in heart of two sâ—rts 645. In what seâ—ce God respâ—cteth not any that are wiâ—e 645 646. G d regardâ—th nâ—t the â—iâ—est men who do not fear him 646. The wi est men cannot hinder the Câ—uâ—sels of Gâ—d by their wisdom and pâ—licy 647. Thoughts of the wiâ—â— va n in two respects 648. None â—ise by nature nor are any erfectly wiâ—e in this world though they have grace 649 Wisdome how ascribed to the Fowls of the Air. 77. The Wisdome of Fâ—wls c. is of God 78. Wisdome of God wherein the strength of it consists 175. How God is only wise 177 178. Wisdome practical what 177. Six Inferences from the Wisdome of God 179 180 Wishes we apt to make strange wishes in times of distress 315 Words rash words turned against the Speaker 12. Sharp words somtimes most profitable 13. Word of God how like Rain 397 398. Word of God preached how like thunder shewed in five things 444. When the Word of God is duly attended shewed in three things 445 Three degrees of the Words coming to us 445 446. Word of God how it may be said to be dark 586 Wo ks of God in Nature to be exactly considered especially the Heavens 26. Some works of God beyond our apprehension 466. Two Inferences from it 467. Men slow to consider the works of God 480. God would have all men study his works 480 God stops men in their work that they may consider his works 481 Works of God of all sorts to be considered 529 530. How the works of God are to be considered shewed four wayes 531. Inference from it 532. The common and ordinary works of God are full of wonder 533 Works good works how profitable to our selves and others 52 5â— Work ours shewed us by God in affliction in a two-fold respect 223. Sin is properly our work 224. The faultiness of our work most clearly discovered in affliction 225. Works of God of all sorts are to be magnified 351. Works of Gâ—d visible or invisible 353. Men apt to forget and have low apprehensions of the works of God 356. It is our duty to magnifie the works of God 358. How they are magnified shewed five wayes 359 360. The Ends of God in any wo k much to be eyed 363. What those Ends are 364 365 Woâ—ld a godly man is content with a little of but not satisfied with all the world 288 Worldly comforts and mercies may soon meet with a st p. 419 Wrath of God what and where 296. Wrath appears in works of Judgement 297. We should by all means beware of the wrath of God 298. Wrath of God a fire infinitely more dreadful than fire 299 Y Years the measure of mans Life not of Gods 377. The word in Hebrew signifieth changes and why 377 Youth to die in youth what shewed three wayes 269. A TABLE OF Those Scriptures which are occasionally cleared and briefly illustrated in the fore-going EXPOSITIONS The First Number directs to the Chapter the Second to the Verse the Third to the Page of the BOOK Chap. Vers Page  Genesis  1. 6. 402. 2. 1 2. 241. 2. 16. 418. 7. 11. 393. 9. 12 13. 545. 15. 16. 191. 16. 14. 204. 21. 6. 119. 22. 14. 205. 25. 8. 273. 27. 33. 435. 27. 36. 459. 31. 29. 60. 37. 11. 117. 38. 26. 9. 45. 8. 360. 49. 20. 243.  Exodus  1. 17. 187. 4. 17. 515. 4. 43. 238. 5. 8. 200. 9. 16. 184. 14. 11. 122. 15. 11. 6â—1 18. 21. 109. 18. 22. 187. 20. 4 5. 119. 32. 25. 559. 38. 8. 570.  Leviticus  25. 21. 519. 26. 41. 327.  Numbers  9. 7. 387. 14. 17. 185. 16. 45. 241. 16. 46. 297. 17. 2. 514. 23. 14. 172. 32. 23. 513.  Deuteronomy  4. 2. 387. 5. 24. 593. 11. 12. 205. 16. 20. 629. 19. 5. 452. 28. 23. 390. 28. 24. 392. 29. 29. 176. 31. 29. 224. 32. 15. 448. 32. 31. 4. 32. 34. 427. 33. 2. 540.  Judges  9. 23. 563.  Ruth  1. 6. 119. 2. 1. 58.  I Samuel  1. 6. 457. 2. 3. 175 109. 12. 6. 64. 15. 23. 263. 22. 8. 230.  II Samuel  15. 31. 647. 16. 10. 360. 23. 15. 241. 24. 14. 283.  I Kings  2. 4. 318. 20. 28. 453. 22. 34. 45â— Â II Kings  3. 17. â—91 4. 2. 501.  I Chron.  12. 32. 428. 16. 25. 36â— 29. 10 16. 42.  II Chron.  20. 12. 282. 28. 13 22. 261. 31. 20 21. 616.  Job  9. 23. 302 14. 10. 15. 14. 21. 7. 188. 21. 25. 243.  Psalms  2. 1 2. 31. 2. 3. 221. 2. 12. 298. 7. 3. 195. 8. 3 4. 27. 9. 9. 336. 10. 3. 173. 10. 16. 380. 11. 4. 203. 12. 5. 196. 14. 2. 649. 16. 3. 42. 16. 7. 73. 17. 3. 72. 17. 13 14. 516. 18. 11. 408. 18. 41. 90. 25. 10. 11. 25. 11. 372. 29. 1 2 3 4 c. 461 462 30. 4. 125. 31. 6 7. 281. 31. 15. 379. 31. 23. 627. 32. 5. 615. 32. 7. 111. 32. 9. 83. 36. 4. 322. 36. 8. 286. 39. 5. 178. 42. 8. 72. 46. 10. 5â—8 49. 20. 81. 51. 3 4. 147. 51. 4. 412. 51. 15. 183. 52. 1. 173 60. 55. 23. 192. 5â— 1. 484. 58. 1 2. 630. 66. 3. 371. 66. 18. 322 95. 68. 8 9. 38â— 69. 33. 268. 72. 6. 397. 73. 1. 363 11. 73. 13. 18. 75. 6. 605. 77. 6. 72. 77. 19. 616. 78. 8 32. 365. 80. 1. 541. 81. 11. 331. 81. 16. 287. 84. 11. 189. 90. 11. 127 185 298. 92. 6. 353. 99. 12. 339. 102. 14. 31â— 102. 17. 96. 10â— 25 â—6 377. 103. 10. 116. 104. 34 35. 104. 106. 7. 12â— 107. 42. 9â— 13. 111. 2 7. 32. 111. 2 4. 358. 115. 3. 161. 116. 12. 43. 126. 4. 249 488. 130. 3. 117. 136. 2. 511. 138. 6. 90. 146. 3 4. 380. 147. 15 16. 472. 147. 18. 499. 150. 2. 369.  Proverbs  1. 32. 625. 6. 6. 83. 6. 12 13. 203. 10. 22. 285. 15. 29. 89. 16. 2. 552. 16. 3. 18â— â—0 12. 231. 21. 18. 302 21. 17. 244. 21. 27. 229 258. 21. 3â— 179. 22. 3. 427. 25. 13. 470. 25. 23. 491. 25. 27. 592 26. 1. 469. 28. 3. 59. 30. 4 40â— 31. 31. 356.  Ecclesiastes  1. 6. 505. 2. 14. 428. 8. 11. 626. 12. 2. 470. 12. 10. 588.  Canticleâ— Â 2. 14 96. 3. 1. 73. 4. 9. 210. 4. 12. 477. 4. 16. 491.  Isaiah  1. 2. 83. 1. 3. 529. 1. 15. 90. 1. 31. 211. 1. 25 26 27. 623. 3. 11. 193. 4. 4. 6â—3 5. 6. 389. 5. 13. 255. 5. 20. 325. 6. 2. 374. 8. 2â— 6. 8. 16. 476. 9. 13. 235. 10. 6. 190. 10. 3. 609. 10. 25. 1â—8 14. 27. 163. 17. 13. 4â—2 21. 1. 488. 25. 6. 2â—6 26. 7. 551. 26. 11. 532. 27. 4 5. 172 18â— 27. 7 8 9. 632. 27. 11. 628. 28. 7. 5â—1 28. 10 11. 138. 28. 22. 2 1. 28.
