Chap. 9. AnExpofition upon theBook of J p B. Verff 9. keep rank and file; there is not fo much asone of that great multi- tude out ofplace ; therefore, fudg. 5.20. where they arefaid to fight againfl Sifera,they are defcribed fighting in courfes,Tbe !tars in their courferfought againft Sifera ; as lithe Bars had been drawn up, now one regiment, then another regiment ofthem, to charge upon Siferaand his holt: the heavens fought, and the liars fought, that is, the Lord by an heavenly power and influence of the (tars confounded Sifera, and all the enemies of/Pad. Fifthly, There is a molt efficacious vertue in the (tars. It is a fe- cret vertue, and it is a ftrong irrefiftable vertue, no power in the creaturecan flop it: Therefore God challenges Job, in the 38. Of this book of Job, v. 3 t. Canft.thou bind the Tweet influencer of Pleiades, or loofe the bands of.Orion? There are influences in the ftars,and caul thou bind them ? Is it in thepower of any creature to flop the iffues and out-flowings of the ftars ? Their influences are fo efficacious, that none can bind them, but he that loofah them ; none can bind them, but the hand and power which made them ; there is fo much efficacy in them, that ifGod let them go on in their natural vigour, their effc is are wonderful. I (faith the Lurd, Hof. 2. 21, 22.) will hear the heavens, and theyfhall hear the earth, and the earth(hall hear the corn, and the wine, and the oyl, and they (hall bear Jezreel ; As if he had faid, The heavens are next in power to me, they are fecond to my feltin working, Therefore I will hear the heavens,the heavens cannot do it, unlefs I give them a commiflion, but Iwill hear the heavens. I will leave a power in the heavens, And theheavens hall hear the:eareh, and the earth(hall hear thecorn, &c. There is a gradation, a defcent from God to us, wee? daij`xar. and the heavens are the next receptacle, theiminediate vef 1, re- ceiving and taking in power and vertue from ,God to defufe and fend down upon the creatures herebelow, I will bear the heavens, and they(hall hear the earth. Sixtly,obferve,tbat theilariandconftellationsofheaven,can do no- thingofthemfilves,but as they receiveorder & cami f anfrom t&Lord He maketh Arcturus and Orion, &c. They havegreat power, but ' 'Slijf it is the Lord that maketh them. That word [He maketh] doth No" rantij fa- not fo much lignifie the Creation, as the providential difpoiìtion tyre, ede1 of the liars, as was noted in the Expoítion of it. He maketb them, ró, Qirige , ete - that is, he orders and difpofcth them,or he aFs the liars, he trims prQp,rare/fg. up.thofe lamps ofheaven ; the word is fo ufed (2 Sam. 19. 24.) rufLN, Meobibafhetb,while Davidwas in trouble, had not dreffed his feet F f t:he 217
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