Chap. 9. ln Expofttion upon the Book of J O B. Verf. G. 87 and brafs,and fione that is in the world,hang in theair without any vifibleflay I find force interpreting this claufe as the former,ina figurative fenfe, Hefhaketh the earth, that is, States, Kingdome s, and Coda- mon-wealths; And thepillars thereoftremble ; that is, they who feemed to be their firongefi fùpporters tremble and (hake. This is a truth, and a profitable one for our .meditation. To clear this, Fini, We find the earth in Scripture often put for States and Kingdoms (Ifa. 24.zo.) The earthPall reel to andfro like a drun- kard, and(hall be removed likea cottage, and the tranfgrefon thereof fhall be heavy upon it, and it fhallfall andnot rife again. The earth ¡haall do this : what earth ? He Both [not mean the natural earth upon whichmen.tread, but the people who tread upon the earth, or thatCommon-wealth,wherein people are united andgoverned, thefe (hall reel to and fro, and be removed like a cottage : as if he had faid,you thought your Stateand Kingdome was fetled like a firong Cafile, but I will take it,down, as aman takes down a little cottage, raddl'd only witha few flicks and reeds. Or the meaningofitis,your Common-wealth that bath been founded by Fundavh tee- the wifdomeof fó many Law-givers,and iseftabli(hed in fb much 64"4". riches andpower, (hall be removed as a poor cottage, thorow Which every puffofwind findes a paflage. The flrongefi King- doms and Bulwarks of the earth,arebut as thatcht cottages, when God takes them in hand. Secondly, Pillars are as often taken in a political fenfe, Pfal. 75.3. The earth and all the inhabitants thereof are diffolved. How comes it then topats that theyare not utterly deflroyed?it follows, I bear up the pillars ofit ; that is,I maintain Governours and Ma-. gifirates, force in places ofpower and authority, by whom fha- king,totteringKingdoms areupheld. Ourexperience teaches us this;We livein a Nation,of which we mayfiiy,;Our earthwith the inhabitants thereofarediff'olved, we are a brt5kon and a (hattcred people ; yet the Lord bears upour Pillar, the Parliornent, thepoli- tickpillar ofoar Nation ; we had long ago lain in the dutl,if God hadnot borne up this pillar. The chief counfels of the adverfary have bèen to weaken and undermine, to ruine and pull down this pillar:They(like Sampfon)have taken hold ofour two pillars and bowed themfelves with all their might(judg.a6.28.)but neither have they proved Sampfons, nor proved us Phili(finer, Bbl For-
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