alone should languish and become barren, as an excellent di vine + fpeaks very pertinently. Take care you put not that laft, which should be firft; and that, again, first, which should be laft. Measures fo pernicioufly prepofterous will be fatal to the whole work of converfion. A head well inftructed, is much to be defired; but a fanctified heart is abfolutely neceffary. "Covet earnestly the best gifts, and yet fhew I unto you a more "excellent way," 1 Cor. xii. 31. For gifts, let them increase; but grace, let it outshine them all. Let thefe 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 fubjection, left that "by any means, when I have preached unto others, I myself "fhould be a caft-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 Jefus.

Continually bear in mind this serious warning of our learned countryman Reynolds ‡, Let us not think much of ourselves, though God fhould have adorned us with the finest gifts of na ture, with a lively genius, with an elegant diction, much reading, long experience of things, fkill in the arts, languages and fciences, folidity of judgment, quickness of understanding, almoft like that of angels, unless at the fame 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 exercise 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 minifterial and fanctifying gifts, that you may approve yourselves to be defenders of Chrift and his religion, and firm opposers

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 refpect due to you from

Your fellow-fervant in

the gospel of Chrift,

JOHN FLAVEL.

+ S, Ford. Ambitio fac.

Animalis homo,

TH

409]

To the R E A D ËR.

HE worthy author of the difcourfe emitted herewith, is one whose praise is in the gospel throughout all the chur ches. His other books have made his name precious and fa mous in both Englands. Nor can my teftimony add any thing to one every way greater than myself. Nevertheless, a fingu lar providence having caft 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 adminiftred to a young preacher, who entertained his auditory with an elaborate difcourfe 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 neceffary to be taught and practised, yet it is much to be lamented, that many preachers in thefe days have hardly any other difcourfes in their pulpits than what we find in Seneca, Epictetus, Plutarch, or fome fuch heathen moralift. Chrift, the holy Spirit, and (in a word) the gospel is not in their fermons. But bleffed be God, that there are fome (and great is their company in this land of light) who preach the truth as it is in Jefus 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 feals thereof, has been pleased in wonderful ways to fet open, and keep open a door of liberty to the gofpel, that they, unto whom he has given a heart to preach Chrift, may do it. This is the Lord's doing; this is a Spirit of life from God. When Cyrus proclaimed liberty for the free exercife of religion, the Lord's fervants, who for fome 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 subject very proper to be infifted on at fuch a day as this. I am informed by unqueftionable 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 Chrift thereby. The Lord grant that the second preaching of them to far greater multitudes, by this way of the prefs, may, by VOL. IV. Fff

the fame Spirit, be made abundantly fuccefsful for the conver fion and falvation of God's elect. The fruit brought forth by the holy apostles in refpect 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 ceafe from his labours, and his works fhall follow him. Let the Lord's people be thankful to him for that he has fent fuch a labourer into the harveft, and pray that he may be con tinued 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

Lefs than the least of all faints,

London, 1689.

INCREASE MATHER

SERMON

I.

REV. iii. 20. [Behold] I fand 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.

T

ty for

HIS day hath our compaffionate Redeemer opened unto us a door of liberty; liberty to us to preach, and liberyou to hear the glad tidings of the gofpel. This is a day few looked for: how often have I faid in the years that are pay God hath no more work for me to do, and I fhall have no more ftrength and opportunities to work for God? And how often have you faid in your hearts, we have finned our minifters out of their pulpits, and our eyes fhall no more behold thofe our teachers? But lo, beyond the thoughts of moft hearts, wide and (I hope) an effectual door is now opened in the midt 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 nex thoughts were how to make the moft fruitful improvement of

it amongst you, left we fhould twice ftumble at the fame ftone, 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 fad indeed if he that hath let you into all these mercies, should himself be shut out of your hearts: but if the Lord fhould 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 fo the Lord help you to hear what shall be fpoken from this precious fcripture, Bebald I ftand 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 moft formal, hypocritical and degenerate of all the feven churches; yet the great Phyfician will try his skill upon them, both by the rebukes of the rod, verfe 19. and by the perfuafive power of the word; verse 20. Behold I stand at the door and knock, &c.

This text is Chrift'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.

Firft, Chrift's fuit for a finner's heart, wherein we have (1), The folemn preface, ufhering it in, behold: (2.) The fuit itfelf. The preface is exceeding folemn: for beside the common ufe of this word behold, in other places, to excite attention, or exaggerate and put weight into an affirmation; it ftands here, as a judicious expofitor † notes, as a term of notification or public record, wherein Chrift takes witnefs of the most gracious offer he was now about to make to their fouls, and will have it ftand 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 itfelf, wherein we have,

+ Durham on the place.

2. His pofture and action; I stand at the door and knock. 3. The fuit itself, which is for opening, if any man open.

1. The fuitor, Chrift himself, I stand; I that have a right of fovereignty over you; I that have thed my invaluable blood to purchase you, and might juftly condem you, upon the first denial or demur; behold I ftand: this is the fuitor,

2. His pofture and action, I ftand at the door, and knock; the word is in the † preter tenfe, I have stood, but being here joined with another verb of the prefent tense, it is fitly tranflated, I ftand, yet fo as that it notes a continued action. I have ftood, and do still ftand with unwearied patience; I once stood perfonally and bodily among you in the days of my flesh, and I ftill ftand fpiritually and reprefentatively in my ambaffadors at the door, (i. e.) the mind and confcience, the faculties and powers which are introductive into the whole fqul.

The word door is here properly put to fignify thofe introductive faculties of the foul, which are of a like ufe to it, as the door is to the house. This is the Redeemer's posture, his action is knocking, (i. e.) his powerful effay, and gracious attempts to open the heart to give him admiffion. The word knock fignifies a ftrong and powerful knock; he stands patiently, and knocks powerfully by the word outwardly, by the convictions, motions, impulfes, ftrivings, and instigations of his Spirit inwardly.

3. The defign and end of the fuit, it is for opening, (i. e.) confenting, 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 Christ; and that nothing but a power from him can open it.

Secondly, The powerful arguments and motives ufed by Chrift to obtain his fuit, and get a grant from the finner's heart; and they are drawn from two ineftimable 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 myself 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

Esma. Kpew a xepas cornu, & fic fit uspww, & per fyncopen upštin