Three Sermons: 

I. The Wrath of GOD against Sinners.  
II. GOD'S Eternity, and Man's Humanity.  
III. The Plantation of the Righteous.    
By T. H.  ROM. 1.18. 
The wrath of God is revealed from Heaven, against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness.  
LONDON, Printed by M.P. for john Stafford, dwelling in Black-Horse-Alley near Fleetstreet, 1638.   

THE WRATH of God against SINNERS.  ROM. 1.18. 
The wrath of God is revealed from heaven, against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness.  
IN the fore going verses, the holy Apostle, by way of Preface; prepareth way for 〈◊〉 truth that he would deliver, and the doctrine he purposed to dispense of, and that all cavils might be removed; and that the Word of God might take deeper root and better acceptance, he●… uses these three particulars; and first he clears the authority of his challenge, he came not before he was sent of God, and therefore being called, it concerned him, and was his duty to do good.  
He discovers the tenderness of his love, and his marvellous readiness to do them good, in the 12, 13, and 14 verses. It was a de●… the Apostle ought the R●…●…ans, therefore he oug●… to pay it; and now way b●…ing made, he comes to 〈◊〉 ●…aine point, that is, That a ●…an is not justified by doing, ●…ut by believing, and this ●…e confirmeth; first by the ●…estimony of Scripture, that 〈◊〉 man is justified by faith, and ●…ot by works, ye shall live ●…y faith.  
Secondly, by force of Argument, and that after this ●…anner; If all men by the ●…orkes of the Law, cannot ●…unne the wrath of God, ●…en a man cannot be saved ●…y the works of the Law. This he propounds in the words of the Text, and pro●…ecutes it in the Chapter following, and affirms that nei●…er of them can be saved by ●…e works of the Law.  
First, In the Text observe ●…ese two particulars: first, the dealing of wicked m●… with the truth of God, th●… hold the truth of God in u●…righteousnesse.  
Secondly, God's deali●… with them, they dealt roug●…ly with the truth, they la●… violent hands on it, and G●… he deals as rigorously wi●… them.  
And the reason w●… they hold down the trut●… is, because of some lust●… their souls that is belo●… of them.  
Secondly, The Apo●… shows against whom G●… wrath cometh.  
Thirdly, The universal●… in these words All. G●… doth not deal partially, 〈◊〉 all that misprision the tr●… in unrighteousness s●… have the wrath of God de●…ounced against them.  
Fourthly, The place from whence it shall come, (from ●…eaven.)  
First, we are here to know what is meant by truth: For ●…e better understanding of ●…e Text: Truth carries two ●…ings with it.  
First, The rule of righteousness, which is that ho●…age and obedience we own ●…nto God; and this rule of righteousness is the most ●…xcellent rule that is.  
Secondly, Truth carrieth 〈◊〉 itself, the efficacy and ●…ower of truth, and therefore ●…e Apostle Paul sharply ●…proves Peter, Gal. 2.14. ●…rse; that though he ob●…ved the Gospel in the main, yet he did not walk with a strait foot.  
Secondly, What is meant by holding the truth of God in unrighteousness.  
To hold the truth of God in unrighteousness, is by a kind of violence, and strong hand to hinder the operation and passage of it, that the Word cannot perform that work which otherwise it would in the hearts of them to whom it is sent.  
Thirdly, What is mean●… by the word unrighteousness.  
In some places it signifies●… sin that is committed against the second Table only; but here in this place 〈◊〉 implies all sinful distempers and corruptions of heart, an●… this word (in) unrighteousness, It carries the cause and authority, as when a man says, stop such a man in my name.  
1 Doct. The truth of God is operative.  
2 Doct. That wicked men are enemies to the Word of God.  
3 Doct. That the corruptions of men's hearts, is the cause of the hindrance of the word. But I will draw them all into one.  
Doct. That carnal and corrupt hearts hinder the power of the truth from working upon them, or prevailing with them, as much as in them lies.  
It is true, that truth is powerful, and will prevail; 〈◊〉 when he sends his truth to work upon any corrupt●… heart, he doth not stand to ask our wills, whether we will receive or not, but he will make it effec●…uall; he will shake off all oppositions, and he will drive all before him; but let the Lord do what he will, yet the carnal heart will resist and stand out, and as much as in him lies, labour to keep out the Word; Rom. 2.14, 15. Though Heathens be strangers from the life of God, and from the Covenant of Grace; yet this little remainder of the Law of God in their hearts, which remains will be a working in them; so that murder and uncleanness, they will punish with death.  
The truth is discovered ●…ree ways.  
First, when a man is about 〈◊〉 commit any sin, as to ●…eale, etc. his conscience will ●…mite him; and so in other ●…innes.  
Secondly, the power and efficacy of God may be observed in the Creation, yet ●…he darkness of men's eyes, ●…r the foggishnesse of their understandings, do interpose themselves.  
Thirdly, by truth, is meant the preaching of the Word, when the truth is never so ●…pparant, and proofs never ●…o pregnant, and arguments never so invincible, yet their hearts will not yield, nor ●…onsent, when the light of ●…he Gospel is plainly dispensed and promulgated, the●… must needs be a marveilo●… light, and yet men will no●… yield to it, (as Paul and Barnabas) the word they taught, the Jews put it away, whe●… it gripes the heart, and gins to work effectually▪ then they vomit it up againe●… Act. 7.57. Ye stiffnecked in heart, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost, as your Fathers did, so do ye. Gen. 19.9. so the Sodomites did to Lot▪ when the old and the young were gathered about th●… house, and would have the●… out; and when Lot said, I pray you, my brethren, do not so wickedly. Stand back, say they, we will do worse with the●… then with them: As they did to Lot, so you do to God's Ministers, when God's Messengers come and entreat you; O brethren, do not so wickedly profane the Sabbath, and curse instead of praying; be not so malicious against the ways of God, take heed of persecuting the servants of God, Stand back, say they, we will do worse; and thus they take up arms against the blessed truth of God, when it comes to pull them off from their cursed practices, etc.  
For the discovery of the point, give me leave to express three particulars.  
First, What is that work which the truth would discover.  
Secondly, How wicked men hinder it.  
Thirdly, The reason why they do so.  
Quest. 1. What is the power of the truth, or what would it do that wicked men oppose it.  
Answ. It appears in four particulars; First, it is a word of Information: that is the first work to discover all things to us in their proper colours, Prov. 6.23. the Text tells us the Commandment is a Lam●●, and the Law is Light, and the reproofs of instruction are the way of life; as a Lamp in he night, so the way may be discovered; so it is with the power of the Word of Truth, and he that hath a mind carefully to attend, may be able to judge, and see right from wrong: a man cannot miscarry so long as he is directed by the light of truth: as the Sun shows all the Moats in the house, and the blemishes, so this is like the Sun to discover and show every moat and blemish, and to discover every privy and corrupt corner, Ephes. 5.14. All things that are reproved, are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest, is light: Thou canst not inquire to do any thing, but that will advise thee.  
Secondly, As it is of Information, so it is of quick●…ing, a word of power, that not only telleth the way, but enableth us to walk in it; it puts virtue and ability to walk on cheerfully.  
It is not only as the Sun to show us the way, but as a stream to carry us in that way God would have u●… walk, Luke 24.22. there is not a light in the shining Sun (Christ) but is a warning to make nimble ou●… benumbed joints, 1 Tim 6.3. He calls it the wholesom●… word of Truth, whereo●… Saint Paul speaks, Tim●…thy was nourished up with Psalm 119, I will nev●… forget thy Commandement●… because that thereby then h●… quickened me.  
Thirdly, In the third pla●… it is a cord, though thou 〈◊〉 dull, it will pluck thee o●… So in the fourth place, it is a word of conviction, with power to overthrow all the gainsayings of a man; it meets with every cavil, it stops all the base tricks and devises of our sinful minds. Luke 21.10. when the Disciples should be brought before Magistrates, saith Christ, take no care what you shall speak, in the 15 verse, For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your Adversaries shall not be able to gainsay, nor resist: And in Acts 7. the Adversaries of Steven were not able to gainsay the wisdom of Steven; the Word will convince thy mind, though a cavilling and distempered mind, 1 Cor. 5.25. Better speak one word in a known language, than a thousand in unknown. And therefore said Saint Paul, I was made manifest to your consciences, job 36.10. He opens their care to discipline, and commandeth that they return from iniquity; though stubborn, he makes them give way to truth.  
Fourthly, In the fourth work of truth there is a sovereign supreme authority the word hath, it bea●…es down all, and carries all, and makes all to yield obedience when the Lord pleases to accompany it; therefore there is such a power that i●… is not carnal, but mighty through God to cast downe●… strong holds, because he takes place only; so this is the fourth work, it carries on a man, and commands the soul, 2 Cor. 10.4. The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, feeble and weak, but mighty through God, to the pulling down of strong holds. His Commandments are mighty, and what will ye do when you set up strong mountains of pride, and bulwarks of resolutions: when ye are resolved, ye will have your sins, as drunkenness, covetousness, etc. though ye perish for it. So that the truth of God carries the heart and eye, and foot. A mighty operation, The Apostle 2 Cor. 13.8. said, We can do nothing against the truth: so that when God will make good his truth, we can do nothing against God's truth; Company comes, provocations comes, friends, wife, though life comes, his resolution stands firm, he sides with the truth, thus you see that truth will work.  
Secondly, for the second particular.  
