powerful and effectual teachings of God? Nothing but a light from heaven can rectify and reduce the inchanted mind; no power, but that of God, can change and alter the finful bent and inclination of the will; it is a talk above all the power of the creature.

Secondly, The impoffibility of coming to Chrift, without the Fa ther's teachings, evidently appears from the indifpofedness of man, the fubject of this change: "The natural man receives not the « things which are of God," 1 Cor. ii. 14. Three things must be wrought upon man, before he can come to Chrift: His blind understanding must be enlightened; his hard and rocky heart muft be broken and melted; his ftiff, fixed, and obstinate will must be conquered and fubdued; but all thefe are effects of a fupernatural power. The illumination of the mind is the peculiar work of God, 2 Cor. iv. 6. Rev. iii. 17. Eph. v. 8. The breaking and melting of the heart is the Lord's own work; it is he that giveth repentance, Acts v. 31. It is the Lord that "takes away the heart

of ftone, and giveth an heart of flesh, Ezek. xxxvi. 26. It is he that poureth out the fpirit of contrition upon man, Zech. xii. Fo. The changing of the natural bent and inclination of the will, is the Lord's fole prerogative, Phil. ii, 13. All thefe things are effectually done in the foul of man, when God teacheth it, and never till then.

Thirdly, The nature of faith, by which we come to Chrift, plainly fhews the impoffibility of coming without the Father's teaching. Every thing in faith is fupernatural; the implantation of the habit of faith is fo, Eph. ii. 8. It is not of ourfelves, but the gift of God; it is not an habit acquired by industry, but infused by grace, Phil. i. 29. The light of faith, by which fpiritual things are difcerned, is fupernatural, Heb. xi. 1, 27. It feeth things that are invifible. The adventures of faith are fupernatural; for

against hope, a man believeth in hope, giving glory to God," Rom. iv. 18. By faith a man goeth unto Chrift, against all the dictates and difcouragements of natural fenfe and reafon. The Self-denial of faith is fupernatural; the cutting off the right-hand, and plucking out of right-eye fins, muft needs be fe, Mat. v. 29. The victories and conquefts of faith do all fpeak it to be fupernatural; it overcomes the strongest oppofitions from without, Heb, xi. 33. 34. It fubdueth and purgeth the moft obftinate and deeprooted corruptions within, Acts xv. 9. It overcometh all the blandishments and charming allurements of the bewitching world,

John v. 4. All which confidered, how evident is the conclufion, that none can come to Chrift without the Father's teachings? The ufes follow.

First use for information.

Inference 1. How notoriously falfe and abfurd is that doctrine_which

afferteth the poffibility of believing without the efficacy of fupernatural grace? The defire of felf-fufficiency was the ruin of Adam, and the conceit of felf-fufficiency is the ruin of multitudes of his posterity. This doctrine is not only contradictory to the current stream of fcripture, Phil. ii. 13. John i. 13. with many other fcriptures; but it is also contradictory to the common fense and experience of believers; yet the pride of nature will strive to maintain what Scripture and experience plainly contradict and overthrow.

Inf. 2. Hence we may also inform ourselves, how it cometh to pass that fo many rational, wife and learned men mifs Chrift, whilst the fimple and illiterate, even babes in natural knowledge, obtain intereft in bim, and falvation by him. The reafon hereof is plainly given us by Chrift, in Matth. xiii. 11. «To you it is given to know the myfteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given." It is the dropping and dews of divine teaching upon one, and not upon another, that dryeth up the green tree, and maketh the dry s tree to flourish. Many natural men have very fine brains, fearching wits, folid judgments, nimble fancies, tenacious memories 3 they can fearch out the mysteries of nature, folve the phenomena fatisfy the enquiries of the most curious; they can measure the earth, difcover the motions of the heavens; but after all take up their place in hell when, in the mean time, the ftatutes of the Lord (by the help of his teachings) make rife the fimple, Pfal. xix. 17. It is no matter how dull and incapable the fcholar be, if God undertake to be the teacher. I remember, Auftin fpeaks of one who was commonly reputed a fool, and yet he could not but judge him to be truly godly, and that by two figns of grace which appeared in him; one was, his feriousnefs when he heard any dif courfes of Chrift; the other was, his indignation manifested against fin. It was truly faid by thofe two Cardinals, (who, riding to the council of Conftance, overheard a poor fhepherd in the fields with tears bewailing his fins) Surgent indocti et rapient cœlum; The unlearned will rife and take heaven, whilft we with all our learning hall defcend into hell.

