may charge Soules home with their sins Cry aloud spare not lift up thy voice like a Trumpet and shew my people their transgression and the house of Jacob their sins Isai 58. 1. Some are so fine fingered they dare not touch the sore so mure hearted they dare not search the wound so mealy-mouthed they cannot speak hard against sin some so guilty they are afraid to condemn themselves A Minister must Preach not as acquitting but accusing not as soothing but as searching not as discharging but charging the wicked and ungodly not as flattering but frowning upon sin not as pleasing man but pleasing God To Preach generally not particularly to Preach as a farre off never come near is not the way To make all wel for fear of ill will is too low a frame for the Spirit of a Minister of Jesus Christ to be in and argues an heart seeking more it's own temporal comfort than Gods Eternal glory I mean not that Ministers should particularize publikely persons or names or that that their words should savour of Spleen and Gall against ought but sin But this that they should charge their peoples sins upon them as Nathan said to David Thou art the man So they you are the 2 Sam. 12. 7. people that are thus and thus Let them endeavour to cause them to know that they are the people that have contemned Gods Commands broken his bonds worked wickednesse practised perversenesse refused repentance and slighted their own Soules that they are in a lost and undone condition after this manner did John the Baptist Preach to the Scribes and Pharisees Matth. 3. 7 8 9. He opens the Book and shewes them their sins he brings them to the brink of Hell and shewes them their danger and so doth Peter Him have ye taken and by wicked hands Crucified and slain Acts 2. 23. And did not the Lord blesse this his Preaching For they were pricked in their hearts and said to Peter and the rest of the Apostles Men and Brethren what shall we do Verse 37. And so again in Acts 8. 20 21 22 23. Read them I pray How terrible doth Peter thunder there against Simon Magus and come home to him My heart riseth much against flattery especially in a Ministery it is a most desperate thing and of cursed consequence There is not a speedier way to damn Semper vitanda est perniciosa dulcedo people whereas a Ministers work is to Preach their Soules to Heaven For Ministers to hover and keep at a distance in their Preaching and never seek to come home nor get into the conscience argueth cowardize or unskilfulnesse Such Preaching will bring little of comfort to the Pastor or conversion to the people It is said of Bernard that once he Preached a curious neat flourishing Sermon and every one was taken with it though not by it but he was sad and heavy thereupon soon after he Preached another Sermon not of kin to the former but an home searching pressing Sermon it was no commendation of this as of the former But he carried it very lightsomely and cheerfully to what he did before the people asked him the reason of his so various divers Heri Bernardum hodie Christum deportment he answers yesterday I Preached Bernard to day Christ yesterday my self to day my Saviour Though people condemn such kind of Preaching yet God will crown it though it be harsh to flesh and blood yet it is health to the Soul and Spirit many look upon it as needlesse when the Lord knows it is very needful 3. Powerful Preaching Powerful zealous S. 12 Preaching is a means of effectual calling Ministers should Preach not with affectation but affection not with formality but fervency not with listlinesse but livelinesse Sermons should be fired with zeal and filled with love Cold dead lazy Preaching maketh Christians thereafter faint wooing for Christ goes away Qui timidè rogat negare docet with a denial if they be not more hot in their work they can never win the castle of the heart for Christ Eli's vile Children feared not their 1 Sam. 2. 25. Fathers faint chiding The Lord did earnestly protest to his people by his Ministers Jer. 11. 7. I earnestly protested saith the Lord or as in the original protesting I protested I delivered my mind to you over and over which sheweth earnestnesse Earnest Preaching many times brings early practice Ministers should first warm their hearts at the Spirits fire and then warm their Sermons at their hearts they should so speak that their words may seem not to fall from their heads but to rise from the hearts what comes from the heart is most like to go to the heart To speak as if one were afraid to wake the sleepers to disquiet sin as if one had no sence of grace or sin of mercy or misery is like to prove fruitlesse and without good issue Sinners are asleep and they must be rouzed they are secure and they must be rounded and they are regardlesse and must be ratled as the Heb. 4. 2 word should be mixed with Faith in the hearer so with fervency in the Preacher It is said of that eminent Divine Master Perkins that in his Preaching he would pronounce the word Damn with such an Emphasis that Fuller holy state he left a trembling impression upon the Spirits of his Auditors Ministers must be Boanerges Sons of Thunder as well as Barjonas Sons of Consolation when they speak they should 1 Pet. 4. 11. speak as the Oracles of God powerfully pressingly vehemently urgingly Reader when the word hath been powerfully Preached to thee in a zealous stirring way hast thou not had some convictions have not the secrets of thine heart been made manifest and thou been constrained to fall down and worship God and report and say the Lord is in this Minister 1 Cor. 14. 25. of a truth Hast not been almost a Christian thereby and thou that art Godly did not the Lord use the obstetrication of means of such kind of Preaching for bringing forth the Man-child of grace The Lord give such Watch-men such Work-men where they are wanted the Lord blesse them where they are seated Was not Christs Preaching after this manner How Pathetically doth he expresse himself Luke 13. 34 35. And can we learn of a greater Doctor than he And what else doth Paul mean and intend but earnest Preaching 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pasor Lex in his counsel to Timothy Preach the word be instant in season out of season 2 Tim. 4. 2. that is be earnest pressing be urgent as some translate the word 2. Means of the higher forme Now we S. 13 come to speak of means of a superiour order and that is the Spirit of the Lord the Spirit and the Word go together the one as the Servant the other as the Master the one as the Instrument Nisi Spiritus S. adsit cordi audientium
Vox Dei hominis GOD'S CALL FROM HEAVEN ECCHOED By Mans answer from Earth Or A Survey of EFFECTUAL CALLING In the Explication of its nature Distribution of it into its parts Illustration of it by its properties Confirmation of it by reasons Application of it by Vses Being the substance of several Sermons delivered to the people of Heveningham in Suffolk By J. Votier Minister of the Gospel When thou saidst Seek yea my face my heart said unto thee thy face Lord will I seek Psal 27. 8. LONDON Printed by T. C. for Nathanael Webb and William Grantham at the Bear in Paul's Church-yard neer the little North door of Pauls 1658. To his beloved people the inhabitants of Heveningham Suff. Christian Friends THese Sermons coming abroad into the world I thought meet to command them to visit and salute you where they first drew their breath They have formerly been preached to your ears they are now presented to your eyes the Lord print them upon your hearts I take it to be my duty though I be the lowermost of the ushers in Christ's School yet according to the measure of my talent to try all conclusions for the weal of your souls and how would mine heart be enlarged with thanks to the Lord if my poor endeavours might be crowned with succes and though these things have been communicated to you formerly yet because we are slow to receive and retain divine truths to write the same things that I have spoken to me shall not be grievous and to you I hope the Lord will make it safe Nay though my service for your souls in any kind were doubled yea treble yet should I abundantly rejoyce in the labour of the hardest tasks if thereby through the assistance of the Almighty I might see Satans forts taken and forces routed and sin marching out of your hearts and lives with bag and baggage and the Lord Jesus with the blessed train of his spirit's graces enthroned and set up in the midst of you To which end Iearnestly desire that the Lord would be pleased to bless this all my other labours that you would be pleased to accept of my counsel as in the Book so in this Epistle And that 1. More generally 2. More particularly with respect to the ensuing Treatise 1. More generally 1. Take heed of error and heresie They are reckoned in Scripture amongst the works of the flesh They are the secret underminers of that which is good notwithstanding their well-complexioned face 2. Get knowledge Ignorance is the root of iniquity In times of light to live in darkness is most sad 3. Do not imprison but improve your knowledge To him that knoweth to do good and doth it not to him it is sin with a witness Jam. 4. 17. Knowledge without grace is but like a jewel in a swines snout or a pearl in a toads head 4. Keep close to the Ordinances Keep up in your hearts a love to them Come once to slight and turn your back upon them and you put the reins into the Divels hands 5. Love sound and soulsearching preaching never distaste it it is best for your souls it is wholesome though not toothsome 6. Be much in examination of your selves weigh your selves in God's scales will you know every thing and be ignorant only of the state of your souls 7. Content not your selves with a form but look afte the power of godliness the name without the nature of a Christian will little avail you forget not what I have taught you from Matth. 7. 21. 8. Take heed of the world and the cares thereof Do not so fasten your thoughts to earth as to be strangers to heaven Be not so careful of your bodies as to be careless of your souls 9. Look to your families let Christ come in there Train up your children and servants religiously let your houses be as so many Churches Neglect here is the corrupted spring that sends forth puddle-streams into Ecclesiastical and Civil societies without the service of God your houses will be but the Divels shops 10. In your places discountenance sin and profaness encourage goodness Improve your power estate age c. for Christ's glory 11. Maintain love towards each other follow peace and holiness Love is an excellent grace 12. Be very careful to sanctifie the Lord's Sabbaths publikely and privately They are God's dole days be not unwilling to wait at the posts of his gates for his alms 2. More particularly with respect to the ensuing Treatise 1. Look upon this little piece as an help to bring to remembrance what hath formerly been taught you 2. Take the counsel therein as from your Minister Friend and Lover who earnestly desires your eternal salvation 3. Read it not out of novelty but conscience 4. Pray over it and for me that I may be the better enabled to discharge my duty in watching over your souls 5. Compare it with the Scriptures and so far as it harmonizeth with them embrace it I shall here put a period and conclude not ceasing to be mindful of you at the throne of grace and to make mention of you in my prayers who am Yours in the service of your souls J. V. To his respected Friends the inhabitants of Margarets of Ilkets-hal in Suff. My first Love LOve is strong That providence which brought me amongst you makes me love you that love time and absence have not obliterated but still like the Laurel it retains its greenness I served a full apprentiship with you in the Ministry of the Gospel wherein my design and desire was the conversion of your souls These papers I send after my former pains with you to second what I then taught you The Spirit as principal bless both the one and the other to you I called you often in the name of Christ to come to Christ and I hope it was not wholly without effect on some My love constrains me to call again in this ensuing Treatise which while you are reading I hope I shall be praying that God would prosper it to you Be convinced of the danger of a natural condition I have often touched on this string if it have jarred to you I wish the Lord would so temper your spirits that now it may be melodious I pray that he that succenturiates and is come in my room may reap the harvest of my seed-time and if what was sown and came up then but thin may grow up now to full ears of corn it shall through grace be a cordial to my spirit Love and cherish that light which burns among you Take heed of the infection of error Be diligent hearers and not only so but also dutiful practicers of the Word The Lord prevail with you and effectually call you unto himself that predestination from eternity may be manifested by your timely acceptance of Christ This is and shall be the prayer of Your unfeigned Lover J. V. From my house in Heveningham Feb. 4. 1657 8. To
you of sin and the danger of a natural condition it was mine own condition once and whether I have yet fully passed it I have much cause to fear I find my heart so carnal sold under sin Others of you may have some early glimmerings of the spirit dawning upon your souls The Lord cause the sun of righteousness to rise upon you with healing under his wings and bring your bloomings and buddings to ripeness and maturity Some others may have a through work of grace upon their hearts the Lord make such thankful for it is an inestimable mercy and keep their feet that they fall not Various are your conditions in regard of temporals and spirituals various are your relations to and acquaintance with me whatsoever the one or the other be let nothing be a bar to keep you from accepting the counsel of the holy Ghost which is sent in love let it therefore be so taken I would not these things should be a witness against you or me another day The Lord therefore for his Christ's sake so sanctifie these truths to us and us by these truths that we may all attain to grace and increase thereof to the comfort of our own souls to the praise and glory of God by Christ So prays Your dayly Orator at the throne of grace J. V. The Epistle to the READER Christian Reader THou mayst wonder to see me add to the pile and heap of books Not glory nor gain unless of God of souls though my heart be very evil and have the seeds of all sin in it are the wheels on which I move in this labour Not affectation but affection to my heavenly Father to my earthly Friends put me on to this Some years since in my publike preaching I went through the chief heads in Divinity and when I came to this of Effectual Calling I insisted the longer upon it because it was very practical and of great concernment I found it then making some impression I hope it may do so now if but one soul be thereby turned in to the Lord it is worth my pains though a thousand times more I was desirous to communicate it to my friends to whom I dedicated for their good if the Lord be pleased to bless it It had been a weary task to have transcribed many copies I was resolved therefore to take the shortest cut It is a complaint that the Press is oppressed and not without cause yet much Printing I think is no more to be indicted then much Preaching if so be the matter be sound and savoury That feminine toleration that Midwives so many spurious births into the world and that licentious liberty whereby any one and any thing may preach and be preached are well worthy of censure and sharp animadversions it is hard to say which more Much reading is a weariness to the flesh and so may much hearing yet if either be rendred under God a means of conviction and conversion to the spirit it is no matter Daniel got knowledge of things of concernment by books Dan. 9. 2. I see the Lord owneth and blesseth reading as well as hearing printing as well as preaching though of all means of grace I take preaching to be the King Mine own soul through the mercy of God for ever blessed be his name hath received some good if it be not presumption to say so that way as well as by the preaching of the word and though this be drawn up by a weak worthless creature yet God I see sometimes makes use of and blesseth a wooden as well as a golden instrument And though hereby I expose my self who am weak to the acute judgement of parted and learned men yet I weigh it not if but one soul may be gained and brought in to God by this service as I hope there shall and the Lord raiseth mine heart to some comfortable expectation thereof What a rejoycing would it be to me if my poor labours might tend to the enlargement of my soveraigns Kingdom Reader I shall no further apologize for or give an account of this undertaking though more might be said I desire thine earnest prayers that while I give these counsels and cautions to others my self may not be a cast-away as thou hast mine If thou be a sinner the Lord conform thee to his will if a Saint the Lord confirm thee in his ways The Lord be with thy spirit and his who is Thine as he hopes for thy souls good J. V. Imprimatur Edmund Calamy A SURVEY OF EFFECTUAL CALLING THE FIRST PART CHAP. I 8. Rom. 30. vers the begin Moreover whom he did Predestinate them he also called IN the first part of this Chapter Paul endeavours to comfort the Roman Saints against the Remainders of sin yet with this proviso and caution that they remain not in sin In this Second Part which begins at the seventeenth Verse he Sect. 1 prescribes an antidote to fortify their Spirits against adversity which is made up of many ingredients the last whereof though not the least is in the 28. vers viz. that God like a skilful Chymist will extract good out of evil and by his wise disposing cause advantage to grow upon the stalk of affliction which is proved in the two next Verses because nothing can break that Golden Chain wherein foreknowledge Predestination Vocation c. are Cohaerence linked together so that the words which I have pitched upon fall out to be the middle linke of this Chain which reacheth from Eternity to Eternity viz. from fore-knowledge and Predestination to Glory For the opening of the words Predestination Explication is a fore-ordaining or appointing even from Eternity in reference to the reasonable Sect. 2 Creature and is sometimes taken largely so as the twins of Election and reprobation lye in the Womb of it and sometimes strictly and synecdochically that it and Election are identified and so is it here used Them hath he called We know what it is to call to or upon another to do this or that so God calls them to Sanctity obedience conformity to his will yet so it is to be understood that he opens their ear to hear and inclines their heart to submit to this call He hath called The Preterperfect tense used for the Future Bez. in loc tense after the manner of the Hebrews and to denote a continued Act But I should rather think he so speaks in reference to those that are called already and so in them Personating all others that are the Children of Predestination or else to shew that those that are Predestinated shall as certainly be called as if they were already called for it is the manner of Scripture Sic narrare futura tanquam praeterita Haym to call the things that are not as if they were In the words are two parts Divis 1. The Subject 2. The Predicate Or 1. The Appointment to the end 2. The first step of the means to the end Viz. 1.
