. ;. .. `` . °s'çy°Pg?ar°h°.w.a4a' 4? WSc?a} ..váA aWOí '.,,..®iV ~ .I+^ O HIS HIGHNESSE OLIVER LORD PROTECTOR OF THE COMMON - WEALTH OF .England, Scotlandand Ireland, with the Dominions thereof. SIR, HE Wife man tells us, that no man knoweth Love or hatred, by all that is before him. The great varietywherein God diffienfeth outward things in the World, with the many changes and alterations, which according to the counfell of his will , he continually workesin the difpenfátionsof them, will not allow themnakedly in . themfelves, to be eviden- ces ofthefountaine from whence they,flow . Seeing alto, that thewant, or abundance ofthem, maye- quallyby the Goodneffe and Wifdomeof God beor- deredand call into an ufefull fubferviency, to a Good infinitely tranfcending what is, or maybecontained in them, there is nonc- cety, that in the dJribestionof them, Godfhiould walke according to any con- Ilant uniforme Law of procedure, all the variousalterations about them, an-. fweringoneeternall purpofe fora determinate end. OfSpirituall good things, there isanother ReafonandCondition; for as they are in themfelves Fruits, Evi- dences andPledges ofan Eternall,unchangeable love; fo the want ofthem, in their wholekind, being not capableofa tendency to a greater Good, than they are ,the Difpenfation ofthem, dothfo farre anfroer the eternal/ fpring and Fountainefrom whence itfloweth, as in refpeCt ofits fubftance andbeing, not to be obnoxious to any alteration. This is thatwhich in the enfuing Treatife iscontended for . In the middefi ofall the changes and mutations, which the infinitely wife providence of God, doth daily effecî in the greater and leffer things ofthis World, as to the, communicationofhis love in JefusChrifi, and the, mercifull&rations diltributi- ons oftheunfearcheable Richesofhis Grace, and the hid Treafures thereo fpur- chafed by his blond, he knows no repentance. O fboth thefeyou have had full ex- perience. And thoughrim concerneme, t in theformer, hath been as eminent as that ofany perfon whatever in thefe latter Ages of the World, yetyour Interef9 in, andacquaintance withthe latter, is , as ofincomparable more importance in it 2 felfe,
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