Spirit comes it is a lively grace and a quickning Spirit it begets life in the soule of a man In the 47 of Ezech. vers 9. the Prophet there discovering the time of the Gospell and the offer of salvation therein he saith there Every thing shall live whithersoever this river commeth The rivers there are nothing else but the rivers of grace and salvation when Christ shall come abundance of grace shall be offered and wrought in the soules of Gods people and wheresoever this grace commeth those that be dead shall be quickned Secondly they are said to bee waters of life in regard of the continuance of them for wheresoever this grace is truly wrought it never ceaseth so saith our Saviour Ioh. 4.14 Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst This water is not like a pit or standing poole that in the heate of summer is dryed up but it runneth amaine continually So that the frame of the words runne thus Whosoever will let him come and take living water living and quickning grace from Iesus Christ freely whereby a soule may be quickned and saved here is a proclamation Whoever will let him come and take the Lord Christ and grace and salvation by him freely he will not repine at the favour he vouchsafes unto us take more hope more faith more sanctification come and come freely and the more oftener ye come the more welcome shal you be This is the substance of the words in the text wherein wee have these three points formerly spoken of First here wee have the freenesse of Gods mercy Whoever will let him take of the water of life freely as who should say shall any man bring money with him and buy grace no no let him take the Spirit freely Secondly A man must will Christ before he can receive Christ and grace from him and this is the second thing in the text The third is That every man that doth truly will Christ and grace shall have Christ and grace from him Men thinke that they would be saved every man will be ready to say I would have Christ rule in me but this same willing of Christ is a hard matter whosoever doth will heartily to receive Christ shall have him and salvation by him but wee shall finde it a hard matter to bring our hearts to this willing of Christ as wee shall here hereafter and thus wee see the three points that arise out of the text and by this time we are entred into our worke let us proceede with the pursuite of the first point which is this The offer of grace from God is altogether free There is nothing but onely Gods will that moves him nothing but his owne good pleasure that perswades him to shew mercy to a poore soule there is nothing out of God that can move him or purchase this favour from him but it is from out of the goodnesse of his nature and the freenesse of his will he will have it so In the 21 of the Revel 6. there is a marvelous pregnant place for this purpose there saith the text I will give unto him that is a thirst of the fountaine of the water of life freely There are three things or phrases considerable First God will give him to drinke and what is freer than gift nay that we may know that he will not give it us upon any consideration he will give it freely nay marke further hee will give it to every one that thirsteth though a man desireth it earnestly even as a man that is a thirst desireth drinke though he doe what he can to obtaine it though hee use all meanes for the procuring of it yet God will give it him and that freely and this cuts the throates of merit-mongers the Papists that stand so much upon their merits and therefore it is observeable in the 4. of Zach. 7.9 in the building of the materiall Temple the text saith That Zerubbabels hands which had layd the foundation thereof should finish it The same hand which layd the first stone so the same hand should lay the last the meaning of the place is this when the poore people of Israel were to build the Temple in time of persecution they had no ability of themselves to do it yet the Lord bids them go on cheerefully for I will dispose of all things for the gold and silver is mine and hereby the Lord doth quippe at a secret â—onceite of theirs they might thinke with themselves alasse wee have no gold wee have no silver how shall we bring this worke to passe the Lord he answers this secret objection of theirs and tels them the gold is mine the silver is mine the hands of Zeruâ—babell that hath layd the first stone shall bring forth the headstone thereof and what is the ground of all this the reason is rendered in the 7. vers All the people shall cry grace grace as if they had said Grace hath sent meanes grace hath continued means grace hath given us hearts to use the means all is grace nothing but grace and mercy hath done it thus the people admired at Gods great goodnesse that did so helpe them and shouted crying grace grace And as it was thus in the materiall Temple so it is here in the building of the soule a Temple for the Lord. The beginning of grace the receiving of grace the continuing of grace all is grace grace from the beginning of election to the end of glorification from the beginning of conversion to the end of salvation all is grace and mercy nothing but grace that doth all workes all prepares all for the good of Gods people Gods grace and mercy is altogether free and the freedome of it appeareth in these three particulars It is free First â—nregard of the preparation of the meanes of grace that God hath invented the meanes of salvation which God hath invented for his people being fallen in Adam was altogether free for when Adam had forsaken God and hearkned to the enemy had left the way of holinesse and went into the way of confusion it was free with God whither he would helpe him or no when Adam had spent the patrimony which God had given him it was free whether God would set him up againe or no free it was in God the Father which appointed the Sonne as the meanes free it was in Christ Iesus that tooke the taske upon him and free in the holy Spirit that wrought grace and salvation in the hearts of Gods people God out of his free will gave his Sonne to redeeme mankinde and Christ gave himselfe freely and the holy Ghost doth freely worke comfort in the hearts of Gods chosen it was free with God to appoint Christ for the meanes free with Christ to be the meanes free with the Spirit to worke the meanes Secondly as it is free in regard of the appointing the meanes so likewise in regard of the Revelation of the meanes to any soule it was
