, or that so soon as you had been born, you had every one of you a millstone tied about his neck, and that you had been cast into the midst of the Sea; You will find these things true at the length, for he that testifies these things which I have spoken of, is the Amenille Amen, that Amen, not only in whom omnes promissiones, as one observeth upon the place, All the Promises are yea, and Amen, but from whom you will find likewise Omnes comminationes all the threaten of Christ will be yea and Amen, to those that are out of him, to those that have no part nor portion in him, or whom he shall spew out of his mouth. You see then who it is that stood at the doors in my Text, 'tis Christ, and truly this consideration might be improved a little, the better to fix upon our affections if we remember 1. The greatness and Majesty of Christ. 2. That he is the party offended. 3. The great concernment of souls, that Jesus Christ is pleased to stand at the door of any of us. 1. If we consider the greatness and majesty of Christ, In that place of the Psalms which I quoted to you before, he is termed the King of glory. In the Vision which was presented to St John, Rev 1. you find amongst many other majestical expressions, that he is described having eyes as a flaming fire, his feet were said to be like fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace, in his right hand, he is said to have the seven Stars, the Churches, implying, he could protect them or do with them what he would, he could throw them away if he pleased, Out of his mouth it is said there went a sharp two edged Sword, that could cut as fast as it spoke, nay, Heb. 4.12. Christ who is there called the Word of God, is said to be quick and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged Sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughter and intents of the hearts; My Masters do you think to deceive him? you will deceive your own souls if you think so, but to come to St john's Vision again. His Countenance is said to be as the Sun shineth in his strength: In a word his Majesty was so great, so amazing, and so full of astonishment, that when St John. saw him he fell at his feet as dead. His friend, his servant, fell down dead at the sight of his Majesty, what shall his enemies do? If the green tree be thus shaken, how shall the dry tree stand, when Jesus Christ shall appear in his glorious and terrible Majesty to judge the world in righteousness? If the righteous, if a Saint be thus terrified, What shall lukewarm Hypocrites and ungodly sinners do, when he cometh with clouds? as v. 7. tells you he will: If we go on with that verse we shall fee what they will do, Behold he cometh with clouds, and what then? Then every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him, as you do spiritually, when you desperately stand out against his workings of loving kindness unto your souls, even ye which shut him out of doors, shall see him or feel him some way or other to your shame, to your sorrow, for it is said in the next words, and all the kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him; All ye then that are the kindreds of the earth, whose hearts are set upon earth and earthly things, for as for the godly they are more properly the kindreds of heaven, for a like reason in the contrary; See what will come on you if you go on in your rebellions against the Lord Christ and his Kingdom that is now coming towards you, you will not sea; him; you will not take notice of him now, but when he cometh with clouds, shall ye not see him then, how can ye avoid him? Ye shall not then only see him, or feel him, or both, but ye shall wail because of him, nay and your wailing shall be for ever; To conclude this, If ye refuse his mercies now, if whilst he stands at your doors and knocks, ye will bid him be gone, and shall say to him as those desperate wicked ones in Job, Depart from us for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways: What is the Almighty that we should serve him? and what profit should we have if we pray unto him? If we serve him thus, or not serve him at all, or bid him be gone, as I said, Christ will pay us with a Lex talionis, he will have a Be gone for us as broad and as long as ours to him; Go ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his Angels: nay, your own personal miseries and Judgements will not be all, God will lay up your iniquities for your Children, be will reward you and ye shall know it, Job 21.19. he will reward you, nay, he will reward your children, your sweet babes (do not your bowels earn at this?) for your wickedness; What else can the meaning of that threatening be, He will visit the iniquities of the Fathers upon the Children. I have done with the first Consideration which makes it wonderful that Christ should thus stand and knock. The second thing in him which improves the wonder is this, that he is the party offended, My Brethren, my Brethren, we have wounded him by our transgressions, we have broken him by our sins, and yet he is so willing to be friends, he longs so much to be reconciled, to be at one with us, that he stands at our doors and knocks, calls, cries, and he seeks entrance and reconciliation though he be the party offended; What a Christ is this? what sinners are we? and yet it may be we think we do not sin against Christ at all, but doubtless we do; when we sin against the motions of God's Spirit, pressing the riches of God's goodness upon us, and striving by it to lead us to repentance, do we not sin against Christ? indeed some of us know we do, but should we do so still? Shall we sin against him, offend him for ever? What? so good a Christ so ill entreated? 