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
Faith sin must out of the House by force for they cannot dwell both together with Love and liking It now lookes upon sin with coynesse and detestation and upon grace with a pleasing smile and saith away ye fawning Flatterers welcome Faithful Friends Christ and grace These namely Faith and Repentance are the Beames and Rayes of that Sun which God set in the Firmament of the Soul when first he Created the new world and implanted grace in the Heart There is a sweet Harmony and loving accord between them though of late some have endeavoured to set them at variance by buzzing causelesse jealousies in their ears whereas God never set the one for the fall of the other CHAP. VII VI. The Degrees and Steps whereby effectual calling ariseth to perfection and is compleated NOw in the next place let us consider those degrees whereby God carryeth on this choice work The rounds of that Ladder whereby he raiseth the Soul from Earth to Heaven from its self to himself Let us track the footing of the Spirit in its ordinary goings For be it from me to confine the Spirit for as it bloweth where it listeth so also how it listeth but this order seems to me probable from the nature of effectual calling and from the experience of converts 1. Cognition Or a knowledge of the Law S. 1 It usually learneth this Horn-book before it get into an higher Forme How can he be what he would be that knoweth not what he is And how can he know what he is that knoweth not what he should be Rom. 7. 7. I had not known sin but by the Law And had he Lex est index peccati Ambr. been ignorant of the Law he might have been ignorant of his sin too It is the hand that doth indigitate and point at sin The Law is a looking-glasse but if we have not eyes to make use of this Glasse what will it avail us Sin is 1 John 3. 1 4 8. the transgression of a Law and where no Law is there can be no transgression and if there Rom. 4. 15. be Law and no knowledge of this Law there can be no knowledge of sin The pages then of the Book of the moral Law or of that we are speaking must be turned over the Soul must meditate upon that God opens the eye now to see his mind in Precepts and Prohibitions in his Law Hath not the darknesse of ignorance kept many an one a sleep still in the Devils Lap Unseen danger maketh no Impression upon the Spirit Doth not the Law speak of guilt danger c. It is true a man may have knowledge of the Law and yet through inconsideratenesse or the strong tide of corruption bearing down all before it till God stop and damme it up with the workings of his special grace may go on in sin and pursue the foolish imaginations of his own Heart but where there is effectual calling this was an Attendant to usher it in in this new Creation Light is one of the first things that is made Gods gracious Works upon the Soul begin with light and his way is from the eye to the Heart To open their eyes and to turn them from darknesse Acts 26. 18. to Light and from the power of Satan unto God And how can they know that they are under the power of Satans Kingdom if they know not the Laws of Gods Monarchy I mention not the Law to derogate from or Eclipse the Splendour of the Gospel 2. Comparation The next thing is the use S. 2 that the Soul makes of the knowledge of the Law namely to compare it's wayes with the Law Now it layes it's Life to the Line it's Wayes to the Word Now it brings it's self to the Trial the Touch-stone the Square The Commandements are Holy and just and good Rom. 7. 12. Rectum est regula sui obliqui And therefore fit to be a measure for every straight thing doth best discover that which is crooked There are the Ballances of the Sanctuary wherein the Soul weigheth it self now it brings it's face to this Glasse and there tells it's Spots not of Beauty but Deformity As 2 Kings 4. 34. Elisha stretched himself upon the Child part to part so doth the Soul bring the Law to it self and it's self to the Law in thought word and deed Doth not the Apostle compare himself and his wayes with the Law in Rom. 7. 14. Where he saith we know that the Law is Spiritual but I am Carnal sold under Sin A Spiritual Law but a Carnal Paul This also was Davids course Ps 119. 59. I thought on my wayes and turned my feet unto thy Testimonies And how could he think on his wayes if he knew not the Law and compared them together The Soul now saith to it's self as Jehu 2 Kings 10. 15. to Jehonadah with a little alteration of the Words Is my Heart Right as the Law is Before the Soul did compare it self with it self with others which were false Rules but now with the unerring word of God which is the justest measure God hates false Ballances and measures in Spirituals as well as temporals 1. Apprehension Of the evil of it's ways 2. Apprehension Of it's lost condition S. 3 The next staire or step that the Soul takes is apprehension or sence and that 1. of sin the evil of its wayes now it seeth it self sick and having looked into the Law it discernes the palenesse of it's countenance the Symptome of it's hearts distemper It may say to the Law as the 1 Kings 17. 18. Widow to Elijah O thou Law of God thou art come to call my sin to remembrance Before all was well now all is ill all whole before now all is naught Now it knoweth it self to be a sinner to be black defiled and polluted all over All the wayes of a Man or Woman are clean in their own eys before but the Lord weigheth Prov. 16. 2. the Spirits He that is first in his own cause seemeth just but his Neghbour cometh and searcheth Prov. 18. 17. him We are too ready to be partial in our own cause but the Law as our Neighbour for it is written in the Heart in some measure cometh and searcheth us The Lord promiseth in his new Covenant that people shall remember their own evil wayes and their doings that were not good and shall loath themselves in their own sight for their Iniquities and for their abominations Ezek. 36. 31. Now doth the Soul call to remembrance it 's former evil Practices and saith I was in the dark before and thought nothing now I am in the light I perceive my self all stained and mired 2. Of it's lost condition Now it seeth the S. 4 Sword of Gods indignation hang over its head by a twine thred now it seeth the Vials of wrath unstopped and ready to empty themselves upon its head in a curse to its Eternal destruction
a loud voice As our Saviour saith in another case this kind goeth not out but by fasting and prayer Matth. 17. 21. the like may we say of sins riveted by custome and time they may be loosed but with much a do the Ice of a months freezing may be broken as well as the Ice of a nights freezing though with more knocks Many shifts and evasions do people find for themselves by continuance of time whereby they keep sin in and grace out by use sin groweth strong sense of sin weak and their hearts little affected with the word being like the people that dwell by the water falls of Nilus who regard not the great noise thereof whereas it is troublesome to strangers so they being accustomed to the sound of the word little regard it 3. Necessity of service Therefore doth S. 5 God use to convert mostly in the spring for all that are sanctified in conversion are to serve him in their conversation Those that are called are called not to loyter but to labour not to be truantly but trusty not to play in the open field of the world but to ply his work in the walled vineyard of his Church not to sit with folded hands in our bosomes but to run the way of his commandments Much there is for a Christian to do for God for himself for his relations for his neighbours for Gods praise for his own and others peace for the illustration of Gods glory for the salvation of his own and others Ars longa vita brevis souls and the time of people upon earth at longest is but short at most is but little and if they begin not betimes what can they do a long journey from earth to heaven we had need take the morning and set out by Sun a great deal of business to do and it must be done in the day of this life we had need then be stirring very early the good housholder which may well be an emblem of Gods calling sinners is said to go out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard Matth. 20. 1. As the whole man so the whole time doth the Lord require as our spirits soul and body so our youth middle and old age death often comes sooner than old age and if nothing be done before nothing can be done after Much work and many works hath a Christian to do There is the fostering of faith the renewing repentance subduing of sin conquering corruption guarding his grace fearing his falling watching his walking studying the Scriptures perusing the promises conversing with converts admonishing acquaintance defying the Divel growing in grace and in all glorifying his God and as the Apostle saith in another case 2 Cor. 2. 16. Who is sufficient for these things so may we in this What time is sufficient for these things Besides in youth there is bodily strength for the task of duties for the body as well as the soul is to be and do for God and spiritual services take a tincture from the bodies temper Though the spirit be willing yet the lesse will be done if the flesh be weak fervent prayer frequent meditation of God his works his word of it self its ways its wants solemn fastings whether publike or private much reading often hearing self examining for which and many more is requisite the vigor of the souls powers the vivasity Meus sanein corpore sano of the bodies parts which in age do age lurk and languish grow feeble and faint the former whereof are evacuated in regard of spirits the latter enervated in regard of strength CHAP. XI X. The means whereby the Lord doth effectually call IN the next place we are to speak of those ways and means which the Lord maketh use of for the calling home wandring creatures lost sheep to himself and they are either of a lower or of an higher form Of the lower form 1. Works Of the lower form 2. Word Of the higher form The Spirit 1. By works The Lord many times makes common works and ordinary providences S. 1 to be especial instruments of grace All things are in Gods hands and those things that are of an inferiour nature can he so blesse and dispose that thereby they shall be suited for the attaining of highest ends Now those providences which the Lord hath used this way and countenanceth in reference to this work are these seven following which carry Scripture authority at their backs 1. By providing yoke-fellows the Lord S. 2 makes temporal marriages sometimes means of spiritual and in this regard it may be well said that matches are made in heaven when for heaven marrying proves to many a making to all eternity sometimes a man when he hath prevailed with a woman afterwards woes and wins her for Christ and many a woman that takes her husband much with her person takes him more with her piety How doth the wisedom and goodnesse of God much appear in this he brings those together that were most unthought of most unlikely he bringeth those together that were farthest distant from each other thus he makes grace out of nature as it were and a spiritual union to grow upon a fleshly conjunction by means of making one flesh he sometimes makes one spirit and doth not the Apostle use this as a reason why he would have the Corinthians not to leave but to shew love to their unbelieving yoke-fellows For what knowest thou O wife whether thou shalt save thy husband or how knowest thou O man whether thou shalt save thy wife 1 Cor. 7. 16. And doth not Peter counsel wives to be in subjection to their own husbands and to what end is it Why That if any obey not the word they also may without the word be wonne by the conversation of the wives 1 Pet. 3. 1. Many an one may say to their yoke fellows in some sort as David 1 Sam. 25. 32 c. to Abigail Blessed be the Lord God of Israel which gave me such an Husband such a Wife and blessed be thy advice my dear heart and blessed be thou which hast told me of my sin admonished me of my State and so hast kept me from Iniquity for in very deed had it not been for thee under the Lord I had perished in my transgressions though there may be carnal love and a peaceable life between yoke-fellows yet no well-bottomed affection if there be not mutual care for each others Eternal welfare They should seek by exhortation and conversation by counsels and commerce by prayer by pattern to bring each other into the bosome of Christ within the bounds of the Covenant The Apostle condemnes and blames the weaknesse of the Galatians That having begun in the Spirit sought to be made perfect by the Flesh We may congratulate and blesse the Gal. 3. 3. wisedom of God that causeth that which is begun in the Flesh to end in the Spirit Sometime a good Husband makes a good Wife and
the housholders hiring of labourers into his vineyard some Matth. 20. were called at the ninth others at the tenth and eleventh now had they died in the fourth fifth sixth c. hour of the day what had become of them then and so the theefe Luke 23. 42 43. upon the crosse that was converted had he suffred or been cut off before where had been his repentance it is true Gods determination cannot be frustrated but his decree fixeth as the end so the means and amongst means time as well as other things are the object of his purpose many had they died had never lived to grace many live that they may not die for sin many get up from the bed of sicknesse that they may attain the health of their souls many are delivered from the brinck of the grave that they may be brought into the bosome of God many sicknesses would prove mortal to the body but that God intends to be merciful to the soul the Lord delivers from going downward to the earth because he intends to draw them upwards to heaven and bids death to hold his hand because he hath purposed to have the heart He saith return ye children of men that Psal 90. 3. ye may be renewed as the children of God He many times spares the life that he may save the soul and gives more years that he may give more grace he preserves from drowning by water from burning by fire from distruction by a fall from death by a blow that he may principle them with piety furnish them with faith restore them by repentance grant them all grace and crown them with glory Reader if thou beest a Saint thy experience can bear witnesse to these words had not the Lord caused thy sun to stand still in the firmament and kept it from going down at noon hadst not thou gone down unto the pit and been swallowed up of hell and been as those that had been dead and damned long ago hadst thou died of thy dropsie been consumed with thy cough been fired with thy feaver hadst thou been mar'd with thy maim hadst thou sunk under thy sicknesse perished by the pox and fallen under the fury of any of thy distempers and casualties which thou hadst and didst meet with before thy conversion what dost thou think had been thy conclusion If thy disease had destroyed thee in thy natural condition shouldst ever have attained to a spiritual constitution hadst died a sinner on earth thou couldst never have been a Saint in heaven but the time of thy change was not then but since and God in mercy added to thy years that he might add thee to his Church Thou mayest take up the Psalmists words with a Psal 124. 