fishes and plants all these stand and proceede in the service of their Creatour and all these have a voice by which they continually cry Hallelujah Praise yee the Lord Psal. 148. All these being created and given for our use call us unto constant thankfulnesse to uphold his glory who made them for us as all they doe in their kinde If thou lookest â—â—thin thy selfe thou hast three things which â—ondlâ— call for this duty 1. The joy of the holy Ghost which is unspeakable and glorious Psal 97.11 Light ariseth to the just in darknesse and joy to the upright of heart If Gods Spirit by thy increase of grace be gladded and cheared he will make thee a glad man but if he be grieved or quenched thou shalt smart for it yea suppose thou be the Lords 2. The testimony of thy conscience this is the sweete Paradise in which God is familiar with man and that hony which as Augustine saith is sweete in it selfe and makes all other things sweete let them be never so tart or sowre in themselves Paul in great affliction had a sweete relish 2 Cor. 1.12 For this is our rejoycing euen the testimony of our conscience that in simplicity and godly purenesse wee haue walked 3. Gods approbation and acceptance who would not be allowed of God but hence thou shalt be allowed that thou art made a Disciple of Christ if thou beare much fruite Iohn 15.8 as a Schoole-master commends them for good schollers who stand not at a stay but goe on in learning with diligence climbing to the highest formes And if God worke in the hearts of his children a delight in those that excell in vertue how much more will himselfe delight in them who the longer they live the more they excell Lastly if thou lookest as low as hell there thou shalt see the Divells and wicked Angels as busie as bees to promote their kingdome and to pull all men yea even thy selfe into their corruption and condemnation And should not this adde courage to thee to set up the kindome of God with all thy power every where but especially in thy selfe II. Motive Consider why God hath elected called justified us whereas he might have left us in our common masse and passed by us as well as a great part of the world as good every way as our selves First he hath elected us that wee might be holy and that not in a small measure but also unblameable before him in love Eph. 1.4 and Rom. 8.29 God hath predestinate us to be made like the image of his Sonne How and wherein Answ. Partly in humility partly in holinesse that as hee by an humble and holy life went on to his glorie so must we Secondly why or to what hath God called us but unto holinesse 1 Thess. 4.7 God hath not called us to uncleannesse but unto holinesse yea unto full holinesse that as obedient children we should resemble our heavenly Father who is holinesse it selfe 1 Pet. 1.15 As he which hath called you is holy so be ye also in all manner of holy conversation because it is written Be yee holy as I am holy Levit. 26.6 Now the word as signifies not an equality in measure which we can as little attaine as a spoon can containe the Ocean but onely a conformity or resemblance in our nature renewed and made obedient to the rule 1. He is throughly holy without want or sinne so must thou strive to be 2. He is holy at all times in the day and in the night so thou must never lay aside thy holinesse neither on the Saboth nor on the weeke day or night 3. He is holy in all places in earth and in heaven so must thou as well in earth as in heaven as well in the market as in the Church 4. He is holy in his word in his workes in all his wayes so must thou in thy words workes and whole conversation Heare this thou that hearest the Gospell which is Gods voice calling thee to holinesse Leade henceforth a profane life at thy perill He that calls thee is holy the calling is to holinesse yea to conformity in his owne holinesse aime at it else thou shalt never partake of it hereafter Thirdly thy justification tells thee that Christ dwells in thee by faith and that thy heart is built up to be an habitation of God by the Spirit Eph. 2. ult Now the blessed Spirit cannot dwell any where but in a Temple dedicated unto him where the olde man is daily put off and the new man put on daily where the power of sinne is daily weakened and the grace of holinesse daily getteth power and strength for Gods Spirit will not dwell any where but as the Master of an house as a ruler and commander Neither can any attaine the comfort or sense of his justification but by the undivided companion of it which is sanctification and as this growes so ariseth the measure of sense and comfort of this present happinesse for he that doth righteousnesse is righteous saith the Apostle 1 