they did before and evil they knew experimentally to their own shame and sorrow And now lest he put forth his hand and take also of the tree of life An imperfect speech intimating one special reason why God drove man out of Paradise to prevent his further sin by profaning that holy Ordinance in eating of the Tree of Life which he had now no right unto having broken the Covenant whereof it was the seale and which he was as likely by the policy of Satan to be drawn unto as he had been before to eat of the forbidden fruit And live for ever Which Satan might suggest and man might as easily believe as well knowing that this tree had that vertue though it were now of no efficacy by mans breach of the Covenant VERSE 23. THerefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden The place of pleasure and store-house of plenty how he sent him out whether by expresse command or otherwise it is not material To till the ground from whence he was taken An hard task considering what curse God had laid upon the earth and how unprovided he was of all necessaries for that imployment And yet no wrong to Adam who was no heir to Paradise being created out of it as is evident by this expression and is now put into no worse condition then that in which he was created God we see then considers Adams weaknesse and therfore in mercy towards him to prevent his falling into a second sin shuts him out of that place where he might have allurements to draw him into it Thus even his judgements are still tempered with mercy but the Observation to be drawn out of the Consideration thereof in general we have handled already more particularly We may 1 OBSERVE God oftentimes with-holds from us or deprives us of many blessings for our good Observe 1 HEnce Agur desires that God would not heap wealth upon him lest he should forget God Prov. 30.9 The Psalmist found that prosperity made him secure but when God his his face it put him to his prayers Psal 30.6 7 8. hence he professeth that God had afflicted him in faithfulnesse Psal 119.75 1. To keep him in a right way Ps 119.67 2. To quicken him unto prayer Ps 116.4 3. To take off his minde from the world See Ps 73.25 that we might prize God and Christ and heaven at an higher rate 4. Sometimes he doth it to make our faith and sincerity more evident to the world as he dealt with Job 5. Perhaps to do us more good at the last as he dealt with him Let this consideration quiet our hearts in wants and losses remembring that all things are ordered by God who 1. Is good and doth good Psal 119.68 2. And turnes all things to good to those that love him Rom. 8.28 3. And knowing the frame of our hearts better then we our selves foresees that those things which he with-holds or takes from us would corrupt us though we our selves discern it not at present The Lord knew and considered that our Parents had already fallen into one sowle sin and therefore concludes upon good grounds that they would be as ready to fall into a second and gives unto us thence sufficient warrant to 2. OBSERVE When men have once broken out into one sinne they are in danger to fall into any other Observe 2 NOt only wicked men who work all uncleannesse with greedinesse Eph. 4.19 and sell themselves to work wickednesse 1 King 21.25 but even the godly as appeares in Lots falling from drunkennesse into incest Gen. 19.32 and Davids adding of murther to adultery 2 Sam. 11.4 15 17. Reason 1. Every man hath within him the root of every sin 2. And having once broken the bond of obedience hath nothing to hold him in 3. And hath his heart weakened by the very act of sinning as any part of the body is by a stripe or wound that it hath received 4. And Satan having prevailed upon us in one assault is thereby encouraged to attempt us with more violence afterwards as we have seen in his tempting of Eve Beware of giving the water passage though never so little he that standing on an high place hath lost his footing knows not where to stay himself Blessed is the man that feareth alwayes Prov. 28.14 Let it move us having been overtaken by infirmity to repent speedily and seriously to stand carefully upon our guards and to pray fervently Lest if we wax bold and secure God in his justice leave us to our selves and we be overtaken as St. Peter was Luke 22.33 3â— Well the Lord knowing Adams weaknesse to prevent his falling into a second sin shut him out of Paradise and thereby took away the occasion that might have been a meanes to draw him thereunto Whence 3. OBSERVE God as he alwayes foresees so oftentimes he prevents mens falling into sin Observe 3 SUrely he that alwayes knows the thoughts of men afar off Psal 139.2 and hath before him all the