would but doe this but saith the text he went away sorrowfull the text doth not say that he would dispute of it and consider of it but presently as soone as he heard it he had a secret kind of distaste against it and went away and with drew himselfe from the offer of life salvation The phrase is pretty to observe in the 5 of Iohn 40. Iohn 5.40 there our Saviour Christ was disputing with the Scribes and Pharisees and shewing unto them the meanes of Salvation but marke what our Saviour saith of them Ye will not come to me that ye might have life marke that phrase for it is observeable in the 39 vers the verse going before our Saviour had sayd unto them Search the Scriptures for in them ye thinke ye have eternall life and they are they which testifie of me the offer was faire if they would but have come to Christ they might have had life but marke what hee saith of them of the Scribes and Pharisees and so of all naturall men they will not come though mercy and salvation be offered and tendered But in the second place when these things of life and salvation are set before a naturall man and offered unto him and he will not come to Christ that he may have them yet suppose Christ come to him imagine the Lord Iesus comes home to the soule of a poore sinner and knocketh rappeth at the doore of his heart continually striving with him by his blessed Spirit and the use of meanes although the Lord would winne him and wooe him as hee did Ierusalem O Ierusalem Ierusalem how often would I have gathered thy children together as a henne doth her chickens under her wings and yee would not Looke as the henne clocketh her chickens together that so shee may gather them under her wings and thereby prevent them from some mischance that may befall them so the Lord Iesus called after Jerusalem and wept over it Oh that thou hadst known at least in this thy day the things belonging to thy peace and yet they would none of him just so is the case of all naturall men God calleth after them and knoâ—keth againe and againe and yet notwithstanding they do not onely decline from the truth but if the Spirit of God still strive with them if they cannot goe away from Christ but Christ followes them home to their houses as it were then they fall out with Christ and professe they will none of Christ and salvation they resist and oppose the Spirit of God they take up armes against the Spirit in this kinde Act. 7.51 there saith the text Act. 7.51 Yee stiffe-necked and uncircumcised in heart and eares ye doe alwayes resist the holy Ghost as your fathers did so doe yee which of the Prophets have not your fathers persecuted c. as who should say the Lord sent his spirit in the ministery of the Prophets for so you must conceive of Gods Ministers though they bee poore soules yet Gods spirit labours through them and when they strive with the soules of men and labour to pluâ—ke them out of their sinnes then Gods Spirit strives God sent his spirit among these men here yet they resisted it And so Act. 13.46 Act. 13.46 there saith the text of Paul and Barnabas that they waxed bold and said It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you but seeing ye put it from you and judge your selves unworthy of everlasting life loe we turne to the Gentiles The text doth not say because yee have gone away from the word But because you have put it away from you Thus the soule of a naturall man doth put away the word of God and opposeth salvation In this kinde in the 22. Matt. 5. Matt. 22.5 When the King there had prepared a great feast of fatte things when he had killed he Oxen and his fatlings and all things were ready hee sent forth his harbengers about to call them that were bidden to the feast but they saith the text made light of it and went their wayes one to his farme another to hit merchandise c. Christ he sends his faithfull Ministers about to invite all people to receive life and salvation Come yee that are hungry and thirstiâ— and buy without money but the truth is they in the Parable spoken of would not come to the feast so it is with all naturall men though our Saviour followes theâ— and would perswade them to entertaine the meanes of salvation yet they refuse it and stand out against it so that they doe not onely withdraw themselves from the truth but oppose it when they are pursued Thirdly a naturall man doth not onely withdraw himselfe from grace and salvation offered and resist this grace pressed upon him but if the Lord follow him yet further and course him and pursueth him that he may give him grace yet considered in hiâ— selfe hee is not capable of this grace In the 6 of Mat. 24. there saith our Saviour Ye cannot serve 〈◊〉 and Mammon Mat. 6.24 Every man naturally hath his Mammon the proud man hath his Mammon and the covetous man hath his Mammon and the propâ—â—â— man hath his Mammon now these cannot serve God and Mammon also to serve them both doth not imply onely a difficulty but an impossibility also so that we may plainely see a naturall man is no capable of grace but understand this wisely I doe not say that a man by nature is uncapâ—ble of grace thus farre that he is not a fit subject to be wrought upon and to be made capable but thâ—â— I say that a man having sinne and remaining in his sinnes is not able to entertaine grace things so considered for a while as long as he continueth in that estate he is not capable of grace but yet God â—an make him fit and disposed thereunto he may be wrought thereunto and God by his spirit can make him able to entertaine grace but he must first be disposed therunto looke as it is with a vessel that is full of puddle there is an unpossibility now in this vessell as long as it is full of that pudly and filthy water that it should receive cleane and pure water but when it is emptied of that filthy water then it is capable to receive pure water but first the durty water must be put out before it can receive the pure Iust so it is here though the soule may be made a vessell fit to receive grace yet now being full of abominations full of covetousnesse full of malice full of pride ful of love of our selves full of hypocrisie full of carelessenesse loosenesse and prophanenesse full of all manner of lusts and corruptions and concupiscence of the flesh when the soule is brimme full of these it is impossible that it should receive grace it is impossible that grace and corruption should lodge in the same bosome so that God must first
