The divine life in three treatises

Quest. 17. Whence is it that so often one man that hath been a notorious sinner is Converted by a Sermon, when a civiler man, of better nature and life, is never changed though he have that and ten times more persuasions?

Quest. 17. Whence is it that so often one man that hath been a notorious sinner is Converted by a Sermon, when a civiler man, of better nature and life, is never changed though he have that and ten times more perswasions?

Quest. 18. Doth not experience tell impartial observers, that the high esteemers of the sanctifying work of the Holy Ghost, are ordinarily of more holy heavenly lives, then they that use to ascribe the differencing work to their free wills? In my observation it is so.

Quest. 19. Should not every gracious humble soul, be more inclined to magnify God then himself? and to give him the Glory, then to give it to our selves, especially in a case where Scripture and experience telleth us that we are more unlikely then God to deserve the praise? Our destruction is of our selves, but in him is our help, Hos. 13. 9. When we see an effect and know it, and the causes that are in question, it is easy to conjecture from the quality which is the true cause. If I see a Serpent brought forth, I will sooner think that it was generated by a Serpent then a Dove. If I see sin in the world, I shall easily believe it is the spawn of this corrupted will, that is so prone to it. But if I find a divine nature in me, or see a holy heavenly life in any, I must needs think that this is liker to be the work of the blessed God, then of such a naughty heart as mans, that hath already been a self-destroyer.

Quest. 19. Should not every gracious humble soul, be more enclined to magnifie God then himself? and to give him the Glory, then to give it to our selves, especially in a case where Scripture and experience telleth us that we are more unlikely then God to deserve the praise? Our destruction is of our selves, but in him is our help,