5°2 ofConverfan, or Turfling tenthGod. S a c T. IX. asfire burneth , and the (lone falleth down, but as ameer inftftuted , and Morall caufe,as they call it , that is bythe Councelland power of.God accompanying it, If it didwork as anatural Caufe , from an inbred power, in it felf, then it would workalwaies alike; then kwould never befruftraced of its operationwithout miracle : as that thefire did nor burn the three Worthies, it was a miracle. Ifthe WordofGod preaehedfhould turn men from fin thisway, it would be a miracle that every Sermon, didnot convert every (inner : but it works onely as an in- {tinned caufe. And thus as the pool of Bethefda did not at any time vouchfafe healing, but when the Angel descended into it : fo -neither do our Sermons upon every person, and at any time workupon thofe that hear; but as Godspower thancome in ; and therefore aswas faid at theSacrament, shouldbe allo at preaching, Surfam Corda,lift up your hearts tohim that is a Teachersn hea- ven : as he Baptifethnot withwater, but with fire; fo he teacheth by fire alto. And this should dire& people by earneftprayer to look up tohim : fay, Lord , if thou goefl not along withmu ja hearing; ifthose ifieakefi not tomy deadheart to live , to my hardheart to become (oft, it cannot be. Lord if then badit been here , faith fhr, my Brotherhadnot dyed And fo may we lay, Lord, if thouhadft gone alongwith this Sermon , with this truth, it hadnot perishedwithout profit. Secondly, 7heMiniflry., though faithfeelfydifcharged, yet is in a fubfervient roay to godselation. Nowmany are called that are not ehofen r the Miniftry is lent where eledionbath not to do fometimes : But then to filch it is like anexcel- lent Medicine that is onely proffered, and not received toworkany good : where therefore the Word of God doth convert and make these admirable changes, itis but theexecutionofGods Ele&ion from eternity: Thus it is faid , At many believed , ,uwere ordained toeternaa life, Ads r 3.48: And Paulwas to preachat one place, becaufe God had many people there; to that Eletlion iefare toobtain, Rom. 1. 21. Wondernot thenthat the nudity cloth not Convert all, no more then that God doth not Ele& alt. Foron whom God hach fixed this purpofe of Love, therehe will takeaway the HeartofBone, makeplain the higheft moun- tain, and change a molt ravening Wolfe intoa Lamb. Thirdly, Therefore a godly Miniftry following Gods Couneel, may yet bring Reasons on forth none,or verylittlefrnit,becanfe of conliderarionson the Minifiert partalfo: For the Mini4ers as in the Old Teftament, thoughencreafe ofChildren were ptomiled as a blef- paa. fing ; yet many good women were muchafflicted with barrennefte, asSarah, Ra. chel , Hannah, and others : So it may be here in the lfpenfations of Gods word. Thofe that have received five, or ten, may be diligent inemploying of it, and yet have no more encreafe then he that hid his Talent in a Napkin, though with leffe guilt t For fucceffe is Godswork, not theMini(lers duty. And this may be Z. First, To humble godly andfaithfulMiniflert. Had they a multitude of Con: vents ? Did they fee God fo vifibly go along with them? this might flier up pride and vanity in thenr,as mulcitdueofrevelations was in danger to puffup Pend. The Disciples when they returned from theirfpirituaf progress to Chrift,werecarnally rejoycing that the Divels were fubje&to them;and they could work miracles in his Name, our Saviour to humblethem faith,Reioyee not in theo,6tit thatyour namesare Written in beaven,Luke 7 o,ao. God thereforemay fay not inanger,as heto Shalom, but inmercy,Write this manchildleffe. Z, Secondly , God may give no more fucceffe, to drawout their Grace, and thdr lovereborn the more : For this is a great teftimony ofit, when we can rejoyce that Gods work goethon, thoughhe will notuse us as inf}ruments. Wee fee Phu Difciples hadMineenvious thoughts to Chrift,and his; and therefore told Sohn, That all went after him whom heBaptized ; now fee howgraciously fobn anfwers them, I toldyen !Was not the Mews, bat lmafldecreafs, andbe maftentreafs, Mon 3. 30. The Pharifees envy againft Chrift , becaufe the multitude ran after ,him, did work thecleancontrary tochain ?ohm, even co the killing of him. It
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=