A bundle of soul-convincing, directing, and comforting truths clearly deduced from diverse select texts of Holy Scripture, and practically improven, both for conviction and consolation : being a brief summary of several sermons preached at large / by ... M. Roger Breirly ...

SERMON XXII. (Book 22)

1 Sam. Chap. 15 Ver. 13 And Samuel came unto Saul, & Saul said unto him: Blessed be thou of the Lord, I have, &c

THis Chapter declares Gods dealing with Saul, for his double dealing in the matter of Ama∣lek: These Amalekites were those enemies which first withstood the passage of Israel as Mount Seir, as they passed towards Canaan: against

whom, Moses and Aaron and Joshua warred, who would have driven Israel back again into Egypt: against whom the Lord threatned that he would destroy them from off the earth, and have War with Amalek, from generation to generation, Exod. 17.14. To those the Lord sends Saul to destroy them: and he dealeth hal∣tingly therein, and for that is cut off. Further note, that these Amalakites were of the seed of Esau: For Ama∣leck was the Son of Elyphaz, Esaus eldest Son, which he had by a concubine, Gen. 36. So that they were the Edomites, who were still enemies to Israel. Here is Esau against Jacob still, that is, the of spring of the flesh hated of God, hunting after the world: So that,

Such and so are the corrupt will, & fleshlie lusts of man: like these Amalekites: born of the flesh, hated of God, & forsaken; hunting after the World, fighting against the spirit of man; heir of the Promise, & hinde∣ring in the way towards the Lord of rest. Nay, and when they were to enter into Canaan, they stopped the way; and after, when they were entred, they disturbed Israels peace, as here: So that,

Those enemies must be subdued and routed out, be∣fore man can have any rest in the Land of the living, 1. Pet 2. Fight against the Soul. Gal 5. War against the spirit. These have fleshlie reason for their kingly will, and affections for their Captains.

1. These like Amaleck, one while seeks comfort to the Flesh: cannot abide to want.

2. Sometimes to deny God through carnal reason; nay, in believers, when we should walk with God in assurance of Faith and subjection of love: then starts up some fleshly power or other, either a man hath some worldly power to follow, or some fleshlie will to stick to: or quietnesse, ease and peace to preserve: or, something that he dotes on, and follows not God ac∣cording to the Covenant.

1. This shews that we have not rest in our God only: because the Sons of Esau: the Edomites yet remain in our Land, and oppresse the way of God and of Christ:

And why not peace in thy heart? because the Amala∣kites yet live in thy heart, enemies with in thee: Thou sighs without, with this want and that wrong, this in∣conveniencie and distrust, that do daily vex thee. For take away these, and rest will come in all losses and crosses. O that man would once war against himself to destroy these enemies! Thou art busie against every body but thy self, when thou should be against no body but thy self, or else against something else; as avoiding this or that: Nay, stay thy self and take up these, and so shalt thou have peace; but these must be destroyed without any reserving.

1. If it first draw from the Covenant and Faith in Christ.

2. If it strengthen thy own will.

3. If it make flesh wanton, and so harden the heart, kill it.

Nay, Christ will destroy that kingly reason, which will need fight against God and all his people: And that when God hath said, Israel shall rest: Amalekites saith no. So this turns the truth of God into a lye.

We see then that the Church need not fear her Ene∣mies, for God will roote them out of the earth, and have continual War with them that withstand his Truth and Covenant: so that while thou sticks to him thou art safe: nay, and he will warr with the seed of the Flesh in man. Doth he war against lust, and will daily by his word? Nay, God is, and will be an enemy thereto; for the Law condemns it to death, and the Gospel is the Executioner of the Law, and kills it in the heart of man: but if man will spare these, God will destroy man with them, for they must be destroyed, do thou what thou can to save them: for all Flesh is grasse, and thou thinks to preserve them, yet they must down, or else Israel and Saul himself must perish.

But the power whereby thou seest, that is Moses, praying and crying to God, gave them one blow; and then at last Joshua, even Jesus, the Captain of Faith, hewed them in pieces: So that the power is,

1. Prayer.

2. Faith waiting on God, when the heart is turned to pray: then victorie, but not by the power of Israel, not sword of Saul, but by Gods grace and arme; vers 7.1••

Blessed be thou of the Lord, I have performed the Com¦mandments of the Lord. Now when Samuel came to see what Saul had done, and to make known what God had determined: Saul begins to justifie himself, though he knew himself guiltie: and to keep peace within & approbation without: So that,

So it is with all naturally, that when God finds ou•• man by the light of his Truth, that man labours natu∣rally to justifie himself, and to cover his guilt, though to his destruction, rather than to confesse, that he may have mercy.