opportunities that may be presented unto them to allure them unto sinne and all the purposes and policies of Satan that labours to ensnare them must needs know what sinnes they will fall into and therefore may be able to prevent them which he doth often in his own children as he with-held David from spilling of Nabals blood 1 Sam. 25.32 33. and from killing Saul 1 Sam. 24 5. And many times in wicked men for preventing of mischief to his own children as Jeroboam from seizing upon the Prophet 1 King 13.4 the children of Israels violence from Moses and Aaron Numb 16.42 Herod from destroying Christ Mat. 2.12 13. Let all the godly take special notice of this special act of Gods providence in preventing their falling into divers sinnes whereof they may finde 1. The roots in their own hearts 2. They feele the motions of divers inordinate lusts the quenching wherof that they break not out into open acts must needs be acknowledged to be Gods act somtimes awakning our own consciences to prevent the farther growth and breaking out of lusts that have taken fire into an open flame as in Davids case 1 Sam. 24.5 sometimes causing his spirit within us to fight against these lusts of the flesh Gal. 5.17 otherwhiles giving us seasonable warnings out of his word which kept in David from persisting in that discontented humour against the acts of Gods providence Psal 73.17 which he acknowledgeth to be Gods holding of him by his right hand verse 23. And lastly by removing occasions and taking away opportunities of producing sin into act Now to prevent Adams further sinning by eating of the Tree of Life God casts him out of the garden of Eden where the Tree of Life stood that he might not have that allurement before him to tempt him and to give him opportunity to commit that sin Whence we may 4 OBSERVE The surest way to prevent mans falling into sin is to be farre from the allurements that might entice
Mother of Man and Beast hath a fountaine of food in her own body for that fruit which she brings forth ready prepared before it comes into the World Every winter hath provision stored up in Summer precedent to supply all the necessities thereof before they appear 6. The Superiments of the suplies which God provides not onely for our selves ever since we had a Being but for all Creatures whose eyes waite upon him and do from him receive their meat in due season Psalme 145. It is not to be passed by that before this promise Moses prefixeth a speciall note of observation behold used ordinarily either to tax and awaken our heedlesse hearts in not observing what we ought to have taken notice of or to raise them to an expectation of some great work in hand which requires more then ordinaty observation when it is performed Whence 3. Observe The Goodnesse and Providence of God even in supplying us with necessary provision for our lives requires speciall observation Obser 3 THis God requires in an especial manner of his own People Deut. 8.2 as to be observed allwaies so sometimes to be solemnly and publickely acknowledged unto God himself in presenting unto him the first fruits of every years provision Deut. 26 9.10 And that to exercise Mens hearts in a more serious meditation and thankfull remembrance of his goodnesse Deut. 8 18. The neglect of which duty God justly taxeth in his People Hos 11.3 4. as either a meanes to draw them on to an Apostacy and revolt from God or at least a sign of the breeding of this dangerous sin Deut. 5.23 24. It were then a shame for Men to receive their food at Gods Hand like beasts that have no understanding who gather their food indeed Psal 104.2 but without observing whence or from whom it comes Let it be our care to take special notice of Gods Hand and goodnesse in all the blessings of this life that we receive taking notice both What and of what Condition of what Variety in their severall kinds and in what Abundance God pours out his blessings upon us even in Outward things prospering all the Labours of our hands and watching over the land where we dwell so that his Eyes are upon it from one end of the year to the other Deut. 11 12. Making the fruits of the Earth to Spring and grow up and ripen while we sleep and look not after them that it may warm our hearts with the taste of his goodnesse and raise them up to an holy rejoycing before him and to chearfulnesse in the service of so liberal a Master God as we have seen had made Adam Lord of the whole Earth and had put all his Creatures under his feet and yet we see here that he comes to give him allowance of that store which he had prepared for him and bestowed upon him for his food and gives him in a sort bread to put in his mouth Whence 4. Observe Men that have the greatest possessions in the World must notwithstanding receive their allowance out of it continually from Gods Hand Observ 4 KIngs themselves are served by the field saith Solomon Eccle. 