And that is, how a carnal man doth hinder this worke●… of the Word that it may no●… prevail; the soul would have the sins, and the word would have the soul, now a corrupt heart opposes the truth in four particulars.  
First, A carnal heart is marvellous unwilling to listen to the truth of God; so as to be informed and instructed in those things that would be too tedious: first, it is not willing to know what it should do, lest it should do what it would not; therefore it keeps a loof off: he is a stranger to the truth of God; nay, if it be brought home to their doors, and God set open his mercies, the truth is, they will not so much as take notice of his mercies: To examine every thing, what need a man thus tediously trouble himself? thus they hinder the first work of the truth: it is a Schoolmaster, but they stop their ears; Car●…all hearts when they see it coming towards them, coming to tie them to obedience, if he hears the Word coming, he slides away, he is loath to hear the cause, and loath to be persuaded, he will not be at home on that day, Esay 30.10. The people say to the Seers; see not, and to the Prophets, prophesy not right things, speak to us smooth things, prophesy deceits. Get ye out of the way, turn aside out of the path, cause the holy One of Israel to cease from before us. They say to the Seers, see not, & to the Prophets, prophecy not right things: Do not speak that they cannot hear, but speak fair and smooth things. job 21.14. Therefore they say unto God, Depart from us, for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways; The covetous oppressors cannot endure to hear of the gringding of the faces of the poor. Acts 28.27. They stop their ears, and wink with their eyes, lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. I beseech you observe it as carnal men that are loath to know the truth: but if they search, they seek after the Word ●…s a Coward doth after his enemy, with a hope he shall not find him, and a fear lest he should find him; So a carnal man is loath to find, and fears to know; and if ●…e do know and search, he will search no more the●… shall serve his turn: he will not suffer truth to have the whole sway: as a prisoner in chains, so carnal hearts keep truth in Chains: and no more than he doth know he would know. Luke 4.42. And when it was day, he●… went into a desert place, a●… the people sought him, an●… came unto him, and staye●… him, that he should not depa●… from them. He made 〈◊〉 though he would go further, but they stayed him b●… a moral kind of perswa●… on; so carnal men do th●… truth of God, they stop a●… stay truth, Rom. 12.1, 2 v●… says, Fashion not your selv●… after the world; and in t●… Law, Ye shall not take t●… name of an idol in your mouth: The meaning is, ye should not give honour to them; but truth goes further; Shall I once name an Idol ●…n my mouth, much less set up an Idol in God's service? Is not this much more? but stay you there, saith the carnal heart, as it is with an old man that lieth upon his ●…icke-bed, when his eyes ●…re failing him, he cannot ●…oke on the Sun, when it ●…hines in his face; and there●…ore he desires them to draw ●…he curtain, for says he the ●…unne shines too full in my ●…ace; give me a little light: ●…old you there, a weak ●…ght, and a weak light: so when the Word comes to ●…ne that would not part with sin, if it come to shine fu●… in his face, and to pull dow●… his proud heart, and to deprive him of liberty; O●… saith he, Draw the Curtain for the Sun shines too f●… in my face; but so much 〈◊〉 serves the turn, Christ a●… liberty, Christ and t●… world; oh hold you the●… saith he. Deut. 12.31. Ye sh●… not worship God as H●… thence do, but as Christian Oh draw the Curtain, & ●… and if thy neighbour off thee more for a commode than it is worth, thou sho●… dost not take it; Oh d●… the Curtaine●…, the Su●… shines too full in my fa●… saith he; You must not 〈◊〉 off your Ware with ly●… Oh draw the Curtain, 〈◊〉 and so of drunkenness, etc. ●…riefely I conceive you do 〈◊〉 some measure know how ●…at they hinder the work ●…f the light of the truth; saith ●…remy, I harkened & heard, 〈◊〉 any laid their hands on ●…eir thigh, and said, What ●…ve I done? Oh brethren, ●…e truth of God comes to ●…ur doors, and hearkens ●…hether any of you lay your ●…nd on your thigh, and say, What have I done?  
Secondly, whereby they under and hold down truth. 〈◊〉 carnal heart labours to ●…pose this, & the powerful ●…ication of this, and that it ●…th thus: A carnal heart ●…ses up an evil report on ●…e good truth of God, that ●…night appear ugly to them that should lay hold of i●… The Spies when they we●… into Canaan, they did not f●… much consider the plenty 〈◊〉 the land, to persuade th●… people to come, but raise●… up lies, there is strong hold●… and Iron Chariots, an●… mighty men, to damp the●… hearts: so it is with a carn●… heart; the Saints reprove, a●… Ministers preach, every o●… comes to reprove him, a●… yet he is not persuaded, & ●… john 6.6. There was ma●… that followed Christ 〈◊〉 loaves, but when Chr●… pitched upon matter of 〈◊〉 actnesse, say they, it is a 〈◊〉 saying. Carnal hearts w●… Christ is commended, 〈◊〉 pleasantness, nothing 〈◊〉 beauty, full of comfort, 〈◊〉 happy are they that can get him: Grace here, and glory ●…ereafter, Oh say they, it is a ●…ard saying, they present him only crucified, contemned, and mocked; thus they ●…bour only to hinder it: Take notice and see the grounds why they profit so little, it is because the work of the Word is hindered by the business of our hearts; we deal ill with the blessed truth of God: it is with the Truth, as with a Trade; some ●…re borne to great estates, ●…nd they are able to follow 〈◊〉, yet their estate it may be decays; what is the reason? they have been wonderfully hindered by many oppressions, and cruel dealings at some Usurer's hand; just so it is with the truth of God you have had good meane●… Oh you have oppressed th●… Word of God, and would not open; if any would ope●… he would come in, but y●… have quenched the motion of God's Spirit.  
Object. Is it in our power to make the Word effect●… all?  
Answ. No, but it is 〈◊〉 your power to do what y●… are able to do; your leg●… may as well carry you to t●… Word, as to an Alcho use your ears may hear t●… Word as well as songs; y●… may read good Books, 〈◊〉 well as Play Books. D●… you what you are able to d●… and cry to God, and see wh●… he will do; though you a●… not able to save yourselves, yet your corruptions are able to hinder the Word; and this is the reason why the Word prevails not with you, the Lord may give what he will, and deny what he will, but destruction is from thyself, thou hast free will to sin: learn from hence to see the reason and cause where the fault lies. Luke 7.29. The Publicans justified God, being baptised with the baptism of john: But the Pharisees and Lawyers rejected the Counsel of God against themselves: the way of life was chalked out before them: but the Scribes and Pharisees rejected the good counsel of God; thou seest many are called, Oh blame thyself. Where am I? all this while the Word would enlighten, but I have contemned it; the Word would quicken, but I have neglected it; I was almost converted, but o●… wretch that I was, company came, and I choked it, and would not walk in the way of God: and the Lord hath often come to me, by the Spirit, and I have quenched the good motions of the same. Brethren it is true; Oh blame yourselves: go home, and say, why may not my heart be made clean, the Lord wrought on such a one, and why not on me?  
Thirdly, A carnal heart doth oppose the good Word of God, by resisting the work of conviction, if a man be so that he cannot but say, that he is in a good way; he cannot gain say the power of the truth, if it be so with him, than he labours with all carnal cavils, as much as in him lies to defeat the truth of God; Oh that convicting! Oh that powerful Word, the Word of the Lord cometh like a sword, the Lord seems to aim at a sinner, that he saith it is my sin that is now discovered: Brethren, all the shift they ●…ave is to put by the power of the truth: As a man that is beset by an enemy, labours to keep off the blow, lest he should be slain; so a carnal man laboureth to stop the evidence of the Word, that it might not prevail against his soul, though it seethe the truth: it is not satisfied therewith, Numb. 22. As when Balack fent to Baalam, to curse the people, thinking him to be a Witch: therefore whom he blessed, was blessed, and whom he cursed was cursed; God saith to Balaam, thou shalt not go with them; yet when they returned this answer to Balack, and that Balack sent more honourable men the●… they, and tells him he wi●… promote him: Mark the poor sinful covetous wretch, the sinful man saith stay all night, and I will se●… what the Lord will say, he●… would fain have the Lo●… change his mind; Why d●… he bid him stay. The Lo●… saith in the Text going before, Thou shalt not go with them: I but his affections were lingering after the hous-full of gold, therefore he would have God change his mind. So there is many a carnal heart followeth the wages of Baalam, as Saint jude speaketh, hearing the Word; certainly, saith he, this truth I will follow; but when riches and honours come, than he will search the Word, to see for a Dispensation; this is a carnal stopping of the truth of God, he will search all the ways, and try all the conclusions he can, whereby he may cavil against the truth; this is not the meaning of the Text, however a man may cause labour to a weak Christian but mark thine own heart if it be so, I shall be vexe●… therewith: therefore I will have some cavil; I will no●… embrace this course; therefore I will invent a way th●… it may not be lawful to me●… When Saint Paul dispute●… with the Athenians, diverse o●… them encountered with Paul●… they had Argument for Argument against him, that th●… Lord Jesus Christ was no●… the Saviour of the world▪ This is the general course 〈◊〉 a carnal heart, if it may d●… 'vise a course against it, h●… is contented; if so be the●… can be no prevailing again●… it, it sends fare and nee●… and gathereth Town a●… Country to seek it; as 〈◊〉 Usurer that is resolved to continue in it, he goes to forty Ministers about it; and if he be told of the sin of it, he will say he will think of it; he will search the devil's Skull, but he will invent some carnal Argument; he conferred with such a man, and he told him such reasons, but they blew away as a blast of wind. Mark my Brethren, the Lord sent Moses to convince Pharaoh, and when Pharaoh said, I will not let the people go, God saith, Lay down thy rod, and it shall be turned into a Serpent: what doth Pharaoh then? he doth not sit down under the miracle, but sends for Magicians, and they cast down rods, and they were turned into Serpents also: but Moses his rod devoured theirs; yet Pharaoh hardened his heart. So when the Word comes home, this Word I must yield to, this Truth I must entertain, and when the Word cometh by a mighty power, they send for Magicians, carnal Arguments, though the Arguments out of the Word doth eat up all, yet a carnal heart doth go away satisfied, and it shall be so.  
