Caryl - Houston-Packer Collection BS1415 .C37 v4

Ohap. z2, An Expefition upon the Boost, ofJas, Verfe 60 20% to heavenbyfanning, even thefe live fecurely here en earth, Tbefe Arefccure, The Hebrew is abllra6t , and plural, They that rev* Ged 2rzreta t 2'14pw fecxrities, confidences are to them : As (PP/. t z.) we read of Fan ji ;,úfi at thebleffèc:'nefes ofhim that Yea1keth in the Law of God; whichwe q. d, magna tranflate , The man is hlefed : So here , they that provoke God leas it. , V are f cure, or, f curities are to them that provokg God : They fn vox o,igináaIM agamíl God every way, and they have fecurity every way; they r m fe, arms" fin againfl God as much as they can , and they have as much qua vdaciam, profperity as they will. All kind offecurity , is their portion , & temerity rerr who commit all kind ofimpiety. , parir, Hence Obferve, God fometmees gives themgreatefi worldlypeace,whe offer him the higheft provocations. Such as will not let God ref, God lets refl. Wicked men would throw God out ofHeaven if they could ; but he dothnot throw them out of the earth, though he can. It is a wonder of patience, that God Ihould let them have any eafe , who do their utrnofl to weary him, I fhall here touch four grounds of this difpenfation ofGod towards wicked men, in temporals. Firft, The Lord gives them fecurity, that they may have op- portunity to Il,ew themfelves , and to bring out thofe curled treafures of iniquity ftored up in their hearts. If luit were "al.. waies pinched with poverty, and burdenedwith afflietion:.iflufl were always in bands and chains, in prifon and reflraint, under the revenging hand ofGod, Tuft could not look like it felf; nor difcover what it cando. There hadnever fo much:of the finfednefs of men appeared iffo muchofthegoodnefs of God hadnot appear- ed. As affldions draw out the graces of the Saints, fo they keep in, and dead the corruptions of the wicked : Many corruptions cannot at at all, but in 'a warm fun e There are force I confefs "(unbelief, difcontent, murmuring, &c.) which ac`f efpecially in and frofly feafons but moil are ilopt. Secondly, 'Tis thus, as todifcover what men are, fo tomake them the More unexcufable, for being what they are. What can they fay for themfelves , whohave received fomuch good frdin the hand of God , and have requited hint with fo much evil Whgt

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