[1.] Not to the unregenerate ; tbeir impotency doth not dissolve their obligation, A drunken servant is a servant, and bound to do his work, though he hath disabled himself; it is no reason the master should lose his right by the servant's default. Again, God's doing all is an engagement to us to wait upon him in the use of means, that we meet with God in his way, and he may meet with us in our way,
(1.) That we may meet with God in his way, God hath appointed certain duties to convey and apply his grace. We are to lie at the pool till the waters be stirred, to continue our attendance till God giveth grace: Mark iv. 24, 'Take heed what ye hear. With what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you.' As you measure to God in duties, so will God measure to you in blessings.
(2.) That God may meet with us in our way, God influenceth all things according to their natural inclination. God enlighteneth with the sun, burnetii with the fire, reasoneth with man, acts necessarily with necessary causes, and freely with free causes ; he doth not oppress the liberty of the creature, but pi'eserveth the nature and interest of his workmanship, draweth men with the cords of a man, Hos. xi. 4. He propoundeth reasons, which we consider, and so betake ourselves to a godly course. The object of regeneration is a reasonable creature, upon whom he worketh not as upon a stock or a stone, and maketh use of the faculties which they have, showing us our lost estate, and the possibility of salvation by Christ, sweetly inviting us to accept of Christ's grace, that he may pardon our sins, sanctify our natures, and lead us in the way of holiness unto eternal life. Now these means we are to attend upon.
[2.] Not to the regenerate. Partly because they have some princi- ples of operation, there is life in them ; and where there is life, there is a principle and power to act, or else God's most precious gifts would be in vain ; and therefore it is their duty to ronse and quicken themselves : 2 Tim. i. 6. ' That thou stir up the gift of God which is in thee ;' and Isa. Ixiv. 7, 'No man stirreth up himself to seek after God.' We have understanding and memory sanctified and planted with a stock of divine knowledge, to revive truths upon the conscience.
VeR. 18.] SERMONS UPON 2 CORINTHIANS V. 249'
And partly, because God's children are never so deserted but that there is some help from God. There are auxilia necessaria. Some liberal and plentiful aids of grace which may be suspended. But that grace which is simply and absolutely necessary is still vouchsafed. Therefore they are more inexcusable. If the wicked man that had but one talent be taxed for being a lazy and slothful servant, Mat. xxv, much more the regenerate that hath three talents — a reasonable nature, grace habitual, and such actual help as is absolutely necessary. And partly, because to neglect duty is to resist grace, and run away from our strength. God hath promised to be with us whilst we are doing : 1 Chron. xxii. 6, ' Up and be doing, and the Lord be with you.' David's silence, and keeping off from God, did him no good. When the eunuch was reading, and knew not what to make of it, God sent him an interpreter, Acts viii.
2. It is an abuse to think the exhortation in vain, to press people to become new creatures. It is not in vain : —
[1.] That man may own his duty, and be sensible of the necessity of the change of his estate, who would otherwise be altogether careless and mindless of such a thing, a duty which must be speedily and earnestly gone about, if they mean to be saved. The exhortation is a demanding of God's right, and maketh the creature sensible of his own obligation, that he may take care of this work as well as he can ; at least, that he may acknowledge the debt, and confessing our impoteucy, beg grace.
[2] God requireth it of us, that he may work it in us ; he worketh by requiring, for evangelical exhortations carry their own blessing with them : John xi. 43, ' Lazarus, come forth ; ' there went a power and efficacy with the words to raise him from the dead. So Mat. xii. 13, ' Stretch forth thine hand ; ' there was the difficulty, but the man found help in stretching forth his hand.
[3.] The exhortation is not in vain, because there are some things to be done before this ; renovation is in order thereunto, as wood is dried before it is kindled. There are some preparations to conversion, and we are to be active about them, as that we should rouse up our- selves : Ps. xxii. 27, ' The ends of the world shall remember, and turn to the Lord ; ' and Ps. cxix. 59, ' I thought on my ways, and tuined my feet unto thy testimonies.' Man is very inconsiderate, his soul is asleep till consideration awakens it, he is to try his own estate whether good or bad : Lam. iii. 40, ' Search and try your ways, and turn unto the Lord.' To set hiniself to seek after God in the best fashion he can, Hos. v. 4. They will not frame their doings, nor think of recover- ing themselves, nor bending their course that way.