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
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
that have got up to the top of holinesse the most are below in the valley of folly and vanity There are many that are the people of God who yet have no part in God Those that are effectually called are but a few as a remnant left of the whole piece as a garden plot in comparison of the whole world In all ages they have been but few that have received the spirit to the renewing of their hearts The garland of grace is not set upon the head of every one It is a rare thing to be gracions and they are rare persons that are so The heavenly seed though it be sown thick yet it comes up but thin we must beat many trees to gather a bushel of such fruit and search many Towns to find a little company that truly fear the name of the Lord. Where we conceive things to be of a more common and universal nature we are easily induced to think we have or soon may have a right and propriety in them but where we think they are singular and seldome it is more difficult to raise such conclusions and renders us more diligent in the constant prosecution of them Did you know how few were called you would fear that your self were not one of that number Did you know there were but a few that did attain to grace you would hardly contain your self but would be jealous that you were not within the ring If you did but Perpauci perducuntur ad regâ—um coeleste know the paucity of the sanctified and saved it would make you more look after the purifying of yoursoul If this truth were but fastened upon your spirit it would make you more to follow after this work Did you know how few are clad in white and that none but such are cloathed with scarlet it would make you willing to put off the black weeds of nature and to put on the shining raiment of grace If you knew that but few were good it would make you more unwilling to be bad If you knew that most were sinners it would make you more desirous to be a Saint Til you know that most are excluded you will never be careful that your self be included Till you throughly weigh that most are gracelesse you will never heartily wish that your self be made gracious the Scripture speaks of but a few a remnant a tithe be you therefore suspicious of your self 2. False suppositions This is a second cause S. 21 of peoples not looking after grace and their not obeying the call of God Falsely to suppose is a sore evill it is the bond of iniquity and the bane of felicity Those that are infatuated by false suppositions must needs be intricated in fearfull confusion and this false supposition is of two things 1. Of their condition People suppose themselves S. 22 that which they are not and therefore oppose themselves to that which they should be They take themselves to be good and Multi ad sapientiam pervenissent nisi se pervenisse putassent Cic. hence it is they obey not God it is because people have so strong fancies that they have so weak faith Those that dream that all is well will never desire a remedy for all ill They that think they are sufficient schollers in Christs school will shut up their book and away to play High conceits of present attainments are great obstructers to future atchievements Those that are whole though but in their own thoughts will never care for the Physitians druggs men think it lost labour to bestow so much as a wish upon that which they think they have already This hath staved off many an one from Christ this snare hath entangled many an one that they could not goe a step further yet this is the course of the world and most are delighted to be carried with this smooth stream They love guilded shadows better then they love golden substances There are too many that make themselves rich when yet they have nothing Thus it was with the Laodiceans Prov. 13. 7. they fancied worth but feared not want they dreamt of plenty but thought not Revel 3. 17 18. Rev. 18. 7. of their poverty Many say with Babylon I sit a Queen and am no widow and shall see no sorrow Many think they are spirituall Queens espoused to Christ the Lord of Lords and King of Kings and so shall never be invaded by sorrow when as they are desolate widows and have the greatest cause of mourning that may be So the proud Pharisees could not endure to think that they were otherwise then they should be which made them say scornfully Are we blind also If people be but turned Joh. 9. 