their life nor their death is precious in the Lords sight as both of the meanest Saints are Psal 116.15 The special Promises of preservation are made to the godly the common Providences of preservation extend to the wicked God preserves many wicked men but not one of them can plead a Promise for his preservation or say Lord thou hast undertaken to preserve me I have thy Word or Warrant for my preservation So then the Lord doth not preserve the life of any wicked man upon a word of Promise Secondly I answer When the lives of the wicked are preserved they are not preserved for any love which God bears to their persons as such but either First to bring them into a better state that is to turn them from their wickedness that being converted they may be saved at last according to his purpose Or Secondly they are preserved to serve some ends and purposes of his in this World For though God hath no pleasure in them yet he makes some use of them and doth his pleasure by them Or I may say they are preserved to be Executioners of his displeasure in chastening and correcting his own people The King of Assyria was preserved in great Power and to what end I will send him against an hypocritical Nation Isa 10.6 He must go on my Errand though he meaneth not so nor doth his heart think so as the Lord spake vers 7. He hath other matters and designs in his head but I have this use of him and of his power even to punish the people of my wrath The Lord made use also of Nebuchadnezar and his Army to serve him in the destroying of Tyrus and of him and his Army he saith They wrought for me Ezek. 29.20 Thus the Lord doth some of his work his strange work especially his work of Judgment by the hands of wicked men and therefore he preserves their lives Yea he preserves them many a time to be a help and a defence to his people A Thorn Hedge keeps the Pasture that strange Cattle break not in and eat it up Wicked men are as Bryars and Thorns and they are suffered to live because the Lord can make use of them as a Fence to his people When the Serpent cast out of his mouth water as a Flood after the woman the Church that he might cause her to be carryed away of the Flood then the Earth that is earthly carnal men helped the Woman Rev. 12.15 16 The Lord used bad men to do that good work the preservation of his distressed and persecuted Church Thirdly As the Lord suffers many wicked men to live that they may be brought out of their sins so he suffers others to live that they may fill up the measure of their sins Why did the Lord preserve the Amorites was it because he loved or liked them no but because they were not then ripe for Judgment Gen. 15.16 The Iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full Some wicked men are to fill up their dayes that they may fill up the measure of their Fathers sins by their own as Christ threatned the Scribes and Pharisees Math. 23.32 Such a grant of life though for a thousand years is worse than a thousand Deaths Fourthly we may answer The wicked are not so much preserved from as reserved unto further wrath 2 Pet. 2.9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust unto the day of Judgment to be punished God doth not presently punish all the wicked nor take away their lives there is a day of Judgment coming and till that day come their lives are preserved as persons reserved unto Judgment Fifthly VVhen wicked men are said to be out of the Lords Protection consider There is a twofold Protection First ordinary Secondly extraordinary The Lord doth preserve and protect wicked men in an ordinary not in an extraordinary way he doth not work wonders much less miracles to preserve them as he often doth for the preservation of his own people God will not be at such cost in preserving of wicked men as he is at in the preserving the lives and liberties of his eminent Servants rather than they shall perish or not be preserved he will somtimes work a miracle and put Nature out of its course to save their lives VVhen those three VVorthies were cast into the midst of the burning fiery Furnace God stopt the rage of that furious Element that the Fire had no power upon their bodyes nor was an hair of their head singed neither were their Coats changed nor the smel of fire had passed on them Dan. 3.27 Did we ever hear that the Lord restrained the power of the fire to preserve wicked men When Daniel a man precious in the sight of God was cast into the Lions Den the Lord preserved his life also by stopping the Mouths of the Lyons Dan. 6.22 Did we ever hear that God preserved the lives of wicked men in such a way No sooner were Daniels accusers cast into the Lyons Den but the Lyons had the Mastery of them and brake all their bones in pieces e're ever they came to the bottome of the Den v. 24. The Lord doth not preserve the lives of the wicked by miraculous manifestations of his Power and Glory Sixthly I answer Though some wicked men are commonly preserved as other men yet many by their wickedness hasten their ruine and shorten the number of their dayes We may distinguish of wicked men First wicked men may be taken in a General notion for all that are unconverted and unregenerate Many persons pass for honest and good men in the world who yet are wicked being carnal and abiding in a state of nature wicked men of this sort are ordinarily preserved Secondly Take wicked men and such I conceive the Text especially intends for notorious wicked men such as are murderers blasphemers c. the Lord doth not preserve the lives of such but lets mans Justice seize upon them or divine vengeance overtake them Psal 55.23 The blood-thirsty and deceitful man shall not live out half his dayes that is he shall not live half so long as he might according to the course of Nature because of his nefarious sinful courses Histories are full of dreadful Tragedies sealing to this Truth with the blood and untimely death of gross offenders How often have we seen or heard of the Veâ—geance of God following and falling upon those that were signanter notoriously wicked and of â—â—ese we are especially to understand the Poynt and Text He preserveth not the life of the wicked Take this Inference from all that hath been said about this awakening Observation How sad is the life of a wicked man indeed of any man on this side the Line of grace but especially of any very wicked man He can scarce be said to live whose life is not preferved by God a wicked man is alwayes in death seeing God doth not preserve his life The Apostle
impenitents among his own people by the Prophet Isa 1.15 Though you make many prayers I will not hear for your hands are full of blood Ye are full of bloody sins and ye have not humbled your selves nor cleansed your hearts and hands by the blood of the Covenant to this day and being in that case you may cry and pray till your hearts ake and your tongues ake too yet no prevailing with God no grant no hearing Another Prophet tells them as sad newes from the Lord Jer. 11.11 Behold I will bring evil upon them which they shall not be able to escape or go forth of and though they shall cry unto me I will not hearken to them Though the Lord threatned I will bring such evil upon them that they shall not escape they might say well but when the evil hath taken hold of us we hope God will hear us and deliver us No saith God when the evil hath overtaken and arrested you yet your prayers shall not overtake me Though you cry yet I will not hearken unto you That 's a dreadful Scripture of the same import Psal 18.41 They cryed but there was none to save them even unto the Lord but he answered them not They cryed being in great distresse and they cryed to the Lord he brings in that lest any should say they cryed indeed but possibly 't was to false gods to idols possibly they knockt at a wrong doore and so were not heard No they cryed to the Lord to the Lord by name they were right as to the object of prayer but their hearts were not right they were not right subjects of prayer That once blind man saw this truth when answering the Pharisees about the person by whose power he received his sight he told them plainly Joh. 9.31 We know that God heareth not sinners that is Such as love and live in sin such as go on impenitently in their sins By this answer he closely but strongly confuted