that knocketh. -- given to th~m'that have the Spirit ofGod airea· S 5 R. v .. dy, who could by the help thereofopen : For good and gracious men are moved fidl: by the Spirit, and then they moove;they areVJ;toti Mo- 'Ventes, and lA cri .&gentes. They are acted firft r. by theSpirit, and then they doe adby ir, not of themfelves : as the inferiour Orbes moove not, but as theyare:mooved by the fuperiour. The 2. Qgeftion is not ofthem in theftate ofGrace, but at their firft converfion, when efpecially we fay that Chrift fpeakes to them that he meanes 'fo converr,He knocks At their hearts)Andopens together with hii_ffieecb:Then there goes apowe.r,thatthey fhall open,for his wordsare operative words ;as it was if'l the Creation, Let there helight,it was an Gen.x.J. operativeword,andtherewas light. Let there be fuch a Creature, it was an operative working word, and there was fuch a Creature prefeAtly : ~o he opens together with that Word. With that invitation and command; then~ goes anAlmighty power to inable the foule to open; were it nor a wife reafon to fay,When Chrift called to · Lt~zarru to come fort!J., that we fhould reafon he. Ioh.u .+J. haa life to ye·eld to Chrift, when he bad him come forth ! no, he was r9tten in his grave almoft;but with Chrifis fpeaking toL4zarm,there went an Almighty power, that gave life to him, by which life he heard what Chrifi: faid, !...Arife Lt~zartU : 'So Chrifl: by his Spirit cloaths his word in the Mincftery, when he [peaks to people with amighty power: as the MinHl:er fpeaks to theeare, Cbrift fpeaks,opems,and unlocks the heart
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