5. The exhortation is not in vain, that men may not hinder this work, and obstruct their own mercies. This a man* may do two ways — (1.) Either by neglecting the means which God hath appointed ; or, (2.) By refusing the helps which God vouchsafeth to prepare and mollify the heait.
[1.] By neglecting the means. Though God doth renew men by his Spirit, yet he hath appointed the means by which man is to be subser- vient to such a work ; the wiiich if lie will not try, and use the means, the blame is in himself, not God. If we are unwilling to take pains in seeking it, it showeth that we have no desire to find it, and shall at the last day be reproved as the ' wicked and slothful servant,' Mat. xxv. 26. His pleading he had no power, and that God requireth brick where he giveth no straw, will be of no use to him. He had no heart, no will to the thing, and shall be answerable for the contempt of God's word. But is it not folly to use the means, since it is not in our power to effect it ? No ; for if there were no hope of success, yet in obedience to the command we should be doing : Luke v. 5, ' Master, we have toiled all night, and have taken nothing : howbeit, at thy word I will let down the net.' And if ever we look for the effect, it must be this way ; we are boimd, though God is not bound. It is not in man's j)Ower to beget a rational soul, yet none abstaineth from marriage for that rea.son, because the soul must be created by God ; so regeneration is God's work ; but therefore we must not neglect God's prescribed course, but be diligent in the use of means, waiting for this effect. Wiiat the means are I shall show you by and by.
312 SERMONS UPON 1 PETER I. 23. [SeR. II.
[2.] By refusing the helps which God vouchsafeth us. So man may- render himself more unapt to be changed ; as, for instance, some pre- parative excitation of conscience ; either by the word, as Felix : Acts xxiv. 25, ' Felix trembled,' e/i^oySo? 76^0/^6^09 ; he was in an agony ; or by some notable affliction, when conscience casts up their sin : Gen. xlii. 21, 'We are verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul when he besought us, and we would not hear ; therefore is this distress come upon us/ Many such involuntary impressions there are, and strong motions to good, that come upon us without any endeavour or forethought of ours, by which the soul is awakened as out of sleep ; and these are a closer offer on God's part to help us out of the estate wherein we are. Now so far as we are acted by God, we are to carry forth this work, and when the waters are stirred, to put in for cure ; for otherwise we hinder and set back our- selves so much as we slight this common grace, or offer wrong to con- science. As water which hath been heated on the fire congealeth the soonest after it is taken off and removed from it, so they that have felt the motions of God's Spirit freeze soonest in the dregs and lusts of the flesh, and their hearts are most hardened, and they grieve God's Spirit that he ceaseth the work, or to continue his former motions : Isa. Iv. 6, ' Seek the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near.'
6. The exhortation is not in vain, because upon our use of the means usually God cometh in with success, and it is a hundred to one if it be otherwise. I cannot say to every one that plougheth, infallibly that he shall have a good crop ; but this I can say to him. It is God's use to bless the diligent and provident. I cannot say to every one that desireth posterity, Marry, and you shall have children ; I cannot say infallibly to him that goeth forth to battle for his country's good that he shall have victory and success ; but I can say, as Joab, 1 Chron. xix. 13, 'Be of good courage, and let us behave ourselves valiantly for our people and the cities of our God, and let the Lord do what is good in his sight.' I cannot say infallibly you shall have grace ; but I can say to every one, Let him use the means, and leave the success of his labour and his own salvation to the will and good pleasure of God. I cannot say this infallibly, for there is no obligation upon God. And still this work is made the fruit of God's will and mere arbitrary dis- pensation : James i. 18, 'Of liis own will begat he us by the word of truth ;' Titus iii. 4, 5, 'But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour towards man appeared, not by works of righteousness wliich we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost.' Let us do what God hath commanded, and let God do what he will. And I need not say so ; for the whole world in all their actings are and should be guided by this principle. Let us do our duty, and refer the success to God, whose ordinary practice is to meet with the creature that seeketh after him ; yea, he is with us already ; this earnest importunity in the use of means proceeding from the earnest impres- sion of his grace. And therefore, since he is beforehand with us, and hath not showed any backwardness to our good, we have no reason to despair of his goodness and mercy, but rather to hope the best.