30 An Expofition itpon Chapid This is by accident, and not of the Silence sod Nature òfthe Go. rpell. thing wickedneffe, or the punifhments thernfelves of wirre, famine, peftilence, fickneffe &c. infli &ed for iniquity : fo it is ufed in thisText. For it is here let a- gainft righteoufneffe of God, fpoken of verle 17. Which ( as we have laid) fig - nifieth both his merciful! goodneffe, freely bellowing jufliceand life eternall upon beleevers : and allo, juftice or life, given and bellowed gracioufly. There- fore, by wrath, we muff underfland, both his indignation, revenging impie- ty; and the revenge or paines them- fèlves, according to the Hebrew phrafe. Now,this wrath is faid to be [Revealed] that is, to be declared by examples, and by experience teflified. For howfoever lnndry wayes Gods wrath bee revealed against finne (as by the light of na- ture) every mans confcience, naturally accufing and tormenting him for evill doing,Rom.a.Secondly,by the Gofpell, whole voice is not only Confolatory, [peaking pardon and life unto beleeving offenders, but Comminatory, threat - ning death eternall to impenitent per - fons and unbeleevers, as Mat. 3. i o. Lu. 13.3. John 3.18.36. Thirdly, by the Law, whofe office is to reveale wrath, and the carte againft every tranfgreflìon, Deut. 27.verfe laut. Rom. 4.15. yet our prefent text,would be taken out of that daily experience, which witneffeth, that God is wrathfully difpleafed with the world for finne : and even at that time when the Apoltle wrote,there were grievous miftries of fword, plague, and famine abroad in the world. Alfo,it is plaine by the verts following,that Paul fpeakes of fisch judgments as God had executed upon all men, for contempt of his Majefty, efpecially of fpirituall punifhmentsin hardning, mens hearts, and giving them up to vile lulls, and a Reprobate mincle, verte 14.28. Ti M. Whatkarn we from hence'? S r L. Seeing finne provoketh Divine wrath,it is necefary to take heed of it. Secondly, that this wrath appeareth molt in fpirituall judgments, becaule they not only are tokens of wrath, but deferve more wrath; they are punifh- ments for flnnes paft, and encreafe of more finne. Ti a. Wbat,tbinls ye,that the Children of God,bave their part:, infpirituall judge- ment: ? S i L. Yea s as appeareth in the exam- ple of lldam,David,Solomon, and of ma- ny in our daies, which have faine into Tome fits of defpaire alto, have had the finne punned by finne, as Panel af ir- meth here of the idolatrous Gentile:. Tr rd. In what fente may it be laid, that this wrath of God ma revealed [ From Heaven ?3 S r L. Howfeever men very learned, and nota few have drawne the fettle of thefe words unto the Heavens them- felves,which be inftrumen is of wrath a- gainft Each as Eoontemne their Maker,as Ambrofe : fomao the evill fpirits which are above in the ayre,to vexe (by Gods appointment) wicked livers, as Origen : fome to the fecond comming of Ch rift from heaven to judge the world,as T he- opbylatl : others referre this to the uni- verfalityand large extent of his judge- ment, which were and (hall be upon all men under heaven that doe wickedly; & on others to the evident declaration of his judgement from heaven, as from an high and eminent place,that they might be moll apparent and ungainfayable, as Martyr, Beza,Faium, do thinker yet the belt and fitteft fenfe is by a( , etottpmte) to expound Heaven forGod,as Luloe ao. 5. and 15.t$. and to oppofe it to the fancy and opinion of atheifts, Epicures, and other prpphane tnen,which afcribe the punifhnrfntsthat happen unto men, unto chance and misfortune, or to the malice of men, or unto themalignity of the Starres, Elements, or other infeti- our caufes,paffing by the juftice of God, and denying his providence in the go- vernment of the world ; againft which, Paul affirmeth here that the evils which be, are fcourges lent from God, who though he may ufe ordinary and natu- ral! means forthe plaguing ofinen, yet himfelfe is author and ruler gas is every' where in Scripture teftified of him, that no evil: commeth but from him, as in Amoa; that he createth darkeneffe, in Efay; that he fendeth the fword &c. in Levit
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