that blasphemous opinion and censure of the Pharisees who reputed and reported the Lord Jesus Christ who came into the world to save sinners as one of the vilest sinners in the world and upon that account got him crucified at last As if the man had said Were he that cured me of my blindness such a sinner as you reckon him to be he could never have obtained power from God to cure me of my blindness for we know God heareth not sinners When men sin and pray as it were by turns their prayers are turned into sin and therefore will not be returned in mercy God sometimes hears sinners in wrath and judgement and he sometimes will rot hear Saints as to the grant of the thing in hand prayed for in love and mercy but he never denies praying Saints in wrath nor doth he ever hear a sinner such a one as is here intended in mercy when he prayeth Now as when the Disciples heard Christs answer to the Pharisees question about Divorce they presently said Math. 19.10 If the case of the man be so with his wife it is not good to marry so some hearing this doctrine that God heareth not proud sinners when they cry or pray may possibly say if the case of the proud be thus with God it is not good for them to pray at all To such I answer this doctrine is not urged to make proud or impenitent sinners to leave praying but to leave their pride 't is urged to make them humble under their oppressions and afflictions not to make them prophane They who as they are cannot get by prayer certainly they cannot get by casting off prayer What answer can they have who cry not at all to God when some may cry and get no answer as Elihu here speaks There they cry but none giveth answer because of the pride of wicked men This sense or interpretation most insisted upon in this 12th verse will appear more full and faire in opening the 13th Ad dicti superioris confirmationem Epiphonemaris vice subjicit in which Elihu brings down what he said here into a strong and peremptory conclusion or the next verse renders another reason why God would not relieve those oppressed ones It was not only for the pride of their spirits v. 12. but also for the emptiness and heartlesness of their prayers or because the prayers of proud and evil men are heartless or empty Vers 13. Surely God will not hear vanity neither will the Almighty regard it They cry but God will not hear why will he not hear what hinders He tells us both why and what Surely God will not hear vanity What is vanity What saith vanity hath vanity a tongue can vanity speak the Text saith God will not hear vanity 'T is frequent in Scripture to ascribe a tongue and a voyce to sin of any kind though some sins are more vocall and speak louder than others yet all speak But when he saith Surely or without all Question the Lord will not hear vanity by vanity we are to understand vaine men praying or vanity is put for the prayers and crys of those persons who are as vaine as vanity it self The word rendred vanity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 temeritas falsitas mendacium dicitur de re salsa vana levi mutili signifieth a lie as also rashness temerity God will neither hear rash-headed nor false-hearted prayers he will not hear vaine prayers or the prayers of vaine men The Abstract is often put for the Concrete in Scripture Psal 107.42 All iniquity shall stop her mouth When the Lord brings about that mighty work the bringing down of the mighty sets the poor on high those that are at once poor and humble the Lord will set on high then Iniquity that is wicked men men of iniquity shall stop their mouths or have their mouths stopt they shall not have a word to say as gaine-saying that righteous and glorious work of God So here God will not hear vanity that is vaine men or men that pray vainly all that which men speak or act is vaine or vanity if it be not good if it be not answerable to the will and ends of God yea whatsoever prayer doth not proceed from faith and flow from a pure heart is vanity 't is but straw and stubble dross and dung God will not hear vanity Neither will the Almighty regard it He that will not hear will much less regard vanity The sense is gradual regarding is more than hearing we may put both together he will not hear with regard nor regard what he hears from such The strong God who hath all power in his hand the power of Authority or the power of a Judge will not hear vanity The All-mighty The All-sufficient who hath all power of efficiency in his hand the nourisher and preserver the punisher and correcter of all men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 intendit oculos visum intentis fiaeis oculis intuitus est solicitè
quandoquidem igitur illa non extat invasit ira ejus qua odit et amolitur peccat m etiam in iis ques diligit et salvâ—s vult maxime Coc. He hath visited in his anger or strictly his anger hath visited That is God hath heavily afflicted thee God is far from all passion and perturbation of mind only he is said to be angry or to visit in his anger when he doth that which anger produceth among men when he casts down and punisheth when he lays his hand sorely upon the Creature then he is said to be angry then His anger hath visited The word notes quick breathing in the Nostrils anger appears or vents it self there as it is said of Paul when Saul Acts 9.1 And Saul yet breathing out threatnings and slaughter against the Disciples of the Lord went unto the High Priest You might see anger as it were foam yea flame out of his mouth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ira ejus visitavit and evaporate at his nostrils Thus saith Elihu Because it is not so his anger Hath visited To visit is properly to go to and see any person whom we respect and love thus we visit friends in civility and courtesie Secondly To visit is an act of pity and mercy and thus we visit the sick the widdow and the fatherlesse James 1.27 Pure Religion and undefiled before God and the Father is to visit the fatherlesse and widows in their affliction that is to go to them in pity either for the supply of their wants by our purse or for the comforting of their hearts by our counsel Thirdly We visit in care as well as in kindnesse that is when we go to our Families or Flocks or places of charge wheresoever they are and see that or whether all things are well and right with them or well and rightly done towards them according to the rules that such persons under our charge ought to act and live by Thus in Colledges and Hospitals there is a visitation of care to make enquiry of persons in trust about persons and things under their trust To the Point in hand there is a twofold visitation of God First He visits in love and mercy Ruth 1.6 Then she that is Naomi arose with her Daughter in Law that she might return from the Countrey of Moab for she had heard in the Countrey of Moab how that the Lord had visited his people in giving them bread That is God had shewed them kindnesse and mercy in relieving them from that devouring famine Again Gen. 21.6 And the Lord visited Sarah as he had said that is he gave her the promised mercy of a Son Once more Luke 1.68 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel for he hath visited and redeemed his People and that 's a blessed visitation indeed which brings redemption Thus the Scripture often speaks of Gods visitation in mercy Secondly There is a visitation of God in anger wrath and judgement The Law saith Exod. 20.4 5. Thou shalt not make to thy self any graven Image c. Thou shalt not bow down thy self to them nor serve them for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God visiting the iniquity of the Fathers upon the Children unto the third and fourth Generation of them that hate me That is punishing the iniquity of the Fathers upon the Children these Children continuing in their Fathers ways to do sinfully such Children as take up the evil examples or tread in the bad steps of their fore-Fathers shall suffer for it The Prophet at once upbraided the impudent Jews and threatned them in this Language Jer. 6.15 Were they ashamed when they had committed abominations nay they were not ashamed neither could they blush therefore they shall fall among them that fall at the time that I visit them they shall be cast down saith the Lord. Again Isa 26.14 