,r90 Chap. 9. An E+xpofition upon the Bookof J GB. VerC_7 death into the trtorning,andmaketh the day dark with Might. The holy íîórÿ; recordsone famous ad of God commanding the Sun to fland hill (Jofh. 10.12.) When Jofhua was in purtuit of his erac.ries, he prayed thatthe day might not haften down : Sun (land thou_Jill upon Gibean, and thouMoon in' the valley of Ajalon, Add the Sun flood'fill, &c. jo(hua (peaks as if himfelf could command the Sun, Sun, _land thou Hill ; he talks to the Sun, as to his fervant, or child, flanditill. It was indeed at the voice ofJofhua, but by the word andpower ofGod, that the Sun flood í§ill. So the Text reColves, There was no day like that before it, or after it (no day fo long as that) that the Lord hearkned to the voice of a man, So then, the Lord hearkned to the voice of a man, and then the Sun hearkned to the voice of aman : Firft; the Lord hearkned , and then the Sun hearkned , that is, by a command from God at the requefï ofa man theSun flood fill, Thirdly, It may beunderflood ofordinary eclipfes, which are difappcarings of the Sun : And though they come in a courfe of nature, and are by natural light fore-teen many years before they come, yet there isfomewhat in them, which should fill us with high thoughts of the power ofGod.And though an eclipfe ofthe Sun be nomiracle, yet Godonce made, and can again make a mi- raculous eclipfe.When Chrift the Sun ofrigbteoufnefs was flume- fully crucificd,the Sun in the heavens (as afhamed to look upon thatal (as fromman) ofprodigious cruelty and injuftice)hï.d his áre face ; and from thefixth houre(that is, from high-noon) there was darknefs over all the landunto the ninth hotere ; that is, till three in the afternoon,Math.27.45. The eclipfe was miraculous ; firfi, be- caufe it was the full of the moon. Which (as we receive fromAn- tiquity) caufed a great Philolopher (not knowing what was do- eng,or who was fuffering at Jerufclem) to cry out Either the God ofnature juifers,or theframe ofnature difrlves. 2. Becaufe it was univerfall (as Come affirm) over all the world, or as others (which makes it more flrange) that it was .only in the land of Judea, all the world befides enjoying the light ofthe Sun at that time. Which miracle (lands oppofite to that in Egypt,whick was plagued with darknefs, when the Ifraelites in Golhen enjoyed light ; whereas then Judea where the 1fráelites dwelt, was eovered with darknefs, the refi ofthe world enjoying night, : ronyj,us 1)agira. Fourthly,
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