Chap. 9. An Expofition upon the Book of J O E. 'Yèrf: 12. ZnrY name of lfrael were blotted out horn tinder heaven, fo thy Name were written in fairer charaffers. But I fear a blow to lfrael will be a blot to thy name,and therefore I have taken upon me to pray this prayer unto thee, and I have prayed rather for thee, than to thee. All prayers are made to God, and yet force are made for 'him. Not thathe hath any want, or is in any the remotell pollibi- lity of anydanger, but on.ely for the promoting of his glory, and that the worldmay not have occalionof a diihonourable thought of him, whofe honour never abates in it felt, or in the eyes ofhis own people. Thus wemay ask him what he hath done, and why he bath brought filch defolations upon his people. But we may not ask himwhat he bath done, either to queftion his right to do it, or to quel}ion his righteoulfiefs in doing ofit. No creature may put the queftion upon either of there terms, What half thou done s; much fiefs conclude , Thou hail done that which thou haft no right to do, or, thou halt been unrighteous in doing it. Either of thefe is higheft blafphemy : for, whatfoever the Lord doth, he hath right to do, and whatfoever the Lord doth, he is righteous in doing it. Hence it followeth by way ofcorollary, That The Lord is ofabfolutepower. He is the Soveraign Lord, Lord over all ; there is no appeal from him, no queftioning of him. Solomon fpeaketh ofthe power of a King, in this language (Ecclef.8.4.) Where the wordofa King ir,there it power ; andwho mayfay unto him,What doeft thou ? But is there nothing which a King doth,about which it may be laid unto him, What dolt thou ? And what is this wordof a King ? The word ofa King,is the Law of his Kingdom : all that a King doth or fpeaks betides the Law, he fpeaks as a man,not as a King ; and . that's the meaning of Solomons text; which Court - flatterers have corrupted with their unfound gloífes, as if every word ofa King were ofabfolute power, and muht haveperemptory obedience. A King is for his Kingdom; and while he commands according to the rules arid lawes ofhis Kingdom,no Subjed mayqueftion him, or fay unto him, What dolt thou ? There is no power above his power, as he is armed with the power of his Laws. And becaufe wherefoever the Word of God is, there is his Law , therefore wherefoever the Word of God is, there is power, and no man . may fay unto hire, What doeft thou ?. Every word of direction , fpoken by God is a Law, becaufe his will is the Law of all things Ii and
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