First, Then are our beginnings hopeful, when the Spirit of God in the Ministry, or other means of grace did work upon us. When it was not mere education under good Governors, when it was not the acquaintance and company we had with those that feared God, but some inward experimental work of Gods grace upon our own hearts. Alas, let a man be never so fervent, so overtopping ⟨p. 383⟩others, and even to admiration show himself in holiness, yet if it hath not been the work of Gods Spirit effectually moving upon his heart, he is but like a Land-flood, which though swelling high upon much rain, yet when a drought comes, will be presently dried up. It's not mere nature, or external restraint from sins, or any sudden motions in our own spirit, that will ever hold out. We read 2 Chron 24.22. of Joash, who in his latter age did most wickedly degenerate, when yet in his former times he was very forward in repairing the Temple of God, and showed more zeal to Gods glory then the Priests did: But what was the ground? Jehoiada the high Priest had a great hand over him, he helped him to the Kingdom, and engaged him to God several ways, but when this good man was dead, he becomes a Wolf, and puts Zachariah, Jehoiada his son, that had been such a kind Uncle to him, to death, and that merely because he reproved them for their sins: So that though here was some external restraining of Joash, yet there was no internal renovation by Gods Spirit: Now I make a sure foundation to lie in these two, The Spirits work by the Ministry in an ordinary way, because one is the efficient, and the other the subordinate and instrumental cause; Hence our conversion, our regeneration, and spiritual begetting anew, is constantly attributed to the Word preached, as the ordinary cause, and the Word preached is but as a dead letter without the Spirit: Oh then run to the fountain of thy owning of Christ! What put thee upon forwardness in this way? Was it the Spirit of God through the Word? then this is of God, and will endure, I add through the Word, because of those many delusions many have in them, which being not according to Gods Word, as they come from darkness, so they will end in darkness. The Child misshapen in the Conception, will ever after be a monster.
First, Then are our beginnings hopefull, when the Spirit of God in the Ministry, or other means of grace did work upon us. When it was not meer education under good Governours, when it was not the acquaintance and company we had with those that feared God, but some inward experimental work of Gods grace upon our own hearts. Alas, let a man be never so fervent, so overtopping ⟨p. 383⟩others, and even to admiration shew himself in holinesse, yet if it hath not been the work of Gods Spirit effectually moving upon his heart, he is but like a Land-flood, which though swelling high upon much rain, yet when a drought comes, will be presently dried up. It's not meer nature, or externall restraint from sinnes, or any sudden motions in our own spirit, that will ever hold out. We reade 2 Chron 24.22. of Joash, who in his latter age did most wickedly degenerate, when yet in his former times he was very forward in repairing the Temple of God, and shewed more zeal to Gods glory then the Priests did: But what was the ground? Jehoiada the high Priest had a great hand over him, he helped him to the Kingdom, and engaged him to God several wayes, but when this good man was dead, he becomes a Wolf, and puts Zachariah, Jehoiada his sonne, that had been such a kinde Uncle to him, to death, and that meerly because he reproved them for their sinnes: So that though here was some external restraining of Joash, yet there was no internal renovation by Gods Spirit: Now I make a sure foundation to lie in these two, The Spirits work by the Ministry in an ordinary way, because one is the efficient, and the other the subordinate and instrumental cause; Hence our conversion, our regeneration, and spiritual begetting anew, is constantly attributed to the Word preached, as the ordinary cause, and the Word preached is but as a dead letter without the Spirit: Oh then runne to the fountain of thy owning of Christ! What put thee upon forwardness in this way? Was it the Spirit of God through the Word? then this is of God, and will endure, I adde through the Word, because of those many delusions many have in them, which being not according to Gods Word, as they come from darknesse, so they will end in darknesse. The Childe mishapen in the Conception, will ever after be a monster.
