66 Chap. 4. An Expefition upon the Book of J O B. vert. i o. that he only may be exalted, and his name Et up in that day ; Davidwas much troubledéat that murther ofAbner, .yet he could not take vengeance prefently, upon the fierce Lyon, that had fuckt his blood. Why ? his power did not reach it, Te fans of Zerviab (faithhe) are to hardfor me, (2 Sam. 23. 3.) But there are no ions of Zerviah to hard for God, no Lyons fo ftrong, but he can tear than, with infinitely more cafe, then a Lyon can the tender Kid. This fhoiald comfort us, when we El, great and potent enemies rifing up againll theChurch,what are thefe before thegreat Lyon, the Lyon of the Tribe ofJudah. If the Lord do but roar, if the Lyonof the Tribe of Judah, come again thefe Lyons, they will run like a heard of feerful dear : The Kings of the Earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief Captains, and the mighty men, are defcribed, trembling at the pretence of Chriff, when he appeared but as a Lamb, Rev. d. r 5; rd. They cry to the mountains and the racks, to fall upon them, and to hide them from his face ; If when Chritt appears like an angry Lamb, the g-reateff in the world fall before him; what then will thefe do, when Chritt íhail appear as a roaring Lyon. Secondly, obfervc,how gradually the Holy Ghoft expreifes the deftrudion of wicked Tyrants; All is not done at once; Firft the roaring of the Lyon doth rerun, then their voice,thesi their teeth are pulled out, next, their prey is taken away, laftly, their whelps are scattered. Note hence, That stfua.11y God defirayes wicked men by degrees. Hereare five steps or degrees of Gods juftice,againft thefe Lyons. Firft, He flops the roaring of the Lyons,they (hall not be able to make fuch a dreadful noife as heretofore ; their roaring may be flopt, when their voice is not, though they can (peak, yet they f call not yell. In the fecond place, He breaks the very voice of the Lyons they fhall not only not roar, but they fhall not fo much as fpeak, either againtt the lambs, oragainfi the fheep, or for themfelves, Thevoice of the fierce Lon rail be taken array. God is able to fi- lence.Lyons,and flop their rnouthcs,notonly fromdevouring and roaring, but from fpeaking. Thirdly,When theirvoice is taken away and their rearing, yet their teethmay remain: and there will be bitingand tearing Hill, though they kave done roaring and yelling,therefore with a third croak
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