A Chain of Principles, Aphorism 4

A Chain of Principles · Aphorism 4

p. 155APHORISME IV. Goodneſs and Greatneſs are Attributes ſo comprehenſive, as to include a multitude of divine perfections.

EXERCITATION 1. Exerc. 1.God deſcribed from goodneſs and greatneſs both without and within the Church. A lively pourtraiture of his goodneſs in the ſeveral branches thereof. Exod. 34. 6, 7. Bowels of mercy implying inwardneſs and tenderneſs. Our bowels of love to God, of compaſsion to brethren. Mercy not to be refuſed by unbelief, nor abuſed by preſumption.

§. 1. THe moſt learned among the Heathen made account they had ſufficiently characterized their Jupiter, when foreign. Optimus Maximus.they ſtyled him Good and Great, yea the Beſt and Greateſt of Beings. Neither can it be denied that theſe two attributes, p. 156if we take them in their latitude,Aph. 4. comprehend very many of thoſe perfections, which commonly go under other names. And this perhaps may be the reaſon why David in Pſalm one hundred fourty fifth (which the Rabbins are ſaid to have eſteemed ſo Coppen in argumento Pſal. 145.Ps 145highly of, as to determine, but with more ſuperſtition then truth, that whoſoever repeated in thrice every day might be ſure of eternal life) having ſet himſelf to extoll God and to bleſs his name, as appeareth by the firſt and ſecond verſes, inſiſteth chiefly on theſe two. Great is the Lord, and greatly to be Pſal. 145. v. 3.Ps 145:3praiſed, and his greatneſs is unſearchable. Shortly after, They ſhall abundantly utter Verſ. 7. 8, 9.the memory of thy great goodneſs. The Lord is gracious and full of compaſsion, ſlow to anger and of great mercy. The Lord is good to all; and his tender mercies are over all his works. I ſhall accordingly treat of both, and firſt of his Goodneſs.

§. 2. Moſes was skill'd in all the p. 157Acts 7. 22.Acts 7:22learning of the Egyptians; yet as not content herewith, he becometh an humble ſuiter to God for ſome further and better knowledge, I beſeech thee (ſaith he) Exod. 33. 18.Exod 33:18ſhew me thy glory. Other notions may fill the head of a moral man: nothing ſhort of the knowledge of God can ſatisfie the heart of a Saint. Wherefore in anſwer to this requeſt, the Lord maketh him a promiſe, ſaying, I will make Verſe 19.all my goodneſs paſs before thee. The thing deſired was a ſight of his glory; the thing promiſed a view of his Goodneſs. Which intimateth that however in themſelves all the Attributes of God be glorious, yet he glorieth moſt in the manifeſtation of his goodneſs, neither doth any bring him in ſo much glory from the creatures who are wont to magnifie this moſt. I will mention the Iſai 63. 7.Isa 63:7loving kindneſſes of the Lord, and the praiſes of the Lord, according to all that the Lord hath beſtowed on us; and the great goodneſs towards the houſe of Iſrael, which he hath beſtowed on them, according to his p. 158mercies, and according to the multitude of his loving kindneſſes. So the Church in Iſaiah.

Now the forementioned promiſe made to Moſes in Exodus the three and thirtieth, was made good in chapter the thirty fourth, where the Lord is ſaid to have paſſed by him, and proclaimed, The Lord, the Lord God mercifull Exod, 34, 6. 7. Totum hunc locu… ad bonitatem Dei pertinere aſſerit Ludovic. de Dieu Auimadverſ. in loc.and gracious, long-ſuffering and abundant in bounty and truth, keeping mercy for thouſands, forgiving iniquity and tranſgreſſion, and ſin, and that will by no means clear the guilty, viſiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the childrens children unto the third, and to the fourth generation. All which clauſes, (even the latter, expounded by moſt of Gods Juſtice) may be ſo interpreted as to relate to his Goodneſs rather.

It is twofold, one Eſſential, that wherewith God is good in himſelf, the other Relative, that whereby he doth good to his creatures. The former is here ſet forth by the term Jehovah, p. 159which is doubled, and doth moſt fully ſerve to expreſs it, as coming from a root, that ſignifieth Being. For Goodneſs and Entity are convertible, and Diabolus in quantum eſt, bonus eſt. Auguſt p. de Natur. …. c. 5.every thing ſo far forth as it partaketh of Being, partaketh alſo of Bonity: wherefore God in whom all degrees of Entity meet is undoubtedly moſt good. The latter in the title El, which as a learned Jew affirmeth, doth not leſs clearly expreſs his influence, then Jehovah doth his Eſſence: El and Elohim Abarbanel apud Joann. Buxtorf fil. in Diſſertat. de Nominibus Dei Hebraicè theſ. 39 & 41.in their moſt proper notion (as he telleth us) ſignifying the authour and producer of things by an infinite power. Of this Relative goodneſs there are ſundry diſtinct branches mentioned in this ſuperexcellent Text, which are ſpoken to in their order.

§. 3. The Firſt is Mercy. The nature foreign … foreign intra viſcera recepit, foreign. Luc. 1. 78.Luke 1:78whereof may receive much light from the Hebrew word which is here made uſe of. It cometh from a root that ſignifieth ſhutting up in ones bowels, as child-bearing women retain and p. 160cheriſh their deareſt offspring within their wombs. Accordingly we reade in Luke of the bowels of Gods mercy; a phraſe which implieth both inwardneſs and tenderneſs. Firſt inwardneſs, our bowels are the moſt inner parts: The mercy of God ſprings from within, and hath no original cauſe without himſelf. Humane affection is commonly both begotten and fed by ſomewhat without, in the thing or perſon beloved; as culinary fire muſt be kindled and kept in by external materials: But God loveth becauſe he loveth, Deut. 7. 7, 8. Exod. 33. 19.Deut 7:7Deut 7:8Exod 33:19and ſheweth mercy on whom he will ſhew mercy; as celeſtial fire is fuel to it ſelf. He freely extendeth mercy to us in making us good, then doth us good for being ſo; is not this a mercifull God? Secondly tenderneſs. The forecited paſſage in Luke runneth thus in our tranſlation, Through the tender mercies of our God. Of all parts the bowels relent and earn moſt. In them we are wont to finde a ſtirring, when ſtrong p. 161affections of love or pity are excited, as Joſeph did upon ſight of Benjamin. Gen. 43. 30.Gen 43:30God ſpeaking after the manner of men uſeth this pathetical expreſsion concerning his people, How ſhall I give thee Hoſ. 11. 8.Hos 11:8up Ephraim? how ſhall I deliver thee Iſrael? how ſhall I make thee as Admah? how ſhall I ſet thee as Zeboim? mine heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together. His people accordingly crie to him, Where is thy zeal, and thy ſtrength? the Iſai. 63. 15.Isa 63:15ſounding of thy bowels, and of thy mercies are they reſtrained? Of all humane bowels thoſe of mothers are the tendereſt. Can a woman (ſaith the Lord) forget her ſucking Iſai. 49. 15.Isa 49:15childe that ſhe ſhould not have compaſſion on the ſon of her womb? Yet ſooner ſhall all the mothers in the world prove unnatural, then he unmercifull: for ſo it followeth, yea they may forget, yet will not I forget thee.

§. 4. Well may this notion of mercy put us in minde of returning bowels of love to God, according to what David ſaid in the beginning of Pſalm p. 162the eighteenth, I will love thee O Lord my ſtrength; where the word cometh from foreign Ex intimis viſceribus diligam te. Pſal. 18. 1.Ps 18:1the ſame forementioned root, and intimateth exerciſing love out of his moſt inward bowels: as alſo of extending bowels of compaſsion to thoſe eſpecially that ſtand in neareſt relation to him, according to that of John, Whoſo hath this worlds goods, and ſeeth his brother hath need, and ſhutteth up 1 Job. 3. 17.Job 3:17his bowels of compaſsion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? But that is not all the improvement we are to make of this Attribute. As it is a moſt tender affection, ſo is it to be moſt tenderly uſed. Take we therefore diligent heed, as of refuſing it by unbelief, ſo, of abuſing it by preſumption.

Firſt, of refuſing mercy by unbelief. Many, Jonah. 2. 8.Jonah 2:8as the phraſe is in Jonah, forſake their own merciemercy, by giving way to objections ariſing from the fleſh, like ſmoke out of that bottomleſs pit in Revelation. Say not therefore God is ſo angry with me, the arrows of the p. 163Almighty ſtick ſo faſt, and the poyſon thereof doth ſo drink up my ſpirit, that I cannot expect any mercy from him. Know that the Lord is wont even in wrath to remember merciemercy: and that the Habak. …. 3.correction which thou at preſent lookeſt at as an argument of wrath, may perhaps be an evidence of love, and an act of mercy. God is not about to hew thee down, as thy unbeleeving heart imagineth, but to prune thee for prevention of luxuriancy. Be ſure the right hand of his clemency knoweth whatever the left hand of his ſeveritie doth. Thou hadſt better be a chaſtened ſon, then an undiſciplined baſtard. There is no anger to that in Iſaiah, Why Iſai. 1. 5.Isa 1:5ſhould ye be ſtricken any more? ye will revolt more and more: That in Ezekiel, I will Ezek. 16. 42.Ezek 16:42make my fury towards thee to reſt, and my jealouſie ſhall depart from thee; and I will be quiet, and will be no more angry; That in Hoſ. 4. 17. Tunc magis iraſcitur quando non iraſcitur. Super o…nen iram miſeratio iſta. Bernard.Hos 4:17Hoſea, He is joyned to idols, let him alone. Then is God moſt angry of all, when he refuſeth to be angry; yea there is no p. 164anger of his to be compared to this kinde of mercy. Men that are fatted to deſtruction often go proſperouſly on in the world, have few afflictions in their life, no bands in their death: but as Eraſmus once ſaid, From this proſperitie Abſit à nobis, chriſſimi, alis ſelicitas. Eraſm. in concione de miſericordia.good Lord deliver us.

Say not I am unworthy, and muſt therefore deſpair; for mercy is free, and if God ſhould ſhew mercy to none but ſuch as are worthy of it, he ſhould ſhew mercy to none at all, ſeeing All have ſinned and come ſhort, as of the glory, ſo, of the mercy of God. Say not my ſins are many and great, too many and too great to be pardoned: but oppoſe to the multitude of thy tranſgreſsions that multitude of tender mercies mentioned Pſal. 51. 1.Ps 51:1by the Pſalmiſt; not forgetting the gracious invitation by another Prophet, Let the wicked forſake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughtss; and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon, or, multiple pardon, as p. 165the original phraſe imports. To the greatneſs of thy ſins oppoſe the riches of Gods mercy, and greatneſs of his love ſpoken of by the great Apoſtle. God, ſaith he, who is rich in mercy, for his Epheſ. …. 4.great love wherewith he loved us. Lo here a vaſt heap, whereunto men may come with confidence, be it never ſo much they have need of, becauſe theſe riches are not impaired by being imported. The mercies of an infinite God are infinite mercies, and ſo able to ſwallow up all the ſins of finite creatures. What though thou haſt heretofore delighted in ſin? deſpair not, for he delighteth in Micah 7. 18.Mic 7:18mercy, mercy pleaſeth him, as much as ever any ſin did thee. What though thy rebellion hath been long continued? The Pſalm 103. 17.Ps 103:17mercy of the Lord is from everlaſting to everlaſting upon them that fear him. Yea what though to former guilt thou haſt added back-ſliding, and relapſes to rebellion? yet remember that in Jeremiah. Return Jerem. …. 22.ye back-ſliding children, and I will heal your back-ſlidings, together with that in the p. 166laſt of Hoſea, where Iſrael had no ſooner ſaid, In thee the fatherleſs findeth mercy, but it followeth immediately, I will heal Hoſ. 14. 3, 4.Hos 14:3Hos 14:4their back-ſlidings, I will love them freely. But leſt any ſhould ſurfet on theſe ſweet meats, take we heed.

§. 5. Secondly, Of abuſing mercy by preſumption. MercieMercy improved openeth to us the ſureſt refuge; Mercy abuſed brings upon us the ſoreſt vengeance. It would be conſidered that there is one kinde of preſumers whom mercy it ſelf is reſolved to have no mercy on, ſo long as they continue ſuch: to wit, thoſe that dare expect it, notwithſtanding their reſolution to go on in their impenitence, and ignorance of God. For thus ſaith the God of heaven concerning him, Who bleſſeth himſelf in his heart, ſaying, I Deut. 29. 19, 20, 21.Deut 29:19Deut 29:20Deut 29:21ſhall have peace, though I walk in the imagination of my heart, to add drunkenneſs to thirſt, The Lord will not ſpare him, but the anger of the Lord and his jealouſie ſhall ſmoke againſt that man; and the curſes p. 167that are written in this book ſhall lie upon him; and the Lord ſhall blot out his name from under heaven; and ſhall ſeparate him unto evil. And again, It is a people of no Iſa. 27. 11.Isa 27:11underſtanding; therefore he that made them will not have mercy on them, and he that formed them will ſhew them no favour. Such ſhall at length finde to their coſts that the Juſtice of God, as well as his Mercy endures for ever: And that as nothing is more calm then a ſmooth, more raging then a tempeſtuous ſea; nothing more cold then lead when it is taken out of the mine, nor more ſcalding when it is heated; nothing blunter then iron, yet when it is whetted nothing more ſharp: So none more mercifull then God, but if his patience be turned to fury by our provocations, none more terrible. Becauſe I have purged thee, ſaith the Lord, and thou waſt not purged; thou ſhalt not be purged from thy filthineſs any more, till I have cauſed my fury to reſt upon thee. I the Lord have ſpoken Ez…k. 24. 13, 14.it, and I will do it I will not go back, p. 168neither will I ſpare, neither will I repent &c. Wo and again wo to them all, againſt whom mercy it ſelf ſhall riſe up in judgement. Look as the power of God, though infinite, receives limitations from his will; He could have made millions of worlds, would make but one: In like manner his infinite mercy is alſo limited by his will; and his word the interpreter of his will; plainly telleth us that, as Phyſicians begin with preparatives, ſo he begets fear in their hearts, whom he intendeth mercy to. Look as a father pittieth his his children, ſo the Lord pittieth them that Pſal. 103. 13, 17, 18.Ps 103:13Ps 103:17Ps 103:18fear him. The mercy of the Lord is from everlaſting to everlaſting upon them that fear him, to ſuch as keep his Covenant, and to thoſe that remember his commandments to do them. Not they that preſume, but that fear; not ſuch as break, but as keep his Covenant; not thoſe that forget, but that remember his Commandments to do them; or at leaſt whoſe earneſt deſires and endeavours p. 169are that way bent, may expect and ſhallExerc. 2. receive mercy from him. They ſhall finde by ſweet experience the infallible truth of what Mr Peacock once ſaid M^r R. Boltons Inſtructions pag. 87.upon his recovery out of a deep and long deſertion, viz. That the ſea is not more full of water, nor the ſun of light, then the Lord is of mercy.

EXERCITATION 2. Grace what. From it ſpring Election, Redemption, Vocation, Sanctification and Salvation. A Caveat not to receive it in vain. It purgeth and cheereth. Gloſſes upon Titus 2. 11, 12. and 2 Theſſ. 2. 26, 17. The exaltation of free grace exhorted to. Long-ſuffering not exerciſed towards evil Angels, but towards men of all ſorts. It leadeth to repentance; is valued by God, and must not be ſleighted by us. A dreadfull example of goodneſs deſpiſed.

§. 1. A Second branch of Gods goodneſs is Grace, which relates to unworthineſs, as the former did to miſery. God is mercifull to the ill-deſerving, Gratious to the undeſerving. So far p. 170are we from being able to merit ſo much as the crumbs which fall from his table, that even temporal favours are all from grace. Noah was preſerved in the deluge. Why? becauſe He found Gen. 6. 8.Gen 6:8grace in the eyes of the Lord. Jacob was enriched, and had enough. How came it to paſs? Becauſe God, ſaid he to Eſau, Gen. 33. 11.Gen 33:11hath dealt graciouſly with me. But beſide that common favour which all ſhare in more or leſs, there is a more ſpecial grace, which the Pſalmiſt prayeth for, Remember me, O Lord, with the favour that thou beareſt unto thy people; O viſit me with Pſal. 106. 5.Ps 106:5thy ſalvation.

