Christ Crucified, Sermon 14
SERMON XIV.
ISAIAH LIII.I.
—And to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?
THE way of the Grace of God is a very difficult Subject to be thought on or ſpoken of ſuitably and as it becomes, Grace having a ſoveraign and unſearchable Channel of its own wherein it runs; yet no doubt it is very uſeful now and then to conſider it, if we knew how to make uſe of it aright; yea even theſe ſteps of Grace that are moſt croſs and contrary to carnal Reaſon, may not a little profite when duely pondered; Thus when the Prophet hath been looking on the ſcarcity of Faith, and on the paucity of true Believers, he looks a little further then on the external preaching of the Goſpel, even in upon the way of God's Grace, not out of any curi…ſity, nor from a fretting humour, becauſe of the unſucceſsfulneſſe of his Miniſtry, but that he may thereby get himſelf ſtayed and compoſed, and that he may bring both himſelf and others, to reverence and adore the holy and ſoveraign way of God therein; To whom (ſaith he) is the arm of the Lord revealed? It's a word like that which Chriſt had on the like occaſion, John 6.44. Murmure not among your ſelves, no man can come to me, except the Father who hath ſent me, draw him.
We opened up the meaning of the words the laſt day; In ſhort they come to this, as if he had ſaid, how few are they that believe the Goſpel, and who take the Word off the hand of His ſent Miniſters? and how few are they on whom the Grace of God that only can make men believe, does effectually work; the Prophet pointing at a higher hand then that of the Miniſters in the ſucceſs and fruitleſsneſs of the Goſpel, and coupling theſe two together, the Preaching of the Word and the Power of God's Grace in the working of Faith and Converſion in Sinners.
We propoſed theſe three Doctrines to be ſpoken to from the words. 1. That in the work of Converſion and begetting of Faith, beſide the preaching of the Word, there is a powerful, internal, immediat work of the Grace of God, exerciſed within Mens Hearts, as well as the Word is preached outwardly to the Ear, wherever Faith is begotten, theſe two go together, the Word without, and the power of Grace within the one of which is diſtinct from the other.
2. That this powerful, internal, and immediate work of Grace within, is not common to all the Hearers of the Goſpel, but a rare, and peculiar thing to ſome, to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? it's but one or few of many to whom it's revealed; To theſe we have ſpoken already.
3. The third is (which indeed holds out the ſcope of all,) that there is an inſeparable connexion betwixt theſe two, the begetting of Faith in the Hearers of the Goſpel, and the application of this powerful work of the Grace of God for working of it, ſo that where this powerful work of Grace is not, there is never Faith nor Converſion wrought, and where this powerful work of Grace is, there is Faith and Converſion; The Prophet makes them reciprocal and commenſurable; who is the Believer? he to whom the Arm of the Lord is revealed; and who is the Unbeliever? he to whom the Arm of the Lord is not revealed; Theſe two are ſo conjoyned and knit together, as they are never ſeparated, and ſo they muſt ſtand or fall together.
That we may be the more clear, we ſhall take up the Doctrine in two diſtinct Branches, The firſt whereof is, That except the powerful work of God's Grace concur, the moſt powerful preaching of the Goſpel will never beget Faith in the Hearts of the Hearers of it. The ſecond is, That whereever this powerful work of Grace goes along with the preaching of the Goſpel, or wherever the Lord applyes His Grace with the Word preached, there Faith is begotten in the Heart, and that Soul is effectually united to Chriſt, and ſavingly changed; The one of theſe Branches ſerves to ſhew the neceſſity of God's Grace from the conſideration of our ſinfulneſs and impotency or inability, and of the emptineſs and ineffectualneſs of all outward Means in themſelves, and ſo to ſtop all Mens Mouthes as being utterly unable to contribute any thing to their own ſpiritual Good or Converſion, that being the product of the Grace of God; The other Branch ſerves mightily to commend the Grace of God, as being the powerful Arm of the Lord, that brings to Believe, that calls and converts ſuch and ſuch Perſons, according to a prior engagement and tranſaction betwixt the Father and the Son.
