And now I will fasten upon the second point, which I conceive is the pith and substance, even the main life of the Text; viz. That the Lord by the power of his Spirit in the word striveth with poor sinners for their good, and they in the mean time oppose both his Spirit and their own good. The Parties are God and man; God strives, and the sinner strives, The Lord invents ways to work off the Soul from its sins, and its destruction, and the Sinner makes it his main piece and care, his chief skill and cunning ⟨p. 20⟩to hinder the good word of the Lord, in the work upon his soul for his salvation. In common experience we see it, If God open the eyes of a Drunkard, or awaken the Adulterer, what a deal of stir there is; One drinks it off; another plays it out, a third daubs up his Soul with untempered mortar; Any thing, or any way, that the good Spirit of the Lord may not prevail. If the Lord turn the face of a child or a servant in the family towards him, then presently there is hue and cry up by the Father or the Master; He is an undone man, or an undone woman; then there is labouring by all means possible to stifle the work of grace in the heart: Thus when God striveth ⟨p. 21⟩to pluck men out of their sins, they continue in sin, and so subject themselves to eternal punishment, therefore may the contention grow marvellous great, God striveth, and sin and Satan strive, and man holds it out to the last, As appears Math. 23.37. O Jerusalem, thou that killest the Prophets, and stonest them that were sent to thee, &c. there is the business, and mark, how often would I have gathered you, &c. and you would not. The Father would draw men to his Son to be saved, but John: 5.4. ye will not come unto me that ye may be saved: whilst our Saviour thus strives with the cords of mercy to draw men to salvation, they labour to withdraw themselves from him, and to ⟨p. 22⟩plunge themselves into damnation. Act. 18.5, 6. Paul strengthened with the spirit convinced them boldly, and by strength of Argument laid hold upon their understandings proving that Jesus was the Christ. But they came as in pitched battle against that Doctrine of life, and salvation, they did gainsay and blaspheme it; the word in the original signifies, They planted forces in order, and came in battle array against those blessed truths he delivered:
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 ⟨p. 20⟩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 presently there is hue and crie up by the Father or the Master; He is an undone man, or an undone woman; then there is labouring by all meanes possible to stifle the worke of grace in the heart: Thus when God striveth ⟨p. 21⟩to pluck men out of their sinnes, they continue in sinne, and so subject themselves to eternall punishment, therfore may the contention grow marvellous great, God striveth, and sinne and Satan strive, and man holds it out to the last, As appeares Math. 23.37. O Jerusalem, thou that killest the Prophets, and stonest them that were sent to thee, &c. there is the businesse, and marke, how often would I have gathered you, &c. and you would not. The Father would draw men to his Sonne to be faved, but John: 5.4. ye will not come unto me that ye may be saved: whilst our Saviour thus strives with the cords of mercie to draw men to salvation, they labour to withdraw themselves from him, and to ⟨p. 22⟩plundge themselves into damnation. Act. 18.5, 6. Paul strengthened with the spirit convinced them boldly, and by strength of Argument laid hold upon their understandings proving that Jesus was the Christ. But they came as in pitcht battell against that Doctrine of life, and salvation, they did gainsay and blaspheme it; the word in the originall signifies, They planted forces in order, and came in battell array against those blessed truthes he delivered:
