s a c=r.IX. .'- Of converfion, or TurningtoGod. 44sß HenceParifienfriwill not call thefe afflielions evil, but good;and therefore divides Gods difpenfations into Bona Attra(lionis, and BonaRetraclianis; Good things drawing orattradive, thefe are Gods mercies ; good things withdrawing,or retraftive fromfin, and thefe are afllietions. B rtkhitdly,-There are fome judgements ofGod farfin, wherein Gaddoth not áün at converfion, but utter mine: Therefore when we.fay, God by his calarniriesr:in_ 2^ tends theconverfionof men; it is not to be undcrfiood univerfaliy, not af all., men, Mir at all times ; God barb Come judgements which arp called punifhments and torments, which proceed from the meer hatred and implacabié enmity of God ; and fo converfion is no more intended by thefe the& the flames and torments inhell are appointed to convert, or to bring the damned'ro repentance: Thus wasthe overthrowof Sodom andGomorrha, fire and brimfhone wasafit declarationof the hell they had deferred ; and although it maynótbe peremptorily laid, that all the whole world that perifhed fave eight perfons, were all damned, for that is difputed among theLearned; yet its plain, the great- er parr were incurably wicked, and fo the deluge, though of water, was not to wafh their fins, but Goddid fief throw them into water, and then intoe_' ternal fire prefently ; andwo be to thofe wicked men, to whom their nuferics here are but thebeginning of forrows hereafter. Nowwe may obferve a difference between thefepenal,defirul ve evils, and The diffeveec,, healingmedicinal ones, inthere refpeéis: betwceñ penal Firfi, De :1 ruEfivecalamities come violently and totally uponmen ; So that the ells, and uee. wrath of God comesupon fuch to the extremity, to the uttermolá : Thus so, dièia dom and Gomorrha were overthrown ina moment; and God threatens incurable Ifreel, That aflaîfson /ball not rife up thefecond time, Nahum t.9. he will (hike them dead withthefirfá blow; Whereat Gods converting fcourges, they come by degrees; As God removed his glory from the temple, being unwilling to firup all his wrath, as the Pfalmif expreffeth .ir, Ffa1.78 38. when therefore God doth fidttthreaten before he fmite, and when he doth fmite, he doth it with moderation ; when if he doth rebuke, yet it is not inhis fore difpleafure; then all thefedifpenfations are to purgeout thy drofs ; then thou art fet on the fire; that thy feummay go over. Jeremy makes an excellent difference between thefe twodifpenfations, ler.to.24,25. Correa/0e, OLord, but with judgement, not ui thine anger, lef I be brought to nothing; fo then, never repineor grud,c under any fore hand of God upon thee, if it be with judgement, with rheafore, not in wrath; then it is butthe shepherds crook, to bring the wandring fiteepin : As thewaters of the flood overflowed the mountains, and drowned all the Royal Palaces, and great buildings, that were extant at that time, but advanced the Ark higher to heaven; fo do affliftions to incurable men, that mndeearthly things only, andglory with grcedinefs in them; but .thofe thatrbelong to God, will be advanced to heaven thereby. Secondly, Ali/lions are converting, andnot deftrutlive, When Gaddoth vouch= fafe inward teachings of the foal, inward melting' and humiliations pf thefeint d. with them. Gods judgements upon Pharaoh, had no gracious operation upon biro,'becaufe his heart was more hardened every day. Hence the Pfalmif, Ble(jied it theman, inborn thou chafenef,andteachef thy Way ,Pfa1.94.12.when Gods .chaftening andGods teaching go totether, then there is hope of an hearty . converfion unto God : when GodNikes on theback, and opens theeyes at the fame time, then areafïlielions bleed and happy to loch men : Thebitrernefs of them isquiekly recompenfed with thefruits of righteoufnefs they bring forth. Confider then, doth the rod give thee wifdom andunderfianding? loth God fpeakwifdom to thy heart, while thy outwardman is fo fharply exerciled ? then thefe things come from love, and will end in love : Oh this undoeth us in our calamities ! weattend to theoutward burthen,and grievous natureofthem, we ask, When will they begone ?-we cry out, How long Lord ? but itenever re= M in na member
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