duties that any particular may not crosse the generall as we must not take up so much time in our owne businesses as to deprive ourselves of time and strength for the dutyes of Gods worship So neither must we so spend our strength in one duty as thereby to make us unfit for others for though we have time for duties yet if we want strength and spirit it cannot be seasonable Now for Duties occasionall therein we must observe two rules First if it be such an occasionall duty as may be omitted without prejudice to any and if discharged an opportunity for the doing of another good would be neglected then a man may passe it by But if a dutie commeth in a mans way that requireth present discharge and if neglected cannot be recalled nor recovered when as the duty of his common course may be regained againe if it be for the present passed by now this is a season for an occasionall duty as for instance it is a mans dutie daily to pray in his familie now if a necessary occasionall dutie be cast in which cannot be discharged afterwards a man must omit prayer for the present and discharge that other duty In many cases God will have mercie and not sacrifice if our Neighbours house be on fire and we have our dutie to performe we must for the present passe by our duty and helpe our neighbour and our Saviour sheweth that it is lawfull for a man to pull his Oxe Mat. 12.11 or his Asse out of the pit upon the Sabboth day in such cases God will have mercie and not sacrifice Que. 2 If one duty must be lost and if we cannot regaine both of them which then must be taken up and performed Looke which duty is most excellent and necessary take up that and let the other passe and herein know that duties of the first table are to be discharged before duties of the second we must serve God before men that duty which is highest in place and worth must first be discharged this is seasonable How can a man know the preheminence of any duty Que. 3. That which concerns Gods Glory is to be preferred before that which concernes a mans selfe Ans that which is for my good must give place to that which is for Gods Glory for we must have an eye more to Gods glory then to the Salvation of our souls in all the duties that we performe Secondly for those duties that concerne our neighbour though I must doe nothing to others that I would not have done to my selfe yet I must learne to doe good to my selfe in the first place if the duties that are to be discharged in reference to others be of the same ranke and quality with those that concerne my selfe then I must preferre my own occasions before another mans my goods before his my body before his my life before his serve my selfe in the first place and my neighbour in the second but I must not preferre my body before his soule my temporalls before his spiritualls nor my goods before his life If we take such like directions as these then our duties will be seasonable and so acceptable with the Lord. Reas 1 First if the season of doing duties be thus observed it beautifyeth all our actions Prov. 25.11 A word spoken in season is like apples of Gold in pictures of Silver If a man strike while the mettell is hot glorious formes may be effected So in the worke of grace if a man take the opportunity while the wind is blowing the word preaching the Spirit lifting and stirring in the Soule then a glorious worke a new creation may be wrought but if men delay untill their eyes be dime their limbes feeble their strength spent their spirits weake and corruption strong and fast rooted in the Soule this seldome proves a season for the doing of such a Soule good for if conscience now cometh to be awakened and the sinfull Soule to see what opportunities God hath vouchsafed it what profers he hath made what seasons for the doing and receiving of good have beene afforded all which he hath abused and trifled away and the Soule now fearing that it shall never have such seasons more but that the day of grace shall set upon it hereupon it is driven to despaire Reas 2 Because things are sweetest find best acceptance when they come in their season Oh how sweete is bread to the hungry and water to the thirstie because then they are seasonable when a full stomacke loathes the honie-combe that seede thrives best that is sowen in its season and that worke goeth on the best that is undertaken in a fitting time therfore the Preacher Eccle. 12.1 calls upon men to remember their Creatour in the dayes of their youth whilst the evill dayes come not nor the years approach wherein thou shalt say I have no pleasure For old dayes are likely to be evill daies unlesse we make our peace with God in our young daies for that is the season that God lookes for and calls for that men should remember him in and God seldome giveth the grace of repentance to men in their declining yeares who have despised it in the daies of their youth A thing out of season is like physick brought to a dead man which if it had bin seasonably applied might have done him good Be wise to take every opportunity to doe good to others and to receive good for your owne soules least ye repent with a sad heart when it is too late when ye have lost the season of grace and mercie consider what the Lord saith Prov. 1. 