hereof 3. When the Lord surprizeth His People with a Mercy and a Deliverance and cometh upon them with an unexpected Out-gate whether 1. As to their present Frame and Fitness for the mercy and delivery Or 2. As to their Present Hopes and Expectation When First I say the Lord cometh with a sweet and merciful delivery unto a People that seem to be in no present capacity for it as being out of all good Frame or Fitness for receiving such a mercy with advantage because lying in their sin and impenitency When the Lord cometh with Salvation unto such a people sure his way must be covered with darkness and hid from the eyes of Beholders with a clothing of Soveraignity for who could think that deliverance were upon its march towards such a people who are not seeking it nor turning from their sinful wayes that the Lord may have mercy upon them according to his usual Method and Order Such steps of Soveraignity are hid steps of Majesty and full of Glory and therein the Lord is hiding Himself and His way coming with Salvation in an unusual path As when he saith Esai 57 17 18. For the iniquity of his Covetousness I was wroth and smote him I hid me and was wroth and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart I have seen his wayes and will heal him I will lead him also and restore Comforts unto him and to his mourners Next When the Lord surprizeth a people with a mercy that they are not in Expectation of nor Waiting for then he acteth like a stately King and His Way is Glorious and hid as it was when the Captivity was brought back from Babylon concerning which they say Psal. 126 vers 2. When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion we were like them that dream It is true they had good ground to be now looking for their delivery because of the Prophecy of Ieremiah foretelling that after Seventy Years they should return back to their owne land and Daniel understood so much and thereupon when the time was approaching set himself to pray Dan. 9. But as to the generality they were in all appearance little looking for this outgate but rather fearing more trouble and vexation by Babylons warrs with the Medes and the Persians who were coming against them though the name of Cyrus because of what was foretold by Esai Ch. 44. and 45. might have caused them lift up their heads in hope But notwithstanding of all this we see they were at least as to the generality and bulk of the people little looking for an outgate at this time therefore at the first report of freedom granted to them to returne they were like men that dream scarce beleeving their owne eyes and eares At which time while they were in this dreaming posture how were they surprized with this mercy And how was the way of the Lord in His stately Marchings hid from their eyes In reference to this same Dispensation of deliverance to his People by Crus is the Prophet here crying out thus Verily thou art a God that hidest thy self as the former part of the Chapter from the beginning cleareth 4. When Dispensations upon the one hand and the other say that in humane probability there is no appearance or ground of hope of an outgate or deliverance yet delivery cometh in an unexpected way how hid must the way of the Lord then be Thus He loveth to hide Himself in His advancing with Salvation when there is no appearance to humane Consideration whether mens eye be upon the Enemies or upon the People of God themselves As to Enemies they may 1. Be Strong Mighty and Invincible the Consideration of which might alone be sufficient to dash all hopes as who could have thought that the People of Israel being so under the feet of that mighty Monarch Pharaoh could get out of his Territories and be freed of his mighty Yoke 2. They may not only be strong but prevalent and prospering in their evil way all things succeding according to their mind the Lord as it were shining upon their Counsels and granting to them their hearts desire crossing them in none of their wicked interprizes and designes but even suffering them to devise mischiefe upon their bed and to put it the next day in execution Was it not so with Saul in his wicked persecution of David oftentimes Had he him not sometimes in a net and compassed him about on all hands that there was no apparent escaping and yet deliverance came 3. They may be also Crafty and Politick and lay their traines so sure that they may think they cannot misgive and have all things prepared to their minde that in a moment they may blow up His People that there should not so much as a memorial of them be left and yet be disappointed The Lord in an unseen way may bring about His Peoples deliverance so was it with the people of the Iewes in the dayes of Mordecay when Haman had gote a Commission sealed by the Kings ring and a Decree passed that might not be ranversed or recalled the day appointed and designed