Fourthly, and lastly, if by carnal reason they cannot defeat the truth, they fall to flat resisting, they will have their way; and so Brethren, they lay violent hands upon the truth, 1 Sam. 8.18. The people were set a madding upon a King, they would have a King as all other Nations had; they thought that to be a means of their prosperity, that would be a cause of their destruction. Samuel makes a gracious Sermon to them, that they might be dissuaded: when he had discovered all saving Arguments, they do not reply a word reasoning; nay say they, but we will have a King, they are resolved of it, as a wretched man said, (when one complained he could not do such a thing for his conscience) I am master of my conscience, I can do what I will for all that. Numb. 24.1, 2. When Balaam saw that the Lord did not give him leave, it did not please him, he went not as at other times, but set his face towards the Wilderness, and the Spirit of the Lord came upon him. It was his devise before he would curse the Lords people, he made seven Altars, and seven Altars before to ask God, but now he would put it to adventure, he would curse what ever came of it; and thus it is with a carnal man, when he sees that all his carnal Arguments fall, he saith, I will not pray in my Family, etc. Know thou that castest away the command of God here, hereafter the Lords command with a curse shall prevail against thee; say hereafter I will not go to Hell, the Lord saith, Matth. 25.46. These shall go into perdition, etc.  
Reas. 1. The first ground of the point, why carnal men do so, is namely, they cannot endure to have their sins removed, the refore of necessity, the blessed Word must be resisted, every sinner loveth his sin, therefore ye shall observe when a man speaketh against drunkenness & pride, etc. he saith, he met with me, he speaks against my sins, why he spoke against sin, against drunkenness, Sabbath breaking, etc. Nay, he speaks against my person; sin is as near as the soul, will not any man strive for his life? I beseech you observe it; his sin is his life, therefore when the Word of the Lord would plucke●… the cup from the drunkard, the Whore from the adulterer, he plucks his life; every thing seeks to preserve his life, and will not sin do so too, to contend for hi●… life, so sin seeks to preserve its life; If that the Ministers prevail, you and 〈◊〉 must part, therefore do all you can to stop it, the reason is, because a man's sin, is●… man's soul. Here is the very ground, as it was in tha●… remarkable passage of H●…rod, touching his brother wife, he reform many things, but when john said▪ It is not lawful for thee 〈◊〉 have her, when he must either kill or be killed; Heredias must down, or john: he loses his Harlot, therefore he would part with all. If the Minister meet with a man, though he never knew him, the Word meets with him, his heart then rises, and either he must be gone, or the Minister gone. Why Brethren, what do you do? it is your sin we oppose, a day will come, when ye shall be content to part with them, oh the time will come when ye shall be content to be rid of your money, the drunkard would fain be rid of his cups, and the adulterer of his Harlot; No, than these will go down to hell with you, you cannot abide them that would kill that which would kill you: the faithful Ministers of God would kill your sins, that to a corrupt heart is his life.  
Reas. 2. If they cannot have their sins, it is a vexation to them; it is a plague & vexation to wicked men, that they cannot have their sins inquiet, and so as they would not be moved, they would not have their conscience●… troubled; but if a man would have his sin and cursed practice, he shall have the curse of the Lord to go with it. Revel. 11. vers. 10. When the two witnesses were slain, they made merry in Town and Country. Why? because the two witnesses that tormented men, were slain, the Word of God tormented men, it is able to make them mad: why alas, you natural men damn yourselves, we do not damn you, but we tell you of your sins that will damn you one day.  
Thirdly, Note Brethren, that for ever you cannot have these sins, but they will cost you sore; for these men cannot endure to be crossed and overthwarted, they would go on smoothly in their course. Acts 19.25. Paul had there preached against Idolatry, etc. especially against Diana: Demetrius beginning to see his commodity going down; mark what he saith, You know that by this we have our live, therefore they came with a great outcry, Great is Diana of, etc. There is some special corruption, that is a special hindrance of the truth, a company of carnal men speak of the Word; at whose suit? it is the suit of Drunkenness, & uncleanness, etc. So it carries a man against the blessed truth of Christ, a corrupt heart cannot endure to be brought in.  
Use 1. Is of examination, is it so that corrupt hearts do hinder the work of the Word of the Lord? hecr●… them we have a ground of examination. It is an undoubted evidence of a carnal and an unrighteous heart, and there is not a better argument: art thou such a one that dost oppose the truth of God, according to the former ex●…ession? Know thou hast a false heart, a wretched heart, 〈◊〉 soul that cannot be saved while thou continuest so; I ●…now in a child of God there 〈◊〉 sometimes a secret resisting, and when ever they observe this base distemper, ●…hey fall out with their hearts, they take up arms against these base corruptions; it is one thing to have ●…hese sins remaining, and ●…other to have the soul ●…oysoned with them. When 〈◊〉 wicked man hath poison, & lives on poison, carrying a secret opposition against the word, it is an Argument, ●…hee hath a poisoned base heart.  
The best of God's servants may find these, th●… Devil, the flesh and th●… world having about with them; in this case thou mai●… be carried whither tho●… wouldst not: Oh it is 〈◊〉 heart-breaking to a godly man, he could almost pull o●… his heart, saying, Oh what 〈◊〉 wretched heart have I? Th●… Minister this day met with my soul, but what a hea●… have I? Here my Brethren let this enter into our minde●… the case is true, take it home to every soul, go aside t●… your own souls, commun●… with thy conscience in secret, say there's no body he●… betwixt God and myself 〈◊〉 deal truly, hast thou opposed the good Word of the Lord? Oh you rend in pieces the flesh of Christ, with the profanations, oaths, ●…ursings; yea, the very walls of your houses cry shame on you for it, and yet to this very day you will not be reform. You see what it is. I ●…eseech you, for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake, resolve against it.  
The former truth it specially meeteth with three sorts of false hearts.  

1 Discreet hypocrites.  
2 Wrangling hypocrites.  
3 Whining hypocrites.   
This discovereth that all these do fight against God.  
First, the discreet hypocrite, I know that discretion is a good and blessed work of God, if it be used as i●… ought to be upon good ground in a good manner, and to a good end: but th●… same Idol, Discretion th●… creepeth in the world, is th●… delusion of a man's conscience; therefore I call him●… discreet hypocrite indee●… that maketh truth his underling, that can hunt with th●… Hound, and run with th●… Hare: by Discretion a m●… that will be sure to be on th●… safe side, whether on the tr●…side or not; he wonders 〈◊〉 other men to see them opposed, because they want 〈◊〉 discretion. There are a company of wise judicious professors that perish wisely, 〈◊〉 Demas followed Paul; 〈◊〉 when he saw he might 〈◊〉 better advantage, he forsook ●…aul and followed the present world. This discreet ●…ypocrite letteth profession ●…e as the time goeth: they ●…ill take occasion of whole●…me communication, and ●…ffer occasion; I say he ●…n conform himself to all ●…nes: but then again if he ●…e among carnal profane ●…en, this is a man safe that ●…eth out Religion, and pul●…th in Religion, as the time 〈◊〉 in a word you shall find 〈◊〉 to admire at men's per●…ns, and yet keeps under 〈◊〉 word. This I call a dis●…et hypocrite that goes to 〈◊〉 wisely: these discreet ●…pocrites have their religi●…as in a screw, at any side ●…y will set Religion, and upon any terms, after any fashion: this is the discre●… Professor.  
Secondly, the wranglin●… hypocrite he pretends nothing but favourablenes●… all love and liking; nay, h●… makes Religion his aym●… to scope the end of 〈◊〉 course, he doth not say a●… thing against the truth: y●… he is a secret underminer 〈◊〉 Truth: to show you 〈◊〉 plays: this same hypoc●… hath one, that we will ma●… it appear he is a gross 〈◊〉 pocrite.  
He pleadeth especia●… against the common tru●… that he desires first, to k●… the will of God, 〈◊〉 how God may be glorif●… he seeks not ease or q●… nesse, but he pretends he ●…ekes the liberty of the Gospel, but he seeks his own liberty, the liberty of his state: As Saul when God ●…ave him a Commission to ●…ill all the Amalekites; when ●…muel cometh, What saith ●…e? Blessed art thou of the Lord; If a man take Sauls ●…wne word, Saul is an honest ●…an; I but saith Samuel; What ●…anes then the bleating of ●…ese sheep and oxen in mine ●…es? he saith, the people ●…d it; I but thou art the Go●…mour.  
They were good for sacrifice, ●…th he. Alas, did he love ●…rifice so well? no, it was this own ends: so many 〈◊〉 man pretendeth much ●…ctification and exactness of a Christian Course, Faith and new obedience, not b●… cause he loves God, but 〈◊〉 own end. But a man should be zealous in sanctification to the utmost, even to●… hoof as Moses.  
