The application of redemption by the effectual work of the word, and spirit of Christ, for the bringing home of lost sinners to God ... by that faithful and known servant of Christ, Mr. Thomas Hooker ...
Thomas Hooker 1586–1647London: printed by Peter Cole, 1656
[44], 451 [i.e. 431] p., [24], 702, [36] p. · 377k words · Wing H2639 · ESTC R18255
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
A fourth sort are such who have weltered long in §4their own sorrows and their own performances, and Services, and […] find (and therefore are forced to […]) there is neither power, nor pardon, nor peace there to be had, for their guilt and […], and distempers remain as before: and therefore they see all in […] Christ, know they must have it from him and are […] to expect it, therefore they ply him with […] […] prayers, yea, are contented that he should do all for them Only they would […] with him, […] […] in this proviso, that he must do it for them […] […] spoke of the Centurion. Luke. 7. 4. he is […] for whom thou shouldst do this. So they think of themselves, since they sorrow and seek and attend upon him according to his will, they cannot […] with patience to think they should miss. These men have not renounced their own worthiness, and would indeed […] in upon the privilege of the Lord and not make it free; and so not grace.
A fourth sort are such who have weltered long in §4their owne sorrowes and their owne performances, and Services, and 〈…〉 find (and therfore are forced to 〈…〉) there is neither power, nor pardon, nor peace there to be had, for their guilt and 〈…〉, and distempers remaine as before: and therfore they see all in 〈…〉 Christ, know they must have it from him and are 〈…〉 to expect it, therfore they ply him with 〈…〉〈…〉 prayers, yea, are contented that he should doe all for them Only they would 〈…〉 with him, 〈…〉〈…〉 in this proviso, that he must doe it for them 〈…〉〈…〉 spoke of the Centurion. Luke. 7. 4. he is 〈…〉 for whom thou shouldst doe this. So they thinke of themselves, since they sorrow and seek and attend upon him according to his will, they cannot 〈…〉 with patience to think they should misse. These men have not renounced their owne worthyness, and would inded 〈…〉 in upon the prviledge of the Lord and not make it free; and so not grace.
I answer in two things. 1. If it […] snarl at Gods1 dealings, and quarrel with his […], and privily […] and repine when they see others have more and better then they: I see others have been humbled ⟨p. 197⟩and pardoned, and comforted; but I go on still in a disconsolate way: the Saints of God have sought the Lord, and found him gracious to their souls; they have used the means, and found a blessing upon them: but I pray and fast, and use all the means of Grace, and yet I feel no power, receive no profit, nor benefit to my own soul, and there is a secret conceit that God doth them wrong: As she said, If it be so, Why am I thus? Gen. 25. 22.
I answer in two things. 1. If it 〈…〉 snarle at Gods1 dealings, and quarrell with his 〈…〉, and privily 〈…〉 and repine when they see others have more and better then they: I see others have been humbled ⟨p. 197⟩and pardoned, and comforted; but I go on still in a disconsolate way: the Saints of God have sought the Lord, and found him gracious to their souls; they have used the means, and found a blessing upon them: but I pray and fast, and use all the means of Grace, and yet I feel no power, receive no profit, nor benefit to my own soul, and there is a secret conceit that God doth them wrong: As she said, If it be so, Why am I thus? Gen. 25. 22.
2. We may know it by a sinking discouragement of heart. When the soul wearied with delays and differings, and expectation, sits down in a […] condition; because he cannot have what he will, he will cast away what he hath, and conceives he may be careless of what he might attain. As David said, I shall one day perish by the hand of Saul, 1 Samuel, 27. 1. All men are liars, Psal. 116. 11. Alas! Jam not fit to Pray or to Hear; I find my heart worse after it, none was ever in such a case as I: better never to use the means, than never to have benefit by them; better never to enjoy the Ordinances and Privileges of God, than to get no good by them: How now! Better never use the means? It would be better, and best of all, if you were deeply humbled and abased in the sight of your own vileness. As the Apostle says, What if God will not? What […] he will never pardon your sins or show mercy to your soul? If he give you nothing, doth he […] you any thing? You think your worthiness is not attended, you secretly think the Lord hath forgot himself, your parts and performances, your […] and prayers, diligence and endeavours, ought upon due, to be remembered and recompensed.
