alone should languish and become barren, as an excellent di vine † speaks very pertinently. Take care you put not that laft, which should be first; and that, again, first, which should be last. Measures so perniciously preposterous will be fatal to the whole work of conversion. A head well instructed, is much to be defired; but a sanctified heart is absolutely neceflary. " Covet earnestly the best gifts, and yet shew I unto you a more " excellent way," 1 Cor. xii. 31. For gifts, let them increase; but grace, let it outshine them all. Let these words of the great apostle take deep root in your hearts, 1 Cor. ix. 27. "But " I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection, left that " by any means, when I have preached unto others, I myfeli " should be a cast-away." For what will it profit, to be learned and damned? It is one thing to be learned in the truths of Christ, another to be taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus. Continually bear in mind this serious warning of our learned countryman Reynolds , Let us not think much of ourselves, though God should have adorned us with the finest gifts of na ture, with a lively genius, with an elegant diction, much reading, long experience of things, skill in the arts, languages and sciences, solidity of judgment, quickness of understanding, almost like that of angels, unless at the same time he add to all, the gift of his Spirit to help us to know and delight in the heavenly mystery. For though by the exercife of those shining accomplishments, we may procure to ourselves the favour and esteem of men, though from thence great advantage may redound to the learned world, and to the church of Chrift, yet do they not at all tend to obtain for us either the favour of God, or the reward of heavenly happiness. May God give you ministerial and sanctifying gifts, that you may approve yourselves to be defenders of Chrift and his religion, and firm oppofers

of his enemies.

But it is time to close this unpolished and homely letter, which, however, I hope you will favourably accept as a teftimony of that respect due to you from

1

Your fellow-fervant in

the gospel of Christ,

JOHN FLAVEL

↑ S, Ford. Ambitio fac.

† Animalis homo.

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To the READER.

HE worthy author

of the discourse emitted herewith, is

one whose praise is in the gospel throughout all the chur ches. His other books have made his name precious and famous in both Englands. Nor can my teftimony add any thing to one every way greater than myself. Nevertheless, a finguIar providence having cast my lot to be at present in this great city; I could not withstand the importunity of them, who defired a few Prefatory lines to manifest the respect I owe to this renowned and learned man.

It was a wife reproof which a grave divine administred to a young preacher, who entertained his auditory with an elaborate discourse: after he had commended his parts and pains, there was (faid he) one thing wanting in the fermon; I could not perceive that the Spirit of God was in it. And though morality is good, and necessary to be taught and practised, yet it is much to be lamented, that many preachers in these days have hardly any other discourses in their pulpits than what we find in Seneca, Epictetus, Plutarch, or some fuch heathen moralist. Christ, the holy Spirit, and (in a word) the gospel is not in their fermons. But blessed be God, that there are some (and great is their company in this land of light) who preach the truth as it is in Jesus: and he who has taken the book out of the right hand of him that fits on the throne, and is worthy to open the seals thereof, has been pleased in wonderful ways to set open, and keep open a door of liberty to the gospel, that they, unto whom he has given a heart to preach Christ, may do it. This is the Lord's doing; this is a Spirit of life from God. When Cyrus proclaimed liberty for the free exercise of religion, the Lord's servants, who for some years had lain dead, were brought out of their graves, Ezek. xxxvii. 12, 13.

This treatise is a word in feafon: God has made the author to be a wife mafter-builder in his house, and according to the wisdom given him of God, he has enlarged on a gospel fubject very proper to be insisted on at such a day as this. I am informed by unquestionable hands, that there was a remarkable pouring out of the Spirit when these fermons were viva voce delivered, a great number of fouls having been brought home to Christ thereby. The Lord grant that the second preaching of them to far greater multitudes, by this way of the press, may, by VOL. IV.

Fff

:

the fame Spirit, be made abundantly successful for the conver fion and falvation of God's elect. The fruit brought forth by the holy apostles in respect of the writings of fome (as well as the doctrine preached by all) of them, does ftill remain. The fruitful labours of this faithful fervant of Chrift will promote the glory of God, and the good of fouls, when he himself fhall cease from his labours, and his works shall follow him. Let the Lord's people be thankful to him for that he has fent fuch a labourer into the harvest, and pray that he may be continued long therein, and that many fuch (for there are but few fuch) may be raised up, and be made eminently fuccefsful in their holy endeavours, to the enlargement of the kingdom of Chrift, and of God; and let him reign in this land for ever and ever, which is the heart's defire and prayer of one who is

Londen, 1689.

SERMONI.

REV. iii. 20. [Behold] I ftand at the door, and knock, if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and fup with him, and he with me.