28 29. They shall call upon mee but I will not answer they shall seeke mee early but they shall not finde mee because they hated knowledge and did not chuse the feare of the Lord they would none of my councell but despised my correction therefore shall they eate of the fruite of their owne doings and be filled with their owne devises Is it so that the Saints of God ought to doe their duties in season Use 1. then let this be for triall to every one of our soules and let us examine our selves whether we have seasonably discharged those duties that the Lord requireth of us both in our generall and particular Callings and be humbled if we finde our selves blame worthy If we doe consider our waies and looke backe upon our former carriages and veiw over the whole course of our lives I doubt that the best of us shall finde that many opportunities many blessed seasons for the hoarding up of comfortable provision against the evill day have bin neglected how often hath this gratious Proclimation from heaven sounded in the eares of us notorious Rebells that whatever our sins have bin for the nature for the number of them yet if we would but come under the garment of Christ stoopeto that Royall Scepter of Christ and accept of the promise of life in Jesus Christ we
Gods glory is to be preferred before that which crucernes a mans selfe p. 159 We must doe good to our selves in the first plase p. 160. But I must not preferre my body before anothers soule nor my temporalls before his spiritualls nor my good before his life p. 160. Reas 1. If the season of doing dutyes be taken it beautifies all our actions p. 161. Vse 1. For triall whether we have seasonably discharged our dutyes in regard of our generall and particular callings p. 165. Vse 2. For instruction it teacheth us that the life of a Christian is not an idle life p. 167. Vse 3. For incouragement now to stop in that we may be cured while the season of grace lasteth p. 168. THE MERROR OF MERCY GEN. 6.13 And God said my Spirit shall not strive with Man for that he also is flesh yet his dayes shall be an hundred and twentie yeares THe Scope of this Chapter and the intendment of the Spirit of GOD therein is mainely to discover two things viz. The different condition or severall sorts of the people of the old world before the Flood in the first part of the Chapter and then the different dispensation of Gods providence towards them answerable both to their persons and sinnes in the second part of the Chapter In the first observe first the carriage of the common route in severall Expressions from the fift to the end of the seven verse and Secondly the holy demeanour of blessed Noah in the eight and nine verses But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord Noah was a just man and perfect in his generation and walked with God Noah in that wicked time and place and amongst a wicked people was an holy and righteous man saith the Text. Touching the carriage and behaviour of wicked men observe the hainousnesse of their sinnes in those unreasonable and unlawfull lusts and abhominable actions against the light of Nature and the law of God saith the text before the sonnes of God saw the Daughters of men that they were faire and they took them wives of all which they chose As who should say they cared not whether they pleased God or not they are resolved to please themselves their owne filthy appetites and humours The sons of God were the posterity of Seth who had the ordinances and the worship of God in outward profession And the daughters of men the daughters of Cain they were of another brood and these sonnes against Reason Religion even all common sence and honestie against the Lawes of God and the workes of their owne consciences joyne with these daughters in marriage and these mongrell kind of marriages produce Monsters not onely for state of body but of monstrous condition and manners such as were monstrously proud prophane and in all wickednesse abounding Secondly touching Gods proceedings and carriage of himselfe against the generation of these men Observe it in the words of the Text wherein the Lord sets downe as it were a sentance of doome against them whence observe that as soone as sin is propounded God enters immediatly into a Counsell and determination against the Sinners Obser Expect when once base and sinfull courses are put in practise Judgment comes and that suddenly So from the sins of these people observe That marriages with a contrary Religion ever brings destruction Soloman tooke strange wives and therefore his Crowne