8oz Chap. 42. an Expofition upon the Book of Jo s. Verf.;x-: what I fpakebefore,of the work of God ; he can do every thing, every thing that is in his thought to do;we maytake frcfh comfort from it. Can no thought be with-holden fromGod ? what a comfort is this to all that he bath good thoughts of, or thoughts for good. The heart of God is full of good thoughts to hispeo- ple, though he many times fpeaks hard words to them, and cloth hard things againfi them, yet he bath good thoughts concerning them (Prat. 4c). s.) t Many, OLord, my god, are thy wonderful works which thou haft done, and thy thoughts which thou hail to its. ward : Thoughts to us-ward are thoughts for us, that is, thoughts of good intended us. Nowhath the Lord many good thoughts for us, and none of thefe [hall be with - holden ;is not this comfort ? When the Church of the Jews was inBabilon,the Lord dealt very hardlywith them, though not fo hardly as they deferved. But what were his thoughts (f er. 29. i r.) I know the thoughts that I think towards you ( you do not know the thoughts that I have towards you, but I do: what are they ?) thoughts of peace, andnot of evil, to give you an expetïedend, that is, the end which youex- pea and wait for. What a mercy is this, that no thought of fiSod can be with holden, whenas he bath fo many thoughts of mercy and good thingsto his people ! Agaiu, I might fbew howdreadful this is towicked men, for theLord bathnothing but thoughts of revenge and evil towards them : But 'cis enough to hint it. Before I pafs from this interpretation, fome may objea.If all the thoughts of God (hall be brought to pafs, and none canwith- hold them, if God will do what he bath a purpofe to do; then what need we trouble our felves fo much isprayer ? For if God bath any thoughts of good to us, it (hall be done ; but if nor, we cannot bring it to pifs by prayer : And fo fome urge, what need we repent and humble our felves, the thoughts of God (hall be fulfilled. To this, I fay,in general, take heed of fuch reafonings; for as they are very abfurd and reafonlefs,fo they are verydange- rous, and leave us remedilefs. More particularly, I anfwer,thus; Though God bath thoughts and purpofes of good to his people, yet whatfoever good he will do for his peo- ple, he will be fought unto to do it for them ; and therefore prayer, repentance, and humiliation, are needful to bring forth thoughts of good fromGod tous. And though not man can bin- der
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