THE UNCONVERTED. 51 thority~ and wisdom, and impartiality, nor is it the cavilling and quarrelling with God that shall serve their turn, or save them from the execution of justice at which they murmur. 'The words of this verse contain, 1. God's purgation or clearing himselffrom the blame of their destruction. This he doth not by disowning his law, that the wicked shall die, nor by disowning his judgments and execution according to that law, or giving them any hope that the law shall not be executed; but by professing that it is not their death that he takes pleasure in, but their returning, rather that they may live; and this he confirmeth to them by his oath.· 2. An express exhortation to the wicked to return; wherein God doth not only command, biit persuade and condescend also to reason the case with them. V\Thy will they die? The direct end of this exhortation is, that they may turn and live. The secondary or reserved endsl upon supposition that this is not attained, are these two: First, To convince them by the means which he used, that it is ~not the fault of God if they be miserable. Secondly, To convince them from their manifest wiltulness in rejecting all his commands and persuasions, that it is the fault of themselves, and they die, even because they will die. The substance of the text doth lie in these observations following:- Doctrine 1. It is the unchangeable law of God, that wicked men must turn or die. Doctrine 2. It is the promise of God, that the wicked shall Jive, if they will but turn. . Doctrine 3. God bikes pleasure in men's conversion and salvation, but not in their death or damnation; he had rather they would return and live, than go on and dje. Doctrine 4. This is a most certain truth, which because God would not have men to question, he hath confirmed it to them solemnly by his oath.
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