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, God forbidden, my Brethren, saith St James in another case, These things ought not so to be. 3. There is yet one Consideration more which raiseth the wonder, and that is the concernment of this rich mercy, if Jesus Christ will be pleased to stand at the doors of our souls and knock, My Friends, do ye rightly consider what Christ is doing when he is knocking at your doors? I doubt ye do not; But I will tell you, he is striving to make us Kings, and Priests, and Prophets to our God, that with him we may reign for evermore, he is striving to come in, that he may show us that the Father hath forgiven us our sins; he is striving to come in, that he may reign over our corruptions, and subdue our sins to us, that he may tread Satan under our feet shortly, and are these concernments of no value with us? Believe it, believe it, the Lord Jesus Christ it may be will never knock at your doors, if you make no estimation of these things, but if you prise these things he will knock, he will call, yea, he will wait to be gracious, dut I beseech you put him not to wait too long, especially when he comes to you in the night, I mean in the night of your soul afflictions: Alas, when he comes, then remember, his head is full of dew, and his locks are filled with the drops of the night; What? shall we keep him out in the cold? far be it, you see how it concerns you to open and make him welcome, Open, Open ye poor souls, let him come in, he will do you no harm, yea, he will do you all good, and he will ease you of that burden that troubles you most, that is, your sins, why else doth he call you so eagerly so affectionately, Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden, and I will ease you: Will Christ say it, and will he not do it? What will not the Amen say Amen to his own promises? ye wrong him; yea, ye do him one of the worst of injuries to think it, to believe it. I have done with these 3 Considerations that render it wonderful, that Christ should stand at any man's doors and knock, but I have not yet wholly done with his transaction of knocking. I have a little application behind, and if I on the behalf of Jesus Christ, can make any knocking work upon your souls, I shall bless my God that ever I was born, that have long been afraid that Christ had knocked me off for ever, because being a Minister I have been so long silent, and held my peace, but God hath heard my prayers, and he hath had mercy on me, even because he had a favour unto me: And now I hope I shall speak, God willing, and God I hope will help me to speak to his glory and the good of your souls. From the Person then declaring himself, (for you see who 'tis,) 'tis I, 'tis I, saith Christ. Here is 1. Comfort to the drooping soul. 2. Terror to the rebellious. I begin first with Comfort to the drooping soul, and indeed 'tis pity but these should first be comforted, before the other be terrified, 'tis for these mourners sakes amongst others, and those others that shall be brought to this condition, that the world stands, for if once the number of God's Jewels shall be completed, God will then go to gathering up of his Jewels, Jews and Gentiles together, and they shall be mine, saith the Lord, in the day when I make up my Jewels. To you then let me first speak, you see who stands at the door, and from whom those motions of God's Spirit come, whereby your hearts are at any time wrought upon, whether terrifyingly in the work of conviction upon your souls for sin; by the right preaching and application of the Law, or comfortably by the sweet strive and woo of the Preparations to the Gospel, whether at this or at other times; from whom come all these things? My Text tells you in effect, that they come from Christ, and is not Christ your friend think ye, why are ye afraid? O ye of little faith, yea perhaps I may as yet say, O ye of no faith. In the 14th of St. Matthewes Gospel, we find that Jesus had constrained his Disciples to get into a Ship, and to go on the other side of the sea there mentioned, whilst he sent the multitude away: the Disciples no doubt hoped that Christ would not be long after them, nor was he; for we find that when the Ship was tossed with waves in the midst of the sea, (for the wind was contrary) about the fourth watch of the night, jesus went to them walking on the sea: The Disciples seeing this were troubled, they thought they had seen a spirit, and they cried out for fear; but Christ quickly comforts them, Be not