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men.

ness, in Isa. 40, from verse 12 to verse 26! And then tells them, that all this is theirs, verse 27. And if God be yours, all things are yours. Who, and where is he that can supplant you of his blessing! you may rejoice in his bighness, the thoughts whereof are matter of terror to other After the rehearsal of all the happiness and glory that men or angels are capable of, it shall all be comprised in this, as the original thereof, and sum of the whole, Happy are they whose God is the Lord," Psal. 144: 15. Infer. 4. We may see here the reason why God doth sometimes defer to answer the doubts and queries we stick at, and most desire to be resolved about: it is not only to shew his sovereignty, but to bring our hearts to a practical acknowledgment of it.. Moses was very unwilling to go on this message to Pharaoh: many pretences he had to put it by: while the danger he might be in for killing the Egyptian was the bottom objection, though he speaks it not out. Indeed, the men who sought his life were now dead, which if he had known before, all those excuses had probably been spared: but the Lord was pleased to conceal it from him until he had brought him to a full compliance with his will, and then reveals it to him unasked, Exod. 3: 11. and 4: 10. 13. 19. So, likewise, he would not take off his hand from Job, until he had well learned him this lesson, Job 42: 2, &c. Say not therefore (because you have not returns so soon as you would,) "The Lord hath forsaken me; my Lord hath forgotten me," Isa. 49: 14. But follow that great resolution recorded of old, "I will wait upon the Lord, who hideth his face (at present) from the house of Jacob, and I will look for him," Isa. 8: 17. Infer. 5. Let no man, then, who will say, "the Lord he is God," presume to intrench on his sacred royalty, by seeking a reason of his decrees, beyond or besides the good pleasure of his will. Even sovereigns of dust will not admit it in subjects, though of the same mould with themselves. It is an imperial secret, "the chief of the ways of God;" it belongs to himself alone to know it; and the knowledge thereof would not profit us now. Besides, there is enough revealed, of great importance to us at present, on which to employ the utmost of our time and strength. By over-grasping, we may sprain our hands, and unfit them for service, otherwise within their compass, but we gain

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nothing. Therefore go not about to fathom this great deep. Who, but one of shallow understanding, would think to measure the sea by handfuls? or to give a demonstrative reason of its various and convertible courses! Remember

that you may magnify his word, Job 36: 24. But lessen it not, by pretending to comprehend it, Eccles. 8: 17. "Sanctify the Lord in your hearts, and fear before him," Isa. 8:13.

Infer. 6. This gives a reason, why men of the largest capacity, for learning and natural understanding are so mightily puzzled and labyrinthed in spiritual matters, particularly the doctrine of election: why they do so strongly oppose it, and are so hardly reconciled with it. They are not, in truth, subdued to the doctrine of God's sovereignty: and therefore, while in discussing those points of faith, they judge as their natural optics represent them, they lose both themselves and the truth; which yet, in some degree, "is made known unto babes," (men of low stature to them) whose spirits the Lord hath subdued to rest contented with what their Father is pleased to tell them; and for the rest (as namely, the manner and reason of God's disposements and dispensations) they live by faith in his righteousness; waiting for the day that shall reveal all things, when the tabernacle of God, which yet is in heaven, shall be let down among men, or they taken up into it, and these hidden things of sovereignty shall be more openly known among them.

Lastly, This doctrine of God's absolute dominion, clears away all that made-ground and rubbish, which the princi ples of free-will grace do found their election upon; and shews us the only true and proper foundation of scriptureelection; with those other important truths which hold upon it, or are consequents of it: all which have their head in the sovereignty of God, and are derived thence, as rivers are from the sea: as through his blessing and grace may appear afterwards. And so I shall close up this first part of the preface, with that holy rapture of the Psalmist: "Be thou exalted, Lord, in thine own strength; so will we sing, and praise thy power," Psal. 21:13. "The Lord hath prepared his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom ruleth over all. Bless the Lord, ye his angels, that excel in strength! Bless the Lord, all ye his hosts, ye ministers of

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his that do his pleasure! Bless the Lord, all his works, in all places of his dominion! Bless the Lord, O my soul," Psal. 103: 19, 22.

4

RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD.

HAVING founded this discourse on the Sovereignty of God, as the best and most natural ground of satisfaction (or captivation) to reason, touching Election, now as a means to qualify our spirits, and reconcile them with the doctrine of Sovereignty, it seemeth expedient to annex that of his Righteousness: and, I think, there is not a more rational proposition, or one more clearly requiring submission, than

"That there is no unrighteousness with God."

This is the natural adjunct of divine sovereignty, which, as we are indespensably bound to believe, so to be well grounded in the faith of it, will be of exceeding great usefulness to us in every condition;, especially under those darker administrations, of which we do not see at present the cause, reason, or tendency; when matters of great importance seem to be confused or neglected; when all things in view fall out alike to all; and you cannot know either good or evil, by all that is before you. I shall therefore collect some of those considerations, from which you may find some light and influence in a dark and cloudy day; and by which, as a means, I myself was drawn in and guided to this determination, before I had searched the scriptures expressly concerning this subject: and they may serve, both as arguments to demonstrate the proposition, and as antidotes against those poisonous contradictions, which carnal reason and unbelief will be too often forging and flinging in upon us. And,

Argument I. Is founded on that infinite blessedness, which the most high God was possessed of in himself, before the world, or any creature was made. He did not make them for any need he had of them, but for his pleasure, Rev. 4:11. and if he needed them not, there could be no need, or reason why he should make them such, or to such an end as not to be wisely overruled, and their end at

tained, without doing wrong to any. The motives by which men are swayed to wrong-doing, are chiefly two, 1. To obtain something they have not. Ahab slew Naboth

for his vineyard, 1 Kings, 21: and Athaliah all the seed royal, to get the throne, 2 Kings, 11. Or, 2. To secure what they have. Pharaoh oppressed the people, lest growing mighty they should shake off his yoke, and get them out of his service, Exod. 1:10. Jeroboam set up his calves to keep the people at home, and firm to himself, 1 Kings, 12: 27, 28. and the Jews put Christ to death, lest the Romans should come and take away their place and nation, John, 11: 48. These two have shared the parentage of all the oppression and wrong-doing that have been in the world: neither of which is compatible with our great and blessed God: for all things are his already; he possesseth the heavens and the earth, and all the hosts of them, with an absolute power and right to dispose of them. And as for securing what he hath, of whom should he be afraid? for, 1. "There is no God besides him;" the Lord himself, who needs must know it, if there were another, professeth solemnly, that "he knows not any," Isa. 44: 6, 8. And, 2. As for creatures, they are all more absolutely under his subjection, than the smallest dust under our feet is to “The nations are to him less than nothing and vanity." Isa. 40: 17. He needs not so much as to touch them, to bring them down: it is but "gathering to himself his spirit and his breath, and they perish together," Job 34: 14, 15. If the Lord but withhold his sustaining influence, they fall of themselves; but he remains the same to all generations.

us.

Arg. II. Another argument is founded on the infinite perfection of his nature. This those seraphic heralds proclaim under the notion of holy, holy, holy, Isa. 6:2. Its reduplication imports the highest perfection. And Moses, who of all mortals, had nearest access to God, puts it in the front of his triumphal titles, Exod. 15: 11. "Glorious in holiness!" It is that whereby all the divine excellencies are summarily expressed. The righteous Lord will do no iniquity: he is of purer eyes than to look upon it. It is an high demonstration of his excellency, that he cannot deny himself: that is, he cannot do any thing that is in the least degree contrary to his holy nature; nothing that needs to

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