Chap. 5. An Expofttion tspan the Book of i O B. Verf. r 5. as the poor are molt eafily opprefl,fo ufually they are moft op- preti Whore the hedge is loroef',men go vcr fa'te's. And because , for the mo.ft part, Gods people are poor, comparatively to others, they are the vallies,the lower parts of the earth; and wisked- nefs is commonly advancedupon the mountainsof wealth,ho` Hour and greatnefs ; therefore the denomination is taken from them, He faveth the poor. they whom God loves mots, the world lover leaf', and they bave leaf' of the world. Theworld gives mots to its own; And God bath given his own fo much beyond' the the world, that, the idle cat a world, is net difcerned in their e- 'ftate , and worldly gains are not often difcernable in their ettarest therefore, though inChrift, they are Mires of all things, and all is theirs, yet their rank and titles are among the poor. Fifthly obferve : They are poor ernes, yet what devifing and plotting is here againft them ? Crafty counfels, drawn (words, cnvenom'd tongues,flrong hands lifted up : Againft whom are all rhefe ? Agar.' the poor: Note thence, That wicked men plot again(l the people of god, bow poor and low foever they be. As David laid unto Saul (s Sam. 24. ßr4. ) After whom is the Fads uade King of Ifrael came cut .? after a dead dog ; after a flea ? As if hp tantorregi in- had laid, whom doll thoupurfue ? thou doff that which is un- dtgnum,dum worthy and much below fo' great a King ; wilt thou let thy mum rani cr, flrengih agaioft my weaknefs ? WhydOf'thouarm againft him, by mum to to c while corgoef'thosecall no honour ? Alas, I am but a poor man, quern, juns: a mean fubj ft, no march for thee ; I wonder you trouble ¡oc. your fell fomuch in following or oppafing me ? I am (incow- parifon ) but as a dead dog, or as a flea. A dead doh cannot bite; or if I bite, it is but a flea-bite ; A dead dog can do no hurt , and a living flea can do but little. The people of Cod ( as facto ) never have any will to do-wrong, and it es feldono that they have any power to do wrong, and yet the world is all up in pur-fuit againft them ; What's the reafon of it ? what's the matter ? The truth is , how poor and lowfoever they are , yet there is an eye of jealoufie awake upon them : Theworld looks upon them as a Jufpeit td party, the world hash teeter mifgivings, that one time or other , they muff rifeupon their ruines : and therefore they will keep them down ( yes that they will)as !ongas they can. What a diftanre . was there between Haman and Mordecai? the one fate in the gate, , 30I
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