and that by a lot as having something like a divine approbation Orders dispatched to put all in execution and thus the mine was ready for the springing what hop could the poor Iewes then have of a delivery And yet behold the Lord was then a God that hid himself He was counter-working this myne and laying a back traine that might cause it spring back upon the Authors and so it did as the Storie cleareth When the Enemies thought themselves sure of their designes and thought it impossible that their purposes could fail behold the God of Israel the Saviour was hiding himself and laying an unseen ambush that cutt them off who thought to have destroyed the Iewes So upon the other hand this God will bring about deliverance to his People When upon their part there is not one toaken for good not one thing apparent that can be a probable ground of hope As 1. When their strength is gone and there are none shut up or left not a man that might be an hopful Instrument to the fore all their valiant Men and Men of Courage and such of whom any thing could be expected destroyed and taken away Yet He who is a God that hideth Himself can come in an unseen way and loveth to come so according to that gracious Word Deut. 32 vers 36. For the Lord shall judge his People and repent Himself for His Servants when he seeth that their power is gone and there is none shut up or left Was it not thus also in the dayes of Deborah when there was not a spear or sheild seen among Fourty Thousand in Israel Iudg. 5 vers 8. 2. When their heart and courage is gone they are desponding and desparing and looking on their own case as hopless and helpless as it is said of the People of Iudah while in Babylon who said Ezek.
print of the nails and thrust his hand in his side Ioh. 20 25. And what unbeleefe these Disciples vented who were going to Emmaus unto the Lord himself whom they knew not we may see Luk. 24 21. and may gather from Christ's sharpe rebuke vers 25 26. O fools and slow of heart to beleeve all that the Prophets have spoken Ought not Christ to have suffered these things and to have entered into his Glory 2. Fainting of heart So long as the shipe saileth faire before the winde a raw sea-man will have courage enough Men at Christ's back who have not yet had a storme blowing in their face will be as stout as Peter who nothing doubted but he would lay down his life for his Master who yet when the Lord is out of sight and his cause seemeth to be upon the declineing hand will shrink and turn back at a very small temptation As Peter did deny his Master and that with cursing and swearing at the very word of a Damsel 3 Self love is another evil that such a day as this will discover Many will appear very self denied and willing to hazard all for Christ and His Cause in a faire day who when a storme cometh will be unwilling enough to cast their goods over board to save the shipe In a day when the Lord is hiding himself many will seek to save skin and life by such indirect courses as sometime they would have been ashamed of 4. Impatience How doth the heart of many too often say little less than that graceless King said This evil is of the Lord why should I waite any longer for the Lord 2 King 6 vers 33. Such expressions as that good man had in that dark day do evince this sufficiently Psal. 77 v. 7 8 9. Will the Lord cast off for ever And will He be favourable no more Is His mercy clean gone for ever Doth His promise fail for evermore Hath God forgotten to be gracious Hath He in anger shut up His tender mercies 2. The Lord followeth this way and methode that he may put his people to the trial and exercise of the graces of His Spirit such as these 1. Their Faith in Him and in His Word and Promise It is no great art or difficulty to beleeve that God will make good His promise when he is in the sight of all beholders most manifestly accomplishing whatever he said and promised But for Abraham to beleeve that in his seed all the Nations of the Earth should be blessed and that his Seed should be multiplied as the Stars of the Heaven for multitude when he had not one Child and himself was stricken in years his body now as good as dead he being about an hundered Yeers old and when Sarahs Womb was also dead that was faith then his faith appeared while he against hope beleeved in hope when he staggered not at the promise of God through unbeleefe but was strong in the faith giving Glory to God for he was fully perswaded that what God had promised He was able also to perform Rom 4 vers 18 19 20 21. Againe It was no great matter for Abraham to beleeve that it would be as the Lord had said when Sarah was with Childe had brought forth her Son and he was healthy and thriving but to beleeve the accomplishment of the promise when God said unto Him Go offer up thy Son thy only Son Isaac there was faith accounting that God was able to raise him up from the dead Heb. 11 vers 19. Thus faith is both tried and exercised 2. Patience is also tried and exercised when the Lord is out of sight seemeth to say He will not yet come the time is not yet come We oft cry out How long will the Lord hide his face not so much out of an earnest love and desire to see his face againe as out of impatience Psal 6 vers 2. and 13 v. 1. and 35 17. and 90 13. Iob. 7 v. 19. Hab. 1. v. 2. The Lord will thus teach his people to stand upon their watch and upon the watch towr till the Vision that is yet for an appointed time and tarrieth shall speak Hab. 2 vers 1 3. 