So to Adam: so the Pharisees and the Lawyer wil∣ling to justifie themselves.

1. For there is no power in nature to condemn it self.

2. Flesh cannot be, but it must needs have hold of something.

3. And the Soul must have something to uphold, for the natural of iniquity is in every one: We all desir•• approbation. Thus all the World is busie in sewing fig-leaves to hide their own guilt.

And this stops the course of Faith and Prayer, every one labours still to make good what he doth get; peace within, approbation of others: Yet this approbation we all desire: & so make best of the worst, if we may keep credit.

Hence so manie excuses as here in Saul, when w•• seem to condemn our selves, then we justifie our selve•• and hope, because of our confession to find mercie. I•• is a great point of simplicity to do good, and not t•• have an eye to it: but still here ariseth a thought o•• being something, because of that: everyone is approvin•• of the good, but thinks none of the evil in themselves, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 so imagins a power in themselves, which destroy Faith

It is but a poor comfort that man gets by his obe¦dience to the Law: nay, God will find out manie 〈◊〉〈◊〉 blaiting Lust, & Iniquitie in thy heart, as hereafter.

What meaneth then: Here Samuel discovers his Hy∣pocrisie, for he discovers, wherein he had failed: So that

When man hath justified himself, and hid himself in the depth of his own counsel, yet there remains in man a Legion of Rebellion, which hinders his peace, and which God will find out in the end: as to Adam, and the Young Man, and the Rich Fool.

1. For mans pride ariseth from ignorance in himself.

2. Adam slips over these easily, & with little notice.

3. After Faith, and a desire to obey God, yet there re∣mains a rebellious flesh, and ease, and peace, which he would preserve.

Thus we all keep up a conceit of our selves: but then what means this following of the World, this envie, hatred, these wringings, & pinchings, & covetousnesse?

What means then Saul seeking to justifie himself?

Samuel discovers his Hypocrisie: And that by bringing before him the spoil that he had reserved underneath, & as in Saul, so in us: Saul had done something, but there rested a whole herd to be destroyed: So that,

When a man hath tasted of Gods love and mercie, and it may be hath inclined to do Gods will, yet there is a troup of rebellious lusts and affections underneath, which both darkens the light of Faith, and keeps mans Soul in bondage: and either they or we must be destroyed.

Thus to the young man, Matth. 19. The rich fool, and Adam.

1. For all men, like Israel, think they should have rest, so soon as they are passed the Red-Sea; when, alace, there are bitter waters to drink; hunger & thirst to be endured, and the Amalakites to be slain.

Here is the dayly exercise and power of Faith and of Christ in man, in subduing these enemies under foot, to the perfecting of our freedom, and establishing ever∣lasting Righteousnesse.

That man daily feeling these Rebells within him, may see his Weaknesse and Rebellion, & may flee daily from himself to God for victorie: For he that partakes

of Christs death once through Faith to his Redemption by the power of the same death, dyes daily; that so h•• may live into God.

Thus deal Hypocrites, when looking upon the•• own righteousnesse, grow high minded, and strongly presumptuous, not feeling these base filthly lusts, be•• lye underneath: nay, thus we imagine to our selves a•• opinion more by a thousand times, than we enjoy in∣deed: Thus are those deceived, who tasting som•• sweetnesse of Faith and Gods love, sit down & thin•• all things is done, and Heaven obtained, when indee•• they then shrink from God, and themselves too; an•• then arise a Legion of Lusts that are unkilled.

There is then a beginning of stedfastnesse in going on in Religion, these beginnings may utterly fa•• where the others follows not: there is a believing 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Righteousnesse, but there must be a believing by th•• same faith, and a daily feeding on Gods goodnesse and truth.

1. And hereby appears how apt man is to flatter him∣self without cause, thinking all is well, when it is no∣thing so: When the Prophet comes, and by the Word of Truth divides betwixt the marrow and the bone: For thou sayest, Thou believest God and thy confidence is in Christ, and that he is, and will be a Father unto thee; but what means the leaning to, and looking at the works of thy hand, or qualitie of heart, and increase of confidence thereby: Why then is there such seeking for, and trusting to thine own power? why art tho•• then so vexed for want, joy, peace and fulnesse? Why then dost thou so dote upon the World? so lifted up it fulnesse, & cast down in want? Thou sayest, Thou lover God and Christ, and his Word; what means then this self-love? wherein thou hast alwayes a self aim?

