270 Chap.I 2. An Expofition upon the Boob ofJob. Verf.17. Thirdly Obferve, The ruin of Kingdoms is not from chance andfortune, but by the decree andpurpofes of God. He leadeth Counfellours away fpoiled, He in mercy givethConn- fellours, to eftablith and pee i e Kingdoms, and when either Counfellours abufe their wiedom, or when a people abufe the bleffings which God giveth, or bath rehired to them by their Conn tels, then he takes them away, He jpoileth the CounFllomrs that thepeople may be (toiled. We finnetimes wonder that Coun- fellours have no more wifriom, we fhottici rather be humbled that our (elves have no more goodnefs ; Llinally a people are firfi fpoiled of goodnefs, before Counfellours are f¡mi!ed of wifdom to give advice, or are fucceflefs in what they advife. If God cloth this we cannot complain : When be-gives Counfellours, he is not indebted todoe it ; and when he takes them away he is provoked to doe it ; he rakes them not away tvhileft good coon- fells are received, or while we are thankful to him for the good we receive by counfel. When the Lord would deftroy Egypt, he fpoiled the Counfelloursof Egypt (Jet. 9.11,12,13.) Surely the. Princes of Zoan arefools, the counfels of the wife Counfellours of Pharaoh is becomebrutifh ; How fay ye unto Pharaoh,/am the Son of the wife,the Son of ancient Kings ? The Prophet diCcovers their degeneracy from their Anceflou s. And whence was all this Was this from the turning of fortunes Wheelos Heathens ufed to fpeak ? No, yeti: 57. Decorate of the counfel of the Lord of Hofs, which he bathdetermined againli it. The Lord had a counfel, and his counfel was againft Egypt, therefore the counfel of the wife fball not help Egypt : For the Princes of Zoan (hail become bolt, and the counfel of the wife Counfellours of Pharaoh bruti[h. When the molt proper means of fafety cannot fave, nothingcan. And though Counfellors themfelves continue wife,yet they (hail have no better (keel's than fools. Achitophels counfel was in ata ill matter,yet it was the belt count-el that could begiven to facili- tate the ends of Abfalom,but the Lord turned it into fooliflinefs The event is the fame,whether God turn (as he didAchitophels) wife counfel into fooliffinefs, or ( as it follows in this Text ) the wifeji Counfellors into fools; both theCe are alike eafie to God and fatal unto man. And
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