§. 2. This third is drawn throughout the whole web of ſalvation, and there is not a round in the ladder to heaven, which doth not give every one that ſteppeth upon it juſt occaſion of crying, Grace, Grace. Did the Lord elect thee to life and glory, when ſo many were paſſed by? What reaſon can be given of this but free grace? Paul ſtyleth it the election of grace in his p. 171Rom. 11. 5.Rom 11:5epiſtle to the Romanes; and telleth his Epheſians that God had choſen them in Epheſ. 1. 4, 5, 6.Eph 1:4Eph 1:5Eph 1:6Chriſt before the foundation of the world, according to the good pleaſure of his will, to the praiſe of the glorie of his Ibid. verſ. 7.grace. Haſt thou obtained redemption through the bloud of Jeſus? That alſo, ſaith he there, flows from the riches of his grace. Hath the Lord effectually called thee? Bow down thine head and adore free grace, as the cauſe thereof. For he ſaveth and calleth us 2 Tim. 1. 9.2 Tim 1:9ſaith the ſame holy Apoſtle, with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpoſe and grace. So in the Acts, when a great number beleeved, and were turned to Chriſtianity, Barnabas ſaw the grace of Act. 11. 21. 23.Acts 11:21Acts 11:23God, ſhining forth in their converſion. Haſt thou received any abilities tending either to thine own ſanctification, or to the edification of others? Do the like upon this occaſion too, as Paul did, ſaying, By the grace of God I am what 1 Cor. 15. 101 Cor 15:10I am; and his grace, which was beſtowed upon p. 172me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly then they all; yet not I, but the grace of God, which was with me. In a word, doſt thou finde in thy ſelf any beginnings of ſalvation, any hopes that it ſhall be perfected? Remember what that great aſſerter of free grace hath left upon record to all poſterity. By grace Eph. 2. 8.Eph 2:8ye are ſaved through faith; and that not of your ſelves, it is the gift of God. Remember it ſo, as

§. 3. Firſt, to beware of receiving the grace of God in vain, it being ordained for better ends, to wit, purging and cheering of ſuch as receive it. The grace of Titus 2. 11, 12.Titus 2:11Titus 2:12God that bringeth ſalvation, hath appeared to all men, teaching us that denying ungodlineſs and worldly luſts, we ſhould live ſoberly, righteouſly and godly in this preſent world. All partakers of grace ſhould not onelyonly denie that groſs ungodlineſs of converſation, which the very ſons of moralitie decrie and abhor; but alſo worldly luſts, which others are ſecretly indulgent to. Neither ſhould they content p. 173themſelves with a negative purity, ſuch as that of the Phariſee was, I am not as Luke 18. 11.Luke 18:11other men; not as this publicane; not an extortioner, not an adulterer, (Logicians ſay of this particle Not, that it is of a malignant nature; Divines know that the malignant Church is much built up by ſuch negatives) but alſo practiſe poſitive holineſs, by living ſoberly, righteouſly and godly, and that too in this preſent world: not putting on a vizard of theſe, as the manner of ſome is, on a ſick bed, or death bed, when they can no longer look at themſelves, as men of this world, but of another. As for cheering, remarkable is that prayer made in behalf of the Theſſalonians, Now our Lord Jeſus Chriſt himſelf, and God 2 Theſſ. 2. 16, 17.2 Thess 2:162 Thess 2:17even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlaſting conſolation, and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts. It implieth that whereas we cannot poſsibly raiſe from our ſelves any ground of hope, or have any laſting, much leſs everlaſting conſolation from p. 174the creatures, Grace is a firm foundation for both. And this is it, which hath put the prince of darkneſs (whoſe deſire it hath always been to keep men in as hopeleſs and comfortleſs condition as he can) upon uſing his utmoſt endeavours in all ages of the Church, either to obſtruct the doctrine of free grace, as by Pelagian and Arminian tenents, or to poiſon this fountain with corrupt deductions and inferences, as by Antinomians and Familiſts. Wherefore remember it ſo, as

§. 4. Secondly, In all thy tenents and diſcourſes to magnifie and exalt that to which thou oweſt ſo very much, indeed thine All that good is. Think it not enough, with ſome, of a Non eſt devotionis dediſſe prope totum, ſed fraudis retinuiſſe vel minimum.thouſand parts to aſcribe nine hundred ninety and nine to free grace, reſerving but one for free-will: for as Prosper reſolves the caſe well, It is not devotion to give almoſt the whole to God, but deceit to retain the leaſt part. And again, Grace is Gratia Dei tota repellitur, niſi tota ſuſcipiatur.wholly repelled, where it is not wholly entertained. p. 175I liſt not now to diſpute the point: OnelyOnly let me have leave to commend to thy reading and obſervation a paper of verſes, inſerted by certain Divines that were preſent at the Synod of Dort, into their ſuffrage, and comprehending a brief deciſion of the five Articles there debated, with a pious inference from thence; becauſe with me they have ever been of great eſteem ſince I firſt met with them in the Acts of that Synod.

Gratia ſola Dei certos elegit ab aevo;Acta Synod. Dordrect. in 4^o. pag. 293.

Dat Chriſtum certis gratia ſola Dei;

Gratia ſola Dei fidei dat munera certis;

Stare facit certos gratia ſola Dei.

Gratia ſola Dei cùm nobis omnia donet,

Omnia noſtra regat gloria ſola Dei.

In Engliſh thus,

Free grace alone elected ſome to bliſs;

Free grace alone gave Chriſt to death for ſome;

In ſome free grace works faith that ſaving is,

p. 176Some by free grace to perſeverance come.

Since Gods ſole grace doth all our good provide,

Let Gods ſole glory all our motions guide.

§. 5. A third branch of divine goodneſs is Long-ſuffering; whereby God hath been pleaſed to put a notable difference between Angels that fell, and the lapſed ſons of Adam. Of them Peter ſaith, God ſpared not the Angels that 2 Pet. 2. 4.2 Pet 2:4ſinned, but caſt them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkneſs, to be reſerved unto judgement. This was quick and ſpeedy work. But the Lord ſaith 2 Pet. 3. 9.2 Pet 3:9the ſame Apoſtle, is Long-ſuffering to usward. He exerciſeth much patience, very much, even towards all, though veſſels of wrath. For ſo Paul, What if Rom. 9. 22.Rom 9:22God willing to ſhew his wrath and to make his power known, endured with much longſuffering the veſſels of wrath fitted to deſtruction? How profane was the old world? How wicked a place was Jericho? yet was he one hundred and p. 177twenty years in warning thoſe of that age, before he brought the deluge upon them: And he that made the world in ſix, was ſeven days in deſtroying that one city. The great Doctour of the Gentiles was not much more then thirty years old, when God converted him: yet we finde him looking at this as infinite patience, as all long-ſuffering, that he was born with ſo long. I obtained mercy (ſaith he) that in me firſt 1 Tim. 1. …6.1 Tim 1:6Jeſus Christ might ſhew forth all long-ſuffering. How ſenſible then ought they to be of this Attribute, whom God hath born with fourty, fifty, ſixty years, and ſtill continueth to cry unto, as it is in Habakkuk, Wo to him that increaſeth that Habak. 2. 6.Hab 2:6which is not his: How long? as in Jeremy, O Jeruſalem waſh thine heart from wickedneſs, Jerem. 4. 14.Jer 4:14that thou maiſt be ſaved: How long ſhall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee? And again, Wo unto thee O Jeruſalem, wilt Jerem. 13. 27.Jer 13:27thou not be made clean? When ſhall it once be. All which places declare ſufficiently that the long-ſuffering God doth in p. 178a manner long to ſee our converſion to him.

§. 6. And that indeed is the moſt proper uſe we can make hereof according to Pauls expoſtulation, Despiſeſt thou the riches of his goodneſs and forbearance, Rom. 2. 4.Rom 2:4and long-ſuffering; not knowing that the goodneſs of God leadeth thee to repentance. Verily we cannot meet on this ſide hell with a worſe temper of ſpirit then that which inclines a ſinner to deſpiſe the forbearance of God, and to kick againſt the bowels of his goodneſs: As that profane Arian did, who was executed at Norwich, concerning whom M^t Greenham acquainteth us with this ſtrange and prodigious narration. M^r Greenham in his treatiſe intituled, A ſweet comfort for an afflicted conſcience on Prov. 18. 14. circa medium.Prov 18:14This helliſh heretick, ſaith he, (for ſo were the deniers of Chriſts Divinity accounted of in thoſe days, whatever thoughts be had of them in theſe) a little before he was to be executed, afforded a few whoriſh tears, asking, whether he might be ſaved by Chriſt or no? When one p. 179told him that if he truly repented he ſhould ſurely not periſh; he brake out into this ſpeech, Nay, if your Chriſt be ſo eaſie to be intreated indeed, as you ſay, then I defie him, and care not for him. Horrible blaſphemy! deſperate wickedneſs for a man to draw himſelf back from repentance by that very cord of love, whereby he ſhould have been drawn to it. The next degree of impiety is, when men are therefore bold to continue long in ſinning, becauſe he with whom they have to do is a long-ſuffering God. A vice which the Preacher of old took notice of. Becauſe ſentence againſt an evil work is not executed ſpeedily, therefore the heart of the ſons of men is fully ſet in them to do evil. But let ſuch fear and tremble at what followeth, Though a ſinner doth evil Eccles 8 11, 12, 13.Eccl 8:11Eccl 8:12Eccl 8:13an hundred times, and his days be prolonged; yet ſurely I know it ſhall not be well with the wicked. The Lord valueth every moment of his forbearance, as in the parable, Behold theſe three years I come ſeeking p. 180Luke 13. 7.Luke 13:7fruit on this fig-tree, and finde none. Chriſt ſets an high price upon every exerciſe of his patience, as in the Canticles, Open to me, for my head is filled with Cantic. 5. 2.Song 5:2dew, and my locks with the drops of the night. Take we heed of ſleighting that which God and Chriſt value. Know and conſider that patience may be tired, that however the Lord be long-ſuffering, yet he will not ſuffer for ever, but be weary of repenting in caſe men will not be weary of ſinning. Hear what was once ſaid by himſelf to Jeruſalem, Thou haſt forſaken me, ſaith the Lord, thou Jerem. 15. 6.Jer 15:6art gone backward: therefore will I ſtretch out my hand againſt thee, and deſtroy thee: I am weary with repenting.

p. 181EXERCITATION 3.Exerc. 3. The bounty of God declared by his benefits, viz. giving his Son to free us from hell, his Spirit to fit us for heaven, his Angels to guard us on earth, large proviſions in the way, and full ſatisfaction at our journeys end. Joh. 3. 16. James 1. 5. and Pſal. 24. 1. Gloſſed. Iſai. 25. 6. Alluded to. Inferences from divine Bounty, beneficence to Saints; not dealing niggardly with God, exemplified in David, Paul, and Luther. Truth in God is without all mixture of the contrary. It appears in his making good of promiſes, and threatnings; teaching us what to perform and what to expect.

§. 1. OUr Bibles in the next clauſe, making uſe of the generical term, have it, Abundant in goodneſs. I will make bold to vary a little from the common tranſlation, and to reade it, Abundant in bounty, becauſe the word, as Zanchy and others have obſerved, moſt properly ſignifieth that kinde of foreign propriè ſignificat benignitatem, ſeu liberalem beneficentiam. Zanch. de Natur. Dei, l. 1. c…. 18. Vide Fulleri miſcellan. lib. 1. c. 8.goodneſs, which we call Bounty or Benignity, and which maketh a fourth branch. This God is abundant in: witneſs the greateſt of his gifts, by which we are wont to meaſure the p. 182bounty of benefactours. I ſhall inſtance in ſome of the chief. He beſtoweth upon us,

Firſt, His ſon to free us from hell. God Joh. 3. 16.John 3:16ſo loved the world that he gave his onelyonly begotten Son. He did not grant him upon Non conceſſit, ſed puriſſime dedit. Stella.the requeſt and earneſt ſuit of lapſed creatures; but freely gave him unasked; not a ſervant but a Son; not an adopted ſon, ſuch as we are, but a begotten, begotten, not as Saints are, of his Jam. 1. 18.Jas 1:18will by the word of truth, but of his Nature; he himſelf being the Word and the Truth; not one of many, but an onelyonly Son thus begotten; and this not for the procuring of ſome petty deliverance, but that whoſoever beleeveth in him ſhould not periſh, but have everlasting life. Well might this gift of royal bounty be uſhered in with a God ſo loved the world. Majeſty and love have been thought Non bene conveniunt, nec in una ſede morantur Maj…ſtas & amo….hardly compatible. Yet behold the majeſty of God bearing love, and that to the world, the undeſerving, yea illdeſerving world of mankinde. Herein p. 183is love, (ſaith S^t John elſewhere, let me ſay, herein is bounty) not that we loved 1 Joh. 4. 10.1 John 4:10God, but that he loved us, and ſent his Son to be the propitiation for our ſins. Loved, and So loved; that particle is moſt emphatical, and noteth the tranſcendency of a thing, either good or evil. Paul ſpeaking of the inceſtuous Corinthian decyphers him thus, Him that hath ſo 1 Cor. 5. 3.1 Cor 5:3done this deed; ſo impudently, ſo abominably, ſo unchriſtianly. The officers being aſtonied at our. Saviours doctrine, cried out, Never man ſpake ſo as Joh. 7. 46.John 7:46this man; ſo excellently, ſo powerfully, ſo incomparably. Here, God ſo loved the world, that is, ſo freely, ſo infinitely, ſo unſpeakably. The Apoſtle himſelf, who had been rapt up to the third heaven, and there heard things not to be uttered, wanteth words, when he cometh to utter this; and uſeth an accumulation of many; becauſe no one could ſerve his turn to expreſs it ſufficiently. Not content to have ſtyled it love, merciemercy, grace; as not having yet p. 184ſaid enough, he calleth it great love, glorious grace; rich mercy, yea, exceeding riches Epheſ. 2. 4, 5, 7.Eph 2:4Eph 2:5Eph 2:7of his glorious and mercifull grace, in his ſecond chapter to the Epheſians.

§. 2. Secondly, His Spirit to fit us for heaven. Our heavenly Father is he that giveth the holy Spirit to them that ask Luke 11. 13.Luke 11:13him. The Spirit thus given worketh in us regeneration (we are therefore ſaid to be born of the Spirit) and that real holineſs, Joh. 3. 5. 6.John 3:5John 3:6concerning which the Apoſtle ſaith, without it no man ſhall ſee the Lord: Hebr. 12. 14.Heb 12:14So preparing us for that place, which our Lord Jeſus is gone before to prepare Joh. 14. 2, 3.John 14:2John 14:3for us. A daily converſation in heaven is the ſureſt forerunner of a conſtant abode there. The Spirit, by enabling us hereunto, firſt bringeth heaven into the ſoul, then conducteth the ſoul to it. Whence it is that Nehemiah, recording the acts of Gods bounty to Iſrael, reckoneth this as one of the principal, Thou gaveſt alſo thy good Spirit to inſtruct Nehem. 9. 20.Neh 9:20them.

Thirdly, His Angels to guard us on p. 185earth. After David had ſaid, The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that Pſal. 34. 7, 8.Ps 34:7Ps 34:8fear him, and delivereth them, he addeth immediately, O taste and ſee that the Lord is good; herein good, in beſtowing ſuch a guard upon us. It was an act of royal benignity towards Mordechai in king Ahaſhuerus, to make Haman the favourite, his attendant as he rode through the ſtreets: Lo here a far greater; the holy Angels, thoſe favourites in the Court of heaven, are all miniſtring ſpirits, Hebr. 1. 14.Heb 1:14ſent forth to miniſter for them who ſhall be heirs of ſalvation. A task which they perform without grudging, (although in themſelves more noble creatures then we are) both out of love to their younger brethren, of whom they have a moſt tender care; and out of obedience to God, their Father and ours, Pſal. 91. 11. Mittis Unigenitum, immittis Spiritum, nè quid vacet in coeleſtibus ab opere ſolicituelinis, Angelos mittis in miniſterium.Ps 91:11who hath given them charge ſo to do, as it is in the Pſalm, He ſhall give his Angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. Lay this to the former (as Bernard did) and we ſhall ſee the whole p. 186heaven at work for our preſervation; God the Father ſending his Son to redeem us; the Fathet and Son ſending their Spirit to guide us; the Father, Son, and Spirit ſending their Angels to miniſter for us. O taſte and ſee that the Lord is good, bountifully good!