2. This casting off Christ: and seeking ease in the flesh; What means then this little respect to the Gospel and so careful for all things else?

3. What means this censuring, and judging & con∣demning others, this opening their shame, and this

preying into their faults; this back-bitting & insulting, ••his hardnesse of heart, and unmercifulnesse to them in ••ant? this pinching and grudging, and grinding their ••aces; this contention and unwillingnesse to forgive? ••hou sayest, thou hatest the World, Sin and Lust; but, ••hy then is thy willing serving of it, and this rejoycing 〈◊〉〈◊〉 it, and mourning for want, and this total imploy∣ment about it: and these burning lusts, and fierie ma∣••ice? Thou sayest, Thou wilt suffer any thing for Christ, as Peter: but, what meaneth then thy swearing ••nd fore-swearing, for these great vexations, for these ••arthly crosses, and this fear of losse, and danger of Death? So that it is not as we imagine, when the Word of Truth comes.

O! that men would cleave to this Word of Truth in Spirit, it would either hew Agag in pieces, or else Saul should be cut off thereby.

O! that we lived daily in the true understanding of our selves, this would destroy vain glory and pride: We think because we have now a good motion, and ••hen a sweet joy, and feeling, that God must needs love for these; but we see not the lowing and roaring re∣bellions of the heart that fight against Christ.

And thus most men deal with Saul, by halfs in Reli∣gion, because they begin to look with Flesh at the con∣quest that they have gotten, when thousands are be∣hind, verse 15.

We have brought then from the Amalekits. Here Saul again excuseth himself, and pleads their intent to offer Sacrifice, as afterward, verse 21. So that,

So thus in all men not mortified through Faith, would still have both Joy and Faith, and a Will and Word of his own.

So with Adam, so with Peter; He would have had case in the Flesh, and Christs companie too, so the young man, Matth. 19. see all unmortified.

For, till by the power of God in the crosse, the Flesh be subdued; it seeks to live as well as the spirit, & save

it self: For there is a self-confidence, a wisdom and a love: which would turn all to its own advantage, which indeed should know or effect nothing at all, and so draws the mind after it.

Thus, we dally with God in the way of Faith, by sparing things that are profitable pleasures.

And thus man excuseth this, or this: I do to follow the World that I may be better sitted to serve God, & to do good to others: and so it appears? that it is the end indeed: nay, thus we dissemble with God: For when we say, We would live in freedom and joy: that in that joy we might better praise God our maker: but the end indeed, is for the good and ease of our selves, & the flesh especially, in things that perfect our ease and peace: & though the mind be thereby insnared, we yet deal easily with it, and thus we still reserve our fat things, and deal favourably with them, and these are our greatest enemies.

Then Samuel said, When thou wast little in thine own eyes: This is Gods message wherein he reckons up his favours to him: and secondly, his rebellion against those: I raised thee up of nothing, why didst thou fall on the prey as though I would not have rewarded thee? This Message and Word was to convince Saul of his diso∣bedience: and,

1. He shews the door of mercie.

2. The way of Life; So that,

The free grace of God is the fountain of life to man, and when man is vile and nothing in himself, then is the power of God most shown.

He that humbleth himself shall be exalted, He hath filled the hungry, and sent the Rich emptie away.

For so is man capable of grace, and the power of God is magnified in weaknesse: What is it that stops thee free grace of God to man, that is that strength and worth of man, that thinks he hath; for were man little enough, he would pray, cry, and believe, and fear: all mischief enters in at the door of pride, or rather, this is the door that shuts our Christ: we still muse what we

are, but not what God is: Then in this little and low condition to wait on God in the Word of Truth, and by Faith to walk in his power, shal destroy all enemies but when we fight with our power, and so cut & carve to please the flesh, and when we depart from the Word of Truth, we never prosper: not that man by thinking basely shall procure peace, but when simplie he is so: so God is, and will be with him, but mans perverse way is, to turn from his God, and fall upon his prey.

So that, the daily way of miserie to man is his diso∣bedience and forsaking the way of Faith, and turning to the prey.

So Adam, so David, & Paul to his Revelations, so the Prodigal would have the prey; so Demas turned to the prey; nay, almost all have been caught in this snare:

For such is the force of sensual lust & imagination, that where God doth not mightilie preserve, man still turns hither.

For the Word of Truth is the Life of man, which, while it lives in man it suffers nothing else to live in him: but when man turns from this, in comes a Legion of lusts and base affections, and imaginations, but this layes all low.

