they cannot be saved We answer it puts a necessitie in God of infallibilitie that he cannot be deceived but not a necessitie of constraint on men to force them to sinne As the Angels full of glory did most voluntarily sin in Heaven so did Adam full of goodnesse most freely sin in Paradise and so doe wee now in the world God doth not reprobate because â—ee may be sure to sinne but because he sees we are sure to sinne therefore he doth reprobate with predamnation And therefore notwithstanding his eternall thoughts of predamnation he allowes every man sufficient outward meanes inward light to understand those means before he doth actually damne them in hell So in the said 2 Chron. 36. Pro. 29. Our second answer is this That predestination is a long golden chaine impregnable inseparable that not the least linck can be broken off So Rom. 8.29 30. Ephes 1.3 4 5 6. to the end of 12. per. 2 Tim. 2.19 So that if we see but the least and last linck fastened to our hearts as to sanctifie us or to make us unfeignedly call in his Name or sincerely desire and endeavour to depart from iniquitie you may be sure that the other end of the chaine is fastened to God heart by eternall election Third answer Consider in those places of Rom. 8. Ephes 1. Gods deâ—â—ee relates first in order to Christ and as it were passeth through him so that as we looke on Christ and behave out selves towards Christ to receive him or refuse him so wee may conclude of our predestination Thus of the birth of Gods thoughts 3. The life and actings of those thoughts how they move how they forme themselves and put forth themselves towards us and the manifestation of them to us 1. They are thoughts that delightfully reflect on themselves God takes a great deale of pleasure in his own gracious thoughts to poore sinners Deut. 30.9 God is said there to delight to doe us good And Micah 7.18 Who is a God like thee that pardoneth iniquitie and passeth by transgression he keepeth not anger for ever because he delighteth in mercy Though mercy seemes most to concerne us yet God is joyed in his own thoughts of mercy Wee may be sad at something in the best thoughts we thinke for some mixture of sin or vanitie in them but Gods thoughts are so excellent like himselfe that he rejoyceth in them as in himselfe 2. These thoughts delight in minding the good of poore sinners and so consequently take delight that poore sinners should be the better for them So in the said two places of Deut. 30.9 Micah 7.18 The precious stones with the names of the Tribes in them on Aarons breast signifie how Christ carries sinners in the thoughts and affections of his heart 3. They are compassionate-relenting thoughts if I may so say over a poore sinner that God hath wounded in the heart for sinne and is now complaining of his sinne Jer. 31.18 I have surely heard saith the Lord Ephraim bemoaning himselfe thus Thou hast chastised mee and I was chastised that is I felt it Turne thou mee and I shall be turned for thou art the Lord my God Surely after that I was turned I repented and after that I was instructed I smote upon my thigh I was ashamed even confounded because I did beare the reproach of my youth Thus Ephraim Now heare the Lords compassionate relentings over these broken repenting praying hearts ver 20. Is Ephraim saith the Lord my deare sonne Is he a pleasant childe For since I spake against him I doe earnestly remember him still Therefore my bowels are troubled for him I will surely have mercy upon him saith the Lord. O admirable soule comforting place God first puts these repenting thoughts into a poore sinner and then how doth his heart melt with compassionating thoughts of mercy resolving to shew kindnesse unto him 4. They are patient opportunitie waiting thoughts to doe a poore distressed soule good Isai 30.18 And therefore will the Lord waite that he may be gracious unto you and therefore will he be exalted to have mercy on you So in the Hebrew For the Lord is a God of judgement or equitie and uprightnesse blessed are all they that wait for him See the Lord sets himselfe forth as some good man that is full of thoughts to doe some worthy worke to shew some notable kindnesse who stands observing and meditating when and how he may take the best opportunitie to doe it He sets himselfe like some Generall in some high eminent place to view when he may step in to rescue and relieve those that are in danger and distresse By which is held forth to us that God is thinking kinde thoughts to us when he is not acting And that he will not deferre a minute to shew us mercy when his time is come 5. Tender caring thoughts for and to the meeke and broken heart Isai 66.2 But to this man will I looke saith the Lord even to him that is of a poore and a contrite heart and trembleth at my Word God will not onely look on such a one to have thoughts of pitie but he will look to him have a care to bind up his wounds The poore that is despised of the world God will look to and shall be