2. We may know it by a sinking discouragement of heart. When the soul wearied with delayes and differings, and expectation, sits down in a 〈…〉 condition; because he cannot have what he will, he will cast away what he hath, and conceaves he may be careless of what he might attain. As David said, I shall one day perish by the hand of Saul, 1 Samuel, 27. 1. All men are lyars, Psal. 116. 11. Alas! Iam not fit to Pray or to Hear; I find my heart worse after it, none was ever in such a case as I: better never to use the means, than never to have benefit by them; better never to enjoy the Ordinances and Priviledges of God, than to get no good by them: How now! Better never use the means? It would be better, and best of all, if you were deeply humbled and abased in the sight of your own vileness. As the Apostle saies, What if God will not? What he will never pardon your sins or shew mercy to your soul? If he give you nothing, doth he you any thing? You think your worthiness is not attended, you secretly think the Lord hath forgot himself, your parts and performances, your and prayers, diligence and endeavors, ought upon due, to be remembered and recompenced.
No: Thank your proud heart; you are not prepared for the presence, the peace, the comfort; the coming of a Saviour, and therefore you want him. Do ⟨p. 198⟩you think your self worthy to be condemned when you think it much to be denied, deserted, punished, nay, but delayed in the dispensation of Gods goodness: He must please your palate and suit your mind and humour at a beck: No, no, mend your self if you be in so hasty a mood, the Lord will make you know that you are unworthy of mercy: He will not bribe you, nor be beholding to you to wait upon him for his mercy, yea, be thankful to him that you may wait; and wonder that you are not past praying, hearing, and waiting, and all.
No: Thank your proud heart; you are not prepared for the presence, the peace, the comfort; the coming of a Savior, and therefore you want him. Do ⟨p. 198⟩you think your self worthy to be condemned when you think it much to be denyed, deserted, punished, nay, but desayed in the dispensation of Gods goodness: He must please your pallat and suit your mind and humor at a beck: No, no, mend your self if you be in so hasty a moode, the Lord will make you know that you are unworthy of mercy: He will not bribe you, nor be beholding to you to wait upon him for his mercy, yea, be thankful to him that you may wait; and wonder that you are not past praying, hearing, and waiting, and all.
A ground of Encouragement to a poor distressed1 sinner, when Devils assault, […] grow strong, Conscience accuse, and the venom of the vengeance of the Almighty drinks up a mans spirits, so that the sinner knows not how to bear his condition, nor yet how to help himself out of it: so that he is at his wits end: His Friends pity him, and the Parents conceive their Child is undone, they never thought to have seen this day: Why so? It is the best day that ever his eyes saw; he is now in Gods way, the Lord now seems to lay hold upon him, and to intend good to him; be not afraid of the work, but be afraid he should miss and spoil in the working. As in Child-bed, when throws come thick and strong, there is most hope of a speedy and happy delivery, but when her throws leave her, her life leaves her, so it is in the new Birth. Stormy gales at Sea toss a man most, but soonest land him. Therefore do not so much fear the blow, as be thankful and be willing to follow the blow; nor so much desire to be eased, as not to be deceived; not so much to have the work over, as to have it made good upon thy soul; labour to get into, and keep in that frame prophesied of in all […] Converts, Jer. 50. 4. Going and […] with their faces towards Zion, they shall […] the Lord their God.
