An exposition with practical observations continued upon the eighth, ninth and tenth chapters of…An exposition with practicall observations continued upon the eighth, ninth and tenth chapters of…

Or there is, 1. A declarative resistance. 2. An operative resistance.

When it is said, that God doth resist (as this phrase imports or supposeth) wicked men in doing evil, we are to understand it, that he ever opposes them morally; that is, he ever lays a moral impediment in their way, and he ever opposes them declaratively, he declares his opposition in his Word. He never shows the least liking of wicked men in their ways. For when he saith, He that is filthy, let him be filthy still, and he that is unjust, let him be unjust still (Revel. 22.11.) he doth not at all approve, but threatens these sinners. This seeming admission is the highest rebuke of sin. But take it for a natural opposition, which is the bringing out of strength and power to stop men in the ways of sin: Thus the Lord doth not always resist evil doers. For if he did, it were impossible that any wicked man should move one hairs breadth in doing evil; if God would put forth his power against man, he could not stir to sin against God: but God doth not so, neither is he bound to lay a natural impediment in the ways of wicked men. It is enough to acquit him in his holiness, that he ever lays a moral impediment in their way. He declareth his law against, and his dislike of their sins: and in this sense he always resists them. All the sin of man is against the will of God, yet no man sins whether God will or no. The declarative will of God is often resisted, but his operative will cannot be resisted. As (which may illustrate this) in the civill State, the laws of this Kingdom lay a moral impediment in the way of thievery and robbery, &c. It is perpetually declared by the law, that no man ought to take another mans estate from him violently; but yet the Kingdom doth not ever set a natural impediment against, robbers, &c. That is, we do not place a power of men to guard all high ways or houses, to see that no passenger shall be robbed, or house broken open: So the Lord lays a moral impediment in the way of wicked men always, but he doth not always set his power against them, whereby he is able ⟨p. 132⟩(if he please) to disable wicked men from doing evil. Thirdly, Observe,