Selected quad for the lemma: mercy_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
mercy_n	prepare_v	vessel_n	wrath_n	3,005	5	9.3678	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A09990	The nevv covenant, or the saints portion A treatise vnfolding the all-sufficiencie of God, and mans uprightnes, and the covenant of grace. delivered in fourteene sermons vpon Gen. 17. 1. 2. Wherevnto are adioyned foure sermons vpon Eccles. 9.1. 2. 11. 12. By the late faithfull and worthie minister of Iesus Christ Iohn Preston. Dr. in Divinitie, chaplaine in ordinary to his Maiestie, maister of Emmanuel Colledge in Cambridge, and sometimes preacher of Lincolnes Inne.	Preston, John, 1587-1628.; Sibbes, Richard, 1577-1635.; Davenport, John, 1597-1670.	1629 (1629)	STC 20241; ESTC S101919	353,487	626

easily beleeue a smaller sinne to be forgiven Therefore certainly men doubt of his power whether he be able to forgiue for if the difference of sinne doe cause in you vnbeliefe it could not be that you should pitch vpon the power of God and his readines to forgi●e Therefore it is certaine that it is his power that is called in question and therefore the thing we haue to do is to make this good to you that the Lord is able to forgiue But you will say to me It is true If it were a matter of power I make no question Beloved you shall finde it a matter of power take a man Is it not a matter of strength in him to forgiue to passe by an infirmitie If it be strength in a man to be meeke to forgiue and to passe by iniuries to be kinde to those that be vnkinde to him Is it not also power in God to doe so Besides is it not a power to be rich Riches giue a man a potencie and the Lord is said to be rich in mercy That is As a man that is rich though he giue much yet he is not exhausted So when you haue made thus much vse of Gods mercy yet still there is more behinde still there is more and more mercy for you there is a spring of mercy there is no end of it Besides as there is a power in his wrath Who knowes the power of his wrath so likewise there is a power in his mercy as we see Rom. 9. 22. 23. it is a place worth the considering for this purpose What if God to shew his wrath and to make his power known will suffer with long patience the vessels of wrath prepared for destructiō And the next verse is thus to be read otherwise you cannot make the sence perfect and what if he would also to shew the greatnesse of his power declare the riches of his glory vpon the vessels of mercy that he hath prepared to glory Marke as God shewes the greatnes of his power in executing wrath vpon evill men so he shewes the exceeding greatnesse of his power and declares his glorious riches That is The riches of his mercy vpon the Saints Now as it is hard to finde out the depth of the one so it is to finde out the depth of the other to consider the height the length and bredth and depth of his mercy When a man considers his sinnes and lookes vpon them in the height of them in the bredth and depth of them when he sees a heape of sinne piled vp together reaching vp to the heavens and downe againe to the bottom of hell now to beleeue that the mercy of God is higher then these sinnes and that the depth of his mercy is deeper then they This is to comprehend the length and bredth depth of mercy in him Ephes. 3. This is exceeding hard and a great thing for vs to doe but yet this the Lord is able to doe his mercy is able to swallow them vp and therefore you shall finde this expression in Iames 2. mercy reioyceth against Iudgement As if he should say There is a certaine contention betweene the sins that we commit and the mercy of God though our sinnes oppose his mercy yet his mercy is greater and at length it overcomes them and reioyceth against them as a man reioyceth against an adversary that he hath subdued Therefore herein we must labour to see Gods All-sufficiencie that although our sins be exceeding great yet the largenes of his mercy is able to swallow them vp But you will say to me we could beleeue this if we were qualified but all the difficultie is to beleeue it when we want those qualifications God requires softnesse of heart godly sorrow truth of repentance c. Beloved to this I answer briefly that wha●soever thou seest that discourageth thee that thou seest in thine owne heart when thou reflectest vpon it it is either sinne or emptinesse That is A want of that righteousnes that should be in thee If it be sinne the greatnesse of his mercy is able to swallow it vp And if it be emptinesse know this that he is rich in mercy and All-sufficient able to bestow this riches even vpon nothing you know he did bestow all the glory of the creature on it when it was nothing There was nothing you know when he made the world when he made ●he Angels what was it he bestow●d his riches vpon And is he not able to bestow it on thee though there be an emptines in thine heart Therfore thinke with thy selfe what is the exceeding 〈◊〉 of his loue It was a great loue that moved him to give Christ to vs but after we are in Christ then you must consider this ●hat his loue hath increased to a full object his loue is fully bestowed on him and is derived from Christ to vs. 