3. To try and exercise their hope for that is the fit time for the exercise of this grace when humane appearance and probability faileth and when the Lord hideth himself and delayeth his coming Rom. 8 v. 24 25. for usually then people are ready to say there is no hope Esa. 57 10. our hope is lost Ezek. 37 11. What is my strength said holy Iob Ch. 6 11. that I should hope It is good in such a case to say with the Church Lam. 3 24. The Lord is my portion therefore will I hope in Him 4. To try and exercise their Submission to and Dependance upon Him That they may learne to carry as humble Children that they may say with David Psal. 131. Lord my heart is not haughty nor mine eyes lofâ—…y neither do I exercise my self in great matters or in things too high for me Surely I have behaved and quieted myself as a Childe that is weaned of his Mother my soul is as a weaned Childe And so hope in the Lord not arrogantly set limites unto the holy One of Israel nor prescribe a way that he must follow but leave him to follow His own way and method with due Submission and Dependance laying the hand upon the mouth when He is pleased to hide himself and to take another way then we would possibly wish or desire 5. To try exercise their Diligence and Constancy in Prayer and Watchfulness As when the Master delayeth his coming so when he hideth himself as if he were not coming or would not come many are ready to fall from duty and fall a beating their fellow servants and to eating and drinking c. Mat. 24 48 94. Therefore the Lord will have all His People set a watching as not knowing what houre or after what manner He will come and to exercise them in this duty of Watchfulness and Diligence he will come and not let them know of His coming nor tell them when or after what manner He will come The Consideration of this should in general teach all His people as upon the one hand to guard against and bewar of these evils mentioned which Satan and Corruption upon occasion of the Lords hiding of His Way and keeping Himself under clouds after the manner mentioned doth provoke stirre up the soul unto so upon the other hand to minde faithfully set about the Duties mentioned which are especially called for at such a time But more particularly we may mentione some duties and recommend them to the practice of His People in such a day as this As 1. This Dispensation calleth upon all Gods People to be observing the Lord in all His wayes and actions and to mark His footsteps even when they can not be seen to observe His stately goings in Majestie
For the Wise man telleth us here that no man can help any thing that they suppose God hath made amisse or make any thing straight which God hath made crooked who can saith he make that straight which He hath made crooked Among several other wholsome Instructions which Salomon giveth us in this penetential discourse of his this is one That we would Consider the Work of God that is Take notice of what He is doing and working ponder upon His works Meditate upon them and dwell on the thoughts thereof and lay to heart His Providential disposal of all Things Actions and Events and His ordering and mannaging of them all to His own Glory and according to His own mind and absolute will and pleasure And that so as to acquiesce in what He doth to rest satisfied with it and to comply heartily and cheerfully therewith in all points without Murmureing Fretting Repineing or Quarrelling And He addeth a Reason which is that we are here mainely to speak to for who can make that straight which he hath made crooked This question is an emphatick negation of the thing and is as much as if he had said it is absolutly Impossible that any Creature Man or Angel can make straight what God hath made crooked They cannot Counter work the Lord they cannot undo what He hath done they cannot amend what they suppose is made or done amisse This He had said before Chap 1 vers 15. that which is crooked cannot be made straight And here He maketh this Improvement of it and as it were draweth this use from it That we should consider the Works of the Lord as if He had said The Consideration of this that no man can make any thing straight that they suppose God hath made crooked should move us to complye with and