1 2 3. little alteration If it had not been the Lord who was on my side when sicknesse and dangers rose up against me they had swallowed me up quick and left me as the object of deserved wrath but blessed be the Lord who hath not given me as a prey to their teeth blessed be the Lord that hath let me live to the day of grace the month of mercy the year of Jubilee that mine eyes might see the salvation Luke 2. 30. of the Lord. The Lord lengthned Simeon's time that he might see Christ in the flesh and thine that thou mightest see him in the spirit As for you that are not Saints who though you can say these things are so notionly yet not experimentally I pray that your particular experience may plainly prove and make it good that your life may be prolonged your days prorogued and the thred thereof be spun out and that the event may declare the end and the issue demonstrate the intention of the Lord to be the changing of your heart the altering of your nature and the sanctifying of you throughout in soul and body 6. By giving good acquaintance First the S. 7 Lord acquainteth with his people and by this means with himself an associate sometimes proves a guide to good they light by providence upon the knowledge of some good man or woman and by some means or other come to have society and intimacy with them Amicus animae custos dicitur who by their gracious words cordial counsels loving admonitions gentle reproofs win upon them and allure their hearts to God conversing Amicus vitae medicamentum is sometimes a means of converting He that walketh with wise men shall be wise Prov. 13. 20. A friend for the body may prove a favour to the soul civil acquaintance may be of spiritual advantage and from communion with Saints some come to have communion with the sanctifier How sweetly did the Lord bring about the acquaintance of Ruth and Naomi c. first the Lord sends a famine among the people but it proved a feast of fat things to Ruth then by that means drives Elimelech Naomi and their two sons into the land of Moab of those that were strangers to God these two sons marry there the wife of one of them is Ruth thus she comes acquainted with that family the men die only the mother and daughters in law survive that still here is religious acquaintance which was blessed to her Naomi was Naomi to her Ruth 1. that is beautiful comely or greatly moving as the word signifieth and so far wrought with Ruth that she would be of the religion of her mother in law and liked the God and People of Israel better than those of her own Ruth 1. â—6 Country Sometimes a chamber-fellow an intimate a neighbour a companion one whom Bonus sic malo connectitur ut aut pares redditur aut cito ab invicem separentur we journey or work or often have occasion to meet with that is godly may be a means of our good as bad companions are very pestiferous so good ones are very profitable graceless acquaintance draw others with themselves to hell and gracious acquaintance help to draw others with themselves to heaven good company may be a means of life and bad of death a good man studieth for the good of those he converseth with he prays Psal 119. 36. for their peace sorrows for their sins labours for their life cares for their cure perswades them to piety and seeks their eternal salvation Had not the Lord given thee such a friend he had never given thee so much faith had he not brought thee into such a mans society he had never brought thee into his own Sanctuary The goodnesse of thy company helped forward the goodnesse of thy conscience godly neighbours are accounted a grievous burden when they should rather be accepted as a great blessing they are looked upon as foes for speaking the truth when they should be loved as friends for touching the quick They are the best and onely company what ever the world thinks of them who are unworthy of them they are not the troublers of Israel but seek peace as
otiosus est sermo Doctoris the other as the Agent the one as Organical the other as Authentical as Christ said to his Disciples John 15. 5. so may the Spirit say to providences and the word without me ye can do nothing These wheeles would never go if the Spirit did not drive them these sailes would never fill if that did not blow hard these means would be but as dead carcasses if that did not enliven them Words Frustrà foris verba nostra streperent si internum magisterium S. S. deesset Ephes 6. 17. Ps â—27 1. would be but wind without the Spirits working If the word be not in the Spirits hand it will never cut down the weeds of sin nor slay the Goliah of natural rebellion therefore is it called the sword of the Spirit If the Spirit joyn not it self to the chariot it will move heavily as if the wheeles were taken off Except the Lord build the house they labour in vain that build it Unlesse the Spirit move upon the face of the Soul nothing will be brought to ripenesse and perfection As an Heathen could say when he had done some piece of eminent service It was not I that did this exploit but the Gods used me as an Instrument So may the fore-mentioned means say It is not we that have converted but the Spirit by us and may answer as Peter if we be examined of the good Acts 4. 9 10. that sinful Soules have received Be it known unto you all that by the power of the Spirit these Soules are alive this day If the Spirit do not prosper providences and work with the word the Soul can never be changed It is his proper work to give grace to grant holinesse and therefore is he called the Holy-ghost as is his name so is his nature and as his condition is so is his operation If the Spirit sit not at the stern the Minister shall plie the oar in vain Ministers may Act secondarily but the Spirit primarily they as choice subservients but the Spirit as chief superintendent they may carry on their work artificially as Servants but the Spirit architectonically as Master they may Preach out their hearts and if the Spirit doth not put out his hand Soules may go to Hell after all Now the Spirit helpeth and carrieth on this work by these actings The Spirit 1. Perswadeth 2. Fasteneth 3. Applieth 4. Examineth 5. Concludeth 6. Disquieteth 1. The first work of the Spirit is to perswade S. 14 the Soul to believe those things that are spoken Truths heard and not believed will take no place The word Preached did not profit them not being mixt with Faith in them that heard it Heb. 4. 2. The word was propounded to many yet profited but some taught to divers yet took but a few the word the same but not the work And the cause was as perswasion in the one so misperswasion or non-perswasion in the other If we be not perswaded of the sweet of a promise of the soure of a threatning of the reality of consolations pronounced of the certainty of comminations denounced of the verity of Doctrine commended and the necessity of duty commanded they may strike our ear but they will never reach the heart If one hear of a receit for the bodies good and believe not the contents thereof it will do them no good so it is in this case the Scripture is an whole Book of receits for our restitution of remedies for our maladies which we shall never follow if we believe not the vertue and use of them An unbelieving heart is like sandy Infidelitas sicut terra arenosa barren ground Now it is the work of the Spirit to perswade The belief of the misery of our Soules the mercy of a Saviour of the willingnesse and worthinesse of Christ in reference to redemption of the nature of sin and the need of Sanctity cannot be wrought in our Soules without the power of the Spirit We cannot perswade our selves the Minister cannot perswade us without the influx of the Holy-ghost We may go down into the Waters of the word and if the Spirit move not them and us we may come up again as leprous as ever we were Let the Minister informe soundly reprove sharply examine searchingly and exhort sweetly yet all is nothing unlesse the Spirit do something But the Spirit deals and treats with the Soul propounds delivers the truth of God answers objections silenceth queries infallibly demonstrates and by such strong Mediums proves it's Divine conclusions that the Soul is non-plus'd confuted hath nothing to say and is now so clearly convinced that unlesse it would deny principles and shut it's eyes against the light of Argument it must needs come over to the Spirits part and be of it's mind You that are effectually called what say you till the Spirit perswaded you could man prevail with you till you believed indeed the writings of the Prophets and Apostles and the sayings of Ministers from thence did you getany good till then was not allspoken as to the dead 2. It fasteneth In the next place the Spirit S. 15 fasteneth and fixed some word or providence upon the Soul which it cannot forget or shake off and causeth it like Mary to keep all these things and ponder them in their heart Some Luke 2. 19. general thoughts and sence of the word believed of providences experimented do light upon the Spirit of a man or woman but are soon scared away Now the Spirit cometh and holdeth these things to the heart the sound of the word cometh and goeth and the Lord in his providences passeth by us and we take little notice of him But the Spirit as the Master of the assemblies fasteneth something like a naile in a sure place and strikes the arrow into the side the Soul would put all away and thrust all out of doors by company mirth by letting in thoughts of vanity but the Spirit striveth against this stream and now the requiring repentance pressing piety reproving iniquity in general or such a sin in particular the threatning of fury promising favour such a passage or such a phrase in the Ministery of the word and for providences the visiting with sicknesse the lessening the estate the preserving from danger the saving from wrack or the like are so tied by the Spirit to the Soul that it cannot get loose from them and come so freely into it's thoughts that it cannot avoid acquaintance with them and now saith Oh such an expression of the Minister what means it by this providence what doth the Lord intend and where ever it is going whatever it is doing almost these things and thoughts do interveen the Soul cannot but revolve and turn them up and down in it's mind 3. It applieth The Spirit helpeth the Soul S. 16 to apply to it's self in particular what is spoken in the general We are all prone to excuse our selves and are like little Children
who when they see their image in a glasse think it is not themselves but another Baby Our faces are shewed us in the glasse of the word the Mirrour of truth the clear Waters of the Scriptures and we think it is another and not our selves that we see But the Spirit causeth the Soul to say I am the man the woman that am spoken to this sin that is spoken against and threatned is my darling my minion these curses these woes mentioned are my portion and my lot if exhortations to self examinations to repentance to reforming the Soul lookes upon it self as the mark that is aimed at Some Ministers Preach generally and many people understand as generally It is no good manners to others nor charity to our selves to put off all to them and take nothing to our selves If the word or works and our Soules do not meet God and we cannot meet He that applies not the written word wil never apply the substantial word no hand but the Holy-ghost can cause a Soul to make application 4. It examineth In the next place the Spirit S. 17 puts on the Soul to examine and search it self The Spirit holdeth the Scales and forceth the Soul into the Ballances of the Sanctuary that there it may be weighed to see whether it be light or massy that produceth the touch-stone and causeth the Soul thereby to try it self whether it be reprobate or right Silver whether it be counterfeit or currant Gold or drosse for all it's glistering The Spirit giveth light whereby it may search all the roomes of it's Soul and corners of it's heart for without the candle of the Lord can none make exact inquisition into their own state What Solomon speaketh of the Spirit of a man we may most truely affirme of the Holy-ghost that it is the Candle of Prov. 20. 27. the Lord searching all the inward parts of the belly It is our duty but we are naturally unwilling Redi ad cor tuum subtiliter discute teipsum to Spiritual self scrutinies the Spirit brings the Soul into it's study and makes it sit down in the chaire of sober and serious meditations and gather up all those loose writings that lay scattered about in the deske of conscience and causeth it to peruse and read them over It openeth the Book and causeth the Soul to look it over from one end to the other We neither can nor will of our selves enquire into our own hearts till the Spirit lay us upon the Bed of contemplation and cause us to commune with our own hearts and be still That Psa 4. 4. layeth the map before us and openeth our eyes to view the Character and lineaments of our selves The Spirit also keepeth the Soul close to this taske whereas like a truantly Boy it would fain break loose from it's Book It wayteth the Soul with the consideration of the advantagious issue that it grow not weary of it's imployment 5. It concludeth It helpeth the Soul to conclude S. 18 it self miserable The Spirit is the most rational Disputant in the world When we have seen the worst of our selves we would yet fain go away with a sence of some worth though we see the premisses never so manifestly yet we are loth to draw up the conclusion Though the word our hearts have been laid together and the great unsuitablenesse of the latter to the former is evident yet we are loth to inferre from thence that we are sinners though it be proved we are sinners and we know not how to deny the sequel yet we are loth to record it in our consciences to file it on our memories that we are miserable but the Spirit repeats the conclusion till we say after it and makes us say after it till indeed we think so and now the Soul which way soever it looks seeth nothing but wrath where ever it lives discerneth nothing but vengeance by the help of the Spirit it hath sentenced and doomed it self And this sentence being written in legible Characters by the finger of God cannot be wiped out by all the art and subtilty of Satan Paul knew the Law but could not Rom. 7. find his sin and death there till the Spirit shewed it him If the Spirit help us not to judge aright we are sure to be partial in our own case which is more desperate than the exactest impartiality That helpeth us to see the conclusion condemnation the result wretchednesse the issue misery till that turn our note we shall cry peace peace though there be nothing but wrath and warre belonging to us 6. It disquieteth Sinners are ready to flatter themselves when there is cause to fear and S. 19 are too forward to presume when destruction is at hand to consume and though they have concluded their misery yet they are too slow to look out for mercy But the Spirit disquieteth the Soul till it be distrustful of it self and distracts it with care till it draw it to look for a cure that it runneth about the City like Cantic â— the spouse in the Canticles seeking for Christ It is restlesse till it reveal disconsolate till it discover distressed till it divulge without ease in it's mind till it's case be made known The Spirit maketh it unfold it's sin uncase it's sorrow unlap it 's sore and fills it with distraction till it find some satisfaction so that it repairs to Ministers runneth to Sermons it turneth every stone searcheth every corner trieth all means till it get some hope some help Saul was troubled questioneth What Acts 9. 6. wilt thou have me to do till Christ answereth and bids him go into the City And so the Jaylour was perplexed and diseased in his Spirit till he had some solid direction given him Acts 16. 30. The Spirit filleth the Soul full of queries doubts Solicitousnesse and maketh it hunt up and down til at last it have that which it should have viz. Christ grace a new nature thus have I in some measure shewed you that the Spirit hath the chief hand in effectual calling and that all were to no purpose without it's presidency and would have no effect without it's influx therefore O blessed Spirit enliven quicken work with and blesse these lines and Nulla in discendo mora est ubi Spir. S. Doctor adest all other means used for the conversion of sinners and then the deed is done and the work dispatched CHAP. XII XI Objections answered IN the next place we shall endeavour to give answer to some few objections and queries that may be made Many questions might be started such as savour of curiosity more than Christianity of carnal wit than Spiritual wisedom that have more bone than meat the Lord redresse it this age is too rife with them which I shall wave and speak onely to three or four which I judge convenient and pertinent 1. Obj. The first is whether God be the sole S. 1