blessed in his thoughts Mat. 5. The contrite he will heale Luk. 4.18 Those that mourne for want of a sacrifice as they thinke they bring a thing more acceptable then a sacrifice unto God Psal 51. They that are affraid because of the Word they have here assurance that they are high in Gods thoughts 6. To prevent any objection that sinne might hinder good things from us he tells us that his thoughts are sinne-surpassing thoughts super-abounding above all sinnes And indeed this seems sometimes in some to super-abound the Text that saith My thoughts are above your thoughts For many times some poore sinners cannot get their thoughts above their sinnes but their sinnes doe master their thoughts so that they cannot thinke but that their sinnes surmount all that they can thinke But now in this particular is shewed that Gods thoughts super-abound all our sinnes and unworthinesse Rom. 5.20 Where sinne did abound grace did much more abound And 1 Tâ—â— 1.14 And the grace of our Lord was â—…ing abundant or as it is in the Greeke did super-abound 7. And lastly to number no more particulars The thoughts of God are all 〈…〉 thoughts for them that love him Rom. 8.28 And 〈◊〉 know that all things worke together for good to them that love him How doth the Apostle prove this This he proves from Gods thoughts vers 29. c. Whom he foreknew thâ—◠〈◊〉 predestinated to be confirmed to the image of his Sonne Gods plot is no other then this That 〈◊〉 poore sinner that loves him shall fare no worse according to his measure then his Sonne Christ Jesus Wee are apt to thinke we shall be made thus and thus miserable but Christ
thing to give then to receive God blessed for evermore gives And we could not be ever asking but that God is never weary of giving Many more particulars might be given of the different kinds of our thoughts from Gods but these are enough to enlarge our meditation 8. When we turne about our thoughts to understand the incomparable thoughts of God towards us our thoughts are at a distance fall infinitely short of comprehending them as we should Therefore God saith in the Text My thoughts are above your thoughts And Jerem. 29.11 I know my own thoughts though you doe not as you ought I doe that they are thoughts of peace As Gods thoughts are in regard of matter namely mercy goodnesse pardonings so in measure 1. Infinite Psal 92.5 O Lord how great are thy workes thy thoughts are very deepe Answerable to 1 Cor. 2.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The deep things of God whereby to shelter us from the depths of Satan Revel 2.24 that is sinne sinfull temptations stratagems c. Gods understanding is infinite Psal 147.5 The Apostle makes an heavenly exclamation Rom. 11.33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdome and knowledge of God how unsearchable are his judgements discernings or determinations and his wayes past finding out God hath thoughts of mercy for millions of sinners therefore sure enough for all the sinnes of one sinner 2. Continuall continued without interruption so that as they have no beginning nor ending so no breakin gs off in the middle Ephes 1. Psal 89. 3. Certaine firme established so before the Text The sure mercies of David That is promised to David that is made over to us in Christ the sonne of David That as sure as Christ is in our nature so wee are one with him by faith Christ is the great pledge or witnesse in verse 4th before the Text of Gods mercifull thoughts towards us poore sinners So that if we be unlovely in our selves yet we are acceptable and well-pleasing to God in Christ Mat. 3. last Ephes 1.3 4. Immutable both in kinde and degree They cannot be otherwise or lesse then ever they have been 2 Tim. 2.19 And James saith With him is no shadow of change Yea God in Christ the same for ever Heb. 13. 5. Intuitive God thinks all his thoughts at once As a mans eye sees all it sees at that looke in one twinkling of an eye so God sees all absolutely that ever were are or shall be at once He needs not any rationall intellectuall discourse to goe from one thing to another in his thoughts but he can doth comprehend all at once Now upon these and the like properties of Gods thoughts wee fall very short of and below a due apprehension of Gods thoughts and fall to doubting because in opposition 1. To the infinitnesse of God thoughts our thoughts are finite 〈◊〉 eye nor the Sonne it selfe can behold all the world in its compleat roundnesse much lesse can our finite thoughts reach Gods infinite thoughts 2. To the continuitie of Gods thoughts ours are interrupted broken off oft-times in the middle Many by-thoughts intervene between our most serious thoughts whiles they are rising up to any considerable height of apprehension of Gods thoughts or of any thing that is good and so they disturbe and dissipate our conceipts of minde 3. To the certainty of his thoughts our thoughts are most uncertain thoughts Sometimes they are rather conjectures then resolves rather opinions then