A ground of Encouragement to a poor distressed1 sinner, when Devils assault, 〈…〉 grow strong, Conscience accuse, and the venome of the vengeance of the Almighty drinks up a mans spirits, so that the sinner knows not how to bear his condition, nor yet how to help himself out of it: so that he is at his wits end: His Friends pitty him, and the Parents conceave their Child is undone, they never thought to have seen this day: Why so? It is the best day that ever his eyes saw; he is now in Gods way, the Lord now seems to lay hold upon him, and to intend good to him; be not afraid of the work, but be afraid he should miss and spoil in the working. As in Child-bed, when throws come thick and strong, there is most hope of a speedy and happy delivery, but when her throws leave her, her life leaves her, so it is in the new Birth. Stormy gales at Sea toss a man most, but soonest land him. Therefore do not so much fear the blow, as be thankful and be willing to follow the blow; nor so much desire to be eased, as not to be deceived; not so much to have the work over, as to have it made good upon thy soul; labor to get into, and keep in that frame prophesied of in all Converts,
Exhortation. Suffer then the Exhortation of1 the Baptist, the voice of him that cries in the Wilderness to sound in your ears, and to sink into […] hearts; Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. As ever we […] to share in the Merits of our Saviour to enjoy him, and his presence and everlasting happiness by him; address we our selves, bestir our souls in the use of all means to […] a Saviour, and then we may […] expect him, and we shall not miss of our expectation. There is no lack on his part, he is willing and ready, He that stands and knocks at the door that he may come in: 2Rev. 3. 20. If the door was open, he would come in without question: If the way was prepared he hath 3promised to come speedily, and certainly he would not delay his coming. I know this manner of entertainment seems hard to flesh and blood, loath we are to dislodge so many gainful guests, so many special friends, darling pleasures, and sweet contentments, which we have contrived to our selves out of the earthly comforts of this life. Hence many are content the King would go another way, and secretly wish they had nothing to do with the Lord Jesus; there is so much privy search to be made, so much examination to be used, such a sight of our sins and unworthiness; yea, that which is worst of all to the corrupt hearted, they must vomit up all their sweet morsels, shake hands, and break league with their beloved darling delights, which they tender as their lives, they must thrust world, and ease, prosperity, and pomp, credit, and applause by the head and shoulders out of the doors, and turn them going: […] therefore I am afraid, many […] that in secret in their own hearts, which the Devils openly professed, What have we to do with thee Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come to […] us before ⟨p. 200⟩the time, to deprive us of our profits, to pluck away our pleasures, and to dislodge those sweet lusts that we harboured so long in our bosoms and bowels; learn we then to press some sound Arguments upon our own hearts, that we may persuade and prevail with them if it be possible, to set about this work which is so necessary.
First, Let us consider our selves, a company §1of poor, miserable, sinful, and damned Creatures, sinful dust and ashes, dead dogs. Consider of this and think with thy self, Will the Lord of Heaven come down? will Christ dwell in my heart? will he vouchsafe to look in, yea, to call in (as he goes by) upon such a sinful Creature? And let this move thee to prepare for his coming. We are not worthy (as the Centurion said) that the Lord should come under our […]. 1 King. 8. 27. There Solomon saith, Will the Lord indeed dwell on earth? Will he dwell in a house made with hands? As if he should say, Is it possible? Can it be imagined that thou Lord being the great God of heaven, whom the heaven of heavens cannot contain, shouldest once […] to dwell in a house made with hands, in the Temple which I have builded! And what may we say, Is it so? Can it be? Shall it be that God will come and dwell under our roof? that he will come and dwell under our rotten and sinful hearts, that he will dwell in our […] and sinful souls? Why? he will, he hath said it, he hath […] it, he will perform it; and therefore let us consider our own unworthiness ⟨p. 201⟩to receive Christ, as a motive to stir us up to make preparation for Christ; for the baser the place is that should entertain him, the greater the preparation should be. We ought to wonder that the Lord will vouchsafe to come into our sinful souls, and therefore we had need prepare the more for his coming: The Lord hath promised to come into our souls, if we humble them, and make them fitting to entertain his Majesty; therefore sweep your hearts, and cleanse those rooms, cleanse every sink, and brush down every cobweb, and make room for Christ; for if thy heart be prepared and divorced from all Corruptions, then Christ will come and take possession of it.