the blow that is 〈…〉 upon it so it is with a stony heart there is a 〈◊〉 union betweene sinne and it secondly by 〈◊〉 of this union sinne comes to have a 〈…〉 power in the soule and not onely so but in the third place there is a great resistance in the soule against Gods Command Looke as it is with a stone of a man striketh a blow upon it it resistes the blow and beates it backe so it is with the soule with a stony heart the Word the Sacraments Admonitions Reproofes Counsells Exhortations they enter not into it they prevaile not with it but it resists and obpposeth all meanes of grace and salvation that are offered unto it what helpe soever God bestowes upon it it beates it backe it will not be disposed it will not be framed and fashioned according to Gods holy Will Zach. 7.12 there saith the Text Zach. 7.12 They made their hearts as an adamant stone least they should beare the lâ—s and the words which the Lord of Hosts sent by his Spirit in the Ministery of the former Prophets that is they closed with their corruptions and grew strong in their corruptions and resisted the commandements of the Lord and therefore it is said of Pharoah that he hardened his heart that is hee strengthened his heart in sinne and would not obey the commandement of the Lord but refused to let the people of Israel goe when there comes to be a neare union betweene sinne and the soule then the soule doth strengthen it selfe in sinne and opposeth the Law of God the proud man saith he will have his lust let God say what hee will the covetous man hee will have his corruption let God say what hee will and the drunkard hee will have his owne way and the adulterer hee will take up his owne course let God say what he will they grow strong in their sinnes and therefore resist all meanes which may be for their good untill the Lord by his almightie power doth breake this fast knot that is betweene corruption and the soule and removes the power and strength of sinne and then by a strong hand takes away this resistance and over-powers a soule in this case so that then to gather up all together if it be so that the union betweene sinne and the soule cannot be dissolved but by God alone if the strength and power of sinne and Satan cannot be vanquished but onely by the Lord if the resistance that commeth from sinne cannot be taken away and removed but by the worke of the Spirit of God then the case is cleare and the point evident That it is God which taketh away the stony heart and giveth a heart of flesh if God alone by his almighty power doth these things then he is the author of this worke it is his worke to doe this in the soule of a poore sinnefull creature The first Vse is an use of instruction from hence wee may see that therefore this great worke of conversion the fitting and preparing of a poore sinner to entertaine the Lord Iesus it is a worke of great weight it is a worke not of ordinary but of marvellous and admirable difficulty if it be the worke of the Lord onely if nothing else can doe this worke but it lieth upon Gods alone almightie power if all meanes faile nay if the wisedome of men Angells stand agast amazed at this work then I must conclude it is the Lords worke and is ought to be marvellous in our eyes And from hence it is that it is a marvellous wonder that any creature that is under the power of sinne and Satan it is a wonder it is a miracle that after all teaching after all meanes used any soule is humbled and prepared to receive mercy from the hand of the Lord Iesus Christ Nay hence it is that wee see little profit come from the worke of the Ministerie when wee see the greatnesse of this worke of conversion wee may wonder how it commeth to passe that any are converted and brought home unto the Lord the Ministers are faine to lift up their voyces like trumpets and spend their hearts as it were they pray againe and fast againe and preach againe and yet all will not d ee for when is the heart of any humbled when is the soule of any turned and converted unto God and therefore away with that cursed delusion that harbours in the minds of many men they will repent and they will beleeve when they list why Alas it is not in your power it is the almighty worke of God thou hast not the worke of repentance to command at thy pleasure it is not talking and saying I doe repent with all my heart and doe beleeve that will serve the turne this will not doe the Lord must worke effectually in thy soule by his almighty power or else the union that is betweene sinne and thy soule will not be dissolved or else the strength of sinne and power of Satan that is in thy soule will never be vanquished or else the resistance that is in thy soule and which commeth from this strength against the blow of the Spirit and all meanes that may fit it and prepare it for to receive the Lord Iesus and mercy from him will never be removed a man shall sometimes find that the indisposition of his soule to any good shall be a little abated by the power of the Word the edge of it will a little be blunted but a poore soule cannot be freed altogether from this untill it shall please the Lord by his almightie hand to remove it and therefore in the first of Iames the 18. Verse the text saith Iam. 1.18 Of his own will begat he us by the Word of truth that wee should be as the first fruits of his creatures Ioh. 1.13 and Ioh. 1.13 To them that received him saith the Text he gave power to be the sonnes of God to them which beleeve in his name which are borne not of bloud nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God And therefore thinke of it Ministers that teach the Word and people that heare the Word wee must know that unlesse the Lord steppeth in and doth the worke for us all our labour is lost it must be I â—ay the Lord that must take away the stony heart and it must be hee that must give the heart of 〈◊〉 it is not talking and making a profession that can plucke sinne out of the soule of a man in this kinde but it must be the almighty power of the Lord that must doe it The second Vse is a ground of comfort whereby the soule of poore sinners may be supported and the hearts of those that have sinne hunging about them may be cheared when the soule considers that it is laden with abundance of corruptions and abominations then it is quite discouraged and thinkes with all that it shall never be recovered