〈…〉 sinnes yea all the degrees of my sinnes to overcome them and ●ubdue them yet if the fulnesse of his loue that he loues Christ with be derived on me what neede I make question But you will say againe What needs this perswasion of Gods All-sufficiencie in forgiving This is but to open a dore of liberty to make men more loose Beloved it is not so it is the most profitable thing yo● can doe for your owne soules to beleeue his All-sufficiencie in forgiving sinnes as well as his All-sufficiencie in any thing besides therefore we see in Rom. 6. concerning the abounding of grace for so the objection stands where sinne hath abo●nded there grace hath abounded much more If mens sinnes be multiplied grace and mercy shall be multiplied much more and still out-goe and swallow them vp Shall we therefore sinne that grace may abound or because grace hath abounded No sayth the Apostle for the abundance of grace kils sinne for so the consequence stands how shall we that are dead to sinne li●e any longer therein So that his answer stands thus Sayth he the abundance of grace doth not cause men to sinne more for it kils sinne And therefore the more we beleeue this All-sufficiencie in God to forgiue sinne the more sinne is killed in vs it is not enlarged by it life is not given to sinne by it but we are made more dead to sinne by it You will say how can that be Because the beleeving of Gods All-sufficiencie in forgiving our sinnes increaseth our loue and our Ioy. It increaseth our loue for when there is no scruple in our hearts of Gods loue towards vs it makes our loue more perfect towards him It increaseth our joy also because when we haue a full assurance of the forgiuenesse of our sinnes that fils the heart with joy and peace in the holy Ghost Now spirituall loue eates out of the heart all carnall delights all sinfull lusts and all inordinate loue vnto the creature And so likewise spirituall joy takes away

you see the sheath fitted to the sword you say this is some Art this is not by accident Even so it is in nature you see a fitting of one thing to another in the body in the Creatures in every thing in all the senses in the Sunne with the ayre in the eye with the light and the colours with the transparent medium The fitting of one thing to another shewes that there is an Art that doth it the providence of God Besides the constancy of things we see they goe their course Those things that come by accident that come by chance and not by providence they fall out vncertainely now one way and then another but we see all the workes of nature goe in a certaine constant course And lastly Looke but vpon a house or a family if there be not a providence it will quickly be dissolved there is not any family but it will be so and therefore there is a neede of government also in the great family of the world and if there be a government it must needs be by him for by man it cannot be governed for the preservation of every thing is in the vnitie of it and therefore you see any thing that is divided that is the dissolution of it as when the soule is divided from the body and when the body is divided from it selfe So likewise in a family or in a Common-wealth when it is divided looke how farre it goes from vnitie so neere it comes to perishing and the more peace and vnitie the more safetie Now if there were not one guider of all these if there should be many guiders there would be different streames there would be divers well-heads and if there were divers principles of things that swerue this way and that way there would be a division in the nature of things there would not be a vnitie and by consequence it would be the destruction of them And therefore of necessitie first there must be a government or else how could the family stand and if there be a government it must not be by man and if it be not by man it must be by one that is God Now the objections in briefe we see many things are casuall and you may strengthen the objection out of Eccles. 9. 11. I see sayth he that the race is not to the swift nor the battell to the strong nor yet riches to a man of vnderstanding but time and chance befals every thing To this I answer in a word that it is true there are chances that fall out in all these things that we call properly casuall or accidentall when some thing comes betweene a cause and the effect and hinders it As when a man is going a journey and an Axe-head fall off and either wounds him or kils him it comes betweene the effect and the cause betweene his doing and that which he intended if the fire be burning and water cast vpon it and hinders it that is casuall because it takes off the cause from its intention So it is in this wherein the Wiseman instanceth when a man is strong and some accident comes betweene and hinders him from obtaining the battaile when a man hath wisedome and some accident comes betweene and hinders him from obtaining favour This is that which we properly call chance Now it is true there is such a chance in the nature of the thing but yet consider this though this chance be contrary to the particular causes yet it hath a cause and it riseth from the vniversall cause so that it is called chance because it thwarts and comes betweene the intention of the particular cause but it doth not differ from the intention of the vniversall for those accidentall things haue a cause as well as the things that we intend haue a cause somewhat there is that is the author of all causes that is the first of all causes and therefore it is impossible that any thing should be totally by accident And therefore I say whensoever you finde this it is so farre from being casuall if you looke into it exactly that then