Therefore hast thou visiâ—ed and destroyed them There is a visitation for destruction that 's a sad visitation In this sense we read of a time of visitation Jer. 8.12 Jer. 10.15 We read of days of visitation Hosea 9.7 The dayes of visitation are come the dayes of recompence are come We read also of a year of visitation Jer. 23.12 For I will bring evil upon them even the year of their visitation saith the Lord. As also Chap. 11.23 I will bring evil upon the men of Anathoth even the year of their visitation This is the visitation here spoken of it is a time a day a year of sore visitation with thee O Job Because it is not so he hath visited in his anger Hence Note First God expects the work of Faith and Patience when his afflicting hand is upon us Faith hath much work to do at all times but most in times of affliction There is also a use of two sorts of patience in our best dayes the patience of labouring in Gods work and the patience of waiting for the reward of our work after all our labours But in sad dayes the Lord expects we should exercise both patience in suffering and in waiting for deliverance out of all our sufferings then 't is that both Faith and Patience trusting and waiting must have their perfect work Secondly Note When the Lord doth not find or see as he expects the work of Faith and Patience in a time of affliction he will afflict more and more until he finds or works it This is it which Elihu saith in the Text Because it is not so he hath visited in his anger Job was sorely afflicted before but now he is visited in anger because he did not manifest such trust in God as he expected in that condition As when the wicked repent not of their sins under the punishing hand of God he will punish them more and more even seven times more for their sins Levit. 26.41 So when good men act not their Graces believe not trust not under the afflicting hand of God he usually afflicts them more and more gives them soarer stripes and layeth yet heavier burdens on them When God misseth what he lock'd for we may quickly feel what we looked not for Mr. Braughtons Translation speaks the Point fully But now for missing his anger doth visit Man seldome misseth tâ—ouble from God when God misseth duty from man and 't is a me cy that he doth not 't is mans mercy when God minds him of his deficiencies in duty though by a smart visiting rod. Thus the Lord spake of Davids Seed and 't is to be understood of all the Seed of Christ whom David typed Psal 89. If his children forsake my Law v. 30 31. Then vers 32. will I visit their transgressions with the Rod c. How true this charge of Elihu was as to Jobs omission of duty I shall not stay to enquire only this we know Job had professed trust in God yet because it was mingled with so much complaint with so many unbelieving expostulations Elihu might say the Lord missed the patience trust and confidence
is under the hand of God when God hath him fast in his fetters his wrath doth boyl his fury comes up in his face as it is said Ezek. 38.18 concerning the wrath of God towards his enemies this fully answers that assertion of Eliphaz Job 5.2 Wrath killeth the foolish man What wrath his own wrath he kills himself with vexing and fretting The hypocrite in heart is a wrathfull man when things go not right with him Some have so expounded that Eph. 2.3 Ye were by nature children of wrath even at others Children of wrath that is wrathfull children we are full of wrath full of anger by nature Though I do not take that to be the sense of the Apostle but that by children of wrath he means all men as borne under the wrath of God nor do I conceive this the proper meaning here though not unusefull They heap up wrath that is they grow angry vexed and troubled But Secondly Rather the wrath heaped up is the wrath of God which is the most dreadfull thing in the world and so these words may be expounded by those of the Apostle to an impenitent sinner Rom. 2.4 5. Despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and long-suffering not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thy self wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God To heap up wrath and to treasure up wrath are the same The abusers of the patience and long-suffering of God are treasuring up wrath against themselves from day to day and so do the hypocrites in heart They heap up wrath Hence Note First The wicked or hypocrites in heart grow more wicked while the hand of God his afflicting hand is upon them The more they are under the rod the more they rebell I ground it upon this If they did not heap up sin they should not heap up wrath were they not more vile wicked under their affliction there would not be more anger against them It was said of those that would have brought in the captives which was a very oppressing purpose 2 Chro. 28.13 ye shall not for Whereas we have effended against the Lord already ye intend to add more to our sins to our trespasse Then presently followeth For our trespasse is great and there is fierce wrath against Israel As if it had been said If ye do this thing ye will increase the wrath of God which is very fierce already and blow it up into a consuming flame While men grow more and more wicked and vile God groweth as to the manifestations of wrath more wrathfull When we hear of the increase of wrath we may be sure there hath been a proportionable increase of sin It is said of Ahaz who was a hypocrite in heart a very prophane person 2 Chron. 28.22 that in the time of his distresse he trespassed yet more against the Lord and trespassing more against the Lord he heaped up more of the Lords wrath against himself For 't is added v. 23. He sacrificed to the gods of Damascus which smote him he got nothing but blows for his paines or impious piety in serving them And he said because the gods of the Kings of Syria help them therefore will I sacrifice to them that they may help me But what got he by this encrease of his sin Surely nothing but an encrease of wrath for it followeth in the same verse They were the ruine of him and of all Israel God makes new rods when men make new sins and he multiplyeth swords while men multiply transgressions The more men draw iniquity with cords of vanity the more they draw misery upon themselves and are held the faster in the cords of affliction Secondly When 't is said The hypocrites in heart heap up wrath We know hypocrites are cunning gamesters they hope to sin so closely and artificially that no hurt shall ever come to them by it yet The hypocrites in heart heap up wrath Hence Note The wiles and policies of hypocrites will availe them nothing They shall not avoyd wrath do what they can the Lord will find them out The Apostle saith Gal. 6.7 God is not mocked for whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reap for he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting Let hypocrites in heart sow as cunningly as they can though they seem to sow only good seed yet they shall reap bad fruit because they sowed with a bad heart Hypocrites may deceive men and heap up their favours to themselves but they cannot deceive God who knows their hearts and will therefore consume them in his wrath which they have heaped up to themselves Thirdly Elihu puts it upon hypocrites in heart to be at this work of heaping up wrath All impenitent sinners do it but he puts it upon them especially All sinners open professed sinners that sin and hide it not that throw up even the very name and profession of Religion these all heap up wrath yet they heap up most and are here spoken of as the only helpers up of wrath who are hypocrites in heart Hence Note God is extreamly angry with hypocrites or the wrath of God doth burn extreamly hot against hypocrites He heats the Furnace of his wrath seven times hotter for hypocrites in heart than for ordinary sinners The Lord Isa 10.5 speaking of the Assyrian saith The staff in their hand is mine indignation I will send him against an hypocriticall Nation and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge to take the spoyle and to take the prey and to tread them down like the mire in the streets The Lord put a staff in the hand of that great King of Assyria and he called it his indignation it was the Lords indignation which was a staff in the Assyrians hand But against whom will he send it That text answers against an hypocriticall Nation Who are they the people of his wrath God hath wrath for all sinners but the generation of hypocrites are the people of his wrath beyond all other people None abuse God like hypocrites For first hypocrites carry it towards God as if he were like the Idols of the Heathen that have eyes and see not ears and hear not hands and handle not feet and cannot walk That is they carry it towards God as if he were but an Idol satisfied with meer outward shews and services An Idol sinds no fault nor troubles any for their hypocrisie and false-heartedness All that is required in the Idols service is but outside and bodily exercise Thus the hypocrites deal with God as if he also would be satisfied and taken up with a little outside service or as if sacrifice would please him when his word is disobeyed 1 Sam. 15.23 Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings
way of admonition and counsel forasmuch as he had done amiss before and carried himself unduly under the hand of God even so far as to fulfil the counsel of the wicked that therefore he would now for the time to come take heed and be more wary And lest Job should slight this admonition or counsel Elihu adds a powerful motive to urge that duty upon him even the wrath of God Beware Why Because there is wrath Beware and beware lest this wrath breaking forth he take thee away with a stroke And how dreadful the wrath of God is Elihu shews in these three verses by a threefold Consideration First because if we fall into the Lords hand when he is in wrath there is no meanes under heaven that can deliver or bring us off This he asserteth at the latter end of the 18th verse Then a great ransome cannot deliver thee It is dangerous coming un-der that wrath from which a ransome especially a great ransome cannot deliver What that ransome is which cannot deliver us is expressed in the 19th verse Will he esteem thy riches no not gold A Second motive to beware oâ— this dreadful wrath is this because if once the wrath of God be up as there is no ransom so no power in the creature that can deliver That we have in the latter part of the 19th verse nor all the forces of strength though thou hast armies millions of men in armes yea though thou hast legions of Angels in pay yet they cannot prevail all the forces of strength cannot deliver thee There is also a third consideration to shew the unavoidableness of the wrath of God namely because there is no sleeing no making an escape from it Some indeed are so angry that you cannot satisfy them with a ransom and so powerful that no strength can deliver you from their power yet possibly you may make an escape and hide from them you may get out of the way and lye out of sight but saith Elihu that will not do neither in this case v. 20. desire not the night when people are cut off in their place the night or darkness will be no cover to thee from the wrath of an angry God Thus you have the sum and substance of this admonition to Job Beware because there is wrath and that wrath of God so terrible that nothing can deliver from it no ransom no power nor can we deliver our selves by flight or by darkness I shall now open the words more distinctly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 calor ira a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 caluit incaluit quod iracundi incalescunt Verse 18. Because there is wrath beware c. The word which we translate wrath comes from a root that signifies heat or to be hot and we know they that are angry and in wrath are very hot their mind and spirit are enflamed we use to say to an angry man why are you so hot the wrath of man is hot the wrath of God is certainly much hotter Because there is wrath but where is it I answer First there is wrath in the breast or heart of God there his anger is kindled against sinners Secondly There is wrath in the decree of God against sinners Zeph. 2.2 Thirdly there is wrath in the threatnings of God there it first appeares and breaketh forth Deut. 29.20 So the Apostle Rom. 1.18 The wrath of God is revealed from heaven How is it revealed As his love is revealed in promises so his wrath in threatnings Fourthly there is wrath in the works of God in his Judgments acted upon the children of men As there is wrath hidden in his breast and decreed so wrath is heard from his mouth in terrible threatnings and seen in his hand by terrible Judgments executed upon his enemies We may see wrath in the dealings of God his works tell us he is angry Therefore fear to persist lest in his anger he take thee quite away We should beware of sinful works lest we provoke and stir up the Lords anger to make bloody work There is wrath particularly as to the dealings of God with thee O Job saith Elihu therefore Beware The word beware is not expresly in the Hebrew texâ— but it is plainly intended and supplied by Interpreterâ— in geneâ—al to make up and clear the sence of this verse We have a like reading in the 36th of Isaiah v. 18. Beware lest Hezekiah perswade you c. The word beware is a supplement added there in a different character to shew that it is not expressed in the Hebrew As if Raoshakeh had said If Hezekiah perswade you to stand out against my Master Sennacherib you will provoke his wrath to your utter ruine and destruction therefore beware There as here beware bespeakes our caution because there is wrath take heed what you do or say Hence note First There is a wrath of God against sin or God will appear in wrath against sinners The Apostle John in his first Epistle Chap. 4.8 tells us in a direct predication God is love and 't is as true God is wrath The wrath of God is a divine perfection it is the perfection of God as his love is God is one and the same he is not divided into several passions perturbations or affections but thus the Scripture speaks of him to denote what we may expect from him and what he is and will be in his actings towards them who obey him not Secondly note The wrath of God appears and is put forth in his works of judgment As the goodness of God is his love acted or as the good things which God doth for us are love-actions so the evils that are upon us are wrath-actions I do not say that every evil which we endure in this world is the acting of wrath upon us but I say there is wrath in the actings of evil upon us Moses said to Aaron Numb 16.46 Go quickly take a Censer hast hast and make an atonement there is wrath gone out How did he know wrath was gone out He tells us in the next words the plague is begun He saw wrath in that dispensation of God the plague begun argued that God was angry Because there is wrath beware Hence note Thirdly We should by all meanes take heed and beware of the wrath of God The wrath of man is a small matter to the wrath of God yet we are very careful to beware of the wrath of man especially of great men The wrath of the Kings and Princes of the world is like the â—oaring of the Lion saith Solomon and we are ready to tremble at that but O how should we tremble at and beware of the wrath of God! Who knoweth the power of thine anger Psal 90.11 We may take some scantling some measure of the wrath of man and know how far it can go and what it can do but we can take no measure of the wrath of God for it is immesurable and therefore we should avoid every
