Caryl - Houston-Packer Collection BS1415 .C37 v2

Chap. 4. 44n Expefitionupon the bookof j O B. Verf i 2. the Spirit of God is alwayes undifcernable to flefh and blood.The foul receives a thing, And the man knows not how; he can (fcarce pofïibly,not atall)tell where,by whom, or which way it came to him;it was brought,feeretly brouglst;and with a moll bleffed,gra- cious flight of hand, conveyed into his heart. Yet fomctimc truth enters in State,and may be Paid to make its pallage vifibly into the heart ofaman.The word comes,not as a company of Thieves,but as a band ofSouldiers, with weapons drawn, and terrible{bouts, tearing'open the foul,and breaking open the iron gate of the heart.. lock'd and barr'd with unbelief,tó fecure that curled crew of tufts, garrifoüd within it. The weapons of our zrarfare(faith the Apostle) are mighty,tbrougl+God.2 Cor.i 0.4. The word is mighty,wonder- ful in ftrength,it comes upon the foul as an armed man, to fpoil it ofall finful trcafures, yea of the very life of fin. Sometimes the Lord proclaims war , as by a Herald of Arms against a man, and openly prepares for his liegeand battery. He furprifcs another, and heals him into a happy captivity to himfclf. A thing wasSecretly brought unto me, and mine ear received a lit- tit thereof. Mine ear caughtfomewbat ofit,fo Mr,Brougbton. Theword fig- YCtu rifles a part or a portion. Mine ear receiveda little : yet we are not Paticule,rarc, to underhand this,as if Elipbaz had taken in,only Ionic fragments inxlicurz, or imperfect notes,of what God delivered, or had heard to halves. For doubtlefs Elipbaz received all that was brought, he turned nothing back ; he laid not a little is enough, I neednot'the reti ; that he received but a little, was not fromneglefl ofthe reti, but from inability to receive more,or to receive it snore perfectly. And though he hadnot all of every part, yet he had a part of all ; it was mkt alittle ofthis,and none of that : little refpeéts fomewhat ofevery truth, not tome one truth. )rte received, thoughnot all, yet a perfe .t model of all, that wasbrought, Further,this fpeech may have referenceunto our prefent condi- t#i,concerning which the Apoftle faith(' Gar,i3.) We know but in port now when he faith, ire know but inpart ; it is not as if wehad but a part of Gods will,naade known unto us. The Word .of God and the works of God are perfeët. And the Apohle affures theChurchofEpbefut , Tbat be bad not fhunned to declare unte slums ;iewhole counfel of Gad, AFts2o, 27. The whole ( which concerns 77

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