contentedly acquiesce in whatsoever God doth under the Sun by His mighty Power and according to His unchangable Purpose and Counsel and to the everlasting determinations of His holy will These words give ground to enquire 1. What are those crooked things which God hath made 2. How and why it is that these crooked things cannot be made straight by one or other of the Creatures 3. What way we should upon this account Consider the Works of God or what Improvement we should make of this Impossibility of helping what we suppose is amisse in the Lord's Works of Providence As to the first VVe may not suppose that to speak properly any thing that God doth is crooked but our corrupt unsatisfied mindes look upon many passages of God's All-ruling and All-disposing Providence as crooked and as such as we would faine have altered if we had our wills Some of which we can onely mention and these we may reduce to two Heads 1. Touching some things that are more controverted 2. Touching some things that are less controverted As to the more controverted we shall mention only these following 1. Not only do our hearts rise up against the Holy and Soveraigne Acts of Gods will in choosing whom He would unto eternal Life and in passing by oâ—…hers as we see Rom. 9. Corrupt Reason that will not submit unto the Lord and His wayes spurneth against that saying that God hath mercy on whom He will and Iacob have I loved c. Vers. 13 15. and responsateth against God objecting upon this account unrighteousness unto the just and holy One of Israel V. 14. But also against His holy Executions of these His Holy and Soveraigne Decrees Paul had concluded that God had mercy on whom He would and hardened whom He would Vers. 18. And corrupt Reason will againe carp and say If so why doth He yet finde fault For who hath resisted His will Vers. 19. Unto which the Apostle must returne a sharp and silenceing answere Vers. 20 21 22 23. Nay but O Man who art thou that repliest or disputest against God Shall the thing formed say to Him that formed it why hast thou maâ—… me thus Hath not the Potter power over the Clay of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour and another unto dishonour c. 2. So in the matter of the Lord's dispensing the meanes of grace and the Gospel we wonder at the Lords Way and cannot understand how it is that He should hide this Mysterie from Ages and Generations Col. 1. vers 26. Ephes 3 v. 9. should send the Gospel to one place and not unto another and why He should forbid the Apostles to goe preach the good newes of Salvation in Asia and in Bithinia Act. 16 vers 6 7 Why He should continue the Gospel long with one people and remove it quickly from another and Non-church them And why one Nation and People should enjoy the meanes of grace for many ages and others for many ages never once have a report of Salvation through Christ but be left from one generation to another in blackness of darkness in woful Idolatry and Ignorance This piece of the Lord's work seemeth so crooked and so unlike to and incorrespondent with or repugnant to the attributes of God as to His Mercy Loving Kindness and Goodness unto some that they to make up this supposed gap and set right this crook in the Lords way feigne and imagine an Universal Objective Grace or an Universal Gospel that is that God hath given to all Nations how barbarous so ever those meanes of Grace and Salvation which if they would improve aright would prove saving and so must imagine that the Sun Moon and Stars Raines and fruitful Seasons and other works of Creation and Providence do preach out that Mysterie of Salvation through a crucified Christ contrare to Scripture and to all Sense and Reason or that there is another way to Salvation than by saith in a crucified Christ which is also contrare to the Scripture Act. 4 vers 12. Thus the Arminians and Semi Arminians and Quakers think to make this crooked work of God straight but in vaine We should rather minde that which Paul hath Rom. 11 33. after he had spoken of the rejection of the Jewes and the Lords taking-in the Gentiles O the depth of the riches both of the wisdome and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and his wayes past finding out Vers. 34. For who hath known the minde of the Lord or who hath been his Counsellour Vers. 35. Or who hath first given to him and it shall be recompensed to him againe Vers. 36. For of him and through him and to him are all things to whom be glory for ever Amen And minde the purpose of God here Ephes. 1 v. 8 9 10. and 3 9 10 11. 3 The way of the Lord in this matter seemeth so crooked to Pelagians and their followers Arminians Socinians and Quakers ' with Papists and Iesuites that all this contrivance of an Vniversal Objective Grace or an Universal Gospel will not satisfie them nor be enough in their apprehensions to set this crook even but they must further
