Caryl - Houston-Packer Collection BS1415 .C37 v12

64 Chap. 38. Expoftionupon the Bookof] 0 B. Vert. S, skill ; fo when he will dleflroy fully , he is laid tomete out for deftruction. We have the word uted both with refpect to de- ftruction and education , to building up, and pullingdown , in that one place (z Saw. 8. 2.) where it is laid, that David frnote Moab, and meafured them with a line , calling them down to the groond ; even with two lines mealared he , to pat to death , and with one fall line to keepalive ; and fo the Moabites became Da- vids fervanes, and broteghtgifts, Some under Rand this act of .avid in meafuring the Moabites with a line , firialy and lite- rally ; that David having made a full Conqueft of their Coun- try , did caule it to be meafured with a line , and then appoint- ed or allotted two thirds of the Land , together with the inhabi- tants , to ruin anddefirudtion ; receiving cnly the third of the people to mercy, and referving only a third part of the Land to be planted by them. Others take it only allufively , that having conquered them , he ufed them and their Country at his own pleaiure , as we do that which we meafure out by line. But whether we take Davids meafuring the Moabites with a line in the one fenle or in the other, it fully reaches this third notion of it under hand. Here in the Text when the Lord demanded of fob , whohath firetched the line opon it ? It is as if he had Paid , Shew me , if thou cana, who bath given this great building, this fabrick of the earth loch fymerry , fuch a proportion and evennefs, that no fault or flaw can pollìbly be found in ir. From thefe two figura- dve exprellionsin the fifth verle , implying the exactnefs of the earths frame, Note ; The frame of theworld is every way , and in everyrefeedpro- portionableand beautiful. 'Tis done (as it were) by meafure and line. The Lord is in- finitely above the ufe of meafures or lines, yet condelcending to our underftanding , he gives us to know that 'cis as perfect a piece as if he had done it bymeafure and by line. Survay the whole world , or any part of it , is it not a moll exac}piece ? The heavens areas the roof of the houle, the earth as the floor and foundation of it ; thole elements aire and water, as the walls and fides of it ; The lower parts of theearth are as pillars and bales,

RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=