cious ointment of the promises upon them that were never heart- sick for sin ; when upon every shght trouble which is but as an early dew, the peculiar consolations of penitent and believing souls are hand over-head applied to them. How many such unskilful emperics are there in every place ? Such as the prophet Jeremiah complains of, " They have healed the hurt of the daughter of my people slight- " ly, crying, peace, peace, where there is no peace."" Remember the foundation is now laying for eternity, and that is the time of deep consideration ; men and women must ponder the terms and count the cost, and deliberately accept and close with Christ, be- fore the consolations of the promises can be regularly administered to them.
Infer. 3. Wliat a singular blessing is a rousing faithful ministry among the people 9 By such a ministry Christ knocks powerfully ; this is one of the greatest blessings God can bestow upon a people, next to the saving effects of it, when he sends among them powerful, judicious preachers of the gospel, under whose ministry their con- sciences cannot sleep quietly. These are the proper instruments Christ knocks at men's hearts by : and as for those prophets that sew pillows for drowsy sinners to sleep quietly upon, the Lord owns them not for his ; Lam. ii. 14. " Thy prophets (not mine, but " thine) hath seen vain and foolish things for thee, they have not " discovered thine iniquity.""
It is true, those ministers that give men no rest nor quietness in their sins, must expect but little rest and quietness themselves. What is it for ministers to preach home to the consciences of others, but to pull down the rage of the world upon their own heads ? But certainly you will have cause to bless God to eternity, for casting your lot under such a ministry ; and the Lord accounts such a mercy sufficient to recompense any outward affliction that lies upon you, Isa. xxx. 20. You fare richly under such doctrine, though the Lord should feed you with the bread of affliction, and give you the waters of adversity to drink; this makes amends for all, " Thine eyes shall behold thy teachers, and they shall be " driven no more into corners." O blessed be God that England'*s corners are this day emptied, that its pulpits may be filled with laborious, faithful ministers. O that the knocks of Christ might this day be heard in all the cities, towns, and villages of this na- tion ! the kingdom of God is come nigh unto us, this mercy is in- valuable ; pray that the Lord would continue it, and make all your ministers and means, whether more public or private, suc- cessful.
Infer. 4. And then^ lastly, let all men beware of those things that deafen their ears^ atid droxcn the sound of Christ s knocks and calls in the gcApel.
What pernicious enemies to the souls of men are those persons, and things, that turn away men's ears from attending to the knocks and calls of Christ in his word? Such are, (1.) Profane, wicked men, who, like Elymas the sorcerer, make it their business, by wicked insinuations, shouts, and jeers, to turn away men's ears from the gospel. Acts xiii. 10. " O full of all subtilty, and all " mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteous- " ness ; wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord ?" All opposition to godliness hath a spice of devilishness, and no child more resembles his father, than a scoffing enemy resembles his father, the devil. But blessed be God for that good providence which, in a great measure, hath stopt the mouths both of the father and his children, this day. (2.) Take heed of carnal and ungodly relations, which discourage and threaten their chosen servants, and all that depend on them, from attending upon the means, or giving way to the convictions which God by them hath set upon their hearts. Cruel parents, who had rather see their children turned into their graves, than turning to the ways of serious godliness ! O that any should dare to quench the beginnings of spiritual life, in those to whom they were instruments to convey natural life. (3.) Take heed of the world, its distracting cares, and charming pleasures; what a din, what a confused buz and noise do these things make in the ears of men I Mark iv, 19. " The cares of this world choak the word, and it becometh un- fruitful." Tell not them of getting Christ, they must study how to get bread. These are some of those distracting and diverting sounds, which drown the voice of Christ's knocks and calls in the gospeL As you value your souls, beware of them»
II. Use,Jbr Exliorfaiiwi.
Christ is now come near us in the gospel, " Behold he stands at " the door and knocks :" and I am here this day to demand your answer, and in his name I do solemnly demand it ; what shall I return to him that sent me ? What sayest thou, sinner ? Wilt thou open to Christ, or wilt thou shut him out ; and with him thy own pardon, peace, and salvation.^ Once more, let me try the force of a few more arguments upon your hearts, and refute your vain pleas to the contrary ; methinks, no heart should be able to resist such motives, and rational persuasions, as these following will be found to be.
Motive 1. You are in extreme need of Christ, you want hina more than bread or breath ; many things are convenient far your bodies, but Christ is the one thing necessary for your souls." Necessity is an engine that will open any thing in the world that can be opened; necessity will make all fly before it. Now there is a plain.
present absolute necessity lying upon every one of you to open your hearts to Christ, and that without delay. Necessity goes before the face o£ Christ, to open the way for him into the heart ; thou must have him, or be lost for ever. Christ and faith are not among the ma^ bees, but the must bees, to the happiness of thy soul. A man may be poor, and happy ; reproached, and blessed ; but he cannot be christless and safe ; nor christless and comfortable : you must have Christ, or you cannot have life, John iii. 36. you must have Christ, or you can have no hope, Col. i. 27. Christ and life, Christ and hope, go together : No Christ, no life ; no Christ, no hope : Sinner, thou must have Christ, or thou canst have no pardon; for Christ and pardon are undivided, Eph. i. 7. In a word, you must have Christ, or you can have no salvation, Acts iv. 12. Well, then, if thou canst have no life nor hope, no pardon nor salvation without Christ ; then a plain necessity goes Defore Christ, to open his way into thine heart; methinks, thou shouldst now say, then will I open to Christ whatever the terms be. Come sufferings, losses, reproaches, yea, death itself, all is one ; Christ I must have, and Christ I will have : necessity is laid upon me, and my heart is opened to Christ by it : woe to me for ever, if I miss of Christ.