An expository comment, doctrinal, controversial, and practical upon the whole first chapter to the…An expository comment, doctrinal, controversal, and practical upon the whole first chapter to the…

But in the second place, There are a people, that have long lived under the means of grace, and have often resisted the Spirit of God in the Ministry. Now ¹for the most part there is very little conversion wrought on such. Not but that Gods arm is as strong as ever, and the Word is as powerful an instrument, and God doth approve of his Officers, only the unworthiness and unprofitableness of the people have deserved, that God should give them up to spiritual judgements, and that no Ministry or preaching should ever do them any good. And therefore you see, when Isaiah was sent to preach to the people of Israel, Chap. 6•. it was not to open their eyes, or soften their hearts, but the clean contrary, to shut their eyes, and harden their hearts. Do not therefore question the Call of a ⟨p. 23⟩Ministry, if the work of conversion be not so general, as might be expected. For consider the people, are they not like the ground the Apostle speaks of, that having often drunk in rain, yet bringing forth nothing […] sing? Heb. 6. 7, 8. A terrible place it is, if they had been a people bringing forth herbs fit for use, then God had a blessing for such ground, but because they are only briars and thorns, the end is to burnt. So that though the Ministry doth not work in a saving way, yet it's in a damning way; and this discovers the Call to be of God, as well as the former, because he punisheth people thus for their unthankfulness and unprofitableness. But

But in the second place, There are a people, that have long lived under the means of grace, and have often resisted the Spirit of God in the Ministry. Now ¹for the most part there is very little conversion wrought on such. Not but that Gods arm is as strong as ever, and the Word is as powerfull an instrument, and God doth approve of his Officers, only the unworthiness and unprofitableness of the people have deserved, that God should give them up to spiritual judgements, and that no Ministry or preaching should ever do them any good. And therefore you see, when Isaiah was sent to preach to the people of Israel, Chap. 6•. it was not to open their eyes, or soften their hearts, but the clean contrary, to shut their eyes, and harden their hearts. Do not therefore question the Call of a