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Draw me, and we will run after thee.
I Have formerly discoursed from this Text this Proposition, That the Soul till drawn, doth not run after Christ. I am in the application of that discourse, and that by way of Instruction.
This may inform us in the true nature of special saving Grace. It is a drawing to, and after Christ. Grace in its general notion sig∣nifieth nothing but free love and favour. Let me find grace, or I have found grace, signifies no more in Scripture, than though I have no worth, no merit, yet shew me love and favour; when ap∣plied to God, it signifieth no more in the general notion, whether this love be shewed in the collation of the good things which concern this life, or those which concern that life which is to come, they are all grace in a large sense, because emanations of divine love, not merited by Creatures. But words taking their significancy more from use than etymology, Grace in a more strict and usual notion hath been taken to signify, The emanations of Divine love concerning the Souls, and Eternal Salvation of the Children of men, which is called the Grace of God which bringeth Salvation. Now these divine emanations having different effects, this Grace of God is also distinguished into Common and special, ineffectual, and effectual; under the notion of common grace, we comprehend all those effluxes of divine goodness, by which God sheweth his kindness to the Souls of men in order to their Salvation, whether they prove effective of their Salvation, yea or no; under this head, some will bring both Election and Re∣demption, owning no other Election, than the eternal counsel of God to save such as should believe, so denying all eternal Electi∣on of persons, and making Christs intention in dying to extend to all, either equally, or at least so far as to put all in a possibility of Salvation, if their own perverse wills do not hinder. The Publi∣cation, and proposal of the Gospel, with the common influences of the Spirit attending the preaching of it, certainly come un∣der this notion, for though all hear not that joyful sound, yet it is granted on all hands, that of those that do hear it, to some it is the savour of life unto life, to others the savour of death unto death. And this is all the grace which some will acknowledge, an∣tecedent to the pardon of sins, and regeneration. But we affirm a further special grace than this is, which we call special, because it is not equally administred to all, no not to all that hear the Gospel, saving, because it brings salvation, not only in a general tender, and offer unto all, but to that particular Soul, upon whom it shineth, and so is effectual, because effective of the blessed end to which it is levelled, and aimed, and doth not evaporate in a meer tender, and proposal of the will of God. This is that which
we conceive expressed here, and in John 6. 44. under the notion of drawing. Which term is fully expressive of the Nature of it, as it signifieth both, 1. An act of power. 2. An act of sweetness and love.
1. An act of power. The converted Soul is made willing in the day of the Lords power, Psal. 110. 3, 4. The holy Scrip∣ture describes us in our natural state, as dead in trespasses and sins, Eph. 2. 1. Enemies to God, Col. 1. 21. and alienated from the life of God. Having hearts, harder then rocks, then nether milstones, iron sinews, stiff necks. Let those that think, a meer intreaty of a Soul to come to Christ, that it might have life, a meer moral suasion, or persuading a Soul to Spiritual duty, will change it, and renew it, and beget in it spiritual habits, try what their Rheto∣rick will do, to melt a rock, or to raise a dead body. If the dis∣advantage of an ill education, and a customary course of de∣bauchery, added to our vitiated nature, hath such a power to beget in us a moral impotency, that the drunkard, and the unclean person cannot obtain of himself, notwithstanding the advantage of his own ratiocination, and the potent arguments drawn from the health of his body, the upholding his reputation amongst men, the preservation of his estate, the pleasing of his sober friends, to turn from an Alehouse, and Tavern, and from the house of the strange Woman, no not tho his own experience, and the daily experience of others, verifieth these arguments; and the acts are but such, as by the force of reason (supposing the common grace of God denied to none) may be declined. How shall we ever think, that a man hath a natural power to the most sublime and spiritual acts, and that the power of God must not be put forth upon a Soul, causing it to love God, and to hate sin, and to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. Two things evince this grace to be an act of divine power.
