Cap,17, An Expofitian upon tbe Book of J OB, ,.; Verf,4. they knew not the meaningof what thou doff, fo they know not, my meaning when IPaid, C'hap.9.17. He bath multiplyedmywound without caufe,Nor when I laid, Verf, 22. He de(froyeth the perfeEl and the wicked. 7befe raying arefecrets to my Friends, Now, Lord,for as much as' theft..man have no trueinfight in this prelims controverfie, therefore I beg that thou,wouldeft undertake for me, or put me in a Surety with thee. Further, For the clearingofthis Scripture, it may be que. ftioned : Firfi, how God is laid to hide the heart from ? God doth this four wayes. Firfi, By (peaking darkly, or in fuck a manner, as the un- der[tanding cannot eafily find a paffage to the things that are fpoken. A Parable is a darkfaying:And when Chrilt Preach- ed in Parables, His Pifeiplss came and Paid unto him , Why fpeakeff thou to them in parables , Matth. 13. ro. Now among other reafons which Chrifi was pleafed togive of that difpen. fation, thiswas one, Vert.' 4, In them isfulfilled the prophetic of Ifaiab, whichfaith, By hearingyefhall bear, andPall not unt- derfiand : Andfeeingyefhall fee , andPall not perceive. As if Chrilt had Paid, Thefemen have juftly deferved to be pun- jibed withSpiritual darknefs ( which is not Vnderffanding,) and therefore I have fpoken to them in a dark way. They did not hear toobey what is plain and eatiie to be underft000d,and therefore now they (hill hear , what they cannot under- hand. Secondly, God hides the heart from underttanding, by de- nying, or not giving light and thata twofold light. Firft, The outward light of hisWord : Thus all thole peo. pie are laid to fit in darknefs ; that is, Tohave no underfiand- ing in the things ofGod, Where the Gofpel is not publith- ed. t Secondly, By denying, or not giving the inward light of his Spirit, though the light of the Worldabound. For as a manmay have the Sun{hining in his face, and yet be in the dark, ifhe wanteyefight : So ( as the Apofile fpeaks, 2 Cor.. q 3 4.theGofpeh ishid in the moli gloriousthiningofit to thole whole minds the Godofthis world bath blinded.. Now, every man isborn Spiritually blind, or he is blindby nature, and,he is blindedby the God of this World, till:the God of all Worlds fends hisSpiritwith the Word for the opening of his eyes. ... - Thirdly,;
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