Silas.
Some take them to signifie one thing, the coun∣sell of God touching mankinde, and the euents of those counsels, but the best is to distinguish them, & to expoūd iudgements of the meanes which God vseth in the dis∣position & gouerment of mankind, acording to his eter∣nall counsels: in which sence the Hebrewes doe vse to take this word for Gods administration, as Psal. 9, 7. and 67, 4. Iudges 7, 26. Iohn 5, 22. By [Wayes] are meant the purposes and decrees of God, touching all persons, and touching their eternal condition, together with the rea∣sons why he doth this to that man, and not to that. And whereas his wayes be two-folde, either those by which we come vnto him, which are his precepts and promises, Psal. 112, 1. and 119, 1. (for as by the way wee are led to the City, so by the word of promise and commaunde∣ment wee are brought to God:) or those by which God comes to vs, which are the wayes of his prouidence and decrees of mercy and iustice: These latter are vnderstood heere, and these are tearmed [vnsearchable,] because they ought not to bee searched nor enquired into, and [vntraceable and past finding out,] because by no search they are to be found; as the way of a ship in the Sea, and the way of an Arrowe in the ayre, so the wayes of God cannot be knowne as touching the cause and manner of them, & vntil they bee reuealed. That Ioseph was so exal∣ted in Egypt, and Dauid so aduanced in Israel, and Ismael not chosen when Isaac was, and Christ sent to redeeme the world by death: these are Gods iudgements which we may search, because they are knowne by the worde. But why Ioseph & Dauid exalted, rather then any of their other Brethren: Why Iacob taken and Esau refused, (both being euery way equall:) Why Redemption by Christ, was rather wrought by Iudas his treason, then by any other meanes: Finally, why the Iewes a long time