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HIS day hath our compaffionate Redeemer opened unto us a door of liberty; liberty to us to preach, and liberty for you to hear the glad tidings of the gospel. This is a day few looked for: how often have I faid in the years that are paft, God hath no more work for me to do, and I shall have no more strength and opportunities to work for God? And how often have you faid in your hearts, we have finned our minifters out of their palpits, and our eyes shall no more behold thofe our teachers? But lo, beyond the thoughts of moft hearts, a wide and (I hope) an effectual door is now opened in the midit of us. Oh! that it might be to us as the valley of Achor was to Ifrael, for a door of hape, Hof. ii. 15. (i. e.) not only mak ing the troubles they meet with in that valley an inlet to their mercies, as ours have been to us; but giving them that valley pignoris nomine, as a pledge of greater mercies intended for them. Upon the first appearance of this mercy, my next thoughts were how to make the most fruitful improvement of

C

it amongst you, lest we should twice stumble at the same stone, and fin ourselves back again into our old bondage.

In the contemplation of this matter, the Lord directed me to this fcripture, wherein the fame hand that opened to you the door of liberty, knocks inportunately at the doors of your hearts for entrance into them, for union and communion with them. It will be sad indeed if he that hath let you into all these mercies, should himself be shut out of your hearts: but if the Lord should help you to open your hearts now to Christ, I doubt not but this door of liberty will be kept open to you, how many foever the adversaries be that envy it, and will do their utmost to shut it up, Ezek. xxxix. 29. The mercies you enjoy this day, are the fruits of Chrift's interceffion with the Father for one trial more: if we bring forth fruit, well; if not, the ax lieth at the root of the tree. Under this confideration I defire to preach, and even so the Lord help you to hear what shall be spoken from this precious scripture, Bebold I stand at the door and knock, &c.

These words are a branch of that excellent epistle dictated by Christ, and sent by his fervant John to the church of Laodicea, the most formal, hypocritical and degenerate of all the seven churches; yet the great Physician will try his skill upon them, both by, the rebukes of the rod, verse 19. and by the perfuafive power of the word; verse 20. Behold I stand at the door and knock, &c.

This text is Christ's wooing voice, full of heavenly rhetoric to win and gain the hearts of finners to himself; wherein we have these two general parts.

1. Chrift's fuit for a finner's heart.

2. The powerful arguments enforcing his fuit.

First, Chrift's fuit for a finner's heart, wherein we have (1/4), The folemn preface, ushering it in, behold: (2.) The fuit itself. The preface is exceeding folemn: for beside the common use of this word behold, in other places, to excite attention, or exaggerate and put weight into an affirmation; it stands here, as a judicious expofitor + notes, as a term of notification or public record, wherein Christ takes witness of the most gracious offer he was now about to make to their fouls, and will have it stand in perpetuam rei memoriam, as a testimony for or against their fouls to all eternity, to cut off all excufes and pretences for time to come.

2. The fuit itself, wherein we have,

† Durham on the place.

1. The Suitor, Jesus Christ.

2. His posture and action; I stand at the door and knock. 3. The suit itself, which is for opening, if any man open. 1. The suitor, Christ himself, I stand; I that have a right of sovereignty over you; I that have shed my invaluable blood to purchase you, and might justly condem you, upon the first de nial or demur; behold I stand: this is the suitor,

2. His posture and action, I stand at the door, and knock: the word is in the † preter tense, I have stood, but being here joined with another verb of the present tense, it is fitly tranflat ed, I stand, yet so as that it notes a continued action. I have stood, and do still stand with unwearied patience; I once ftood personally and bodily among you in the days of my flesh, and I still stand spiritually and representatively in my ambassladors at the door, (i. e.) the mind and confcience, the faculties and powers which are introductive into the whole foul.

The word door is here properly put to fignify those introduc tive faculties of the foul, which are of a like use to it, as the door is to the house. This is the Redeemer's posture, his ac tion is knocking, (i. e.) his * powerful essay, and gracious at tempts to open the heart to give him admission. The word knock signifies a strong and powerful knock; he stands patient. ly, and knocks powerfully by the word outwardly, by the con victions, motions, impulses, strivings, and instigations of his Spirit inwardly.

3. The design and end of the suit, it is for opening, (i.t.) consenting, receiving, embracing, and hearty accepting of him by faith. Acts xvi. 14. The Lord opened the heart of Lydia, (i. e.) perfuaded her foul to believe; implying, that the heart by nature is ftrongly barred and locked up against Chrift; and that nothing but a power from him can open it.

Secondly, The powerful arguments and motives ufed by Christ to obtain his fuit, and get a grant from the finner's heart; and they are drawn from two inestimable benefits accruing to the opening or believing foul, viz.

1. Union,

2. Communion with Chrift.

1. Union; I will come unto him, that is, I will unite myfelf with the opening believing foul; he shall be mystically one with me, and I with him.

2. Communion; I will fup with him, and he with me; that is, I will feast the believing foul with the delicates of heaven

* Έστκα. Η Κρεω α κέρας cornu, & fic fit κερω, & per fyncopen