judgements rather disputings then determinations And so as the weaknesse of our eye to behold the fixed starres at such a distance makes us thinke they twinckle when as it is the quavering of our weake eye our uncertainty in thinking makes us think Gods thoughts are uncertaine when as it is the uncertaintie and variablenesse of our thoughts 4. To the immutabilitie of Gods thoughts stands in opposition the mutabilitie of our thoughts Sometimes they are on God sometimes off and on the creature And when on God sometimes stronger sometimes weaker sometimes almost nothing Sometimes they catch one thing and let that goe and then catch another and so lose the series method and dependance of things to finde out the excellency of Gods thoughts 5. To the intuitivenesse of Gods thoughts stands opposit the discursivenesse of our thoughts For being we are faine to know by discourse from one thing to another in a rationall way as from the effect to the cause c. And our reason is imperfect and our knowledge is but in part wee must needs oft-times fall very low in apprehending ordinary things much more in diving into extraordinary things Wee cannot alwayes by the utmost compasse of reason reach to the formes of some naturall things how then can our discurive reach Gods intuitive thoughts Now therefore saith the Lord in the Text when yee heare mee speake of such high things as are here mentioned As I will abundantly pardon c. you wonder at them but doe not notwithstanding doubt of them or dispute against them For my thoughts are known to mee Jer. 29.11 they are not so meane and â—ow as yours but farre above as in this 55. of Isaiah and therefore admire but not despaire They are above your thoughts or high as the Heavens are above the Earth But I can tell the altitude of mine own thoughts I think of mercy and of multiplying pardons These two places the Text and Jer. 29.11 hold forth these particulars 1. As if the Lord should say nor you nor any man else no nor Angels which are enquirers into the Gospel 1 Pet. 1.12 can tell my thoughts so well as I my selfe Flesh and bloud could not reveale to Peter the things of Christ Mat. 16.17 And in 1 Cor. 2. The naturall man receiveth not the things of God because spiritually discerned No nor can your spirituall minds comprehend the full of things for yee know in part 1 Cor. 13. As the Nations Mich. 4.12 know not my thoughts nor understand my counsell concerning you so you may labour to know them but still they will passe your knowledge Ephes 3.19 The loving thoughts of my heart are rather felt then understood Rom. 5. I shed my love into your hearts 2. That I even I my selfe doe know all mine own thoughts perfectly how high soever they be I comprehend them all They are all distinctly and fairly written in my heart and I can read and compute and scan every one of them to a tittle and settle them in an unalterable way by an unchangeable decree 3. That I acknowledge my thoughts to be high thoughts of love mercy c. so as I cannot keepe them to my selfe but doe utter them and in order of times and of your necessities do explaine them to you though you cannot reach to the utmost height of them I make them legible to your eyes in my booke and I make them frequently to sound in your eares in the ministrie of my Word and I give you a representation
GODS GRACIOUS THOUGHTS TOVVARDS GREAT SINNERS JER 29.11 But I know the thoughts I thinke towards you saith the Lord thoughts of peace and not of evill to give you an expected end EPHES. 3.19 The love of Christ passeth knowledge LONDON Printed by Matthew Simmons dwelling in Aldersgate-street 1647. NATHANAEL HOMES TO THE CHURCH IN FELLOWSHIP WITH HIM DEare Brethren and Sisters as my compassions to some bleeding hearts among you did put me upon this discourse in our more private weekly meeting so their unexpected importunitie for Copies have necessitated me to print it so as it was suddainly compiled and ruggedly delivered unpolished and untrimmed for publike view of all abroad But being willing you should have it I would rather deny mine own honour then you of any spirituall comfort I might hold forth to you who am yours in the Lord by many strong obligations N. H. From my study in Mary Staynings Decem. 2. 