'Tis again as groundless, and may argue as ill a mind, to prophesy smooth and pleasant things, in a time of abounding wickedness. The safer, middle course, is, without Gods express warrant, not to prophesy at all, but as we have opportunity, to warn and instruct ⟨image 4⟩men, with all meekness and long suffering; for which the Lords ordinary Messengers can never want his warrant. And, after our blessed Saviour's most imitable Example, to scatter our tears over the impenitent, even upon the (too probable apprehension of the temporal Judgments which hang over their heads, but most of all upon the account of their liablenes to the more dreadful ones of the other state; which, in the following discourse, I hope, it is made competently evident, this Lamentation of our Saviour hath ultimate reference unto. For the other, though we know them to be due, and most highly deserved; yet concerning the actual infliction of them, even upon obstinate and persevering sinners, we cannot pronounce. We have no settled constitution, or rule, by which we can conclude it, any more than that outward felicity, or prosperity, shall be the constant portion of good men in this World. The great God hath reserved to himself a latitude of acting more arbitrarily, both as to Promises, and Threatenings of this nature. If the accomplishment of either, ⟨image 5⟩could be certainly expected, it should be of the Promises rather; because as to promised Rewards God is pleased to make himself Debtor, and a right accrues to them to whom the Promise is made, if either the Promise be absolute, or made with any certain condition, that is actually performed. But God is always the Creditor poenae, the right to punish remains wholly in himself, the exacting whereof he may therefore suspend, without any appearance of wrong, as seemeth good unto him. If therefore he may withhold temporal blessings, from good and pious men, to which they have a remote and fundamental right, as having reserved to himself the judgment of the fit time and season of bestowing them. Much more doth it belong to his Wisdom, to fix the bounds of his Patience, and Longsuffering; and determine the season of animadverting upon more open and insolent offenders by temporal Punishments, according as shall make most for the ends of his Government, and finally prove more advantageous to the dignity and glory […] it.
'Tis again as groundless, and may argue as ill a mind, to prophesy smooth and pleasant things, in a time of abounding wickedness. The safer, middle course, is, without Gods express warrant, not to prophesy at all, but as we have opportunity, to warn and instruct ⟨image 4⟩men, with all meekness and long suffering; for which the Lords ordinary Messengers can never want his warrant. And, after our blessed Saviour's most imitable Example, to scatter our tears over the impenitent, even upon the (too probable apprehension of the temporal Judgments which hang over their heads, but most of all upon the account of their liablenes to the more dreadful ones of the other state; which, in the following discourse, I hope, it is made competently evident, this Lamentation of our Saviour hath ultimate reference unto. For the other, though we know them to be due, and most highly deserved; yet concerning the actual infliction of them, even upon obstinate and persevering sinners, we cannot pronounce. We have no settled constitution, or rule, by which we can conclude it, any more than that outward felicity, or prosperity, shall be the constant portion of good men in this World. The great God hath reserved to himself a latitude of acting more arbitrarily, both as to Promises, and Threatnings of this nature. If the accomplishment of either, ⟨image 5⟩could be certainly expected, it should be of the Promises rather; because as to promised Rewards God is pleased to make himself Debtor, and a right accrues to them to whom the Promise is made, if either the Promise be absolute, or made with any certain condition, that is actually performed. But God is alwayes the Creditor poenae, the right to punish remains wholly in himself, the exacting whereof he may therefore suspend, without any appearance of wrong, as seemeth good unto him. If therefore he may withhold temporal blessings, from good and pious men, to which they have a remote and fundamental right, as having reserved to himself the judgment of the fit time and season of bestowing them. Much more doth it belong to his Wisdom, to fix the bounds of his Patience, and Longsuffering; and determine the season of animadverting upon more open and insolent offenders by temporal Punishments, according as shall make most for the ends of his Government, and finally prove more advantageous to the dignity and glory 〈…〉 it.