Again, you shall find hi●… to pretend marvellous humility. He is content to b●… subject to God in every ca●… but mark, he submitteth 〈◊〉 these courses.  
The last plea he ha●… Good men do as I do; a●… any reason, propound a argument what moves hi●… none at all, he brings 〈◊〉 truth in subjection to hi●… self and the falseness his heart, is marvellous p●… and is in the state of unre●…neracie  
I reason thus: He that is not content to part with all for the Lord Jesus Christ, is not worthy of Christ, He that loves father or mother more than me, is not worthy of me, saith Christ; to this very day, he never had the spirit of grace prevail in him. Psal. 119. David says, I shall never be ashamed nor confounded, when I have respect to all thy Commandments. Now this wranging hypocrite hath not respect to all God's Commandments, therefore shall he ●…e confounded.  
Thirdly, He that under ●…retence of whining and ●…rying for sin, loveth ●…nne: this man oppresseth himself; for under pretence of love, he opposet●… and resisteth the truth.  
2 Use. The last use is a ground of admirable comfort; it may relish in yo●… hearts and mouths; it is unspeakable comfort to every soul, whose heart lieth level; dost thou submit 〈◊〉 the powerful Word of th●… Lord; to the blessed truth art thou willing to have 〈◊〉 to know it, to delight in it, and submit unto it, to be a servant to the world? can●… home this blessed Word, 〈◊〉 there any soul that can te●…fie it is so with him? If mistake not myself, it 〈◊〉 one of the soundest Arguments in all the Book 〈◊〉 God; it must be love that answerable to the truth when the soul is willing to hear, to welcome and entertain every truth of God, canst thou say in good earnest and uprightness before the Lord, is there any more truths, and more good will of thine, of thy worship? good Lord let me know it, that I may love it, and practise it. Brethren is it so, take then this in you, and answer, it is 〈◊〉 Lord. Brethren, if there ●…e a sight of God in heaven, ●…nd thou dost truly sub●…it to the word, it is a true ●…gne, that if any under heaven hath the work of grace ●…ought in him, thou hast it. ●…hn 8. If any man love the ●…th and obey the Commande●…ents, the truth will make him 〈◊〉. Dost thou then love and obey the truth, it will make thee free, it will make thee a freeman of heaven; hold this truth, Heaven and earth shall pass, but that work of grace cannot pass. This was the joy of the Apostle: john 5.4. I have no greater joy in the world, then that my children walk in the truth: in the light, comfort, and power of it. If the Apostle john could have no greate●… truth, what great joy will it be to thyself? no greate●… joy have I, saith some ma●… not that my son is ric●… but that he is upright. Ho●… mayest thou joy then, 〈◊〉 ever thou see the face 〈◊〉 God with comfort, try 〈◊〉 thou be'st upright, if th●… lovest the truth, the Saint can see no greater joy than this: Oh go your ways you blessed Saints, ye walk after the truth, you that have this, can have no more: God himself loveth truth in the inward parts; he is a spirit, and will be worshipped in spirit and truth. Dost thou love the truth of Christ? then it will say as well of thee as of Demetrius, Iohn ●…. 12. Demetrius hath a good report of the truth: So I say, doth the truth report well of thee? Do not fear what the world, thy friends, enemies or adversaries say of thee, that will bring thee comfort, when all false witnesses shall lie aside: but all you wicked of the world, you are they that bend your selves against the Saints of God. It is true, the poor Saints of God, as poor as they be, they shall lift up their heads, when you shall hang down and turn aside; because they have the truth for them, when you shall see the poor despised Saints of God, poor Goodman such a one, etc. You that have made no care of God's Commandments, when ye shall see them, ye shall wonder to see them lift up thither; when the Devil shall say, Lord, how comes such a man to such a place? he was a finner; I Lord (saith the poor soul) I know I have many weaknesses: Lord thou knowest that many a sad spirit I have carried about, yet never a truth was made known, but I entertained it; never a sin was made known, but I entertained it; never a sin was made known, but I loathed it; then comes the blessed Truth, I bear witness Lord, he loved me, and entertained me, though with many groans, and tears, and persecutions; he would have me, saith the truth, he is a blessed Saint of God. You that are willing to receive every truth, oh get you to heaven, than you will be past the worst, the Devil himself confesses, and the damned spirits: He is a holy and sincere hearted man; Why Brethren who would not labour for the truth: I say God, and Christ, 〈…〉 good spirit shall 〈…〉 such a soul; God 〈…〉 of truth, Jesus Ch●… 〈…〉 Word of truth, 〈…〉 Ghost is a spirit of 〈…〉 they will embrace 〈…〉 God and Christ, 〈…〉 Spirit all bids you 〈…〉 so you shall have 〈…〉 pinnace; the Lord●… 〈…〉 you to it, and you 〈…〉 it hereafter.  
FINIS.   

A GODLY AND PROFITABLE SERMON: Of God's Eternity and Man's Humanity. OR, The striving of the Lord with Sinners.  
By T. H.  
LONDON, Printed by M.P. for john Stafford, dwelling in Black-Horse-Alley near Fleetstreet. 1639.   

THE STRIVING of the LORD with SINNERS.  GEN. 6.3. 
My Spirit shall not al●…ayes strive with man for that 〈◊〉 also is flesh, yet his days ●…all be an hundred and twenty years.  
THe scope of this Chapter discovers itself in two parts; first the diverse conditions of them before the Flood. Secondly, the carriage of God towards th●… in the second part of 〈◊〉 Chapter. First the carri●… of the people is double; 〈◊〉 their wicked and sinful li●… from the first verse to 〈◊〉 end of the seventh.  
Secondly, the holy d●… meanor of Noah, in the 8, a●… 9 verses, But Noah fou●… grace in the eyes of the Lo●… Noah was a just man, and p●…fect in his generation, and wicked with God: Noah in th●… wicked time, in that wick●… place, and among those wicked people, was a holy ma●… saith the Text.  
Secondly, we have the ●…vers dealing of God wi●… them.  
First, he threatens des●…lation to the wicked; secondly, he promises to preserve Noah; and for the ●…guise of the wicked:  
First, consider the hai●…ousnesse of their sins, that they broke all the Laws of God, and lust was their Law: in the first ●…nd second verses, the Text says; When men began to multiply on the face of the ●…rth, and daughters was borne unto them, that the sons of God saw the daughters of men, that they were fair and ●…ookt for wives of all that they ●…hose.  
The sons of God, the ●…eaning of that is, they that professed the truth. Second●…y, they saw the daughters of men, they saw Cain, and they that were of God did what they list, and chos●… cross way, and so ca●… strange generations, as 〈◊〉 ants, they were grown 〈◊〉 the height of sin.  
Secondly, in the 3, 6, a●… 7 verses, is the sentence 〈◊〉 God against them; he s●… they come to this, and th●… sets down a sentence 〈◊〉 doom (as it were) he say●… My Spirit shall not alway●… strive with man, in that 〈◊〉 is but flesh; yet his day's sh●… be an hundred and twe●… years: The Lord w●… strive no longer with the●… from whence by the w●… we may note.  
Object. That when the●… is a mingling of diverse ma●…riages, it makes way to 〈◊〉 struction, proved in Sol●… mon, when he took him ●…ange wives: then his ●…owne was taken from 〈◊〉; so this old World ●…en they gave themselves ●…strange marriages.  
First, In the sentence there 〈◊〉 two things: first, the ●…rds resolution: second 〈◊〉 the reason of God's deter●…nation.  
First, the resolution, and ●…t is first generally, he ●…th striven, but will strive no ●…re.  
Secondly, particularly he ●…l not strive, and will strive 〈◊〉 hundred and twenty ●…res; here is the resoluti●… of God, though he strive, 〈◊〉 he will not strive al●…yes.  
Secondly, the reason of God's determination; he is also flesh.  
In the Text two things are to be observed.  
First, what is meant by spirit; secondly, what it is to strive: first Gods Spirit we may understand to be the holy Ghost, the third person in. Trinity: he is said to strive, not miraculously, but mediately by his means, the Word of God, Ministers; he is said to strive with this generation by the Ministry o●… the Word, and Noah and Enock in that Ministry▪ Gods Spirit strives with wicked men, they spoke no●… in their own words, but i●… the 2 Pet. 2. holy men spak●… God's Word as they do; the Lord doth put his hand to ●…he work: the meaning is, I ●…ave sent Noah and Enock, ●…hey spoke not their own ●…ords only, but ye have ●…ven against my good ●…pirit: what it is to strive: ●…e Lord will not strive al●…ayes, the meaning is not, 〈◊〉 judgement, Eccles. 6.10. ●…he Lord he deals with ●…oore sinners after their na●…re, as a reasonable crea●…re, he enters to reasons, ●…nd goes to Law, and makes ●…ite to draw them home to ●…im; for this I take to be the ●…eaning, his Ministers came ●…metimes to exhort, some●…mes to comfort, and some●…mes to reprove, and so we ●…e to Law with God a●…aine.  
From whence observe●… four points.  
Doct. 1. The Spirit o●… God doth ever accompany the Word, and the Ministe●… thereof. Here he ascrib●… it, My spirit shall not alway●… strive.  
Doct. 2. That the Lo●… strives with rebellious sinners, for their good, who as they strive against t●… power of the Spirit, a●… their own good. No●… strove to draw them hom●… and they strove and wou●… not come.  
Doct. 3. When men d●… abuse the Word long, G●… will cease to strive in the 〈◊〉 of the means; he will stri●… no more, as he said here, A●… 〈◊〉 Lord said, I will not al●…ayes, etc.  
