that it seeth into the mysteries Vtraque cognitio Dei scilicet tui tibi est necessaria ad salutem Bern. Sup. Cantic of Iniquity and Godlinesse whereof it had no knowledge before Now it knows something of it self of a Saviour which it understood not before it is in a new world in a Region of Light even to admiration the Scales are fallen from it's eyes Col. 3. 10. And have put on the new Man which is renewed in knowledge In renovation there is illumination now is the Soul a Spiritual Scholler whereas before it was a very ignoramus in the Spiritual understanding of the things of God though it might have parts and common knowledge enough 2. The Will and Heart is changed the former S. 2 is not sufficient unlesse seconded by this The Lord goeth down from the upper story of the Head into the Heart the Center of the whole man and refineth and purgeth that it was full of Trash and Vanity like a Childs Pocket but the Lord emptieth it of that and maketh it like a Cabinet full of precious and costly Jewels before it was full of Weeds and Nettles but the Lord taketh away them and soweth the Seeds of grace and planteth the Roots of true goodnesse there And this Doctor Ames calleth the passive reception of Christ Med. 1. lib. 26. cap. 21. thes Ephes 2. 5. Even when we were dead in Sins hath he quickened us together with Christ The Will and Heart of man is a Rebellious Catiline but now it is made a loving Friend and an obedient Subject now it is endued with principles of true Godlinesse and hath the image of God impressed upon it in the conformity thereof to his mind It is now a Paradise full of Trees of the Lords own Planting The Will now stands right for God and looketh Heavenward Now it hath that new Heart which God promiseth to give Ezek. 36. 26. A new Heart also will I give you and a new Spirit will I put within you and will take away the stony Heart out of your Flesh c. O precious Heart worth more than the Treasures of both the Indies the comparison falls too short the Lord takes and gives but doth not give and take For this Heart shall never be lost this new Heart is a stock of saving and Sanctifying grace the Fountain Spring Source Habits from whence come and flow the Acts and streames of grace and Piety now doth God lay the principle bottom and Foundation of the after superstructure of Pious Actings now doth the Lord bring the Heart to his own bent and cause it to move towards himself as the Center thereof the Lord hath made the Heart a Treasure or Ware-house from whence good things Mat. 12. 35. are brought forth CHAP. VI. V. What those graces are which especially first put forth themselves They are these 1. Relying Or 1. Faith 2. Repenting Or 2. Repentance THese two are Sisters they are the Primerose graces that first appear in the Spring of conversion or effectual calling For this Work is called by several names viz. effectual calling as there is a closing with the call of God conversion as there is a turning to God and Regeneration as there is a Spiritual birth and such workings of God to the Soul and the Soul to God as beareth Analogy and proportion with the natural Birth But first to speak of Faith or relying many S. 1 controversies there are about Faith all which I wave as not being made for a Souldier and being desirous to improve my time and talent to edification and not disceptation I mean that Act of the Soul whereby it doth rely stay roul and leane it self upon Christ whose Church Cantic 8. 5. and dearest Spouse is said to lean upon him Spiritual life is from Christ in the Habits and to Christ in the Acts by this Faith doth the Judg. 3. 7 c. Soul as Ruth to Boaz come softly as conscious of it's own unworthinesse and layeth it self down at the feet of Christ saying I beseech thee spread thy skirt over thy poor Creature for thou art a near Kinsman Bone of my Bone and Flesh of my self The Soul put 's into the Haven of Christs righteousnesse by Faith and there throweth it self for life and Salvation John 3. 15 16. That whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have Eternal life Before the Habit of Faith with other graces was planted in the Soul and Heart Now the Budd's and Acts of that do appear assoon as there is Regeneration by an Ingeneration of Divine principles the Soul casts it self into the Lap of Christ the Armes of a Saviour and Bosome of a Redeemer when Spiritual strength is put into the Soul the first step it takes is to Christ and by Christ to God The Soul now layeth its self at Christs Door and gives up it self to the Patronage of his Wing It believeth on closeth with and fasteneth it self to him by this Girdle and this Doctor 1. Lib. Med. 26. c. 26. thes Ames calleth the active reception of Christ 2. Relenting The next grace that put 's forth it 's hand out of the Womb is relenting or S. 2 repentance an aversion from evil a conversion to good in heart in hand in affection and action These are often coupled in New Testament Preaching Repent and believe Believe Mark 1. 