First, That report which Moses makes of God, seems to say so, (Gen. 6.6.) And it repented the Lord, that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart: What is repentance, but the change of the mind? therefore he that repents is not in one mind. Seeing then God repents, how is he unchangeably in one mind? A like appearance of contradiction, we find (1 Sam. 15.) not only with this text in Job, but between the 11th verse compared with the 29th of the same Chapter. The 11•h verse speaks thus; Then came the word of the Lord unto Samuel, saying, it repenteth me that ⟨p. 425⟩I have set up Saul to be King &c. (ver. 29.) And also the strength of Israel will not lie, nor repent; for he is not a man that he should repent. The strength or victory of Israel, is God, for it was by his strength that Israel had all his victories; and of him Samuel saith, He will not repent, when as himself had said a little before, It repenteth me &c. To these Scriptures we may add 2 Kings 20th, which in words holds out a great change in the mind of God concerning Hezekiah, if we compare the first and the fifth verses of that Chapter together (ver. 1.) In those days Hezekiah was sick unto death, and the Prophet Isaiah, the son of Amos, came to him and said unto him, thus saith the Lord, set thine house in order, for thou shalt dye and not live. Here is a strong affirmation that Hezekiah should dye; And to the affirmative the negative is also added; Thou shalt dye, and not live. 'Tis the strongest manner of asserting any thing, when the contrary is denied. As it is said of John the Baptist (John 1.20.) And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ &c. So here, Thou shalt die, and not live. Yet we read (vers. 5.) And it came to pass before Isaiah was gone out of the middle Court, that the word of the Lord came to him, saying, Turn again, and tell Hezekiah the Captain of my people, thus saith the Lord, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayers, I have seen thy tears: behold I will heal thee; on the third day thou shalt go up unto the house of the Lord, and I will add unto thy days fifteen years. Doth not this import an evident change in the mind of God?
First, That report which Moses makes of God, seemes to say so, (Gen. 6.6.) And it repented the Lord, that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart: What is repentance, but the change of the mind? therefore he that repents is not in one mind. Seing then God repents, how is he unchangeably in one minde? A like appearance of contradiction, we find (1 Sam. 15.) not onely with this text in Job, but between the 11th verse compared with the 29th of the same Chapter. The 11•h verse speakes thus; Then came the word of the Lord unto Samuel, saying, it repenteth me that ⟨p. 425⟩I have set up Saul to be King &c. (ver. 29.) And also the strength of Israel will not lie, nor repent; for he is not a man that he should repent. The strength or victory of Israel, is God, for it was by his strength that Israel had all his victories; and of him Samuel saith, He will not repent, when as himselfe had sayd a little before, It repenteth me &c. To these Scriptures we may adde 2 Kings 20th, which in words holds out a great change in the minde of God concerning Hezekiah, if we compare the first and the fift verses of that Chapter together (ver. 1.) In those dayes Hezekiah was sicke unto death, and the Prophet Isaiah, the son of Amos, came to him and said unto him, thus saith the Lord, set thine house in order, for thou shalt dye and not live. Here is a strong affirmation that Hezekiah should dye; And to the affirmative the negative is also added; Thou shalt dye, and not live. 'Tis the strongest manner of asserting any thing, when the contrary is denyed. As it is sayd of John the Baptist (John 1.20.) And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ &c. So here, Thou shalt die, and not live. Yet we read (vers. 5.) And it came to passe before Isaiah was gone out of the middle Court, that the word of the Lord came to him, saying, Turne againe, and tell Hezekiah the Captain of my people, thus saith the Lord, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayers, I have seene thy teares: behold I will heale thee; on the third day thou shalt goe up unto the house of the Lord, and I will adde unto thy dayes fifeene yeares. Doth not this import an evident change in the minde of God?