which is not till the next 2. Secondly in nature As the shooting of a Gun with a Bullet and the killing of any one thereby may be together in time at the same instant yet the shooting is before the slaughter in nature as the cause thereof These things I lay down as preparatives now briefly to the purpose The habits of faith and repentance are planted and set in the heart at one instant there is no difference of time there 2. Repentance from the tenour of the Law Am. med de vocat Thes 31 32 33 34. Buc. lae 30. goeth before justifying faith in time and I think in nature too 3. Gospel repentance followeth justifying faith in the act and dependeth upon it 4. Repentance viz. Gospel is usually first seen because one cannot well perswade himself that he is reconciled to God in Christ till he perceive he hath parted with his sins nor conclude he is pardoned till he saith he is purified nor that Christ and they be united till their souls sins be divided nor that they have put on Christ till they have put off their sins 4. Ob. In the next place the question shall 4. Ob. be whether conversion or effectual calling be S. 4 by the Preaching of the Law or Gospel Sol. Master Burges shall answer this query Sol. Vindiciae legis Lect. 20. and unty this knot I shall give you the short notes of what he delivereth more largely 1. The Law could not work to regeneration were it not for the promises of the Gospel the question is not whether conversion be vi legis by the power of the law but whether it may be cum lege with the preaching of the Law 2. Howsoever the Law may be blest to conversion yet the matter of it cannot be the ground of our justification and adoption 3. The Word of God as it is read or preached worketh no further than objectively to the conversion of a man if considered in it self 4. Whatsoever good effects or benefits are conveyed to the soul by the preaching of the Law or the Gospel it s efficiently from Gods Spirit Thus far this worthy man It is unsafe to exclude the Law though we Am. de voc cap. 26. Thes 12. v. conclude the Gospel is the chief Between the hammer of the Law and the cushion of the Gospel is a flinty heart most like to be broken by the hand of the Spirit we may suppose the Lord speaking in this case as in Zech. Not by might nor by power but by my Spirit saith the Lord 4. Zech. 6. v. The Spirit is the supreme chief Though they be different in their constitution yet they agree in one as to the work of conversion They are all good though in several respects We may well say precious Law more precious Gospel most precious Spirit if the spirit did not move them neither the upper nor nether milstone would turn as neither must be taken for pledge for they cannot work alone so joyntly and together they cannot act without the spirits assistance the Law sheweth the sore the Gospel the salve the one teacheth of sin the other of a Lex data est it gratia quaereretur Saviour the one sheweth the harming curse the other the healing crosse the one mans misery the other Gods mercy but it is the spirit that setteth home these things and openeth the eyes to see them anointing them with spiritual eye-salve the Law may be a preparative hut the Gospel is the power of God to salvation Rom. 1. 16. when the soul by the Law set only the spirit which is the master builder is driven to fear it is the more likely by the Gospel to be drawn to faith and when it seeth it is lost in it self it is thereby provoked to long for Christ the Law treateth of transgression condemneth our courses revealeth wrath thundreth threatnings but the Gospel propoundeth promises breatheth benedictions holdeth out happiness sheweth salvation whereby the spirit draws the heart to Christ CHAP. XIII XII A few plain and familiar reasons are to be given in IN the next place according to the propounded method I am to lay down some demonstrations of the doctrine and they are these ensuing which are as four pillars to support the point and a quaternion of mediums for the life-guard of the position formerly laid down and hitherto treated of 1. Conjunction of the means and end 2. Union to Christ 3. Distinction present and future 4. Application of the means Conjunction of the means and end the S. 1 Lord calls in to himself those whom he laid Rea. 1 out for himself for as he predestinated them to the end viz. happiness so also to the means In rebus quas Deus vult ordo quidam concipitur prius vult finem quam media Ames Med. cap. 7. Thes 40. 51. Ordinatio primum finis deinde mediorum Pol. Synt. lib. 4. c. 6. Non causa regnandi sed via ad regnum viz. holiness the means and the end lying in the same womb of predestination there is a concatenation of them in Gods counsel a twisting of them together in Gods thoughts and when he decrees the one he determines the other In the book of his eternal thoughts with the pen of his certain decree the Lord first sets down the matter of his intention then the means of the execution In the certain register of his thoughts in reference to his peculiar people he first enters his will and then enrols his work Their inheritance shall be glory and the way to it shall be grace for though holiness be not the cause yet it is the cause-way to Heaven who so looks into the way of erfectual calling shall find it a beaten road to Heaven and may perceive in it the prints of the feet of Abraham Isaac Jacob David Samuel and the rest of the spiritual travellers in their journey to the Holy-land thē Lord intends to bring his people into Canaan and with all hath laid out the way and means he intends to bring them into the Heavenly City by the narrow gate of converting grace If it be a part of the wisedom of the children of this generation to think of the means together with the end shall we dare to think that the Father of Light the All-wise God hath not his counsels richly damasked with sapience prudence intelligence beyond the rule of the actions the reach of the conceptions of man I think we may safely say that the Lord hath not determined for ought that we can find in his word that any should commence and take the degree of a glorified Saint in Heaven without undergoing the task and services that belong to Christs school on earth The Apostle telleth the Ephesians that God had before ordained the path of holiness for them to walk in 2 Ephes 10. v. God hath but one way to Heaven wherein all must walk that would come thither supporting themselves
naked to their Eternal shame without the intervention of special grace so long as you keep in the walk of sin in the road of nature Christ and your Souls are far asunder Oh that the Lord would cause the scales to fall from peoples eyes that he would change their Note and turn their time and make them say Oh that Christ were mine which may be instead of saying Christ is mine which is not 4. The pedigree of grace In the next place S. 4 we may take notice of the original of grace whence it comes for the doctrine saith God doth effectually call It is then not an earth but heaven-born thing If we enquire for the descent of it we must ascend above the Stars It is a beam of the eternal Sun a spark of the eternal fire a dropling of the everlasting fountain It is Gods hand that sets this slip in Gratiâ Dei non nostra potestate in melius mutamur the garden of the heart It springeth not from natural inclination but from the Almighty his operation It doth not rise like water fetched by pumping but falls like pearly precious dew from Heaven It oweth his being not to humane acquisition but to divine infusion The Lord hath often told us thus much in Scripture and yet we are ready to sacrifice to our own nets This is the Covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those dayes saith the Lord I will put my Laws into their mind and write them in their hearts Heb. 8. 10. This is but the copy of an old grant which we have in the 31. of Jeremy and the 31 32. verses c. and in the 36. of Ezek. 26 27. verses where you have the word I five times in two verses and who is it that speaks thus but the Lord mighty and powerfull Who can do it as well as say it and who doth do it wherever it is done This gift cometh from the bonity and bounty of the Lord If any soul can make out the truth of grace within let it say It is not in Rom. 9. 16. him that wills nor in him that runs but in God that sheweth mercy and when it is prostrated on earth upon its knees with humility let its heart be elevated to Heaven with gratitude I think this might well be the Embleme of a Christian a large heart wide open to Heaven the deaf ears perforated breathing forth flames of zeal written on both sides with Scripture truths an hand in the clouds as from Heaven hovering about it with this Motto which was Paul's By the grace of God I am what I am 1 Cor. 15. 10. The store of grace that Saints have comes out of Gods treasury their rich cloathing from his Wardrobe their currant coine from his Exchequer their choice flowers from his Eden The Apostle useth this as a means to fetch off the Corinthians from glorying in men and to fix their thoughts upon God when he saith I have planted Apollo watered ministerially but God gave the increase yea and the beginning too magisterially 1 Cor. 3. 6. The will and the work are both of Gods good Phil. 2. 13. pleasure for who is sufficient of themselves to think so much as a good thought 2 Cor. 3. 5. Heb. 12. 2. Incassum laborat in acquisitione virtutum qui eas alibi quam in Christo quaerit It is the Lord that is the α and the ω the author and finisher of Faith The Lord Christ not excluding his Father but the Lord and his Christ They are not to be regarded that slight the means and God may justly reject those that eye the means onely and forget himself which are nothing without his acting It is most true that of him and through him and to him are all things Rom. 11. 36. 5. The dependency of mans salvation S. 5 Then all that concerns mans salvation is from God and his grace for effectual calling which is the first work is from God and his gift Until effectual calling no justification no adoption no growth nor perseverance in grace no assurance no glory nor Heaven They are all entailed upon effectual calling are the inseparable concomitants thereof Therefore if we owe the one to the Lord Causa causae est causa causati we are beholding to him also for all the rest not only the foundation but the superstructure not only the bottom but also the top-stone of spiritual temples are of the Lords laying The whole of salvation is to be ascribed to the Lord By grace ye are saved Ephes 2. 8. Conversion is the first distinguishing and changing work that passeth upon a man or woman without which they could not be fit and meet for any after favour now if that first Col. 1. 12. work whereupon all after works do depend have its dependance upon and its being from the Lord and his grace then certainly all the rest must depend upon the Lord All that souls have from the beginning to the end from the first to the last comes from the womb of Gods grace the upper rooms as well as the lower are of his building There is not the least ingredient that goeth to the making up of a mans happinesse but is to be found in the Lords Paradise every stair from the cell of nature to the chair of glory is of the Lords own laying There is not the least iota or title in the Alphabet of Salvation but is written by the finger of God We cannot say that ought from a change to a crown is our creature for all is framed and fashioned by the hand of the Lord So that it may be truly said to every Saint What hast thou that thou hast not received 1 Cor. 4. 7. Grace is by the Lords gift conversion by his call pardon from his pity sanctification from his Spirit perseverance by his power glory of his own grant The whole fabrick and building leaneth upon the arms of the Almighty that the Lord may say I bear up the Pillars thereof The Fathers will the Sons worth and the Spirits work are the three supporters of salvation and founders of mans felicity the one purposeth the other purchaseth and the last perfecteth All must be set upon the Lords account The Text speaketh it plain It is he that predestinateth calleth justifieth and glorifieth The first middle and last things of a Christian do live move and have their being in the Lord so that when we go to take our pen and set down our spiritual receits we may well say Inprimis for Predestination item for vocation item for justification sonship and glory and all these received of the Lord the most higst possessour of Heaven and Earth and my most gracious Father and may add all our spirings are in thee Let us not give Gods glory Ps 87. 7. to another let all go in his name for all is from his grace and power though some be first others