40. from prophane courses to some more civil carriages they think it is enough and are ready to christen it and give it the name of true piety With some every spark is a Starre and every Goose a Swan and if ever they mount from the bottom to the middle they presently take the middle for the top This is one of the devils master-pieces to lull soules asleep and then to work upon their sancies that they may dream of health when there is nothing but sickness of a garden of flowers when there is nothing but a wilderness of weeds and then he doth not much fear parting with his prey When the wine is in the wit is out we say and those that are conquered thereby are ready to have high conceits of themselves whence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wine some would have the words to be a kin so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ween when souls are intoxicated with the Wine of Satans delusions they are ready to magnifie themselves in their own conceptions and such as are secure are seldom carefull to provide for their safety This sweet poyson hath been swallowed down too hastily by many These are the willing easie chains whereby many are captives to sin and Satan These are the lock and key of hell gate of the dungeon door Oh! dear friends if you think your condition good when it is not you are in the high way to destruction you have wind and tide and oare to speed your voyage to the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone You get up upon the devils back and post it along through the valley of the shadow of death The Angel of the covenant come though it be with a drawn sword in his hand and stay your course stop you in your full career Doe not blind your eyes with false conceits because you would not see the worst of your Non nocet sensus ubi deest consensus selfe A sense of sin will doe you no hurt if you doe not consent though it be painfull yet it will be profitable the other though sweet for the present yet will be soure afterwards these honey conceits will leave you in the gall of bitterness whilst you think you are good you will never while the world stands
yet not the same faith 2. Now we come to speak of those things S. 15 that are more neerly related to effectual calling that are more like unto it then the former but are not it for every like is not the same 1. There may be a feeling of sin and yet S. 16 no faith there may be confession of sin and yet no conversion to God one may be brought so far as to acknowledge their impieties and yet never come so neer as to be acquainted with true piety Many confesse they have done ill who are not careful to do well there may be tongue-confession without heart-contrition Saul said I have sinned 1 Sam. 26. 21. Behold I have played the fool and have erred exceedingly and yet he had no grace One Nil prosunt lamenta si replicentur peccata may sensibly and yet not savingly say they are sinners recognition of sin without reformation of life is nothing many have stept thus far and yet are not got in at the narrow door many can say this lesson perfectly but they must turn over a new leaf before they can be sufficient Schollers This hath too pale a look to have ought of life within 2. One may have disquiet and terror of S. 17 conscience and yet never be effectually called There may be a kind of repenting and yet no kindly returning it may be a stormy day and yet no right showry day there may be an aking and yet no altered heart there may great pangs of spirit and yet no parting with sin There are those that have deep gashes in their consciences and yet do not bleed out their bad blood there are that have been brought into grievous straits and yet were never brought into a gracious state There may be attrition where there is not Attritio nullo modo potest fieri contritio Aquin. contrition many have been sorely amazed in their consciences who were never savingly amended in their conversations one may be plunged over head and ears into the bottome of the sea of vexation and yet never be bathed in the laver of regeneration one may be full of heart-paining dolour and yet never attain to God-pleasing duty Even wicked men may have undergone wearisome days and nights for their sins your conscience hath been all on fire and in a passion hath flown in your face your bones have been broken and anguish and horror hath siezed upon you for your sins you have roared through disquietnesse for your transgressions and have laboured as in the very fire for your abominations your heart hath been lanced it may be in every quarter but put all together and it amounts not to effectual calling Judas was tormented in his mind but never turned in his manners It is said he repented himself Matth. 27. 3. the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth the anxiety and disquiet that he found in his spirit upon the perpetration of his sin It is a gloomy dark winter with many spirits who never yet saw the spring of grace the water-spouts of trouble for sin may drop and fall upon thine head and yet thine heart be barren and unfruitful in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ 3. One may be afraid and troubled about S. 18 the committing of sin before they do commit it and yet be without a change one may be loth to that which yet they love there may be found some reluctancy in the spirit and yet at last no refusal of the sin It troubled Herod to think of beheading John the Baptist Mark 6. 26. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nay he was very sorry but his sorrow was not boyled to a right and due consistency he did fear but yet did fasten on his sin One may go with a sorrowful countenance and slow pace to the acting of some sins and yet have no grace To make a sowre face at the first taste and yet afterwards to swallow down to be squeamish stomached at first and afterwards with the Estrich to digest iron sins is not effectual calling Some startle at sin for present but soon come to settle upon it with quiet security This or that sin may go against thy conscience and yet thy conscience not be right It may be thou art afraid to touch the Snake yet makest a shift to lay it in thy bosome That conscience that never yet saw day may oppose the commission of sin and he that hath no grace may shrink at the thought of some impieties 4. One may love the truth in some sort S. 10 and be a defender of it and yet have no grace one may hold with the truths of Christ and yet not be a Christian in truth Thus it was with Judas and Julian before his apostacy One may stand up for the cause and worship of God with a kind of zeal and yet have no true fire in their brests So did Jehu when he said Come with me and see my zeal for the 2 Kings 10. 16. Lord. The stream may run swiftly and not be fed with a spring there may be an heat for the true Religion and yet no life within one may plead for the truth and not practice the truth those kiss truth many times who are unwilling truth should be King those may countenance the ways of God who never come into the way of grace one may be forward for God's cause and yet may lie Errat quisquis se veritatem cognoscere putat qui adhuc nequiter vivit Job 15. 16. under God's curse one may side with the truth and yet never be sanctified by the truth There may be a work of common vigour and yet a want of choice vertue one may gallop with a natural zeal and be a leader to others and yet gulp down sin as the Ox doth water till they be lost themselves zeal for the truth doth not always grow upon the stalk of grace 5. One may wish happiness and yet never S. 20 will holiness many think all is well if they desire to die the death of the godly though they care not for living their life many long for a good ending that never loved a good beginning and would fain dwell with the Saints in heaven that never forced how far distant they were from them on earth A desire of salvation is many degrees on this side sanctification It was Balaam's wish Let me die the death of the righteous and let my Numb 23. 10. Jude 11. last end be like his upon whom the Scripture sets the brand of impiety He was willing to bed with the righteous but not willing to board with them he would willingly have tasted of their second course but had no desire to touch their first course he exprest his affection to their eternal gaudies but had not appetite to their dayly fare he loved the sauce but loathed the meat Who is there that liveth never so ill but would be willing to die well If this were grace we should have
between man and man so between God and man yet how doth the world slight and scoff at them vilifie and revile them contemn and condemn them but as they said to Pilate so I to thee altering the John 29. 12. words If thou do these things thou art not thy souls friend 7. By afflicting their persons This is the S. 8 last providence that I am to speak to the Lord breaks down the body and by that means builds up the soul by launcings he let out the putrefactions by the pruning knife of Nocumenta documenta affliction doth the Lord cut away the overspreading and sarmenting boughs of lust and corruption trials are teaching harms are healing blows are made blessings corrasives turn cordials maledictions benedictions the Lord many times laies on his rod that he may not let out his wrath he puts some into the furnace of affliction and there melts and works out their tin and lead and drosse By this shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged and Isa 87. 9. this is all the fruit to take away his sin Many can say with David It is good for me that I Psal 199. 71. have been afflicted that I might learn thy statutes And with him that said If I had not been undone I had been undone If I had Periissem nisi periissem not lost my sins I had lost my life If I had not lost my goods I had lost my God If my body had not been mar'd my soul had never been made If I had not lost a child I had never found a father If I had not been friendlesse I had always been faithlesse an ounce of adversity is sometimes worth a pound of prosperity a little of sorrow may sometimes go further than a great deal of joy Manasses was more beholding to captivity than his 2 Sam. 33. 11 12 13. crown to the thorns than his throne to his chains of iron than his chains of gold his fetters than his scepter his prison than his pallace he was too high to be a Saint till God unkinged him too stiff to stoop till God threw him out of his regal chair and forced him to fall upon his knees his losse more worth than his gain little did he think that his parting with all should be a means to bring him to a part in Christ and grace the crooked key of troubles and miseries many times opens the door and lets a soul into the chamber of presence the tossing waves lift up the ark of the soul neerer heaven such kind of agues are many times wholesome when affliction shews it teeth and grins poor creatures are perplexed but be patient for the fruit may be very precious the fear sometimes through the blessing and wisedom of God is more than the harm Afflictions are the shepherds dog not to worry in pieces but to work to Gods part not to tear but to turn The Lord is forced as I may say sometimes to deal with sinners as Absalom did with Joab he sent for him once and again by his servants but he 2 Sam. 14. 