THE VNBELEEVERS PREPARING FOR CHRIST LVKE 1.17 To make ready a people prepared for the Lord. By T. HOOKER LONDON Printed by The Cotes for Andrew Crooke and are to be sold at the Blacke Beare in Saint Pauls Church-yard 1638. Severall Treatises of this AVTHOVR 1. THE Vnbeleevers preparing for Christ out of Revelations 22.17 1 Corinth 2.14 Ezekiel 11.19 Luke 19.42 Matthew 20.3 4 5 6. Iohn 6.44 2. The soule Preparation for Christ or a Treatise of Contrition on Acts 2.37 3. The Soules Humiliation on Luke 15. Verses 15 16 17 18. 4. The Soules Vocation or Effectuall Calling to Christ on Iohn 6.45 5. The Soules Vnion with Christ 1 Cor. 6.17 6. The Soules benefit from union with Christ on 1 Cor. 1.30 7. The Soules Iustification eleven Sermons on 2 Corinth 5.21 8. Sermons on Iâ—dges 10.23 on Psalme 119.29 on Proverbs 1.28 29. on 2 Tim. 3.5 PREPARING FOR CHRIST REV. 22.17 Whosoever will let him taste of the water of life freely BEfore the soule of a man can partake of the benefits of Christ two things are required First that the soule bee prepared for Christ Secondly that the soule bee implanted into Christ Concerning preparation there hath beene two doctrines handled out of Luke 1.17 The first of which That the soule of a poore sinner must bee prepared for the Lord Iesus Christ before it can receive him and comfort from him The second doctrine was That a powerfull Ministry is the ordinary meanes that the Lord hath appointed to prepare the soule of a poore sinner soundly for Christ Now we are to proceede in this preparation and in the handling of this generall preparation two things are to be considered First the generall circumstances that pertaine to preparation And secondly the substantiall parts of preparation For the generall circumstances which are most remarkeable in preparation they are twofold some on Gods part and these are First the freenesse of the offer of his grace Secondly the universality of this offer of grace To all And thirdly the easinesse of the condition whereupon he offereth it Whosoever will may receive it and that freely On mans part two things are to be considered First he must consider that his owne corruption doth oppose this grace of God And secondly he must consider that God hath appointed to worke this grace in man and to take away man as corruption which opposeth the same So that there bee five things considerable in preparation Five things in Prepatation as generall circumstances thereof before we come to the substantiall parts of it The first is this 1 1. namely That the offer of grace that God propounds to his 2 2. and will worke in his is free Secondly the condition of grace and Gods offer is this That a man must will to receive Christ and grace before hee can receive Christ and grace 3 3. Thirdly Hâ— that doth truly will to receive Christ and grace shall have Christ and grace 4 4. And fourthly That no man of himselfe naturally can will that hee may receive Christ Lastly That God will work a will in his servants to receive the Lord Iesus Christ 5 5. and then hee will bestow him upon them And these are the five passages which are generall circumstances of preparation And three of these points which are the three first we have in this text Every man that will let him take freely of the water of life here is the free offer of Gods mercy and goodnesse Here also we see that a man must will Christ and grace before hee can have Christ And thirdly that he that doth truly will Christ shall have him and grace and salvation by him Wee will open a word or two in the text and so proceede First wee must see what is meant here by water Secondly what is meant by water of life First what is meant by water by water is meant here the Spirituall grace of God together with the immediate assistance of his holy Spirit in the working of the same upon the soule of man In water here wee may conclude two things not onely the grace which God doth convey to the soules of his people but also the assistance of the Spirit working the same in the soule looke for the truth of this the 7. of Iohn 38 39. He that beleeveth on me saith the text as the Scripture saith out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water Now what are these waters here spoken of in the next verse the text saith This spoke our Saviour of the Spirit which they that beleeved on him should receive from him that is the working assistance of his Spirit So that we see in this place of S. Iohn this phrase is expounded and so the 4. of Iohn the 10. verse the like phrase is used There our Saviour replieth to the woman of Samaria after this manner If thou knewest the gift of God and who it is that saith to thee give me to drinke Thou wouldest have asked of him and he would have given thee living water And so in the 14 vers Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life That is hee that receiveth the grace of Gods Spirit and the assistance thereof It shall be a well of water to him springing up into everlasting life Hence it is that Christ is called The fountaine of the garden and a well of living water Can. 4.15 Ier. 2.14 He is called The fountaine of living waters My people saith the text have forsaken the fountaine of living waters and have hewen unto them Cisternes even broken Cisternes that can hold no water So that Christ Iesus is the fountaine the grace of God are the rivers and the operation of the Spirit as the streames which make glad the City of God or else Christ is the Conduit the graces of God the cocke and the operation of the Spirit is the drawer of the water which comes into the soules of his servants So that we see plainly that by water is meant the graces of Gods Spirit which God is pleased to convey and worke in the soules of his servants The second phrase in the text is water of life and wee must see what is meant by that it is as much as if a man should say quickning grace and that is said to be the water of life in two regards First because it is that which begets a spirituall life in us a man is dead without the Lord Iesus and the graces of his Spirit Without me you can doe nothing saith our Saviour but looke as it is with the graft which is out of the Stocke it prospereth not nor bringeth forth fruite but withereth away So those that are not engrafted into Christ which have not the power of Christ to assist them they are dead in trespasses and sinnes but when this grace and