reproved is their construeing of Gods Minde Affection and Covenant-Relation towards them according to these outward dispensations and the hideings of himself like a foolish childe that would think the Mother had forsaken him and cast him off each time that she were out of sight or set him out of her armes So that the thing here reprovable is their drawing wrong Conclusions from these outward changes such as these 1. God hideth Himself therefore His heart is changed and He is no more their Father His love is altered His Grace Favour and Promises fail 2. God hideth Himself and they see Him not therefore all are undone there is no more hope we are cut off for our parts as Ezekiel 37. 3. God hideth Himself therefore we are cast out of the Covenant our state is changed we have no more any place in his favour or room in his love we are in the state of the dead 4 The Lord hideth Himself is out of sight therefore all that He hath done formerly and we looked upon as His work of grace love have been but delusions and not his work in very deed 5. The Lord hideth Himself therefore His cause shall be destroyed His work shall never be perfected His enemies shall never be overthrown 6. The Lord hideth His face and appeareth not Therefore our Salvation is desperat and hopeless These wrong Conclusions the like are justly reprovable argue a wrong perverse consideration of the Dispensations of the Lord quite contradictory to the Truth here asserted therefore should be seriously guarded against such thoughts when they enter the soul occupy the mind should be rejected dismissed with abhorrence as temptations and irrational and antievangelick suggestions of Satan Next We may hence learne how to answer and with grounded reason repel the forementioned sinful Suggestions false Insinuations when the Devil assaulteth us therewith to trouble our Peace marre our Joy brangle our Hope and weaken our Confidence thereby bring us into a Fainting Misbeleeving Desponding and Heartless Disposition of Spirit For whatever the outward dispensations of the Lord be His Covenant stands fast and His Covenant-relation abideth the same and His heart and love abideth fixed and unchangable His purposes alter not His thoughts take place in all generations how great so ever the difference be betwixt the one and the other as to His dispensations in them And the fixed faith of this would prove a notable preservative against fainting and faithless fears and would Strengthen Support and Uphold the heart in the midst of all these contrary waves this would be good fast ground whereon the soul may ride at anchor saifly in the midst of all these stormes and horrible tempests Thirdly Hence we see the great advantage of the people of God who have cut a covenant with the Lord as the Scripture phrase is and are become His and have an interest in Him as theirs Let the Lord's dispensations outwardly be never so dark and sad and such as those who are utter strangers to the Scriptures and to the Lord's way of dealing with His people would interprete to be manifest evidences and demonstrations of God's off casting yet they may fing with the sweet Psalmist of Israel and say Although mine house be not so with God yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant ordered in all things and sure for this is all my salvation and all my desire although he make it not to grow 2 Sam. 23. 5. O how great is this advantage that they may by faith read love in His heart when anger seemeth to flow out of His hands And that his Interest in and relation to His people theirs to Him againe abideth firme and unshaken notwithstanding of all the outward sore and sharpe passages of his providence What Joy Peace and Comfort may the thoughts of this yeeld unto His sad hearted people when troubled at the consideration of His sharpe dispensations Fourthly Here is likewise great encouragment and a strong motive to enduce and perswade unto a closeing of a Covenant with God And Oh that all who are as yet strangers hereunto would at length be moved to lay hold on Him while his armes are stretched out to welcome embrace all who will come Secondly We may hence observe That there is a discovery to be had of the standing relation betwixt God and His people even when the Lord hideth Himself For the Lord was now hiding Himself or appearing as such unto the Prophet and yet the Prophet saw him withall to be the God of Israel and the Saviour In the former point we saw That the relation betwixt God and His people doth stand notwithstanding of the Lords hideing of His face and not appearing openly by acts sutable to such a relation But though this be so yet His people may want the heart-confirming sight thereof And now in this point we hear That His people may be helped unto this sight and discovery even in such a day wherein the Lord hideth Himself And that 