afraid, saith he, be of good checre, 'tis I. How fitly is this applicable to your souls, ye sons and daughters of affliction: Jesus Christ hath constrained you to get into a Ship, a Ship of soul-affliction, let that be supposed to be the Ship: in this Ship ye are tossed and tumbled with waves, for the winds are contrary, and ye think poor souls ye shall never come to your haven: stay, stay a little my sweet daughters of Jerusalem, do not droop too much, lose not your Anchor hold so easily; look about you a little, and perhaps you will discern Christ walking in this sea of your troubles. Perhaps not knowing him, when ye see him, nor being well acquainted with him, ye will mistake him, and be troubled, and think 'tis a spirit that will destroy you, and that he is your enemy; 'twas thus with the Disciples, why may it not be so with you? But see ver. 27. Jesus straightway spoke unto them saying, be of good checre, it is I, be not afraid. If ye can hear Christ saying it is I, it is I, be of good cheer, be not afraid, will your afflictions trouble you then? Waire then upon the Lord patiently, you know not how soon Christ will show himself to you; I can assure you 'tis now towards the fourth watch of the night, and 'tis not long till the morning; wait comfortably under your storm, your afflictions cannot last long, the daystar will arise, and if Jesus Christ give you the morningstar, will it not be worth all your afflictions, all your sorrows, all your tossing in these waters? all the troubles you have undergone in your fears? Be of good cheer, 'tis I, 'tis I. Would you have more? when you hear him and see him, catch him in your arms, and cry out with old Simeon, The Lord now lets his Servant departed in peace, for mine eyes have seen his salvation: or as Philip which spoke to Nathanael, I have found him of whom Moses in the Law, and the Prophets did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of Joseph, joh. 3.45. I have done with you at this time. I come next to the rebellious: and forgive me, if professing myself a true Minister of Jesus Christ, I come to you, like Christ, with clouds, with the clouds of God's indignation, with clouds of darkness and trouble upon your souls for your sins, in suffering Christ to knock so oft, to call so long, to cry so loud, so that it may be truly said of him, as Christ's mother, and brethren and sisters said touching themselves, in seeking Christ, he hath sought you sorrowing; and you have been the cause of it, for ye have many a time suffered him to strive, knock, call, cry, cry aloud, and yet ye have given him no entrance; he is out of doors still, the door is locked still; nay ye have set strong bars of opposition to keep him out, nay to keep him out purposely. You think perhaps you have not, but I can make it apparent ye have, nay and God willing I shall make it appear in a spiritual enquiry after some soul transactions, before I have ended all my endeavours upon this Text. And what will ye say then touching your wickedness? must ye not, will ye not say then, 'tis of the Lords mercy we are not consumed? how ye should say less I know not: But to prepare you herein (for this Sermon will be but the shell, the outside, the kernel is to come) be pleased to remember from that which I have already spoken, that when ye sin against the motions of God's Spirit (which I am confident hath been long struggling with you,) that in so doing, ye sinne likewise against Christ; against that Christ, that it may be hath washed us from our transgressions by his own blood, and we not know it. This consideration of sinning against Christ, was a tender thing once with the Apostle St Paul, 1 Cor. 8.12. where reproving the Corinthians for offending the consciences of the Brethren, in eating things offered to Idols, (a thing too usual in a spiritual sense in these days) he reproves them, and terrifies them in so doing, by fastening this upon them, that they sinned against Christ; But when ye sin so against the Brethren and wound their weak Consciences, ye sin against Christ; as much as to say: and what, will ye do that? will ye do so indeed? What, we Christians sinne against Christ, that hath made us so, that hath washed us from our sins by his own blood? what we do it! Tell it not in Gath. Let others do it if they will, do ye do it if ye will, but I tell you plainly, I Paul will never do it, God willing: wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh whilst the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend. His words by plain and ready arguing, with half an eye, you may see to come to thus much; that rather than I will sinne against Christ (which I must do if I make my brother to offend) I will not eat a bit of flesh as long as the world lasts. Beloved, we use to say, when we are averse to a thing, Before I will do such a thing, I will never eat bit of bread: such a kind of zeal, and such a kind of expression may you imagine St Paul's to have been, in his resolution of not sinning against Christ, and yet how many are there that make no bones of this? but let them take heed, that God make not