Chap. 23. t.xn Expction upon the Boclr ufJ á) B. ';'r:, r3, 4;; to mailer the impediments that stand in theway of it But äii the power ache creature cannot hinder God ; If be mill r^,,rk, sone can let him (I fa. 43. a 3.) The power ofmen weaknefeunto God. And that which looks like weaknefre inGod, is ftronger then the united Ilrength ofall men (i Co.. I. 25.)Thefaolifhoo fe of god, is wi /er then men ;and the weakneffe ofGod, it fironger then men. Secondly, Men are, or may be turned by counfell or edvice end fome who could not be Rapt bypower, have yet bun flopt by perfwafion. An eloquent tor,guebath prevailed, where a vio- lent hand could not. We read how ef4bigail prevailed upon `Da.. vid a mighty warner, and mightily refolved to defiroy Naba!, and all his houfe(t Sam. 25. 22.) So andmorealto doegyod unto the enemies of David, if I leave of aft that pertain to him by the morning light, 4,1 that piJethaping the wall. D.r vid fpakenot onely peremptorily, but with a kinde ofadjuration ; And he was upon his march with foure hundred armed men at his beeles to put his purpofe into Execution ; Yet a difcreet woman goes out tomeet and turne hire from his courfe, and turtle him the did ; file did it effe&wally. But what could Abigail a womandoe, to prevaile with Davidand his Souldiers ?What the did, file did by perfwafion, the laid arguments before him, and managed them with fo much pathetical rhetoricke, and clearnes, that he could not withfland her (ver. 3 2, 33.) And David ¡aid tinto Abigail, Bieffed be the Lard gad ofIfrael, which fent thee tbii day to enette me ; andbleffed be thy advice,andblefedbe thou which h.fl kept me this dayfrom coming tofledblond, and to avenge myfelfe with mine own hand. Thus men may be turned from what they have refol- ved, efpecially when they doe not well deliberate before they re- folve. But God cannot be turned by any counfel or advice, tieing whatfoever he purpoleth to do,he loth it upon the unerring ad- vice and counrell ofhis o.vne will. Thofe paffions of anger and jeal,ou!ie,in which(as.he is. fet forth to us in Seriprure)God is laid to aC ,are yet the iffues of infinite deliberation. He that doth all thingsby the bell counfel, can never be turned byany. . Thirdly, Men are often turnedby petition,when theywill not by argument, and you mayentreate them to defifl from what they wereabout todoe, though you cannot advife them out of it. And We know that ofall things prayer is the moll prevailing with,God. Nothing bath ever turned God fo much as prayer K k k bath
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