cavills discovers unto us from the fift Verse to the end of the Chapter the excellency of the Gospell of the Lord delivered in the plainenesse of it in the sixt Verse there saith he howbeit we speake wisedome among them that bee perfect yet not the wisdome of this woâ—â—â— nor of the Princes of this world that come to nought but wee speake the wisedome of God in a mystery even the hidden wisedome which God ordained before the world unto our glory as if he had said though you thinke O yee Corinthians that there is no learning but humane learning yet you must know that wee speake wisedome too and that to those that are the perfectest men in their owne understanding I tell you wee speake wisedome which the world and the princes thereof those that have the greatest parts never knew never obtained you Corinthian Doctors bragge much of your learning and knowledge but you have received it of other humane authors but wee teach unto you the wisedome of God and of the Gospell which eye hath not seene nor eare heard neither hath it entred into the heart of man to conceive for God hath revealed them unto us by his spirit where wee may observe by the way that hee which teacheth the Gospell in the plainenesse of it teacheth the deepest things that can be conceived for here S. Paul speaketh of things which the wise of the world never heard of never conceived But then they might reply further how can you know these things and why may not others know them as well as you These are the two objections that might bee made against that which the Apostle had before spoken of How came you to know them and why may not others know them as well as you The Apostle answereth these two questions And he answeres the first how he came to know them from the 10. Verse to the 14. God saith he hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit for the Spirit searcheth all things yea the deepe things of God now wee have received not the spirit of the world but the spirit which is of God that wee might know the things that are freely given to us of God as if he had sayd The spirit of God knoweth these things and teacheth a poore soule these things as farre as is convenient for him the Spirit of God understandeth these things and makes knowne these things to his servants they know not these things of themselves but by the power of God Spirit the Spirit of God assisting and working effectually in them teacheth them these secrets But then why doe not wicked men come to understand these great matters also To this the Apostle answers in the Text The naturall man receiveth not the things of the Spirit for they are foolishnesse unto him c. they doe not know them because they cannot A naturall man doth not know these things they are wonders and miracles unto him tell him how a poore soule comes to be humbled and broken and have his sinnes pardoned and bee received to mercy why these things are wonders to a carnall man the Text saith he doth not understand these things because hee cannot and the ground of this is because they have not the spirit to teach them this I take to be the scope of the Apostle in the Text and in the verse we are to observe onely one point meete for our purpose for as we have sayd before there are five generall circumstances of preparation observable three we have handled and the fourth is this No man of himselfe by nature can will to receive Christ and this is here plainely set open in the text and therein manifestly expressed it is the maine scope of the holy Ghost in the words a naturall man receiveth not nay he cannot receive the things of God but before wee can come to gather the point two things must be discovered unto us First what is meant by a naturall man Secondly what is meant by the things of the spirit of God First what is meant by a naturall man the Corinthians might have replyed upon the Apostle what are you a man of the spirit onely what meane you by a naturall man I answere he is a naturall man in phrase of Scripture which hath not the worke of grace soundly wrought in him which hath not the spirit of God whosoever he be that lyeth in the bosome of the Church whosoever he be that hath a name to live and yet is dead all carnall Gospellers and hyppocrites those that are coloured over with the name of Christians and religion whosoever they be that have not that saving worke of grace and the new frame of grace set up and reared in their soules by the assistance of Gods Spirit all these how ever they may be coloured over if they have not had the sanctifying worke of Gods Spirit upon them all these are sayd according to the Phrase of the Apostle to be naturall men and voyd of the spirit as may appeare by the words going before the Text and following after First compare them with the words going before in the 10. and 12. Verses Wee have received the Spirit of God faith the Text the naturall man and the spirituall are opposed one to another Wee saith the Apostle have received the Spirit so that hee that hath Gods Spirit is a spirituall man and therefore hee that hath not the Spirit of God in him hee that hath not the will of God revealed unto him by the Spirit he is a naturall man Looke also in the words after the Text Vers 15. He that is spirituall discerneth all things he that hath a heart truly humbled and a soule truly sanctified he that is adopted he is a spirituall man so that he which is voyd of the Spirit he is a naturall man the phrase is excellent in this kind Iude 19. Iude 19. these bee they saith the Text that separate themselves sensuall not having the Spirit the words there interpret one another hee was speaking before of wicked wretches and those that lived after their owne ungodly lusts in the 18. Verse saith the Text there shall be mockers in the last time who shall walke after their owne ungodly lusts where we may note that we shall never see a mocker one that opposeth Christ and the Gospell and is jearing at the Saints of God but he walkes after ungodly lusts They are sensuall men who be those sensuall men those that have not the Spirit of God as wee may see Verse 19. and therefore whosoever he be or whatsoever hee be be his appearance never so good if hee be not truly sanctified by the spirit of God though he be a new man outwardly if hee be not sound in his conversation hee is a naturall man hee that hath not the Spirit of God ruling and domineering over his lusts he is in a naturall estate The second thing which is to bee discovered is this vid. what is meant by the things of