Iohn 3.7 III. Motive Consider what thou art namely a Christian in the very name thou professest communion with Christ and consequently to walke in the light as hee is in the light A Christian must adorne Christian profession by Christian life and conversation A Christian called so of Christ must shew in his whole course that hee is partaker of Christs annoynting 1 Ioh. 2.20 1. Shew thy selfe a Christian Prophet by profiting in the knowledge of God and instructing others in the same 2. Shew thy selfe a Christian Priest who hast received the annoynting by offering thy selfe an holy acceptable living and reasonable sacrifice Offer thy prayers and the sacrifices of prayses those calves of thy lippes Offer the sacrifices of almes and mercy for with such sacrifices God is well pleased Heb. 13.16 Offer thy life and dearest blood a sweete sacrifice for the chiefe and high Priest of our profession if God call thee unto the same 3. Shew thy selfe a Christian King by raising all thy power against thine enemies and aduersaries of salvation by defending and maintaining thy Christian liberty in which thou art set by ruling over thy selfe and keeping a strait hand and authority over thy lusts and affections make them subjects by carrying thy selfe as a King with clemency meeknesse liberality measuring and judging every thing according to the Lawes of Christ enacted in the Parliament of heaven What a Christian and an epicure a Christian swearer a Christian adulterer a Christian gamester lyer c. quà m malè conveniunt how harsh is this to the eare of men of God much more IV. Motive Consider that hee that is once truly good growes from good to better and so is best at last Our Saviour plainly prooves that he who hath the least measure of sound fruite his fruite shall increase Ioh. 15.2 Every branch that beareth fruite the Father purgeth it that it may beare more
time hopest thou to finde for his wages hast thou leisure for every thing but to be saved what time wilt thou attaine the end that hast no time for use of the meanes or art thou all body without an immortall soule or is there is no further use of thy soule but to be as salt a while to keepe thy body sweete Is all thy care for a ruinous house and never mindest the tenant within I marvell not to heare our Lord say that it is a very hard thing for a rich man to enter into heaven but I never heard him say that it is impossible for a man to be rich and religious too Object And I saith the poore man can spare no time as the rich may doe I am oppressed with a great charge and must intend my family c But art thou poore and wantest many necessaries there cannot be a stronger motive to attaine this one thing necessary Art thou poore in earthly blessings and wilt thou not therefore be rich in heavenly and spirituall graces Hast thou no house land nor inheritance to rejoyce in Thou shouldst so much the more make Gods testimonies thine heritage for ever and the joy of thy heart 2. It is true men of meaner estates had need be good husbands of their times and estates but yet they must conceive that piety and seeking of God is an enemy to thrift and good husbandry Mary was no bad houswife in sitting downe at the feete of Christ and it was the blot of Marthaes houswifrie that she did not so too Is godlines great gain fearest thou it wil only bring want poverty Must onely that hinder our thrift and prosperitie that hath the promise of this life as well as of that to come and which onely gets blessing on our labours from him who onely gives power to get substance How farre is this from trusting God on his word who hath assured us that whosoever feare him rich or poore they shall want nothing that is good for them By all which that hath been said we may conclude that it is not the strength of any argument made against this holy care but strength of corruption that removes unsetled and unstable mindes from the practise of it This I have set downe for the use and direction of such as heartily desire to be led in the right way and for the incouragement of such as seeke the Lord constantly in his ordinances on all good occasions hoping that it may somewhat confirme them that no blast or objection of prophane persons may either blow them away or weaken their frequent and reverent use of Gods most sacred ordinances And now Christian Reader I commend thee unto God this booke to thy godly use and my selfe unto thy godly prayers Aldermanbury London Novemb. 17. 