Thë I NTR O D Yl C T I O N; ftanding all,that came upon him.Certaii 1y God would have all the World know, - that freegrace will uphold his for ever. 5. To convince all thofè of pride and extrearn prefumption, who think to findout and to trace the fecrets of Gods counfel, the fecrets of Gods eternal. Decrees, the fecrets of all his Works of Providence : Whereas God (heweth them in this Book,that they are not able to findout, or comprehend his ordinary works, thofè which we call the works of Nature, thethings of Creation , the things that are before them,which they convene with every day, which they fee, and feel, and have in theirordinary ufe. They are not able to find out the fecrets of the air, of the Meteors, of the Waters, ofthe Earth, ofBeafts or Birds ; everyone of thefe puts the underftandingofman to a ftand,and pofe his reafon ; theyare . not able to comprehend the works ofCreation,howare they able then to find out theCounlelsofGod in his Decrees and Purpofes and Judgments?And for that end it is that God lets forth here fo much ofthe works of Nature, that all men may be ftopp'd in,that prefunaptuous wayoffearching too far into his counfels, Here is another ufe or fcope ofthis Book. Thirdly, there is much for Confolation. a. That all things do work for the good of thole that love God. 2. Confolation is this ; that no temptation (hall ever take hold . of usa but fuch as God will either makeus able to bear, or make a way to efcape out o; it. We can beiin nocondition call fo low, but the hand of God can reachus, "land us out, fend indeliverance, and raife us up a- ;.gain. Lafily, here are two general Exhortations. I. We are exhorted to the Meditation and admiration of the Power and Wifdome ofGod from all the creatures. This is a duty which this Book leads us unto, for that is the end why fo much is fpoken concerning the works ofcrèation,that(as the Apoftle faith) 7be invifible things of him from the Creation of' the World, may em. 1. O. be clearlyPeen, being uzderffoodbythe things thatare made,-even his enteral Power andGodhead. 2.To glorifie God in every condition, to have good thoughts of God, to fpeak good words for God in 'every condition. We are drawn to this, by confidering how lob (though fometimes in VC- hemency of fpirit he over-(hot himfelf, yet he recovers again, and)
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