Chap,i5. An Expofitiontipera the Book of J OB. VerC25. 129, his profeffcd Friends, who live in the open violation of his righteous Laws; they who oppoCe theWtll and Word of God, the Statutes and Ordinances of God , thefe: will be found to firetch forth their hand againft God himfelf. The Lord complains (clal.3. 3. ) 'Your words have been flout aQainit me : Who ? we flout againft God ? when did we (peak againft God ? we never had fuch a thought in our hearts, much lefs, fuch words in our mouths : So it follows, Yet yefay, What have wefpokm fo much againftthee? The Lord tells them ( becaufe it feems they could not) Verf. 14 Ye have faid,it it a vain thing toferve the Lord, andwhat profit have we, that we have kept hit Ordinances, and 5e call the proudhappy, &c. To (peak, or think thus ( though fuch a word be not 'fpoken formally,, as it is probable they did not) is to be flout again fl God. To fay, It it a vain thing toferve theLord, is not only a diflervice , but a Rebellion againft the Lord : To fay, There is noprofit in keeping hit Ordinances , is the higheft pre- phanation of his Ordinances ; to call , Theproudhappy, is to ítretçh out the hand againft God , for he Ilretcheth eur,liis hand againft, and reffteth the proud. Thirdly, The hand' isfiretched out againft God, when it is ftretched out againft his people, his Servants', or any that arc under his tuition , and fpecial protection to oppofe, or firetch out the hand againft thefe, is to firetch out the hand .againft God. The Prophet Zachary lets forth both the care of God tokeep his people from trouble , and his Sympathy with them in trouble , by an elegant fimilitude : He that toucheth you , toucheth the appleof mine eye(Zach. 2. 8 :)What part is more fenfibleof the leaf} hurt , than theeye , ai' being hurt , caufeth a greater Irnart ; God is astender of his people 'as any man is of hisown eyes. He that toucheth them , /c. to wrong or vex them, toucheth the apple of Gods eye , he lifts up his hand againft Gods face , and againft the moll excellent part ofhis face , hiseye , and a gainfi themolt excellent part of his eye, the apple of it, or ball of the eye which is the proper inf}rument of feting. Weufe to fay, There is no fpor- ting with theeyes ; men doe not like it , to have their eyes played with : Surely then God will not bear it , that anV Dicitrar vulg® thould (-mite or wound his eyes.. And he interprets any hurt cunzoectì done to his-people, as done to his own eye, yea, tothe apple iud:ndun S of
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