was rent from him They chose new gods faith Deborah and there was warre in their gates Here is no sooner mention made of combining and mixing with contrary Religions Seth and his posterity with Cain and his but Judgment forthwith ensues and proceeds And God said my spirit shall not strive with man for that he also is flesh yet his daies shall be an hundred and twenty yeares In which words take notice First of Gods determination what he will doe seeing they will have their owne waies and wills he will not want of his will he will proceede to Judgment and if God determine a Judgment who shall hinder it Secondly of the reason of Gods determination herein In the Determination consider First what is supposed and must necessarily be granted That God doth and will destroy Sinners Secondly what is exprest and set downe and that generally and particularly Generally That God will strive with Sinners before he enters into Judgment In the Text one hundred and twenty yeares a large time of Repentance longer then they had of living Particularly There is the bounds and limits of Gods mercy God will not alwaies strive with man Secondly Observe that the Reason is set downe by way of aggravation For that man is also flesh As if it had beene said not onely that base generation of Cain that had cast away the Law of God and made Lust their Law but even Seths Posteritie Even thy servants O Lord that professe the Faith and have the worshippe and Ordinances of God they even they also are fleshly and sensuall not onely Rome Spaine Italy and Turkes but England thy people that have beene baptized professed thy truth enjoyed thy Ordinances They are loose and prophane So that this also apparantly implies not onely Cains Posteritie the wicked but Seths Seede the Church of God members of the visible Church these though professing the truth depart from the truth practise the abominations of the wicked Before we come to the severall passages of the Text we must unfold the words First what is meant by spirit here it is the Holy Ghost for God owneth this spirit My Spirit The third Person in the glorious Trinity Now God striveth not only miraculously or immediately by Divination but most usually and now mediately by the Ministery of his Word God strove with this generation of the old World by the Ministery of Enoch and Noah the Lord immediatly assisting and advising them they spoke not their owne words but such as Gods Spirit put into their mouthes 2 Pet. 1. the last ver Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost so that by spirit here is meant the Spirit of God and by that spirit in the Ministery of the Patriarks and Prophets the Lord strove with the men of the old world and former Ages Secondly what is meant by striving The Greeke Interpretors translates the word so as it hath no agreement with the word Spirit and indeed we shall rather aime at it then explicate it The word is taken from a Theame which signifieth to judge or condemne in judgeing but it is not here meant in judgment but a debating of the matter betweene God and a sinner Now if God should call a man to accompt and enter into judgment with a sinner who is able to stand before him what man may contend with him that is mightier Ecclesia 6.10 No man is able to abide God or contend with him in judgment But God here deales with man answerable to the nature of a man not with blowes but with reasonings and
disputes He as it were enters a Law Case with the poore sinnefull sonnes of men and proceedes in a judiciall course to recover a poore sinner from the pathes of death wherein hee straied to his owne worship which the sinner wholly declined from as yee see men goe to Law one saith the Land is mine another saith hee hath best right to it and so their title comes legally to be tried Even so sinne and Satan say the soule are theirs and the sinner is content to goe with with them to Hell but the Lord enters lists and claimes by a higher title and saith that the soule is his by him it was created Redeamed made to honour his Creator to be happy in his Saviour And how God strives herein you shall see afterwards But I take this to be the value of the sence so that from the first part of the Text observe these foure Doctrines The Spirit of God doth ever undoubtedly and unseperably accompany the Ministry of the Word Gods Word and his Spirit alwayes goe together The Lord by the power of his Spirit in the Word in the course of his Providence strives with poore rebellious Sinners for their good and they oppose both his Spirit and their own good God striveth long with Sinners here with the old world one hundred and twentie yeares Though God strives long with Sinners and yet they returne not God will leave them to themselves and their sinnes to the power and curse of sinne and the judgements and plagues deserved Of the first Doctrine viz. That Gods Spirit doth ever accompany the Word and