A learned and very useful commentary on the whole epistle to the Hebrews wherein every word and particle in the original is explained ... : being the substance of thirty years Wednesdayes lectures at Black-fryers, London / by that holy and learned divine Wiliam Gouge ... : before which is prefixed a narrative of his life and death : whereunto is added two alphabeticall tables ...

§. 17. Of Gods desiring that wherein he hath pleasure.

THese two phrases, Thou wouldst not, thou hast had no pleasure, give evidence that God desireth not that wherein he hath no delight. This reason God rendreth of his not desiring the death of the wicked, because he hath no pleasure therein, Ezek.* 1.1 33. 11.

Objec•…•…. 1. Unlesse God would; no sin could be, no sinner should die.

Answ. A three •…•…old distinction on is in this case to be observed.

• 1. Betwixt Gods permitting will and desire: he may in his unsearchable wis∣dome permit that which he desireth not: much lesse delighteth in.
• 2. Betwixt the action whereby a sin is committed: and the anomy, or pravity wherein the sin consisteth.
• 3. Betwixt his over-ruling providence, whereby he brings good out of evill, and his approvîng that which is evill.

There is nothing out of God, to move him to desire this or that. He is wholly moved by himself, by his own will, (which is the rule and ground of all goodnesse) to desire what he doth.* 1.2

• 1. This teacheth us wisely to observe what God manifesteth to be his desire.

• Thereby thou mayest know what his heart is set upon, and in what he taketh plea∣sure. Do what in thee lyeth to effect the same. If Courtiers 〈◊〉〈◊〉 serve their King to delight in such and such a thing, what will they not do to bring it to passe. When David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of beth∣lehem, three mighty men brake thorow the host of the Philistims, and drew water out of that well and brought it to David, 2 Sam. 23. 15, 16. Now Gods word manifesteth in what God delighteth: thereby we may know Gods mind, and answerably learn how to carry our selves towards him.
• 2. This discovereth the perverse disposition of many, who desire and do many* 1.3 things wherein they may be supposed to have no pleasure: Who can think that men should take pleasure in swearing, in lying, in filthy communication, in cruelty, and in sundry other sins, to which with a great desire they give themselves. True it is that mans delight is no ground for his desire: for his corrupt nature causeth a de∣light in many things that are evil: but it is a great aggravation of sin to do, or de∣sire that wherein he hath no pleasure.

Notes

• * 1.1

  How God suf∣fers sin.
• * 1.2

  Observe what is Gods desire.
• * 1.3

  Things desi∣red by many in which they take no plea∣sure.