As for the firſt of theſe, It will eaſily be believed among Men and Women that have any true ſenſe and feeling of the Corruption of their Nature, and find dayly ſomewhat of the Law of the Members warring againſt the Law of the Mind; and we are perſwaded, if all that ever received Faith were brought to depone in this matter, they would bear witneſs, that there is no Mean that without the effectual Power of the Grace of God, can bring a ſtranger Sinner to cloſe with Chriſt and believe on Him; and if all that are now before the Throne of God in Heaven, were called to ſpeak to this great Truth, they would put their ſeal to it, and ſay, Not unto us, but to thy Name be the glory of our believing, we had never believed if it had been left to the power of our own Free-will, and if the power of thy Grace had not wrought in us the very Will as well as the Deed or Act of believing. Yet becauſe this Doctrine (as we ſaid) ſerves to diſcover the ſinfulneſs and impotency of Nature, and how little we are obliged to our ſelves in this great work; and to hold forth the abſolute neceſſity of the Grace of God, and how much we are obliged to it in the work of Faith and Converſion; and to hold forth withall the emptineſs and ineffectualneſs of all outward Means without this Grace, and becauſe it wants not its own conſiderable oppoſition from the enemies of the Truth, we ſhall give you ſome Grounds for confirmation of it, The firſt whereof is drawen from theſe expreſs inſtances of Scripture wherein it is clear, That there hath been much powerful Preaching, and by the moſt eminent Preachers, and yet the generality of People have been fruitleſs under it, and their fruitleſneſs hath been brought to this very Ground, to wit, that the work of God's Grace and His out-ſtretched Arm went not along with it. The firſt inſtance is Deut. 29.4. That Moſes was a ſkilled Preacher, who will deny? he being faithful in all the Houſe of God, yet ſays he, after much and long Preaching, and after many Signs and Wonders wrought, the Lord hath not given you an heart to perceive, nor eyes to ſee, nor ears to hear unto this day; where he not only puts a difference betwixt the preaching of the Word without, and the work of Grace within, but ſhows the neceſſity of the conc…rrence of the work of Grace, and lays the great weight of the Peoples profiting or not profiting, on the wanting or having of that: A ſecond inſtance, is in this Prophet Iſaiah; were there any among all the Preachers before or ſince, that preached in a more Evangelick ſtrain then he did? and yet when he hath complained of the paucity of Believers, ſaying, who hath believed our report? he fixes and ſtays on this as the cauſe, to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? And Chap. 6.9, 10. he gives an account of the ſad Commiſſion he had from the Lord, who ſaid to him, Go and tell the people, Hear ye indeed but underſtand not, and ſee ye indeed but perceive not, make the heart of this people ſat, &c. where there is alſo a clear diſtinction made betwixt the inward working of Grace, and the outward Miniſtry. A third inſtance, and one that is beyond all exception, is in our bleſs'd Lord Jeſus, who ſpake as never man ſpoke, and preached with ſuch power and life, that even carnal Hearers wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth, for he preached with Authority and not as the Scribes, and yet Joh. 6.44. when they begin to murmure at Him, what ſays He? Murmure not at theſe things, none can come to me, except the Father draw him; none can Believe, except the powerful Grace of God work Faith in him, there muſt be a higher hand then ought ye ſee or hear, a more powerful work then any external Preaching of mine as Prophet of my Church, ere a Soul can believe on me; and though his Hearers were not free of the guilt of this their Unbelief, but had their own ſinful acceſſion unto their continuing in it, yet our Lord looks in on the ſoveraign way and work of Grace, and holds there, telling them that his external Miniſtry will not do the turn, but there muſt be an inward, powerful, immediate work of Grace for the working of Faith. We add a fourth inſtance, and it is of that choſen Veſſel Paul, who laboured more abundantly then all the reſt of the Apoſtles, and yet when he is Preaching, Acts 28.25. and ſome believed, and others believed not, before he diſmiſſes the multitude, he adds this one word, Well ſpake the Holy Ghost by Iſaiah the Prophet unto our fathers, ſaying, Go unto this People, and ſay, Hearing ye ſhall hear and ſhall not understand, and ſeeing ye ſhall ſee and not perceive, &c. where he expreſsly differenceth his external Preaching from God's inward working, and tells, that ſo long as there was a judicial ſtroke on the Hearts of the People untaken away, no external Preaching could do the turn as to their Converſion and bringing of them to Believe; which he alſo does to guard againſt any offence that might be taken at the unſuccesfulneſs of his Miniſtry by any who would be ready to ſay, what aileth theſe Folk that they will not receive the Goſpel? to whom he anſwers, Iſaiah long before told the reaſon of it, to wit, that there is a Plague on their Hearts and Minds which God muſt remove ere they can receive it.
2. To theſe plain and clear inſtances we may add two or three Grounds or Reaſons, As 1. The exceeding greatneſs of the work of Converſion, O how great and difficult is it! Therefore it's ſet out by the ſimilitudes and expreſſions of raiſing the dead, creating a new heart, of removing the ſtony heart, and the like, all tending to ſet out the neceſſity of an omnipotent Power or a powerful work of Grace, in the begetting of Souls to Chriſt; and if it be ſo great a work, what can the outward Miniſtry do, if the Power of God be not added? or what can the Man himſelf do here? can a M…n quicken, raiſe, creat, or beget himſelf? it's true, theſe compariſons are not to be extended and and applied in every reſpect, yet they hold out that Man being naturally dead, can no more contribute to his own quickening and raiſing, and to the b…getting of ſpiritual life in himſelf, then a dead M…n can contribute to his own quickening and raiſing to his natural life; for which cauſe, the Holy Ghoſt hath made choice of theſe expreſſions, even to hold out the exceeding greatneſs of the work. 2. Conſider the condition that M…n are in when this work is wrought, and we will ſee they can contribute nothing to it, th…t they have no aptitude for it, except that they are ſubjects capable to be wrought upon, being as it is Eph 2.1. dead in ſins and treſpaſſes; being as to their Souls eſtate, and as to their Spiritual condition, like Adam's Body before the Lord breathed in it the Breath of Life, and made him a living Soul; as his Body could not move, ſtir, nor act till then, no more can the Natural Man ſtir or act in the ways of God till a new principle of Spiritual Life be put in him. To clear it further, we would conſider, that the Scripture ſpeaks of theſe three in the Natural Man. 1. Of an utter inability and deadneſs as to that which is Good, Dead in Sins, Eph. 2.1. We are not ſufficient (ſaith the Apoſtle, 2 Cor. 3.5.) of our ſelves as of our ſelves to think any thing, not ſo much as a good thought. 2. The Scripture holds him out not only as unable for good, but perverſe and bent to every thing that is Evil, Col. 1.21. Alienated and enemies in our minds by wicked works; the carnal mind being enmity againſt God, Rom. 8.7. it's plainly oppoſite to any thing that is Good, and ſo to the way of Faith. 3. Man's Mind is not only naturally perverſe and ſtuffed with Enmity, but in an incapacity to be healed while it remaineth ſuch, Rom. 8.7. It is not ſubject to the law of God, neither indeed can be; and therefore in the work of Converſion, there is not only an amending, but alſo a renewing of our Nature called for; there is more requiſite then the rectifying of ſomething in the Man, even the creating of new Habits, and the infuſing of the Principles of Spiritual Life and Motion into the Soul: It is true, in ſome Senſe the whole Image of God is not abſolutely removed, the faculties of the rational Soul ſtill remain, for Man hath an Underſtanding and a Will, and ſome ſort of Reaſon, but without any tendency to Spiritual Life, or to any action for God; he hath an Underſtanding, but it's wholly darkened; he hath a Will, but wholly perverſe, and not in the leaſt enclined to Good; he hath Affections, but wholly diſordered and corrupted, and ſet wholly upon wrong Objects; ſo that it's with Man's Soul as to Good, as it is with ſpoiled Wine; Wine when wholeſome, ſerves to cheer and refreſh, but when it's ſpoiled, it's quite another thing, not only not conducing to Health, but it's noiſome and hurtful: It's juſt ſo we ſay with Man's Soul, it's by the Fall quite ſpoiled and corrupted; it is not indeed annihilated or made to be nothing, for it retains the ſame faculties ſtill; it hath (to ſpeak ſo) the ſame quantity ſtill, but as to it's qualities, it's utterly corrupted and carried cloſs contrary to God; it's not ſubject to the law of God, neither indeed can be; and renovation by Grace, is the taking away of the corrupt qualities in part in this Life, and wholly in the other Life, and the bringing in of new qualities for recovering the beauty of that Image of God which Man hath loſt. 4. Conſider the end that God hath in the adminiſtration of His Grace, and the Glory that He will needs have it