the Ministry thereof By the Spirit of God I meane the eternall Spirit the holy Ghost doth in speciall manner accompany the Word know that God is every where and knoweth all things but in a speciall manner he is with this if the Word commands hee commands and if the Word forbids he forbids Rom. 1.16 The Gospell is the power of God to the salvation of man But how doth this appeare to be so I Answer it appeareth in three things First God doth please to set this worke apart to wit the Ministry of the Word to save and sanctifie our soules which all the learning in the world cannot do Secondly the Lord by the power of his Spirit doth constantly and continually accompany this worke as hee thinks good to be a confutation to the wicked and a consolation to the godly 2 Cor. 2.16 17. To the one it is a favour of death to the other it is a favour of life it either kills the soule or saves the soule though it ever accompanies the word yet this work of the Spirit is a voluntary worke Thirdly it doth alwayes accompany the Word but doth not alwayes worke for some after twenty or thirtie yeares are converted so that it doth not alwayes worke Looke as the brazen Serpent was lift up in the wildernesse that whosoever looked on it that was stung with the fiery Serpents should be healed there was a healing vertue in it he set it apart for that purpose for that had no vertue of it selfe but because God would worke by it so that whosoever looked on it might be healed so it is with the Word of God for the Ministers thereof are no more able to convert then others but because God hath promised to accompany them in dispensation of it Reas Reason First taken from the fruit and effect of this Word that it is able to doe all things In the beginning it was able to doe that which men and Angells cannot doe Heb. 4.12 The Word of God is quick and powerfull and sharper then any two edged Sword piercing even to the deviding assunder of the soule and Spirit and a discoverie of the thoughts of the heart It is Gods faithfull word the reason why Carnall men fall out with the Ministers of the word and say you speake against mee I know you meane mee No no we know not your hearts but God doth and the word of God knows them and that findes you out John 5.25 The dead shall heare the voice of the Sonne of God the meaning is they that are dead in sins for by Nature everie man is dead in sinne It must be more then all men can doe as our Saviour said to Lazarus when men stood weeping by but Christ said Lazarus come forth Joh. 11.43 It must be Gods Word that must raise us from the death of sinne to the life of righteousnesse Vse First of Instruction to take heede of taking up of Armes against the Spirit of God we see the hainous sin of them that despise the Ministrie of the Gospell men may thinke it nothing but alas you know not what it is for the word of God and the Spirit of God goe together as the blessed Martyr Steven said to the Jewes Act. 7.51 Ye stiffenecked and uncercumsised in heart and eares yee doe alwayes resist the holy Ghost as did your Fathers so doe you therefore take heede you are neere to the sinne against the holy Ghost for it is not the Word of man but the Word of God it is the Spirit that thou shouldst be saved by that thou hast opposed you goe away with the contempt of the Gospell and make that nothing thou hast sinned against God and his Spirit that accompanies the Word O Counsell one another say doe you know what you do It is Gods Spirit that must comfort you that must save you It is that that you oppose when you oppose the word take heede for this is above incestuous sinnes Luke 3.19.20 Herod was an incestuous sinnner but above all his sins he added this that he put John in prison he was an incestuous Adulterer yet putting John in prison was above all Math. 11.21.22 It shall be easier for Sodome and Gomorrah in the day of Judgment then for you that oppresse the word of the Lord. So much for the first point And now I will fasten upon the second point which I conceive is the pith and substance even the maine life of the Text viz. That the Lord by the power of his Spirit in the word striveth with poore sinners for their good and they in the meane time oppose both his Spirit and their owne good The Parties are God and man God strives and the sinner strives The Lord invents wayes to work off the Soule from its sinnes and its destruction and the Sinner makes it his maine peece and care his cheife skill and cunning to hinder the good word of the Lord in the worke upon his soule for his salvation In common experience wee see it If God open the eies of a Drunkard or awaken the Adulterer what a deale of stirre there is One drinkes it off another plaies it out a third dambes up his Soule with untempered mortar Any thing or any way that the good Spirit of the Lord may not prevaile If the Lord turne the face of a child or a servant in the familie towards him then