1. When the Lord leadeth them in by Faith to see His unchangeable Nature Purposes and Decrees as also his Truth and unchangable Word together with the other Particular grounds of this unchangablness in Gods Relations towards His people formerly mentioned the hand of God must lead them in to this secret chamber where discovering the Lord and His way with His people they see his heart abiding the same however His face may frown rodes may be in His hands Now when faith getteth right apprehensions of God and winneth to a right discovery of Him they see this connexion that otherwise would be dark and questionable and they see a reality and subsistence in the promises 2. The Lord helpeth them to see thorow the dark cloud and the black dispensation and to read what is written on the backside thereof or what standeth behinde the courtine of the present sad dispensation And then they discover Faithfulness and Unchangablness in God Love Truth Mercy in all his dispensations 3. The Lord blunteth the edge of the temptations of Satan and lets His Child see the unreasonablness of what is objected the absurdity of the Inference that Satan and corrupt Reason would make draw from the Lords way of procedoure Yea he helpeth them to draw the contrary Conclusions and that upon certaine approven grounds confirmed by manifold experience 4. The Lord discovereth unto them the firm connexion betwixt these saddest and blakest Dispensations and the faire Promises and the noble Outgate that is coming to His people And then they cannot but see him to be Israel's God even when He hideth Himself 5. The Lord thinketh good sometime to give in the darkest day and in the darkest houre of the night some glimpses of His glory in behalfe of His People to shew that He is not altogether unmindful of them that He is not far away and that He is about His work
assert an Vniversal Subjective Grace that is Grace and Power granted to every One to hearken to the voice of God calling in Nature and in the Gospel to convert and turne themselves to believe and repent if and whensoever they will because they see not how it is consistent with Gods Wisdom and Goodness to require any duty of man but what he giveth him full ability to performe not regairding the stock of strength that was once given to man and was dilapidat by Adam But as to this how crooked so ever we suppose it to be we must rest here that the Carnal mind is enmity against God for it is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be Rom. 8 vers 7. And that the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned 1 Cor. 2 v. 14. and that Faith is the gift of God Ephes. 2 v. 8. And that it is God that worketh in us both to will and to do according to his own good pleasure Phil. 2. vers 13. And that Christ is a Prince exalted to give Repentance Act. 5 v. 30 And that God is a free Dispenser of His grace as being obliged to none and shewing mercy to whom he will 4. That work of the Lord 's covenanting with Adam as the Head in the name of all mankinde and his imputing his sin unto his posterity who were in his loines so that all become borne and conceived in sin and obnoxious to the wrath of God because of that transgression of Adam according as the Apostle speaketh Rom 5 vers 12. Wherefore as by one man sin entrâ—…d into the world and death by sin and so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned And againe Vers. 14. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adams transgression And Vers. 18. Therefore as by one mans offence or by one offence judgment came upon all men to condemnation This Dispensation I say seemeth so crooked to some such as Pelagians Socinians Arminians and Quakers that they must absolutely deny it and say there is no such thing as original sin though Paul saâ—…eth Ephes. 2 vers 3. that we were by nature including himself the Children of wrath And David telleth us in his humble Confession of sinnes to God Psal. 51 ver 5. Behold I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my Mother conceive me And Iob sayeth Chap. 14 v. 4. Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean Not one And to the same purpose Bildad Iob. 25 v. 4. How can he be clean that is borne of a Women 5. For further setting even what otherwayes men think crooked in the way of the Lord they imagine assert and defend an Universal Redemption saying that Christ hath died for all equally say some with some difference say others because it seemeth a crooked thing with them and inconsistent with the Nature and Goodness of God not to seek the Salvation of all and not to prepare meanes of life for all so not to send Christ to die for all and every mothers son though we be plainly enough and expresly told in Scripture that the Father gave not all to the Son to redeem but some and that Christ laid down His life a ransome for those alone who were given