§. 3. Fourthly, Large proviſions in the way. We conſiſt of body and ſoul; he provideth plentifully for both; giving 1. Tim. 6. 17.1 Tim 6:17us richly all things to enjoy, as one Apoſtle phraſeth it, yea as another, giving unto Jam. 1. 5.Jas 1:5all men liberally and not upbraiding. Whereas ordinary benefactours, by reaſon of their ſtinted abilities give either but a few things, or to a few perſons onelyonly, or if to many, but ſparingly; and are beſides apt to corrupt and blemiſh their good turns by caſting them in the Authores pereunt garrulitate ſui. Martial.receivers teeth, and making their boaſt continually of them: all theſe are here removed from God, whileſt he is ſaid to give unto all men, and that liberally, yea and ſo as not to upbraid; although p. 187whatever men receive, yea whatever they are, (ſin excepted) be wholly his. That of the Pſalmiſt is very emphatical, and well deſerveth our conſideration. The earth is the Lords, Pſal. 24. 1.Ps 24:1and the fulneſs thereof, the world, and they that dwell therein. The houſe wherein a man dwelleth, may be his landlords; but the furniture his own. Here we are told that not the earth onelyonly, but the fulneſs of it is the Lords. Both houſe and furniture may be anothers; but he that inhabiteth it his own man. Here they that dwell therein are the Lords, the inhabitants themſelves, as the room and the ſtuff. To which agreeth that of S^t Paul, ye are not your own; 1 Cor. 6. 19.1 Cor 6:19and that of an ancient writer cited by Heinſius. Our very being is none of Noſtrum non eſt quod ſumus, multò minùs quod habemus.ours; much leſs the things we have in poſſeſsion. As for ſpiritual proviſions, his people uſe not to be ſcanted in them. Another particular reckoned up by Nehemiah, when he ſet himſelf to celebrate the acts of divine bounty towards p. 188Iſrael…, was the inſtitution of Ordinances. Thou cameſt down alſo (ſaith Nehem. 9. 13. 14.Neh 9:13Neh 9:14he ſpeaking to God) upon mount Sinai, and ſpakeſt with them from heaven, and gaveſt them right judgements and true laws, good ſtatutes and commandements; and madest known unto them thy holy Sabbath. One way whereby great Princes are wont to manifeſt their royal bounty is the making of great feaſts, as Ahaſuerus, and Solomon did: we may ſafely allude to the Prophets expreſsion (though the place have another meaning) and ſay of the Church in that reſpect, In this mountain doth the Lord of hosts make Iſai. 25. 6.Isa 25:6unto all people a feaſt of fat things, of wine on the lees; of fat things full of marrow, of wine on the lees well refined. Good Sermons and Prayers are like well refined wines: and as Chriſt himſelf is a Saviour full of merits, ſo is his Goſpel a doctrine full of promiſes; his Supper a Sacrament full of myſteries; his Sabbath a day full of opportunities; all his Ordinances fat things full of marrow.

p. 189§. 4. Fifthly, Full ſatisfaction at our journeys end. Now indeed, as the natural, ſo the ſpiritual eye is not ſatisfied with ſeeing, nor the ſpiritual ear with hearing; becauſe we ſee but as through a 1 Cor. 13. 12.1 Cor 13:12glaſs darkly, not face to face, and know but in part that of which we hear. Then ſhall eye and ear have enough, when we ſhall ſee God as he is; and hear Chriſt 1 Joh. 3. 2.1 John 3:2ſaying, Come ye bleſſed of my Father; inherit Matth. 25. 34.Matt 25:34the kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world. Here, although beleeving ſouls have fellowſhip with Siſtitur appetitus in via, ſatiatur in patria.God in Chriſt ſufficient to ſtay their ſtomachs as at a breakfaſt; yet that degree of fruition is wanting which ſhould ſatiate them fully, as at a feaſt beyond that of Ordinances. What ſhall there be enjoyed will repleniſh every chink of rational appetites; the firſt Truth filling up our underſtandings, and the chief Good our wills to the very brim. Then ſhall that be to the utmoſt verified, which David once ſaid of regenerate perſons, They ſhall be abundantly p. 190Pſal. 36. 8. 9.Ps 36:8Ps 36:9ſatisfied with the fatneſs of thy houſe; and thou ſhalt make them drink of the river of thy pleaſures: for with thee is the fountain of life, in thy light ſhall we ſee light.

§. 5. For improvement hereof. As our Saviour once ſaid, Be ye mercifull: ſo Be ye bountifull, let me ſay, as your father is bountifull. S^t Paul having praiſed the Macedonians for their deep poverty abounding unto the riches of their liberality, urgeth the grace and benignity of Chriſt as a principal motive to excite his Corinthians to a like exerciſe of bounty towards the poor Saints at Jeruſalem. For ye know, ſaith 2 Cor. 8. 2, 9.2 Cor 8:22 Cor 8:9he, the grace of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, that though he was rich, yet for your ſakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be-rich. More eſpecially let us all learn from hence not to deal niggardly with God himſelf; but to think no pains too great, no expence too much, no time too long that is ſpent in his ſervice: Not, as the manner of ſome is, who ſo manage the profeſsion of religion, p. 191as if their main care and ſtudy were how to ſerve him with moſt eaſe, and to come off with the cheapeſt performances. David, Paul, and Luther, were men of another ſpirit. The firſt, as he delighted in the commemoration of divine bounty to him, ſaying, I will Pſal. 13. 6.Ps 13:6ſing unto the Lord, becauſe he hath dealt bountifully with me: And again, Return Pſal. 116. 7.Ps 116:7unto thy reſt O my ſoul, for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee; ſo he was no niggard in his returns, but ever and anon enquiring what he ſhould do to teſtifie his thankfulneſs, What ſhall I Pſal. 116. 12.Ps 116:12render unto the Lord for all his benefits towards me? And as providence offered occaſion laying himſelf out for God; witneſs that his reſolution, teſtified to Araunah the Jebuſite, not to offer unto the Lord of that which coſt him nothing. 2 Sam. 24. 24.2 Sam 24:24The ſecond was willing to 2 Cor. 12. 15.2 Cor 12:15ſpend and to be ſpent in the work of his miniſtery; and not to be bound onelyonly, Acts 21. 13.Acts 21:13but to die at Jeruſalem, for the name of the Lord Jeſus, who had there p. 192ſuffered not bonds onelyonly, but death for him. The third, during his retirement in the caſtle at Coburga for the Nullus abit dies quin ad minimum tres horas, casque ſtudiis aptiſſimas in orationem parat. Melch. Adam. in vita Lutheris. pag. 138, 142.ſafety of his perſon, having then more time to ſpare for devotion then his many publick employments had been wont to afford him, was no niggard of it; But as one Vitus Theodorus, who then lived with him, informed Melanchthon, ſpent no leſs in prayer to God then at leaſt three houres every day, and thoſe ſuch houres as were fitteſt for ſtudy. And yet O the buſineſs of ſome mens ſpirits! whoſe ſervices coſt them very little or no intention, whileſt in ſtead of uſing the world, as if they uſed it not, they uſe good duties as if they did not uſe them; pray as if they prayed not, hear as if they heard not, keep the Sabbath as if they kept it not, and repent as they did no ſuch thing: Who although they profeſs beleeving in Chriſt, and know that God ſpared not Rom. 8. 32.Rom 8:32his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, p. 193yet deal ſo ſparingly with the Lord, as to grudge him (I ſay not every drop of bloud, but) of ſweat, yea almoſt every minute of time that they ſpend in his immediate ſervice. Let ſuch men know that to be over-thirfty in our expenſes upon God is the worſt piece of husbandry in the world. I ſhall diſmiſs them with that of Moſes to thoſe unthankfull men of Iſrael, Do ye thus requite Deut. 32. 6.Deut 32:6the Lord, O fooliſh people and unwiſe!

§. 6. A fifth branch is faithfulneſs. One letter of this glorious name is Abundant in truth, that is, in faithfulneſs. Multus fide, ſo Junius renders it. Theſe two are frequently joyned in Scripture, as exegeticall of each other. So when Chriſt is ſtyled the Amen, the Apoc. 3. 14.Rev 3:14faithfull and true witneſs, and the counſels of God ſaid to be faithfulneſs and Iſa. 25. 1.Isa 25:1truth. God abounds in it ſo as to have no mixture of the contrary, although the beſt of men have ſome. Whence that of Paul, Let God be true, that is, p. 194Rom. 3. 4.Rom 3:4owned and acknowledged for ſuch, but every man a lyar. A lightſome body may have ſomewhat of darkneſs in it; for example a precious ſtone ſome ſpeck or cloud, but light it ſelf admits of none. God is light, and in him there is 1 John. 1. 5.1 John 1:5no darkneſs at all: So God is truth, and in him there is no falſhood at all. God that cannot lie, ſaith the Apoſtle. Satan is ſo the father of lies, as that he doth Tit. 1. 2. Deus eſt veritas ſiac fallacia, bonitas ſine malitia, ſelicitas ſine miſeria. Fulgent. lib. 1. ad monim. 2 Tim. 2. 13. Diabolus ſemper fallax eſt, ſed non ſemper mendax.Titus 1:22 Tim 2:13notwithſtanding at times ſpeak ſome truth, to the end he may deceive the better: God ſo the father of truth, as that he can never lie, no more then he can deny himſelf; which is utterly impoſsible. If we beleeve not, yet he abideth faithfull, he cannot deny himſelf. Now his truth appeareth eſpecially in two things.

Firſt, The fulfilling of all his promiſes; which ſhall as ſurely receive their accompliſhment in due ſeaſon, as that of Chriſts Incarnation did when the fulneſs Galat. 4. 4.Gal 4:4of time was come; and that of bringing the people of Iſrael out of Egypt at the p. 195Exod. 12. 41.Exod 12:41end of four hundred and thirty years; which was moſt exactly performed the ſelf-ſame day in which that number of years was expired. The Greek word for truth (as ſome think) according to its Etymology implies not forgeting foreign ab … particula negetiva & foreign oblivio.what one hath promiſed. God remembereth whatever he hath at any time ſaid, and that ſo effectually, as to make every one of his promiſes good, although perhaps long after the making of them; yea and after many appearances to the contrary. See it in Abraham. He receiveth a command to Gen. 12. 7, 10.Gen 12:7Gen 12:10go out to a land which the Lord ſhould ſhew him, and a promiſe that it ſhould be given to him and his. He goeth; but meeteth with a great famine at his firſt coming thither, which forced him to flee into Egypt for bread, becauſe he was like to ſtarve there. Yet afterwards it proved a land flowing with milk and honey to his poſterity. Another grand promiſe made to Abraham Gen. 15. 5.Gen 15:5was that his ſeed ſhould be as the ſtars of p. 196heaven for multitude: yet Iſaac the ſon of promiſe was not born till a good while after; and being grown was like to have been offered up for a ſacrifice at Gods command. But the Lord ſpared Gen. 25. 20. compared with 26.Gen 25:20him, and a wife is at length procured for him; yet for twenty years together after his marriage he hath no iſſue by her. All this while how ſmall appearance is there of a numerous ſeed? Neither did the poſterity of Iſaac begin to multiplie of a long time after this: for all the ſouls of the houſe of Jacob Gen. 46. 27.Gen 46:27which came into Egypt were no more but threeſcore and ten. In Egypt a courſe was taken by Pharaohs tyranny to keep them from increaſing. But behold the faithfulneſs and truth of God, who being mindfull of his promiſe, cauſed ſuch fruitfulneſs amongſt them, notwithſtanding all obſtacles, that there were numbred in the ſecond year after their coming out of Egypt, more then Numb. 1. 1. compared with chap. 2. 32. 33.Num 1:1ſix hundred thouſand fighting men, beſides women and children, and the whole tribe of Levi.

p. 197§. 7. Secondly, The accompliſhing of all his threatnings, as it is written, I the Ezek. 24. 14.Ezek 24:14Lord have ſpoken it, it ſhall come to paſs, and I will do it; I will not go back, neither will I ſpare, neither will I repent. Accordingly when the ſeven Angels appeared with the ſeven laſt plagues, they that ſtood on the ſea of glaſs, ſaid in their ſong, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty, Juſt and True are thy Rev. 15. 1, 2, 3.Rev 15:1Rev 15:2Rev 15:3ways, thou King of Saints. And when the third of them poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of water, an Angel out of the altar ſaid, Even Rev. 16. 4, 7.Rev 16:4Rev 16:7ſo Lord God Almighty, True and righteous are thy judgements. If it be objected that deſtruction was threatned to Nineve at the end of fourty days, but not then executed, the anſwer is at hand; Their repentance prevented their ruine. For as ſome of Gods promiſes are made with the condition of faith and perſeverance; ſo his threatnings are denounced with the exception of repentance; which though concealed for the moſt p. 198part, is always included, and ſometimes expreſſed, as in that place of Jeremiah, At what inſtant I ſhall ſpeak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdome, Jer. 18. 7, 8.Jer 18:7Jer 18:8to pluck up, and to pull down, and to deſtroy it; If that nation, againſt whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them. Be we admoniſhed from hence,

Firſt, What to practiſe in reference to God, to wit Truth in our promiſes to and covenants with him, that ſo our returns may be anſwerable in kinde to our receits. All his ways are mercy and truth Pſal. 25. 10.Ps 25:10to us-ward; therefore all ours ſhould be truth and faithfulneſs towards him. Thrice happy we, whatever our outward condition prove, if we be able to profeſs in the ſincerity of our hearts, as they did in Pſalm the fourty fourth, All this is come upon us, yet have we not forgotten thee, neither have we dealt falſly in thy Covenant. Our principal comfort flows from Gods keeping his Covenant of grace with us; it ſhould therefore be p. 199our principal care to keep touch with him.

§. 8. Secondly, What to look for in reference to our ſelves. To wit, an exact fulfilling of all promiſes and threatnings that are conditional, according to their ſeverall conditions. Hath the faithfull and true witneſs ſaid, He that beleeveth and is baptized ſhall be ſaved, but he that beleeveth not ſhall be damned? Let no unbeleever then, whileſt he continueth in that eſtate, expect ſalvation: neither any that beleeveth and walketh in Chriſt fear damnation, ſeeing he hath Truth it ſelf engaged for his ſafety; and ſeeing the faith of Gods Tit. 1. 1, 2.Titus 1:1Titus 1:2elect, according to S^t Pauls doctrine, ſhould go hand in hand with the hope of eternal life, which God that cannot lie promiſed before the world began. Let all that wiſh well to Zion make full account that in due time, The mountain of the Iſai. 2. 2.Isa 2:2Lords houſe ſhall be eſtabliſhed in the top of the mountains, and ſhall be exalted above the hills, and all nations ſhall flow into it; p. 200becauſe it hath been promiſed of old. Let them alſo know aſſuredly, that the Lord will conſume Antichriſt with the ſpirit 2 Theſſ. 2. 8.2 Thess 2:8of his mouth, and deſtroy him with the brightneſs of his coming; becauſe this commination ſtandeth upon the file in holy Scripture, and is not yet completely verified. Former ages have ſeen Antichriſt Naſcent, when the Biſhop of Rome firſt uſurped authority over all the Churches; Antichriſt Creſcent, when he began to maintain the doctrine of adoring Images, and praying to Saints departed; Antichriſt Regnant, when he exalted himſelf above Kings and Emperours, ſetting up his mitre above their crowns; yea Antichriſt Triumphant, when he once became Lord of the Catholick faith, ſo as none might beleeve without danger more or leſs, or otherwiſe then he preſcribed. To this obſervation made by one of our own learned countreymen, let me add; we our D^r Crakanthorp. in his Vigilius dormitans chap. 13. § 24.ſelves have ſeen him Antichriſt Cadent, falling and waining ever ſince Luther, Calvin, Perkins and others were ſet on p. 201work by God to unmask him. And noExerc. 4. doubt, if we do not, our poſterity ſhall ſee him Antichriſt morient, dying and giving up the ghoſt: for the Lord faithfull and true hath not onelyonly threatned his ruine, but foretold that his day is coming.