the Spirit of God and then the point will fall faire and undeniable To this I answere there are some things of God that are revealed in the creation of the world Rom. 1.20 there saith the text Rom. 1.20 The invisible things of him meaning God from the creation of the world are cleerely seene being understood by the things that are made even his eternall power and Godhead that is a man that looketh into the frame and fabricke of the world and seeth the making of the earth and the Sea and all things therein hee cannot say but God hath beene here an infinite wisdome and an Almighty power hath beene here and framed all these things but these are not the things of God which are meant in the text but there are other things of God which we must looke after and they cannot be discerned by the creation of the world and therefore 1 Cor. 1.21 1 Cor. 1.21 we shall observe this After that in the Wisedome of God saith the text the world by wisedome knew not God it pleased God by the foolishnesse of Preaching to save them that beleeve marke the naturall men might have knowne though they would not that there was a God by the wisedome of God that is by the wisedome of God in creating of the World and by the observation of things in the same but they could not take notice of him as a God reconciled as a God that should appoint Christ as a redeemer and as a God that should send Christ to bee a redeemer these are the things which men could not know by the creation of the world and by the wisedome thereof the things of grace and of our redemption the favour and love that God beares towards his in Christ these are the things of God the things of election sanctification justification and glorification these are the things of God which are meant especially in the Text as if he had sayd God by the spirit can onely reveale these things these come immediatly from God by the meanes hee hath appointed a man may know that God hath created heaven and earth and that he hath made all and provided for all and yet goe to hell But hee that hath found Gods love in Christ God working graciously upon his soule God humbling his heart and pulling downe his soule that hee might bee fit to receive mercy and then bestowing mercy upon him when a soule seeth these things then these are the things of God here meant Gods spirit must onely work these the spirit onely must reveale these and by the operation of the spirit wee are made partakers of these these are the things of God which are to be understood in the Text God is said to call and to sanctifie it is the Spirit that converts and adopts and humbles mens soules as who should say These are the workes of the Spirit there is no seeing there is no perceiving of these there is no way to be made partakers of these without the spirit so that the doctrine now lieth open and that is this No man naturally is able of his owne power to receive the spirituall things of grace and salvation no naturall man that is he that hath not the spirit of God working in him no man that is in his naturall estate can receive the spirituall things of grace and salvation Hee doth not receive them nay he cannot receive them saith the Text to put out all doubts and to cast away all cavills the Text doth not onely say he doth not receive them but that he cannot receive them doe hee what he will doe he what he can come to a naturall man and aske him will you receive Christ and the worke of grace why yes with all his heart and he makes no doubt but he doth so and hee hopes hee shall finde the comfort of it The Text saith God saith the truth saith you doe not nay you cannot you say you doe whom shall wee beleeve in this case God or you I can prove you are a naturall man you live in base wicked courses the Spirit of God is an holy Spirit you live in ungodly and unlawfull courses the Spirit of God is a wise Spirit you are ignorant and know not the things belonging to salvation and therefore the world knowes and you know that you are a naturall man and the spirit that saith a naturall man cannot receive the things of God and yet you say you can whom therefore shall we beleeve so that the point is plaine that a man by nature hath not power to will to receive Christ and grace and salvation by him and we will make good the point in foure particulars by way of explication That a man hath not power to will to receive grace and salvation by Christ First to omit that which the Papists themselves confesse in this case namely that a naturall man of himselfe cannot finde out the meanes of life and Salvation but God must give him some preventing grace he must be enlightned that is God must reveale and make knowne the things that concerne his peace unto him out of the Word hee must discover those things unto him which appertaine to his peace and justification by Christ I will omit this and speake onely of the power which a naturall man hath to entertaine the things belonging to life and Salvation and suppose it be granted that the things of Salvation must be made knowne unto a naturall mat in this case or else he can never of himselfe finde them out yet when these things be set open to mens cares by the ministers of God when grace and Salvation are offered unto men yet marâ—â— when these are proclaimed a naturall man cannot entertaine these things but the heart of a naturall man will 〈◊〉 away from these things which we may plainely see if wee looke but into the 19 of Mat. Mat. 19.22 22. there was a young man made some good profession he came unto Christ and asked him Master what good thing shall I doe to inherit eternall life Christ sayd unto him If thou wilt enter into life keepe the Commandements the young man askeâ— Christ which Commandement he should keepe our Saviour answers him Thou shalt not kill Thou shalt not commit adultery c. The young man answers All these things have I observed from my youth what lacke Iyet Then Christ saith unto him if thou wilt be perfect goe sell all that thou hast and give it to the poore and thou shalt have treasure in heaven but the text saith Vers 32. When the young man heard this he went away sorrowfull for he had great possessions All the while before our Saviour had not touched him to the quicke but when he saith unto him Goe thy wayes sell all that thou hast and follow me and thou shalt have treasue in heaven he then went away why marke here Christ made him a brave offer hee told him he should inherit heaven and happinesse if he