to him to save and of whom he must give an account to the Father as having undertaken to redeem them from Hell Wrath Satan and all their Enemies and by His Power and Grace to bring them saife home at length as being their Head their Husband their Shepherd their Cautioner their Lord Ransomer their Intercessour and Advocat with the Father and that these are an all and called the â—…orld to point out their natural Original that Grace may the more appear to be grace and to pointe out their being scattered through thâ—… world and taken out of all Kindreds Tongues Nations People Languages especially now under the Gospel in distinction from the dayes of the Old Testament when the Iawes were only the peculiar people of the Lord and in Iudah only was God known and his name great in Israel 6 Further to make God's supposed crooked wayes straight the Enemies of the free Gâ—…ace of God imagine that the will of Man must be left Free to be Lord of all and absolute disposer of the decrees and purposes of God of Redemption and of Salvation so that the Lord must not by an Irresistible Power draw any home to Christ contrary to Ioh. 6 44. Nor create in any a new heart and take away the heart of stone and give an heart of flesh contrare to Ezech. 11. 19. and 36 26 27. Because they cannot see how it can consist with Gods Love to mankinde to preferre one to another they imagine that God layeth the matter alike to all mens door standing equally and knocking at every mans door and so leaving it to them alike to choose or refuse to become happy or miserable as they please and so they say that when God hath done all He can or will do to save people their will is at perfect freedome to accept or reject the Grace of God and that there is no special saving work of grace upon the heart of one more then of another O what real crooked work do foolish men make here How do they darken deforme and make crooked the glorious straight work of the free grace of God wherein absolute Soveraignity glorious Grace and the free Mercy of God shineth forth with such a Soveraigne Lustre Beauty and Glory Paul had other thoughts of the matter when he said Ephes. 1 vers 3 4 5 6 7. Blessed be the God and Father of ouâ—… Lord Iesus Christ who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in Celestials in Christ according as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before him in love having predestinated us unto the adoption of Children by Iesus Christ to himself according to the good pleasure of His will To the praise of the Glory of his grace wherein He hath made us accepted in the beloved c. 7. To salve this same Diana of Free will the same Persons do deny the Free and Absolute Decrees of God touching any thing to be done by Man whether good or evil because they cannot see how God's Absolute Decrees concerning this or that can consist with the free Actings of mans will not impose an absolute necessity on man to do or not to do according to what is decrâ—…ed as the stone must absolutely and naturally move down-ward and the Sun shine and all Natural causes act and work therefore to make this supposed crook straight they see no other way but to deny all such Decrees and Purposes in God not knowing that as God's decrees determine the event
maids and little children and women yea all except the marked ones v. 5 6. Se also Chap. 16 46 47 48. Iudah corrupted her self more than Samarca yea more than Sodom v. 49 50 41. And Chap 22 we have a large Catalogue of their sins see v. 2 4 6 7 8 9 10 11 12. And that as the provoking cause drawing forth the sword wherewith the Lord would cut off both the righteous and the wicked mentioned Chap. 21 ver 3. 14. And bringing-on the desolation and scattering mentioned Chap. 22 15 16 19 20 21 22. Thus the Lord dealt also with Israel because of their manifold iniquities mentioned Hos. 4 1 2 3. there was no truth nor mercy in the land nor knowledge of God but there was swearing lying killing stealing adultery and blood touching blood See also Micah 6 10 11 12 13. 6. When this defection and course of sinning is long continued-in and there is no wearying of this way but rather a growing in this Apostasie then such may fear that at length the Lord will come and will not spare nor pity nor passe by any more for thus was it with this people of Iudah Ier. 16. there are sad judgments denounced against them from the beginning to V. 10. And thereof the reason is given vers 11 12. Because your fathers have forsaken me and have walked after other goods c. And ye have done worse than your fathers for behold ye walk every one after the stubbornness of his evil heart that they may not hearken unto me And therefore destruction is threatned of new v. 13. Therefore will I cast you out of this land into a land that ye know not where I will not shew you favour So Ier. 32 30 31. For the Children of Israel