Caryl - Houston-Packer Collection BS1415 .C37 v12

3 zíß Chap. 39. AnExpofition uponthe Book,o fJ o $. Verf. fir: Hence obferve, f=ïrf, That fomecreatures are free from) and othershound to fervice, is of Gods ownappointment. It would be both a vanity and a high prefumption , to ask the reafon why the Lord bath appointed Tome creatures co fpend the whole time of their lives in liberty, and that others fhould be continually groaning under bondage, labouring and fweating, tyring and wearying themfelves out in the fervice of men, feeing we cannot change the orders of God. And as we muff; not buhe our felves with ecquiring, why be bath not fubje&ed the wilé Afs to the lame bonds and burdens as he bath tame Aff'es ? So We mutt not fayunto God, why haft thou made fome men to ferve, others to rule ? no, nor why he handles fome men moregently, others more grievoufly ? We mutt refolve all thefe queflions in- to the will, dominion and foveraignty of God ; and we may well conceive, that the Lord would in this queftion about the wilde Aires, intimateunto us, as well as unto fob, that he bath a power ìn himfelf,which no manought to queflion, to free fome men from the bonds of fervice,and to bindothers, to free fome men from the bonds of affli&ion, forrow and trouble in this world, while others are hamper'd and held fait in them all their dayes. What Yob fp,ke in reference to the various difpenfation of bodily health (Chap. s I. 23, 24, 2s.) One dyeth inbis full ffrength, be- ingwholly at eafe and quiet, his breafls are fall of milk, and his bones moiflned with marrow; and another dyeth in thebitternefs of his foul, and never eateth with pleafure ; the fame maybe faid about the dealings of God with men, as to bodily liberty ; one dyeth free, he girded himfelf all the dayes of his life (asChrifl faid to Peter of his younger dayes, rob. ar.) and went whi- ther he pleafed, no man asking, whither goeft thou ? or why flay- eft thon here? another is laid by the heels, or girded by others, and never enjoyeth the freedom of his own perfon or motions, he( poor man) is bound infetters, and holden zn the cords of af i- Eion, asElihre fpake in the 3 6th Chapter of this book. This was fobs cafe ; he was in the bonds and cords of affli&ion, while o- thers enjoyed peaceand liberty. Now man ought no more to queflion the Lord, why oneman is affli&ed and another free, than why the wild; Afs is free, and the tame a fervanr. As the whole crea-

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