their bones and their hearts into the bargain ache for it. Sure I am, the new converts in the second of the Acts, were pricked to the very heart at this very consideration: see the place, Acts 2.37. You may observe St Peter, ver. 14. beginning to preach his first Sermon after the ascension, his first work is to take off a mistake, a misapprehension from the people, touching themselves, These men are not drunken, as ye suppose. At ver. 22. his Sermon gins to pinch close, for he speaks plainly, Ye men of Israel, hear these words, Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you, by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves know. Ver. 23. Him being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken and by wicked hands have crucified and slain. He follows this argument close all along, heightening the sin, by the consideration of Gods exalting of Christ: and in ver. 36. he puts God's goodness to Christ, and their wickedness against Christ both together, and with this, as with a great and irresistible hammer, God pricks their hearts in Peter's Ministry: yea he breaks them all to pieces; for see ver. 37. Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their hearts, and said unto Peter, and to the rest of the Apostles, Men and brethren what shall we do? When they heard this, that the same Jesus whom they had crucified, was exalted by God to be Lord and Christ; when they heard this, and that they had thus sinned against their Lord, their Christ, their King; this, oh this pricked them to the quick, this shivered them all to pieces, this divided betwixt the joints and marrow, it broke down all opposition, Men and brethren what shall we do? such wretches, such vile creatures as we are never were in the world. What! is that Jesus that we have crucified, is he our Christ, our Lord, have we thus wronged him, thus dealt with him? Woe umo us that we have sinned. Thus you see how fare this consideration strikes terror here: it did strike terror into their hearts, may it not strike terror into yours? for know assuredly, that that same Jesus, the motions of whose spirit, or of God's Spirit, you have stood out against (I suppose you look upon it, as all one, for he and the Father are one,) is that very Jesus, whom God hath exalted-heretofore, yea and will exalt him again, and he will make him actually both Lord and King in all the souls of his people, and over all the world; and this is he whom ye sinne against, whom in a spiritual sense ye crucify again as it were, even the Lord of glory: nay let me go further with you, and drive you up closer; I must tell you, that whilst ye rebel against the workings of the Spirit of God, ye do at once sin against Father, Son and holy Ghost, all at one stroke (as I may say:) A time bathe been, and that in my days, when a man's naming the sin against the holy Ghost in the Pulpit, would have made many a heart to tremble; I am sure it made mine tremble when I was a boy, and minded nothing but pastime and pleasure: but though I tell you (and I shall make it appear) that in resisting the motions of God's Spirit, ye have sinned against Father, Son and holy Ghost, and that your actions especially in some, have entrenched and bordered much upon the channel of such actions as do lead directly to the grand sin, the unpardonable sin, even the sin against the holy Ghost, which you know Christ saith shall never be pardoned in this world, nor in the world to come, yet who trembles, whose heart quakes? nay do we not mock at fear? and have not some sucked in such principles that do utterly overturn all shaking, all trembling, either at the apprehension of their sins, or of God's judgements due to them for their sin? My friends (for as yet I am no man's declared enemy in the world, do not I tell you the truth? Do not your hearts and consciences bear me witness and witness for me? If so, though you are so hardened that ye cannot cry out, What shall we do? Yet God hath so softened my heart towards you, that I cannot but ask What ye will do? Will ye go on? I trust in God your hearts will not let you say, We will go on, and we will do what seemeth good in our own eyes, and as for these words which thou hast spoken to us in the name of the Lord, we will not hear thee; No? will ye not? Are ye resolved thus? if you are, I will break your resolutions if I can, and rather than suffer you to run on thus headlong into your destruction, I will kindle a fire in your very bones, I will vex your very souls, and bring you with David to cry out as he Psa. 6. My bones are vexed O Lord yea, my soul is vexed, but thou O Lord how long? Consider then in the fear of God what I assert, what I insist upon, viz. That he that sins against the strive of Gods good Spirit, sins against Father, Son, and holy Ghost. That he sins against the Father is evident, 1. From those words which Christ useth, Joh. 15.23, 24. He that hateth me hateth my Father also, If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin, but now they have both seen and hated both me and my Father also Would you have a clearer Text? He that hates the