First, Let us consider our selves, a company §1of poor, miserable, sinful, and damned Creatures, sinful dust and ashes, dead dogs. Consider of this and think with thy self, Will the Lord of Heaven come down? will Christ dwell in my heart? will he vouchsafe to look in, yea, to call in (as he goes by) upon such a sinful Creature? And let this move thee to prepare for his coming. We are not worthy (as the Centurion said) that the Lord should come under our .
1 Consider the worthiness of the Person, in regard of whom all preparation may seem too little; you are not to entertain an ordinary person, it is not a man, it is not a King, it is not an earthly Monarch, but it is the King of Kings that will come into your souls to comfort them; yea, his holy and blessed Spirit will remain with you for ever: Therefore do all that possible may be done to prepare for his coming and for the entertainment and welcoming of him, when he comes. In Psal. 24. 7. David calls […] his own soul (for so the words are to be expounded) Lift up your heads O ye gates, and be ye lifted up you everlasting doors, and the King of Glory shall come in. As who should say, Be enlarged, Love, Joy. Hope, Desire, and All that is within me, set open, give way, for the Lord is coming; But who is the Lord? It is the Lord of Hosts, the Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle, vers. 8. And with that he knocks again, Lift up ⟨p. 202⟩your heads O ye gates, and be ye […] ye everlasting doors, for the King of […] shall come […], vers. 9. As if he should say, What! Shall the Lord knock? Shall the King of Glory stand? Open […] and make all preparation: Did David do thus? Why do you do […] then? Christ knocks by Promises, he knocks by Judgements, he knocks by Threats; yea, he speaks this day unto your souls, and labours this day to make way for himself: Make therefore all preparation, let nothing be wanting, that when he comes he may take […] of your souls, and be a God unto you for ever.
1 Consider the worthiness of the Person, in regard of whom all preparation may seem too little; you are not to entertain an ordinary person, it is not a man, it is not a King, it is not an earthly Monarch, but it is the King of Kings that will come into your souls to comfort them; yea, his holy and blessed Spirit will remain with you for ever: Therefore do all that possible may be done to prepare for his comming and for the entertainment and welcoming of him, when he comes. In Psal. 24. 7. David calls 〈…〉 his own soul (for so the words are to be expounded) Lift up your heads O ye gates, and be ye lifted up you everlasting doors, and the King of Glory shall come in. As who should say, Be enlarged, Love, Joy. Hope, Desire, and All that is within me, set open, give way, for the Lord is coming; But who is the Lord? It is the Lord of Hosts, the Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battel, vers. 8. And with that he knocks again, Lift up
2 Consider all that good that Jesus Christ brings with him, and that should move you; for all the good that we need or can desire to make us happy, he will bring with him when he comes to take […] of the Soul: The Lord comes into our Souls not to trouble us and charge us, no, he comes to bring everlasting Salvation and happiness to our Souls; Look what Christ said to […], Luke 19. 5. 8, 9. when he went up into a Sycamore-tree to see him, Make haste and come down Zacheus (saith he) for I must abide with thee in thy house: Zacheus makes no cavilling, nor no tarrying, but made haste and came down and received him joyfully: And mark what Christ said unto him, This day Salvation is come to thy house. So likewise it shall be with you, when Christ comes, everlasting Happiness and Salvation comes with him; and therefore if you do not make preparation for him, you refuse Salvation and Happiness that is offered to your Souls by him. Amos 4. 12. when the Lord had sent many Plagues and Judgments upon Jerusalem, he saith, Thus will I do unto thee Oh Israel, and because I will do thus unto thee, therefore prepare to meet thy God O Israel: I will do thus unto thee, that is, I will send Mildews, ⟨p. 203⟩and Pestilence, and War, and Famine amongst you, I will draw you out with Hooks, and your Posterity with Fish-hooks: And what followeth? Prepare to meet thy God Oh Israel. If God come against us to plague us, we must prepare to meet him; Reason then with your own Souls; Should the Lord come in Judgement to punish us, if we ought to prepare to meet him, then what preparation ought we to make for his coming, when he shall not come thus in Judgement to condemn us, but in mercy to save us, in his goodness to enrich us, in his compassion to comfort us? Then now if ever, prepare to meet thy God O Israel: Let every heart persuade it self in this particular, Is Christ so gracious and so merciful, doth he send from Heaven unto us, and say he will come in, Behold (says he) I stand at the door and 1knock, and if any man will hear my voice and open unto me, my Father and I will come in, and sup with him: He will come in himself, and bring all the good things of Grace and Glory with him for the everlasting refreshing of our Souls: Why! Where are your hearts in the mean time? Therefore if ever, now prepare to meet the Lord Jesus bringing Salvation with him.