1646. GODS GRACIOUS THOUGHTS TOWARDS GREAT SINNERS ISAIAH 55.8 9. For my thoughts are not your thoughts neither are your wayes my wayes saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher then the earth so are my wayes higher then your wayes and my thoughts then your thoughts THe former part of this Chapter is a most glorious invitation of poore sinners to free mercy vers 1. to the end of the 7th verse in which 7th verse the Lord tells all commers to him that he hath mercy for them and mercy with eminency namely that He will have mercy on them And he will abundantly pardon Or as it is neerer to the Hebrew and is so expressed in the Margin of your Bibles He will multiply to pardon or Multiply pardons The freenesse fulnesse and faithfulnesse of this glorious grace and favour the Lord most strongly demonstrates to confute all doubtings and chase away all feares that are in the hearts of drooping sinners in the verses of the Text. The Catastrophe and upshot of all is this That the Lord having removed their sinnes he will remove their judgements and change their sorrowes into joyes vers 12 13. The substance of the verses of the Text in the sense of them are the matter of the Demonstration The coherence or inference of them in the severall FO RS are the forme that forme them into arguments to remove their doubts and feareâ— As if the Lord should say When I say I will have mercy and abounding or multiplyed pardoning mercy you ought not to doubt of it or feare FOR my thoughts are not your thoughts c. FOR as the heavens are higher then the earth so are my thoughts higher then your thoughts FOR as the raine comes down from heaven c. So that one FOR backs another And then saith the Lord Your sins being done away your judgements shall be removed Ver. 12 13. FOR you shall goe out with joy c. You shall by the effect of removing of your sorrowes discerne the cause viz. the pardoning of your sinnes Doctrine Out of all for the designe in hand I picke and cull this one Doctrine That the incomparablenesse of Gods gracious thoughts towards poore sinners above and beyond their thoughts is sufficient to stop the mouth of all objections and still the cryes of all dejections in all their miseries 1. Note for explanation of this rich Doctrine that our miseries are twofold Afflictions Transgressions Those the threed these the needle For these are they that prick and sting to the quick These the sting in the mouth or tayle of afflictions The sting of death is sinne 1 Cor. 15. A confluence of all afflictions of themselves cannot sting so as the single essence of the sinne when God will set it on the conscience Pauls concupiscence stings him more Rom. 7. then his being killed all the day long Rom. â— Afflictions whip the body sinne the soule The spirit of a man saith Solomon may sustaine his infirmities But a wounded spirit who can heare That is of himselfe without Gods grace Now secondly observe that in all these afflictions and sinnes Gods thoughts towards us poore sinners are such as are incomparable and transcendent above and beyond that wee can thinke 1. Father with simple cogitation That is we cannot thinke towards others in the like case of misery as God thinkes towards us in the same case 2. Or with reflexive comprehension or apprehension that in to conceive what those thoughts of God are towards us in our misery just as he thinkes them Both these seeme to be cleerly in the Text. For the first I can saith the Lord shew mercy wheresoever there is a sence of misery though that misery did as well provoke me by the sin of it as it did grieve man with the affliction of it For my thoughts are not your thoughts For the second If there be abundance of sinnes bringing abundance of iudgements I can saith the Lord abundantly pardon For my thoughts are above your thoughts As if the Lord should say of the first thus Can you have such thoughts of mercy on misery as I can especially where you are provoked Doe not you usually repell violence with violence Doe you not use to render evill for evill Are you not usually for the punitive way Or if you passe by a few wrongs can you passe by abundance Doe you not cry against multiplying of offences Immedicabile vulnus c. cut the putrifying limbe off Doe you not after once or twice warning fall to harming Do not your Magistrates burne in the hand then hang up the neck And you admonish then punish But I can thinke thoughts of mercy contrary to all these as hath been shewed in the Text. For the second You as if the Lord should say can hardly thinke that I can thus thinke but I can For my thoughts are above yours You are men I a God you corrupt I pure I prove it thus Doe you see the disproportion of creatures of the Heavens above the earth Much more between an infinit Creator the creature Can you take the just altitude of the Heavens above the Earth Then note how high my thoughts are above yours Therefore these my thoughts I propound and presse to hush and stop the mouth of all objections and still your sorrowing fearing complaining-dejections If you object any crooked unworthy thing to disparage my thoughts and so to prejudice your selves in laying hold on my thoughts let the answer be my thoughts not as yours Mine in substance are all good right c. As my words are Psal 19. so are my thoughts No evill no iniquitie no crueltie in my thoughts If you thinke any you bring it with you you can finde none in me you goe about to pervert the straight wayes and thoughts of the Lord Act. 13.10 But the Lords thoughts are like himselfe The Lords thoughts and wayes are equall they are yours that are unequall Ezek. 18.25 As if the Lord should say take it for a generall rule What ever your thoughts are if