thing that procures his wrath That 's the meaning of this caveat do nothing that blowes up or incenses the wrath of God But what is it that blowes up wrath It is sin every sin hath that in it which may blow up wrath The Apostle saith The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men not only against this or that ungodliness noâ— only against this or that degree of ungodliness 't is neither against ungodliness of some special kind nor of some special degree but against all ungodliness therefore all ungodliness and all unrighteousness is to be avoided And as we should do nothing to provoke wrath so we should do every thing which may prevent wrath Psal 2.12 Kiss the Son why lest he be angry and his wrath kindle Who is the Son and what 's this kissing of the Son which pâ—events wrath The Son is Christ he is the Son of God this kissing is a kiss of homage an humble submission to Jesus Christ by faiâ—h and obedience it is a Gospel receiving of Châ—ist to kiss the son is to receive Christ as ouâ— King as our Pâ—iest as our Pâ—opheâ— to receive Christ in the whole manifestation of his Mediatorship Do this to prevent wrath kiss the Son And consider how terrible he repoâ—ts that wrath to be If his wrath be kindled but a little blessed are they that put their trust in him On then take heed that you do not provoke the wrath of God and do your utmost to prevent it which nothing can do but kissing the Son that will and that only can do it submit to Jesus Christ receive Jesus Christ without him it is impossible to prevent wrath Hâ— that believes not the wrath of God abideth on him Johs 3.36 Jesus Christ alone is he which delivereth us from the wra h to come 1 Thes 1.10 And if we further consider this wrath from the expression both of the Psalm and of the Text it should make us who are so fearful of and who so shift from the wrath of men exceedingly afraid of the wrath of God The word as was shewed before comes from a root which signifieth the heat of fire implying that the wrath of God is fire and Heb. 10.27 it is called fiery indignation yea God himself Heb. 12.29 is called a consuming fire Why doth the Scripture express him and his wrath by fire Surely because fire is well known to us and we are well able to conceive how dreadful a thing fire is when it is in its rage and fury when it hath got the mastery Fire is a comfortable servant but a dreadful master Now as fire is the most dreadful element so wrath is the most dreadful attribute of God yet I may say that elementary fire which as to our sence is so dreadful is but a sun-shine compared to the wrath of God as will appear if we consider it in two things First it burns internally The visible fire burns but visible things outward things but this fire burns within scorches the conscience burns the soul burns that which all the fires in the world cannot reach cannot touch God is a Spirit and the wrath of God is a fire that burnes the spirits and will for ever afflict and torment the consciences of wicked men The hottest fires which the most enraged malitious Persecuters kindle cannot touch the spirit the conscience is quiet the soul triumphs while the flesh fries in the fire 'T is the fire of divine wrath alone which hath power upon the soul and a burning there is ten thousand times more painful than the burning of our flesh Secondly the wrath of God burns eternally Your fires here though they are dreadful yet they go out they consume themselves by consuming the matter or fuel cast into them they cannot continue alwayes because they eat up and devour that which maintaines them But the wrath of God burns continually God is called a consuming fire not because the fire of his wraâ—h consumes but because he consumeth sinners in the fire of wrath and when we say he consumeth sinners in his wrath or his wrath consumeth sinners we are not to understand it of a consumption as to being but only as to a well or comfortabe being for not only the soulâ— but the very bodies of sinners shall remain in this fire of the wrath of God for ever unconsumed The bodies of the damned shall be raised again at the great day and being re-united to their souls both shal abide unconsumed in the fire of this consuming wrath eternally The great dread of ordinary fire is that it consumes what it burns but the greatest dread of this fire is that it consumes not that which it burns O therefore take heed of the wrath of God the wrath of God is terrible as to corporal and temporal judgements much more as to spirituall and eternal judgments that is as the fire of his wrath burns both internally and eternally Because there is wrath beware Lest he take thee away with his stroke Here the danger is exprest If the Lord be angry he can soon take thee away with a stroke he can remove yea hurry thee away out of all thy present joys and enjoyments to everlasting sorrows The word imports a violent remove The stroke here spoken of is like that Chap. 24.26 He striketh them as wicked men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cum comâ—losione in the open sight of others that is he shames them as well as punisheth them as he strikes them with his hand to their confusion so he strikes or claps his own hands together in dirision as 't is said Chap. 27.23 Men shall clap their hands at him and shall hiss him out of his place we may take it in both these significations Lest he take thee away with a stroke that is lest he strike thee so as to make an utter end of thee or lest he take thee away with derision clapping his hands at thee and pouring contempt upon thee Have we not reason to beware of that wrath which in either sense can take us away with his stroke Yet I conceive a third sense may be given of these words Lest he take thee away with his stroke that is lest he take thee away suddenly even as suddenly as a stâ—oke can be given Hence Note First God can presently strike to destruction He can take the strongest away with a stroke he can do it wi h one stroke The Lord needs not stand cutting and slashing hacking and hewing as we say all day long one stroke of his will do it He took away Herod at one stroke Acts 12.23 He took away Ananias and Saphira at one stroke Acts 5.5 Nadab and Abihu were taken away with one stroke Lev. 10.1 All these perished and so have thousands more as with a stroke so suddenly at one stroke The Lord can strike home as Abishai said to David in the case of Saul when he found him in the
Jeremy did not desire the evil day to come on others yet when the evil day was come upon himself we find him venting strange and strong desires of that kind Chap. 9.2 O that my head were a fountain and mine eyes rivers of tears that I might weep night and day for the slain of the daughter of my People He had visions of slaughter and he did even beg a head melted into water for abundant mourning over that day But what were his other what were his further wishes with respect to himself at that time we have them in the next verse O that I had in the wilderness a lodging place of a wayfaring man that I might leave my people and go from them for they be all adulterers a company of treacherous men What uncomfortable desires had Jeremiah as to that day of distress O how did he covet to have a retiring place any hole in the wilderness like a wayfaring man that he might leave his people and see them no more because they were so wicked and their wickedness he foresaw would bring down such dreadful evils upon them And as he wisht this sad retirement upon the foresight of evils to come so we find him in another place Chap. 20.14 15 16 c. wishing that he had never been born to see such presnet evils We have the like plain wish of David in the day of his trouble Psal 55.2 Attend unto me O God and hear me I mourn in my complaint and make a noise because of the voice of the enemy because of the â—ppression of the wicked for they cast iniquity upon me and in wrath they hate me they charged him with evils that he had not done my heart is sore pained within me the terrors of death are fallen upon me fearfulness and trouble are come upon me and horror hath overwhelmed or covered me David was at that time in a very sad day you see and what was his wish that day we have it at the 6th verse And I said O that I had wings like a dove for then would I flee away and be at rest lo then would I wander far off and remain in the wilderness Holy David could not keep his heart in those distresses from extravagant wishes David had the integrity of a dove as he often pleaded before the Lord and being distrest he wished also for the wings of a dove that he might flee away and get out of the reach of all those impendent calamities How usual is it for good men in bad dayes to breath out such wishes one wishes that he had never been born rather than to see such a day another wishes he may die presently rather than live in such a day When the Apostle John had given the prophesie of dreadful judgments to come upon the wicked world or the world of wicked men he presently tells us what their wishes or desires will be Rev. 9.6 And in those dayes shall men seek death and shall not find it and shall desire to die and death shall flee from them Most men flee death that 's a misery but death