Now, having shewed that only the wise and prudent can conceive and make a right use of these gi-eat things dehvered, he comes to shew and defend the equity of God's ways, how crooked soever they seem to flesh and blood. These things ought to be hearkened unto, because they ai'e the ways of God.
' The ways of the Lord are right.'
By ivai/s here, he understandeth the whole law and gospel, the whole word of God ; which he calleth right, not only because,
1. They are righteous in themselves ; but,
2. Because they reform whatsoever is amiss in us, and rectify us ; and
3. Work whatsoever is needful for our good and salvation. Now more particularly, God's ways are,
1. Those ways wherein he walks to us ; or,
2. The waj's that he prescribes us to walk iu ; and, 8. Our ways, as they are conformable to his.
Any of these are the ways of God ; of all which more hereafter.
1. The ivaijs wherein he walks to us, because many of them are untrace- able, as unsearchable to us, are not here meant ; as those of election, pre- destination and reprobation ; the reasons whereof, if we take them compara- tively, cannot be searched out. Why God should take one and not another, it is an unsearchable way. But take a man single, out of comparison, the ways of God will appear to be right, even in that harsh decree which many men stumble so much at. For none are ever brought in the execution of that decree to be damned, but you shall see ' the ways of the Lord right,' who a long time together offers them a great deal of mercy, which they re- fusing, and resisting the Holy Ghost, taking wilfully contrary courses, work out their own damnation. So that at length the issue of those unsearch-
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418 THE KETUENING BACKSLIDEB. [SeEMON XV.
able ways will appear to be rigbt in every particular ; howsoever the com- parative reason at the first, why God singles out one man and not another, will not appear.
2. As for the ways of his providence, in governing the world, and ruling of his church, this is the way of God which is right ; all which ways, though we cannot in all particulars see in this world, yet in heaven, in the light of glory, we shall see what cannot now be seen in the hght of grace and nature. For there be mysteries in providence. "Who can tell the reason why, of men equally good, one should be sorely afflicted, and the other should go to heaven without any affliction in a smooth way ? None can give a reason of it ; but we must subscribe to the hidden wisdom of God, whose ways are unsearchable in his providence. Yet are they most right, though they be above our conceit. If we could conceive all God's ways, then they were not God's ways ; for in his ways to us, he will so carry them, as he will shew himself to be above and beyond our shallow conceits.
But the ways especially here meant, are the ways which he prescribes us to walk in ; and they are,
1. What we must beheve ; and then,
2. What we must do. There is.
First, obedience of faith, and then obedience of life.
These are God's ways prescribed in the word, and only in the word.
8. Now our imijs, when they join with God's ivays, that is, when our life, purposes and desires of the inner-man, in our speeches, carriage, and con- versation, agree with God's ways, then in some sort they are God's ways, ' the just shall walk in them.' They shall walk in these ways, that is, in those ways which God prescribeth. As for those ways wherein God walks to us, we have not so much to do here to consider them. But by walking in the ways which he prescribes, we shall feel that his ways to us will be nothing but mercy and truth. ' The ways of the Lord are right,' Ps. cxlv. 17. Those ways that he prescribes to men to be beheved and done, they are right and straight, that is, they are agi-eeable to the first rule of all. Right is the judgment and will of God. He is the first truth and the first good ; the prime truth and good, which must rule all others, mensura men- surans, as they use to speak in schools ; the measure that measures all other things. For all other things are only so far right, as they agree to the highest measure of all, which is God's appointment and will. So the ways of God are said to be right ; because they agree to his word and will. They are holy and pure, as himself is just, pure, and holy.
' The ways of the Lord are right.'
Right, as they agree to that which is right and straight ; and right like- wise, because they lead directly to a right end. We know a right hne is that which is the shortest between two terms. That which leads from point to point, is the shortest of all other lines. So God's ways are right and straight. There are no other ways which tend directly to happiness, with- out error, but God's ways ; all other ways are crooked ways. So God's ways are right, as they look to God, and as they look unto all other inferior courses. They are right to examine all our ways by, being the rule of them. And they are right, as they look to God's will, and are ruled by him.