1630. Thine in Christ THO TAYLOR THE PROGRESSE OF SAINTS TO FVLL HOLINESSE 1 THESSAL 5.19 Quench not the Spirit THE holy Apostle in this Chapter setting downe and enforceing a number of rules for true sanctification addes this also as a principall part of holinesse Not to quench the Spirit Here wee must inquire and finde out 1. What is the Spirit 2. What it is to quench the Spirit I. By the Spirit in Scripture is meant 1. The blessed Spirit of God promised by Christ to be given us Ioh. 14 16. and dwelling in the elect as his owne temples 1 Cor. 6.19 inspiring them with all good thoughts motions and affections 2. The gifts and graces of the Spirit such as wisedome knowledge counsell the feare of the Lord peace joy long-suffering called the fruites of the Spirit Gal. 5.22 So it is said that Iohn Baptist was filled with the Spirit Luk. 1.15 that is the graces of the Spirit 3. The motions of the Spirit in the minde stirring up good desires and purposes Psal. 51.10 Renew a right Spirit within me This is called the leading of the Spirit Rom. 8.14 As many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the sonnes of God All are here meant even the presence of the Spirit in us for gifts and operations and motions presuppose the presence of the Spirit II. Quench not This is a Metaphor taken from fire which giving heate and light in great measure is quenched or extinguished In which respect the Spirit and his graces are compared to fire Mat. 3.11 So in other respects also 1. Fire enlighteneth darke places so the Spirit is a shining lampe in the darknesse of this world and therefore called the Spirit of Illumination 1 Ioh. 1.5 6. 2. Fire heateth and warmeth yea reviveth and quickeneth so the Spirit warmeth the Christian heart with love of God and of men inflameth it with zeale and makes it burne within us as the Disciples going to Emaus Luk. 24.32 and he revives us in the wayes of God 3. Fire consumeth straw and stubble so doth the Spirit consume noysome lusts Rom. 8.13 If ye mortifie the deedes of the body by the Spirit ye shall live 4. Fire purifieth mettalls so the Spirit purgeth the heart from the drosse of sinne seperates pure from impure truth from falshood 1 Cor. 6.11 5. Fire ascendeth upward kindles our sacrifices and makes them also to ascend so the Spirit kindles our prayers and makes us ascend toward heaven in holy affections and holy conversation Againe fire is quenched two wayes First by putting it out quite as by casting water upon it violently extinguishing or smothering of it And secondly by slacking or lessening the heate and light of it when yet some fire remaineth So the Spirit of God and his graces are quenched either when grace is wholly lost which formerly seemed clearely to shine and burne or when grace is lost in part and any grace suffered to decay and die in us Quest. Can grace be wholly quenched or decay where it is Answ. Consider here a twofold distinction first distinguish of persons some are hypocrites or wicked and obstinate sinners who may well lose all the grace that ever they have as Saul and Iudas did who had many excellent graces Some are godly who have received true faith true hope c. and these may lose some fruites and effects of the Spirit by security and as it were slake the heate and light and warmth and comfort of the Spirit but they doe never wholly quench the Spirit for the Spirit abideth in them for ever Ioh. 14.16 And the seede of God remaineth in them 1 Ioh. 3.9 else could it not be an immortall seede as 1 Pet. 1.23 Secondly distinguish of graces both for their kindes and for their degrees I. For the kindes of graces wee are to know first that some graces are of absolute necessitie and serve to the being of a Christian without which salvation cannot be as faith hope and love these maine graces are like the fire of the Sanctuary which never went out these can never be lost quite they may be lessened and decay but can neither wholly nor finally be
are given over to their owne corruptions to commit grosse sinnes which even many civill men would not commit What fearefull sinnes did David moyle himselfe in when the spirit withdrew himselfe the sinnes of adultery carnall pollicy and shifting out of one sinne into another and falling from evill to worse How was Peter given up to lying swearing and forswearing for the time that a Iew might have beene ashamed on him notwithstanding all his former holinesse and gracious confession 4. Change Whereas the spirit being cherished there was a continuall feast in the soule and unspeakable glorious joy now being in part quenched hee brings a racke into the conscience of Gods childe and that conscience which before excused and justified now accuseth and terrifieth the burden of which is so heavie as all the mountaines of the world are light in comparison These terrours of conscience were the deepes out of which David even hopelesse and almost swallowed in the pit