Ezek. ii. 5. Now men soon forget whom and what they hear; ask them what was pressed upon their conscience in such a sermon, they have forgot ; what were the precious truths laid out in another, and ;hey are lost ; and well were it for them, if their memoi'ies were no better in another world ; it would ease their torments more than a little. But then they shall knov/ they had a Prophet among them, and what a price they had with him in their hands, though it was in fools' keeping. They shall know what he was, and what he said, though a thousand j^cars past, as fresh as if it were done but last night. The more zealous and compassionate, the more painful and powerful he was in his place, the greater shall their sin be found to break from such holy violence offered to do them good. Surely God will have something for the sweat, yea, lives of his servants, which were worn out in striving with such rebellious ones. May be yet, sinners, your firmament is clear, no cloud to be seen that portends a s orm ; but know, as you used to say, winter does not rot in the clouds, you shall have it at last; every threatening which your faithful ministers have denounced against you out of the word, God is bound to make good. ' He confirmeth the word of his servant, and performeth the counsel of his messengers,' Isa. xliv. 26 ; and that in judgment against sinners, confirming the threatenings, as well as in mercy performing the promises, which they declare as the portion of his children. But it will be time enough to ask such on a sick bed, or a dying hour, whether the words of the Lord delivered by their faithful preachers have not taken hold of them. Some have confessed, with horror they have, as the Jews, Zech. i. 6 : ' Like as the Lord of hosts thought to do unto us, so hath he dealt with us.' Secondly, the Spirit strives with men more immediately, when he takes his inward approaches to the consciences of men, debating in their own bosoms the case with them ; one while he shows them their sins in their bloodj'^ colours, and whither they will surely bring them, if not looked to timely, which he doth so convincing!}^, that the creature smells sometimes the very fire and brimstone about him, and is at present in a temporal hell ; another while he falls a parleying and treating with them, making gracious overtures to the sinner, if he willj'eturn at his reproof, presents the grace of the gospel, and opens a door of hope for its recover}^, yea, falls a wooing and beseeching of him to throw down his rebellious arms, and come to Christ for life, whose heart is in a present disposition to receive and embrace the first motion the returning sinner makes for mercy. Now, when the Spirit of God follows the sinner from place to place, and time to time, suggesting such motions, and renewing his old suit, and the creature shall fling out of the Spirit's hands thus striving with him, re infecta, as far from renouncing his lusts, or taking any liking to Christ as ever ; this is to resist the Spirit to his face, and it carries so much malignity in it, that, even where it hath not been final, poor humbled souls have been overset with the horror of it, that they could not for a long time be persuaded but that it was the impardonable sin. Take heed, therefore, sinners, how you use the Spirit when he comes knocking at the door of your hearts : open at his knock, and he will be your guest, you shall have his sweet company ; repulse him, and you have not a promise he will knock again. And if once he leave striving with thee, unhappy man, thou art lost for ever ! thou liest like a ship cast up by the waves upon some high rock, where the tide never comes to fetch it off. Thou mayest come to the word, converse with other ordinances, but in vain. It is the spirit of them which is both tide and wind, to set the soul afloat, and carry it on, or else it lies like a ship on dry ground, which stirs not.
Secondly, We wrestle against God when we wrestle with his providence, and that two ways ; First, When we are discontented with his providential disposure of us. God's carving for us doth not please us so, but that we are objecting against his dealings towards us, at least nuittering something with the fool in our hearts, which God hears as lightly as man our words. God counts, then we begin to quarrel with him, when we do not acquiesce in, and say Amen to his providence, whatever it is. He calls it ' a contending with the Almighty,' Job xl. 1, yea, ' a reproving of God.' And he is a bold man sure that dare find fault with God, and article against heaven. God challengeth him, whoever he is that doth this, to answer it at his peril. ' He that reproveth God, let him answer it,' ver. 2 of the chapter fore-mentiovied. It was high time for Job to
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