getting in every gracious work, and more eſpecially in the work of Converſion, and the ſilence, as to any boaſting, that He will have all put unto that ſhall partake of it; His end in the adminiſtration of His Grace, is to bring down Pride, to ſtop all Mouths, and to remove all grounds of boaſting from the Creature, that He only may have the glory of Converſion; that when ever that queſtion is propoſed, What haſt thou O man, but what thou haſt received? and if thou haſt received it, why doeſt thou boaſt? who made thee to differ from another? the Soul may anſwer, it was not external Preaching, nor my own Free-will, nor any thing in me, but the power of God's Grace, I have nothing but what I have received: It is on this ground that the Apoſtle Phil. 2.12, 13. preſſeth and encourageth Chriſtians to their great work, Work out (ſaith he) your own ſalvation in fear and trembling, for it's God that worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleaſure; the Lord leaveth not to Man the working of the Will in himſelf, and of him, ſaith the ſame Apoſtle 1 Cor. 30.31. are ye in Christ Jeſus, who is made of God unto us, wiſdom, righteouſneſs, ſanctification and redemption, that he that glorieth ſhould glory in the Lord, as he ſaid before, verſ. 29. that no fleſh ſhould glory in his preſence; there is one ground of boaſting that the Lord wi…l have removed in a Sinner's Juſtification and obtaining the Pardon of Sin by the imputation of the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt; but there is another ground or matter of boaſting that Man might have if he could reach out the Hand to believe and receive that Righteouſneſs, and ſo put difference betwixt himſelf and another, which in Effectual Calling the Lord puts to ſilence and quite removes; that Man may h…ve it to ſay, I have not only Pardon of S…n, but Grace to Believe, freely beſtowed upon me; God made me to differ, and He only; He opened my Heart as He did the Heart of Lydia: Thus the Lord will have all the weight of the whole work of our Salvation lying on His Grace, that the Mouths of all may be ſtopped, and that His Grace may ſhine gloriouſly, that we may have it to ſay with the Pſalmiſt, Pſal. 57.2. It's the Lord that performs all things for me, and with Paul, 1 Tim. 1.13, 14. I obtained mercy, and the Grace of God was exceeding abundant towards me.
The Uſes are theſe. 1. It writes to us in great and legible Letters, the great emptineſs and ſinfulneſs of all Fleſh, who not only do not good, but have ſinned themſelves out of a capacity to do good; all Men and Women have brought themſelves thus lamentably low by Sin, that now if Heaven were to be had by a wiſh, ſincerely and ſingly brought forth, yet it is not in their power to perform that condition; and though it now ſtands upon the ſtreatching forth of the hand of Faith to receive Jeſus Chriſt, yet of themſelves they cannot even do this; how ought then Sinners to be deeply humbled, who have brought themſelves to this woful paſs? I am afraid that many of you do not believe that ye are ſuch as cannot Believe, nor do any Good till His Grace work effectually in you.
2. It teacheth you not to idolize any inſtrument or mean of Grace, how precious and promiſing ſoever; No Preaching, if it were of a Prophet, or an Apoſtle, yea of an Angel, will do the turn, without Grace come with it; there is a neceſſity of the revelation of God's Arm, and of the aſſiſtance of His Grace, not only to your Converſion, but to every duty ye go about; Ye ſhould therefore fear and tremble when ye go about any Ordinance, leſt the Arm of the Lord be not put forth in it.
3. It ſhould make you more ſerious in dealing with God for His effectual bleſſing to every Mean and Ordinance, ſeing without that no Ordinance can profite you.
4. It ſerves to reprove and repreſs Pride, … to promove Humility in all ſuch who … …tten good by the Goſpel; Have ye Faith or any meaſure of Holineſs? what have ye but what ye have received? from whence came your Faith and your Holineſs? ye have them not of your ſelves, theſe are not Fruits that grow upon the Tree of Nature, or in its Garden, but on the Tree, and in the Garden of Free-Grace, and ye have not your ſelves to thank for them.