EXERCITATION 4. Keeping mercy for thouſands explained. Men exhorted to truſt God with their poſterity. Luthers laſt Will and Teſtament. Iniquity, tranſgreſsion and ſin what. Six Scripture-expreſsions ſetting out the pardon thereof. Gods goodneſs therein. Faith and repentance the way to it. Pardon in the Court of Heaven, and of Conſcience. The equity and neceſsity of forgiving one another. We are to forgive as God for Chriſts ſake forgiveth us viz. heartily, ſpeedily, frequently, throughly. A twofold remembrance of injuries, in cautelam & in vindictam.

§. 1. THe ſixth branch of divine goodneſs, is the Lords keeping merciemercy for thouſands; which phraſe admitteth of ſundry notions, worthy of diligent conſideration.

p. 202Firſt, Keeping it as in a ſtore-houſe. God is ſaid to be rich unto all that call upon Rom. 10. 12.Rom 10:12him, and we reade of the riches of his goodneſs. Theſe riches are laid up with him, and kept as in a magazine, to be made uſe of upon all occaſions according to the emergent neceſsities of his people. Whence it is, that we alſo reade, of their obtaining merciemercy, and finding Hebr. 4. 16.Heb 4:16grace to help in time of need.

Secondly, Keeping it for the preſent age, as well as having dispenſed it formerly to predeceſſours. Our fathers were all liberally ſupplied out of Gods forementioned Treaſury, as it is in Pſalm the two and twentieth, Our fathers truſted in thee; Pſal. 2…. 4, 5.Ps 2:4Ps 2:5They truſted, and thou didſt deliver them; They cried unto thee, and were delivered; they truſted in thee, and were not confounded. This ſhould be no diſheartning to us, as if his Treaſury were exhauſted; but encourage us rather, as Pauls example did ſucceeding beleevers. For this 1 Tim. 1. 16.1 Tim 1:16cauſe I obtained merciemercy (ſaid he) that in me firſt Jeſus Chriſt might ſhew forth all longſuffering, p. 203for a pattern to them which ſhould hereafter beleeve on him to life everlaſting. Which is the next obſervable.

Thirdly, Keeping it for time to come, as well as diſpenſing it at preſent. God hath mercy in hand, and mercy in ſtore. We now ſay, as it is in the Lamentations, It is of the Lords mercy that Lam. 3. 22.Lam 3:22we are not conſumed, becauſe his compaſsions fail not. The ſame will they have occaſion to profeſs that ſhall come after us. God keepeth mercy, and mercy keepeth us. Created goodneſs indeed, being limited, may be juſtly ſuſpected of penurie. Eſau might have ſomewhat to plead for his ſaying, Haſt thou but one bleſsing my father? But Divine goodneſs is like an ocean without either banks or bottome. Our heavenly Father hath bleſsings reſerved, as well as beſtowed: many more bleſsings then one, yea for many more perſons then one; as it followeth.

Fourthly, Keeping mercy for thouſands, and that not of perſons onelyonly, but, as it is in p. 204the Chaldee, for thouſands of generations. One generation goes, ſaith the Preacher, and Eccleſ. 1. 4.Eccl 1:4another generation cometh; but the earth abideth for ever. Not one of all theſe generations but coming and going taſteth of mercy; and the whole earth, during Pſal. 33. 5.Ps 33:5the time of theſe revolutions are ſtill full of the Lords goodneſs. When the ark reſted Moſes ſaid, Return, O Lord, unto the many Numb. 10. 36.Num 10:36thouſands of Iſrael. He that charged his providence with the thouſands of Iſrael, is ready to charge it with the thouſands of England, both in this and after ages, if they do not apoſtatize from him, and ſo forſake their own mercy.

§. 2. Well may we therefore truſt God with our poſterity, ſeeing he that hath ſhewed mercy to us keepeth mercy for them. As that fountain of light the Sun is not weary with ſhining; it giveth us light, and keepeth light for our Antipodes: ſo this fountain of mercy is never tired with communicating goodneſs to one generation after another. Good parents in bad times p. 205are often troubled with great ſolicitude, when they think what will become of their children after them. Let ſuch conſider that they leave them in his hand, who is a God keeping mercy for thouſands: as Luther did, who had this paſſage in his laſt Will and Teſtament. Lord God I thank thee for that thou haſt Melch. Adam. Vit. German. Theol. p. 134.been pleaſed to make me a poor and indigent man upon earth. I have neither houſe, nor land, nor money to leave behinde me. Thou haſt given me wife and children; I reſtore them to thee. Lord, nouriſh, teach and preſerve them, as thou haſt hitherto done me, O thou that art a Father of the fatherleſs, and a judge of the widows. Let them remember how much mercy is entailed upon the iſſue of beleevers by vertue of theſe and the like places, He will bleſs them Pſal. 115. 13, 14.Ps 115:13Ps 115:14that fear the Lord both ſmall and great. The Lord will increaſe you more and more, both you and your children. The juſt man walketh Prov. 20. 7.Prov 20:7in his integrity; his children are bleſſed after him. And that Satan never can, God never will cut off this entail, unleſs p. 206either the children degenerate; or the parents, diſtruſting providence, make uſe of ſome unlawfull means for their promotion. In which caſe, Wo to him, ſaith the Prophet, that coveteth an Hab. 2. 9, 10, 11.Hab 2:9Hab 2:10Hab 2:11evil covetouſneſs to his houſe, that he might ſet his neſt on high—Thou haſt conſulted ſhame to thy houſe—For the ſtone ſhall cry out of the wall, and the beam out of the timber ſhall anſwer it. If Jeroboam out of deſign to ſecure the kingdome, and ſettle the crown in his own line, will take the practiſe of Idolatry as a means to this end; This thing becomes ſin unto the houſe of 1 King. 13. 34.1 Kgs 13:34Jeroboam, even to cut it off, and to deſtroy it from off the face of the earth. No wonder then, if when Gods own peculiar people begin to diſtruſt him, and by reaſon of unbelief take irregular courſes for their advancement in the world, this very thing prove an obſtruction to that mercy, which they and theirs might have otherwiſe been partakers of. Such as would be ſure to finde him a God ſhewing and keeping mercy unto p. 207Exod. 20. 6.Exod 20:6thouſands, muſt be carefull to be found in the number of thoſe that love him and keep his commandments, as he himſelf informeth us in the Decalogue.

§. 3. The ſeventh branch is forgiving iniquity, tranſgreſsion and ſin. Where the terms are multiplied to note the readineſs of God to forgive our offences, how many ſoever they be, though tranſgreſsion be added to iniquity, and ſin to tranſgreſsion. How great ſoever See Muis on Pſal. 51. 2.Ps 51:2they be Peſcha, which ſignifieth rebellious, as well as Chattaah, which imports failings; and of what kinde ſoever they be, whether original, viz. the crookednes & perverſnes of nature, intimated in Avon the word uſed in that ſpeech of David, Behold, I was ſhapen in iniquity, or actuall, expreſſed by the two other terms. To help our underſtanding herein, the Holy Ghoſt in Scripture is pleaſed to make uſe of ſundry expreſsions very ſignificant, when he ſpeaks of Gods pardoning ſin. viz.

I. Taking it away, as in that place of p. 208Hoſea, where the Church is directed to make her addreſſes on this wiſe, Take Hoſ. 14. 2.Hos 14:2with you words, and turn to the Lord, ſay unto him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciouſly; ſo will we render the calves of our lips. Not as if when iniquity is forgiven it were preſently to be taken out of the memory; but that which the Saints deſire is to have it taken out of the conſcience, that their hearts may accuſe them for it no more. As a thorn in the hedge is a fence, but an offence in the midſt of a garden: So ſin in the memory may do well to keep us from relapſing, but is a grievance in the conſcience. Which made Auſtin after aſſurance Quid retribuam Domino quòd recolit haec memoria mea, & & anima mea non metuit inde? Auguſt. Confeſſ. lib. 2. c. 7.of forgiveneſs, when he had made confeſsion of his former aberrations, bleſs God that he could now call them to minde without being affrighted at the conſideration of them.

II. Caſting of our ſins behinde his back. So in Hezekiahs ſong, Thou haſt in love to my ſoul, ſaith he, delivered it from the Iſa. 38. 17.Isa 38:17pit of corruption; for thou haſt caſt all my ſins p. 209behinde thy back. This God doth with a purpoſe never to view them more Oculo vindice, ſo as to take vengeance for them, though Oculo judice, he cannot but by reaſon of his Omniſcience ſee and diſcern them. All the while Davids ſins were before his own face, and he making a penitent confeſsion of them as in the one and fiftieth Pſalm, I acknowledged Pſalm 51. 3.Ps 51:3my tranſgreſsions, and my ſin is ever before me, they were caſt behinde the back of God, as the Prophet Nathan aſſured him, ſaying, The Lord hath put 2 Sam. 12. 13.2 Sam 12:13away thy ſin, thou ſhalt not die.

III. Scattering them as a cloud, or as a miſt. So the Geneva tranſlation hath it in that cheering paſſage of Iſaiah, I have Iſa. 44. 22.Isa 44:22put away thy tranſgreſsions like a cloud, and thy ſins as a miſt. Sin is that which interpoſeth it ſelf between the ſoul and the light of Gods countenance: But whether it be a ſlender miſt or a thick cloud, an infirmity or a rebellion, the ſun of righteouſneſs eyed by faith can and will diſpell it ſo, as to make it vaniſh.

p. 210§. 4. IV. Covering or hiding them. So in the Pſalm, Bleſſed is he whoſe tranſgreſsion Pſalm 32. 1.Ps 32:1is forgiven, whoſe ſin is covered. Men never Si texit peccata Deus noluit advertere; Si noluit advertere noluit animadvertere; Si noluit animadvertere noluit punire. Auguſt. in loc.puniſh hidden ſins, becauſe the law taketh notice of none, but ſuch onelyonly as come to light, by breaking out in words or actions. God is accordingly ſaid to cover and hide thoſe ſins as it were out of his ſight, which he never intends to inflict puniſhment for.

V. Throwing them into the depth of the Sea. Thus in Micha's Propheſie, Who is Micah 7. 18, 19.Mic 7:18Mic 7:19a God like unto thee that pardoneth &c. He will ſubdue our iniquities, and thou wilt caſt all our ſins into the depths of the Sea. Alluding perhaps to what befell Pharaoh and his hoſt in the red ſea, which drowned the greateſt Egyptian Commanders, as well as the meaneſt common ſouldier. The vaſt Ocean overfloweth both the loweſt ſands and the higheſt rocks: that of Gods pardoning grace removeth both the ſmaller prevarications, and the groſſer abominations p. 211of all ſuch, as are truly penitent beleevers.

VI. Blotting them out, as in Davids petition, Have mercy upon me, O God, according Pſal. 5. 1.Ps 5:1to thy loving kindneſs; according to the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my tranſgreſsions. Wherein he alludeth to the cuſtome of Creditours, who uſe to ſet down what every one oweth, and when debts are either forgiven, or paid, to blot them out. Our ſins are called debts in the Lords Prayer: Chriſt as our ſurety hath given ſatisfaction to divine Juſtice for them; When this is once apprehended and applied by a lively faith, God iſſueth out a pardon; drawing as it were, the lines of Chriſts Croſs over the lines of his debt-book; ſo as he may ſtill ſee the ſum we were indebted in, but ſees it cancelled, never to be exacted more.

§. 5. Be we then advertiſed from hence in the firſt place, to acknowledge the ſingular goodneſs of God to p. 212us in this particular, of forgiving our iniquity, tranſgreſsion and ſin. David in the place laſt cited ſpeaketh of it as a ſpecial evidence of loving kindneſs and tender mercies. The Apoſtles Creed, having premiſed the articles concerning Chriſt, by whom all bleſſings were procured for the Catholick Church, when it comes to recite them, nameth forgiveneſs of ſins in the firſt place, as the choiſeſt priviledge on this ſide heaven. And in that compendious prayer, which our Saviour taught us, there is a remarkable connexion of two petitions by a conjunctive particle, not to be found in any of the former. Give us this day our dayly bread, And forgive us our treſpaſſes. To ſhew that as our dayly ſins make us unworthy of dayly bread, ſo there is no ſweetneſs in them till the other be pardoned. Bread and all other outward mercies a man may receive from an angry God: pardon of ſin never cometh but from favour and ſpecial love, yea riches p. 213of grace, as Paul expreſſeth it, ſpeaking of Chriſt, In whom we have redemption Epheſ. 1. 7.Eph 1:7through his bloud, the forgiveneſs of ſins according to the riches of his grace.

§. 6. In the ſecond, to beleeve and repent, that we may be found in the number of thoſe to whom this choice bleſsing is imparted. Scripture telleth us men muſt be turned from darkneſs to Acts 26. 18.Acts 26:18light, from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveneſs of ſins, and an inheritance among them that are ſanctified, by faith that is in Chriſt. Alſo that God hath exalted him with his right hand to be a Acts 5. 31.Acts 5:31Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Iſrael and forgiveneſs of ſins. Obſerve the method, Repentance firſt, and then forgiveneſs. God doth not beſtow his diſtinguiſhing favours upon all men promiſcuouſly. Pardoning mercy doth indeed come from him with eaſe (he is called a God ready to pardon) but Nehem. 9. 17.Neh 9:17droppeth not from him at unawares, that I may allude to what Seneca ſaid Sinum habet facilem, ſed non perforatum. de benefic.of his liberal man. He will know p. 214whom he beſtoweth his forgiveneſs upon. Unbeleeving, unrepenting ſinners never obtained it; faithfull penitents never yet went without it. They may perhaps not be ſo ſenſible of it in times of temptation and of deſertion: but, to make uſe of a known diſtinction, whereas there is a double forgiveneſs, one in the high Court of heaven, of which the Lord ſpeaketh in his anſwer to Solomons prayer, Then will 1 Chron. 7. 14.1 Chr 7:14I hear from heaven and forgive their ſins. (all authentical pardons are coined there; the ſtamping of them is a part of prerogative royal; and it is no leſs then high treaſon in the Pope to have his mint of Indulgences going at Rome) Another in the Court of conſcience, ſpoken of in the epiſtle to the Hebrews, The worſhippers once purged ſhould have had no Hebr. 10. 2.Heb 10:2more conſcience of ſins: it may ſafely be aſſerted that forgiveneſs is certainly paſſed in the Court of heaven, whenſoever Chriſt is received by faith; according to that, Be it known unto you, p. 215that through this man, meaning Chriſt, is preached unto you the forgiveneſs of ſins; and by him all that beleeve are juſtified from all things, from which they could not be juſtified by the law of Moſes. Yet may there for ſome ſpace of time after this, not determinable by any man, be wanting a ſeal upon earth to this pardon; and the beleever continue not ſo fully acquitted in the court of his own conſcience, as to be aſſured of forgiveneſs till the Lord hath taught him by experience to ſee and acknowledge, that aſſurance of pardon is a free gift of his, as well as faith, or pardon it ſelf.