Lord saith that man is a naturall man Now many soule can say I am not perswaded of these things which the Gospell reveales why then the cases cleare thou sayst plainely thou canst not receive the things of God why then the Lord saith the Text saith and God of heaven saith that thou art a naturall man as thou camest into the world and that thou hast not the grace and spirit of Christ But then some may say if I be a natural man what then what hurt is it And therefore in the fourth place it is an use of terrour I presume many that have heard this will say wee are so and shall a man bee ashamed because he is a naturall man Therefore observe from the former doctrine a word of terrour to all naturall creatures under heaven I am almost afraid to speake of the misery of a naturall man my tongue trembles to discover the wretched fearefull damned miserable estate that every naturall man is in you thinke it is nothing to be in a natuturall estate but I tell you did you but know what the Lord hath revealed concerning a naturall man it were enough to breake the backe of a man a naturall man why it is enough to make thee goe sighing to thy grave though thou livest a thousand yeares if thou beest a naturall man thou hast not received Christ nay thou art not neare the things of a better life nay you are not onely still to attaine those things but you are not able to receive the things of the Lord Iesus whereby you may be quickned to entertaine those things and this is that which maketh the soules of naturall men miserable and the misery of those soules the more miserable because they are not onely unwilling to bee out of this condition but they are unwilling to be made willing to be out of it they boast that still they remaine in it for marke what naturall men say they bring a reproach upon Gods Saints and children what say they you are a man of the Spirit you are a spirituall professor one of the holy brethren are you miserable wretch dost thou professe thy selfe that thou art not so but that thou art a naturall man why then thou art a miserable man a naturall man why then a damned man a naturall man why thâ—â— an accursed man thou that professest thou hast no part and portion in the Lord Iesus take heede that one day hee doth not professe that hee hath no part in thee Rom. 8.9 If any man hath 〈◊〉 the Spirit of Christ Rom. 8.9 he is none of his thou that dost make a matter of mocking at those that doe walke uprightly before God and that have the Spirit of God in them thou that proclamest to the world that thou hast not the Spirit of God the Lord proclaimes it as openly to thee that the Lord Iesus will not owne thee hee will have nothing to doe with thee and then what shall become of thee 〈◊〉 the devill must take thee at the last day when all flesh shall appeare before the judgement seate of God and the booke shall be opened and the actions of men made manifest to Saints and Angells Oh one drop of mercy then one dram of comfort then will bee worth a world Oh then you will wish Oh that Christ would save us no no you that were naturall men Christ will not owne you now you had none at all of the Spirit you have opposed the good Spirit of God and flouted it these are your spirituall men these are your holy ones thus you have mocked and blasphemed you have sayd the Spirit of Christ is not mine and therefore Christ saith hee is none of thine thy estate therefore here is miserable but thrice wretched and miserable will it be hereafter men may imagine great matters and boast of themselves of their riches and their wisedome and their honour and preferment in the world but if they be naturall there is small good at all in them they may have lands and preferments and honours but they have small good in them and therefore miserable needs must their estate bee here but farre worse hereafter Doe not thinke ye may climbe up to heaven by your owne imaginations good Lord how can a man that is in a naturall condition sleepe quietly with what contentment can hee walke when a man goeth into his fields to recreate and delight himselfe and then considers the meanes that God hath offred him whereby hee might attaine unto grace and salvation when the soule thinks with it selfe I may goe into my ground to be eased and refreshed but alas I am but a naturall man what therefore shall become of this poore soule of mine he considers with himselfe I am but in a naturall condition and therefore in a miserable damned condition and then when hee returnes home still this strikes in his minde I aâ—â— but naturall flesh and blood and therefore never shall receive any spirituall comfort but when these things shall neither helpe me nor I be helpefull unto them Oh what then shall become of me I have had no part in Christ here and therefore I can never looke that hee will owne me hereafter it is a great evill for a man to have no good but this is the misery of a man that hee cannot procure any good and this is the misery of all miseries that he cannot desire to be out of this misery and yet this is the condition of every naturall man you therefore that are naturall goe into comers and mourne for your selves and those that belong unto you and for those to whom you have relation you husbands that have wives which be naturall and you wives who have naturall husbands goe and mourne for them and for you selves and sigh to heaven for mercy and pray to God that hee would be mercifull unto them and forgive them their sinnes and bring them out of their naturall estate and make them able to entertaine Christ and grace and salvation Parents mourne for your children that are naturall when thou lookest upon thy child whom thou dearely lovest and whom perhaps hath good naturall parts and is obedient unto thee in outward respects when thou beholdest this child of thine and considerest that hee is in a naturall estate then this may peirce thee to the very heart then thou mayst burst out and say woe is me that this child of mine was ever borne for he is in a naturall condition and therefore in a miserable condition hee is a naturall child and herefore a child of the divell truly he is my sonne and for ought I know if God have not mercy upon him the child of the divell also a naturall child is a damned child a naturall man is an accursed man consider this doth not the Word say this doth not the Lord say this that a naturall man cannot receive the things of God and therefore deale with your owne soules and with the soules of