of despaire cryed to the Lord Psal. 130.1 5. Change Even the child of God quenching his spirit shall feele the smart and shame of his sinne which shall pursue him and vexe him and hee shall know what it is to exasperate the spirit Davids childe shall dye his daughter shall be defloured Ammon shall be slaine his wives ravished by his owne sonne himselfe driven out of his kingdome by Absolom Oh miserable change by quenching the spirit Fifthly Most men have the spirit of God and some motions but great is the difference betweene a godly man and an hypocrite in the one they are quenched quite in the other for the most part they are cherished and at last perfected As for example First hypocrites have knowledge as well as the godly but they quench it and fight against it therefore all good knowledge quite leaves them in the end but the godly carry their knowledge to heaven with them therefore the one is compared to the light of the Sunne which lasteth all day the other is like a flash of lightning suddenly appearing and suddenly vanishing Secondly hypocrites may be grieved for sin but it is onely and chiefly because of punishment not because of offence and they quench this griefe not willing to torment themselves before the time they runne into merry company and turne off sorrow lest they should disquiet themselves too much with such melancholy whereas the godly nourish godly sorrow and never cease sowing in teares till they reape in joy Thirdly hypocrites pretend great love to God but it is for his goodnesse to them not his goodnesse in himselfe for wages not for service but they utterly quench this love by the love of the world or pleasure or sinne and being grounded on earthly things when they faile it failes If Saul love God for his Kingdome when his kingdome failes his love quaileth too If Iudas love Christ for an Apostles place when that place will not holde him with further credit hee will for gaine betray his Master But the godly love him when he crosseth them and if he kill them they will trust in him much water cannot quench their love Fourthly an hypocrite hath many good motions the worst man living is not without some Balaam hath good desires but covetousnesse quencheth them Saul acknowledgeth his sinne and his sonne David to be better than himselfe but it was a blaze in straw suddenly quenched But the godly for the most part goe from motions to resolutions and so to practise many practises grow to habits and so to perseverance Well is it so such as have any assurance that the spirit is in them must have a speciall watch that they quench him not Then let Christians carefully avoid the meanes of quenching the spirit Quest. Which be they Answ. Three especially I. Fire is quenched when it is suffered to die of it selfe so is the fire of grace quenched 1. whē we use not our graces but let them be idle neither by them procuring glory to God nor good to men As iron let it be as bright as christall cast it by in a corner and not use it it will grow rusty and unprofitable even so will grace And the drowsie Christian though indued with good graces if he waxe idle his heart shall be like Salomons field of the sluggard all overgrowne with mosse and weedes which choake the good seede The health of the body is preserved by exercise so is the health of the soule by the exercise of grace the moth frets the finest garment when it is not worne standing water is sooner frozen than the running streame Secondly as fire dieth of it selfe when wee prepare not or adde not fit matter for the fewell and feede of it so suffer wee our graces to decay when wee neglect such meanes as God hath set apart for the strengthening and confirming of grace the case being with the soule as with the body which is in a continuall decay and needes daily repast or else it dies If a man forbeare his ordinary meales the naturall heate will decay and vigour and health and life and all so will the Christian if hee neglect the word the Sacraments meditation prayer watchfulnesse and the like Thirdly as fire must needes die of it selfe when we take away the fewell by which it should be nourished so is it in the matter of grace looke into the places where the word hath beene powerfully preached but is now removed and see if good things begun be not quite overthrowne and if ordinarily and for the general such people be not more profane than any other Many thinke they can walke many dayes without the strength of a Sermon But it was a miracle that Moses fasted forty dayes and forty nights and let Moses be away but a few dayes he shall surely finde a Calfe made Marke them that absent themselves from the assemblies of Gods people whether they doe not