Some important truths about conversion, delivered in sundry sermons, / by Increase Mather, D.D.…

Answ. 1. Herein is implied, That Christ is not so far entertained as ought to be. As for every sinful man, either Christ is out of his heart totally, so it is as to to those that are in a state of sin and unbelief, John 1.11. He came to his own, and they received him not. The unbelieving Jews gave no entertainment to Christ, but they shut him wholly out of doors, as it were. Faith and Repentance doth open the door to Christ; so Sin and Unbelief doth shut the door against him; hence the Apostle saith to the Ephesians, that by Nature they were without Christ, Ephes. 2.12. The natural man is out of Christ, and Christ is out of him; or if Christ be not out of doors wholly, yet he is so comparatively. Of some Christ is not at all entertained; of others, not so much as he should be. There is a first and a further entertainment of Christ; the one of these concerns Unbelievers, the other Believers. The Saints themselves may give a further entertainment unto Christ; hence Christ knocks at the door, even that he might have yet further entertainment. As in great houses there are many rooms, there are rooms of common entertainment, and there's a Closet for a mans self, and his intimate Friend, Thus it is here, Christ would be admitted, ⟨p. 91⟩not only into the out rooms of the Soul▪ but into the very Closet; that is to say, in to the very heart. Hence he knocketh, because men do not give him so much of their hearts as they ought to do. Therefore,

2. This knocking implieth, That Christ seeketh to come in: He desireth admittance into the hearts of men, This knocking is attended with a motion, that the door might be opened, as you may see in that Parallel Scripture, which the words of the Text seem to allude unto, namely, that Cant. 5.2. My Beloved knocketh, saying open to me. Hence also in the Text, Christ doth not only say, I stand and knock at the door; but addeth, if any man hear my voice; So that with this knocking, there is a voice, a call, a motion from Christ, that the door of the heart may be opened. As men sometimes, before they knock at a door, they call an say, Who is within there? Who keep house? Thus doth Christ call upon sinners, Who is within in that heart? Who is the House-keeper? Is there any room for me there? Shall I come and lodge in that Soul of thine?