56o Chap. 40. -vin Expo'ition upon the Book, of J o B. Verf.9. Secondly, How powerful is the exprefsly or diredipy com- mandingvoice of God, if his faying voice be to powerful ! When the Lord gave the Law (E.aod. r 9. 16. ) what voices ? what thundering, were then heard'. The faying of God is a virtual command, but he gives formal commands alto. And when he gave the Law or Ten Commandements, the thunder of his voice made all the people tremble,andfiand afarof: And if (as that no- tion hash oftenbeen well enforc'd) God thundered with fuch a voice at the giving of the law, with what a dreadful voice will he thunder when he comes to judge thofe who havebroken, and im- penitently continu'd in the breachof the law. Thirdly, There is a mighty power, as in the bidding, fo in the forbidding or refraining voice of God. He byrh; voice of his word canput a flop to creatures,when they are in their firongeít career and fwiftefi motion. What is fwifter inmotion than the Sun ? All creatures on earth or in the air, are but fiuggs to the Sun ; the Eagle upon her wing is but a Snail to the Sun : yet God can f,irbid the Suns motion (fob9.7.) He commandetb the Sun, and at rifeth not ; That is, if he fend forth a prohibition to the Sun, it will not Air forwards one foot , till he takes off his prohibition, and bids it fulfill its wonted courfe ; as in je- mmies dayes (Chap. to. Ia.) and at his command it will go backward, as in the dayes of Hezekiah (a Kings 20. i i. Fuither, The Lords voice difanulsand makes void the commands of any creature ( Lam. 3. 32.) Who is he that faith it, and it comet, to pafs,ifthe Lord havenot commanded it ? They reckon (as we fay ) without their hofi, who hope to carry on any workwith- out Gods concurrence;for he can give a negative toall our affirma- tives, and make all our wheels, either (land Rill or go backward. Fourthly, There is a thunder in the teachingvoice of God. His teaching voice is a very HI voice, yet 'tis a very firong voice ; the foul falls down ati the found of ir. 'Tis promifed (Ifa. 54. a 3..) that we mall be all taught of God, that is, 'effe- ¿ wally taught ; fo taught, as to receive infirn&ion. The teach- ing voice of God, makes the ignorant knowing, and the foolifh wife. The Lord (faid the Prophet, Ifa. 8. i t.) fpake unto me with a fironghand, and infirufledme that I [had not wally in the way of this people. There had need be a firong hand in the voice of that infttu&ion, which keeps us out of the common walks of the
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