Son hates the Father, by the same argument. He that sins against the Son sins against the Father, and indeed he and the Father are one, or else Union with Christ would not be enough to make Christ's poor ones one with the Father, but that this is sufficient you may most remarkably see from that heavenly piece of Scripture, Joh. 14. from v. 7. to the middle of the 11. verse. If (saith Christ) ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also, and from henceforth ye know him and have seen him; The Disciples stumbled at this, but Philip particularly saith to him, Lord, show us the Father and it sufficeth us; Christ seems to stumble at them, as much as they at him; for he speaks to Philip as in their stead, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me Philip? He that hath seen me hath seen the Father, and how sayest thou then, Show us the Father? Would ye have things clearer yet? viz. that Union with Christ is sufficient to make up Union with the Father, and consequently he that sins against Christ must needs sin against the Father; Would you I say have it clearer, then go on to the 10th verse, Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me; The words that I speak unto you, I speak not of myself; as if he should say, The Father speaks them as well as I, nay, The Father that dwelleth in me he doth the works too, and then he proceeds, Believe me (Philip) that I am in the Father and the Father in me; Plainet words then these surely cannot be used to assert the Point in hand, That sins against Christ are sins against the Father: My next work must be to prove that they are sins against the holy Ghost likewise, and then I have done in point of proof. To evidence this clearly and plainly, I suppose we take it for granted, that the holy Ghost and the holy Spirit are all one, that being granted me as a Suppositum not so much as disputed by yourselves; Let me put you in mind of some Texts of Scripture, wherein the same actions being spoken of, you shall find are in one place implied or expressed plainly to be sins against God, by which I understand to be meant the Father, in another place they are termed sins against Christ, by which name we understand the Son, and in a third place sins against Gods holy Spirit, by which 'tis already supposed we mean and understand the holy Ghost. These Scriptures being produced, and asserting the thing in hand, I suppose I have gained the Cause. Compare then these three Scriptures together, Numb. 21.5. 1 Cor. 10.9. Isa. 63.10. Let us look first upon Num. 21.5. The people of Israel it should seem were in great affliction, they wanted bread and water, and their soul loathed the Manna, they call it this light bread; Being in this distress and affliction, it is said expressly, They spoke against God and against Moses, saying, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the Wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water, and our soul loatheth this light bread; here you see plainly the Israclites sin of murmuring under this affliction, is said expressly to be against God, They murmured against God and against Moses, by which word God (I hope) you will give me leave to understand the Father, and never trouble yourselves with much scruple or dissatisfaction in the business: Let us now go to the next Scripture which ye shall find, 1 Cor. 10.9. Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of Serpents; The Question will be, how it appears, that the same sin is spoken of in both places; To make this sure, I must turn you back to Numb. 21.6. again, which tells us that God for their sin of murmuring immediately before, sent fiery Serpents among the people, and they died; Now read the verse I have quoted out of the Corinthians, Neither let us tempt Christ as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of Serpents, Do you desire I should argue now? Is it not plain that that which was called murmuring against God in the Book of Numbers is called tempting of Christ in the Epistle to the Corinthians? For what did the Lord send fiery Serpents among the people? for murmuring against God: For what were they destroyed of Serpents? for tempting of Christ: These than were both one, unless you understand any other destruction of Serpents to be intended by St Paul, than this which was by the biting of the fiery Serpents, mentioned in the Book of Numbers. My proofs touching Father and Son I have done with, My next labour must be touching the holy Spirit or holy Ghost as we call him; For this view my third Text, Isa. 63.10. where the Prophet having in the verse before mentioned the gracious and general loving kindness of the Lord toward his people in the days of old, sets down in the next words in the beginning of the 10th verse, the general demeanour and carriage of the Israelites his people toward God; And what was their carriage? 