A65285:375
A Body of Practical Divinity
A body of practical divinity consisting of above one hundred seventy six sermons on the lesser catechism composed by the reverend assembly of divines at Westminster : with a supplement of some sermons on several texts of Scripture / by Thomas Watson ...
London: printed for Thomas Parkurst, 1692
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
4. If God do let Men prosper a while in sin, his Vial of Wrath is all this while filling; his Sword is all this while whetting: and though God may forbear Men a while, yet long forbearance is no forgiveness. The longer God is taking his blow, the heavier it will be at last; as long as there is Eternity, God hath time enough to reckon with his Enemies. Justice may be as a Lion asleep, but at last this Lion will awake, and roar upon the Sinner. Doth not Nero, and Julian, and Cain now meet with God's Justice?
4. If God do let Men prosper a while in sin, his Vial of Wrath is all this while filling; his Sword is all this while whetting: and though God may forbear Men a while, yet long forbearance is no forgiveness. The longer God is taking his blow, the heavier it will be at last; as long as there is Eternity, God hath time enough to reckon with his Enemies. Justice may be as a Lion asleep, but at last this Lion will awake, and roar upon the Sinner. Doth not Nero, and Iulian, and Cain now meet with God's Justice?
Object. But God's own People suffer great Afflictions, they are injured and persecuted, Psal. 73.14. All the day long have I been plagued and chastened every morning. How doth this stand with God's Justice?
Object. But God's own People suffer great Afflictions, they are injured and persecuted, Psal. 73.14. All the day long have I been plagued and chastned every morning. How doth this stand with God's Justice?
Resp. 1. That is a true Rule of St. Austin, Judicia Dei possunt esse occulta, non injusta; Gods ways of Judgment are sometimes secret, but never unjust. The Lord never Afflicts his People without a Cause; so that he cannot be unjust. There is some good in the godly, therefore the wicked afflict them; there is some evil in them, therefore God afflicts them. God's own Children have their [Greek or Hebrew], their blemishes,