3 Consider again, How the Lord Jesus entreats you, and beseeches you to receive him, he that might command you, and condemn you for refusing; beseeches you to entertain him, 2 Cor. 5. 20. We as Ambassadors in Christs stead, beseech you that you would be reconciled to God: that is, That you would prepare to meet God willing to be reconciled to you in Christ, and that you would come to his terms.
3 Consider again, How the Lord Jesus entreats you, and beseeches you to receive him, he that might command you, and condemne you for refusing; beseeches you to entertain him, 2 Cor. 5. 20. We as Ambassadors in Christs stead, beseech you that you would be reconciled to God: that is, That you would prepare to meet God willing to be reconciled to you in Christ, and that you would come to his terms.
Consider our Saviour Christ hath taken a great journey from Heaven to Earth to save us miserable wretched sinners; conceive you saw those […] of ⟨p. 204⟩blood trickling down his cheeks, conceive you saw him upon the Cross, with his hands thrust through with Nails, and his side pierced with a Spear, enduring the wrath of God for our sins, and behold now he standeth at the door, and saith with the Church, Lam. 1. 22. Is it nothing to you, have you no regard? O you that pass by, behold and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow, &c. Imagine you heard Christ say, I have suffered these and these things for you, these hands of mine were nailed, this side of mine was pierced, this heart of mine was melted with anguish of Spirit: Imagine you saw Christ standing and knocking at the door of your hearts, as indeed he doth, and say, Hoe all you within there, all you proud hearts, all you covetous and malicious hearts, Have you no regard to a Saviour? a Crucified Saviour? He that died for you and now laboureth to do good to your Souls, Will not this move you to prepare your hearts for him and let him in? Will you suffer the Lord Jesus to stand knocking, and calling and weeping, and saying as he said to Jerusalem, Luke 19. 42. Oh that thou hadst known, even thou at least in this thy day, the things belonging to thy peace; but now they are hid from thine eyes. Will you suffer Christ to stand thus, knocking at the door of your hearts and not let him in? Take heed of this, Christ knocks this day at your hearts, if you now give him his last Answer, and shut the door against him, it may prove to be the last knocking, you may hap never to see him more.
Consider our Savior Christ hath taken a great journey from Heaven to Earth to save us miserable wretched sinners; conceive you saw those 〈…〉 of ⟨p. 204⟩blood trickling down his cheeks, conceive you saw him upon the Cross, with his hands thrust through with Nayls, and his side pierced with a Spear, enduring the wrath of God for our sins, and behold now he standeth at the door, and saith with the Church,
Hence it is, when our Saviour would have this work done, he prepares a workman fit for it, and furnisheth him with abilities, which might enable him to the discharge thereof; the work is great, and the service difficult, and therefore Elijah is fitted with a Spirit suitable with Power answerable unto that purpose for which he was appointed, an Instrument as we say for the nonce. John the Baptist he also inherits these abilities, and that Minister must be an Elijah, i. e. must have his Spirit and Power in proportion, if ever this great work of preparation followeth his hand with Comfort and Success; As it was in the Material, so also is it in the building of this spiritual temple, 1in which the holy Ghost doth dwell: The Elect of God are like trees of righteousness, the Word is like the Axe, that must be lifted by a skilful and strong arm of a cunning Minister, who like a Spiritual Artificer must hew and square, and take off the knotty untowardness in the Soul before we can come to couch close and settle upon the Lord Christ as the Corner stone: Paul calls the Saints Gods husbandry, 1 Cor. 3. 9. A powerful humbling Ministry is like the Plough, to plough up the fallow ground, the 2thorny sensual hearts of sinful men to receive the immortal seed of the Word of Promise and the Spirit of Christ thereby.
