Chap.t 2. An Expofitionupon tZe BookofJOB. Verfe TS. 2 3 J 0i3 Chap. 12. Verf. r5, 16. Behold, he withholdeth the waters, and they dry rep alfohefendeth them but , and they overturn the earth. With him isflrength andwifedom : the deceived and the deceiver are his. JOB proceedeth upon his former argument in giving inflances to prove the great power and the unqueftionable foveraignty of the Lord. In the former context we had an inflance in civil affairs : He breake,th down, and it cannot be built again he fhut- teth up aman , and there can be no opening. The acts of God are irrevertbbleby man : Here he inftanceth in natural things, Be- hold, he withholdeth the waters , &c. As God Ihutteth up men and they cannot get out , fo he thutteth up and imprifoneth the waters, and they cannot get out. This alfo calleth up our atten Lionand admiration, Behold, He withholdeth. The word fignifies, Firft,to flop or to flay a thingby ftrength, - -iyv and fine force. Secondly, to flopor to flay a thing byauthori- Prohibuir cef=; ty orcommand. Thirdly , to flopa thing by entreaty or by fare ferir. prayer (a Sam. 24. 21.) When Davidoffered a facrifice in the floore ofAraunah, the text faith, fo the plague wasfraied : there was a flay, a flop, a withholding of the Plague : David intreat- the Lord, and the Lord at his intreaty gave that effee`t he chekt the malignity of the peftilence and bid thedeflroying Angel Iheath his fword. The fame word is ufed (2(sm. t6. 48.) when the plague was begun among the people , Aaron took a Cenfer and offered incenfe, and fo the Plague war.jtaied, or withheld : the plague was marching on fwiftly and furioufly , but at the in.. terceffion of Aaron , God flopt its courfe , andbid it fland. This withholding is fometimes applyed to the laws ofmen ; Laws are as boundaries and limits, yea, laws are as bridles and bonds , as chains and fetters , to flay and reflrain, to flop and withhold the finful extravagancies and excurfions of the flefb. 1 find it often applyed to the withholding ofwater. If I (faith theLord) put up Ma'am, that there be no rain , (2 Chron. 7. Ii2 13.)
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