Caryl - Houston-Packer Collection BS1415 .C37 v3

244 Chap. 9. EIn Dxpofition upon the Baok,ofJ O B. Vert. 15. that is, they (hall not be able to refcue a perfon or a Nation from the anger of Gott by prayer,; or by the ut.moft improvements of their interelt with God. Some places have fallen, becaufe they wanted godly men to fupport them ; and Tome places have fallen, though .ui porta;tor_ they had godlymen to fupport them. TheVulgar Latine tranila- bern. vulg. Lion renders, They that bear up thepillars of the world fháll fa1ìr Godly men bear up the pillars of the world. Though the He- brew will not bear their tranflation, yet the fenfc isgood. God- ly men are the worlds fupporters. It is laid,. (Rev. 12. i6.) That the. Earth helped the woman, that is, worldly wen for carnal ends helped the Church, when a flood of perfecution, caOEout of the mouth of the dragon , was ready to (wallow her up. But the Church continually helps the world , and fwallows up manyof thole floods of Gods dilpleafure , which elfe would drown. the world. And becaufe the Church was fo thin, and there were fo few godly men in the old world, therefore it was drowned, Gen. y. And becaufe ten righteous perlons were not found in Sodom , tire fromheaven conlumed it (Gen.a 8)God leeks for Saints many- rimes to Rand in the gap, and fave a Kingdom {Ezell, 22.3o. Jer. 5. TO and yet fometimes Kingdoms are not laved, though many t'uch Rand isí the gay. Except the Lord turn away his anger; theft Porters of the 'world than not fupport it , thefe 1piritúal Atlas:s ¡hall faint and fall under him. The Heathens hada ii ion of a mighty Gigantineman, whom they calledAtlas, him they fan- cied bearhog up, the frame of nature s it is moR true in a 1piritual fenfe,.the Saints hear up the world; yet if the Lord turn not away i is auger , the world mull totter and fall too , notwithstanding rhele helpers. For the Saints.do not bear up the world , or fave Kingdoms fromwrath,by giwi #Ise lean fatisfac`;tionto the juftice of God (that's thg.fele Prerogättve of Jefus Christ) but only by i ìil bring the mercy of God.. Orthey are therefore Paid to turn away the wrath of God from a people, becaufeGód will not pour out his wrath upon that people, whilehis Saints are mingledwith them. The tares are let grow.; left in pulling them up, the wheat Ihould be pulled tip alto. It is good for the worn: to have the neighbourhoodof thole who aregood. K,b Sòt.. s F.utther,More generally, there proud helpers arc fuppofed tobe Eilaunb"'t I< 7Y21 in g' and Common wealths, joyned in firongeft confederacies pot in itti. and then the fenfe is, If God come againft á ,Nation, though it t', rifr,zr si .i ul n with other Nations, though hand joyn in hand,_ the hand of one

RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=