1. The invisibility of Christ and his excellencies. 2. The natural alienation of our Souls from him; If indeed our need of Christ, or the suitableness which is in him to the lapsed state of Souls, were either evident to sense, or demonstrable to reason, or the excellencies of Christ were demonstrable to either; something might be said for the sufficiency of rational arguments to per∣suade the Soul to Christ, yet not enough in that case, for the sen∣sibility of the goodness of temperance, and sobriety and chastity, their suitableness to the frail state of our bodies, ready to be
destroyed by debaucheries opposite to these vertuous habits, we see by experience, are not enough to keep Souls within the circle and bounds of morality. But the other things being nei∣ther subject to the demonstration of sense or reason, it is most ir∣rational to plead for a power in the will of man to chuse them. The sweetness of what the lapsed Soul in its state of alienation from God tasteth in sensible satisfactions, is a thing evident to sense, and it is most absurd to imagine, that a Soul should ever call these things bitter, till it be convinced of a more excellent good, and the incompetency of its fruition both of the one and of the other. Could it be any thing less than a powerful act of Divine Grace, that could make Moses willing, to refuse the pleasures of Pharaohs Court, and the honour of being called his Son, and to chuse rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, coun∣ting the reproach of Christ, greater riches then the Treasures of Ae∣gypt? O study, and adore the power of faving and effectual Di∣vine Grace. Do but consider your own weakness, and the migh∣ty power of Satan in tempting, and you will be convinced, that there had need be a divine power exerted, in the collation of sa∣ving Grace.
2. But yet as it is mighty and powerful, so it is also sweet; we are drawn to Christ, but it is with the cords of a man, the divine power put forth, hath the will for the object, which is not forced, but melted, renewed, changed by the influence of the mighty God upon it. Indeed the will is not capable of violence, but yet it is capable of a divine influence sweetly renewing, and changing it, the Soul is made willing, and then it wills, and chuseth, desires, delights in the things which are good, and acceptable in the sight of God. Grace doth not meerly exhibit, and propose Christ as a lovely, and beautiful object, altogether desires, it doth not only furnish the Gospel, and fill the mouths of Ministers with suasive arguments, but it fills the Soul, the inward man with a powerful divine influence, which quite reneweth and changeth it, and altereth the byass and inclination of it. This is the nature of saving grace, effectual grace, thus it differs from that Grace of God which may shine upon reprobates, which they may final∣ly resist, and abide still in darkness.
This notion in the next place wonderfully commendeth the love of God, to those Souls that are made partakers of this Grace of God that bringeth Salvation, that maketh a Soul meet
for the inheritance of the Saints in light. The great boast which those who maintain the contrary systeme of Doctrine to what I have maintained, make, is, that their Doctrine doth vastly more commend the love of God to mankind. Let us try that a little; According to their Notion of the Grace of God, it is no more, than might have been consistent with the Eternal perdition of all mankind; for they say God hath determined no particular per∣son unto eternal life, Christ hath laid down a price no more for the Soul that is saved, than for those that perish. In the Acts of his Providence he doth no more for one than another. Both have the Gospel, both have the common assistances of the Spirit, and one hath no more than another, both have Souls of the same species, indued with the same faculties, both might have resisted the Grace of God, and that finally. Now do not these mightily magnify Grace, who will allow no more of it then what is con∣sistent with the eternal destruction of all men? yet neither are they consistent to themselves in their doctrine of Grace, so far as they will allow any thing to it, they pretend the advancement of the love of God, by their conditional Election, incertain Cove∣nant, universal Redemption, common Grace, yet they cannot deny, but that the far greater part of the world hath not so much as the means of grace, the sound of the Gospel is not in their Ears; and how little of it is there in Popish Countries, where the Peo∣ple have not the Bible in their own language, and hear stories, and tales out of the Legends instead of the Gospel? nay, in Protestant Countries how many places are there, where People have Stones instead of Bread, Scorpions instead of Fishes, where they from the Pulpit hear little of Christ, or the great motives of the Gospel to faith and holiness? so as to make out their notion of their Doctrines, commending the love of God; they must find out a way to Christ and Salvation, for more than three parts of the world, without Christ, and that an ordinary way too, (or but few of them will be saved) yet in this extra∣ordinary, that their Salvation must be without the Gospel, and the potent motives and arguments of it, the Preaching of it, and the ordinary concurrence of the Holy Spirit with it. The opinion of Divine•• on the other side is this; That God out of the Mass of Mankind (whether considered as created, or to be created, they are not so universally agreed) did chuse a certain number of Persons great in itself, but small in comparison of the
