260 Of COMMUNION wZth deflrutlion ? It was but to leave them inexcufable, that his power and wrath againft fin, might be manifefted in their deftruelion And there- fore he calls it, a Hering of them to walk in their own ways, M. xiv. 16. which elfewhere he holds out as a molt dreadful judgment, to wit,. in refpea of that Iffue whereto it will certainly come, as Pfal: lxxxi. 12. I gave them up to their lulls, and theywalked in their own coun- fels, which is as dreadful a (a) .condition as a creature is capable Of falling into, in this world. And Ail. xvii. 30. he calls it a winking at the fins of their ignorance ; as it were, taking no care nor thought of them in their dark condition, as it appears by the .antithefis, but now he commandeth all men every where to repent. He did not take fo much notice of them then, as to command them to repent, by any clear revelation of his mind and will. And .therefore the exhortation of the apofile, Rom. ü. 4. Defpifefl thou the riches of his goodnefs, and forbearance, and longfufering, not knowing that the goodnefs of Godlead- eth thee to repentance? is fpoken to the Jews, who had advantages to learn the natural tendency of that goodnefs and forbearance whichGod exercifes in Chrift, which indeed leads to repentance, or elfe he doth in general intimate , that in very reafon, men ought to make another ufe of thole things, than ufually they do, and which he chargeth them withal, verfe. 5. But after thy hardnefs and impenitent heart, ?ii e. At belt then the patience of God unto men out of Chrift, by reafon of their own incorrigible. ftubbornefs, proves but like the waters of the river Phafis, that are fweet at the top, and bitter in the bottom, they fwim for ,a while in the Sweet and good things of this life (Luk. xvi. 25.) wherewith being filled, they fink to the depth of all bitter- nefs. But now evidently and direlly, the end of that patience and for- bearance of God, which is exercifed in Chrift, and difcovered in him to us, is, the faxing and bringing unto God, thole towards whomhe is pleafed to exercife them. And therefore Peter tells you, 2- Pet. iii. g. that he is long:fulfering to us ward, not willing that any fhould pe- ril!), but that all fhould come to repentance, that is, all us towards whom he exercifes forbearance, for that is the end of it, that his will con- cerning our repentance and falvation, may be accomplifhed, and the nature of it with its end is well expreffed, Ifa. liv. 9. This is as the waters of Noah unto me, for as I have fworn that the waters of -No- ah fhhould no more cover the earth, fohave tfworn, that Iwouldnot be wroth, be. It is God's taking a courfe in his infinite wifdom and goodnefs, that we fhall not be deftroyed notwithftanding our fins, and therefore, Rom. xv. 5. thefe two things are laid together, in God, as coining to- gether from him, the God of patience and confclation, his patience is a matter of the greateft confolation. And this is another property of God, which though it may break forth in fome rays to Tome ends and purpofes in other' things, yet the treafures of it are hid in Chrilt, and none is acquainted with it unto any fpiritual advantage, that learns it not in him. 3.) His wifdom, his infinite wifdom, in managing things for his own glory, and the good of them towards whom he hátb thoughts of (a) Eat, quibus indnigere videeur,-quibus parcere, mailer venturis malis Dentformat, Seneca curboo. vir. mall fluor. cap. 4. Pr, diì immortal..! cur inteedum in bominim fceleribus maxi act cannivetis, axe prefentis fraudis reaus i, diem r<lè.vaols t Cie. pro Col. mgr, Carol µìv vn Ca l 'lii ita/4srva, yavuú vó dduq gvcuwdatC ,i 9 cis p,31,4 esi,sar rir N4' acv, sapant. Asian.vie a Cv;aíra able. love.
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