Doct. 4. Though the ●…ord will strive no more, ●…t he strives long, he gives ●…ng time of repentance, as 〈◊〉 did to the old world an ●…dred and twenty years.  
Doct. 5. That Gods Spi●… doth ever accompany the ●…ord, and the Ministry ●…ereof: by the Spirit of ●…od, I mean the eternal ●…pirit, the Holy Ghost, doth ●…speciall manner accompa●… the Word; know that ●…od is every where, and ●…oweth all things; but in a ●…eciall manner he is with ●…is; with the Word, Come, ●…ecomes, & with the Word, ●…rbid, he forbids; Rom. 1. 〈◊〉 Gospel is the power of the Lord to the salvation●… man.  
Quest. But how do●… this appear to be so?  
Answ. I answer, it a●… peareth in two things, 〈◊〉 God doth please to set t●… work apart, to save and sa●…ctifie our souls, which 〈◊〉 the learning in the wo●… cannot do.  
Secondly, the Lord by 〈◊〉 power of his Spirit, do●… constantly, and continua●… accompany this work, as●… thinks good, to be a con●… tation to the wicked, an●… consolation to the god●… 2 Cor. 2. the two last ver●…to the one it is a favour death, to the other it is a 〈◊〉vour of life; it either 〈◊〉 the soul, or saves the so●… though it ever accompanies ●…e Word, yet this work 〈◊〉 the Spirit is a voluntary ●…orke.  
Thirdly, It doth always company the Word, but ●…oth not always work; ●…or some after twenty or ●…irty years are converted; 〈◊〉 that it doth not always ●…orke: Look as the brazen ●…erpent was lift up in the Wilderness, that whoever ●…oked on it, that was stung ●…ith the fiery Serpents, ●…ould be healed: there was healing virtue in it, he set it part for that purpose, for ●…at had no virtue of itself, 〈◊〉 because God would ●…orke by it, so that whosoe●…r looked on it might be ●…aled: so it is with the Word of God, for they a●… no more able to conve●… than others, but because Go●… hath promised to accompany them in dispensation of i●…  
Reas. 1. First, taken from t●… fruit and effect of his Wo●… that it is able to do 〈◊〉 things; in the beginning 〈◊〉 is able to do that whi●… Men and Angels cannot do●… Hebr. 4.12. The Word 〈◊〉 God is quick and powerf●… and sharper than any two 〈◊〉 god sword, piercing even to 〈◊〉 dividing asunder of the so●… and spirit, and a discovery 〈◊〉 the thoughts of the he●… It is Gods faithful work●… the reason why carnal 〈◊〉 fall out with the Minister●… the Word, and say you sp●… against men, I know y●… ●…eane me. No, no, we ●…now not your hearts, but God doth, and the Word of God knows them, john 5. The dead shall hear the voice ●…f the Son of God; the mea●…ing is, they that are dead 〈◊〉 sins, for by nature every ●…an is dead in sin. It must ●…e more than all men can do, 〈◊〉 our Saviour said to Lazaus, when men stood wee●…ing by, but Christ said, Lazarus come out. It must be God's Word that must raise 〈◊〉 from the death of sin 〈◊〉 the life of righteous●…esse.  
Use. First, of instruction 〈◊〉 take heed of taking up of ●…mes against the Spirit of God, we see the heinous ●…nne of them that despise the Ministry of the Gospell, men may think it n●…thing: but alas you kno●… not what it is, for the Wo●… of God and the Spirit 〈◊〉 God goeth together; as 〈◊〉 blessed Martyr Steven sa●… in the 7 of the Acts, Y●… stiffnecked and uncircum●… said in heart and ears, y●… have ever resisted the g●… Spirit of God; as did your 〈◊〉 there's, so do you: therefore ta●… heed, You are near to 〈◊〉 sin against the Holy Gho●… for it is not the Word 〈◊〉 Man, but the Word of Go●… it is the Spirit that th●… shouldest be saved by, th●… thou hast opposed; you g●… away with the contempt 〈◊〉 the Gospel, and make th●… nothing; thou hast sinn●… ●…gainst God, and his Spirit ●…at accompanies the Word; Counsel one another, say, do ●…ou know what you do? It 〈◊〉 God's Spirit, must not that ●…mfort you, must not that ●…ve you? It is that that you ●…ppose; take heed, for this 〈◊〉 above Incestuous sins. ●…ke 3.20.21. Herod was an ●…cestuous sinner, but above ●…his fins, he added this, that ●…put john in prison; he was a ●…cestuous adulterer, yet put●…g john in prison, was ●…ove all. Matth. 11. It shall 〈◊〉 easier for Sodom and Go●…rah in the day of judge●…ut, then for you that oppose 〈◊〉 Word of the Lord. So ●…ch for the first point.  
Doct. 2. The Lord strives ●…ith poor sinners for their good; when as they stri●… against the power of the S●… rit, and their own goo●… God enters into Law with sinner; Sin and Satan sai●… the soul is theirs; God ent●… into Law, and saith it is h●… and he made it; every m●… by nature takes pain that 〈◊〉 might have no good fr●… God; he goes to Law, to g●… to hell, as it were. Matth. 2●… 37. Oh jerusalem, thou t●… killest the Prophets, and sto●… them that were sent to th●… There is the thing, mar●… How often would I have g●… thered thy children togeth●… as a Hen her Chickens, 〈◊〉 ye would not? Here is a cu●… tention, the Lord wou●… have revealed his wi●… & his Spirit, would have 〈◊〉 ●…ed you home, but you would ●…ot; ye resisted his good Spirit, ye take hold of wic●…ednesse, as the Prophet ●…ere says; and john 5.4. You will not come to me, that 〈◊〉 may be saved, saith our ●…aviour to the Pharisees; ●…any perish, and shall perish; ●…e reason is, ye will not ●…ome to Christ for life. The ●…icked say, Psal. 2. Let us ●…eake their bonds asunder, ●…d cast their cords from us. God's commands are cords ●…nd bonds to draw them, ●…t you break over hedge ●…d ditch, and will walk 〈◊〉 your own ways, ●…cts 18. the 5, 6 verses Paul ●…ccompanied Silas and Ti●…theus, disputed with the ●…es, he professed jesus was the very Christ; th●… Text saith, they oppos●… the words of Paul, though 〈◊〉 was for their good; this 〈◊〉 the testimony of him, th●… whosoever will come 〈◊〉 Christ, may come: but the came in defiance and b●…ta●… array against Christ, and t●… power of the Gospel. Th●… you see God strives wi●… poor sinners for their goo●… and they strive against 〈◊〉 power of the Spirit, a●… their own good. To op●… the point,  
First, how God strives w●… poor sinners for their go●… and goes to Law, and plea●… and bestows pains, that●… might do them good: 〈◊〉 reason why he do●… so.  
Quest. First, how doth God ●…rive with poor sinners, ●…nd pleads for their good?  
Answ. This pleading of God discovers itself in two ●…eads. First, by manner ●…f persuasion: Secondly, 〈◊〉 way of constraint.  
First, by manner of per●…asion, to persuade them ●…om sin.  
Secondly, by way of con●…aint, to compel them to ●…me in. And first he strives 〈◊〉 way of persuasion, wher●… he discovers the matter, 〈◊〉 than he brings an exe●…tion.  
In this persuasion God ●…th four things: namely,  
First, He makes known 〈◊〉 sin is, and that by summoning them to th●… Court, as men that go●… Law, they summon one a●… other to be at such a Court so God summons the●… when they are ignorant 〈◊〉 that which should do the●… good, and know not in wh●… an estate they are in, than 〈◊〉 brings them to the Wor●… and discovers it, as in Es●… I was found of them, saith 〈◊〉 Lord, that sought me not: b●… if a soul grow still carcle●… the Lord will not leave 〈◊〉 sinner, but makes him to c●…sider what sin is, and kn●… it. Ezek. 16.2. verse. Son of man, cause the children 〈◊〉 Israel to know their abomi●…tions: Go home to th●… doors & tell them home, y●… know you should hear 〈◊〉 Word constantly, and pray constantly, and know what you should do, and this makes wicked covetous men at their deaths, as it were, at their wit's end. We know a man that goes to Law, lays an Action against the other, and then serves a Subpaena on him; so the Lord lays an Action against the sinner, and serves a Subpaena on him; thou art the man, and thou shalt perish, when he doth this, than he pleads the Cause, as a man that wrestles; he first catches ●…hold, and then comes in to him, that haply he might throw him: so God catches ●…hold when he means to wrestle with a sinner, that ●…his eyes are ever on his sin and says, I am the man.  
Secondly, When a sinner is thus summoned, and sees the Cause goes against him, than he labours and invents how to answer for himself; the sinner is grown to a stand, as in the Court so●… brought, when he sees the case to go against him, because he knows not what to do; he goes to the Lawyers, though his case be not good, he will spend so much and so much; consider how it is when the conscience is enlightened, and says, I am the man; then what course do they take? they invent all carnal pleasures to pull back the Word; look what Pharaoh did when God sent Moses to trouble him, he sent for the wise Magicians ' to know whether it were God or no; so he contem●…ed Moses and the miracle: so it is when God enlightens the mind; what do carnal men then? they send for the Magicians, pleasures to beat the Word back.  
Quest. I say they, I am a sinner, and every one is a sinner, and did not Christ die to save sinners?  
