Thirdly, Then the godly are very apt to be deceived about Gods ways to 1themselves or others, when they judge of God after outward and humane appearance. When they expect that God should do, as some high and mighty Monarch of the world would do. We see hom Samuel, a man so highly proficient in the fear of God, and all integrity, yet when he came to choose out the man ⟨p. 295⟩God had designed for the Kingdom, how quickly he mistook, and was at a loss, 1 Sam. 16. 6, 7. For when Eliab came into his presence, he said, Surely the Lords anointed is here. But then observe how God did reprove his humane judgement, when he said to Samuel, Look not upon his high stature, for the Lord seeth not as man seeth, adding also the ground of it, because man judgeth by outward appearance, but God judgeth the heart. It is true, the godly have this promise, that many things shall be manifested to them, which to others the Lord will not reveal, Psal. 25. 14. The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him. Hence we have that notable expression to Abraham by God, when he was purposed to destroy Sodom, Gen. 18. 17. Shall I hide from Abraham the thing that I will do? and one reason is, because he will command his children, and his household to keep the way of the Lord. We have likewise a very comfortable expression which our Saviour useth to his Disciples, John 15. 15. Henceforth I call you not servants, for the servant knoweth not what his Lord doth, but I have called you friends, for all things I have heard of my Father I have made known to you. From this it is, that some eminently godly men have been endowed with a prophetical spirit, and have used much boldness in prayer to God, as that known expression of Luther's, Fiat voluntas mea Domine. In Savo••r•la likewise, even Machiavelli did acknowledge a Divine Spirit in him: Many things he fore-told, which came to pass, and had bold access to the throne of grace, as if he had been another Moses, speaking to God face to face. In his Homilies upon Micah he hath wonderful assertions about his predictions. But extraordinary privileges, and that in some cases only, must not be extended to all. When the glory of God, and the good of his Church is concerned, God doth come with more familiar discoveries of him than at other times.
Thirdly, Then the godly are very apt to be deceived about Gods wayes to 1themselves or others, when they judge of God after outward and humane appearance. When they expect that God should do, as some high and mighty Monarch of the world would do. We see hom Samuel, a man so highly proficient in the fear of God, and all integrity, yet when he came to choose out the man ⟨p. 295⟩God had designed for the Kingdom, how quickly he mistook, and was at a loss, 1 Sam. 16. 6, 7. For when Eliab came into his presence, he said, Surely the Lords anointed is here. But then observe how God did reprove his humane judgement, when he said to Samuel, Look not upon his high stature, for the Lord seeth not as man seeth, adding also the ground of it, because man judgeth by outward appearance, but God judgeth the heart. It is true, the godly have this promise, that many things shall be manifested to them, which to others the Lord will not reveal, Psal. 25. 14. The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him. Hence we have that notable expression to Abraham by God, when he was purposed to destroy Sodome, Gen. 18. 17. Shall I hide from Abraham the thing that I will do? and one reason is, because he will command his children, and his houshold to keep the way of the Lord. We have likewise a very comfortable expression which our Saviour useth to his Disciples, John 15. 15. Henceforth I call you not servants, for the servant knoweth not what his Lord doth, but I have called you friends, for all things I have heard of my Father I have made known to you. From this it is, that some eminently godly men have been endowed with a prophetical spirit, and have used much boldness in prayer to God, as that known expression of Luthers, Fiat voluntas mea Domine. In Savo••r•la likewise, even Machiavil did acknowledge a Divine Spirit in him: Many things he fore-told, which came to passe, and had bold accesse to the throne of grace, as if he had been another Moses, speaking to God face to face. In his Homilies upon Micah he hath wonderfull assertions about his predictions. But extraordinary priviledges, and that in some cases onely, must not be extended to all. When the glory of God, and the good of his Church is concerned, God doth come with more familiar discoveries of himthan at other times.
- 13. When they judge of God after outward appearance.