Inf. 3. This alfo informs us of the true reafon of the ftrange and various fucceffes of the gospel upon the fouls of men. Here we fee why the miniftry of one man becomes fruitful, and another's barren; yea, why the labours of the fame poor man profper exceedingly at one time, and not at another; these things are according as the teachings of God do accompany our teachings. We often fee a weaker and plainer difcourfe bleffed with fuccefs, whilft that which is more artificial, neat and laboured, comes to nothing. St Auftin hath a pretty similitude to illustrate this; Suppofe, faith he, two conduits, the one very plain, the other curiously carved and adorned with images of lions, eagles, &c. the water doth not refresh

and nourish as it cometh from fuch a curious conduit, but as it is water. Where we find most of man, we frequently find least of God. I fpeak not this to encourage careleffness and laziness, but to provoke the difpenfers of the gospel to more earnestness and frequent prayer for the affistance and bleffing of the Spirit upon their labours, and to make men lefs fond of their own gifts and abilities; blear-eyed Leah may bear children, when beautiful Rachet proves barren.

Inf. 4. Learn hence the tranfcendent excellency of faving, Spiritual knowledge, above that which is merely literal and natural. One drop of knowledge taught by God, is more excellent than the whole ocean of human knowledge, and acquired gifts, Phil. iii. 8. John xvii. 3. 1 Cor. ii. 2. Let no man therefore be dejected at the want of thofe gifts with which unfanctified men are adorned. If God have taught thee the evil of fin, the worth of Chrift, the neceffity of regeneration, the mystery of faith, the way of communion with God in duties; trouble not thyfelf because of thine ignorance in natural or moral things: thou haft that, reader, which will bring thee to heaven; and he is a truly wife man that knows the way of falvation, though he be ignorant and unskilful in other things: thou knoweft those things which all the learned doctors and libraries in the world could never teach thee, but God hath revealed them to thee: others have more fcience, thou haft more favour and fweetnefs; blefs God, and be not discouraged.

Second ule for examination.

If there be no coming to Chrift without the teachings of the Father; then it greatly concerns us to examine our own hearts, whether ever we have been under the faving teachings of God, during the many years we have fat under the preaching of the gospel. Let not the queftion be mistaken; I do not ask what books you have read, what minifters you have heard, what stock of natural or fpeculative knowledge you have acquired; but the question is, whether ever God fpake to your hearts, and hath effectually taught you fuch leffons, as were mentioned in our laft difcourfe? O there is a vaft difference betwixt that notional, fpeculative, and traditional knowledge which man learneth from men, and that fpiritual, operative, and transforming knowledge which a man learneth from God. If you ask how the teachings of God may be difcerned from all other mere human teachings; I answer, they may be discerned, and distinguished by thefe fix figns.

Sign 1. The teachings of God are very humbling to the foul that is taught. Human knowledge puffeth up, 1 Cor. viii. 1. but the teachings of God do greatly abafe the foul, Job xlii. 5. “ I have

heard of thee by the hearing of the ear, but now mine eye feeth "thee; wherefore I abhor myfelf, and repent in duft and ashes :”

2

the fame light which difcovers to us the holinefs, juftice, greatnefs, and goodness of God, difcovereth also the vileness, bafenefs, emptinefs, and total unworthinefs of men; yea, of the beft and holieft of men, Ifa. vi. 5.

Sign 2. The teachings of God are deeply affecting and impressive teachings; they fully reach the heart of man, Hof. ii. 14. “ I will "allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and fpeak com"fortably unto her :" or, as it is in the Hebrew, I will speak to her heart. When God fheweth unto man the evil of fin, he fo convinceth the foul, that no creature-comforts have any pleasure of sweetness in them; and when he fheweth unto man his righteoufnefs, pardon, and peace in Chrift, he fo comforteth and refresheth the heart, that no outward afflictions have any weight or bitternefs in them: one drop of confolation from heaven, fweetens a fea of trouble upon earth, Pfal. xciv. 19. "In the multitude of my ❝thoughts within me, thy comforts delight my foul."