§. 7. In the third place, To be followers Epheſ. 5. 1. and 4. 32.Eph 5:1Eph 4:32of God as dear children, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Chriſts ſake hath forgiven us. We ſhould

Firſt, Forgive one another. The equity and neceſsity whereof are both exceedingly preſſed by our Saviour, to the end we might not look at it either as unreaſonable, or as arbitrary. The former by his parable in the eighteenth p. 216of Matthew. The wrongs we ſuffer compared to the ſins we commit, are Matth. 18. from verſe 23. to the end.Matt 18but as an hundred pence to ten thouſand talents; great odds both in number and weight: for number, ten thouſand to one hundred; and for weight, the one ſort are talents, the other pence. What more equal then that we who have ſo many talents forgiven us, ſhould be ready to forgive ſo few pence? The latter in an expreſs declaration annexed to the Lords prayer. If ye forgive men their treſpaſſes, your Matth. 6. 14, 15.Matt 6:14Matt 6:15heavenly Father will alſo forgive you; But if ye forgive not men their treſpaſſes, neither will your Father forgive your treſpaſſes. Whence it followeth, that perſons addicted to revenge, ſo oft as they repeat that petition Forgive us our treſpaſſes, as we forgive them that trespaſs againſt us, do in effect make a dreadfull imprecation againſt themſelves; and fetch down a curſe from heaven in ſtead of a bleſsing. For he that ſaith with his tongue, Lord, I pray thee forgive me, p. 217as I forgive others; but meanwhile ſaith in his heart, I cannot, I will not forgive ſuch an one, doth he not by conſequence ſay to God, Forgive not me? doth he not pronounce himſelf unworthy of pardon, and in effect ſubſcribe to the ſentence of his own condemnation? Yet alas how common a ſin is revenge! As the heart in the natural body is the firſt member that liveth, and the laſt that dies: ſo revenge in the heart is a luſt that ſooneſt appeareth in children, and is often longeſt ere it be healed in the regenerate. Molanus telleth us that the Chriſtians Auguſti…i ſeculo ad vocem Nobis quilibet Chriſtianus pectus ſuum tundebat. Jo. Molanus. Theol. practicae compend. p. 211.of old in Auſtins time, were wont to beat upon their breaſts in a deep ſenſe of their ſins, at the Nobis in the beginning of the forementioned Petition, Forgive Us: well may the moſt of men now adays beat their breaſts for grief, and hang down their heads for ſhame at the Nos in the latter clauſe, As we forgive. For how few are there that do it aright? Seeing that,

p. 218§. 8. Secondly, we ſhould forgive others, as God for Chriſts ſake hath forgiven us. to wit,

Firſt, Heartily without diſſembling. Chriſt denounceth a terrible threatning againſt ſuch, as do not from their Matth. 18. 35.Matt 18:35hearts forgive every one his brother. It is not a making a fair ſhew in outward carriages, not binding up, as it were, the broken bones of peace with good looks and ſweet words, that God accepteth, if the heart be full of wormwood and gall. Joab kiſſed, and ſtabbed, Judas kiſſed and betrayed. Hail Master, ſaid the one to Chriſt; Art thou well my brother? ſaid the other to Amaſa. How hatefull is ſuch diſsimulation to God and man? Forgiveneſs is a fruit of love: My little children, ſaith S^t John, let us not love, ſo ſay I, let us not forgive 1 Joh. 3. 18.1 John 3:18in word and tongue, but in deed and in truth.

Secondly, Speedily without delay. Be Nehem. 9. 17. Bis dat, qui cito.Neh 9:17like God, ready to pardon. As in beſtowing, he doubleth his benefit that giveth p. 219betimes: ſo in pardoning, he forgiveth twice that forgiveth with ſpeed; his forgiveneſs receiveth a double welcome, and ſhall have a double reward. It is not for Chriſtians to harbour animoſities in the courſe of their lives, and think to ſalve it by ſaying we forgive all the world, when they lie upon their death beds. For that may be applied to pardoning, which Divines uſually ſay of repenting, True forgiveneſs is never too late, but late forgiveneſs is ſeldome true. Wherefore let not the ſun go down upon Epheſ. 4. 26.Eph 4:26your wrath, as Paul adviſeth his Epheſians. If that which was but a mote at Ira feſtuca, eſt odium trab…. Auguſt.firſt, be watered and cheriſhed with the freſh ſuſpicions of ſome few days, it will turn to a beam, and go near to put out the eye of love.

Thirdly, Frequently without ſtint or limitation. God multiplieth pardon; ſo Iſai. 55. 7.Isa 55:7ſhould we. When ye ſtand praying, forgive, Mark 11. 25.Mark 11:25ſaith Chriſt; and Paul bids us Pray 1 Theſſ. 5. 17.1 Thess 5:17continually. We ſhould therefore be inclined to forgive continually; and to p. 220make actual performance whenſoever there is an opportunity. Peter thought he had offered fair when he asked, How oft ſhall my brother ſin against me, and Matth. 18. 21, 22.Matt 18:21Matt 18:22I forgive him? adding till ſeven times, as making account that ſurely that was often enough. But our Saviour maketh nothing of that number; would by no means have him ſtay there. Jeſus ſaith unto him, I ſay not unto thee till ſeven times, but untill ſeventy times ſeven: putting a certain definite number for an indefinite, and thereby intending to teach that his followers ſhould forgive Toties quoties ſo oft as they ſhall be treſpaſſed againſt.

§. 9. Fourthly, Throughly, as without excepting, ſo without remembring any offence. God excepteth not any of our ſins when he affordeth us pardoning grace. 1 Jo…. 1. 9.But if we confeſs, he is faithfull & juſt to forgive us our ſins, & to cleanſe us from all unrighteouſneſs. Should he reſerve but one unforgiven, that one would ſink our ſouls to hell. It is our duty to imitate p. 221him herein. Forgive, ſaith Chriſt, if ye have ought againſt any. Whoever the perſon, Mark 11. 25.Mark 11:25and whatever the thing be, you muſt forgive. One of the Evangeliſts ſetteth down the petition thus, in our Saviours form of prayer, Forgive us our Luke 11. 4.Luke 11:4ſins, for we alſo forgive every one that is indebted to us. It muſt then be performed without excepting any either perſon or eſſence. As alſo without remembring any. God doth ſo forgive our ſins as not to keep a regiſter of them. I, even I am he, ſaith the Lord, that blotteth Iſai. 43. 25.Isa 43:25out thy tranſgreſsions for mine own ſake, and will not remember thy ſins. Yet with us what more frequent then ſaying, I forgive ſuch a man, ſuch a wrong; but ſhall never forget it or him? A diſtinction that came not out of Chriſts ſchool, but Satans mint. Paul was of a different ſpirit; witneſs that remarkable paſſage of his to the Galatians, Brethren, I beſeech you be as I am, for I am Galat. 4. 12. Vide Bezam & Grotium in loc.Gal 4:12as ye are; ye have not injured me at all. Where he ſeemeth to deſire that every p. 222member of the Church in Galatia would be to him as an Alter ego, another ſelf, ſeeing he was affected as another ſelf to each of them. But had they not injured him? yes very much, in preferring the falſe Apoſtles before him, queſtioning his doctrine, yea becoming his enemies, and that for telling them the truth; yet behold him profeſsing here, Ye have not injured me at all, becauſe theſe wrongs were as no wrongs in his eſtimation, it was not his purpoſe to impute them; he ſpeaks as one that had really forgotten them by reaſon of his reſolution to forgive them. There is I confeſs, a kinde of remembrance not inconſiſtent with true forgiveneſs, when prudent men remember offences and offenders in cautelam, ſo as to beware for the future of expoſing themſelves to the like injuries: But Chriſtians ought not to remember in vindictam, ſo as to revenge themſelves upon the delinquents for wrongs done in time paſt. I ſay to revenge; p. 223for otherwiſe a Chriſtian mayExerc. 5. ſeek to right himſelf in a legal way, yea and to bring offenders to condign puniſhment; ſtill retaining a charitable minde towards them: even as God, though he have forgiven juſtified perſons, may notwithſtanding and often doth chaſtiſe them with his fatherly corrections.

EXERCITATION 5. The latter clauſes of Exod. 34. 7. ſo tranſlated and expounded as to contain an eighth branch of divine goodneſs, viz. Clemency in correcting. Equity in viſiting iniquities of the fathers upon the children. Clemency in stopping at the third and fourth generation. A leſson for Magiſtrates. A ſpeech of our Q. Eliſabeth. Gods proclamation in Exod. 34. Improved by Moſes in Numb. 14.

§. 1. THe following clauſes have ſomewhat more of difficulty in them then any of the former, as being variouſly rendered and expounded by Interpreters. The moſt reade as we p. 224do, That will by no means clear the guilty, viſiting &c. But amongſt theſe that do agree in the tranſlation there is ſome difference about the meaning of the words. The major part of that combination apply them wholly to the Juſtice of God in taking vengeance upon obſtinate ſinners. Some few (whereof M^r Ainſworth is one) reſpecting the ſcope of the whole context, which is to ſet forth the Goodneſs of God, conſider this alſo as relating to that. His words are theſe. This his Juſtice upon the wicked is a part of his goodneſs towards his people, as it is ſaid, The juſt ſhall rejoyce, when he ſees the vengeance. He Pſalm 58. 11.Ps 58:11ſhall waſh his feet in the bloud of the wicked. A gloſs that may receive confirmation from certain paſſages in Pſalm one hundred thirty ſix. Where the deſtruction of oppoſite Princes is recorded as an evidence of Gods mercy to his Church. He ſlew famous kings, for his mercy endureth for ever. Sihon king p. 225of the Amorites, for his mercy endureth for ever. And Og the king of Baſhan, for his Pſal. 136. v. 18, 19, 20.Ps 136:18Ps 136:19Ps 136:20mercy endureth for ever. As alſo from that in the firſt of Nahum, The Lord is good, a Nahum 1. 7, 8.Nah 1:7Nah 1:8ſtrong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that truſt in him: But with an overflowing floud he will make an utter end of the place thereof, that is, the oppreſsing city Niniveh, and darkneſs ſhall purſue his enemies.

§. 2. But the learned Critick Ludovicus de Dieu, conſidering that in other places, by name Zechar. 5. 3. the word Nakah ſignifieth to make void, and to cut off, by altering the tranſlation of theſe words, puts them into a poſture of looking directly at the goodneſs of God, and not with an oblique glance. He renders them thus, Evacuating, cutting Evacuando non evacuabit, ſuccidendo non ſuccidet. Lud. de Dieu. Animadverſ. in Exod. pag. 81, 82.off or deſtroying, he will not evacuate, cut off, or deſtroy; viſiting the iniquities of the fathers upon the children, unto the third and fourth generation: making this the ſenſe, So great is Gods goodneſs, that even when he is angry and puniſheth, yet p. 226he will not utterly overthrow: He viſiteth indeed the ſins of the fathers upon the children, but it is to the third and fourth generation onelyonly, not for ever. Now according to this interpretation (which for ought I know may well be received) the expreſsions import an eighth branch of divine goodneſs, to wit, Clemency in correcting, here ſet forth by a generall declaration, and by a particular inſtance.

Firſt by a generall declaration in theſe words, VENAKKEH LO IENAKKEH, deſtroying he will not deſtroy, that is not altogether, not ſo deſtroy as to make a full end, according to the expreſſion in Jeremy. Thus in like forms of Jerem. 46. 28.Jer 46:28ſpeech, Delivering thou haſt not delivered, that is, ſay our Tranſlatours, Neither haſt thou delivered this people at all. Redeeming he cannot redeem, that is, ſay they, None of them can by any means Exod. 5. 22. Pſal. 49. 7.Exod 5:22Ps 49:7redeem his brother. Proportionably here, Deſtroying he will not deſtroy, that is, God p. 227wil not at all, he wil not by any means utterly deſtroy his people, however he may correct and chaſten for ſome time. Suitable whereunto is that in Amos his Propheſie, Behold the eyes of the Lord God Amos 9. 8.Amos 9:8are upon the ſinfull kingdome; and I will deſtroy it from off the face of the earth, ſaving that I will not utterly deſtroy the houſe of Jacob, ſaith the Lord.

§. 3. This ſenſe is exceedingly favoured by a parallel place in Jeremy, I am with thee, ſaith the Lord, to ſave thee. Jer. 30. 11.Jer 30:11Though I make a full end of all Nations whither I have ſcattered thee, yet will I not make a full end of thee; but I will correct thee in meaſure. Then followeth, VENAKKEH LO ANAKKECA, which Pagnin rendereth, And deſtroying I will not deſtroy thee. It may further, and yet more ſtrongly be confirmed by a paſſage in the fourteenth of Numbers. The hand of faith having once faſtned upon God, will not readily let go his hold. Moſes had taken faſt hold of that diſcovery, which the Lord was pleaſed to p. 228make of himſelf in this place of Exodus, and accordingly upon occaſion improveth it, by pleading with him for Iſraels preſervation from a totall ruine; which was then deſerved and threatned, making uſe to that end of thoſe very terms the diſcovery was made in, and among others of thoſe now under debate, as moſt argumentative in the ſenſe contended for. It is as if he had ſaid, Wilt thou, O Lord, Numb. 14. 17, 18.Num 14:17Num 14:18bring an utter deſtruction upon this whole people? What ſhall then become of that goodneſs of thine which it pleaſed thee to proclaim to thy ſervant in Sinai? If thou beeſt reſolved to puniſh them, yet remember what thou haſt ſaid, Deſtryoing he will not deſtroy. If their iniquities muſt be viſited upon their children, O let it not be for ever, Lord, but onelyonly to the third and fourth generation, as thou haſt ſpoken. Whereas from the words in that other ſenſe, which is commonly received, Moſes could not p. 229poſsibly have drawn ſo ſtrong a plea. For if God will by no means clear the guilty; all Iſrael having at that time contracted a deep and deadly guilt, what inference could be made from thence, but that all Iſrael were of neceſsity to periſh?

§. 4. Secondly by a particular inſtance contained in the laſt clauſe, Viſiting the iniquities of the fathers upon the children, and upon the childrens children, unto the third, and fourth generation. For the cleerer explication whereof, it will be requiſite to demonſtrate that God in ſo doing exerciſeth both equity, and clemency, leſt either ſhould be doubted of. Concerning the former; Although by an expreſs law Magiſtrates Deut. 24. 16. compared with 2 Kings 14. 6. Vide Grotium de jure belli & pacis. lib. 2. cap. 21. §. 14.Deut 24:162 Kgs 14:6be forbidden to put children to death for their parents ſins; yet God, who is authour of life and death, hath reſerved to himſelf a liberty of ſo doing, whenſoever it pleaſeth him, by reaſon of his ſupreme dominion over all: and therefore for him to inflict inferiour p. 230temporal puniſhments in that caſe, cannot but be accounted juſt. The rather if we take into conſideration that children may be accounted part of the parents themſelves: for as a mans wife is himſelf divided, ſo his children are himſelf multiplied. However they are undoubtedly part of their parents goods, and ſo eſteemed. When God had once ſaid concerning Job, Behold, Job 1. 12.Job 1:12all that he hath is in thy power, Satan by vertue of that Commiſsion ſlew not his cattel and ſervants onelyonly, but his ſons and daughters. And when he had determined concerning Achan, Let Joſua 7. 15, 24, 25.Josh 7:15Josh 7:24Josh 7:25him, and all that he hath be burnt with fire, the Iſraelites in obedience to that command burnt his children, together with his other ſubſtance.

§. 5. As to the latter, Gods viſiting on this wiſe will be found an act of clemency, as well as of equity, if it be conſidered,

Firſt, That it is but to the third and fourth generation, not to all generations, p. 231and for ever, according to the Pſalmiſts expoſtulation, Wilt thou be angry Pſal. 85. 5.Ps 85:5with us for ever? wilt thou draw out shine anger to all generations? Not to do thus is mercy, witneſs that in Nehemiah, For thy great mercies ſake thou didſt Nehem. 9. 31.Neh 9:31not utterly conſume them, nor forſake them: for thou art a gracious and mercifull God.

