Chap. 33. An Expofitien upon the Book, of J o B. Nerf. 14, 169 cock may crow but once ; in what a condition had Peter been if it had been fo with him, for after he had ( as Chrift notivithfland- ing all his confidence to the contrary, told him (Marla4. 30. ) denyed his Mailer thrice, he never called to mind the words of Chrift, nor hadany thought of humbling himfelf for what he had done, till ( as faid, verf.7a.) Thefecond time the Cockcrow. Every one bath not a promife (as Peterequivalently had) that the cock (hall crav twice, or that God will affoard himmeansa fecond time to awaken him out of his fin. That which the Lord_ fpake of affii&ion,to (hew the fullneile of it, may alfo be fullfilled concerninghis warnings and admonitions (Nahum 1.9.) 1 will matte an otter end, ajflit7ionfhallnot rifeup the fecond time : We fhould bear at firil ipeaking, lea it fhould prove that when the Lord bath fpoken once; -he fhould makean utter end; and fay, inflru&ion and admonition (hall not rife up a fecond time. And to be Pure, as Abraham after he had interceded for Sodomand Coniorrakfeue -rail times, faid atTaft ( Gen. 18. 3 a. ) O let not the Lordbe angry, and Iwill fpcak,yet but thisonce. So the Lordwhen he hath fpoken oft to (inners and is not heardgroves fo angry, that he comes at lafl and faith,. I will fpeak yet but this once. God will at lafl come to his, but once more toall men ; and with fomehe isat his once at firft and no more for ever. There is a time when every man Ihall hear his fail word, and God will fpeakbut that once ; and fomtimes it is but once in all that God will fpeak. Therefore take heed, it is dangerous deferrings if God fpeaks once,if he call & knock once it is our fin 8E folly too, that we doenot hearken to, and open at his firfl call and knock, thoughthe Lord doth (I grant) ufually and moflly exercife muck patience towards finners, calling and knockingonce and againe,as it followeth in the text, Hefjieaketh once, Tea twice, or a fecond time. Severall of the Jewihwriters interpret this twice of the two forts or wayes of divine revelation whichare fpokenof in the fol- lowing parts of this context ; God (peaks to man by vifions and dreams,and God fpeaks to manby difeafes and ficknefhes, aswe fhall feeafterward. Burl rather take it more generally, not only as to the diversmanner and d-iflin& wayes of his fpeaking, but as to the divers times,,or reiteration ofhis fpeaking he fpeaketh Once.-
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