Sign 3. The teachings of God are fanctifying and renewing teachings; they reform and change the heart, Eph. iv. 21, 22, 23. "If "fo be that you have heard him, and been taught by him, as the "truth is in Jefus; that ye put off concerning the former conver"fation the old man, which is corrupt, according to the deceitful "lufts; and be renewed in the fpirit of your mind," &c. See here what holinefs and purity are the effect of divine teaching! Holinefs, both external and internal, negative and pofitive: holiness of every kind follows the Father's teachings: all the difcoveries God makes to us of himfelf in Chrift, have an affimilating quality, and change the foul into their own likenefs, 2 Cor. iii. 18.

Sign 4. All God's teachings are practical, producing obedience. Idle notions and ufelefs fpeculations are not learned from God. As God's creating words, fo his teaching words are with effect: as when he faid, "Let there be light, and there was light;" fo when he faith to the foul, Be comforted, be humbled; it is effectually comforted, Ifa. Ixvi. 13. it is humbled, Job xl. 4, 5. As God hath in nature made no creature in vain, so he speaks no word in vain: every thing which men hear, or learn from the Father, is for ufe, practice, and benefit to the foul.

Sign 5. All teachings of God are agreeable with the written word: The Spirit of God, and the word of God do never jar, John xiv. 26. "He fhall take of mine, and fhew it unto you." When God fpeaketh unto the heart of man, whether in a way of conviction, confolation, or inftruction in duty, he always cither maketh use of the exprefs words of fcripture, or fpeaks to the heart in language every way confentaneous and agreeable to fcripture: So that the written word becomes the ftandard to weigh and try all divine teachings, Ifa. viii. 20. “To the law, and to the teftimony: If

"they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light (or morning) in them." Whatever is difagreeing or jarring with the fcripture, muft not pafs for an inspiration of God, but a deluding fophifm, and infinuation of Satan.

Sign 6. The teachings of God are very fatisfying teachings to the foul of man: The understanding faculty, like a dial, is enlightened with the beams of divine truth fhining upon it: this no man's teachings can do: Men can only teach objectively, by propounding truth to the understanding; but they cannot enlighten the faculty itself, as God doth, 1 John v. 20. He giveth man understanding, as well as inftructions, to be understood; he opens the eyes of the underftanding, as well as propoundeth the object, Eph. i. 18. And thus we may difcern and diftinguifh the teachings of God from all other teachings.

Third ufe of exhortation.

The laft ufe I fhall make of this point, fhall be a word of exhor tation, both to them that never were yet effectually taught of God, and to them alfo that have heard his voice, and are come to Chrift.

First, To thofe that never yet heard the voice of God speaking to their hearts; and truly this is the general cafe of most men and women, in the profeffing world: They have heard the found of the gospel, but it hath been a confufed, empty, and ineffectual found in their ears; they have heard the voice of man, but have never yet heard the voice of God. The gifts and abilities of preachers have, in a notional and mere human way, improved their understandings, and fometimes flightly touched their affections: All this is but the effect of man upon man. O that you would look for fomething which is beyond all this: fatisfy not yourselves with what is merely natural and human in ordinances; come to the word with higher ends and more spiritual defigns, than to get fome notions of truth which you had not before, or to judge the gifts and abilities of the fpeaker: If God speak not to your hearts, all the ordinances in the world can do you no good, 1 Cor. iii. 7. O remember what a folemn and awful thing it is to come to thofe ordinances, and attend upon that miniftration, in and by which the eternal decrees of heaven are to be executed upon your fouls, which must be to you the "favour of life unto life, or of death unto death;" Wrestle with God by prayer for a bleffing upon the ordinances. Say, Lord, fpeak thyfelf to my heart, let me hear

thy voice, and feel thy power in this prayer, or in this fermon: "Others have heard thy voice, caufe me to hear it: It had been « much better for me if I had never heard the voice of preachers, "except I hear thy voice in them.”

Secondly, Let all thofe that have heard the voice of God, and