374 Chap. y. ,, An Expofatiorírspon the,Bookaf J O B. Verf. 23_i Secondly, Take the ftones asthey lyehidden in theearth,then to be at league with them, bath this fence. Firft, that in tilling the earth ; Ilona fliould not trouble or hinder that work. God ¡hall fo order ir,that though thou plow(ft amongftones,yet thou ¡halt till the ground fucc(ffcfully. The ftony ground nail lc fruitful ground. In that Parable of a vineyard (1/a. 5. r.) God is pleated to ranifeff his careof making it fruitful, by this aft a- mong others, /gathered out thefionts thtrsof,v.2. noting that ftones arc naturally great impediments to fruitfu]nefs. We read(A1at, 13. s.) how the feed which fell upon the ftonygraund, fprungup quickly and witheted as quickly>Stony groundnaturally cannot teedor bring forth fruit tomaturity. It is then a great priviledge, thus to be in league with the of the Meld, that though we fow among fiones, yet we fhall have a plentiful Hovel'. When Sob defcribed the daycs of his profperity (Chap.79.6.) he faith, The Rockpo wred him out rivers of o7l: To- have oyl out of Rocks, is u a mope like havingcorn out of the ftone:,both noting things fucceeding ,iui beyond their natural principles, andour common expc&ation. pits veto to. whenthe Bapti/1 would ¡hewhowGod can workbeyond all the rmpulvis poffibilities of natureor reafon, he faith to the Pws, Even of moth:Sinus la- :here flaws God can reife up children unto Abraham, (Mat. 3.) piAefcer. There is fomewhat of a miracle in it, to raiteupbread to a man out of (tones : That is to make rocky land, a fertile foyl. God threatned his people,that hewould make the earth tobe iron un- der them; that is, the earth whichwas ordinarily fruitful, (hall yield younomore fruit than iron : and on the other fide he pro miles, That they(hall fuckhoney out of the Rock, and Olt out of theflinty Rock, Deut. 37. r Honey out of. the lock ; that is, honey of Bees hiving themfelves in Rocks : or (asothers).hony fruits, as Dates, &c. which grow on palm-trees (as Oyl on Olive- trees) in rockyplaces. Hereby the Lord affureth his people of onDeur. abundan t plenty : for whereas Rocks and flenes'are ufuallybar- ren,he wouldmake thofe places fruitful to Ifrael. They fhould: have oyl'out of the Rock in Canaan, as well as water out of a Rock in the Wildernefs.Weare íurely in league with thofe rocks and (tones of the ñelds,which fend us fuch Prefixes as thefe,bread Nunqusus di¡ water, honey and oyl. fotvetur mate- 'Thirdly, Take thefef ones as artificially laid together, andCo, tro,00nArtie: Thou (halt be in league with them, is thus to be. underfiood = thofe walls and mounts of flow, mail be as the keepers and watch- men
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=