mercie Let us see into the depth of our misery and weepe if we had a fountaine of sorrow See there is a Drunkard God hath opened his eies and he is become an holy gracious Christian Looke here upon a wretched Adulterer yet a wonder of mercie Doth he that goeth into an harlot ever returne yet the Lord hath pardoned all his abominations Beholdest thou thy selfe to stand still like a horse in a Mill as vaine as vile as carelesse and wicked as ever Oh wonder at Gods goodnesse and be ashamed and confounded at thy desperate case and wretchednesse Vse 2 Behold from hence the condemnation of the wicked to be marvellous just they have their owne desires as deserts they are damned because they will be damned perish because they will perish It is strange to observe the madnes of men to strive to goe downe to hell they take Post-horse to everlastlasting destruction strive who shall goe first They strive who shall be most vaine malicious gainsay the truth oppose God and goodnesse well the Lord hath striven with you and you have striven against him and ye will goe to hell and then that patience that hath striven with you will stop every one of your mouthes when the body shall lie downe in the dust and the soule be roareing in the bottomlesse pit Now ye have your owne desires you have worne your owne Garland ye would be proude and stubborne loose and prophane contemning all meanes of Reformation now ye have your belly full of sinning Prov. 30.31 The Lord will satisfy them with their owne wayes and fill them full of their owne devices As who should say yee shall have your owne hearts content ye would have none of his Councell ye despised all his reproofe and ye will despise the word oppose the Minister scorne God to his face despight his Spirit resist the worke of the Lord shift put off and put backe the Authority of the truth and the power of grace well when ye are full low in the bottomlesse pit then ye shall have elbow roome enough liberty and time to be full of all evill for ever to sinne against and blaspheme God for ever and just will God be in his Judgments Vse 3 The third use is of reproofe Doth God strive with sinners for their good and salvation what shall we thinke of them that strive with men for their hurt and ruine either God must be blamed for dealing so or they condemned for standing in opposition with God judge you I will say nothing The Lord strives he useth mercie justice goodnes all means to draw sinners to him and so to be saved and these endeavour by all meanes threatning taunts councells and examples to withdraw men from God his waies and service certainly either God is to be blamed for dealing so or they to be condemned in their mischiefes They are the Divells Captaines and give presse money nay his Brokers if a wife childe or servant or neighbour begines to looke towards Heaven then the husband frownes the Master chides the freind forsakes Oh lay your hands on your hearts the divell if incarnate could doe no more Oh know not only that thine owne sinnes shall condemne thee but the bloud of your wives children and servants Oh brethren I beseech you heare feare and tremble Acts 15.8 9. The text saith that Paul came to the Iland and found the Deputy of the Iland desirous to heare the word of God Paul would have brought him to the faith and Elimas would have drawne him from the faith marke what Paul said in the tenth verse thou childe of the devill because Elimas would not goe to hell himselfe alone he drawes others and Paul comes with fire and thundring as it were Oh child of the Divell O Enemy of all righteousnesse The Adulterer is an enemy to chastity the Drunkard to sobernesse the unjust man is an enemy to justice but they that strive to hinder any man from God are enemies to all righteousnesse But you will say you would have prayed but my husband would not let me I would have gone to Church but my Master would not let me this will not serve the turne it will be no plea for you to say Masters hinder you Mat. 23.15 Woe to you Scribes and Pharisees that compasse Sea and Land to make a Proselyte and when hee is so made you make him twofold more the childe of the Devill then your selves To be the children of the Devill that is bade enough in conscience but you are twice more the child of the Divell if you hinder any from God if you sinne you shall goe to hell but they that occasion others to sinne shall be twice more the children of hell then you Oh then feare and labour everie one to amend one another Vse 4 For exhortation Doth the Lord so strive and use all meanes to draw us to him doth God doe so Then doe you so also wheresoever thou goest doe thou strive to perswade men and draw them from evill Heb. 3.13 Exhorting one another daily Imitate God and Christ they strive with poore sinners for their good doe thou so strive with men yea though they strive against thee Thou hast a wicked father