5.9 and consequently by Gods allowance who brings forth food out of the Earth It must be God that must hear the Heavens and the Heavens the Earth and the Earth his People Israel 2.21 22. Which unlesse he should do daily pouring out his blessing upon the Earth to make that fruitful to yield us bread and upon the bread to give it strength to yield us nourishment the Kings of the Earth must starve as well as the poorest beggars Wherefore our Saviour in that Prayer which we call the Lords directs all that call God Father to beg daily the portion for the day at Gods Hand as well Kings themselvs as their meanest Vassals Let this consideration humble all those that flatter themselves with the food Luk. 12.19 and depending upon the store of their provision or revenewes of their Lands conceive it needlesse to seek unto GOD neither praying unto Him nor depending on Him nor serving Him because they live as they conceive upon their own stock They are not greater Lords then Adam who had the whole Earth for his inheritance and yet had no bread to put into his Mouth till God gave him his allowance out of it let none then despise the meanest nor advance himself above them Rich and Poor Kings and Subjects all must receive their provision for food of Almes and by allowance from God day by day In relating Gods grant of food for the sustaining of Mans life Moses expresseth 1. the Author that bestowes it God Himself 2. What was given both in the kind of it Herbs and Fruits and in the variety of it Every herb and the fruit of every Tree 3. For what Term which being without limitation must be extended both to Himself and his Posterity after him 4. For what Use to be unto them for food From the first Circumstance 5. Observe Mans food is the Gift of God Observ 5 IT is God that gives unto all flesh their food in due season Psal 155.15 He commands blessings for them for that purpose and opens his Treasures for them Deut. 28.8.12 And that not only in General but more particularly He shares out unto us every one his particular portion see Psal 146.7 Whence it is that our Saviour directs us to beg at Gods Hand the portion of every day which also He proportions as He did the Mannah which He rained down upon his People according to every Mans eating Exod. 16.16 This Holy Iacob found so true by his own experience that he acknowledged that God had fed him all his life Gen. 48.15 This portion for every Mans allowance though God sometimes conveighs unto them by extraordinary means yet he usually supplies by the Ministery of Men or by their own labour and industry by which he gives them a just title to the bread that they eat so that they may truly call it their Own as the Apostle doth 2 Thess 3.12 Because God gives unto them a blessing upon their obedience in labouring with their hand the thing that is good Eph. 4.28 Notwithstanding even that also is to be acknowledged as Gods Gift who gives seed unto him that soweth and bread for food 2 Cor. 9 10. And gives ability to get wealth that he may establish his Covenant and keep his Word with us Deut. 8.18 But not to pay us any debt that He owes us 1. Let every one then depend upon God for necessaries for the supporting of his life 1. begging it of him by prayer as our Saviour directs us and as Iacob doth Gen. 28.20 and Agur Prov. 30.8 As acknowledging our own beggery that have not bread to put in our mouthes unlesse he bestow it and unability to get it by any meanes that we can use unlesse he prosper them and unworthinesse to have it from Him by any desert of our own unlesse he bestow it out
alone being prefixed before the Lawes that are mentioned afterwards gives us just occasion to take special notice of the Right which God had to dispose of all things according to his own Will and to give them what Lawes he pleased seeing all of them being the works of his own hand and therefore his Own by the strongest Title were consequently to be ordered by him as he pleased So that out of this order observed by the Holy Ghost in this Narration we may 1. Observe He that gives things their Being may Dispose and Order them as he will Observ 1 THe Master gave What and to Whom he pleased because it was his Own and therewith stops the mouthes of all that quarrelled at his unequal dealing Matth. 