Englands duty under the present gospel liberty from Revel. III, vers. 20

II. Consideration.

You now also see the Sovereignty and freeness of Divine Grace in your vocation; your Hearts resisted all along the most powerful means, and importunate calls of Christ; and would have resisted still, had not Free and Sovereign Grace over-poured them when the time of Love was come. Ah, it was not the tractableness of thine own Will, the easy temper of thy Heart to be wrought upon, the Lord let thee stand long enough in the state of Nature to discover that; there was nothing in Nature but obstinacy and enmity. Thou didst hear as many powerful Sermons, melting Prayers; and didst see as many awakening Providences before thy Heart was opened to Christ, as thou hast since; yet thy Heart never opened till now; and why did it open now? Because now the Spirit of God joined himself to the Word; victorious Grace went forth in the Word to break the hardness and conquer the rebellions of thy Heart. The Gospel was now preached (as the Apostle speaks) 1 Pet. 1. 12. With the Holy Ghost sent down from Heaven, ⟨p. 129⟩which things (saith he) the Angels desire to look into. Ah, Friends, it is a glorious sight worthy of Angelical observation and admiration to behold the effects of the Gospel preached, with the Holy Ghost sent down from Heaven, to see when the Spirit comes along with the Word, the blind Eyes of sinners opened, and they brought into a new World of ravishing objects; to behold Fountains of Tears flowing for sin, out of Hearts lately as hard as the Rocks; to see all the Bars of Ignorance, Prejudice, Custom, and Unbelief, fly open at the voice of the Gospel; to see Rebels against Christ laying down their Arms at his Feet, come upon the Knee of submission, crying, Lord I will rebel no more; to see the proud Heart centered and wrapped up in its own righteousness, now striping it self naked, loading it self with all shame and reproach; and made willing that its own shame should go to the Redeemer's glory. These, I say, are sights which Angels desire to look into.

You now also see the Sovereignty and freeness of Divine Grace in your vocation; your Hearts resisted all along the most powerful means, and importunate calls of Christ; and would have resisted still, had not Free and Sovereign Grace over-poured them when the time of Love was come. Ah, it was not the tractableness of thine own Will, the easie temper of thy Heart to be wrought upon, the Lord let thee stand long enough in the state of Nature to discover that; there was nothing in Nature but obstinacy and enmity. Thou didst hear as many powerful Sermons, melting Prayers; and didst see as many awakning Providences before thy Heart was opened to Christ, as thou hast since; yet thy Heart never opened till now; and why did it open now? Because now the Spirit of God joyned himself to the Word; victorious Grace went forth in the Word to break the hardness and conquer the rebellions of thy Heart. The Gospel was now preached (as the Apostle speaks)