H4 An Expofition of the Epiple ~ Ordinances, Gm. 4· 14. cafl out from the prefence ofthe Lord,and fo was his po– Sermo1l flenty, and therefore they are.called Mm, that IS, l_vlen left wholly to the fwinge x xvr. of their natural corruption, Without Ordinances, Without the enjoyment thereof ·'~ to work upon them or reflrain them and to convey the Spirit to that end. Then there were the Sons of Seth, thofe that lived in the Church, enjoyed the means of grace, the preachings of Noah and other of the Patriarchs, and thofe were' the Sons of God,for fo .YOU know they that do fo are called the Sons of God,Ihuve brought up So11s attd they have rebelled agai11{1 me, atzdye are alt the Children of'· God, 14rb. of 'Dettt. 1. for God had taken them into the bofome of the vifible Church. Now tl1en thofe Sons of God, living under outward means and in a fott the Gofpel, (I may call it fo, for they lived under the preaching of Noah, a preacher of fure righteoufoefs ChriO: namely, and under the preaching of other Patriarkes,) it is faid the Spirit of God did flrive with them, the Spirit of God going home to their hearts with the word. Compare thcrefo.re with this the 1Pet: 5.18. it is a difficult place and it is open– ed by this. Speakmg of Chnfl there, fauh he, He WM put to death in the.flejh and qtticktied ty the Spmt, that is, quickned by the Holy Ghofl and by the God– head, by which al{o he went mtd preached to the Spirits in pri{oll, who fome– times were dtjobediettt whm o11ce tht long Jit/Jerillg of God waited m the days of Noab v-bile the Arke wM a preparing. I fay thefe words in Ge11ejis open thofe in Peter. Our Saviour ChriO: after his death was raifed by the Spirit, by the Holy · Ghofl, (for that Spirit that raifeth up our bodies dwelt in him and raifed up his,as it is Rom. 8. ) This Spirit ofhis faith he, went with the Miniflry ofNoah, (who preached the fame Gofpel we do,) and preached in the days of the OldWorld, Mofes faith here, that his Spirit contended or flrove with them; and Peter allud– eth to it that this Spirit by which ChriO: was railed had formerly preached to thefe men, who were now but Spirits, (for that was their eflate,)they were now dead, they were in Hell, the spirits that uow are in prifo•t, that is his meaning. And as Mofts here faith, that God gave them 120 years warning to repent, The da)'S of mmt (faith he,) )baityt be 12oyears. So Ptter faith, he was long fuffmng, and that he waited, whm o11ce the long fuJ!tri11g of God (faith he,) waitedilt the days of Noab, waitednoyears, while tbe Ark WM aprepari~tg. Now then that which I quote this place for is this, (to come to it,) That this Spirit of God contended or flrove,with thefe Sons ofGod that lived in the Church. Jt did !lrive, that is all his phFafc, he put forth fo mvch flrcngth as to try whether he fhould overcome corrupt nature or corrupt nature over come him,he put forth only a flriving !lrength, as in wraflling you know, ifaman only flrive, he doth as it were feel the flrength of another, There is a flriving flrength that the Ho– ly Ghofl putteth forth upon the hearts of men , and there is an overcoming flrength. There is a flriving flrength as here; there is an overcoming !lrength, as in 1 Jobu 4· l• He that belzeveth overcometh the World, forgreater u he that u i11)'Oil, tbmt be thats i11 the Wol'ld, But here he pllttetll. forth fo much power as !hall be a!lriving, and yet they remain flefh flill, (Mark that,) that is,he cloth not put forth fo much flrength or power as cloth alter corrupt nature, they fhall remain flefh flill; for fo you know it followeth, He alfo ufiejh; and fo the Stptu– agint puts an Emphafis upon it, He alfou butjle/h. Thefe Sons ofGod that had all this means faith he, I have tried how far it will go, and I fee they are but l!e!h fiill, they are corrupt flill ; and while I deal with them thus in a lower way, it will not overcome their corrupt nature, they remain llefh for all that; therefore Peter faith, they were difobedintt and are "o.w i11 Hell. And upon this, what conclufion cloth God make? I have tryed ( fatth he,) aO co~tciujiolls with cor– rupt NtJtttre, all btll o11e, Jitll)' to overcomt it; I havegivm it alt helps, I bave flrive u Ifoavt co~ttmded, I have wrot~ghtthusfar,[ bttVt[iVf11 them 120years, ,·et Ion~er, and the conclufion ofall is, in the 5th. verfe. Godjaw that the 'wiektdiJefs of man wMgreat upon the Earth, andthat ev•ry imagiuatio11 of the thot~ghtsof hu heart wM o11/y evil co1Jtim<aily; and that corrupt nature would be corrupt nature flill, would be flefh flill, unlefs he put forth an Almighty power beyo~d !hiving, to change it. To
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