~~------------------------------~--------- ! 2o~_1 'T'he'Parable ofthe I , 'Tis dm work of the SJ?i.ric I\ hereby a !inner,fenlible of his exrre.1m n,Jkednef;, . empnnefs and w,mrs, bemg called of God, h1s whole foul comes our of himfdf I to ChriH, for himfelf. I fpc:,1k nor 0f a!furance, for if that were F~irh, all Reprobates. then wer.e bound to believe an umruth, Viz.. That God the FJrher Jo•e;, and Chn!l: bath d1ed for rhecn. I. 'Tis a work of Go:ls Spirit, and hence 'ris called the Spirit of Fairh, noc only becauf<: wrought by ic ,; but becaufe the Spirit is in an admirable manner faHned to ir, and clafped tO the foul, and the foul to Chri(t by it. 2, The Sub;eet in which 'cis wrought : A!inner fen(ible of his exrream wams; ~or Fait~ frrings our or the de!l:rucl:ion of our own excellency, and ruines of it; like Chn!l:,tblt dtd ar1{e a rout out of ~t-dry grou11d; for the Lords gre1t plot, is io advance ChriH and his rich grace. Now look as 'ris obkured by bringina any thing of our OIV11 ro it, fo 'cis advanced by fetching all from it ; this can ne~er be till the foul is fenl!ble of his nakednefs, emprinefs and wanrs; lee ChriR be never fo fweet, a fu ll foul wit! loah him; and I fay extreamwant. The Prodigal nel ver comes home, rill he dies for hunger: For fuch is the fencelefsnefs of men, and diilike of Chrilt, char extre'Iliriesonly drive them hirher,as Judges 5· 6. When the M,dianiw came, rhey ran like beafls to their den, and unull bread was taken l fro:n them, rhevcry not umo the Lord, but then they do: So men h,we neither hems, or 1f fo,1i~ heads ro come to Chriil till now; and ufually the Lord makes' this r he ground of the foul s firH motion ~owards Chrift. I die here, and becau!e of cny wants I tbereforecocne. Pardon jin,becaufe great, Pfal. zs.u. Bumrciful, bect:Ufe 'tis aftijfenecf<!d people, Exod. 34·9· Thar fo when the Lord pardons, the tout may have norhmg ro bo.1il o!fbut mifery, and now 'ris hard eo beleeve. 'Sue rhisis not all. 3. It mutt be: called of God, for elfe rhe foul rhougb never fo fen!ible ef mifdy, <;ould nor, would n<>t, duril nor come ; bur ic would either fink under its bitrden, or ple1d againil all means: It lhall prefume, as J udM that had no look 6f Chriil (as Peter h1d) .hmgs himfelf: And hence Jer. 3· 2.3, Come HntQ mt Their heartanfwereJ, We£ome. fur this is ufuallytheObje&ion of rhefoulwhe~ it fees rhe riches of mercy, Wbat h1ve I to do with it, that am fo vile, and h.we fallen fo oft, and rejeCted che Lord,and am like to do fo; I /hall fUI the more by this treans. No, the command of tbeGofpel com(tl,ob 'tome,notwirhftanding all this, nay becaufe ofrhis, for I will heal you ofthem. Now this call bath two things in ir. I. 'Tis particular, for general invitations to beleeve and come in, are made panicularcorhe EleCt, who elfe would nor come in : And hence ifni. 4'1· I. 1 have en/led theeb; nllme. For we !hall finde rhat the hearts ofmen when rhey fee a promife, cannot think it concerns them; all that hunger /hall be G1tisfied, but /hall I? And hence il1e'IV them 'ris as particular as the Law, they cannotthink it is to them; and hence they fay fometime the word All,is not put in. Now that is the mighty power of unbelief,a word fpoken to all is regarded by none, till the Lord make it l'arcicular ; and hence Jfai. z. ChriR is fa!d to judge the Nations, now when Judges ride their Circuits , they do not make Laws, but only apply Laws. One man is brought before them to be condemned, he hopes better, but he is fo; now he trembles: Another to be acquitted, hefem,bcing falily accufed, he is freed; and now he rejoycerh. z: !Tis a living call, or powerful call, John 5. z 5· And hence a man may live under tbe calls of the MiniRer long, and never come, becaufe 'tis noc made living fro!ll the Lord of life ; and hence not irreftilable. 4· Uron this call the whole foul cofl'les out of it felf to ChriR ; for if a man could dimbe rhe clouds,and unlock the doors of heaven,and come Elinr like in his body to Chrilt, he might mifs of Chrill, as well as thofe that came and follo)Veq Chriilfor a time wirl:! their bodies while he lived on rhe earth; a man may come to Chri!l: with half his foul or heart, there may be fome hope, and fome dtflres , fo:ne
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