20.15 Upon that ground God may order all things as he pleaseth as indeed he doth whatsoever he pleased in Heaven and Earth Psal 115.3 because all is his Own and none hath given unto him first nor consequently can claim any thing of him Rom. 11.35 nor limit him in any respect God cannot wrong his own Creatures no though he should destroy them much lesse when he doth Command or prescribe unto them as for the former reason so withall because his Will is Just 1. Let it cease all our murmurings in Afflictions Job 1.21 much more in duties of Obedience If Saul must obey because God made him a King 1 Sam. 15.1 much more must we obey because God made us Creatures and gave us our Being St. Paul upon this ground stops every mans mouth that reasons with or answers again unto God that God may do with his own what he will much more and by a juster right then the Potter may frame his clay into what fashion he will 2. Let no man go about to rule or prescribe unto others according to his Own will because no man can say that he made them by his Own Power nor consequently can justly challenge this unto himself May I not do with mine own what I will Let all Humane Power be bounded by the Will of Him whose all things are and from whom the Authority that men challenge unto themselves is derived which also they receive from Him with such limitations as he was pleased to bound it withall and no farther Moses contents not himself to say These are the generations of the Heavens c. but thinks fit to adde withall In the day that the Lord God made the Earth c. VVhence 2. Observe Whensoever we mention and remember the Being of the Creatures we ought withall to set before us and remember Him that made them Observ 2 AS David doth Psal 8.3 having mentioned the Heavens he in the next clause calls them the work of Gods singers and having taken a surview of all Gods works and the wonderful order in which he hath disposed them he calls them all Gods manifold works made in Wisdom Psal 104.24 VERSE 5. BEfore it was And by and by after Before it grew that is when it had yet no Being God made it and gave it that Being which it hath Nor caused it to rain He proves that God made the Herbs and Plants because before they were there was no other means by which they might be produced according to the course of nature neither the Influence of the Heavens nor any humane Culture VVhence 1. Observe Every Herb and Plant upon the Earth is Gods Creature Observ 1 SEE Chap. 1. Ver. 11. Observ 3. 2. Observe Not only the Mercies of God in General but every Particular Blessing must be taken notice of as coming from God Observ 2 NOt only the Blessings themselves but besides the means by which God conveighs them unto us and the measure in which he bestowes them with every other considerable circumstance belonging to them Thus God himself recounts them by Particulars Levit. 26. Deut. 28. both every kind of them and the Particulars of every kind that so he might have a cloud of witnesses to testifie for him and to affect our hearts the more The Argument by which Moses makes it appear that those Herbs and Plants were Created by God because there was no other means by which they might be produced warrants us to 3. Observe That which is brought to passe without Ordinary Means must needs be wrought by the Hand and Power of God Himself Observ 3 AS Nebuchadnetzars stone which was cut out without hands Dan. 2.45 was a Kingdom set up by God Himself ver 44 In like manner those effects which are wrought beyond the power of the means must needs be acknowledged to be the acts of a Divine Power as when Gideons three hundred destroyed the huge Host of the Midianites it argued that the sword of the Lord was there as well as the sword of Gideon Judg. 1.18 Let us so take knowledge of it and that with admiration in all such events as fall out either without or beyond the Power of Ordinary means When the Israelites had bread to satisfie them without sowing it was God that fed them as he did Moses when he had strength supplyed unto him 40 dayes without eating or drinking So in the very ordinary course of nature when our life is renewed and continued by dead things and strength encreased by weak things things impossible to nature we must acknowledge that he hath His hand in those works who is above nature Note Moses shewing that there fell no Rain on the earth to make the Herbs and Plants to grow tells us that God had not caused it to rain upon the Earth as if he had said It had not rained on the Earth Whence 4. Observe There can be no Rain on the Earth unlesse Godsend it Observ 4 HE causeth it to come both for Judgment and Mercy Job 37.12 13. and prepares it for the earth Psal 147.8 Therefore he promiseth it Deut. 11.14 28.12 and he keeps it back at his pleasure Amos 4.7 and then none can give it Jer. 14.22 whence the Apostle tells us that the giving of rain was a witnesse for God