Thus we fall on the prey of the World, which en∣snared all men, even believers themselves, thus God bids flee the filthinesse that's in the World through lust, and promiseth that he will be with us, but this we for∣sake and gather Mammon before hand, and fall on the prey, and this choaks all.

So believers dots also on the libertie of the Gospel, and turns it to wantonnesse, & turns to the prey; yea, whatever God doth to man, man turns to it, & simpli∣citie of Faith is foresaken.

But see our safetie, God being our portion & freedom & his Word our Life; so shall we live for ever, verse 20

And Saul said, I have obeyed: Here is Sauls second excuse, wherein he defends himself, that he had done the Commandement of God, which indeed he had done in part; for he had killed many of the

Amalekits, but yet with reserving part of the Spoil to himself.

1. He sought honour of Samuel. Therefore he brought Agag alive, and slew him not.

2. The Riches, in sparing the Cattel, under the pre∣tence of sacrifice: so it is with all double hearts in Re∣ligion: So that,

Man by the light of the Law, shining into him; and working fear by the light of the Gospel manifested, working freedom; may restrain and rectifie many things with a seeming obedience: yet still with a reser∣vation to himself: and some gain to be gotten, which mars all.

As the young man, Matth. 19. Had done much, with a reservation of false confidence Ezzra, 3.3. Their hearts ran after covetousnesse; so those Libertines, 1. Pet. They promised libertie, they had great swelling Words, &c. Satan is as a Saphira, Acts 5.

For nothing goes through flesh but Faith in God, and the power of God in man, this purifies all: but flesh would still have something, and that makes our obedi∣ence not simple.

For man is seldom so separate from himself in pure love unto God, but some self-love there is, that is to his fleshly will sticking to him, and purloyning some∣thing into his pouch to feed flesh with all.

For mans natural power being enlightned by the e∣vidence of Truth, discovering both the happinesse of believers: and the miserie of the rest: doth produce in man an obedience according to his apprehension: and so far as the blind light workes upon him: but he never c mes to a real and actual denyal of himself: but there is a building up of his hope thereby: not to a simple heartie believing, and so living: but still with a reser∣vation of believing his own work and love of himself, and such is the Religion of the most.

We spare the King and far of the Flock: for there is a reservation almost in all: For, when man would be∣l••eve and lieve for ever, and with all their hearts; see

what a reservation hangs on Righteousnesse, Reason & self-Conceit, so we believe God, but neither because we are such and such.

So there is a stop in our Faith: we still have an eye to something else in our Faith.

And so for love, we love God, but with this limita∣tion, not so much, because, it is good in it self, & truly manifest to us: and that it is good to us, and so mans self still comes in, for want of mortification: For hardly do we any thing wherein we have not some respect to our selves.

And for the Word, we see Religion is the only way, and God the only good, but still there sticks in us a great lyking of the World: we hope for a good in it, & find a marvelous sweet therein.

So that none hath any reason to be proud in Reli∣gion, though he have obtained, and done that which many have not done, yet there is still more that he knows not, loves not, does not; it may be thou hast a little Faith, and now and then trusts God, but for the most part denies him, and trusts thy self and arm of flesh, or trusts him for this, or that reason: so a little love to God, but a full love to the World, and thy self. And here we see, that in all Reli∣gion two things poisons all, viz. vain glorie, and a be∣loved World: for, First, we still would have it; there∣fore we limite all to this onlie, for we have so many reservations for the World, as a care, time, love, de∣light, &c. Yet God is shut out of all; yea, after expe∣rience of Gods love, how freely do we return to the World again.

Religion then is an absolute yeelding our selves to God and his grace, without reservation of thoughts: ••hat Agag, that great Captain of michief even Infide∣••itie, and fleshly Confidence, wherein Amalekite ••rusted: yea, the Infant and Suckling in broad Lusts, & ••pen; these outward objects must be slain, and that by 〈◊〉〈◊〉 pure believing, and loving obedience to the Fathers ••ill: here we see, that all coverings will not serve the

turn. For when Samuel comes, all is destroyed; well-worth him, that is open-hearted, to confesse and live by mercie.

See the difference of mens double hearts, that are still building up and excusing, and alwayes on their own side to build up man: But Faith sets a man against himself, and alwayes on Gods side, pulls him down, and all things in man: For often greatest noughtinesse is covered, and hatched under pretence of Religion, as that of Jezabel to Naboth.

See in the World, what covering of lust, and op∣pression, what greedinesse, when man thinks that for Religion he should be respected, but Faith and Love teacheth no such thing?

