Caryl - Houston-Packer Collection BS1415 .C37 v6

Culp. 2r. An Expofition upon the Book,of J o B. Vert. 14. 689 God, oppofeth and rejeft s them. So that in this we have a de. fcriptión of affected ignorance. He that doth not know the wayes ofGod is ignorant, for it is every mans duty to know them ; But he that bath no delire to that knowledge, is in love with his own ignorance, and is pleafed with it. But what are tb,,efe wayes of goc: which finde fo little accep rance withwicked men i? I anfwer f rft in generall,that by the wages ofGod, heBoth not here intend thofe wayes in which Godwalketh, but thofe which God bathmade forman to walke in. More dicfinc`tly, thewayes ofGod are threefold. Fírft, The wayes ofhis counfel and decrees; To endeavour or defire the knowledgeof thefe wayes is not our duty, but our cnriofi ty, as thefe ought not to be fearched, fo they are paff finding out, Rom. l I. 33. Secondly Thewayes of his providence and outward ad- miniftration, ofwhich the Pfalmift fpeaketh (Pfad. r 45.17. ) The Lord is righteous in all his wayes, andholy inallhis worl\es, And though force of thefe wayes are not knowable, for (Tfal. 77. 19.) Hisway is in theSea, andhispaths in thegreat wa- ters, and hisfootffeps are not known ; that is, his footfteps many times in his wayes upon the Land, are no more Peen then a way is to be fees in the Sea, or a path in the great waters. Frequent paffage makes a track or beaten path upon Land, but how frequently foever paffages are made upon the face of the Sea, no print nor path remailles. Thus it is with manyof thewayes ofGod, we cannot fee where he bath gone ; yet it is our duty to fee his goings, and to delire the knowledge of thefe wayes. Thirdly, The wayes of God are his commandements, or thofe rules of life, in and by which we ought to walke and re- gulate our whole courfe, and thefe are of two forts. Firft, The wayes ofworfhip ; Secondly thewayes of praciife, or of manners. Thefe are called thewayes ofGod,becaufe they lead us untoGod, and land us ( thoroughChriff) fafe in heaven. Herein the Text the wayes of God, the knowledge whereof wicked men doe not delire, are the fecund and third ; as for the firft, it is a part of tome mens wickedneffe over- boldly co preffeand pry into them. And while they neglect the revea- Tttt led

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