sleeth from some men and that 's a greater misery They are in the worst of conditions who would have death when death will not be had Their lives are worse than death who only wish to die What non-sense wishes and desires had they also in the day of the Lords anger mentioned in the same book Chap. 6.16 Who said to the mountaines and to the rocks fall on us and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb. It is possible for good men sometimes to have strange wishes but O how lamentable are the wishes of wicked men and unbelievers who have no part nor interest in Jesus Christ in those times when Conscience is wounded and awakened or when a day of the Lords wrath or judgment from the Lord appeareth When Christ the Lamb shall sit upon the throne and call them to give an account O then they will wish for rocks and mountaines to fall upon them that they might not appear how glad will they then be to be hidden with an everlasting night They cannot but desire the night who have sinned against light Holy Job could not forbear to desire the night of death in the day of his distress what desires then must the wicked have who have no hope beyond this life Again as to the vanity of that design of some in desiring the night for shelter Note There is nothing can cover us from the eye or secure us from the hand of God What is darkness to God who is light and in whom there is no darkness at all 1 John 1.5 Desire not the night As gold and silver cannot ransom sinners as great forces all the Armies on earth forces of strength cannot help sinners so the night cannot hide them they that are in the grossest darkness are never the more out of Gods sight The darkness is not darkness to him the darkness and the light to him are both alike Psal 139.11 12. and therefore he said before vers 7. Whither shall I go from thy spirit or whither shall I flee from thy presence If I ascend up to heaven thou art there c. Wheresoever we are God is who is every where nothing can keep us off from or keep us out of the eye of God Lastly as the night is taken for death Desire not the night Hence note It is a vain wish to desire death for our rescue or escape from the evils of this life Death is it self an evil the worst of natural evils How can that help us out of our evils of trouble which is it self the most troublesom evil The Lord promiseth some of his people that they should die before the evil day Josiah and Hezekiah had such promiâ—es 'T is a favour to die as they did in the assurance of eternal life before we feel the evils of this life But death considered in it self is no relief against evil and as it is the worst of natural evils in it self so it carrieth those who are unprepared and unprovided for it to worser evils than any they can meet with in this life Some desire death to escape the evils of this life when as soon as they die they go to the evils of another life which are the second death such a death as hath no second and descend not only to the grave but to hell And what hath any one got by leaving the troubles of this life to fall into the dolors of that second secondless death They only dream of security by death who are unprepared go die Death is good for none but those who are fitted for and have by faith laid hold upon eternal life JOB Chap. 36. Vers 21. Verse 21. Take heed regard not iniquity for this thou hast chosen rather than affliction IN this verse Elihu gives Job another serious admonition or re-enforceth the former warning
Junonis Virg. Aeneid 4. the Harbingresse of Juno yet on the contrary God appoynts it as a sign of faire weather And indeed God often works by contrary means lest we should stick in means and ascribe the effect more than is due to them So then the Rainbow hath two different significations the first natural of Rain nor doth God promise to hinder or alter this course of nature Secondly preternatural or instituted of faire weather which Philosophy and the world is altogether ignorant of only the Chuâ—ch and people of God understand it by faith upon the testimony or revealed will of God that as often as the Bow appeareth in the Cloud they have a renewed assurance that God will remember the Earth and moderate the Rain nor doth this depend upon the nature of or various colours appearing in the Rainbow but purely upon the will and institution of God And theâ—efore we ought by a firme faith to embrace the word of promise to which this sign is annexed without that the Rainbow is nothing else to us but the image or representation of the rayes of the Sun or Moon impressed upon the Clouds I shall not insist upon any large discourse of the Rainbow only take two or three things This Meteor hath three Attâ—ibutes above the rest First it is the most illustrious and beautifull Secondly the most desirable and comfortable Thirdly the mâ—st strange and wonderfull of all the impressions visible in the air This is properly expressed by a Bow because the forme of it usually is semicircular Luther saith he saw a Rainbow in the forme of a perfect Circle and others report they have seen it in the forme of a strait line But in what-ever form it appeaâ—s the natural cause of it is the reflection of the Sun or of the Moon for there are Rainbows in the night as well as in the day it is caused I say by the reflection of the light of the Sun or Moon upon or from a watery or dewey Cloud opposite to either Iris ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod est dicere sive loqui Iris est arcus qui ex reflexione luminis â—um solaris tum luâ—â—ris in nubem roâ—idâ—â— oppositam gignitur Garcae The Latine word Iris is derived from a greek word which signifieth to speak or to relate somthing The Rainbow is eleganâ—ly so called because it foreshews somtimes rain somtimes faire weather A Rainbow in the morning is a sign of showres in the afternoon it betokens serenity and alwayes it proclaims to us the pâ—omise of God for the moderation of rain or it speaks thus much to all the world that God will so measure out the Rain fâ—om the Clouds that it shall never swell to an universal Deluge or to a drowning of the whole woâ—ld again Thus the Rainbow hath a speech a language of mercy in it towards the present world It speaks also the Justice of God upon the old world minding us of that Deluge of water that drowned them for their sin they had so defiled the Earth by their evil manners and prophaness by their will-worship Superstition and Idolatry that God in wrath sent a Flood of water not to wash or refresh but to destroy them The Rainbow minds us of that dreadfull Judgment of God upon a corrupt World And although the Rainbow gives us assurance that the World shall not be drowned again how sinfull soever it is yet some from the various colours of the Rainbow whereof one is red and fiery tell us it proclaims that the World shall at last be consumed by Fire The Apostle Peter is plain that it shall be so 2 Ep 3.10 The Elements shall melt with fervent heat nor is it meerly a phancy to say that the fiery colours in the Rainbow are set there by God to mind us of it Some have questioned whether the Rainbow were before the Flood or no The reason or ground of the question is given from that saying of God Gen. 9.13 I will set my Bow in the Cloud it seems then there was no Rainbow before the Flood I answer The Rainbow may be considered two wayes First as to its natural being Secondly as to its mystical use If we consider the Rainbow as to its natural being it was before the Flood for the causes of it were before the Flood which are watery Clouds and the shining of the Sun Now when sufficient causes appear in act the effect doth certainly follow But as to its mystical use it was not before the Flood Water had its natural elementary being and use before Baptisme was instituted but it had not a spiritual use till then we may say the same of the Rainbow Some I know of the Moderns Luther and Melancthon assert it was not in being till then but we have reason to vary from that opinion with reverence to those worthy men For God did not say in the 9th of Genesis I will make or create my Bow in the Cloud but I do set my Bow in the Cloud and it shall be there for a token of a Covenant between me and the Earth The Rainbow had no such signification nor was it set in the Cloud for any