the Ji?iis operis et operantis^ the end of the work, and intention of the worker. 1 Cor. i. 21. " It pleased God by the fooHshness of " preaching, to save them that do believe."" It presently puts them into a state of salvation, though they be not yet actually and completely saved. There is a necessary connection betwixt conversion and salvation ; though betwixt conversion and complete salvation, there may be many groaning hours, sick and sad days and nights ; but full deliverance from sin and misery is secured to the soul in the work of faith, Col. i. 27. *' Christ in you is the hope of « glory."
Thus you see this great and glorious design projected and mana- ged ; and this is the very scope, aim, and intention of the whole gospel, even the opening the hearts of sinners unto Christ by faith, will evidently appear by considering the several parts of the gospel which have a direct aspect upon this design, and the declared end of the Spirit, who is sent forth to make it effectual to this very end and purpose.
1. To this the commands of the gospel look ; it lies full in the eye of the preceptive part of the gospel, 1 John iii. 23. " And this " is his commandment, that we should believe on the name of his " Son Jesus Christ."' And it is a very great encouragement (if rightly considered) that faith is constituted a duty by a plain gospel- precept ; for this cuts off that vain pretence and plea of presump- tion ; What ! such a vile wretch as thou (saith Satan) presume to believe in Christ t- But this cuts off the plea ; here is a command from the highest sovereignty, the contempt whereof men shall an- swer at their utmost peril.
2. This also is the declared end and scope of the go?>^Q\ promises and thrcatenmgs^ whereby the souls of sinners are assaulted on both sides. As iov promises^ how are all the sacred pages of the Bible adorned with them as the firmament with radiant stars ! Amongst which that in the text seems to excel in glory. '^ If any man open " to me, I will come in to him."" Like unto which is that, John vi. 35, 37. " I am the bread of life ; he that cometh to me shall " never hunger ; and he that believeth in me shall never thirst ; " him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out."" Such rich and excellent encouragements to faith had never been put into the pro- mises^ but for faith's sake. And then for go^^oi-threatemngs^ though they have a dreadful sound, yet they have a gracious design. What a terrible thunder-clap is that, John iii. 39. " He that be- '' lievcth not the Son, shall not see life ; but the wrath of God " abideth on him."" To wbieh another threatening echoes with a like ten ible voice, Mark xvi. 16. " He that believeth not shall be ^' damiied."" There be dreadful things, you see, threatened in the gospel against unbelievers ; but what is the intention of those
thrcatenin^s but to scare men out of tlieir unbelief and carnal secu- rity unto Christ ? And thus both the promises and the threatenings, though of far different natures, conspire and meet in the self-same design, even to open the heart to Christ by faith,
S. For the sake of this design all gof>p(^] -ordinances and officei^s are instituted and appointed, maintained and continued in the world unto this day. Why did Christ at his triumphant ascension shed forth such variety of gifts upon men, but that God might dwell among them ? Psal. Ixviii. 18. " Thou hast ascended on high, thou " hast led captivity captive ; thou hast received gifts for men ; yea, " for the rebellious also, that the Lord God might dwell among them." The whole frame of gospel-ordinances is declaredly set up for this purpose to bring men to Christ, and build them up in Christ, Eph. iv. 1^.
4. All the scripture-records of converted sinners, whose hearts God hath in any age opened, were made for this very purpose to encourage other souls by their examples to believe in, or open unto Christ as they did. For this purpose that famous and memora- ble conversion of Paul was graciously recorded, 1 Tim. i. 16. " Howbeit, for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus " Christ might shew forth all long-suffering, for a pattern to them *' that should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting."" Never was any man's heart bolted and made fast with stronger preju- dices against Christ than this man's was ; yet the Spirit of the Lord opened it. O how flexible was his will I ^' Lord, what wilt thou ^' have me to do.'^" This gives great encouragement to other sin- ners to come in to Christ as he did ; and therefore when men shall see other sinners receiving Christ, and themselves continue still ob- stinate and unbelieving, those very examples which God hath set before their eyes put a dreadful aggravation upon their unbelief? as you may see. Mat. xxi. 32. " John came unto you in the way of " righteousness, and ye believed him not ; but the publicans and " harlots believed him ; and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not " afterward, that you might believe him." q. d. Though you saw publicans^ reputed the worst of men, and harlots the worst oi women, convinced, humbled, and brought unto faith ; yet these sights no way affected your souls ; you never had one such reflection as this, Lord ! have not I as much need to fly from the wrath to come, and mind the salvation of my own soul as these ? Avill it not be a dreadful aggravation of my misery, that such as these should obtain Christ and heaven, and I be shut out ?
5. To conclude : The opening of the heart to Christ is the very end and errand of the Spirit of God ^ upon whose concurrence and blessing the success of all ordinances depends ; upon this design ho is sent expressly from heaven to open the understanding and con-
sciences of sinners by conviction, John xvi. 9. For it is not in tlie power of the word alone tp produce this effect ; thousands of ex- cellent sermons may be preaclied, and not one heart opened by conviction. He is expressly set to this end and purpose. What remains is the application of this point.
I. Use, for Injwrmation.