the providence of God is most seene in it of al others so far is it from comming by chance because those things that are done by particular causes according to their intention we vsually ascribe it to them but when there is an intercurrent action comes that we call chance that belongs to the vniversall cause and is to be ascribed to him and hence it is that the Lord vsually in the dispensing and administring of contingent things he turnes things rather by accidentall causes by casuall things then by those causes that haue influence into their effects because his owne hand is most seene in it he gets the greatest glory by it when he turnes greatest matters by a small accident as we turne a great Ship by a little Rudder therein his power and his glory is seene And therefore I say when you see such a vanitie in the Creatures labour to see the more fulnes in God if there be such an emptines such a mutabilitie such an instabilitie in the Creature looke vpon his immutabilitie and his eternitie and labour to be partakers of it When you see such an inabilitie in the Creature to bring its enterprises to passe labour to see his almightie providence and to be perswaded of it to think with thy selfe there is not the least thing without this there is not the least Creature that makes a motion this way or that way but as it is guided and directed by him I would willingly adde but this one word concerning the tryall when we haue said so much of the All-sufficiencie of God and of the emptines of the Creature All the question is now how farre we practice this Let every man examine his owne heart and aske himselfe these questions First if a man beleeue that All-sufficiencie that is in God why doth he terminate his affections in the Creature If there be nothing in the Creature but emptines why doe you loue the Creature why doe you feare the Creature why doe you reioyce in the Creature immediately as you doe Beloved if there be nothing in that but all be in him we should see through the Creature we should looke beyond it It is that which is said of Shisack 2 Chron. 12. he was but the viall through which Gods wrath was powred vpon Israell so it was true of Cyrus he was but the viall through which Gods goodnesse was powred vpon Israell If you did looke vpon every man vpon every friend and every enemy vpon every Creature he is an instrument of good or hurt to you but as an emptie viall in it selfe through which God powres either his goodnes and mercy or else his wrath it would cause you not to sticke vpon the Creature not to wrangle with men not to hate men or to be angry with them for that is but the viall It would cause you

into these things that they might know them these things they willingly know not So beloued it is an argument that the knowledge of God and the knowledge of the truth hath not a perfect worke when there is something that a man willingly will not know when a man shall winke with his eyes as it is said Mat. 13. 15. They winke with their eyes that they might not vnderstand with their hearts and bee conuerted that I should heale them They winke with their eyes that is when the light shines to them they will not see it when the conscience suggests something when there is somewhat intimated and whispered to the hearts of men their will runnes a loose course therefore they will not suffer their vnderstandings to be informed they will not see all the light whereas a man whose heart is perfect if the light beginne to appeare if he see it thorow a creuice he opens the windowes of his soule and lets it in euen into euery corner of it and the ground is because his heart is sound he desires to make his heart perfect he is not willing to spare it in any thing hee desires not there should bee any exempt place in his heart or in his life or any of his courses for he sees Ioh. 3. 21. Hee that deth euill comes not to the light but hee that loues the truth hee whose heart is sound that is not an hypocrite he comes to the light he comes to be enlightned in what he doth hee comes to the light that his deeds might be made manifest that is that it might be euident that his workes are according to Gods will he desires not that the light should bee kept off This is another instance Patience will haue her perfect worke and the knowledge of the truth will haue its perfect worke so I may say of all other graces Temperance will haue its perfect worke if the heart be sincere and sound that is it will restraine euery inordinate appetite it will cause a man to for beare euery inordinate delight euery inordinate pleasure it will make him withdraw himselfe from excesse in euery thing in dyet in sports in ease c. So likewise chastity holinesse and purenesse it cleanseth the heart from all kinde of vncleannesse if it haue its perfect worke it suffers none of that leauen to remaine in soule or body eyther neither in the eye not in the thought This is another effect of an vpright heart of one that is perfect with GOD that euery grace hath its perfect worke and by this thou maist know whether thy heart be sound or no. I will adde but one more exceeding briefely and so conclude This is a fi●th effect that ariseth from integrity and sincerity of heart It breeds in vs 〈…〉 and a quietnesse of spirit as you may see Iam. 3. vlt. But the wisdome that is from aboue is first pure and then peaceable gentle easie to be intreated full of mercie full of good fruits That wisdome is first pure