Secondly, That all ſorts of ſinners are not ſo puniſhed, but onelyonly or mainly ſuch as are guilty of the moſt hainous provocations; chiefly Idolaters and worſhippers of falſe Gods. For the ſecond commandment (which is the firſt place of Scripture wherein we meet with this expreſsion) hath it thus, I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, Deum odiſſe inſacris literis peculiariter illi dicuntur qui falſos Deos colunt; ita ut neget Maimonides alio ſenſu id loquendi genus reperiri. Grotius in explicat. decalogi.viſiting the iniquities of the fathers upon the children, unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me. that is, of them that manifeſt their hatred of me by committing ſpiritual adultery with Idols, which, as ſome affirm is the moſt proper and onelyonly notion of that phraſe throughout the Scripture.

p. 232Thirdly, That it is ſeldome done, but where children tread in their fathers ſteps, and are guilty of the ſame ſins with their progenitours. Then no wonder if what we finde in Iſaiahs propheſie be accompliſhed to the full, Behold, it is written before me; I will not keep Iſa. 65. 6, 7.Isa 65:6Isa 65:7ſilence, but will recompenſe, even recompenſe into their boſome your iniquities, and the iniquities of your fathers together, ſaith the Lord, which have burnt incenſe upon the mountains, and blaſphemed me upon the hills: therefore will I meaſure their former work into their boſome.

Fourthly, that it is never done but with mercifull intentions; namely to reſtrain men from ſin upon this ground, becauſe their children, whom they affect ſo dearly are like to ſmart for it. He is a truly miſerable heir that inheriteth his fathers ſins with his lands: the one will quickly eat out all, and more then all the comfort he can expect from the other. Now there is ſcarce any penalty more grievous in p. 231Chryſoſtomes opinion, then for a man to ſee miſery brought upon his offspring, foreign. Chryſoſt. homil. 29. ad Gen. 9.Gen 9and that for his ſake.

§. 6. Rulers ſhould imitate God herein, by not dealing againſt malefactours to the utmoſt of rigour, but exerciſing clemency in their corrections: not writing all their laws in bloud, as Draco of old is ſaid to have done; not diſmembring where a plaiſter will ſuffice, nor applying ſcorpions where a rod will ſerve the turn. Humanity is a manlike, cruelty a diabolical principle. In wrath God always remembereth mercy, ſo ſhould they of whom it is written, I have ſaid ye are Gods. The ſword of his juſtice is always furbiſhed with the oyl of loving kindneſs; ſo ſhould theirs. Our Queen Elizabeth is reported to have profeſſed, That next to the Scriptures D^r Hackwel on Pſal. 101. p. 28.Ps 101ſhe knew no book, which had done her ſo much good, as the often reading of Seneca's treatiſe De clementia.

§. 7. To ſhut up this ſo long diſcourſe p. 232with a review of Moſes his example touched upon before in the third paragraph; Look as ſome kinde of artificers after long poring upon a piece of black work, finding a dimneſs in their ſight, are wont to take an emerald, or ſome other green thing, by the verdure whereof their eyes may be refreſhed and their ſpirits cheered: ſo beleevers, when puzled & dulled with the conſideration of ſad events, ſhould for their ſpiritual relief make uſe of this glorious proclamation made by God himſelf concerning his goodneſs and the ſeveral branches thereof; which are all cheering to faith. Moſes did ſo in the fourteenth of Numbers. The ſpies were then newly returned with their diſmal report; the people fallen into their two epidemical diſeaſes, rebelling and murmuring, excepting onelyonly Caleb and Joſhua. Hereupon God being highly provoked threatneth to diſinherit them, verſ. 12. to kill them all as one man, verſ. 15. It was now time for Moſes, p. 233who loved them as his own ſoul to beſtir himſelf, to become their advocate, and beg pardon on their behalf, as he doth in the 17, 18 and 19 verſes, grounding his plea upon two topicks: the former Gods power in theſe words, I beſeech thee let the power of my Lord be great. Let it be, that is, be manifeſted, and appear to be great. But what hath power to do with pardon? Much every way. Forgiveneſs is an act of potency as well as of clemency. We know that in all Civil ſtates pardoning ſuch as the law hath ſentenced is a prerogative belonging to the Supreme Power. His ſecond topick is Gods truth engaging him to make good what had formerly been proclaimed by himſelf concerning his goodneſs in Moſes his hearing. To an active beleever, ſuch as Moſes approved himſelf in his whole courſe, every revelation of God is like a clear and diſtinct voice uttered in an arched vault, which reſoundeth again and again. God hath p. 234Pſal. 62. 11.Ps 62:11ſpoken once, ſaith David, twice have I heard this, that power belongeth unto God. Accordingly Moſes, as he heard this admirable diſcovery of divine goodneſs, when the Lord firſt uttered it on mount Sinai: ſo now he heareth it over again, and upon this ſignal occaſion maketh a due improvement of it, by founding his plea for Iſrael upon it. According as thou haſt ſpoken ſaying, The Lord is long-ſuffering and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and tranſgreſsion, &c.

EXERCITATION 6. Job 11. 7, 8, 9. expounded of divine Greatneſs. Three reaſons of that Expoſition, with the reſolution of a queſtion about it. The height of Gods univerſal, unaccountable, omnipotent Sovereignty proved and improved.

§. 1. ZOphar in Job, being about (as I now am) to ſet forth the greatneſs of God, premiſeth this interrogation, Canſt thou by ſearching finde out God? Job. 11. 7.Job 11:7to implie the truth of what is p. 235elſewhere clearly expreſſed by the ProphetExerc. 6. David, Great is the Lord, and greatly Pſal. 145. 3.Ps 145:3to be praiſed; and his greatneſs is unſearchable. It could not otherwiſe be His. For as one ſaith well, Non eſſet Deus magnus, ſi non eſſet major captu noſtro. Such is the ſhallowneſs of mans underſtanding, that God ſhould not be really great if he were not greater then our capacities. The deſcription he maketh thereof followeth in theſe words. It is as high as Job. 11. 8, 9.Job 11:8Job 11:9heaen, what canſt thou do? deeper then hell, what canſt thou know? The meaſure thereof is longer then the earth, and broader then the Jea. Where by height Zophar ſeemeth to underſtand the Omnipotent Sovereignty, by depth the omniſcient wiſdome, by length the everlaſting duration, by breadth the omnipreſent immenſitie of God. The grounds of this interpretation are chiefly three.

Firſt the dimenſions here enumerated are thoſe whereby we are wont to eſtimate the greatneſs of things: and I finde all the forementioned Attributes p. 236ſpoken of as branches of divine greatneſs in other places. Omnipotent Sovereignty; Great is the Lord, and of Pſal. 147. 5.Ps 147:5great power. Omniſcient underſtanding. God is greater then our heart, and knoweth 1 Joh. 3. 20.1 John 3:20all things. Everlaſting duration; Behold, Job 36. 26.Job 36:26God is great, and we know him not, neither can the number of his years be ſearched out. Omnipreſent immenſity; Great is our 2 Chr. 2. 5, 6.2 Chr 2:52 Chr 2:6God above all gods. Who is able to build him an houſe, ſeeing the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain him?

Secondly, each particular dimenſion is elſewhere applied to theſe very attributes, though ſome with more clearneſs then others. Height to Gods Sovereignty. He that is higher then the Eccles. 6. 8.Eccl 6:8higheſt regardeth, and there be higher then they. Depth to his Omniſcience. O the Rom. 11. 33.Rom 11:33depth of the riches both of the wiſdome and knowledge of God! Length to his Eternity. He asked life, and thou gaveſt it to him; even length of days for ever and ever. Pſal. 21. 4.Ps 21:4Which Calvin and the Chaldee paraphraſe, apply to Chriſt, underſtanding p. 237thereby the eternal duration of his kingdome. Laſtly breadth to his Omnipreſence, but covertly in that of Iſaiah, The glorious Lord will be unto us a Iſa. 33. 21.Isa 33:21place of broad rivers and ſtreams; to ſignifie that protection and ſafety, which his preſence with his Church in every place affords to all the members thereof, like a broad river encompaſsing a fenced town on every ſide.

Thirdly, Me thinks there is ſomewhat expreſt in Zophars ſpeech which as to the two former particulars, tends to this interpretation. For having ſaid, It is as high as heaven, he preſently adds, What canſt thou do? meaning perhaps what are thy weak abilities to his omnipotence? He in regard of his Sovereign power can do all things; but thou, alas! what canſt thou do? And after affirming, It is deeper then hell, he ſubjoyneth, what canſt thou know? as if he had ſaid, what are thy ſhallow apprehenſions to the depth of his thoughts? He in regard of his omniſcient p. 238underſtanding knoweth all things, but thou, poor man, What canſt thou know?

§. 2. If it be asked, why I expound all theſe clauſes of God, ſeeing the particles It and Thereof (It is high as heaven, The meaſure thereof) ſeem to relate unto ſomewhat elſe. My anſwer is, that Expoſitours differ much about this very thing, and according to their ſeveral apprehenſions tranſlate the words after a different manner. The vulgar Latine and our old Engliſh tranſlations carry all to Almighty God, who was mentioned in the verſe before, Canſt thou finde out the Almighty? reading it thus, He is higher then heaven, what art thou able to do? His length exceeds the length of the earth &c. Others conſidering that divers words in the original text being feminine will not agree in conſtruction with Eloah and Saddai, whereby God is there expreſt, have therefore looked back to the ſixt verſe for an antecedent, where they meet with foreign Wiſdome, p. 239and expound all of it, inſerting the word Sapientia into their Latine tranſlations, as Oecolampadius and Junius do. But for my part, there is I conceive a word nearer hand, which will ſerve the turn better, and that is foreign Perfection. Canſt thou finde out the Almighty unto perfection? It, that is, the Perfection of God is as high as heaven &c. And herein I joyn with Caſtellio, whoſe tranſlation is fully ſquared to this ſenſe; for ſo he readeth the place, Tune Dei intima perveſtiges, aut ipſam adeò perfectionem Omnipotentis invenias? Quae cùm coelum altitudine adaequet, quid ages? &c. Now I interpret the words, as before, becauſe however they be read, whether God, or wiſdome, or Perfection be taken for the antecedent, it cometh to one and the ſame iſſue, for the Wiſdome of God is himſelf; and his Perfection comprehends not Wiſdome onelyonly, but all his other excellencies whatſoever; inſomuch as Leſsius intitleth his book concerning the Attributes, p. 240De perfectionibus divinis. The way thus cleared, I now proceed without further interruption to ſingle out the particular dimenſions, and diſcourſe of them in their order.

§. 3. Seeing all divine perfections far tranſcend humane capacities, the ſafeſt way, as I humbly conceive, for us to make a due eſtimate concerning the height of Gods ſovereignty is to compare it with that of earthly potentates, which is within the compaſs and reach of our underſtandings. Verily it is not without cauſe that S. Paul ſtyles him the 1 Tim. 6. 15.1 Tim 6:15bleſſed and onelyonly potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords; that Moſes, Melchiſedech and Abram, entitle him the moſt high God Gen. 14. v. 18, 19, 20, 22.Gen 14:18Gen 14:19Gen 14:20Gen 14:22four times in one chapter. For upon ſearch it will appear that his Sovereignty excels that of the high and mighty ones upon earth in point of Extenſiveneſs, of Unaccountableneſs, and of Almightineſs.

I. In point of extenſiveneſs His kingdome Pſalm 103. 19.Ps 103:19ruleth over all. The whole earth p. 241and ſea, which make but one globe, is to the Univerſe but as a little central point; the mightieſt potentate hath no more but his ſhare in that little. Whereupon Seneca bringeth in his wiſe & vertuous man with this cenſure and ſarcaſme in his mouth. Is this that Point, Hoc eſt illud punctum quod inter tot gentes ferro & i…ni dividitur? O quàm cidiculi ſunt mortalium termini! Punctum eſt iſtud in quo navigatis, in quo bellatis, in quo Regna diſponitis minima &c. Senec. Natural. quaeſt lib. 1. in Praefatione.which ſo many Nations of the world do ſo ſtrive to divide among themſelves by fire and ſword? O how ridiculous are the bounds of mortal men! All that in which they ſail to and fro, manage their wars, and ſet up their petty kingdomes is but a Point. Whereas the Sovereignty of God extendeth it ſelf to the whole earth and ſea, yea to heaven; and the heaven of heavens, giving laws not onelyonly to the viſible hoſt of ſun, moon, and ſtars, but alſo to the inviſible hoſt of Angels, who are ſaid to Pſalm 103. 20.Ps 103:20excell in ſtrength, and to do his commandments, hearkning unto the voice of his word. Yea there is not a Devil in hell that can go beyond the length of his chain, for even thoſe legions of darkneſs are, though much againſt their wils, ſubjected p. 242to the empire of the father of lights.

Yea whereas the dominion of worldly Potentates reacheth but to the outward man, and their laws cannot directly oblige the conſcience, ſo as to bring upon it a guilt binding over the ſoul to death; his do. And in this reſpect S^t James telleth us that there is one James 4. 12.Jas 4:12law-giver, one and but one, who is able to ſave and to deſtroy. The ſtyle which Paul giveth earthly governours is maſters Epheſ. 6. 5.Eph 6:5according to the fleſh; but Moſes calleth Numb. 17. 16.Num 17:16God, the God of the ſpirits of all fleſh; to imply that however there be many, who lord it ſufficiently over the fleſh and outward man, there is no Lord of our ſpirits but God alone, who onelyonly is greater then our hearts, as S^t John ſpeaketh. 1 John 3. 20.1 John 3:20This made the good Emperour Hiſtory of the Bohemian perſecutions Engliſh in 8^o chap. 39. § 2.Maximilian the ſecond ſay, That whoſoever aſſumed to himſelf a power over the conſciences of men, ſet himſelf down in the throne of God. His ſon Rodolphus who ſucceeded him in the Empire reſolved to walk p. 243in his fathers ſteps, yet was once unhappily wrought upon by the ſubtlety Ibid. chap. 40. § 1.of the Jeſuites to give way to the paſsing of an Edict for ſhutting up the Proteſtants Churches during ſome time. But that very day news was brought him that Alba Regia the chief city he had in Hungary was taken by the Turks. Whereupon in great aſtoniſhment he is reported to have ſaid, I Expectabam tale quid poſtquam hodie Dei regimen, quod eſt conſcient arum uſurpa…e coeperam. Joh. Laet. compend. hiſt. pag. 666.expected that ſome ſuch miſchief as this ſhould befall me; ſeeing this day I began to uſurp the government belonging to God, which is of conſciences.

§. 4. II. In point of unaccountableneſs. The greateſt Princes upon earth do, or ſhould govern by laws, to the making whereof others concur as well as they. But our God is a law to himſelf. He onelyonly can write upon his imperial Edicts, My reaſon for it is my will. Yet becauſe Stat pro ratione voluntas.of the holineſs of his nature his will is always moſt juſt; ſo as he never enacted any thing, but what is in it ſelf equal and reaſonable, although p. 244perhaps to our ſhallow underſtandings it may appear otherwiſe: as to our eyes turrets and ſteeples how upright ſoever, if their height be exceeding great, do often ſeem crooked, and look as if they ſtood awry; which ſhould deter us from cenſuring any of his Decrees, or Diſpenſations, as ſome great but unhallowed wits are wont to do; of whom Luther maketh this ſober and ſad complaint, They require that God act jure humano, according Luther de ſervo arbitrio. cap. 173.to what the ſons of men do commonly account right and juſt, or otherwiſe that he would ceaſe to be God. Tell not them of the ſecrets of his Sovereign Majeſty; let him render a reaſon of his being God, if he ſpeak, do, or will any thing, but what appeareth equal to men. Proud fleſh cannot vouchſafe the God of heaven ſo much honour as to beleeve any thing to be good or right, which is ſpoken or acted above what the Codex of Justinian, or the fifth p. 245book of Ariſtotles Ethicks defineth to be juſt.

I confeſs indeed that God often condeſcendeth in his holy word to give men a reaſon of ſome proceedings, and to clear them up to our underſtandings: but it is more then he needeth to do, more then we ought to expect in all caſes. It will therefore be our wiſdome to forbear playing the Criticks upon his decrees and adminiſtrations; conſidering that he alone is foreign, unaccountable, not to be called in queſtion for any of his doings: and always remembring that of Paul, Nay but, O man, who art thou that Rom. 9. 20, 21.Rom 9:20Rom 9:21replieſt againſt God? Hath not the potter power over the clay? Together with that of Job, God is greater then man: why doſt Job 33. 12, 13.Job 33:12Job 33:13thou ſtrive againſt him? for he giveth not account of any of his matters.

