268 Chap. 5,' , sQn Expolition upon the Book of J O B. Secondly, obferve ; They that are low and mourning, are xeareff to exaltation and »fety. To be very low, it is to be (as it were),in a due poflure and rev. diners to beexalted very high ; Hefetteth the low on high,(Luk. 5 I ) He hathput down the mighty from theirfiat, and bath exalted' the humble and meek; or, hath exalted the lowly and the meek. We are not to underhand it only of thole who are low, that is, lowly in mind (that frameof heart which is wrought above .ix the higheh heavens (is in this fenfe)loweli upon the earth,but we may underhand it likewife of thofe, who are low in their ehates;. , (many that are low in mind, may be high in place , a man may have aboundance ofhumility in the height ofoutward'eminency) Therefore (t fay) we mutt take inboth; -Before honour oèf humility, as a high mind before a : fall, Prov. 15. 33. And Pfaff. 113. 6, 7. He raifeth up the poor out of the duty, andlift. oth the needy out of the dunghil, that he may let himwith Prin- ces, &c. And as it is in reference to particular perfons, fo to the Church and people ofGod in general ; when they are loin, then look for their railing up. The Scripture is frequent in this, Deut. 32. 36. Pfal. it 2.6. "'fah it 02. 13, And in that notable place, If,ia33.9, r 0. TheAmbafadoursof peace weep bitterly the earth mournetb, andLebanon languifheth ; andCarmel fhakes off her fruit, &c. All places, every creature is brought in, mourning with that mourn- ing people. When it was thus with them, Nowwill t arife (faith the Lord) now will l be exalted, now will ! lift up my felf There are three Nowt for it, to note, 7hat the fpecial Now of their ex. altation. But the Text faith, God would then beexalted. Was he brought low ?' God is alwayes alike exalted in Mina If; but he is not alwayes alike exalted in his people; therefore when he faith, nowwill beexalted, themeaning is, d will exalt this peo- ple who are low, that my name may be exalted and lifted up in the light of all people. Therefore our lowelate fhouh} be fo far from finking, that it fhould lift upour faith in believing deliverance and exaltation: A low ehate, is a great advantagefor faith ; faith hath Curet} foot- ingwhen we lye profrateupon theground:_ there faith !}ands firm_ eft,becaufe there faith meets withmoli promifes; Prom ifes are the foundaticn of faith. Thepeople of God have never fomuch ofthe word Verf. r r;
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