and then peaceable As if hee should say The purity of wisdome the perfectnesse the entirenesse the sincerity which holy wisdome brings forth it is seene in this eff●ct it will make the heart peaceable it is first pure and then peaceable His meaning is that peaceablenesse is an effect of the purenesse and entyrenesse of the heart so that when any mans heart is perfect with GOD you shall finde this effect rising from it that his heart is quiet and humble and gentle and peaceable towards men full of loue and of mercy and of good fruits and of good actions and workes but when the heart is impure and vnfound and hollow it is awkward and froward and contentious and implacable towards men they are not full of mercy but full of wrath they are not full of good fruites and good workes and actions but they are like the ●aging Sea that casts vp myre and dirt vpon those with whom they haue to doe So that this is the effect of a pure heart it breeds a quietnesse a peaceablenesse of spirit whereas the other bring forth tumult and a turbulent disposition they are easie to be intreated to be handled saith the Text whereas the other whose heart is vnsound they are as Dauid saith of the wicked they are as thornes that they cannot ●asily bee handled a man cannot easily deale with them they are not easily intreated So my beloued this frowardnesse this waspishnesse of spirit this implacablenesse is a signe of an vnsound heart of an impure heart of a heart that is not perfect with the Lord as you see the Deuils are the most impure Spirits of any other the most full of malice and of enuy and reuenge of all other Iesus Christ on the other side as he had the most pure heart so hee was the most gentle of all others he returned not rebuke for rebuke but he was as a sheepe before the shearers c. Vse a Wolfe or a Tyger neuer so kindely they will bee still implacable and greedy vse Sheepe neuer so roughly they will still be meeke and gentle so it is with the Saints because their hearts are pure I say the ground of it is this because an vnsound heart breeds in it continually strong lusts and eager desires and eager desires are vnyeelding and vnruly and that is the cause of contention and implacablenesse with men whereas when the heart is cleansed when it is pure and perfect it is emptyed of these strong and domineering lusts it growes to a quietnesse of spirit to be quiet within and when it is quiet within i● will bee peaceable towards others without When it is quiet thus the spirit is ready to see GOD and to yeeld to GOD in his prouidence in all vnkindnesses and in all the euill dealings of men they are neither ready to murmur against GOD nor to fret against men for quietnesse followes a pure heart as vnquietnesse and awkwardnesse and frowardnesse followes impurity and imperfection of heart So much shall serue for this FINIS THE TENTH SERMON G●NESIS 17. 1 2. Walke before mee and be thou perfect And I will make my Couenant betwenne me and thee I Will not repeate what hath beene deliuered but come to that which remaines and so proceede to the second Verse The last effect therefore of this sincerity or integritie of heart is that which wee finde expressed Mat. 5. 8. Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God That is this ariseth alway as an inseparable effect of purenesse of heart that it is able to see God to see him heere and it shall see him face to face hereafter When the heart is yet vnsound and impure it is not able to see him but when a mans spirit is cleansed from that drosse from that corruption a man is growne pure and entire and faithfull he is able then to see God that before hee could not doe that is he is able to

take heed of not comming in when the doore of Grace is open take heede of doing as the foolish Virgins did they would come and came but they stayed still the doore was shut vpon them Beloued there is a certaine acceptable time as we say to you when God offers grace and after he offers it no more as wee told you the time of this life is the time that we can propound we know no other but there are certaine secret times that God reserues to himselfe that none knowes but himselfe and when that time is past ouer hee offers it no more You know those in the Wildernesse they liued many yeeres after and therefore it was not the time of this life to them after God had sworne in his wrath therefore I say take heede of deferring it is an exceeding dangerous thing beloued delay in all things is dangerous but procrastination in taking the offer of Grace is the most dangerous thing in the world beloued we know not what we doe when we doe it I beseech you consider it seriously it is that that deceiues all the world they thinke to doe it to morrow to morrow though they be not come in yet they will doe it and doe it speedily take heed you bee not deceiued in this I will doe it now and now Modò modò c. The Charriot wheeles when they runne the second runnes neere the first all the day long but neuer ouertakes it as in a Clocke the second minute followes the first but it neuer ouertakes it so it is with vs this doing of it now and now and to morrow and to morrow these little distances deceiue vs and delude vs we thinke to doe it in a short time and by reason of the neerenesse and vicinity of the time that we shall doe it easily that we can take hold of that time but it is not so we are deceiued and deluded with it as Grasse-hoppers and Butter flies deceiue