Then Samuel said to Saul, Hath the Lord as great de∣light. So Samuel pursued him still by the Word of the Lord out of all holds, and yet by the Word of the Lord, opposeth his good seeming intent: layed down by a question, that Saul might make answer, and be con∣vinced in himself.

1. He casts out all conceits of a Sacrifice to please God, while the heart is not subject.

2. He illustrats it by way of comparison of these two, that is, Obedience is better than Sacrifice.

3. He amplifies it by the contraries, for Rebellion is as the sin of Witch craft.

4. He denounceth Gods righteous judgements against Saul, wherein the cause is in Saul: to declare the qualitie thereof: The judgement it self, hath re∣jected thee, &c. First, note, how Samuel pursues him, till he make him yeeld at last to the judgement? So that,

This the proper effect of the Gospel, viz. The proper and kindly working of Gods Truth in man, is still to bring man down and all things in him, to lay him low in himself: that he may be exalted through mercie i•• Christ.

Let man denie himself, and become a Fool: saying In me dwells no good thing, I am not able to think an••

good thought; all our Righteousnesse is as a filthy clout, Phil. 3. All these are but drosse.

Thus the Word brings all Sacrifice to nought, the Law given in Thunder to shake mans heart: the Pro∣mise made freely, without any respect of mans Righte∣ousnesse, that man may purely believe.

Nay, and the power whereby all is accomplished is in God, not in man; that man, li••e a begger, daily may wait there: Thus it brought Paul to his knees.

First, brings man to fear and weaknesse, before it bring him to Faith, and it keeps him in fear, that he may rest in God.

For man is grown proud and wise against God, else, he had never stood need of his Word; for it should have been a living Word in his heart for ever: as Paul, The weapons of our warfare are mighty, to bring down strong holds.

But see the very truth is perverted by man, for though Samuel come to beat Saul of his hold, yet he still finds other shifts: l ke a wilie Fox: So men grow wise and cunning, and are listed up thereby: yea, most yeeld fleshly obedience to this spiritual truth, and thereby becomes holie in conceit.

Others conceiving gloriously of Christ, and thence grow high minded: for knowledge puffs up, and so be∣comes a man of high thoughts: but that man in whom the Word lives, and man by it keeps the eye inward towards himself, and keeps down all high thoughts in a quiet sense of their own Weaknesse and Vanitie, to attend with a crying and praying heart for mercie: which is sweetly enjoy'd and not lifted up: but man freed and not hardened thereby: but out of feeling of himself, is pitiful towards all, judgeth none but himself.

This shews the wonderful power of Gods truth that it will make Saul to bow, so of any man, even Phari∣sees for the present, though afterward they get up again: Now it is not Sacrifice that he looks for, but a believing loving heart: So that,

All Service and Sacrifice that men seem to offer to

God, not flowing from a loving heart, are nothing with him.

These are like the cutting off a dogs neck, Isa. 1. Who required these things at thy hand? Psal. 50 I reprove thee not, because of thy Sacrifice, wherewith shall I appear, &c.

For he stands not need of thee, neither can he be moved by them, unlesse we think as Balaam, with his seven Bollocks and Rams.

These are born of the flesh, Children of the bond Woman and not of God, nor by promise: Righteous∣nesse is nothing, when we make it away to Faith, but when it is an expression of a believing heart then it is sweet.

Now it is not Sacrifice that he condemns, but the cursed opinion that goes with it: Like that in the Law, a daily singing, a daily sacrifice: so with us, when we do it with an evil intent, and not out of a simple mind.

But we have one sacrifice that is Christ only, who hath sacrificed life and all, and that is it that pleaseth God.

Thus it is with us also, our obedience is but to sacri∣fice to our God at Gilgall, that is, to purge sin, and to please God: that we may get an opinion that God is well pleased for that: but this opinion ma••s all, it is not our obedience that is any thing to God in the Work, but our yeelding heart: For most have looking to that which they have done, some looking at it, as Pharaoh.

This crosseth the free sacrifice of love; it is a great point of simplicitie in the hight of our obedience still to be more vile, and this is the power of Faith, for it shews from whence we had it, not by our own power; Nay, when even in our own selves, we are opposit to God: he hath vouchsafed his grace.