whole number of mankind, as to whom he willed a Kingdom of life and glory: and also chose them and ordained them to obtain this life, by having Redemption through the Blood of Christ, the forgive∣ness of sins, and by being holy and unblameable before him, and to this end sent his Son to die for them, and gives to the most of them, whom he thus ordained to life, and to faith, and holiness, as the means of it, his Gospel, and the Ministry of it, by which he intreateth all those to whom it is Preached, to be recon∣ciled to God; but for those whom he hath ordained to life, he powerfully and effectually worketh in them by the Spirit of his Grace, by which their hearts (though they may for a time oppose and resist) yet are subdued to the obedience of faith, and drawn un∣to Christ, and by which also being come to Christ, they are drawn after him, being by his power through faith preserved to Salvation. Now whether is the Love of God more seen to mankind in the cer∣tain Salvation of many, (though comparatively but few) and order∣ing of causes accordingly: Or in such an ordering of causes, as it was possible notwithstanding any thing God had done for man, all might have perished: And whether is God more glorified by our predication of him, as one, who though from all eternity he knew who would believe and live holily, and who would not; yet left it possible that all men should believe if they would. Or by the predi∣cation of him, as one who knowing all things, because he willed them (so being the first cause of all good in the creature) ordered all things according to the good pleasure of his own will. In the mean time this Drawing Grace which we maintain, infinitely commendeth the Love of God to those who are thus drawn, if we consider
1. The infinite distance of God from the creature: He is a self-suf∣ficiency to himself, and in order to his happiness needed not the com∣pany of any creatures: Now if there were no more in drawing grace than some would make, drawing with the Cords of a Man, intreating and persuading Souls to be reconciled to God, his love might be just matter of admiration and astonishment: Who are we that God should treat us, and send Embassadors to intreat us to be reconciled unto God? If the Lord had only sent to us to give us warning of a wrath to come, and timely notice to flee from it, leaving us meer∣ly to our own wills, whether we would hear, or forbear, accept, or refuse. This had been love above the usual mercy of men, who do not usually spend much time in treating, and intreating those enemies whom they can easily crush, and tread under foot. Yet had God
done no more for our Souls, though in this he had shewed great love, yet we through the natural stubborness, and perverseness of our hearts, had been undone for ever. How many are in a high Road to ruine and eternal destruction, whom God hath been thus intreat∣ing, and beseeching many years?
2. But now that the Lord should not only do this, but put forth an act of power, though not saving them against their wills, yet making them willing to be saved, and in order to it not verbally, but really willing to receive Christ as tendred to them in the Gospel, so as not only to be saved by him, but to submit to those Laws and Rules, in the observance of which they shall obtain Salvation; and not only so, but that God should assist the Soul in the performance of these acts; not only giving it to will, but to do also. This certainly must transcendently commend the love and goodness of God to those Souls that have experienced such grace. That God doth not so much for all, speaks indeed severity to them, but that he doth it for any, speaks his unspeakable goodness and good will to their Souls. I say, that he doth not this for all, speaks to them severity, but yet ju∣stice, and that not only in regard of that stock of sufficient grace, wherewith our Pro-parent was intrusted, which being lost, God is under no obligation to restore: but also in regard that God never denieth his special Grace, until the Soul hath abused his common Grace.
3. Nay lastly, That the Lord should take care of our Souls after that we are once brought to Christ, that he should put his fear into our hearts, to keep us from departing from him, and never depart from us to do us good, that drawing Grace should follow us all the days of our life. This certainly is the heighth of Divine Love, more than this God could not have done for any Soul; those for whom he hath done this, must be highly beloved. What now is left for such a Soul to do, but to strive after perfection? to live in a constant eying this All-sufficient God, this Fountain of all Fulness, and living in de∣pendance upon him: To live in a continual thanksgiving to, and love for that God who hath dealt thus graciously with it, and in a daily care not to grieve that holy Spirit by which it was first drawn to Christ, and by which it is sealed to the day of Redemption, and guided and kept, that it doth not slip fatally. O love you the Lord all ye his Saints! Let drawing Grace find no renitency, no resistance from any of your Souls. God hath done for you more than others; what will you do for God? nay, what can you do for that God,
who hath not only called, but pluckt you out of the horrible Pit? Take the Cup of Salvation, and be for ever praising the Lord.