Hence it is, when our Savior would have this work done, he prepares a workman fit for it, and furnisheth him with abilities, which might enable him to the discharge thereof; the work is great, and the service difficult, and therefore Elias is fitted with a Spirit suitable with Power answerable unto that purpose for which he was appointed, an Instrument as we say for the nonce. John the Baptist he also inherits these abilities, and that Minister must be an Elias, i. e. must have his Spirit and Power in proportion, if ever this great work of preparation followeth his hand with Comfort and Success; As it was in the Material, so also is it in the building of this spiritual temple, 1in which the holy Ghost doth dwell: The Elect of God are like trees of righteousness, the Word is like the Ax, that must be lifted by a skilful and strong arm of a cunning Minister, who like a Spiritual Artificer must hew and square, and take off the knotty untowardnrss in the Soul before we can come to couch close and settle upon the Lord Christ as the Corner stone: Paul calls the Saints Gods husbandry,
. Going and 〈…〉 with their faces towards Zion, they shall 〈…〉 the Lord their God.
1Use 4.
Exhortation. Suffer then the Exhortation of1 the Baptist, the voyce of him that cries in the Wilderness to sound in your ears, and to sink into 〈…〉 hearts; Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths streight. As ever we 〈…〉 to share in the Merits of our Savior to enjoy him, and his presence and everlasting happiness by him; address we our selves, bestir our souls in the use of all means to 〈…〉 a Savior, and then we may 〈…〉 expect him, and we shall not miss of our expectation. There is no lack on his part, he is willing and ready, He that stands and knocks at the door that he may come in: 2Rev. 3. 20. If the door was open, he would come in without question: If the way was prepated he hath 3promised to come speedily, and certainly he would not delay his coming. I know this manner of entertainment seems hard to flesh and blood, loath we are to dislodge so many gainful guests, so many special friends, darling pleasures, and sweet contentments, which we have contrived to our selves out of the earthly comforts of this life. Hence many are content the King would go another way, and secretly wish they had nothing to do with the Lord Jesus; there is so much privy search to be made, so much examination to be used, such a sight of our sins and unworthiness; yea, that which is worst of all to the corrupt hearted, they must vomit up all their sweet morsels, shake hands, and break league with their beloved darling delights, which they tender as their lives, they must thrust world, and ease, prosperity, and pompe, credit, and applause by the head and shoulders out of the doors, and turn them going: 〈…〉 therefore I am afraid, many 〈…〉 that in secret in their own hearts, which the Devils openly professed, What have we to do with thee Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come to 〈…〉 us before ⟨p. 200⟩the time, to deprive us of our profits, to pluck away our pleasures, and to dislodge those sweet lusts that we harbored so long in our bosoms and bowels; learn we then to press some sound Arguments upon our own hearts, that we may perswade and prevaile with them if it be possible, to set about this work which is so necessary.
. There Solomon saith, Will the Lord indeed dwell on earth? Will he dwel in a house made with hands? As if he should say, Is it possible? Can it be imagined that thou Lord being the great God of heaven, whom the heaven of heavens cannot contain, shouldest once 〈…〉 to dwell in a house made with hands, in the Temple which I have builded! And what may we say, Is it so? Can it be? Shall it be that God will come and dwell under our roof? that he will come and dwell under our rotten and sinful hearts, that he will dwell in our 〈…〉 and sinful souls? Why? he will, he hath said it, he hath 〈…〉 it, he wil perform it; and therefore let us consider our own unworthiness
⟨p. 201⟩
to receive Christ, as a motive to stir us up to make preparation for Christ; for the baser the place is that should entertain him, the greater the preparation should be. We ought to wonder that the Lord will vouchsafe to come into our sinful souls, and therefore we had need prepare the more for his comming: The Lord hath promised to come into our souls, if we humble them, and make them fitting to entertain his Majesty; therefore sweep your hearts, and clense those rooms, clense every sink, and brush down every cobweb, and make room for Christ; for if thy heart be prepared and divorced from all Corruptions, then Christ will come and take possession of it.