a prophane mother pray for them thy freinds and kindred are opposers of God and his worship exhort them if thou seest for the present little hopes of amendment continue thy prayers for them thou prayest once pray againe it may be God will heare when a man is laid in his grave yet his stock of prayers remaines and goes forward and shall doe till doomes day what a sweete comfort will this be to them that doe good to others you therefore that goe in companies and assemblies with others strive to draw them on in goodnesse by exhortations and sometimes by reproofes that if it be possible you may prevaile with their hearts to come in and take mercie 2. Tim. 2.25 26. Lastly therefore what remaines Oh that I could follow Gods suite be intreated and exhorted in the Lord Doth the Lord strive with you what should you doe but yeeld to the Lord Strive no more against him contend no further with the Almighty Let this advise be acceptable and the Lord make it powerfull to you The Lord hath a great suite many yeare it hath lasted a Chauncerie suite it hath lasted ten twenty forty yeares Oh ye of ancient yeares with reverence to yeares be perswaded to the feare of the Lord. Oh ye young ones blesse God that ye have not so long resisted the worke of Gods grace and withstood his patience The Lord hath an old controversie with you from your first birth to this present That of David Oh God from my youth I have depended upon thee Oh what Sabboths hast thou enjoyed what Sermons hast thou heard what sweete opportunities for thy soul have beene afforded thee Oh the blessed motions of the good Spirit of God how hath God sent and sued to thee pursued and followed thee
mercies on the one hand inviting thee justice on the other side threatning comforts of minde and horrors of conscience Oh at last heare and be perswaded to let the suite fall Oh especially yee ancient sinners notwithstanding all this yet to be an ancient Drunkard an old blacke mouthed swearer an ancient Adulterer an old gray headed sinner setled in wickednesse the father naught and the sonne naught ah vile wretches the bane of all goodnesse The Lord hath striven forty fifty sixty years together and doe you not thinke the Lord was admirably patient Now now let the word of the Lord prevaile and the Councell of Gods poore servants take place with you for your eternall good Thinke with your selves what shall I stand out in law with God shall I still resist his grace Goe into a corner and sigh and sorrow bewaile your selves ah miserable Creatures that we are how have we behaved our selves all our life time to God ah those cords of mercie that would not draw us those powerfull perswassions those keene reproofes those forcible exhortations and those bestowed and continued with much goodnesse and long sufferance and we not bettered by any of them to this very day why then it is high time poore wretches to lay downe the suite to renounce it and to yeeld to the word of God and not a word more Give up the day to the worke of Gods grace and the power of his Spirit as Job Job 39.37 38. though he held out long untill the Lord schooled him out of the whirlwinde shewed him his Glory and Power and Jobs vilenesse and nothingnesse Then he cries out I am vile what shal I answer thee I will lay my hand upon my mouth once saith he have I spoken but I will answer no more So all of yee say that heare the word of God this day and perswade one another Say we have beene Brethren in wickednesse but now we will submit we will no longer deferre well then be incouraged The Lord strives with you nay hee promiseth you if you will at last yeeld whatsoever hath been formerly amisse shall bee pardoned whatsoever is or shall bee wanting shall be supplied why will yee yet contend Did ever any resist the Lord and prosper Oh yee have freinds or estates and yee beare your selves upon these and the like stayes these and all such are but broken staies Where are all the enemies of God where is stouthearted and stiffe-necked Pharaoh Hee would not let the people of God goe c. His body was drowned in the sea and his soule is roaring in hell unlesse God was more infinitely mercifull then we can conceive What became of proud Nebuchadnezar that exalted himselfe to the Heaven he was brought as low as Hell How doth God many times slay the drunkard and cut off the sinner on a suddaine And good Lord what are become of their soules Therefore let everie man consider no man can resist God and prosper either thou must overcome God or be confounded by him Consider also the longer ye stand out with God the harder to agree the suite and remember this yee strong ones A Law suite at the first might happily be ended for a small summe or nothing but if it proceede the charges of suite many times growes to be greater then the debt Aâ—â— thinke of this also ye ancient sinners gray-headed swearers constant secret opposers of God and goodnesse