they be not most just good holy c. they are not mine But you may object you think your thoughts are so Therefore take this for another generall rule That whatsoever thoughts doe not tend to your salvation tend to bring you towards mee according to the designe of this Text and word of mine those thoughts are not my thoughts Ezek. 18. Ezek. 33. If you object secondly that yee cannot imagine how I can have such thoughts of mercy to such sinners as you are The answer is As the Heavens are distant and different from the Earth so are my thoughts above yours The Heavens are so above the Earth that the Earth with all its Cedars mists clouds fiery meteors cannot reach it so nor can your thoughts in a rationall way reach mine And as the Heavens are greater so my thoughts Ephes 3.17 And as the Heavens are bigger then the Earth so my thoughts are like my selfe infinite And as the Heavens are more glorious then the Earth so are my thoughts then yours And as the Heavens give light so doe my thoughts to yours And as the Heavens shine on the bad as well as good Mat. 5.45 so doe my thoughts on sinners as well as on Saints If you object thirdly that though these are effectuall expressions in themselves able to doe much yet they do not take affect your soules The answer is that as the operations of the Heavens in drawing up mists and powring them downe in raine doe the worke the raine returnes not in vaine so shall my word be that expresseth my thoughts If the heavens do not shine raine rowle raise the Sunne c. in vaine but cause spring harvest c. then sure my thoughts shining and dropping in my words shall not be in vaine If as the earth waites on the heavens so you waite seed-time spring-time harvest-time will come My thoughts shall take hold of your thoughts and overcome them and transforme them into mine your thoughts shall trust in my thoughts of truth your thoughts shall hope in my thoughts of mercy your thoughts shall rejoyce in my thoughts of love your thoughts shall rest quietly in my thoughts of peace that all your sins are pardoned and so your judgements shall be done away at least as judgements Vsefull is this 1. To put us upon the consideration of Gods thoughts so farre as we are able by enlightened reason 1. How different in kinde our thoughts are from Gods thoughts 2. How distant and short in degree our thoughts are below Gods thoughts when we set about to apprehend them Both these are in the Text and Doctrine as we said compare Jerem. 29.11 1. For the difference in kinde 1. Our thoughts cannot be first towards God in the businesse of our salvation our thoughts cannot be the first-mover For naturally our thoughts and imaginations are onely evill continually Gen. 6.5 Wee are borne wild Asses Colis Job 11.12 Wee goe astray as soone as wee are borne but Gods thoughts are first in our salvation He saith the Psalmist understandeth our thoughts afarre off or long before Therefore his thoughts are precedent to ours He here in the 6 and 7th verses before the Text makes the first motion about our salvation and as it is in 1 Job 4.19 We love him because he loved us first and therefore his thoughts first move ours His love first sounds forth then our love is as the Eccho He first allureth then we are drawn A mighty Comfort that his thoughts being first towards us their graciousnesse must needs be free Though wee cannot glory in our thoughts as preventing or perswasive of Gods thoughts yet we may glory in this greater thing that Gods thoughts anticipate prevent and perswade our thoughts Acti agimus wee in every thought and deed act not but as we are acted by God Gods thoughts are the Originall ours but the Copy 2. Our thoughts are not kinde thoughts sweet thoughts to others we are selfe-lovers the originall sin of the world See Adam Doe wee thinke thoughts of love to our enemies Especially unsought unto Much lesse would we prompt them to seeke unto us that we might shew them kindnesse Would their misery be our pitie Would it not be our joy rather So uncharitable is nature that we rejoyce in iniquitie But God hath all the contrary thoughts to these 3. Our thoughts are limited thoughts we cannot pitie or pardon if we doe either much or many Wee say how oft Mat. 18.21 Wee are ready to study an end afore wee begin But Gods thoughts of mercy are abounding thoughts and multiplying thoughts thoughts of abounding mercy and multiplying mercies and pardons He shews mercy to thousands of generations Exod. 20. and therefore to thousands of sinnes of one soule He heales backslidings Hos 14. Observe the indefinite expression And the Psalmist speaks of a multitude of mercies Psal 5.7 Psal 100.7 Isaiah speakes of multitudes of loving kindnesses Isa 63.7 And Jeremy saith There is no failing of his mercy so we are not confirmed How much and how many evills did he pardon in Manasseh Magdalen Saul How many backslidings in Peter and much more in Solomon I may say to a true beleever as he doth not make an end of sinning so God cannot make an end of pardoning But then as his pardoning takes off our feare of sinne so it takes off our love of sinne His good will takes off our ill wills Rom. 7. 