Chap. ; ç. e/InExpofition upon the Book of Jos. Verf. t c. and which he bath therefore furni(hed man with , that he might knowwhat to do in a time of diflrefs,in the day of al &ton; they fay not, Where it Godmy maker ? who, not onlygives,tufangs ix the night,( matter of praife,but) teacheth ets more than theheath of the earth. Some of the Jewish Interpreters read thef words poCitively, not ( as we) comparatively, or they render them, to Phew that qod' athappoynted the very beafls to be our Tutors,not (as we) that hi nfelftutors us beyond the bea(ls : Thus ; who teacheth ua by the bea/Fs ofthe earth, andmaketb us wifeby thefowls of heaven, This anfwers what lob fpake in the i 2thChapter of this book. ( v. 7.) Asknow the beafts, and theyfhall teach thee : and the fowls ofthe air, and they fhali tell thee. Tis a truth that God cloth teach us by the beafis of the earth, and makes us wife by the very fowls of the air. We may learn much in the School of thofe creatures whohave not only no learning, but no underflanding, and may be flirred up to the exercife of excellent vertues,by chofewhich have not theexercife of reafon. TheScripture fendeth man,the highefë of vifible creatures, to the towel of vifible creatures,co creatures fo little,that they are fcarce vifible,for inl`lrudlion; Go to theAnt tholeHaggard, confider her wayes,andbe wife,(Pro.6.6.) There are feveral obfervable qualities, and,as I may call them, verrues,not only in the beafls of the earth, and fowls of the air , but in the meanefl creeping things, which are very imitable by man ; and thus God cloth teach us by the beafls of the earth , and by the fowls of the air, vertually, though not formally, by their pradlife and example,though not by theirprecepts or rules;For fuch teach- ings neither the beafls of the earth nor the fowls of the air have any competency at all. Man alone cannot teach man effedtually to converfion and falvation; all that are fo taught, are and mull be taught of God, ( i Cor. 3.. 5, 6, 7.) yet the beafls.of the earth, and the fowls of the air, may and do teach us inflrumenrally to conviaion, and if we learn not by them, their teachings (as rude as they are) will be to our fhame, confufion, and condemna- tion. But I rather take the words,as we tranflate them,compararive. Iy ; Who teacheth us more than the bears ofthe earth : As if he had laid , Gad teachethrohe beanie foneewhat, bat he teacheth man mach more. L e They :a
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