176 THE NATURE, CAUSES, AND MEANS be distinctly referred unto three heads: (1.) A discovery of the true nature of sin, by the ministry of the law, Prom. vii. 7. (2.) An application of that discovery made in the mind or understanding unto the conscience of the sinner. (3.) The excitation of affection suitable unto that discovery and application; Acts ii. 37. But these things, so far as they belong unto our present de- sign, have been before insisted on. Our principal in- quiry at present is after the work itself, or the nature and manner of the working of the Spirit of God in and on the souls of men in their regeneration. And thismust be both negatively and positively declared. Sect. 7.First; The work of the Spirit of God in the regeneration of sinners, or the quickening of them who are dead in trespasses and sins, or in their first saving conversion to God, doth not consist in a moral suasion only. By suasion we intend such a persuasion as may, or may not be effectual; so absolutely we call that only persuasion whereby a man is actually persuaded. Con- cerning this we must consider: (1.) What it is that is intended by that expression, and wherein its efficacydoth consist. And, (2.) Prove that the whole work of the Spirit of God in the-conversion of sinners doth not con. sist therein. And I shall handle this matter under this notion, as that which is known unto thosewho are con- versant in these things from the writings of the ancient and modern divines, For it is to no purpose to endea- vour the reducingof the extravagant confused discourses ofsome present writers unto a certain and determinate stating of the things in difference among us. That which they seem to aim at, and conclude, may be redu- ced unto these heads: (1.) That God administers grace unto all in the declarationof the doctrine of the lawand gospel. (2.) That the reception of this doctrine, the belief and practice of it, is enforced by promises and threatenings. (3.) That the things revealed, taught, and commanded, are not only good in themselves, but so suited unto the reason and interest of mankind, as that the mind cannot but be disposed and inclined to receive and obey them, unless overpowered by preju- dices and a course of sin. (4.) That the consideration of the promisesand threatenings of the gospel is suffi- cient to remove these prejudices, and reform that course. (5.) That, upon a compliancewith the doctrine of the gospel and obedience thereunto, men are made parta- I ers of the Spirit, with other privileges of the New Tes- tament, and have a right unto all the promises of the present and future life. Now this being a perfect sys- tem of Pelagianism, condemned in the ancient church as absolutely exclusive of the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, will be fully removed out of our way in our pm- sent discourse, though the loose confused expressions of some be not considered in particular: for ifthe work of our regeneration doth not consist in a moral suasion, whichas we shall see contains all that these men will al- low to grace, their whole fabric falls to theground of its own accord. Sect. 8. -1. As to the nature of this moral suasion, . two things may be considered: (l.) The means, lustru- ment and matter of it, and this is the word of God; The word of God, or the scripture in the doctrinal in- structions, precepts, promises, and threatenings of it; this is that, and this is that alone, whereby we are commanded, pressed, persuaded to turn ourselves, ami live to God. And herein we comprise the whole, both the law and the gospel, with all the divine truths con- tained in them, as severally respecting the especial ends whereunto they are designed. For although they are distinctly and peculiarly suited to produce distinct effects on the minds of men, yet they all jointly tend unto the general end of guiding men how to live unto God, -Snd to obtain the enjoyment of him, As for those docu- ments and instruction which men have concerning thé willof God, and theobedience which he requires of them from the light of'nature, with the works of creation aril providence, I shall not here take them into considera- tion. For either they are solitary, or Without any su- per-addition of instructive light by revelation, and then 1 utterly deny them to be a sufficient outward means of the conversion of any one soul; or they may be consi- dered as improved by the written wordas dispensed un- to men, and so they are comprised under it, and need not to be considered apart. We will therefore suppose that those unto whom the word is declared, have ante -. cedaneously thereunto, all the help which the light of nature will afford. Sect. 9.-2,, Tite principal way of the application of this means to produce its effect on the souls of men, is the ministry of the church. God bath appointed the ministry for the application of the word unto the minds and consciences of mess for their instruction, and con- version. And concerning this we may observe two
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