the Children of Iudah have only done evil before me from their youth And againe This city hath been to me as a Provocation of mine anger and of my fury from the day that they built it even unto this day that I should remove it from before my face So the Prophet Ezekiel draweth up a long Libel of many Instances of their rebellion continued in for many Generations running in a constant line from Father to Son from V. 3. to V. 33. and there we finde the sentence given out As I live saith the Lord God surely with a mighty hand and with a stretched-out arme and with fury poured-out will I rule over you And Israel was charged with this same guilt Hos. 10 ver 9. O Israel thou hast sinned from the dayes of Gibeah See also Esa. 65 7. 7. When People become bold and impudent in their sinful courses then there is ground to fear a sad and inevitable stroke of Justice For thus was it with this People of Iudah Ier. 3 3. Thou hadst a whores fore-head thou refusedst to be ashamed And againe Ier. 6 15. Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination Nay they were not at all ashamed neither could they blush And what is added upon this Therefore they shall fall among them that fall at the time that I visite them they shall be cast down saith the Lord. So Chap. 8 v. 12. in these last mentioned places the false Prophets would seem specially to be meaned yet the circumstances will include others When People provoke the Lord to anger continually to his face as it is Esai 65 3. then they become a smoak in Gods nose and a fire that burneth all the day and they must expect a recompence from God as Vers. 5 6. 8. When People stand chargable with the abuse of many favours received at the hands of God which they have perverted and mis-improven to the hardening of themselves in their wicked courses then it is to be feared that God will come at length and be avenged on such a Generation of Perverters This iniquity was also charged upon this People of Iudah by Jeremiah Chap. 2 5 to 9. Their forgetting the old kindnesses of God and abusing His favours defiling His land and making His heritage an abomination is charged home Vers 7. Wherefore saith the Lord Vers 9. I will yet plead with you and with your Childrens Children will I plead So Chap. 11. after the Lord had said to Jeremie Pray not for this People Vers 14. he addeth as a provoking cause hereunto Vers 15 16 17. What hath my beloved to do in mine house she hath wrought lewdness with many and the holy flesh is passed from thee when thou dost evil then thou rejoicest The Lord called thy name a green Olive tree faire and of goodly fruit But there was no sutable walking and therefore it followeth with the noise of a great tumult he hath kindled fire upon it and the branches of it are broken For the Lord of Hosts that planted thee hath pronounced evil against thee c. So Jer. 13. the Lord by a similitude of a girdle showeth how he had caused the whole House of Israel to cleave unto Him and the whole House of Iudah that they might be unto Him for a People and for a Name and for a Praise and for a Glory but they would not hear and therefore he threatned to make them like unto the marred girdle and so mar the pride of Iudah and the great pride of Ierusalem and make them good for nothing See Vers 9 10 11. So Chap. 16 18. he saith And first I will recompense their iniquity and their sin double because they have defiled my land they have filled mine inheritance with the carcases of their detestable and abominable things Thus did they requite the kindness of God in bestowing that land upon them by defileing it with their sins and therefore He threatneth to recompense their iniquity double So doth the Prophet Ezekiel Chap. 16. make a large deduction of the favours and kindneses shown to that people and give us also a large summe of their abusings and pervertings of these favours And therefore is wrath denounced from Vers 36. and forward This was likwise charged upon Ephraim or Israel by Hosea Chap. 7 13 15. they have transgressed against me though I have redeemed them yet they have spoken lies against me though I have bound and strengthened their armes yet they do imagine mischief against me So Hos. 11 vers 1 2 3 4. Esai 1 vers 2. 9. When People become hardened in their sins loving and delighting to wander out of the way and glory in their wickedness as resolving never to amend and are therefore tushing at all threatnings and contemning them then is there great ground to fear an overturning blow that no meanes shall avert It was also laid to the charge of this people Ier. 14 10. that they loved to wander and did not refraine their feet And what followeth upon this Therefore the Lord doth not accept them He will now remember their iniquity and visite their sins And then Vers 11. The Lord said unto him pray not for this People for their good Vers 12. When