i38 Chap. r5. An Expofition upon tbe Bookof J OB. VerC25, men, the Nimrods of the World afraid to meddle, yea to think a thought of meddling with God. The abfurdityofmen in ftrengthening themlelves againil the Almighty, may appear yet more diflinCtly in three particulars. Ertl, He that is Almighty is lironger thanall ; there cannot be two Almighties. Hence the Apoftle argues (i Cor. io.) Will you provoke the Lord to anger, areyou.fironger than he ? It is bale and cowardly to provoke thofe that are weaker.than our [elves ; it may give us trouble enough to provoke thofe who are as firong as our felves, but, it is either madnefs.or de- íperatenefs to provoke thole who are stronger than our felves: And when the Apoftle demands, or rather expoftulates, Are yeftronger than he 3 His queflion calls for this pofitive affertory.. anlwer, We are infinitely weaker than he ; and therefore there is no prevailing:againfl him, not onely not in all things, but not in any thing. It is poflible for a weak Enemy to prevail fometimes upon a mighty Enemy, The Romans who commanded the World for many ages, and were too strong for any Nation; did yet receive Come foils; thóugh they were . never conquered yet they. were fometimes worfted ,not onely by fueprizals and Ambufcadoes, but in the open field , and even petty Princesgave checksfor a while to Tome of their detigns. But El- Shadda the AlmightyGod, never received any defeat, nor is he within the polfibilityof any furprize. Secondly, Not onely cannot the Lord be defeated, hilt he cannot be endamaged ; he never loft ( as we fay) fo much -. as a hair of his head, nor did he ever Coffer fo much as the fcratch of a pin. The Romans obtained Come Vtc`coties with filch ex.ream lof§ and hazard, that it hath been Paid, Two or three more loch iffories , would utterly undo them they. who were never defeated or foiled, have yet been great - ly endamaged in Battei ; and their clearefl gains have not been . without fame lofs : but the Almighty never loft the worth ()f- a thread, or drop of blood, in all thofe innumerable yidories which he hathgained. . Thirdly,Man cannot fo much as hinder or retard the defigns of God. He tranfcends all the impediments, and throws open all the Barracod'oes that are fet in his way. He willwork, and whoJhall let. him ? (I la; 43 . 130 There is no putting ofa baxinhis, way and Abeam if any thould anfwer the que- álzors:.
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