the head of enlivening the heart It is as the Sun in the Hemisphere of the soul without which a man or woman is in the land of darknesse such is the vertue and value thereof that Luther said one leaf of the Bible was worth the whole world it is the honour of a Nation the happinesse of a people to have it it is a blessing that proceeds from signal love and distinguishing favour He sheweth his word unto Jacob his statutes and his judgements unto Israel He hath not dealt so with any Nation and as for his judgements they have not known them Psal 147. 19 20. The Bible is the Book of Books the Scripture is the King of writings which made Charles the great to crown it with his own Crown it is of such worth that it is a shame for a Christian not to be well read in the writings seen in the sayings versed in the verses Catechized in the chapters and perfect in the pages of that Book One asked a Schoolmaster whether he had Homer's Iliads and for his negative answer took him a box on the ear and went his way Do not they then deserve to be ratled with reproof condemned by censures that are weary of the word that slight the Scriptures that trample the Testaments under their feet I am loth to leave it upon record that this age hath produced such Caterpillars It is a sin I think not to be mentioned without mourning such consider not that where there is no vision the people must needs perish Prov. 29. 18. O let not the esteeme of Gods word die and wither in our hearts It is a golden treasure though it be but in earthen Vessels it is most dainty fare though not sauced with the enticing words of mans wisedom what though it be not written so as to please sinful fancy let it suffice it is so written as to procure saving Faith It is eminent for beauty transcendent for splendour to those that have their eyes opened A word fitly spoken is like Apples of Coecus noâ— judicat de coloribus gold in Pictures of silver Prov. 25. 11. All the words of God are fitly spoken and as they said truely Never man spake like this man John 7. 46. So may we both truely and justly say in this ease Never any spake as God speaks in his word that must needs be excellent which teacheth of God traineth the soul tutoreth the affections that must needs shine with a peculiar lustre which the spirit as superiour Agent makes use of as an inferiour instrument to condemn vanity convince of folly to confound sin and to convert the soul 14. The necessity of hearing Then carnal S. 14 people must hear the word since it is a means of calling and conversion It is a pernicious principle that teacheth that wicked men may not do bona good things because they cannot do them bene well It is true God loves adverbes better than verbes the manner of doing rather than the matter yet the matter rather than nothing at all and though it be bad not to do that we do well yet it is worse to leave our duty wholly undone It is but doleful doctrine to exclude people from the means of grace because they have not grace The wicked are condemned in Scripture for not calling upon and worshipping Psa 14. 4. Jer. 10. 25. Verbum Dei praedicandum est ut audiens credat Rom. 10. 17. the Lord If the word be the means of life then the dead in sin must wait upon it If the Ministers be Christs ushers then those that would learn must come and sit at their feet Faith cometh by hearing then they must come to hear that they may have faith Peter preached to wicked ones to the crucifiers of Christ Acts. 2. 22 23. c. if it were lawful for him to hold out the word it was lawful for them to hear it If lawful for him to preach to them then lawful for them to be present Let them then hear the word and hear it with fear and trembling however let them hear it Though they come to work yet God may new mould them though they come for custom yet God may convert them Though their intentions be sinful yet Gods execution may be sanctifying some ordinances are for all others onlie for some The Sacraments are Gods visible the Scriptures his audible word Though the wicked are to be debarred the one yet not to be deprived of the other Though they may not be Communicants at the table yet let them have communion with the Pulpit though they be shut out of the chancel yet let them not be shut out of the Church Though the presence chamber be kept with lock and key yet let the Court gate be set wide open Though they may not handle the body of the Lord yet let them hear the word of the Lord. CHAP. III. II. Vse for Terrour THis doctrine in the next place speaks woe S. 1 and condemnation with a loud voice to those that are not effectually called it dischargeth a volley of shot thundreth an whole peal of ordnance in the faces of those that are unchanged like pictures that are made to look everie way as it smileth upon the godly as you shall hear afterwards so it frowneth looketh 1 Kings 22. 8. louringlie upon the ungodly And as Ahab said of Micaiah touchilie so may we say of this doctrine trulie in reference to wicked men that it doth not prophesie good concerning them but evil Doth the Lord effectuallie call whom hee did predestinate then you who yet are not called have cause to wax pale and to be filled with tremblings of spirit It is like the hand writing upon the wall and may loose your joints and cause your knees to smite one against the other and that upon these accounts and the consideration of these ensuing particulars 1. Such cannot yet conclude that they S. 2 are predestinate they have no ground nor foundation whereupon such conclusions may stay themselves where the deluge of sin rests still upon the spirit and ways of a man or woman thoughts of predestination can find no rest for the sole of their feet but must either return and die in the rest of fond imagination or else flutter up and down till for want of being feathered by grace they fall and perish in the inundation of unrighteousnesse Such deserve to be hist at in the Schools of the Saints who make a flourish with such conclusions and are not able to produce the premises The Scripture giveth no warrant thus to conclude for Peter joyneth election and sanctification together where he saith Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father through sanctification of the spirit unto obedience c. 1 Pet. 1. 2. or to sanctification rather What Bez. in loc though you have civilitie and outward conformity is that firm ground fitting for thee to anchor upon with determinations of thine election
which such Quis mortem temporalem metuat cui aeterna vita promittitur cannot do as we have shewed in the former head If spirituals be absent temporals will prove but miserable comforters Though now you hold up your heads and blank at nothing and you laugh at the shaking of the spears and account darts as stubble yet in your moneth Job 41. 29. when you come to be gravid and go bigge with the sorrow of languishing sicknesses and fear of approaching death you will change your tone and sing another song if you be not as bad or worse than the Devil for he hath such a sence of his condition that it makes him to tremble Thus you see what a dreadful condition all are in that are not effectually called no comfort present or future none in life or in death none in earthly and common none in Heavenly and spiritual good things They may well have their name changed Jer. 20. 3. and be called Magor-Missabib fear round about for there is just cause they should be a terrour to themselves CHAP. IV. III. Vse For reprehension IN the next place this Doctrine reads a Juniper S. 1 Lecture to such as look not after this work of effectual calling and sharply chideth those that have opposed and stood out against the cals of God have you lived in the bosome of the Church all this while and are not yet in the bosome of Christ are there so many witnesses of Gods calling and no evidence of your answer Hath God called to you to awake and are your eyes together still hath he called to you to arise and do you still rest upon the couch of iniquitie Hath the Lord stretched out his hands and thou not regarded Hast thou turned the deaf eare to his voice Hast thou snibbed the spirit muzzelled the mouth of truth bruised the buds of grace stopped the stirrings murdered the motions to holinesse thou deservest to be lashed with reproof till thine eye weep and thy sides bleed You have heard before now that whom the Lord predestinateth them he calleth and you are never sollicitous Omnes sumus in minimis cauti in maximis negligentes about it You have had no serious thoughts about it nay you have done what in you lieth to hinder this work in your selves and others You have not praied nor endeavoured for it the desire of your soul hath not gone out with earnest longings for this work nay shut not up the Book do not go your wayes but stand still till you have gone through this use bear your chiding patiently and let your eare hearken to the reproof of life Prov. 15. 31. that you may abide among the wise If you turn your back and stop your ear there is no hope for you nay hath not grace been a grievance pietie needlesse precisenesse the new birth a burden duty a disparagement in your conceit and estimation Have you spent all your dayes in Gospel places and under Gospel means and yet are unchanged still why do you resist the Holy Ghost Do you not know that in thus doing you forsake your own mercies sin against your soul Do you think you were born a Saint and need no regeneration alas you are mistaken for with David you were shapen in iniquity and in sin did your Mother conceive you You must be born Ps 51. 5. Nullus vitam in qua natus est bene finiet nisi renatus antequam finiatur again as well as born or you will never do well Or do you think it is enough to be a Christian in the general so are the Papists or that it is enough to be a Protestant so are many that live in known and open sins or that it is enough to be civil or outwardly religious so are many who yet deny the power Truely the foulnesse of your waies declares the 2 Tim. 2. 5. folly of your thoughts and your conversations will shew that there are such cogitations within what hast passed all this time in the world and yet never passed the streights of the new birth Have so many years gone over your head and the work of grace never come upon your heart Oh that you would be heartily ashamed of this Are you not at one time or other convinced that your condition is not good towards God and that you are not in an estate of grace Though you keep your head above water and cherish some raw hopes of your good plight and that you shall be saved arising either from love to your self as if that must needs be which you could wish or from presumption that the generalitie shall be saved and are in condition good enough or from ignorance taking that to be grace which is not and thinking that repentance may be had when you list and think you have most need of it at the last when death comes Yet upon more serious thoughts you have misgivings of spirit that all is not well which makes such thoughts unwelcome guests to you and for all your bravadoes yet you never yet durst adventure upon the work of examination or view your self by Scripture light for fear the issue and result should not correspond to your present hopes and thoughts Is it nothing to be in such a condition wherein thou hast no truth of grace as thou art who never wast converted and changed Is it nothing to have the Lord bring his action against thee for standing out against him and to threaten to execute the Law of retaliation upon thee and to pay thee in thine own coyn as he doth when he saith Because I have called and ye refused I have stretched out my hand and no man regarded but ye have set at naught all my counsel and would none of my reproof I also will laugh at your calamity I will mock when your fear cometh Prov. 1. 24 25 26. This is a dreadfull hearing every word hath its weight what shall the Lord call and sinners not come shall he reprove and they refuse shall he offer and they oppose he counsel and they contemn shall the great God be thus condescending and wilt thou be no more corresponding It will be a vain plea to say thou canst not effectually call thy self such excuses and defences Causa patrocinio non bona major erit will increase and not decrease thy fault For you can oppose and with a stiff-neck resist the grace of God You have not heard nor read nor kept Godly company c. as you might besides God hath made a gracious promise of giving his spirit and this spirit hath Prov. 1. 23. come and you have given it churlish use and frowned it out of doores Is it nothing to hear the Lord thundring against thee as he did against his old people the Jews And now because ye have done all these works saith the Lord and I spake unto you rising up early and speaking but ye heard not and I called you but
maiest recount many dealings of the Lord to thee in a more than usual manner and yet thou hast not set thy self to delight in him and his wayes Have none of his providences prevailed with you none of his mercies melted and moved you Innumerable have been the Lord's gracious eminent dealings towards you which are set off with the greater glory and splendour by the foil of some precedent or intermixed Psa 51. 8. Quam dives es in miseâ—icordia quam magnificus in justitia quam munificus in gratiâ Domine Deus noster non est qui similis sit tibi adversity or casualty your desperate wound was cured your broken bones God hath caused to rejoyce your poysoning hath been prevented the snare that was laid for you the Lord hath broken the time would fail to enumerate all so that thou maiest say How excellent is thy loving kindnesse O God Psal 36. 7. But O the sadnesse for all these thou hast gone on in thy sins and rebellions against God and hast not cared for a change from sin to grace thou hast slighted the Lord's sayings notwithstanding these his doings and hast contemned his calls notwithstanding these his carriages towards thee Ah soul is this 2 Sam. 16. 17. thy kindnesse to thy Friend What doest thou still stand out against the Lord and build Bulwarks against the most high This was the great sin of the Israelites anciently towards the Lord that they came not into him who had done so much for them They soon forgat God Psal 106. 21. their Saviour Doth not a Parent take it sadly when after all he seeth no amendment in the Child The Lord was angry with Salomon because his heart was turned from the God of Israel 1 Kings 11. 9. who had appeared to him twice How many times hath the Lord appeared to you and yet you have never appeared for him Have the paths of the Lord to thee been mercy and truth and yet hast not cared for his Christ his Covenant The Lord may say complainingly of thee as David of Nabal Surely in vain I Matt. 25. 10. 1 Sam. 25. 21. have kept all that this fellow hath in the Wildernesse so that nothing was missed of all that pertained to him and he hath requited me evil for good I have done thus and thus for this man or woman and yet I perceive nothing but stubbornesse and stoutnesse in them towards me Hast thou had so many word-calls and so many work-calls and yet hath no saving work passed upon thy soul Have there been such goings of the Lord to thee and yet no goings of thy soul to the Lord by Christ Do all these deeds of God bring thee to no duty for God Have they not made thee sit down and reflect upon thine own heart and say what shall I go on in my opposition against my portion and presevere against my rock and refuge against my Friend and Father Doest thou thus requite the Lord O foolish soul and unwise Is Dcut 32. 61. not he thy Father that hath bought thee hath he not made thee and established thee This Quo liberalius nobiscum agit Deus eo magis accendi decet pietatis studium in cordibus nostris Calv. in loc makes your condition sad and aggravates your rejecting the offers of grace more and more for our hearts should be tinded and fired at the beams of God's bounty and the fannings of his favours should blow that fire up to a flame The Lord hath sought by these to gain you and yet you have refused to give him your heart If you search all your common places I think you will not find an Argument whereby you may plead for your self 4. The lenitude of the spirit Adde to these S. 13 the actions of the spirit That hath gently striven but you have not been stirred that hath called but you have not answered Oh the Ad faciendum bonum quid in nobis bonus Spiritus operatur monet movet docet sweet gales that that hath breathed upon you which would have carried you into the haven of Christ's bosome into the creek of an estate of grace But you with the perversenesse of your will have rowed hard against the wind that you might not be born down by the sweet impulses thereof That hath taken you by the hand and hath said Come go along with me and I will shew you the Father it hath in love laid hold upon thee to lead thee to Christ but thou hast pulled away the shoulder It hath got thee into the ship and would have launched forth into the deep and have carried thee over to the other side to the land of promise but thou hast skipped out and made away from it O the renitencies and reluctancies of thy spirit against the reducing and reverting acts of the spirit It hath admonished and advised moved and minded taught and tutoured Monet memoriam movet voluntatem docet rationem Isa 30. 21 thee but thou hast not learned when thou hast been ready to turn aside to the right hand or to the left thou hast heard the spirit speaking a word behind thee saying This is the way walk in it When thou hast been ready to stretch forth thine hand to unrighteousnesse thou hast heard that saying Oh do not this abominable thing that I hate But thou hast not Jer. 44. 4. obeyed the voice thereof Though the Lord saith to thee as he said to Abraham in all that Sarah hath said unto thee hearken unto her Gen. 21. 12 voice so in all that the spirit saith unto thee hearken unto its voice The Poets tell of one Orpheus who was so cunning a player on the Harp that by his excellent Musick he drew after him wild Beasts Woods and Mountains and by the same recovered his Wife out of Hell The spirit hath made to thee the Musick of the spheares and plaid deliciously upon the strings of holy writings to allure but thou hast been more wild than the Beasts of the Woods more immoveable than the mountains and hast refused to follow its delightful harmony nay hast been unwilling to come out of the fire of Hell to be drawn out of the Hell of thy natural condition by the allurement of its choicest tunes and raised straines Sin hath taken you by one hand and the spirit by the other to draw you from sin to it self but you have scowled upon the spirit when you smiled upon sin The spirit hath shewed thee O man what is good Mie 6. 8. and what the Lord doth require of thee even to do justly and love mercy and to walk humbly with thy God But thy endeavours have not been suitable to the spirit's discoveries The spirit hath made to you revelations of God's will and yet there hath followed thereupon no reformation of your wayes Nay the spirit hath gone so far with you that it hath convinced you of thus much that you should