§. 5. Thirdly, In point of Almightineſs. In the Princes of this world foreign and foreign, Authority and Power are often ſevered: their authority may be great, p. 246when their power to manage it is but ſmall. David was King, yet could not act as he deſired, for the ſons of Zerviah were too ſtrong for him. But in God they always go hand in hand for the accompliſhing of what his wiſdome hath deſigned. Therefore I called it Omnipotent Sovereignty. I know, Job 42. 2.Job 42:2ſaith Job, that thou canſt do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee, meaning that God cannot be hindered in the execution, or bringing to paſs of whatſoever he hath in the thoughts and purpoſes of his heart. The Angel to Mary, With God nothing Luke 1. 37.Luke 1:37ſhall be impoſsible, Paul to the Epheſians, He is able to do exceeding abundantly Epheſ. 3. 20.Eph 3:20above all that we ask or think. Other Scriptures may ſeem oppoſite to theſe, but are not. God that cannot lie. Tit. 1. 2.Titus 1:2He cannot denie himſelf, ſaith S^t Paul. For 2 Tim. 2. 1….2 Tim 2:1anſwer to theſe and the like inſtances, we muſt diſtinguiſh of Impoſsibles. They are of two ſorts, Impoſsibilia naturae, Voetius Diſp. Theol. part. 1. … 109.and Impoſsibilia naturâ. Firſt there p. 247are divers things impoſsible indeed to nature, ſuch as in the ordinary courſe of ſecondary cauſes cannot be done, which yet to God are moſt feaſeable; for example, working of miracles, giving ſight to ſuch as were born blinde, raiſing up children to Abraham out of the very ſtones in the ſtreet. Secondly, Some other things are impoſsible not to nature onelyonly, but in nature; and that either in reference to the nature of God, when they are ſuch as argue imperfection in the doer, as to ſin, and to die: or in reſpect to the nature of the things themſelves, when they are ſuch as implie contradiction, as for a creature to be made independent. The former Si iſta paſſet Deus, non eſſet omnipotens. Magna in Deo potentia eſt non poſſe mentiri. Auguſt. lib. 1. de Symbol. cap. 1.of theſe God himſelf cannot do; not through want, but through height and abundance of power. He cannot ſin, lie or deny himſelf, and that becauſe he is Omnipotent: it is for impotent creatures to be liable unto ſuch kinde of imperfections as theſe are. Neither can he do the latter: yet is it p. 248not through any defect of power in God, that ſuch things cannot be done, but through want of capacity in the things, which are ſimply impoſsible. So then, when we aſcribe Almightineſs to God, the meaning is, that whereever divine Underſtanding can be a principle of direction, and divine will a principle of injunction, there divine power can ſhew it ſelf an able principle of execution. Or in plainer terms, That God can do whatſoever he will: and the onelyonly reaſon why things that do either argue imperfection, or imply contradiction fall not within the compaſs of his power, is becauſe they are ſuch, as for want of goodneſs or entity cannot become objects of his will.

§. 6. Now if the perfection of God be ſo very high in regard of his Omnipotent ſovereignty, think of thine own lowneſs, (O man, or rather, O worm, and no man) and be confounded within thy ſelf, upon comparing thy ſervile condition by nature with his p. 249Sovereignty; thy imbecility with his Omnipotence. Adam indeed, ſo long as he ſtood, was an univerſal Monarch, having dominion both over himſelf, and over the creatures: But every man ſince the fall is a ſlave born, a ſervant to divers luſts and pleaſures: Neither is there any way for getting out of this eſtate, but getting into Chriſt, who reſtoreth all ſuch as cloſe with him to a ſpiritual Sovereignty, Making them kings to God and his father; Rev. 1. 6.Rev 1:6and upholding them with his royall Spirit, as ſome reade that in the Pſalm. Till then Pſal. 51. 12.Ps 51:12what are whole Nations of men, but, to ſpeak in the Prophets language, as the drops of a bucket, which in their fall Iſa. 40. 15.Isa 40:15are ſo licked up by the duſt of the earth as they are no more diſcernable; or as the ſmall duſt of the ballance, which is of no moment at all towards turning of the beam one way or other? And if Nations be ſo inconſiderable, what ſhall we ſay of particular perſons? I will ſuppoſe a mighty Prince, p. 250but an unbeleever ſtyled your Highneſs, or your Majeſty at every word; and be bold to preſent him upon this occaſion with Zophars interrogatory, What canſt thou do? When God leaveth thee to thy ſelf, how impotent are thy beſt abilities, as to the things of a better world? Seeing they are ſuch as no natural man can either receive, for they are fooliſhneſs to him, and muſt be ſpiritually 1 Cor. 2. 14.1 Cor 2:14diſcerned; or cloſe with when they are diſcovered: for the carnal minde is Rom. 8. 7.Rom 8:7enmity againſt God, it is not ſubject to the law of God, nor indeed can be.

May theſe and the like conſiderations work ſo kindly upon us, as Canutus his not being able to ſet bounds to the ocean did upon him. It is an hiſtory worth the remembring. This Canutus Cambden Britannia out of H. Huntington.was one of the ancient kings of England, who really to refute the flatterers by whom he was told that all things were at his command, cauſed his royall Pavilion to be ſet upon the ſands, when the tide was coming in, p. 251then ſaid to the ſea, Thou belongeſt to my dominion, and this earth which my throne ſtandeth upon is mine. I charge thee therefore not to flow in upon my ground, nor to wet the feet of thy Sovereign Lord. But in vain, for the tide kept its courſe, and came up to his feet, without doing him any reverence. Whereupon he removed further off, and ſaid, Be it known to all men in the world that the power of Princes is but a vain empty thing, and that none fully deſerveth the name of a Sovereign Lord, but he at whoſe beck heaven and earth yield their obedience, who can ſay to the ſea, hitherto ſhalt thou come, but no further; and here ſhall thy proud waves be ſtaid. It is alſo reported that after this he never put on his crown more.

O that all the ſons of men would accordingly learn from this branch of divine greatneſs never to boaſt more of their own abilities! but to throw p. 252down all their crowns at the feet of Chriſt, who, though omnipotence be incommunicable, leaveth upon ſuch as receive him by faith ſome impreſsions and footſteps of it. For whereas divine Almightineſs ſtandeth in two things eſpecially, to wit, in Gods being able to do all things that are regularly poſsible, and his not being able to do any ſinfull thing; there are ſome prints of both upon Chriſtians, I can do all things, ſaith Philip. 4. 13.Phil 4:13S^t Paul, through Chriſt that ſtrengtheneth me. And whoſoever is born of God, 1 John 3. 9.1 John 3:9ſaith S^t John, cannot ſin, becauſe he is born of God.

p. 253EXERCITATION 7.Exerc. 7. The depth of divine Omniſcience ſeen in diſcerning the deep things of man, yea of Satan, yea of God. Our Neſcience diſcovered and acknowledged. The longitude of Gods perfection ſtated. Eternitie proper to him. Not aſſumed by, or aſcribed to men without blaſphemy.

§. 1. THe ſecond dimenſion is the depth of Gods Omniſcience, which appears in that he is able to found and fadome the deepeſt things, whether of man, or of Satan, or of the Divine eſſence and will.

Firſt, There are deep things of men. Their words are deep: and again, The Prov. 18. 4.Prov 18:4words of a mans mouth are as deep waters. Their hearts and counſels much more. Both the inward thoughts of every one of them, and the heart is deep. So David of Pſal. 64. 6.Ps 64:6the churches enemies. Counſel in the Prov. 20. 5.Prov 20:5heart of man is like a deep water. So Solomon of wiſe ſages. who are therefore compared by a learned writer to coffers with double bottoms, which when others p. 254look into, being opened, they ſee not all they hold on the ſuddain S^r. Walter Ralegh's hiſt. book 5. p. 359.and at once. But theſe are no depths to God, to whom David ſaid, There is not a word in my tongue, but lo, O Lord, Pſal. 139. 4.Ps 139:4thou knoweſt it altogether. And elſewhere, The Lord ſearcheth all hearts, and underſtandeth Chron. 28. 9.all the imaginations of the thoughts. Neither is it the leaſt act of Gods goodneſs to mankinde, that he is pleaſed to reſerve the ſearching of hearts to himſelf, as part of his own prerogative royal, becauſe if men were able to dive into one anothers thoughts, there would be no quiet in the world; no peaceable living one by another, in regard of that hidden hypocriſie and malice which lurks in the moſt.

§. 2. Secondly, Deep things of Satan, ſpoken of in the Revelation; As many as have not this doctrine, and which have not Revel. 2. 24.Rev 2:24known the depths of Satan, as they ſpeak. Seducers are wont to boaſt of their myſterious tenents, and to ſpeak of them as great depths, not to be fadomed p. 255by common chriſtians. Chriſt in that Epiſtle of his to the church of Thyatira, makes uſe of their own term, Depths as they ſpeak; but ſo as to brand them for Depths of Satan fetch'd from hell, whereas they perhaps held them forth as new truths, glorious lights and revelations from above. Thus popery is a myſtery, but a myſtery of iniquity, as Paul ſtyleth it, and Socinianiſme a depth, but a Depth of Satan. There is not a ſerpentine winding or turning in any of thoſe corrupt opinions, which peſter and poyſon the Church of Chriſt at this day, but God ſeeth and knoweth it, how hard ſoever it be for his ſervants to diſcover and refute. To theſe may be added all thoſe other helliſh deſigns which go under other names in the Scripture, as The wiles of the divel, and his devices; Epheſ. 6. 11. 2 Cor. 2. 11.Eph 6:112 Cor 2:11all which dark ſecrets are not in the dark to divine underſtanding. And he that now ſees them all will one day reckon with Satan for them, yea, and p. 256ſink him ſo much the deeper into hell, by how much his depths have done more miſchief upon earth. I ſay into hell, where he ſhall have thoſe agents and factours by whom he now carrieth on his curſed work, for his curſed companions to eternitie, according to that in the Apocalyps, The divel that deceived Rev. 20. 10.Rev 20:10them was caſt into the lake of fire and brimſtone, where the beaſt, and the falſe prophet are; and ſhall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

§. 3. Thirdly, Deep things of God, of the divine Eſſence and Will, concerning which the Apoſtle ſaith, The 1 Cor. 2. 10.1 Cor 2:10Spirit ſearcheth all things, yea the deep things of God. Things which the cleareſt underſtandings of men and Angels entertain with amazement: we cannot but bewray our balbutiencie when we treat of One in Three, and Three in one; ſuch a myſterious gulf is the Trinitie: ſo when we diſcourſe either of the Perſonal Union, or the Theandrical acts of Chriſt. And no wonder, p. 257ſeeing we meet with ſuch ſecrets and depths even in Gods revealed Will, The greateſt divines have acknowledged many foreign, Things hard to be underſtood; yea, diverſe foreign, knots that cannot be untied, till there either come further light into this world, or we be tranſlated into a better. Such as every modeſt chriſtian will be readie to ſay of, as the learned Cajetan did concerning the reaſon of that difference, which in the Hebrew Text is obſervable betwixt the title of Pſalm 121. and thoſe other Pſalms of Degrees, Reſervo Spiritui Sancto, I reſerve the ſolution of this and that doubt to the holy Spirit. For to him and the other Divine Perſons ſuch things are no riddles; though to us they be dark and Enigmatical, yea, perhaps unſearchable. Although we ever and anon meet with cauſe of crying out as Saint Paul once did, How unſearchable Rom. 11. 33.Rom 11:33are his judgements, and his waies paſt finding out? Let us alwaies remember and p. 258believe that of S^t. James, known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the Act. 15. 18.Acts 15:18world.

§. 4. Well may the prudent conſideration of what hath been ſaid concerning the depth of Divine Omniſcience put the wiſeſt of men in minde of their Neſcience; keep them from leaning to their own underſtandings; and give them juſt occaſion to think of an anſwer to Zophars queſtion, What canſt thou know? If the ſecrets of nature do ſo puzzle thee, what canſt thou know concerning thoſe much greater ſecrets of grace and glory? of which Luther Quid ſi philoſophia haec non capit? fides tamen capit. major eſt verbi Dei authoritas, quam nostri ingenii capacitas. major Sp. Sanctus quàm Ariſtoteles. Luther de captivit. Babylonic…. Pſal. 147. 5.Ps 147:5very excellently, Philoſophy receives them not, faith doth. The authority of Scripture is greater by far then the capacity of our wit; and the Holy Ghoſt then Ariſtotle. Well may the depth of Divine underſtanding, which the Pſalmiſt ſaith is infinite, Great is the Lord, and of great power; his underſtanding is infinite, cauſe us to reflect upon the ſhallowneſs, the finiteneſs, yea, the folly of our own. p. 259For if the fooliſhneſs of God be wiſer then men, as the Apoſtle telleth us it is, 1 Cor. 1. 25.1 Cor 1:25what is his wiſdome? Add if the wiſdome of this world be fooliſhneſs with God, 1 Cor. 3. 19.1 Cor 3:19what is its folly? No wonder if one learned man wrote a book of the vanity Cornel. Agrip.of Sciences, others of the Nullity, Anton. Verderius. Franc. Zanch. M. D. Hoc unum ſcio quod nihil ſcio. Socrates. Quo magis ſtudiis incumbimus eò magis nos videre quàm nihil ſcimus, Ap. Jo. Bevoricium. Epiſt. quaeſt. p. 86.Quod nihil ſcitur. If the wiſe heathen profeſt, the onelyonly thing he knew was this that he knew not any thing at all. If Frier Paul of Venice the judicious author of that excellent hiſtory of the Councel of Trent was wont to ſay. The more we ſtudie, the more we ſee how little or nothing we underſtand; yea, if more knowing men then any of theſe abounded in acknowledgements of their own ignorance. Aſaph, So fooliſh was I and ignorant; Pſal. 73. 22, Prov. 30. 23.Ps 73:22Prov 30:23I was as a beaſt before thee. Agur, Surely I am more brutiſh then any man, and have not the understanding of a man. I neither learned wiſdome, nor have the knowledge of the holy. So true is that of our great Apoſtle, If any man think that he knows any thing, he 1 Cor. 8. 2.1 Cor 8:2knows nothing yet as he ought to know.

p. 260§. 5. Next followeth the third dimenſion, which is Longitude, in this expreſsion, The meaſure thereof is longer then the earth. For the better ſtating whereof let it be conſidered, that whereas the word here tranſlated Meaſure relateth not to extenſion onelyonly, but alſo to duration; and the earth hath a double longitude, one of ſpace, the other of continuance; which the Scripture taketh ſpecial notice of in other texts, as in that of Eccleſiaſtes, One generation Eccles 1. 4.Eccl 1:4paſſeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever. I conceive the latter may here be alluded to, viz. the earths long continuance, as in ſome low proportion fit to reſemble that everlaſting duration of God, which cannot be adequately repreſented by any creature. Sure I am by the Ancient of days in Daniel the eternal Dan. 7. 9, 13.Dan 7:9Dan 7:13Jehovah is deſcribed; by length of Prov. 3. 16.Prov 3:16days in wiſdomes right hand, of which in the Proverbs, many Interpreters underſtand the bleſsings of Eternity: And p. 261this very place of Job is expounded by Gregory in this ſenſe. His words are, Terrâ longior, quia creaturae modum perennitate Greg. Moral. lib. 10. cap. 7.ſuae Aeternitatis excedit.

All creatures had an original, all but ſome few ſhall have a diſſolution. Of the Creatour, and of him onelyonly is that of the Pſalmiſt verified, From everlaſting Pſal. 90. 2.Ps 90:2to everlaſting thou art God. He gave beginning Principium ſine p…incipio, finis ſine ſine.to all things, but was himſelf without a beginning; is the end for which all things were made, but himſelf without end. The beſt of men, alas! are but of yeſterday, and know not where they ſhall be to morrow, according to that of Bildad, We are but Job 8. 9.Job 8:9of yeſterday, and know nothing, becauſe our days upon earth are a ſhadow. His being God from everlaſting to everlaſting ſhould encourage us to walk in the way everlaſting, having this everlaſting conſolation Pſal. 139. laſt. 2 Theſſ. 2. 16.Ps 1392 Thess 2:16and good hope through grace, that he will ſave us with an everlaſting ſalvation; becauſe he wanteth neither power to Iſa. 45. 17.Isa 45:17effect it, for his ſtrength is everlaſting; p. 262Iſa. 26. 4.Isa 26:4nor will, for his mercy is ſo too, as David teſtifieth, The mercy of the Lord is Pſal. 103. 17.Ps 103:17from everlaſting to everlaſting upon them that fear him.

