Caryl - Houston-Packer Collection BS1415 .C37 v2

Chap, 4. An Expofition upon the Boob, of J 0 B. Vert 17. 115 the Lorddotb, but let the Lorddo what be will, that will be juft and holy. And here give me leave, fomewhat to enlarge this, and plead for God againft Tome objections, which arc made by the men of the world, andTome temptations which Satan will urge ffrongly upon the hearts of thole, who fear God ; by which (poflibly) they may be fo entangled and gravel'd, that they know not how to extricate themfelves, or make out the jufticeof God,in his ad- niiniltrativns towards men, For full it will be objeded,Is God fo jull, that he neither doth nor can do injullice to the creature ? How comes it topafs,that both the righteous and the wicked,fall under the fame judgment : if the judgment be right upon a wicked man, lonely it cannot be right upon the righteous man ; Is God righteous and juft, when they who differ as much as Heaven and Hell, as light and dark- nefs, do yet meet (as it were) under the fame a t of God, and are wrapt together in the fame fentance? if it be juflice upon the wicked, it it be their portion, how can it be the portion of the righteous,or an award ofjuftice upon them ? As Abraham plead- ed with God, (Gen. 18 25 ,) Shall the righteous be flain orperiffs with the wicked ? that be far from thee to do in this manner, fhali not the Judge of all the Earth do right ? as if he fhould fay; if thou dof involve a juft man, and a wicked man in one and the fame judgment, t his is not to do as a righteous Judge, far be it from thee to do fuch a thing. Yet we fee in frequent experiences, that the fame judgment falleth upon the righteous and the wick- ed ; By Sword,I amine, Peflilence, by forms at Sea, and enemies at Land, both are overtaken and fall together. Is this unerring Juftice ? fufice is togive every one his portion, his due. And God hath given this exact diftribution in charge, to the Prophet,he muff fay "uig;tZ fo, and v ill not the Lord do fo ? (Ifa. 3.10.11.) Sayye to the ere, righteous, it /hall be reell with him, for they !ball eat thefruit of their doings ; wo unto the wic,;ecl, it (hall be ill with him, for the reward ofbis bands!hall be given him ; But how do thedifpenfa- tions of God,anfwer this direction to man, when his providence lems to huddle up all together;to make the fame portion ferve, both the righteous and the wickd ? Ianfweritfìritinthe ,1 then in Tome particulars In the general, the tro: ,. _._ (.ous are good for them, and

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