15. and repent And sometimes the one without the other though one of them be not expressed yet it is implyed Now the Soul goeth from and goeth to from Hell to Heaven from Sin to Grace from the left hand to the Right It 's Back is now where it's Face was and it's Face where it 's Back was The Hebrews have two words growing upon one Root fitly expressing this and corresponding to the Latine aversion and conversion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a turning from and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a turning to What saith the Lord to his People Isai 1. 16 17. Cease to do evil learn to do well By Faith the Soul is willing to possesse good that is Christ by repentance to practice good that is Grace and Piety Now is the Soul troubled for what is past and disquieted for all it's Sins it hateth the evil and loveth the good How sweetly doth Ephraim through the grace of God express himself in the 31. of Jeremy and the 19. Verse Surely after that I was turned I repented and after that I was Instructed I smote upon my Thigh I was ashamed yea even confounded because I did bear the reproach of my youth And how can it be otherwise when the soule is turned to Christ It cannot be for Christ and Baal too nor halt between two opinions It cannot serve God and Mammon If it giveth up it self to Christ it must needs give away it self from sin and if by Faith it take Christ for it's Husband it must forsake the Bed of Adulterous Love If Christ dwell in the heart by
spread throughout the whole Man Soul and Body inwards and outwards It is the bringing them out of nature from a Dungeon to a Court from Egypt to Canaan from sin to Sanctity from gracelessenesse to graciousness from the Suburbs of Hell to the City of God The Soul is now led by the Spirits hand from self from natural sinful moral Religious self to Christ who is all in all unto it Now obeying the call of the Spirit who leads it in clean wayes it walkes strictly before the Soul was in the Field of sin now in the Garden of grace before in the common Road of ungodlinesse now in the private walk of Piety before it was Lawlesse now it walks by Rule and Line And what is the end of all this Is it not Peace here and Peace hereafter Blessedness Ps 119. 1. in possession blessedness in reversion Happiness and Holiness are Confederates are Twins But more than this it tends to Gods glory Doth not Paul Doxologize praise give thanks for this Col. 1. 12. Gods glory is the great Matth. 5. 16. high end of grace and blessed God who hast happily Married these things and art pleased that thy glory should stand in conjunction with the good of goodlesse Creatures Thus have I descanted upon this blessed Work an Embleme whereof in a good measure you have in the Parable of the prodigal Son CHAP. IV. III. The parts of this calling And they are two 1. Tendring Or 1. Reaching out 2. Taking Or 2. Receiving in 1. THere is a tender or offer of Christ and S. 1 grace God lifts up his Son upon the pole of the Gospel Isai 55. 1. Ho every one that thirsteth come ye to the Waters and he that hath no Money come come ye buy and eat Christ comes and woos and invite's to himself John 1. 11. He came unto his own and his own received him not When he was on Earth he made as gracious Offers as could be John 7. 37. Jesus stood and cryed because he would have all hear and what was the matter why even this If any man thirst let him come unto me and drink Would it not melt a stony heart to take notice of such an Invitation Neither is Christ silent since he went to Heaven Revel 22. 17. And let him that is a thirst come and whosoever will let him take the Water of life freely These Words were spoken to John by Christ since he left Earth Is not this able to dissolve a Rock Doth Pro v. 9. 3 not Wisedom dayly send forth her Maidens to call in Souls God comes to Souls with Christ grace Holiness a new heart and saith what doest want what wouldest thou have doest blush at the thoughts of thy condition I have that will fit thee there is nothing can help thee but Christ and grace here they are I pray thee take them Here is all in my Son accept of him and say not nay to embrace my Offer is my desire your duty it will much please me and pleasure you to take my tender how many Motives in Scripture doth God use to force this his precious kindnesse upon us Is not the Gospel for this very end to invite call allure yet the Preaching of the Law is Ames 1. lib. Med. 26. c. 12. 12. Thes Rom. 7. 7. useful thereunto and ordinarily precedes and goes before that so people seeing the worst of themselves may the better apprehend the worth of Christ and knowing their own poverty may the better know the price of Christ that understanding the nature of sin they may be brought out of conceit with themselves and be willing to be made gracious then doth the white of grace most appear when the black of sin is set by it and the excellency and need of goodnesse when we see the danger of our own badnesse a sence of distresse put 's on to fighing for deliverance and what Saints experience almost tells them not that conviction is Mid-wife to conversion 2. There is taking or receiving The former S. 2 was Gods Act this latter is the Soules Conversio ad bonum non homini sed Deo adscribenda Aust Ep. Phil. 2. 