29 30. came not at last he fires his field of barley and then he comes without further sending The Lord hath some of his elect ones whom he seeth walking in by-paths and crooked ways the Lord giveth a commission to his servants the Ministers and saith go invite and call you soul to come to me and say Return Return O Shulamite but the soul stirs not the Lord sends and calls again yet with the deaf adder he hearkneth not to the voice of the inchanter well saith the Lord if you will Psal 58. 4 5. not come I will fetch you if fair means will not do foul means must Then he hisseth for the flie and the bee of affliction and calls forth armies of trouble and gives them commission to sieze upon and to lay siege to such a man or woman and saith ply them with your cannon shot till you make them yield give up the keys and strike their sail he sends sicknesse to their bodies a consumption to their estate death to their friends shame to their reputation a fire to their house and the like and bids them prey and spoil till they see and acknowledge the hand of the Lord lifted up till they hear Mic. 6. 9. the voice of the rod and who hath appointed it the Lord many times gives strong physick Deus medicus tribulatio medicamentum before the peccant humour will away and winnoweth them much to throw out the chaff thus he bringeth the buds of grace out of the seeds of affliction and ushereth in the Lady grace with salt preambles many times a sorrowful evening may have a joyful morning There may be crying out in the evening for the pangs of affliction and crying out in the morning for the pains of conversion The evening red with the fiery trial the morning gray with grief for sin may produce a fair day of holinesse cloudy and dolorous evenings may have cleer and deliverance-mornings the Lord sometimes bends a soul till he makes it meet again and breaks it till he makes it melt that he may bow them to his gracious will and not burst them by his grievous wrath rather then the Lord will lose a soul that belongs to him he will lash them till he force them into his bosome Thus I have discovered unto you the providences of God whereby he provides for his peoples good Though there may be others yet I think these are the chief may we not now say as David Many O Lord our God are thy wonderful works which thou hast done and thy thoughts which are to us ward Psal 40. 5. Have not his people cause to utter the memory of his great goodnesse and to sing of his righteousnesse Psal 145. 7. Oh oh that we would praise the Lord for his goodnesse and for his wonderful works towards our souls Psal 107. 8. That the Lord should thus variously unexpectedly in all these ways seek the conversion and changing of lost souls may justly cause us to say All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth Psal 25. 10. and with the same Psalmist in another place Thou crownest my years with thy goodnesse and thy paths drop fatnesse into our souls Psal 65. 11. I conclude these things admiring with Paul Rom. 11. 33. O the depth of the riches both of the wisedom and knowledge of God and doxologizing with him 1 Tim. 1. 17. Now unto the King eternal immortal invisible the only wise God be honour and glory for ever and ever Amen 2. By his Word Now we come to the next S. 9 means which the Lord maketh use of for the conversion and calling home of Saints to himself and that is the Word of God That is Jam. 1. 18. Rom. 10. 17 Nemini blanditur veritas the instrument of regeneration It is a word of truth and therefore fit for this work It dealeth impartially
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
for their parents goodnesse yet in the account of God grace in the parent will not stand for grace in the child It is a mercy that any of us are the off-spring of godly parents yet if we have not grace de proprio of our own we are yet uncalled 3. Living among religious people either in S. 6 Town or family is not effectual calling Many live without sanctity in the midst of Saints and in a land of uprightness deal unjustly Isa 26. 10. many dwell in the houses of the faithful who yet are not of the houshold of faith A scabbed sheep is a scabbed sheep though it pasture with the sound flock one may live in the tents of Shem and yet have Cham's temper one may live in a religious house and yet have a Non Hierosolymis fuisse sed Hierosolymis bene vixisse laudandum est wretched heart one may live in a godly family and yet be none of the family of God one may live with good company and yet have a bad conversation yet many think this is enough they think to flie to heaven with other mens wings People may live among godly neighbours and yet have no godly nature they may have good acquaintance and yet have no good acceptance with God for want of grace There may be co-habitation with those that are spiritual and yet no inhabitation of the