unto men Act. 14.17 and his people are justly taxed that they did not take notice of it and acknowledge it Jer. 5.24 Let us then seek it at his hand as Elijah did 1 King 18.42 and thank him for it that we may work his fear into our hearts Jer. 5.24 who only can give it and if he should withhold it for any long time might starve the whole Earth as he had near done the Land of Israel 1 King 18.2 5. Moses proves that God made the Plants and Herbs because the Means by which they are ordinarily produced and cherished were wanting the first and principal whereof he names to be the Rain Whence 5. Observe It is by Rain from Heaven that all the Herbs and Plants on the face of the Earth do grow and are nourished Observ 5 BY it God waters the ridges of the earth and blesseth the springing of the fruits thereof Psal 65.10 The Heavens must hear the
to the woman now lest he might seem by his question to direct them what to answer But God who knew the evidence of truth and the desire of justifying themselves must needs draw from the delinquents as much as he expected leaves it to flow from themselves freely without any enquiry at all that it might the more evidently appear to spring meerly from a fountaine of truth The Serpent beguiled me But that on her part was no fit answer to the question proposed howsoever it serve fully to the end that God aimed at or at least the main thing that she should have acknowledged is omitted or coldly satisfied in her answer for God demands not of her who put that motiō into her heart but how she could be so wicked as to commit so foul a sin in slighting his Authority denying his truth forgetting his mercies contemning his power and wronging her husband and consequently destroying him for whose help and comfort she was ordained God calls on her to set all those things before her eyes and to consider what she had done she on the other side passing by that weighty consideration proposed by God falls as her husband had done before to excuse and lessen the sin what she can pretending that it was no voluntary act proceeding from any evil disposition of her own heart but she was enveigled by the cunning and policy of the Serpent who under faire colours and pretences beguiled her Now if God had replied unto her and demanded what those faire colours and pretences were which thus drew away her heart her own answer must needs have stopped her mouth for ever For she knew that her heart filled with Gods love should have been wholly carried after the advancement of his glory Now the Devil never so much as lays before her any such thing if he had the womans error had been the more pardonable if her end had been right and she had only been misguided in the way that led thereunto whereas she closeth with Satan in taking up a false end and seeking her own advancement in stead of Gods glory wherein she was wilfully perverted by the consent of her own heart And I did eat Thus then we have a full confession of the fact by both the delinquents and by the woman the discovery of the plotter and contriver of all the mischief that all the world may justifie God in the righteousnesse of his judgements in the punishment of the offendors who by seeking new tricks or inventions as the wise man calls them to advance them beyond their conditions were justly filled with their own inventions as the Psalmist speaks Psalme 106.39 Thus we see God will not give over the examination till he have discovered the whole plot of this fowle sin and every agent in it first Adam then his wife and at last the Devil the deceiver and seducer of them both Whence 1 OBSERVE No actor in any sin can escape Gods discovery Observe 1 NOt the secret Contrivers and Counsellors as Jonadab to Amnon Achitophel to Absalom Jezabel to Ahab Not the Actors and Executioners as the Elders of Israel and by their procurement the two sonnes of Belial employed by Jezabel in the murther of Naboth Not the abettors and assistants as Joab and Abiathar in Adonijahs treason Not the very frame or contrivance of the sinne or means to colour it As Davids murther of Urijah to colour his adultery with his wife and his cunning conveighance with Joab to conceale his murther which he not only discovered himself but hath left upon record to posterity 1. It cannot be denied or questioned but that he is able to search into the deepest secrets seeing all things are naked in his sight Heb. 4.13 2. It concernes him to do it that the Judge of all the world may appeare and be known to do right to which purpose he must necessarily have a distinct knowledge both of the offendors and of the quality and measure of their offences that every ones judgement may be proportioned