Again, we may from hence learn, though not the proximate, yet a true and remoter cause why the Gospel is preached to many so inef∣fectually. Our Saviour tells us, Many are called, but few are chosen Isaiah cried out, Who hath believed our report? to whom is the Arm of the Lord revealed? Paul in his Preaching was to some, the savour of life unto life; to others, the savour of death unto death. When Christ himself Preached some believed, others were hardened. Whence so great a difference, when the Word was the same, the Preachers the same, both to those that believed, & to those who were hardened: They had all reasonable Souls; those Souls had all the same powers, the same faculties; I mean, powers and faculties that had the same virtues. We see the same in the experience of every day. Indeed there may be some Preaching, that may bear no better proportion, to the instruction of the ignorant, or the conviction of a sinner, and turning him from his sinful courses, than the Clay and Spittle had to cure the blind man's eyes, from which no such effect could have flowed, but by a miracle; but where there is the same Scriptural, spiritual, lively, powerful Preaching, we see this effect. Two sit in the same seat, one's heart is changed, the other's is not; one goes on in his leud courses, and perisheth for ever, the other is converted, his heart changed; whence is this difference? Is it from him that willeth, or him that runneth (think you) or from him that calleth? from him that sheweth mer∣cy because, and on whom he will shew mercy? We will grant that the one doth not make that use of God's common Grace which he might, and therefore the Lord righteously with-holds his special Grace. But could not the Lord, if he pleased, influence the one Soul as well as the other, to make a good use of his common Grace? Hath God (think we) no influence upon men, inclining their hearts to make a due use of his common Grace? When men have said what they can, the conversion of every Soul is the effect of the Lord's drawing; and when the Lord doth not draw, the Soul doth not, cannot, come or run. The natural man hath many things which draw him another way, and God is not pleased to put forth his power upon the Soul. Indeed properly nothing but our own lusts draw us another way, but our natural passions are inflamed several waies. You have an instance of the principal of them in the Parable of the Marriage-Feast which the King made for his Son, recorded by Luke, c. 14. 18, 19, 20. & Matth. 22. v. 5, &c. A certain great
man (Matthew calls him a King) made a great Supper, (Matthew calls it a Marriage for his Son) he bade many, saith Luke; he sent forth his Servants to call them that were bidden to the Wedding, saith Matthew. They would not come, (saith Matthew) They all with one consent began (saith Luke) to make excuse. They were invited by potent Arguments; I have prepared my Dinner, my Oxen, and my Fatlings are killed, and all things are ready, come you to the Marriage, Matth. 22. 4. In ge∣neral it is said, They would not come; they made light of it; they made excuse? What drew them another way. Lu. 14. 18. The first said, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must go and see it, I pray thee have me excused? And another said, I have bought five yoke of Oxen, and I go to prove them. And another said I have married a Wife, and therefore I cannot come; who is this King? Even the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords; who is his Son but the Lord Jesus Christ? Of whom he said; This is my Beloved Son in whom I am well pleased. What are the fatlings kill'd, how are all things ready? the Lord Jesus Christ hath dyed, there is in his blood a sufficiency of merit. The Gospel is Preached, the Ministers of Christ are sent out to offer reconciliation with God, union with Christ to all those to whom the Gospel is Prea∣ched; a great part of them will not come, they make light of the ten∣der of Grace and Salvation, what is the matter that they find any difficulty to make hast to their own happiness? The three great cau∣ses are mentioned, and they fall under these three heads. 1. Worldly enjoyments. 2. Worldly imployments. 3. Sensual and sensible satis∣factions; these have all a power upon man by reason of that lust which is in them, either the lust of the Eye, or the lust of the flesh, or the pride of life.
1. Wordly enjoyments hinder some. The first said, I have bought a Farm, I must go and see it; The young man, Mat. 19. seems to have a good mind to follow Christ. Christ bids him first go and sell all that he had, and he should have riches in Heaven. The Text saith, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions, Mat 19. 22. Our Savi∣our upon it saith to his Disciples, Verily I say unto you, a rich man shalt hardly enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. It is easier for a Ca∣mel to go through the Eye of a Needle, then for a rich Man to enter in∣to the Kingdom of Heaven Another Evangelist expounds this by one that trusteth in his riches. The desire of getting riches, and the over-much complacency, and delight of the Soul in them, together with mens valuing themselves upon them, are three great drawers of the Soul from Christ. The first as it over-ruleth the Soul to an evil
covetousness, oppression, and unjust methods and measures of gain, and so brings him into the herd of those that shall never come into Hea∣ven. The Second as it melteth the Soul into sensuality, and hin∣dereth those acts of Self-denial, and Mortification, without which a man cannot be Christs Disciple, nor ever come into Heaven. The 3d, As it swells the Soul with pride; and lifts it above re∣ligious Duties, which it judgeth too mean for it, suited to poor people, but not to Persons of its degree and quality in the world.
