Vnablene f feof Man toconvert hinofe ft. winds that they may not blow, endeavouring tothcutmoff to flop the miniftery of the word, the;meanes of begetting this life in the foules ofmen, blinding the undertlandings of men, that the-glorious light oftheGofpel may not Chine into them; labouringby all meanes to hinder the regeneration ofGods children, reprefented in Saint johns yiíon of the Dragon, ready to devoure ,the i woman childe as foone as it Was borne. This worke the world alfo hinders, by difirallinrmen with worldlycares, by priding men with worldly wealth, by mini- firing many prophane and foule-bewitching examples, by with-holdingmen from attendance upon Gods ordinances, the meanesof life, by'cho4ing the word of God,the inffrument of life, withworldly cares, by difablingmen todifcerneand judge aright of Chritl, the Authour of life ; Such is the op- i pofition made againft theworkeof grace in the foules ofmen, that there is a meere impoffibilityofattaining fpirituall life; without the mighty worke ofChrill the Lordoflife 239 i Rev. rs4. C'<iAP. XX, LiE then in this thepride and vanity of fuch men as dreame 1 Their pride ofa power and ability in themfelves to reftore themflees openedwho .unto fpirituall life. As Sampfonburft his withs,and went out dreame ofahi- when Dalilah cryed, the `]'hilifliner are upon thee Sampfon. ¡elvésntotre 1hus they thinketo breake the chainesoffinne,tocome forth Dore them vf the graveoftheir corruption at their pleafure, having the felvcs to fpi- wordofexhortation to call them. Man indeed indowedwith rituall life. true and faving grace may come when God cals him, as Sampfon went forth at the voice of Talilah, whilehis leckes were upon him ; but as Sampfon had no power to preferve himfelfe when his lockes were cut cff, no more bath man deftitute of faring grace anypower toreftore himfelfe to the life ofgrace, or todefendhimfelfc againft the adverfaries of V 2 his
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