'Twas sad I confess, I fear ours is so too, They rebelled and vexed his holy Spirit; Their general posture of actions against God is termed here you see a rebelling and vexing his holy Spirit, certainly if all their wicked actions come under this expression; then this action likewise of murmuring against God, or tempting of Christ being one of their actions, must needs do so too. And now I think I have gained my cause. Having done with my proof, let me now treat with you a little, you that have sinned so often against the motions of God's Spirit, and therein in some sense trodden under foot the Son of God, for God's sake, What do ye think of yourselves? have ye done well, think ye, thus at one blow (as it were) to strike Father, Son, and holy Ghost in the face? Is this recompense for his mercies in sending Jesus Christ to shed his blood for your sins, a fair recompense to the Father? Is it equal that such a Lex Talionis should be returned to the Son, that we should thus grieve and vex the holy Spirit? Certainly if there be any fear of God before out eyes, the doing of these things cannot rightly please our hearts: But because ye are so hardened in your wickedness and rebellions against him, who will either glorify you, if ye willingly submit to him, or torment you for ever, if still ye persist, be ye under what Form or Administrations ye will; For I love not to flatter you in your imaginary shadow● taken up of your own heads, nor do I place godliness or wickedness in external Forms, but rather in submitting or walking contrary to Christ. Let me press you a little eagerly to consider what ye are doing, when ye are sinning against the motions, workings, and plead of Gods good Spirit, striving within you, as doubtless sometimes he doth, or else things go very sadly with you; Be as merry as ye will; Shall I mind you in one word what ye do? ye sin against Father, Son, and holy Ghost all at once, ye do in a sense (as I told you) tread under foot the blood of Jesus Christ the Son of God, for this treading things under foot what is it? 'tis an expression, whereby we signify our scorning and loathing of a thing, as when we say, If I could, I would tread thee under my foot, My Brethren, my brethren, what do ye less when ye do so resist the motions of God's good Spirit, that ye cannot endure to hear him speak to you? Nay, how many are there, who when the Spirit of God would plead with them, and reason them into godliness, or into the omission of this, or that, or the other particular sin, as of whoredom, jeering at good things, drunkenness, covetousness, or the like, presently they take the first occasion they can of setting themselves against their own mercies, they cannot endure the Lord to speak as it were one word more: And therefore choking him as soon as they can, they run presently into a Refuge of lies, good fellowship, drinking, music, some pastime or other to stop the mouth of conscience which would be convincing them of sin, of righteousness, of judgement to come, and by arguments drawn from thence would stagger them at their sinful courses, but none of that I thank you, their sins and they cannot part company so easily, and therefore the Spirit of God is looked upon by them as their enemy, because it tells them the truth, and will not flatter them, nor suffer them to run so quietly to their own destruction; With some perhaps he gets a little faiter quarter, they will hear the reproofs, consider the terrors of God's judgements which are threatened spiritually to their inward man, to reclaim them from their sins, but when they have heard all, they think to make up all with a little humiliation, a few tears, a little rugging and striving to cry to God for mercy, and if upon a duty of prayer or humiliation they find a little peace and quietness, though God's intention in giving it, be but barely to bear up their hearts under soul affliction, until the times of a more full and more gracious dispensation comes, than up they get upon their tiptoes presently, their afflictions are all vanished or banished in a moment; God is their God now sure, for (say they) he hath heard our supplications, he hath forgiven our sins; herein miserably mistaking a little arbitrary consolation, which God grants in a design of supporting the soul, till it be fit for a more gracious dispensation, for a sure signification of forgiveness of sins; the groslenesse of which mistake, I shall clear upon some occasion or other, in God's good time, and it may be before I have ended my meditations upon this Text. Some the Spirit of God prevails so fare with, that 1. They are willing to be reproved and chidden for their sins, but from thence are too apt to conclude a sure estate of soul. 2 The work of conviction being strong upon their souls, they are apt to make many fair promises, many strong engagements, that they will do so no more. 3. But than thirdly, when Gods back is but turned (as I may say,) or that they think him but out of sight, they start aside like a broken bow, and neither promises, Covenants, or any other obligations prevail with them at all, but they turn with the dog to their own vomit, and with the sow to the wallowing in the mire; and if the motions of God's Spirit press them to consider their breach of vows and Covenants, and their promises of better obedience, they either