bated: it imports no more than that it was the pleafure of God, to take the younger brother Jacob, and make him the progenitor of the promised Meffias, and not Efau and this is the meaning of that fcripture. Hating there, is lefs loving; and our Saviour fo useth the word, Luke xiv. 26. when he bids us hate our own life, and hate father and mother; whereas we are enjoined to honour father and mother; and to preserve our lives; and it is our duty; for if we may not kill another we may not kill ourselves; and this is expounded in Matt. x. 37, 38. by defending our life, that is, with denying Christ, &c. So again, hath not the potter power over his clay, &c. that is, he may make one, a veffel of higher use ; another of inferior use: and this belongs to God's undoubted priviledge, power and fovereignty; to raise one to a higher condition in the world, and place another in an inferior condition; to make one high, another low; one rich, another poor; one a master, another a fervant. Now we are not to say that God doth punifh him that is in the worst condition; here is no notion of punishment; this is neither the reward of any man's virtue, nor the pu→ nishment of any man's fault; for punishment properly is where there is pœna ratione vindictæ ; but these things are as God pleaseth. Now this I make further appear, by interpreting St. Paul by himfelf, where he speaks of veffels of honour, and veffels of dishonour, 2 Tim. ii. 20. His own words are, In a great house, there are not only vessels of gold and filver, but also fome of wood and of earth, and fome to honour, and fome to dishonour. The vessel to honour,

as

as the cup he drinks in; the veffel to dishonour, as other utenfils. Now, who hath any ill defign upon his neceflary utenfils? fo that all these differences are within the latitude of God's fovereignty, and speak nothing, either of love or hatred.

2. That that is natural evil, fometimes comes from God, barely for trial, and for exercise : and God doth not intend punishment at all, neither doth he look at any provocation, nor hath displea fure at the perfon; and this was plainly good Job's cafe. For in the beginning of the first chapter, Job hath God's recommendation to the full, and yet the devil hath Job in his power, and is only reftrained as to his life. Therefore, Job was not punished, but he was put upon the ufe and exercife, and trial of his patience, and feveral other virtues and graces; and therefore, Job did well to dispute against his friends; for they run upon this notion, that if any man fuffered evil, it must be punishment; and that Job, notwithstanding his outward appearance, was either a hypocrite, or fome way obnoxious but he ftands to it, and will maintain his uprightness. And in the xlii chap. there God juftifies him, challenges his friends, and fends them to Job, and he must facrifice for them. So that, notwithstanding Job suffered so much evil, he was not an offender, nor punished, but exercifed: and God may tempt us in this kind, to try our affections to him, and whether we will stand to him, or no.

3. There are chaftifements, or harder conditions for the increase of virtue, the contempt of the world, the increase of modefty and humility. We might

over-value the world, and value ourselves too much, if we were not fometimes taught, that these things are not to be taken into the account of our happinefs.

:

4. There is fometimes alfo evils for an evil neighbour's fake a very good man, at whom God takes no offence, he may suffer some evil for his neighbour's fake; as good Jofiah was overborn by the evil that was done in the days of Manasseh; and in this sense, is to be understood that in Ezek. xxi. 3. I will cut off from thee the righteous with the wicked. And here is no punishment neither; for they that are not in the fault, may fuffer because of the unhappiness that comes upon their neighbours. And God knows how to make up this their loss in time, and in eternity. In neither of these cafes, is God faid to punish. Neither of these cases come within the case

of the text.

But now, these cases being taken out, I come to give you an account of the truth of the proposition, that fin is the cause of punishment, and that in five par ticulars.

1. Many fins are the natural causes of the evils that are confequent upon them: as intemperance of certain diseases, diftempers, and dying before mens time. Some men drink themselves into fevers, and fome into dropfies. Here fin is the natural caufe of evil. Men of intemperate and diffolute lives destroy their bodily health; dull and ftupify their reason and understanding; and waste their eftates. It is most apparent that some men have overthrown ftrong and healthy constitutions; and stupified quick VOL. I,

F

and

and nimble parts, by disorderly living. They might have been much more in both, had they been fober; had they not spoiled themselves by mif-government, Ecclef. vii. 17. It is apparent that some men that never knew the getting of a penny, as they had not wit to get an estate, so they have not had the prudence to enjoy, so as to keep an eftate; but have wafted it fafter than others got it. Now in thefe cafes no body can say that God was fevere; but these men were mad, and played the fool. Let not us therefore afcribe that to God, that is properly confequent upon mens own excefs, temerity and rafhnefs.

2. Some iniquities are the moral causes of evil; for this there are several inftances. Herod taking God's glory to himself, was the moral cause of his dying of the loufy disease, Acts xii. 23. Because he did arrogate and affume to himself that that was proper to God, God would not fuffer him to go out of the world with the common honour of mankind. The Ifraelites calf-worfhip, (the first inftance of idolatry we read of) or worshipping God by a falfe medium, (which is idolatry, whatsoever the Papifts fay) was the true moral caufe of the flaughter of fo many of them. Sennacherib blafphemes God, and the hoft are all found dead corpses that night, 2 Kings xix. 35. The cafe of Corah, Dathan and Abiram God created a new thing in the world; the earth opens her mouth, and fwallows them up alive, Numb. xiv. Nebuchadnezzar vaunting himfelf of his majefty and his glory, presently is made lefs than a man, finks into melancholy, and by his

own

own conceit, was difpoffeffed of his kingdom, and eat grass with the ox, &c. Dan. iv. 24. if that be the explanation. Ananias and Sapphira, lying to the Holy Ghoft, are fmitten dead, one after another, Acts v. whereas they did a brave act, fold their eftate, and brought a moiety, which if they had brought it as a moiety, had been well enough; but bringing half, as if that were all, they were flain (for lying to the Holy Ghoft) by the word of St. Peter's mouth. Here is fin the moral caufe, that is, the matter of the provocation, the procuring cause of punishment.

3. Some evils are the proper remedies of certain fins; as fcarcenefs, and famine, of fulness of bread, and excefs: throwing fome men out of place and power, the remedy to cure oppreffion and wrong doing. The ftraitened condition of fome men that are lavish, prodigal and expenfive; the low eftate of fome that are proud and conceited; this keeps them within fome meafure and bounds. This is the 3d cafe; fome evils the proper remedies of certain fms.

4. Punishments are requifite to maintain God's honour in the world. God would be forgotten to be the governor of the world: he would not be thought to be concerned, if he fhould wholly neglect to punish, Eccl. viii. 11. Because fentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the hearts of the fons of men are fully fet in them to do evil. Therefore are open fins controuled, and fecret fins are punifhed, left God fhould be denied to be the fearcher of hearts. God might be forgotten to be the fuF 2 preme