And therefore it is a childish thing for them to infer that there is power in man, because God persuadeth and exhorts. God with these infuseth his power, he conveyeth power into the will and affection this way. Then he works powerfully when he seemeth to condescend thus far, and this exhortation is but to drive us out of ourselves to the rock of our strength, and to the spring of all comfort. It is but to drive us to Christ, and there- fore wheresoever you have a commandment in one place, ye have a promise in another. If you are commanded to turn to God, to mortify lusts, we have a promise of assistance that we shall do these things. The com- mandments may make us go out of ourselves with humility, the promise makes us go to God with confidence in him. And therefore it is ignorance of God's divine dispensations to enforce any power and strength in us from those sweet exhortations that are commended to us in Scripture.
Quest. 2. Secondly, If there he such 2)ower and efficacy in God's ordi- nances accomjjanied icith the Spirit, as indeed there is, whence then cometh the resisting in men ? It sheweth there is more in man's malice than in God's ordinance. I answer thus,
Ans. That God intendeth to convert and put forth his strength that way. For those whom God intendeth to put forth his strength for, it tendeth to conversion. He joineth such a strength with the ordinances, as overcometh all rebellion and resistance in them that he doth convert, as Augustine saith well, volentem hominem salvum faccre, when God will save a man, no etubbornness of his will shall withstand [q), else the will of man were stronger than God's. And it is a high point of comfort that the goodness of God is above the malice of man, that there is a greater power in the ordinances and efficacy, than there can be indisposition in man, whatsoever it is in the party.* For all things in the world, in the soul of man, which is the most rebeUious, refractory, and stubborn thing, all things in the world are in obedience to the first worker. There is an aptness which is of pur- pose for this matter which we speak of. There is an active power in the creature, whereby it is ready to work, and this active power to do good we have none at all. There is a passive power, as in was to receive impres- sion. This we have not. We cannot so much as receive goodness. The reason is, because good things, so long as we be corrupted, be presented to us as folly. A wise man will never take that he appreheudeth [to be] folly. To a carnal wise man, the most excellent things in the world ai*e presented as folly, and he will not subjectf to the impression of divine truths when they be presented. And therefore there is neither active nor mere passive power. * Cf. footnote, Vol. III. page 9.— G. t 1'liat is, = submit.— G.
VOL. IV. B b
386 COMMENTARY ON
But there is potcntia ohedioitioUs, a power obediential. That is, in plain terms, there is snch a subjection of the soul of man to God the first cause, that it yields to him when he worketh. lie knoweth all the windings and turnings of it. He can deal as he plcaseth, preserving the liberty of it without prejudice of its liberty. For both things, and the manner of working things, are of God, and preserved by God. God he carrieth things so, as he prescrveth vunhnii atjouli, the manner of working peculiar to things ; so that all things arc obedient to God's manner of working. For they cannot resist him : there is no question of that.
Ohj. But we say, that as the Scripture speaks, there is rrsislance in things. Resistance is in them that belong not to God, or in them that belong to God, till he putteth forth an invisible strength to convert them. But if they resist, they may resist the work of God's Spirit. Then there is some excuse for them.
Ans. I answer, No. They may pretend the word is not powerful enough, the ordinance is not able enough ; but let them leave secret things to God. There is no man converted, but his heart will tell him that God was before- hand with him. God enforceth goodness on men ; they willingly resist it. God is then before-hand with them, and there is no man that withstandeth God's workings, but his heart will tell him that the fault is altogether in himself; for God is willing to yield more power to him than he is willing to receive, and that maketh him afraid of the means of salvation. If I go to such, and converse with such, they will advise me to alter my course. They will put conceits in me, disquiet my mind, vex me and torment me. I shall hear what crosseth my old ways, and I am resolved still to walk in my old courses, and so their hearts tell them they willingly betray their own souls. So that they cannot pretend the weakness of the understand- ing, but strength of corruption, which declineth the ordinance.
The two witnesses, Rev. xi. 10, ' tormented the world ;' and so the ordi- nances, the truths of God, torment some kind of men. But to let such go, I speak to them that belong to God. Here is our comfort, that the ordi- nances of God are powerful, ' and mighty, but through God, to beat down all strongholds,' 2 Cor. x. 4, and therefore come and attend upon the means of salvation. Come ; though yon be lions, you may go out lambs ! Come ; though you be wolves, you may go out sheep ! For the knowledge of God, accompanied with the Spirit of God, as Isa. xi. 6, may alter and change your natures, transforming you to be like to Christ, whose word it is. It is a transforming, converting word.