5. The main Uſe of it is for confirming and eſtabliſhing you in the Faith of the Truth proponed in the Doctrine, and for confuting and overturning the contrary Error, that, as it were, in contempt of the Grace of God, exalts proud Nature, and gives Man's Free-will ſo great a hand in the work of Converſion; That the main thing that makes the difference ſhall not be attributed to the Grace of God, but to the Free-will of the Creature, which of it ſelf choiſed the Grace of God offered when another rejected it: It may indeed ſeem ſtrange that the Devil ſhould ſo far have prevailed with Chriſtians that profeſs the Faith of Original Sin, and of the neceſſity of a Saviour, as to make them look at Grace as uſeleſs in this prime ſtep of Converſion and renewing of a Sinner, that when the Grace of God and Man's Free-will come to be compared, Man's Will ſhould have the preference and preheminence, the higheſt place and commendation in the work, and that the great weight of it ſhould ly there, and that proud Nature ſhould be thus bolſtered up that it ſhall ſtand in need of nothing for the Man's Converſion, but the right uſe-making of what it hath in it ſelf: And yet it's no wonder that the Devil drive this deſign vigorouſly, for what ſhorter cut can there be taken by him to ruine Souls, then to make them drink in this Error, that Nature and Free-will will do their turn? and ſo take them off from all dependance on Free-Grace, and on Jeſus Chriſt, and give them ground of boaſting in themſelves; for when it is thus, of neceſſity they muſt ruine and periſh; this ſhould ſure, make you loath this Error the more: And we are perſwaded, that the day is coming, wherein the Truth oppoſite to this Error, ſhall be confirmed on the Souls and Conſciences of all the Oppoſers of it, and wherein, the maintaining of this Error ſhall be found a confirmation of Mans Enmity at Gods Grace, which is not ſubject to His Law, nor indeed can be.
But there are three Queſtions that may be moved here, to which we would ſpeak a word. 1. If the Preaching of the Goſpel cannot beget Faith, without the powerful work of Gods Gra…e, what is the uſe of the Goſpel, or wherefore ſerves it? 2. If Men cannot Believe without the work of Grace, which the Lord ſoveraignly diſpenſeth, why doth He yet find fault and expoſtulate with Men for their not Believing? 3. If Grace perform all, and Men can make no mean effectual, nor do any good without it, what then ſhould Men do to come by Believing, and this work of His Grace?
For the firſt, We ſhall not ſay much unto it; only, ſeing the Lord hath made choice of the Goſpel to be the ordinary external Mean of Grace, and of the begetting of Faith, there is no reaſon to ſay that it's uſeleſs; for though it be not the main and only thing that turns the Sinner, but the Lord hath reſerved it to Himſelf as His own Prerogative, to convert and change the Heart of a Rebel-ſinner, yet he hath appointed it to be made uſe of, as He hath appointed Baptiſm and the Lords Supper, for many good and notable ends, uſes, and advantages that are reached and come by the preaching of it. As, 1. By it the Righteouſneſs of God is manifeſted that before lay hid; Ye may by the preaching of the Goſpel come to the knowledge of the Covenant of Redemption, and of the great deſign that the Lord hath laid down for bringing about the Salvation of loſt Sinners, Rom. 1.17. Therein is the righteouſneſs of God revealed from Faith to Faith. 2. By it the Lord revealeth the Duty He calleth for from Men, as well as His Will concerning their Juſtification and Salvation; He lets them know what is wrong, what is right, what diſpleaſeth Him, and what pleaſeth Him. Yea, 3. By the preaching of the Goſpel, He holdeth out what Mens ability is, or rather what is their inability, and by His external Calling gives them in it occaſion to know this their inability in not giving obedience to His call; and this is no ſmall advantage, when by it they have occaſion to know the neceſſity of a Mediator, and to ſeek after another way of Juſtication then by their own works; for ſo it proves a notable mean to humble Men, to ſtop their Mouths, and to make them plead guilty before God. 4. It's profitable as the Lord is pleaſed to make uſe of it, to call and gather in ſo many as He hath ordained to Eternal Life; for though in it ſelf it be not able to convert, yet having the Power of God going along with it, it is the inſtrument of Converſion, and the Lord ordinarily makes uſe of it to the begetting of Faith in them that Believe, as it is Rom. 10.17. Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God, preached; and 1 Cor. 1.24. it's called the power of God to ſalvation; and, it hath pleaſed God by the fooliſhneſs of preaching to ſave them that believe; for though God can work without it, yet He hath thought good to make uſe of it, to inform the Judgment, and to ſtir up the Affections of Hearers, and ſo it proves inſtrumental to the begetting of Faith in them. 5. If it do not promove the Salvation of all the Hearers of it, yet it promoves it in all the Elect, and ſerves to make others the more inexcuſable, and in this reſpect it triumphs always, 2 Cor. 2.15, 16. In ſome it is the ſavour of life unto life, in others the ſavour of death unto death, leaving them the more inexcuſable, and the more obnoxious to Wrath by their rejecting of the Counſel of God againſt themſelves.
