He speaks by them, and they use all kind of means that Christ may be entertained into their hearts. They move all stones, as it were, sometimes threatenings, sometimes entreaties, sometimes they come as ' sons of thun- der,' Mark iii. 17 ; sometimes with the still voice of sweet promises. And because one man is not so fit as another for all varieties of conditions and spirits, therefore God gives variety of gifts to his ministers, that they may knock at the heart of every man by their several gifts. For some have
62 BOWELS OPENED. [SeRMON V.
more rousing, some more insinuating gifts ; some more legal, some more evangelical spirits, yet all for the chui'ch's good. John Baptist, by a more thundering way of preaching, to make way for Christ to come, threateneth judgment. But Christ, then he comes with a * Blessed are the poor in spirit,' ' blessed are they that hunger and thirst for righteousness,' &c., Mat V. 3. All kind of means have been used in the ministry from the be- ginning of the world.
6. And because of itself this ministry it is a dead letter ; therefore he joins that with the word, which knocks at the heart together with the word, not severed from it, but is the life of it. Oh! the Spirit is the life, and soul of the word ; and when the inward word, or voice of the Spirit, and the out- ward word or ministry go together, then Christ doth more efiectually knock and stir up the heart.
Now this Spirit with sweet inspirations knocks, moves the heart, lightens the understanding, quickens the duU affections, and stirs them up to duty, as it is, Isa. xxx. 21, * And thine ears shall hear a voice behind thee say- ing. This is the way, walk in it.' The Spirit moves us sweetly, agreeable to our own nature. It offers not violence to us ; but so as in Hosea xi. 4, * I drew them by the cords of a man.' That is, by reasons and motives be- fitting the nature of man, motives of love. So the Spirit, together with the word, works upon us, as we are men by rational motives, setting good before us, if we will let Christ in to govern and rule us; and by the dan- ger on the contrary, so moving and stirring up our affections. These be ' the cords of a man.'
6. And besides his Spirit, God hath planted in us a conscience to call upon us, to be his vicar ; a little god in us to do his office, to call upon us, direct us, check and condemn us, which in great mercy he hath placed in us.
Thus we see what means Christ useth here — his voice, works, and word ; works of mercy and of correction ; his word, together with his Spirit, and the conscience, that he hath planted, to be, as it were, a god in us ; which together with his Spirit may move us to duty. This Austin speaks of when he says, Deus in me, &c. * God spake in me oft, and I knew it not' (/). He means it of conscience, together with the Spirit, stirring up motives to leave his sinful com'ses. God knocked in me, and I considered it not. I cried, modb and modb, sine modo. I put off God, now I will, and now I will, but I had no moderation, I knew no limits. And whilst Christ thus knocketh, all the three persons may be said to do it. For as it is said else- where, that ' God was and is in Christ reconciling the world,' &c., 2 Cor. v. 19. For whatsoever Chiist did, he did it as anointed, and by office. And therefore God doth it in Christ, and by Christ, and so in some sort God died in his human nature, when Christ died. So here the father be- seecheth when Christ beseecheth, because he beseecheth, that is sent from him, and anointed of the Father. And God the Father stoops to us when Christ stoops, because he is sent of the Father, and doth all by his Father's command and commission, John v. 27. So besides his own bowels, there is the Father and the Spirit with Christ, who doth all by his Spirit, and from his Father, from whom he hath commission. Therefore God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost knock at the heart. ' Open to me, my love, my dove, my undeffled ;' but Christ especially by his Spirit, because it is his office.
Ohj. But some may object, Christ can open to himself, why doth he not take the key and open, and make way for himself ? Who will knock, when he hath the key himself ? and who will knock, when there is none within
Cant. V. 2. J ' it is the voice of my beloved.' 63
to open ? Christ can open to himself, and we have no free will, nor power to open.
Bellannine makes this objection, and speaks very rudely, that he is an unwise man to knock, where there is no man within to open ; and that if Christ knock, and we cannot open, it is a delusion to exhort to open, and that therefore there must needs be free will in us to open (f*).