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
seek to be made good As ever you desire to be made a living Saint so see your selfe to be a lost sinner but the wretched world love and Joh. 3. 19. live in darkness and rather then they will have a true reflextion of their condition they either draw the curtain before the glass or put their hand before their eyes and so farre hath the God of this world infatuated them that they will draw up such conclusions to Conscientia est codex in quo quotidiana peccata conscribuntur which neither conscience if suffered to speak nor Scripture will give consent If you did but search consciences record and Scriptures testimonie sure you could not be of that perswasion whereof you are 2. Of Gods compassion people think that the S. 23 Divine being is all mercie and no justice and that by his mercy they shall be preserved from damnation though through wilfulness they persevere in their abominations This is the last refuge that they betake themselves to and the universal remedie and plaister that they think Vltimum refugium 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be healed by It is true the mercy of God is the sovereign salve for the sores of our souls but it must be rightly spread and applied It is the onely balm of Gilead but it must be rightly used Gods mercy is sanctifying as well as saving renewing as well as redeeming delivering from the power as well as from the penalty of sin from the way as well as from the wages of sin and those that have not the first effect thereof cannot expect the latter If it bring not to repentance for sin it will never bring to acceptance in a Saviour The Author Rom. 2. 4. to the Hebrews speaking of mercy of the highest strain even that which comes to souls in the blood of Christ which though it be the pillar and basis of Gods kingdom yet he doth not infer that therfore be we what we will we shall shall be saved but this that we must have grace Heb. 12. 24. 28 29. whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly feare or otherwise he will be a consuming fire notwithstanding this eminent demonstration of his mercy The Lord saveth none in their sins but saved from your sins you may be To fancie such mercy is but In omni opere Dei est misericordia et justitia to fall down to an Idol for mercy and justice meet together the rising of one attribute is not built upon the ruine of another God is full of pity thou thinkest that he will spare thee though thou be never so full of impietie and therefore you send not forth so much as one thought to look after grace He that made you will not damn you he that formed you will not confound you for your sinnes you think Doe but consult that startling place in Esay It is a people of no understanding therefore he that made them will not have mercy on them and he that formed them will shew them no favour Esa 27. 11. Gods mercie you see will not advance you to happinesse if you live and die without holiness By such thoughts you make mercy a means to sink you which otherwise might be a means to save you what is this but to turn the grace of God into wantonness Be not deceived God will not be mocked the Lords mercy glorifieth in heaven onely those whom he sanctifieth on earth Though God be mercifull yet you will be miserable without grace presumption of Gods favour without a change on your heart will prove the confusion of your face and if because of his compassion you disobey the call of his Spirit you are like to meet with nothing but condemnation let mercie be a motive to draw you to contrition and not a means to drown you in perdition Every one though their hearts be fraughted with nothing but sin yet they would cast anchor in the mercy of God that they might be saved from tormenting tempests and so long as they think they shall have glory let who so will look after grace if they may be saved through Gods mercy what need they care for Christs Spirit but soul know thus much that though Gods mercy have neither bottom nor bank yet it will not benefit you in reference to glory if you come into and goe out of the world a sinfull wretch Those that confide in Gods mercy against Gods method are like to have a sad come off when it comes to the upshot 3. Sinful procrastinations This is another cause of peoples being without and not looking S. 24 after effectual calling because they defer and put it off to the time to come hereafter they think will be time enough though it be Qui non est hodiè cras minus aptus erit high time at present not considering that duration in sin brings obduration of heart in temporals people are altogether upon the speed and in spirituals altogether upon the slack It is an usual thing for people at 20 to put off repentance and the serious minding of their souls to 30 and when they are come to 30 to crave yet a further day and that the businesse may lie still till 40 and so putting off from one time to another from the Spring to Autumn from the flower to the fall of our age the work is undone for gray heads can find excuses as well as green heads for when they grow old then their senses sinke their memories grow mean their understandings decay and now it is no time for such things even as Thales who when his mother asked Plutarch him in his younger years why he did not marry answered He was too young and after in his elder years she putting the same question to him answered He was too old So the Lord by his Ministers and Spirit asketh people when they will marry be espoused to Jesus Christ they say It is too soon they have good desires to Christ but they would stay yet a while the Lord in patience waits and comes to them with the same query afterwards and then they say It is too late nature is decayed their spirits are spent but they will wish well and they would have God accept of that most put of all to the last and yet then they are as unfit and unwilling as ever and God in justice rejects them who injuriously refused him People are like little children who loathe to have their play spoiled or hindred by wet weather say Rain rain go away come again another day Sinners have sometimes convictions that they begin to melt and be sorrowful and the heavenly doctrine falls upon them in such drops that it begins to wet them to damp their sport to dull their joy and they bid it go away and if it come in old age it shall be welcome and put away the messages of God the calls of the spirit and say as Felix to Paul
to heaven If with your will you be carried down the stream against your will you shall at length fall down into the bottomlesse lake one precept from heaven should be of more force with us than all the patterns we meet with on earth If others damn themselves that is no sufficient warrant for us to do so too Those that are most wise for temporals are many times most fools for spirituals and though one would be willing to take their counsel for the one yet loath to follow their course for the other If we would set our watch let us take the direction of a true Sun-dial and not of others ill-paced watches If all the world should turn their backs on God yet it were thy duty though thou hadst no partner to set thy face toward the new Jerusalem It will be no diminution of sin or mitigation of sorrow that we have partners and confederates if you do as others do you must expect to fare as others fare others Exempla bonae vitae a Christo ab ejus actibus assumere debemus manners must not be our model unlesse they follow Christ and Christ's rule our hearts and lives must be printed not according to the copy of others works but according to the original of the word we must draw the picture of goodnesse not according to the rough draught of other mens ways but according to the exact plat-form of God's will Those that will swim with the world must accuse themselves if they sink with the world To pin our faith upon other mens sleeves is to pinion our wings and hinder us in our flight to heaven Whatever ye do saith Joshua Josh 24. 15. Yet I and mine house will serve the Lord. Though others be loose in their conversation yet we should be fixed in our resolutions Though others forsake God yet let not us forget our souls Other mens practises are too weak a bottom for us to venture our lives in in our voyage through the sea of this world to the holy land It is ill following of others unless we see they be in the way to grace and glory Though we see not others panting after the grace of God in Christ yet let us be pressing forward toward the mark for the price of the Phil. 3. 14. high calling of God in Christ Jesus Let their wisedom be what it will in other things yet here their policy usually fails Though they be never so much above us yet let it be no motive to make us contented without grace Though they satisfie themselves with external yet let us seek for effectual calling Though they fancy all will be well yet dear friend do thou fear all will be a woe without a work of grace 7. Wilful ignoration This is the last cause S. 28 in order that I shall speak to of peoples neglecting and not looking after this work and I can term it no other then wilful ignorance because they have the means though not a due measure of knowledge People are unacquainted with the grounds of Religion which keeps them from the knowledge of their own condition Though the Sun be up yet it is night with many Towns Families and Persons In this light age how many are there that see but little Many are like the Jonah 4. 11. Ninevites that cannot discern between their right hand and their left Catechistical principles are good helps to piety they shew the fall of man and the favour of God the curse by the first Adam the cure by the second How sin came in and how it must be got out They are maps of heaven of earth they portray God and us shew what we are by nature what we must be by grace if ever we would come to glory without the knowledge of our selves as well as of God we shall never come to good which made those that had no other but the Moon-light of nature to direct them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to magnifie that sentence Know thy self Ignorance of our lost state maketh us proud in De ignorantia tui superbia venit spirit and pride doth barricado the soul against grace Those that know not the quality and penalty of sin that know not how all came to be overwhelmed with the deluge of sin and to have the weeds of natural pollution wrapt about their heads and hearts that all are heirs to Adam's sin as well as sorrow those that know not the manner nor means of grace that know not the nature of faith and repentance and their own need of them all which are taught in fundamental principles of Christianity are not like to meet with a change Those that have not learned exactly these elements will hardly be able to spell out a work of saving grace How many are there who have need to be taught the first principles of the Oracles of God and yet scorn so low a work as this but let them know that if they be not well versed in their A B C they will Heb. 5. 12. hardly prove good Schollers in Vertue 's School and if they be not well suckled with pure milk at first they are not like to prove thrifty babes of grace If the foundation be not laid the building is like to prove but a sorry one it were well therefore if catechising private and publike were more in use little knowledge of God and our selves unlesse we get this Horn-book by heart and into our hearts without sound principles no saving proficiency be not too hasty to flie before thou hast got the use of thy feet future works have great dependency upon first works Many soar to the clouds with notional conceptions who never yet cast off the clouts of their natural condition and all for want of being principled But despise not thou the day of small things Grace is a practical knowledge of the nature of faith and not speculative of notions in the fancy Were people better learned in these things it would make them more able to make a right construction of their own estate They are as a glasse to shew us our deformity which if we did see we would more long for conformity to God Pretences to Christianity are little worth where ignorance of fundamentals beareth the sway And thus I have laid before you several causes that keep people in their natural condition and keep them off from effectual calling let us pray Lord by the hand of thy powerful Spirit roll these stones from the mouth of the grave that thy poor creatures may rise to grace I come in the next place to the third general propounded 3. Astonishing consequences There are S. 29 such sad things that do and may follow upon the neglect and want of effectual calling which may startle an heart of stone which if you take down and sweat upon they may through the concurrence of the Spirit conduce to the expelling and working out your great carelessenesse and neglect in