⟨p. 202⟩
your heads O ye gates, and be ye 〈…〉 ye everlasting doors, for the King of 〈…〉 shall come 〈…〉, vers. 9. As if he should say, What! Shall the Lord knock? Shall the King of Glory stand? Open 〈…〉 and make all preparation: Did David do thus? Why do you do 〈…〉 then? Christ knocks by Promises, he knocks by Judgements, he knocks by Threats; yea, he speaks this day unto your souls, and labors this day to make way for himself: Make therefore all preparation, let nothing be wanting, that when he comes he may take 〈…〉 of your souls, and be a God unto you for ever.
2 Consider all that good that Jesus Christ brings with him, and that should move you; for all the good that we need or can desire to make us happy, he will bring with him when he comes to take 〈…〉 of the Soul: The Lord comes into our Souls not to trouble us and charge us, no, he comes to bring everlasting Salvation and happiness to our Souls; Look what Christ said to 〈…〉, Luke 19. 5. 8, 9. when he went up into a Sycamore-tree to see him, Make haste and come down Zacheus (saith he) for I must abide with thee in thy house: Zacheus makes no cavilling, nor no tarrying, but made haste and came down and received him joyfully: And mark what Christ said unto him, This day Salvation is come to thy house. So likewise it shall be with you, when Christ comes, everlasting Happiness and Salvation comes with him; and therefore if you do not make preparation for him, you refuse Salvation and Happiness that is offered to your Souls by him. Amos 4. 12. when the Lord had sent many Plagues and Judgments upon Jerusalem, he saith, Thus will I do unto thee Oh Israel, and because I will do thus unto thee, therefore prepare to meet thy God O Israel: I will do thus unto thee, that is, I will send Mildews, ⟨p. 203⟩and Pestilence, and War, and Famine amongst you, I will draw you out with Hooks, and your Posterity with Fish-hooks: And what followeth? Prepare to meet thy God Oh Israel. If God come against us to plague us, we must prepare to meet him; Reason then with your own Souls; Should the Lord come in Judgement to punish us, if we ought to prepare to meet him, then what preparation ought we to make for his coming, when he shall not come thus in Judgement to condemne us, but in mercy to save us, in his goodness to enrich us, in his compassion to comfort us? Then now if ever, prepare to meet thy God O Israel: Let every heart perswade it self in this particular, Is Christ so gracious and so merciful, doth he send from Heaven unto us, and say he will come in, Behold (saies he) I stand at the door and 1knock, and if any man will hear my voyce and open unto me, my Father and I will come in, and sup with him: He will come in himself, and bring all the good things of Grace and Glory with him for the everlasting refreshing of our Souls: Why! Where are your hearts in the mean time? Therfore if ever, now prepare to meet the Lord Jesus bringing Salvation with him.
. Is it nothing to you, have you no regard? O you that pass by, behold and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow, &c. Imagine you heard Christ say, I have suffered these and these things for you, these hands of mine were nayled, this side of mine was pierced, this heart of mine was melted with anguish of Spirit: Imagine you saw Christ standing and knocking at the door of your hearts, as indeed he doth, and say, Hoe all you within there, all you proud hearts, all you covetous and malicious hearts, Have you no regard to a Savior? a Crucified Savior? He that died for you and now laboreth to do good to your Souls, Will not this move you to prepare your hearts for him and let him in? Will you suffer the Lord Jesus to stand knocking, and calling and weeping, and saying as he said to Jerusalem,
. Oh that thou hadst known, even thou at least in this thy day, the things belonging to thy peace; but now they are hid from thine eyes. Will you suffer Christ to stand thus, knocking at the door of your hearts and not let him in? Take heed of this, Christ knocks this day at your hearts, if you now give him his last Answer, and shut the door against him, it may prove to be the last knocking, you may hap never to see him more.