Now what are the ways and methods of sinful man's working in such opposition, would be too long for me to declare; what prejudices are erected, what lusts pursued, what corrupt interests acted, and followed ; how self is ho- noured, what false pretences coined, how God is slighted, if 1 should go about to lay open, I must look into the hell of these times, than which nothing can be more loathsome and abominable. Let it suffice, that sinful self, sinful lusts, sin- ful prejudices, sinful blindness, sinful carnal fears, sinful corrupt interests, sinful fleshly reasonings, sinful passions, and vile affections do all concur in such a work, are all w^oven up together in such a web.
[4.] See the distance of their aims. God's aim is only the manifestation of his own glory (than which nothing but himself is so infinitely good, nothing so righteous that it should be), and this by the way of goodness and severity; Rom. xi. 22. Goodness in faithfulness and mercy, preserv- ing his who are opposed, whereby his glory is exceedingly advanced ; severity towards the opposers, that by a sinful cursed opposition they may fill up the measure of their ini- quities, and receive this at the hand of the Lord, that they lie down in sorrow, wherein also he is glorious.
God forbid that I should speak this of all, that for any time, or under any temptation, may be carried to an opposi- tion in any kind, or degree, to the instruments of God's glory amongst them. Many for a season may do it, and yet belong to God, who shall be recovered in due time. It is only of men given up, forsaken, opposing all the appearances of God with his saints and people in all his ways, of whom I speak.
Now what are the ends of this generation of fighters against this brazen wall, and how distant from those of the Lord's? ' They consult to cast him down from his excellency.
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whom God will exalt ;' Psal.lxii.4. * They think not as the Lord, neither doth their heart mean so, but it is in their heart to destroy and to cut oft ;' Isa. x. 7. To satisfy their own corrupt lusts, ambition, avarice, revenge, superstition, contempt of God's people, because his, hatred of the yoke of the Lord, fleshly interests, even for these, and such-like ends as these, is their undertaking.
Thus though there be a concurrence of God and man in the same thing, yet considering the distance of their prin- ciples, rules, actings, and ends, it is apparent that man doth sinfully, what the Lord doth judicially ; which being an an- swer to the former objection, I return to give in some uses to the point.
Use 1. Let men, constant, sincere, upright in the ways of God, especially in difficult times, know what they are to ex- pect from many, yea, the most of the generation, whose good they intend, and among whom they live; opposition and fight- ing is like to be their lot; and that not only it will be so be- cause of men's lusts, corruptions, prejudices ; but also it shall be so, from God's righteous judgments againsta stubborn peo- ple; they harden their hearts that it may be so, to compass their ends ; and God hardens their hearts that it shall be so to bring about his aims ; they will do it to execute their re- venge upon others, they shall do it to execute God's ven- geance upon themselves. This may be for consolation, that in their contending there is nothing but the wrath of man against them, whom they oppose (which God will restrain, or cause it to turn to his praise) but there is the wrath of God asainst themselves, which who can bear ? This then let all expect, who engage their hearts to God, and follow the Lamb whither he goeth.
Men walking in the sincerity of their hearts are very apt to conceive that all sheaves should bow to theirs, that all men should cry, ' grace, grace,' to their proceedings. Why should any oppose? 'Quid meruere?' Alas! the more up- right they are, the fitter for the Lord by them to break a gainsaying people. Let men keep close to those ways of' God whereto protection is annexed, and let not their hearts fail them because of the people of the land ; the storm of their fury will be like the plague of hail in Egypt, it smote only the cattle that were in the fi.eld ; those, who upon the
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word of Moses drove them into the houses, preserved them alive. If men wander in the field of their own ways, of self- seeking, oppression, ambition, and the like, doubtless the storm \vill carry them away ; but for those who keep house, who keep close to the Lord, though it may have much noise, terror, and dread with it, it shall not come nigh them. And if the Lord for causes best known, known only to his infi- nite wisdom, should take off any Josiahs in the opposition, he will certainly effect two things by it.
(L) To give thera rest and peace.
(2.) Further his cause and truth, by drawing out the prayers and appeals of the residue, and this living they valued above their lives.