Downame - BV209_D69_G6_1640_v1

of the will of God, and things which he willetk. fort to Gods children in any diflreffe, feeing the doth nothing happen unto them which the Lord hash not willed from everlafling, and that for his glory and their good ; 2. An argument of thankf- giving unto the Lord, -who before we were willed fo well unto us; 3.A confirmation offaith in his pro- miles, becaufe whom he loveth he loveth to the end; neither is he as man that he fbo.uld repent. For how foever repentance be fometime of gibed unto him, yet this and the like paffions civapeerOnuar;s NiTorrdt, as,wEnr.,; s fpoken after the manner of men, but mull be underflood according to the majefly of God. And as fometires repentance is affirmed of God,fo alfo many times it is,denied.Where it is de- nied, it is to be afcribed to the immutability of his WA where it is affirmed, efficacice altonis, to the efficacy of his adion. 3 ©inniA work, the thing_,willed; which often- times in the Scripture is called his will, John 6.39, 4o. i .Theft. 4.3. And in this fenfe the teftament is called the will of the teflatour. The thing that God willeth properly and pert` is All that y lletda good, howfoever unproperly & by accident he wil- s properly Meth that which is evil (non quidem facere f d frerì) not good. to do it but to permit it to be done, as it is referred to good ends, 'viz. his glory and our good. Bonum eft efe malrim, It is good there fhould be evil, that both the glory of Gods mercy in Paving us and of his juftice in puniffhing our finnes in Chrift might ap- pear: But properly the Lord willeth not-,4, but the end: as when a man is content that fome part of his:body ld bo:fcared, he doth not properly defirc 3'0'3