drvvy the uf aÑdendofGods Gifts.; ¡onverfion.Out of thefe two thefes thus much arifeth,That God worketh the knowledge of his will, the fenfe of finne, fear ofhell,hopeof pardon, and confequently many other excellent graces in the hearts of men, that by thefe they maybe conver- ted, and fo eternally laved. We fee by thefe things what end Godaimeth at in hs gifts of men. But there are Come Scriptures that feem to faythecontrary; namely, Rom.i.zo.where God is faid to reveal himfelf to the Gentiles by the creatures, cipaznxoyr'iTes, that they might be without excufe. and Luke z. 34. Simeon faith of Chrift, that he is appointed for thefalling and rifing againof many in tf'ael. and i.Cor. t. z 3. Ipreach Chr1Ji, faith S. Paul, to the Yews aHumbling-block. and z. Cor. z. i6. we are thefa- vour of death to death, &c. Bythefe places it feemeth that God giveth thefe things to fome tomake them !tumble and that they might be' left without excufe. What thall we fay therefore to thefe places? Of all there places in generali I may fay this,That they are tobe underftood of the end which is many times effetdedby thefe gifts of God, and not of the end which is primarily in- leaded in them ; and they thewwhat Chrilf, theword preach- ed, and the gifts ofnature and grace axe occahonally to forne men 'through their voluntary rebellion againft God and his ordinances, and not what theyare intentionally in Gods firft thoughts and refolutions: He intendeth them for their good, though many times they receive them to their hurt. It is with Gods ordinances and gifts ( and that very often too) as it is fometimes with phy ìck ; It is given ( H) by the Phyfician for the patients good, but many times through the diflem- per of his body it doth him hurt: And as it is with the funne; God intendeth by the fhining of it the enlightening and clearing of men and other creatures in this inferiour world ; and yet fome men are hurt by the light of it,others are fcorch- ed by the heat of it accidentally by reafon of the cli- mates wherein they live, or the ill-affeftedüefe of their eyes and bodies. So thebleflings of God, which out of his abun dant goodneffe are bestowed on men for their eternal! good, through their ill frame and temper of heart do effet their hurt: partly becaufe lighting on naughty hearts, they lofe their edge; for quicquid recipitur, recipituradmcdum recipientls:and partly becaufe of the feverity of God, who as he bath an an- tecedent and gracious will to do men good, fo he bath A ,Aa confe- 3 r
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