First, whereas God maketh choice of Noah, to reveal unto him his counsel, and his judgements to come; we learn that this is a prerogative which God bestoweth on such as fear him, he revealeth his counsels to them in a special manner, whether they be purposes of Judgements upon his enemies, or of mercies unto his Church. Thus dealt he with Abraham, Gen. 18.19. Shall I (saith God) hide from Abraham the thing that I will do? which thing was, the destruction of Sodom, and her sisters. And so when the Sodomites lived in wanton carelessness, and put far from them the evil day, then Abraham knew from God their destruction was at hand. And as in that, for is it generally true in all his great works: that the Lord God will do nothing, but he reveals his secrets to his servants the Prophets. Amos 3.7. Now this is not a prerogative of Prophets alone, or of such as were extraordinary men as Abraham was: but the secrets of the Lord are amongst such as fear him, Psalm 25.14. All that fear the holy name of God; are Gods friends, and of his Counsel: and therefore not Abraham only is called the friend of God, James 2.23: But of all true believers, saith Christ, John 15.14.15; You are my friends, If you ⟨p. 104⟩do what I command you: henceforth I call you not servants, but friends, for the servant knoweth not what his Master doth▪ but all things that I have heard of my Father, have I made known unto you▪ As if he had said, I will communicate and impart my secrets unto you, as one friend doth unto another, as far as shall be fit for you to know. And the Apostle saith, 1. Corinth. 2.15. A faithful and a holy man discerneth into the deep counsels of God; which are revealed unto them as much as concerneth their salvations, and sometimes more; as here, unto Noah, who was fore-warned of God, of things then not seen.
First, whereas God maketh choise of Noah, to reueale vnto him his counsell, and his iudgements to come; wee learne that this is a prerogatiue which God bestoweth on such as feare him, he reuealeth his counsels to them in a speciall manner, whether they be purposes of Iudgements vpon his enemies, or of mercies vnto his Church. Thus dealt he with Abraham, Gen. 18.19. Shall I (saith God) hide from Abraham the thing that I will doe? which thing was, the destruction of Sodome, and her sisters. And so when the Sodomites liued in wanton carelesnesse, and put farre from them the euill day, then Abraham knew from God their destruction was at hand. And as in that, for is it generally true in all his great workes: that the Lord God will doe nothing, but he reueales his secrets to his seruants the Prophets. Amos 3.7. Now this is not a prerogatiue of Prophets alone, or of such as were extraordinary men as Abraham was: but the secrets of the Lord are amongst such as feare him, Psalme 25.14. All that feare the holy name of God; are Gods friends, and of his Counsaile: and therefore not Abraham onely is called the friend of God, Iames 2.23: But of all true beleeuers, saith Christ, Iohn 15.14.15; You are my friends, If you ⟨p. 104⟩doe what I commaund you: henceforth I call you not seruants, but friends, for the seruant knoweth not what his Maister doth▪ but all things that I haue heard of my Father, haue I made knowne vnto you▪ As if he had said, I will communicate and impart my secrets vnto you, as one friend doth vnto another, as farre as shall be fit for you to know. And the Apostle saith, 1. Corinth. 2.15. A faithfull and a holy man discerneth into the deepe counsailes of God; which are reuealed vnto them as much as concerneth their saluations, and sometimes more; as here, vnto Noah, who was fore-warned of God, of things then not seene.