13. Bov. 1. 24. yet not so the Soules but that it is beholding to God for it It hath not such propriety in it but that it depends upon Gods efficiency It is he that worketh in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure God hath reached out his hands in offering and now the Soul reacheth out it's hands to accept The Soul now giveth consent and no longer saith nay now Christ and the Soul are made one and of his fulnesse doth it receive John 1. 16. grace for grace Now it drinks an hearty draught of the Waters of Life now it opens the door of it's heart and let 's in Christ and grace who have stood knocking there a great while and bids them welcome with a kisse of hearty and sincere Love John 1. 12. As many as received him Now the Soul receiveth Christ now the womb of it's heart is not capacious enough to receive now it 's stomack is come down and fall's to feed heartily upon Spiritual viands the bread of life John 6. 56. He that eateth my Flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I in him Now it admires the gracious condescensions of the Lord and blames it self for being stubborn so long Now it is willing to open it's mouth wide yea that it's heart be opened that it may be Psa 81. 10. filled with good things It hearkeneth inwardly as well as outwardly The Lord hath opened it's ear and it is not rebellious now it yeelds stoopes submits to and closeth with God in his grace it answeres Gods call and saith Lord thy Face will I seek Ps 27. 8. and subscribes for God Isai 44. 5. CHAP. V. IV. What is done in this effectual calling or what parts are wrought upon THe whole Man is altered but principally these two Cardinal parts or faculties which are as King and Queen to the rest 1. The wit Or 1. The Head 2. The will Or 2. The Heart 1. The Head is changed before it was an S. 1 Head of Brasse now an Head of Gold before it was night now it is day with it now the bright morning Star appeareth in the Horizon Revel 2. 28. of the Soul The ruddy morning is come and the Sun putteth forth his head Ephes 5. 8. Ye were sometimes darknesse but now are ye Light in the Lord. So dark is the Soul while in the Womb of nature that it is darknesse it self in the abstract a greater darknesse than that which God sent as a sore Judgement upon the Egyptians for that was felt but sinful Souls Exod. 10. 21. feel not nor perceive this darknesse Ephes 4. 18. Their understanding is darkned and there is ignorance and blindnesse in them but now God makes a Window in the Soul and let 's in enlightening beames
be better than you are and yet for all this you are the same man and woman It hath convinced you of Christ's readinesse to espouse you and yet you have not been willing to give your sins a Bill of divorcement and to put them away it hath made conscience its deputy your bosome Friend that knows you well and should have great interest in you Conscientia est cordis scientia and hath set it on work to speak to and to deal with you but all will not do The spirit hath visited you every day upon this account and hath spoken to you enticing words and intreated you not to be so unruly like an Heifer unaccustomed to the yoke and hath said come soul hearken to the voice of God obey the call of Christ you do not know how much it may be for your good why will you not be gracious and holy Do you not know that to be Godly is to be Godlike The great God that can grind you to powder the good God that can save your soul calls upon you invites you and will you say nay The spirit hath opened the Lord's love Letters and read them to you and descanted upon them but you regard not To sin against such shinings of the spirit is no small matter affronts offered to the spirit will sit heavy upon the soul when time shall be Hath the Dove come and have not you Spiritus Jesus spiritus bonus Sanctus rectus c. Isai 63. 10. opened the window to let it in Hath the holy good pure spirit of Jesus Christ thus parlyed with you and do you stand out against its sweet assaults This is to vex and rebel against the spirit which is a great provocation to the Lord and aggravation of thy sin whereby thou doest incurre his displeasure procure thy destruction 5. The Longitude of your life The thred S. 14 of your life hath been spun out to a great length you have lived many a year in the world you have lived to see your glasse run and turned up again when others have died before their glasse hath been half run The day of your life hath been not a Winter's but a Summer's day You have followed many of your relations and acquaintance to the grave who have been younger than you but you live still The Lord hath made you a long lease and it is not yet expired He hath cut down some assoon as they have budded and blossomed but he letteth you stand still He hath stopped the breath of some soon after he hath given it them but thy breath is still in thy nostrils Thy radical heat is not put out thy radical moisture is not yet dried up He hath caused thy Sun to stand still in the Firmament and hath kept it from going down at noon day he hath lengthened thy time from the spring of youth to the autumne of ripe and mature years And yet thou hast brought forth no clusters of Grapes no ripe fruit It was the aggravation of Jezebel's sin that the Lord gave her space to repent of her fornication and she repented not Revel 2. 