a,© Chap. 5. An Expofition upon theBook of JOB. Verf. st And this likewife is acomfortable promife,for us to lay hold on, in thefe times. It is a time of war to us all, and there are many of our friends and brethren (as it were ) in the very hand of the fword ; Delires are often Pent to the Congregation, by one for a husband, by another forabrother,by a third fora fervant,by ma- ny for their friends, gone for tomeet a fword in the hand of an enemy skilful to deflroy : Here is a promife, tocomfort and fup- port fuch ; The Lord in time ofwar, candeliver out of the very hand ofthe fword,or,when fwords are in the hand ; when thou- fands of(words are drawn together, preparing for, or fmiting in the day of battel, know, then God is a deliverer. In the molt ?refinedangers, Godíhewsthe molt prefent help. ( Pfal. 23. 5. ) Tboufhaltfpreadmy table, and caufe my cup to overflow, before theface ofmy enemy, even then, when my enemy is neareft and looketh on. As when the fword is in the hand of the Angel, fu when it is in the hand of man, A thoufandfhatl fall at thy fide, and ten thoufand at thy right band, but it(hall not comenigh thee, ( Pfal. 91. 7. ) Not nigh thee ? what ?when they die on this fide and on that fide, on every hand ofa man, doth it not comenigh him? Yes, nigh him, but not fo nigh, as to hurt him; The power of God can bring us nigh to danger, andyet keep as far from barme r As good maybe locally near us, and yet vertually far from us, fo tnay evil ; The multitude throng'd Chrift in the Go- fpel, and yet but one toucht him, fo as to receive good ; fo Chrift can keep us in a throng of dangers, that not one thall touch us,to our hurt. Y et we are not to take this or the like holy writs of protection, as ifGod would deliver all hispeople, from famine, and from the (word ; we know many ,precious fervants of his have fallen by thefe common calamities ; The Lord knows how to diftinguifh his,when fword and famine doe not. Neither doth this word fall, though they doe : Ifthe fervants ofChrifi are notdelivered from thefe troubles , they are deli vered by them, and while they are overcome by one trouble, they conquer all. Verf. 21.7bou'halt be hidfrom the fcourge of the tongue, neither fhalt thou be afraidofdeJtruction when it cometb. Thisverle contains a fecond pairof evils r Firti, Thefceurgeof the tongue. Secondly, Deftruúion. Two things are hereto beenquired into, about the former. a. What
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=