wither or no and fall by little and little into flat Atheisme If thou keepe not thy watch in the Temple if thou look not to the holy lights and fire morning and evening how will the Spirit be kept will thy graces in so great security be still lively While Thomas was absent from the company of the Apostles did hee not lose that manifestation of Christ which might have strengthened his weake and tottering faith and not so onely but grew hee not into a peevish infidelity that hee would not beleeve but upon his owne carnall conditions II. Another meanes of quenching the Spirit that is to be avoided is when the fire of grace is violently smothered by the contrary Sinne is as water to quench the grace of God both our owne and those of others For our owne sinnes First our sinnes of nature doe choake grace for our naturall corruption which the Apostle calls flesh doth ever lust against the Spirit and by reason of this there is never a grace of God in us but it conflicteth and is
must delight thy selfe in the Lord which goes beyond love Psal. 37.4 delight thy selfe in the Lord make him thy chiefe seeke God himselfe the peace of God the favour of God the glory of God with most fervent affections Secondly love and affect all things in God and for God and God onely for himselfe thou must love nothing like him much lesse above him and least of all against him in all his creatures in all his actions in all his gifts labour to taste his sweetnesse Psal. 34.8 true love of the word is to love God in his word the true love of our neighbour is to love God in our neighbour c. Thirdly get your affections more to heaven than earth as an higher and more noble object Col. 3.2 it is not enough to affect heavenly things unlesse thou doest it with the chiefest of thy affections Set your affections on things above and not on things below that is comparatively for two Masters cannot be served with like affection we must seeke spirituall and heavenly things simply and absolutely as being simply good and to be affected and asked whatsoever become of other things but temporall and earthly with condition and limitation as being but conditionally good at the best IIII. Hate the worst things most The worst thing of all is sinne it is simply evill and so is nothing else wee must then hate sinne more than punishment sinne simply and directly resisteth Gods glory so doth not punishment makes for it it in the manifestation of his justice A wise man should rather chuse hell than Gods offence Sorrow for nothing so much as thy owne sinne count nothing so shamefull as that and thy selfe for it feare the evill of sinne more than the evill of torment because evill of sinne is more evill V. Rejoyce in nothing so much as in the pardon of sinne the righteousnesse of Christ the favour of God and that thy name is written in the booke of life Luk. 10.20 Get Gods image into thy affections frame thy affections to God for matter manner and measure to love or hate most where God loveth and hateth for so doth the man after Gods owne heart First God loveth his Sonne Iesus Christ above all men and Angels so must then the Christian esteeme Iesus Christ above ten thousand Secondly God loveth his word dearely as himselfe being a resemblance of himselfe in all his Attributes so must thou love the word as God himselfe nothing so dearely nothing in comparison Psal. 119. Oh how love I thy word all the day long it is my delight Thirdly God loveth the congregation and assemblies of his people the places of his worship he layeth the gates of Zion above all the habitations of Iacob Psal. 87.2 so must thou dearely love his house and the place where his honour dwelleth esteeming one day there better than a thousand elsewhere Fourthly God loveth his Saints so dearely that he will not dwell in heaven without them so must thou love the Saints dearely for the image and in imitation of God On the contrary the Lord hateth every sinne with an infinite hatred yea his soule abhorres it so must thou avoid and hate every evill way even all the wayes of falshood yea the appearance of evill and the very garment spotted by the flesh 2. He hateth the society and congregations of wicked men they shall not come into his presence so must we hate the company and society of wicked men Psal. 26.5 3. Hee hates wicked and false doctrine Revel 2. Thou hatest the doctrine of the Nicholaitans which I also hate 4. Hee hates the wicked manners and fashions of men though never so much approved and applauded amongst men so must thou hate the works of them that fall away they must not cleave to thee Psal. 101.3 Thou that lovest the Lord must hate all that is evill Psal. 97.10 VI. Bring thy affections