Chap. 7. Aa Expofition upon the Book of J 0 B. Verf. 2,9 . 695 , there flreams to thy annoyance , then know ( as the 23 . verse, intimates ) 7heir tacklirgs fhall be loafed , they (hall not well ftreng- then the r Masts , they (hall not spread their Sails They (hall be ruffled and entangled, that the lame (hall take :fie prey; that is, the weakefl refflancc fluff subdue them and make prize of their whole fleet, even of their invincible Armado's. 1 love the Lord my flrengtb, my rock, my ewer, my fortress, my buckler ; the born of my falvation,: Pfal: 184,2. all these titles meet in this one, The preferver of men. Secondly, God is a preferver of men mediately by infiru- ments : he preferves man by man , and man fometimes by the beafls of the earth,and fowls of the Air , but chiefly he pre- ferveth menby angels Are they not Monoflring Spirits fett out for the good of thole that (hall be Heirs of Salvation ? ( Pfal. 91, ) He (hall give hie Angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy wages , they fhall bear thee up in thy wage: , leaft thoai ¿all; thy foot againft a flone. A promi£e fo full of fweetncfs for faith to feed on , that the Devil hath no way to elude it, but by tempt- ing us(as he did Chrifl)co ovcr-aa it,and furfet faith into a pre fumption,by a wilful needlefs throwing our felvcs into danger. And there is a neceffity that-God himfelfshould thus take upon him the preservation of men : This neceffity is three- fold. '.None are firongh enoug topreferve us without him,our enc mies would break thorough all flrength below God:folhat,if he werenot our preferver, none could : In vain is Salvation hoped for from Hills, and from the multitude ofMountain: ; truly in the Lord our God is the falvation ofWriest. fer. 2. 2. Nonearc wife enough to preserve us, except the Lord As evil fpirirs are powers ,for tlrength;fo likewife Serpents , for policy and craft ;. this craft of hell cannot be difcovered, much Ids dif- appointed, without wifdom from heaven. 3. None but God 'are patient enough to be the prefervers of men, I believe if the angels left ro their natural temper, were let robe keepers of men, theyhad all given over this charge Ion g before this time, as it isfuppofed, theywho fell, refufed to under take, or take it up, at fiat. Angels have not the patience to keep, fuch a froward piece as man. It is a wonder God doth not give ovet that care, and inflead of preferving dash him in pieces. When the Lord toldMofes , be would fend an Angel before him , and drive eus the Canßsnite ( Exod. 34. z.) nr I. will not g' up Tttt 3
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