Answ. The truth is, Christ came to save sinners, and not to save them only, but to sanctify them. True says the sinner, I will amend, I am not so precise as others; these are the wranglings of carnal reasons; God comes nearer, he says you must purify yourselves as he is pure, john 1.3. It is not ●…nough to be a me●…ro civi●… man, but ye most puris●… yourselves, as he is pure. 〈◊〉 you will see God to you●… comfort, though Satan ta●… a Lawyer's place, and carna●… reason an Attorneys, an●… what ever Satan and carna●… Reason can do, they wi●… do on every season: at la●… God sends the Comfort●… from heaven, to comfo●… them, john 16.8. And whe●… he is come, he will convin●… the world of righteousness of judgement, and of sinne●… when God's Spirit comes b●… the Word, it sets apart a●… carnal reason, that there 〈◊〉 no more shifting: you think●… you may contend again●… your Brethren, and go 〈◊〉 heaven, but this cannot be, for the good spirit sets all ●…arnall reasons apart; it makes him to say, if I forsake not every sin, I forsake ●…one; for he that forsakes not every sin he forsake none. Doth any man think to be 〈◊〉 Christian, and a swearer, a Christian and a drunkard; why a heathen can do this: well, such will deceive themselves, that can say, well I ●…ope God is more merciful ●…hen the Ministers and proud Professors: No, no, know ●…hat if the Spirit come, it sets 〈◊〉 part all carnal reasons; God lays the Action be ●…ore, the sinner is now cast, ●…e sees there is but one way, ●…ive in sin, and go to hell: thus when a soul can yield to God's Word, that he m●… not be cast down. In t●… third place mark;  
Thirdly, God tells hi●… that howsoever he 〈◊〉 cast, yet he will be mercif●… abundantly to him; 〈◊〉 shows him his estate; y●… saith he, thou art in the la●… of the living, thou art yet u●…der the means, as a part●… cast in the Court in a sum●… of all that he hath; the ●…ther gives him time to pay i●… there is some comfort yet, 〈◊〉 may be he may get something in that time by the help●… of his friends. Rom. 2.4. Th●… Apostle saith, Despisest th●… the goodness of God, that shoul●… lead thee to repentance; as 〈◊〉 he had said, Consider th●… goodness of the Lord; an●… ●…y, Lord, I am not yet in ●…ll, and do I live to an●…her Sermon? thou wert ●…ercifull to Manasses, and ●…others, thou mayest be ●…ercifull to me (Lord:) why ●…re is great comfort; but ●…hen a soul sees God's ●…odnesse in health and ●…ealth, and enjoys yet ●…eanes, and helps, and now ●…owes careless; as to mor●…w I will repent, it is too ●…one yet, I will take my ●…leasure now, and repent ●…hen I am old; now God's ●…oodnesse comes to be wea●…ed, that he saith, I will strive 〈◊〉 more.  
Fourthly, When God's ●…oodnesse is wearied, then ●…e patience of the Lord ●…eppes in, and pleads for a sinner, and holds the ha●… of Justice; Luke 9 As 〈◊〉 Figtree that bears 〈◊〉 fruit, saith Christ, I h●… come these three years, 〈◊〉 expected fruit, and have fo●… none; cut it down. Stay Lo●… saith the Keeper of the Vi●… yard, another year, it 〈◊〉 be it will bear then; 〈◊〉 saith Patience, the sinner ha●… broken thy Comman●…ments, and despised thy O●…dinances, abused thy Sa●… baths; Oh forbear, sai●… Patience, one year longe●… one opportunity more. No●… as Patience doth plead f●… God's continuance of mer●… to a sinner, so it prevail●… now when Patience is tyre●… and wearied with wick●… men, as I●…rem. 5. How shall ●…re, as if he would scarce ●…rbeare; then when Pati●…ce is cired, comes Long●…fering; saith Patience, I ●…bore this time and that ●…e; saith Long suffering, ●…ay Lord another year, ●…nother month: mark the ●…ext, Forty years long was 〈◊〉 grieved with this people; Consider you old men, four●…e years the Lord hath ●…rove with you; and you ●…oung men, God could have ●…ken you away in your sin; ●…h I say, think upon Long●…ffering, for else you had ●…erished before now, old ●…ray-headed men; Oh for ●…he Lords sake consider this ●…ercy, forty years a con●…emner of God's Word, four●…y years a despiser of the means of Grace; oh consider this mercy. Thus th●… Lord summons the sinner, then casts him; the sinner i●… his natural estate, knows no●… what he is, and when he i●… cast down, God comfort●… him, and then, if the soul●… grow careless that God●… goodness is wearied, the●… steps in Patience, and whe●… Patience is wearied, the●… comes in Long-suffering; Now say, Lord thou came 〈◊〉 home to me such a day, such a atime, I promised t●… come in, but I have not; O●… Lord it is thy mercy, I y●… continue, that I am not consumed.  
Secondly, by constraint he constrains them by a●… execution, this is in a sever●… ●…er, as appears in three par●…culars, when the Good●…esse, Patience, Long-su●●e●…ing of God will not serve ●…he turn.  
First, he lets his heavy an●…er fall on him, and take him ●…y the throat and says, you ●…ill not come, but you shall ●…eele my anger and heavy ●…and for your contempt; as 〈◊〉 man in suit of Law, if he be cast, and the other deal mercifully with him, giveth ●…im a day, and he despises it; ●…hen he arrests him, & casts ●…im in prison; so God deals with a soul that dispises his mercy, than he arrests him, and casts him in prison. Iob ●…5. 24, 25. Trouble and anguish shall make him afraid, they shall prevail against him, as a King ready to the battle, for he stretches ou●… his hand against God, and strengtheneth himself against the Almighty, as Pharaoh said, I'll not let the●… go, who is the Lord? So here he flies in his face, as in the 26, he runneth upon him, even upon his neck, upon the thick bosses of his bucklers: mark, they that would kill one another, strike no●… where the other can defen●… themselves, but God ne●… not do so, he will run o●… the thick bosses of the buck●… lers, and crush the vanity 〈◊〉 his soul; this is the first●… thus you see he is arrested.  
Secondly, and cast in pr●… son, than the truth and Justi●… of God, when the Sinner 〈◊〉 ●…rrested and cast into prison, ●…yes an action against the ●…oore sinner, and showeth ●…m Gods former dealing; 〈◊〉 a man cast in prison, first 〈◊〉 action comes of twenty ●…ound, another of an hun●…red, and so breaks him for ●…ver: so it is with a poor ●…oule, when the truth of God ●…nd Justice of God, lays Action upon Action, it ●…reakes him for ever; in a ●…ord, it shows him Gods ●…ormer dealing, his mercy, ●…oodnesse, patience, and ●…ong-suffering, and every one ●…f them he sees; you will ●…ske, in whose suit? In Mer●…ies suit, and goodness, in Patience, and Long-suffe●…ings suit; they will have ●…heir Actions tried, because they have been abused, a●… the more mercy, the mo●… indignation to those th●… have abused Mercy and Patience.  
Thirdly, After the wra●… of God hath arrested hi●… and the Truth and Justi●… of God laid Action up●… Action, so that everlasting ruin is ready to cease 〈◊〉 him, then at last comes M●…cy and bails him; here it that the Arms of God a●… open, for all his mercy's 〈◊〉 for a sinner at last to co●… in. Ezekiel 16. Turn ye 〈◊〉 the Lord, for why will ye d●… Oh house of Israel? Me●… says, come to me, and I w●… pay all; though there 〈◊〉 much guiltiness of cons●…ence, I will remove it. Ac●… ●…o. As many as believed in 〈◊〉 shall be freed from that, ●…hat Moses could not free ●…hem; he does not say, all the ●…vise only, but all that will ●…eleeve, whether Drun●…ards, wicked, all that will ●…eleeve, the gate stands o●…en to them.  
Quest. True saith the ●…ule, they that God hath re●…rained before; but my sins ●…e great, shall I have mer●…e?  
Answ. The Text says, ●…hosoever that believes ●…all befreed from all. Heb. 〈◊〉. If you sinne willingly, ●…en you have not had Ju●…ice, Goodness, Patience, ●…ong-suffering; at last comes ●…ercy which is the last, the ●…hich if ye despise and refuse, ye can look for nothing but the heavy displeasure●… God; Oh consider with t●… self, hath the Lord spar●… me this time; many che●… of conscience, a good fat●… and mother to instruct 〈◊〉 and yet alive! Lord, wha●… mercy is this?  
Reas. Why God striv●… thus with a sinner; first, t●… he might express his mer●… and that the world mi●… know he is merciful, and 〈◊〉 joice in it.  
Secondly, that he mi●… leave the world without ●…cuse, that if they go do●… to the bottomless 〈◊〉 thank themselves.  
Use. 1. Of instruction. 〈◊〉 seech you to admire 〈◊〉 goodness of God to sinn●… ●…nd withal our rebellions, when God strives so long ●…or our good, and we strive ●…o long against it; is not he ●…hen good? evil is the man ●…hat nothing will do good ●…f. Fowl is the Leper ●…hat all the water in the Sea will not wash; and great is ●…he spot that no water will ●…ring out. Labour to bring ●…his home to yourselves, see ●…our spots in this particular, ●…hat after you have had so much goodness of the Lord, and so much Mercy, Patience, and Long-suffering, to draw and prevail with your ●…ebellious hearts, and all have ●…eene abused, neglected, and contemned by you; Oh let every one say it to their own ●…hearts, say thou, good Lord, they in Hell never had su●… means as I have, therefore th●… shall far better at the last d●… than I shall; are there su●… hearts as these in Hell? co●… pair yourselves, for know that the Word som●… times meets with thee: sa●… Lord, it was against th●… Drunkard, he is come home and against that sinner, an●… he is come, but if I stand o●… I am worst of all.  