children when they thinke to lay their hand vpon them they hoppe a little further and a little further that in the conclusion they take them not at all so it is with vs we coozen our selues in that manner we lose our life wee lose our opportunity of taking grace because wee thinke it to bee so neere we thinke we can take it the next weeke or the next moneth and out of this we are confident it is in our power we may take it No my beloued for the most part wee are deceiued when we thinke it so neere it may flye away so that thou shalt neuer haue part in it you see how God dealt with men in the first Couenant I meane in the time of the Old Testament you see when they would not take the offer how God sware in his wrath that they should not enter into his rest and I am f●lly perswaded that in this New Testament in these dayes of Grace the Lord is much more quicke and peremptory in reiecting men and casting them off the time is shorter he will not wait so long as hee was wont to doe in those times hee will sooner sweare in his wrath now that you shall not enter in to his rest that I speake vpon this ground saith hee if the Lord would doe this for the Law of Moses how much more if wee neglect so great saluation as was preached by the Sonne himselfe as the mercy is much greater now in the new Couenant then it was then so the wrath and danger is greater in refusing therefore when we consider what a hazard it is my beloued me thinkes the doubt and the brittlenesse of this life the vnsearchablenes and certainety of Gods seasons and times that hee hath put into his owne power the liberty of the Spirit that breatheth where and when it listeth the exceeding danger that we precipitate our selues into when we lose the opportunity once me thinkes these should moue vs to come in and to take heed of refusing the offer at any time those expressions you shall finde so often in the Scripture that God stands and knocks that he waites and stretcheth forth his hands that hee will gather vs as a henne gathereth her chickens signifie these two things to vs First how exceeding ready God is to receiue vs if we come in while the acceptable time lasteth Againe withall how dangerous it is to refuse it for who knowes how long the LORD will waite who knows when he will cease waiting and shut vp the doore of grace to vs and then when the day of peace is gone it is no more to be recouered when the acceptable time is past I beseech you therefore consider and apply it take heed of refusing when you heare yet this Couenant of Grace is offered your doores are now open you may come in if you will take heed of staying till the acceptable time is past lest the Lord sweare in his wrath at a time when you thinke not that thou shalt neuer enter into his rest So much shall serue for this Beloued that which I intended most was this the reason why this Couenant is made the reason why God makes a Couenant with man which was chiefely that we might haue strong consolations that we might know his good will towards vs that he might not onely doe vs good but that hee make it manifest to vs. Of this likewise wee should haue made some vse which is the laying hold of the Couenant the promises of free Iustification the promises of Sanctification and the promises of such blessings as belong to this present life those are the three parts of the Couenant we should haue shewed how wee should lay hold of them that when the Lord hath promised once when faith hath a promise to cloze with when it hath such a ground to set footing vpon then to apply them and if the Lord defer to performe them then to put him to it for the fulfilling of them and so wee should doe for the promise of Iustification the promise of forgiuenesse of sinnes that you haue cause to make vse of this time when you receiue the Sacrament For what doe you You come to renew your Couenant with God that wee haue now spoken of for it is the seale of the Couenant there is a Couenant that God makes with you and a Couenant that you make with him when you consider this you should strengthen your faith goe to him and say Lord thou hast promised to forgiue me my sinnes and to remember them no more Lord it is a part of thy Couenant Lord it is thy Couenant that thou hast put thy seale to for the seale is put to it for that very purpose that when you see the Bread and Wine you might thinke of these seales as signes of the Couenant you haue Gods owne Word besides as you haue his Word that the raine shall no more drowne the Earth God hath set his Bow in the Cloud that when he lookes he may remember

things the event of things it is his good pleasure to keepe to himselfe as he sayth Act. 1. 7. It is not for you to know the event of things which the Father hath kept to himselfe and therefore he vseth this promiscuous dispensation of punishment and reward that he might hide these things from the sonnes of men Fourthly he doth it likewise that he may bring forth the treasures both of his wrath and of his mercie You will say how shall that be done Sayth God if I should presently cut off a sinner and should not forbeare him his wickednesse should not be full I will let the Amorites alone Gen. 15. 16. That the measure of their sinne might be fulfilled That is God purposely forbeares them with great patience Rom. 9. 