I will name one reason out of the text. It is more than revealing, offer- ing, and persuading by reason, because that is not the excellent manner of work. God in the gospel works in the most excellent manner, but working by persuasion is not the most excellent manner of working ; but working powerfully and really and effectually. Now the excellentest manner of work- ing belongeth to the most excellent worker, who worketh powerfully in the heart, which is the most excellent manner of working.
Now, how prove you that ?
Ans. Is not he that is able to do stronger than he that persuadeth to do ?
Therefore the most excellent manner of work is to work inwardly and
880 COMMENTARY ON
cffoclually, not only by entreaty and persuasion, which is a weak and shallow kind of work, in rej^ard of an elhcacious work in the soul. Now God, the most excellent worker, worketh in the most excellent manner, and therefore works not only by jier-suasion, but worketh powerfully in the inward man. God made the soul, and frumctd the soul, and kuowoth how to work upon the soul, and how to work upon it with preserviii;^ the liberty and i)ower of it untouched. And therefore as they say very well, ho worketh siiiiriirr and fort i t c r : stutritcr, by entreaty, agreeable to the nature of man; mnljarliler, powerfully [o).
There are two things that are the principles of action in men working by reason, working by strength. When there is power to do a thing, and reason why to do it, they work like men. If a man had never so much reason, and not strength, he worketh not. If he hath strength and not reason and grace to guide the action, the action is common, and there is no religion. But when a man worketh by power from reason it is like a man. So there be excellent and strong reasons in the word to dissuade from sin, make us in love with heaven and happiness, if we were believers ; and without a power accompanicth the reason secretly and sweetly, and altereth the soul powcrfull}', all will do the soul no good ; and therefore together with reason goeth a divine power to the soul. So God at one time worketh powerfully and sweetly by entreaty. He works suitably to the nature of man, and powerfully to overcome that nature.
Ohj. 4. I come now to answer this — How shall ire loiow u-hcther this virtue, and exccUcncij of virtue, hath icromjht on the soul by God and the Spirit of faith ?
To give you some evidences ; and first, j'ou may know easily that it hath wrought, but we cannot tell the manner in working, because we will answer a secret objection.
Quest. I feel not how God works npon my spirit by his Spirit.
A71S. It is true, for the jjresent you do not. For instance, grace is wrought in the heart, as the sun works on inferior bodies. Influence cometh from heaven to it, but who can tell you how influence entered into his body ? Who can in spring-time see the mauner how he is cheered ? He seeth he is cheered, but to say exactly the time and measure, that is unknown. It is a sweet and strong influence. We see there is a sweet influence in the working of things, but the very working is unperceivable ; so the power of God's ordinances in the working is concealed, but presently after there is an alteration, as we know the spring is come when we see nature altered, and things flourishing and green, and a new face of things over there was in winter. So we know the Sun of righteousness hath shined on our souls in the ordinances and means of salvation, when there is a flourishingness and fruitfuluess in our conversations. W^hen our speeches and actions savour of the word and Spirit, we may know that the Sun of righteousness hath shined upon our souls, Ps. ex. 3. The church is compared to dew that falleth in the morning. ' The birth of thy womb is as the dew of the morning.' So the best translators have it [p). ' In the day of thy power ; ' that is, in the powerful work of thy ordinances, the word and sacraments. The birth of Christ, which is* the church begotten by the Spirit, is [as] the womb of the morning ; that is, the dew of the morning which falleth from heaven, but insensibly and unperceivably. It hath an high cause to draw it up, and let it fall, and to put virtue into it, to make things fruitful, but
* Misprinted ' as' here, evidently a misplacing of that required a little onward. • — G.
2 COEIXTniANS CHAP. IV, VER. 7. 881
none pcrceivcth the falling of it. So grace is -urought in the heart, as dew falls from heaven ; that is, we feel the power and virtue of it, but the manner how grace is wrought, and the church is begotten of God and Christ, is unperceivable. And therefore go to the fruits, where there is a power and excellency of power wrought, and a change is seen in life and conversation ; for being a lion before, thou art a lamb, there is a triumph- ing and prevailing power over corruptions that they were enthralled to before, themselves are not themselves, and therefore judge by obedience.