spirit The Jebusite may Cum Hierosolymitanis habitat Jebusaeus dwell with the Jew in Jerusalem and yet be a Jebusite In Jacob's flock were black as well as white cattel In Peter's net bad as well as good fishes In Noah's Ark unclean as well as clean creatures There may be tares in the same field as well as true corn and tares still 4. A civil fair moral life is not grace nor S. 7 effectual calling There may be a guilded life and yet no golden heart Many Heathens have gone thus far who never learned the truth as it is in Jesus They were just in their way but they were not justified they were sober and serious but not sanctified One may have moral vertues without divine grace Splendida peccata moral goodnesse is but splendid sinfulnesse Paul was such before conversion Many are fair like the Moon but without heat Matth. 19. 19 20. There was a fine young man to outward appearance that had the letter but not the life good manners but wanted a gracious mind It is good to be so qualified but it falls short of the thing in question Many live justly lovingly prudently courteously who yet have no grace There may be a fair life without a life of faith civility without sanctity one may live according to common equity and not be led by the rule of special piety there may be moral vertue without and yet masterly vice within there may be a commendable carriage and yet no converting calling there are many gentle sweet tame natures that never learned lowness and humility in Christ's school People are most apt to mistake a Star for the Sun a pebble for a precious stone These things are something but they are not all there must be further steps before the soul can come at grace 5. Not to be so great sinners as others is not grace Many if they be not theeves drunkards nor unclean persons think they have grace enough whereas they sin not as others do it is from the goodnesse of their constitution rather than from the graciousnesse of their conscience But alas it is not privative but positive holinesse not comparative but absolute that God looks for People compare themselves with others measure themselves by Non est bonit as pessimis esse meliorem a false rule and hence they think they are ell-wide when they are not yard-wide a man of an indifferent stature set by a lower man seemeth tall but set by a taller is a dwarf because people are not so bad as they may be it doth not follow that therefore they are so good as they should be John Baptist saith in Matth. 3. 10. not the tree that bringeth forth bad fruit but that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down The Pharisee was Luke 18. 11 12. not a prophane sinner and yet he was not a pious Saint He is dead that dieth of his fair death as well as he that is chopt and cut in peices One may be dirty though they have not Iâ—â—scus inter caecos potest esse rex so great sprays upon them as others have One that is but blear-eyed is far before those that are blind yet he is in darknesse in comparison of those that have their perfect sight When we compare our selves with the best then we best see our own defects when we compare our selves with the worst then we think we have overplus To have a lesse degree of badnesse a greater degree of goodnesse than others falls much short of true grace thou art not it may be scandalously vitious and yet thou mayst not be savingly vertuous This is but the least part of goodnesse if thou hast no better evidence thou needst not open this at all If thou keep in this way and go no further thou wilt never be acquainted with God's work Oh delude not your selves with such shadows in stead of solid substances 6. To be a Christian outwardly is not effectual S. 9 calling There is a Christian in name and a Christian in nature one may have the garb of a Christian and yet want the grace of a Christian there may be the paint without the parts of a Christian the fashion without the frame Many there are that are of a Christian mind and yet have no mind to Christ that have a goodly profession but no godly conversation More are Christ's followers then are his friends and more will wear his Christianus nemo dicitur recte nisi qui Christo moribus prout valet coaequatur coat and colours than care for his commands they love his livery but they are loth to lead his life Paul distinguisheth of Jews into outward and inward Rom. 2. 28 29. and so may we of Christians Paul was a professor before conversion but not a right practicer Phil. 3. 5. Many Christians there are but but a few that are Christ's many Protestants but a few Puritans many are Christians by calling but few by changing yet most think they are comely enough if they have but this complexion and if they have but the habit of religion without they care not for the heart of it within they are all for the glosse not regarding the text and so they have but the outward facing they feel no cold for want of the inward lining Such are but the pictures of Christians and all that they have to commend them is nothing but the gay clothing of outward conformity 7. To be of a Church is not effectual calling S. 10 I speak of a Church in general Be of what Church thou wilt