hap, 3$, an Expoñtron upon the Book,of J B. Vert'. 30. 23.t (hallowwaters, but the face ofthe deep, where one would think the Froft could have nopower,is frozen. The Hebrew is , The face of the deep is taken. The word notes taking , as a Captive or PIifoner is taken. The Lord takes the ,2uafr ligara face of the deep Captive, and holds it as his Piifoner during & captiversr pleafure. They who inhabit or travel to the NorthernClimes, e,cr. have fomuch experience that thefaceof the deep is frozen , that I need not further infift uponany proof of it ; nor fhall I further treat of there cffe6 s of Cold , Froft and Ice, as confidered ie a natural way : Onely for the clofe of all, and a little improve- mentof them in a moral or fpiritual way, we may confider them in a twofold refemblance. Firff, Ice andfroa refemble all humane things. The things ofthis world , are they not like a Seaof Ice ? that is, Firft, Ve- ry flippery. Secondly, Very Uncertain , how long they will lafi or continue. Some conceive, that, the Sea of glafle like unto Chryflal, which was reprefented untoSt John in Vifion (R,ev, 4.6. bt 15. 2.) fignified the flare of the world , which is like a Sea, becaufeof the tumultuoufnefsof it ; and like a Seaofglare, becaufe of the brittlenefs of it ; and aSea of glaffe like ChryJfal, becaufe of the clearnefs and tranfparency of it to God ; he fees quite thorow it to him all thing s are naked and manife(i. Such a thing is the world, 'cis a frozen Sea, efpecially for the flippe- rinefs and uncertainty of it. For though the Sea be turned into a ftone , yet no man knows how foon a Thaw maydiflólve it back again into water ? The things of this world fuffer fudden changes. Though menhave worldly efiares, like to mountainsof Boneor rocks,yet the Lord can make thefemountains,theferocks, melt ar, and flow down at his prefence (TJa. 64.2. ) The great.. eft mountains of worldlypower and riches , which Teem tobe as hard as rocks, as compaa as mountains of Adamant, areyet but like mountains of Ice before the Lord ; if he let forth but a little heat of his anger and difpleafure again them , they melt like wax before the fire, or like a heap of fnow before the Sun, and flow down prefentlylike water. Should we fee men building up- on the Ice (as fome have done ina proper fenfe) we would pre- fently fay , they build upon a very unCure foundation. They who build their hopes upon any perron or thing in this world , areno wiler_, and donobetter than they whobuild upon the Ice. All things
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