such purpose before that time So then Take the Rainbow as to its mystical use so I grant it was not before the Flood till then God had never caused the light of his Cloud to shine as a Covenant-token The Rainbow had alwayes a natural signification in it but that is not all it hath now also a Theological divine and mystical signification and is become as the Seal of that Covenant with mankind for God instituted the Rainbow as a Sacramental sign so we may expresse it for our better understanding both between himself and the whole World in general and in special between himself his Covenant people Gen. 9. v. 12 13 14 15. It was given I say on purpose to Seal the truth of the Promise that the whole Earth should no more be overwhelm'd with a Deluge or Flood of water Which though it be such a promise as the whole Creation hath the benefit of yet the faithfull only understand the mysterie of it and have their faith exercised upon it and strengthened by it So that while the Rainbow is the sign of a temporal Covenant to all creatures the godly may look upon it with reference to all spiritual and eternal mercies by Christ in whom all the promises of mercy are Yea and Amen 2 Cor. 1.20 And there is a gâ—eat fitness in it to hold forth mercy both temporal and spiritual in several particulars First This Rainbow is in the Cloud and God placed it in the Cloud because out of the Cloud came the Rain which drowned the old world God could have drowned the world only by letting out or breaking up the Springs of water from the earth but he opened the Cataracts of Heaven also to do it And therefore God to secure the world against such another vengeance
thou shalt cast them away as a menstruous cloth thou shalt say unto it get thee hence This is the Judgment of reformation which God hath and will further work among his people till Sion be built up in perfect beauty and Jerusalem become the praise of the whole earth Thus also God is excellent both in power and in Judgment Fourthly Judgment signifies those evills which God brings upon impenitent sinners that 's a very frequent notion of Judgment in Scripture and the Lord is excellent in this Judgment and that First Upon his own people when they provoke him and sin against him 1 Pet. 4.17 If Judgment begin at the house of God what shall the end be of them that obey not the Gospel There 's Judgment beginning at the house of God that is God will bring evill upon his own house the Church even sore troubles and persecutions The Lord will not spare them who have been slight with him forgetfull of him formal in profession or wanton and vaine in conversation This is a great part of the Lords excellency in Judgment he brings Judgment upon his own house The Lord saith the Prophet Isa 5.16 shall be exalted in Judgment and God that is holy shall be sanctified in righteousness that is in bringing his righteous Judgments upon Israel his peculiar people We find that Gospel Prophet Isaiah often interweaving the wyre and whipcord of corporal bondage with the silk and scarlet thread of Sions dâ—liverances Secondly In Judgment towards his enemies Psal 149.9 He will execute on them the Judgment that is written and that is no inconsiderable nor easie Judgment The servants of God may smart sorely under these Judgments but the wicked and rebellious shall perish and sink under them How dreadfull is that profession or protestation which the Lord made by Moses Deut. 32.41 If I whet my glittering sword and my hand take hold of Judgment I will render vengeance to mine enemies and will reward them that hate me Some possibly may object Surely there is no such appearance of Gods excellency in Judgment upon the wicked of the woâ—ld the enemies of his name and wayes It grew to a Proverb Mal. 2.17 Ye say every one that doth evill is good in the sight of the Lord and he delighteth in them or where is the God of Judgment Evill men seem to be good in the eyes of the Loâ—d when they enjoy good and if it be so said some Where is the God of Judgment I answer First the Lord hath left testimony enough upon Record and written it in the blood of many thouâ—ands to justifie himself that he is excellent in Judgment by taking vengeance on the wicked Did he not excell in Judgment upon the sinning Angels 2 Pet. 2.8 Jude 6. was he not excellent in Judgment when he destroyed the whole world for sin when he burnt Sodom and Gomorrah with fire for sin How many instances might I give of this from Scripture God hath sufficiently declared himself excellent in this punitive Judgment I answer Secondly God indeed doâ—h not presently execute Jâ—dgment upon all the wicked we shoâ—ld rather be lead by sence than by faith if he should do so if he should smite sinners as soon as they provoke him yea if God should take that course he must even break the world to peices and destroy whole generations at once Thirdly God suffers sinners a while that his councels may be fulfilled for though the wicked obey not the command of God yet they fulfill the councel of God Acts 4.28 and they do it chiefly when he with-holdeth Judgment from them Fourthly Unless the Lord did a little give stop to the execution of Judgment in this kind it would neither appear how good nor how bad some men are Let some have but a little power in their hands and the world at will then you shall see whither they will go and what they will do And wâ—en bad men are suffered to go on unpunished and to be a punishment to others then it appears more fully how good some are and that in a twofold respect First because they refraine from evill though they see that they also possibly might do it impune and not suffer in this world Secondly because â—hey hold fast both theiâ— profession and practise of Godliness how much soever they suffer for it in this world from evill men Fifthly God is executing Judgments upon wicked men while he seems to spare them from judgment Pro. 1.32 The prosperity of fools slayeth them Sâ—me think a wicked mâ—n is mighâ—ily favoured when he is in prosperity no that prosperity is his destruction and destruction is Judgment in perfection The table of a wicked man is made his snare his full table faâ—tens his heart which is the sorest of all judgments To be unâ—ensible is worse than any punishment of sense to be hardned or heartned in doing evill is more penall than the suffering of any evill Now while wicked men escape the suffering of evill they grow resolved that is hardned and heartned in doing iâ— or to do it Take Solomons observation or experience in the caâ—e Eccles 8.11 Because sentence against an evil work is not speedily executed upon themselves or others therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully sâ—t in them to do mischief So then there are many invisible judgmen s upon wicked men when we see no hand touch them nor judgment neer them God giveâ— them up to vile affections and to a reprâ—baâ—e mind Rom. 1.26 28. to their own counsels Psal 81.12 and to strong dâ—lusâ—oâ—â— by â—â—hers 2 Thes 2.11 Theâ—e heavy loads oâ— judgment may be on their hearts upon whose backs we see not sâ— much as a gaine weight of judgment Thus the Lord is excellâ—nt in judgment in all the notions of it I have inâ—â—anced fouâ—e Now lâ—st any should think that God at any time breaks the rule of justice in his zeale for this latter sort of judgment or while he is powring out vengeance upon the wicked therefore it follâ—ws in the next place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And in plenty of Justice God executes great wrath upon sinners but there is gâ—eat Justice Justitiâ— est constâ—ns perpetua voluntas suum cuique tribuendi Justin plenty of Justice in it There is store â—nd abundance of justice and righteousness in his most rigorous juâ—gments A little justice is a most precious thing how precious then is plenty of jâ—stice Justice in it self is the giving of every one his due and where justice is in any man it constanâ—ly bends and enclines his heart to do so his especially with whom there is as in God plenty of justice And indeed what-ever God hath he haâ—h plenty of it He hath mercy and plenty of it he iâ— plenteous in mercy Psal 103.8 Aâ—d with him iâ— pleâ—teous redemption Pâ—al 130.7 There is also plenty of justice in him Some men have no Justice at all in them though their