4. Our thoughts at best have much reluctation against good and ordinarily much evill in them Rom. 7. But Gods thoughts are all good altogether good purely and perfectly good and concerning our good to cure us of our evill and to fill us with good Jer. 29.11 So it is said Psal 119. God is good and doth good 5. Our thoughts when not vile are vaine Jer. 4.14 But Gods thoughts are great and maine thoughts touching the great things of our salvation 6. Our thoughts are of contentions with men and of transgression against God Isa 55.7 But Gods are of peace and reconciliation So argued in Text and Jer. 29.11 He is the God of all peace and sutable are his thoughts 7. Our thoughts are craving begging thoughts we are all upon the getting hand of man by intreating of God by praying wee are more in prayer then in praise But Gods thoughts are giving thoughts bountifull thoughts thoughts of giving afore our asking and more then many times we dare aske so before and in the Text. And Jer. 29.11 when they are despairing he would be giving I am found of them that sought me not Isai 65.1 God gave more to Paul then he thought on Acts 9. and compare 1 Tim. 1. Yea Solomon had more then he asked So the promise is Seeke first the kingdome of God We aske oft to beleeve he gives more Phil. 1.29 We aske oft to overcome such or such a thing such a sinne but in that God gives us to overcome many other sinnes Thus is it most true that it is a more blessed
had those thoughts of grace and favour 2. God is pleased to propose to us his Justice conditionally upon our obstinacy against mercy So all along the Scripture But holds forth his offer of mercy absolutely without any condition of ours Isai 55.1 Isai 43.25 Revel 22.17 If at any time there be any sound of a condition it is one of his own making and in-making in us subordinate not opposit to free grace Ephes 2.8 And he that thinks to save thinks to give faith 3. God is pleased to signifie to us that he loves to have his mercy rejoyce over his justice Jam. 2.13 Grace glorieth It is the glory of Gods mercy that it preventeth judgement 4. In that God hates sinne and hath justice to punish it he hath provided a Saviour to remove the guilt and filth of sinne 1 Cor. 1. last save one 2 Cor. 5. last He made Christ taking our nature upon him and sanctifying it and making atonement in it to be sin for us that we might be made the righteousnesse of God On him he laid the iniquities of us all Isai 53. And on us he laid the righteousnesse of God 2 Cor. 5. last The righteousnesse of God therefore good enough to be acceptable to himselfe and great enough being infinite to appease him for the finite unrighteousnesse of man 5. And lastly God doth love to dignifie the second Adam above the first yea to make Christ the plaister more soveraigne then Adam the soare can be malignant Rom. 5. 1 Cor. 15. It 's the businesse of those two Chapters The upshot of all is set down in golden Letters Rom. 5. Two last verses Where sinne abounded grace did much more abound That as sinne hath reigned unto death so might grace REIGNE mark the phrase through righteousnesse unto eternall life by Jesus Christ our Lord. By which it appeares that as heretofore sin did reigne over us so now Gods gracious favour through Christs righteousnesse should reigne over our sinnes And that the benefit might be imparted to poore sinners abounding with sinne God would make his grace of favour much more to abound Of which see more in that glorious Scripture 1 Tim. 1.14 2. Exercise faith upon the birth of these thoughts of mercy Namely that as they are conceived from Gods most excellent sweet nature so they are brought to the birth of a gracious predestinatiō appointment purpose or choosing Rom. 8.29 Whom he did foreknow out of those thoughts of mercy that were conceived in his sweet nature he did predestinate and appoint What to doe or be To be made conformable to his Sonne Christ Jesus They should be according to their capacitie in no worse condition then his Sonne Jesus Christ Ephes 1.3 4 5. Hath blessed us with all spirituall blessings in heavenly places or things in Christ According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world having predestinated us unto the Adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himselfe according to the good pleasure of his will See here the good will of God is the rise of predestination and predestination is the rise of choosing of purpose see presently Those purposes of God are free unconstrained unnecessitated they arise out of his own free nature and good will Ephes 1.11 In whom that is in Christ wee have obtained an inheritance being predetion did according to the purpose of him that worketh all things according to the Counsell of his own will Observe he saith not according to the Counsell of his understanding As if he would know