Caryl - Houston-Packer Collection BS1415 .C37 v2

Chap, 4. An Expefrtion repon the BoolLof J O E. Verf. I 2. 73 Wife men had a mind, to fallen Come unwonted opinion upon the vulgar. Among the Romans, Numa, (to the intent they might be received with greater authority) tlampt his laws, with a kindof divinity, and told the people that he had received them from the Goddcfs A geria. As if ke had laid, thele laws are not filch as I have coined and falkionedby my own policy, drawn up or enact.. cd by my o o n power, I had them from the Goddefs. So Pfau, informes us of another law-maker (Minos the Cretian) that he ufed to enter into Caves and folttary places, where ( he told the people)he received laws and immediate dilates fromJupiter their God,to govern them by. This drew a great eftimation and reve- rence upon him. Valeri.res Maximus and Herodotur tells us of thole mil, lib ¡t, other Law- makers, Licurgos and Serelcuctts, ufing the like State- BerocUib.t. liratagems toover-rule the people. Licurgos Paid, he received his laws fromApollo . Zaleucus and Pifffratus avouch, Minerva for the DireQ refs or Dotrcfs of Tbeirs.So that both among the peo- ple of God, and among Heathens, it hath been very frequent to pretend Divineauthority; that they might with the more efli, (nationput off either filch points ofdoctrine, or (itch rules of poli- cy, as themfelves had invented. For this of Eliphaz, howloever Come charge him dire tly, and Reminemfi"ia others leave the matter in doubt , only turning the fcale with a relinquiv probability, (it feemeth rather that it was a true vifion. ). Yet I videtur tamer (hall adventure to refolve direftly, that his was a true vifion, as Pori>A vera fu.. well as a vifion oftruth Pent from God. And the reafons which 'oz'i %,t erfij ea abivatur, fway with me are thrfe three. mere. Fiat, if we confider the manner of this vifion, the defcription here made,holds exad proportion with thofe,of which there isao queflion,but they were the Oracles of Heaven.When a tkinglt time as God loth it,it itfume argument that God bath done it.Igrant,this reafon is not demonftrative or infallible, becaufe Satan and mil own hearts are very apt to makeimitations ofholy things, for fin- ful ends. Satan can transform himfelf into anAngel of light, and the heart can difgùife or (nape its own dark conceptions, by the light ofdivine revelations. Take then a fecond reafon Eiiphaz was a godly wan.'Tis gran- ted on all hands, that Elipbaz and his friends were right in their affedions,though they failed in thisafion. God was angry with them indeed,and told them in thedole ofthis difpute (ch.42.7,) That they had notJpoken ofhim the thing that was right, asjob his L firvant

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