21. It is sad that thy Virtutes faciunt dies bones dayes have been great but not good that thy dayes have been many and thy grace but mean Thou hast through the Lord's clemency renewed thy youth as the Eagle but though the Lord hath been calling thy heart is not renewed The Lord hath added years to thy daies as he did to Hezekiah but thou hast 2 Kings 20. 6. not yet added sanctity to thy civility nor piety in the power to thy profession in the forme Thou art well stricken in years but thou hast never yet fully stricken a Covenant with the Lord. Thou art entred a great way into the scores but wouldest never yet enter cordially into the School of Christ The Lord hath cut off many in their sins while they have been acting unrighteousnesse as the drunkard that said he should never die yet fell down a pair of staires presently and died while you have escaped and your life hath been given you for a prey and yet all this while you have gotten no grace You have seen of the fruit of your body it may be to the third generation and yet the Lord hath seen no fruits of grace from your soul you have been fruitful according to the flesh but barren according to the spirit You have lived so long as to have an hoary head but not so long as to have an holy heart Hath the Lord lengthened out your daies to a longer date than the daies of many of your stock and Family and yet are you without grace Are you ancient in years and yet have not come in to the ancient of dayes Is invaluable time of no value with you Is it nothing think you to live thirty fourty fifty Nihil pretiosius tempore heu nil hodiè eo vilius invenitur nay sixty yea almost four-score years without a change without conversion after so many callings The Lord giveth you time to turn in and will not you turn in time The Lord deferres as doomes-day so death's-day out of long suffering because he is not willing that thou shouldest perish but that thou shouldest 2 Pet. 3. 9 come to repentance Hast thou stood all this while in the Lord's orchard and is not the time of Figs yet with thee What will Christ say when he comes finds nothing but leaves on thee at these years Age and years aggravate Mark 11. 13 14. failings of infirmity because such should have more discretion much more then the fault of impenitency because they should have had true contrition It is not because others are worse then you that while they after a little time have withered in the grave you for a long time have walked on the Earth but it is that you might be better then they It is not because you shall not die to nature but it is because he would have you live to grace and yet are you dead while living no life nor love to this day Ah poor soul is it not a very great evil that the Lord hath been laying siege to thine heart these thirty fourty fifty years or more and yet thou hast stood up and stouted it out against him that thou hast so long been called by him and yet thy deaf vile heart hath not hearkned to him nor closed with him length of time overcomes many things but thou hast been little Nihil est quod longinquitas temporis efficere non possit the better for thy long time There hath been an extension of thy daies but no intension of thy desires a lengthening of thy season but no loathing of thy sins 6. The latitude of your comforts Your S. 15 daies have had breadth as well as length Your daies have been fair not foul clear not cloudy delightful with Sun-shine not darkned with sadnesse some have had a continued but not a
Angels he is like the Soveraign among his subjects the Sun among the Planets there is nothing in him but is a strong motive to love and a powerful invitation to affection 2. His affection to them They consider how S. 72 Christ hath loved them and this kindles the fire in their hearts that they cannot but love him again they have received love from him and this makes them render love to him He descended to earth out of love to the sons of Ama amorem illius qui amore tui descendit in uterum virginis 1 Sam. 14. 45. men and they cannot but ascend to heaven out of love to the Son of God The people expressed their love to Jonathan in standing between him and death because he wrought great salvation in Israel Upon the same account do Saints express love to their spiritual Saviour they say and think it is pity but love should have love he hath laid down his life for them and they think they can give no less then their heart-love to him but thou hast no love to Christ thou wilt not part with ought for his sake thou seest no such greatness in him that he should be liked no such goodness that he should be loved if thou have any love towards him it is but from the teeth and not in truth but common and complemental not cordial 7. Improving assurance The incomes of assurance such have from the Spirit make S. 73 them more dutiful to the Spirit they dare not turn the grace of God into wantonness if they hear a voice from heaven saying Thou art my dear son my pleasant child what vigour and life doth this put into them to make them lay out themselves for God It is marrow to their bones and health to their flesh the joy of the Lord is the strength of Neh. 8. 