2. Worldly Employments hinder others. Alass! That Men and Women should be too busie to attend the making their calling and election sure, but so it is. The second said, I have bought five yoke of Oxen, and I must go and prove them. Some Men and Wo∣men are not at leasure to be saved as they are not at leasure to pray, that the thoughts of their heart might be forgiven them, or to hear that their Souls might live. Licitis perimus. As many perish by the ill uses of lawful things, as by reaching their hands to absolutely forbidden fruit; more die by meat then by poison. Though the Drunkard cannot keep the narrow path that leads to Eternal life, yet what hindereth, but that a sober Person should? what more lawful then to buy five yoke of Oxen, and to try, and use them, when we have them? It is the command of God, that In the sweat of our Face we should eat our Bread. Ah! But if the Cart draws to the Market, when God calls to the Solemn Assemblies of his People, the five yoke of Oxen prove of fatal consequence. O cupide negotiator (saith De-Pon∣te) when a man hath so much business about his body, that he hath no leasure to attend the business of his Soul, he is over∣busy, and makes his 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 when his Trading is so much in the world, as is inconsistent with having his 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 his conver∣sation in Heaven, then much business makes him mad, and his time is but (like Domitians) spent in catching of flies, instead of attending the concerns of the Roman Empire, the concerns I mean of his immortal Soul; I would have the active men of the world sometimes think whether they have not too much busi∣ness to manage, and go to Heaven too. This made our holy Mr. Palmer bless God who had call'd him to the work of the Mini∣stry which drew mens minds towards God, whereas most other imployments divert the Soul from God.
3. Sensual and sensible satisfactions, are another kind of things
which potently seduce and draw off the Soul from God. Another said, I have married a Wise, and cannot come. Never yet any mist of Heaven, but had some impediments or other; the others prayed to be excused, this guest saith, I cannot come, Riches draw hard, so do worldly business and imployments; but ah! Plea∣sures, pleasures are the bane of Souls, like the silly Bee, they are drowned in their own Hony. Gods voice grates upon the Ears accustomed to Musick, and all manner of delightful sounds. A bleeding crucified Christ is a most ingrateful object to the wanton Eye that hath been used only to behold pleasant things. Yet it is to be observed that he doth not say, I am going to an Harlot but I have married a Wife, & cannot come. Still, Licitis pe∣rimus. These are those potent Seducers, which suiting with the strong & natural byass, & inclinations of our hearts draw off from Christ. Man is too weak to withstand the force of them, God doth not please upon every Soul to whom the Gospel is Preached, to put forth his power. Hence Souls of the same species, under the same means, and assistances, yet incline and move diversely. There is, there can be, nothing in man that makes him in pract∣ice to differ from his Neighbour. Let not therefore he who is thus drawn, glory, for it is God who hath drawn him. Nor let a∣ny murmur on the behalf of those who are not thus drawn. Grace is the Lords own, he may do with it what he pleaseth; Augustine saith well concerning Grace, the cause why it is given to one, not to another, may be hidden and secret, but unjust it cannot be. In the mean time (as I said before) I believe at the great day there will be not be found so much as one Soul that shall be able to accuse God for the denial of this Grace, this powerful, and effectual Grace, who hath not voluntarily, resisted, and vexed the holy Spirit of God in the use of that common Grace, for the want of which he hath no reason to complain; and shall not the Lord be justified in refusing to draw those, who have first suf∣fered a base lust (which was in their power to have resisted) to draw them away from him? Shall not this powerful Grace be righteously denied to them, who have suffered themselves by a revel to be drawn from a Sermon?
2. Further yet we may from hence have an account of those many startings aside, from God of which his own People are guilty, and the inequality of gracious motions, and actions. Some seem to us to stand still, others to move very slowly, others with great
heaviness, and difficulty. All this difference depends upon the inequal distributions of Divine Grace, for although when this Oil is once in the Cruise, it shall not fail from it, till Grace shall be swallowed up in glory, but so much influence of Grace shall be continued as to justify the Lord in his promise, that he will never depart from the Soul to do it good, and he will put his fear into the heart, that it shall never depart from him; and the Soul shall be preserved by the power of God through faith to Salvation, yet there may be, and are great differences as to the degrees of Gods Administrations. Nor yet possibly must the blame of these Souls not running, rest upon God for not drawing? For although the Lord may sometimes do it upon his prerogative and sove∣raignty,
1. To shew the freeness of his Grace in all the emanations of it, and that he is under no obligations to measure out to every Child an equal portion of the riches of his Grace, but as in the disposal of his other talents of Riches, & common gifts, he may if he please make inequal distributions as it pleaseth him, giving out to some 10, to others 5, to others but one, so he may do as to his Talents of distinguishing Grace, whiles yet every one hath enough to conduct and preserve his Soul unto eternal life and happiness.