Use 2. If this be so th●… God strives with a poor sinner for his good, and th●… sinner strives against th●… goodness and mercy 〈◊〉 God; then mark what w●… gather; when they go t●… Hell, they have their desires they strive to go to Hell; as if one would strive for wages; Know it is the de●…ise of your minds, and de●…es of your hearts, ye ●…rive who should swear the ●…ost, if you go to Hell, ●…en thank yourselves. Pro. ●…. 30, 31. They would have ●…me of my counsel, they despi●…d all my reproof: there●…e they shall eat of the fruit 〈◊〉 their own ways, and be fil●…d with their own devises. When a soul is resolved to ●…e in his old course, as ●…e covetousman, I will be ●…vetous, the contemner of ●…e Word will live loosely, ●…d will not be reproved by ●…inisters; these desire their ●…wne destruction. Oh poor ●…ule, when thou goest to ●…ell, thou shalt have thy de●…re, and elbowe-roome enough there.  
Use 3. Is of reproof. Do●… God strive with sinners, 〈◊〉 their good? what shall w●… think of them that stri●… with men for their hurt? 〈◊〉 their God must be blam●… for dealing so, or they co●…demned for being in opp●…sition with God: judge yo●… I will say nothing; the Lo●… strives; he uses Mercy, J●…stice, Goodness, to dra●… them to him and they use 〈◊〉 means, threatenings, all 〈◊〉 withdraw them; either Go●… is to be blamed for deali●… so, or they to be conde●… ned: they are the D●… vils Captains, and giv●… press money: as if a Wife Child, or Servant begi●… to look to heaven, than th●… Husband frowns, the Master chides; Oh lay your hands on your hearts, for the Devil can do no more; Oh know not only thy sins shall condemn thee; but the blood of Wives. Children and Servants; Oh brethren, I beseech you hear, fear, and tremble. Acts 15. ●…8, 9 The Text saith, that Paul came to the Island, and sound the Deputy of the Island in the faith. Paul would have brought him to the faith, and Elimas would have drawn him from the faith; mark what Paul said in the 10 verse, thou Child of the Devil, because Elimas would not go to Hell himself alone, he draws others; and Paul comes with fire and thundering, as i●… were, Oh child of the Devil, oh enemy of all righteousness; The Adulterer i●… an enemy to Chastity, th●… Drunkard to soberness, th●… unjust man is an enemy t●… Justice, but they that striv●… to hinder any from God a●… enemies to all righteousness.  
To conclude: You say yo●… would have prayed, but my Husband would not let mee●… I would have gone 〈◊〉 Church, but my Mast●… would not let me; this wi●… notserve the turn, it wi●… be no plea for you to say Masters hinder you. Matth●… 23. Woe to you Scribes a●… Pharisees, Hypocrites, th●… compass Sea and Land 〈◊〉 make a Proselyte, and when he is so made, you make him two fold more the child of the Devil than yourselves; they are the children of the Devil, that is enough in conscience; but you are twice more the child of the Devil: consider you sin, and hinder me from God, you shall go to Hell, but I shall be twice more the child of Hell than you; oh than fear and labour every one to mend one another.  
Use 4. Is of exhortation. Doth the Lord so strive and use all means to draw us to him; doth God do so? then do you so also, wheresoever thou goest, do thou strive to persuade men, and draw them from evil, Hebr. 3. The Lord strives with●… poor sinner for his good●… now as God and Chri●… deals, so let us; lay hold o●… a wicked Father, a profan●… mother, exhort them, pray for them, Timoth. 2.2. Striv●… with them, though they strive against thee: tho●… prayest once, pray again▪ it may be God will hear. When a man is laid in hi●… grave, yet his stock remain●… and goes forward, and sha●… do till the day of Doom; what a sweet comfort wi●… this be to them that do●… good to others; you tha●… go in companies and assemblies with others, etc. strive to draw them on 〈◊〉 goodness, by exhortations▪ and sometimes by reproofes●… that if it be possible, you may prevail with their hearts, to come in and take mercy.  
Doctr. 3. That after the long abuse of means, the Lord ceases to strive with men therein, and takes either the means from them, or them from the means, or his blessing from them both; I will strive, saith God, but not always; when the time is expired, further is not to be expected. God hath bounds of his bounty, hitherto and no further, as it is with the Sun, it hath its times, Spring, and Harvest, and there is a time to leave to Winter, and blastning: there is a time of consuming, the store, as well as bringing of it in; so it is with the Son of Righteousness; there is a time to quicken the Graces of his, and to ripen them; and there is a time to leave men to hardness of heart, in the darkness of Egypt, that they may be rid of the Word. There is a season of grace, but that endures not always; God hath his seasons to be merciful; some the Sunshine of God's goodness comforts, and makes grow, and some grows away; the Gospel is going, when Ephraim was going to Idolatry, Hosea 4. Ephraim is going away to Idolatry, let him alone, he hath made a match with mischief, let him have his belly full of it, now it is Termtime, but there is a Vacation too.  
FINIS.   

A GODLY AND FRVITFULL SERMON: THE PLANTATION of the RIGHTEOUS.  
By T. H.  
LONDON, Printed by M.P. for john Stafford, dwelling in Black-Horse-Alley near Fle●…tstreet. 1639.   

THE PLANTATION of the RIGHTEOUS.  PSAL. 1.3. 
But he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in due season, his leaf also shall not whither, and whatsoever he doth shall prosper.  
THis third verse discovers a third branch of the difference of a godly, and also a godless man; they are contrary in their practices, and in their ways and doings, and so likewise shall they be contrary in their accounts at the last day. Three particulars in the verse, do discover themselves unto us; First, this righteous man, he brings forth fruit; secondly, it is his own fruit, not another man's; thirdly, it is in his fittest time, and in the best season, it's seasonable fruit; and this we are to scan, and a little to treat withal: and the Doctrine that doth present itself to our consideration, is this, namely,  
Doct. 1. A good man doth not only what he ought to do, he doth not only perform this duty, and what God requires of him, but he doth it in the fittest season and opportunity. In a word, the duties of Saints ought to be seasonable: the point is somewhat strange to some, one that is little known, and as little practised among most; a marvellous skill is in it, and but little skill men have to observe it; marvellous great good in it, and but little labouring to attain that good; whereas it is a part of prudence to observe times as the Text calls on us, to redeem the time: and therefore we will open the point, and then treat with it; and first we will prove the same; secondly, we will show the grounds and reasons; thirdly, apply the same; first, for the proof of it, Eccles. 3.2. There is a time and a season for every thing; that is God's will and pleasure. Eccles. 10.6. It is there accounted one of the greatest woes and curses, as it were, and evils that befall men. Woe to thee, O Land, when thy King is a child, and thy Princes eat in the morning: But on the contrary; Blessed art thou oh Land when thy King is the son of Nobles, and thy Princes do eat for strength, and not for drunkenness. Thus we see what a great curse it is to any Land to have Princes eat and drink not in season, and in Prov. 25. the Text there saith, That a word spoke in due season, is like Apples of gold, with pictures of silver. So there is a season both for words and speeches, as well as for actions and deeds, and words in their best season, are worth Pearls and Rubies: So that the proof is plain, that the Saints of God must have their opportunities for the performance of duties, and a thing much to be oberved; Frost we know is seasonable in Winter. Harvest is seasonable in Summer time, every thing is best in the season.  
Quest. The difficulty that hence ariseth, is, how a man may discern the season of a service and duty that is to be performed by us; for here is the main weight of the point.  
Answ. First, in the general; secondly, in particular: First, when all the circumstances and occasions do concur for a duty; that is, the season and the time for the duty, as instance thus: it is the season for a man to walk in the day time, in the light, and not in the the darkness. It is true, it is time enough, in the night to walk in, but it is not the season; it doth not fit the season so well as in the day time; in the light, Wind and Tide for a Seafaring man; warm weather is the season for sowing, and for casting the Seed into the ground; so it is in this case, a Christian should observe the season, and take the best time for duty in this case, when all occasions and circumstances suit; and this is in the general.  
Secondly, in particular, there is a season that a man must look at, both in his particular, & in his general cal●…ing, both in regard as he is a Christian, and in respect of he place God hath set a man 〈◊〉; in the which we ought ●…or to make our season: for ●…e doing of our duties and ●…e rules for our direction ●…erein, are these, namely;  
First, We must be sure to ●…each and every time have ●…e allowance, or the ●…are, as I may so say, ●…at concern that day, and ●…at time; as there are ●…anges, for to morrow ●…ervices; for a first, and a second day, and third day, an●… that of our Saviour Chri●… is observable, Matth. 6●… Take no thought for to mor●…row, for sufficient to the day●… the evil thereof: Every day●… brings evil enough with i●… there are sins enough th●… day, and failings, and impe●… fections enough this day, a●… therefore no need there 〈◊〉 to take care for a second a●… third day; every day bri●… sins enough with it, 〈◊〉 enough with it, and theref●… we had not need to take 〈◊〉 for another day, what sh●… be to morrow, and not 〈◊〉 Monday to take care 〈◊〉 Tuesday, not on Tuesday care for Wednesday, 〈◊〉 cause each day bringeth 〈◊〉 enough care and trouble w●… it; for every time hath as it were, a challenge to itself, this day can say, this is mine; another can say, this is mine; there is a time and a season for every service, sufficient to the day is the evil thereof: So likewise sufficient to the day is the duties thereof; there is prayer for this day, and prayer for that day, not ●…or another day, that is un●…ertain whether it will come, but there is service suited, and to be performed for the day present; God requireth to ●…eepe the present day, and to ●…doe duty that is for the present.  
