Fourthly, The Lord cannot be found out, no not in his works of Providence, which are acted outwardly, or by which he brings forth his counsels to act (Psal. 77.19.) His foot-steps are not known; not only are not any of his secret counsels known, but some o• his very foot-steps, his treadings, his goings are not fully known. God goeth so that we cannot find where he g•eth, he leaves no track (as we say) behind him (Rom. 11.33.) How unsearchable a•e his Judgments (not only his counsels, but, how unsearchable are his Judgments) and his ways past finding out. That's the very expression of the text. There are many providences of God, which we find and feel, which we see, and cannot but see, yet we cannot find them out, that is, we are not able to give a direct answer why God doth this or that, nor how this or that was done. Consider that Scripture (2 Chron. 31.20, 21.) where we have a most singular character of Hezekiah, and of his government; Thus did Hezekiah throughout all Judah, and wrought that which was g•od, and right, and truth, before the Lord his God; and in every work that he began in the service of the house of God, he did it with all his heart, and prospered. So the 31th chapter concludes; yet the 32d begins thus, After these things, and the establishment thereof, Sennacherib King of Assyria came and entered into Judah, and encamped against the fenced Cities. One would have thought, Hezekiah being thus zealous for the Reformation of the Church of God, in Judah and Jerusalem, and having done all that concerned it with a perfect heart, that surely such a Prince should have lived in peace and prospered all his days; yet, presently his Kingdom was invaded by a potent enemy, Sennacherib comes against him, and fills him, and all his people, with fear of utter subversion. This was a secret of providence, very hard to find out, a depth, which who can fathom? That when a good King with his Counsel, had been endeavouring a true Reformation, and that with a perfect heart, he should presently see war at his gates. Solomon saith (Pro. 16.7.) When a mans ways please the Lord, he makes his enemies to ⟨p. 617⟩be at peace with him: Yet it was no sooner said of King Hezekiah that his ways pleased the Lord, but the very next paragraph of his Chronicle reports an enemy making war upon him.
Fourthly, The Lord cannot be found out, no not in his works of P•ovidence, which are acted outwardly, or by which he brings forth his councels to act (Psal. 77.19.) His foot-steps are not known; not only are not any of his secret councels known, but some o• his very foot-steps, his treadings, his goings are not fully known. God goeth so that we cannot find where he g•eth, he leaves no track (as we say) behind him (Rom. 11.33.) How unsearchable a•e his Judgments (not only his councels, but, how unsearchable are his Judgments) and his ways past finding out. That's the very expression of the text. There are many providences of God, which we find and feel, which we see, and cannot but see, yet we cannot find them out, that is, we are not able to give a direct answer why God doth this or that, nor how this or that was done. Consider that Scripture (2 Chron. 31.20, 21.) where we have a most singular character of Hezekiah, and of his government; Thus did Hez•kiah throughout all Judah, and wrought that which was g•od, and right, and truth, before the Lord his God; and in every w•rk that he began in the service of the house of God, he did it with all his heart, and prospered. So the 31th chapter concludes; yet the 32d begins thus, After these things, and the establishment thereof, Sennacherib King of Assiria came and entred into Judah, and encamped against the fenced Cities. One would have thought, Hezekiah being thus zealous for the Reformation of the Church of God, in Judah and Jerusalem, and having done all that concerned it with a perfect heart, that surely such a Prince should have lived in peace and prospered all his dayes; yet, presently his Kingdome was invaded by a potent enemy, Sennacherib comes against him, and fills him, and all his people, with fear of utter subversion. This was a secret of providence, very hard to find out, a depth, which who can fathome? That when a good King with his Counsel, had been indeavouring a true Reformation, and that with a perfect heart, he should presently see war at his gates. Solomon saith (Pro. 16.7.) When a mans ways please the Lord, he makes his enemies to ⟨p. 617⟩