He that once would not be persuaded to close with the
Lord Jesus, though one should have persuaded him with tears of
blood, behold how fast he now hangs about the Lord: what arguments
he frames with mournful groans; how with shifts and words he seeks
to gain time, and to defer the execution. "Lord, open unto us! Lord,
Lord, open unto us! Lord, thou hast taught in our streets, and we
have both taught in thy name, and in thy name have we cast out
devils. We have eat and drank in thy presence. And when did we see
thee hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in
prison, and did not minister to thee?" O, poor hearts; how loath,
how unwillingly do they turn away from Christ; how loath are they to
partake of their ungodly doings! Christ must say, "Depart," once,
and "Depart," twice, before they will depart. When he hath shut the
door upon them, yet they knock, and cry, "Lord, open unto us:" when
he hath given them their answer, that he knows them not, yet they
plead and mourn. Wherefore, he is fain to answer again, "I tell you,
I know you not whence you are; depart."
O this word, depart, how dreadful is it; with what weight will it
fall on the head of every condemned sinner! For you must note, that
while the ungodly stand thus before the Judge, they cannot choose
but have a most distinct view both of the kingdom of heaven, and of
the damned spirits in hell.
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