Chap An E4-afition aeon the Bookof J O B. óxerf. > o. 389 I thall in filence pafs over that fccret or myflery in Nature, which may be the ground ofthis expreflïon. There are two fecrets in Divinity which are the grounds of it, and of them I- {hail fpeak. The fiat' is this, When God lays that aflliGfion of barrenncfs upon the -woman, he according to the phrafe of Scripture, is laid toJhut up the womb ; And when he fendeth the blefhngof fruit- fùlnefs he is Paid to open the womb. We have both, Gen. 20. t S. When Abimelech had taken Sarah Abrahams wife, the Lord fäfl clofedup all the momios of the houfe ofAbimelech. The mean- ing of it is this, he made all the women barren, or with -held the blefïingof conception : The Jewi{h Expofìtorstender themean- ing in the very words of this Text, that the Lord had Phut up all the doors of the wombs of the houfe ofAhimelech. And Co like- wife for fruitfulnefs, God is Paid toopen the womb, as Gen. 2 :. 3T. And when the Lord fan, that Leah was hated, he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren. Then, zto fhut_the doors of the womb, notes the power of God in denying; ánd to'open thofe doors, the bleffing of God ingiving conception and making fruit ful. Secondly, It may refer to the birth : for, there muff be an open- ing of thofe doors, and that by an Almighty power, fir produirti- on, as-well as for cotception : And therefore David (Pfal. 22,9 ) afcribes it to the Lord, Lord, thou art he who tookefl me out of my Mothers womb. It was not the Midwife did it, it was not the Womenshelp that flood about his Mother, but Lord, thou didjl it ; The hand of God only is able to open that door, and let man into the world ; unlefs he (as we may fofpeak) turn the key, the poor Infant muff for ever lie inprifon,'and make his Mothers womb his grave. In either orboth thefe refpeós.Yob here fpeaks againft the night, becaufe it 'hut not up the doors of his Mothers womb,to flop his con- ception, or flay him in thebirth : For then either he had not been] or he had not been brought forth as th.e fubje6ì ofall thofe cala- mities. Hence obferve, firft, That fruitfulnefs or conceptionis the èfecial work and bleffing of God Gód carries the key of the womb in hiss own hand: Eromshim we receive life and breath, (Ads 1-7. 25.):yea, in hi- Book are all our members written, which in continuance were fa. fhioned, whew as yet there was none of them' a We are fearfully and
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