The sound believer, or, A treatise of evangelical conversion discovering the work of Christs…The sound beleever, or, A treatise of evangelicall conversion discovering the work of Christs…

1. The Lord should not advance the riches of his grace; the advancement of grace cannot possibly be without the humiliation and abasement of the creature; the Lord not only saves, but calls things that are not, that ⟨p. 142⟩no flesh might glory, 1 Cor. 1.28, 29.

1. The Lord should not advance the riches of his grace; the advancement of grace cannot possibly be without the humiliation and abasement of the creature; the Lord not onely saves, but calls things that are not, that ⟨p. 142⟩no flesh might glory, 1 Cor. 1.28, 29.

2. Otherwise the Lord should not be Lord and disposer of his own grace, but a sinful creature who quarrels against God, if it be not disposed of, not as the Lord will, but as the creature will. If a stranger comes to our house, and will have what he wants, and if he hath not, he quarrels and contends with the master of the house, what would he say? Away proud beggar, dost think to be lord of what I have? dost draw thy knife to stab me, if I do not please thee and give thee thy asking? no, thou shalt know that I will do with my own as I see good, thou shalt lye down on the dust of my threshold before I give thee any thing. So tis with the Lord. It is not in him that willeth, nor in him that runneth, but in God that showeth mercy. It is his principal name, I will be merciful to whom I will be merciful; and therefore if you will not believe me, yet believe the Lords oath, Isaiah 45.23. Unto me shall every knee bow: and do you come to lord it over him, and quarrel, and fret, and sink, and grow sullen, and vex, if the Lord stoop not unto your desires? No, no, you must and shall lye upon his threshold, nay he will make thee lay thy neck upon the block, as worthy of nothing but cutting off, and then when this valley is filled, all flesh shall see the glory of the Lord, Isaiah 40.5.