find and consider something in us But according to the Counsell of his own will His good will and sweet inclination to poore sinners is that which puts forth these thoughts of grace and favour So that as in Isai 43.25 He assures us that as he can love himselfe so he can blot out sinnes So here he doth warrant us that as he cannot be of another nature but as the Angel sang Good will to men he is of a sweet and mercifull disposition so he purposeth salvation to poore sinners 2. These purposes of favour are unmoveable and unchangeable 2 Tim. 2.19 Neverthelesse though false-hearted Hymeneus and Philetus fall off the foundation of God standeth sure having this seale The Lord knoweth who are his So that against all feares of change this becomes an assurance that whom he loves he loves to the end Joh. 13.1 With him saith James is no shadow of changeing And this second particular the birth of Gods gracious thoughts with the properties answers many objections that might arise For God is not unresolved to save them whom he loves in his everlasting thoughts as a man is unresolved oft times whether to have her whom he loves God is unmoveable from his purposes of mercy by any thing that is in us or from us Object But in Gods purpose and predestination lyes also his reprobation and that breeds doubts and feares in us Answ 1. It is true that when God electeth some consequently he passeth by others But this preterition passing by or non-election doth onely leave men to shift for themselves it doth not passe any condemnation upon them that are omitted For it were unjust with God to our understanding to purpose to condemne his creature without an eye and relation to some wrong the creature should doe him So that it is some other thought beyond that of passing by that reprobates which wee call predamnation or fore-condemning Which is that God foreseeing any man to sinne obstinately and perpetually against the means of grace offered to him on him God puts forth a purpose of condemning him God doth elect freely because we cannot doe the least imperfect good as all is imperfect but from the gift and power of Gods goodnesse But reprobation is for the desert of sinne because wee can as Adam did most freely and fully sinne of our selves A Magistrate rewards some subjects freely though they have done some good For they had their life livelihood education c. under their good government to doe that good And the good it selfe is a sufficient allurement vertue being lovely enough in it selfe and a sufficient reward of it selfe every vertue yeelding at least a certain Inward quietation of minde as the Heathen Philosopher confesseth as also an outward honour among Civill honest men and therefore Honor dicitur ab honestate Honour hath its derivation of name and thing from honesty But the Magistrate cannot with any justice condemne or punish any Subject nor have a purpose so to doe but as he hath an eye upon and evidence of that mans transgressing By the same proportion with infinite more exactnesse God doth purpose and elect to salvation freely but cannot purpose to reprobate any to condemnation but upon sure evidence that such will sinne impenitently against the meanes of grace 2 Chron. 36.11 12 13 14 15 16. Pro. 29.1 But you will say that Gods passing by those that are not elected doth put a necessitie that
be father of mercyes Hee had not suffered his to have been miserable but to the intent to bee more glorious in his mercy Hee concluded all saith the Apostle in unbeleife that he might have mercy upon all And then it s presently added O the depth of the riches both of the wisdome and knowledg of God! Rom. 11.32.33 And hee is the God of all consolation therefore of some to some And he comforteth us It is his antient wont to comfort and hee will not loose his wont With God is no shadow of change no eclipsing of his beames and he so inlightens beleevers as starres that they shine upon things below He will give comfort to them and for a witnesse of it they shall be able to comfort others They shall see their own comfort was good in that it takes with others Yea so comforted that they shall indite a praise to God for it Blessed be God that comforteth us Therefore O ye that have seen your claime to this comfort take it to you grasp it doe not let every distemper melancholy c. baffle you of your comfort Doe as David Psal 42. ult Psal 43. ult Why the soule and Wherefore the soule examine it upon interrogatories convince it with Quaeries Why art thou cast down O my soule and why art thou disquieted within me Hope thou in God for I shall yet praise him who is the health of my countenance and my God As long as we have God the God of all comfort to be ours by as good interest as others had him on earth that are now in heaven why should we be cast down What can ill us wherein God cannot or will not comfort us who is the God of all comfort that comforteth in all tribulation The consideration of this Text and Doctrine and our interest