3,tro Verf. 19. . c 4nE.xpofstton upon the Bookof Jos. Chap. 36. compliance with the latter; No not any defence. The word figni- fies to fortify, to fence, tomake tirong, and hence,gold, becaufe gold is mans ifrenth anddefence. Richesare a great (irengrh ; to be rich in gold is a mans (Irong cower. Willhe esteem thy rich- es ? no, not gold, or defence, Nor all theforces offirength. Thefe words, in the dole of the verfe,being the Came with the middle part,as Taft rendred,may very well be drawn up intoane, and conceived of, as if Ebhu had faid, Stopple thou art a mighty man and haft firong forces, he will not ofeena thee for all that ; The verj weaknefi ofGod is ftronger than man (t Cor, t. a 5.) that is, than the (árongeía man, or than any f}rength which man can pro- cure, either to oppofe God, or to prove& himlel: againfi him. The Prophet to thew the great power of the Claldeans, faith ( Hab, i. io.) They g7allfcoff at kings, and deride everyftrong hold. Surely the Lord is Co far from etheetning the defences and forces of firength,whichmen .make to,and for therffelves, that he fcofts at and derides them. The Lord will deride ill the (lrong holds of man,eventhe forcesof arengtb.Some get internal cat nal firong faolds,to fortifie themfelves in,of which the Ap®file (peaks (2Cor.1o. 4. )- The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty, through God, to the caffing down of firong holdr. Mof'c finners are men of wir, they provide rhetnfelves ti.ong holds to fave their fins in, they have their excufes and reafonings to de- fend their fins or themfelves in their fins by. Others are men of might, they get external firong holds, they have Armies and Cities of defence, to fecure themfelves by ; but will the Lord regard either ? Not the (bong holds, fet up and maintained by force of wit, no, nor all the forces ofßrength. Though thou haft Army upon Army, and City upon City, though thou doll add Cagle to Cafile, and Fort to Fort, they are nomore than paper walls before the Lord. As neither riches nor noblenefs, fo no power of man can fecure man from the hand of God. Mr. Broughton varieth a little from our reading, yetconcurrs fully in fence ; No gold, nor any other thing f oasld be able to give found firengtb ; which himfelf expounds by this 0-.o-t- globs. If now thoudefpifeft repentance, thou(halt beutterly calf- f '. As if he had (aid to rob, it is not thy, or any mans (landing out againa God, that aA
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=