Ch ap: 5. An Expofztion tspon the Beak of J O B. `7°erfe. 197 his fig-tree withered ? it was but only`a word fromChri(l, Ne- verbear fruit more, and the fig-tree which had no fruit, loft its life. Some are fuch tall Cedars, fùëh mighty Oakes,that men con- -elude there isno flirring of them, no Axe can fell them, or blaft loofeu them ; yet a word from the Lord will turn them up fide down : or if he do but fay to them, never fruit grow upon your actions or out of your counfels, prefently they wither. The curt caulelefr (hall not come, but when there is a caufe, and God (peaks the word, the curie will come; Neither power nor polices, nei- ther threatningsor entreatife can hinder or block'it up, It is laid of the water of jealoufie in the book of Numbers, that when the woman drank that aattic, if there were caufe of her husbands fuf- pition, prefently her belly fwel-'d and her thighs did rot, the effe was inevitable. So, if God bid judgment take hold of a man, family, or Nation, it will obey. A word made the world, and a word isable todeftroy it. There is no armour ofproofagainfl the (hot er flroak of a curfe, Suddenly I curled bid habitation,and the next news is, His chit- .dren are farfrom fafety ; if God (peak the wórd, it is doneas loon as fpoken s as that myfteriousLetter raid of the. Gun-pou- der-plot, As Joan as she paper is burnt, the thin, is done. Surely God can caufe his judgments to_pafs, upon his implacable ene- mies, fuch horrid confpirators' againft Churches and Common- wealths, truth and peace, with as much fpeed,as a paper burns ; with a blaze and a blaft they are confumed. That in the,geè- ral from the connexion of thefe two verfes a Asloon as he was curled, his children and his eftate, allthat he'had went to wrack; and ruine. I flail] nowopen the words diftinftly. Hit children are farfrom fafety,] Some read, ,Werefarfrom'Ve- ry, (and fo the whole paffage in the time pall) becaufe he (peaks ofa particular example, which he h.irieff had obferved in chore' daies, as is clear verf. 2. Having (hewed thecurfe.upnn'the root, henow fl ews the theringof the branches._ Some of the Robbins undërftand,by Childrest;theFollowers or Imitators ofwicked men,fuch as aflìíted them,or fuch aswere like them. There are moral children but take it rather in the letter,for natural children, Inch as were born to them,.or adopted by them, thefe come under their fathers unhappinefs,; They. are fax from. fafety. Thy
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