in number weight and measure according to their deeds Let no man then embolden himself to have his hand in any sinne in hope to hide his counsel deep from the Lord and his works in the dark Isa 29.15 It is true that mens eyes discover many times nothing but the outward acts of sin or the Agents that work yea even they many times are hidden from mans eyes but God that searcheth the heart and knoweth the thoughts of it afar of Psal 139.2 takes notice of every motion of the heart by which the sinne was begotten of every secret word by which it was whispered into the Actors eares of every affection of the spectators who behold it with delight He knew what the King of Syria spake in his secret chamber 2 King 6.12 He understood the very secret thoughts of Herods heart which it is probable he never uttered to his nearest friends concerning the murthering of Christ Mat. 2.13 much more was he able to discover the King of Israels commission for the taking of Elisha 2 King 6.32 and fourty mens secret conspiracy to kill Paul Those secrets if he discover not to the world at present openly yet he both knows and can and often doth prevent them so that no man hath cause to hearten himself in hope of successe in wicked counsels or fear to be surprized by them We have already intimated that God who might have manifested every thought of Adams heart and left upon record every circumstance of the sinne committed by him notwithstanding contents himself to bring to light only so much thereof as might manifest the delinquents desart of that punishment that he afterwards lays upon them with such a mixture of mercy withal as exceeds belief as we shall see anon that he might be justified in all his wayes and admired in his free grace Whence 2 OBSERVE Mens sinnes must and shall be so farre manifested as may conduce to the advancing of Gods glory Observe 2 THus Joshuah exhorts Achan to confesse his sinne that he might give glory to God Josh 7.19 and David freely acknowledgeth his sin that God might be justified Psal 51.4 And Saint Paul witnesseth the Law convinceth all men of sinne in such sort that the whole world may be guilty before God and that his righteousnesse may be made manifest for the remission of sinnes Rom. 3.19 23 25. And good reason seeing 1. It is the principal end wherefore we and all things are that our selves and all our actions and all events that befal us of good or evil in all Gods dispensations towards us may be referred to the manifesting of Gods glory who therefore permits with patience the vessels of wrath ordeined to destruction for the magnifying of his Justice in their deserved punishment at the last and graciously pardons his chosen ones that he may set out the riches of his free mercy and grace Rom. 9.22 23. which end of his we ought to further in all our
my mother and my sister Job 17.14 Reason 1. To humble us Gen. 18.27 2. To magnifie Gods mercy in abasing himself to look on such vile wretches see Psal 113.6 7 8. to give his Sonne for them to advance dust and ashes to such a glorious condition as the Apostle describes Cor. 15.42 43 49. 3. To move us to long for heaven see 2 Cor. 5.1 2. First It reproves all that glory in Beauty or Ability or bestow all their care and labour in making provisions for the body by costly clothing delicate feeding sumptuous building and in the mean time leave the soul empty and naked discovering therein 1. Their earthly mindes Phil. 3.19 2. And grosse folly Psal 49.13 3. Joyned with some impiety in glorying in that wherein God especially labours to abase them Secondly let it move us to cease from our cares of providing for these earthly tabernacles and to bestow our labours for the supplying and adorning of the soule As 1. More immediately given by God 2. Carrying the most lively character of his Image 3. More capable in it self of true beauty 4. Yet most deformed by sinne 5. Consequently requing most care and labour to repaire and restore it unto that condition in which it was created To which purpose endeavour to enrich that with knowledge Psal 1.9 adorne it with humility 1 Pet. 3.4 establish it in faith Heb. 13.9 Now in that God who threatened death to our first Parents in the day wherein they should eate of the forbidden fruit yet suspends the execution thereof till a longer time though the weaknesse and infirmities of nature which before their fall they were not subject unto seized on them at present we may from thence 7 OBSERVE The disposing of mans life is in Gods hand Observe 7 WHich God chalengeth to himself Deut 32.39 David acknowledgeth Psal 3.15 Daniel testifies to Belshazzar Dan. 5.23 and is clearly manifested by all experience Psal 104.29 so that it