418 An Expofition upon Chap. >lo. Doítrine. venue in God, is his patience and per- them,and fpeaking againfi their do &rive feverance, noted hereby that he t+retched out his hands all the day, with great continuance; even all the time of the Law of Molrs,ever lince they firft came out of Egypt, God tookfpeciall care of that people and never ceafed one way orother to provoke them to come to him, as appeareth in s Chron. 36. 15,16 T i M,fY hat is the profit to be made hereof? S 1 L. E' irft, it teacheth that wicked finners perifh through their owne de- merit, and the caute of their defiru&i- on can at no hand be imputed to God, 0 Israel thy deffruîtion is of thy felfe, Hof. 13. 9. Secondly,it admonifheth all Chriftians, but Minifters efpecially,how to proceed in their rebukes and exhor- tations,namely with al manner of kind - neffe, love and continuance,leaving no- thing undone which may turne to the amendment of others,doing it conffant- ly without wearineffe, even fo long as there is any hope, z Timz. 25, 26. alto 2 Tim. 4. 2. and while Minifters doe thus men are to Confider, that now God doth fpread abroad his hands to receive them; the contempt of which kindneffe will draw on remedileffe and molt grie- vous plagues upon whole Churches, as the (even Churches of Afia, Rev. 2. and 3 Chapters; and on whole Countries, as Judah and Israel, and innumerable o- ther Kingdomes,which for contempt of this k indneffe, tendred in the Minifiery of the word, lie under Paganifme or Papifine ; by whole example let us be admonifhed to beware and learne to come when God calls, to anfwer when he fpeakes, to repent when he inviteth us thereunto. Thirdly, we are here ad- monifhed,that if we lofe our pains and patience, yet not to be dilcontent, fee ing God himfelfe had no better (peed, and it is well, if the fervant be as the Lord. T 1 M. But what be the two vices in the 7ewes ? S r L. Firft, rebellion ordifobedience in the heart, in refufing to beleeve the promifes,and to do the commandements of God. Secondly, their contumacy in gain - Paying the. Prophets, railing at with their tongues, whereof we have an example in Ait. 1 3.45 and 19.9. T 1 sa- What followes hereupon ? S 1 L. That the Jewes for trampling Gods merciej under foot, and fpurning at his Word, did deferve to be reje&ed, and without wrong were refufed of God : and fecondly, that they had no caufe at al to be angrytthat the Gentiles were adopted, and taken in to be Gods people in their room, feeing they well deferved to be quite cut off. T 1 M. What in fhullion arifeth from hence? S 1 L. Fiat, that unbelief of heart when the word of God cannot per, (wade us, is like the finne of Rebellion. For fuch do in their hearts rife up and refaft God,as Rebels their Prince. Se- condly, that infidelity doth bring forth and breed contradi&ion; therefore men are boldwith their mouths, to fpeake againft the do&rive of the Scriptures, becaufe, they do not underftand nor beleeve it : as faith ingendreth reve- rence of.the Word, and caufeth us to glorifie it, fo incredulity procureth prophane men to (peak ill of the word of God, and to ralle at the true Mi- nifters thereof; which how grievous and hainous a fin it is, may appeare by the punifhment God took on the Jewes whom he cat+ off for it. Third- ly, we learne that both Minifiers and other godly Chriftians,are to take it pa- tiently when men refill the truth which they utter, feeing the ungodly Jewes did gain-fay even God himfelfe, (pea- king to them by his Prophets : And are men better or greater then God ? Shall God be gaine -fayd, and doll thou fo takeon and vexe, becaule thy word or counfell is croffed ? Learne tumílity, and be content to be con - tradi&ed. Dottriae CHAP
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