I know this will be excepted againſt; We come therefore to conſider the ſecond Queſtion, which is this, How can the Call of the Goſpel make Men inexcuſable, ſeing they cannot without the effectual Power of the Grace of God Believe? as Chriſt ſaith, John 6.44. No man can come to me, that is, no Man can believe in me, except the Father who hath ſent me draw him; yea, why doth God find fault with Men for their Unbelief? for anſwer, it hath been no new thing for Men to ſtart Queſtions and Objections againſt the Grace of God, and to be always ſtriving to rub affronts and diſgrace upon it, ſee Rom. 9.13, 14, &c. where this ſame Objection is ſtarted, and anſwered again and again; for when the Apoſtle hath ſaid verſ. 13. Jacob have I loved, and Eſau have I hated, the Objection is moved, Is there unrighteouſneſs with God then? Folks readily think that there is a ſort of unrighteouſneſs in God when He takes one and leaves another, eſpecially conſidering, that the leaving of the other infers (though it be not any culpable cauſe of) the ruine of the Mans Soul; he anſwers firſt with a God forbid, as if it were an abſurd thing ſo to aſſert; and then endeavours to anſwer it from Gods Soveraignty, as being Debtor to none, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and, it's not in him that willeth, nor in him that runneth, but in God that ſhews mercy: In Gods adminiſtration of Grace, He is Debtor to no Man, nor hath He any rule by which He proceedeth, but His own Soveraign Will; and if it ſhall yet be ſaid, if God doth walk by His own Soveraign Will in giving Grace, Why doth he yet find fault or condemn, for who hath reſiſted his will? Why is God angry that Men will not Believe, ſince none can come to Chriſt againſt the Will of God? His Indignation riſeth at this proud and petulant Objection, and He anſwers, But who art thou O man that replieſt againſt God? ſhall the thing formed ſay to him that formed it, why hast thou made me thus? hath not the potter power over the clay, to make of the ſame lump, one veſſel to honour, and another to diſhonour? By the Apoſtle's doubling of this anſwer, and his not ſetting of himſelf to ſatisfie carnal Reaſon and Curioſity, there is ground given to ſilence us here; It's the Lord, He is our Potter, and we the Clay; it's He in whoſe Hand we are, who can do us no wrong, and this may ſufficiently ſerve to put a ſtop to all reaſoning and diſputing againſt Him; Ye… we may add a word further, ſeing the Apoſtle proceeds to another Reaſon; Therefore, 2. Conſider whence it is that this inability to believe or turn to God doth come; not from God ſure; for if He had not made Man perfect, there might be ſome ground for the Objection; but ſeing He did make man upright, and he hath ſought out many inventions, who is to be blamed? hath the Lord loſt His right to exact His Debt, becauſe Man hath played the Bankrupt and debauched, and turned Dyvour, and unable to pay? doth not this very objecting prove us guilty, and evidence that we have loſt that which God gave to us, and made us with at the Beginning? When God made Adam, he had power to believe and give God credit as to every word revealed or to be revealed, and that now after the Fall, he and his Poſterity want that power, they have not this privation from Gods creating of them, but from their Fall, they by their Fall utterly incapacitating themſelves for theſe Duties that they owe to God, and for this among the reſt. 3. If there were no more but ſimple inability among them that hear this Goſpel, they might have ſome pretext or ground of excuſe, though it were not any real nor juſt excuſe, as hath been ſhewed, but it never comes to this as the only or main cauſe of their not Believing; There is always ſome maliciouſneſs, perverſneſs, and pravity in the Will; it's not, I cannot, but I will not, it's a wiful and ſome way deliberate rejecting of the Goſpel, that is the ground of Folks not Beli…ving; and what excuſe, I pray, can ye have, who do not believe the Goſpel, when it ſhall be found that ye maliciouſly and deliberatly chooſed to reject it? To make this out, conſider but theſe few things, 1. Mens neglecting of the very outward Mea…s, that through Gods bleſſing prove inſtrumental in the begetting of Faith, as of Hearing, Reading, Prayer, Meditation, Self-ſearching, ſtirring up themſelves to Repentance, &c. whereby the Lord ordinarily brings about and furthers the work of Faith. 