joy which hee hath from any thing, done either by the Angels or men, that hee had it from all eternitie; for if any thing were new in him,there thould be a change: but now there being none, you must needes grant this, that they were in him from all eternitie. So that all the workes of men and Angels be nothing to him, all the joy that hee hath from them, hee had from all eter nitie.

Againe, all the finnes, whereby evill men provoke him, and all the punishments that they fuffer for finne, it mooves not him but as when a Glaffe rusheth against a wall, the Glaffe. is broken, but the wall is not mooved; fo wic ked men they hurt themfelves, but hee is not mooved.

Therefore hence obferve, that GOD muft needes be most holy, and rightcous, and just in all his wayes, becaufe there is neither love,nor hatred, norgriefe in him, nor joy, which' fhould make crooked or bend the rule of his will, or alter it in any action. Men are therefore unjust,because in all that they doe, there is fomething that bends their wills this way or that way,and makes them crooked; they are capable of love, joy, griefe: but Go,feeing he is capable of none of thefe,therefore hee muft needes be most just and righteous in all his workes. Therefore whatfoever he doth, though thou feeft no reafon for it, yet juftifie thou him in all; when thou feeft him overthrowing the Churches, denying his grace to many thousands, and the like, yet doe thon

juftifie

Simile

Whence to He muft needs in all his waics.

be righteous

Take heed of provoking him

juftifie him in all his wayes; because there is no griefe or trouble can come to him,as to the creature, there he muft needes be holy in all his wayes, and righteous in all his workes,

;

If this be fo, then this will also follow that all the decrees, all the counfell, and all the acts of his will, that ever were in him, they were in him from all eternity: that is,there is not a viciffitude of counfells, thoughts, and defires upon the paffages of things in the world, as there is in men ; for then he should be fubject to change. For this is a fure rule, whatsoever is under different termes, there is a change in it, hee is not now, that which he was not before: and if there were any inftant, in which God fhould will one thing which he did not another time,he should be fubject to change. Therefore looke backe to all times,in your imaginations and thoughts, as to the making of the world; all thofe acts, those counsels that have been executed upon men, they were in him from everlafting.

Now I come to uses for practife: and we will make fuch uses as the Scripture doth make of this point. The first is this.

In 1 Sam. 15. 28, 29. And Samuel faid anto Saul, The Lord hath rent the Kingdome of Ifrael from thee this day, and hath given it to a neighbour of thine, that is better than thee: and also the ftrength of Ifrael will not lie, nor repent: for he is not as man that hee fhould repent. If God be unchangeable, take heede then, left hee come to this, that he caft thee off, as hee did Saul: for if ever he doe

it, hee will never repent, never alter, never retra&t his Decree. Saul lived, you know, many yeeres after, for it was in the beginning of his reigne; and yet, because the will of God was revealed clearely to him, hee was bid by a cleare command, Goe, and kill all the Amalekites, and leave not any of them alive: Saul now had a heart contemning God in this commandement; therefore alfo GoD came to a refolution and decree, to caft him off: Though Saul lived many yeeres after, yet you could fee no change in him, there was no alteration in his outward behaviour; But, faith hee, and it is moft fearefull, GoD doth not repent: It is not with him as it is with man, who may be entreated, and may repent; but the Lord is not as man, that hee should repent. Confider this, you that have cleare commandements from Gop; you that have beene told, that you ought to be confcionable in your calling, that you ought to pray in your families; if you will be still breaking the LORDS will, and live idly in your calling, and rebelliously finne against GOD, living, as if there were no GOD in the World; take heed left the LORD reject you: for when hee hath refolved upon it, confider, that he is an unchangeable GoD, and that all his Decrees are immutable. Confider alfo that place, He swore in his heart,that they should not enter into his rest: It was not long after the children of Ifrael came out of Egypt, yet tenne times they provoked him, before hee declared this refolution; and many of them lived fortie Ff

yeeres

1

10.

yeeres after: but becaufe many of them did fee clearely, that it was the will of GOD, they did fee his miracles and his workes that he had done amongst them, and yet for all this they still rebelled, He frore in his wrath, that they should never enter into his rest. It is a fearefull cafe, when God fhall doe this (which doubtleffe hee doth now as well as then, even unto all you that heare me this day,) there is a time, Lam perfwaded, when the Lord pronounceth fuch a decree upon fuch a man, faying, I have rejected him: yet no man fees it no, not he himfelfe: but he comes to Church, and heares the Word from day to day. But yet remember, that God is unchangeable: for (you fee) the Lewes in Ieremies time, they lived under Jeremies Minifterie almost twentie yeeres; but God had rejected them, and he would not be entreated, though Jeremie and the people did pray to him: There are three places for it; ler.7, 16. Therefore pray not thou for this people, neither lift thou u up cry nor prayer for them, neither make interceffion to me, for I will not heare thee. But what if the Lewes, being moved with the calamitie when it came, fhould cry,and be importunate with the Lord; would not their teares move him? No, faith hee; lexem.11.14. Therefore pray not thou for this people, neither lift up a cry, or prayer for them; for I will not heare them, in the time that they cry unto mee for their trouble. But what if they faft and pray? No, not then neither; though they Jer. 14. 11,12. doe that, I will not heare them: Ierem. 14.11, 12. Then God faid unto me, Pray nat for this people,

Zer, 7.16.

Ber.11.14.

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for their good when they fast, I will not heare their cry when they offer burnt-offering, and an oblation, I will not accept them; but I will confume them by the Sword, and by the Famine, and by the Pestilence. When the day of death comes when the time of fickneffe and extremitie comes, then you will cry, and cry earnestly: but God hall fay to you then; The time was, when I cryed to you by the Minifters, and you would not heare: nay, you flighted and mocked them, and you would not heare them; I will alfo mocke and laugh at your destruction, Prov. 1. 26. Doe not thinke Prou.25, this is a cafe that feldome comes, it is done é very day, continually upon fome. There is à double time: A time of preparing, and trying, Adouble time. before this unchangeable Decree come forth Zeph.2.1, 2. Gather your felves together, yea gather Zeph.2.1,2, together, O Nation not defired, before the Decree come forth, before the day paße, as the chaffe, before the fierce anger of the Lord come upon you, before the day of the Lords anger come upon you. And there is a time,when the Decree is paft: and when this is not paft, there is a doore of hope opened; but when the Decree is come forth, then you are paft hope.

But how thall I doe to know this oda i now ? Beloved, never an Angell, nor I, nor any crea ture can tell you: You fee that he tooke Sal at the beginning of the Kingdome, when hee was young and ftrong; hee tooke the lewes at the beginning of Ieremies preaching onely the use that you are to make of it, is this; Take heede

Objec

Answ. The time of Gods cafting knownc.

off a man,un