2. Secondly, He may do it to lay his people under the potent conviction of this truth, That their running depends upon his draw∣ing. God himself sometimes assigns this as the reason of his sub∣straction of worldly enjoyments, that they might know who it is that gave them. Hosea 2. 8. 9. For she did not know that I gave her Corn, and Wine, and Oil, and multiplied her Silver and Gold, which they prepared for Baal. Therefore will I return and take away my Corn in the time thereof, and my Wine in the season thereof, and will recover my Wool, and my Flax, &c. Thus also the Lord may do as to the dispensations of his Grace (that Grace I mean which is not necessary to Salvation) did we alwaies find an equal strength against our lusts, and to our Spiritual duties, an equal readiness to, and chearfulness in the Service of God, we should attribute too much to our renewed nature, and not know in what a daily derivation from, and dependance upon God, even the best Souls live, and that all our fresh springs are from him. Did we Sail to Heaven through the Sea of this world, alwaies with a Trade wind, we should not understand that the wind of Di∣vine Grace (which is the breathing of the holy Spirit) bloweth
where it listeth. But when we are becalmed in our voyage for the new Hierusalem, and forced to lie at Anchor, then we learn that without Christ we can do nothing.
But though this must be said to aver the Soveraignty of God, and to assert his wisdom, yet most ordinarily these withdrawings are upon some provocations on our parts, the Clouds in the Heavens are caused from the Vapours which arise from the Earth. God can never be so provoked against a justified Soul as to withdraw himself wholly, but he may be, and is oft-time so far provoked, as to withdraw his gradual influences, so as the Soul shall feel that it is not with it as at former times, and cryeth out, where is my God become? When the Lord offereth a wind, and the Soul refuseth to open its Sails when he moveth, and the Soul quencheth its motions, and grieveth him in his operations, he many times hides his face from it, & it is troubled; the Soul that hath grieved the quickning Spirit, shall smart alittle for the want of quickning Grace, & complain of dulness, & heaviness, & listlessness to its Spiritual Duty. I say this oft-times, yea most ordi∣narily is the cause. So as though it wants these divine drawings, yet its want of them, is the punishment of its iniquity.
I shall conclude this discourse with a word of advice, what such Souls should do, under such dispensations.
1. Search and see whether some late sin, hath not provoked God to these withdrawings. See if thy conscience (which in this case is thy best informer) doth not tell thee, that such a time thou hadst an impulse or motion to prayer, or such a duty (and that under convenient circumstances) and thou neglectedst it; or of∣fered thee some help, and thou neglectedst it. And now the righteous Lord hath left thee to thy own strength, and thou feest what thou art, and humble thy Soul before God, and re∣new thy covenant with him.
2. If thou canst not find that any such blot hath clave to thy Soul, yet acknowledge the Lords wisdom, the freeness of his grace, and his righteousness in his dispensations. We must allow God to do many things in infinite wisdom, and righteousness, though we cannot see or understand it, we must not look in this life to understand the reason of Gods works. It is enough for us to know that he hath done it, and that all his works are done in wisdom and righteousness.
3. Take heed of lowing thy Sails, when thou thinkest the wind
abates. This you know is contrary to the methods of Mariners; I am sure it is contrary to the wisdom of Christians; keep thy heart at such a time with the most diligence, working and striving against sin. Tow thy Ship if thou canst not Sail as at other times. Go if thou canst not run, and keep thy Soul ready for a wind, whenever God will please to send it.
4. Fourthly, Beg the returns of the blessed Spirit. Tell God of thy Souls weakness, or the strength of thy corruptions, or temp∣tations; say unto God as Jehosaphat said in another case; Lord I have a mighty host coming against me, I know not what to do, I have no strength against it, but my Eyes are unto thee.
5. After this, I know nothing more to be done, but a patient waiting for God, according to the resolution of the Church, Isaiah 8. 17. I will wait upon him, that hides his face from the house of Ja∣cob, I will look for him.
Use 4.
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