1. We acknowledge God's Dominion over the Spirits of Men, which is a great Honour to God, and a quieting to us. It is a Title often given to God in Scripture, that he is the God of the Spirits of all Flesh. If they had a Magistrate to choose, they go to God: Numb. 27. 16. Let the Lord, the God of the Spirits of all Flesh, set a Man over the Congregation. If a Judgment to be averted, Numb. 16. 22. O God, the God of the Spirits of all Flesh, shall one Man sin, and wilt thou be wroth with all the Congregation? This is a great Honour to God, when we acknowledge the Power and Dominion that he hath over the Hearts and Spirits of Men. To roll a Stone, is not so much as to rule the Creatures; and to keep the Sun in his Course, is not so much as to rule the Spirits of Men, and to work them to the glorifying of his holy Name. God can turn the Hearts of Men this way, and that way, according as he pleaseth. Prov. 21. 1. The King's Heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the Rivers of Water, he turneth it whithersoever he will. As a Man can dispose of a Water-Course, turn it hither and thither, as the Necessities of his Field or Garden require: So can God draw out the Hearts and Respects of Men. Surely there would not be so many Disorders in the World, if we did often reflect upon […] Attribute, or did deal with God about his ⟨p. 157⟩Power over the Spirits of Men. We are wrathful, and think nothing but the Confusion of Men would serve the Turn; and there is no Riddance of our Burden, but by the Destruction of those who stand in our way: Whereas the Conversion of Men, a Change of their Spirits and Hearts, would be a better Cure, and bring more Honour to God, and Safety with it. The truth is, we look more to Men than to God; and that is the Reason why we pitch rather upon the Destruction, than the Conversion of others: Destruction, that may be executed by the Creature; but Conversion, that is a Power (to order and regulate the Spirits of Men) which God hath reserved in his own hands. One Angel could destroy above an Hundred and Eighty Thousand in Sennacherib's Camp, in one Night; but all the Angels, with their united Strength, cannot draw in one Heart to God. But now the God of the Spirits of all Flesh, who is too hard for him? O did we often reflect upon this, we would be dealing with God about this Matter, that he would work upon the Spirits of Men.
1. We acknowledg God's Dominion over the Spirits of Men, which is a great Honour to God, and a quieting to us. It is a Title often given to God in Scripture, that he is the God of the Spirits of all Flesh. If they had a Magistrate to chuse, they go to God: Numb. 27. 16. Let the Lord, the God of the Spirits of all Flesh, set a Man over the Congregation. If a Judgment to be averted, Numb. 16. 22. O God, the God of the Spirits of all Flesh, shall one Man sin, and wilt thou be wroth with all the Congregation? This is a great Honour to God, when we acknowledg the Power and Dominion that he hath over the Hearts and Spirits of Men. To roll a Stone, is not so much as to rule the Creatures; and to keep the Sun in his Course, is not so much as to rule the Spirits of Men, and to work them to the glorifying of his holy Name. God can turn the Hearts of Men this way, and that way, according as he pleaseth. Prov. 21. 1. The King's Heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the Rivers of Water, he turneth it whithersoever he will. As a Man can dispose of a Water-Course, turn it hither and thither, as the Necessities of his Field or Garden require: So can God draw out the Hearts and Respects of Men. Surely there would not be so many Disorders in the World, if we did often reflect upon 〈…〉 Attribute, or did deal with God about his ⟨p. 157⟩Power over the Spirits of Men. We are wrathful, and think nothing but the Confusion of Men would serve the Turn; and there is no Riddance of our Burthen, but by the Destruction of those who stand in our way: Whereas the Conversion of Men, a Change of their Spirits and Hearts, would be a better Cure, and bring more Honour to God, and Safety with it. The truth is, we look more to Men than to God; and that is the Reason why we pitch rather upon the Destruction, than the Conversion of others: Destruction, that may be executed by the Creature; but Conversion, that is a Power (to order and regulate the Spirits of Men) which God hath reserved in his own hands. One Angel could destroy above an Hundred and Eighty Thousand in Sennacherib's Camp, in one Night; but all the Angels, with their united Strength, cannot draw in one Heart to God. But now the God of the Spirits of all Flesh, who is too hard for him? O did we often reflect upon this, we would be dealing with God about this Matter, that he would work upon the Spirits of Men.
