Chr. I. An Expofitiori,upon the Bóokof I-O B. Verf. 6. 79 them or Satan any "formal Commiflion ; neither is Satan admitted into the pretence ofGod, to come fo near God at any time ; nei- ther is God"moved at all by fianders of Satan or by his accufa- tions, to deliver up hís'fervants and 'children into his hands fOr a moment. But only the Scripture fpeaks thus,to teach.us how God carries himfèlfin the affairs ofthe world,even as ifhe fat upon his Throne,ánd called every creaturebefore him,and gave each a di- rection,.what, and when, and where to work, how far and which way to move in every action. So that thefe fix Verfes following, which contain the caufes of Jobsaffliction, are (as we may fo (peak) the Scheme or draught of Providence, (that may be the title of them.) If a man would de- lineate Providence, he might do it thus; fuppofe God upon his Throne, withAngels good and bad, yea all creatures about him, and he directing,fending, orderingevery one, as a Prince Both his Subjects, or as a Master his fervants do you this and do you that, &c.fo all is ordered according to his Paate.Thus all things' in Heaven and Earth are difpofèd ofby the unerring wifdorn,and limited by the Almighty power ofGod. Such a reprefentation as this we read in i King zz. 19. where Mieaiab Paid to Ahab,. Hear thou¿he word of the Lord : I fav the Lordfitting upon his Throne , and all the Hoaf of Heaven fianding by him. And fo he goeth on to [hew how a fpirit came and offered himfelf robea lyingfpirit in the mouth ofAbaba. Pro- phets. This is only a fhadowof providence ; there was no fuch thing reallyacted, God did not convene or call together a Synod of fpirits to advifewith (deArduis Regni) about hard or doubtful cafes ; nor arewicked fpirits admitted into his pretence : only by this we are infiructed and affured that God Both as exactly order all things in Heaven and Earth, as if he flood questioning or interrogating good Angels,menand devils,concerning thofe mat ters. Having thus given force light about thefe fix Verfes in general, I [hall open the particulars. Now there was a day. The Jewifh Rabbins trouble themfelves much to find out what day this was. They fay it was the firfl day of the year. Others; that it was the Sabbath day. But I account it a d"ifadvantage to a clear truth,when it is prov'dbyanobfcurc text.TheSabbath bath proof,
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