Englands duty under the present gospel liberty from Revel. III, vers. 20

Fourthly, Christ's knocking at the door of the Soul, manifestly implies the immediate access of the Spirit of God unto the Soul of Man; that he can come to the very innermost door of the Soul at his pleasure, and make what impressions upon it he pleaseth. As for other instruments used in this Work, they have no such privilege or Power; Ministers can but knock at the external door of the senses. Thine Eyes shall see thy Teachers, we can see their persons and hear their voices; we can reason with sinners and plead with their Souls; but awaken them we cannot, open their Hearts we cannot. We can only lodge our message in their Ears, and leave it to the Spirit of God to make it effectual. This is a Royalty belonging unto the Spirit of God, incommunicable to Angels or Men. If an Angel from Heaven were the Preacher, he could not give one immediate ⟨p. 141⟩stroke to the Conscience, much less can Man; we have no dominion over your Consciences: The keys of the doors of your Souls hang not at our girdles, but are in the Hands of Christ, Revel. 3. 7. He hath the key of David, he openeth and no Man shutteth; and he shutteth and no Man openeth. The Consciences and all the faculties lye naked and open to the stroke of God's Spirit; he can wound them and heal them, and make what impressions he pleaseth upon them. Learn hence what need there is both for Ministers and People before they enter upon the solemn Ordinances of God, to lift up their Hearts by Prayer for the blessing and Power of the Spirit upon them. Lord send forth thy Spirit, pour it forth upon, and with thy Word. Ah, how many Sermons have we Preached and you heard, and yet there is no opening? These are the four things implied in Christ's knocking at the door, viz. Condescending Grace; All first motions begin in God; The motions of his Spirit are congruous and agreeable to the nature of the Soul; And that his Spirit can have immediate access to the innermost faculties and Powers of the Soul at his pleasure. Now in the next place let us consider,

Fouthly, Christ's knocking at the door of the Soul, manifestly implies the immediate access of the Spirit of God unto the Soul of Man; that he can come to the very innermost door of the Soul at his pleasure, and make what impressions upon it he pleaseth. As for other instruments used in this Work, they have no such privilege or Power; Ministers can but knock at the external door of the senses. Thine Eyes shall see thy Teachers, we can see their persons and hear their voices; we can reason with sinners and plead with their Souls; but awaken them we cannot, open their Hearts we cannot. We can only lodge our message in their Ears, and leave it to the Spirit of God to make it effectual. This is a Royalty belonging unto the Spirit of God, incommunicable to Angels or Men. If an Angel from Heaven were the Preacher, he could not give one immediate