What we love to do, we love the opportunities of doing it. The Lord is good, and he loveth to do good, and therefore he is expressed as one troubled when he wants, & as one pleased when he hath the occasions of doing it. We may take up that sense eminently ⟨p. 447⟩from that most pathetical wish (Psal: 81.13, 14, 15, 16.) O that my people had hearkened unto me, and Israel had walked in my ways, I should soon have subdued their enemies, and turned my hand against their adversaries. The haters of the Lord, should have submitted themselves, but their time should have endured for ever: I should have fed them also with the finest of the wheat, &c. As if the Lord had said, How glad should I have been if my people had been but fitly qualified to give me occasion of removing all evil from them, and of doing them all manner of good. The holy Prophet speaks the heart of God in the same readiness (Isa: 30.18.) Therefore will the Lord wait that he may be gracious unto you, therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you. As if he had said, The Lord expects your reformation, that he may not proceed in rigour against you, or as some conceive rather, he only delayeth his putting an end to your troubles, till ye are humbled, expecting a seasonable time to show you that mercy, in bestowing of which he will exalt and advance his own name and honour, when once he seeth you fitted and duly prepared to receive it. The Lord (saith David, Psal: 14.2.) looked down from heaven upon all the children of men, to see if there were any did understand and seek God. There he is represented looking down from heaven to see if any did understand, as here, he looketh upon men to see if any do repent, saying, I have sinned, &c. The Lord often, yea always looketh down upon Nations, Cities and people, to see if any have a right understanding of him, or a will with upright affections to him. The Lord at this day is looking upon the sick, and looking upon the sound, to see if there are any, who are going on faithfully in a right way, or repenting that they have gone wrong. He looketh upon men; And if any say, I have sinned, &c.
What we love to doe, we love the opportunities of doing it. The Lord is good, and he loveth to doe good, and therefore he is expressed as one troubled when he wants, & as one pleased when he hath the occasions of doing it. We may take up that sence eminently ⟨p. 447⟩from that most patheticall wish (Psal: 81.13, 14, 15, 16.) O that my people had hearkned unto me, and Israel had walked in my wayes, I should soone have subdued their enemies, and turned my hand against their adversaries. The haters of the Lord, should have submitted themselves, but their time should have endured for ever: I should have fed them also with the finest of the wheate, &c. As if the Lord had sayd, How glad should I have been if my people had been but fitly qualified to give me occasion of removing all evill from them, and of doing them all manner of good. The holy Prophet speakes the heart of God in the same readiness (Isa: 30.18.) Therefore will the Lord wait that he may be gracious unto you, therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you. As if he had sayd, The Lord expects your reformation, that he may not proceed in rigour against you, or as some conceive rather, he only delayeth his putting an end to your troubles, till ye are humbled, expecting a seasonable time to shew you that mercy, in bestowing of which he will exalt and advance his owne name and honour, when once he seeth you fitted and duely prepared to receive it. The Lord (saith David, Psal: 14.2.) looked downe from heaven upon all the children of men, to see if there were any did understand and seek God. There he is represented looking downe from heaven to see if any did understand, as here, he looketh upon men to see if any doe repent, saying, I have sinned, &c. The Lord often, yea alwayes looketh downe upon Nations, Cities and people, to see if any have a right understanding of him, or a will with upright affections to him. The Lord at this day is looking upon the sick, and looking upon the sound, to see if there are any, who are going on faithfully in a right way, or repenting that they have gone wrong. He looketh upon men; And if any say, I have sinned, &c.