2. Conſider the carnal, careleſs, and lazy manner of Mens going about theſe Means and Duties, which to their own conviction are within the reach of that power which they have; ye might hear oftener and more attentively, ye might pray more frequently and more ſeriouſly then often ye do, ye want even much of that moral ſeririouſneſs in Hearing, Prayer, Reading, &c. that ye have in other things of leſs concernment; ye will hear a Proclamation at the Croſs with more attention, then a Preaching of the Goſpel, ye will hear a Threatning from Man with more fear then ye will hear a Threatning from God's Word, ye will be more ſerious in ſeeking ſomewhat from Man, then in aſking Grace from God; the reaſon is, becauſe your Heart is more to the one nor to the other; can ye then rationally think that ye are excuſable, when Believing is not a thing that is in your Heart, and that takes you up, but ye go about the Means that lead to it unconcernedly, careleſly, and negligently? 3. Conſider how often ye do willingly chooſe ſome other thing then Chriſt, to ſpend your Time, and ſet your Affections upon, laying obſtructions and bars in the way of Gods Grace, ſetting up idols in the Heart, and filling Chriſts room before hand with ſuch things as are inconſiſtent with His Company, and all this is done willingly and deliberately; ye have ſaid in your Hearts as theſe did, Jer. 2.25. We have loved ſtrangers, and after them we will go; and will ye, or dare ye make that an excuſe why ye could not come to Chriſt, becauſe your Hearts were taken up with your Luſts and Idols? So then the matter will not hold here. that ye were unable and had not power to believe, but it will come to this, that your Conſcience will have it to ſay, that ye willingly and deliberately chooſed to ly ſtill in your Unbelief, and that ye preſerred your Idols to Chriſt Jeſus. 4. Conſider, That ſometimes ye have met with ſome more then an ordinary touch, motion, and work of the Spirit that hath been born in upon you, which ye have ſlighted and neglected, if not quenched and put out, which is your great guilt before the Lord: Is there any of you, but now and then at Preaching, or when in ſome great hazard, or under ſickneſs or ſome other ſad croſs, ye have been under Convictions of Sin, and have had ſome little glances of the hazard ye were in of the Wrath of God, more then ordinarly ye had at other times? and I would aſk you, have theſe been entertained and cheriſhed, or rather have they not been ſlighted and worn out by you? and may ye not in this reſpect be charged with the guilt of reſiſting the Spirit of God, and marring the work of your own Converſion and Salvation? Theſe things, and many moe, which will cry loud in the Conſciences of Men and Women one day, will quite remove and take away this objection, that ye could not do better; Ye might have done better then ye did, ye might have abſtained from many Evils that ye committed, and done many Duties that ye ommitted, and done them with more moral ſeriouſneſs then ye did; but ye were perverſe, and did willingly and deliberately chooſe to continue in your Natural condition, rejecting Chriſt, and the Offer of Salvation through Him: This alſo ſerves to refute and remove that prophane Principle or Tenet that many have in their Minds and Mouths, That they have no more Grace then God hath given them; will ye dare to come before God in the great Day with any ſuch Objection? no certainly, or if ye dare, God will aggrege your guilt by it, and beat it back again into your Throat; then, O! then all ſuch Subterfuges will be no ſhelter to you before Him, nor in the leaſt able to inſconce your Souls againſt the ſtrong Batteries of the Wrath of God, that will be as a Storm againſt the Wall.