Chap. I, An Expofition upon the Bcokof j OB. Vert. 1o. the care of God over his people in moll exaet terms ; And why Both he do this ? Not that he cares to fpeak well of God, or to advance God in the eyes of his people, by telling his people and fervants how watchful he is over them but he loth this only for his own advantage, that hereby he may leiben the fervice and ble- míth the obedienceof rob, becaufe he received fo much care and love from God. As it is many times with ungodly men, they will do good, not that they care todo good, but only for fame by end: So Satan will fometimes fpeak that which is true,not that he regards the truth, or that he would (peak a wordof truth Cfor he hath nothing but lies in his heart, there is a lye in his heart when thereis truth in his mouth.) Henever fpeaks truth, but to deceive and do hurt by it. Thirdly , We may obferve this, which lyeth plain in the words, That the People and Servants of God dwell in the width of Ene- mies, in the midit of Dangers ? Why elfeneed there be an hedge, a wall about them ? What need there be a "guard about them, un- lets therewere dangers about them ? There arerione in the world fo envied and'ípighted, fo aimed at, and perfecuted,as the people and fervants ofGod ; you may fee it by the wall that is made about them ; God will not bellow coil and care in preferving and guard- ing where"there is no,danger ofinvading. Ifyou Ihould come to a City, and fee it mightily fortified, and fee men make wall after wall about it, and bulwark after bulwark, you will prefently con - jedure, that City rands in great danger, and is in the midit of E- nemies.: So whenwe read that God was fain to make wall after wall, to make hedge after hedge about the perfon, the family, the eftateofJob,it Iheweth that the devil had an ill eye upon Job,and upon all that was jobs ; Satan and his inftruments, had it not been for this hedge, would quickly have fallen upon him. No Godly man fhould live a quiet moment,didnot the Lord ftretch forth his hand" to fave and protedlr him. Fourthly, 'WI may obferve, That God himfelf doth undertake the guarding and proteEf- ingof hispeople. Thou haft made an- hedgeabout him, andabout all that he bath. God himfelf either Both it immediately , or he lothput thofe to do it to whomhe giveth his power, frength and wifdom. There is no meer creature could be ftrengthand recùrity enough for us againft our great,, malicious; and mighty enemies, Q 2 - therefore I15
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