§. 6. The more to blame were ſome overweening ſons of Adam for daring to aſſume unto themſelves, and aſcribe to other perſons and things this incommunicable perfection of God. Of old the heatheniſh people of Rome were wont to ſtyle their Emperours, yea and their city Eternal. Concerning which Rev. 13. 1, 5. Infronte purpuratae merelricis ſcriptum eſt nomen blaſphemiae, id eſt, Romae Aeternae. Hierom. ad Alguſiam quaeſt. Aeterna cum dicitur quae temporalis eſt, utique nomen eſt blaſphemiae.—cùm ſupplices dicunt, Altaribus veſtris, Perennitati veſtrae &c. Proſp. de praedic. & promiſſ. in Dimid. temp. cap. 7.Rev 13:1Rev 13:5practiſe of theirs, two ancient writers, Hierome and Proſper interpret thoſe names of blaſphemy mentioned in the Revelation. They accounted ſuch no leſs then blaſphemers as called Rome the Eternal city, and ſaluted the Emperour thereof by the title of your Eternity. A thing uſually done among them. Yea this Calenture had taken the brains of ſome even amongſt the Chriſtian Emperours: ſo exceedingly contagious are words and examples that contain blaſphemy in them. Ammianus Marcellinus p. 263reporteth of Conſtantius an Arrian Exerc. 8.Prince, that being puft up by the oſtentation Ammian. Marcell. initio lib. 5.of his flatterers, and the proſperous ſucceſs of his affairs, he was come to that height of inſolence as to preſume he ſhould never die, and in his writings to ſtyle himſelf Our Eternity. His words are theſe, Immunem ſe deinde fore ab omni mortalitatis incommodo fidenter exiſtimans, confeſtim à juſtitia declinavit ità intemperanter, ut Aeternitatem meam aliquoties ſubjeceret ipſe dictando. Yea Juſtinian himſelf feared not to ſay concerning ſome of his Edicts, Noſtra ſanxit Aeternitas.Vid. Contem. politic. lib. 7. cap. 4. § 3.

EXERCITATION 8. Divine Immenſity ſhadowed out by the breadth of the Sea. Divine Omnipreſence cleared and vindicated. The propoſall hereof as an antidote againſt ſinning in ſecret. Five practicall Corollaries from the greatneſs of God in generall.

§. 1. THe fourth dimenſion is ſtill behinde in that clauſe, Broader p. 264then the Sea. It may be thought to relate unto divine Omnipreſence and Immenſity; which is, though not ſet forth to the life, yet ſome way ſhadowed out by the breadth of the Sea: In that the vaſt ocean ſtretcheth its arms far and near (ſo we call them arms of the Sea) to the embracing of certain ſhores, very much diſtant each from other; and is in that reſpect in a manner omnipreſent with the ſeveral parts of the earth, which it is united to in one Globe. So, and much more then ſo, the Immenſity of Gods eſſence is ſuch as to render him actually, and at all times preſent with every creature in the upper and lower world; for which cauſe he is ſaid to fill the heaven Jerem. 23. 24.Jer 23:24and the earth. To a certain Philoſopher, who asked one of our profeſsion, Where is God? the Chriſtian anſwered, Apud Jo. Gerhard. in Exegeſ. pag. 797. in 4^o.Let me firſt underſtand from thee where he is not, to intimate his being preſent every where. Which he is, not onelyonly by his power and providence, as ſome p. 265would confine it, but alſo by his eſſence; according to the true meaning of that which Paul ſaid at Athens concerning God, He is not far from every one Acts 17. 27, 28. foreign. Chryſ. homil. 38. in Act. Apoſt.Acts 17:27Acts 17:28of us. For in him we live and move, and have our being. He ſaid not (as Chryſoſtome obſerved) By him we live and move, but in him; to note the intimacy of his preſence, and that with all ſorts of things, whether they be ſuch as have life, or motion without life, or barely Being without motion. Yea where-ever they be, whether in heaven, or earth, or hell, as the Pſalmiſt expreſly, If I aſcend up into heaven, thou Pſal. 139. 8, 9.Ps 139:8Ps 139:9art there; if I make my bed in hell, behold thou art there; If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the Sea; even there ſhall thy hand lead me. To which accords that of Seneca, Turn Quocunque te ſlexeris, ibi illum videbis occurrentem tibi. Nihil ab illo vacat. Opus ſuum ipſe implet. Senec. de Benefic. li…. 4. cap. 8.thy ſelf which way thou wilt, thou ſhalt there ſee him meeting thee. There is not any thing void of him, He filleth whatſoever he hath made.

§. 2. This truth having been ſo fully p. 266acknowledged by a wiſe heathen, it will argue but too much weakneſs in any Chriſtian to ſtumble (as ſome notwithſtanding have done) at this ſorry cavil againſt it. It ſeems unworthy of God, ſay they, to afford his preſence with all things, even the leaſt and filthieſt. Neither do we ſee how he can poſsibly do it without receiving ſome defilement from them. For if God were not leſſned by creating the meaneſt things, then ſurely he is not by affording his preſence to them after they were made. As for defliement, there can be no fear of that. Can the ſun ſhine upon dunghils and worſe places without being thereby defiled? and ſhall not Gods eſſence, which is infinitely purer then the light, preſerve it ſelf from contracting filth from any thing it cometh near unto! The ſoul of man united to a ſickly and leprous body, doth notwithſtanding retain its purity. Much more God in the forementioned caſe. Be we therefore carefull, in p. 267ſpite of all heretical cavils firmly to beleeve the truth of divine Omnipreſence and Immenſity; for the clearing up whereof to our underſtandings, Divines have invented ſundry compariſons; two whereof I ſhall inſtance in. One out of Auſtin, The whole world, Auguſtin. Confeſſ. lib. 7. cap. 5.ſaith he, is ſo in God, as a little ſponge in a vaſt ocean. The Sea beſides its encompaſsing the ſponge on every ſide, doth alſo throughly penetrate, moiſten, and ſuſtain the whole ſubſtance within, and every part of it. Another out of Leſsius. He compareth Leſſius de Perfectionibus divinis lib. 1. cap. 3. § 20.the world to a cryſtal Ball hanging in the light of the Sun. In which caſe the light would intimately pierce the whole Ball, and alſo extend it ſelf far and near, round about it. Such and ſo intimate is Gods preſence with every creature in every place.

§. 3. The contemplation whereof ſhould be effectual for the preventing of all ſins, eſpecially ſuch as are uſually committed in ſecret, upon this grand preſumption, which the Prophet p. 268denounceth a curſe againſt the ſubjects of, ſaying, Wo unto them that Iſai 29. 15.Isa 29:15ſeek deep to hide their counſel from the Lord. and their works are in the dark, and they ſay, Who ſeeth us? and who knoweth us? a preſumption that there is none by to take notice of them. Suppoſe it were ſo; yet men are bound to reverence themſelves: That of Auſonius is excellent adviſe, When thou art about to act any thing unſeemly, be afraid of thy Turpe quid auſurus te ſine teſte time.ſelf, although there be no other witneſs. But ſo it is not; for conſcience is by; concerning which Lactantius produceth an admirable ſpeech out of Seneca, O thou mad man! what will it profit thee to Demens, quid prodeſt non habere conſcium habenti conſcientiam?have none conſcious of thy crime, ſo long as thou haſt a conſcience that is? But that thou wilt ſay is part of thy ſelf. True: wherefore I add, God is by; of whom the Apoſtle emphatically ſaith, If our 1 John 3. 20.1 John 3:20heart condemn us, God is greater then our heart, and knoweth all things. Conſcience we are wont to ſay, is a thouſand witneſſes; and let it be withall conſidered, p. 269that God is as a thouſand conſciences; both for intimacy of preſence, and perſpicacity in diſcerning. It is worth obſerving how the mention of Gods immenſity is brought in by the Prophet in that forecited place of Jeremy, where the whole verſe runs thus; Can any hide himſelf in ſecret places, Jerem. 23. 24.Jer 23:24that I ſhall not ſee him, ſaith the Lord? Do not I fill heaven and earth, ſaith the Lord? Our moſt ſecret ſins are, in reference to God, no more ſecret, in regard of his Omnipreſence, then if committed in the moſt open light. Witneſs that in Moſes his prayer, Thou haſt ſet our iniquities before thee, our ſecret Pſal. 90. 8.Ps 90:8ſins in the light of thy countenance. Jacob once ſaid of Bethel, God was once in this Geneſ. 28. 16.Gen 28:16place, and I knew it not; How fearfull is it? Let every place be a Bethel to thee, O watchfull Chriſtian, a place of fear, and in ſome ſence an houſe of God, be it market, or ſhop, or field; be ſure the Lord is in that place, not preſent onelyonly, but looking on; nor onelyonly p. 270looking, but weighing and pondering, whatſoever thou doeſt there in all the circumſtances and aggravations thereof, as Solomon teſtifies, The waies of man Prov. 5. 21.Prov 5:21are before the eyes of the Lord, and he pondereth all his goings.

§. 4. Having alreadie made improvement of the ſeveral branches, let me now for a concluſion draw certain Corollaries from the greatneſs of God in general; in number five.

Firſt, Let him be greatly praiſed for this by all mankinde. 'Tis the Pſalmiſts inference, Great is the Lord, and greatly Pſal. 145. 3.Ps 145:3to be praiſed. The world is wont to commend greatneſs both in perſons and things. Great Princes have had Panegyrical Orations made in their praiſe, as Trajan by Plinie; great cities, as Grand Cair; great monuments, as the Coloſſus are greatly extol'd by writers and travellers. How much more ſhould the great God? whom the Prophet accordingly magnifies, ſaying, p. 271Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the ſmall duſt of the ballance: Iſai. 40. 14, 15, 16, 17.Isa 40:14Isa 40:15Isa 40:16Isa 40:17behold he taketh up the iſles, as a very little thing. And Lebanon is not ſufficient to burn, nor the beaſts thereof ſufficient for a burnt-offering. All nations before him are as nothing, and they are counted to him leſs then nothing and vanity. The drop of a bucket is nothing to the whole ocean, nor the duſt of the ballance to the whole earth: no more is the whole earth with all the inhabitants of it to God. In ſo much as if he were to be ſacrificed to, proportionably to his greatneſs, all the beaſts in Lebanon would not ſuffice for a burntoffering, nor all the wood thereof for a fire, nor all men in the world for a prieſt to offer it.

§. 5. Secondly, Let him be greatly confided in by all his people. That of S^t. John, 1 John 4 4.1 John 4:4Ye are of God, little children; and greater is he that is in you, then he that is in the world, ſhould be made uſe of by the Saints as a precious receipt againſt the p. 272moſt deadly poiſon that can at any time be adminiſtred to them. The Church indeed is very often put upon renewing Jehoſaphats complaint, and crying out, We have no might againſt this great company (perhaps both of 2 Chro. 20. 12.2 Chr 20:12wicked men, and wicked ſpirits) that comes againſt us; neither know we what to do. But ſo long as ſhe can add, as he there doth, Our eyes are upon thee; Tit. 2. 13.Titus 2:13this contemplation of her great God and Saviour may ſupport her againſt the fear of them all. The divel is mighty, I confeſs it, ſaid Luther, but he will never be Almighty, as my God and Saviour Eſto diabolus magnipotens, nunquam erit omnipotens.is. upon theſe grounds a believing Chriſtian, living up to his principles, may well ſay, Shew me a danger greater then my God, a Deſtroyer, greater then my Saviour, I will then fear it and him. Till then pardon me if I do not let my confidence go. what though Jacob be ſmall, as the Prophet ſpeaks, By whom ſhall Jacob ariſe? Amos 7. 5.Amos 7:5for he is ſmall. Yet ariſe he ſhall p. 273in ſpight of oppoſition, and that becauſe Jacobs God is great.

Thirdly, Let the world learn to ſeek after intereſt in him. Many, ſaith Solomon, Many ſeek the rulers favour. And Prov. 29. 26.Prov 29:26reaſon good; becauſe he is able to protect the perſons, and reward the ſervices of his followers. Behold here a Ruler indeed, whoſe favour was never ſought in vain, if ſought in time; Dulcis inexpertis cultura potentis amici; expertus metuit. Horat.one that can protect from hell, and beſtow heaven; yea that which is the heaven of heaven, the fruition of himſelf. Being great with great men is a thing much affected by ſome, although in experience it often becomes not a burden onelyonly, but a miſchief: whereas the love and favour of the great God, and our Saviour, alwaies proves, (ſhall I ſay, beneficial? that's too little) it proves, and that alwaies beatificall.

Fourthly, Let ſuch as have obtained intereſt from him look for great things from him. To Baruch it was once ſaid, Seekeſt p. 274Jerem. 45. 5.Jer 45:5thou great things for thy ſelf? ſeek them not: becauſe he ſought them in the creatures; but if we ſeek them from and in the great Creator, we may lawfully ſeek great things, neither ſhall our doing ſo be attended with diſappointment. For open thy mouth wide, ſaith Pſal. 81. 10.Ps 81:10the Lord, and I will fill it. We are wont either not to open our mouthes at all, or not wide enough; and therefore it is that moſt of us continue ſo empty. Ye have not, becauſe ye ask not; James 4. ….Jas 4ſo the Apoſtle: let me ſay, ye ask perhaps, and yet have but little, becauſe ye do not expect much. O Conſider, as Samuel once beſpake the men of Iſrael, how great things God hath already done for 1 Sam. 12. 24.1 Sam 12:24you, that ſo your experiments may be your encouragement, to expect yet greater: remembring that of our bleſſed Saviour to Nathaniel, Believeſt thou? thou ſhalt ſee greater things then theſe.John 1. 50.John 1:50

He in whom ye truſt, O believers, is a great God, and loves to do all things like himſelf. Wherefore look p. 275for great things from him, great aſſiſtances, great enlargements, great deliverances: yea the forgiving of great ſins, and the obtaining of great ſalvation.

§. 7. Fifthly, Let ſuch as have received great things from God, maintain a certain greatneſs of ſpirit ſutable to their intereſt in him. I do not mean an haughty ſpirit, ſwelled with pride, for that is altogether unſutable to a ſaving intereſt in God, who beholds the proud afar off; but Pſalm 138. 6.Ps 138:6an humble ſpirit greatned by continual converſe with the great God; who by raiſing vp his ſervants hearts to the contemplation and fruition of higher objects, maketh them too big for this world. It is reported of Moſes, that when he was come to years, or according to the original, when he was waxed great, Hebr. 11. 24, 25, 26, 27.Heb 11:24Heb 11:25Heb 11:26Heb 11:27(in ſpirit perhaps, as well as in ſtature) he did overlook the preferments, pleaſures, and riches of the world, which are all there intimated, yea the menaces of it too: for it is there alſo p. 276ſaid, He feared not the wrath of the king, but endured, as ſeeing him who is inviſible. His converſing with the great God, had made all theſe to appear to him as petty things. To a ſoul truly great no Animo magno nil magnum.worldly matter hath any true greatneſs in it: As if one could take a ſtation in heaven, whatſoever is here below would appear but ſmall in his ſight by reaſon of its diſtance. It is accounted by ſome a great matter to have the frowns and ill word of a great man: But S^t John, whoſe converſation was in heaven, made nothing of it. Speaking of Diotrophes his malignancy and reproachfull ſpeeches he phraſeth it thus, prating againſt us with malitious John 2 epiſtle v. 10. foreign.John 2words. The term properly ſignifieth trifling. Though Diotrephes were a great prelate, and his words very malitious; yet the Apoſtles ſpirit was raiſed ſo far above them, that with him all were but trifles, and by him contemned as ſuch.