t;h ap. 23 . An Expofirion upon the &de of J O B. Verf. 13 A27 repenteth) he ceafeth todoe what hedid, or he def#royetb that which he' had made. Thus the Lord is faid to-repent his makit;g ofSaud king, becaufe hemeant to remove him from being king ; And to repent that he had made the world, becaufe his çr -ore was, for the fin ofman to deface and deftroy the prefrnt beautie and excellency of the world which hehad made. God often puts forth the eifecgs ofrepentance toward man, hut the repentance of a man never put forthany eífed upon God. Secondly, We may anfwer thus ; God often minds a change : A1o.'a c1 mare= But he never changes his minde. And fo all thofe Scriptures before re voluntatem, mentioned, note only that God did mind a change, or make a I'ir d velie mu. change : But not that he did change his minde., There is a vaft "t'a:er+r. A difference between thefe two, to minde or determine a change, ¡v `art. 70 q and to change the minde or determination.As for inftance, a man that is refolved to weare garments futable to the feafon of the yeare and temperature of the weather ; in the heate offummer it ishis minde to weare light and thinne garments that he may be coole, and in the cold ofwinter, his mind is toweare heavier and thicker garments that he may be warme. Now if this manwhen winter comes leaves off his light thin garments & puts on thofe that are heavier Sc thicker,he. cannot be laid to changehis mind, for his minde was alevayes to wears change of garments accord- ing to the feafon of the ter re and temper of the weather. And ti.us the Lord according to the charges which he F ids among raen for the better or for theworie, doth both minde and make eminent changes among them, as to his providentiafl adminigra- ti:..ns,whether in waves ofJudgement or ofmercy,hut in rhefe he never changes his own mind, forafmuch as his mind was everlalf:- ingÍy fixed, in cafe of Inch emergencies, to make thofe charges in his adminifirations and dealings with the Ions of men. Thirdly, For furtheranfwer, We are to diftingiuifh b?twecne the outward fentence, and declarationofGod,and his í crer prt,r. pole or decree. God Both often change his fentence, or the de- claration.But-fie neverchangeth his purpofe,decree,orcounfcll. ,9,uef1. But is not that external! declaration,the m d of God allo? 4nfw. I anfwer ; Thefe denounced fentences or declarations are the mind ofGod, yet they are; not the fame with the coun- fels and purpofes ofGod, but ferve for the fulfilling and bringing Iii z
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