But forget it not I say againe yee young ones little ones goeing on in a way of sinning If yee doe not agree betimes with God God will recover his charges he will not lose all those exhortations reproofes his patience goodnesse loving kindnesse the mercie and bloud of Christ Christ paid deare for these ye make nothing of the abuse of all these but Christ paid for everie Sermon not profitted by everie intimation of Spirit slighted everie mercie not improved Oh this is able to undoe any man Oh poore people be wise in time especially I say ye young ones your reckoning is not yet so heavy if now ye get a hear to yeeld to the Councells and Reproofes of God to submit and come in your sinnes shall be pardoned your persons accepted and your soules eternally saved if not thou must pay charges answer for all the patience long sufferance and goodnesse of God And consider now even this day the Lord holdeth out the Golden Scepter of grace and if ye yet returne to him ye shall be accepted of him it may be the last time you shall have an offer of mercie How soone may Death seize on thy body and then Judgement overtake thy soule this may be the last day of thy living much more of thy hearing the word If ye now accept all arrerages shall be forgotten God will lay downe his suite all his anger and displeasure will be laid aside He will put up all if yee entertaine his mercie and imbrace Christ This may be the last offer And doth the Lord offer mercie after all the stubbornesse of the heart after all unprofitablenesse after all the neglect of all the meanes of grace after all thy drunkennesse and prophanesse hypocrisie after all thy sinnes and wickednesse Yes then heare what the Lord saith Are ye content to forsake these yes Then the Lord will not forsake you if ye will entertaine the Lord above all these he will entertaine you if ye lay downe your lusts and corruptions he will imbrace you for ever in the everlasting Armes of mercie Say answer and let every mans conscience answer that I may returne my message Me thinkes none of you should be so senselesse so unreasonable so desperately wretched as to stand out Good Lord shall all my evills be pardoned if I be content to receive Christ and his mercie will the Lord Jesus never leave me if I be content to leave my sinnes Good Lord take all my sins and throw them in a bottom lesse pit let me never see them againe I will never more strive against thy word Let thy word reveale my sins and subdue my sinfull soule Let that good Spirit of thine come in and rule this heart of mine Now the businesse is at an end all controversies cease when therefore occasions shall come temptations renew corruptions stirre Goe to God and for ever remember this daies resolution and let the Lord take place in thy heart and he will preserve thee to serve him here and eternally to be saved hereafter I should proceede to the third and fourth Doctrins but I am prevented by the time I will onely name them in one and so conclude Though God strives long with sinners he gives them a long time of repentance ye see the old world an hundred and twenty yeares and every knock in the Arke a Sermon of repentance yet after the long abuse of Gods mercie and patience the large time of repentance and unfruitfullnesse under all the meanes of grace The Lord ceaseth to strive with sinners anie more he takes
cleare it in these three particulars 1. What is the Power of truth 2. How wicked men hinder it 3. The reason why they doe so hinder it Quest 1. First What is the power of truth or what would it worke upon the soule that wicked men oppose it Answ The worke and power of it will appeare in soure particulars .. 1. First it is a word of information discovering things in their native and proper collours pulling off that vizard that carnall reason hath put upon them Prov. 6.23 For the Commandement is a Lanthorn an instruction a light A Light is usefull in a darke and narrow way so is the word of God to direct us and informe us how to walke in the narrow path that leadeth unto life by this a man is informed what is to be shunned what to be followed what is to be loved what to be hated A man cannot miscarrie nor loose his way so long as he is directed by the Light of the truth as the Sun sheweth all the moates that be in the house so this discovers all the corrupt corners that be in the soule all that envie pride hypocrisie blasphemy that lodgeth in the heart Ephes 5.13 But all things when they are reproved of the light are manifest for it is light that maketh all things manifest A man may there be resolved in everie doubtfull case of conscience the ballance of the Sanctuarie is that wherein we should weigh our thoughts words and workes Secondly as it is a word of information so it is a word of quickening a vigorous powerfull word which not onely sheweth the way and pointeth to the right path but enableth a man to walke in that path