often before God appeale to God and his word for the right carriage of them Ioh. 21.15 Lord thou knowest I love thee thou knowest I love thy word thy servants thy house thy glory So Lord thou knowest I feare thee as Ioseph feared to sinne against God and Nehemiah I feare God Lord thou knowest I hate sinne and sorrow for nothing so much as sinne and then bring them often to the rule of the word to confine and bound them The word teacheth that the measure of our love to God is without measure but the measure of all our love to other things is so farre as it may stand with the love of God in summo that is above all it teacheth that all earthly joy is with reference to God our chiefe joy The word will measure our anger and confine it to a small time the Sunne must not goe downe on our wrath it alloweth us to be angry but not to mingle our sinfull corruption with it Doe this the rather because our affections must be presented before God one day Now let us examine our selves and try our affections by these rules before named First Aske we our selves what it is wee love or hate whether our affections are set on the right objects and carried towards God or against evill as they ought to be 1. Hath the Spirit carried us not to a dislike but to an utter hatred of all sinne none is so bad but hateth some sinnes The prodigall hates covetousnesse The Iew can hate a Samaritane and mixt worship The Pharise can say I thanke God I am no extortioner no adulterer But just hatred excited by the Spirit is generall of whole kindes against all that is called sinne as the lambe hates all wolves and we hate all serpents none excepted The Law bound the Iew to hate all uncleannesse to touch none but that defiled onely the body the least of this uncleannesse impureth the most precious soule of man 2. The Spirit never raiseth hatred of evill but out of the love of good to which it is contrary Aske we our selves then whether doe we love or hate that which we may lawfully love or hate because God loveth or hateth it for many can dislike many foule evills and yet be farre from good Many can forbeare evill because the law of nature proclaimes against it the law of men condemne it rulers punish it shame attends it a gracelesse man can doe it So to love religion love the truth because the law favours it the kingdome embraceth it and for the present it is the safest all this is but pollicie an Atheist can doe it But grace embraceth truth because it is so because the Truth himselfe honoureth promoteth and prospereth it and commendeth it to our love and trust 3. For the manner doe wee love and hate as God loveth and hateth as he loves not vices for persons sake so hee hates not persons but vices Wee know what workes are hatefull to God but not whose persons belong unto him therefore wee must hate the workes of them that fall away but
power of the holy Ghost and in much assurance whereby they answered the calling verse 5. and chap. 2.13 they received it not as the word of man but as it is indeede the word of God Thirdly it is such a calling as must hold out unblameable This is a severing of the elect from the world to become members of Christ by faith Ioh. 15.19 2 Quest. How knew the Apostle they were chosen and effectually called for God onely knowes who are his 2 Tim. 2.19 Answ. God onely knowes who are his by himselfe and from himselfe but men may also know to whom he pleaseth to reveale it 2. God onely knowes who are his ex priori by seeing and searching the heart and trying the reines Ierem. 17.10 But though hee know onely by the roote men may know by the fruite Mat. 7.27 3. God knowes onely by the judgement of certainty infallibly but ordinary men can know onely by the judgement of charity 4. God knoweth his collectively that is the whole university of his chosen and no meere man or creature can in this sence know who are Gods Now for the Apostles knowledge of their effectuall calling know First that the Apostles had a gift Apostolicall whereby they were enabled sometimes to discerne the finall estates at least of some particular men but this was by extraordinary revelation This is not here meant Secondly our Apostle here walketh not onely by the judgement of charity but of certainty for he saith not we hope or charitably conceive but we know ye are the elect of God 1 Epist. 