seeing that in the last place he having fully purposed to glorify himself by all his creatures, finds none other way left, of reaping honour from the dissembler, but alone by magnifying his Justice in his overthrow. For he neglects the offers of his love, and refuseth to convert, and will not accept of salvation upon those conditions, on which God would bestow it upon him. We know all, that God hath made all things for his own glory, in the clear demonstration of his own unspeakable excellencies by them, and of this end he can no more fail, or be disappointed, then be defective in wisdom & goodness; which, because they be essential in him, he can no more come short of perfection in them, then that he can cease to be himself. Now the hypocrite, by the continuing such, doth make himself utterly uncapable of becoming an active instrument to glorify the Lord, by performing that that is good in his sight: for fruitful he will never be, his impotency arising always from wilfulness, or carelessness, or both, seeing these twain cannot at all or very hardly be separated one from the other: wherefore needs must he be made a passive instrument of Gods honour, whether he will or no, serving to declare his infinite justice in his due destruction, ⟨p. 13⟩by being forced to suffer the deserved punishment, which his grievous wickedness doth challenge at the hands of his righteousness. If it be objected, that God might convert the hypocrite if he would: The answer is, By his omnipotent power he might, and so he might the devils too, and the very prince of the devils, Beelzebub himself. But we must understand, that the Lord hath set down a certain way and order of converting men unto him, agreeable to the rules of his own unsearchable wisdom: even such a way, as is in it self most plain, sure and infallible, if the negligence and obstinacy of men do not hinder, and such a way, as is most convenient to procure the greatest honour that may be unto him, in their salvation, and that is, that man himself should become a working instrument with God, to his own conversion and salvation. Which seeing the hypocrite will not do, the Lord will never be so over-gracious unto him, as to bring him to heaven by another way, but will even magnify himself in destroying him, because he neglected to take the right course that was showed him, to do himself good.
seeing that in the last place he hauing fully purposed to glorify himselfe by all his creatures, findes none other way left, of reaping honour from the dissembler, but alone by magnifying his Iustice in his ouerthrow. For he neglects the offers of his loue, and refuseth to conuert, and wil not accept of saluation vpon those conditiōs, on which God would bestow it vpon him. Wee know all, that God hath made all things for his owne glory, in the cleere demonstration of his owne vnspeakeable excellencies by them, and of this end he can no more fayle, or be disappointed, then be defectiue in wisdome & goodnes; which, because they be essentiall in him, he can no more come short of perfection in them, then that hee can cease to be himself. Now the hypocrite, by the continuing such, doth make himselfe vtterly vncapeable of becomming an actiue instrument to glorify the Lord, by performing that that is good in his sight: for fruitfull he will neuer be, his impotency arising alwaies from wilfulnes, or carelesnes, or both, seeing these twaine cannot at all or very hardly be separated one frō the other: wherfore needes must he be made a passiue instrument of Gods honor, whether he will or no, seruing to declare his infinite iustice in his due destruction, ⟨p. 13⟩by being forced to suffer the deserued punishment, which his grieuous wickednesse doth challenge at the hands of his righteousnesse. If it be obiected, that God might conuert the hypocrite if he would: The answere is, By his omnipotent power he might, and so he migt the diuels too, and the very prince of the diuels, Beelzebub himselfe. But wee must vnderstand, that the Lord hath set downe a certaine way and order of conuerting men vnto him, agreeable to the rules of his owne vnsearchable wisedome: euen such a way, as is in it selfe most plaine, sure and infallible, if the negligence and obstinacy of men doe not hinder, and such a way, as is most conuenient to procure the greatest honour that may be vnto him, in their saluation, and that is, that man himselfe should become a working instrument with God, to his owne conuersion and saluation. Which seeing the hypocrite will not doe, the Lord will neuer bee so ouer-gracious vnto him, as to bring him to heauen by another way, but will euen magnify himselfe in destroying him, because he neglected to take the right course that was shewed him, to doe himselfe good.