in it is enough to resolve and cleare all doubts As whether we may cry to him in prayer in times of misery Answ He is the Father of mercies Whether we may approach near him after reciduations and backslidings into sin Answ He is the Father of mercies Whether we shall not sinck in any condition for want of comfort enough Answ He is the God of all comfort that comâ—orteth in all tribulation If we fear this affliction or that affliction as one cryes O I do not know how I should indure poverty another moanes O how shall I encounter with the feare of death The answer here is full to all cases God is the God of all comfort Father of mercies in the plurall and comforteth his in all tribulation Ob. But God is just too Answ And this is a comfort to a beleever that layes hold on his free mercy 1. Joh. 1.9 If we confesse our sins he is faithfull and JUST to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousnesse And 2 Thess 1.6 It is a RIGHTEOUS or just thing with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you and to you who are troubled rest with us c. So that Gods Justice is a friend to beleevers against sins and afflictions Ob. But God is a God of purity that cannot indure iniquity and of power to crush us for it in our afflictions Answ Gods goodnesse is the Complexion of his nature and the perfection of all his Attributes and therefore as he is prone to comfort so by reason of his purity he is pure in his comfort and by reason of his power he is powerfull in his comforts Yea and he hints to us that it is more sutable to his nature and more answerable to his direct designe to save and comfort then to condemn and destroy his creature Joh. 3.16 17. God so loved the world that he gave his onely begotten son that whosoever beleeveth in him should not perish but have everlasting life For God sent not his son into the world to condemn the world but that the world through him might be saved And Jam. 2.13 Mercy rejoyceth against judgement Say thou then as Psal 77.16 My flesh faileth and my heart faileth but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever For surely Gods design is to make his child like himself in as much as he is willing to communicate himselfe to make him full of comfort Joh. 15.11 Therefore he bids us so oft to rejoyce Phil. 4 4. 1 Thess 5. c. Therefore whereas we cry out for want of comfort we have just cause rather to cry out against our selves that wee receive not in that comfort God holds out unto us For what by passion and what by indiscretion wee are like Rachel that wept and would not be comforted In quietnesse and confidence is our vest and safety And the joy of the Lord shall be our strength If our faith of adherence doth but work kindly in cleaving to Christ that 's comfort Every thing is in a good estate in its own center If the Lord keeps us from despaire and puts us in hope of comfort that is also a comfort Ob. We say we have no comfort because we feele it not within see it not work outwardly Answ But we may be rich though wee doe not alwayes â—ight or poyse the bagges or make them jingle or see the money powred forth To have them in possession is the richnesse of our condition We have life and reason when we are as we lay dead asleep To misse comfort is a sign we had comfort And Christ saith our joy shall remain Joh. 15.11 though our sight and sense of it doth not alwaies appeare It is a signe there 〈◊〉 some water of joy in the pumpe of our desires while wee â—â—mpe for more Ob But you will say you have no joy and therefore you doubt whether you have Christ Answ But we say a wife is a wife by vertue of her Covenant in marriage even then when she is melancholy And joy may glorifie and beautifie our spirits more but to beleeve in God through Christ when we have no actuall joy doth more glorifie and honour God This shews more pure faith Isa 〈◊〉 .10 to trust God without the pawne of sense and feeling Ob. Thou sayest thou goest mourning from day to day for comfort and canst not attain unto it Answ Wee tell thee such desires of comfort they argue grace as mysts doe quick fountaines where they are thickest Matth. 5. Blessed are they that mourn blessed are they that hunger and thirst for righteousnesse It 's more actuall comfort to be desirous of a mercy and think we have it not then to know we have it and to be glutted with it or carelesse of it Ob. But thou wilt say thou hast waited long for comfort and yet hast it not to thy content Answ We tell thee it will be double in measure and sweetnesse when it comes A desire fulfilled after a long deferring is saith Solomon a tree of life Qu. But thou queriest what shalt thou doe the while An. Wee tell thee 1 God supports thee the while and that is great comfort 2 Thou shalt have communion with God in sâ—…king and waiting and that also is a great comfort 3 Thou shalt â—ave so much of the oyle of gladnesse as to glib the wheels of thy soule to carry thee on to any heavenly journey till thou arâ—… at glory Amen FINIS