Third Prop. Gods favour or anger must be judged of rather from our carriage towards him, than from his carriage towards us. If our walk be according to Gods rule, we may be sure that peace shall be upon us. Gal. 6. 16. If we are such as fear God and work Righteousness, then we may be certain that we are accepted with God. Acts. 10. 35. If we do well, we shall be accepted. They that by patient contim•nce in well-doing, seek for glory, honour, and immortality, shall have eternal life. They ⟨p. 89⟩are under promise Rom. 2. 6, 7. But on the contrary, tribulation and anguish upon every soul that doth evil. Those that walk disorderly, and in disobedience to the will of God, however God may prosper them in their ways, as they may seem, yet they must know that Gods anger is against them. They may know that his anger is against them, because they walk against him: against the flat command of his word. For these things cometh the wrath of God upon the Children of disobedience, Eph. 5. 6. The wrath of God is revealed from heaven, against all ungodliness, and unright cousness of men, Rom. 1. 18. So they that walk in ways of unrighteousness, and ungodliness, they may know by this that they are under the wrath of God; however God may seem to carry it towards them. Men may not conclude that because God doth not presently smite, that therefore he is not angry with them. God may speak never a word, neither strike a blow; and yet may treasure up wrath against them at the last, and they never think of it. Many a poor wretch thinks, that God, because he is silent that he approves of them, Psal. 50. 21. These things hast thou done and I kept silence. Thou thoughtest that I was altogether such a one as thy self; but I will reprove thee and set them in order before thine eyes. God would make them know, that though for the present he spake nothing, and did not show his anger; yet he would make it known against them. If our carriage be dutiful, and humble toward God, what ever his carriage be towards us, we ⟨p. 90⟩may be sure that his love is towards us. God doth many times carry it as if he were angry, for the trial of his people, to see whether they will trust him, and walk by faith and not by sense. Whether they will believe though it be against their own feeling. He will many times put his Children upon this exercise, not in anger, but in Love. As the tender Nurse doth the Child.
Third Prop. Gods favor or anger must be judged of rather from our carriage towards him, than from his carriage towards us. If our walk be according to Gods rule, we may be sure that peace shall be upon us. Gal. 6. 16. If we are such as fear God and work Righteousness, then we may be certain that we are accepted with God. Acts. 10. 35. If we do well, we shall be accepted. They that by patient contim•nce in well-doing, seek for glory, honor, and immortality, shall have eternal life. They ⟨p. 89⟩are under promise Rom. 2. 6, 7. But on the contrary, tribulation and anguish upon every soul that doth evil. Those that walk disorderly, and in disobedience to the will of God, however God may prosper them in their ways, as they may seem, yet they must know that Gods anger is against them. They may know that his anger is against them, because they walk against him: against the flat command of his word. For these things cometh the wrath of God upon the Children of disobedience, Eph. 5. 6. The wrath of God is revealed from heaven, against all ungodliness, and unright cousness of men, Rom. 1. 18. So they that walk in ways of unrighteousness, and ungodliness, they may know by this that they are under the wrath of God; however God may seem to carry it towards them. Men may not conclude that because God doth not presently smite, that therefore he is not angry with them. God may speak never a word, neither strike a blow; and yet may treasure up wrath against them at the last, and they never think of it. Many a poor wretch thinks, that God, because he is silent that he approves of them, Psal. 50. 21. These things hast thou done and I kept silence. Thou thoughtest that I was altogether such a one as thy self; but I will reprove thee and set them in order before thine eyes. God would make them know, that though for the present he spake nothing, and did not shew his anger; yet he would make it known against them. If our carriage be dutiful, and humble toward God, what ever his carriage be towards us, we ⟨p. 90⟩may be sure that his love is towards us. God doth many times carry it as if he were angry, for the tryal of his people, to see whether they will trust him, and walk by faith and not by sence. Whether they will believe though it be against their own feeling. He will many times put his Children upon this exercise, not in anger, but in Love. As the tender Nurse doth the Child.
