But you will say, It is so with good Men also, the Children of God, if they should break his Law, doth the Lord give them according as they have done to others? Yes, God observes the same Justice: though he doth pardon the Eternal Punishment and take it off, yet here in this World as to Temporals they shall have like for like. Jacob supplanted his Brother, he came to Isaac as the Elder, the Younger instead of the Elder; and Laban brings him the Elder instead of the Younger, Leah instead of Rachel. Asa which put the Prophet into the Stocks, we read of him that he was diseased in his Feet. Nay, I shall give you greater Instances than that. Joseph's Brethren they were not flexible to their Brother, and did not hear his cry; at length they came to Egypt upon an honest Errand for Corn in time of Famine, and the Man is inexorable. Gen. 42. 21. We are verily guilty concerning our Brother, in that we saw the anguish of his Soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us. What was the matter? How comes this to work? In a Storm, things at Bottom we see come up to the Top; so ever, Sins in trouble will bubble up, and we shall see that we saw not before: How come they to remember the Trouble of their Brother, for they knew not Joseph, and twenty years were past since they sold him? They found the Man as inexorable, as they had been to their Brother: God's Judgment of Counter-Passion sets their Conscience a-work. A greater Instance we have of Paul that consented to the stoning of Stephen, and was present too at his Execution, and it is said, They laid down their Garments at Paul's Feet, and he himself takes notice of it. Acts 22. 20. with great remorse afterwards. ⟨p. 368⟩Well, what then? after his Conversion how doth God deal with Paul? Stephen had prayed for him too among the rest, Lord, lay it not to their Charge; yet God gave him some smart remembrance of his Sin. When Paul and Barnabas had been preaching at Iconium, though Barnabas had irritated them as well as Paul, they called Barnabas Jupiter, and Paul Mercurius, because he was the chief Speaker. Barnabas, who was equal with him in Preaching, God ordered it so he was not Stoned; but Paul that had consented to Stephens Stoning, was Stoned himself and carried out for Dead. What need have we to be exact in observing what is required of us here;
But you will say, It is so with good Men also, the Children of God, if they should break his Law, doth the Lord give them according as they have done to others? Yes, God observes the same Justice: though he doth pardon the Eternal Punishment and take it off, yet here in this World as to Temporals they shall have like for like. Iacob supplanted his Brother, he came to Isaac as the Elder, the Younger instead of the Elder; and Laban brings him the Elder instead of the Younger, Leah instead of Rachel. Asa which put the Prophet into the Stocks, we read of him that he was diseased in his Feet. Nay, I shall give you greater Instances than that. Ioseph's Brethren they were not flexible to their Brother, and did not hear his cry; at length they came to Egypt upon an honest Errand for Corn in time of Famine, and the Man is inexorable. Gen. 42. 21. We are verily guilty concerning our Brother, in that we saw the anguish of his Soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us. What was the matter? How comes this to work? In a Storm, things at Bottom we see come up to the Top; so ever, Sins in trouble will bubble up, and we shall see that we saw not before: How come they to remember the Trouble of their Brother, for they knew not Ioseph, and twenty years were past since they sold him? They found the Man as inexorable, as they had been to their Brother: God's Judgment of Counter-Passion sets their Conscience a-work. A greater Instance we have of Paul that consented to the stoning of Stephen, and was present too at his Execution, and it is said, They laid down their Garments at Paul's Feet, and he himself takes notice of it. Acts 22. 20. with great remorse afterwards. ⟨p. 368⟩Well, what then? after his Conversion how doth God deal with Paul? Stephen had prayed for him too among the rest, Lord, lay it not to their Charge; yet God gave him some smart remembrance of his Sin. When Paul and Barnabas had been preaching at Iconium, though Barnabas had irritated them as well as Paul, they called Barnabas Iupiter, and Paul Mercurius, because he was the chief Speaker. Barnabas, who was equal with him in Preaching, God ordered it so he was not Stoned; but Paul that had consented to Stephens Stoning, was Stoned himself and carried out for Dead. What need have we to be exact in observing what is required of us here;
