Gods wrath more in the fecondSunday inLent. Ser. tZ. fhow, than fuh:tance. 201 that were carried away captiues into Babylon ; anotherwhile inhis ownproper perfon, asonethat lay fall fetteredin yrons , making a relationofhis forrowes goes addinggriefe vnto griefe ; Hedidput me in a darke Dungeon, he did fhut mee vpas inagraue amongft the Dead,Hehath enclofedmywages withheavenftone ; hee hath fhut hiswindowesagáinft me, hee hathnot left mee aloope-hole to looke out; heebath claptgyues and lhackles onmy feet ; I put vp aPetitionvnto"him, Andhewouldnot hearkenvnto myprayer. Yet notwithftanding.all this ; doe you but aske the Prophet , Whither God had then a purpolé to deftroy him t and he will tell you , That it was the leaftof his thought No, thefe were the ftripes of a father, that loues his childbetter than he loueshin-delfe ; who beats him, but with teares inhis owne eyes. If God thenbe fogood and louinga fa- ther vnto vs,that he fallsa weeping when hee giues vs buta fewjerkes, & thofe withagentle hand ; How can hedefire our eternallpunifhment e The Lordwill not vtterlycall vs off. That God should for euer take his leaueofthee,the fault mutt bein thee,not in God ;Can God takeaway hit kindneffefor crier ? How canhee Phut thegatesofhis houfe againft thee , who is flill knocking at the dooresof thy houfè r Norrisperpetoom triturabid tritarans, faithEfay, If God doe threfh thee as witha flaile, it isnot becaufe hee takes delight tobruife thee with his threfhing of thee, but that hemay feuer thecorne from the cháffe,&c. Thisour Sauiours threatning is full ofinercie, full of loue ; for hewould neuer hauefaid fo often to theIewes, Egovado, ifhee had not defiredthat they fhould haue Paid againe intohim, Do not thou go from vs. If itbe our Sauiours delight,tobe among(} thechildrenofmen, how can hee takepleafure in departing eternally from vs. Et queretis me , (i. ) vind yee findfeeke me. This fecond threatning is more feareful l than the former ; Yee shall feekemee , butyee (hall not find me. In the purfuit ofany kindofgoodwhatfoeuer, hard is that mans happe, who leeks and finds not ; who calls, andreceiues no anfwer;who fues & obtains not;wlío lines inhope,but fees no end of hishopes.Our Sauror Chriftlookt for aFigge on the Figge tree, andbecaufe he found none there, his difpleafure was fuch, that he laida feuere curie vpon it. Amongft thofemany feares of thege- nerall judgement, Saint lohnin his cilpocalypsfaith , Man (hall feekeafter death; and shall notfind it, though thofefind it too, thatneuer feeke after ir. This is a great vnhappineffe; but whenthebufinefl'e is betwixt Godandvs,it isa far more miferable misfortune, to feekehim, and notto find him : not onely becaufe they fometimes findhim, who feekenot after him, [tnneutas fum á nen qu erenti- boa me amfoundof tholethat pekemenot;] but alto becaufeany other good whatfotuer, amanmay hate & abhor as a thingthat is ill ; Y.e, quidicitie bonum, malum,Wobe toyou thatca /1good, eui/l ; he that defpairesoflife,defires death,and counts it asá good. But whocan hateGod, whodoth naturally defireour hap. pinefle ? But this miferie yee drawvponyour felues,whobyabhorring me,and perfecutingme (faith Saint Auguftine) as anenemieof God, are driuento feeke vntoGod, calling hourely vpon himfor your Meflias, with greatanguiíh of h"art,and withscares in your eyes : but becaufe yeehauereface' that happinefle Which offered it felfevnto you,and entredwithinyour gates, butwas rereéted; sroping the walls likeblindmen at noone day,yee lookeafter anewoccafionof happineflè but byhowmuch the more yee (hall defire a new Meilias, by fo much themore (hall yee perfecuteme, and tholewhich (hall preach my Name throughout the world. Andby howmuch themore yee perfecute me, fo muchthe longer(hall your errourremainewithyee,and ye (hall continue in this yourwilfull ftubbornenefl'e,tillyee die in your thanes. Hence Math. 21. Kindnes neg le&ed, turnes to hatred.
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