is not in the power of men to cut it off at their pleasure 1 Kings 19. Dan. 3.27 and 6.22 though God use them to that end somtimes as his executioners Psal 17.13 14. Reason 1. He gives it Psal 104.30 Job 33.4 no reason then that any creature should make his gift void 2. And he can preserve it see Isa 54.16 3. To have power of life and death belongs to the highest Authority which is founded in God alone see John 19.10 11. that all men might feare before him First let it arme us against the threats and violence of wicked men who 1. Cannot shorten our life one day see Luke 13.32 2. Nor till we have served our time Acts 13.36 and finished our course 2 Tim. 4.7 3. And then shall but make us the sooner possessours of our reward Secondly depend upon God for our lives 1. Seek them at Gods hand with Hezekiah Isa 38 3. with David Psal 102.24 and Jonah and depend not on meanes with Asa 2 Chron. 16.11 12. 2. Blesse him for them Isa 38.20 3. And serve him with them living to him and not to our selves 2 Cor. 5.15 The decree of God for mans dissolution is clearly expressed the time when this shall be God keeps in his own breast that is not expressed at all Whence 8 OBSERVE Though death be certain to all men yet the time of death is uncertain Observe 8 NOt in respect of God who numbers every mans days out unto us Luk 12 19. as appears not only by extraordinary judgements that fell upon Dathan Uzzah Ananias c. but in the ordinary course of Providence Reason 1. That men might not be hardened in sin as usually they are when judgement is deferred Eccl. 8.11 but walk in fear as being not assured of life for one moment of an houre 2. To be assured of the terme of life would not profit us any way either to prevent death which is certainly determined or to further repentance which that blasphemous thief upon the Crosse found no place for though he saw death before him Luke 23.39 It is true notwithstanding that God extraordinarily may reveale unto men before-hand the time of their death or removal from hence as in Aarons and Moses case Numb 20.26 Deut. 32.49 and Elijahs 2 Kings 2.3 5. and Hezekiahs 2 Kings 20.6 but that is not usual Let it move all to stand loose from the world in which they have no assurance to continue one moment to have our lamps alwayes burning with the five wise Virgins Mat. 25.7 to make sure of Christ and Heaven to be alwayes well-doing that our Master may finde us so whensoever he comes Mat. 24.46 47. for feare of the danger threatened ver 50 51. But it is worth our observing that God together with the sentence which he pronounceth against man withal manifests the equity of it that he doth man no wrong since he leaves him in no worse condition then he was at first resolving him into dust that was but dust Whence 9 OBSERVE The judgements of God are just and equal all of them in all things Observe 9 AS Moses professeth Deut. 32.4 and Job acknowledgeth Job 1.21 and 2.10 and David Psal 119.75 128. though many times we see not how see Jer. 12.1 which notwithstanding God reveales unto his servants as he did to Abraham in the destruction of Sodom Gen. 18.32 Reason 1. He cannot wrong his own creatures no more then the Potter can the clay nay much lesse 2. His Nature will not suffer him to do otherwise he that is God must necessarily do good Psal 119.68 out of the Lords mouth proceeds not good and evil Lam. 3.38 3. Nor the respect to his owne honour magnified as well in his justice Psal 64.8 9. as in his mercy and truth 4. It would otherwise discourage his own servants see Mat. 25.24 25. as the opinion of Gods favouring of the wicked and afflicting his own servants had almost discouraged David Psal 73.13 14. Let it cease our murmurings against Gods administrations towards our selves or others to which our corrupt nature easily inclines Psal 73.3 against which the Psalmist gives a special Caveat Psal 37.1 and justifies God in all his wayes in which he is righteous Psal 145.17 To this purpose 1. Let us lay that before us as a principle unquestionable with the Prophet Jer. 12.1 2. That we may see and so beare witnesse to that justice of God 1. Confider that God may charge the best of his servants with folly see Psal 130.3 and 143.2 2. To satisfie us concerning the seeming prosperity of the wicked Consider 1. What they enjoy 1. Only outward things neither grace nor glory which are the godlies portion Psal 84.11 2. And those unto their own hurt Eccl. 5.13 so that a little that a righteous man hath is better then the riches of many wicked Psal 37.16 3. That also oftentimes to their destruction at the last Prov. 1.32 for which purpose God advanceth them Psal 73.18 whereas good mens afflictions turne to their good