Secondly, Look when we find our bodies and natures best disposed for services, than we ought to take them up, and then to besto●… our strength on the best 〈◊〉 our services; instance, for●… man to go to prayer, wh●… he is fittest to sleep, 〈◊〉 when sleep comes on hi●… or when he is in his bed, th●… is not seasonable; It is th●… out of its season and ti●… that instead of prayer, a 〈◊〉 goeth to sleeping and wr●…gling with the duty: a●… therefore we must ta●… the advantage of our natu●… in this case, as men that use●… take advantage of Wind a●… Tide, to sale forwards: 〈◊〉 must a Christian take adv●…tage of his nature in this ca●… then when time is most s●…sonable, they must perfo●… duties: It is that God ca●… not away with, when w●… ●…ill serve him only in a ●…iny day, when he can do ●…othing else; when every ●…ing else is done, than God must be served last; this is ●…he next way to bring a curse 〈◊〉 us, and our services that ●…ve do perform to him. 〈◊〉 is the charge the Holy Ghost giveth; Honour the ●…ord with the firstfruits of ●…y increase, and to such he ●…nexeth his promise, so ●…all thy barns be filled with ●…lenty, saith the Text; and in ●…e Old Law God required ●…he first that opened the ●…ombe, and therefore a man ●…ust take the rise of a lazy ●…ature, and to take heed of his sin, as that that brings 〈◊〉 great curse with it, as you ●…ay see, Malac. 1. latter end, Cursed be the deceiver, 〈◊〉 who shouldsay, He is a d●…ceiver indeed that offers●… female to God, when h●… hath a male in his flock●… when a man hath strong 〈◊〉 sires for himself, male s●… rows for his own ends, 〈◊〉 female for God: this is th●… second particular.  
Thirdly, We should 〈◊〉 take up duties, so order the●… that one should be helpful to another, and not a hind●… rance; No man can look 〈◊〉 many Irons in the fire 〈◊〉 once, but when the iron●… hot, then to strike; that 〈◊〉 the season for it to be●… wrought on; So a Christi●… an must take the season 〈◊〉 forecast duties, not to hind●… one with another, but every du●…ie must be so performed, that it may further and not hinder another: as it is with a Wagon, the little Wheels go before to make way for the greater that come after them, and the greater follow after, and serve to drive on the former. Thus one is helpful to the other; so should we do with duties, so to forecast it, and so to perform it, that one duty may further another, and not hinder; so that this is the season when one duty maketh way for another in the kind; and hence follow several passages, as grounds of application. First, it is hence clear that a man should so perform duty to God, that the one may put forwards another to hel●… another on. The second ru●… hence is also clear, that 〈◊〉 man must so forecast duties that the particular may no●… cross the general, nor th●… general the particular; a ma●… must not spend himself, s●… in his calling in particular, as to make him unfit for performance of duties, in his general calling; he must not take up time in his own business, as thereby to deprive himself of time and strength for duties of God's worship.  
Thirdly, a man may hence learn, that he ought not to spend his strength in one duty, as to make him unfit for another, for that is not in season; then we miss of the season; though he allow time for the duty, if yet he spend his strength in one as to be unfit for another; this is unseasonable.  
Now for duties occasionally: and we may observe two rules for the clearing of the point.  
First, if they be such occasions that may be omitted, as likewise they would hinder another, a man may pass it by; but if a duty that comes in a man's way, that requireth present supply, and that the duty in a man's common course may be gained again, and if the other be omitted, that can never be recalled again, or recovered: Now this is a season for an occasionally duty, as thus; a man to pray in his family: now if a necessary occasion come that cannot be done afterwards, a man must omit prayer for the while, for that may afterwards be gained, but the other it cannot be recovered again.  
Secondly, if the case be so, that one duty must be lost, a man cannot regain both of them; what then must we do, both cannot be omitted, which then must be taken up and performed? To this several rules might be added; but take this, look what duty is the most excellent and necessary, take up that duty, and let the other pass; if a duty that is more excellent than another, take up that, and let the other give place to it: as for example, God will have mercy and not sacrifice, and he delights in mercy more than sacrifice; if a man have a house on fire, and another hath his duty to perform before he can help the other: why God requires mercy, he will have mercy rather than sacrifice, and therefore I must leave the duty and help him, because God requireth mercy as a duty that is higher in place, and of more worth and excellency; other duties must give place, and such duties must take the place, that is the season for the inferior to give place to the greater.  
Quest. How can a man know the pre-eminence of any duty? That which concerns first Gods glory most, that service is to be performed, before the other that concerns a man's self, the good of man gives place to God's glory; sometimes works of mercy are most to God's glory, and all things are to be to Godsglory.  
Secondly, in those duties that concern man, I must take notice of the things themselves, and of my relation to them; as I must look to mine own occasions before other men's, in the same rank, in things of equality; as my goods before his, my body before his, but not my body before his soul; only I say comparing equal things together concerning other men: if they be both equal to me, let the chiefest things take place, as life before goods; Why a man should be so careful for his season.  
Reas. First, because this adds beauty to all occasions, and the works come off with much content, seasonably, sweetly, with much succour; Oh how good is a word spoken in due season! Prov. 25. and 11. when a man sails with the Tide, and strikes while the iron is hot, and not to delay duties to a crowd, then is the season: So in the work of grace, when men delay until the last hour, and the dim eye, and death bed, when death and conscience, and all begin to crowd on a man. Considering the opportunities God hath bestowed, and he abused all, and now is not like to have them again; these suit not with occasions, and fit not the seasons, but will add more wounds and grief to the soul of man; whereas if they were in their best season, they would come off with a great deal more ease.  
Secondly, because things find best success when they come in season: the corn that is sown in season, is most like to grow and thrive, by reason of the season that it was sown in, so that the season makes the work to go on the better and the easier; and therefore the wise man calls on men, Eccles. 14. To remember their Creator in the days of youth, before old and evil days come, for old are but evil days; then is out of season, it is not the best season then: for a thing out of season, is like Physic that is brought to a man when he is dead, we say you should have come sooner, and then there might have been some hope of life and recovery; when a man is in strength, then is the time of praying, reading, and hearing the Word, etc. but God seldom gives the grace of repentance in the dog-days of his years. Be wise now in the days of your youth, or else you will repent with a sad heart at the last when have lost the season of grace and mercy.  
Use. Is it so that men do their duties in season, let this then be a word of try all and examination in this case, to see how we have been faulty and have failed in this kind, to see and be humbled for what hath been amiss in us: let each man lay his hand on his mouth, and bewail and look back, and view our former course, to consider the opportunities and seasons we have had for our good, or might have enjoyed at least for our good, and we have neglected them; that God hath set open his hand, and offered his grace and kindness, and besought us to be reconciled to him, as it were, and hath given us a market day, a fair gaile, and yet have come empty from it; look back to the chamber where sometimes a man hath been, and some sweet motions, God hath put into his mind, oh pray now for yourselves, and the Church, and yet hath cast all these motions behind his back, and slighted them as things of no moment or wight at all; let us look to all these former neglects, and slightenings of grace and mercy, offered to us; and as Pharaohs Butler said, so let us: I call to remembrance my faults and sins this day; and thus much for the first: the second follows, and that is this, namely, of Instruction;  
Use. It teacheth us thus much, that the life and conversation of a Christian is a marvellous, tedious, and laborious life that will marveilously put a man to it, if eve●… he come to be sincere, and to walk uprightly with the Lord in a holy conversation of life.  
Thirdly, a ground of encouragement; since then tha●… we know what we should, t●… labour to do what we know; since we know what God requireth, and will pleas●… him, let us set about that h●… commands, and will be so acceptable in his sight; seeing we know what God hat●… chalked out before us, and what will best delight him, and also be exceeding comfortable to ourselves, let us set about this; let us pray in season, hear the Word in season, perform duties in season, let our words and speeches be in due season spoken, because duties performed to God in season, are very pleasing to him, and will bring great comfort to our own souls and consciences; and any thing out of season, is displeasing unto God; a thing out of season, a man cannot away with it; therefore how is it, to meditate, pray, hear, read, confer, and do all holy duties in season; but the question here groweth, how shall we do this? for our rules of direction herein are these, namely;  
Answ. First, see and view the compass of all businesses, foreseeing all occasions, and then allotting to every time, and to each occasion, range it all proportionably to each occasion, a several time, as will suit it best, observing the former rules that was mentioned: so in the next place, labour we to prevent the time and the seasons, get beforehand, as it were, with time for the duties of God's worship and service, in this case, take time in the morning, I will prevent the morning watch, saith David; he got beforehand with his Nobles, that when they were come, he might be fit to go and confer and take their time together: when all was fast, than he got himself to his duty; so we should prevent the time, and when we have so done, to improve it.  
Fiftly, then cut off all unnecessary expense of time; Labour to be beforehand in the world, get that wisdom, that courage, and that care that may shake off all sleeveless occasion that are not worth the while, both for your care and consideration.  
Psalm. 1. v. 3. His leaf also shall not whither.  
FINIS.