heal their hurt slightly, with a few prayers and tears, and then they think all is well, as I observed before: or secondly by a long practice of such ungodly eourses they come at length to such a desperate hardness of heart, that they conclude there is no hope, and so conceive it to no purpose to strive any more, to pray any more, to be humbled any more, to hearken to the motions of God's Spirit any more: the final conclusion is, as they throw off all hope, so they throw off all duty, and let Christ by his Spirit say what he will, they think all is to no purpose, to hear him or obey him; and this last and worst part of this character, hath been my own case for almost this nine years or thereabouts, till within this year and a half; about which time, apprehending some abatement of those judgements, which my apprehensions had been long terrified with, for my grievous sins, especially for hiding my little Talon, which I looked upon as given me by God, not to hid, but to publish: I was about a year and half since, resolved to submit myself to be at God's disposing, and to serve God as well as I could, though I looked for nothing but hell as my portion for ever, only I hoped it would be hell mitigated, and me thought I had strange kind of hopes, that in hell I should find a little comfort, and a little strength to endure it, and to dwell with everlasting burn, because I was willing to submit; but these strange hopes soon vanished and became nothing: for about a quarter or half a year after, I was thrown down again into the dreadfullest apprehensions of Gods eternal judgements, that ever were presented to any mortal man upon God's earth, since the creation of God, or that the world began: with this heavy load of apprehensions I walked for above half a year together, viz. all this last summer, and some little part of the beginning of winter; but at length the spring is come, and the chirping of Birds hath been heard by me, there was never such mercy shown, such compassion manifested to any soul in the world; I am alive, and the loving kindness of God hath appeared to me: But I tell you, my brethren and friends, my rebellion against Jesus Christ, my standing out against the motions of God's good Spirit, hath cost me dear, and so dear, I would not for a hundred thousand worlds endure the like horrors again: It would amaze you all, nay almost affright you out of your wits, to tell you what I have seen, but God in Jesus Christ I trust hath delivered me for ever; and God strengthening me, I will praise him for it, yea I will magnify him as long as I have my being. And now my dear friends, I am set forth to you as an example of God's terrors and judgements, if ye shall rebel against Christ, and perpetually resist the motions of God's gracious Spirit striving with you as I have done: I am withal a mirror of God's infinite rich mercies, in the pardoning of iniquities, and an example of heartening to you, if God shall be pleased to give you repentance from your sins and from all your ungodly courses, as to me I hope in God he hath done in some measure: but if having such a warning given, in such grievous judgements, if the riches of Christ's mercies in finding a way to pardon such a sinner as I am, if neither of these, nor both together prevail with you, nor be a means to hearten you, and to cause you to live in some hope, at least, that it may be the Lord will have some mercy, some compassion for you as well as for me: If I say, thesethings will be no means to reclaim you, than I must be bold to tell you, that I cannot say so much as a Judge to a condemned person, Lord have mercy upon your souls, I must leave you to God; only at present let me put you in mind of these things which follow, 1. That it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God, Heb. 10.31. for our God is a consuming fire, Heb. 12.29. 2. That certainly you have sucked in some desperate principles touching the decree and election of God, which do so poison your souls with hopelessness, that, if ye come to hear a Sermon, 'tis for very shame of the world, lest men should account you of no religion, accounting it in all other respects vain and unprofitable, either to hear a Sermon or to serve God at all; and the truth is, I much suspect this latter, it having had a strong influence into my own troublesome and dreadful apprehensions for so long together. 3. That you will find it dangerous indeed, to dally with Jesus Christ a little longer; he is now coming in a solemn manner, to treat about the business of leaving of our sins and turning to God, and this I hope to evidence clearly, as occasion shall offer itself, if I can have the liberty of a public Pulpit as I desire; but if I cannot, I trust Jesus Christ who is now nigh at hand in his spiritual coming, will vindicate me from the charge of being guilty of other men's transgressions, which (God willing) I will endeavour to my utmost to prevent (if I may be suffered,) but if I alone must be hindered, I hope God will regard my innocency, and men will at length know my integrity and affection to their souls. FINIS.