22. He leaues them and heapes mercies and kindnesses vpon them that they might continue in their sinnes and abuse his patience recompensing him evill for good and then he drawes out the treasures of his wrath If he should take them suddenly and cut them off there might be but some of his wrath manifested vpon the sonnes of men but when they runne a long course in sinning when they make a heape of sinne then God drawes out the treasures of his wrath and power that is the very reason vsed Rom. 11. 22. and likewise Rom. 2. 4. The Lord hath certaine treasures of wrath as wee see Deut. 32. 33. 34. 35. Where speaking of the children of Israell he sayth that he suffered them to grow that is the meaning of that place as a man suffers a Vine to grow I suffered you to bring forth grapes I did not trouble you nor interrupt you but when you should haue had good wine in your grapes to refresh God and man sayth he your wine was as the poyson of Dragons and as the gall of Aspes in steede of doing good and being serviceable to men when I gaue you so much rest and peace The wine you brought forth was hurtfull to man as poyson and as the gall and bitternes of Aspes which is the most hurtfull thing in the world Now sayth the Lord all this I haue done that I might lay it vp I haue sealed it vp among my treasures for vengeance and recompence is mine That is therefore I haue suffered all this that I might draw forth all my treasures of wrath which otherwise would be hidden and never opened and manifested to the world The like he doth to the godly he suffers them to goe on he suffers them to doe well and yet for all this hee giues them no present reward but leaues them to the malice of men to the hand of the enemy and suffers them to prevaile against them he suffers them to be in povertie in persecution in prison to be taken away by death c. And why doth he suffer such varietie of temptations to come to them Iam. 1. because their grace and their patience and their faith might be more tryed that they might haue a larger Reckoning Math. 5. 10. Blessed are those that suffer for righteousnesse sake and by this meanes he drawes forth the treasures of his mercie If the reward should be presently it should not be so great a reward but when he suffers any man to doe well and then lets him waite by that meanes he takes occasion to be the more bountifull as he sayth to them Heb. 10. 36. When you haue done his will you haue neede of patience That is the Lord still deferres that you might shew your patience that you might haue the honour to suffer as well as to doe and so he might shew forth on you the riches and the Treasures of his mercie Lastly another reason why God doth it is because the time of this life is the time of striving of running of acting it is not the time of being rewarded as Iam. 1. 12. Blessed is he that indureth the time of triall God puts a man for the time of this life to many trials he puts a good man to suffer many crosses and afflictions to see whether he will beare them or no he giues not him present libertie present prosperitie nor present rewards c. Sayth he When he is tryed then he shall receiue the Crowne of glory which he hath promised to them that loue him then and not before so I say the time of this life is the time of striving You know men doe not giue the reward till the wrastling be done they are not knighted till the battaile be ended they giue not the garland till there be an end of the combate Therefore Rom. 2. 5. The last day is called the manifestation or declaration of his iust Iudgement So that till then there is no declaration of the just judgement of God one way or other There is not a declaration of wrath till then nor a declaration of mercie till then for a time therefore the Lord suffers them to goe on he dispenceth the event of good and evill of punishments and rewards promiscously that the sonnes of men might be tryed but when the race is done then he will make good his promise to the one and his threatnings vnto the other But now though the Lord doth this for a time as you see he doth for a season yet Beloved remember this againe for your comfort that it is but for a season it shall not alwayes be so as the Wiseman resolues in the Chapter before my Text Sayth he howsoever it fall out I know it shall be well with the righteous and it shall be evill with the wicked It is certaine that every man shall be rewarded according to his workes Godlinesse hath the promise of this life and of the life to come And againe vngodlines hath the curses of this life and of that which is to come and certainely they shall be both fulfilled And that it may be made cleare to you consider this ground for it that though the wicked prosper a while and good men suffer affliction a while yet it must needes be that this must be the issue of it First because the Iudge of all the world must needs be righteous as sayth Abraham As if he should say the first standard of Iustice the first rule the first measure either that must be right or els there can be no rectitude in the world Now that cannot be you see there is a rectitude amongst men there is a justice amongst men there is a kinde of even carriage among the creatures and therefore the judge of all the world that giues all these rules that sets all these measures all things in this evennesse and that keepes vp that which otherwise would fall in sunder surely he must needs be righteous and therefore he must needes doe well to the righteous and reward evill to the wicked Secondly this is cleare from his immutabilitie looke what God hath done in former times