1.4 Thirdly hee attained this certaine judgement of their effectuall calling by the same ordinary meanes whereby ordinary men may also be perswaded of their effectuall calling and consequently of their salvation Quest. By what ordinary meanes did the Apostle discerne it Answ. 1. He saw it in the instrumentall cause of their effectuall calling and their carriage towards the same chap. 1.5 they were not onely called by the voice of the Gospell but they answered that call for the Gospell was not to them in word onely but in power in the holy Ghost and in much assurance 2. He saw it in the effects of the Gospell manifest in them as in their effectuall faith patience hope diligent love which are assured and infallible tokens of effectuall calling verse 3. chap. 1. 3. In the sound and sincere affections changed by the Gospell such as are joy in the holy Ghost patience in afflictions yea joy in suffering the afflictions of the Gospell chap. 1.6 4. In their Christian and holy conversation they followed the examples of the Apostles and set themselves as examples to all that beleeved in Macedonia and Achaia chap. 1. verse 8. Now what is it to be a sound Christian but by faith to be set into the head and by love into the body of Christ and by hope into the very fruition of the glory purchased by Christ from which alone the Apostle concludeth them to be the elect of God verse 4. chap. 1 Now by the same ordinary way may every Christian yea and ought to know his owne effectuall calling for else First those exhortations were vaine 2 Pet. 1.10 Give all diligence to make your calling sure Secondly either should we want the Spirit or the Spirit should be wanting in his office who is therfore given that by him we might know the things given us of God 1 Cor. 2.12 one of the first whereof is our effectuall calling Thirdly the change by effectuall calling is so great as it were strange it should not be discerned it is a setting of prisoners to libertie Luke 4.18 Can a man come out of a dungeon of ignorance infidelity and snares of sinne and be restored to so glorious liberty of the sonnes of God and not discerne it It is the opening of blinde eyes Acts 26.18 Can a blinde man be restored to sight and not know it Iohn 9. One thing I know saith hee that was blinde that whereas I was blinde now I see It is the quickening of the dead and raising of the buried in their graves Can hee that is dead cold Lazarus be raised to life after foure dayes and move and walke and doe all the actions of life and not know it Can a man be quickened with heavenly life and move and walke towards heaven and not know it May not a beleever know his owne faith and thereby his calling which ever goes with inward calling Mark 9.24 Lord I believe helpe my unbeliefe hee discerned in himselfe the first motions of conversion and faith Fourthly Can a man have any comfort of any action or duty of Christianity for which hee wants a calling how could he assure himselfe of comfort and acceptance in any thing if he be not sure he is come to Christ and have yeelded himselfe to his voice and call Quest. But may a man alwayes know the time of his calling and conversion or may hee know himselfe at all times after to be effectually called Answ. 1. Though some may know the very time of their conversion and answer to Gods call yet it is folly to be curious to know the day or houre of it It is all that the Scripture requires that we may know our selves truly called of Iesus Christ although we know not precisely the time when Neither be foolishly censorious that another is not converted because he cannot point the very time of his conversion I know a tree was planted because I see it growne greene and fruitfull though I know not the time and houre nor yeare when Consider first it is often with Gods children as with ours who are so weake and fraile in the birth that they know not whether they are born nor for long time after discerne that they are borne yet afterwards they come to know their life and birth And so may Gods childe in the instant of the new birth for weaknesse and impotency not know it Secondly the Spirit bloweth where it listeth but knowest thou the way of the winde or how the bones grow Eccles. 11.5 The way of the winde is unknowne in this that a man cannot justly determine the first moment of the first blast of it so cannot a man sometimes directly set downe the precise time of his conversion This freedome of the Spirit allowes him to winde himselfe secretly into our hearts and to come stealing upon us sometime without any noyse as Christ came in upon his Disciples the doore being shut Thirdly the casting in of this grace into our hearts is compared by Christ Marke 4.26 to the casting of seede into the ground so is the kingdome of God as if a man should cast seede into the ground should sleep rise up and the seed should spring and grow but he knowes not how Which plainly sheweth that although the Spirit may come rushing in with a mighty noise of wind as Acts 2.1 yet he is most free to come in what manner he pleaseth