so great a work and they are these four following The 1. Hastinesse of death 2. Horrour of forsaking 3. Hardnesse of your heart 4. Hazard of your soul The Lord work these pills into form with his own hand and blesse them to a powerful and profitable operation 1. The hastinesse of death You know not S. 30 how soon you may die and your Sun may set you have no lease of your life nor with Joshua are you like to prevail that your Sun may stand still in its firmament at your pleasure If God with the sword of his justice cut the thread of your life asunder you fall so low that no lift can help you you are ruin'd beyond recovery What if you had that message which Hezekiah had 2 Kings 20. beginning such a message will come you know Tuus ultimus dies abesse non potest longe adhuc te praepara qualis enim exieris de hac vita talis redderis illi vitae not how soon and your house is not set in order your accounts not cast up you are not in an estate of grace what then will become of you When nature's life is done you can never have a spiritual life if you had it not before what though you be well at present yet you may soon be sick nay you may die without sicknesse Death may lay an ambushment and surprise you before you are aware Though it be fair weather for the present yet you know not how soon it may overcast Death is an eclipse that hapneth in a cloudy as well as in a clear day and when death hath done his work though you should seek your own repentance with tears as Esau did his fathers yet it were in vain It had Heb. 12. 17. been better you had never lived than to die in a dead sinful condition If your grave-change come before your grace-change woe be to thee soul what if this night your soul should be required of you what would be your doom when you had never throughly inquired after the Lord If you die in your sins you are damned for your sins if you lose your life you lose your soul too if your soul and body part without a part in Christ and in grace God and you must part to all eternity and many have died suddenly and why not you many betimes and why not you some die young and melt as snow before the mid-day-Sun God hath no where told you that you shall live till you are old when your time is once gone it shall never return Is there such uncertainty of the time of death and no certainty of the truth of grace you may die this week this day this hour and if not effectually called the misery of your condition is inexpressible The Lord pull your feet out of this snare Oh my dear friends if you die not effectually called there is no help nor hope for you All the balm in Gilead will not cure your wound It may be death is at your door ready to fieze on you He hath his commission and warrant it may be and is Cito pede praeterit aetas coming towards you as fast as he can oh if you be not changed Hast thou not looked after this work Hast thou forgotten to seek for a new heart then destruction fiezeth upon you like an armed man Death stays for none when he comes you must away though never such a sinner though never so unfit 2. The Horror of forsaking Consider in S. 31 the next place what a dreadful thing it is to be forsaken of God and to have the Almighty depart from our souls What if your day of grace should be over and gone it is more then you know but it may be so Though your Transivit dies salutis nemo recogitat natural Sun be not set yet if the Sun of righteousnesse be gone down in thine Horizon woe be unto thee Though God in his common dealings be neer thee yet if in his spiritual dispensations he be at a distance I may say with the Prophet Woe unto thee when God shall thus depart from thee Spiritual derelictions Hos 9. 12. can have no other end then sore destruction such as are left of the Lord must needs be lost in themselves when the day of grace is at an end a man or woman is never like to see good day more God's departures are doleful and dreadful our times as in natural so in spiritual things are in the Lord's hands Divines say there is a time set for the conversion of souls which when it is once gone and past their condition is desperate and such words have their warrant from the Word for the Spirit counselleth to seek the Lord while he may be found and to call upon Isa 55. 6. him while he is neer There is a time of God's appropinquation and after that nothing but alienation there is a time of God's presence and after that he absents himself And to this purpose speaks truth it self Jesus Christ to Jerusalem If thou hadst known at lest in this thy day the things that belong to thy peace but now they are hid from thine eyes And they Luke 19. 42 44. shall not leave in thee one stone upon another because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation There was a nick of time wherein all might have been salved and made whole but that being past there was no remedy And thus did the Lord threaten his people of old Because I have purged thee and thou wast not Ezek. 24. 13. purged thou shalt not be purged from thy filthiness any more till I have caused my fury to rest upon thee I have purged thee that is I have called upon thee to be purged and have Verbo praecepi te mundari Jun. in loc afforded means thereto which you refused and therefore are rejected If your day of grace be done you are undone though you should live never so many years more in this world for graces day and natures day are not always of an equal length What if God should say of you as he did of the old world my spirit shall not always nay it shall no longer Gen. 6. 3. strive with this man this woman When God gives his spirit a commission to visit with its motions a man or woman he limits a time and saith if by such a time they come not in let them alone if by such a time they come not over to me give them over to themselves when the glasse is out and the last sands are run speak no more to them strive no more with them It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands but much more fearful thus to fall out of the hands of the living God If God should passe that doom upon you which we find Rev. 22. 11. He that is unjust let him be unjust still and he which is filthy let him be filthy still it would
a great harvest of Saints Heaven is the desire of many when hell is their desert most desire the Saints paradise when but few care for the Saints piety many who prosecute their sinful lusts will yet earnestly petition for eternal life and would fain be triumphant that care not for being militant he is no right souldier that would wear the crown but is loth to fight to win the field desires of heaven are Non impetrat a deo bonum quod poscit qui ejus legi non obedit in vain unless there be duty on earth He that loatheth grace may yet long for glory yet such desires pass for current coyn with the unskilful multitude and having such desires they think that all is well with them 6. To take delight in and to be taken with the S. 21 preaching of the word is not grace there are that love preaching and yet care not for practice there are those who never were effectually called that yet may account a Minister in his work as one that sings a pleasant song they are content to hear the word of Ezek. 33 32. God but care not for the work of grace the word may please their fancy and yet not prevail with them for faith they may delight to hear the sound and never desire to understand the sense they may countenance the minister Quaerit anima verbum eui consentiat ad correctionem Mark 6. 20. and not consent to his message Such an one was Herod who feared John Baptist and observed him and when he heard him he did many things and heard him gladly and yet lived in his sins He heard the word but he did not hold it Many are taken with the parts and gifts of a Minister and it is that string that sounds sweetliest in their ear they may hear to fill their table-books and never fill the tables of their heart they may love to walk in the dew and soft showres of heavenly doctrine and yet provide that it shall not wet them to the skin one may delight to wait upon the best means and yet continue in their bad manners to be taken with the word and not taken by the word is not true conversion the word may sound sweetly aloft in the ear and never settle savingly below in the heart it may be musick to your sense and not meat to your soul 7. One may desire the prayers of God's S. 22 people and yet not be a Saint the prayers of the godly may be craved and yet their profession may be carped at Wicked men may beg their requests for the renewing of trouble but not for the removing of their temper they may desire an interest in their supplications and yet never imitate them in their sanctification Wretched Pharaoh desired righteous Moses to pray for him Intreat the Lord that there be no more mighty thundrings c. Exod. 9. 28. Moses was a great man in his books I 'le warrant and yet he was glad to make use of Moses beads Open enemies to godliness may yet be willing to have the help of the godly there needs no grace to make one desirous to have the Saints pass Thus it was with Simon Magus also who desired Peter c. to pray to the Lord for him that none of those things which they had spoken might come upon him Acts 8. 24. Those may crave the prayers of others that never had grace to pray for themselves others prayers and to desire the benefit of them is good but it is not grace 8. Nay even a wicked man may so far S. 23 deny himself as to justifie God in his punishing dispensations one may confess God's justice and yet continue in an unjust estate the heart that hath no grace may accuse it self and excuse the Almighty may lay the blame at its own door and vindicate the Lord's dealings Impunitum non debet esse peccatum and acknowledge its sufferings just because it hath been a sinner and yet never accept of the Spirit 's motions and calls to grace And thus did wicked Pharaoh even acknowledge that punishment did not come till it was sent for The Lord is righteous and I Exod. 9. 27. and my people are wicked Now doth he as it were lie at God's foot who yet had an heart that would flie in God's face one may say they have deserved all that is come upon them and yet never sincerely desire the spirit of grace to come unto them one may say they are wicked in their ways worthy of wrath and yet never open to the Lord nor obey his laws many do thus stoop when they are in the snare and fetters who never knew what it was to be swayed by the soveraignty of grace 9. Yet further may a wicked man go There S. 24 may be an outward solemn mourning and yet no inward saving melting the eyes may open their flood-gates and yet the heart not weep carnation-tears one may afflict themselves on fast days and yet not affect a fast from sin Ahab had not true grace and yet 1 Kings 21. 29. he could grant thus much such was his humiliation that the eye of heaven took notice of it one may lie in sackcloth and yet have sin lodge in the heart there may be a bowing down the head and yet no breaking of the Quando sic poenites ut tibi amarum sapiat in animâ quod ante dulce fuit in vitâ jam tum bene ingemiscis ad Deum heart the outward man may be afflicted for sin and yet the inward stand affected to sin there may be solemnity in mourning and yet no sanctity in the mind one may spend themselves with fasting praying and weeping and not speed the work of grace in their souls the body may be brought down by such means and the soul not benefited nor builded up there may be an heavy countenance and yet no heavenly compliance 10. In the next place there may be a promising S. 25 of amendment and yet grace may never ripen in the heart there may be heat and sap enough to bring forth blossomes but no fruit Thus did Pharaoh and I will let you Exod. 9. 28. go and ye shall stay no longer Here were good words but no good works saying and doing are two things There is a fair tree that hath Natural Histor L. Veruulam double blossomes but bringeth forth no fruit many are free to promise but fast when they come to pay they are trees full of leaves but no apples they will say what God would have and yet do as themselves list like the son in the Gospel that said I go Sir but went Matth. 21 31. not They are very forward for subscription but as backward when it comes to action one may be a Christian in tongue and not in truth 11. There may be amendment in some S. 26 things and yet no grace There may be a partial and yet no perfect
pained at the Jer. 4. 19. very heart my heart maketh a noise in me 10. A godly heart promiseth amendment out S. 44 of its hatred to sin and love to goodness it seeth an excellency in God's ways and therefore Pacta semper promissa sunt quae vi non facta sunt its heart is toward them I have sworn and will perform it that I will keep thy righteous judgements Psal 119. 106. They were righteous judgements and therefore David's affections did run out towards them others promise amendment for fear of judgement as a maid may be forced to give her consent to marriage for fear of being killed Those that are effectually called see the beauty of God's ways and so fall in love with them their resolutions stand upon a right foundation they are not from fear but favour not from force but faith 11. One that is effectually called reformeth S. 45 in all things not only in the greater but also in lesser sins it taketh its leave of and parteth with every sin its sinful thoughts as well as sinful words its sinful words as well as sinful works It banketh and avoideth not only the miry dirty way but also the washy way and betakes it self into the paths of piety the least as well as the greatest commandment finds good entertainment with it It is the commendation of that pious pair Zacharias and Elizabeth that they were both righteous Luke 1. 6. Non attendit verus obediens quale si quod praecipitur hoc solo contentus quia praecipitur before God walking in all the commandments of the Lord. Mark in all the commandments They did not pick and chuse every commandment was a sweet smelling flower to them and with delight worn in their bosome a godly heart doth not harbour any sin nor hide any lust in a secret corner of its soul it turneth every evil thing out of doors though it were its darling 2. Absolutely and by way of position Now we shall shew what effectual calling is more S. 46 absolutely and positively we may try whether we be come into the new Jerusalem by our passing through the 12. gates which we mentioned in the beginning If you have ascended by those 12. steps you are in the bosome of Christ but because we have spoken to them already I shall only contract them into these 5. formal acts of effectual calling or conversion lightly touch them and so pass on to other demonstrations 1. Sight 2. Sense 3. Seeking 4. Setling 5. Submitting 1. Sight Hast thou ever seen thy sins Hast S. 47 thou such clear eye-sight as to distinguish good from evil and evil from good Have you viewed your self round about and turned your ways upside down to take notice of all the faults in them as the word in the original signifies in Psal 119. 59. Hast thou spied the Errata's of the book of thine heart and life 2. Sense Have you had a sorrowful sense of S. 48 your sins are you troubled at the thoughts of your ways Hath your heart been broken for breaking God's commands Have you had dolour in your spirit for your departing from the Lord Hath your heart been wounded and your soul melted within you because of your transgressions 3. Seeking Hast thou sought for a place to S. 49 cast anchor in for a haven for thy soul Hast thou looked out for a plaister for a remedy Hast thou looked out for a place whereon to lay thy head Dost thou seek for a Tabernacle for a sheltering place from the heat of the Sun Dost thou long for a Saviour for a Mediator and peace-maker between God and thee 4. Setling Hast thou setled thy self upon the S. 50 foundation art thou built upon the rock Christ Hast thou rolled thy self upon him by faith Hast thou forsaken thy self and fastened upon the Son of God Hast cast thy self into his arms dost lean thy self upon his righteousness dost thou give up thy self to be saved by him and truly cast the burden of thy soul upon him Is he precious in thine eyes Art married espoused united to him Canst willingly adventure thy self with and upon him Si cibum quaeris Christus alimentum est Dost feed upon this bread of life by true justifying faith Dost stay thy self upon his satisfactory sufferings 5. Submitting Art willing to be ruled by Christ to take him for thy Lord and King as well as thy redeemer Art willing to be guided and led by his Spirit Canst thou say other lords Isa 26. 