The Soul's Preparation for Christ

Secondly, we must see sin simply as it is in it self, in regard of the proper work of it; it is nothing else but a profest opposing of God himself; a sinful creature joins side with the devil and the world, and comes in battle array against the Lord, and flies in the face of the God of hosts;¹ they are called haters of God, Psam. 83. That is when they see grace in another man, in such a man, and in such a woman, and hate them for it; little do they think that they hate the God of heaven and his holy nature; and if it were possible, they would have no God in heaven, to take notice of their sins, & call them to account for them, as the wise man Gamaliel said to the Pharisees and elders, refrain your selves from these men, and let them alone, for if this Counsel or work be of men, it will come to nothing, but if it be of God, you cannot destroy it, lest you be found fighters against God; you make nothing of opposing the Gospel, and preaching thereof, I tell you that there is never a creature that lives in any such sinful course, but he is a fighter against God, and he resists the Lord as really as one man doth another; And as Stephen saith, You stifnecked and uncircumcised in heart, you have resisted against the holy Ghost: You must not think that you resist men only, no (poor creatures) you resist the Spirit, and so aim at the Almighty in opposing of the means of grace; What a fearful condition is this, I pray you in cold blood consider this, and ⟨p. 19⟩say thus, Good Lord! What a sinful wretch am I? that a poor damned wretch of the earth should stand in defiance against the God of hosts, and that I should submit my self to the devil, and oppose the Lord of hosts.

Secondly, we must see sinne simply as it is in it selfe, in regard of the proper worke of it; it is nothing else but a profest opposing of God himselfe; a sinfull creature joynes side with the devill and the world, and comes in battaile array against the Lord, and flies in the face of the God of hosts;¹ they are called haters of God, Psam. 83. That is when they see grace in another man, in such a man, and in such a woman, and hate them for it; little doe they thinke that they hate the God of heaven and his holy nature; and if it were possible, they would have no God in heaven, to take notice of their sins, & call thē to account for them, as the wise man Gamaliel said to the Pharesies and elders, refraine your selves from these men, and let them alone, for if this Counsell or worke be of men, it will come to nothing, but if it be of God, you cannot destroy it, lest you be found fighters against God; you make nothing of opposing the Gospell, and preaching thereof, I tell you that there is never a creature that lives in any such sinfull course, but he is a fighter against God, and he resists the Lord as really as one man doth another; And as Stephen saith, You stifnecked and uncircumcised in heart, you have resisted against the holy Ghost: You must not thinke that you resist men onely, no (poore creatures) you resist the Spirit, and so aime at the Almighty in opposing of the meanes of grace; What a fearefull condition is this, I pray you in cold blood consider this, and