Chap. L i . eonExpofition upon the Book,of J O B. Verf.t r. 77 Thirdly, Take the words in connexion with what went before, He cottteth off, fhutteth up, andgáthereth together, For the Lord knowethvain man. Hence obferve, That God is ledby his knowledge to doe whatfoever hedeth. When we fee fo much confulion, fuchcutting off, filch !hutting up, fuch gatherings in the world , we are apt to think no account can be given of thefe things. Yes, godk-nowethvain man, he loth not work at a venture : he fees that in man which jufiifies him in all the works he Both amongall the children ofmen. Further, From the connexion, we fee the caufe ofall the trou= bles which are in the world ; ofcuttings offand Ihuttings up, of deílruEtions and devaflations : The Lordknoweth vain man. It is the vanity of man, which fubjefts the creature unto vanity, Rome 8; The creature groaneth ; we .hear creatures groan, Kingdoms and Nations groan when God cutteth of and-íhutteth up, and hudleth them.together ; But what caùfeth this doleful groan ? Is-_ it not the fin of man ? Vain man brings in all thefe vanities into the world. We may fee thefeedof allow troubles inour fins ; The nature. of man gives you an account of thefe workings of God. There is warre, there is famine, and ther's the plague, there are divitons , there vexations , between man and man , friend and friend, Kingdom and Kingdom. All thefe breed in the heart ofman. The Prophet (7er.4.. i8.) fpeaking of judgements then abroad, faith, Thus is thy wic1 edneffe, becaufe it is bitter. Troubles are alwaies bitter , often very bitter ; But would you know whence this bitterneffe is and how to call it ? This wormwoodis ; wickednefre; You may read what you are , and what you have done , in what you feel and fuffer. eijlansfuferingsare fo muck fromhis fin that theyare calledhis fin.. He feeth wickednefe.alf.. That's a fecond flep. He feeth. Toknow is an ast of the underflandieig ; to fee is an aft of fence. There in God are not diflingui(Led , his eye is his under- 'landing his fight his knowledge. Zophar puts it under diftinEt terms ,' to (hew the exaetnefs of Gods knowledge , He knoweth vain man, andheTeeth. That knowledge which we have by fight, path a three-fold advantage ofanyother natural knowledge. It is L a. The
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=