10. their souls intimations of God's love they use as invitations to a good life when the Lord speaks peace to their hearts they think they are bound to act piety with their hands if God speak peace to them they dare not Psal 85. 8. turn to folly peace of conscience with such is mother to piety in conversation if they have a sense of acceptance with God it makes them seek for more acquaintance with his ways when they have but a sip of this cordial how it fills them with activity for the Lord they desire not this Sun-shine to play in but to work in but as for thee thy confidences putrifie and breed corruption and thy security sin Thou thinkest thou art one Non sperare potest coeleste regnum cui super propria regnare membra adhuc non donatur of God's and shalt be saved and therefore takest liberty to thy self to fulfil the lusts of thine own heart thou hast then no grace yet this is the way of many wretched creatures if they can but fancy the sureness of their condition they fear not the sinfulness of their courses But this warm weather is not the prognostication of the divine Almanack it is one of the Divel's Errata's 8. Hating hypocrisie Such are sincere S. 74 not hypocritical Sincerity was part of Paul's prayer for the Philippians when he saith that Phil. 1. 10. ye may be sincere They have their inside and their outside all of one piece of all things hypocrisie goeth most against their stomacks they are what they would seem to be and they seem as they are As the Heathen said so is it here there must be nothing fained In amicitiâ nihil fictum aut simulatum Tull. and counterfeit in the friendship between God and a Saint Painters call the mixture of colours 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 corruption because whatsoever is mixed will more easily corrupt saith Plutarch If you be mixed you are naught if you be a linsey-woolsey Christian you are not of the right make God's people are not open Saints and secret sinners they are not all shew they have substance too if they were anatomized their insides would be found as white as their outsides their hearts as well as their hands are washed their spirit beareth a part in all they do the glory of God the salvation of their souls are the compasses they steer their course by glory credit reputation gain c. are not the white that they shoot the arrows of Religion at but it is far otherwise with thee as thou mayst easily perceive if thou take but a transitory view of thy self 9. Resisting custome Like living fish they S. 59 swim against the stream only the fish Elops swimmeth against wind and water so do these They are Antipodes to the world in their carriages And be not conformed to this world but be ye transformed by the renewing of your Rom. 12. 2. mind saith the Apostle What others are they are not what others are not they are they Contraria juxta se posita megis elucescunt follow not a multitude to do evil they chuse the strait way though they find no company their minds are contrary to the manners their courses to the customes their ways to the works their garb to the guise of the generality of the world Saints are singular other mens practices are no rule for their performances What Christ said of his Disciples then is true of them in all ages ye are not of this world Joh. 15. 19. the world goes west-ward these east-ward the world lies in wickedness these are up and doing the work of the Lord the world is sinfully secure these are seriously seeking the world lazy these labouring the world pursuing their gain these pleasing their God it matters not what crouds there are in the way of vanity these are content to go single in the way of vertue they go cross to the world not from passionate perverseness but from pious principles not from an humorous contrariety but from an heavenly conversion 10. Prizing communion Lastly they S. 80 make the enjoyment of God and Christ their summum bonum their chief good and prize communion with the divine being above all things The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup thou maintainest my lot Psal 16. 5. Psal 73. 25. Whom have I in heaven but thee and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee How did David's desires reach to heaven The participation of God and Christ is the ultimate end of a gracious souls pantings and pains its thoughts endeavours contrivances have a tendency thereunto it makes this the end of its life and liberty the end of its desires and duties the end of its prayers and performances to enjoy its God and Saviour here and hereafter other mens thoughts affections labours are about transitory things and that whereabout men lay out the choice of their intentions and indeavours they make their chief good Thus have I finished this use of examination whereon I have insisted the longer and which I have diversified the largelier because it