The only sacrifice of God is a broken and contrite heart, sacrifice thy self, and it is in stead of all thy lusts, desires, case, peace, life and all; and when thou hast done that, thou shall have, as Christ, had victory over all; a Resurrection, a Freedom and a Glory: and so shall sit at Christs right hand by Faith till all be subdued

to thee, and then man offers sacrifice of praise, con∣fessing his name, not to purge sin, but in expression of Gods love and manifestation, and that in love and mercie and not in sacrifice.

Obedience is better than Sacrifice; So that,

That which is accepted, is an obedient heart, subject to the Fathers will in love, is the Life of all Religion, and better then a thousand Sacrifices, Isa. 50.

God opened mine ear, and I was not disobedient, and Samuel said, Speak Lord, for thy Servant heareth, Christ yeelded himself to the Father: Also David, the will of the Lord be done, and Christ to the Pharisees, Ye tithe mint, annise and cummin &c.

Psal. 8. If my people had hearkened.

For God is the sole Lord over all, and man a silly creature, and as the life of a subject is in obedience to a Prince, so here, is mans happinesse in yeelding to Gods will; for that must stand whether man be obe∣dient or not, for disobedience was that which cast off Adam and Israel: that is, because man will needs be God.

Now obedience is two-fold, of Faith and Love. O∣bedience of Faith is, when the clear evidence of the Truth of the Promise, and mans Reason and Wisdom ••eelds to that Truth: as Moses at the Red-Sea, and A∣braham: When man sees no reason in himself, that God should or will keep promise, but the contrary, he seeing nothing but rebellion and iniquitie, & yet stick•• to that, where all reasonable wayes of the World, and all threats of Satan are overcome, though the World threaten want: yet he believes fulnesse, for this is the will of God that ye believe.

But most believe not, but rebell in this, for though God hath promised, yet we obey not, believe not, but give the promise the lye: and say, That God will not do, and therefore fear.

So that infidelitie is the great Rebel that strikes at the Truth of God, which a man cannot endure.

This Faith also mars not obedience, in neither limiting

God a time but waiting: nor a measure, but believing that it shall be our rest. Obedience of love is the end of the Law, where the love of Christ enforceth man: and this is a sweet and free yeelding up of a mans life unto God, as a Sacrifice, Rom. 12. Which cannot be till our bodies and flesh be sacrificed. and then in the Spirit of our minds we are revived according to the will of God

This is not to be a foundation of Faith, but a neces∣sary expression of the love and goodnesse of God to man: This flows from Faith naturally, there is nothing but rebellion and lust, if Faith fail to wait on God: God doth this obedience, and man fleeth, and man seeketh shifts, or some device.

The intent is, doing what he commands not, because the Law forceth so many thievish hearts are bound to be true, but not from the heart.

And warms of Gods love in the heart to suffer for his sake, what ever befalls, as the Martyrs did: but this shews the little obedience in man: For indeed neither will ye yeeld, but the old contention remains, whether shall be God: Faith and Love is the obedience & life of man, and when man lives in 〈◊〉〈◊〉 yeelding temper, nothing can vexe him: let impossibility come, and he is obedient and suffers: And so was Christ, obedient unto the death of the Crosse.

But, while man hath a will and love of himself, he is never freely obedient, but would frame Gods will to his: and to hearken to Satans voice raither than Gods: So that,

An open ear to hear, and a heart to believe and obey the voice of God, and the Word of Truth, is better than all seeming sacrifice a man can offer, Isa. 45. In∣cline your ears, &c. Then shall ye hear the voice of God, and he that hears, shall live: He opened mine ear, and I was not disobedient.

So to that end, God hath given his Word to man, that thereby he might be called back again to God: Therefore God saith, cry aloud to man, and bid him return and come and live for ever, and so he that hath an ear to hear, let him hear.

When God sets his love, and mercie, and truth to, or be••ore man: and when man attends and meets God here, then is that Word accomplished to man.

But Christ may still say, Who hath believed our re∣port, as to Israel, but Israel would not hear: for man hath two Preachers before him still.

1. Satan, who by his Ministers, the World and the Flesh daily, whispers, and calls man to obey: as to Christ, Satan saith, I will give thee all those: the World calls, here is Riches, the flesh calls, here is peace, ease and honour: God calls, and saith, Here is all in me: Now look whose voice takes place, and is believed, so man prospers.

Man hears as God manifests, and herein is a reaso∣nable mystery and spiritual power: by the one, man growes wise, and by the other, faithful and obedient. For rebellion is as the sin of witch-craft.

Man through rebellion of his own heart, and stubbor∣nesse of his own will, runs away from God: forsakes the Covenant of peace, casts off obedience and himself to misery in the end, as Pharaoh and Saul here.