very uncertaine though thy day continue yet the day of grace happily will not continue that is but a minute of the particular time of thy day if God take away the light of the Gospell thou mayst die so hunger and thirst and never come to the like mercies never receive the like incouragements thou that heretofore hast despised a faithfull Minister it may bee thou shalt never see the face of a good Minister more hereafter and then what shall become of all thy faire hopes and goodly expectations Oh then when the market is done thou wilt come too late to buy salvation thou shalt never receive those benefits and meanes of grace and salvation againe which thou hast neglected Nay consider that this which I have spoken may be the case of any one in this congregation every man hath his day I gave her a time to repent saith the Lord of wicked Iesabel but shee would not the Lord would have plucked her out of her bed of downe and from the armes of her lovers into a bed of sorrow shee hath now paine for her pleasure and sorrow for her jollitie who knoweth but this may be my day and thy day and every particular mans day When the word of God comes home to the soule of a man and the Lord is pleased to knocke at the conscience of a poore sinner he may then breake out into admiration and say is it thus is the Lord so compassionate that notwithstanding all my rebellions hee is still pleased to strive with mee nay to mourne over me as hee did over Ierusalem O that thou hadst knowne at least in this thy day the things belonging to thy peace many mercies hath the Lord let into my soule to allute me many judgements to terrifie me many promises to perswade me and hath used all meanes possible to bring mee to a better life no mercy equalls this no goodnesse is to be compared with this thus take notice of the mercies of God towards you and go aside and make good use of those good motions that God by his Spirit shall suggest into your soules and if the Lord hath almost perswaded thee to be a Christian oh then make much of those blessed motions and beginne to be a new man presently oh goe home and say if God doe thus strive and struggle with me in particular then resolve and say this is my day if there be any soule here present that it hath pleased God thus to move oh know and consider that this is thy particular time thy particular season say and remember that such a time thou hadst a faire offer it may be he that now moves and perswades thee and intreats thee to come to everlasting life and happinesse it may be hee will never looke after thee more And now what remaineth more when a man resolves that this is his day and that now the Lord comes neare unto him but even then presently to breake off all impediments and leape over all blockes that lie in his way and resolve thenceforward to bid adue to all his corruptions hee should consider with himselfe and say seeing the Lord doth even mourningly strive with me for my good then I will never attend more to those lusts I will never yeeld more to those occasions that have gotten the mastery over me I would wish every poore soule to take up this resolution to give a bill of divorcement to his sinnes and never to see the face of his corruptions any more to doe this now will be a very hard thing I know it and experience proves it your lusts will cleave to you and hang about you you would be loath to part with your old corruptions old friends that have beene of old acquaintance for these to be shaken off on a sudden this will be very grievous S. Austin speaking of his conversion confesseth this his sinnes did hang about him and he was loath to leave them and forsake them he was often perswaded by the motions of Gods Spirit to returne from his wicked courses and become a new man but hee was loath to part with his beloved lusts and therefore thought hee might have time enough to repent afterwards but at length hee tooke up this resolution to breake through all impediments and brake out into those words Why not to day Lord why not to day hee had dallied too often and deferred too long and therefore now hee resolved to goe thorough stitch in this case he resolved to doe so and kept his resolution Why do you as he did and say why not to day Lord why not to day you could be content on your death beds to be drunke no more why cannot you as well to day resolve to be sober the adulterer when he lies upon his death bed wil not endure so much as to look upon his Quene why should hee not as well abstaine from this base sinne to day wee know not whether the meanes may be taken from us or wee from the meanes and therefore when the Lord saith My face seeke you answer againe and say thy face Lord will we seeke But there are yet some shifts still behind which must be answered the heart will yet be ready further to reply suppose God call and I refuse may I not heare this call againe hereafter I answer take heede of that for the text saith here they are now hidden from thine eyes yee are not Authours and Patrons of this grace yee are not givers of this mercy it is of Gods free love to offer mercy and salvation unto you and therefore especially take heed of this conceit he that offereth grace unto thee now if thou refusest it may chance never to give it thee hereafter though thou greatly desirest it and earnestly seekest after it he that now holdeth out a golden Scepter to entertaine thee may afterwards have an iron rod to breake thee in pieces if thou dost not accept his kinde offer and come in unto him he that now doth perswade thee to receive mercy at his hands while hee offers it that God hereafter may seale up thy heart in stupidnesse and benummednesse for ever if thou dost not embrace it that Spirit which now strives with thee may never strive more that Spirit may never worke upon thee more and then when the gate is shut you may knocke till your heart ake as the foolish Virgins did and yet never get in you may then howle and crie and call and knocke and yet with Esaâ— you shall not obtaine a blessing though you seeke it even with teares but the Lord will answer Depart from mee yee workers of iniquitie I know you not it will be just with God to take away those holy motions of his blessed Spirit which you have slighted to take away that mercy which you have despised take heede that doe not befall you which shall befall all despisers of grace and salvation Pro. 1.24 there saith the text Because I have called and yee have