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A35667 Truth outweighing error, or, An ansvver to a treatise lately published by J.B. entituled, A confession of his faith and a reason of his practice, or, With who he can, and with who he cannot hold church-fellowship ... by John Denne ... J. D. (John Denne) 1673 (1673) Wing D1027; ESTC R11873 57,462 128

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the obedience of his holy Will yea even the worst of men Fools Simple ones and Scorners and not only such who were so originally but even those who continued so as appears Chap. 1. vers 24. Because I called and you did not answer therefore shall destruction come upon you as a whirlewind Yet these persons did the Lord invite perswading them by the motives of Grace and intreating them by familiar expressions of kindness as Paul saith 2 Cor. 5.20 We then are Embassadours for Christ as though God did beseech you by us We pray you in Christ's stead be ye reconciled unto God What expressions of mercy are here was ever the like Grace heard of which is again found in that text so full of love Isa 55.1 Ho every one that thirsteth Come ye to the Waters Come freely he that hath no money come buy and eat yea come buy Wine and Milk without money and without price O great Grace Wherefore saith the Lord do ye spend money for that which is not bread Hearken diligently unto me incline your ear and hear and come unto me and your Soul shall live What promises and gracious invitations are here Is this consistent with God's blinding of men Is it likely that the only wise God should speak thus to such as he knows cannot hear or turn surely nay Christ himself calls Matth. 11.28 Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest Not only so but God also strives with wicked men and that very forcibly to bring them to Repentance As it is written Rom. 10.21 All the day long have I stretched forth my hand even to a disobedient and gain-saying People Now what is it for God to stretch forth his hand Is it because God hath hands as we have No but the hand of God is taken in Scripture sometimes for the Power of God as Exod. 3.20 I will stretch forth my hand and smite Egypt Yea sometimes it is taken for his Mercy as Isa 66.14 The hand of the Lord shall be towards his People So that for God to stretch forth his hand to the wicked is to strive with them by his Power and manifestation of Grace Thus God strove with back-sliding Ephrahim Hos 11.3 I taught Ephraim to go I drew them with the cords of a man with the bands of love and I was to them as they that take off the yoke on their jaws and I laid meat unto them What expressions of love are these I am not able furthey to illustrate them none knoweth better this Declaration of the dealings of God than a tender Nurse who taketh great care of her little Babes and useth great pains with them Even so doth the Lord with Sinners yea with All as Christ saith Joh. 12.32 And I if I be lifted up from the Earth will draw all men unto me Christ draweth the Father draweth he strives earnestly with men by his holy Spirit which being resisted he saith My Spirit shall not alwayes strive with man Gen. 6.3 What shall we say to this Did the Spirit of God strive with these Rebellious men who died in their iniquity or did it not If you say it did then is the truth of the matter granted and God's Grace to damned persons acknowledged but if you will say it did not what meaneth then this speech My Spirit shall not alwayes strive Surely therefore we may conclude there was a time when God did strive with them by his Spirit yea by the same powerful Spirit that raised Christ from the dead As it is written 1 Pet. 3.18 19. Quickned by the Spirit by which also he went and preached to the Spirits now in Prison which were sometime disobedient in the dayes of Noah while the Ark was preparing What is it for Christ to preach by his Spirit but by the operation of his Spirit to enlighten and convince the Sons of men This he did to the old World and this he doth to every man Joh. 1.9 Christ is the true Light which lighteth every man that cometh into the World Quest But peradventure you will say If God dealeth thus graciously what is the reason men continue in disobedience Answ Not because God doth so blind them that they cannot hear and turn as Joh. Bunyan saith nor because God doth not work powerfully in their hearts yea so powerfully as to afford them sufficient means to obey his Will as Moses saith Deut. 30.14 The Word is nigh thee in thy mouth and in thy heart that thou mayest do it Quest But if then you further ark the Reason Answ I say It is through their own obstinacy and perversness whereby they do despite to the Spirit of Grace as it is said Rom. 2.4 Despisest thou the riches of his Grace not regarding the goodness of God that leadeth thee to Repentance but after thy hardness and impenitent heart thou treasurest up to thy self wrath against the day of Wrath. God leads to Repentance but his goodness is despised Man through the hardness of his heart treasureth up wrath against himself resisting the motions of God's Spirit as Stephen said Acts 7.51 Ye have alwayes resisted the Holy Ghost as did your Fathers so do ye As it is witnessed by that pitiful complaint of our Saviour Matth. 23.37 How often would I have gathered thy Children together as a Hen gathereth her Chickens under her wings but ye would not This obstinacy of man is the cause of his ruine God sent his Prophets but they would not hear 2 Chron. 24.19 They pulled away the shoulder stopped their ears and made their hearts hard as an Adamant stone lest they should hear the words which the Lord sent in his Spirit by his Prophets Zech. 7.12 And therefore wicked men are charged with doing despite to the Spirit of Grace Heb. 10.29 So that in truth it is wilful and obstinate disobedience that men are guilty of in not hearkning to the Lord. God would have them obey his voice but they will not yet to manifest his Grace he waits abundantly for the Effects of the operation of his holy Spirit and giveth space of Repentance Rev. 2.21 that so he might win them to himself by his long-suffering and therefore be waits that he may be gracious Isa 30.18 by his long-suffering leading Sinners to Repentance Rom. 2.4 as Peter saith The Lord is long suffering not willing that any should perish 2 Pet. 3.9 M●●●ing till there is no remedy 2 Chron. 36.16 Which we have evidently described by a Simile Jer. 6.29 The Bellows are burnt the Lead is consumed in the fire the Founder melteth in vain for the wicked are not plucked away The Lord here alludes to a Refiner who taketh great pains in the Refining a Mass of Silver and exerciseth such patience as to wait till the Lead which Refiners use to put in for the better purifying the Silver is consumed and through the extremity of heat the Bellows burnt so that all his labour is more then