(Isa. 1.3.) I have nourished and brought up children; that is, I have done for my people as a father for his children; but what follows? My people doth not know, Israel doth not consider: They consider not what I have done for them, as well as not what I have spoken to them; they consider not how I have nourished and brought them up, as well us not how I have instructed and given them counsel; and from this neglect God infers, (vers. 4.) Ah sinful Nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evil doers, &c. they quickly proceed to the doing of all evil against God, who consider not of the good which God doth or hath done to them. Read this sin, the not considering of the works of God, with the sinfulness of all the works of those unconsidering men, (Psal. 28.4, 5. Isa. 5.11, 12.) The Scripture makes frequent mention how extremely ill the Lord takes it at the hands of men, when his works are not considered by them, when they regard not the operation of his hands. Indeed God doth much in the world, he walketh in many dark and hidden ways, which though we consider, we cannot fully understand; Thy way (saith Asaph, Psal. 77.19.) is in the sea, and thy path in the great waters, and thy foot-steps are not known. ⟨p. 716⟩God hath many invisible works both of mercy and of judgement; yet we should be, though not curiously, yet seriously searching, as much as possibly we can,1 even into those ways of God which are unsearchable; we should consider, though we cannot search them out. But as for those works of God that are visible and plain, which are written as it were with the beams of the Sun, which are so plain and obvious, that he who runs may read them, to neglect the consideration of these, or lightly to pass them by, how sinful is it! Those works of God which are most plain, have wonders in them, if we could find them out. As in the plainest Text of Scripture there is a world of holiness and spiritualness; and if we in prayer and dependence upon God did sit down and consider it, we might behold much more of those wonders then yet appear to us: It may be at once reading or looking we see little or nothing, as Elijah's servant, when he went once, he saw nothing, therefore he was commanded to look seven times; What now, saith the Prophet? O now I see a cloud rising like a mans hand; and by and by the whole surface of the heavens was covered with clouds.
(Isa. 1.3.) I have nourished and brought up children; that is, I have done for my people as a father for his children; but what follows? My people doth not know, Israel doth not consider: They consider not what I have done for them, as well as not what I have spoken to them; they consider not how I have nourished and brought them up, as well us not how I have instructed and given them counsel; and from this neglect God infers, (vers. 4.) Ah sinful Nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evil doers, &c. they quickly proceed to the doing of all evil against God, who consider not of the good which God doth or hath done to them. Read this sin, the not considering of the works of God, with the sinfulness of all the works of those unconsidering men, (Psal. 28.4, 5. Isa. 5.11, 12.) The Scripture makes frequent mention how extreamly ill the Lord takes it at the hands of men, when his works are not considered by them, when they regard not the operation of his hands. Indeed God doth much in the world, he walketh in many dark and hidden wayes, which though we consider, we cannot fully understand; Thy way (saith Asaph, Psal. 77.19.) is in the sea, and thy path in the great waters, and thy foot-steps are not known. ⟨p. 716⟩God hath many invisible works both of mercy and of judgement; yet we should be, though not curiously, yet seriously searching, as much as possibly we can,1 even into those wayes of God which are unsearchable; we should consider, though we cannot search them out. But as for those works of God that are visible and plain, which are written as it were with the beams of the Sun, which are so plain and obvious, that he who runs may read them, to neglect the consideration of these, or lightly to pass them by, how sinful is it! Those works of God which are most plain, have wonders in them, if we could finde them out. As in the plainest Text of Scripture there is a world of holiness and spiritualness; and if we in prayer and dependance upon God did sit down and consider it, we might behold much more of those wonders then yet appear to us: It may be at once reading or looking we see little or nothing, as Elijah's servant, when he went once, he saw nothing, therefore he was commanded to look seven times; What now, saith the Prophet? O now I see a cloud rising like a mans hand; and by and by the whole surface of the heavens was covered with clouds.
- 1Arcana imperii.