in the strength thereof so that he walketh on cheerefully in Heaven way notwithstanding all the rubs and oppositions that he meeteth withall in the world It is not onely as the Sun to shew us the right way but as a strong streame to carrie us on in that way David Psal 119.50 speaking of the word of God saith It is my comfort in my trouble for thy promise hath quickened mee Thirdly The word hath a drawing power in it saith the Church Cant. 1.3 Draw mee and I will run after thee The Church confesseth that shee cannot come to Christ except shee be drawne now the word of God hath such a drawing power in it though corruption be strong and the Outward man heavy yet it will lead a man on in the right way that he should walke 4. Fourthly it is a word of conviction it is powerfull to overthrow all the gainsayings of man it hath a soveraigne supreame Authority in it to beare downe all carnall reasonings when the Lord is pleased to accompanie it 2. Cor. 10.4 The weapons of our warefare are not carnall feeble and weake but mighty thorough God to the pulling downe of strong holds There is a mighty operation in the truth hence saith the Apostle 2. Cor. 13.8 We cannot doe anie thing against the truth but for the truth So that truth is powerfull and though corruption be strong the world inticing and the Divell ensnaring yet if the Lord be pleased to set the truth home upon the soule either to informe it or to quicken it or to draw it on in Heaven waies or to convince it all these avocations and pull backs shall not hinder it thus we see the truth wil work Quest Secondly How doth a carnall man hinder the powerfull working of this word that is may not prevaile with his soule the word would have the Soule but the Soule will have its sinnes And its opposition against the truth doth appeare in these foure particulars Answ 1. First a carnall heart is marvellous unwilling and altogether indisposed to listen to the Truth of God so as to be instructed therein and examine himselfe thereby it is tendious to flesh and blood to waite upon the truth it is not willing to know its duty to know what the word saith in such and such cases least it should pull some of his sweete morsells from betwixt his teeth cut off his right hand pull out his right eye some bosome sinnes that are as neere and deare unto him as either of them therefore he is willing to be a stranger to the Truth of God and though Manna from Heaven lyeth at his doore yet he will not step out to gather it in men naturally stop their eares agaainst the truth Esay 30.10 They say to the Seers see not and to the Prophets prophesie not right things speake to us smooth things prophesie deceits Get thee out of the way turne aside out of the path cause the holy one of Israel to cease from before us So Job 21.14 They say also unto God depart from us for we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes They desire nothing more then to be exempt from all subjection unto God that in Acts. 28.27 is likewise here considerable For the heart of this people is waxed fat and their cares are dull of hearing and with their eyes have they winked least they should see with their eyes and heare with their cares and understand with their hearts and should returne that I might heale them Winked with their eyes that is they made as though they saw not that which they did see against their wills carnall men are loath to know the truth if they doe search for it it is onely as a Coward doth for his Enemy with a hope not to finde him yea with a feare lest he should find him So a naturall man is fearefull to search and loath to find the truth but if the truth doe glanse in and conscience begin to recoile then he seekes out for some merry company that may help him to smother these motions of the Spirit as Saul sent for David to play before him when the evill Spirit came upon him We use to draw a Curtaine before the Sun when it shineth too bright in our eyes so saith every carnall heart when the word shineth in his soule Oh draw a Curtaine before it let me heare no more of this least it drive me out of wits I would have Christ but I would have the world also if God would but allow me such a finne meaning his bosome corrruption I would willingly come up unto him in every thing else that he should require at my hands thus conscience puts them to doe somthing and the word hath some slightly worke upon them like the seede that fell in the stonie ground but yet they will not part with their Dalilah Corruptions but when it toucheth the covetous mans gaine the voluptuous mans pleasure then they crie out draw a Curtaine before it Secondly A carnall heart is alwayes ready to raise an evill report of the blessed truth of God that so it may appear deformed to the eyes of them that begin to expresse some desire after it they deal with it as the spies did with the Land of Canaan Num. 13.32 So they brought up an evill