3oa Chap. 19. AnExpojition upon the Booleof J O B. Vert: 22. But I conceive we neednot Peek out thefe Paralels between the manner of Gods afHi&ing him and theirs, but only look to the matter, or the thing it felfe inGenerali. Willyeperfecute me as God ? That is, God bath afli&ted and perfecuted me, and will youdoe fo too, my friends, will you ? What rea'on is there that you fhould trouble me, becaufe God bath ? ThoughGod be righteous in all that he bath brought upon me, yet you are not innocent. While you thus of etme, you woundyour own foules, though, it be fuppofed that you have God himfelfe for your patterne. why doeye perfecute me as God ? Hence obferve. We molt not alwayes imitate Cod. There are fome things ofwhich God faith, ells ye feeme doe, doe likewife : He faith ; Bepeo-fet7,- even as your Father which is inheaven is perfet (Mat. 5.48. ) andbe merciful! as 1am merci- ful!. We fhould be mercifull as God, and perfe& as God ; but we mutt not be angr,) as God, nor finite as God. The Lord faith ([fa. 47. 6.) Iwas wrathwith my people, Ihavepolluted mine inheritance, andgiven them into thy hand; yet the Lord reproves themwho were extreame againft them too. Thou diddefi thew them no mercy, &c. As ifhehad Paid ; Thou fhouldeft have fhew- ed themmere' when I (hewed them none. Wemutt look to the WordofGod, and not to his example for thefe things. It may be fanne in us to doe that which God doth, and to will that which God, willeth in many cafes. The revealed will ofGod is our rule, not his fecret will ; his fecret will fhall be done up- vo,ebat detu on us, his revealed will mull be done by us. A father is tick, yobum agtigi, and it is the fecret will of God, that his fickneffe fhall be to fednon ,nanoa- death : yet it is fir.full for the childe to will that his father bat, "qua"' fhould dye : heought to pray for his fathers life, becaufe the rem Ccnfentane^ reveakdwill of God is, that the childe fhould pray for the am imagani dei P Y qua eft m harni- life of his father; he muff not fay (poflibly) it may be the ne vel hominis will of God thát my father fhall dye, therefore I will pray efico, vet tan- that he maydye, or I will not pray that he may live: We are qua "m em fbi in that to look to our duty, not to the decree of God ; fo ac- comm. Goa when God alliteth, or !ayes his hand upon our brethren, we molt
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