13. besides thee have had dominion over me but for the time to come by thee only will I make mention of thy name Art willing to leave all and follow the commands and walk in the way of Christ Art willing to take his yoke upon thee and learn the lessons of piety which he teacheth Dignus plane est morte qui tibi Christe recusat vivere thee Are his ways pleasing and not irksome to thee dost covenant and engage to be his servant for ever art willing to be washed hands and feet all over Is thy course altered and thy carriage changed art become another man another woman If these things that 2 Pet. 1. 8. I have mentioned be in thee and abound thou art not barren nor unfruitful in the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ but if these flowers come not up the seeds of grace are not yet sown in thine heart S. 52 Now we come to make further trial of effectual calling by the effects and fruits thereof shall search for the beating of the pulse that thereby we may know the temper of the heart Be very serious friends Christian Reader in the searching of thine own heart no longer defer it of all things in the world it most concerns us to know whether we be effectually called in an estate of grace or no. One that is truly converted may be known by these fruits By 1. Opposing sin which is seen in these four things 1. Spiritual contention 2. Impartial prosecution 3. A tender conscience 4. Timely caution 2. Obeying the Spirit 3. Submitting to trial 4. Confiding with fear 5. Moving towards God 6. Affecting 1. The word of God 2. The Son of God And that 1. For his perfection 2. His affection 7. Improving assurances 8. Hating hypocrisie 9. Resisting custome 10. Prizing communion 1. Opposing sin An heart effectually called S. 53 is set in diametrical opposition to sin which appears in these things 1. Spiritual contention There is a combat S. 54 between the flesh and spirit grace and sin in the soul of such an one that is effectually called conversion and contention go together Those that are made friends to God must needs be foes to sin and if they be at peace with the one they must be at war with the other every convert is a souldier from his spiritual cradle he is born in the field and for the field Hence the Scripture speaks of spiritual armour The flesh
lusteth against the spirit and the spirit lusteth Gal. 5. 17. against the flesh and these contrary the one to the other even as fire and water heat and cold They swell at and look big one upon another there being an irreconcileable antipathy between them They are like enemies keeping garrison within a little one of another who are continually alaruming and beating up each others quarters As it is said in 1 Sam. 14. 52. That there was sore war against the Philistins all the days of Saul So it may be said in this case there is sore war against sin all the days of grace after that once comes to king it in the soul These will struggle in the womb As she said The Philistins are upon thee Sampson so may be it said here sin is upon thee grace and grace is upon thee sin grace is no coward but will at sin again and again and hunt it out of every corner for sin will lift up his hand and be treacherously acting now grace cannot bear this 1. Ob. But some may say there is a combat S. 55 and fight with sin even in a natural man how then can this be a sign of effectual calling Sol. The conflict in such is between the will and understanding The war is between natural conscience commonly enlightened and the affections and desires of the soul They would embrace this and the other object which Video meliora proboque deteriora sequor the understanding judgeth not meet and hence comes the broil as she in the Poet said I see that which is good yet settle upon that which is bad 2. Ob. Yet further some will say how shall I S. 56 know the one from the other namely that combat which is in the godly from that which is in the S. 57 ungodly Quando timore poenae non amore justitiae fit bonum nondum bene fit bonum Sol. There are these marks whereby it may be known whether thou fight under Christ's banner or no. 1. In the wicked this combat proceeds from servile fear as an horse will strive against his sluggishness and mend his pace for fear of the spur or whip and not out of respect to his master so do the wicked So it was with the Colonists that the King of Assyria sent to inhabite Samaria the fear of the Lions made 2 Kings 17. 25 32. them amend their manners they were driven not drawn to their partial outward reformation In God's people this opposing sin is from a filial fear and springs from a child-like awe of and respect to their father though they see no rod in his hand They fear this glorious and fearful name The Lord our God they fear Deut. 28. 58. him because he is their God as well as because he is the Lord. The constellations of God's attributes viz. justice power infiniteness wisdom patience love hath an influence upon them to work in them a well tempered fear which furnisheth and fortifieth their spirits to the resisting their spiritual enemies 2. This strife in the wicked is usually against S. 58 gross sins as Judas repented him after a sort of his treachery notorious sins make their consciences to startle when they will not so much as move a finger against lesser sins and such as are of common and dayly infirmities at the noise of forraign invasions and strange sins it may be they will cry Arm arm but for all domestick and home-bred divisions they can sleep securely though the enemy beset their house round about It may be they bid some defiance to such sins as march in the head of the troop but as for meaner sins that bring up the rear they hold a confederacy and league with them but as for the godly soul it fighteth against a common souldier as well as a chief commander 3. They go on in their practice of wickedness S. 59 notwithstanding they may strike a blow Qui pectus suum tundit se non corrigit peccata solidat non tollit but soon cry quarter and make peace they make a flourishing offer but no furious onset though their conscience may kick at sin yet they will try to swallow it they do not overcome but are overcome they and their sins may seemingly be foes but they are suddenly friends again but so it is not with one that is effectually called he dares not have any league with his enemy he and his sins have such a fewd that they part the doing or not doing a 1 John 3. 9 10. sin is the badge whereby the one are known from the other and though a godly man may be foiled in his wrestling yet he doth not so fall as not to recover and though he may be cast by a sin yet he doth not continue in it 4. The wicked seek the repression only and S. 60 not the confusion the curbing and not the killing the restraining not the ruining the taming not the taking away their sins and lusts If they can but keep them from running abroad in the action they will give them good entertainment at home in the disposition An horse may be restrained by the curb and yet have a mind to be flinging and flying out A water-course may be stayed by a bank and yet have a propensity to run over even so it is with the wicked in reference to sin they lop the branch but never look after the root so they can but quench and damp the fire for the present they care for no more but the godly seek the mortification and plucking of sin up by the roots they seek not only to cut off the hand but also to kill the heart of sin Mortifie therefore your members that are on earth is the Apostle's counsel Col. 3. 5. The wicked snuff the candle the godly extinguish and put it out a godly soul vows the death and destruction of its sins and would have the heart blood of them will give them no quarter 2. Impartial prosecution The soul that is S. 61 effectually called is impartial towards sin it doth not prize some and part with others it hath not a confederacy with some because advantagious and a combat with others because abominable it doth not favour this because attended by profit nor frown on that because allied to poverty it doth not savour one sin because more sweet nor disrellish another because more sowr it is sufficient it is sin it matters not with them what it can say for it self though constitution and custome gain and glory profit and pleasure delight and dignity should stand up as advocates and plead in the behalf of such and such a sin yet its ears would be deaf to their insinuating oratory though it were the signet on its right hand yet it would cast it away though it were their dear darling minion sin yet it would thrust it out of doors As Jephthah said in another case Whatsoever cometh 1 Sam. 14. 39. first out of
mine house I will offer it to the Lord. So saith such a soul in this case whatsoever sin I find have at it I will spare neither one nor other little nor great But this will not an ungodly man do he may defie some sins and delight in others Herod did spit out some evils but his incest was too sweet a morsel to be forced out of his mouth a godly soul looketh upon sin as sin and so comes to hate it with a perfect hatred I hate every false way saith Psal 119. 104. David Mark every false way Partiality towards sin argues an unsanctified heart that yet delights in sin 3. A tender conscience They that are effectually S. 62 called have hearts afraid of sin ready to Semper conscientia servi Dei humilis esse debet tristis relent and melt at the occasion of sin or judgement their hearts are like the thin ice of a small frost which a small weight will break over the heart of an ungodly wretch you may drive cart-loads of sin and never make him bend under the burden let whole volleys of comminations be discharged against him he startles no more than a man wholly deaf at the noise of thunder common ordinary sins they can swallow and make no bones of them they laugh at the ratling and shaking of the spear and account denuntiations of woe things not to be much feared But it is far otherwise with a godly soul it is all on a sweat at the thoughts of putting forth its hand though but to a small sin and is so strait-laced that it cannot endure that sin should put its hand or one of its fingers between It is afraid of those sins which like thorns rend the skin of Christ as well as those which like spears pierce his sides I hate vain thoughts saith David though but thoughts and Psal 119. 113. those but vain a very little matter will soon make such an ones conscience to bleed they are very scrupulous about sin they are also afraid of God's judgements when the Lion of Psal 119. 120. the tribe of Judah roars they tremble nay when they see their heavenly father beating any of their brethren it makes them stand quivering and shaking all the while if threatned they weep like tender hearted children A tender conscience is a companion of true conversion a mended heart is a melting heart It is like Josiah whose heart and conscience the 2 Chron. 34. 27. Lord commends for the tenderness and softness of it relenting affections and renewed dispositions are pairs search thine own heart concerning this temper neither great nor little sins it may be scare thee thou canst not melt for a small miscarriage if thou canst mourn for mighty transgressions that is all Thou dost not shake at the hearing of God's chiding if so thou art not effectually called 4. Timely caution Such have an heart so set S. 63 against sin that they are careful to avoid temptations and occasions thereto where grace is they shun sin not only in the performance but also in the preparative not only in the device of it but also in the desire to it not only in the act but in the allurement they know that Dum parvus est hostis interfice ut nequitia elidatur in semine sinful occasions are the high way to sinful actions they shun the scouts that they fall not into the hands of their spiritual enemies The Israelites might not marry with the sons and daughters of the Cananites for fear of drawing their hearts from God if the soul of a Saint be subject to such and such a sin in action it shuns it in cogitation Job made a covenant with his Job 31. 1. Psal 39. 1. eyes and David with his tongue Saints are careful to keep the powder and the match asunder and the spark from the tinder if they be more prone to be proud of any external accomodations they labour to deaden their affections to all temporal contentments if passionate they labour to avoid all occasions of anger As one Cotys an Heathen of whom I Plut. Mor. have read when his friend gave him a present of earthen pots and vessels curiously made but very brittle broke them all to pieces presently lest if his servants should casually break any of them he should be too angry for he was naturally cholerick Much more then should a Christian do so he carefully observeth his natural inclination that he may more vigorously oppose suitable temptations But thou thrustest thy self upon the mouth of the canon and comest neer to the snare thou fliest too neer the candle that it is no wonder if thou be caught and thy wings burnt this argues thou hast not grace 2. Obeying the Spirit Where there is converting S. 64 sanctification in the spirit there is cordial resignation to the Spirit those that are truly changed by the Spirit do throughly comply with the Spirit If that call they come they give up themselves to it not only at first in conversion but also afterwards in the whole course of their conversation they acknowledge it to be their Lord and accept of it for their leader they march under its conduct and are Sanctum semper opus in me spira ut cogitem compelle ut faciam Cant. 1. 4. willing to follow it as their commander If the Spirit say the word they presently set upon the work They say with the Spouse Draw us we will run after thee They are like the Centurion's servants if the Spirit say Go they go if it say Come they come if it say Run they run if it say Do this they do it but as for thee it is far otherwise The Spirit hath called to mortification of thy sin opposition against thy lust elevation of thine heart to renovation of repentance to actions of faith to resolution of thy will but alas though the Spirit call yet thou dost not hear or if hear yet not regard Where there is grace they obey the Spirit 's calls though contrary to flesh and blood but thou art as cross to the Spirit as may be you can yet remember the time when the Spirit spake to you perswaded and intreated you and yet you have snuffed at its motions It hath called you to diligence in duty perseverance in prayer heart-workings in hearing the word but you chuse to be ruled rather by the list of your own mind than the law of the Spirit 's mouth your cross spirit hath countermanded God's holy spirit It hath diswaded you from your sin sought to wean you from your wickedness but you have been refractory but a gracious heart listneth for the voice of the Spirit and when it calleth saith Here am I like a diligent scholler that willingly regards his Master's word The Spirit 's words are welcome its motions are musick its commands contenting unto those that are effectually called If the Spirit call at high mid-night they are